When reflecting at the end of 2025, we committed to make some sincere steps into different communities. Our initiative was based on the idea to have an ‘ID Tour’ (Informed Decision); we wanted to find meaningful opportunities to meet face to face and connect. 

In total we could visit 7 different communities in the course of the past 7 months. These were 7 different visits of very different natures and set-ups; some more formal, some very informal. This is also a reflection of the vastly different situations in the communities within Europe.

At the heart of the efforts was a chance to meet people outside of a workshop setting, and also in a space closer to day to day life. We are living in a time of polarisation and it’s important for each of us to make our own informed decisions about many things. If we can be sincere together, we have a better chance of finding common ground.

We were reminded of the importance of meeting in person! This sounds simple, but it is true that in an ‘AI age’, we need to communicate with fellow humans without a screen in the way. It’s not always comfortable, or easy to schedule – but it’s important to meet ‘in real life’.

Thanks for the different families and communities who hosted us, who welcomed us to join your activities, or who gave us space to contribute and speak. For those who took time to meet us, and for the many precious moments we could share.

Here is the sermon that we offered to the North of Thames community on May 17th – it was a lovely experience to work together with many brothers and sisters on the service, and to be welcomed so warmly.

Certainly, we will use the different experiences to reflect and find a clearer direction for our summer education, and also how we direct our efforts in the next phase of our mission as ESGD.

We are all trying to navigate our Unificationist lives in our different life phases – and it’s not an easy time. Our combined efforts from the different events are an expression that we are committed to find a way forward for the future, and we want to do that in conversation with the network and community we are striving to serve.