© 2015 David Kulieke, Lara Amyx, Michelle Klimesh, Guy Perron, Cristina Seaborn, Tony Finstad, Barbara Maier, Dolores Nice, Buck Weimer
© 2015 The Urantia Book Fellowship
¶ UAUS and Fellowship Plan Unified Conference and Summer Study Session
By David Kulieke
In the wake of a joint Urantia Book booth of the Urantia Association International, The Urantia Book Fellowship, and the Urantia Foundation at the October, 2015, Parliament of World Religions in Salt Lake City, planners are busily preparing for another unified venture. They will host a joint conference entitled “Jesus, the Master Teacher,” to be held in San Antonio, Texas, on June 9-12, 2016.
At the international conference of the UAI in July, 2015, President Chris Wood announced that the Urantia Association of the United States would present its 2016 summer conference together with the regularly planned 2016 Summer Study Session of the Fellowship’s Education Committee. The summer study sessions have occurred two out of every three years since the 1970s during the year with no Fellowship international conference. They are designed to enhance in-depth and high quality study of the teachings of The Urantia Book.
Chris had approached David Kulieke, the Fellowship Education Committee chair, in the spring. Chris saw an opportunity for a combined conference based on the intended theme for the UAUS summer conference of training teachers and leaders. He and David had several conversations and exchanged emails on the subject, eventually bringing in for consultation Michael Challis, newly elected president of the Fellowship, as well as securing the approval of both the Fellowship and UAI organizations.
David feels, “This is a wonderful opportunity for further unity among readers, and we want to take advantage of Chris’s leadership and everything he and Lila Dogim did to enhance our cooperation during the past three years. I’m excited about the conference even while we make certain that we maintain the 40-year tradition of the summer study sessions and our progress in enhancing education in the Urantia movement.”
Katrina Glavan-Heise of San Antonio and the Lone Star Urantia Association has been hard at work for months in charge of site relations, registration, and other logistics. She said, “Readers will have a chance to meet with friends they haven’t seen in a long while and make new friendships while studying and learning about another aspect of Jesus, The Master Teacher.”
The program committee recently met for the first time. Its chair is Sherry Layton, an adjunct member of the Fellowship Education Committee who was on the SSS15 committee in anticipation of chairing SSS16. Other core planners include David Glass, David Linthicum, and Neda Tehrani. They will be seeking plenary speakers, workshop leaders, worship leaders, and other
people to contribute to the program. These sessions will explore how Jesus taught, how he led, and other areas of the Master’s life that can contribute to our work and to our understanding of the teachings.
Sherry commented, “We honor the heavenly Father and our creator brother by striving to enhance our desire to recognize and do the Father’s will in unity—to love one another and serve one another according to the Father’s way. In keeping with this high and noble spiritual ideal, it is a blessing to be able to serve in unison with my brothers and sisters as we give glory to God once more for his mercy, faithfulness, and abiding love.”
Both Urantia Association United States and The Urantia Book Fellowship hope to see many people at the conference/summer study session to celebrate “Jesus, the Master Teacher” as well as the enduring friendships of readers of The Urantia Book.
An announcement regarding workshop applications will be made shortly by the Fellowship Education Committee.
¶ Joe Lizska: A Special Memory
A few weeks ago, a wonderful friend and Fellowship supporter, Joe Lizska, left for the mansion worlds. Joe will be remembered by many readers as a great companion and fascinating personality.
Joe had a special interest in Fellowship publications. In the late 1990s, he and Avi Dogim created the present Publications Committee format of the Mighty Messenger and the Herald. And Joe personally selected the current template of the Mighty Messenger which he donated to the Fellowship. He continued to take a special interest in, and support of, the various activities of the Fellowship.
He was a founding member of the Orvonton Society in 1961, shortly before he moved to Key West. There, he and a friend established a company that contributed greatly to the business community and tourism growth of Key West.
Joe had the ability to make others feel at home with him, to laugh, and to just enjoy a great conversation. He will be missed.
