© 1996 Urantia Foundation
URANTIA Foundation has been in business for 46 years and has printed over 330,000 URANTIA Books in four languages. The Foundation has also published an audio version and a Concordance in English, an Index in Finnish, and computer versions in three languages. In addition, the Foundation has established offices in Australia, England, Finland, France, and Spain.
In the next 10 years, the Foundation will publish at least seven more translations, including three—Russian, Dutch, and Korean—which will be published in 1997. The Foundation plans to open offices in all the countries in which The URANTIA Book is widely distributed. These offices will work with the International URANTIA Association to respond to readers, in their own languages, in connection with their questions about the book and about making contact with other readers.
We can improve our skills at cooperation and at disseminating the teachings of The URANTIA Book by learning from the past, planning for the future, and living dynamically in the present.
In preparation for the anticipated growth of the next 10 years, the Trustees are pleased to announce that they have added to the current Foundation staff at Urantia Headquarters. Tonia Baney has been hired to be the Foundation’s Executive Director. Tonia has been a reader of The URANTIA Book for 29 years, has hosted a study group for 19 years, and, as a leader and volunteer, has emphasized service as a leadership quality. Tonia was chair of the Advisory Committee to the Trustees and later was chair of the Coordinating Committee of the International URANTIA Association, both of which were established to advise and assist the Trustees and the readership. Tonia has an extensive business background in the fields of marketing, public relations, management, and fund raising and in working with and for non-profit organizations. She is also an artist.
Tonia and her husband Steve have been married for 32 years, have raised their family, and are now proud grandparents. Tonia’s strong family orientation is reflected in her saying that she wants “to bring a family atmosphere to the family of URANTIA Book readers.” She feels strongly that, as she puts it, “we can improve our skills at cooperation and at disseminating the teachings of The URANTIA Book by learning from the past, planning for the future, and living dynamically in the present.”
Sarah Korhonen is also a new employee at the Foundation. She was hired to serve as Tonia’s administrative assistant. Ms. Korhonen has a degree in writing, and she looks forward to the beginning of a career in publishing.
Also joining the Foundation staff in Chicago is Kathleen Swadling, one of the managers of the Foundation’s Australian Office. Kathleen will be with us for six months, working as Development Coordinator. Her husband Trevor will also serve at the office in Chicago along with Steve Baney and other volunteers.
The Trustees are pleased to have the following staff working at the Foundation in Chicago:
| Tonia Baney | Executive Director |
| Joan Bondi | Office Manager - Certified Public Accountant |
| Damian Bondi | Reader Services - Book Department |
| Robert Solone | Reader Services - Publications Review |
| Sheila Schneider | Administrative Assistant |
| Sarah Korhonen | Administrative Assistant |
| Kathleen Swadling | Development Coordinator - Australia |
New Softcovers. The French and Finnish translations can now be purchased in softcover. They are both priced at the suggested retail price of US$30.00. Because the softcover is so affordable, sales are expected to exceed last year’s total of 20,000 books worldwide. All translations are paginated identically to the English edition, so that, in study groups, readers of different translations can be on the same page. The Foundation’s vinyl covered books are more durable than most softcover books because they are both glued and stitched.
The Spanish translation, which sells for US $24.95, is gaining popularity not only in Spanish speaking countries but also in the United States. Many American bookstores are purchasing the Spanish translation along with the English version. Because of the demand for the Spanish translation, it is now in its third printing since 1993. Just as we have done in the French and Finnish translations, in each new printing, revisions and corrections have been made. A revision team is currently improving the text for the next printing. The revision is being completed by readers who are native Castillian speakers. If you have suggested changes to the text, please mail them to the Foundation, and we shall relay them to the team in Spain.
HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE
The Trustees and staff of URANTIA Foundation cordially invite everyone to join them for an Open House on December 14, 1996, at 533 Diversey Parkway, Chicago. If you would like to join us, please phone the office at 1-888-URANTIA or 1-773-525-3319. Please feel free to bring a decoration for our tree and help us decorate.
Pronunciation Guide Now in Audio. The URANTIA Book Guide to Pronunciation of Names and Words has been expanded to include more words and has been recorded on audio cassette. Many of the added words can be found in dictionaries and encyclopedias but may not be common for the reader. This handy audio pronunciation guide gives you the pronunciation of 460 words, thus facilitating communication in study groups and among readers. Order yours now in time for Christmas.
The URANTIA Foundation headquarters at 533 Diversey Parkway in Chicago was built in 1905 and is included in the American Institute of Architecture (AIA) Guide to Chicago. In 1993, an article in the Chicago Tribune stated that “architecture buffs have had their eye on [the URANTIA Foundation building] for a long time, but no one knew much about it. It’s of interest because it has such a beautiful facade, including Art Nouveau, which is really unusual for Chicago. It turned out to be designed by Frommann & Jensen, one of those firms that pops up everywhere when you least expect it…”
Because the building has received only minimal maintenance over the years, the Trustees established a committee of qualified persons to thoroughly and carefully inspect the building and to make recommendations for its maintenance. On Saturday, August 24, 1996, the Building Committee first met for a detailed tour and inspection of the building. The Committee is comprised of Co-Chairs Bryan Snowden and Nick Scalzo, Bert Cobb, Jerry Prentice, Trevor Swadling, Damian Bondi and Tonia and Steven Baney.
