President’s Message – September 2024

From , , By Enrique Traver, Brazil on

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We are approaching an important moment for our Association team. This is an opportunity for all those who wish to make a difference in the work of spreading the Kingdom of God and serving our brothers and sisters. In our daily lives, many of us have ideas and motivation to serve our Father and often do not know how to implement everything we would like to see happen. Many of us would like to be in the presence of Jesus and hear from him the famous “Follow me.” If you have the courage, the drive, and the desire to answer that call, this is one of your opportunities to do so.

…go you now into all the world preaching this gospel of the kingdom of heaven to all men. Love all men as I have loved you; serve your fellow mortals as I have served you. Freely you have received, freely give. (2053.1) 193:0.5

Read More

Serving the Revelation

From , , By Tidings Volunteers on

Upcoming Elections

Urantia Association International is a grassroots volunteer organization. The Association would not exist without devoted members who step forward to do the important work of keeping the organization healthy and productive. The more volunteers we have the lighter the load for everyone. That’s what teamwork is all about: sharing the load. And by getting involved you can help make our mission of fostering study of The Urantia Book and disseminating its teachings a reality.

Every two years the International Representative Council holds elections to select volunteers to serve as officers and members on the International Service Board (ISB). If you are a full member of the Association, volunteering on the international level is a wonderful opportunity to put your talents and expertise to good use, to learn new skills and to be an important part of helping accomplish our mission.

Read More

The Urantia Movement in Estonia

From , , By Karmo Kalda, Estonia on

The First Urantia Book in Estonia

In the early 1970s, thanks to Finnish readers, the first two copies of The Urantia Book arrived in Estonia. In 1985, the Eduard Nurja spiritual group initiated a translation to Estonian (Eesti). In two years, the draft was ready and 50 to 100 copies were printed for people to peruse.

In 1991, Peep Sõber started a second Estonian translation with a professional translator. He had a strong conviction that our small nation of a million inhabitants needed a new translation. And this was supported by both Finns and Estonians.

Read More

Educational Webinars and Workshops

From , , By Jeannie Vázquez, Uruguay on
A man standing in front of a sunset, the cover of The Urantia Book, and the words Join Our Live Webinar

The Association’s Education Committee organizes and hosts workshops and webinars on Zoom. Last year they held seventeen! Have you attended? We hope you will join in the inspiring gatherings hosted by Jeannie Vázquez, your Education Committee Chair, and the dedicated volunteers who assist Jeannie.

Here is an example of what you don’t want to miss:

Read More

Summer Study Session Recap

From , , By Gaétan Charland, Canada on

From August 24th to 26th, the Summer Study Session of The Urantia Book Fellowship took place at the beautiful Unity Village Conference Center in Kansas City. The theme of the conference, “Igniting the Word,” truly sparked within us, the participants, a powerful desire to share the teachings with the world.

Over 160 attendees joined this inspiring event, which focused on not only how we can share the Word but also on how we can prepare ourselves for this important mission. The conference was well-organized, drawing participants from various countries.

The presentations and workshops were insightful and well-executed. However, the most impactful takeaway for me was the profound manifestation of brotherly love shared by everyone throughout the three-day gathering.

Great Britain & Ireland Summer Retreat 2024

By Chris Moseley, England on

The Overcontrol of Evolution

25 – 27 October 2024

Our British readers’ summer retreat is a little later in the year this year than in previous years – from 25 to 27 October. Our venue this year the Ammerdown Retreat Centre near Radstock, Somerset, a place that offers us “hospitality, peace and reconciliation”. As usual, we’ll be gathering from Friday afternoon to Sunday lunchtime, and we have a full programme planned – but with time out for relaxation and socialising too. You can view the venue on-line at www.ammerdown.org

Radstock is a small market town in Somerset in the west of England. Access by public transport is best made by train to Bath Spa (from Paddington in London) and from there by regular bus service from Bath to Radstock. (As we are going to be there from Friday to Sunday, we need to consult the Sunday bus timetable back to Bath.) By air, the nearest airport is Bristol. If anyone is travelling there, I will find out the best public transport connections to Radstock. Taxis are also available, and our hosts have given me the contact details of taxi companies. Ammerdown Park is situated on the outskirts of Radstock. 

