Aim to learn more about the Blessing and the circumstances surrounding the 36 couple blessing
Aim
* to learn more about the Blessing and the circumstances surrounding the 36 couple blessing
Materials
The 33 Couples are Blessed, by Linna Rapkins
Visual Aids
– Pictures of the 36 blessed couples
– Photos from Sunday school children’s parents’ blessing
Children’s worksheet
Lesson Outline
1. Review the previous story
2. Tell the Story
3. Discussion Questions
4. Activities – worksheet, share pictures of parents’ blessing
5. Review the lesson aims
6. Prayer
1) Review the previous story
The Marriage of the Lamb – True Parents were blessed on April 11th 1960 in the church in Seoul.
First they had a Western ceremony, followed by a Korean ceremony. It represented the marriage of the restored Adam and Eve and the beginning of a purified world. After the Blessing, Father made the first Holy Salt, in order to purify all things.
Background information about the Blessing
Adam and Eve should have received the Blessing from God. Because of the Fall they became separated from God and all of their descendants have belonged to Satan’s lineage. God chose Jesus to be the second Adam, to restore Adam’s failure, but he died on the cross. With the Blessing of True Parents, Father and Mother could stand as the restored Adam and Eve and begin a new lineage.
Since their Holy Wedding in 1960, many people throughout the world have also been blessed. Through the blessing all people can be separated from the sinful lineage and be engrafted onto God’s lineage, and a new, restored world can begin. The blessing is also eternal, unlike the Christian marriage, which is “until death do us part”
* Stages of being blessed
1. Matching by Father
2. The Holy Wine Ceremony (engagement) The couple share a cup of Holy Wine symbolizing their engrafting into God’s sinless lineage. Through this ceremony the couple are forgiven of their original sin; the connection to Adam and Eve’s sin. Their children are born without original sin. They belong to God, not to Satan’s lineage.
3. The Holy Blessing Ceremony (marriage) The couple exchange wedding vows. A prayer is offered by the True Parents. The couples are sprinkled with Holy Water
* The Blessing Vows
The couple are asked to pledge four things, to which they answer yes each time. The words below are a summary of the Blessing vows.
1. Do you pledge to become a true man or woman who lives for the sake of others?
2. Do you pledge to become an eternal husband and wife who bring joy to God?
3. Do you pledge to become parents who educate their children to live God’s way?
4. Do you pledge to create an ideal family as a foundation for world peace?
2) Tell the story
• Today’s story is about the early members who were the first to be blessed by True Parents.
a summary – Five days after True Parents Blessing, 3 couples were blessed. One year later, Father blessed 33 more couples. It was difficult, because many parents opposed them, However, these 36 couples were very important to protect True Parents own family and lay a foundation for the Church to grow.
Main points of the story
3 – Couples Blessing
* On April 16, 1960, five days after True Parents’ Blessing, the Three Couple Blessing was held at the Old Headquarters Church, Seoul, The three couples were:
* Mr. Won-pil Kim and Dal-ok Chung;
* Mr. Hyo-won Eu and Kil-cha Sa; and
* Mr. Young-whi Kim and Dae-hwa Chung
Announcement of a new Blessing
One Spring day in 1961 Father announced another Blessing. He interviewed candidates & matched them in three groups:
1. (12 couples) previously married or still married, they represented the 1 Adam
2. (9 couples) previously had boyfriends or girlfriends, they represented the 2st Adam. The 3 blessed couples from 1960 were added to make a group of 12
3. (12 couples) never had boyfriends or girlfriends, remained pure and represented the 3rd Adam Preparations for the Ceremony sewing holy robes for the men and long lace veils for the women cooking entertainment white cloth on the floor and a beautiful backdrop of two phoenix birds flags hung from the ceiling indemnity conditions (prayer, fasting?)
Opposition
There was a lot of opposition to the Blessing. Parents angrily complained and the newspapers spread wild rumours. Outside the church was very noisy
The Day of the Ceremony
* At the ceremony each Blessing group walked 7 steps and bowed 3 times, representing the Old, New and Completed Testaments – just as True Parents had done
* Father blessed the first group, but the ceremony was interrupted when Father was taken to the police station for questioning. He returned later and completed the blessing of all three groups
* The 36 couples represented True Parents’ family and were to protect them. They were called the foundation couples
3) Discussion Questions
* Why do people need to be Blessed? It makes us part of God’s lineage and forgives the original sin
* What is different about a blessed child? They are without original sin and belong to God
* What are the three stages of being Blessed? Matching, Holy Wine ceremony, the Blessing Ceremony
* What happens in the blessing? sprinkled with holy water, wedding vows, exchange of rings, prayer
* Why were parents angry? They thought Father was a crazy man. The hadn’t chosen spouses for their children. They weren’t allowed to the wedding,
* Why were the 36 couples important? They helped protect True Parents own family and lay a foundation for the Church to grow.
* What do you know about your parents matching and blessing?
When and where were they matched? What happened?
When and where were they blessed? How many were blessed?
4) Activities
Complete the worksheet
Children share pictures of their parents’ blessing
5) Review the lesson aims
to learn more about the Blessing and the circumstances surrounding the 36 couple blessing
* The Blessing makes fallen people part of God’s lineage and forgives their original sin. Without it the world cannot be restored
* The 36-couple blessing was difficult, because many parents opposed them, However, these couples were very important to protect True Parents own family and lay a foundation for the Church to grow.
6) End with a prayer
