ACLC Convocation 2019: “Navigating Unity”
LAS VEGAS, Jun. 21, 2019 -- On June 21, inspired by the Peace Starts With Me message, the American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC), a coalition of faith leaders working together beyond denomination to strengthen marriages and families, held their convocation at the Tropicana Trinidad Pavilion in Las Vegas in preparation for the Peace Starts With Me Unity Festival at the MGM Grand later that day. They welcomed over 1000 participants of different religious backgrounds to their luncheon to celebrate unity and discuss ways to achieve world peace.
Dr. Luonne Rouse, ACLC National Co-chair, gave a few opening remarks while the other ACLC National Co-chair, Dr. Ki Hoon Kim, briefly spoke on the purpose of uniting in harmony and ultimately becoming one family under God. Chairman of the Universal Peace Federation, Dr. Michael Jenkins, introduced special guests from The Washington Times as well as several U.S. Congressmen who traveled across the country for this occasion.
Bishop Noel Jones, Pastor of the City of Refuge Church in Los Angeles, gave the keynote address on the topic of “Navigating Unity.” “It takes an incredible person to bring us all together,” Bishop Jones began, “and that person is Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon.” He explained how no one person has all the answers, and how God created each of us to rely on one another to work together. Bishop Jones continued, “We are the anointed ones who can turn this world upside down if we can look past our differences,” as the crowd cheered in agreement.
After a quick break, a session of table discussions took place with questions like how to change our churches to be purpose-driven beyond rituals and expressions of worship. A panel moderated by Dr. Rouse included six panelists ̶ Rev. Mark Abernathy, Dr. Michael Jenkins, Evon McMurry, Bishop Noel Jones, Dr. Tanya Edwards, and Archbishop George Augustus Stallings, Jr. ̶ who answered and elaborated on the table discussion questions and suggestions.
The program continued into the evening with a video on the rally in Africa, followed by a testimony by Prophet Samuel Radebe, from the Revelation Church of God in South Africa, on his experience with Dr. Moon at the 2019 African Leadership Conference and Hyojeong Family Blessing Festival. He said, “When we have commonalities, we can come together due to those commonalities and not our differences. This way we can work together. We need leaders to go beyond their leadership to find others who share commonalities.”
Following Prophet Radebe’s testimony, Bishop Jones returned to the podium with an inspirational message about how God created Dr. Moon to make the world a better place. He said, “He creates in order to reveal the truth.”
After an introduction, Dr. Moon, the Mother of Peace, was wholeheartedly welcomed on stage with loud applause. She delivered a moving message about the difficult course Adam and Eve, Jesus, and Rev. Sun Myung and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon all journeyed to restore God’s original plan for humanity. “Due to the Human Fall, God had no choice but to initiate the providence of restoration…We can save humanity through promoting the Marriage Blessing and promoting the True Family movement.”
SOURCE Family Federation for World Peace and Unification