¶ What Would Your Life Be Like Without The Urantia Book?
By Lara Amyx
It’s that time of the year again when we reflect back and anticipate the future. I remember when I first found The Urantia Book and began to discover these life giving and saving truths. My views of life, eternity, and God were forever expanded. I was amazed at how unique and important I am to the Father and the Supreme, and yet only a small part of the whole. I can still remember the “ring” of truth that went through my entire being as I read this amazing Revelation. I then began my search for others who were having the same experience, as my yearning to share in these truths opened my heart.
Do you remember your first Summer Study Session or conference? Remember the excitement of being around hundreds of people who had also discovered the truth about the Father! As I got to know other readers I fell in love. I was astounded by all the great work being done. I met people who were laboring to create events, working outreach booths at fairs, and traveling to foreign countries to share this revelation. A whole host of dedicated people work on our many publications both in print and online. There were also those who did phone and internet ministry by answering questions, being available for and reaching out to those in need.
It seems that this revelation community we have created transcends time and space. A year can pass without us seeing each other, but the moment we come back together we are instantly connected, as though no time has passed. Reflecting back I realize that my deepest and most precious relationships have come from this community.
The deeper my involvement with the Fellowship, the more amazed I am with this organization and the devoted individuals who work so hard with so little. They continue to inspire me.
I wonder what our lives would be like if, for the last 60 years there had been no Urantia Brotherhood or Urantia Book Fellowship. The thought of it leaves me feeling a little empty and hollow. It makes me recognize the importance of our individual responsibilities, our obligations to make sure the Fellowship continues these valiant efforts at outreach, study and simply brining us together. Only we can ensure that The Urantia Book Fellowship is here, continually recreating & renewing our community, that “spiritual home” that we all recognize when we are together.
We all have a story that somehow led us here. What would your life be like today if this community wasn’t here when your inner light came on? The support of each member of our organization is vitally important in helping our community continue to grow and serve. We are a religious non-profit and we exist because of the support of friends like you. Without you, we cannot grow and expand this revelation or this community.
Please join us in this thrilling adventure by giving generously.
To select a method of donation, go to the Fellowship website, fellowship@ urantiabook.org and press the Donate link. Or mail a check to The Urantia Book Fellowship, P.O. Box 6631, Broomfield, CO, USA.
¶ From the President
I took office July 12, 2015. It has been a whirlwind since then. Continuing the ongoing work that has been increasingly bearing fruit, I have met, called, or had face to face discussions with Chris Wood, President of Urantia Association International and Mo Siegel, President of Urantia Foundation. We have agreed to have quarterly president’s calls or in person meetings with the goal of fostering joint cooperation and support between our organizations for our Urantia community.
One of the first fruits of that spirit of organizational cooperation was the event in October, where a joint booth was sponsored and staffed by all three organizations at the Parliament of World Religions in Salt Lake City. To quote Fellowship Interfaith chair Cristina Seaborn, “With seven Urantia Book related workshops, 4 booths, and 120 Urantia Book readers at the Parliament, people came hungry and ready to the booth.”
Next up is a joint national conference and Summer Study Session, with the UAUS and The Urantia Book Fellowship’s Education committee June 9-12 at Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas.
October 2nd through the 4th the Executive Committee met in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. This is in many ways our toughest meeting. It is our budget meeting, where every committee and officer must face the challenges of our financial constraints. This year our budget was more than thirty percent lower than the previous year. We realized we have to be more forthright in asking our community to support us and in publishing and enlisting that community in our ongoing work. You will see that in the coming year as we use all means to communicate what the Fellowship is doing with your support.
On October 3rd it was our pleasure to charter and visit the newest Urantia Book Fellowship society, the Inland Northwest Urantia Society. We really enjoyed the chartering and the party. It is exciting to be growing again. That excitement is accentuated by the increasing participation of young people in our community and our Fellowship.
