© 2011 Gaétan G. Charland, Maurice Migneault, Line St-Pierre, Guy Laporte, Éric Martel, Johanne Seguin, Alain Cyr , Marc Belleau
© 2011 Urantia Association of Quebec
¶ Index of articles
- The Why of the AUQ and its mission, Gaétan G. Charland
- The role of teachers and leaders, Maurice Migneault
- Where are these women?, Line St-Pierre
- The function of vice-president, testimony, Guy Laporte
- Testimony of a reader, Éric Martel
- The role of the secretary, Maurice Migneault
- Why become a member of the AUQ?, Guy Laporte
- Association project, Johanne Séguin
- The function of the treasurer, testimony, Alain Cyr
- Service, expression of Love (part 2), Marc Belleau
- AUQ 2011 Activities
- AUQ membership form
- Study groups, Line St-Pierre
¶ The Why of the Urantia Association of Quebec and its mission.
SINCE 1997, THE URANTIA ASSOCIATION OF QUEBEC (AUQ), AFFILIATED WITH THE URANTIA ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL (UAI), HAS BEEN WORKING IN QUEBEC TO SERVE READERS OF THE URANTIA BOOK IN ORDER TO BRING THE MISSION OF THE URANTIA BOOK ALIVE HERE.
This mission, which is found on the first page of the introduction to The Urantia Book, which is to increase cosmic consciousness and enhance spiritual perception, is also associated with a master plan found in the Publication Mandate.
The Publication Mandate, was first read to forum members by William S. Sadler Jr. in 1955 and contains essential guidelines for carrying out the mission of The Urantia Book. Today, AUQ and all UAI affiliates continue the same mission by implementing its guidelines: establishing thousands of study groups, training leaders and teachers, and providing financial support to the Urantia Foundation fund for the translation of The Urantia Book into other languages and its distribution in many countries.
This may seem simple to accomplish, but without organization and a strategic plan, the mission of The Urantia Book would be doomed to failure. In the early 1950s, Dr. William Sadler was instructed by the revelators to see to the formation of an association that would provide for the dissemination of the teachings of The Urantia Book and the creation of a Foundation that would ensure the protection of the texts, their publications, and their translations. Today, many readers are confused as to the real reasons for the existence of these two organizations and their mission.
Let’s take a closer look at the mission of the AUQ and how the association goes about achieving it. Quebecers were privileged to benefit from the first translation of the Urantia Book published in 1961. Following the introduction of the Urantia Book to Quebec by a few readers in the sixties, it took several years for the Urantia movement to be organized in Quebec. It was thanks to the desire of some of these first readers to share this treasure of truth that the first study groups came into existence. Had it not been for these first small organizations and the dedication of a few readers to the publication of a monthly newsletter called Réflectivité, not much would have flourished as a community of readers.
It was much later in the eighties that the desire of many readers to legally associate themselves as an organization that could work towards the mission of The Urantia Book really arose. It was not until 1997 that the majority of the members of the first association (GALUBQ) joined the ranks of the Urantia Association International as an association legally accredited to the latter and taking the name of Association Urantia du Québec (AUQ). Since this modest beginning, the AUQ, thanks to its members, their generosity and their dedication, has become one of the most important associations of the UAI on the international scene.
The Association that is the AUQ has made it possible, through several active members, to formulate a strategic plan based on the mission expressed by the directives contained in the publication mandate. This strategic plan focused on the creation and support of study groups has made it possible in less than twelve years to increase their number to more than fifteen and these continue to grow progressively. It is very likely that there are study groups whose existence is not known in Quebec and the AUQ will always be available to support even these if the need arises.
In fact, study groups are not a property of the AUQ, even if the association refers to them, it does everything to help create new ones and support them; they are totally independent of all organizations and must remain so in order to properly fulfill their educational and spiritual role. In its role of promotion and support for study groups, the association provides the service of their publication through the monthly Réflectivité or through articles concerning their operation based on the experience of readers participating in them. The association also offers the services of a database to readers wishing to form or attend a study group and also by their publication on the association’s website.
Why are study groups so important? This is a question that deserves a deep reflection on the fundamental mechanisms that help to transform society and the world as a whole, but this mission cannot be done without the help of a dissemination of the book and its teachings in a systematic and organized personal way. In this work, the association plays a leading role by offering readers who want them the books necessary for the placement of the latter in libraries, whether school, university or public. In addition, the association through the organization of conferences/workshops helps in the understanding and integration of the necessary spiritual attitudes and mechanisms that promote the effectiveness of the personal dissemination of the teachings and the book.
