Dear brothers and sisters,
Yoshiko and I sometimes struggle to find time to talk deeply and work through the thoughts and emotions that shape our lives. Perhaps you experience the same. So many things demand our attention and energy that we can easily postpone the conversations we most need.
We all need people with whom we can share honestly: people who walk alongside us, pray for us and, when necessary, challenge us with love. We need companions who seek to understand us and help us listen for God’s guidance.
The name Cheonshim Won, used for our prayer rooms, means “Garden of Heavenly Heart.” A garden of heart grows through relationships of care and attention. We can cultivate it together with people who know us, make time for us and allow us to share freely.
A circle of real friendship
For this reason, at our event in Tottenham on 27 September, we encouraged everyone to form trinities.
A “trinity” can be three couples or a small group of three to five individuals who commit to meeting regularly. They share what moves them and matters in their lives, seek Heavenly Parent’s wisdom, pray for one another and enjoy doing things together.
True Parents established trinities from the early days of our movement. Yet a trinity needs more than names on a list to grow. We don’t think they can be directed. When meeting feels like an obligation, or one person carries all the responsibility, it becomes hard to sustain. Friendship, shared commitment and openness to the spirit give it life.
One of the gifts of a trinity is that care and guidance can flow between all its members. When one person faces a question or difficulty, the others can listen, pray and offer different perspectives. Heavenly Parent speaks through more than one voice. Sometimes a thoughtful question helps us see more clearly. Sometimes we need silence, understanding, and the reassurance that we are not alone.
Our Heavenly Parent can reach us through one another. We approach this with humility, recognising that each person brings insight and each of us still has something to learn.
In 1967, True Father explained:
You cannot walk the path of faith alone. You need companions in faith. Three or more people must become one. That is why a three-person foundation—a trinity—is necessary. God, who is the subject partner of human character, also seeks these three points of reference.
On Children’s Day in 1984, while True Father was in Danbury prison, True Mother said:
Unifying the world is a gigantic task, but it begins on a small scale. This small scale is the trinity. This small scale is the trinity – this is why we have a trinity system. When these three persons are unselfishly united among themselves a total unity is formed – that is the beginning point of world unity.
The fuller excerpts and references are included below.
Five steps to begin
- Prayerfully consider whom to invite. Think of two other couples, or two to four other individuals, with whom you could grow in faith and friendship. Ask yourself: Whom could I support, and who could support me? Consider both the trust you already share and the opportunity to get to know someone better.
- Make a simple invitation. Suggest a first meeting at home, in a quiet café, on a walk or online. You might say: “Would you like to meet, share how life is going and pray together?” Begin with a conversation and give everyone room to decide freely.
- Share your hopes and agree on how to care for one another. Discuss what each person would find helpful. Agree to listen without interrupting, respect privacy, ask before offering advice and give everyone space to speak. Each person should be free to choose how much to share.
- Choose a rhythm you can sustain. Agree how often to meet, where and for how long. For example, you might begin with 60–90 minutes every fortnight. Consider work, travel and childcare, and share the tasks of hosting, arranging meetings and guiding the conversation. You may meet in person or online.
- Commit to a trial period and put the dates in your diaries. Five or eight meetings could be a good starting point. Agree how to stay in touch between meetings, then review the experience together: Are we getting to know one another? Is this helping our faith and daily lives? What would make it work better? Decide together how to continue.
Elements of a trinity meeting
Keep the format simple enough that everyone looks forward to coming. A meeting might include:
- Food and a warm welcome. Share a meal, a cup of tea or something simple. Allow time to arrive, settle and reconnect.
- Space for each person to share. Ask: What has brought you joy recently? What has been difficult? Where have you experienced God? Give everyone time, and listen before offering solutions.
- A short reading and reflection. Read a passage for Hoon Dok Hae, or simply share with each other a Word of God that has inspired you. Explore what the passage means for your lives and how you might put it into practice.
- Prayer for one another. Each person can share one thing they would like others to pray about or for. Pray together, leave room for silence and remember those requests between meetings.
- A practical expression of care. Ask: Is there something we can do to support one another before we meet again? A phone call, a visit or help with an everyday task can give substance to our prayers.
- Something you enjoy doing together. Make room for a walk, sport, music, art or a service activity. Some meetings may centre on conversation and prayer; others may grow around a shared activity.
Before you leave, confirm the next meeting. Let responsibility move between members so that everyone helps shape the life of the trinity.
What a trinity is not
- a reporting or performance group. You don’t need to prove yourself.
- a place for one person to direct everyone else’s life. Guidance is offered with humility. Respect each person’s conscience, freedom and responsibility.
- a space for pressure or gossip. Choose what you share and respect others’ privacy.
- an exclusive circle. Stay open to others and connected to the wider community.
- a replacement for family life. Strengthen your relationships beyond the group.
- a substitute for pastoral or professional support. Seek additional help when needed.
An invitation for October
If September was a month of spirituality, let’s make October a month of organisation, giving the inspiration we received body and form.
Begin with an invitation and a date in the diary. Make room for people with whom you can pray, grow and enjoy life. Through these small commitments, we can cultivate the garden of heart together.
With warm wishes,
Bogdan & Yoshiko
Words from True Parents
Let Three People Become Completely One
True Father, Sun Myung Moon · 17 May 1967 · Former Headquarters Church
You cannot walk the path of faith alone. You need companions in faith. Three or more people must become one. That is why a three-person foundation—a trinity—is necessary. God, who is the subject partner of human character, also seeks these three points of reference. Even when someone makes a mistake, God cannot teach that person directly. Although He cannot teach them directly through the vertical relationship, when three people become one and one makes a mistake while the other two do not, the other two can point out the mistake. This is the reason Jesus and the Holy Spirit were sent. (…) When three people establish a beautiful relationship in which they can truly rely on one another, those around them will see it and wish to have the same. In this way, God’s Will naturally spreads. Even without God’s help, when three people become one, new shoots will emerge.
Source: Sermons of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon, Volume 18, pp. 43–44.
My Theme Is Unity
True Mother, Hak Ja Han · Children’s Day 1984 · 24 October 1984 · Belvedere
So during this time of Father’s incarceration and suffering, the only truly reciprocal response on the part of the children would be to bring unity among all the members of our church. Of course, it is very important to have unity between mind and body on the individual level. But as brothers and sisters, as children of God, although uniting among ourselves is not easy it absolutely must be done.
Unifying the world is a gigantic task, but it begins on a small scale. This small scale is the trinity – this is why we have a trinity system. When these three persons are unselfishly united among themselves a total unity is formed – that is the beginning point of world unity.
When we look at the significance our contributions have brought to the world, there’s no good reason we cannot unite, no reason we cannot become one. Just a little bit of effort and a little bit of self-analysis and a little bit of self-giving will bring total unity of the trinities.
Today I speak to you representing the True Parents, and my central theme is unity. I urge unity among brothers and sisters, particularly within the trinity system, which is the beginning point of all unity. I urge you to look forward to the day when we will celebrate the holy days of our church in the presence of both True Parents. Let us never repeat this type of ceremony again in our history.