The Executive Committee had a fruitful face to face strategic planning meeting, ably led by Judicial chair Dana Bredemeyer. One of the most important truths discussed in the strategic planning process is what I hope to accomplish in my presidency. That truth is the idea that the Fellowship is primarily a community with a purpose. That purpose is to provide those moved by the truths of the book in fostering, providing, and encouraging each other in the work of living the truths, and disseminating the truth and book in as many ways as we can.
I appreciate the support and faith you have all provided to me. With God’s help we will accomplish much.
Please continue to support our work.
Michael Challis, President
The Urantia Book Fellowship
From the President
“…in all group relationships we unfailingly provide for definite lesdership.”—Jesus [UB 181:2.16]
¶ Lessons From the Pipeline
By Michelle Klimesh
The Pipeline of Light was the brainchild of David Kantor and Paula Thompson. In 2002, International Committee Chair Kantor saw a need in South America, where books often were listed for sale at a price equivalent to an average month’s pay. David was musing about how wonderful it would be if there could be a flow of books from readers in America to people who could not afford them. Paula loved the idea and came up with the evocative image of “a pipeline of light.” The concept sounded like a good idea to me, so I jumped onboard.
Thirteen years, 5,800 books, eighty-four countries, and countless volunteers later, what have we learned from the Pipeline of Light?
The Pipeline story is an example of:
- the wisdom of responding to human need instead of working top-down
- how vibrant networks form around an idea whose time has come
- how persistence overcomes obstacles
- how consistent attention accrues far-reaching benefits
- how fortuitous connections evolve
- how simple systems, replicated over time, can pay enormous dividends
Pipeline volunteers are some of the most creative problem solvers on earth. It fascinates me to unravel the thread that sends a book to Sri Lanka or Botswana or the Canary Islands. I enjoy hearing from the people who receive books; blessings from Arno the Pagan who is pagan no more; emails about a man in Croatia who was turned on by a Colorado bicycle shop owner who was turned on by a Lithuanian man who sprang a flat tire while visiting the US; requests from an Egyptian concierge who wanted permission to read just a few more days before turning the book over to the library in Cairo; letters from the first recipient of the Italian translation — who sent notes containing an excess of exclamation marks (oh!!! Thank you!!! best present ever!!!).
Underlying the happy stories are tedious stories of the grunt work of actually getting physical books into the hands of people who need them. This story includes storing books, boxing books, wrapping books, verifying addresses, and learning how to overcome customs regulations and international postal difficulties. It involves schlepping books to the post office, finding volunteers in the US who are willing to deliver books as they travel, shoving heavy books into suitcases and backpacks and carry on luggage, checking overweight luggage in one direction and empty luggage in the other, and researching expedient and sometimes far-fetched methods of delivering the revelation. The women in the Fellowship office and our international volunteers are faithful and inspiring heroes.
Through the Pipeline of Light, Fellowship workers are seeding the planet one book at a time.
| Afghanistan | Chechnya | Germany | Jamaica | Panama | Togo |
| Algeria | Chile | Ghana | Kenya | Peru | Turkey |
| Argentina | China | Greece | Kyrgyzstan | Philippines | Uganda |
| Armenia | Colombia | Grenada | Lithuania | Poland | Ukraine |
| Australia | Costa Rica | Guinea | Malaysia | Puerto Rico | United States |
| Bahrain | Croatia | Guatemala | Maldives | Romania | Uruguay |
| Bangladesh | Cuba | Haiti | Mexico | Russia | Venezuela |
| Belize | Cyprus | Honduras | Moldavia | South Africa | Yemen |
| Bolivia | Dominican Rep. | Hungary | Myanmar | South Korea | Zambia |
| Botswana | Ecuador | Iceland | Nepal | South Vietnam | |
| Brazil | Egypt | India | New Zealand | Spain | |
| Bulgaria | El Salvador | Indonesia | Nicaragua | Sri Lanka | |
| Cameroon | England | Israel | Nigeria | Switzerland | |
| Canada | Fiji | Italy | Pakistan | Taiwan | |
| Canary Islands | France | Iran | Palestine | Thailand |
¶ Welcome New General Councilors!
