© 2013 Line St-Pierre, Robert Cadieux, Guy Laporte, Marc Belleau, Yvan Stol
© 2013 Urantia Association of Quebec
¶ Women’s Committee
TRAVELING AROUND THE WORLD with my husband for several years promoting the Urantia movement, I realized that women made up only a third of the participants at every meeting I attended, even among our own local association.
Now, in the hope of transmitting and stimulating interest in the activities of the association among women readers by creating new opportunities for them to get involved, the Women’s Committee has been created within our local association in Quebec, Canada.
In the past two years or so, the committee has recruited nearly twelve women. Some of them have attended one meeting, others two or three. The primary mission of the committee was to promote the participation of women in the Urantia Association and to recognize their own value as educators in the service of the human brotherhood.
After eight of these meetings (which required a lot of long travel because of the distances that separate us) and after much discussion and sharing in order to get to know each other and thus evaluate how our service would be most profitable, we finally decided what we wanted to contribute, at this stage of our lives, and a new mission was formulated:
Mission: To raise the status of women and mothers for the benefit of their growth, their progress and for the evolution of this world.
Vision: To touch and move the hearts of women, offering them a sense of self-esteem, dignity, a better and more fruitful life. To make them aware of their value, importance and beauty, all included in God’s plan for their own well-being and happiness.
I believe that giving the committee a more specific mission will help us stay focused and attract interested candidates.
Here are some of the ideas developed by the Quebec Women’s Committee:
A workshop program, a model and a framework, developed to take into account the many aspects of education in our contribution to the harmonization of truth, beauty and goodness. In this program, many themes could be developed, such as: motherhood, the benefits of family life, education by the mother, sexuality, self-esteem, improving the ideals of today’s young women and much, much more.
I truly believe that the concerted actions of women educated in the knowledge of God will help transform the world. Therefore, my desire is to inspire women to participate in this great project of presenting the fifth epochal revelation as a life experience for women, men, families, and, by sharing my understanding of the TUB teachings, contribute to the betterment of this world.
The Urantia Book says: Self-awareness leads to God-awareness. Educating participants in self-awareness, body and personality awareness will empower them and enhance their spiritual lives.
Because woman is the standard-bearer of morality, the spiritual leader of humanity, and the hand that cradles the child, education is an almost unlimited avenue. I see it as a process, a scaffolding: educating young women who will later become wives and mothers, have families, and be part of this great adventure of humanity provided for in God’s plan for their personal well-being and happiness.
- Napoleon Bonaparte said: The future of a child is the work of his mother.
- A Russian poetess also said: Give us good mothers and we will give you good children.
- In Senegal, there is a proverb that says: When you educate a boy, you educate a human being… when a girl is educated, an entire nation is educated.
If self-awareness leads to God-awareness, do we need to know each other, to know the reality of who we are in order to better appreciate life? It is a long process that requires a lot of preparation, we need to develop a format, a method and I have been thinking about this since I came back from Peru, two and a half years ago. I feel that God is showing me a way to help and something is about to emerge.
In service.
Line St-Pierre
Ste-Sophie
¶ Short report of the AGA and some thoughts
I WENT TO DRUMMONDVILLE with my brother Jean-Pierre on Sunday, February 10, 2013 to attend the Annual General Meeting of our association Ufantia du Québec.
I have been a member of the AUQ since August 2012, so this is my first annual general meeting and it has been a very stimulating day. An AGM is a review of the internal management, elections for representative positions, discussions on the vision and direction of the movement, and projections of the work to be accomplished for the coming year.
The positions held by the members of the board of directors are for a term of 2 years. We have a president (Gaétan Charland), a vice-president (Guy Laporte), a secretary (Éric Martel), a treasurer (Luciano Camellini) who are elected positions, a member and communications committee manager (Line St-Pierre) and an archivist (Maurice Migneault) who is responsible for preserving the history of the AUQ’s actions, procedures and documents.
This year, there were 2 positions up for renewal; that of the president and the treasurer. The meeting began with a minute of silence and inward looking. The election president asked if anyone wanted to seek the position of treasurer. A member, Marcel Laporte, offered himself as treasurer and was elected by acclamation, without the need for a vote. No one came forward to replace Gaétan Charland and he agreed to remain in office for another 2-year term.
