Tidings – December 2019
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In This Issue
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Chris Wood, USA  In the early days of the Urantia community, we were challenged to address six basic tasks: translate The Urantia Book, publish it, distribute it across the world, foster the study of the book, train teachers, and train leaders. Today Urantia Association International and Urantia Foundation work hand in hand to accomplish these six tasks. The Foundation focuses primarily on translation, publication, and distribution, whereas the Association is dedicated to study, training teachers, and training leaders. It’s been more than 80 years since the papers were completed, but we remain dedicated to these basic tasks. Yes, our challenges have changed radically over the decades due to political developments, the rise of mass communications, and the internet—yet our dedication to these six pillars persists.
https://youtu.be/9K5MWcXe_s0
Every year the Urantia community grows with new people discovering The Urantia Book, new translations becoming available, multiple conferences and events being held throughout the world, and hundreds of study groups actively working to transform the words in the book into a living revelation of God within the lives of those who study and enact its teachings.
There are enough projects to fill the lives of dozens of generations of dedicated students. Urantia Association and our local and national affiliates are actively helping to match volunteers with potential projects. We want to help provide services to the growing Urantia community as well as to the world at large.
At the end of each year, we review our past accomplishments and rededicate ourselves to our mission. The challenges of fostering study groups, training teachers, and training leaders will not go away. The first generation of Urantia Book students lived their lives dedicated to these tasks and so too must the Urantia community of today dedicate itself to these same challenges in our day. The struggle itself is enough to fill our hearts.
In service,
Chris Wood
President, Urantia Association International
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Ed Owen, USA  While living in South Lake Tahoe in the 1970’s, I would regularly take hikes along the lake shore where I would often see the same homeless man who would always say, “Brother would you buy me a drink?” For the longest time I wouldn’t answer him and just kept walking.
One especially cold and snowy late afternoon, he saw me and pleaded for me to buy him a drink. He was huddled under a poncho with a couple of inches of snow on his head. For some reason, I decided to talk with him. He told me his name was Joe.
Joe told me he was a Korean War veteran. At least we had a little something in common. As our conversation progressed, I found him to be quite intelligent and our discussion was for me enlightening. It was getting dark and growing colder, so I said goodbye and started to leave. Joe pleaded, “Can you buy me a drink?” I said, “Sure.” I walked across the street to the market and bought a quart of beer and a pint of whiskey. I hid the whiskey in my jacket and carried the beer in a paper bag.
When I returned to the beach, Joe’s eyes lit up when he saw the bag. However, when he discovered it was just beer, his smile disappeared and he said, “I can’t sleep with just beer, I need something stronger.” I said, “Sorry Joe but that’s what you get.” We talked for a little while longer and then I began to walk away. After a short distance, I turned, looked back at Joe and noticed he was drinking the beer. I walked back and said, “Joe, I’m sorry I forgot to give you this” and I handed him the pint of whiskey. Wow! the smile he exhibited was worth it all.
During subsequent hikes, I stopped more and more at the beach area where Joe hung out and had long conversations with him. Only on one occasion did we ever talk about his time in Korea. I found out he was involved in the battle at the Chosin Reservoir, which was probably the most horrific battle of that war. He started out a Private First Class and five months later, at 19 years of age, he was a Master Sergeant with his own platoon.
Joe was a big guy with an amazing physical body. He was a little over six feet tall and around 250 plus pounds with not an ounce of fat. I later found out his main income was from chopping wood, which he did with an axe rather than a wood splitter. This kept him in good physical condition.
Over time, our conversations drifted into cosmology and spiritual stuff. One day I brought my Urantia Book with me and was sitting at a table reading it. Joe saw me, came over and said, “What are you reading?” I said, “Just a book about God and the seven superuniverses.” Joe was always reading something. If someone discarded a book or newspaper Joe would pick it up and read it. Joe took the book from me and went through the table of contents. Suddenly something in him just seemed to click. He asked if he could borrow it for a little while. I said, “Better yet, I will lend it to you if you promise me you will take care of it.”
