DAVID MISCAVIGE CREATING A NEW ERA OF EXPANSION

David Miscavige works for—and answers to—Scientology’s millions of parishioners. He is unrelenting in his service to their interests and the interests of the religion. The period of stellar growth he has spearheaded has been described as nothing short of the renaissance of the Scientology religion.

As the driving force behind a worldwide program to expand all Churches of Scientology to better serve their communities, Mr. Miscavige led the creation of a new breed of Scientology Churches. These Churches stand as points of succor where all are welcome. These are also the Churches from which Scientologists extend their social betterment programs to mitigate intolerance, illiteracy, immorality and drug abuse.

L. Ron Hubbard expressed the goal of Scientology to create Churches that reflect physically what they provide spiritually:

“You are creating an island of friendliness, decency and succor in the sea of a violent world. ... Some time in the future the islands will become the sea.”

To realize this goal, in 2004 Mr. Miscavige launched a program with the stated aim of making every Church of Scientology into an ideal Church of Scientology—ideal in location, design, quality of religious services and social betterment programs.

Each Church is uniquely configured to accommodate the full array of Scientology services for both parishioners and the surrounding community. Each houses extensive public information multimedia displays that introduce every facet of Dianetics and Scientology. Additionally, libraries, seminar rooms and chapels serve as places to hold Sunday services and other congregational gatherings. The first wave of these new Churches now graces world cultural centers, including Madrid, London, Berlin, New York, Rome, Washington D.C. and Brussels.

Many others are on the horizon as Scientologists rally in support of a global Ideal Churches movement to serve their communities long into the future.

Torino, Italy—The Mayor of Torino, Sergio Chiamparino, honored ten civil protection associations that aided the people of L’Aquila and surrounding villages following the 6.3 magnitude earthquake that struck the area leaving 1,500 injured, an estimated 28,000 homeless and 300 dead. Among those recognized was the Scientology Community Civil Protection Association (PRO.CIVI.COS) composed of 170 volunteers who contributed more than 35,000 man-hours in service to the community.

The Scientology volunteers personally took on the supervision and running of several of the camps themselves, caring for every aspect of the physical needs and trauma relief or “spiritual first-aid” of those under their care.

PRO.CIVI.COS is part of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Corps, an embracive program of the Church of Scientology to provide community service, disaster relief and emergency response. Created more than 30 years ago by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, the program has expanded to 203,000 Volunteer Ministers worldwide who have served at 126 worst-case disaster sites, including Ground Zero after 9/11, the Southeast Asia tsunami and Hurricane Katrina.

Remembering New York

9/11 had a profound effect on my Church. David Miscavige issued a challenge to all Scientologists to use this "wake up call" as a reason to step up their work to help their communities, their countries, raise the level of civilization around them, contribute in any way possible to help make this world a better place. Mr. Miscavige also honored the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of New York by awarding the church the funding for the full renovation of their 46th Street headquarters. David Miscavige also came to New York to dedicate the Church at its grand opening.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers bring their help anywhere and everywhere.

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers African Goodwill Tour brings help to the most far-flung regions of Africa. With a bright yellow van, a large yellow tent, and volunteers who care, it travels to towns and villages, no matter how remote.

Zambia, a country just larger than the State of Texas, is a land of beauty, famous for Victoria Falls and its spectacular wildlife preserves. However, it is also a land where the life expectancy is less than 50 years, one in seven adult Zambians live with HIV, and millions subsist below the poverty threshold of $1 a day.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers were entrusted with a mission, as stated by L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion. Each volunteer “helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others.” Mr. Hubbard continued, “A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well.”

The volunteers accomplish this purpose through courses, seminars and individualized assistance, based on the Scientology Handbook, which provides tools to help people confront and overcome the problems they encounter at work, at home and in their dealings with others.

Recent testimonials from some of those helped by the Scientology Volunteer Ministers African Goodwill Tour show the value of the work the volunteers are doing.

“I have attained the ability to think logically, and discover the causes of situations good and bad,” wrote one recent course graduate.

“It is my great honor to take this opportunity to thank all the Volunteer Ministers for what they are doing,” was the message from a man who completed a course in communication. “In this course,” he went on to say. “I have learned that there is no life without communication and that nothing can be done without communication. Therefore communication is life. I am ready to apply to this in my day-to-day life. The Volunteer Ministers are doing a great job. I urge them to continue.”
Yet another student wrote, “I have really learned the importance of respecting other people. May God bless our nation as it strives to develop.”

For more information visit the Scientology Volunteer Ministers web site or the Scientology Video Channel.

Unconditional Help

One of the principles of the Scientology Volunteer ministers is that something can be done about any situation in life to improve it. Scientology is about improving conditions.

The Scientology Handbook by L. Ron Hubbard is the text book that the Volunteer Ministers use, both for training as VMs and to help others by training them to use the technology.

Who wouldn't want to be able to communicate better, help their kids with study, help someone sort out a marriage that was nearing the rocks, help someone do better at work. These are just some of the topics covered in the handbook.

Several times a year at international Scientology events, Scientologists get briefed on what VMs are doing in disaster zones and on goodwill tours in areas where Scientology is still new. David Miscavige often gives overviews of their work. It's quite inspiring to see the kind of unconditional help they give.