See the Programme at the end of this announcement.

Read More

Dancing With God ~ Kick Off Your Shoes

By Line St-Pierre, Canada on

A Retreat for Women

September 12th – 15th, 2024

After an absence of five years, the Daughters of God facilitator team, Katharina Becker, Doreen Heyne, and Line St-Pierre, will once again host a women’s retreat at Urantia Foundation.

Throughout the weekend, participants will cultivate an environment of trust within a spiritual circle. We will explore and share our personal experiences and discoveries of how we answer the calling to dance with God, which is an open invitation to manifest God’s love in the world by living a spirit-guided life that shapes tomorrow through actions taken today.

We will delve into questions such as, “What has aided you in the exploration of that life-nurturing sustenance that brings solace to our souls, that sense of unity, spanning from simple pleasures to the abundance of joy, enveloped in the harmonies of love?”

The cost for the three days is $300.00. This includes all meals and shared overnight accommodations, which are on a first-come basis. The retreat begins with dinner on Thursday and ends after lunch on Sunday.

Let us share our spiritual journey together! If you would like to be a part of this event at Urantia Foundation headquarters, 533 W. Diversey Parkway in Chicago, IL, please contact Line St-Pierre at [email protected].

President’s Message

From , , By Enrique Traver, Brésil on

Dear Brothers and Sisters

Reading about Jesus’ journey back from Rome with Gonod and Ganid, papers 133:4.1 up to 133:4.12, Jesus meets several people, professionals in different areas of human activity or work and advises them on how they should carry out their daily work to reveal God and do his will. Perhaps, in these papers what Jesus is telling us is that always, in whatever activity or occupation we have, we can minister God to the people around us, revealing truth, goodness, beauty, justice and righteousness.

One passage caught my attention and caused me deep reflection, and that was precisely Jesus’ conversation with the owner of a Greek inn to whom he said:

To the mistress of the Greek inn he said: “Minister your hospitality as one who entertains the children of the Most High. Elevate the drudgery of your daily toil to the high levels of a fine art through the increasing realization that you minister to God in the persons whom he indwells by his spirit which has descended to live within the hearts of men, thereby seeking to transform their minds and lead their souls to the knowledge of the Paradise Father of all these bestowed gifts of the divine spirit. 133:4.8 (1475.1) [emphasis added]

Each one of us is an inn. We host God himself within us. Could we have a more illustrious or important guest? Some Most High guest?

He is a permanent guest in our inn and while being there, we are constantly receiving the spiritual nourishment we need to ensure our survival. Imagine if you had an inn and didn’t receive guests. How long would your business survive? We must serve this guest with all honor, with all love, with the desire to always do his will, in the certainty that by doing so we will keep him with us infinitely.

Read More

The Importance of Organizational Unity

By Gaétan Charland, Canada on

Many students of the revelation, as well as our members, may wonder why the unification of Urantia Association International and the Urantia Book Fellowship is important. A recent survey conducted by Urantia Association revealed that an overwhelming majority—92.3% of respondents—favor unity. While many of us pray for unity within the Urantia movement, we may not fully understand what this unity will require from each of us, and from the two organizations involved in this unification process.

Unity is not merely a matter of concern for the welfare of the organizations involved; it significantly impacts the mission of the revelation to the world. Why is this the case? To answer this, we must ask ourselves the right questions. Consider what the young Jesus pondered when faced with important decisions: “As the years passed, this young carpenter of Nazareth increasingly measured every institution of society and every usage of religion by the unvarying test: What does it do for the human soul? Does it bring God to man? Does it bring man to God?”

Read More

Update on Unity Initiative

From , , By Governance Committee on

For several years, Sue Seccombe, President of the Fellowship, has been in discussion with our President, Enrique Traver, about ways the Association and Fellowship could collaborate. In October 2023, the Fellowship General Council approved a resolution establishing a “Unity Committee” to explore and make recommendations regarding “details and options … of steps toward unity between [our] two organizations.”  The Fellowship selected their Unity Committee members which were approved at their February 2024 General Council meeting.

