By UAUS Conference Committee on

Dear Friends and Students of The Urantia Book,

Urantia Association International and Urantia Association of the United States invite you to attend the live broadcast of the 2024 Urantia Association International Conference via Zoom. The conference will be held March 28-31 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

The theme of the Conference will be “Nature and Nurture of the Soul”. Check out the latest video!

The broadcast will be available during the following periods:

  • Friday, March 29th, at 8:45 am EDT to 4:10 pm EDT
  • Saturday, March 30th, at 8:45 EDT to 4:10 pm EDT
  • Sunday, March 31st, at 8:15 am EDT to 11:00 am EDT

To calculate the streaming times where you live, visit: TimeandDate.com

We will also be offering two Special Workshops exclusive for the Zoom attendants.

Special Workshops:
The first workshop will be facilitated by Sherry Cathcart Chavis, titled, “Faith Unveiled: Nurturing the Soul’s Journey Towards Divine Perfection,” on Friday, March 29th from 9:30 am to 10:30 am EDT.

Faith is the key to soul transformation; its activities ensure the soul’s eternal salvation and progress. It inspires profound reflection, fosters spiritual growth, and aligns the soul with divine ideals, ultimately guiding it toward the goal of finding God and achieving divine perfection.

Reading Assignment: Before the workshop convenes, read and study Paper 132 (The Sojourn at Rome), Section 3, Truth and Faith.

The second workshop will be offered on Saturday, May 30th from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm EDT. It will be facilitated by Agnès Lazar and Guy Perron on the theme, “How do we feed our souls? What is in the way of nurturing our soul?”

As we know from the revelation, each of us is the mother of our soul and therefore, we have the responsibility as good mothers to feed it properly.

‘4. Soul. The soul of man is an experiential acquirement. As a mortal creature chooses to “do the will of the Father in heaven,” so the indwelling spirit becomes the father of a new reality in human experience. The mortal and material mind is the mother of this same emerging reality. The substance of this new reality is neither material nor spiritual—it is morontial. This is the emerging and immortal soul which is destined to survive mortal death and begin the Paradise ascension.’ 0:5.10 (8.10)

Livestream Link:
This broadcast will be interactive via Zoom and will be live-streamed on Facebook. To help coordinate our clocks, here are some streaming time slots across the globe:

  • México City and Edmonton: Friday and Saturday: 6:45 am to 2:45 pm. Sunday: 7:15 am to 9:00 am
  • Bogotá and Lima: Friday and Saturday: 7:45 am to 3:10 pm. Sunday: 7:15 am to 10:00 am
  • Los Angeles and Arizona: Friday and Saturday: 5:45 am to 1:10 pm. Sunday: 5:15 am to 8:00 am
  • Buenos Aires and São Paulo: Friday and Saturday: 9:45 am to 5:10 pm. Sunday: 9:15 am to 12:00 pm
  • Paris: Friday and Saturday:  1:45 pm to 9:10 pm. Sunday: 1:15 pm to 4:00 pm
  • Sydney: Friday and Saturday: 11:45 pm to 7:00 am Sunday. Sunday: 11:15 pm to 2:00 am Monday.
  • Auckland: Saturday and Sunday: 1:45 am to 9:10 am. Monday: 1:15 am to 4:00 am

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86500983536

Meeting ID: 865 0098 3536

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Meeting ID: 865 0098 3536
Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/keHnoHm8dl

President’s Message – March 2024

From , By Enrique Traver, Brazil on

Following Jesus

Enrique Traver

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This world is only a bridge; you may pass over it, but you should not think to build a dwelling place upon it. 156:2.1 (1735.5)

He told them they could not stand still; they must go forward in righteousness or retrogress into evil and sin. He admonished them to “forget those things which are in the past while you push forward to embrace the greater realities of the kingdom.” 156:2.6 (1736.3)

This world is an arena where we develop and conquer the first steps to reach the morontia worlds, followed later by the steps to the spirit level. As Jesus said: just a bridge to cross. Reaching the end of that worldly bridge allows us to reach another shore, to reach a new reality of eternity, of the birth of the spirit, of drawing closer to the presence of our Father. Passing across this bridge implies a continuous straightforward movement with no stops for whatever reason. We must move ahead. When we keep moving forward, we free up the flow and attract other people to the journey. We produce the fruits of the spirit.

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The 2024 Urantia Association International Conference Approaches

From , By Michael Zehr, USA on

Nature and Nurture of the Soul

 Baltimore, USA. March 28 – 31, 2024

Urantia Association International and Urantia Association of the United States are hosting the 12th International Conference in Baltimore, USA.  Sponsored by Urantia Foundation and Truthbook, the conference has been organized and coordinated by a host of worldwide volunteers to provide a spiritual learning experience for the global Urantia Book reader community.

