© 2024 Michael Zehr
© 2024 International Urantia Association (IUA)
Michael Zehr, USA
¶ Nature and Nurture of the Soul
Baltimore, USA. March 28 - 31, 2024
Urantia Association International and Urantia Association of the United States are hosting the 12th International Conference in Baltimore, USA. Sponsored by Urantia Foundation and Truthbook, the conference has been organized and coordinated by a host of worldwide volunteers to provide a spiritual learning experience for the global Urantia Book reader community.
The theme of the conference is The Nature and Nurture of the Soul.
To establish a framework for the study, all references to the soul from The Urantia Book were gathered and sorted into eight subtopics – four on the Nature of the Soul, and four on Nurture of the Soul.
This is an educational conference with a focus on shared learning. We’re trying to follow the model of individual truth discovery as revealed in the book, an experience that we hope will be augmented and enhanced by group discussion and sharing. The reading material, categorized by topic, can be downloaded from the event page.
The conference begins Thursday, March 28 and concludes Sunday, March 31 (Easter Sunday in Western tradition). Check-in begins at 3pm on Thursday, but you can book your stay earlier if you wish. Many people are arriving on Wednesday. Dinner begins at 5pm on Thursday followed by welcoming speeches and announcements.
Other events in the area:
As mentioned, March 31 is Easter Sunday. The annual Washington DC Cherry Blossom Festival occurs March 20-April 14 during which thousands of cherry trees in Washington and Baltimore are expected to be in full bloom. And there is a total solar eclipse passing over North America on April 8. Some of you may wish to extend your vacation to see it.
The conference takes place at the Maritime Conference Center (MCC) near Baltimore, only a few minutes from the International Airport (BWI). The Center has a wide range of amenities to make your stay a pleasant one. (https://www.mccbwi.org/)
In addition, Baltimore has the National Aquarium, Fort McHenry, several museums, a science center, and a zoo. Washington, DC with its countless attractions is 40 miles away and reachable by train.
Registration
For more information and to register, please visit the conference event page.
You must register separately for the conference and for lodging. Information and links are provided on the event page. Please read carefully what is included with the lodging and what is included with the conference registration, especially regarding meals. The simple version is, if you stay at the conference center and are registered for the conference, your meals are included.
There is a children and teen program with age-appropriate events planned throughout the conference. More information is on the event website. Children do not pay a conference fee, but we do need to know the names and ages of everyone attending.
Non-participating partners are welcome to stay with participants, to socialize and eat meals together (MCC charges a fee for lunch if you are not a paid participant of the conference).
Reversion
In addition to the many local attractions, there will be entertainment and music, and a chance to socialize each evening. There will also be a meditation and worship room available.
Sunday morning there will be a brief sunrise gathering before breakfast (weather permitting). The conference culminates with worship and remembrance.
Live Streaming
We hope to see you in Baltimore but we understand that travel can be difficult, therefore portions of the conference proceedings will be live streamed. Details will be emailed and added to the event page mid-March.