After reading the contents of the Book of Revelation, many pastors are preaching various interpretations regarding the end of the world. However, how would someone react to discovering that the true meaning of the prophecies recorded in the Book of Revelation refers to the present time, rather than the future 'end of the world'?

On the 15th September, Shincheonji Suwon Church (John tribe) of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, held a seminar on the Book of Revelation under the theme of 'Revealing the Fulfilled Reality of Revelation, the New Covenant' at the Winners Café on the 1st floor of Daeyoung Plaza.

Head lecturer Dong-seong Kim first explained the continual act of betrayal and breaking of the covenant man has committed against God from the time of Adam 6000 years ago to the time of physical Israel, as well as what Jesus fulfilled at the first coming according to the Old Testament prophecy, and the prophecy made about the second coming. Head lecturer Kim explained that God prophesied to make known His work of restoration in advance, and that prophecy is now being fulfilled.

Head lecturer Kim said, “2000 years ago, Jesus’ disciple Apostle John saw and wrote down Vision revelation. Today, when what Jesus prophesied comes true, the person who saw and heard everything comes in the position of John (not Apostle John 2000 years ago) and makes it known.” “There is only one shepherd,” he explained.

He also expressed, “Because it is the re-creation of God’s kingdom, God’s work will be fulfilled quickly,” and “Meanwhile, I hope all believers will participate in that work.”

He concluded the lecture by saying, “I hope that by sharing God's precious word in a fun and engaging way, we can move forward as one family of God, serve God and live with Him eternally.”

On that day, approximately 500 attendees came to Winners Café. Pastors who had prior signed an MOU with Shincheonji Suwon Church also attended and expressed their admiration for the logically organised teaching on Revelation.

Pastor Han expressed his feelings, saying, “I'm grateful I can receive such a good teaching,” and “I want to thoroughly learn the Word from Shincheonji and pass it on to others.”

Another participant said, “There is a lot of prejudice against Shincheonji being a 'cult', but what surprises me is that so many people are listening to the Bible despite these negative claims.” He added, “I'm even more curious to learn what kind of place Shincheonji really is.”

A local citizen and churchgoer said, “My church pastor teaches that the Book of Revelation is about the end of the world, so I was shocked to hear that Revelation is actually being fulfilled in Korea in our times today.” He added, “I'm even more curious because their teachings about the Bible are so different to what I'd known before.”

The Zion Christian Mission Centre (ZCMC), the theology institute of Shincheonji Church of Jesus that teaches the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, without cost, held a “Passover” and pre-graduation programme in Monrovia, Liberia, to help students discern the work of Satan through the revealed Word of God as they journey to the kingdom of heaven.

Christians throughout the capital city were invited to the Passover service, where the ZCMC students, who have completed the elementary and intermediate level Bible education, put on various activities including a performance of an engaging drama, titled, “The Wise Ruling of King Solomon”.

As the celebration proceeded with love and unity, students wore white T-shirts as a symbol of purity and enjoyed some refreshments before leaving for their respective homes.

A presentation on the “revealed Word” of God was given by an existing lecturer of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, who taught how throughout the seven major eras of the Bible, the Devil has continually used people to turn their hearts on God's plan for them, yet God maintained his love for the people by sending His son Jesus Christ, and that in today's era, God has revealed His Word to one promised shepherd (pastor) in South Korea. This shepherd is now working to unite Christians of every denomination to work in one accord through the “revealed Word” so that they can defeat Satan and his forces, who are wrongfully misinterpreting the Bible in order to promote Satan’s agenda.

The lecturer stressed that God is in the process of recreation; that is, recreating the spirits of people into the image and likeness of God so that man can serve Him.

The lecturer also made special mention of students in the following categories: 25 people were honoured for evangelism, 28 for perfect class attendance, and six for travelling a long distance to the education centre.

A pastor who was a leader of the Korean Methodist Church (KMC), one of Korea's major Protestant denominations, criticised the health authorities' prevention measures during the COVID-19 pandemic and blamed the previous government for the spread of COVID-19 from China. The pastor claimed that Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony (Shincheonji Church of Jesus) was used as a scapegoat for the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

Earlier, on the 7th September, at the Korean Evangelical Council (Hanbok Association) September monthly prayer breakfast and theme presentation held at Grace Gwangseong Church, Pastor Seong-woong Won, who served as the director of the Seoul Conference of the Korean Evangelical Council, asked, 'How should the Korean Christian Church have coped during the era of the coronavirus pandemic?' He gave a presentation on the topic.

