Tidings – June 2018
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In This Issue
- President’s Message – June 2018 – Chris Wood, USA
- International Conference 2018 Report – Jaap Terra, The Netherlands
- Reflections from 2018 International Conference
- Ghana Conference Report 2018 – Alice Wood, USA
- Urantia Young Adults Post-Conference – Antonio Schefer, The Netherlands
- Urantia Association Educational Activities – Jeannie Vázquez, Uruguay
- We Have Modernized Urantia Association International – Bradly Tharp, USA
- Latin American Conference 2018 in Brazil – Enrique Traver, Brazil
- 2021 Urantia Association International Conference – Peru
- Bogotá International Book Fair – 2018 – Esperanza Tovar and Andrés Ramírez, Colombia
- Spain National Meeting Report – 2018 – Olga Lopez, Spain
- Effective Study Groups – Gaetan Charland, Quebec
- Dutch Urantia Association Annual Conference – Jaap Terra, The Netherlands
- Peru Urantia Association – National Meeting
- Upcoming Events
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Chris Wood, USA  I was recently reading Paper 44 of The Urantia Book, studying the Celestial Artisans. We are informed about the “harmony of associated spirits” which is the arrangements of various and different beings so that they produce “majestic melodies.” This idea of the harmony within a group captures so well what I have witnessed across the Urantia community these last few months.
There is now a recognizable tune to our expanding service as new patches of Urantia Book students emerge across the globe. Our Dissemination Committee helps us find others who would become inspired by this revelation. Our Membership Committee is experienced in reaching out to these new pockets of truth seekers, helping to unite with isolated students and regional groups. Our Study Groups Committee brings regular and focused study into our communities, and our Conference Committee helps create meaningful events. Our Education Committee sources out and presents quality in-depth lessons from across the globe, and our Communications Committee connects all of us within the global Urantia community. Of course our Translations Committee makes all of this connecting more far-reaching with their loving dedication to bridging language barriers.
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Jaap Terra, The Netherlands 
After three whole years of intensive preparation it finally happened! The 10th International Conference of Urantia Association International has taken place.
It is up to me to report on this great conference. Actually it is an impossible task to reveal just how much it touched us—all the wonderful people who attended and who were so deeply moved, inspired, and motivated.
Because of the content of the presentations, breakout sessions and workshops, Jesus certainly left his mark—seeds were sown and plants were planted for further growth on Urantia from the “fifth epochal revelation” (i.e. the new revelations contained in The Urantia Book.)
On the basis of the many positive reactions and feedback we received, we can safely say that this conference was very successful. Many guests indicated that they were personally touched on a deep level and that during the conference—and even after several days—they felt that this is Urantia as Jesus intended... a “world in light and life.”
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The following are testimonials from two conference attendees, Jorge Buckingham and Mairam Durand from Peru who shared their experiences of the International Conference in The Netherlands with us.
 Jorge Buckingham, Urantia Peru:
It is said that that the great experiences are remembered forever—more so if such experiences form part of a learning process that transforms our lives. And it must be true, because evoking the memories of the 10th Urantia Association International Conference brings me a very special pleasure.
The event took place between the 12th and 15th of April, in Noordwijkerhout, in the Netherlands. The venue was the Conference Centre Leeuwenhorst—a space resembling the most prestigious universities of the world, thus contributing a suitable academic environment for the conference. The vitality of Antoinette Hall and the iconic reggae singer Pato Banton as masters of ceremony is worthy to note… their energy and contact with the audience stimulated and prepared all for the programs of reflection, education, and entertainment.
I particularly liked the methodology used to develop the conference program. After brief but meaningful plenaries of about 20 minutes, the participants joined previously assigned groups in which they could discuss the presented topics in a deep and detailed way. Groups were formed with consideration to native languages. The group leaders assigned tasks and offered references and questions for discussion so participants could link theoretical concepts with daily life experiences. It was a dynamic and interactive way of doing things because all the attendees had the same opportunity to express themselves and contribute their ideas.