After that, we had many conversations about his personal relationship with God. He told me his biggest struggles usually entailed his attempts to ask God to come into his life.
Over the next few years, Joe tried to quit drinking but periodically he would land in jail after a binge. When that happened, he would end up losing his copy of The Urantia Book, and I would get him another copy.
Eventually I left Lake Tahoe, but I periodically returned to camp for a few days. During one such visit, a casual friend, who called himself “Railroad,” saw me and came over to where I was sitting. “Ed, it’s good to see you. Where have you been?” We had been talking for a little while when Railroad said, “Did you hear about Joe? He was killed in an automobile crash on Highway 49, just outside of Grass Valley. When they pulled him from the car, next to him on the front seat was that big blue book he always had with him. I remember when you gave him that book. Did you know he had been clean and sober for close to two years?”
Someday on the mansion worlds, Joe and I will continue our discussions.
So, if you ever decide to buy an alcoholic a drink, make sure friendship is part of the deal. God will do the rest.
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Central Admin  “Service”—a search of The Urantia Book nets over 630 mentions of “service.” It is the first of the divine fruits of the spirit—loving service. Service is vital for spiritual growth, yet at this very moment, we do not have enough volunteers. There are over 30 projects supporting Urantia Association International and the revelation that are on hold awaiting volunteers willing to serve.
Over the life of the Association, there have been too many good program ideas that have been shelved because there was no one to do the work. We hope to change this with an exciting new service opportunity.
We are looking for someone to serve as our Central Office Volunteer Coordinator. Just one person with the right skills can make all the difference in the success of the work the Association does.
We are looking for someone who is naturally outgoing and friendly, who can communicate effectively with a variety of people. We require a detail-oriented and organized person who is comfortable working on and tracking multiple projects at once. You must be an effective oral and written communicator with superior writing skills, as well as computer, internet and social media skills. You are a good team member, and a self-starter who can work effectively without supervision.
The Central Office Volunteer Coordinator works directly with the Urantia Association International Executive Administrator and ISB Committees to identify volunteer opportunities, assists with the development of volunteer job descriptions including qualifications and skills, recruits volunteers for open positions, interviews applicants, provides opportunities and orientation, and tracks the success of each volunteer placement.
Are you the right person? Then please apply.
Do you know someone who might be? Then share this opportunity with them. Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to serve.
Fill out the Volunteer Application at: https://urantia-association.org/get-involved/volunteer/
Or email: secretary@urantia-association.org
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Central Admin  Introducing Urantia Association’s Language Learning & Multi-Linguist Project
We are now in the Urantia Post-Bestowal Age. As regards our current age, The Urantia Book states:
While Jesus has shown the way to the immediate attainment of spiritual brotherhood, the realization of social brotherhood on your world depends much on the achievement of the following personal transformations and planetary adjustments:
1. Social fraternity. Multiplication of international and interracial social contacts and fraternal associations through travel, commerce, and competitive play. Development of a common language and the multiplication of multilinguists. The racial and national interchange of students, teachers, industrialists, and religious philosophers.
2. Intellectual cross-fertilization. …… There must occur an exchange of national and racial literature. Each race must become familiar with the thought of all races; each nation must know the feelings of all nations. Ignorance breeds suspicion, and suspicion is incompatible with the essential attitude of sympathy and love. [Paper 52:6.2, page 597.3. Emphasis added]
In a first effort to address these challenges, Urantia Association International is embarking on a new program to encourage and provide support in learning a new language, and to increase the number of multi-linguists within our community. This program will begin by finding a volunteer(s) who speaks English and Spanish to coordinate the first group of 12 Spanish-speaking students who wish to learn or improve their English.
The students will begin by working with one of the online language learning platforms. They will work together as a team to complete weekly assignments. There will be regular Zoom meetings to get to know each other and to practice speaking and listening skills. After a student obtains sufficient language skills, the goal is to find placement for each student in a home in another country for one to three months, where the students will have a language immersion experience in a new culture.
