© 1987 Henri Begemann, Meredith Sprunger
© 1987 ANZURA, Australia & New Zealand Urantia Association
P.0.Box 606, Brighton, Victoria, AUSTRALIA, 3186.
¶ A Note From The 6-0-6 Team
In this newsletter, the first one for 1987, we like to welcome you all back after our summer holidays.
A little ad to see Neil Francey depart for Brisbane, we wish him and his family all the best in his new venture. Neil, who for many years has been one of the torchbearers for the URANTIA movement in Australia was the original editor of the Six-0-Six Newsletter, which is entering its eighth year of publication. No doubt, he will continue to serve his fellowmen, not. only in his hometown Brisbane, but also in his new role as a member of the international fellowship committee.
Because of everyone’s input, Six-0-Six is becoming a dynamic newsletter. As a result of your (the reader’s) replies to last year’s survey, cogs have started to turn.
Mike Taylor, Jo Hausler and Ken Glasziou asked for articles on the origin of the URANTIA Book. We got permission to publish: ‘The URANTIA Book: The question of origin’
Since then we have written to Meredith Sprunger to allow us to publish his pamphlet: ‘The Origin of The URANTIA Book.’ Not only did Meredith give us the o.k., but to sent we another article: ‘God’s Presence in Action’. Christopher Billington asked us for an article on how to run a study group. We were able to obtain a few articles on that subject. One by Henri Begemann and one by Peter Webb.
Stephen Theiler requested something on astrology and Mark Blackham responded to his request.
Georg Sepp mentioned reincarnation. We found an article by Richard Bain: ‘The Wheel of Karma’. So you see, it is not just the few of us here who put the 6-0-0 together, but all of us are vital to the birth of this newsletter. It is not given to everyone to write lengthy articles, but your ideas are picked up by others who have got the talent to put their thoughts on paper. So keep up the good work. Even a few lines are important to us ell. You are in for some inspiring reading this year!
¶ Thought For The Month
“Man can find the love of God without facts, and man can discover the laws of God without love, but man can never begin to appreciate the infinite symmetry, the supernal harmony, the exquisite repleteness of the all-inclusive nature of the first Source and Centre until he has found divine law and divine love and has experientially unified these in his own evolving cosmic philosophy.” (The URANTIA Book UB 111:6.6)
¶ Looking Forward To New Adventures
With our departure from Melbourne we felt that indescribable mixture of foy and sorrow.
We leave our wonderful times and friends and take with us the treasured memories. We look forward to our new adventures in Brisbane and trust many visitors from Melbourne (and elsewhere) will drop in.
Our very best wishes go to everyone involved with 6-0-6. I guess there is no-orfe who hasn’t assisted in its creation. We’ve all shared a role.
Naturally enough we’ll greatly miss the good
times, the hassles, the deadlines, the layouts that wouldn’t quite work’, and the interesting mail. So good luck to the team who work so diligently on it. It is poised for great work as it gains the increasing support of readers. And now that’s me. A reader. What fun it will be receiving it in the mail. Can hardly wait.
Nail Francey, Brisbane
¶ From The Perth Study Group
Concerning study groups, I do have a few ideas. These, of course, come from a very limited background. My wife and I have only been involved in one study group. No doubt our thoughts on the subject could be well expended by meeting other groups. The comments I make are not those of our group, though at times we have all discussed how to best deal with our time together.
At each meeting, which is fairly informal, we try to achieve three main objectives. Firstly and most importantly, is the reading of The URANTIA Book. Comments are welcome. This sometimes leads to insights which we in our personal reading could overlook. When the meeting first starts, the talk revolves around the URANTIA Book and what we have been doing. A few topics are talked about until one is selected. The topic chosen is relevant to the mood of the group. Secondly, we attempt to define and work towards group goals. Such things as attracting new members, the book booth and other group projects. Thirdly, we discuss individual roles. Our personal ministry in bringing others to the book. Also any problems we have are often discussed in relationship to the book.
We have at this time no planned group worship. Occasionally a prayer is read out of The URANTIA Book, but worship is most times left with the religious conviction of each individual.
