Book Seven - Etiquette And Ceremonies
Chapter Three - Worship Service and Etiquette in Church Life
Section 1. Proper Understanding of the Church

1.1. Church integrates human character and the Word

The purpose of a church is to find and establish God's nation; it is not to find and establish a church. God's original ideal for creation was to establish one world centered on a nation. Hence, the destination of the church is to find that nation. (149-18, 1986.11.2)

In the future, the time of the church will pass. The church is not what humankind desires. The church is needed during the process of restoration in the realm of the Fall, but once a new era arrives, the era of the church will pass away. For this reason, the Unification Church is not just doing church activities. Under the name of the church, we are adapting to society, reforming society, and initiating a movement to purify society. The mission of pioneers is to do that which cannot be done by the people who are just living within the boundaries of their own culture, society, and world. You must walk this pioneering path. (28-222, 1970.1.11)

The church is the base through which the past, present, and future are connected. Therefore, it acts as a mediator through which indemnity conditions can he established; it is a place where the Word, nobility of character, and quality of heart can unite. (The Way of the Spiritual Leader - 238)

The church is a holy place that connects heaven and earth. It is a gate to the world, enabling people to interact in relationships of cooperation, and is a spiritual pillar for the well-being of the nation. As the source of spiritual life, the church supplies strength in your daily life. (The Way of the Spiritual Leader - 238)

Before you are loyal to your family, you should be loyal to the church. Before you are loyal to society, you should be loyal to the church. The church is in the position of a subject partner and the family and society are in the position of an object partner. Where do wise people stand? They stand in the position of a subject partner. There is only one subject position. Objects can be in any of the four directions - north, south, east, and west, or anywhere around 360 degrees, but there is only one center. This is a position within an absolute realm. There cannot be two. Can there be two centers? If the center moves, it will perish. (25-126, 1969.9.30)

Christians affirm that the omniscient, omnipotent, gracious, and loving God will forgive us even if we commit sins tens of thousands of times. Then, as soon as they leave church, they start fighting. The church is not a place in which to repent after committing sin. If God is a being who can easily forgive so many sins, there is one big question: why did God not forgive the single sin that was committed by Satan in the Garden of Eden? What do you think? If there had been a way for Satan to be forgiven so easily, he would have repented. He would have repented tens of thousands of times with tears. (19-161, 1968.1.1)

If the church were to divide into two and the two into four, and if it divided three times in this way, God would leave the church. That is the way of the heavenly principle, instead, people will gather as families. Those with grace will gather as families. They will not go to church. They will kneel in prayer in their families. Wait and see if this happens or not. (9-266, 1960.6.5)

What is the goal of the Unification Church? It is to create an environment in which humankind can dance together with God and the Messiah here on earth and through which even Satan can receive blessings.

This is the way of the Unification Church. How great it is! That is the Unification Church. People of the world say the Unification Church is such and such, heretical and so on, but we don't even bother to snort at that. Holy people just go on their way while the dogs in the neighborhood bark; we think of it like that. (80-285, 1975.11.2)

In this age of the Last Days, the Unification Church has to teach the answers to the following questions: What is God's desire? What is humankind's desire? What is God's love? What is humankind's situation? What is God's heart? What is humankind's heart? The Unification Church has appeared to do that. It must teach about that kind of world. If it can teach that, and it teaches one thousand people, ten thousand people, all the people, then, even if the world did not want to unite, it could not help but unite. (151-209 1962.12.15)

1.2. The church is an extension of the family

Those who say they go to church for someone else's sake, for their beloved sons and daughters or for their beloved husband or wife, will not be able to go further. They should go to church for God's sake. You should go to church to attend God as your own God and to find God's love as your own love. (8-162, 1959.12.6)

A public church is more precious than your own home. (15-271, 1965.10.24)

You can reach the Kingdom of Heaven through the church. The family must pass through the church. So the church is a foundation for families to bring victories, a place where family laws emerge, a place where nobility of character is recognized, and it is a training ground for the Kingdom of Heaven. (The Way of the Spiritual Leader - 238)

Some say they must witness to those who are handsome and young, but that is absurd. The church is the extension of our family. There should be grandmothers and grandfathers, aunts and uncles, and young people. If there were only young people in the Unification Church, it would be sick. This must be quickly corrected. You should know how to attend your elders. Your grandmother and grandfather represent God; your mother and father are your parents; and with you and your children this makes four stages in all. Your grandparents, your parents and you are three stages.