According to the full presentation published by the Protestant media 'News Power', Pastor Won said, “Due to the COVID-19 virus that has continued for three years, not only society but also the worship and religious lives of Christian churches have suffered great difficulties.” “Following the announcement that members of Shincheonji Church in Daegu had spread the coronavirus in our country, the public’s complaints were directed at Shincheonji Church,” he said.

He said, “This was an attempt to use Shincheonji Church as a political scapegoat,” and added, “It is similar to the case of the ferry sinking of MV Sewol, which distorted the public’s attention by focusing on the religion of Byung-eun Yoo, the owner of the Sewol ferry, by reporting on it even before a scientific cause analysis was conducted.”

At the same time, he said, “Nero, the Roman emperor of the 1st century AD, when rumours began to circulate that the great fire that occurred in the city of Rome at that time was ‘arson,’ devised a plan to divert the resentment directed at him towards the Christians of the time. They spread a false rumour that the Christians had set fire to the city of Rome. Nero then conducted a large-scale persecution of Christians, and during that period, the apostles, including Peter and Paul, and numerous believers were martyred.”

Pastor Won also said, “I cannot help but point out that the health authorities’ guidelines were excessive and biased purely towards Protestant churches.” He added, “The authorities thought that the cooperation and compliance of the churches in Korea was the church’s ‘obedience,’ and beat the church like a ‘neighbourhood drum.’ They continued without hesitation to criticise and blame Shincheonji Church for the worsening coronavirus situation.”

He emphasised, “When it comes to worship and religious life, church leaders must be authorised to issue guidelines for worship even during times of emergency so that they can have autonomy and exercise self-control and restraint themselves.”

Pastor Won also spoke about his position on the principle of the separation of church and state. He said, “The principle of ‘separation of church and state’ is the separation of spheres and the principle of mutual respect to ensure that politics is not under the church and the church is not a servant of politics,” and added, “Our country (Korea) is a country without a state religion, but freedom of religion that is guaranteed by the constitution for all people.” “Freedom of worship, which is the essence of religious freedom, cannot be sanctioned by the state or government under any circumstances, including war or epidemic,” he argued.

Thanks to the enthusiastic response to the 'Take Care of This (2nd) Life’ Bible Seminar held in Daejeon last August, an encore seminar was held in Dong district, Daejeon city on the 12th September.

‘My life is doomed’ is an expression coined by young people in South Korea, and it has taken the social world by storm, reflecting the despair among the younger generation, who seem to have given up as employment and marriage become difficult.

Shincheonji Daejeon Church of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony hosted this encore seminar to deliver a 'message of hope' rather than frustration, and it received a warm response from participants.

Mr. A from western Daejeon, who attended the ‘Take Care of This (2nd) Life’ seminar last month, said, “They're not simply encouraging people to read and believe in the Bible, but they're also addressing the human cycle of birth, ageing, sickness and death. My time there amounted to a realisation of the true meaning of life.”

Another participant said, “I cannot control where or how I am born, die, or live, but in the end, when I die, there's nothing. All that remains is heaven or hell depending on my actions.” He then emphasised, “Through today’s seminar, I now have a sincere desire to believe in God’s will.”

At this second ‘Take Care of This (2nd) Life’ seminar held in Shincheonji Daejeon Church, Bang-sik Jang, the Matthias tribe leader, said, “I am unable to tell which spirit rules over a human flesh,” and added, “However, when I look at the person’s speech and behaviour, that is when I can tell which spirit is inside of him or her.” “That's how you find out who the true God is,” he said.

He continued by saying, “A believer must believe in the word of God, that is, the Bible, and have faith,” and “A person who receives the word of God must change his thoughts, body and deeds to become a godly, and not an aged, person.”

He then emphasised, “When we all become one in the Creator God, God will come,” and “When that time comes, all matters related to the cycle of birth, ageing, sickness and death will be resolved.”

The 'Take Care of This (2nd) Life' seminar held on that day was held twice, in the morning and evening, in Dong district, following the seminar in Seo district last August. About 1500 people attended and it was a time to reflect on the true meaning of life through the Bible.

An official from Shincheonji Daejeon Church said, “As gender conflict, generational conflict, and political conflict are becoming more severe, the impact on the younger generation is becoming increasingly worrisome,” and added, “We will continue to hold seminars that can deeply resonate in their lives.”

A citizen who attended the first day of the fifth instalment of 'Happiness Lecture: Making My Life More Radiant' held on the 8th and 9th September expressed their thoughts as above.

Since its debut in May of this year, over 2000 Gwangju citizens have monthly attended the lecture series held every month, which has become an established cultural experience in the Gwangju region hosted by Shincheonji Gwangju Church (Peter tribe, tribe leader Jeong-woo Lee) of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony. The 'Happiness Lecture: Making My Life More Radiant’ was renovated for the autumn and held its fifth instalment in September.

