© 2010 Michelle Klimesh, Cristina Seaborn, Tom Choquette
© 2010 The Urantia Book Fellowship
¶ Toward Cosmic Consciousness
The Urantia Book Fellowship will hold its Summer Study Session of 2010 from July 21−26 at Techny Towers, a conference and retreat center located in Chicago’s North Shore. The conference theme, “God Consciousness and Cosmic Morality: Living the Gospel,” has already drawn the attention of a number of experienced readers of The Urantia Book who volunteered to lead workshops that will provide participants the opportunity to engage in in-depth discussion of topics related to that theme. The Fellowship’s Education Committee, responsible for organizing the event, promises to continue the tradition of high quality study experienced last summer.
The three plenary speakers will be Michelle Klimesh, Andre Radatus, and Tamara Wood Strumfeld. Among the workshop presenters will be Angela Thurston, Vicki Arkens, Charles Olivea, David Glass, and Bill and Share Beasley.
Lara Amyx, a member of the Education Committee and the conference program coordinator, says that some of the workshop leaders indicated that they will require advance preparation and pre-registration for their sessions.
Beyond study, there will be ample opportunity for experiences designed to “generate a feeling of fellowship with the divine.” [UB 103:4.1] According to Bobbie Dreier, who is in charge of the conference worship activities, “The campus has spacious and peaceful grounds for reflection and lovely chapels for meditation, prayer, and worship.”
The plenary sessions will open in the spirit of communion, with activities designed to lead us Godward, and the conference will culminate with a morning of inspirational music, poetry reading, meditation, and a remembrance of our Creator brother Michael.
For the first time in recent memory, organized programs will be available for children age three and up. “We felt it was important to do so in order to make the experience available to parents of young children and to the children themselves,” says Lila Dogim, Chair of the Education Committee. If you would like to assist with this program, contact Lila at LDogim@earthlink.net.
The day prior to the beginning of the conference will be made available for a pre-conference retreat or for an organized tour of Chicago.
The Education Committee gathered for a meeting at Techny Towers a few months ago and considers the place to be ideal for the summer gathering. Built in the early twentieth century as a seminary for the Society of the Divine Word, it is today an ecumenical conference center fostering creativity and strategic thinking. For more information on Techny Towers, go to www.Technytowers.org.
¶ President’s Report January 2010
By Michelle Klimesh
Mechanical inventions and the dissemination of knowledge are modifying civilization; certain economic adjustments and social changes are imperative if cultural disaster is to be avoided. This new and oncoming social order will not settle down complacently for a millennium. The human race must become reconciled to a procession of changes, adjustments, and readjustments. Mankind is on the march toward a new and unrevealed planetary destiny. [UB 99:1.1]
In January, the General Council of The Urantia Book Fellowship met in San Francisco. During the formal meeting our Strategic Planning committee led us in a visioning session to explore the topic of dissemination. Co-chairs Phil Taylor and Cristina Seaborn broke us into six circles and gave us time to brainstorm in a small group setting.
When the council gathered together to share the results of our visioning, I noticed that two ideas repeatedly came to the discussion. First was the need to stay on top of trends in technology and communication. “Cutting edge” “constantly adapting” “continuous innovation” “staying on top of technology” were some of the phrases people used.
This set me to thinking. How do we incorporate perpetual improvement into the Fellowship system? How do we keep the Fellowship on the cutting edge of an ever-changing pool of potentials? How do we hold true to our shared values that must never change, while embracing the constant change we need to stay viable and relevant in the decades to come?
I know how to design a business that holds fast to core principles while embracing experimentation and new ideas, but how do we incorporate this into the Fellowship? I invite you to pray about this subject with me in the months to come.
The second theme that interested many of our small groups was the idea of engaging young people in the revelation. The topic of young people came up for Council deliberation later in the meeting, when we unanimously approved the formation of an ad hoc committee for youth. Committee chairman Tom Choquette intends to develop this committee into a permanent standing committee. Tom has long been devoted to drawing young people into a love of truth; his involvement with the Fellowship is a blessing on many levels.
