An Artistic 24-Hour Urantiathon

By Conference Committee on
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Inspirations of the Urantia Revelation—Beauty, Art, Music, and Expressions of the Soul

Invitation to the 5th 24-hour Urantiathon

August 7, 2021 UTC time

As light appears at the end of this Covid-19 tunnel, the Urantia Community is coming together for the fifth time to offer another extraordinary online event to bring people together. 

Urantia Association International is organizing another special 24-hour Urantiathon. This time we will join with artists from all over the world as they share their creative talents that have been inspired by The Urantia Book’s teachings. 

The theme will be Inspirations of the Urantia Revelation—Beauty, Art, Music, and Expressions of the Soul. It will also feature worship, meditation, live presentations, workshops, poetry, amazing inspirational videos, and more.

This event will take place starting Saturday August 7, 2021 UTC time. To help coordinate our watches, the event will begin at the following times across the globe:

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President’s Message – June 2021

From , By Enrique Traver, Brazil on

In April 2021, I started my activity as President of Urantia Association International—the beginning of an incredible experience, full of challenges and opportunities with plenty of joy.

The Association’s challenging mission of disseminating The Urantia Book teachings all over the world to people from different cultures and languages creates an incredible learning environment. What a blessing to be part of this!

It is impossible to live such experiences without adopting the wise teachings of the revelation and without noticing the beauty, the truth, and the goodness present in all the situations encountered on this path.

Of course, it is a matter of the perspective we apply in each of these situations.

It is like a thunderstorm. When you find yourself in the middle of it, seeking refuge, frightened by the wind, lightning, and thunder, everything seems threatening or scary and, in fact, it can be.

But it is a matter of looking, of perception, sometimes of trust and faith.

On the other hand, imagine yourself watching the storm from the outside, watching it happen in front of you at a distance. It is impossible not to marvel at the spectacle and force of nature with its raw manifestation of energy. Even so, your perception could be that of an observer of the beauty of nature or that of an observer of its destructive force, or even all of this together and much more.

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24-Hour Artists’ Urantiathon

From , By Conference Committee on

Inspirations of the Urantia Revelation—Beauty, Art, Music, and Expressions of the Soul

We invite you to join us once again for another 24-Hour Urantiathon. This time we will join with artists from all over the world as they share their creative talents that have been inspired by the Urantia Book’s teachings. The theme will be Inspirations of the Urantia Revelation—Beauty, Art, Music, and Expressions of the Soul. It will also feature worship, meditation, live presentations, workshops, poetry, amazing inspirational videos, and more.

The event will take place on Saturday August 7th, 2021 UTC time. (If you live in the Americas, it actually starts on Friday August 6th at 8:00pm EDT.)

Here are the times in three cities to help you adjust to your own time zone: 

New York: Friday 8:00pm to Saturday 8:00pm
London: Saturday 1:00am to Sunday 1:00am
Sydney: Saturday 10.00am to Sunday 10:00am 

The program is still being developed but to give you an idea, some of the artists who have agreed to share their Urantia inspired creative works are Gary Tonge, Pato Banton, Antoinette Rootsdawtah, Bob Solone, Rebecca Oswald, Gordon Taylor, Patrick Yesh, Cristina Seaborn, Rick Warren, and James Woodward.

This is promising to be a particularly unique event so mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details!

2024 Urantia Association International Conference in USA

From ,

The Nature and Nurture of the Soul

28—31 March 2024
Maritime Conference Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Mark your calendars now for the next exciting Urantia Association International Conference in 2024! This will be the 12th International Conference of the Association and is being organized by Urantia Association of the United States (UAUS) and will be hosted by Urantia Association of Hawaii. 

This conference was first announced by Katrina Glavan-Heise, President of UAUS at the end of the virtual 11th International Conference after the Peruvian team handed her the virtual torch to present the next international conference in 2024. The announcement was preceded by a lovely promotion trailer that you can view by clicking here.

Following is a bit of history of the evolution of this event in the words of Marian Hughes, one of the conference organizers and member of Urantia Association of Hawaii (HULA): 

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About Tidings Newsletter

From ,

The Tidings newsletter is an 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 and Local Associations around the globe as well as information and announcements from Central Office, the International Service Board, and the Representative Council. 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.