About 2000 citizens attended the most recent Happiness Lecture, which was held for a total of four hours over two days at Shincheonji Church of Jesus, and had time to break down misunderstandings and prejudices about Shincheonji Church of Jesus, think about what is needed for true happiness, and engage in open conversation.

After passing through the entrance, on the first floor, there was the 'Transience of Life' (Hall 1), which depicts everyone's common journey of life from birth to death and gives insight on the soul, which is not commonly thought about, and heaven as the destination of one's soul. Hall 2 explained the two paths of heaven and hell, hall 3 offers insight into the story and relationship between God and humanity, and the Hall 4 educates on the Bible, a divine gift given by God.

In addition, various photos containing the history and development of Shincheonji Church and related social contribution activities were exhibited.

On the 2nd floor, a kids zone was prepared where parents could leave their children, and on the 3rd floor, which has been newly renovated with an autumn atmosphere, various experience booths were prepared where one can take care of one's health, have fun, and make lasting memories, as well as a canteen to enjoy refreshments.

In addition, visitors who were curious about Shincheonji Church of Jesus' Bible curriculum were seen listening to explanations and filling out applications at the centre's education booth.

After the announcement of the beginning of the opening performance, the 4th floor quickly filled with attendees. Visitors with expressions full of anticipation and excitement were visibly moved by songs across various genres prepared by the members of Shincheonji Church of Jesus that reflected on life. Participants turned on their mobile phone torches, waved the lights, and clapped their hands.

In the lecture that started immediately after the performance, tribe leader Jeong-woo Lee spoke. He explained the process of birth, ageing, sickness and death that humanity endures and explained what kind of experiences our 80 years of life are filled with. He said, “It is said that out of 80 years of life, we only spend 88 days laughing” and, “Today, I will tell you the secret to extending this time so you can smile infinitely.”

First, tribe leader Lee said, “Everyone dies, but death is not the end,” and through a diagram of the biblical content of judgment (Revelation 20:12) that says, 'The dead are judged according to their actions while alive,' he showed that there will be two outcomes: heaven and hell.

He then posed the question: “At this time, in order to go to heaven, we must do what is good and right and live a happy life on the earth. Then, what is the most important thing to achieve that?” In answer to this question, he explained the structure of the human body, which consists of spirit, soul, and body, by comparing it to an egg. In his second point, he emphasised that “what is precious is not the external, but the ‘heart and spirit.’”

Tribe leader Lee introduced the ‘Bible’ as a tool for navigating one's soul to help the mind and heart grow, and said, “When we fill our minds and hearts with the words of the Bible, we can escape from a mind of corruption, pain and depression, and experience joy, healing, and transformation.” He added, “It really can happen.”

Lastly, he said, “People go to church to find salvation for their spirit (heart and mind). Yet, although God, Jesus, and the Bible are one and the same, the Protestant church is in rapid decline, while Shincheonji Church of Jesus is in rapid growth.” Regarding the secret to such growth, he said, “there is only one difference: the Book of Revelation.”

At the same time, he said, “Out of the 66 books of the Bible, Shincheonji Church of Jesus is the only place that makes known the prophecies and fulfilled realities of the Book of Revelation, which contains all the answers to the final salvation and judgment.” He emphasised, “I believe this because it is clear that there are people validating the testimony of the one who has seen and heard the actual fulfilment of the prophecies,” and concluded by saying that it would be good to learn and research the Bible more and fill one's life with hope and joy.

Meanwhile, according to Shincheonji Church of Jesus, about 119,000 ordinary believers, including 2800 domestic and foreign pastors, are currently studying the revealed word of Shincheonji Church of Jesus. It is expected that more than 100,000 students will graduate this year.

On the 11th September, Shincheonji Cheonan Church (head lecturer Min-ho Noh, Matthias Tribe) of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, held a meeting with three clinics, including Hana First Clinic (formerly Buldang Hana Clinic), Samsung Miracle Eye Clinic, and Yonsei Naeun Dental Clinic, at the church education centre. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed.

Officials from Shincheonji Cheonan Church and three medical institutions who attended the MOU signing ceremony on that day agreed to create synergy for win-win cooperation, regional development, and positive influence.

Through this agreement, Shincheonji Cheonan Church members are encouraged to actively use the three hospitals, Hana First Clinic, Samsung Miracle Eye Clinic, and Yonsei Naeun Dental Clinic, and the three hospitals will provide quality medical services to Shincheonji Cheonan Church members and their families.

