© 1988 Madeline Noordzy, Robert Crickett, Martin Mc Burney, Rod McCourt, Dick Bain
© 1988 ANZURA, Australia & New Zealand Urantia Association
2 Salisbury Crt, Glen Waverley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA, 3150.
¶ A note from Six-0-Six
Cultural Diversity and Spiritual Unity" is the theme of The South Pacific Regional Meeting of URANTIA Book Readers, which is approaching fast. Almost 60 people have registered so far, but registrations are still being accepted. If you would still like to go, contact:
Kathleen Swadling, 7 Walsh St, Narrabeen, NSW, 2101, Ph. (02) 9137893 It will be an ideal opportunity to make some new friends and with a scenic tour around the district, an Australian Bush Band and a Quiz Show on the programme, everyone is bound to have a wonderful time. We hope to bring you our report in the next issue of Six-0-Six.
In Melbourne a group of URANTIA Book readers are holding a Remembrance Supper on alternative Sunday mornings. “If you are hungry for fellowship in the spirit with Michael, you are welcome to join us”. These are the words of Bill MacLean, one of the organizers. For more information you can contact:
Bill or Ali MacLean on (03) 8013366
¶ “Thought For The Month”
“Do not become discouraged by the discovery that you are human. Human nature may tend toward evil, but it is not inherently sinful. Be not downcast by your failure wholly to forget some of your regrettable experiences. The mistakes which you fail to forget in time will be forgotten in eternity. Lighten your burdens of soul by speedily acquiring a long-distance view of your destiny, a universe expansion of your career.” The URANTIA Book UB 156:5.8
¶ Michael’s Journey Around The Earth
It was to be expected that like Homer’s and Shakespeare’s great literary works before, sooner or later The URANTIA Book would become the inspiration for a major musical composition.
Round about 1975 the German composer Stockhausen announced that he would embark upon an opera cycle, which would be called “Licht” (light) and when complete would be designed to be performed on seven consecutive evenings. One might have thought that the plan was to begin with the first day’s opera and proceed sequentially to the grand finale. But it soon became obvious that this was not the case. There is a thread of continuity linking each work to the next, but Stockhausen composed them piecemeal, an act, sometimes a scene, at a time. Each complete part is named after a day of the week and in 1985 two days were complete: “Donnerstag” (Thursday) being produced at Covent Garden and “Samstag” (Saturday) first staged in 1984 in Milan. The first part of “Licht” however to be performed, was a part of “Dienstag” (Tuesday) and was called Der “Jahreslauf” (The course of the Years). This hour-long work was first performed in 1977.
Madeline Noordzy, Melbourne
¶ On The Practise Of Doing The Will Of God
Each of us who have in some degree digested and assimilated the teachings in The URANTIA Book, come to reach a clearing beyond our loftiness and bulk and the awesomeness of our lucidity and beauty; awesomeness which easily crushes our refusal of humility.
The clearing appears barren and without novelty to tantalize us. It is only after fine scrutiny that we discover a single fruit, a solitary prompting within us. And it urges ever so gently the question, “So what do I do about it experientially?”
Then in our searching enquiry into the question, playing it by ear and fumbling most of the way, we arrive at the only and obvious solution. We’ve read its words and heard it told to us and even speculated upon it countless times before. Now it makes sense to us in seeming new ways, with a weight behind it which was previously absent. It is revealed within us as truth and as the only course of action which is both realistic and realistically open to us. Do the will of God.
Robert Crickett, Melbourne
To save the world just love the person next to you.
¶ Urantia — Towards Light And Life
By Martin McBurney, VIC
Easier Way
Oftentimes Australians like to find the easy way to do things. There is the story of the Australian fisherman who worked out an easy way to catch fish in a stream, using his horse and cart. He drove his horse and cart right into the stream. He poured honey onto the horse’s tail. Flies came to feed on the honey. The fish came and jumped up to catch the flies. Then the horse kicked the fish onto the cart.
The history of Urantia reads like a comedy of errors. Frequently, much of the progress that was made has been lost, and has had to be achieved all over again. I have been wondering if there is an easier way for Urantia to progress, and if it is really possible to achieve it. And I have also been wondering whether I can help, and in a significant way.
I passed one who had slain thousands
and thousands more thronged at his side
and granted him a life of peace
with pennants waving gaily over his lands
and I passed one who had saved thousands
and one more came and sat by his side
and played to him on an ancient lyre
and kissed his hands on leave-taking
and the slayer and the savior were one man
and the thousands slain and the
thousands saved were one man
and the throngs who attended the first
and the one who sang for the last
were one man.
And we are him. Joe Henry
Contributed by Jayne Lane, Perth
¶ Exploring Our Own Back Yard — The Solar System
(The Layman Astronomer’s Point Of View’)
Sometimes, as a form of reversion from the deeper spiritual aspects of The URANTIA Book, it may not be a bad idea to reflect on some of the scientific or cosmic aspects which we would term as astronomy.
