Leader's American 21-city speaking tour beginning October 1

The American Family is beginning to make preparations for our Leader’s 21-city speaking tour beginning October 1. The list of cities are: Atlanta, Ga. Baltimore, Md. Berkeley, Calif. Boston, Mass. Chicago, Ill. Cleveland, Ohio Detroit, Mich. Houston, Tex. Kansas City, Mo. Los Angeles, Calif. Minneapolis, Minn. New Orleans, La. New York, N.Y. Omaha, Neb. Philadelphia, Pa San Francisco, Ca. Seattle, Wash. Tulsa, Okla. Washington, D.C. Florida (not yet determined)

The Day of Hope lecture tour will begin in the famous Carnegie Hall in New York. Our Leader announced his desire to have 1,000 members present for the opening, including European, Japanese and U.S. national leaders and couples. Forty European and thirty Japanese members will arrive this month to be assigned to one of two task forces to prepare for the Day of Hope campaign.

The number of new members in America is rapidly multiplying. It was reported that the number of new members who joined to date this year is four times that for the same period last year. Satellite centers have sprouted up in more than twenty states. Over 60 members from 20 different states were recently sent out on mobile units.

Financial Work

The American Family recently completed a candle selling competition with the Japanese members which greatly expanded the limits of what was once thought possible. Many individuals averaged sales of between $900 and $1,000 per week. In Washington, D.C. the Family has been deeply involved in a flower selling campaign. Some healthy competition was introduced with prizes offered for outstanding individuals and centers. A daily news sheet called “Petal Pushers Progress” was printed during the week- long campaign to apprise every one of the status quo. One issue carried this item: “Special recognition today goes to Isaiah Poole who found himself all out of flowers on Monday night. Instead of just sitting back and waiting to get picked up, he went out and sold his bucket!”

5,000 Attend 4th of July Celebration at Belvedere

The following is from an article in the “Daily News” of Tarrytown, New York:

More than 5,000 people attended the July 4th celebration at the International Unification Church Center at Belvedere, according to Pat Hannan, a church member.

‘We expected about 1,000,’ said Miss Hannan, ‘and we were quite surprised at the turnout.’

Activities began with a traditional Fourth of July picnic at 5 p.m. followed by games, informal entertainment and guided tours of the 18-acre estate. Once the home of Samuel Bronfman, founder and president of Seagram’s distilleries, Belvedere is a training center for the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity. Approximately 120 trainees live there now.

Miss Hannan said the celebration provided an opportunity for the community and the church to meet and get to know each other. ‘Many people mentioned they wanted some more interaction between the community and the church,’ she said, adding a number of guests said they would return to Belvedere. Ten vans brought guests from the estate to several parking lots being used for the day.

Fireworks at Belvedere began at 9:30. Miss Hannan said all guests were on their way home by 11:30 p.m.”

May 4th Proclaimed “Unification Day” in New Orleans an open house was conducted at the New Orleans Center on May 4th by the Louisiana State Unification Church, along with 20 members of the Mid-South bus team from Europe, Asia, and America. In conjunction with the event, May 4th was proclaimed “Unification Day” in New Orleans by Mayor Moon Landrieu, with emphasis on unity in international, interracial and interfaith projects.

The official proclamation of Unification Day, signed by Mayor Landrieu with the seal of the city of New Orleans, mentioned “In these times of increasing conflict on every level of our society, the City of New Orleans can serve as an example to these United States and to the world by meeting the challenge of these times, by working to bridge the gap of separation”