© 2024 Gaétan G. Charland, Robert Cadieux, Mark Blackham, Claudette Gonthier, Claude Flibotte, Éric Tarissan, Daniel Swadling, Francine Fortin
© 2024 Urantia Association of Quebec
¶ Summary
- Election of a new AUQ vice-president at the 2024 AGM by Robert Cadieux
- The importance of organizational unity by Gaétan Charland
- What is Faith? by Mark Blackham
- Comments on the meeting of the annual general assembly of the Urantia Association of Quebec by Claudette Gonthier
- Update of “Unity Initiative” by Gaétan Charland
- Reflections on the soul of Jesus and his destiny! by Claude Flibotte
- Who is God? by Éric Tarissan
- ANZURA Annual Conference 2023 Report by Daniel Swadling
- Prayer vs. worship by Francine Fortin
¶ Word from the President June 2024
Gaetan G. Charland
president@urantiaqc.organique
Dear readers and esteemed members of the association,
While spring has barely begun, summer already seems to be just around the corner. It is undeniable that time flies by at a dizzying speed. This perception of time varies from one person to another, but it is commonly accepted that the older we get, the more time seems to escape us at a frantic pace. This phenomenon, which I call relative time, could be the subject of a conference in its own right.
Rather than dwelling on the theory of the relativity of time, let’s focus on how we can make the most of this time that is slipping away from us. Many people dedicate their retirement to volunteering, finding meaning and a reason for living. As a student of revelation, it would be a shame to let this precious time slip away without giving back what we have so generously received.
¶ Spotlight Series
The Urantia Book contains many fascinating teachings that deserve a closer look. Our speakers will highlight one of these interesting topics. This will be followed by a discussion with the audience.
Join Georges Michelson-Dupont who will explore the following topic
I AM
First part: Sunday April 21
Second part: Sunday May 19
Part three: Sunday June 16
TIME: 4 p.m. in Paris and 10 a.m. in Quebec
ZOOM LINK: https://urantia-org.zoom.us/j/86524722735
Please log in ten minutes before the scheduled time.
Since the dawn of time, man has sought to know the origin, history and destiny of the universe in which he lives. Science, philosophy and religions have tried to provide valid answers but in vain, always leaving man dissatisfied. By presenting the concept of I AM and its diversification, The Urantia Book reveals to us a rational explanation of the genesis of reality but these concepts are judged by some readers as too intellectual and having little or nothing to do with our daily lives.
In this series of three presentations based on the Introduction and papers 104, 105 and 106, I will endeavor to show that what is “above in eternity” conditions the becoming of what is “below, here on Urantia”, thus giving a new and enlarged perspective of our universal career.
Georges was born in Paris, France, in 1947. He was part of the team that spent fifteen years revising and correcting the French translation.
Georges became a Trustee of Urantia Foundation in September 1995. In 1999, he and Dorothy Elder launched the Urantia Book International School (UBIS), the first online school dedicated to the in-depth study of The Urantia Book. Today, Georges is Urantia Foundation’s International Vice President, Chief Translation Officer, and Director of UBIS.
¶ Election of a new AUQ vice-president at the 2024 AGM
Robert Cadieux
Montreal
Hello dear friends,
At the 2024 general meeting of our association, on May 5, I was elected to the position of vice-president which had become vacant. I thank the members for placing their trust in me. I also thank André Pominville who held this position for the last 2 years and who maintained a primary interest in working within the board of directors. For my part, I am new, but not quite since I was the secretary from 2015 to 2020 and here I am now vice-president. It is an honor and a great responsibility, because I have a strong desire to maintain this living dynamic that stimulates me. I am the youngest arrival in a well-established team that works wholeheartedly for the emancipation of this formidable revelation of the time. I will do my best to help and serve spiritual progress.
The Urantia movement with its readers and those who labor to spread the good news of the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man has an irresistible appeal to sincerely searching souls for truth, and I, like you, am one of them.
¶ The CHRIST EXPERIMIENT’S — The School of Ambassadors
The Ministry of the Master, is a self-managed training offered by the School of Ambassadors opening new perspectives for sharing what you know about the book in a natural way and without offending people who want to know more about divine reality.
Here is the students’ testimony:
It is a very powerful course which reminded me of all the riches of divine teachings and particularly those of the Master! My inner life has gained in intimacy with the Father and with the son and my will to do the will of God has been consolidated!
It is a step forward towards the responsibility of brotherhood among us through the example of Jesus and thanks to the love that the Father gives us.
This course is transformative. It gives us a taste for serving in brotherhood and in the love of the Father who is the supreme reality. It is transformative, but at the same time it leads us to want to do the will of God.
Click the “Register” link and make a difference in your approach to others.