Before the lunch break, the President spoke about the AUQ’s projects for 2013 and the future. Among the things to come, the most important thing I remember is the Urantia International Conference scheduled for late July and early August 2015 over a 5-day period at Bishops University in Lennoxville. This is a very exciting project and AUQ members will start collaborating for its preparation, organization and smooth running. Those who read these lines can already think about coming to lend a shoulder to the wheel. The success of this historic meeting in Quebec will depend on the expertise of AUQ members.
On the way back, the afternoon settled into a different climate. Line St-Pierre began the sharing speeches by telling us about the women’s committee. How the idea came to her, how it started, what dynamic it is forming among the community of women readers of the AUQ and its correlation with the entire Urantia movement. With others who have helped and stimulated it, like Madeleine Boisvert, this committee is adding a force and an energy that goes forward and that will identify itself specifically.
Guy Laporte, vice-president for 5 years, explained that when he accepted to take this position, no one came forward. He thought it was going to be an uncertain adventure, that he was entering the unknown without knowing if he would be able to take on the role. Then, in hindsight, it was an experience that went beyond his expectations. The board meetings, the files in which he was involved, such as the thematic meetings that were organized and also the meetings with other Urantia associations outside of Quebec. His speech went in the direction of encouraging members to get involved in our association and perhaps on the board. For him, the experience acquired is more than worth it and he strongly encouraged us to take part in the action of our AUQ.
Our outgoing treasurer, Luciano Camellini, also wanted to tell us how much, for him, the experience of having worked on the CA for 2 years contributed to strengthening his sense of belonging and he encouraged us to do the same, that the satisfaction felt was worth much more than the efforts invested.
Marie-Lise Renaud from Quebec came to read what she wrote after a neighbor left her the Book in 2001. Her text is entitled: “The Forgotten Promise”, her reading captivated us with its poetry and an emotion was transmitted in the room. It was the magical moment of the afternoon, we had the feeling that the angels were listening with us and we were a little surprised by a common emotion. Listening to her text and the sensations felt, 2 passages from the book came to mind:
The angels develop an abiding affection for their human associates; and you would, if you could only visualize the seraphim, develop a warm affection for them. Divested of material bodies, given spirit forms, you would be very near the angels in many attributes of personality. They share most of your emotions and experience some additional ones. (UB 113:2.5)
Jesus taught the appeal to the emotions as the technique of arresting and focusing the intellectual attention. He designated the mind thus aroused and quickened as the gateway to the soul, where there resides that spiritual nature of man which must recognize truth and respond to the spiritual appeal of the gospel in order to afford the permanent results of true character transformations. (UB 152:6.4)
Other readers came to share their experiences of being introduced to The Urantia Book and their personal journeys. The meeting ended as convivially as it had begun, with several interesting discussions before everyone left.
I take this opportunity to invite you to attend and take part in next year’s General Assembly. The organization for the 2015 International Congress will be one of the most important topics. The Board of Directors will need all the resources that the members can offer.
It was a very nice day spent in good company.
See you next year.
Robert Cadieux
¶ AUQ General Assembly — February 10, 2013
HELLO DEAR READERS, Quebec’s road conditions allowed 28 people to attend the annual general meeting of the Urantia Association of Quebec, an increase over the previous year with only 23 present. The event took place again this year at the Hôtel Le Dauphin in Drummondville.
The board of directors for the year 2013 is therefore composed as follows: Gaétan Charland president, Guy Laporte vice-president, Éric Martel secretary, Marcel Laporte treasurer, Line St-Pierre in communications.
Two resolutions were adopted in 2012. The first concerns the purchase of a computer to facilitate the secretary’s task. The second resolution concerns the recognition of Maurice Migneault as archivist, this function will now be attached to the secretariat, this important work had been done until now in the shadows by Maurice.
A proposal to increase the annual contribution of the AUQ to $60 per year, effective January 1, 2014, was presented by Édouard Bellerive and was adopted unanimously.
Line St-Pierre presented us with the history of the Women’s Committee since its formation in 2011. She elaborated on the initial difficulties, the hopes and the future of this committee, which should eventually transform into a Movement thanks to the international ramifications it has. Line, you have our full support.
Here are the main AUQ projects presented by Gaétan.
