© 1993 Chilufya M.K.Tompson
© 1993 The Fellowship for readers of The Urantia Book
Chilufya M.K.Tompson, Kitwe Zambia, Editor
April 14, 1992
Rockford, IL, USA
Dear spiritual sister in Jesus, Chilufya,
Thank you for sharing your spiritually inspiring message of/from our true living, loving Father God, Jesus!! In The STUDY GROUP HERALD, Vol. 1, No. 2, P. 18.
Georgia, my wife, and I lived in Madagascar, Tananarivo area when I worked in electronics at the N.A.S.A. tracking station in 1965-1971. We flew through Nairobi and Djbouti on Air France many times. During this time we were leaming the truth that we are all spiritual brothers and sisters in our Master, Jesus!!
This is a beautiful poem that I found:
COMPANIONSHIP
No distant Lord have I,
Loving afar to be.
Made flesh for me
He cannot rest
Until He rests in me.
I need not journey far
This dearest friend to see.
Companionship is always mine
He makes His home with me.
I envy not the twelve.
Nearer to me is He.
The life he once lived here on Earth
He lives again in me.
Ascended now to God
My witness there to be
His witness here am I
Because His Spirit dwells in me.
O Glorious Son of God,
Incarnate Deity,
I shall forever be with thee
Because Thou art with me.
—By Maltbie Davenport Babcock, 1858-1901
If you wish to share more, either personally or contribute truth gems (prose, poetry, artwork) in our worldwide “Now Highlights for Truthists,” I would be very pleased and happy to share more with you.
Peace and progress in Jesus’ love, light, and life eternal,
Your brother, Dave (David L. Strang)
ED. NOTE: If you wish to receive David’s newsletter, Now Highlights for Truthists, write: The Jesusonians Study Group Fellowship, 2326 Hecker Ave. Rockford, IL 61103-4032, U.S.A. (There is no charge for this subscription.)
May 10, 1992
Rosemont, Montreal, Canada
Dear Chilufya,
I received your letter asking for details of our study group, Les Pre-Morontiens. The group is very small. Only two persons since my husband died of cancer March 13, 1992. We meet every Wednesday night from 7:00-9:00 P.M. We read in The Urantia Book and sometimes stop if we have remarks or questions about our readings. This we have done for fifteen years. Besides, I read six pages of The Urantia Book every day with the result that I read the book every year once. I believe in the U. Book teachings. I believe also in God.
Yours in our Father’s care,
Roxane Proulx
May 5, 1992
Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
Greetings from Los Angeles,
Dear Chilufya,
I just got “The Herald,” Vol. 1, No. 2, and I saw your photo and read your “Message to My Soul.”
I’ve been reading The Urantia Book since 1973 but have been out of contact with other Urantians since 1980 . I am the single parent of three children, ages 23,16 , and 14 . I am in need of [contact with] other Urantians. Due to an accident some years ago, I am unable to attend study groups at this time.
Since I am housebound for now, I would like to get some international pen pals.
In the last year I have made much progress with the help of art therapy. I paint angels and work with potters clay. My children haven’t re The Urantia Book although they know much of from me. Please print my name and address others the world over can write to me. There mu be other Urantians who are isolated and ne contact.
Keep smiling and God bless us all,
Karen Johnson
3264 Shelby Drive
Los Angeles, CA90034
To International Readers,
Recommended Method of Reading The Urantia Book:
- UB 195 — UB 196 The last two papers of the book entitled, “After Pentecost” and “The Faith of Jesus.”
- UB 71:6 — the three paragraphs on “The Profit Motive.”
- UB 132:5 entitled, “Counseling the Rich Man.”
- UB 100, UB 101, UB 102, UB 103 — the papers called, “Religion in Human Experience,” “The Real Nature of Religion,” “Foundations of Religious Faith,” and “The Reality of Religious Experience.” (Although at first glance, this sequence may seem t have no continuity to it, it will, in fact, give would-be reader some idea of what this extremel complex book is all about.)
- Part IV, “The Life and Teachings of Jesus” starting on UB 120:0.1.
- Part III, “The History of Urantia” startin on UB 57:0.1.
- Part II, “The Local Universe” starting or UB 31:9.1.
- The Central Universe and the Super universes.