¶ Picnic for the feast of Jesus
Invitation for Sunday
August 18, 2024 from 11 a.m.
Invitation for Sunday August 18, 2024 from 11 a.m.
Come celebrate the feast of Jesus on Mount Royal in Montreal
near Beaver Lake and the restaurant
¶ The Mount Royal Pavilion 2000 Remembrance Road, Montreal, QC H3H 1X2
(Follow the signs with concentric circles)
Paid parking nearby.
We look forward to greeting you and sharing.
Bertin Perron and Julien Audet
¶ The importance of organizational unity
Gaetan Charland
Boucherville
Many members of various Urantia organizations, as well as students of the revelation, as well as our members, may wonder why the unification of our two Urantia organizations, Urantia Association International and the Urantia Book Brotherhood, is so important, so crucial. A recent survey conducted by Urantia Association revealed that an overwhelming majority—92.3 percent of respondents—are in favor of unity. While many of us pray for unity within the Urantia movement, we may not fully understand what this unity will require of each of us, and of the two associations involved in this unification process.
Unity is not simply a matter of concern for the welfare of the organizations involved; it has a significant impact on the mission of revelation in the world. Why is this so? To answer this, we must ask the right questions. Consider what the young Jesus pondered when faced with important decisions: “As the years went by, this young carpenter from Nazareth increasingly measured every institution of society and every use of religion by the invariable test: What does it do for the human soul? Does it bring God closer to man? Does it bring man closer to God?”
¶ What is faith?
Mark Blackham
Port Alberni, Vancouver Island
We often think of faith as a religious doctrine: the beliefs, rules, and rituals embodied in an organized religion, such as the Christian faith, the Muslim faith, or the Buddhist faith. Faith can also refer to different branches or sects of these religions, such as the Catholic faith, the Sunni faith, or the Theravada faith.
When used in this way, faith defines a system of religious rules, ideologies, and traditions. If you want to affiliate with a particular religious group, you must believe what they believe and do what they do.
But when faith is defined (or confined) in this way, it is not spiritually productive. Whenever we accept dogmatic teaching as the whole truth, it can inhibit our spiritual sensibilities; it can restrict our thinking and, therefore, inhibit our search for enhanced spiritual meanings or blind us to the full extent of spiritual realities.
¶ Comments on the meeting of the annual general assembly of the Urantia Association of Quebec
Claudette Gonthier
secretary of the AUQ
On May 5, 2024, our annual general meeting of the Urantia Association of Quebec took place at the Hôtel le Dauphin in Drummondville. We would like to thank the 25 people including the five participants on Zoom for attending this meeting. The agenda was rather busy. The report on activities for the year 2023 was given, as well as upcoming projects for the year 2024. Marc Belleau, our treasurer, presented to us, always with his usual great professionalism, the financial report for the year 2023.
There were two elections during this assembly. Claudette Gonthier will continue her role as secretary for a new term. Robert Cadieux was elected without opposition to the position of vice-president.
This meeting took place in fraternity. The love was palpable in the room for this in-person meeting long desired by all participants. The relational exchanges were numerous.
¶ Update of “Unity Initiative”
Gaetan Charland
Boucherville
For several years, Fellowship President Sue Seccombe has been discussing with our President, Enrique Traver, ways for the Association and the Fellowship to collaborate. In October 2023, the Fellowship General Council approved a resolution establishing a “Committee on Unity” to explore and make recommendations regarding “the details and options…of next steps on unity between [our] two organizations.” The Fellowship selected their Committee members, who were approved at their General Council meeting in February 2024.
In February, the Association approved the creation of a Special Committee on Unity, granting it the authority to continue discussions with the Fellowship with a view to unifying our two organizations. The members of our Committee are Gaétan Charland (Canada), chair of the committee, Michael Zehr (United States), Andrés Rodriguez (Colombia), Chris Moseley (United Kingdom), and Susan Owen (United States). The committee met virtually on April 29 to get to know each other and discuss the benefits and challenges of unity with the Fellowship. A second meeting was held on May 15 to get to know each other better and discuss expectations for this endeavor. No date has been set for the first meeting with the Fellowship.
¶ Thoughts on the soul of Jesus and his destiny!
Claude Flibotte
Sainte-Julie
Hello dear readers! In the introduction to the Urantia Book in section (UB 0:0.2), it is written that this revelation was given to us to expand our cosmic consciousness and enhance our spiritual perception. It is precisely for this purpose that I share with you my thoughts on the destiny of the soul of the human Jesus and the mystery of its possible location. It was after reading booklet 189 on the resurrection of Jesus that I asked myself many questions.
¶ Who is God?