But this program cannot begin until we find volunteers to coordinate the program. Please think about this amazing service opportunity to help Michael and our unseen friends take a tiny step towards social brotherhood on our planet. And, if you are interested in helping coordinate the learning of other languages besides Spanish and English, please do not hesitate to let us know.
To volunteer, you can either:
Thank you for considering this exciting service opportunity.
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PIRTeam, Urantia Association  The Paradise Father values all his children. No matter what our station in life, he forgives our sins even before we think to ask for such forgiveness. Divine mercy is beyond our mortal comprehension—it is all encompassing for those who seek such mercy. In the person of Jesus of Nazareth, we see the Father’s love through the teachings of the Master, even for those who have failed to live up to their highest potential.
We can all find comfort in these teachings as we look back upon our own lives, reflecting on our best and worst times in life, and contemplating our destiny in the life after this. For those who believe the teachings of The Urantia Book, there is a comfort in knowing that divine justice and divine mercy are available to all who desire to know the Father and live according to his will.
But does divine mercy extend to those who find themselves incarcerated in our nation’s prisons, having been found guilty of the most heinous crimes by a jury of their peers? Do those who robbed, raped, stole, deceived or even took another’s life deserve divine mercy? The answer is a definitive yes, but there is a catch!
This fact is affirmed in the example of Jesus’ conversation with the condemned criminal in Corinth.
My brother, you have fallen on evil times. You lost your way; you became entangled in the meshes of crime… Your fellows must judge you by what you did, but there is a Judge to whom you may appeal for forgiveness, and who will judge you by your real motives and better intentions. You need not fear to meet the judgment of God if your repentance is genuine and your faith sincere. The fact that your error carries with it the death penalty imposed by man does not prejudice the chance of your soul to obtain justice and enjoy mercy before the heavenly courts. [Paper 133:4.12, page 1475.5]
It is instructive to reflect on Jesus’ teachings at Tyre when he stated:
Make not the mistake of estimating the soul’s worth by the imperfections of the mind or by the appetites of the body. Judge not the soul nor evaluate its destiny by the standard of a single unfortunate human episode. Your spiritual destiny is conditioned only by your spiritual longings and purposes. [Paper 156:5.9, page 1739.4]
Urantia Association has a dedicated group of volunteers whose mission is to provide those who are incarcerated with an opportunity to learn about these soul-saving messages from The Urantia Book. This group is organized under the umbrella of the Dissemination Committee and are known as PIRT (Prisoner Inquiry Response Team). These volunteers first organized in 2005 and have been active in answering inmate inquiries about The Urantia Book while holding an unflinching belief that all persons are valued, regardless of past errors or bad behavior.
Since the inception of PIRT over 2,000 books have been sent to individuals in prisons throughout America. We are reminded that the angels of heaven celebrate when lost sheep are found—PIRT’s mission is to find those lost sheep and return them to the fold.
Not many people know this, but the effort to seed The Urantia Book in our nation’s prisons started due to the efforts of a lone woman who worked with Urantia Foundation to place around 300 hardcover books into the prison system back in 2000. Since that time, thousands of inmates have written to the Foundation seeking a book for themselves.
As with each of us, the book often turns out to be a lifesaving resource, a constant companion for these truth-hungry individuals. There is nothing more fulfilling than to read the many heartfelt testimonials and letters of thanks for the gift of revelation and its uplifting messages of love and forgiveness.
God requires progress from each and every one of us in our life’s journey. The PIRTeam is here to encourage those inmates who contact us that they can change their outlook on life, that they can become better citizens, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, and mothers and fathers. We believe that the saving messages in The Urantia Book will find resonance in their hearts, which, in turn, will help to reduce the recidivism rate that is epidemic in this country.
Statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Justice indicate a very high arrest rate after release, which results in a return to prison. The 2018 Recidivism Study of State Prisoners tracked a sample of former inmates from 30 states for a period of 9 years after their release (2005-2014).
Below are a few highlights from the study:
- The 401,288 state prisoners released in 2005 had 1,994,000 arrests during the 9-year period, an average of 5 arrests per released prisoner.