The first project focuses on changing the dynamics of study groups in order to broaden the readership and encourage leadership initiatives. This new direction proposes that study groups wishing to get involved produce presentations on themes of an intellectual nature, not just spiritual ones. These presentations can then be presented to other study groups interested in hosting them. This project involves a list of steps to be taken: (1) producing a list of themes that are consistent with the objectives of the AUQ, (2) producing a list of study groups interested in developing presentations, (3) producing a list of groups interested in hosting presentations made by other study groups, (4) establishing a schedule of availability of presenters and groups that want to host them, (5) planning an annual general meeting, (6) establishing a strategy for saving the presentations produced for easy access for later use. May this new direction further energize the study groups.
The second project involves sponsoring remote readers, in this case those from Haiti, in order to provide them with the essential support for their development as an association of readers of The Urantia Book. This initiative is intended to be a cooperation with a remote region sharing the same language.
The third project will take place in Chicago. It is an International Symposium to study the assistance and supports needed for the development of study groups around the world.
Finally, the fourth project, but not the least, is the announcement of the 2015 UAI International Congress to be held at Bishops University in Lennoxville, Quebec. The theme is yet to be announced… This great event of international importance supervised by UAI will lead to the creation of several welcoming committees to meet the long list of needs it creates. It is therefore an invitation to those who want to serve, because the list of needs is long. Let us just mention the main needs: transportation of people from the airport to the Bishops University site, translation of documents, accompaniment of needy people, the entertainment committee and many other needs that will be added. The motto of the AUQ being: < TO LOVE IS TO SERVE >; this project is therefore a golden opportunity…
Following these announcements of exciting upcoming projects, the second part of the meeting gave way to the sharing of experiences of several UB readers including: Marie-Lise Renaud, Pierre Routhier, Guy Vachon, Guy Laporte and Claude Boisvert. It is always comforting to know better our brothers and sisters who have the generosity to open their hearts.
Guy Laporte
Vice-president of AUQ
¶ Eternal survival, a winning concept
IS THERE REALLY LIFE AFTER DEATH? Some non-believers put forward the idea that there is no continuation of our material life and that the afterlife is a fiction of the human mind allowing it to reduce the apprehension that the end of existence arouses.
It is difficult to talk about the concept of eternal survival in an age dominated by a strong materialistic current. We live in a society that seeks tangible proof and, for some, believing in the afterlife requires an almost impossible leap of faith.
For those who have evolved in an environment where God is present and alive, this problem does not arise. But the times to which we belong are very different; speaking of God, today, has become taboo in many circles. In these circumstances, faith can be seen, by some, as something strange and difficult to understand. For this reason, presenting the advantages of the concept of eternal survival to those whose faith is weak or almost non-existent allows us to approach spirituality from a more concrete angle, that of reason and logic. By explaining the function and usefulness of this concept, we make it reasonable and this gives an intellectual basis on which faith can rely and then grow. In this text, we will see that the concept of life after death is entirely plausible and reasonable and that beyond its spiritual implications, it is a logical and winning choice not only for the individual, but also for society.
Belief in eternal survival, as The Urantia Book presents it, gives great meaning to our earthly life. Indeed, everything we do here elevates or degrades our intellectual and spiritual status in the hereafter. Working to improve ourselves in this life allows us to bypass certain morontia spheres, those intermediate worlds that function to correct our defects and make up for the shortcomings of our earthly career. The efforts we make now have a direct bearing on our status in the next life. Furthermore, the belief in survival gives us hope to which we can cling when the time comes to leave this world for the next. Otherwise, the experience of death, through which we all must pass, could prove to be traumatic.
On the other hand, not adhering to the concept of life after death makes it difficult to give meaning to the existence of individuals. Indeed, why make the effort to acquire knowledge, seek beauty, improve oneself and become good if all of this is to perish with the human body? There is no logic in making the necessary efforts to grow and develop if our earthly life is only a dead end. This philosophy, as one might expect, destroys the impulse to become better; it is depressing for the individual and it does not push him to improve himself. This has consequences for society. Indeed, such a philosophy pushes the individual to live for himself, to make the most of it, and often without regard for others, before disappearing. The presence of too many of these individuals can put the survival of a society in danger and can lead to its collapse; Imagine for a moment that our society was composed mainly of people like those we see parading at the Charbonneau Commission right now—this investigation conducted to counter collusion in the construction industry in Quebec—and you will have a small idea of the pandemonium we would be plunged into. A society cannot survive and prosper when its members are diverted from the intellectual and spiritual fulfillment of the self. The quality of individuals is a guarantee of the quality of the group; we have an interest in protecting the concept of life after death since it encourages each human being to become better, thereby ensuring the quality of the whole as well as its survival.