The theme of the conference is The Nature and Nurture of the Soul.

To establish a framework for the study, all references to the soul from The Urantia Book were gathered and sorted into eight subtopics – four on the Nature of the Soul, and four on Nurture of the Soul.

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New Unity Initiative

From , By Governance Committee on

Last year, Sue Seccombe, president of Urantia Book Fellowship, created a petition and sent if far and wide across our Urantia community. The petition was focused on unity and it garnered over 600 responses, almost all in the affirmative for setting our sights on true spiritual unity, and even organizational unity.

Due to that positive response, the General Council of the Fellowship passed a resolution creating a small team to engage with Urantia Association to discuss unity. Their resolution included terminology about the possibility of seeking unity between the two fraternal organizations. The resolution tasked their Unity Committee with: “Exploring the details and options of organizational cooperation and steps toward unity between the two social organizations that will best benefit the growth, understanding, and credibility of the Urantia revelation and presenting these recommendations to the General Council.” Such an executive action passed by the Fellowship’s General Council, signals an openness to resolve the historic schism.

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Focus on the Father – Faith

From , By James Woodward, USA on

Going out on a limb of faith requires faith. 

Faith is a holy paradox: It’s a grab-hold thing on spirit levels and a let-go thing on material levels. With the affirmation of faith, we acknowledge a spirit reality and the divine beings who inhabit that reality—without seeing it, or them. With living faith, we invest implicit trust that those realities and beings are friendly to us, even love us. With the exercise of faith, we snuggle up to those realities and beings like we do our beloved family and our nurturing natural environment. With the perfection of faith, we fully share the will of God, living the Perfect Plan. For mortals that’s a plan in progress.

“Perfecting is of God. To wish for perfection is of man.” 

— Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
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Slow and Steady

From , By PIRT Volunteers on

The Prison Inmate Response Team (PIRT) for Canada was formed in 2016 by Chris Gravel, who was inspired by a PIRT Tidings article. Chris started by seeding 46 prison libraries. Then the wait for a first inmate letter began… and two years later, in November 2018, the first request for a book arrived. Another arrived the following year. And then, in 2021, a woman requested a book and began to spread the word, resulting in three more referrals. And later, two more book requests arrived, one from a prison chaplain.

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Urantia Book Teacher Education Program

From , By Alice Wood, USA on

Urantia University Institute – Now Accepting Applications

Following several years of development and testing by a team of curriculum developers and experienced students from the major Urantia organizations, The Urantia Book Teacher Education Program (TEP) is now accepting applications for the 2024 – 2025 academic year.

The hybrid one-year training program features a five-day, in-person orientation and training session at Urantia Foundation, followed by three trimesters of online study and weekly training and discussion sessions on Zoom. It is designed for people who are serious students of the Urantia revelation with a track record of participation in study groups and Urantia Book education programs.

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President’s Message – December 2023

From , By Enrique Traver, Brazil on

Our Long-Range Plan

Students of The Urantia Book, and especially the people at Urantia Association International, have a mission clearly defined by the teachings of the fifth epochal revelation, as well as in our first Bylaws amendment, which was recently approved by our International Representative Council (IRC). 

“The mission of Urantia Association and its Constituent Associations is to foster study of The Urantia Book and to disseminate its teachings.”

All those who find God can embrace this mission by recognizing our affiliation to the Universal Father and, consequently, by accepting the brotherhood of all mortals on the planet. Although it is a mission that can be carried out individually, we can also come together as a group of students who are passionate about the revelation. Together, we can coordinate our efforts to fulfill this mission. This is how the Urantia Association came into being, beginning with the challenge of formulating a plan that can unite its members as a team in order to work objectively and harmoniously in this direction. 

Having a Long-Range Plan (LRP) to guide our work serves multiple purposes, such as helping us to stay focused on where we want to go, what we need to do, and how we should do it: 

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2024 Urantia Association International Conference Update

From , By Marian Hughes, USA on

Nurture Your Soul with Study, Worship, and Camaraderie! 

The Urantia Book reminds us that we mortals are a gregarious lot. A Melchizedek states in Paper 49, “Human beings are all gregarious.” In Paper 99 another writes, “The fact of man’s gregariousness perforce determines that religious groups will come into existence.” It is wonderful to attend a Urantia conference to attain a deeper understanding of the revelation, but let us also heed the words of our Estonian brother, Kamo Kalda, from a Urantia Foundation conference report: 

“Whenever I speak with someone who has attended a conference, they usually don’t remember the topics of the presentations, but they do remember the people, the emotions, and the joy.” 

It will be six years since the last, in-person international conference, due to Covid canceling the Peru conference of 2021. Time (and Zoom) breeds complacency, so let us not forget the value of gathering in numbers, the force of our Adjusters when we come together in a large group, the strength that we garner from the Spirit of Truth that shines so brightly when we study and pray in-mass. Let us come together to meet and hug our global brothers and sisters, joyfully embrace our geographically distant friends, and to laugh, learn, worship, and live in our mortal, gregarious fashion. 