Our lives are such that we cannot break away from this fact. Grandparents, parents, and children make up three stages. You need to draw four lines to make three stages. This constitutes the number seven. You cannot have three stages without connecting these four lines together. Without connecting these, one another 's paths will randomly cross. In order to have three stages, these must he connected. (70-149, 1979.2.9)

In church life, the one not standing in a position recognized by God cannot lead a line representing God in his social life. Therefore, the question is whether we are people who can be recognized by God within our church life. When we look at the attitude of our church members about the time for church meetings, we see they are not serious. Because your views about the public meetings of the church are vague, your understanding about the direction that God's will is taking is also vague. Since you do not understand precisely what internal position you should stand in, you do not have a clear external standard. (22-36, 1969.1.19)

If you look at some people, you see that they do well in church life but not so well in social life. On the other hand, you see others who do well in social life but not so well in church life. Those who do well in social life but not so well in church life do not possess the important factors and contents to bear fruit. Between those who do well in the church but not in social life, and those who do well in social life but not in the church, the person who does well in church life is better. Those who are equipped with the important factors enabling fruition can move forward with tomorrow's hope, but those who are not, cannot bear fruit. (36-20, 1970.11.1)

You should find and establish a standard that enables you to prove that you are God's child through your lineage, through the truth, through your life, and through your work. Without doing so, going to church and engaging in a life of faith would be nothing more than the life of an errand boy. (3-40, 1957.9.15)

If you consider the triangular relationships among the family, church, and society, should your focus be on the family? Should it be on the church? Or should it be on the society for your own success? Think about it. For which person would God have more compassion and understanding? Thinking of the church means loving people as God does. It also means bringing salvation to the people. (42-169, 1971.3.4)

In order to become a person of character, systematic training is required. You must experience group activities in the church. In other words, the question is whether or not you can go through a holistic ideology or system. The church should be that gate. (9-8, 1960.3.13)

If you compare all your social habits until now with your entire life in the church, your church life is more internal. How much have you established a standard of value in your internal life? Some say they are going their way centering on God's will and believe arbitrarily, "What I am doing now will become God's will." Do you think God would dwell in such a person? (22-38, 1969.1.19)

If a person opposing the Unification Church comes and shares a meal at the church, you should still be able to send him off smiling. You should never be stingy with regard to food when dealing with anyone. Even if someone who is not a member comes, you should offer him food; do not reject him. I say this because I know that people have come here from the eight provinces of Korea, whether or not they are Unification Church members, and shared their food with us. (37-129, 1971.1.1)

People like babies the most and dislike grandmothers and grandfathers who are closer to death the most. They are at opposite ends of the pole. Heavenly activities win over both sides. You should strive to become one with children. You should also have grandmothers and grandfathers come with their canes, spend time and chat with you. If you can do this, wherever you are will prosper. If you can become friends with grandmothers and grandfathers to the extent that they become crazy about you and, instead of sleeping in their nice houses with beautiful gardens and wooden flooring, they come to the churchyard and sleep there, then that place, that organization, the place with such serving people will, as a rule, prosper. (60-158, 1972.8.17)

If a grandmother comes and asks, "Is the church leader here?" and you look at her and reply. "No, he's not here, " you will be punished. Just see what happens when she asks, "Where did the church leader go?" and you answer, "Why do you ask, grandmother? We have no need for an old grandmother." God will scold you saying, "You good-for-nothing! Where did you come from?" Denying aged grandmothers and grandfathers is the same as denying your mother and father. That is why you can only be a devoted son when you serve and support your aged parents and grandparents. (56-34, 1971.5.10)