We would like to invite you to the UK HARP 7 Day Divine Principle Workshop 2010. This workshop is designed to give an understanding of the core teachings of the Unification Church, focussing on the content held within the Exposition of the Divine Principle book.

This workshop is targeting those who are new to the Divine Principle, creating an experience in which their first Divine Principle workshop is one to remember, as well as for those who would like to explore that bit deeper into their understanding of their own faith.

Age: 12 to 18 years old.

Dates: Evening of the 25th of July to the Afternoon of the 31st of July

Cost: £110 per person (£100 for every other child from the same family after)

Application Deadline: Spaces are limited to 30, so early application is advised. Unfortunately we cannot guarantee you a place even if you apply within the deadline – but we will do our best.

Please apply by sending an email to ukharp@gmail.com – please include your name, date of birth, contact number, parents’ email address and your local church community.

If you want to inquire about helping out as staff, please send us an email and we will get back to you to discuss the possibilities.

After the application deadline we will send out a confirmation email to all the participants and in that we will detail things that you need to prepare, the code of conduct and any more information that will help you prepare for the Workshop.

We look forward to hearing from you.

The HARP committee

So, this blog is a little late in coming to you, but I wanted to let you know about the conclusion of the 5-day workshop for students hosted in Cleeve House a couple of weeks ago.

I think the workshop can be best summarised in the words of the participants themselves:

“I guess the main things I wanted out of this workshop were a deeper understanding of DP & finding ways of actually applying it to my life. The lectures that we have had have definitely helped. I have heard Uncle William’s DP workshop content before but he’s either added more or, upon hearing it for the second time, parts have finally got through to me. Hearing how DP is needed in fields, like politics & economics, makes me realise how it truly can be applicable to more, if not all, parts of life…”
(Takao Kobayashi)

“…it’s nice to get a different point of view and some very basic and simple points that were mentioned with examples became more understandable for me. Like the 3rd blessing! Before I couldn’t connect to it, but now I understand the meaning of it much better… I’ll definitely recommend this workshop…”
(Jeanne Penhard)

“Well, certainly not your orthodox DP workshop. Uncle William has illuminated the historical context surrounding the ideas discussed in the Divine Principle in a far more exhaustive fashion than is typical and re-emphasises its intimate relationship with the many, seemingly unconnected at first glance, goings-on on earth. The philosophy of human nature and the natural world is revealed in a fascinating manner through the lens of the Principle…”
(Christophe Murphy)

“Why I came? I suppose I was looking for answers to a couple of fundamental questions I had with the church, or maybe looking for someone to reafirm my own beliefs on the subjects. Whatever it was, I was definitely pleased with the content…”
(Iain Davies)

“This time here has also allowed me to think more deeply about what I should do in the future. So far I haven’t been too worried as I am still studying, but I have really started to feel an urgency in terms of what I should do with my life. I felt I was able to tell this to God very clearly and I am openly waiting for a response, and will continue to search until I find one… Somehow a new view of God has been awakened in me but also an understanding or rather feeling that there is soooo much that is yet to know and experience with Him. Just as I believe the relationship between husband and wife is infinite so is the relationship with God, and only by living according to the Principle more, or more simply the 3 blessings, can we come to reach these deeper and deeper levels of relationship. I get the feeling True Father wants to share these things but it’s something that can only be experienced and is different for every person and couple. Life is awesome! This I know.”
(Jonathan Bateman)

“… I really like the idea of trying to put oneself into a certain situation in history, to try to figure out what exactly was going on and how people felt, because sometimes I forget all of these historical figures were REAL people, normal people, they felt real emotions and sometimes I wander what I would have done in their situations…”
(Katrina Earle)

“I appreciate the fact that God gives us so much freedom to decide who we want to be and what we want to do. There are infinite possibilities in life. I am happy my life doesn’t have to be about following someone or only doing what I am told to do. I don’t want to be only a servant of God but I prefer to walk besides Him, like Abraham and True Father. Even if sometimes we have to do something our of duty, at least I can decide to di it or not. Whatever I am doing, I want to do it with my heart, this gives value to my life.”
(Tony Yuen)

