Passing of Our Beloved Brother, Hitoshi Onishi

Our beloved brother, Rev. Hitoshi Onishi, from the Clifton Family Church in NJ, unexpectedly ascended to the Spirit World due to a heart attack on Friday morning, September 1. Rev. Onishi has been working tirelessly for many weeks for the success of the clergy conference in Korea. He was scheduled to travel to Korea on Monday with several Christian ministers from District 3.

Rev. Onishi has been with our True Parents and Unification family for over 40 years, since joining the Unification Church in 1975 in Japan. He served True Parents in Japan and in Europe, before finally settling with his wife Hiroko in the USA in 1990. He worked as an ACLC outreach coordinator in Chicago, and since 2006 he has been the ACLC coordinator in New Jersey. His family and friends will remember Rev. Onishi forever for his unwavering faith in God, for his passion and enthusiasm towards ministers outreach, for his love to all people, and his sense of humor.

Rev. Onishi is survived by his wife Hiroko Onishi, and their son Kenji Onishi.

Let us join together and support the Onishi family, and pray for Hitoshi’s victorious transition to a glorious new life in the spiritual world, where our True Father and many saints are waiting for him.

Following is a biography and information about Rev. Onishi’s Seonghwa Ceremony from his pastor and friend, Rev. Manoj Jacob.

Bishop Ki Hoon Kim Continental Director

Rev. Richard Buessing President

The Victorious Life of Hitoshi Onishi August 24, 1954 - September 1, 2017

Hitoshi Onishi was born in Mei, Japan on August 24, 1954. He was the youngest son of Rei and Kiyoko Onishi, and he has one brother and one sister still living in Japan.

Mr. Onishi grew up with a love for animals and dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. However, that dream was abandoned when he met the Unification Movement in 1975. Leaving his personal dream behind to answer God’s call, Mr. Onishi joined the Japanese One World Crusade (JOWC) and actively participated as a full-time missionary, fundraising and witnessing, until he was sent to England in 1981 as part of the International One World Crusade (IOWC). Mr. Onishi fundraised throughout Europe while also pioneering Home Church in England.

He was blessed in marriage to Hiroko Kumagai in 1982 in the 6000 Couples Blessing in Korea. They have one son, Kenji, nine years old, who has been his daily companion in the Clifton church office.

Mr. Onishi came to the United States in 1983 and joined outreach activities for the Interreligious Clergy Conference (ICC), until he was forced to return to Japan four years later because he did not have a visa. He dutifully returned to Japan, convinced that God would bless him with a green card through the international lottery. He checked the mailbox faithfully every day until his conviction was satisfied. He won his green card through the lottery!

Hitoshi and Hiroko returned to the United States in 1990 and moved to Michigan, continuing to work in the area he most loved. His enthusiasm for ministers outreach was unsurpassed by most. In 1996, the Onishi’s moved to Chicago where they pioneered the True Family Values ministry and helped to step up the ongoing ministers outreach there.

Mr. Onishi eventually became a student at UTS. After graduating in 2006 with an MRE as “Rev. Onishi,” he became a precious part of the New Jersey community. He has served faithfully as the American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC) coordinator since that time, organizing monthly prayer breakfasts and ministers forums. He has continued to nourish relationships with existing clergy contacts while reaching out to new clergy members.

Rev. Onishi has given his life for God, knowing God’s desire to see clergy members worldwide united to serve together in order to usher in an Era of World Peace, or One World Under God. He will always be remembered as an Ambassador of God’s True Love because of his kind, persistent and loving heart for God’s people everywhere. His smile, laughter and humor are eternally etched into our memories.

Seonghwa Ceremony

Viewing Ceremony: Sunday, September 3, at 5.30 p.m at the Clifton Family Church, 78 DeMott Ave, Clifton, NJ, 07011.

Seonghwa Ceremony: Sunday, September 3, at 7 p.m. at the Clifton Family Church, 78 DeMott Ave, Clifton, NJ, 07011.

If you would like to send flowers, please send to Clifton Family Church at the above address.

If you would like to send a card or donation, please send to Mrs. Hiroko Onishi, 470 Piaget Ave. Apt. 3B, Clifton, New Jersey, 07011.

If you’d like to make an online donation, please visit the link: In Loving Memory of Rev. Hitoshi Onishi