I’d like to suggest that the topics of continuous innovation and engaging young people are related. Both require us to look at the present moment with an eye to the future, and to focus on how the systems we build today will shape our reality tomorrow.
In closing, let’s ponder what our friend Tim Hobbs says, “What are we doing today that will be relevant two hundred years from now?”
¶ International News
The Urantia Book Presented at UFO Conference in Ecuador
Two of our most active readers from Latin America, Agustin Arellano from Mexico and Nelida Oliver from Ecuador/Argentina were recently invited to give presentations about The Urantia Book at the 5th International Congress of Exobiologia (the study of extraterrestrial life) in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Eight countries were represented including six from Latin America, the United States, and Turkey.
One of the main organizers of the conference, Jaime Rodriguez, is a Urantia Book reader who is very involved with UFO groups and has sponsored radio programs on the revelation. Agustin’s and Nelida’s presentations were very well received with many questions about the relationship of The Urantia Book and life on other planets. Those who attended the conference were very interested in knowing more about the different life forms in the universes and the changes that we as humans would encounter as we progress into the next life, and they took the opportunity to organize and run a Urantia booth with the help of local readers.
At the booth they gave out thirty Urantia Books, copies in Spanish of “Urantia Book Basics,” spiritual vitamins, pins, posters, and stickers. Also, over 1,000 brochures, CDs, and DVDs were distributed. As a result of this form of outreach four new study groups were formed, two in the Guayaquil area for general readers, and for the first time a young readers group for 17 to 29-year-olds led by Fernando Delgado, a 20-year-old reader. Another group will meet in the Sierra area near Quito.
Other activities in Ecuador include the raising of $400 of the $600 needed to pay the legal cost of incorporation for the new Association Salvington Urantia Ecuador. Readers have also started a fund to pay for local study group expenses. Plans are being made to host an International Multilingual Conference in the near future. Nelida started and administers the following websites:
www.urantiaecuador.com/
www.urantiasalvington.ning.com/
www.metroflog.com/Nebea
www.zoomblog.com/blog/urantiamapadecaminos/
¶ Mexico Hosts National Conference
Mexico will be the host country for the 10th National Conference in Mazatlan, Sinaloa, May 7−9, 2010. The gathering was organized by Grupo Orvonton, A.C. and The Urantia Book Fellowship readers. The theme will be the “Local Universe Mother Spirit,” and the conference will be multilingual, in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese. CN10 President is Dulce M. Aguirre.
This is the 9th reunion of the 3 Americas of Urantia Book Readers, and speakers will represent a number of nations. Among them are Maria Aguirre, Augustin Arellano Tirado, Isabel Carmona, Angelica Talamantes, Ricardo Van Dyck, and David Martinez all from Mexico. Other presenters are Nelida Oliver (Ecuador), Rafael Fco. Arlas (Costa Rica), Elyr Silva (Brazil.) Fellowship International Committee members, Buck Weimer, Charlene Morrow, and Dolores Nice will also give presentations.
Further information can be obtained by calling (cell) 0052 1 8115002958, (office) 0052 81 88802105 or e-mailing Agustin Arellano Tirado at orvonton@gmail.com.
¶ Fellowship Committees Need You!
If you are a member of The Urantia Book Fellowship, and you would like to serve on a committee, here are some opportunities. Even if you are not an official Fellowship member, you may serve with a committee as an adjunct.
Here are some openings:
- The Education Committee is looking for adjunct members with an interest in education and who love to write. For further information, contact committee Chair, Lila Dogim, at LDogim@earthlink.net.
- The Publications Committee has an opening and would like someone who enjoys writing and editing. Or volunteer as an adjunct member. Work includes helping with The Mighty Messenger and The Fellowship Herald. Contact committee Chair, Linda Buselli, LJBuselli@sbcglobal.net for details.
- Marketing/PR People Needed - We need volunteers skilled in marketing and Public Relations to help design the Fellowship’s strategy. How do we tell our wonderful story to the world? Please contact Michelle Klimesh at mrklimesh@yahoo.com if you are interested in helping on this team.