In February, the Association approved the chartering of a Special Unity Committee granting authority to pursue discussions with the Fellowship towards unifying our two organizations. Our Unity Committee members are Gaétan Charland (Canada), Committee Chair, Michael Zehr (USA), Andrés Rodriquez (Colombia), Chris Moseley (UK), Susan Owen (USA). This committee met on April 29th to get to know each other and discuss the benefits and challenges of unity with the Fellowship. A second meeting was held May 15th to get acquainted further and discuss expectations for this endeavor.

Read More

Retrospective on the 2024 International Conference

From , , Presented by Francine Fortin on

Come with me, I’ll take you to Urantia Association’s 12th International Conference 2024 Nature and Nurture of the Soul held from Friday, March 29 to Sunday, March 31, 2024, at the Maritime Conference Center in Baltimore City, USA.

A superb, comfortably appointed center, with indoor pool, 232 rooms, 55 meeting rooms and an auditorium that can accommodate over 350 people.

The name Maritime, referring to all that is nautical, has inspired more than one reader on the following quote from The Urantia Book:

The mind is your ship, the Adjuster is your pilot, the human will is the captain. The master of the mortal vessel should have the wisdom to trust the divine pilot to lead the ascending soul into the morontia havens of eternal survival. 111:1.9 (1217.4)

Read More

Baltimore Children and Teen Program

From , , Presented by Alice Wood, USA on

The Children and Teen Program at Urantia Association’s Baltimore Conference provided kids with a space to play, make friends, and learn about Urantia teachings. Sixteen kids were put into two different mixed-age groups and moved through activities in the Hometown Nazareth curriculum, a Vacation Bible School curriculum made by Group (group.com). This curriculum was adapted by Urantia Book readers for Urantia kids, and it helped pave the way for the volunteers to talk about Jesus as our earthly brother, and as Michael our Creator Son. It provided fun music videos, Nazareth-themed activities and crafts, stimulating decor, and verbal prompts that the volunteers used for starting conversations. The volunteers thoroughly adopted the spirit of the program. They very often dressed as residents of Nazareth. They could be heard talking about the times that Jesus lived in, Jesus’ childhood, and when opportunities presented themselves, volunteers segued from talking about Jesus to things like Michael and the Mother Spirit, the meaning of “morontia,” and the spirit of service.

Read More

Announcing Two New Programs

From , , By Alice Wood, USA on

SerphiMail for Big Kids and Teens

Your big kids and teens can receive activity pages through the post office mail. Each SeraphiMail page contains a single, simple lesson. With a quote, some commentary, and an activity (like a crossword or a prompt to draw a picture), your kids will get exposure to the simple truths of The Urantia Book on a regular basis.

Read More

Urantia Association International Conference, 2027

From , , By Eduardo Franco, Brazil on

During the Baltimore conference the location for the next international conference was announced – BRAZIL! Thanks go out to the Urantia Association of Brazil for hosting our fifteenth conference.

The exact location and details will be released in the coming months. Please visit the country website to learn if you need a visa as they may take time to obtain. Click to watch the promotional video and whet your appetite for congregating with fellow readers in this lush location. We look forward to seeing you in Brazil!

Fourth European Conference, Paris

From , By European Conference Committee on

June 6 to June 9, 2025

In Paris, from Friday June 6 to Monday June 9, 2025, (Pentecost), the French invite you to a European Conference.

Our team: 1 Ivan, 2 Sophie, 5 Georges, 7 Gilles, 12 Robert, 13 Jean

The Theme

The Distributivity of God: Man as God’s Heir

It’s good to tell people, “You are formidable, unique and both the world and the Universe need you!” But can you really explain why? Through three or four short presentations, followed by research workshops, we propose to answer these questions so that we can enlighten mankind.

There will also be time for socializing and getting to know each other.