Deep in the forests behind Cleeve House, two teams competed against each other in a number of challenging missions, armed with high velocity projectile weapons. Despite suffering frequent casualties, the members of these warring tribes overcame personal injury to pursue their objectives. What motivated these young adults to advance as heavenly soldiers? Was it God? Was it True Parents? Not quite, but nearly…

Uncle Mike Stout is a legend when it comes to organising fun activities on workshops. Many of the young people of our movement have enjoyed his creative games which stimulate both the body and the mind. For just over a year now, Mike has invested a lot of time and effort to develop paintballing facilities: He has applied for grants, investigated rules and regulations to ensure safety standards are in place, purchased equipment and even forged an agreement with a farmer who owns a forest behind Cleeve House to host the paintballing games for free. At the same workshop last year, we had the privilege of being the first group to enjoy the facilities. Although we were guinea pigs last year, we had a lot of fun.

This year, things were more organised: There were smoke bombs, flash-bangs & paint grenades; there were organised missions and games; the organisation was more efficient to allow maximum time for playing games. As a father-and-son team, Uncle Mike and Victor Stout did an inspiring job, serving our needs for aggressive fun!

There was blood. There were bruises. There were even tears (after a couple of badly aimed shots to the gonads!) It’s true that most of us had to bear discomfort and pain, which some found to present an unexpected emotional struggle, but through overcoming the immediate suffering, we actually had a really good time, creating good memories and forging close bonds of fellowship.

Abigail Cohn, who’s working with YeaHongHee Lee as the kitchen staff, commented that after the paintballing, she observed everyone discussing and sharing more openly. Perhaps after going through life-and-death experiences, and thus sharing in the rebirth experience, we could relate to each other more deeply through the common experience. We became a genuine band of brothers and sisters.

Credit for the title of this blog goes to Iain Davies, who uttered these words during a break while paintballing yesterday afternoon. I hope they give you an insight into our experience yesterday afternoon!

Yesterday I did the unusual thing of attending the HQ community Sunday morning worship service. As a Bromley regular, the reason for this trip away was the fact that I was collecting 4 passengers – 2 sisters from Lancaster Gate and 2 Parisians from St Pancras station – with whom I would drive to Cleeve House for the workshop starting that evening.

Along the M4, while most of the passengers were peacefully snoozing, I chewed on wine gums and reflected on my purpose for coming to Cleeve House. Why do we do workshops? What’s the point of coming to this workshop? I wasn’t questioning the educational philosophical of our workshop culture. No, I had done that a few weeks ago and reached some conclusions that I might share at a later stage: I was questioning MY PERSONAL PURPOSE for dedicating some time on this workshop. I know some people don’t like the word “retreat” (it sounds like surrendering) but I felt that I would benefit from a retreat from life in London, and dedicating some time to reflect on my personal life of faith. Of course I’ll make myself busy all week trying to help the staff and participants on this workshop have a good experience, but while I’m in the GLORIOUS environment of Cleeve House, I’m committing myself to focus on some constructive me-time.

That means turning my phone and laptop off occasionally and just speaking with God.

Among many things I intend to discuss with God this week, I’d like to ask Heavenly Father what I need to do to be a better disciple. Discipleship is something I’ve been reflecting on recently (what does it mean to be a disciple???) and through the inspiration and revelation on this workshop, I hope to return to London with some clarity and hopefully some answers.

Indivisual; Expressing True Parents’ Style

We would like to invite you to the UKHARP Summer Workshop 2010, which has the motto “Indivisual; Expressing True Parents Style”, in accordance with the European HARP summer motto. Indivisual is a made up word, combining the words Individual and Visual, encouraging people to find their own individual faith in True Parents and be able to show and express that faith to the people around them. The aim for this workshop is for the participants to gain a deeper connection to True Parents, their mission and vision for the future and for the participants to gain the confidence to be able to show what they have gained to their family and friends back home.

Age: HARP members in High School years 7‐11 (born between September 1993 and August 1998)

Dates: Evening of the 15th of August – Morning of 21st of August

Venue: Cleeve House, Seend, Wiltshire

Cost: £110 per person (£100 for every other child from the same family after)

Application Deadline: Spaces are limited to 70, so early application is advised. Unfortunately we cannot guarantee you a place even if you apply within the deadline – but we will do our best.