We cannot also ignore the activities that are often taken for granted, such as the design, editing, publication and monthly mailing of the newsletter Réflectivité, the bi-monthly mailing of the international newsletter Tidings and the quarterly mailing of the UAI Journal; all these publications are sent to members and readers who wish to receive them electronically or by postal mail. Your association, through its director members, visits a remote region of Quebec each year, such as Abitibi, Lac St-Jean, Saguenay and Rimouski, to meet readers and/or members and encourage them to participate in the mission of The Urantia Book.
Your association also maintains a presence on the Web through a website that contains many reference documents that can contribute to a more comprehensive study of The Urantia Book. It also provides its members with a discussion list allowing them to exchange among themselves on subjects that interest them related to The Urantia Book. It should not be forgotten that thanks to the generosity of its members, the association has made it possible, through the donation and sending of books, to people living in countries less favored than ours, to have access to the teachings of The Urantia Book and thus contribute to the spiritual development of our world.
Each year, the association, with the help of its members or readers, organizes thematic meetings on various subjects that are held in different locations in Quebec in order to encourage the participation of a greater number of people. These one-day meetings require several hours of preparation and very often the study groups and their members are the main presenters and facilitators. This way of operating, innovated here, is currently serving as a model for certain associations outside Quebec and is perfectly in line with the mission of training teachers and leaders.
There are several other activities carried out by the association’s directors in addition to those mentioned in this message and which are necessary for the needs of an ever-growing Quebec readership. Without an association, it would be almost or totally impossible to organize, plan and carry out all this work in order to accomplish the mission of The Urantia Book. The association’s directors are driven by a spirit of loving service and thus respond harmoniously to the association’s slogan which is “To love is to serve.”
I hope that this text will help you to better understand the why and the role of the association and the need to organize, hoping that one day this understanding will motivate you to participate more and more in the realization and accomplishment of the mission of The Urantia Book.
To love is to serve.
Gaetan G. Charland
President AUQ
¶ The role of teachers and leaders
FROM MY FIRST YEAR OF SCHOOL WHEN I WAS SIX YEARS OLD, I BECAME BORING TO LEADERS AND TEACHERS.
Where I grew up, questioning was not allowed, dogma was king and the teacher was an authoritarian leader. This impression still remains with me and it still represents, for many people, a very living reality, and it is not because I have changed internally that this image has been erased.
But here comes The Urantia Book, the consciousness-raiser that teaches us that the engine of spiritual growth is fueled much more by doubts than by convictions. It does not ask us to erase, forget and start anew, it offers us a new vision of things. It does not ask us to cut the stem of the odorless flower, but brings it a new fragrance to make it attractive again. So I have enriched my definition of the words leader and teacher to be able to use them in a new context of spiritual growth.
Remember, year-by-year progress through an established educational regime does not necessarily mean intellectual progress, much less spiritual growth. (UB 100:1.3)
In this context, the teacher no longer represents the Truth, but the one who offers us the tools so that each one can find his own. He no longer teaches us to make ourselves heard by others, but to listen to them. He no longer gives importance to conviction because a convinced person no longer bothers to look elsewhere, and then his path is much more likely to lead towards apathy or fanaticism than towards openness to knowledge.
For his part, the leader no longer represents command. His function is now to harmonize our efforts, to channel our energies. He has become a beacon that helps us direct our path and no longer a guide who decides for us and whose steps we must follow. In spirituality, it is not efficiency that counts, but constancy and longanimity. I believe that it is in this perspective that we can consider the need for leaders and teachers; but is there really a difference between the two?
There is of course a difference, but it is much more in position than in function, a bit like the two hands of the pianist on the keyboard of his instrument, or the two arms of the rower in his boat. When we explain to a child the reasons for a behavior, or when we set an example by our conduct, we become a leader and a teacher. Every time we exert an influence on someone, we become a leader and a teacher, even if we are not aware of it. Everything we do has consequences, hence the importance of always having a behavior based on love, respect and mutual aid.
Maurice Migneault
Ottawa, 2011-01-15
¶ Where are these women?