- 44% of released prisoners were arrested during the 1st year following release.
- An estimated 68% of released prisoners were arrested within 3 years, 79% within 6 years and 83% within 9 years.
We should remember that The Urantia Book authors tell us that the chief inhibitors of spiritual growth are prejudice and ignorance. We can help inmates to curtail both of these impediments by offering them the higher truths found in The Urantia Book as an act of loving service to our fellow man. By being exposed to the marvelous teachings of Jesus, it is very possible that the temptation to return to a life of crime will be greatly diminished, perhaps even eradicated entirely.
More than 140 federal and state facilities in Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi were recently polled for interest in placement of The Urantia Book in their libraries. The response has been very encouraging; library directors responded positively with requests for a book at their facility. Seeding the nation’s prisons and jails with the book has proven to be a successful model and one that PIRT is actively pursuing with a new prison library seeding program that will send approximately 170 books (English & Spanish) to select facilities across the country.
A progressive and spiritually infused humanity is an important step toward the era of Light and Life on our dear planet. We have a great revelation to share and it is those “tossed out, forgotten criminals, the lost sheep” to whom PIRT offers life-saving ministry. We believe that all souls are valued, that effort is often needed to help people to realize their true potential in the family of God.
Jesus lived the ideal human life. For those who discover Jesus’ way of living, he can serve as a role model for today’s life struggles. The book’s authors tell us that Jesus/Christ Michael loves us all so completely because he truly values each and every one of us, regardless of our faults, mistakes and failings. There is no restriction on the love of Jesus, even for those who languish in our nation’s darkest of places.
Jesus disclosed to this world a higher quality of righteousness than justice—mere technical right and wrong. Divine love does not merely forgive wrongs; it absorbs and actually destroys them. The forgiveness of love utterly transcends the forgiveness of mercy. Mercy sets the guilt of evil-doing to one side; but love destroys forever the sin and all weakness resulting therefrom. Jesus brought a new method of living to Urantia. He taught us not to resist evil but to find through him a goodness which effectually destroys evil. The forgiveness of Jesus is not condonation; it is salvation from condemnation. Salvation does not slight wrongs; it makes them right. True love does not compromise nor condone hate; it destroys it. The love of Jesus is never satisfied with mere forgiveness. The Master’s love implies rehabilitation, eternal survival. It is altogether proper to speak of salvation as redemption if you mean this eternal rehabilitation. [Paper 188:5.2, page 2018.1]
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Members of Colombia and Cali Urantia Associations  What is Urantia? What is the work of God? How do we reach him? Is there life on other planets? Did Jesus have brothers? These were some of the many questions we came across at the pavilion of the Cali Book Fair, which lasted 11 days and was organized by the collaborative efforts of the Urantia Associations of Colombia and Cali (URANCOL and URACALI.) Between looks of amazement, a desire for knowledge, skepticism, and interest, more than 8,000 people received our love for the revelation and information about The Urantia Book. Eighty people asked to us to keep in touch, and 23 bought a hard copy of the book.
Ganid asked Jesus:
“Why do you occupy yourself so continuously with these visits with strangers?” And Jesus answered: “Ganid, no man is a stranger to one who knows God. In the experience of finding the Father in heaven you discover that all men are your brothers, and does it seem strange that one should enjoy the exhilaration of meeting a newly discovered brother? To become acquainted with one’s brothers and sisters, to know their problems and to learn to love them, is the supreme experience of living.” [Paper 130:2.6, page 1431.1]
This year we decided to add the QR barcode to the flyers so visitors could download the book in PDF format directly from the Internet. This encouraged and captivated many young people. It was a gift to listen to their questions and to share the revelation with them.
We discovered new readers, some of whom promised to join our groups, while others were willing to support us in different ways. We also gave an introduction to The Urantia Book to a meeting of 30 people on the fairgrounds.
Book fairs are a magnificent place of loving service, as well as a place to learn temperance of character and exalted meanings. Twenty volunteers were blessed to feel: “The supreme satisfactions of the loving service of man.” [170:4.12].