Well, what’s all this got to do with the price of bread on Urantia, you might say.
Perhaps you could say the Sun has a lot to do with the price of bread on Urantia. But let’s get more to the point and go back in time to the formation of the Solar System. The URANTIA Book takes us on a journey through space, encompassing Superuniverses and massive outer space levels that extend far beyond our imagination.
So how about if we take a closer look at our own back yard first — The Solar System.
Rod McCourt, Cockatoo, Vic.
¶ The Three Missing Planets
On UB 57:5.9 of The URANTIA Book, we are informed that five inner planets, Jupiter, Saturn, and five outer planets formed the material drawn out from our sun by the passing Angona system. This adds up to 12 planets, but we are only taught about nine in school. Where are the other three?
One of the missing planets is easy to account for. On page 658 we read that the fifth planet from the sun was pulled apart when it passed too close to Jupiter. The debris from this planet forms the present astroid belt that lies between Mars and Jupiter. This leaves two planets unaccounted for.
Within the past several years, astronomers studying Pluto and its companion Charon have decided that Charon may not be a satellite of Pluto; this system may be two planets orbiting about a common point. If this is true, then only one planet is left unaccounted for…
Dick Bain, St. Petersburg, FL. U.S.A.
¶ Gentle As Silence
Oh, the love of my Lord is the essence
of all that I love here on earth.
All the beauty I see
He has given to me
And his giving is gentle as silence.
Every day, every hour, every moment
Have been blessed by the strength of his love.
At the turn of each tide
He is there at my side,
And his touch is as gentle as silence.
There’ve been times when I’ve turned from his presence,
And I’ve walked other paths, other ways.
But I’ve called on his name
In the dark of my shame,
And his mercy was gentle as silence.
Contributed by Loui de Keizer, Melbourne
¶ News From Urantia Foundation
Book Distribution
The latest issue of the URANTIAN reported that in 1987 book distribution was the best ever. In fact over 12.800 books were distributed. This included sales, gifts and library placements for both the English and French version. Sales in 1988 are comparable to last year’s.
Translations
The Finnish translation is in its third draft. The Finns have financed the translation for over twenty years. Now the Foundation hopes to fund the printing once the translation is complete.
The Spanish translation is still progressing, although at a slower pace than anticipated. Andite Corporation, an affiliate of URANTIA Foundation has been in close contact with the translator to see what can be done to speed up the completion.
Library Placement
The URANTIA Foundation has offered an almost limitless supply of The URANTIA Book and Le Livre d’URANTIA for the library placement program. It has also agreed to pay for mass mailings to libraries. For more information readers outside of the U.S. should contact the International Fellowship Committee. Readers in the U.S. contact the Domestic Extension Committee, both at 533 Diversey Parkway, Chicago, IL. 60614, USA.
More and more letters are received describing how a new reader found the book in a library. If you have placed a book in a library, go and check it at least once a year. If it has gone ‘walkabouts’ the Foundation is happy to replace it. Just talk to the librarian first to see if they would like another copy.
Erroneous Library Cataloguing
Some libraries still incorrectly list The URANTIA Book under its old Dewey Decimal classification number of 133 Parapsychology and Occultism. 'In 1975 the Foundation persuaded the Library of Congress to change the number to 299 Other Religions. Please check your library to see if the book is correctly listed.
¶ Interfaith Symposium
The Indianapolis Urantia Book Study Group held an interfaith symposium last July. Speakers from different religions were invited and included some from : Baha’i Faith, Tibetan Buddhism, Roman Catholicism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Lakota-Sioux (Native American Church of Indiana) Sikh and Taoism. Our friend Dana Poole reported that it was a real success.
¶ News From Seattle
P.L.U.S.S. (Pilot Light Urantia Society of Seattle) held their charter ceremony in March this year.
It was a special occasion, although their patience, tolerance and nerves were truly tested, due to a thunderous din in the rooms below which continued for most of the night. The remembrance supper was led by our old friend Gwen Blackham, who some of us might remember. Gwen was also one of the organizers of ‘The Couples Enhancement Weekend’, which was held at Camp Gilead in Carnation, WA.USA. Eight couples attended. It became a wonderful experience of quality sharing, information and good humor. All participants agreed that they could do with another dose of the same.
¶ News From Canada
The 8th Geneva Park Conference in Orillia was held last June near Lake Couchiching. Urantia Book readers in Ontario had drafted a constitution for the proposed Couchiching Urantia Society of Ontario, which was adopted at the June conference. Executive officers and Committee Chairmen were also elected. Theme for the conference was: “Service, our Highest Motive”.
