I was blessed in marriage with Natasha six years ago today. Yesterday after Sunday service we went out for lunch at the Café Rouge opposite the Chislehurst pond. Natasha’s family took David & Olivia to their home, so we could enjoy our meal with only Bronwyn to keep us company. Thankfully she provided little distraction as she slept for most of the meal.

After the meal we went for a walk. We were remembering the details of the ceremony six years ago and the events surrounding it. We reflected on the progress we’ve made as a couple, which can be measured by the three children we’ve had so far. We also looked ahead, thinking about the direction our couple would like to take in the next few weeks/months/years.

When people try to woo each other or express their romantic affection for each other, the concept of eternity is often implied – “my love for you will last forever… my love will never die… I will love you for all eternity” – but inversely the idea of being stuck with someone for eternity is a commitment many fear to make. Six years seems like a long time from our perspective,

but in the grand scheme of things it’s not long at all. Those of you who’ve been enduring married bliss for 30+ years probably are thinking, “You’ve barely scratched the surface! Wait until this-or-that happens…” and you’re probably right. But right now, I like the idea of spending eternity with Natasha, learning all the complexities of each other and exploring the infinite ways of expressing greater love for each other.

To everyone else blessed at the 400 million couples 5th phase holy marriage event: HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Over the six months since True Parents have been giving the grace of the cosmic blessing from October 09 we have begun to do more again as a community to share the marrige blessing that can be received through True Parents. We made a target to reach 120 couples. We also wanted to do more to provide educational content so that people could catch a profound insight into the value of the ceremony.

We were able to be successful in this effort and ceremonies tool place across most of our communities and you may have seen the reports and testimonies in the news blog. So many people had deep experiences as they went through the program.

To make that happen took a lot of devotion, personal care, and logistical support from a wide range of church members. If you are one of the people who brought friends, helped to prepare the ceremony, taught, took pictures, filmed, organised the refreshments, supported financially, and etc, then please know that you were part of something that, brought blessing to a lot of people, brought joy to God and helped develop His providence in the UK.

A big part of bringing people to True Parents is really about having genuine friendships that give us the opportunity to share freely and deeply about the value of the marriage blessing. A lot of the women in our community who are active members of the WFWP played a big role in inviting people, and we would have been way off reaching 120 couples without them. Thank you, sisters! And especially we can learn from them the power of small groups (I guess they call them coffee mornings.)

Some World Peace Blessings events held recently in the UK

Last Saturday (Feb 13th 2010)  in Bromley we held a Blessing Ceremony for five couples, although the room was filled with more than twenty people and it felt like a world gathering! In terms of religious background, we had two Hindu couples; a Jewish and Christian couple; a Muslim couple and a Buddhist gentleman. Additional support came from families and friends.

Two families had all three generations present. This included a blessed family, Matthew and Emiko Cohn with their blessed daughter, her husband and her brother – in this instance it was the grandparents in their family, George and Peggy Cohn, who came for the Blessing. For them it was a long journey from Bournemouth, but for our movement in Britain we felt it had particular significance; George and Peggy Cohn carried out an amazing job running the ‘Parents’ Association’ back in the late seventies and early eighties when there was much media persecution and concern from parents over their adult children joining the Movement.

We began with lunch together and then shared the meaning of the Blessing through two, quite detailed presentations. After a moving ceremony, each couple was given a red rose and we shared a ‘wedding’ cake together. We want to thank all those who supported, and all those who worked hard to bring people to this historic event.

Robin Marsh
Lancaster Gate, London

Recently there was excellent cooperation between the brothers and sisters of STF, other second generation young people, Central London church, UPF Secretariat and Ambassadors for Peace, who came together to hold a Blessing Seminar, Ceremony and Entertainment.

Eleven couples were blessed amid a very beautiful atmosphere, even though in some cases only one of the couple could attend. While there were elements to improve for future occasions, it was an important stage in the development of a working system to educate and bless our contacts and Ambassadors for Peace.

One of the joys of having an STF* team present is that they mingled with the wedding guests, brides and grooms, and sang to them to create the nice atmosphere. Chris and Catherine Moloney also sang at both the beginning and the end of the programme … in fact the singing caught on, and by the end of the Marriage Blessing Ambassadors for Peace too were singing and and dancing.

After interfaith prayers from Hindu, Christian, Buddhist and Islamic faiths, Bharat Koria, an Ambassador for Peace, spoke to the audience to say that Father Moon is the source of True Love that makes the Blessing possible. The  majority of couples were re-dedicating their marriages to each other, but one couple exchanged rings in what was their wedding ceremony.

Simon Cooper and Robin Marsh gave a seminar on marriage values and the purpose of the Marriage Blessing, and Margaret Ali filled in any gaps in the event and introduced the interfaith prayers. Mr. Marsh was even able to talk about the Marriage Blessing on the radio show of one person who, at the last moment, was unable to attend and wanted other people to understand what it was all about.

The Hayashis – a well-respected elder Japanese couple were the officiators for the Holy Blessing ceremony. Our thanks must also go to Naomi Sato and Ann  Kobayashi for preparing the refreshments, and to Joyce Suda who took care of receiving the guests, grooms and brides.

*STF: Teams of young volunteers, usually on a gap-year.

How God brought style into my life, green shoe laces on my Camper shoes and a D&G suit that was priced like something from the High St.

My wife has style. And because of the devotion and heart behind how we met then when I see that style I see it comes from God.

A lot of people told me not to marry Chieko, because they disagreed with my faith. I would be a lot poorer in style had I listened, not to mention our four boys, the blow-you-away cooking, and a whole bunch of other things.

What is it that God brought into your life through your spouse? It’s worth thinking about for a lot of reasons, for the good times and the bad.

Maybe if we could see our marriage in that light more often it would afford us greater wisdom, greater humility, and a deeper love.

Here are the latest dates for Blessing seminars and Blessings. Please check back for updates and changes.

Report by Michael Balcomb:

See the Slideshare summary – Click on the links below