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Ways to Donate to Urantia Association International

From , ,
Artist: Carlos Rubinsky

The world is changing fast and Urantia Association International is in a unique position to foster the Urantia revelation in so many ways. With localized teams in the form of associations springing up across the globe, we are ready to help anyone, anywhere, to study and spread the teachings that we all hold so dear.  

Also, with the beneficial changes that technology brings, more and more organizations are switching to a subscription model as a way of making donations. Urantia Association has launched the Global Urantia Perspective for those who share a dynamic world vision for The Urantia Book. We are looking for supporters to subscribe for a minimum donation of $10 per month to support programs that work to spread the teachings.

The Association has only one paid staff member to manage and coordinate our worldwide activities. All other services are rendered by devoted students who donate their time (and often their treasure) to the projects that help bring us closer to our heavenly Father. Thank you to our faithful volunteers and donors!  

Here is a selection of ways to donate to Urantia Association: 

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Report on Virtual International Conference

From , Presented by Cecilia Barretto, Peru on

Held April 24th – 25th, 2021 and hosted by Urantia Association of Peru

It seemed like only yesterday when, at the end of 2016, we were asked to host the International Conference that Urantia Association International organizes every three years. The Urantia Peru team celebrated when we received the torch at the Amsterdam Conference to be the hosts in 2021 and we quickly placed ourselves under the Father’s command.

Since the beginning of 2017, it became an intense, coordinated job. We had in mind that achieving this challenge demanded doing it onsite with the standards a conference requires. So, we were ready, even with some pre-paid services and facilities. 

But fate provided another challenge for us. The corona pandemic arrived and we asked God: Father, given this new unforeseen situation, do you still want us to go for it? 

We eventually made the decision to make it happen virtually and the 11th Urantia Association International Conference: Towards Cosmic Citizenship… Your Time Has Come! …turned into “A Virtual Experience.”

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Spiritual Value in the Peru Conference

From , Presented by Jeffrey Wattles, USA on

What is of survival value for the soul in a conference? Here’s my current harvest from the conference on Cosmic Citizenship hosted by Urantia Peru Association April 24-25, 2021. 

First story. The opening prayer by Collins Lomo of Ghana showed a striking maturity of spiritual concept and spiritual leadership.

Second story. International Conference organizers were encouraged to share something of their local culture as part of a conference. This was done to a high degree. I was struck by the effectiveness of the presentation on the traces of the violet race in the Incas and the videos that supported this theme. The presenter was the head of the conference organizers, lawyer, educator, and mother, Lourdes Burgos-Cisneros. Her presentation beautifully wove threads of connection between the papers on Adam and Eve and papers that describe ten aspects of civilization, using video clips for each aspect to illustrate the extraordinary achievements of the Incas. After the presentations we saw videos portraying Machu Picchu, a number of stunning archaeological sites, aerial views of the Andes that included the region of Cusco, Peru, where the conference was originally planned to take place. I was deeply moved by the brilliant artistry of the assembly of quotes, and the outstanding quality of supporting visuals. On that basis, after the presentation was over and I was watching video footage taken from an airplane above the Andes, I could identify with the perspective of planetary supervisors who planted and nurtured civilization there: a soulful thrill!

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Two Sides of the Same Coin

From , By David Linthicum, USA on

During a recent Urantia Association conference, a question was posed to those assembled: “How many have been successful in introducing The Urantia Book to family or friends?” The response was not surprising; a quick count revealed that only a smattering few raised their hands. For all those who have tried and failed to introduce the book to family and friends, you are in good company.  

Here we have in our hands a divine revelation, the fifth epochal revelation to mankind, the most amazing treasure since Jesus walked the Earth and yet many of our family and friends are not interested. I’m sure this is a reality for a great many of us and a disappointing one at that!

I’ve been a student of the book for 26 years, yet despite my best efforts to interest family and friends, for the most part they have shown only passive interest, perhaps tolerance or even appeasement would be more like it; none have taken the time to read the book. I was able to get a previous girlfriend to read the book several years ago and she became a dedicated student of the book. So, one person after 26 years of trying—not a great record!  

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Focus on the Father – Thoughts

From , By James Woodward, USA on

“It is the motivating thought, the spiritual content, that validates the mortal supplication. Words are valueless” [Paper 7:3, p. 85.1].