¶ We Need Your E-mail
We want to keep the Urantia community informed but we also want to be Green. E-mail communications afford us a wonderful opportunity to do both. We publish an interesting and informative online newsletter called “The Community Update.” It comes out more frequently than our printed publications, covers our recent activities, and includes interesting stories and photos. And because it is published on the internet, it helps us to preserve precious material resources. To receive this great online publication, please forward your e-mail address to: Fellowship@Urantiabook.org. To view recent editions visit www.UrantiaBook.org and select “What’s New.”
¶ More Service Opportunities Available…
A “Service Opportunities List” has now been made available detailing some areas of current need for service within the Urantia readership. Details can be downloaded at: www. urantia.info/service/ServiceOpportunities.pdf.
This list describes possibilities for non-IT folks as well as those requiring a range of IT expertise. Please review this list and consider helping; or, if you know someone who may be able to assist, please let them/us know.
And many thanks to those who have already volunteered!
¶ Pipeline of Light Report
Dear Friends,
Since my last report, Pipeline of Light volunteers have placed eighty-seven copies of The Urantia Book into nineteen countries. Your donations to the Pipeline helped us deliver books to readers and study groups in India, Chile, Mexico, Nepal, Belize, Colombia, Honduras, Ukraine, Spain, Malaysia, Nigeria, Cyprus, the United States, Turkey, El Salvador, Japan, England, and Venezuela.
Book totals by language this quarter included 3 Russian, 54 Spanish, 28 English, and 2 French translations.
This quarter’s placements bring our Pipeline all-time totals to 2,499 books placed into 67 countries around the world.
We deeply appreciate your continuing financial help. If you would like to contribute to this work, donations can be made online at https://urantiabook.sitespace.com/support or by mail to The Urantia Book Fellowship, PO Box 6631, Broomfield, CO 80021.
Thank you so much for your support!
Michelle Klimesh, Pipeline Coordinator
¶ Harness The Spiritual Revolution In Your Community
By Cristina Seaborn
“Make a World of Difference: Hearing Each Other, Healing the Earth” was the theme of the World Parliament of Religions held in Melbourne, Australia, December 3–9, 2009. The focus was on the spiritual perspectives of native, indigenous, and aboriginal people. With 7000 people in attendance, 355 religions being represented, and 500 workshops, this was an interfaith feast!
This is the fourth Parliament in which the Fellowship has participated. The previous Parliaments were in Chicago 1993; Cape Town, South Africa 1999; and Barcelona, Spain 2004. The Australia and New Zealand readers, ANZURA, sponsored and artfully organized The Urantia Book booth, which the Fellowship, Urantia Foundation, and UAI co-funded.
Top row: Cristina Seaborn, Paula Thompson, Buck Weimer, William Wentworth, Kathleen Swadling, Marvin Gawryn, Trevor Swadling, Jeff Cantin, Verner Verass, James Woodward, Verner Sutter Row 2: Susan Wentworth, Arlene Weimer, Francyl Gawryn, Doug Childers
Bottom row: Meredith Tenney, Ed Harrigan from Alaska, Larry Geis
Twenty five Urantia readers attended the conference. Here are some of their comments:
Paula Thompson has attended every World Parliament since 1993. She said, “It’s a great venue for sharing The Urantia Book because nowhere else could you go to one place and have representatives from virtually all of the religions on earth come to you. Between both groups, 180 books were placed, and we gave away 5,000 spiritual vitamins.” An Indian guru with her whole entourage behind her was walking by and was offered a spiritual vitamin by Arlene Weimer. The whole group then had to get one and read them to one another. One young girl wanted a spiritual vitamin to open every day.
Meredith Tenney co-created a workshop called “A Creative Experience of the Sacred Feminine” with Kathe Schaaf, and Anne Fitzgerald, including a Celtic harpist and women from the Sikh, Jewish, Catholic, and Muslim religions. Francyl Gawryn and I offered a musical meditation to honor the Universe Mother Spirit, while Paula Thompson shared her vision of the loving partnership between Michael and Mother.