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Alice Wood, USA  Gathering together under the theme “Mother Spirit Mama Africa,” the enthusiasm for the teachings of The Urantia Book was obvious at the Urantia conference in Accra, Ghana this past April. I felt as though I was standing on the ground floor of what will become a towering continental Urantia community.
 Among the fifty people at the conference, hailing from ten different countries, attendees were largely under the age of forty and, while about half of them were experienced students of The Urantia Book, the other half were completely new to the teachings. The high percentage of people being introduced to the book at the conference is thanks to a unique, generational atmosphere that exists in Africa at this moment. Young Africans are thirsty for truth and that seems to instill in them fertile soil for conversations about God, religion, and the positive method of living demonstrated by Jesus. I continue to think back on my brief time at the conference, wishing that I had more opportunity to get to know the people and participate in the building of their community. But in the end, it’s their home, and while I hope to go back, it is their privilege to build Urantia Africa into a thriving community.
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Antonio Schefer, The Netherlands 
The Urantia Young Adults International committee (UYAI) recently hosted, for the first time in its short history, its very own conference, which was a truly special event. We called it the “2018 UYAI Post-Conference” as it was held right after Urantia Association’s International Conference in The Netherlands.
The conference was in the form of a tour and we began by travelling to The Rijksmuseum with 68 Urantia Book readers using a 50-person touring bus, 2 minivans and a taxi. We visited a renowned museum where we saw many famous paintings such as The Night Watch, by Rembrandt van Rijn; The Milkmaid, by Johannes Vermeer; and Vincent van Gogh’s Self Portrait.
After our visit to the museum we embarked on a 2-hour boat tour through the Amsterdam canals to see and learn about the history of the capital of The Netherlands. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, especially when traveling in your “private boat” accompanied by 40 fellow Urantia Book readers from all over the world! We ended the day with dinner and drinks near at The Leidseplein, then headed back to the Conference Centre.
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Jeannie Vázquez, Uruguay 
Dear Friends and Readers of The Urantia Book,
It is a pleasure to inform you about the latest activities of Urantia Association’s Education Committee.
We are organizing a cycle of monthly live webinars. On March 24, the Association’s Study Groups Committee Chair, Gaetan Charland, presented the theme “Improving the Quality and Effectiveness of Study Groups.” In this webinar, Gaetan explored how study groups may be improved to work toward fulfilling The Urantia Book’s mission, as stated in the book:
…to expand cosmic consciousness and enhance spiritual perception. [Paper 0:0.2, page 1.2]
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Bradly Tharp, USA  As the Chief Financial Officer of Urantia Association International and Chair of the Association’s Finance Committee, it has been my privilege to witness the growth and transformation of the International Association. This modernization has been due to the quality leadership and exemplary service of many talented volunteers, committing their professional skill, personal idealism, and loving dedication to the mission of the global dissemination of The Urantia Book and its teachings. Upon such a foundation of idealism, vision, and effort by so many, the Association has constructed an organizational infrastructure that reaches around the world today, bringing together thousands of students and believers in fellowship with one another, in a shared ministry of in-depth study and a mission of service.
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Enrique Traver, Brazil  We are rapidly approaching the time when the 2nd Latin American regional conference will be held in São Paulo, Brazil on November 1—4, 2018. The theme for the conference will be “Living the Teachings” and will take place at the Monaco Hotel, in the city of Guarulhos (one of the towns of São Paulo) and which is very close to the São Paulo International Airport (Guarulhos).
This will be a unique opportunity to share experiences and knowledge, discover new friends and strengthen relationships, and learn from each other different ways of seeing the teachings of The Urantia Book from the varying perspectives of our different cultures.
There will be many activities—some recreational, others dedicated to study, including presentations, workshops and group prayer. And, of course there will be plenty of time for relaxation, socializing, and entertainment.
