Following are the plenaries for you to appreciate. Also see further on for the Program Schedule. Workshops will be published soon for readers to volunteer as facilitators.
Day One
1. The Child and His Education (Lourdes Burga-Cisneros)
The Urantia Book teaches us that the universe is a great school where we are both student and teacher. The education of children is basic in the outlining of the character on which the Adjuster will lean on to do his work within the mind, where the great responsibility of parents is involved. This plenary is a reflection on the importance of creating an environment conducive to the growth of the child.
2. The Tools of Socialization of Children (Chris Wood)
This plenary will reflect on the concepts of The Urantia Book in regard to socializing our children. The most effective agent of socialization is the couple and the manner in which the father and mother will live their relationship, because it leads more effectively to virtue than to precepts.
- the influence of family (nuclear and extended) in the socialization of children;
- the importance of playful aspects in learning teamwork;
- the importance of real and imaginary journeys as engines of creativity;
- the importance of domestic and social responsibilities in the acquisition of maturity.
3. Spiritual Unity of the Family (Tamara Strumfeld)
The Urantia Book teaches us that the home is the fundamental human institution for the development of civilization. Jesus taught his apostles to look for spiritual unity over uniformity of beliefs in both the couple and the family. This plenary explores the issue of relationships within the family.
Day Two
1. Human Dignity (pending approval)
Respect for human dignity is to recognize the divine nature of man since we are all children of God created in His image. But how can we really make human dignity the cornerstone of our relationship? What influences do the religions of authority have on the self-assertion of our dignity? How do associations of personalities and expression of mutual affection promote the acquisition of social maturity?
2. The Art of Living (Sheila Keene- Lund)
There is a positive force in the knowledge that you live for the welfare of others, and that others may contribute to your well-being and evolution. “Everything you would want men to do to you, do so to them” is the Golden Rule. What is the best way to awaken the beneficial latent powers sleeping in the soul? Although the spirit is our goal, the flesh is a fact. How to live in modern times? How to apply our acquired knowledge and wisdom in everyday life?
3. The Frame of Spiritual Mind (Richard Lachance)
Although religion is a matter of personal experience, it is important to know other religious expressions to avoid becoming egocentric and narrow-minded. But what are the necessary conditions to explore the spiritual world without losing one’s own direction? What roles can truth, wisdom, and knowledge play in the many missteps of the experience? The uncertainty in security is the essence of the Paradise adventure.
Day Three
1. Revealing Our Selves to God Through Service (Sue Tennant)
Understanding service as a tool for growth; demonstrating the different types of services (personal service, service to society, to the Supreme Being) and how they can support spiritual growth. Explore the idea of service as a means of expression and realization of our human potential. Demonstrate the value of love in service and the worth of experience in growth.
2. Our Cosmic Adventure and the Supreme Being (Jeffrey Wattles)
Intellectual and spiritual growth are man’s experiential goals that unfold within the potentials of the Supreme Being. It is with recognition toward evolving Deity that we exist and progress: “In him we move and have our being.”
Program Schedule
Thursday July 30th, 2015 – Registration Day
3:00 – 9:00 Registration
6:00 – 7:00 Dinner
7:30 – 9:00 Opening ceremony
Friday July 31, 2015 – Day 1
Theme: Family
Creating an enabling environment for the development of the child
7:00 – 7:30 Meditation
7:30 – 8:30 Breakfast
8:45 – 10:15 Plenaries
10:40 –12:15 Workshops
12:15 – 1:30 Lunch
2:00 – 3:00 Plenary
3:15 – 4:45 Workshops
6:00 – 7:00 Dinner
7:30 – Entertainment
7:30 – 9:00 Planetary Program
Saturday August 1st, 2015 – Day 2
Theme: The individual
Encourage balanced growth
7:00 – 7:30 Meditation
7:30 – 8 :30 Breakfast
8:45 –10:15 Plenaries
10:40 – 12:15 Workshops
12:15 – 1:30 Lunch
2:00 – 3:00 Plenary
3:15 – 4:45 Workshops
6 :00 – 7:00 Dinner
7: 30 – Entertainment
Sunday August 2nd, 2015 – Day 3
Theme: Society and Brotherhood
Progressing from human to divine: revealing ourselves to God
7:00 – 7:30 Meditation
7:30 – 8:30 Breakfast
8:45 – 10:15 Plenaries
10:40 – 12:15 Closing Ceremony
12:15 – 1:30 Lunch