Global News

Donating the Disaster Relief Aid for Recovering From Tonga Volcano Eruption

In January, 2022, a submarine volcano erupted near the Island of Hunga Tonga and covered the whole country of Tonga with volcanic ashes. Shock waves from the explosion caused three tsunami waves, which damaged or destroyed about 470 households. The residents who lost their homes overnight could no longer use the rain water as drinking water due to the thick layer of volcanic ashes. Furthermore, due to the prolonged El Nino phenomenon, severe droughts occurred, which worsened the situation. On September 20, World Mission Society Church of God donated 83,000 TOP (about 40,000 USD) to Tonga government to help the victims who were suffering great damage from the volcanic eruption. Around 10 a.m., about 30 people, including Tonga government officials…

Tonga

Sep 20, 2022

Student Camp for the Second Half of 2022

Face-to-face classes are being held at schools as the step-by-step daily recovery (with COVID-19) has begun in 2022. Students are glad to see their friends again at school, but they have difficulty adapting to changed school hours and complying with school regulations. Parents are worried about their children's concentration problem and relationship with their friends. The Church of God held the student camp during school break to help students prepare for a new semester in good health and make their vacation a time for learning and growth. The student camps were held at each local church in the Philippines, the U.S., Canada, and Peru from the middle of July to the end of August. Student camp returns with a variety…

Aug 31, 2022

The 1st Student Chamber Orchestra Concert

Adolescence is a period when the youth have many dreams for the future and worries as well. On August 21, the Church of God held the 1st Student Chamber Orchestra to cheer the teenagers who were trying to adapt to the class in school after the COVID-19 pandemic and to recharge them with strength to move forward. The Church of God has held cultural events such as the student orchestra tour under the slogan, "Beautiful Resonance Between You and Me," and character education to cultivate the emotions of the youth and stabilize their mental health. More than 1,100 people, including not only students who brought their friends to make a good memory in a new semester but also parents and…

Korea

Aug 21, 2022

Dedication Service for Church in Moran, Church in Cheoin, and Church in Giheung, Korea

On August 20 and 27, three churches held a dedication service in two neighboring cities in Gyeonggi-do, Rep. of Korea. It is the Moran Church located in Seongnam, which has developed as an important place for housing and transportation in the metropolitan area; and the Cheoin Church and Giheung Church in Yongin, which was promoted to a special city in 2022. Through the dedication service that was held along with the Sabbath worship of each church, Mother prayed that the temple that Father had granted them would save many souls and become a place of grace to gather our family members separated from heaven. Mother encouraged the members who had been keeping their faith despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the…

South Korea

Aug 20, 2022

The 1st Happy Seminar With Neighbors

The Church of God arranged a special event for those who have had a difficult time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the “1st Happy Seminar With Neighbors,” held on a nationwide tour. From 2018 to 2019, the Church of God had delivered a message of comfort and support to young people in their 20s and 30s, who are living in an era of unlimited competition due to job difficulties and heavy workload, through “Happy Seminar for Workers.” It has expanded the age group of the participants after the social distancing has been lifted, in order to create a platform of communication and support. On July 17, the first event was held at the Homaesil Church in Gwonseon, Suwon,…

South Korea

Jul 17, 2022

The 1st ASEZ WAO Environment Forum

ASEZ WAO, World Mission Society Church of God Young Adult Worker Volunteer Group, has been taking the lead in encouraging workers to participate in protecting the environment through “Green Workplace” project. On July 10, they held an environment forum to search for the measures that workers can take in order to improve the environmental conditions; they listened to the experts’ advice on climate crisis which brings about direct and indirect impacts on the environment and society. More than 1,100 people, including the young adult worker members in the metropolitan areas and citizens who are interested in environmental issues, attended the 1st ASEZ WAO Environment Forum held at the New Jerusalem Imae Temple. The event was broadcast live on YouTube, and…

South Korea

Jul 10, 2022

Preaching Festival Awards Ceremony, the First Half of 2022

As the COVID-19 pandemic was easing out and daily life was being restored, the members of the Church of God became busy. They diligently preached the gospel of the kingdom, the news of salvation, to all their loved family, acquaintances, and neighbors, whom they had not met for a long while. In the month of June, the Church of God was filled with the heat of the gospel, hotter than the heat of early summer. On July 3, Preaching Festival Awards Ceremony for the First Half of 2022 was held at Okcheon Go&Come Training Institute. It was organized to settle the gospel results of the first half of 2022, during which gracious gospel results were reaped through the two preaching…

