North American Leadership Transition to ‘A New Era’
Photos courtesy of Graeme Carmichael
“We are an incredible family, and it is time to grow,” said Rev. Demian Dunkley. “So we will become a witnessing church. This is Mother’s blessing to us.”
Unificationists from across North America and abroad joined a special “Farewell and Inauguration Service” on May 28, welcoming newly appointed Regional Chairman and National President Rev. Demian Dunkley and celebrating Dr. Chung Sik Yong and Rev. Naokimi Ushiroda, former regional president and national president, respectively.
Some 600 members gathered for the service at The New Yorker Hotel’s Grand Ballroom, and another thousand participants joined the program online. The live-streamed video has since garnered more than 6,000 views. The program also featured musical performances by Heavenly USA and GPA participants, as well as remarks from several FFWPU USA leaders.
In his inaugural message, Rev. Dunkley thanked Dr. Yong and Rev. Naokimi for their great leadership over the last two-and-a-half years. “I thought, God is great [with] this complementary team,” he said. “[Dr. Yong], I can recognize your total investment ... I don’t know anyone who can do what you did.”
“And I can’t think of anything more precious than happy, healthy, public-minded blessed children,” he said. “[Rev. Naokimi] you are the VVIP of all that we’re doing; you are a great representative of all of our youth.”
Rev. Dunkley and other leaders noted the strong foundation set by Dr. Yong and Rev. Naokimi during a particularly challenging time throughout the world and for the movement. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Yong initiated the daily Morning Devotion program for a total of 941 days, and the American movement was able to donate more than $6 million dollars to the Cheon Won Gung dedication.
“This is an incredible victory,” said Dr. Achille Acolatse, FFWPU USA Southeast regional director. “Dr. Yong and President Naokimi, they revived the church here in America.”
The pair’s persistent efforts and teamwork left them individually inspired as well.
“[Morning Devotion] is something I am grateful for,” said Rev. Naokimi in his remarks. “Dr. Yong really helped me offer devotion. I think many of the members really benefited from having this opportunity to start every day with Morning Devotion.”
“I felt it was even beyond Dr. Yong, like it was an offering from America to Heavenly Parent,” he continued. “Every morning, in rural areas and throughout the nation, everyone could connect and really offer their jeongseong to Heavenly Parent.”
Rev. Naokimi said during his presidency he felt called to be “a bridge” between the elder and younger generation, and between Eastern and Western culture. He also sought to improve the national movement’s financial, educational, and organizational structure. “Those were my three areas of focus,” he said. “ I do feel that I was able to contribute to each of those.”
Inspired by True Parents’ teachings and guidance, Dr. Yong emphasized practicing true love by living for the sake of others. In his farewell address, he noted the quality of Jesus’s love which was “able to change everyone,” he said. “The same goes for our family, tribe, and nation, we must become the Cheon Il temple ... We need to give and give and give, and completely forget what we have given and still want to give more.”
“I want to build a church of true love,” Dr. Yong said, as he joins other leaders embarking on a new mission to bring about the peaceful reunification of the Korean peninsula.
Assuming his new role, Rev. Dunkley said that witnessing must be the movement’s primary goal. “If the truth about the Only Begotten Daughter was revealed properly 60 years ago, then Christianity would not have opposed us,” he said quoting True Mother. “This sentence explains everything,” he said.
“I can testify this is not a new chapter; this is a new book, a new era, a new history,” said Rev. Dunkley. “Together as one, let us totally hold on to True Mother’s guidance.”
You can watch the full “Farewell and Inauguration Service” here.