700 Couplesin marriage ceremony
By Julia Watson
WASHINGTON, (UPI) -- Archbishop George Stallings,a former Roman Catholic priest and founder of the breakaway African-AmericanCongregation, his Japanese-born wife, Sayomi Kamimoto, and theirweek-old baby, were among 700 couples Saturday in a Marriage Blessingand Rededication ceremony of Clergy Couples at the Sheraton NationalHotel in Arlington, Va.
The Unification Church service linked 144,000couples in marriage worldwide by satellite and live Web cast.
Among those whose marriages were arrangedby head of the Unification Church, the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, wasthe Rev. Dr. Charles Kenyatta, assistant pastor of the White RockBaptist Church in Harlem, N.Y. Once special assistant to MalcolmX, Kenyatta received 36 bullet wounds when the former was assassinated.
Now 82, he first met his several decadesyounger Filipina wife 30 days ago.
"I am 50 years single and I'm 82, andI know what's what," he announced.
The marriage of 18-year old high schoolerKendra Anderson to 20-year old David Stein was arranged by theirfathers, Virginia state legislator Mark Anderson and Dan Stein,vice president of U.S. Properties Development Corps.
"We decided they would be the bestfor each other," explained the groom's father, Dan Stein,"so we asked them to talk and meet and see how they wouldget along. We were amazed! The chemistry turned to fire.
We've had a hard time keeping them apart,"he joked.
Others, like Wanji and Gary Rowe who marriedin 1982, were reaffirming their vows. "It gets better andbetter," said Gary.
The occasion was handled with all the polish,precision, pomp and circumstance of a political convention. Churchmembers crowding the hotel lobby directed wedding participantsarriving in coach-loads to the correct would call ticket sitewith signs announcing "Pillars of Faith Church," "PortugueseLanguage Baptist Church," "First Jericho" and more.
Staff members with walkie-talkies maneuvereda surging crowd of brides and grooms into the vast ballroom outsidewhich tables were set selling wedding and engagement rings andjewelry, and commemoration "God Bless Our Family" T-shirts.
Couples were given gold paper "blessingpackets," each containing a bouquet of white flowers, a copyof the marriage vows, white commemoration scarves and registrationforms for a honeymoon holiday in the Bahamas.
While white was the predominant color choicefor the brides with black tie for the grooms, many of the couplesopted for their brightly colored national costume, with one groomin a view-blocking feathered Native American headdress.
Inside the ballroom, hundreds of seats faceda stage set with two button-back carved armchairs and bouquetsof flowers were surrounded by violet-lit gauze drapes. On onevast and one more modest screen, a video presentation broughtwords of encouragement and conviction from members of differentfaiths and communities around the world.
"We must take back our marriages fromthe divorce courts," the congregation was urged. "Wemust stand for marriage and heal the nation," ArchbishopStallings told the camera.
The True Family Values Cherry Blossom Choirfrom Japan sang "America The Beautiful." Mighty Cloudsof Joy added their song to the celebration.
The actual ceremony began with a rehearsalof the four marriage vows. Then the congregation saluted the globalaudience with a loud "Hello to the world, we love you andbless your family!"
Ex-prime minister of Guyana, Hamilton Green,rose to the podium with the hope that "Every nation oughtto be morally and spiritually secure," before representativesof 12 different faiths added marriage blessings in their own languages,some in song, some accompanied by rattles.
Next a procession of men and women "attendants"in white Korean-patterned silk robes entered the ballroom.
And at last, came the long-anticipated entranceof the head of the Unification Church.
The audience rose in applause as Moon andhis wife, behind 12 senior clergy couples including the purple-robedArchbishop Stallings, moved slowly down the aisle toward the stageto a recording of the Alleluia Chorus.
Several of the bridal couples leaned withcameras to capture Moon in black tie and tails and his wife inan elegant white silk floor length tailored suit and diamond collarnecklace, each decorated with purple orchid corsages.
Following a Report to Heaven delivered firstin Korean then in English by the Rev. Chung Il Kwak, Father Moonand Mother Moon, as they were introduced, together read out inKorean each wedding vow to vigorous responses and applause.
Then, facing his wife and with each couplefacing each other, the Moon gave the invocation.
In a voice at times emphatic, at times almost in song, and sometimeshard to hear, his more than five-minute long speech brought tearsto the eyes of those who could understand Korean.
Finally, with three loud and lingering "Amens"and the exchange of rings, 144,000 couples worldwide were joinedin marriage.
UPI is owned by News World CommunicationsInc., a media company founded by Moon.