On December 27th to December 29th of 2019, Bay Area Family Church Youth Ministry
held Winter Workshop 2019 at the Bay Area Family Church in San Leandro, California. The
workshop consisted of 35 participants, 12 group leaders, 3 core staff, 2 parent advisors, and
many parents and volunteers that assisted with cooking heartfelt meals and driving. The focus
of the workshop was “My Offering” with the hope that each participant can recognize the value
of the offering they can make to God and True Parents and understand their unique value.
The day before the workshop, group leaders attended a staff workshop to prepare
themselves for the upcoming weekend for True Mother’s rally and the participants through
reflection, guidances, goal setting, and an offering of prayer at Lake Chabot. As the next day
came, it was the start to a weekend of icebreakers, fun physical activities, guidances on
“Offering” and True Mother’s course, participating in the watch party for True Mother’s event,
and more activities to help deepen their understanding of the theme.
The theme of “My Offering” was created to help participants connect to True Mother’s
heart during the rally, and her desire for all Second Generation to understand who they are to
God and True Parents. To empower our younger brothers and sisters, the theme “My Offering”
was a focus to help them understand the significance of making an offering and recognizing that
each brother and sister is unique and that each hold an integral part. With the theme in mind,
two lectures were given; one on the history, purpose, and heart behind an offering, given by
Younng Joo Scharf and Gerlyn Quilates, and the second based on True Mother’s course and
Providence of Restoration, given by Kazuya Morita (Youth Pastor of BAFC-YM).
The first day focused on introducing the theme, connecting with one another as one
family, reflecting on the past year and receiving and giving God’s love through brothers and
sisters. The participants were welcomed by the smiling faces of group leaders and connected
with one another through icebreakers. To prepare the participants for the weekend ahead, each
participant set a goal or intention for the workshop to help guide their experience. Teams then
connected through a fun relay race, three-way Capture the Flag, and listened to the two lectures
with group discussions. The evening program was a time to welcome healing and reflection
from the past year or anything else they needed to digest and see from God’s perspective.
Afterwards, participants split into brothers and sister groups and shared their words of gratitude
and received loving words from others through the Flower Ceremony.
The next day centered on connecting to True Mother’s event and her heart through the
theme of “My Offering”. Morning service by Chris Ochoa was shared to help participants
connect to an older brother’s experience with the theme of “My Offering” and the special
individuality each person has to offer. In preparation for the rally, the video of True Mother’s
course and a clip of Sun Jin Nim’s testimony this past summer in Las Vegas preparing the youth
for True Mother’s rally were shown, and Gabriela von Euw shared her personal connection with
True Mother and True Mother’s heart. Then to celebrate and have some fun, the group went ice
skating. Then to give the participants the opportunity to offer, Younng Joo gave a guidance on
“Prayer as an Offering” followed by a worship service led by Amaris Durst and Jordan Soulman,
and finally a 21-minute prayer. Lastly, teams were given time to connect and share quality time
with one another.
Sunday morning was brief, but a time filled with determination for the next year with
gratitude. It consisted of final reflections and testimonies from the weekend, and a closing with
singing “Journey” and Og Mansei’s. It truly was a great workshop filled with a lot of joy and hope
for the upcoming year. Thank you to God and True Parents for the wonderful workshop and a
beautiful start into 2020!
Report Submitted by Gerlyn Quilates