WHERE ARE THESE WOMEN PARTNERS WITH GOD THAT I KNOW WHOSE MINDSET HAS BEEN MODULATED TO THE TEACHINGS OF THE URANTIA BOOK OVER THE YEARS?
Where are you, those I spoke to on the phone and have not yet met? You whom I met at spiritual trainings, at study groups, at picnics at Cap Santé and in Montreal? Surely, you are solitary student-readers.
The lack of interest of women in the Urantia movement in Quebec and everywhere else where I have traveled with Gaétan saddens me.
It is not because we read the same book that we think the same way. Feminine thought is not that of man, we recognize that we see things differently, but often converge towards the same goal. The means, the ways of doing things may be different, but the desired result is the same, in this case, to bring people to a greater awareness of the divine Reality that inhabits them.
In The Urantia Book it is written that woman is the torchbearer of morality and spirituality. As a mother of two children, I have educated them with the knowledge of the life of the time and have instilled in them the moral values that I knew from my mother and lived. In turn with their children they will do the same.
Today with my personal religion including the teachings of the 5th revelation, how much better equipped could I pass on to my children these values of goodness, beauty and truth. Women play a very important role that they often ignore and do not even suspect. They are co-creators of children, sons of God. Quite a responsibility for those who know.
A Russian poetess said: “Give us good mothers and we will give you better children.” In Senegal we say: when we educate a man, we educate an individual; when we educate a woman, we educate an entire nation.
Since I accepted the responsibility of editor of Réflectivité in 2006, few, but very few women have submitted articles to me. Is it out of disinterest in revelation, fear of judgment, or perhaps a lack of experience in writing? If the latter is your answer, dare to write something, send it to me at line.stpierre@gmail.com and I will correct your texts. As each personality is unique, each thoughtful point of view and thought is necessary to understand men and women who are different in their nature.
I am delighted that a new committee was formed in the association during our last board meeting to explore the depths of feminine thought among readers and spiritual women in Quebec. Johanne Séguin is the president and her female participation on the board is welcome.
You have to do something to be something, as a good friend of mine used to say.
I look forward to receiving your letter soon for future publication in Réflectivité.
To love is to serve.
Line St-Pierre
Ste-Sophie, January 31, 2010
¶ Reader’s Testimony
IT IS NOW A LITTLE OVER 20 YEARS SINCE I DISCOVERED THE URANTIA BOOK.
From the beginning, I was excited. Finally, I was starting to find meaning in life, to find meaning in my life. Quickly, I wanted to share my discovery with my family and friends. Wrong, in a short time the people around me moved away from me: I was considered crazy!
I was 20, let’s just say I lacked tact and subtlety. I learned that it was better to be discreet, that it was better to “test the waters” before talking about it openly. I understood that for the vast majority of people God was synonymous with religious institutions, with all that that implies.
A year or two later I managed to form a study group, but within a year it was over. I continued to study the book but almost in secret, without telling anyone. Honestly, I felt very alone.
Years passed, and in early 2010 I realized that much of my faith was more of an intellectual assent than a living faith. I asked myself the following questions:
- The Urantia Book, do I believe in it or not?
- What do I have to lose by “really believing” in the teachings of the book?
- Am I a son of God or not?
Well, I am a son of God and I have absolutely nothing to lose by believing wholeheartedly in these teachings, on the contrary, I have everything to gain! And suddenly my faith took a giant leap. Instantly, my faith became alive. It was so simple.
A few months have passed, I have thought a lot and I have decided to act. For a long time I have been indignant at the lamentable state of the world, especially at falsehood and lies. I am at least one five billionth of humanity and it has become inconceivable that I do nothing for it. Playing a role, however small, in the spiritual evolution of our planet is what I want to do. So I decided to form a new study group, to bring together isolated readers. I also got in touch with the AUQ,
In my journey to form a band, I quickly realized that this meant that I was, by the very act, agreeing to publicly display my allegiance to God. I am not saying that I will run through the streets shouting that I am a son of God. No! I am saying that from now on I will accept being misunderstood and perhaps judged by family, friends, acquaintances.
I will ignore the gaze of men and rely on the gaze of God. Perhaps I will also truly succeed in looking at men as I imagine God looks at them.
Finally, I am pleased to announce that the first meeting of the UNI-TERRE study group was held on December 11 in Ste-Émilie de l’Énergie. There were four of us who were very enthusiastic and happy to meet. Starting January 9, meetings will be held on Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m. We would be happy to welcome other readers. Do not hesitate to contact me.
