In Memoriam: Eric Holt 1952-2013

Eric Holt was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on April 20, 1952, the second son in a family of four. Eric grew up in a family of meager means but put his mind to use at an early age, becoming the Scottish National Chess Champion at the age of 19. As a national chess champion he had the opportunity to travel to several countries and play in tournaments throughout Europe.

Eric joined the Unification Church in Edinburgh in 1971. He worked there for two years, coming to America in January 1973 at the age of 20, as one of the 120 European members selected to participate in a 100-day workshop in Tarrytown, New York.

The One World Crusade was Eric’s first assignment in America. Joining a bus team led by Farley Jones, they traveled through Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland.

At the age of 21, Eric was named state leader of the Kentucky chapter of the Unification Church. During his tenure as state leader, Eric and his team successfully fundraised to purchase a building used as the Kentucky state Unification Church center for many years. Most importantly, many new members joined the Unification Church due to his kindness and devotion to the Church, which was apparent when he witnessed. During one of True Parents’ national tours at this time, Eric hosted True Parents who stayed at his center. At one point, he had to sit with True Mother for one hour while waiting for Father to finish his speech. He spoke of this as one of the most nervous experiences of his life.

Eric participated in Mobile Fundraising Team (MFT) from 1976 to 1980. In October of 1980, he was appointed as head bookkeeper and general affairs manager for the MFT mission.

Eric was blessed and wed to his beautiful wife, Kanae, on July 1, 1982 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Together, they raised three children: Shayne (26), Johan (24) and Homare (21).

Eric attended the Unification Theological Seminary (UTS), graduating with a Masters in Divinity in 1994. In 1994, he was named Pastor of the WestRock Ministry at Belvedere Church in Tarrytown, New York. Eric was instrumental in organizing a regular Sunday Service for church members and their guests following Reverend Moon’s regular Sunday speeches at Belvedere. From 1997 to 2001, he served as the Vice Regional Director of the Unification Church’s New York Region. During this period, Eric studied to receive a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, and after serving as Vice Regional Director for four years, Eric decided to switch careers to accounting.

Eric became the Treasurer of the national HSA-UWC headquarters in 2001. He manned the financial helm of the movement, investing himself totally in stewardship of both the church and its subsidiaries. Eric was completely committed to the successes of the New Yorker Hotel, the fisheries enterprise of Ocean Peace, Inc. and the Manhattan Center businesses. One example of his determination to bring success was the multiple subscriptions to an array of magazines and professional journals associated with these industries. Through focused study, he became an expert with the knowledge to properly manage and support their growth and development.

More than a UTS graduate, Eric was a great advocate for the Unification Theological Seminary. Over the years, he led multiple efforts to secure funding for the institution and keep alive the founders’ dream of a seminary that reached across denominational borders.

His pursuit of knowledge included further education and licensure. Eric received his Masters of Business Administration in 2005, and he received his Masters in Accounting in 2010. At the age of 61, Eric passed the final part of the CPA exam and obtained his license in April of this year!

In addition to being a board member of several Church organizations, Eric was most recently appointed by True Mother as Chief Financial Officer of HSA-UWC in October 2012.

Eric will be remembered warmly for his sense of humor and humility. No matter how busy he was or how many deadlines were pressing, there was always time for a little joke and a funny pun. He never told anyone about the pain he was experiencing from his sickness during the last years of his life.

Because of his excellent preaching and speaking skills, Eric often was asked to give sermons at churches of other denominations throughout Westchester. This is something he continued to do over the years even as his career changed.

For a number of years Eric voluntarily led a Kid’s Chess small group at Belvedere where he mentored budding chess players—even organizing competitions against other chess clubs.

Finally, Eric was a loving husband and father. He fully supported his wife’s outreach work to Christian pastors in Westchester. Eric was always at her side, ably representing the best heart of love.

Eric was a great man, husband and father. He will be missed.