Daniel Amyx found The Urantia Book in a bookstore in 1978, and became involved in the Urantia community. He has served as a Founding Member, Vice President, and twice as President of the Florida Students of The Urantia Book, (FSUB), an independent group of readers who held annual conferences in the state of Florida. He also helped develop and was the first president of The Agondonter Boot Camp Society (ABCs) of Florida. He has done presentations on Business Ethics, based on Urantia Book teachings, a presentation on the shift from the informational age to the new paradigm of spiritual community, and a number of collaborative efforts at conferences and retreats. He and his wife Lara own two optical shops in Florida.
Guillermo Deoto Hello, I am Guillermo Deoto (a.k.a. William, Willy, and recently G’mo, thanks Mr. President). I was introduced to The Urantia Book by my science teacher when I was 14, and we read during lunch. Later that year I attended my first meeting, and the following year I went to my first conference. I served as Treasurer for Florida Students of The Urantia Book for 15 years and I am the current Treasurer of the Agondonter Boot Camp Society of Florida (ABCs.) I hope that my service with the Fellowship will further its cause, strengthen its resolve, and modify that which it may need.
Cabot Eudaly I had a candle-sized experience in which I gave up my old ideas about God and started from scratch with my own understanding of Him. When I described my conception of God to a friend, he said that he had a book I would like to read. I do some structural engineering (buildings), go to several meetings (church, AA, Urantia) since the empty nest (2 sons, 20 and 21). My vision is to integrate the Fellowship as the US or North American branch of the UAI, renaming all as the Urantia Brotherhood.
Canadian born, André Radatus emigrated to Denver in 1980 to teach learning-difference youngsters in a school founded and fostered by three Urantia Book students where he taught for 15 years. Recently, he spent a year and a half immersed in the French language and Québec culture studying Le Livre d’Urantia with francophone readers in the Laurentians. He has returned “home” to the Front Range of Colorado and currently is utilization analyst for an organic dairy in Boulder. The Urantia Book’s truths have spoken compellingly to André since 1976. He has attended study groups regularly and continuously since 1978. André is a trustee, Curriculum Chair, and instructor for UrantiaUniversity Institute and is a weekly co-host of The Cosmic Citizen on BlogTalkRadio.
Miguel Anoba is a native of Raleigh, NC, and is a singer and musician now living in the Boulder, CO area. A Urantia Book reader for over ten years, Miguel is President of the Rocky Mountain Spiritual Fellowship, and joined the General Council. He loves the mandate of Spiritual Unity and has joined forces with the YaYAs and other fantastic groups in the Fellowship to help spread this amazing revelation to all. He is currently working with the Brighton, CO community to feed and shelter the poor while creating a Urantia Community Center for all peoples. Please contact Miguel for any help needed and to volunteer services for others, at miguelanoba@gmail.com.
Sean Privitera I was introduced to the book in 2006, and my first conference was at Techny in 2011. We have a lot of newer young readers here in Omaha, and usually meet once weekly. I am married and my wife reads with me occasionally. I do Online Marketing by day, and am involved with an online marketing and web design business on the side. I have background in Finance and Accounting and a Master’s in Portfolio Management. I love to bicycle, ski, and surf. My vision for the future is to be as open and available as possible to help grow UB awareness and foster UB communities.
Cecelia Lampley I have been reading The Urantia Book since 1976, and since 1981 my husband and I have had a study group in our home. We have been married since 1976 and have two grown sons. I am a retired Marriage and Family Therapist, and I worked with children and their families for about eight years.
Thomas Pirie I became an earnest Truthseeker in my early twenties, determined to leave no book or theism unexplored until I could put the pieces of the Divine puzzle together. Then, as have so many of us, I saw The Urantia Book on a friend’s coffee table, and literally could not put it down. Now, 42 years later, having bathed my mind and heart with this profound narrative of God’s awesome nature and creation, I’m filled with a sense of gratitude and anticipation for what awaits us. I’m married to a beautiful and loving wife Ruth, and we have two grown sons, Andrew and Matthew, who are both growing in their search for the truth day by day.
