Harrison House Las Vegas hosted ACLC National Day of Nonviolence

 Harrison House Las Vegas hosted

ACLC National Day of Nonviolence

April 4th, 2023 by Katherine Duncan, Las Vegas, Nevada

Dr. Luonne Rouse, National Chairman of The American Clergy Leadership Conference, requested US President Joseph Biden to declare a

National Day of Nonviolence with the goal of eradicating violence by commemorating the life and elevating the legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

April 4th culminated “The Season for Nonviolence” established in 1998 by Arun Gandhi, Mohandas Gandhi’s grandson, as a yearly event celebrating the philosophies and lives of Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. The “season” begins with the anniversary of the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi on January 30, ending on the April 4 anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. It is anchored by a mission, statement of principles, and commitments by participants towards living in a nonviolent way.

The Founder of The American Clergy Leadership Conference, an organization founded by Rev. Sun Y. Moon and Dr Hak Ja Han Moon, said that Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is perhaps the greatest American voice for peace in this century. The day started with a press conference attended by North Las Vegas Mayor Pamela Goynes-Brown, who discussed the NLV non-violence approach saying, “We will arrest you if you mess us up in our city but we have programs in place to make sure you don’t come back”. Attending the meeting was Ms. Lynnea Bylund of the Catalyst House who reported about a program that dropped violence in prisons by 70%.

“Let us become the embodiment of Christ’s love and the catalyst for achieving true, sustainable peace and harmony built on flourishing families that lift humankind into realizing His Kingdom – one global family under our Heavenly Parent”, said Dr. Rouse. The newly appointed director of the ACLC North Las Vegas, Rev. David Reed said “A New Day of Nonviolence Is at Hand”, he said, “We are going to change the spiritual environment.” Attending were Bishop Ki Hoon Kim, Family Federation for World Peace, Dr. Luonne Rouse, American Clergy Leadership Conference, Dr. Tanya Edwards, World Clergy Leadership Conference, Ms. Lynnea Bylund of the Catalyst House and others.

Dr. Edwards recognized Mayor Goynes-Brown as the first elected African American female Mayor in the State of Nevada. Local pastor Rose Gaston attended the event and asked about the City of North Las Vegas future plans. Mayor Goynes-Brown invited anyone with an idea, suggestion or recommendation to write to her office and reinforced the idea of her God centered administration. Rev. David Reed, Dr. Luonne Rouse, Ms. Lynnea Bylund, North Las Vegas Mayor Pamela Goynes-Brown, Bishop Ki HoonKim, Dr.Tanya Edwards The American Clergy Leadership calls on all Americans to pray, meditate and work for peace, unity, justice, and co-prosperity building the Beloved Community — One Nation under God.

The event was supported by the Youth Clergy Leadership Conference and Unification Theology Seminary. An end to violence will come to us as we embrace the values that Dr. King exemplified: faith in God and love for all people, beyond racial boundaries. The ACLC offers next steps and best practices to nurture and strengthen families. We offer True Family Values Seminars that clarify the things that make for peace in our homes and in our communities. In other words, the only way to non-violence is a change of heart, and the only way to a change of heart is through a greater, godly love within our homes and communities.

Tuesday, April 4 we remember our eternal inspiration and beacon of light, Dr. Martin Luther King by uplifting these precious truths he lived and gave his life for. Uniting with ACLC will help teach True Family Values seminars to help young people and adults to find personal peace and to build peaceful families. The press conference was followed by a National Zoom call and was attended by Dr. Al Gourrier who reminded us to read the “Mountaintop” speech, along with notable pastors and community leaders. Hosting the Zoom call was Mr. Peter Hayes of Compassionate Cities who is on a mission of Compassion Games where the winner is the City that demonstrates the highest level of compassion.

Universal Peace Federation joined the Zoom call and introduced an impressive schedule for future conferences. At sunset, the group held a candlelight vigil at the statue of Dr. King and sang God Bless America. Standing at the statue and looking south, “Sin City” glimmered vibrantly with lights shining so brightly into the sky. It was then that I realized that North Las Vegas is sitting above Las Vegas, overlooking Las Vegas , where God’s lights shine down from above creating the “Shining City”. ACLC was established when 120 clergy gathered to affirm the God-given vision of Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon for the unification of the Body of Christ in answer to Christs’ prayer recorded in John 17:21: “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me, and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that You have sent me.”

ACLC is a coalition of clergy united to rebuild the family, restore the community, and renew the nation and the world. It upholds marriage between man and woman as divine by design (Gen 1:27) and believes that family is the cornerstone of society and key to building God’s Kingdom on earth. To that end it advocates international and interracial marriage as a bridge to harmony among the world’s peoples. Harrison House is a community development corporation advocating for a holistic approach to changing the conditions in the Historic Westside and the surrounding community. The next step is to mobilize an Emergency Non Violence Task Force to convene on Monday, April 10th, 2023 at 3:00PM PST.

Call Harrison House-702-850-0249 or email [email protected] for additional information. 

Katherine Duncan