Francyl Gawryn said, “I came away with a wonderful feeling of community around the world of people from all walks of life and all faith traditions who look across cultural, social, economic, religious, caste, and ethnic barriers to see in each other the eyes of a brother and a sister. It was particularly hopeful for me to embrace and be embraced by such a vibrant community of intentional and earth/spirit conscious people, and to feel myself one with this great cloud of human beauty.”
Arlene Weimer commented that we were singing and dancing in our apartment (the Contemplation Chant of four major world religions), and that you can’t have harmony if you don’t have diversity.
My favorite workshop was ‘Heaven is Not the Last Stop’ by Urantia Book reader Sheila Keene-Lund, who encouraged us to define our life’s goal, then measure our decisions and actions against that goal. Sheila has since given copies of her book to General Councilors, and it is a great guide for personal spiritual growth.
After this workshop, we met Reverend Peter Ravikumar from Madurai, India, who teaches at a school for the untouchables, the Tamilnadu Theological Seminary. His school may become a contact place for the International Outreach Committee in India. One of my favorite moments was playing music with Francyl Gawryn for two hours in the hallway. A Native man sitting behind us had a stream of visitors getting their moments of wisdom from a sage. I would also like to recommend Steve Rohrbach’s many photos available on the Parliament website, and Larry Geis as hospitality suite coordinator for any event!
Paula, Buck, and I decided we should have a workshop on Jesus outside of the context of traditional Christianity at the next Parliament after noticing hundreds of people being turned away for lack of space from a workshop entitled ‘Life of Jesus: Non-Christian Perspectives’. Buck gave books to two nuns who had been turned away.
Gard Jameson has been invited to Iran to speak. The offer was made at the Parliament World Philosophy Conference in Tehran, for the summer of 2010. He said, “Members of the Tourist Ministry of Iran saw us at the booth, and found out that I taught philosophy at the University of Nevada. We are waiting to hear. The bottom line is The Urantia Book has a lot to offer every tradition on the planet. Its clarification of certain religious ideas is illuminating. The opportunity to interact with members of the Shi’ite community was most educational and insightful. Such interfaith interaction helps to underscore the value of the perspective of The Urantia Book, its ecumenical spirit. The Parliament was a huge blessing to all of us who attended. Hopefully there will be more members of the community who join us next time. The Australians did an absolutely beautiful job in presenting The Urantia Book to the participants who filled the workshop entitled The Urantia Papers - ‘What’s Love Go to Do With It.’ ”
Marvin Gawryn reported to the General Council that “A lot of people have worked really hard in the Parliament with interfaith. The Urantia Book is well respected in a quiet way, and getting known as the Urantia tradition. There is an amazing exchange of ideas. The quality of conversations you have at the Parliament is like no other. We’re familiar with Jesus going to school in Urmia. That’s the flavor as the Parliament moved on in time, this camaraderie that we’re all the same. We are encouraged to have a different path with the sense that we have great unity.”
The most powerful thing I heard at the Parliament was “Harness the Spiritual Revolution in Your Community!” Each one of us can define that in our own way according to where we live, then act on our spiritual impulse. Let’s support the creative translation of the Fifth Epochal Revelation to uplift people with cosmic consciousness!
Religion does need new leaders, spiritual men and women who will dare to depend solely on Jesus and his incomparable teachings. If Christianity persists in neglecting spiritual mission while it continues to busy itself with social and material problems, the spiritual renaissance must await the coming of these new teachers of Jesus’ religion who will be exclusively devoted to the spiritual regeneration of men. And then will these spirit-born souls quickly supply the leadership and inspiration requisite for the social, moral, economic, and political reorganization of the world. [UB 195:9.4]
¶ A Focus on Youth: It’s about time!