¶ Reclaiming the Heart of our Humanity
By Guy Perron
From October 15 to 19, 10,000 religionists from more than 80 countries and 50 different faith paths gathered for this extra-ordinary event that was held in Salt Lake City, Utah. This was the sixth Parliament. The first one occurred in 1893 in Chicago; it was the brainchild of the Swedenborgian layman and judge Charles C. Bonney . Today this first Parliament is recognized as the occasion of the birth of formal interreligious dialogue worldwide.
There were so many opportunities to share and that is exactly what people did. The theme of this year was a call for action for people of all faiths. Each day, thousands of people attended different plenary sessions that were dealing with many social issues that our humanity is facing. But how can we reclaim the heart of our humanity? The Parliament led the participants to be more sensitive to these global issues and be part of the many solutions that were brought forth during the plenary sessions and the different workshops. After years of reflecting, this event was calling each religionist to act and do her/his share in their local community to face these challenges, so together we can help this world claim the heart of his humanity and become and be a better place to live, both individually and collectively. Throughout the event, so many examples were given to us on by the different speakers, real people actually involved in transformative actions dealing with real issues.
We all know that the love of God is manifest through unselfish service to our brethren. The Sikh community gave us a tasty feel for it by offering each day at lunch a delicious free meal to thousands of people.
Many people performed their music and dance throughout the event and it all came to a climax on Sunday night when thousands of attendees gathered at the Tabernacle, the Mormon cathedral, to witness almost 300 persons from all over the world perform their art for over two and half hours. People had the opportunity to go around the globe by just being present to what was unfolding on the stage: Dervish Dancers, child choir, Tabernacle choir, African drummers, Buddhist chanting and more.
Over one hundred Urantia Book readers and students were present at the conference and some of them were asked about their feeling, their impressions. Here are a few words that described what they were able to witness and experience during these five days: compassion, God’s Love, goodness, loving service, love is the feeling, caring, mother Earth, Universal Father, one God, we are one, we are all connected, inspiring, unity in diversity, we are all part of the Supreme.
In closing the event, the organizers announced that while the Parliament will continue to be hosted by different cities around the world, it will now convene every two years instead of five. Five years seem to be an Eternity for young religionists. A brother and friend in Spirit said toward the end of the Parliament that there should be over 7 billion religions on this planet since religion is a personal and genuine experience with our Universal Father through his Divine Presence that indwells each of us.
How much all of us have benefited from the incomparable teachings of The Urantia Book. How much it has enhanced our understanding and our cosmic perspective and deepened our spiritual perception and receptivity. How much it would do the same for all the religionists that are walking on this planet. We all know that spiritual growth is mutually stimulated by intimate association with other religionists and that love supplies the soil for religious growth…
¶ Some Impressions of the Parliament
By Cristina Seaborn
The Parliament was the experience of one week of Light and Life, with people of all faiths and cultures eating together and sharing prayer and worship. The amazing after effects of this Parliament of the World’s Religions will be manifest in the years to come. I believe the angels were as hard at work as we were, and they were able to do their work because we were listening. There is so much hope for the future because these 10,000 people of faith came together for world peace.
The Parliament started with a Woman’s Assembly—a day dedicated, prepared, and given by women of all faiths. To me, this was the first day of elevating women for the next 2000 years. Women were encouraged by dynamic speakers such as Marianne Williamson, to step forward to contribute in leadership positions with confidence and courage.
Another highlight for me occurred when the Salt Lake Symphony performed a five movement original composition, featuring soloist Charlotte Bell on the English horn. www.facebook.com/OneVoiceChildrensChoir.
I was also thrilled to be able to hear Karen Armstrong, who was given the Cultivation of Harmony Award from the Parliament of the World’s Religions for the creation of The Charter for Compassion.
Another wonderful contribution to the conference were the Peace Angels from Australia. They walked and blessed us in many times and places throughout the week.
