ⓒ 2005 WATV

May is the 'Month of Thanks.' In this month we express our thanks to people who love us. Among them, the most precious one is our parents. Their great love and we cannot repay. The members of the Church of God had a campaign, 'Let's Thank Our Parents,' to remember the love of our parents in May, and they prepared a meaningful event to give thanks to God, our spiritual Parents and Teacher.

On May 18, an event was prepared in the outdoor stage in Elohim Training Institute. The members of the Church of God in Korea and overseas gave thanks to God, our spiritual Parents and Teacher, and asked for His help in finding the lost souls and lead them to righteousness.

It had been very hot but the event was held under a cool weather, because it rained just before the event day. They had a worship service first, a congratulatory event next, and "Declaration of Our Resolution" last.

During the worship, the Chief Pastor Joo Cheol Kim told a story about a son who realized his mother's love by washing her feet; his mother suffered so much, raising him, that her feet became very old and hardened. Since the love of our physical parents is great who give us physical birth and raise us, how much greater the sacrificial love of the Christ is, who gave up His life for the salvation of mankind, Pastor Kim said, "We can't repay the love of God as a man. The only way to repay His love is to faithfully follow His command, 'Be my witnesses in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.' Let us spread the love and sacrifice of God to all nations of the world, so that we may repay God even a little," he said.

ⓒ 2005 WATV

The members, who had been given the power of the Holy Spirit in Pentecost, were determined to run to Samaria and the ends of the earth to preach the words of life to the nations, who are in a famine of hearing the words of life.

In the congratulatory event, a world map made of carnations and a world globe are offered to Mother. The world map implied the thankful hearts of the members all over the world, and the world globe implied the member's resolution about the world mission. A wonderful card performance with 300 big cards was also shown. Around 300 assistant couples practiced it only for one day. When the 300 big cards were put together, two big blossoms of red carnations appeared. In the blossoms were the members' will to find all brothers and sisters scattered over the world to make the flowers of life bloom.

ⓒ 2005 WATV

Some overseas gospel work news was shown through a video. The members could actually feel that the gospel was being spread so quickly to the whole world, and gave thanks to God. A conte, which was staged by some young adult members, was also gracious; it gave a message that only the awakened, who interpret the signs of the times and preach the gospel with love, can receive the Christ and enter heaven.

Then, the "Declaration of Our Resolution" began. The marching band, the standard-bearers holding various emblems, and an ad-balloon which stands for the earth entered one by one. Lastly, members dressed in each country's traditional costume entered endlessly by each continent. They showed their hope and resolution, "We feel new in these clothes. We hope the whole world will be filled with the word of God this year and that all nations will realize God's love and fly along like clouds and like doves. We will pray continually in our own place and follow the will of the Christ by preaching God's love with a burning heart."

ⓒ 2005 WATV

The representatives of the associations of 6 continents asked God to give them the strength, boldness, wisdom and power with which they can run toward the whole world as the warriors of faith like Joshua, Caleb, David and Gideon. They also expressed their hope to God that they wanted to preach the love of God which is like showers to the world thirsty for the word of life, and showed their resolution that they would be the witnesses preaching God's word to the whole world. Then all the members wrote down their wishes about the overseas gospel on their balloons and flew them with Mother's signal, 'Start!' Looking at the balloons fly up high, they prayed earnestly that all their hopes and wishes would come true quickly.

After the event, Mother blessed the members that their hope and prayers would be answered soon. Mother also encouraged them, saying, "Let's hurry to the kingdom of heaven where is no pain, or sorrow, or suffering, by following the will of Father."

The Month of Thanks, May! It is a time to have a thankful heart even for a small thing. We shouldn't merely keep the gift of life, but should spread it to people more and more, so that we may give pleasure and thanks to God.