Eric Martel
450-756-9387
Loubar69@bell.net
¶ The function of vice-president, testimony
HELLO DEAR READERS, I have been serving as vice-president of this wonderful association of truth seekers for three years now.
How did it happen? One evening, I received a call from a friend who told me that this position was open and that he saw me there. He saw me there, I doubted it! However, a little voice inside me told me that yes, I had to go for it and dare to put my name forward. I had no experience as an administrator, I was even intimidated by this sphere of activity. I was afraid of not being up to it. What is the role of a vice-president in life, especially in this kind of organization? But, my little voice did not let go and I listened to it.
Can I tell you that I have never regretted it? I quickly realized that the titles that frightened me were of little importance in this team oriented towards the ** dissemination of the teachings ** of The Urantia Book as well as the training of leaders and teachers. Respect for the strengths, values and availability of each person is honored. The spirit of fraternal camaraderie reigns. Competition is a thing of the past. The spirit of service is preponderant. The task of the vice president is not as clerical as those of the secretary and treasurer. Attendance at the monthly administrative council meetings is appreciated. At these work sessions, love is made visible.
Over time, I found a niche within the team. My previous experience as a teacher allowed me to accept responsibilities in organizing the themes that the association pilots. The preparation and coordination activities revolving around these events are extremely enriching for everyone. The day of the event is certainly a highlight, but it is only the tip of the iceberg. The reward is directly proportional to the effort of the participants in these themes dedicated to spiritual progress. If I presented this part of my activities as vice-president, it is to show the flexibility of the team to respect and encourage the potential of each person.
Another activity that I enjoy very much is visiting remote areas to meet isolated readers. It is not mandatory, but it is a source of pleasant surprises. As you can see, there is no shortage of opportunities to serve in this position. In closing, I can say that, if serving is a privilege, the position of vice-president is a gift that my friend presented to me. I hope that this short testimony encourages my brothers and sisters to dare to embark on the path of service! The Urantia Association of Quebec needs your potential and offers you the opportunity to develop it, in this position or others.
Guy Laporte,
Vice-President of AUQ
¶ The role of the secretary
IN THE ETERNAL ECONOMY OF ADMINISTRATION OF THE UNIVERSE, WE NEVER ENCOUNTER WASTE BY USELESS REPETITION OF FUNCTIONS. UB 6:4.2
For this to be possible, you need to know your functions well and have a good idea of those of others, if you do not want to repeat them by superimposing them.
As for the role of the Secretary, according to Article 52 of our Charter and Regulations, the Secretary handles mail and takes minutes; keeps the membership register, directs readers to study groups and answers members’ questions, or delegates another person to answer them.
But, it is important to understand that our Charter is not like a union’s collective agreement. There is great plasticity and flexibility in its application, and this is what ensures good harmony.
If we think about it, we are, all in our own way, a full Board of Directors. We are all Presidents who must manage their daily lives efficiently; we are all Treasurers who must manage their finances wisely; we are all Secretaries who must follow up on the many administrative duties that society imposes on us. So, what could be more natural for an Association than to have a Board of Directors, and what could be more natural than to participate in it, closely or from afar.
Maurice Migneault
Secretary of AUQ
¶ Why become a member of the AUQ?
I HAVE BEEN A READER OF THE URANTIA BOOK SINCE 1970. AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS NO ASSOCIATION IN QUEBEC TO BRING READERS TOGETHER.
I was fortunate, however, to have a few readers in my workplace with whom I could communicate my feelings about this divine book. This privileged situation was not to last, however. In 1979, I changed jobs and found myself in a real desert, no more readers in my new environment. This new context of isolation was somewhat responsible for the accumulation of dust on my precious book.
This desert period stretched until my retirement in 2003 when an unexpected event happened. While visiting a book fair in Montreal, my partner Denyse discovered an AUQ booth and recorded my name and contact information. This contact with the readers’ association in Quebec was very stimulating and was the beginning of a new start.
I have since participated in many reading groups as well as several themes organized by the AUQ. What power does the opportunity to share one’s faith with other readers give? The work of bringing readers together that the AUQ does seemed so important to me that I decided to engage in active service and became vice-president of the association in 2008.