The workshops presented by students of The Urantia Book were:
- Non-Traditional Jesus on War, Violence, and Injustice (Gard Jameson, Le’Ruth OnOhelo, Moustapha Ndiaye, Gabriel Rymberg, Jo Anne Buckner)
- We Welcome Your Story: Engaging the Religiously Unaffiliated at Harvard Divinity School, (Angela Thurston, Aisha Ansano)
- In Pursuit of World Peace: How Philosophy Mediates between Religion and Politics , (Jeff Wattles)
- Exploring Divine Patterns of Male/Female Relationship (Meredith & David Tenney)
- Building Interfaith and Interreligious Empathy (Stephanie Schaefer)
- I Will Love: Tapping into the Power Within (Tom Choquette)
- 1God.com (Ben Bowler & Pato Banton) http://1god.com/
The Urantia Book booth was the first joint effort by the Urantia Foundation, Urantia Book Fellowship, and the Urantia Association International. I would like to publicly thank the many stewards of our Urantia Book booth, especially James Woodward and Richard Jernigan. James helped write the booth guidelines and made sure there was always somebody at the booth. Richard created the 10’ x 6’ display, the video of interviews of how I found The Urantia Book, and an extraordinary video about The Urantia Book presented at Gard Jameson’s workshop. In addition, four volunteers every hour were at the booth. Thank you to Larry and Donna Whelan for making 10,000 spiritual vitamins, one for every participant at the Parliament, including Spanish, Portuguese, and French. Behind the scenes, it was so wonderful working with Joanne Strobel and Tamara Strumfeld at the Foundation, as well as the three presidents, Mo Siegel, Chris Wood, and Michael Challis, Margaret Slater Thompson of the Urantia Association International office, JoAnn Wiedman, and Paula Thompson at the Fellowship office.
¶ YaYA POWR (or YaYA Goes to Parliament)
By Tony Finstad
What a week in Salt Lake City! Ten thousand attendees, 80 different nationalities, 50 unique faith groups…of which students of The Urantia Book was one.
The Parliament of the World’s Religions (POWR) is the “Super Bowl” of interfaith events on our planet, and when the Youth and Young Adult (YaYA) committee heard that it was to be hosted in the USA in October we began mobilizing our efforts to attend. There were 22 identified Urantia Book studemts that were late teens to “thirty something” years of age that attended this event. From Halifax to Hawaii, we created an instant community of the like-minded and open-minded religionists who lived together in a “big house” just a mile east of the Salt Palace Convention Center.
Our committee strategically invested in a booth space on the main floor of the exhibition hall. The YaYAs had a creative advantage. We knew that The Urantia Book was being beautifully presented in booth #558 and that we didn’t have the sole responsibility of showcasing the fifth epochal revelation to our fellow religionists. This was skillfully done by the joint-organization efforts from UAI, Urantia Foundation, and The Urantia Book Fellowship.
Our exhibit space was #909, well down the way from our elder brethren. Our desire was to create a space where the focus was on what unifies us. We called our booth “Spiritual Unity”. This is something that we’ve tried on college campuses. There was no selling of anything. This alone set us apart from many of the exhibitors. We displayed various spiritual texts, art, poetry, and handouts on our tables as well as quotes and questions on a whiteboard display. When people inevitably inquired about our personally religious inspiration, we gladly talked to them about The Urantia Book being our primary text and teaching. In this process of exchange, we sent several inquiring minds home with the revelation in hand.
The young adults staffed the booth throughout the five days with great energy and passion. It was very attractive to witness. There were so many memorable encounters for each person who spent time there. A summary from some of the young adults can be viewed on our committee’s website: www.urantianow.com. This rising generation received invaluable engaging on the world’s interfaith stage, on what it’s like to represent the living teachings of our beloved book. Our biggest take-away was in learning so much more about our fellow brothers and sisters of faith. What an inspirational and peaceful time we shared together. We know (through teamwork and faith) that The Urantia Book and its teachings were creatively represented and personal experienced at this year’s Parliament.
