© 2021 Enrique Traver, Jeannie Vázquez, Gabriel Rymberg, Mark Blackham, James Woodward
© 2021 International Urantia Association (IUA)
¶ In This Issue
- President’s Message – September 2021 – Enrique Traver, Brazil
- 24-hour Artists’ Urantiathon Report – Event Organizers
- A Fantastic Experience – Jeannie Vázquez, Uruguay
- Science Symposium III
- Center for Unity – Gabriel Rymberg, Israel
- The Anxious Evolution of Urantia – Mark Blackham, Canada
- Focus on the Father — Filling and Spilling – James Woodward, USA
- About Tidings Newsletter
- Ways to Donate to Urantia Association International
¶ President’s Message – September 2021
Enrique Traver, Brazil
Reading The Urantia Book always amazes me. No matter how many times I read the same paragraph, I often find new meaning—a new revelation and then wonder how I hadn’t seen those meanings and values in my previous readings.
It confirms to me that a revelation can only be perceived when one is ready to see or feel it. Perhaps we are not ready to understand or perceive certain things until we have had certain experiences—ones that enable us to comprehend a message with the intended value no matter how many times the message previously crossed our eyes, our ears and our brain. The “evolutionary” construction of the book is also evident in our day-to-day lives with the many different issues we deal with on a daily basis and the understandings we reach in any given moment.
¶ 24-hour Artists’ Urantiathon Report
Event Organizers
¶ Inspirations of the Urantia Revelation—Beauty, Art, Music, and Expressions of the Soul
Urantia Association International produced yet another successful 24-hour Urantiathon held over the weekend of 7th August 2021. This time we tried something different where we joined with artists from all over the world who shared their creative works inspired by the teachings of The Urantia Book. Each artist presented uniquely different creations, so the entire weekend was truly filled with “Expressions from the Soul.” Thank you to each and every one of you who shared your wonderful talents.
¶ A Fantastic Experience
Jeannie Vázquez, Uruguay
The 24-hour Artists’ Urantiathon was a new and fantastic experience for me. Our community of readers and students of The Urantia Book proved to be intermixed with many accomplished artists.
The inspiration of the revelation was manifested in their magnificent, creative, and beautiful works, which included music, paintings, digital art, comedy, and literature. We also shared some sublime Urantia teachings because, as my dear friend Irma Aguilar said, “The revelation transforms men.”
And it is true; the revelation transforms us by giving us a greater cosmic consciousness and a knowledge of universal reality. When we live the divine teachings, loving God and Jesus, we are spiritually transformed.
This Urantiathon was a one-of-a-kind event. I think it’s of great value to share the art inspired by the revelation. The love for our Father and his divine truth has stimulated many artists to create music, songs, paintings, literature, videos, beautiful images, and other artworks that reveal the inner spirit’s action in their beauty and harmony. Exhibiting this art is an excellent way to inspire our community of truth-seekers to look inside for strength and courage in these difficult times.
¶ Science Symposium III
¶ Education Committee of Urantia Foundation Calls for Proposals
¶ Science: The Interface of Evolution and Revelation
Thursday, June 16, to Sunday, June 19, 2022
Since the last Science Symposium in November 2019, scientific discoveries have continued to expand and excite public consciousness. A worldwide pandemic and its aftermath propelled mRNA, CRISPR-Cas9, and the benefits of genetic research into the mainstream. A recent study published by a Smithsonian anthropologist used ancient DNA to trace modern South Asian ancestry back to early hunter-gatherers of Iran. Scientists released the largest 3D map of the universe ever created, producing measurements of more than two million galaxies and quasars. The current worldview of an expanding universe continues to approach that of revealed cosmology, which describes a universe revolving about God on Paradise.
¶ Center for Unity
Gabriel Rymberg, Israel
¶ Sharing Jesus’ life and teachings and building a temple of the unseen Father near the Sea of Galilee
The Center for Unity is a live endeavor, and the concept has been changing and evolving. Seven years ago, I woke up and right before I opened my eyes, I saw the Sea of Galilee just like this picture. While there was no doubt in my mind it was the Sea of Galilee, nothing else was clear.
