All around us is growth!
Three years ago I moved to Wisconsin in the northern United States and the first thing I noticed was that every plant in the garden seemed to grow from seed to flower in the space of a few days. We persevere through a long winter only to have the seasons for sowing, cultivating, and harvesting all thrust upon us at once.
In 2014 this sense of growth has filled Urantia Association, and we are only half way through the year – we could accomplish twice as much before the year is out!
In June the Association hosted the Study Group Symposium dedicated to the in-depth examination of the role of Study Groups in our community. For the first time this symposium was live broadcast on the internet, connecting students from across the globe. On Thursday evening we hosted an open discussion on “Technology and Study Groups” and on Friday evening an open discussion on “Families and Study Groups.” During both discussions, my cell phone was vibrating with questions being sent from online viewers who wanted to participate!
Our commitment to Study Groups does not end with the Symposium. The lessons learned will be translated and disseminated throughout the world beginning with a Latin American, Spanish speaking Study Group Symposium Tour being organized by the Colombian Association.
As you may know, in January two Urantia Book students from the Philippines with support from the Association and Foundation traveled and placed copies of The Urantia Book in libraries and universities throughout their country. This was the largest operation this year of a dedicated book placement effort which saw books going to Cameroon, India, Nepal, and Dubai.
In May the International Association assisted the Colombian Association to acquire a pallet of books. The Colombians have devised a plan to legally import books as a book distributor hoping to help lower the overall cost of books in stores in their country. If they are successful it could be model for other Associations to follow to help the spread of the revelation – and by the way the Colombians have been incredibly successful and have already sold half of their books!
Not to be outdone, the Ukrainian Association also imported a pallet of books to help make the revelation available in their part of the world. In this case, the Foundation and Association worked together with the Foundation covering the books while the Association paid the shipping and import fees.
In both Colombia and Ukraine, it was the hard work and tireless dedication of the local students and leaders which lead to their success. No central power could possibly have affected as much progress across the globe. We need motivated and empowered national and local leaders who are willing to take on the burdens the revelation.
The wisdom and foresight of the founders of the Association is coming to fruit a generation later. Do we dare to take up a cause knowing that success might not be achieved for 20, 30 perhaps 50 years?
Please, join us in this work! What can you do to uplift your community? What can you do to support those striving to spread the Urantia Teachings across the globe?
Take a look around your worldwide Urantia community: you will find places to sow, places to cultivate, and places to harvest. All around us is growth!
In service,
Chris Wood
President
Urantia Association International