Thank you all seen and unseen, for your steadfast support!
Tony Finstad, Chair
YaYA Committee
Spiritual Unity Booth team: Geoff Theiss, Aprilhelen Morgan, Teuvo Orjala, Angie Thurston, Derek Samaras, Miguel Anoba, Darren Atherton, Sean Privitera
¶ Gathering at the Hood and Urantian Communities of the Pacific Northwest
By Barbara Maier
Sept 17 - 20, 2015, 90 students of The Urantia Book heeded the Call of their Spirit and came to the inaugural event of the newly created UCPNW. At the rustic and comfortable Mt Hood, Oregon Kiwanis Camp, we spent four days enacting our themes of Getting to Know One Another and Living the Fruits of the Spirit. A dedicated planning committee of 8, spent 10 months using IT strategies to create this event and to reestablish the connection to grow locally and support regionally within the 5 areas of Alaska, British Columbia, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The motivating principles of this Gathering came from “If you could only know your fellows, you would eventually fall in love with them.” (UB 100:4.5) and Jesus taught that service to one’s fellows is the highest concept of the brotherhood of spirit believers. (UB 188:4.9)
Age groups ranged from their 90’s to grade school, though predominately the average age was mid 50’s. Many flew or carpooled long distances. We were evenly divided between men and women. For many this was their first Urantia event and their first regional meet-up. We gave scholarships, provided service to the Kiwanis Camp, had lots of volunteers, and came away filled to the brim.
Afternoons offered workshops and “free” time for spontaneous activities. Evening activities ranged from a spirited talent show to great music provided by regional talent. Sunday inaugurated a Progressive Kingdom Worship Service, where volunteers partook in having their feet washed, in the spirit of the Last Supper.
Surveys and summaries are still being collected to help the UCPNW plan the next steps for future events and outreach activities. So many attendees are sending us their comments. It was said that “overall it appears that the Gathering was a catalyst for ideas and possibilities to come forth as we align with our Father’s will for each of us, that of doing good to others.”
¶ New Inland Northwest Society
We here in the Inland Northwest are truly excited to announce that this September fourteen members of the Fellowship’s Executive Committee and around twenty-five local believers spent the evening finally inaugurating our newly formed society! It was an amazing evening where we got to share time together in fellowship with a palpable feeling of hope and excitement for the future.
This was all possible through the combined efforts of many Urantia Book readers here in our area. Our Inland Northwest Uranita Society is going to try and be a beacon of innovation and progress for the Fellowship society model.
¶ SSS 15 and the 60th Anniversary Celebration of the First Printing
Summer Study Session 2015 was an occasion to remember!
100 readers and twenty new or non-readers gathered to continue the tradition of intensive study, loving fellowship and worshipful prayer as we celebrated the 60th anniversary of the publication of The Urantia Book.
Incorporating the theme of “Our Relationship with God the Father,” a new In-Depth Study track was introduced which required completion of a pre-assignment, participation in the preconference retreat, and ongoing workshop sessions. Short worshipful presentations ending in silent reflection preceded all plenary sessions, and “Reflections” and “Connections” with focused small group discussion comprised the morning and afternoon plenaries.
After two days of high quality workshops we celebrated with a funfilled party on Saturday night, and on Sunday morning we remembered Jesus with a “Last Breakfast” based on his thirteenth morontia appearance.
The Summer Study Session was preceded by a retreat (“Creating Circles of Trust”) and the TDA and followed by a General Council meeting. It was a time to reflect on the past and look forward to the future!
¶ International Book Fair in Guatemala
By Dolores Nice
The Fellowship helped to sponsor participants at the recent International Book Fair in Guatemala City from July 16 to 26, 2015. We were fortunate to have 6 readers from other Latin American countries come to Guatemala to work The Urantia Book Booth. They included 3 young men ages 18 to 20, Carlos Garro from Costa Rica, Diego Marroquin from El Salvador, and Oscar Will Marroquin from El Salvador. Others included two readers from Colombia, Gustavo Garcia and Andres Ramirez (Vice President of the Urantia Association of Colombia). Agustin Arellano from Mexico was the leader and organizer for this event.
