© 2024 Gaétan G. Charland
© 2024 Urantia Association of Quebec
Gaetan G. Charland
president@urantiaqc.org
Dear members and friends of the association,
Those of you who subscribe to our newsletter have recently received an invitation to complete a critical survey regarding the unification initiative between Urantia Book Fellowship and Urantia Association International. The purpose of this survey is to gather your valuable opinions and suggestions on the unification of these two entities, in order to facilitate the preparatory discussions that will begin shortly.
Towards the end of 2023, a petition initiated by Sue Seccombe, President of Urantia Book Fellowship, was sent to you. This petition, having collected over 650 signatures, led to the adoption of a resolution for the creation of a committee dedicated to organizational unity within Urantia Book Fellowship. This committee will be tasked with negotiating unification with Urantia Association International.
Many of you may not be fully aware of the challenges posed by having two organizations dedicated to the same cause within the Urantia movement. It is therefore essential that you express your views and indicate your support (or not) for this initiative.
As a former president of Urantia Association International, I have witnessed the obstacles and complications generated by this competition, which have hindered the realization of many projects aimed at promoting The Urantia Book and its teachings. The coexistence of two organizations in the same territory inevitably leads to competition for the same human and financial resources, generating conflicts and divisions.
In Quebec, we have observed how difficult it is to recruit volunteers for our association; a difficulty that is growing on an international scale. This division leads to a duplication of efforts and, even more problematic, confusion about the nature of our mission, which is so crucial to the revelation. Even in English-speaking Canada, the coexistence of the Urantia Association of Canada and the Urantia Book Fellowship has led to conflicts that have destroyed the Northern Light Association in Ontario.
These internal quarrels have unfortunately led to a marked lack of interest among many readers in the mission of the revelation. Today, within the English-speaking community of readers of the Urantia Book in Canada, activities to promote the Book and its teachings have almost come to a standstill. Who benefits from this deplorable situation within our community? I invite you to reflect on this question.
As current chair of the Governance Committee of Urantia Association International, I have the honor of chairing the Organizational Unity Committee, which will be responsible for negotiations with Urantia Book Fellowship. This mission, beginning at the end of March, is of paramount importance. Having already participated in meetings between the two organizations, I have seen the emergence of certain cooperative initiatives, such as the Study Group Portal, jointly managed by Urantia Book Fellowship, Urantia Foundation, and Urantia Association International.
It is time to prioritize the principle of spiritual unity to achieve organizational unity. Without true unity of spirit, organizational unity remains illusory.
To love is to serve