The purpose of the event is not intended to establish a daily routine for living the teachings, but it will encourage discussion and reflection on how we may strengthen and develop spirituality in the individual, flowing into further discussions and debate on the individual’s role in the broader community in relation to the fostering and development of cosmic consciousness. Finally, we intend to discuss practical aspects for developing and forming study groups as well as dissemination of the teachings of the fifth epochal revelation.
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 We are pleased to announce that the next International Conference for Urantia Association International will be held in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Urubamba, Cusco, Peru April 22—25, 2021 and will be hosted by the Urantia Association of Peru.
The theme will be Towards Cosmic Citizenship and the program will incorporate a combination of plenary sessions that will be held at the conference center, and workshops that will be held at the nearby famous archaeological sites. (The most beautiful and famous sites of the Incas are found in the Sacred Valley. A bus service will be provided to transport us to these sites and the costs will be included in the conference package price.)
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Esperanza Tovar and Andrés Ramírez, Colombia  The Bogota International Book Fair (FILBO) for 2018 was held in May over sixteen days. This was the 31st book fair to be organized by the Colombian Book Chamber and Corferias. This event is considered to be the most important cultural event in Colombia, and over 57,5000 people attended.
Year after year FILBO is a must date for everyone who enjoys culture and reading. Around 12,600 students from 114 state schools and 26,000 from 196 private schools from all over the country attended. Most attendees walked past the BogotaUrantia Association’s booth where a team of 43 very well-coordinated volunteers (8 of whom were under 30 years of age) served the Urantia revelation by displaying the book, handing out brochures and answering questions. Twenty-three thousand (23,000) information brochures with contact information and dates of upcoming activities produced many provocative questions. Five thousand (5,000) handbills with more detailed information were delivered to those who showed a deeper level of interest. A total of 70 books were sold, and we anticipate that many more will be sold during the year as a result of the contacts made during the event. One hundred and thirty (130) new email addresses were collected from interested people and four presentations on The Urantia Book were given in the conference rooms to approximately 70 people.
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Olga Lopez, Spain  The 17th National Meeting of Urantia Book readers in Spain was held in Zaragoza from April 28 to May 1. Zaragoza is the fifth most populated city in Spain and is located between Madrid and Barcelona. About 40 people attended and came from all the corners of the country.
The conference theme was “Living the Teachings.” This was a meeting that was primarily based on personal experience and was one of the most remarkable ever. Some volunteers shared their experiences based on the following four categories:
- Self-control and Self-mastery
- How We See Our Own Death
- Losing Our Loved Ones and Break-ups
- Forgiveness
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Gaetan Charland, Quebec  As a host of a study group have you ever wondered how effective your group is at promoting spiritual growth in its participants?
Have you ever questioned yourself about the value your group has in promoting the mission of The Urantia Book?
These are just two of the many legitimate questions we might ask ourselves as a host concerning the effectiveness of the study group we facilitate on a regular basis.
The pitfalls we may encounter in hosting study groups are many, especially if we are not cognizant or focused on the value study groups can have in promoting spiritual and intellectual growth, expanding cosmic consciousness and enhancing spiritual perception, contributing to the development of leaders and teachers, and encouraging participants to engage in service activities.
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Jaap Terra, The Netherlands  August 21st 2018
As in previous years the Dutch Urantia Association (UAISUN) organizes an annual conference on August 21st to celebrate the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, the incarnation of Michael of Nebadon.
Last year we enjoyed an upward trend in the number of visitors compared to previous years. We hope this development continues.
This year the conference will focus on The Faith of Jesus.
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October 6th – 10th, 2018
You are invited to join Spanish-speaking students of The Urantia Book at the 2nd National Conference of the Urantia Association of Peru.
The theme will be: The Exercising of Brotherhood… Utopia or Reality?
Like last year, the conference will again be held in Pachacamac, a beautiful countryside region of Lima, 30 minutes away from the city.
The aim of this National Conference is to get to know the practical side of brotherhood. The conference will be held in Spanish and will be utilizing some plenary presentations, but mostly experiential workshops throughout the weekend.
Click here for more information
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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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