Peter Webb, Yanchep, WA.
Dear 6-0-6
I believe there are some other URANTIA Book readers around this Gold Coast area. I would like to contact them, maybe we can form a study group if distance is not too great. Anyone travelling by this way is quite welcome to call in. Hope to hear from anyone interested in the URANTIA movement. I have been a reader now for 16 years.
David Regal
23 Waikiki Ave,
Palm Beach, Qld.
Dear 6-0-6,
I loved reading your article ‘Say hello to a fellow Urantian’. I actually felt part of the whole scene.
That’s a grand idea for December 31st. I did enjoy Trevor Swadling’s ‘John the Revelator’. It makes me want to re-read ‘Revelations’ and do some comparisons of my own.
Shirley Legge, Melbourne
¶ Counterfeit of Lucifer?
I am inclined to think that The URANTIA Book could be a counterfeit of Lucifer (Satan). can you send me an argument for The URANTIA Book as true and God-inspired as I believe the Bible is.
Queensland reader
Editor’s note: This reader received a personal reply to his comments after our July/Aug Survey.
Dear 6-0-6
Thanks for sending us your newsletter. I of ten don’t find a chance to get out The URANTIA Book and your snippets are often a great revelation to me.
Helen & Glen Stickley, Byfield, Qld.
¶ From The Netherlands
Thank you for your kind letter. I am happy my article ‘Springtime’ was so well received. I myself think it an important article because it makes us alert for the signs of the times. We live “on the brink” of tremendous changes.
You wrote about isolated readers. We had the same problem in England and we started a monthly study-letter, kind of a study group by letter. I gave comments and asked questions about a paper (112), and sent it to a London reader, who photocopied them and distributed them to readers all over England.
Our experience with that method was that certain people valued them highly, but other people gave little feedback. There are more people who like to read the book, than really study it.
How to run a study group is a question often discussed. As you wrote, there are no hard and fast rules. But I can say how we do it here. We meet every other week for the simple reason that, although once a week would be better, I have no time for that. The translation of the book into Dutch takes quite a lot of my time. Besides we have seven study groups here that have me as the leader. I cannot do more. But two members to one of these groups now also have their own groups, of which they are the leaders. A third one is in the making. So it grows.
Another feature of our groups is that we ell sit around a table, with the book, or the translation, on the table. We have discovered that such physical nearness fosters spiritual brotherhood and friendship. Attendance is very regular.
A meeting has two parts. In the first hour we discuss a paper (mostly from the Jesus Papers) that the members as their homework have studied before coming to the meeting. In the second hour we read together, especially the more difficult papers from the first pert of the book. We read slowly, punctuated by questions, comments, etc. Mostly we read no more than one or two pages. In this way it becomes difficult to peruse the whole book, but the homework institution compensates for that.
Always remember that it is not quantity that counts, but quality, understanding and insight.
A difficulty is the point of leadership. Our book says that the future of such a group depends for a large part on leadership. It is what is lacking to a great extent in the URANTIA movement. Someone who desires to be a leader often is not a good leader. A leader is somebody who tries to conquer ego and to serve.
Henri Begemann, Wassenaar, The Netherlands
¶ A Matter Of Priorities
All the years of reading bedtime stories to the children, must have left a lasting impression behind. The first thing that came to mind when I started to think about the subject of priorities was: ‘The three little pigs’. The third little pig in Walt Disney’s cartoon certainly had an air of solidity about him. With his blue pair of overalls and cap, putting bricks upon mortar, slap, slosh, slap. He didn’t mind a hard day’s yakka. And he was pretty generous too, you must admit. For apart from telling his brothers: “I told you so”, when their flimsy shelters fell down, the first time that big, bed wolf was doing his deep breathing exercises, he did invite them in. And you couldn’t exactly say: “All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy”. For once he built his house, he did enjoy himself at the party they had, when they nearly finished up with roast wolf for supper. But I wonder how tolerant he was of those two lazy brothers, once he discovered that they were too weak to carry their dirty dishes to the dishwasher, and left their muddy socks lying under the bed. I hope he was wise enough to give them a gentle push out of the door again, when that wolf with the roast buttocks left the neighborhood. For how else could they ever. learn to stand on their own two wobbly trotters?