We felt the experience of love and dedication while communicating the revelation, and also felt supported and assisted in all human and divine instances. Special thanks to Urantia Association International and their associates who contributed to this great success.
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Esperaza Tovar Alvarado, Colombia  Once again, the Urantia Bogotá Association, with the support of Urantia Association International, was present at the renowned International Bogotá Book Fair: FILBO 2019.
This year we had a large stand located in one of the best pavilions of the fair—the pavilion of the universities—that brought us a more intellectual audience with deeper questions than usual. We were challenged to broaden our answers and discussions, therefore devote more time to each visitor. It was very pleasant to talk with the young university students of this city, with their outstanding thirst for knowledge and desire to understand things of a spiritual nature.
Of the 605,000 visitors who attended the fair this year, we handed out brochures to 6,000 people. These contained summary information on each part of the book. Another 30,000 flyers were given to the visiting public, inviting them to learn about the book.
During the book fair, three talks were given about The Urantia Book, more than 70 books were sold, and more than 100 email addresses were collected.
We had the usual enthusiastic collaboration of volunteers; 33 from Bogotá, three from Cali, Colombia, and one from Arequipa, Peru.
After the book fair, we held an introductory virtual talk about The Urantia Book with those who provided us with their contact information.
Warm regards,
Esperaza Tovar Alvarado
Secretary Urantia Bogotá Association
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Conference Committee 
11th Urantia Association International Conference in the Land of the Incas
- Our Theme: Towards Cosmic Citizenship… Your Time Has Come!
- Our Location: Urubamba, Cusco-Peru
- The Date: April 22th-25th, 2021
- How to Register and More: Click Here
- Event Registration Link: https://cvent.me/kMVko7
Man … can elect to become more than a man; can choose to embark upon the voyage of universe ascension, but this is because the human choice and the divine will happen to be coincident upon this point. And what a son desires and the Father wills will certainly come to pass. [Paper 118:6.5, page 1300.1]
…Your short sojourn on Urantia, on this sphere of mortal infancy, is only a single link, the very first in the long chain that is to stretch across universes and through the eternal ages. It is not so much what you learn in this first life; it is the experience of living this life that is important. Even the work of this world, paramount though it is, is not nearly so important as the way in which you do this work. There is no material reward for righteous living, but there is profound satisfaction—consciousness of achievement—and this transcends any conceivable material reward. [Paper 39:4.13, page 435.6]
… And this entire living adaptation of love must be effected in the light of both the environment of present evil and the eternal goal of the perfection of divine destiny. [Paper 180:5.10, page 1950.5]
What is the timeline in the evolutionary history of humanity? What are the traces left by the violet race that, today, we may freely utilize? How can we become conscious citizens of the universe? How can we turn ourselves into competent and reliable beings in the eyes of the universe? What is our commitment towards the Supreme Being—the evolutionary Deity? Can the age of light and life become a reality here and now?
The purpose of this conference is to unite readers from each continent so that together, in brotherhood, we may become inspired to internalize and reach profound levels of spirituality as revealed in the fifth epochal revelation. The above quotes and questions regarding our ascending journey towards cosmic citizenship tell us that our transit route is to live each and every day as potential citizens of the universe. What an opportunity to be doing this for several days together in a part of the world in which the violet race legacy, the energy of the many visiting spiritual truth seekers, and the beauty of the natural Andean landscape, invites you to do so!
During the coming months, the program for this conference will be finalized and we will keep you updated through periodic postings via the website of Urantia Association International.
Interesting Innovations
 This next international conference will bring some interesting innovations. The event will offer not only plenary presentations in a conference room, but also activities in the beautiful and inspiring garden surroundings; we will provide dynamic and invigorating workshops in the midst of the breathtakingly vivid and outstanding historical and archaeological sites; and we will give you the opportunity to experience the exquisite Peruvian cuisine, which is renowned for being among the best culinary delights of the world. Thus, in addition to being spiritually nourished, you may also enjoy local hospitality and the experience of being in a place full of the mysticism of a culture thousands of years old. We hope that all this will take you beyond the normal expectations of a traditional conference.
