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The Cheong Shim Unification Church Choir sings at the dedication ceremony for the newly-constructed church.
The Cheong Shim Unification Church was built to serve staff members of the many church-affiliated facilities in the Cheong Pyeong area.
A prayer room within the church has two chairs to represent the presence of True Parents.
The church can accomodate more than 1,000 people. |
| May 29 2012
On May 13, 2012, the Korean Unification Church dedicated the newly-constructed Cheong Shim Unification Church (CSUC) in Cheong Pyeong. It was built to serve staff members of the many church-affiliated facilities in the Cheong Pyeong area, including Cheong Pyeong Heaven and Earth Training Center, Cheon Jeong Gung Museum, Cheong Shim Hospital, Cheongshim Youth Center, Cheong Shim Graduate School of Theology and more. More than 1,000 guests were present at the dedication ceremony, including Dr. Jun Ho Seuk, president of the Korean Church, Hoon Mo Nim, also known as “Dae Mo Nim” and the leader in charge of the Cheong Pyeong providence, Rev. Peter Kim and others.During his gratitude address, Dr. Seuk explained that the time period until Foundation Day (1.13 by the Heavenly Calendar) is a repeat of the indemnity course at the time of the March 1st Independence Movement in Korea, which was for the sake of True Parents’ incarnation. He said that Foundation Day, which is only ten months away, will be a day of the liberation of our Fatherland and the day that Cheon Il Guk (Nation of Cosmic Peace and Unification) begins in substance. He entreated everyone present to begin a new March 1st Independence Movement.
Dr. Seuk cautioned that “we are in a time of labor pains” and he said that “we must courageously rise as Tribal Messiahs,” using what God and True Parents have given us: the Eight Great Texts, mobilization of the spirit world and True Father’s autobiography. He said that the world is now in despair and the members of the Unification Church are going through tests. Dr. Seuk asked everyone to “become filial and loyal by giving birth to Cheon Il Guk in substance through overcoming all the despair and tests.” He asked that those at the dedication ceremony of the CSUC make this the time that they dedicate themselves to starting a new March 1st Independence Movement at the CSUC and spread it to the entire nation of Korea.
More than 800 residents of Seorak, a town outside of the Cheong Pyeong complex, made donations for the building, meaning that 10 percent of the village population made donations. The CSUC has four floors, including one basement-level floor. The area of the building is 3,304 square meters. Construction took 13 months.
Though there has been a relatively small Seorak Church (capacity for about 100 people), the CSUC is the first church building large enough to support all the Cheong Pyeong staff. Staff may be required to attend services regularly, and Cheong Pyeong workshop participants may also be invited to attend services there. The facility includes a booth for interpreters.
Written by Tossa Cromwell.