At the MOU signing ceremony, Min-ho Noh, head lecturer of Shincheonji Cheonan Church, Dong-ho Lee, administrative director of Hana First Clinic, Joo-hwan Kim, vice-director of management at Samsung Miracle Eye Clinic, and Hyun-seok Noh, head of Yonsei Naeun Dental Clinic, signed the agreement.

Shincheonji Icheon Church (Head lecturer Seung-sik Kim) (John Tribe) of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony  held a seminar on the Book of Revelation on the 8th September under the theme of ‘Revealing the Fulfilled Reality of Revelation, the New Covenant’.

Regarding the topic of the day's lecture, lecturer Kim said, “The plan that God wants to achieve is recorded in the Book of Revelation of the new covenant,” and “Now is the time to reveal the reality of how that plan was fulfilled.”

First, lecturer Kim emphasised, “It is written in the Bible that if you add to or subtract from the Book of Revelation, that is, if you do not know the words of Revelation, you will not be able to go to heaven.”

So how can we know the words of Revelation? Lecturer Kim explained that Jesus sent his messenger for this purpose. He asserted, “The messenger sent by Jesus to the churches is the one who saw and heard the fulfilled reality of Revelation when Revelation was fulfilled at Jesus’ command,” and “(the messenger) is in the position of a witness, and is not God or Jesus.”

He added, “God wants to restore this world that is in the midst of death and suffering. God’s purpose is to give mankind the blessings of life, love, and peace through the history of restoration.” He said, “It is not true that the sun, moon, and stars in the sky will darken and fall, or that the earth will explode and destruction will come. In the Bible, it is written that the Earth is eternal.”

Head lecturer Kim said, “In order to make this work of restoration known, Jesus is testifying about the reality of the Book of Revelation through his messenger,” and added, “It is for you to judge. I hope you will listen and check whether the testimony matches the Bible.”

About 250 people attended on that day, and those who attended praised the speech as logical and clear.

One participant, a long-time Protestant believer, said, “When I heard that Shincheonji Church of Jesus was holding a seminar on the Book of Revelation, I participated with semi doubt and curiosity as to how this difficult theme would be explained.” “I came to realise that it's something I must listen to and study for myself at least once.”

Another attendee said, “This was my first time hearing the word (interpretation) on Revelation. I thought that if I learned them properly, my fear or anxiety about the Book of Revelation would disappear.” He added, “I now want to listen to more lectures.”

An official of Shincheonji Icheon Church said, “I hope you can hear and see for yourself whether these words are truly reasonable and biblical,” and added, “I hope that this serves as an opportunity for many believers to properly understand the Book of Revelation and believe according to the will of God and Jesus.”

People who wanted to confirm whether the prophecy in the Book of Revelation has been fulfilled in reality flocked to the seminar by John Tribe (Tribe leader Gi-won Lee) of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony.

On the 8th September, Shincheonji's John Tribe held a seminar on the Book of Revelation under the theme of 'Revealing the Fulfilled Reality of Revelation, the New Covenant' at a hotel convention hall in Seocho district, Seoul. The seminar was held over two hours and about 1200 people attended.

Shincheonji John Tribe leader Gi-won Lee, who was the lecturer on that day, briefly explained the flow of the 6000 years of biblical history and emphasised that Shincheonji Church of Jesus knows all the prophecies in the Book of Revelation and the fulfilled reality (fulfilment) of those prophecies.

First, tribe leader Lee said, “God, who left the world after Adam’s sin, tried to come back to this earth and make us into beings who could live with Him forever, but in each era, people betrayed God and broke the covenant made with God.” He explained, “But God did not give up and has worked up until this day.”

He continued, “So God made a new covenant, and the New Covenant is the Book of Revelation.” He said, “The Book of Revelation is a book of prophecy, and God’s prophecies will definitely fulfil and appear in reality when the time comes.”

The tribe leader said, “As the title ‘Revealing the Fulfilled Reality of Revelation, the New Covenant’ suggests, the Book of Revelation has been fulfilled today, and Shincheonji Church of Jesus knows the places and people who appeared when the prophecies of Revelation were fulfilled.” He added, “If the words coming out of Shincheonji do not match the Bible, you don't need to listen to them.” “The words of the Bible will fulfil as recorded,” he declared.

He said, “The Bible says that if you add to or subtract from the contents of the Book of Revelation, you will go to hell, so please be sure to learn this Word. I believe it's truly valuable to learn the word of God once in one's life. I hope that you and I will be blessed by God.”

Those who participated in the event said that they were surprised by the level of Shincheonji Church of Jesus' preaching and that it was an opportunity to resolve the misunderstandings about Shincheonji Church of Jesus.