About the Conference Venue
 Peru, besides being a country of ancient history, is permeated with traces of an extraordinary culture, the origins of which are described in the pages of The Urantia Book. It is precisely in this context—in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Urubamba, Cusco—where this unique conference will be held.
The main plenary sessions will be held in the conference room of the five-star Hotel Tambo del Inca and the afternoon workshops will take place in two archaeological sites, one being Ollantaytambo and the other yet to be determined.
The Sacred Valley is not only where a great deal of the archaeological remains of the Incas are located but is also the place from which trains depart to the citadel of Macchu-Pichu, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Altitude
When thinking of the highlands, some people worry about altitude sickness. The Sacred Valley is located at an altitude of 2,850 meters above sea level. Notice, however, that it is only 200 meters more than the altitude of the city of Bogotá, in Colombia, where some international and regional events of Urantia Association have already taken place. However, those few cases that may be affected by altitude sickness will be easily taken care of with rest and oxygen—a service that will be provided from arrival at the airport, during the journey to the Sacred Valley, and on-site.
Conference Service Costs
 (Note: the costs in this section do not include accommodation or entry to the archaeological sites. See further details for those in the relevant sections below.) The current cost for the conference is USD$330.00 (with the $120 discount) and includes the following services:
- All lunches and dinners of high-quality cuisine.
- Mid-morning and afternoon coffee breaks and snacks.
- Bus shuttle services from the airport to the Sacred Valley and back to the airport.
- Transportation around the Sacred Valley, from the different hotels to the conference room (minutes away), the restaurant, and the archaeological sites.
- Tourism guidance.
- Simultaneous translations.
- Folkloric dance and music presentations.
- Conference materials.
Registration
Registration is now open! Sign up now for this memorable event in Peru and receive an Exclusive Promo discount of USD$120.00 and pay only USD$330.00 if you register before March 31, 2020.
Register now
Note: Paying by credit card instead of PayPal during checkout saves the organizers extra fees!
For more registration and lodging information: Click Here
Additional Costs
 Entry to the Archaeological Sites
The price of the tourist ticket ranges between approximately USD$10 and USD$40. The ticket allows for entrance to various archaeological sites. The reason this cost is not included in the main conference costs is because it depends on the type of ticket each person requires, which can vary according to one’s status (e.g.: national, foreigner, or student) and the number of days and/or tourist attractions the ticket covers. (Some may choose to do a trip after the conference). To determine the exact costs of tourist tickets, check here: Cusco touristic ticket
Accommodation
 The foreseen accommodation facilities range from five-star hotels-haciendas to smaller (but no less warm and beautiful) hotels—according to individual budgets. All accommodation facilities are close to one another. The accommodation prices include breakfast and will depend on the hotel each person chooses to stay in. Following is a list of the different hotels, with their different price ranges and links, in case you wish to make a booking for the mentioned dates (check-in: April 22nd / check-out: April 25th of 2021)
Hotel Tambo del Inca
Bookings: corporativo@libertador.com.pe
Hotel Sonesta Yucay
Bookings: reservas.sonestayucay1@ghlhoteles.com
Hotel Casona Yucay
Bookings: reservas@hotelcasonayucay.com
Hostal Yucay Plaza Inn
Bookings: reservas@yucayplazainn.com
Hostal Ttito
Bookings: tuliattito@gmail.com
Hostal Yucay Lodge I
BOOKINGS: yucaylodge@gmail.com
If you’re planning to attend Urantia Association’s International Conference in Urubamba-Peru, we urge you to register and book your accommodation with the hotel NOW, using our registration link
Once you complete your registration, we will inform the hotel about your pre-booking. After that the hotel will contact you, to ask if you can send them via email your passport number, payment details and other information that they might request. Once they have all the details, they will send you a confirmation email and your reservation will be final.