Nevertheless, I would share some words with you about thoughts. 

To ponder the creation of thought is an intriguing mental exercise, but one leans into the realm of religious mystery when reflecting on the fact that thoughts can create. “The Original and Eternal Son is the offspring-person of the “first” completed and infinite thought of the Universal Father” [7:6]. 

In everyday life, we often treat thought like sports paraphernalia in the playing field of our mind. We toss them around in our consciousness, generally oblivious to their awesome and divine power. Sometimes they bounce into other thoughts and gather themselves up into ideas. But what is a thought? Physically speaking we know it involves nerve cells, dendrites, axons, neurons, and chemical neurotransmitters. Such neural systems are directed networks, receiving and broadcasting signals that form systems and then bundles of systems. These clusters have been identified as sensory relay stations, integrative centers, memory modules, and emotional control centers.  

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Journal Editorial – May 2021

From , By Mark Blackham, Canada on

Welcome to the May 2021 edition of the Urantia Association’s Journal, a publication dedicated to the thoughts, observations, and experiences of Urantia Book students from around the world. This edition offers a broad scope of ideas and reflections, including spiritual insights gained from personal tribulations, approaches to worship and service, tactful ideas for spreading the good news, and novel ways to introduce the ideals and ideas of The Urantia Book to younger generations.

Our first article, No Appointments, No Disappointments: Adversity and the Authentic Self, is a moving and thoughtful piece by Christopher Ross, who describes his tragic experience with a partner who was a spiritual seeker like himself but who could not find happiness in his own life. This sad event inspired him to closely examine his “authentic self” as well as “the mission of adversity and the spiritual value of disappointment” that God and his angels present to all of us in the course of our lives. How we deal with such problems, he concludes, is not by intellect alone but by a daily devotion of oneself to conscious union with God.

The second article, Making Worship and Service the Center of Our Lives by Kathleen Swadling, takes a close look at how we internalize concepts of worship and service, as well as how we can incorporate a meaningful, daily practice of worship and service in our lives. She reminds us of the central role worship plays in any spiritual progress, “worship is really the fountain head, the fundamental premise from which everything else of spiritual value springs.” In particular, Kathleen stresses the point that our relationship with our Father is like any relationship of love; you have to work at it. And this work includes not only worship but also an attitude of sincerity, making the right choices, sharing our lives with God and, just as importantly, offering our loving services to others.

Our third paper, Preparing for Spontaneity by Chris Wood, addresses the methods by which we attempt to share the teachings of The Urantia Book with others, especially those unfamiliar with it. The subtitle of his article, The Necessary Work to Avoid Sounding Crazy, sums it up nicely. I’m sure that many of us, if not all of us, who are greatly enthused by this revelation have encountered awkward situations whenever we attempt to share brilliant quotes from the book. Indeed, we can sound crazy. But Chris has some good advice on how to present the teachings in a way that is both tactful and effective.

And finally, our fourth article, Millennials and the Church:  An Important Lesson for the Urantia Movement by Bruce Jackson, addresses an issue that many of us Urantia Book old-timers have long pondered—where are all the young folk? But this is the same question that most religious institutions are asking today, and I would go so far as to say that it is not just religions suffering this fate of indifference but almost any organization, including service clubs such as Kiwanis International, or even local photography clubs. Bruce takes a look at the considerable research Christian organizations and research centers have conducted in an attempt to understand why millennials are so complacent about joining religious groups and he then applies the same reasoning to people in the Urantia movement. These are thoughts to ponder if we seriously wish to engage our youth in the fifth epochal revelation.

No Appointments, No Disappointments

From , By Christopher Ross, USA on

Adversity and the Authentic Self

(Adapted and updated from a presentation given at The Mission of Adversity and the Spiritual Value of Disappointment Virginia-Carolina Association Annual Mini-Conference, 2018.)

“That Saturday night the Master talked for more than an hour to the assembled groups on ‘The mission of adversity and the spiritual value of disappointment.’ This was a memorable occasion, and his hearers never forgot the lesson he imparted.” [Paper 51:0.1, page 1688.1 emphasis added]

In 1985, when I moved in with my first male partner, we had known each other for only two weeks. And in those two weeks, we had probably been together no more than two or three times. But Owen gave me a key to his apartment almost immediately; thus, when my marriage fell apart rather abruptly and my now ex-wife asked me to leave, I knew exactly where I would go.