As a member of the board of directors of the Urantia Association of Quebec, I was able to better appreciate the importance of the mandate to be carried out. First observation, all the directors of this non-profit organization work there voluntarily. The main mandate of the association is to disseminate the teachings of the Urantia Book and to promote the training of leaders and teachers. To achieve this, the association promotes the formation of study groups of the book, organizes themes concerning the teachings of the book, publishes a monthly newsletter — RÉFLECTIVITÉ — addressed to the readers of the book. The association plans an annual trip to the regions of Quebec to establish new contacts between readers far from the major centers. It also participates in the enormous costs required for the translations of this voluminous book.
All these activities require a budget. Where does it come from? On the one hand, from the contributions of the members of the AUQ, and on the other hand from the generosity of the donations received. Here appears the importance of becoming a member of the AUQ. Combating the isolation of the reader, encouraging the emergence of leaders and teachers and disseminating the teachings of this precious book of Urantia, such are the activities of the Urantia Association of Quebec. To achieve this, your help is precious. How to do it? Becoming a member is a good start and preponderant. The task of the vice-president is not as clerical as that of the secretary.
Guy Laporte
Vice-president of AUQ
¶ Association project
AT THE LAST MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON JANUARY 14, 2011, WHERE I WAS PRESENT, I PROPOSED A PROJECT WHICH WAS ACCEPTED WITH ENTHUSIASM.
By the same token, the council decided to give me a mandate as president of a committee on women. This idea was born from the travels around the world of Line St-Pierre and Gaétan Charland who met with women and men from multiple study groups on the teachings of The Urantia Book. Line had shared with me this reflection on the place of women in the Urantia movement and asked herself the following question: why are there so few women active in the movement? What would it take for women to become more interested in the teachings of The Urantia Book? When she asked her husband, he replied that it would be women who would have the best answer to this question.
I was struck by this reflection, which in my opinion deserves a broader in-depth study than just the vision of a single person. As we all know, questioning is often the beginning of emergence. We must first ask ourselves the right questions.
How do we define a spiritual woman in 2011? What values does she convey and what model does she represent? What is her role in today’s society? And above all, in the context of a revelator of the teachings of The Urantia Book, where should she focus her efforts to be able to be an inspiration to her contemporaries? The revelators have made us know that the book, being given before its time, was placed in the hands of those who were to prepare the ground.
So I am looking for those women who are invested with this mission to form a committee that will meet to discuss these issues concerning women. A report will be designed following these consultations and available as a source of inspiration and I hope also, as a lever to stimulate the crucial participation of women in the revelation. We will redefine in a contemporary way the meaning of what it means for women to be named the standard-bearer of morality and the spiritual director of humanity, nothing less. If you are interested as a woman in joining me in this project, you can contact me by email: joan_s59hotmail.com
In the same vein of inspiration and concomitantly, I would like to create a youth consultation, that is to say, to bring together several men or women aged 18 to 35 who have been in contact with the teachings of the Urantia Book in one way or another. The goal is to know their point of view and their ideas concerning the dissemination of the revelation. Motivation always comes from action, that is my goal. For those interested or who know interesting young people, contact me at the address above.
Please accept all my sincerity and my joy in serving the divine Supremacy.
Johanne Seguin
President of the Women’s Committee
¶ The function of the treasurer, testimony
HELLO DEAR READERS, I HOPE THAT SEVERAL OF YOU RECOGNIZE ME FROM HAVING MET ME AT SOME MEETING WHICH BRINGS TOGETHER THE TRUTH SEEKERS THAT WE ARE.
Or again, to have seen and seen again the name of this treasurer who for four years now, has taken great pleasure in reminding you that the cause is unique, but that the needs are multiple. How can we dissociate ourselves from this beautiful fraternity that unites our ideals!? I am convinced that each of you shares a part of me in this regard. Allow me to introduce you, as I see it, to the function of treasurer within the Urantia Association of Quebec.
For me, counting money is really a secondary function (although it deserves to be done with great care); it is above all on people that I count. Managing the economic health of our association is inseparable from the implementation of all the mechanisms at our disposal that will allow us to effectively disseminate the teachings of The Urantia Book. And of course, this requires consultation and that is why it is energizing to share with my colleagues on the Council, the directions and the means that we will take to achieve our objectives.
