HEAVENLY PARENT'S Day

Celebration Date: Saturday January 25, 2020

“God’s Day” was founded on January 1, 1968 as one of the major Unificationist Holy Days.

On February 10th, 2013, it was renamed as “True Heavenly Parents’ Day”

Putting God at the center of New Years.

Here you will find several resources you can use in your local Church, Sunday School or Home celebration:

What is “Heavenly Parent’s Day”?

Starting the new year with God, our Heavenly Parent, as our center by rededicating ourselves to God.

Celebrated on the 1st day of the New Year, according to the lunar calendar.

“God’s Day gives Him the opportunity to show His love to His children.”

”What kind of day is God’s Day? For God, it is a joyful day and a good day. He wants to encounter good people on this day. He wants to bless you and celebrate this day with you, but actually, He has no one qualified to receive that blessing. All around the world people are celebrating this first day of the year, but only members of the Unification Church celebrate it as God’s Day. Therefore, God wants to be with you this day.”

”Long in advance, you must begin to prepare for each new God’s Day, planning what to offer from the depths of your heart... An offering is not limited to the time in which it is made. It becomes the gift of all things of creation, the gift of the children, and the gift of one’s self. Before you come to God’s Day, repent of all your ungodliness and sweep it away.”

”On official holidays we must share everything with one another and live joyfully while God rejoices.””

— Rev. Sun Myung Moon

SIGNIFICANCE:

God gave Adam & Eve the “Three Great Blessings” at the time of Creation. However, they fell away from God and were not able to fulfill them. Through the work of Jesus and True Parents, the three great blessings have been restored and brought us back into a true relationship with God, our Heavenly Parent, thus establishing True Heavenly Parent’s Day.

“God blessed Adam and Eve and hoped that they would complete the Three Great blessings (1: to reach individual perfection, 2: to marry, become husband and wife and then build a family by conceiving children, 3: to be the owners of creation and to govern it with love.)
On the day that Adam and Eve got married, it would have been a day of joy not only for the perfection of two children of God, but also for Adam and Eve to stand as a husband and a wife to each other, and for all creation to welcome their owner of true love. In other words, ‘Parents’ Day’, ‘Children’s Day’, ‘Day of All Things’, and ‘God’s Day’ were supposed to be on the same day. However, when Adam and Eve fell, all of God’s ideal of Creation was lost.
True Parents walked the path to restore God’s ideal of creation that was lost. Overcoming various hardships, on April 11th, 1960, True Parents were wed through a Holy Wedding Ceremony. Due to their victory over the seven-year course of restoration, ‘God’s Day’ was declared on January 1st, 1968.”

SCRIPTURES

BIBLE VERSES:

“And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years.” -Genesis 1:14
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." -Genesis 1:27
“God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” - Genesis 1:28
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” -1 John 3:1
“I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters," declares the Lord Almighty.” -2 Corinthians 6:18
“...God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” -1 John 4:16
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. -Mark 12:30

WORDS OF REV. SUN MYUNG MOON:

“God's love is the only unchanging and unique love.”
“As we receive this glorious New Year, we start a new day and at the same time, start a New Year. I fervently ask and desire Your permission that everyone can leave the seed which can connect 365 days to the Father's glorious day.”
“All around the world people are celebrating this first day of the year, but only members of the Unification Church celebrate it as God's Day. Therefore, God wants to be with you this day.”
"When God gives us love, how much would He want to give? God's love does not have a set limit. He wants to give infinitely. Even after giving everything, God still says, 'Because of you, I want to live in you.'"

FAMILY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

How is God our Heavenly Parent? How do you feel God’s love?
What does it mean to start the new year with God at the center?
How can we make goals and dreams centered on God? What does that mean to you?
What kinds of internal goals and external goals do you have for the new year?
What does “Heavenly Parent’s Day” mean to you?
What were the first words God gave to his children? (The Three Great Blessings) And what do they mean? How can we fulfill them?
Take the quiz & discuss how you each personally connect to God: God Languages- Spiritual Styles Quiz

FOR PARENTS & GRANDPARENTS:

Share about the first God’s Day celebration you attended! Or favorite memories from past celebrations.
What is special to you about Heavenly Parent’s Day?
How do you prepare yourself before celebrating a holy day?
What does the family pledge mean to you?
What is the significance of the fruits and beautiful food on the offering table?
Reflect on the traditions you want to create in your own family. How can you celebrate this holy day in your home, church, community?

FAMILY TRADITIONS:

Offering Table: Create a offering table together and hold a simple Family Pledge Service in your home- or attend a local ceremony
Cake: Share a cake or favorite treat together as a family. Sing “Happy Heavenly Parent’s Day to you!”
Banner: Create a banner together as a family saying “Happy Heavenly Parent’s Day!”
Gift: To celebrate God & True Parent’s love for your child: Give them a special gift.
FAMILY ACTIVITIES:
Click on the links for samples!
Group Birthday Cake for God craft
Paperbag crowns or Paper plate party hats craft
New Year’s Eve Games games
New Year’s Sensory bin sensory activity
New Year’s shaker craft
Balloon Drop activity
New Year’s Minute to Win It games
New Year Party activity
Letter to God: Write a letter to God on your determination for the New Year.
Nature Walk: Go on a nature walk together somewhere beautiful and observe God’s beautiful Creation he made for us. Take a family photo together.