Won-young Jeong (pseudonym) said, “I've never met a pastor who could explain the Book of Revelation clearly, as pastors say it's a difficult book to handle, but I was impressed by the lecturer’s ability to explain without hesitation. Coming here was a golden opportunity because I learned new things about the Book of Revelation. If I hadn’t come, I would have regretted it for the rest of my life. I want more people to hear this word and will attend again when the next seminar is held.”

Mi-jeong Park (pseudonym) said, “It was so insightful and inspiring to learn that the Book of Revelation has been fulfilled. I had a lot of questions (about the Book of Revelation), and although the time was short, they were resolved to some extent.” “I also want to answer other questions,” she said, expressing her desire to learn more about the words from Shincheonji Church of Jesus.

Jeong-hoon Shin (pseudonym) said, “After listening, there was nothing said that deviated from the Word. It's so different from the teaching I've heard outside. The stereotypes I held on to have completely changed, and it has made me question my perspective on Shincheonji Church of Jesus.”

An official from Shincheonji's John Tribe said, “It appears that interest in Shincheonji Church of Jesus’ Bible Seminar is expanding, from pastors to the general public. This is proof that the perception of Shincheonji Church of Jesus within the religious world is also changing,” and added, “I hope that those who have not yet heard of it will check it out for themselves when they have the opportunity.”

Meanwhile, prior to the seminar, Shincheonji's John Tribe held a photo exhibition under the theme of 'Reasons for the rapid growth of Shincheonji Church of Jesus.' The photo exhibition included images of Shincheonji Church of Jesus' 100,000 graduation ceremony and overseas churches whose signs were replaced with the name Shincheonji Church of Jesus.

Shincheonji Guri Church (Head lecturer Chang-Hoon Kang) (Seoul James tribe) of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, signed an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with Chairman Jin-hyuk Jang at Namyangju Hanyang General Hospital on the 5th September.

This agreement was signed to provide services to improve the health of Guri Church members and families of Seoul James Tribe based in Guri and Namyangju and to promote the hospital's social contribution activities.

An official from Guri Church said, “We have signed a mutual agreement for medical treatment with Namyangju Hanyang General Hospital to promote wellbeing and various cooperative projects,” and added, “Our church will also actively cooperate with the social contribution activities carried out by Namyangju Hanyang General Hospital.”

Pan-sik Lee, president of the Yeongdo branch of the Korean Vietnam War Veterans Association, who participated in the 'Love Your Country, Share Peace' event held at Song Sang-hyeon Square in Busan, spoke these words in response to the question, ‘How can we achieve peace?’

The Western Busan Branch of Shincheonji Volunteer Group (Director Jeong-hwan Lim) held the '8th Love Your Country, Share Peace' event on the 11th August and drew attention by producing large handprinted Taegeukgi (Korean national flag) for participating citizens and individuals.

An official from Shincheonji Volunteer Group said, “The handprint Taegeukgi-making event is something that anyone, regardless of gender or age, can participate in, and it is something that can remind us of the importance of the Taegeukgi and our identity.” He continued, “What we mean is this: ‘Let’s not forget the sacrifice of the patriotic martyrs.’” He added, “We carried out this event to spread the word and pledge to ‘maintain the peace of the Republic of Korea’ on the Taegeukgi.”

About 110 people participated in the production of a large Taegeukgi, measuring 15 metres in length by 10 metres in depth, and not only citizens but also veterans of the Korean War participated, adding to its meaning.

A consensus on peace in Korea - and throughout the world - was formed through hands-on activities, including a 6.25 War/Peace photo exhibition with a docent, a booth commemorating patriotic martyrs, and writing a message of peace to those who participated in the Korean War.

The message of peace was moving, containing the following: ‘We will not forget the sacrifices made for our country’ and ‘We are what we are today because you protected our country.’

A citizen who participated in the event said, “Youth these days don’t know much about the sacrifices made in war because they don’t know about those difficult times. That is why we need to hold many events related to peace and teach them about it.” He added, “If another event like this is held, I will actively participate.”

Young-hak Seong, president of the Saha District branch of the Korea Association of Veterans with Disabilities, said, “I did not experience the Korean War firsthand, but when I hear stories from war veterans, I perceive just how tragic those times were and how precious peace is.” He added, “Citizens are actively participating in the initiatives of Shincheonji Volunteer Group. I'm so grateful that Shincheonji Volunteer Group held this event.”

Branch Manager Jeong-hwan Lim said, “This kind of peace event must be in the hearts and minds of all people and continue on until one Republic of Korea exists. Furthermore, children and students must know these contents so that their love and appreciation for our country can deepen. We ask for your continued interest and participation.”