Please apply by sending an email to ukharp@gmail.com – please include your name, date of birth, contact number, parents’ email address and your local church community.
If you want to inquire about helping out as staff, please send us an email and we will get back to you to discuss the possibilities.

After the application deadline we will send out a confirmation email to all the participants and in that we will detail things that you need to prepare, the code of conduct and any more information that will help you prepare for the Workshop.

We look forward to hearing from you.
The HARP committee

I had an interesting bank holiday weekend.

On Friday evening I drove to Birmingham to join the European Youth Department as they addressed an audience in the Earle family home. That same night I continued on to Hedben Hey, a scout centre in the Peak District not far from Halifax. I delivered a lecture to the participants of the workshop on the Saturday morning. There was a great atmosphere on the workshop. Things had been organised very capably by Jo Spencer, and there was a great team of staff working together to create a good programme for the HARP members participating. I returned to London that evening, leaving the workshop early, so that I could join the HARP Sunday Service in Lancaster Gate the next morning, which was followed by the London leg of the European Youth Department speaking tour.

On the bank holiday, my wife Natasha disallowed me from using my laptop so that I could dedicate my time to the family – quite right.

So, now it’s Tuesday, I can post a few photos and videos from the Peak District workshop. (Sorry for not editing them!) More pictures and a video from the workshop will become available on the family fireplace soon, so keep an eye out in the next few days for that…

A Divine Principle Seminar was held in the Ramada Hotel in Glasgow on Saturday, 29th of May. This was the second in a series of Divine Principle seminars to be held in Scotland recently. The first was held at a hotel in Livingston where the lecturer Jack Corley was from Ireland. The second was held in the centre of the city of Glasgow and the lecturer was  Edward Stacey from the west country of England. Flora Robertson our MC guided us skillfully through the programme.

 There were  over 20 participants including members, associates and new guests. One of the young members, Vladik Prichina, has just fulfilled a 7-day fast, followed by a week’s hike on the West Highland Way from near Glasgow to Fort William. He brought two  young women students from his university class to attend the seminar. Ed Stacey, as an elder member of much experience, gave deep lectures on the Creation, Fall and the fulfilment of God’s purpose today. Ed joined the Unification Church in 1971 and has over thirty years of  lecturing experience. His lectures are made all the more vivid by his background as a carpenter (Jesus’ trade), his sincere search for the truth which led him to the Messiah and to become a father of a blessed family (118 Couples Blessing in Lancaster Gate, 1978). The seminar was well appreciated by all.

Come along to a residential workshop to find out more about the Divine Principle. Whether or not you’ve been to one before, this will probably be the best introductory weekend workshop you will have attended to date.

Taught by Mr Ed Stacey, it’s not to be missed.

If you have never heard the whole of the Divine Principle, this workshop will give you a good overview. If you have not heard Ed teaching before, come and take this opportunity: You will be glad that you did.

Basic Schedule:

* We will start on Friday evening at 6pm with a meal and orientation.
* On Saturday we will have an early start with morning devotion at 6am (earlier for those who wish) and breakfast at 7am.
* We will finish early (3pm) on Sunday to allow you to get home.

If you play a musical instrument, please bring it, along with any other gifts you possess.

For more information, email David Hanna or call 020 8467 2296.

Download the application form here (NOW AVAILABLE!)

This is an invitation to our second regional workshop.

The motto is ‘Where are we now?’

It gives you a chance to look at the things you have done all year, what you have achieved, what you’ve improved on etc.

The workshop will be for 11 plus years.
From Friday 28th May until Sunday 30th May.The cost will be £40

The workshop will be held at;

Hebden Hey Scout Centre, Hardcastle Crags,
Hebden Bridge,
West Yorkshire,
HX7 7AW.

*ADDED EXTRA*  THIS IS ON FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS ONLY 25 PARTICIPANTS (INCLUDING TEAM LEADERS).

PLEASE REPLY A.S.A.P. TO JO SPENCER TO RESERVE YOUR PLACE.

See video of last years w/s:

Click here to download the workshop application form
Click here to view the Workshop Agreement