It was all a matter of priorities. I wonder how right we have our priorities, when it comes to eternal survival. How much time do we spend on satisfying our physical needs?
Madeline Noordzy, Melbourne Illustrated by Wolfgang Borutta
¶ Dear Six-0-Six Readers,
I just got through reading the Conference 1986 report in Vol, No 6, July August 1986 issue of the 6-0-6 and had to write to you.
I read the report with great joy and interest. Joy at the wonderful activity and at seeing how dear friends met and interest because I have met so many of you and at finding out what you are doing with The URANTIA Book in your lives. I have talked to Berkeley Elliott, John Hales, and Tom Allen about their trip and know they had a wonderful time there. It meant so much to Philip and I to see this kind of exchange after so many years.
For those of you who don’t know us, we lived in Mackay, Q1d. for three years, 1975-78. We travelled much and spent as much time as we could in Neil francey’s company. We felt so strongly then, (and continue to feel the same) that Australians had to turn fellow Australians onto The URANTIA Book and decide how they would meet, study, fellowship and organize themselves. You have obviously been doing just that in the intervening years. I know that many of you have met over the years and that there have been conferences previous to this one, but this one had the added dimension of Berkeley, John and Tom being there who could report back on a large scale here to U.B. readers of what the activities in Australia are. All of the news up to now has been second hand via Six-0-six, Julia Fenderson’s correspondence and our correspondence. I’m thrilled really at this new outreach.
I’m even more thrilled at Neil Francey’s appointment and acceptance to the International Fellowship Committee of the URANTIA Brotherhood. He will be able to contribute so much. I don’t know who wrote the report but thank you. It was informative and what humor! Having met some of you I could share in the enthusiasm, wit, and candor. You are right “conferences are about people”. Then any of you come to Maine in August 1987? I have fond memories of my time in Australia and studying The URANTIA Book with people there; and of meeting Kevin, Trevor, Peter Toy, and William Wentworth in the states.
I look forward to a time when we can travel to Australia and fellowship with you again in person. For now I will have to contend myself with correspondence, and the wonderful.
Six-0-Six Newsletter.
Till then, keep up the wonderful work of exchanging ideas and love and know that we in the states look with great warmth at what you are doing with The URANTIA Book and its teachings in Australia!
With much love to you all, Jane Rolnick, Durham, NC, USA
¶ That Monthly Message Of Inspiration
This excellent eight page newsletter is a real credit to the man behind it: David Glass. Last year David invited 6-0-6 readers to ask for a free issue of his publication.
His address is: David Glass, 5885 Chesapeake Place, Fort Worth, Texas, 76132 USA.
JOHN THE REVELATOR
I was very much interested in Trevor’s article about“John the Revelator”. He helps us all by collecting all that about John’s vision and putting it in an article.
Helen Hutchinson
Knoxville, TN, USA
The following change in the Standards of Admission fOr URANTIA Societies es recommended by the Charter Committee was approved: the period of time an applying study group must have met together prior to application was shortened from five (5) to three (3) years.
¶ God’s Presence In Action
You recall Jesus’ parable of the two sons, the first son when asked to work in the vineyard refused but later thought the better of it and went to work. The older son when asked to work replied, “Yes, father, I’ll go,” but after his father left did not fulfill his promise. (UB 173:3.1) On another occasion Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven.” (Matt 7:21) The acid test of life is in our actions. The real nature of our faith is seen in our behaviour. “True religion must act… Always and ever religion does something; it is dynamic.” (UB 102:2.8) “There is no real religion apart from a highly active personality.” (UB 102:2.7) “The weak engage in resolutions, but the strong act.” (UB 48:7.13)
Action is creative and effective when we are in touch with reality, when God is a partner in our life and work Jesus orients his universe sons and daughters saying, “Remember: I am the real vine, and you are the living branches. He who lives in me, and I in him, will bear much fruit of the spirit and experience the supreme joy of yielding this spiritual harvest… Herein is the Father glorified: that the vine has many living branches, and that every branch bears much fruit.” (UB 180:2.1) How does this come about; how do we become living branches which bear much nourishing and enriching fruit?