On the 19th August, the Seoul-Gyeonggi Southern Branch of Shincheonji Volunteer Group held the 8th ‘Love Your Country, Share Peace’ meeting to create a forum for dialogue for realising peace on the local community level. The event was attended by about 500 people, including people from all walks of life in the region and people of national merit, to share social issues in each region under the theme of 'Direction of Service for Realising Peace in the Community' and to provide volunteer services that citizens can feel. The vice-director of the Seoul Gyeonggi Southern Branch, who served as the presider, said:-

“Conflicts and disputes must be resolved from the point closest to our lives, from the community. We know what issues and conflicts are occurring in the region, and we will discuss ways to resolve them.” He explained, “We've gathered in one place to think about this together. We wish to discuss the problems scattered throughout the region and come up with a way to resolve them through volunteering.”

The CEO of a company who attended that day said, “Rather than theoretical discussions about peace, it would be good to hold meetings in the form of volunteer work in companies and to conduct volunteer activities such as an environmental cleanup on a regular basis to form a culture of service for the benefit of others, starting from office workers. Individualism is only worsening. I hope that every citizen will expand their awareness of service and peace by practising small things.”

A member of a civic group said, “Peace without alternatives only creates anxiety and worry. Peace needs the power to keep everyone together. In other words, the power of the public is needed. The truth is that peace is easier said than done.” He added, “I hope that many such events will be held in the future so that the public will become aware of the importance of peace.”

In addition, prior to the meeting, a consensus on world peace was formed through hands-on activities including production of a large handprint Taegeukgi (Korean national flag) and Mugunghwa (hibiscus, the national flower of the Republic of Korea), a 6.25 War/Peace photo exhibition, a booth commemorating patriotic martyrs, and writing a message of peace to those who participated in the Korean War.

Lastly, an official from the volunteer group emphasised, “Leaders from all walks of life must put their heads together to go beyond the Volunteer Group's own activities and cultivate the spirit of peace and love for the country, starting from the community. We plan to form a sustainable peace community that establishes the standard and direction of good peace practice.”

Source: http://www.g-enews.com/ko-kr/news/article/news_all/2023082209132677948fbfc802b3_1/article.html

Shincheonji Volunteer Group Busan-Gyeongnam Eastern branch held the 8th 'Love Your Country, Share Peace' event on the theme of 'Again, Peace!' at the Andrew Tribe Training Centre of Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Busan on August 19th.

On that day, about 80 people, including 6.25 veterans of the Korean War, Defoliant Veterans' Association of Korea, Korean War Veterans Association, political and business figures, citizens, and believers, participated in the ceremony, followed by a ceremony to gift the 'Handprint Taegeukgi' and a meeting.

In particular, a large Taegeukgi (Korean national flag), 15m wide and 10m long, with a total of 1630 handprints from Busan, Ulsan, Changwon, Jinju, and Gimhae by war veterans, peacemakers, and citizens, was hoisted at Shincheonji Church of Jesus' Andrew Tribe training centre to promote peace and highlight the significance of freedom from Japanese colonial rule on August 15th 1945.

In addition, the youth group of Andrew tribe of Shincheonji Church of Jesus sent letters of gratitude to the Korean War veterans and others individuals of national merit for their efforts in protecting peace.

The head of the youth group of Shincheonji Church of Jesus said, “I thought war was something that only appeared on YouTube, and had nothing to do with me or us. It's heart-breaking to know that my associates would have died fighting with guns and knives in order to protect the peace of the country.”

He then read aloud, “Thank you so much for defending our country by risking your life so that I can study freely and dream of a future in this land.”

He also said, “In my heart, our grandfathers are heroes of peace, not war. I will forever remember them as individuals who abandoned their dreams and hopes as youths to the dreadful cause of war for the sake of peace. We, like our forefathers, must keep our country in peace. Let's become people who shine the light of peace throughout the world.”

In addition, a meeting was held under the theme of 'Measures to Solve Selfishness for the Settlement of Peace in the Community', and discussions on the direction of the peace project that Shincheonji Volunteer Group should pre-emptively carry out for the settlement of peace in the community added meaning to the practice of peace.

At that meeting, Yeong-no Lee, head of the Busan-Gyeongnam Eastern branch of Shincheonji Volunteer Group , said, “There is an urgent need for a solution to solve the lack of communication that causes conflict and to spread a culture of understanding and respect.”

He stressed, “Shincheonji Volunteer Group is working hard to unite with the region while carrying out projects such as 'More the Better,' 'Visiting Health Doctor,' and 'Fidelity Culture.' However, what is lacking is communication for peace. If you actively engage with and recruit beneficiaries who are essential for volunteering, it seems to be of great help in solving numerous problems. While requesting active participation from various organisations, we also need to put in effort and communicate in practice.”