South Korea

Jul 3, 2022

Church Dedication Service at Six Churches in the Metropolitan Area

In May, four new temples were dedicated to God; and in June, six churches in Suwon, Incheon, Gimpo, Dongducheon, and Namyangju enjoyed keeping dedication services. The Sabbath worship services along with dedication services were held at the Homaesil Church in Gwonseon, Suwon, and the Gwanggyo Church in Suwon on June 11; at the Yeongjongdo Church in Incheon, and the Janggi Church in Gimpo on June 18; and at the Jungang Church in Dongducheon and the Byeolgaram Church in Namyangju on June 25. Mother looked around every place of each church before the start of worship services and praised the hard work of all the members, saying that She could feel the members’ wholeheartedness in every corner of each church. Mother…

South Korea

Jun 25, 2022

Dedication Service of the Churches in Sejong, Yuseong, Deokyang, and Samsong, Korea

Despite a long period of social distancing due to COVID-19, the number of members increased steadily throughout the world. In Korea, the dedication ceremonies of four churches were held in May. The Sejong and Yuseong Churches held dedication services in the afternoon and evening (Third Day worship) each on May 17; and the Deokyang and Samsong Churches held the dedication services together with the Sabbath afternoon and evening worships on May 21. At the long-awaited news of dedication, the members welcomed it with joy. The congratulatory messages from nearby churches and prominent people from diverse fields were lined up. Mother prayed that tens of thousands of blessings would be bestowed upon the members who had worked hard to build a…

South Korea

May 17, 2022

Special Lecture for ASEZ by Vice Minister of Environment, Ecuador

Environmental pollution and climate crisis are the biggest issues of the international community in the 21st century. On May 5, in the seminar room of the New Jerusalem Pangyo Temple in Korea, a special event was prepared for university students who are interested in global environmental issues and government officials who are promoting national policies for environmental conservation. This is the "Special Lecture by the Ecuadorian Vice Minister of Environment" held by ASEZ, the university student volunteer group of the Church of God. More than 700 university students from ASEZ in the metropolitan area, and officials from the Ministry of Environment of Ecuador participated in the lecture. Ecuador’s Vice Minister of Environment, Bianca Dager Jervis, who stood at the podium,…

South Korea

May 5, 2022

Sacred Assemblies of the Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Day of Resurrection 2022

The Church of God has been carrying out various volunteer services for neighbors in the global village, based on the love of Christ. Christ’s love and salvation are contained in the seven feasts in three times, which start with the Passover every year. The Sacred Assembly of the Passover 2022 was celebrated in the Churches of God throughout the world on the evening of April 15 (the 14th day of the first month according to the sacred calendar). With the COVID-19-related restrictions being gradually eased and amid rising expectations for restoration to normal life, the church members participated in the feast, hoping that all people would receive God’s blessings by keeping the feast, as they had passed through a long…

Apr 15, 2022

ASEZ Honored With UNCCD Executive Secretary Award

The World Mission Society Church of God University Student Volunteer Group [ASEZ] was awarded the UNCCD Executive Secretary Award on June 17. ASEZ took part in the virtual choir competition to mark the 10 Years of Changwon Initiative, and received the highest award. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification [UNCCD] is a convention signed by the international community on June 17, 1994, aiming to prevent desertification caused by indiscriminate development, and to help the areas affected by desertification. In this Convention, 194 countries have joined, and its secretariat is located in Bonn, Germany. In 2011, the UNCCD COP 10 was held in Changwon, Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as Korea), and it adopted the Changwon Initiative which contains…

South Korea

Jun 17, 2022

Ascension Day Service & Sacred Assembly of the Day of Pentecost 2022

The members of the early Church, who had witnessed the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, delivered the truth of life and the hope of salvation to all people, being deeply moved and filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. The book of Acts records that 3,000 to 5,000 people were added to the number of disciples at that time (Ac 2:41; 4:4). The members of the Church of God all around the world attended the Ascension Day Service (May 26) and the Sacred Assembly of the Day of Pentecost (June 5), hoping that the blessings of the Holy Spirit would be poured out in a more powerful way to lead all people to salvation in this age.…