By Tom Choquette
I take a particular delight in informing the Urantia Community that The Fellowship has approved a youth and young adult ad hoc Planning Committee. We are going to get serious about disseminating the teachings of The Urantia Book to the youth and young adults of this world. I think that most of us are aware of the fact that we are not attracting young people. If the Fellowship has value, for that matter if any organized group dedicated to the revelation has value, we need to find some way to attract youth into our community. We have been blessed with the Urantia revelation. We have been gifted with some of the most incredible spiritual insight on this planet. Our organization is top heavy with capable individuals. We have everything it takes to be a magnet for the young people of this wayward planet. What we don’t have is a plan. That’s what we are all about, and we need your help.
Over the next few months, the planning committee is going to focus on what is needed in several areas. From a practical perspective we need the help of individuals that have specific talents in administration/co-ordination, IT, youth and young adult educators, marketing and public relations, finance and fundraising. Some of you are aware that Fred Harris and I have worked in developing the Truthseekers over the last 12 years. What you don’t know is that only a few people have funded a huge part of the program. What we are proposing is Truthseekers on steroids, and we are going to need lots of help.
The first segment to tackle as a planning committee is the message, and the manner in which it will be delivered for it to be most effective. We need to develop marketing tools, IT interface, curriculum and training for leaders, specific projects and models that can be introduced into any community sustainably. What we produce needs to be capable of simple replication within any local area that has the support of a Urantia, (Earth) Community, regardless of affiliations.
I close this out with a promise to keep you posted on our progress. If any of you reading this feels moved by the spirit to participate or help in any manner, please contact me at: tomchoquette@ aol.com. The young people of our planet need to know that they are of infinite value. They need to know the truth of their divine heritage. They need some help to recognize that they are the founders of a new world. And we get to help—how cool is that? Love, Tom
Are you a Member of The Urantia Book Fellowship?
Members get benefits like great discounts on Urantia Books and secondary works, but most importantly, they increase their opportunities to share and study the revelation. Become a part of the original social fraternal organization of believers in the Fifth Epochal Revelation. Join the Fellowship. It’s easy and free. http://www.urantiabook.org/Admin_Public/UBF_App_for_Individual_Membership.pdf
¶ GC in San Francisco
We came together
- Front row: Cece Forrester, Linda Buselli, Janet Falbo, Lila Dogim, Steve Dreier
- 2nd row: Emilio Coppola, Susan Cook, Al Lockett, John Hales
- 3rd row: Dolores Nice, Michelle Klimesh, Barry Clark, Avi Dogim, Janet Graham
- 4th row: Jo Ann Wiedman, Cristina Seaborn, Buck Weimer, Marvin Gawryn, Thomas Orjala
- 5th row: Lara Amyx, Phil Taylor, Paula Thompson, Merritt Horn, Lenny Cowles, Bob Bruyn
- Last row: Michael Challis, Tim Hobbs, John Hay, Charles Olivea, Jack Kane, Tony Finstad, Tom Choquette Not in photo: Robert Burns, Charlene Morrow, Ken Raveill, Gary Deinstadt
We Deliverate, We Visioned, We Socialized, We Worshiped
¶ This N’ That
Upcoming events…
- May 7−9, 2010 - 10th Annual Multi-lingual Conference, Mazatlan, Mexico. For further information call (cell) 0052 1 8115002958 or e-mail Agustin Arellano Tirado at orvonton@gmail.com.
- July 1−5, 2010 - United Urantia Family Festival, Montreal, PQ, Canada. For information go to www.urantiafamily.org.
- July 21−26, 2010 - Urantia Book Fellowship Summer Study Session, Chicago, IL. For further information, contact Lara Amyx at lara10@bellsouth.net. Note: registration form in this issue.
- July 29−Aug. 1, 2010 - UB The News Conference, “Education for Outreach” Boulder, CO For further information, www.ubthenews.com/Education_for_Outreach.htm.
- Aug. 20−22, 2010 - “Heart of the Mountains” Retreat, Valle Crucis, NC near Boone. For information go to seretreat2010@yahoo.com.
¶ The Mighty Messenger Staff
Published by Uversa Press for the Publications Committee of The Urantia Book Fellowship.
Members: Linda Buselli, Chair Cece Forrester David Glass, Nancy Johnson, Sage Waitts
877.288.3772
fellowship@urantiabook.org
www.urantiabook.org