Some of the comments from the participants were, “I am very happy to have had this great opportunity which has taught me many things. I was able to interact with many persons with different points of view and to share many memorable moments. It has been very satisfying to be able to helpothers discover The Urantia Book and share the profound teachings it contains. I am very grateful to all those that helped to make this possible.” Carlos Garro
“This experience has been a great pleasure and the truth is I have learned many new things. I now know new ways of sharing the message with interested people. I hope to be of service and do this again in the future. Thank you for your support.” Diego Marroquin Ayala
“This was a marvelous experience for me in being able to share information about our Universal Father and The Urantia Book. Please count on me to help out in future events. It was also a great experience to meet and work with the three young men. This experience will help them organize book fairs in there own countries.” Gustavo Garcia
Special thanks to Agustin and to local readers, Gonzalo Caseros for providing hospitality and Gerardo Leche for paying for the booth. This was a real cooperative effort including the Fellowship, local readers, and readers from other Latin American countries. We hope to replicate it in future events.
¶ Happy Birthday Jesus!
¶ Los Angeles Spanish Language Book Fair
By Buck Weimer
This event took place May 15 to 17, 2015 at the downtown Los Angeles, Convention Center, and was organized by the University of Guadalajara, Mexico and The Guadalajara Foundation, USA. Their theme was: “The Angels Are Still Reading”. It was estimated over 90,000 visitors sauntered through the Center; many of whom were exposed to the Revelation for the first time.
There were Urantia Books in both English and Spanish – selling about 55 of the Spanish translation and 10 of the English. Also of importance, and prominently displayed but not for sale, was the complete collection of the Trojan Horse series by J.J. Benitez (sometimes tacitly referred to in our Latin community as J.J. the Baptist).
Flor Robles was the only team member whose first language is Spanish. She was a dynamic and attractive voice for the Revelation; speaking uninterrupted from the time the first visitor walked by the booth in the morning until the last passerby at night. (Flor also translates the Mighty Messenger and provides it electronically to hundreds of Latin readers.)
Jerry Dalton, who has been very active in Latin America and the USA with the El Libro de Urantia, was reinvigorated in the quest to have a sustained Spanish readership in the Los Angeles region after meeting two bilingual Latinas willing to help. So it wasn’t just the “selling books” that impressed the team, but more of the interaction with the truth seekers and their sincerity that was retained in the memories of the individual team participants.
There is a truth to be gained from this experience: whether on a one-to-one basis, on a group effort, or on a community level, it is very important for The Urantia Book believers, regardless of any supposed language barriers, to reach out to the individual Latins and the nearby Latin community with this Fifth Epochal Revelation. If personalities have a desire to communicate, it will happen. They are waiting.
¶ Upcoming Events…
- April 15–17, 2016 – Midwest Regional Conference, Indianapolis, IN. “Growing Spiritually Day by Day”. For information: RFBuselli@sbcglobal.net.
- June 9–12, 2016 – Fellowship/UAI/Foundation Summer Study Session, San Antonio, TX, “Jesus, the Master Teacher”. For further information: www.urantiabook.org.
For a new spiritual adventure, join SymmetryOfSoul.org Tuesdays at 6:00 P.M. PT (9:00 P.M. ET). To review past shows go to the same link and click on “Archive”.
Don’t forget, the Fellowship needs your help to continue to serve the revelation world-wide. For information on various donation options, go to the Fellowship website, www.urantiabook.org, and press Donate link. Or send a check to The Urantia Book Fellowship, PO Box 6631, Broomfield, CO, 80021, USA.
¶ The Mighty Messenger Staff
Published by Uversa Press for the Publications Committee of The Urantia Book Fellowship.
Members: Linda Buselli, Chair Larry Bowman, Cece Forrester, David Glass, Nancy Johnson, Sage Waitts
877.288.3772
fellowship@urantiabook.org
www.urantiabook.org