Meredith Sprunger,
Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA
¶ First Australian Urantia Book Booth
The Perth Study Group wishes to announce the first Australian URANTIA Book Booth at the 1987 Matilda Festival, Perry Lakes Parkland — Friday 23rd to Monday 26th of January.
The Perth Study Group, es the organizer of The URANTIA Book Booth, will occupy a 15 x 15 feet tent in the festival’s Squatter’s Square; an area devoted to… “community, hobby, collector’s, museums, tourists, sporting, educational, spiritual, and philosophical groups and displays.”
Kathleen and Trevor Swadling from Sydney and Steven Shanahan from Melbourne will also be there to help them achieve their goal of… “fostering an environment where people can have a good experience of The URANTIA Book.”
In our next issue we hope to give you a report on this exciting event!
¶ Study Group News
Leslie Thackeray reports that a study group is meting on a regular basis in their home near the township of Kuranda in North Queensland. For more information write to: Leslie Thackeray, C/- Kuranda Post Office, Kuranda, Qld 4872
In North Balwyn, Vic, Rob and Mary Crickett have formed a study group. You can contact them on: Ph. (03) 8575665
Kathleen and Trevor Swadling still have their study group in Narrabeen, NSW, Ph . (02) 9137893.
Canberre hes a study group! For information contact Vern Verass, Ph. (062) 823662 .
For the Perth study group contact: Peter Toy, Ph. (09) 3833104 .
For information on the Glen Waverley study group contact Madeline Noordzy, Ph. (03) 5616089 .
Tom Reynolds can be contacted on (03) 5444243 , for information on the shepparton study group.
In Robertson, Brisbane, Neil francey is the man to contact on information about his study group, ph. (07) 8494504 .
In Tasmania contact Monica Patterson, (002) 396171.
In Frankston, Keith Bacon is the man,Ph. (03)789 6141
¶ Results of the July/August 1986 Survey
Out of the 19 (15%) returned, these are the answers to our questions:
- Would you like to see 6-0-6 being published:
Monthly. Bi-monthly. Quarterly. No answer. 9 & 4 & 2 & 3 As often as possible 1 . - Would you like to see a children’s section?
YES 9. NO 3. No answer? - What sort of articles are you looking for? International news on URANTIA movement?
YES 16. No answer 3
National news on URANTIA movement?
YES 16. No answer 3
Articles on teachings of The URANTIA Book? YES 16. No answer 3
Scientific articles?
YES 15. No answer 4
More artwork?
YES 8. NO 2. No answer 6. Undecided 2. Good & satisfactory 1 .
Outreach towards new readers?
YES 10. No answer 8 . Leave to individual 1.
Other suggestions:
Origin & history of The URANTIA Book 4 .
Questions & answers 2.
How to run a study group 1
Topics for study groups 1 .
Forum for controversy 1.
Aids & ideas to spread The URANTIA Book 1. Brief comments from readers 1 .
Personal experiences, readers achievement 1. - Would you be able and willing to assist financially?
YES 17. No answer 2 .
¶ The 1987 Australian Conference For Readers Of The Urantia Book
This year’s conference will be an unique experience in a live-in situation over two nights from Friday October 9th to Sunday October 11th. To be held in Sydney at the William Arnott Lodge, Uniting Church, Narrabeen. Cost per head $45. This includes all meals, accommodation etc. required for the period from 6.00 p. m. 9th Oct. to 3.00 p. m. 11th oct. The William Arnott Lodge is set amongst beautiful native landscape with plentiful bushwalks and waterfalls. Tremendous value! (Vegetarians will be catered for)
The theme for this year’s conference will be:
“The Purpose Of Revelation”
There will be room in the programme for presentations. Submissions will be required as soon as possible so that the programme can be formulated. Please send these to:
K&T Swadling, 7 Walsh St, Narrabeen, NSW, 2101. Ph. (02) 9137893
Registration forms will be send out later in the year via 6-0-6.