- The Foreword — this is probably the mos difficult portion of the book to understand.
Cultivating the Heart of Compassion
A man in Madras asked me if I would like to celebrate his birthday the next day. I said I would and he asked me to be ready at 7:30 A.M. sharp. It seemed a strange hour to celebrate a birthday, but I was there and waiting. I joined him and his family in his car and proceeded to "the birthday party.’ He drove across the city to the poorest ashram in Madras - it houses the poorest of the poor, who are also old, sick, or mentally disturbed. They all stood about with tin plates.
Inside the trunk of my friend’s car were huge pots of rice and 'dal (lentils) and steaming vegetables prepared by the family during the night. Each family member and I were given a pail and ladle, and we served over 200 people. When we were finished, my friend said, “What a wonderful birthday party! Thank you for hetping me celebrate.” - Ram Dass
Submitted by Marven Gibson, Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A.
May 21, 1992
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Dear Ms. Thompson,
I have just today received your letter dated April 20, 1992. I moved from Winnipeg to Ottawa several months ago.
Thank you so much for writing me. I am very pleased that the International page is being developed. The STUDY GROUP HERALD has the potential to become a forum for all readers’ contributions!
I have enclosed a photograph of our study group taken just a few weeks ago. We were very fortunate to have a reader from Nigeria with us that evening and he was returning the next day back to Nigeria.
Our study group meets once a week on Tuesday evenings and we read a paper during a meeting. We begin by having a short meditation time — generally broken up by the many children playing either downstairs or outside. We take turns reading and discuss the content as we go. Our study group has a mixture of new readers and longtime readers and this format allows for a lot of sharing of ideas and thoughts. This group devised their own game based on The Urantia Book and finds it to be a great study aid. I may be available at the International Conference in 1993.
You probably are aware of the International Conference being held at St. Hyacinthe, near Montreal, Canada. I am the chairperson for “Family Experience” at the Conference (It is the children’s level of the conference). Brent St. Denis who I live with is the chairman of the conference.
The theme of the conference is “Touch the World.” The objectives are to promote interaction, spiritual intimacy, and sharing among the participants. The accent is on family living. The conference begins July 31 and runs until August 5, 1993. Our hope is that we will have a positive effect on the realization of the brotherhood of mankind on Urantia.
We want very much for this to be a truly international conference. It is very important to have readers from all over the world attend. We are currently looking at ways to subsidize international travel expenses.
If I can be of assistance to you in any way please do not hesitate to call. Your work with The STUDY GROUP HERALD is very much appreciated.
In fellowship and with love,
Julie Dubuc
April 19, 1993
Victoria, British Columbia
To The STUDY GROUP HERALD,
I must write with encouragement and a warm hug of gratitude and grace to you in your humble ministry. Your most recent issue came at a time of sickness and depression for me and within moments of beginning to read its contents, I was overwhelmed with a feeling of communion and fellowship from all parts of my Urantian family. I am reminded to look beyond my own limitations and struggles and see that I am not alone - that the spiritual brotherhood of faith children of the Living Father are my companions on this sometimes chaotic journey. This revelation of truth is definitely destined to alter the course of human evolution. Those pictures of our African brothers and sisters were a great blessing and filled me with a light and hope and a desire for fellowship. I must now share a few words for Chilufya and her brothers and sisters in faith…
Thank you for the wonderful inspiration and gift of correspondence your long-distance Urantia bulletin board has become! I now feel so connected to a larger manifestation of the Father’s love through your request for assistance in building the kingdom. Our study group has been meeting rgularly here on Vancouver Island for over twenty years, although my wife and I have only been readers for five years, and present here for two. This island in the Pacific northwest is a paradise and we are so thankful to be living here, without the cruel Canadian winter. Our study group meets each Wednesday evening for paperby-paper reading and frequent discussion. My wife and myself have come from an evolutionary religious background, and although we found it too restrictive and stopped attending a couple of years ago, we still hunger for an aspect of prayer, worship and communion that the North American Urantian movement at large often seems reluctant to embrace. I wish you light and life in your study and prayer sessions, and if we are ever in your neighborhood, we will be sure to join you! Do continue your journey and know that you have reached out across the oceans and continents with love and hope!
In Michael’s love and service,
Richard and Julie Mitchell
Members of Circles Study Group
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