Here are some facts:
The Treasurer is responsible for the association’s cash register and bank accounts; he collects fees and contributions; he is responsible for fundraisers. (AUQ Statutes, art. 53)
These responsibilities allow the Treasurer to flourish on several levels:
On the business side, he is led to grasp the subtleties concerning the basic management of any good business. Certain accounting and legal terms are inevitably demystified and by the same token, contribute to broadening the scope of action for anyone working or wishing to work in the world of SMEs. This influence is also favorable in the management of our personal affairs.
In terms of working relationships, reporting to the national and international associations provides additional opportunities to communicate our views and participate in the development of our mission on a broader level. I still have the pleasant memory of my trip to Chicago in 2008 when I participated in a meeting of the Urantia Association International Council. It lifted me a little higher in my worldview. Just a few weeks ago, I received a communiqué from Mark Kurtz, UAI Chief Treasurer, to the effect that an Internet discussion list has been created exclusively for the benefit of the treasurers of all UAI associations, both local and national: this, so that we can mutually edify each other in our know-how by sharing a global vision. Isn’t this a beautiful platform to fraternize with people from all over Urantia?
As for my satisfaction in doing this work, I have the privilege of noting more and more that the opportunities to serve are limitless, but above all, within everyone’s reach. And with this experience, part of my own quest is offset by the feeling of taking a step further towards the realization of my greatest ideal, of unifying myself with the one who is the very source of my existence. In our daily lives, we are all treasurers. And I often take pleasure in saying that when I am about my Father’s business, He sends His angels to help me manage mine.
I think that being enrolled in this task will certainly have contributed to me sharing one of the most beautiful group works that I have known on Urantia. Alone, nothing is accomplished; the universe itself evolves in relation to each of its parts. This is why I thank you all for being here with us so that my work can retain its value and so that other people can be inspired to use this kind of channel. Our greatest treasure is in our hearts, and the Father gives His freely.
Alain Cyr,
tresorier.auq@gmail.com
¶ Service, expression of Love (part 2)
WE SAW, IN THE MONTHLY RÉFLECTIVITÉ OF LAST DECEMBER, THAT SERVICE IS ABOVE ALL THE EXPRESSION OF THE LOVE WE HAVE FOR OTHERS, AND THAT IT IS, MOREOVER, A MEANS OF GROWTH.
Today we will see how the service can be applied in everyday life.
How do the celestial beings who populate the universes occupy their time? I would say that their principal activity is service, the equivalent of our daily work on Urantia. We have already seen, in the preceding text, that the Paradise regime incorporates service as a part of our apprenticeship. We can also read, concerning life on the spheres of Jerusem, the headquarters of our local system:
The activities of such a world are of three distinct varieties: work, progress, and play. Stated otherwise, they are: service, study, and relaxation. (UB 46:5.29)
Although we are talking here about the activities of Paradise and Jerusalem, it is plausible to think that the rest of our eternity will be occupied, among other things, with these three types of activities. Service is an essential part of the management of the universe. But why speak of service rather than work? Work, seen by our modern society, is above all a means allowing us to ensure our physical survival. Service, on the other hand, could be defined as a lifestyle, a way of accomplishing our daily work. It denotes a concern for the people around us and for the environments in which we work. Service asks us to carry out the tasks assigned to us for the benefit of the community. When we do our work for the sole purpose of obtaining a salary or a promotion, our motivations are exclusively focused on the satisfaction of a personal need; our gaze, oriented towards ourselves, prevents us from understanding the real needs of those around us. By doing our work with the primary goal of helping, it becomes service since it is oriented toward the needs of others. Mind you, this is not about condemning those who seek fulfillment through the pursuit of a professional career. Rather, it is about changing the motivations attached to the performance of our daily work by giving it an altruistic dimension. Jesus speaks of this daily dimension of service when he addresses the landlady of a Greek inn, where he had stopped on his return from Rome with his two Indian friends:
. . .“Minister your hospitality as one who entertains the children of the Most High. Elevate the drudgery of your daily toil to the high levels of a fine art through the increasing realization that you minister to God in the persons whom he indwells by his spirit which has descended to live within the hearts of men, thereby seeking to transform their minds and lead their souls to the knowledge of the Paradise Father of all these bestowed gifts of the divine spirit.” (UB 133:4.8)
The spirit of service, in addition to ennobling our daily tasks, allows us to discover and understand the real needs of the people around us or the organizations for which we work; this makes us more effective in carrying out our multiple activities. Thus, the spirit of service rather than the simple satisfaction of our individual needs can become the driving force of our personal fulfillment.
