The Church of God in North America

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View of the Church of God in New Windsor, NY, U.S.
View of the Church of God in New Windsor, NY, U.S.

In the late 1990s, the Church of God started preaching the gospel of the new covenant in North America. The first area the church started to preach in North America was Los Angeles, California. The number of those who received the truth steadily increased, and churches have been established in all 50 states in the United States. There are also locations in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario in Canada. Following the biblical teaching, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt 22:39), the members of the Church of God practice God’s love in many ways. They have been awarded the President's Volunteer Service Award multiple times in recognition of their various volunteer activities.[1]

Overview of the Church of God in North America

The members of the Church of God in the New York region attend the Sacred Assembly of the Passover at the Lincoln Center in New York.
The members of the Church of God in the New York region attend the Sacred Assembly of the Passover at the Lincoln Center in New York.

North America was one of the first places where the Church of God began its overseas mission. In 1997, the gospel was preached in Los Angeles, CA, and spread to New York, Connecticut, Colorado, and Illinois in the 2000s.[2] The number of members increased rapidly as many were moved by the truths of the Bible such as the new covenant Passover, the seven feasts in three times, God the Father and God the Mother. Churches have been established in every state, including Alaska near the North Pole and Hawaii in the Pacific. There are also small worship locations such as house churches and office churches throughout the country.[3] In the United States, where racial issues are still present, the members practice virtues such as love, consideration, and humility. Following the Teachings of Mother, they understand that love is the greatest virtue and set a good example for society by showing love to one another.
American members played a pivotal role in establishing churches in many countries in South America such as Colombia and Venezuela.[4] In Canada, which borders the United States, the gospel mission is being carried out and churches have been established in Edmonton, Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal. It was not expected to see many people from North America come to a church that started in Korea.
Starting with the first Overseas Visiting Group in 2001, the members in North America have been constantly visiting Korea, the “land of prophecy,” where the truth of the new covenant has been restored. During the trip, they study the Bible, experience Heavenly Mother’s love, and deepen their faith in God. Those who participated in the visiting group have said, “'I realized God’s love that I only knew as knowledge in the Bible. I will put that love into practice in my life and deliver God’s grace and blessings to my family, neighbors, and acquaintances.”[5] The members in North America are continuing the gospel work without rest to deliver the love, the truth of the new covenant, throughout the continent. They strive to testify about God the Father and God the Mother who give true freedom, the gift of eternal life.

Present Status and Activities

Erasing graffiti on buildings in downtown Edmonton by the Church of God in Edmonton, Canada
Erasing graffiti on buildings in downtown Edmonton by the Church of God in Edmonton, Canada
The 795th Worldwide Blood Drive to Give Life Through the Love of the Passover by the Church of God in Dallas, TX, U.S.
The 795th Worldwide Blood Drive to Give Life Through the Love of the Passover by the Church of God in Dallas, TX, U.S.

The Churches of God throughout North America help communities by holding various volunteer services with Mother’s love and a heart toward a family. They organize cleanups and campaigns to educate citizens on the importance of protecting the environment,[6][7][8][9] and host the Worldwide Blood Drive to Give Life Through the Love of the Passover to support the blood supply shortage and save lives.[10][11][12][13] When unexpected disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods occurred, the members rushed to those affected areas and devoted themselves to recovery and relief efforts to support the victims.[14][15][16][17] Frank Alosevic and his family, who were victims of Hurricane Irene, sent a letter of appreciation to the church for their disaster recovery efforts. It said, “I gave up hope, but you guys brought it back. I saw what I never imagined existed anymore, people of all walks of life working together in a brotherly and sisterly fashion. Let your loved ones know you are changing other people’s lives for the better.”[18]

In addition, church members have helped their neighbors in need by donating socks to the homeless and hosting blanket drives to support a children’s hospital. The church has also led volunteer activities to support education by donating books and school supplies to local schools, building playgrounds, and hosting other initiatives to support the youth. They continue to share Mother's love with their neighbors through large and small volunteer services such as helping the elderly at nursing homes, shoveling snow after snowstorms, and visiting police and fire stations to show their appreciation for their service.[19] The Church of God in Edmonton, Canada, visited senior citizens, who spent the end of the year away from their families, in nursing homes and shared love and laughter by putting on various performances.[20][21]

They also carry out activities to help solve critical societal problems to create a better future. In the United States, which has the highest number of COVID-19 infections, the Church of God delivered face masks and support kits to the medical staff to help during the pandemic.[22] During this time, when communication between families started to decrease, the members held the “Family Appreciation Day” event to help family members reconnect with one another.[23] They also held the ASEZ “Future Leaders Forum” in partnership with police officials to discuss crime prevention measures that can be put into practice[24] and the “Cooperation for World Peace” concert to encourage citizens to implement the Sustainable Development Goals [SDGs] in their daily lives.[25][26]

Media Reports and Awards

The President’s Volunteer Service Award from the U.S.
The President’s Volunteer Service Award from the U.S.

