Young Unificationists Connect at Regional Workshop and Tournament
Photos courtesy of CARP LA + West Subregion YAYAM
“I feel like this was really a time of reflection for me to understand my relationship with God and to [understand more] of my identity,” shared a young CARP member. “I cannot change unless I connect with God and True Parents. And it is not only intellectual or conceptual understanding ... we must feel God in our core and innermost heart. People cannot live for the sake of others without realizing God’s love, heart, and truth.”
From January 3 to 5, CARP LA held its annual Turning Point Workshop at the Los Angeles Family Church. The regional workshop unites new and longtime CARP members who learn more about the Divine Principle and the mission of True Parents, who founded the Unification Church. Participants have in-depth study of chapters including the Principle of Creation, the Human Fall, Rebirth and the Trinity, as well as the History of Restoration, God’s Preparation for the Second Advent, and examining True Parents’ life course.
“The part that stood out to me was the theme that was found in everything: God’s true love,” shared another CARP member. “In POC [Principles of Creation], everything God did and envisioned was out of His true love. In the Fall, what we lost was God’s true love. Since then, we haven’t had it or seen it in the world. Then, through Jesus and Rebirth, it’s about finding and inheriting God’s true love. That is what Jesus showed us.”
Participants also had the opportunity to look more closely at the life of Jesus, his boundless love for humanity, and the foundation that was laid for True Parents’ providential work.
“Even from a young age, [Jesus] had a sad story path,” lamented one CARP member. “His parents weren’t fully there for him and weren’t giving the love he was supposed to receive. When he was 30 years old going out to do his mission, John the Baptist failed to proclaim that Jesus was the son of God.”
“Because of that, Jesus had to do a 40-day fast in the wilderness where Satan tried to tempt him three times,” they continued. “Then there was the betrayal and denial part. Even through all that struggle, Jesus was still able to forgive and continue to have faith in God. Jesus really embodied the love of God and I came to appreciate him a lot more.”
Discussing the lives of Jesus and True Parents led some participants to become more introspective as they reflected on their own experiences and growth.
“After hearing Jesus’ course ... [I realized I still have] much to learn about understanding Jesus’ heart and having that same heart for the rest of the world,” shared a CARP member. “This flows well with one of my fallen nature [qualities] of having a closed heart. When meeting others, I find it hard to have an open heart for others and make myself vulnerable ... I need to work [on] my relationship with God to overcome this fallen nature and share God’s heart with others.”
The workshop was followed by the 2024 Peace Cup LA sports tournament from January 5 to 7. The annual event brings together young Unificationists from Los Angeles, Las Vegas, the Bay Area, and Colorado.“The purpose was to build community and culture through friendly sports competitions and to build momentum toward hosting an international Peace Cup in North Korea,” shared an organizer.
The tournament — held at the LA Family Church, Dignity Health Sports Park, and CAL State LA University Gym — featured futsal, basketball, and volleyball matches, in addition to e-sports such as Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart. The Peace Cup, launched in 2003 by True Parents, originated in Seoul as a means of resolving conflicts between regions, fostering unity among different people, and promoting spiritual and cultural peace.
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