Every room, closet, and hallway, as well as the outside of the building and the roof, was carefully examined by each member of the committee. Having the building restored to excellent condition could cost over $500,000. We have established a special Building Fund for restoration and maintenance of 533. Your contributions are welcome and are tax deductible.
In an effort to promote worldwide exposure of The URANTIA Book, the Foundation has a policy of attending, as an exhibitor, only professional book industry trade shows.
CHICAGO. In June, URANTIA Foundation attended the annual American Booksellers Association Convention that was held in Chicago. Much exposure and many contacts were made, as in past years, and with the ongoing translation efforts, many additional contacts were established. The Foundation staff, along with a few IUA volunteers, maintained the Foundation booth.
SINGAPORE. In September, because the Korean translation will see print in the near future, the Foundation attended “The 28th Singapore International Book Fair 1996.” Contacts with distributors, bookstores, and translators were made. Interest was high regarding Far East book distribution as well as translation into Chinese. Because of the demand, the Foundation booth ran out of books within the first three days and had to ship more books from Australia. This trade show lasted 9 days and was attended by 500,000 persons.
FRANKFURT. In October, Seppo Kanerva and Hannu Stenroos from Finland attended the Frankfurt International Book Fair, the largest of its kind in the world. The Foundation was one of 6,600 exhibitors from 105 countries. The book show ran from October 2-7. Although The URANTIA Book seemed to be totally unknown in Germany, most of the visitors became genuinely interested in the book after asking several questions. Besides Germany, interested visitors hailed from Romania, Italy, Hungary, and Israel. This was the first time much of the reading public and the book industries in Germany and the recently liberated East European countries were exposed to The URANTIA Book.
GUADALAJARA. The next international book fair will be in Guadalajara, México, in November. It is a very large book trade show as well, with an expected attendance of 500,000 over 9 days. With worldwide interest in El libro de Urantia growing rapidly, we anticipate another productive venture.
VOLUNTEERS. If you are interested in attending a Foundation booth in the future please contact us. Your help would be greatly appreciated.
The International URANTIA Association (IUA) Conference was held again this year in Nashville from August 8-12. The title of the conference was “Dedication, Integration, and Transformation.” There were many attendees from past years as well as many new faces. The presentations were inspiring and the strength of the commitment of those attending was overwhelming. The December IUA Journal will contain these presentations. If you have not subscribed to the Journal and would like to receive it, please contact us. URANTIA Foundation and IUA look to the development of many similar regional conferences as well as the larger international conferences in the years ahead. The next International Conference of IUA will be held in two years in Helsinki.
Nestled in a peaceful canyon of the Cleveland National Forest in Southern California, amid palm trees and bougainvillea, is the Glen Ivy Community. Here is where the United States URANTIA Association Conference will be held from May 15-19, 1997. The theme of the conference will be “An Eternal Perspective.” Accommodations are limited to 110 persons, so if you plan to attend, you should make your reservations soon. Conference organizers expect a waiting list. If you have questions, please contact Joe or Alice McCoy by telephone at (209) 834-4520 or by fax at (209) 834-2949.
In April, eighteen translators attended the first Foundation sponsored Translators Conference in Paris, France, which was a great success. Seppo Kanerva, one of the translators from Finland, said that the conference “exceeded all my expectations. The atmosphere of the conference was so energetic, mutually supportive, [and] loving, that I am tempted to say that it enjoyed a special angelic involvement.” Since all five Trustees were present at the conference, the great importance that these translations have to the Foundation was strongly felt.
Current projects include translations in Estonian, German, Dutch, Italian, Korean, Russian, and Swedish. In addition, future translation projects are at various stages of development. Samples of Lithuanian, Norwegian, Hindi, and Portuguese translations have also been received and are currently under review.
The Board of Trustees of URANTIA Foundation has accepted the resignation of Philip Rolnick, with regret. Phil served on the Board of Trustees from April 17, 1993 to October 18, 1996.
We all wish him well in his future endeavors.
“If we know God, our real business on earth is so to live as to permit the Father to reveal himself in our lives, and thus will all God-seeking persons see the Father and ask for our help in finding out more about the God who in this manner finds expression in our lives.” UB 132:7.2
“For many years I have travailed the traditional documents, writings, and manuscripts, always with a burdensome volume of unanswered questions. The short time I was given to read The URANTIA Book, it satisfied a great deal of those for me.” ~ Soledad, California, U.S.A.
“I have never come across such a wonderful, interesting, and marvelous book, very captivating, and time consuming. I loved it.” ~ Kitwe, ZAMBIA
“I have been seeking light and truth for more years than I can remember and never have I seen anything even remotely comparable to what I’ve read thus far in ‘The URANTIA Book.’ So many of the truths you touch on are things I’ve always intuitively ‘known,’ but could never quite validate in terms of the traditional world ‘religions. ’” ~ Desoto, Missouri, U.S.A.
“ … The URANTIA Book for me is much more than hobby only. Recently it is my life, my hideaway. Notwithstanding I saw and began to read the Book just only in 1991, presently I see myself as absolutely devoted and motivated by the fifth epochal revelation to the extreme level of my abilities. I don’t know if there are any words to express a degree of my trust and faith in this unique source of superhuman wisdom.” ~ Kiev, UKRAINE