The Church of God in North America is being praised in the media as a role model for its efforts to serve communities with love, transcending individualism that is prevalent throughout society.[27] In recognition of their commitment to helping their neighbors in need, raising civic awareness, and having a positive impact on the community, the Church of God received the President’s Gold Volunteer Service Award (the highest honor for a group) 50 times from the Biden, Trump, and Obama administrations in the United States[28][29][30][31] praised the members’ efforts in the Award Certificate and letter. He said, “On behalf of the American people, I extend my heartfelt appreciation to you for your volunteer leadership, and I encourage you to continue to answer the call to serve. The country is counting on you.” Local governments also issued proclamations and resolutions to express their gratitude and respect for the humanitarian work of the Church of God.[32][33][34][35][36]

External links

See also

References

  1. ↑ "AWARDS TO THE CHURCH OF GOD WORLDWIDE". WATV Award.
  2. ↑ "North America". WATV.org.
  3. ↑ "[Special Report - Luther's 500th Anniversary of Reformation - Church of God and the Truth of the Bible] World Mission Society Church of God, 2.7 Million Members' Grand Chorus". Monthly JoongAng. November 17, 2017.
  4. ↑ "The Preaching Festival Began in Jerusalem and Spread All Over the USA". English WATV.
  5. ↑ "The 74th Overseas Visiting Group". WATV.org.
  6. ↑ "Environmental Preservation". WATV.org.
  7. ↑ "Volunteers clean up Las Vegas local parks". 3News. May 10, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Jacksonville church volunteers clean up city parks". News 4 Jax. January 21, 2021.
  9. ↑ "140 volunteers cleanup Rillito River at the Alvernon Bridge". KGUN9. January 12, 2020.
  10. ↑ "'Worldwide Blood Drive to Give Life Through the Love of the Passover' Was Held Over 1,000 Times". WATV.org. June 20, 2021.
  11. ↑ "World Mission Society Church of God responds to Utah blood shortage". Deseret News. August 6, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Lake Worth church takes part in mega blood drive". CBS 12 NEWS. April 16, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Donating blood is very important, church members say". Fontana Herald News. March 20, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Emergency Relief". WATV.org.
  15. ↑ "Hurricane Harvey Relief Efforts by the Houston Church in TX". English WATV. August 30, 2017.
  16. ↑ "SCV church sends help to earthquake victims in Ridgecrest". The Signal. July 7, 2019.
  17. ↑ "Warming the Hearts of Washington Victims with Mother's Love Disaster Relief Drive and Volunteer Cleanup". Courier Newspapers. December 17, 2013.
  18. ↑ "[Church of God] "An 'angel' visited when we thought we've lost everything"". Donga.com. September 26, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Volunteer Services". WATV.org.
  20. ↑ "Sharing Warm Love Even in the New Year". WATV.org. January 20, 2013.
  21. ↑ "Beautiful Connection Made with Love". WATV.org.
  22. ↑ "Church of God Shares Hope in U.S. Areas to Overcome COVID-19". NDN News. June 22, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Family Appreciation Day of the Chicago Church in IL". WATV.org. March 17, 2019.
  24. ↑ "ASEZ Future Leader Forum in Virginia". WATV.org. April 28, 2019.
  25. ↑ "Concerts in Peru, U.S., Malaysia, and Singapore". WATV.org. August 11, 2019.
  26. ↑ "ASEZ Concert at the Lincoln Center Alice Tully Hall". ASEZ.org. August 11, 2019.
  27. ↑ ""Devotion of Church of God Causes a Big Change in U.S. Communities"... "With Mother's Love," Washington D.C." NewsHankuk. July 30, 2017.
  28. ↑ "AWARDS TO THE CHURCH OF GOD WORLDWIDE". WATV Award.
  29. ↑ "The President's Volunteer Service Award, Gold, Joe Biden, 2021". WATV Award.
  30. ↑ "The President's Volunteer Service Award, Gold, Donald Trump, 2019". WATV Award.
  31. ↑ "The President's Volunteer Service Award, Gold, Barack Obama, 2015". WATV Award.
  32. ↑ "California Legislature Assembly, Certificate of Recognition". WATV Award.
  33. ↑ "Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition". WATV Award.
  34. ↑ "Certificate of Appreciation, Great American Cleanup, 2017". WATV Award.
  35. ↑ "U.S. House of Representatives Certificate of Congressional Recognition". WATV Award.
  36. ↑ "United States Department of the Interior, Appreciation Letter". WATV Award.
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