On May 24th-26th, the Midwest CARP staff gathered in Watervliet, Michigan at the new KOHOE site. These leaders spent time reflecting and making determinations for the next year.
Midwest CARP chapters make the Hyojeong Promise
Midwest CARP, a hub of chapters from three states, gathered for their final event of the semester on May 15, 2021. Nine participants gathered from chapters in Harper College in Illinois, Grand Rapids Community College in Michigan, and Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis in Indiana for this gathering, centering on the theme of “Hyojeong Promise.”
Midwest CARP’s Online Winter Retreat 2020
Living a fulfilling life with Midwest CARP
The Midwest CARP Chapters, Chicago, Grand Rapids, and Indianapolis, brought together 25 participants for a weekend retreat in Camp KOHOE in Benton Harbor, Michigan last weekend from January 9 to 11. The theme of the retreat was “Becoming a Global Citizen” inspired by CARP Founder Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s autobiography.
We utilized the HyoJeong Promise as a framework for CARP members to become a global citizen by first developing a personal and living relationship with God, devoting oneself for the sake of marriage and family, and then impacting the world in a positive way. Lectures were given throughout the three days by Gerry Servito, affectionately known as Uncle Gerry, and Pastor Josue Kisile of Grand Rapids.
What It Looks Like to Live for the Sake of Others
On October 19th, the 24th TFV Awards Banquet was a 'Peace Starts With Me' Gala and JAM Concert attended by 1,300 people of different backgrounds and co-hosted by Family Federation for a Heavenly USA. Read more about the Banquet here. This year, CARP Grand Rapids brought 26 students to the Gala from Grand Rapids, Michigan.
CARP Grand Rapids took the Gala as an opportunity to experience a culture of heart and peace, one that lives for the sake of others, and invited their members and friends on a road trip to Chicago to see peace in action. Twenty-two students came from Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) and four from other colleges in Grand Rapids.
Abbreviated News: From the Midwest Retreat With Love
From May 17th to 19th, the Midwest CARP chapters held a retreat in Benton Harbor, Michigan, with the theme, “Leaving a Legacy of Love”. Nineteen participants came to join the retreat.
Our guest speaker, Dr. Robert Beebe, flew in from New Jersey to give three presentations from the CARP Curriculum: Education, Love and Sexuality, and Marriage and Family. From the presentations, participants deepened their understanding about the value and importance of families.
CARP Grand Rapids Discuss Healing America on Campus
On Thursday, March 28th, CARP Grand Rapids held their second Campus Talk on Campus with the theme, Healing the Heart of America, with guest speaker, Dr. Frank Kaufmann.
He emphasized that in order to start healing the divisions in our country, we need to have conversations with a foundation of respect and love because “as soon as you shut down conversation, you stop learning.”
CARP in the Midwest trains in becoming Peace Designers with YSP
On March 9, CARP Grand Rapids, CARP Chicago, and CARP Indianapolis came together to host a Youth and Students for Peace (YSP) seminar for youth and CARP members at the Chicago Family Church.
Naria Gaarder, the Program Coordinator YSP, and also the main speaker of the event, started the event off by explaining YSP as an organization and its goals towards creating a world of peace. She explained the importance of creating peace on three different levels; starting from within the individual, peace could be spread to the community and to the environment. The participants were able to take the time to reflect on their own lives and develop action plans towards generate peace in their own lives. Naria informed the audience that peace could only be developed when we were able to envision it in our own lives.
Chapter Leader Spotlight: Josue Kisile
For me personally, it’s not about increasing the membership of CARP; it’s about how many people can I love today? How many relationships can I create today? Can they feel the authenticity of God’s love through me? Those are my main concerns every time I am on campus.
The biggest lesson I have learned from being in CARP is that the most effective formula for happiness is to give it to others. I have learned that only through raising others can I truly grow.
CARP Leaders Research the Principle
From January 12-13, we invited student leaders, CARP mentors, volunteers, National Staff, and the National Board of Directors to join us in a Curriculum Intensive. We went in depth into new educational material for the new year!
“I originally came here to learn a lot and not make many friends, but I met the coolest people I’ve ever met in a long time. It’s a big deal for me personally. It’s insane how one organization can bring so many people together with so many different backgrounds around a core set of values. It’s an incredible and unexplainable thing.” - Andrew Hunt, CARP Grand Rapids, MI
Find Your Purpose, Change Your Life with Midwest CARP
On December 21-23, the CARP chapters from the Midwest, Grand Rapids, Chicago, and Indianapolis, collaborated to host a winter CARP retreat at Camp KOHOE in Benton Harbor, Michigan. This retreat was a follow up from the Spring Retreat. The theme of the winter event was “Find Your Purpose, Change Your Life” with the focus being on the Three Life Goals.
“The theme was: 'find your purpose, change your life.' I like that. I feel that I should be here, because I didn’t know my purpose. When people explained that it could be love, career, and other things, it allowed me to look inside and find my purpose.” - Cypreiana Carter
CARP Grand Rapids Inspires Students to be Ambassadors for Peace
On November 15th, CARP Grand Rapids hosted a Campus Talk with the theme “Peace Starts with Me” on Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) campus. This event was co-sponsored by CARP and the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), a sister organization to CARP. A total of three professors, three faculty members, and 40 students attended.
The purpose of this Campus Talk was to inspire and empower students to be Ambassadors for Peace who seek points of convergence among people rather than those of divergence. We wanted to pass the message that only when I as an individual become peaceful can the society be peaceful. Hence, Peace Starts With Me.