© 2019 Bobbie Dreier
© 2019 The Urantia Book Fellowship
by Bobbie Dreier
The high quality study program and the pleasure of fellowship at this year’s Summer Study Session was complemented with a variety of opportunities to commune, pray and worship together. Pre-breakfast and dinner meditations in the Africa Chapel offered extended silent time, morning and afternoon plenary sessions were introduced with short Urantia Book passages to inspire a brief quiet prayer time, and evening plenaries were preceded by personal offerings from readers with backgrounds in Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
The twice daily “divine” meditation time was provided for those Urantia Book readers who have a regular meditation practice and those who would like to learn how. It’s a time to enjoy the opportunity of sharing the experience with others. The Africa Chapel, whose array of stained glass windows is inspired by the spirituality of the Akan people of Ghana, is perfectly suited for group meditation, and it has been gratifying that the number who attend before breakfast and dinner increases each year.
In the evenings, inspired by a Melchizidek of Nebadon who advises us to “be exposed to the knowledge of a vast number of other religions experiences…”(UB 103:1.3) Bobbie Dreier, Susan Meyers and Mahtab Tehrani shared prayers, songs, and poetry from their family faith traditions. Unfortunately, although owing to a technical failure, we were unable to hear the Muslim “Call to Prayer,” or see some lovely Sufi visuals that Mahtab had prepared, she proceeded graciously. Each offering was followed by a period of silence. After the brief exposure to some evolutionary religious practices in the evenings, the worship program culminated on Sunday morning with an imaginary journey to Paradise for a spiritfilled experience of revelatory worship. Seated in three concentric circles participants traveled from time to eternity! Using Urantia Book quotes, songs and silence we imagined that we awakened from the final sleep on the innermost circuit of Havona to arrive on the shores of Paradise where we recognized the unspeakable glory of the Infinite Spirit and the personal presence of the Eternal Son before coming “face to face” with our beloved heavenly Father. The hour-long service ended by listening to Dinah Washington (or was it our adjusters?) singing “Our Love is Here To Stay,” an extended period of worshipful silence and unending hugs.
The experience of working with the loving and productive worship team, Geri Johnson, Rob Mastroianni, Susan Meyers, Geoff Taylor, and Steve Sawyer was a memorable and blessed experience, and I pray that our work together to share an experience of our Father’s love will inspire all who participated into increased loving service to our brothers and sisters.