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2023 ANZURA Annual Conference Report 

From , Presented by Daniel Swadling, Australia on

Talkin’ ‘Bout A Revelation 

It has been an honor and a privilege to be involved in bringing this conference to Urantia Book readers of Australia and New Zealand. It was well attended with people coming from across Sydney, Newcastle, 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 exploring much about our favorite topics! 

The problem we wanted to try to address at this conference was how we, as a readership, talk about The Urantia Book revelation with people less familiar with it. And despite being avid followers of its teachings, we seem to lack some basic principles and adequate tools or experience to attractively convey its concepts to new readers. It is hoped that the conversations started at this conference have been helpful and that the topic will continue to be addressed.  

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Third Latin American Conference Report

From , Presented by Fernando Maldonaldo, Mexico on

The Fifth Revelation in the XXI Century 

This past October, the third Latin American conference of readers of The Urantia Book was held in the historic area of the ancient Teotihuacan. Amidst this backdrop over 1500 years old and later reclaimed by the Aztecs, the Third Latin American Urantia Book Conference centered on the theme of the Fifth Revelation in the 21st Century.    

Urantia Association International organized the conference with the support of Urantia Foundation and the local Urantia Association Mexico. Each of these entities cooperated for months planning, developing objectives, making decisions and obtaining the necessary funds for a successful event. 

Forty-three participants traveled to the ancient site of Teotihuacán located outside Mexico City. Additionally, almost 300 readers joined the online broadcast––a Latin American Conference first. Urantia Book readers from 11 countries participated, including 15 young adult readers. 

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Focus on the Father – Spiritual Gifts 

From , By James Woodward, USA on

“True faith is faith only if the actions of your life are in harmony with it and never contradict it.”  — Leo Tolstoy  

The concept of faith—a gift we may give ourselves—is in some ways misunderstood, as are other fundamentals of evolutionary religion. Urantia Book students have more clarity on the concept, as careful study sweeps away confused definitions. It becomes a problem for humanity when true religious ideals are minimized or limited by the avoidance of spiritual meanings and values in a quest for an easy existence. The consecration of faith does require effort; there is a wide gulf between the human and divine, but we have an inner bridge.  

When it comes to the bestowal of spiritual gifts, the Father is limited by man’s capacity for receiving these divine endowments. Although the Father is no respecter of persons, in the bestowal of spiritual gifts he is limited by man’s faith and by his willingness always to abide by the Father’s will. 166:4.11 (1831.2) emphasis added

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The Mission of the Prisoner Inquiry Response Team 

From , By PIRT Team on

“The Urantia Book is the Truth I Have Been Looking for My Whole Life”                         

“After reading some of your book, The Urantia Book, I have become highly intrigued. I am writing to you to request a copy of this outstanding literary work so I can know more about God the Father of ALL, and every aspect of Him and his heavenly host.”  

These enthusiastic words dictated by a prison inmate are an excerpt from a letter written to me as a member of the Prison Inquiry Response Team (PIRT), a ministry sponsored by the Urantia International Association. Another inmate wrote, “I am an avid truth seeker, and recently a friend shared The Urantia Book with me. I have been amazed, edified, and overjoyed. It ties together so many loose ends and confirms certain ideals of mine while also expanding upon them.”  

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Update to the Urantia Association Bylaws

From , By Gaétan Charland, Canada on

Dear Urantia Association Members, Presidents, and Vice-Presidents, 

I trust that you’re aware of the revised version of the Bylaws of Urantia Association International, a document that has received an extensive update. These Bylaws represent the culmination of years of Urantia Association’s experiences, growth, and dedication to promoting The Urantia Book and its invaluable teachings worldwide.  Delving into a legal text might seem tedious; some may even question its relevance to our spiritual mission and work. 

However, it’s crucial to recognize that these Bylaws form the bedrock of our existence as a legal entity. They not only provide the framework for our service operations but are also indispensable for navigating the complexities of the diverse languages and cultures within our organization. Compliance with the laws of various countries necessitates having governing documents that regulate our affairs and define our societal role. These guidelines prevent confusion as to the duties and interactions of all our dedicated volunteers. Clarity on governance provides assurance that our elected leaders can focus on our mission to promote an epochal revelation. 

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Journal Editorial – November 2023

From , By Mark Blackham on
Mark Blackham

Welcome to the November 2023 edition of the Urantia Association’s Journal, a publication dedicated to the thoughts, observations, and experiences of Urantia Book students from around the world. Our contributors explore a wide range of topics related to the teachings of the book, all of which demonstrate an extraordinary diversity of thought and a spirited unity of purpose. 