Read More

ANZURA Conference 2024 – Melbourne

From , By Anzura Conference Committee on

4 –7 October 2024

This year’s ANZURA Annual Conference will be held 4 –7 October at the Edmund Rice Centre in Lower Plenty, Melbourne. It is a retreat and conference venue situated on the Yarra River in Lower Plenty. Nestled on 20 acres of native bushland, we will be surrounded by the peace and tranquility that only the natural bush setting can provide. It’s approximately 20 kilometres from the heart of Melbourne and 40 minutes from Melbourne’s International Airport.

Read More

About the Journal

From ,

The Journal is produced twice yearly and contains essays, articles and study aids by readers and for readers of The Urantia Book. 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 Journal.

You can view the entire collection of issues in the archives. All issues before 2017 are downloadable PDF format.

The Journal is currently published in English  , French  and Spanish  . (There are some older issues that were published in Finnish .) You can view the French and Spanish Journals by clicking on the language choices in the pull down menu at the top of the page.

Journal Online Archives
Read More

Journal Editorial – May 2024

From , By Richard Jernigan, USA on

In every study group I’ve attended over the years conjecture invariably enters our discussions. Some of it is wild speculation; other comments are more thoughtfully informed. In this issue of Journal we feature two interesting propositions. David Kantor, who has been working on a documentary focused on Christianity and The Urantia Book, speculates on the role of Christian philosopher Thomas Aquinas’ 13th century Summa Theologica as possible groundwork for the fifth epochal revelation. James Woodward gives us a detailed analysis of that allusive word “morontia,” and why it was necessary for the revelators to invent a new term to embrace a new concept more adequately.

Also, in this issue Mark Blackham explores the idea that the celestial personalities far above us sometimes find themselves at odds with one another. In his article “Dealing With Conflict In A Spiritual Life,” Mr. Blackham observes that disagreement in the heavenly realms is not unusual, particularly at the system, constellation, and local universe levels. He delineates the multiple beings whose role it is to mediate and reconcile the problems arising in creating and managing our grand universe.

Bringing us back to how our celestial friends do guide and enlighten us with new truths, Richard E. Warren provides a three-part study on “Truth, Beauty, and Goodness and the Father,” and how those three supreme values inform and help us develop our relationship with God.

Read More

Thomas Aquinas and Some Speculation on the Origin of The Urantia Book

From , By David Kantor, USA on

Curiosity, rumors, second-hand recollections, and imaginative speculation continue to fuel interest in a topic of widespread interest—How The Urantia Book came into existence. While the true story likely never will be known by humans simply because it involves things beyond our comprehension, it’s possible to amuse ourselves by creating a plausible story from these suppositions as they combine with information taken from The Urantia Book and the history of Christianity. So, consider the following as mere speculation.

Emma Christensen, the last of the Contact Commissioners, told me that work on the revelation began in the Middle Ages. Other apocryphal sources specify the 1200s.  From comments in The Urantia Book, we can reasonably assume that Machiventa was present on the planet in the capacity of Resident Governor General sometime in the High Middle Ages. This period, particularly in the 12th century, saw a widespread spiritual awakening across Europe. It was the apex of Christian civilization.  There was a desire to know more about Jesus and how to live a Christ-like life (see references below). 

Read More

What is Morontia?

From , By James Woodward, USA on

Definitions

Though it may be premature to forecast wide acceptance of The Urantia Book, it’s clearly rising in visibility due to decades of wise dissemination efforts and, of course, the internet. The first page of the Foreword, however, carries four statements calling attention to the serious problem of confusion on Urantia. We are notified—and warned—that progress on our world will depend on the evolution of human wisdom and revelation. Our own community of reader / believers is also confused about certain terms and definitions found in the teachings. We ought to resolve this confusion among Urantia Book devotees as we continue to take the advanced messages out into the mainstream. It is in that spirit that I advance my personal theory: morontia is akin to supermorality.

Evolving mortal creatures experience an irresistible urge to symbolize their finite concepts of God. Man’s consciousness of moral duty and his spiritual idealism represent a value level—an experiential reality—which is difficult of symbolization. 0:2.1 (3.14) [all bold indicates author’s emphasis]

Read More