© 2018 David Linthicum
© 2018 The Urantia Book Fellowship
Produced by David Linthicum (set up by Alain Cyr)
In considering volunteering for a booth at a public event such as the Parliament of the World’s Religions, there are many things to keep in mind. First, it is a commitment of time and energy, the focus is on the teachings, the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man. Secondly, this work is a service to humanity and we will serve our fellows best when we take the time to prepare ourselves.
¶ Parliament Protocol
The Parliament organizers have asked all the exhibitors to take note of their protocol:
“When interacting with people from ethnic and/or religious communities you are not familiar with, exhibitors should observe the following protocol to avoid inadvertently offending anyone: don’t extend your hand to shake hands with a person of the opposite sex - allow them to offer or not offer their hand as they see fit; don’t touch people; maintain a reasonable space between yourself and the person; if they avert their eyes when speaking to you, don’t take it as a sign that something is wrong; if you are representing a spiritual or religious group, don’t proselytize and above all don’t denigrate other religions - your role is to represent your group positively through your behavior, presentation and the materials you are selling or distributing, and to provide information and answer questions from those who are interested.”
¶ The Guiding Principles of the 2018 Parliament
- Respectful dialogue: we speak with respect.
- Non-proselytizing: we do not attempt to convert others or speak derogatorily about any tradition.
- Willingness to explore a wide variety of topics: we embody compassion as we engage in difficult conversations.
¶ Urantia Organizations Protocol
We are all students of the Urantia Book. Urantia Foundation, Urantia Association International, the Urantia Book Fellowship, and Truthbook, have agreed that the only thing we are promoting is the Urantia Book. We are not here to promote our own organizations. We aim to present the Urantia Book to the public with a united front and simply focus on our common goals for the higher cause.
Books - Gifting and Selling Prices:
Hardcover - $15; Paperback - $10
When deciding on gifting a book, bear in mind that the supply of gift books is limited. If you feel someone is genuinely interested but cannot afford to buy a book then by all means give them a book. Each situation will be different so use discretion. Generally, it is more appropriate to sell a book, people tend to value things more if they pay for them, but donated books are also valuable for seeding purposes. Each volunteer should use his/her best judgment in these situations. If you feel like giving a book to somebody, and the gift books are depleted, you pay for the cost of the book.
¶ Booth Appearance/Protocols
Volunteers are asked to keep the booth attractive and neat during their shift. The materials on the table have been displayed by design, please don’t rearrange or add items to the booth. Overall, the booth should be uncluttered, it should be attractive to passersby.
- Answering questions and interacting with the visitors is of primary importance, they are the reason we are here.
- Visitors, not having a clue about this big book will take a piece or two of literature with some intention to read it in the future.
- People appreciate being addressed and spoken with, especially when they sense that you are genuinely interested in their soul’s welfare. Most will intelligently interact with you once you initiate the conversation.
- The most crucial part of standing behind the table is to be attentive to every person walking by. We MUST be more interested in their spiritual welfare than we are in catching up on our fellow volunteer’s lives.
- We must be ready to interrupt our personal conversations, step forward and engage the passersby in a conversation.
- Bear in mind that an expo environment is a bit overwhelming and over stimulating. People get glassy eyed after passing fifty booths. A good opener is to say something like “Are you familiar with the Urantia Book?”
- Whether they say yes or no, ask about their spiritual journey and what they are looking for. Their answer guides our response.
- Let us remember to not take ourselves too seriously. Do what is needed to prepare, then go and enjoy your time interacting with your brothers and sisters in the flesh.
- Wear appropriate clothing to be representative ambassadors for the Kingdom. Dress casual, clean and neat. Be moderate, modest, not gaudy; avoid clothing that would shift attention away from the message and toward your person.
- Demonstrate regard for the superior quality of the good news that you are sharing. Convey intentionality and purposefulness; avoid clothing such as shorts or sweatpants that make your participation at the event seem like an afterthought.
- Choose comfortable shoes.
- Be prepared to stay a little beyond your shift to allow for continuity during transition from shift to shift.
- Don’t forget to bring water and a snack or bag lunch to refresh yourself.
¶ Jesus’ Teaching Methods
“Never once did he attack their errors or even mention the flaws in their teachings. In each case he would select the truth in what they taught and then proceed so to embellish and illuminate this truth in their minds that in a very short time this enhancement of the truth effectively crowded out the associated error … ” (UB 132:0.4)
“Jesus’ usual technique of social contact was to draw people out and into talking with him by asking them questions. The interview would usually begin by his asking them questions and end by their asking him questions … And invariably would he tell these distressed mortals about the love of God and impart the information, by various and sundry methods, that they were the children of this loving Father in heaven.” (UB 132:4.2)
“The teachers of the religion of Jesus should approach other religions with the recognition of the truths which are held in common (many of which come directly or indirectly from Jesus’ message) while they refrain from placing so much emphasis on the differences.” (UB 149:2.5)
¶ Sample Elevator Speeches
“Well, it’s the closest thing I’ve ever found to answering the three great questions of life: Who am I? Where did I come from? and Where am I going - what’s my destiny? If you’re curious like I am - always wondering about things and people and places - you’d probably find this book hard to put down. I’ve been reading and rereading it for over ten years and I’m still finding answers, and then I get more questions and then, sure enough, even more answers.”
“This book changed my life! I call the Urantia Book a love letter from God because it opened up the entire universe to me, giving me purpose and direction. The book reveals with great authority the Father’s loving plan, including our Paradise destiny and the history of our planet, Urantia. It harmonizes science, religion, and philosophy, and the last 900 pages clarify the life and teachings of Jesus and his life-giving gospel of God’s love for all his children. I believe God so loves our world that he continues to reveal himself to us!”
Our booth training leaders are David Linthicum and Alain Cyr. A one-hour booth training is required for all volunteers in the Urantia Book Booth at the Parliament in Toronto 2018.
For all who wish to participate as joint Urantia Book booth facilitators, please take notice that a short training session will be required and you will be invited to log in to a Zoom meeting room session of your choice.
Projected schedule (please note that all times are in Central Time zone, USA):
- Friday, October 5th @ 6:00 p.m. (All times are Central Time Zone)
- Saturday, October 6th @ Noon
- Saturday, October 6th @ 6:00 p.m.
- Friday, October 19th @ 6:00 p.m. (All times are Central Time Zone)
- Saturday, October 20th @ Noon
- Saturday, October 20th @ 6:00 p.m.
- Friday, October 26th @ 6:00 p.m. (All times are Central Time Zone)
- Saturday, October 27th @ Noon
- Saturday, October 27th @ 6:00 p.m.
Or iPhone one-tap:
US: +16465588656,7644783460# or
+16699006833,7644783460#
Or Telephone:
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 646 558 8656 or +1 669 900 6833
Meeting ID: 764 478 3460
International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/bffljM0Ak