Over the next weeks and months, as Owen and I got to know each other, I learned that his taste in books included A Course in Miracles, along with Marion Zimmer Bradley’s The Mists of Avalon, a retelling of the legend of King Arthur from the female point of view, Shakti Gawain’s Creative Visualization, and The Seth Material. Seth claimed to be a spiritual teacher who spoke through author Jane Roberts while she was in trance.

Owen read and reread these books over and over, underlining with a dull red pencil. It occurs to me now that I never saw him meditate or pray, just read and reread these books with his little red pencil.

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Making Worship and Service the Center of Our Lives

From , By Kathleen Swadling, Australia on

(Adapted from a presentation given at the Australia and New Zealand Association Annual Conference in Tasmania, 2010)

We spend a lot of time getting a good grip on the definition of worship and service.  And if I’m to write about “making worship and service the center of our lives” then I’d better concentrate on exploring the hows and wherefores of practicalizing and internalizing the profound truths we discover on these topics through our study of the book.

The key to serving others—to being a dynamically useful individual in the world—is our personal relationship with the Father. I wonder how many of us, on a consistent basis, actually make a point of devoting regular times slots for going off on our own to a quiet place where we won’t be disturbed, to communicate with the Father—to pray and worship. I’d like to raise my hand and say “I do” but if I’m to be truly honest with you I must say that, while I would ideally like to be more regular and consistent, it’s sometimes a bit like trying to allow regular times to exercise—sometimes I get all fired up and establish a regular routine, while other times I let it slip and get out of the habit. 

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Preparing for Spontaneity

From , By Chris Wood, USA on

The Necessary Work to Avoid Sounding Crazy

(Adapted from a presentation given at the first 24-hour online event in March 2020.)

We have a problem in the Urantia community. We are in danger of becoming an isolated tribe on an isolated world. If we do not constantly adapt the language we use to the cultures around us, then we will further isolate ourselves and fail to bring the true teachings of Jesus to the world.

I am a philosopher by training. My favorite course to teach was Introduction to Philosophy. Introductory courses translate a subject’s ideas into common language, while in-depth courses teach you a new language to better develop these ideas. I liked the idea of taking what might literally be a lifetime of work and dedication and cutting it down to one hour’s worth of reading and one hour’s worth of lecture. You have to provide enough of a hook to each subject that it might grab the attention of a student, enough depth that it will show the worthiness of dedicating a career to its study, enough hints at future studies to give those students paths forward, but also enough of a structure and closure that the 99% of students who listen and are not fascinated can still recall later in life, “Oh, yeah, utilitarianism. It’s great for group decision making but I think it’s flawed as an individual moral system.”

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Millennials and the Church

From , By Dr Bruce Jackson, USA on

An Important Lesson for the Urantia Movement

Bruce Jackson

The internet is full of articles, research, and advice concerning the serious loss of the millennial generation to the Christian church rosters around the world and in North America and Europe in particular.  The exodus of young adults from churches is nothing new, but it has become increasingly acute in the past decade and is a major concern of many churches and denominations.  The Urantia movement is confronting much the same situation in our study groups and institutions.

First, I must make the following disclaimer.  I have shared information with Jesusonians concerning what is happening within Christendom in recent years.  I have often been met with the response that what happens in Christian churches is not relevant to our Urantia movement.  I have found that for some readers, there is little understanding of what is going on in modern Christian churches due to an over reliance on the analysis of Christianity found in Paper 195 (and in other sections). 

With the knowledge that the writing of The Urantia Book was completed in 1934, and when we apply an understanding of the history of Christianity during the early 20th Century, it becomes clear that The Urantia Book’s perspective was skewed by the events in Christendom at that time.  Throughout the early 20th century, the Christian church was struggling with the emergence of extreme strains of fundamentalism resulting from such theories as atonement doctrine, prosperity theology, and claims of biblical inerrancy. The modern Christian church has undergone significant changes in the intervening 80+ years as they advance enlightened theologies and vigorous social consciousness movements that are not reflected in the text of The Urantia Book.

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President’s Message – March 2021

From , By Chris Wood, United States on

It has been a true honor to serve Urantia Association for the last eight years. I have been blessed to help guide this group of global, loving, God-seeking people as they have come together for the common purpose of sharing an epochal revelation.  