In addition, a member of the Korean Veterans Association for Persons with Disabilities advised, “If you want to implement a peace policy, first demonstrate a spirit of service that can give hope and courage to those who are less privileged or in low-income households, then the foundation for a peace policy in the community can be established.”

Over 800 members of the Gangdong branch of We Are One donated blood within one month of the campaign launch.

In celebration of the first anniversary of the launch of We Are One Youth Volunteer Group, the We Are Red life-sharing campaign '2023 Life ON Youth ON' was organised to help stabilise the domestic blood supply crisis in South Korea and practise the act of sharing life.

Since the 21st of July, We Are One Gangdong has been conducting blood donations at blood centres in the neighbourhoods of Cheonho, Seongnae, and Hwayang, Seoul. On the 25th August, a bloodmobile was operated in Hanam city, Gyeonggi province, to encourage more members to participate.

As of the 28th August, 1051 people from the Gangdong branch of We Are One participated in a blood donation, and 828 people completed a blood donation. Although the target number of completed blood donations has been achieved, the campaign will continue as planned until October 31st.

Ji-woo Kim, a member of We Are One who participated in the blood donation, said, “I participated in the blood donation campaign this year following last year's blood donation campaign, and I was fortunate that my iron level was good.”

Jin-woo Lee, another member of We Are One, said, “I'd only ever donated blood when I was in the military, but this time I voluntarily participated. At first, the needle hurt a lot, but I took part because it was meaningful to help others with this blood.”

An official from the Gangdong branch of We Are One said, “We're so grateful to see people joyfully participating in donating blood and even though it was not an easy choice, they participated with a positive mind and bright expression. We will lead in loving and saving life.”

Meanwhile, We Are One, which was launched in July of last year, carried out the 'Life ON Youth ON' life-sharing campaign nationwide to solve the severe blood shortage in Korea, with about 100,000 people participating in the blood drive and 73,800 people successfully making a blood donation.

In a world that is becoming increasingly desolate, the news of volunteerism and its expression of love for life and neighbour is spreading and warming the hearts of people in South Korea and beyond.

On the 26th August, a blood donation event was held at Yurim Park in Yuseong district, Daejeon, at the Korean Red Cross Daejeon Sejong Chungnam Blood Centre. This time, 3000 blood donation certificates were gifted by the Youth Volunteer Group We Are One Daejeon-Chungcheong Branch.

The blood donation certificates donated this time are a portion of the 73,807 blood donation certificates gifted across South Korea from August 27th to November 27th of last year by the donors of We Are One, who set out to provide practical help and alleviate the blood supply shortage caused by the prolonged COVID-19. The blood donation certificate was gifted out of the sincerity of the members of We Are One Daejeon-Chungcheong.

Jong-sul Park, director of the Korean Red Cross Daejeon Sejong Chungnam Blood Centre, who attended the donation ceremony, said, “I love We Are One.”

He continued, “You've carried out three pure life-sharing activities that are difficult to do even once. Firstly, you donated your precious blood; secondly, you donated the souvenir you received after donating blood; and thirdly, you even gifted the blood donation certificate to the Korean Red Cross.”

Director Park said, “It's easy to say in words, but carrying out such activities throughout one’s life is not easy to do in practice.”

“Donating blood is the only way to save the lives of patients in need of blood transfusion,” said Ja-wang Gu, Director of We Are One Daejeon-Chungcheong. “I am grateful to the members,” he said.

He continued, “I think it's very meaningful that 3000 blood donation certificates were donated to Daejeon-Chungcheong Blood Centre this time.”

'We Are Red' is a blood donation project of We Are One Youth Volunteer Group, driven by the core mission of 'saving lives'. About 40,000 young people are expected to actively participate in the blood donation campaign by October 31 this year.

On the 24th August, at the '8th Love Your Country, Share Peace' event held at Shincheonji Daejeon Church in Seo district, Daejeon city, Bang-sik Jang, Director of Shincheonji Volunteer Group Daejeon-Chungcheong Branch, said this.

Director Jang emphasised, “At its core, a greeting is an expression of thanks for the grace given by my parents in birthing and raising me.”

“If you look at society these days, there are many crimes that turn a blind eye to people’s rights and humanity,” he said.

He added, “Shincheonji Volunteer Group approaches neighbours with a smile and greets them, opens their hearts, communicates, and strives for harmony.”

At the '8th Love Your Country, Share Peace' event held on that day, discussions ensued on the causes of conflicts between different social classes, which has recently become an issue in South Korea, and the problems caused by the lack of communication with others due to selfish and individualistic thinking.

Seong-hae Suh, president of the Korean Youth for Filial Piety, who attended the meeting, said, “Loyalty to the country has come to an end and the whole nation is shaking. We need to reconsider the education on loyalty and filial piety.”