Our first article, “Urantia – Is It a New Religion?” by Peep Sõber brings up a question often asked by Urantia Book students and others. Peep recognizes there is an air of subjectivity to this question, depending on the individual and their experiences. Nonetheless, he drives home the point that both The Publication Mandate and The Urantia Book itself, promote a new religion, in particular, the religion of Jesus. But changing religion is not about forming a new church with a rigid set of beliefs, various clergy, or a claim to ecclesiastical authority.

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Urantia – Is It a New Religion?

From , By Peep Sõber, Estonia on
Photo by Ri Ya

A few years ago, in a census held in Estonia, about 30 people indicated Urantia as their religion. I have never called the Urantia teachings a religion, even though they are religious in content. Some consider it an organized religion. But do we have such a religion?

Religion can be viewed both from the inside with some preconceptions about everything that follows, and it can also be viewed from the outside without special preconceptions. I don’t try to find supporters for any point of view. These are just my personal views from the outside today. Maybe tomorrow I’ll think a little differently, that’s natural because we all evolve and therefore change. No doubt, I have internal views as well, but they are not very important in this case. Therefore, I deliberately leave them aside.

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Spiritual Practices – An Invitation to Intimacy With God 

From , By Robert Coenraads, AUS on

An Experiential Exploration of Relaxation, Meditation, Prayer, and Worship and Its Benefits to Soul, Heart, Mind, and Body 

(Transcript of a presentation given at the 2022 Tasmanian Conference) 

All formal religions and individual spiritual pilgrims have at their heart a basic desire to connect or become one with a greater good. It lies somewhere at the core of their belief system, perhaps smothered by a greater or lesser number of ritualistic practices. 

Western religions appeal to the intellect and promote desirable moral practices through examples given in the scriptures. Outsiders, and members of the church, often complain that, try as they may, it really doesn’t seem there is anyone listening “up there” as the realities and stresses of day-to-day living become increasingly complex and difficult to manage. 

Eastern traditions teach practical techniques for clearing the mind, to be present and aware, and simply to listen. These highly effective techniques have made their way to the West and developed into various forms of meditation that have been scientifically demonstrated to achieve results. 

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Unity – Harmony Within Diversity of Experience and Belief 

From , By Phillip Marriott, AUS  on

(Transcript of a presentation at the 2022 Tasmanian conference)

What is “Spirit Unity” and where does it exist? 

It’s very easy to have diversity, difference of opinion, and divergent viewpoints because we are human; our personalities are unique, and our experiences are personal. I may go through a shared event or tribulation, but my experience is mine and mine alone. Jesus discussed this in Paper 141, section 5.1-4. 

One of the most eventful of all the evening conferences at Amathus was the session having to do with the discussion of spiritual unity. James Zebedee asked, “Master, how shall we learn to see alike and thereby enjoy more harmony among ourselves?” 

What I require of you, my apostles, is spirit unity — and that you can experience in the joy of your united dedication to the wholehearted doing of the will of my Father in heaven. 

You do not have to see alike or feel alike or even think alike in order spiritually to be alike. 141:5.1-4 (1591.6) emphasis added

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Urantia’s Unrevealed Destiny

From , By Neal Waldrop, USA on

CHRIST MICHAEL OF NEBADON — our sovereign Master Son and also, not by coincidence, the Planetary Prince of Urantia — undoubtedly receives frequent reports from Machiventa Melchizedek,[i]the Vicegerent Planetary Prince who acts on Michael’s behalf. Although it would be ludicrous to ask them to include us as Cc addressees when they exchange messages, any such missive would be unintelligible to us anyway, because Michael and Machiventa would certainly be communicating in the language of Nebadon, not in English or in any other language of human beings who currently reside on our troubled planet.

Even so, we have every right to believe that at some suitable moment during the last few centuries, Michael received an urgent appeal from Machiventa warning him that society and civilization on Urantia were approaching an era of tumult and crisis when the spiritual government of Nebadon would be compelled to intervene decisively. In part, this appeal of Machiventa’s reflected and honored Michael’s personal commitment to Urantia because of his extraordinary bestowal approximately 2,000 years ago in the human form of Jesus of Nazareth. After all, Michael most assuredly would not want a worldwide catastrophe to befall the planet on which he lived and died!

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Our World Is Made of Force Fields

By Antti Roine, Finland on

The physical world around us seems very concrete because it is tangible, and we can perceive it with our own senses. That’s why it’s easy to think that all the reality we live in is made up of matter – and the facts of our lives are based on this matter. However, this visible illusion breaks when we begin to examine the real world around us through the eyes of science.

According to scientific measurements, there is about 99.9999999999996 percent empty space in the visible matter around us because the nuclei and electrons of atoms are extremely small particles compared to the size of atoms and molecules.

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