Right now, I am reminded of a Raymond Carver poem about a spring of water that gradually grows into a river and eventually merges into the ocean. Cathy Jones, one of the key pioneers in the formation of Urantia Association worked tirelessly to unite a scattered group of springs into a stream. Gaetan Charland, our first President, dedicated his efforts into guiding this stream as it grew, and with a leap of faith, he handed that work over and allowed me the joy of shaping this growing global movement. And now I see us racing toward the river ahead and it is with supreme confidence in the future that I am handing the office of President over to Enrique Traver from Brazil. 

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Update – 11th Urantia Association Conference – A Virtual Experience

From , Presented by Conference Committee on

Towards Cosmic Citizenship… Your Time Has Come!

Due to the pandemic, unfortunately you won’t be able to come to Cusco, Peru but Cusco can come to you in your homes via a virtual unforgettable experience. Don’t miss this upcoming 11th Urantia Association International Conference on 24 – 25 April 2021.

Uniting continents, we will have speakers and workshop ifacilitators of various ages from all over the world with presentations translated into four languages (English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese) as well as workshops being provided in those four languages.

Program

Day 1: Sonship with God, Cosmic Citizenship, and Planetary Evolution

Conference Opening
Words from Urantia Association International President – Enrique Traver (Brazil)

Welcoming to Peru & Introduction

How Do Ancient Cultures Provide Opportunities to Inspire Cosmic Citizenship?
by Lourdes Burga-Cisneros – Urantia Peru Association President (Cusco, Peru).

Cusco, Peru, is a site with traces of the blood of Adam and Eve who hoped to spread a spiritual message; whose footsteps we could wisely follow with the help of the Spirit of Truth.

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Fourth 24-hour Urantiathon – Faith, Joy, and Peace

From , By Conference Committee on
Image de Gerd Altmann

As the Coronavirus lingers—keeping many of us locked down in isolation—we felt it was time to bring our Urantia Book reader community together again to nourish our souls and discuss our favorite book. Another incredible 24-hour virtual event was held over the weekend of 24 – 25 January where we enjoyed presentations from around the world and engaged in stimulating discussions. With Faith, Joy, and Peace being our topics of focus, this experience was spiritually uplifting and soul nourishing. We were even treated to a preview of the program for the virtual International Conference in Peru this April with the theme Towards Cosmic Citizenship—Your Time Has Come.   

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Iberoamerican Urantiathon

From , By Jeannie Vasquez, Uruguay on

Along the same lines as the previous 24-hour Urantiathons, Urantia Association International hosted Iberoamerican Urantiathon on 28 – 29 November, 2020. This time the webinars were presented in Spanish and Portuguese with simultaneous translations into English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

The program featured 19 hour-long presentations offered by students from Brazil, Spain, Venezuela, Ecuador, USA, Australia, Colombia, Argentina, Mexico, and Guatemala. 

The Latin-American community gathered together to listen to presentations from members of the new Iberoamerican generation of Urantia Book students as well as experienced students who offered valuable lessons about themes so diverse as “Kingdom of Heaven,” “From Tribe to Cosmic Citizenship,” “The Spheres of Light and Life,” “Beauty, Art, and Spirituality,” and “The Goodness and Beauty of Truth.” We also listened to motivating experiences about the path of spiritual growth. 

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Spiritualizing Everyday Life

From , By Wilson Leon, Colombia on

Interview with Isabel Reinoso Manrique, President of Urantia Association Colombia 

Isabel, what new project are you considering for this time of “pandemic?” 

Because of the obligatory lock-down, we set out to organize virtual study groups. I learned a lot of new technology with great results. Originally, I had a single study group and now I have seven virtual study groups during the week, and every Friday at 7:00pm I give an introductory talk on The Urantia Book for new readers interested in the book. 

Now, considering that our reality has changed forever, several Urantia Book reader friends feel we need to develop “transition communities” and correct the mistakes we made when we first created the ecovillages.* 

These “transition communities” that we are creating represent a middle ground that allows us, on the one hand, to take advantage of all that Mother Nature can offer, such as healthy eating and an outdoor life, yet on the other hand offers all the advantages of technology and progress, as long as it does not adversely affect the well-being of the planet, its peoples, and societies. 

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