In Jesus of Nazareth we find a shining example of service. He showed exemplary dedication when his earthly father was killed in an accident on one of the construction sites where he worked. At the age of 15, the family management fell upon his shoulders. His dedication to his brothers and sisters was touching; he was a brother and a true father to them. Let us also think of his relationship with Ganid, the young Indian boy whom he was tutoring. For two years, he patiently instructed this boy who was eager for the truth. When the latter fell seriously ill, Jesus cared for him with great tenderness and wisdom.
The spirit of service can be applied to many other activities in our lives. It can be innovation, that is, the creation or improvement of tools or techniques aimed at improving the quality of life of those around us. For example, Jesus, because of his knowledge of cabinetmaking, improved the boat building techniques of his time, making sailing safer. After five years, the majority of the boats in Capernaum were built according to this superior model (UB 129:1.3). There are many examples of individuals who have put their abilities at the service of humanity. Let us think of those who invented the computer and who have made life easier for a multitude of human beings.
It can be philanthropic service—humanitarian aid—like those volunteers who, out of compassion, went to help those affected by the recent earthquake in Haiti. It can also be volunteering for organizations that support social causes, such as soup kitchens. Let us also think of Jesus who took the time to help his fellow countrymen as he went about his business. He was simply doing good as he passed by. This type of service is done without any compensation, and this represents an additional difficulty in its execution, a greater gift of self.
This may be the highest service of all, the expansion of God’s reign on Urantia. It is by far the most important of all types of service. Being involved in the divine plan of making our Heavenly Father known to those who seek Him by sharing our spiritual views, living inspiring lives, and freely expressing our passion for God should be our primary concerns. In our modern, materialistic society, this is a real challenge.
Service is not defined exclusively by selflessness. It is normal to receive a salary for our daily work. Bills do not pay themselves! In the same vein, it is not because we serve voluntarily that we are automatically in the spirit of service. We can give time for the sole purpose of meeting people and relaxing. We can volunteer to enrich a resume. In this case, the primary motivation for these activities is exclusively self-oriented.
Whether service is expressed through our daily work, in creating innovations, in volunteering, or in expanding the reign of God, it is always and above all a question of attitude, a way of life, an elevated way of accomplishing our tasks for the good of our community, our world, our universe. What would happen in our society if the spirit of service contaminated the souls of believers, if this spirit permeated our daily activities? Our world greatly needs to be inspired by those who will dare to serve their fellow man just as our Master Michael so well demonstrated by his selfless service to all humanity.
“. . . that he who would be great in my Father’s kingdom must first become server of all.”” (UB 137:8.11)
Marc Belleau
belleaumarc@hotmail.com
If you have any comments, questions or objections about this text, please feel free to write to me. I will be happy to read them.
¶ Activities 2011
Annual General Meeting
Saturday February 5, 2011 in the morning
Welcome from 9:30 a.m.
Presentation on study groups
at 1:30 p.m., until 4:30 p.m.
Hotel Le Dauphin, Drummondville
Thematic
Sunday March 13, 2011
Leadership and Teaching
Morning presentations and discussions
round table in the afternoon
Hôtel Le Dauphin in Drummondville Reception from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost $10
Thematic
Saturday May 14, 2011
The theme and location will be communicated to you later.
Picnic, Michael’s Party
Sunday August 21, 2011
Angrignon Park in Ville La Salle
Regional visit
October 1-2, 2011
The location will be communicated to you later
Thematic
Sunday October 16, 2011
The theme and location will be communicated to you later.
Holiday Dinner
Saturday December 3, 2011
The place to come.
The Urantia Association of Quebec (U.U.Q.) is affiliated with the Urantia Association International (U.U.I.) and supports Urantia Foundation in its mandate as described in the Urantia Foundation Declaration of Trust and assists it in the dissemination of the teachings revealed in The Urantia Book. The Association is governed by a Board of Directors composed of a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary and a Treasurer. All are elected for a two-year term at the Annual General Meeting. Membership in the Association may be as a regular member or as a friends member, according to eligibility criteria specific to each.
The Urantia Association of Quebec reserves the right to revoke or refuse any application for membership if the applicant does not meet its requirements and regulations or those of the International Urantia Association.
REGULAR MEMBER
Eligibility criteria:
- Have read The Urantia Book in its entirety.
- Accept and adopt the teachings of The Urantia Book in your daily life.