Jun 5, 2022

Messiah Orchestra Concert for the Passover 2022

Just like a flower announces spring that has come after a long winter, a special event was held to present comfort and hope to the people around the world, exhausted from the long pandemic. On March 27, which was fifteen days before the Passover, the "Messiah Orchestra Concert for the Passover 2022" was held at the Okcheon Go&Come Training Institute. The concert was broadcast live to 64 countries as a video conference program through the outside broadcast van. The Church of God interpreters provided simultaneous interpretations in 28 languages including English, Spanish, German, French, Hungarian, Chinese, Hindi, Vietnamese, Telugu, etc, so that it can help audience enjoy the performances. The event was held twice at 11 a.m. and at 5…

South Korea

Mar 27, 2022

Online Summer Student Camp 2021

It has been a year and six months since the coronavirus pandemic was proclaimed. In the prolonged contact-free era, not only adults but also teenagers are suffering from uncertainty. As the path of communication has narrowed significantly due to school closures and social distancing, quite many students complain about anxiety, sense of deprivation, and depression, and there is a raised concern that people are losing the ability to communicate and empathy, and that they will have difficulties in building relationships with other people. The Church of God held an online summer camp for middle and high school students, following the online winter camp. The camp helped the students feel stable emotionally and presented the correct direction of life to them.…

Aug 1, 2021

The Church of God Holds the 3rd Bible Webinar

A time like a gift to comfort the hearts of those who are weary in life has come. On November 21, the Church of God held a Bible webinar. In a time when individuals feel isolated and alienated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Church of God communicates with neighbors through various online events such as “Happy Webinar for Workers.” The Bible webinar was held for the third time this year at the Okcheon Go&Come Training Institute in Korea by filming the event and broadcasting it in real time. The Church of God members all over the world watched the webinar with their family and friends while adhering to preventive measures. A total of about 4,000 people in Korea accessed…

South Korea

Nov 21, 2021

ASEZ and ASEZ WAO Honored With Green World Award and Green Apple Award

ASEZ, the Church of God University Student Volunteer Group, and ASEZ WAO, the Church of God Young Adult Worker Volunteer Group won the Green World Award and the Green Apple Award in succession. These two awards are the international environmental awards organized by the Green Organisation—an international environmental nonprofit organization in the United Kingdom. Established in 1994, these awards annually recognize and reward outstanding environmental practices globally, spanning both private and public sectors. The evaluation process considers nine criteria, including environmental benefits, innovation, and sustainability of the activity. The Green World Award, an extension of the Green Apple Award, is particularly esteemed, reserved for organizations that excel across all criteria. Due to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the…

U.K.

Nov 15, 2021

Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles 2021

Despite continuous disasters, incidents, and accidents, including the coronavirus pandemic which has been lasting for almost two years now, the Autumn Feasts in which God’s blessings are promised came as they always do every year. The feasts of the third time among the seven feasts are the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles; and the representative feast name of them is the Feast of Tabernacles. The Churches of God all around the world spent busy days, carrying out a large-scale movement of repentance and the Holy Spirit Movement, commemorating the Feast of Tabernacles. From the Feast of Trumpets to the Day of Atonement On October 7, the Feast of Trumpets, the first feast among…

Oct 7, 2021

‘Worldwide Blood Drive to Give Life Through the Love of the Passover’ Was Held Over 1,000 Times

Blood supply shortage continues due to the decrease of blood donors since the COVID-19 pandemic. Adhering to the guidelines for preventing the spread of COVID-19, the members of the Church of God in and outside Korea are donating blood in groups with the mind to cherish life. On June 20, the 1,000th “Worldwide Blood Drive to Give Life Through the Love of the Passover” was held in Zimbabwe, Africa. On the 23rd, the 1001st blood drive was held in Peru, South America. The members in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, donated blood at the National Blood Service in Bulawayo; and the members in Ilo, Peru, donated blood at their church, supported by Ilo Hospital and Ilo Health Network Center under the Ministry of…

Jun 20, 2021

Young Adult Worker Volunteer Group [ASEZ WAO] Carried Out Volunteer Services in the First Half of 2021

Young Adult Worker Volunteer Group from the Church of God [ASEZ WAO] carried out regular volunteer services this year, too. Over 5,000 man-days were spent on carrying out rounds of volunteer services to clean up the world environment and share love with neighbors in the midst of bleak situations caused by COVID-19. In some regions, they contributed to protecting the environment and making regional development with organizations who promised to cooperate during previous activities. No More GPGP COVID-19 drastically increased the use of disposables, which put the environment at risk. ASEZ WAO has been carrying out the awareness-raising activities to pick up indiscreetly thrown away plastic trash and reduce the use of plastics, through plastic reduction campaign “No More GPGP.”…

Jun 6, 2021