“Our ancestors considered filial piety to be the root of everything, and more important than anything else,” said Byeong-gu Kim, head of the Daejeon Branch of the Korea Senior Citizens' Association. “A lot has changed,” he explained.

He continued, “The beginning of filial piety is education at the table, but education is often restricted due to the family environment.”

On that day, Shincheonji Volunteer Group Daejeon Branch presented to the attendees the 'More the Better' project, 'Visiting Health Doctor' programme, 'Language Etiquette' campaign, 'Cultural Fidelity' project, and other projects that Shincheonji Volunteer Group Daejeon is currently working on.

On the other hand, the 'Love Your Country, Share Peace' event is a volunteer activity that has been conducted every year since 2015 to commemorate the souls of the war veterans who died for the peace of Korea, including those of the Korean War, and to promote a world of peace without conflict.

To this end, a platform for open dialogue was prepared for pastors in Suwon City, and active Bible-based discussion took place.

The John Tribe of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony (Shincheonji Church of Jesus), which oversees Seoul and the entire province of Gyeonggi, held the 2nd Winners Club Forum for Pastors on the 24th August at Suwon Convention Centre.

With the goal of mutual growth with pastors and churches in the region, the Shincheonji John Tribe organises the Winners Club to actively and diversely engage in communication with pastors, including Bible-based discussion, share pastoral experiences and dialogue with the wider religious community.

On that day, the theme of the 2nd Winners Club Forum for Pastors was 'Communication through the Bible', and Shincheonji Church of Jesus representatives and pastors of numerous churches and denominations engaged in Bible-based dialogue.

With about 100 pastors in attendance, two pastors from the Presbyterian Church and Shincheonji John Tribe leader Gi-won Lee gave presentations on 'The Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, the Fruit of Life and the Fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil'.

After all the presentations, tribe leader Lee thanked the attendees. He said, “Whether one belongs to this or that church, or denomination, is not important. What matters is that because the Bible is one, and God and Jesus are one, we believe that we are one.” He continued, “In the end, the path of faith is the path of the Word. If the Word is true, shouldn't we follow it?”

He added, “If the words of the pastors are correct, we will learn and follow them.”

Pastors in attendance all agreed that it was an opportunity to teach and learn the better truth from each other.

Pastor Bo-bae Lim of the Full Gospel Church said, “I attended because I wanted to know more about the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which was the subject of this event, and it was very helpful. It was a place where I could share what I knew and what I did not know.” He said, “I really liked the purpose of the forum being to return to the Word and become one in the Word, and I was very moved. I would like to attend the next forum as a presenter.”

Pastor Donghwan Kim of the Baptist Church said, “It is true that I was hesitant because it was an event organised by Shincheonji. However, the words of Shincheonji that I actually heard did not deviate from the Bible and were very new.” He said, “I think it will help a lot in ministry” and added, “I wish to continue to attend the forum and interact with Shincheonji.”

An official from Shincheonji's John tribe said, “We will continue to support both physically and spiritually so that the pastors' churches can spread the aroma and light of Christ in their local communities.”

Meanwhile, as of August, there are 8765 churches in 80 countries that have signed MOUs with Shincheonji Church of Jesus to have the revealed word from Shincheonji taught to respective church congregations. 1263 churches in 33 countries voluntarily applied to change their signage to Shincheonji Church of Jesus, and about 2,800 domestic and foreign pastors are currently learning the revealed word.

This is what a city official said on the 23rd August after witnessing the 'Green Nature' environmental campaign of Shincheonji Volunteer Group Seoul East Branch (Director Chan-yong Park).

Shincheonji Volunteer Group Seoul East Branch conducted their 'Green Nature' environmental campaign around Hanseom Beach in Cheongok neighbourhood, Donghae city.

Hanseom Beach is a popular tourist destination, and Shincheonji Volunteer Group Seoul East Branch actively volunteered to reduce the inconvenience of tourists and citizens who visited the beach because red seaweed that was pushed in by the recent Typhoon Kanun had piled up here and there.

Despite the hot and humid weather, the Seoul East Branch cleaned up the surroundings while putting seaweed in sacks.

In addition, tourists had time to communicate with bright smiles, saying that the Shincheonji Volunteer Group was doing a good service.

Meanwhile, Shincheonji Volunteer Group Seoul East conducts environmental cleanup and forest fire prevention campaigns for the local community, the 'More the Better' emotional wellbeing service through sharing companion plants, the 'Good Donation, Good Consumption' campaign to donate items to low-income households, 'Wall Story' for the rejuvenation of dilapidated murals, and various peace promotion activities.