Some people argue that we don’t need a God who maintains the survival of creatures, that doing good around us and inspiring others amply justifies our life on earth. Certainly, it is a fine example of human philanthropy, but would existence only serve to make our meager contribution to the universe and then disappear into nothingness? Personally, I refuse to believe in this conception of a mechanical universe that demands everything from its members, without ensuring their personal survival. I am against the vision of a universe that demands the best from each of us and then throws us away like common garbage when our race is over. I don’t see why I would contribute to improving a universe of an egocentrism that nothing can soften. Rather, I see the universe created by God as a great school of life where the accomplishments and successes of each individual are added to the growing experience of the whole, a universe that takes care of providing what we need to grow and ensure our personal survival. This, I believe, is the most beautiful partnership that can exist between human beings and God.
Belief in survival allows us to give a deeper meaning to our existence and softens the anxiety related to the approach of death. Let us reflect for a moment. Suppose that the afterlife exists—and personally, I adhere to this postulate—we will wake up on the shores of the first world of mansions with the satisfaction of having made the right choice. If it turns out that the afterlife does not exist and that it is nothingness, we will still have benefited from the benefits of this belief; our mortal life will have been better oriented and the passage of death, more bearable; we are winners all along the line. Conversely, not believing in survival gives us no comfort as death approaches and empties of all meaning the life we lead and everything we undertake here below; with this atheistic conception, we lose all along the line.
Reflecting on the pros and cons of these two diametrically opposed visions, it is easy to understand that we have an interest in protecting and promoting the idea of eternal survival, and this, for the well-being of individuals and society.
Marc Belleau
¶ National meeting in France of French-speaking readers of The Urantia Book 2013
The AFLUB (Association Francophone des Lecteurs du Livre d’Urantia) invites you to participate in its national meeting which will take place from Thursday March 14 at 6 p.m. to Sunday March 17 at 2 p.m. at the Domaine de Chales Route de Saint Viâtre — 41600 — Nouan le Fuzelier, France
The theme of this meeting around which we will work will be:
“Freedom and Free Will”
What is it? Why? Individually or socially. Implication and consequences, on the three levels, material, mental and spiritual.
For details and prices, contact Max Masotti: lectorat@urantia.fr Hoping to see many of you at this fraternal meeting linked to the teachings and values of The Urantia Book,
Yvan Stol, president
to value
¶ STUDY GROUPS
THIS ACTIVITY ALLOWS MULTIPLE READERS OF DIFFERENT LEVELS OF UNDERSTANDING to share and study together the teachings of The Urantia Book. It promotes spiritual progress by allowing its participants to find practical applications to the teachings of The Urantia Book in their daily lives. This important practice helps to maintain a broad perspective on 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: 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
The Partners of the Supreme
Monday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Quebec region
Richard Lachance
Tel: (418) 614-2520 or (418) 933-0244 (cell)
At Maisonia
Every two weeks on Monday from 7:15 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Quebec region
Gilles Bertrand & Louise Renaud
Tel: 418-871-4564
Group: Uni-Terre
Every Sunday from 9:00 a.m.
Lanaudière region
Eric Martel
Tel: 450-756-9387
Group: Laurantia
Every Sunday from 9:00 a.m.
Petite Nation region in Outaouais
Denise Charron & Jean-Claude Lafreniere
Tel: 819-983-2113
Group: The Precursors of Divine Reality
Every two weeks on Tuesday from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Laurentides region
Mrs. Johanne Séguin
Tel: 819-327-3237
Group: Sans Frontiére
Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m.
Hawkesbury region
Yvon and Irene Belle-Isle
Tel: 613-632-5706
Group: from Outaouais
Sunday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Ottawa Region
Maurice Migneault
Tel: 613-789-6833
Group: The Alphée Brothers
Sunday
Thetford Mines region
Sylvère Marcoux
Tel: 418-332-3560
Group: The South Shore Lighthouse
Every Monday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
South Shore region of Montreal
Luciano Camellini and Dominique Marchessault
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.