Several months later, a friend from Switzerland came to visit and asked me to take her sightseeing around the Sea of Galilee. We went hiking around the Mount of Beatitudes and climbed a hill. When we reached the top, I was staring down at the Sea of Galilee, and it looked exactly as in my dream.That’s when a vague idea started to take place. I felt as if I wanted to do something in connection with the location of the Sea of Galilee but kept asking myself what my next step would be; I have been asking myself that question ever since. I would ask and then listen to see if I could get some clarity that might indicate that “this is the way.”
¶ The Anxious Evolution of Urantia
Mark Blackham, Canada
It is difficult to escape anxiety and fear in the modern age. If we focus on the news of the world, Urantia appears forever in a state of chaos, with threats of war, a withering climate, oceans of plastic, corrupt governments, poverty, and racial strife.
We cannot deny the truth of these calamities. But the truth has been greatly exaggerated. Despite all the doom and gloom, Urantia civilization continues to make significant advances. Granted, there has been much suffering along the way and we have a long way to go on the path to perfection, but we should at least recognize and celebrate the many achievements to date.
This positive trend is revealed in the data. A few recent publications on the topic are Factfulness by Hans Rosling (2018), Progress, Ten Reasons to Look Forward to the Future by Johan Norberg (2016), and Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker (2019). These are far from being spiritual works, in fact, they are decidedly material and secular in their approach. Nonetheless, the facts are there for all to see.
¶ Focus on the Father — Filling and Spilling
James Woodward, USA
Happiness and joy take origin in the inner life. You cannot experience real joy all by yourself. [UB 111:4.7]
There are two parts to this teaching, like two folds in the same cloth. The inner life vibrates to frequencies of psyche and spirit. Our bundle of spiritual attitudes (faith, self-forgetfulness, gratitude, patience, tolerance, forgiveness, etc.) determines our outlook and mood, and if we harmonize our psychic and spirit frequencies we vibrate with love.
Happiness and joy are the feeling fruits of loving relationships, the reward bestowed on real persons who desire to do real good for one another. And there are real spirit persons who wish to share in our inner lives, available to all of us according to our capacity for reception—our willingness to align our mindal frequencies and allow our thoughts to be spiritually adjusted. There is, after all, a divine pre-person dwelling in your inner life, a fragment of God bursting with a holy desire to do you good, to share the spiritual bounty of happiness and joy that resides (and resonates) in the circuitry of the divine.
¶ About Tidings Newsletter
The Tidings newsletter is a quarterly on-line publication that serves as Urantia Association International’s primary communication tool for reaching out to the Association’s membership, supporters, donors, volunteers, and general readership friends. It provides news and information on the many activities and events of the National and Local Associations around the globe as well as information and announcements from Central Office, the International Service Board (ISB), and the Representative Council (RC). It serves to keep members in touch with one another and gives readers a sense of belonging—of being an integral part of a truly international movement that is designed to promote the Urantia revelation to all corners of the world.
Note: Tidings also occasionally provides news of other Urantia-related activities and events that may be of interest to our supporters and friends. Please note that any interpretations, opinions, conclusions, or artistic representations, whether stated or implied, are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of Urantia Association International, the National or Local Urantia Associations, or the editorial team of the Association’s Tidings.
¶ Ways to Donate to Urantia Association International
The world is changing fast and Urantia Association International is in a unique position to foster the Urantia revelation in so many ways. With localized teams in the form of associations springing up across the globe, we are ready to help anyone, anywhere, to study and spread the teachings that we all hold so dear.
The Association has only one paid staff member to manage and coordinate our worldwide activities. All other services are rendered by devoted students who donate their time (and often their treasure) to the projects that help bring us closer to our heavenly Father. Thank you to our faithful volunteers and donors!
Here is a selection of ways to donate to Urantia Association: