© 2016 Chris Wood, Anton Miroshnichenko, Bogota, Line St Pierre, Gaetan Charland
© 2016 International Urantia Association (IUA)
¶ In This Issue
- President’s Message June 2016 – Chris Wood
- San Antonio Conference Live Streaming
- Scientific Symposium 2016
- Call for Membership Coordinators – Anton Miroshnichenko
- Latin American Urantia Conference – Bogota
- Ukraine Advertising Campaign – Anton Miroshnichenko
- Dancing With God – Embodying the Love of God – Line St Pierre
- Rejuvenating Your Study Group – Gaetan Charland
- Call for Help from Seasoned Students – Social Media Committee
- International Service Board at Work – 1st Quarter 2016
- Upcoming Events
¶ President’s Message June 2016
Chris Wood
The next six months will see three tests of the unity of our Urantia Community. The first test shall come in June in San Antonio where, for the first time, the Urantia Association of the United States (UAUS) and The Urantia Book Fellowship will co-host a conference. Registration has already exceeded expectations and the community waits to see how these organizations with different cultures will blend together for one week in Texas.
In September a second test shall emerge as Europe and Australia each host conferences on the same weekend. In Budapest the Blue Club and the Association will work together for the first time to unite the many cultures, languages, and traditions from across the vast continent. The Australia and New Zealand Urantia Association (ANZURA) has always been the model of unity as these two countries unite year after year for conferences and events. And I hope for a few moments in September these two conferences half a world away will be united by technology to share the vision of our growing International goals.
In October the third test will present itself in Bogota as representatives across Latin America will come together for the first United Latin American Conference. Latin America is the fastest growing region in the world for new students of The Urantia Book. The teachings have seeped into popular culture through novels and even television programs. I hope this event will be the first of many to bring together this important piece of our united puzzle.
And all four conferences will be united in theme as each will illuminate the theme of Jesus as a Teacher.
¶ San Antonio Conference Live Streaming
For those who are unable to attend the conference in San Antonio, a channel has been set up on Ustream that will broadcast live the plenaries of the conference. This will give you an opportunity to watch part of the conference on your computers or iPads/tablets. Here is the channel page: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/sgPkgXfQ3ta. If you are unable to catch them live you will still be available to catch up with them at a later time.
For more information on the conference go to: http://www.urantia-lsua.org/2016-conference/4590718909
¶ Scientific Symposium 2016
2nd to 5th June, 2016
An education initiative presented by Urantia Foundation
533 W. Diversey Parkway
Chicago
Under the direction of Associate Trustee Emeritus Dr. Ralph Zehr and Trustee and Education Chairman Dr. Gard Jameson, a slate of scientifically minded readers of The Urantia Book were invited to accept the challenge of presenting a scientific paper—based on reliable data, defensible reasoning, and accepted scientific methodology—that establishes beyond a reasonable doubt that the observed phenomena could not have evolved by mechanical means alone.
Presenters:
Ralph Zehr, George Park, Nigel Nunn, Marta Elders, Bruce Johnson, Dick Reim, Neal Kendall, Phil Calabrese, Gard Jameson, Marjorie ray
Check the schedule of presentations and view the live streaming broadcasts of the presentations by going to the Ustream channel at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/XhtGPaUe4mh
¶ Call for Membership Coordinators
Anton Miroshnichenko
The Membership Committee of Urantia Association International is looking for Membership Coordinators in regions where no National or Local Associations already exist. Our aim is to form an international network of Membership Coordinators to better serve readers and Association members. To do this we need to know more about the needs of local readers and members in your region.
Some Criteria Guidelines:
- You are in contact with The Urantia Book reader community in your country or region and wish to serve and maintain good relationships with them;
- You have thought about how to meet the needs of readers and maybe have some new ideas or projects that will help members and readers become more connected locally;
- You wish to help readers increase their understanding of The Urantia Book and have a desire to promote the book’s teachings;
- You wish to share ideas and projects being undertaken in other local regions around the global that you think may fulfil the needs of your local community;
- You wish to inspire people to become readers, readers to become members, and members to serve others in the spirit of brotherhood.
¶ Latin American Urantia Conference – Bogota
14-17 October 2016
The Teacher and the Student
Hosted by the Bogotá Urantia Association and sponsored by Urantia Association International, Urantia Foundation and The Urantia Book Fellowship
The Bogotá Urantia Association invites you to the First Latin American Urantia Conference to be held October 14 to 17, 2016 at Lancaster House in Bogotá, Colombia.
The theme of the Conference will be The Teacher and The Student. This theme will be developed from questions such as: What does it mean to be a teacher in our community? What does it mean to be a teacher at the local level, to advanced students, to new readers, and to those who have never heard of The Urantia Book and perhaps don’t even care to hear about it? How can we talk about the teachings in the book without ever mentioning the book? How did Jesus teach each of the different audiences he encountered? What can we learn from the teaching methods of all the various ‘schools’ described in the book – Melchizedek schools, Edentia schools, Dalamatia, Salem, Urmia? How were teachers trained in previous revelations?
¶ Ukraine Advertising Campaign
Anton Miroshnichenko
In March of 2016, with the financial help of donors to Urantia Association International, and after some market research, the Urantia Association of Ukraine was able to begin the first Urantia Book advertising campaign in Ukraine. As a result we have placed books in the Bookstores Network named “BUKVA”. So far we have:
- Placed an advertisement in the form of small banners in a total of 510 train carriages in the busy Kyiv subway system. These ran for 2 months starting 15th of February. The dimensions of these banners were 142 х 70
- Placed advertisements in the BUKVA bookstores network. Posters with the main information about The Urantia Book have been printed and placed on the showcases of the network’s seven shops in five Ukrainian cities. Six posters were A2 size and one was A3. We also had one book compilation at the showcase of the main store in Kyiv. The posters were showcased all through March. Personnel from some of the stores liked our posters so much that they left them on display in a less prominent place after the end of the placement period.
Our total expense, including the delivery of books to the shops, was approximately USD$800.
You can view photos of our campaign at this link: http://bit.ly/tub-adv-ukr
¶ Dancing With God – Embodying the Love of God
Line St Pierre
A Retreat for Women at Urantia Foundation
533 W. Diversey Parkway
Chicago, IL 60614
Thursday, September 22 - Sunday, September 25, 2016
The Urantia Book tells us that it is the indwelling spirit that individualizes the love of God in the soul.
As a follow-up to our last two retreats, “Daughters of God” and “Dancing with God,” we will now step into the “Divine Dance” as we each learn to express our own unique rhythm.
Please join the “Daughters of God” facilitator team: Line St-Pierre, Carolyn Prentice, Doreen Heyne and Katharina Becker in an intimate, experiential, and fun weekend!
Together we will co-create a milieu of trust within a spiritual circle, delving into questions such as:
- How is this divine dance encouraging me to carry the torch of morality and spirituality into the world around me?
- How have I come to know and experience God’s love and wisdom as a woman?
- How do I come to know and love myself as God loves me?
The cost for three days is $195.00 and includes shared overnight accommodations,
breakfast, lunch, and Thursday evening dinner.
Friday and Saturday dinners may be enjoyed at one of our many local restaurants.
If you would like to join us or want more details, please contact Joanne Strobel at joanne@urantia.org.
You may also call Urantia Foundation during business hours at 773-525-3319.
¶ Rejuvenating Your Study Group
Gaetan Charland
Have you ever had the feeling that the study group you are hosting or going to is getting a bit boring, or is not satisfying your need for progress in understanding the teachings you are studying together, nor helping your desire to progress spiritually?
Many study groups have come and gone since the time of the first publication of The Urantia Book and probably many others will also come and go for various reasons. One of those could be that they have failed in their goals to expand cosmic consciousness and enhance spiritual perception. Not only do some study groups fail in these two goals, but many have also failed in teaching others how to become better sowers of truths, how to be more involved in our spiritual emancipation through service to others, and how to better integrate The Urantia Book’s teachings in one’s life.
The world needs to see Jesus living again on earth in the experience of spirit-born mortals who effectively reveal the Master to all men. [UB 195:10.1]
I use this quote to highlight the importance of living life according to Jesus’s teachings, not to preach about him as so many believers are prone to do; to live the truth that Jesus so eloquently preached to the best of our ability not only in words but as living examples of the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of men.