Expressions of Interest and Updates
To keep track of further details of the conference see: https://urantia-association.org/2020/peru-2021-urantia-international-conference-and-registration/
If you would like to receive information and updates on registration and other issues regarding the conference, please go to the Contact form on the Association’s website at https://urantia-association.org/about-uai/contact-us. Then please fill out the form providing your contact information, and in the Message text box below the form state your request to receive updates regarding the 2021 International Conference in Peru. Then hit the blue “Submit” button. (Your message will automatically be sent to the appropriate people who will add you to a list to receive all future updates and conference information.)
Donations
In order for the greatest amount of people to participate, we invite you to take a look at the different actions Urantia Association International does with the contributions it receives. You may donate by clicking here.
We look forward to welcoming you to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, in Cusco, Peru!
Lourdes Burga-Cisneros
President, Urantia Peru National Association
Email: urantiaperupresidencia@gmail.com
Antonio Schefer
Conference Chair, Urantia Association International
Email: conferences@urantia-association.org
Further Information
Click here to view PDF of conference information brochure
https://urantia-association.org/2020/peru-2021-urantia-international-conference-and-registration/#more-38213
Here’s a gallery of photos of the location and its surrounding environs as well as some of the nearby hotels:
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Florida Member Groups  The Agondonter Boot Camp Society of Florida and the Urantia Association of Florida are jointly sponsoring a conference on Service and Ministry, 14—16 February, 2020 at DaySpring Episcopal Conference Center Parrish, Florida (45 minutes from Tampa—St. Petersburg airports.)
Make this a part of your winter vacation to the Sunshine State!
What does it mean to serve? What does it mean to minister? How do we find ways to be of service and get prepared? How do we uplift service to a higher level of ministry?
We will explore different ways people serve and minister with an emphasis on being practical. You are invited to participate by sharing your personal experiences and aspirations. We hope you will come away feeling encouraged by learning comfortable ways to serve and minister. Please share and bring a friend.
On Sunday morning there will be an immersion experience by Paul and Jorgey Krupa, Living the Teachings.
Registration is $50. To register and reserve weekend accommodations at DaySpring, please see the registration information at http://abc-society.com/
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Nathen Jansen and Katharina Becker University of the Fraser Valley, BC Canada
July 28 to August 1, 2020
Lifting Together – United in Purpose – Serving God the Supreme
 The Urantia Association of Canada and The Urantia Book Fellowship have teamed up to host this gathering in the Vancouver Fraser Valley. They invite everyone to come together to serve the global community by making a personal contribution to civilization on Urantia.
The Urantia Global Experience is a gathering of minds dedicated to serving God the Supreme through the exploration of solutions for the progressive evolution of civilization. We believe the overall success of this experimental endeavor rests on our spiritual unity—our common motive to express the will of God in our personal daily lives as well as in our social institutions.
The format of this gathering will be a little different than past experiences. Rather than a series of lectures and workshops, all participants will engage in discussion groups focused on a variety of topics drawn from The Urantia Book (see Paper 71:4 Progressive Civilization). From these discussions, we hope to derive common ideas, solutions, and purpose.
To implement these grand ideals, we need your help. We are currently taking applications for Facilitators and Visionary Exploration presenters, as well as for volunteers.
- Facilitator Pairs – are required to moderate the discussions in both Focus Groups and Vision Teams. These discussions will focus on the 12 points of progressive civilization as placed in the context of working with the Supreme, and all Facilitators should be conversant in these areas.
- Presenters – further discussions (Visionary Explorations) are dedicated to the advancement of civilization through current active projects, planned projects, and great ideas for new projects.
- Volunteers – anyone who would like to lend a helping hand as custodians or ushers, as well as setting
 up equipment, cleaning, or doing a great variety of minor chores. We also need people who would like to sing in our choir.
Contact Us – Urantia Global Experience
Note: Due to spatial constraints, this event is limited to 300 actively engaged participants.
See our website for more information – Urantia Global Experience
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Central Admin  Did you know that when you shop for the holidays at AmazonSmile, Amazon donates to Urantia Association International?
What is AmazonSmile?
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support Urantia Association International every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at AmazonSmile you’ll find the exact same prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to the Association.
How do I shop at AmazonSmile?