- Read and accept the regulations of the A.U.I. of the A.U.Q., and the declaration of Trust (DOT)
- Pay your contribution before February 28.
Benefits of being a regular member:
- A. May hold a position in the management of the Association or one of its committees.
- B. Has the right to vote in elections.
- C. Takes part in decisions regarding the direction of the Association, when required.
- D. Is invited to regular meetings.
- E. Subscribes for free to the monthly Réflectivité.
- F. Subscribes free of charge to the UAI Journal.
- G. Opportunity to render service.
FRIEND MEMBER
Eligibility criteria:
- Have begun reading The Urantia Book with the intention of completing it.
- Have undertaken the acceptance of the teachings of The Urantia Book.
- Pay your contribution before February 28.
Benefits of being a friend member:
- A. May take part in one of the committees.
- B. Is invited to regular meetings.
- C. Subscribes for free to the monthly Réflectivité.
- D. Subscribes free of charge to the UAI Journal.
- E. Opportunity to be of service.
URANTIA ASSOCIATION OF QUEBEC
MEMBERSHIP FORM
PLEASE PRINT
- NAME : _____
- FIRST NAME: _____
- ADDRESS : _____
- CITY : _____
- PROVINCE : _____
- POSTAL CODE: _____
- SUCH. RES. : ( ) _____ _____
- Signature : _____
- E-MAIL : _____
- Date : _____
I request membership as: regular member friends member I want the monthly Réflectivité: printed digital Enclosed, a check in the amount of $50.00 made payable to the Urantia Association of Quebec.
Ship to: Urantia Association of Quebec, P.O. Box 304, St-Jérôme QC, J7Z 5L0
¶ STUDY GROUPS
THIS ACTIVITY ALLOWS MULTIPLE READERS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF UNDERSTANDING TO SHARE AND STUDY THE TEACHINGS OF THE URANTIA BOOK TOGETHER. IT PROMOTES SPIRITUAL PROGRESS BY ENABLING PARTICIPANTS TO FIND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF THE TEACHINGS OF THE URANTIA BOOK IN THEIR DAILY LIVES. THIS IMPORTANT PRACTICE MAINTAINS A BROADER VIEW OF CONCEPTS OF TRUTH.
You wish to participate or form a study group; we will be happy to assist you. If you wish to have your study group appear in this list, contact the person in charge, via email association.urantia.quebec@gmail.com or at 450-565-3323.
Group: Découverte
Every Monday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Laurentians Region Gaétan Charland and Line St-Pierre
Tel.: 450-565-3323
Group: Étoile du Soir
Every Wednesday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Laurentides region
Carmen Charland
Tel.: 450-553-3601
Group: Le Pont
Every Thursday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
South Shore of Montreal
Guy Vachon
Tel.: 450-465-7049
Group: Basses Laurentides
Every Monday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Yvon or Irene Belle-Isle
Tel: 819-423-1240
Group: Mauricie Readers
Every Monday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Three Rivers Region
Madeleine Boisvert and
Tel: 819-376-8850
Roger Perigny
819-379-5768
Group: Veritas
Every Tuesday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Montreal area, near the Church metro station
Lise and Pierre Routhier
Tel.: 514-761-2378
Sherbrooke Group
Every two weeks, Tuesday or Wednesday (to be confirmed)
From 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Helene Boisvenue or Denis Gravelle
Tel.: 819 569-6416
Group: The Ascendants
Every two weeks on Sunday from 13 h 00 to 3:30 p.m.
South Shore of Quebec
Guy LeBlanc
Tel: 418-835-1809
Group: The Agondontarians
Every two weeks on Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. North Shore of Quebec
Guy & Rolande L. Martin
Tel: 418-651-3851
Group: Les Débonnaires
Wednesdays from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Montreal region
Julien Audet
Tel: 514-315-9871
Group: Urantia Fraternity
Wednesdays from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Lanaudière region
Richard Landry & Gisèle Boisjoly
Tel: 450-589-6922
Group: Vers les Sommets
Friday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Regions Ormstown & Valleyfield
Louise Sauve
Tel: 450-829-3631
Group: The United Urantia Family
Monday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Montreal region
Mrs. Diane Labrecque
Tel: 514-277-2308
Disclaimer: Any interpretations, opinions, conclusions or artistic representations, stated or implied, are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of Urantia Association International or local and national level associations.