“I declare that the kingdom of heaven is the realization and acknowledgment of God’s rule within the hearts of men.” [UB 141:2.1]
“The book is being given to those who are ready for it long before the day of its world- wide mission. Thousands of study groups must be brought into existence and the book must be translated into many tongues. Thus will the book be in readiness when the battle for man’s liberty is finally won and the world is once more made safe for the religion of Jesus and the freedom of mankind.” from the Publication Mandate
Why did the Revelators urge us to create thousands of study groups and train leaders and teachers? They had a plan in mind; a plan that looked so simple in its application that we have often failed to see its far-reaching mission to change the spiritual mindset of the world. To change that mindset, shouldn’t we transform ourselves to be the carriers of this change? Shouldn’t study groups be a place that provide the means where we can be helped, and help others to do just that?
¶ Call for Help from Seasoned Students
Social Media Committee
If you are a long-time student of The Urantia Book and feel that you have a pretty good grasp of the book’s teachings, the Social Media Committee of Urantia Association needs your help!
You may be aware that we have recently launched a Public Facebook discussion group that provides a platform for discussions and online study between Urantia Book students and anyone interested from the public at large.
(See https://www.facebook.com/groups/UrantiaAssociationInternational)
Our aim is to insure that this discussion platform is stimulating, educational and of spiritual value to the participants. For that to happen we need seasoned readers and teachers of the Urantia Revelation to participate. If you are already a Facebook user (or thinking about becoming one) we ask you to join this group and help stimulate discussion by introducing new topics, answering questions, asking thought provoking questions, and basically doing whatever it takes to help students and new readers in their study of the book.
We have promoted this discussion group far and wide and at last count we had over 240 people who have joined. The numbers are growing every day and many are new to The Urantia Book. This is a wonderful service opportunity for seasoned readers to help other students in their journey with The Urantia Book.
As we’re an international organization it’s fine to engage in different languages. Facebook has an instant translation feature that makes it easy to participate in different languages.
Thank you for your consideration and we appreciate any help you can give to make this discussion forum valuable and worthwhile.
Social Media Committee
Urantia Association International
¶ International Service Board at Work – 1st Quarter 2016
¶ Study Group Committee – Gaetan Charland, Chair
The Study Group Committee’s strategic plan is almost complete. The focus will be on the ability of study groups to help students become better sowers of truth. A goal has been set to have at least one thousand study groups listed in the Study Group Directory within the next ten years. Gaetan has been writing articles on study groups for each Tidings publication and has been encouraging the formation and participation of online study groups. He also made a presentation at the online Latin American Leadership seminar and welcomed a volunteer who came forward to help translate study group documents into Spanish.
¶ Dissemination Committee – David Linthicum, Chair
The Dissemination Committee continues to focus on developing book distribution channels in Malawi, Ukraine, Zambia, the Philippines, the Middle East, Asia, India and South America.
Prisoner Inquiry Response Team (PIRT): The last library placement program was 20 years ago so the team is now focusing on library placement and assisting with the formation of study groups in prisons. A program to send 25 books to federal prisons in Canada has begun.
Reader Services: A Welcoming Team is in place and members are now looking for more volunteers to assist so that students may be contacted by someone in their local area and in their own language.
¶ Membership Committee – Anton Miroshnichenko, Chair
The Urantia Association of Malawi officially converted from being a Local to a National Association due to the increase in members. Leaders for Urantia DACH (representing Germany, Switzerland and Austria) have submitted applications to become a Local Urantia Association. We expect they soon will be chartered. The Membership Committee has also been working with the Association’s Central Office to improve the application processes for new members to ensure all applicants are being contacted and that their applications are being processed efficiently.
¶ Upcoming Events
Check out Urantia Association International’s Events Calendar at http://urantia-association.org/events-list. Upcoming events can be viewed in a List or Calendar view.
Urantia Book reader events provide opportunities for students to gain a deeper understanding of the ideas and concepts presented in The Urantia Book and help to facilitate a personal commitment to the ideals of spiritual living. We hope you can make it to some of these events and experience the joys of meeting and studying with fellow readers.
If you’re planning a Urantia Book reader event in your region and would like help in promoting it, please send us your information and we’ll consider it for our Events Calendar.