To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.com on your computer or mobile device. (You may also want to add a bookmark to AmazonSmile to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at there.)
Can I use my existing Amazon.com account on AmazonSmile?
Yes, you use the same account on Amazon.com and AmazonSmile. Your shopping cart, wish list, wedding or baby registry, and other account settings are also the same.
How do I select the Association to support when shopping on AmazonSmile?
On your first visit to AmazonSmile, you need to select “Urantia Association International” to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping. AmazonSmile will remember your selection, and then every eligible purchase you make thereafter will result in a donation.
Which products on AmazonSmile are eligible for charitable donations?
Tens of millions of products on AmazonSmile are eligible for donations. You will see eligible products marked “Eligible for AmazonSmile donation” on their product detail pages.
How much of my purchase does Amazon donate?
The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases. (The purchase price is the amount paid for the item minus any rebates and excluding shipping & handling, gift-wrapping fees, taxes, or service charges.)
Can I receive a tax deduction for amounts donated from my purchases on AmazonSmile?
Donations are made by the AmazonSmile Foundation therefore are not tax deductible by you.
Thank you for joining us in our efforts to spread the teachings of The Urantia Book.
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Check out Urantia Association International’s Events Calendar at http://urantia-association.org/events-list. Upcoming events can be viewed in a List or Calendar view.
Urantia Book reader events provide opportunities for students to gain a deeper understanding of the ideas and concepts presented in The Urantia Book and help to facilitate a personal commitment to the ideals of spiritual living. We hope you can make it to some of these events and experience the joys of meeting and studying with fellow readers.
If you’re planning a Urantia Book reader event in your region and would like help in promoting it, please send us your information and we’ll consider it for our Events Calendar.
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The Tidings newsletter is a quarterly on-line publication that serves as Urantia Association International’s primary communication tool for reaching out to the Association’s membership, supporters, donors, volunteers, and general readership friends. It provides news and information on the many activities and events of the National or Affiliate Urantia Associations around the globe as well as information and announcements from Central Office, the International Service Board (ISB), and the Representative Council (RC). It serves to keep members in touch with one another and gives readers a sense of belonging—of being an integral part of a truly international movement that is designed to promote the Urantia revelation to all corners of the world.
Note: Tidings also occasionally provides news of other Urantia-related activities and events that may be of interest to our supporters and friends. Please note that any interpretations, opinions, conclusions, or artistic representations, whether stated or implied, are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of Urantia Association International, the National or Affiliate Urantia Associations, or the editorial team of the Association’s Tidings.
Grass Roots Level
The number of National or Affiliate Urantia Associations scattered throughout the world is steadily growing and collectively they undertake service activities that have the ability to inspire and motivate others; activities such as study conferences, regional gatherings, study groups, dissemination programs, educational programs, outreach projects, and the development of study aids and newsletters. These Associations are the lifeblood of Urantia Association International—they function at the grass roots level where effective service and dissemination of the revelation takes place.
Share Your Stories
There are thousands of readers with unique personal stories about how they found The Urantia Book and how it has changed their lives. There are hundreds of study groups all over the world that can share stories and encourage readers to either create a study group of their own or participate in one. These stories need to be told and Tidings provides an effective platform for the sharing of such activities.
If you would like to share your stories please submit your material to the Chief Editor. Topics may include:
- How you found The Urantia Book
- Special projects such as Book Fairs, Library Placement, Outreach
- New or established study groups—how you got started—what keeps you going?
- Your annual meetings, picnics, or other social gatherings
- Send pictures
Tidings Team
- Chief Editor: Myra Hight
- Co-editors: Mark Blackham, James Woodward, Richard Jernigan
- Online and hard-copy English newsletters: Mark Blackham
- Spanish translator an online Spanish newsletter: Olga Lopez
- French translator: Alain Cyr and collaborators
- French online newsletter: Alain Cyr
Submissions:
Submit articles to the Chief Editor and please understand that they may be subject to revision. Please limit them to approximately 1 to 1½ pages (700 to 1400 words) plus one or two photos.
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