The Québec Conference
Members of different study groups from French Canada met at Lac Beauport on the outskirts of Québec. It had been 4 years since the last encounter. The theme for the conference was’The URANTIA Book In Our Daily Lives’. The Canadian newsletter “Prints of Peace” reported: “The provincial meeting was indeed a memorable one, for it reached exceptional spiritual heights which translated into deep joy in our souls. All participants expressed the hope that another provincial meeting be held in 1989”.
Last fall, during a special meeting aimed at looking for new ways to structure the URANTIA movement in Québec, 16 readers agreed to form a ‘service team’ whose goal would be to answer the needs of the readers of the province. In many respects the objectives resemble the ones of a society, but in Quebec they are not yet ready to join in the Brotherhood’s system of Societies.
Next October, the 11th Book Fair will take place in Montréal. For the first time a stand has been leased and will read ‘Les Lecteurs du Livre d’URANTIA’.
A Concordex of Articles (Répertoire des Oeurres) has been completed which has been in the making for more than a year, It consists of a listing of 206 articles in French, from 44 authors. It includes a summary of each article as well as the coordinates of the respective author. Its cost is $10 in Canada, $11 in the U.S. and $12 overseas.
c/o Eric Gagnon, 2921 Providence, Ste-foy, P.Q., GIW 2 Cl, Canada.
There are presently 10 study groups located in four areas: Montréal, Québec, Trois Rivieres and Sherbrooke.
There is also a Spiritual Sharing Group (Groupe de Partage Spirituel). This new type of weekly meetings was started a few years ago in Montreal as an alternative to the usual study group. The members meditate, then write about their worship experience after which an oral presentation is made by each member while the others listen without commenting. This takes about one hour. The second hour is mostly spent sharing related personal experiences or discussing spiritual matters. They then share the evening meal.
The URANTIA Book is not used during these meetings but up to now members have always been, or become, readers of the book.
Réflectivité is the French Canadian newsletter. It is published once a month and is mostly informative in nature. It is a single 8½ x 14 sheet typed on both sides and folded. The mailing list is currently 250. Distribution is free although donations are welcome.
c/o Pierre Routhier, 4071 Edna, Verdun, P.Q., H4G 1Y6, Canada.
¶ The Spiritual Living Pamphlets
The Spiritual Living Pamphlets are designed to enrich people’s lives by sharing experience inspired in the writers’ lives by contact with The URANTIA Book. Each one (whether a reprint of a CIRCLES article or new material) is appropriate to share with friends’ and family who might not be interested in The URANTIA Book, since any references to the book have been removed.
The cost of publishing and mailing each pamphlet is approximately US $.75 for single copies, US $.50 each for five copies or more (Any combination of titles). Anyone who is unable to help with the cost is, as always, most welcome to have them free. Assistance of anyone who can send extra to help cover the cost of the free copies is appreciated. Pamphlets are 7 x 8 inches.
New Pamphlets:
Achieving Forgiveness suggests a step-by-step method for forgiving the injuries and insults of life. By Kaye Cooper
Action stresses the importance of overcoming hesitances in order to take action. It gives some hints for getting. started. By Adrienne Jarnigan and Gen Joyce,
Asking for the Mind of Jesus describes a very effective way to cope when you have exhausted all of your own resources. By Jonathon Johnson.
Faith in God clarifies the rather abstract concept of faith and offers methods of exercising and strengthening your personal faith. By Kaye Cooper.
Forgiving God explores the somewhat startling idea that you may have hidden resentments against God and provides very usable exercises to dissolve those resentments. By Billie Cooper.
God’s in the Shower provides a delightful insight into those times when it seems that God just is not listening. By Joanna Cassetti.
Group Decision Making introduces a God-centered way to function together effectively in small groups. By Kaye Cooper
Pamphlets Still Available
Living the Spiritual Life explores your individual relationship with God and the effects it can have in your daily life. By Kaye and Bill Cooper.
Communicating Feelings describes a successful way to enhance the marriage relationship through the honest and loving sharing of each partner’s feelings. By Tommie Clendening.
Friendship in Marriage discusses techniques essential for a mature and successful marriage. By Kaye Cooper.
Contact: The Circles, P.0. Box 1203, Arlington TX 76004,USA.
¶ Poem Approved For Distribution
URANTIA Foundation has given its permission for the distribution of a 630-line, 45-verse poem which begins with the history of Urantia, and moves through its five epochal revelations, through the ages of light and life into the unending universe ages of the future. The poem is available for $4 US which includes non-profit reproduction, covering, and mailing expenses. Contact:
David Glass, 4324 Hulen Circle East
Fort Worth IX 76133, U.S.A.
No soul is so hopelessly lost in darkness as is that soul which feels it has all the light.
From: ‘Quiet Talks With The Master’ by Eva Bell Werber
Make of your own house a house of peace and all the world shall be peace about you.
From: ‘In His Presence’ by Eva Bell Werber