Eric Tarissan
Quebec
Recently I saw a book called “THE 7 QUESTIONS.” I picked it up, opened it, and on the first page there were the seven questions. The first question was, “Who is God?”
And here is what I replied to the person to whom the book belonged:
What a deep, existential, eternal and interesting question!
For as long as I can remember, church and family have always been present in my life. Also having a brother and sister ten years older than me, I had, even before I began to think, the example of the perfect family who go to church and behave as good citizens of this world. Therefore, for as long as I can remember, at least unconsciously at first, God seemed a mystery to me. Who was he really? What was the nature of his identity, his essence and his personality?
¶ ANZURA Annual Conference 2023 Report
Daniel Swadling
Sydney, Australia
(Editor’s note: in order to open our thoughts to the opinions of our brothers and sisters from other countries, we will offer you, on occasion, texts or conferences previously published in another language, but translated into French. Happy reading!)
It was an honour and a privilege to be involved in organising this conference for Urantia Book readers from Australia and New Zealand. It was well attended with people coming from Sydney, Newcastle, the Central Coast, Melbourne, Canberra, Hobart, Adelaide, Western Australia, New Zealand and the USA. Thank you all for coming! We had a great time catching up with old friends and making new ones, engaging with each other and delving deeper into our favourite topics!
The problem we wanted to try to address at this conference was the way we, as readers, talk about the revelation of The Urantia Book with people less familiar with it. And despite being strong believers in its teachings, we seem to lack some of the basic principles and adequate tools or experience to convey its concepts in an engaging way to new readers. We hope that the conversations started at this conference have been helpful and that the topic will continue to be addressed.
¶ Prayer vs worship
Francine Fortin
Quebec
I felt the need to translate from English and share with you this beautiful reflection from Trudi Cooper, a fellow beginner student at Urantia University with whom I participate in the TEP (Teacher Education Program) training.
PRAYER vs WORSHIP
By Trudi Cooper
PRAYER is supplication.
WORSHIP is praise.
PRAYER is for the one who prays.
WORSHIP is for the Creator.
PRAYER goes no further than necessary to get an answer.
¶ Study groups
This activity allows several readers of different levels of understanding to exchange 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 approach allows us to keep a broad point of view on the 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.
The team of your opinion journal Réflectivité would like to give you a voice, so please send us your texts and photos!
Group: “The United Family of Urantia”
Region: Montreal
Mondays, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Diane Labrecque (514) 774-7733
Group: “Découverte”
Region: Montérégie (Boucherville)
Mondays, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Gaétan Charland and Line St-Pierre Tel.: (450) 565-3323
Zoom virtual group. (Find out more)
Group: “Uni-Earth”
Region: Joliette
Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Eric Martel (450) 756-9387
Zoom virtual group. (Find out more)
Group : “Le Pont”
Region: Montérégie (Sainte-Julie)
Wednesdays, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Claude Flibotte (438) 404-6399
Zoom virtual group. (Find out more)
Sherbrooke Group
Region: Sherbrooke
Every 2 weeks: Tuesday or Wednesday, (to be confirmed) from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Helene Boisvenue and Denis Gravelle
Tel.: (819) 569-6416
Study and sharing group: “La chapelle-Maisonnia”
Region: Quebec
Sundays, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Gilles Bertrand & Louise Renaud
(418) 871-4564
Zoom virtual group. (Find out more)
Group: “Urantian Universalists”
Every Monday from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Eastern Time (Montreal)
Responsible: Claude Flibotte (438) 404-6399
Subject: Appendices of W. S. Sadler Jr.
Zoom virtual group. (Find out more)
We would like to get to know you! Study group facilitator, do not hesitate to send us your text and a photo of the group!
To see the official list of study groups in Quebec and elsewhere in the world:
Click directly on the following link: http://urantia-quebec.ca/activites_liste_des_groupes.php
For even more Urantian reading in French, you can follow this link: http://lien.urantia.fr
¶ Journal Réflectivité
| Responsible: | Claude Flibotte, editor-in-chief |
| Assisted by: | Robert Cadieux, proofreader Gilles Bertrand, printing and shipping |
(438) 404-6399 Claude Flibotte
(514) 237-3616 Robert Cadieux
(418) 871-4564 Gilles Bertrand
Monthly publication:
Published on the first day of each month.
To submit your articles:
Send them to: c_flibotte@videotron.ca
Add: your name, city of residence, a photo of you, thank you!
Warning :
Any submission of articles or other becomes the property of the Journal Réflectivité and none will be returned.
We do not guarantee that all articles in our possession will be published in the next Réflectivité Journal.
The opinions expressed by the various participants and presenters are personal and do not reflect any policy or ideology of the Journal Réflectivité.