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| Community Newsletter |
November 2009 |
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Comments from reader regarding our last newsletter. If you have comments, we would like to hear from you.
"Thank you so much for the new monthly electronic newsletter. What a treat! Great job and I will look forward to future issues. Namaste, Tom and Grace Tate"
Sincerely,
Robert Burns, Editor
General Councilor - The Urantia Book Fellowship
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A Word from The President
4:1.1 The providence of God consists in the interlocking activities of the celestial beings and the divine spirits who, in accordance with cosmic law, unceasingly labor for the honor of God and for the spiritual advancement of his universe children.
Fall! Cool evenings, hot cocoa, and committee budgets...
The Fellowship's Executive Committee meets in Denver this month to develop next year's projects and budget strategy. The Fall meeting is our annual opportunity to review the progress of the current year and to anticipate good work to come.
I'd like to share our plans for next year with you.
Through our many committees, Fellowship volunteers will continue involvement in expo's, campus outreach, media development, the North American Interfaith Network, the Urmia Project, study group support, and website development. We will spread the revelation at conferences and book fairs in India, Pakistan, South Korea, Africa, and Costa Rica. We will translate secondary materials and publish The Herald, the Mighty Messenger, and this online newsletter. We will provide Uversa Press books and send translations to readers all over the world. We will once again host a Summer Study Session in Chicago.
In December, several Fellowship members will be traveling to Melborne, Australia to participate in the Parliament of World Religions. May they enjoy initiating connections with people of every faith at this event. Please join me in wishing them a safe journey and a fruitful outcome.
To progress!
Michelle Klimesh | |
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Be Attitudes for Spirit Ascenders
Compiled by Paula Thompson from the teachings of The Urantia Book
Recently, a Urantia Book reader wrote to me requesting that I put together an inspirational, instructive, and positive study from the book that he could share liberally with his friends. Below is an abbreviated version of what I sent him. (If you'd like the complete study, please email me at Fellowship@UrantiaBook.org and I'll be happy to send it to you.)
Be Attitudes for Spirit Ascenders Be patient:
- Learn to forgive one another.
- Be ever obedient to the Father's will.
- Acquire a long-distance view of your destiny, a universe expansion of your career.
Be Trusting:
- Trust in Him who is able to sustain the body and save the soul.
- Maintain a wholehearted trust in spite of all appearances to the contrary.
- Have perfect trust in the loving support and faithful guidance of the heavenly Father.
Be merciful:
- Love even the unlovely. Be merciful, even as God is merciful.
- Be wise in your counsel and eloquent in your lives.
- Be first just, next fair, then patient, then kind. And then, on that foundation...show mercy.
Be forgiving:
- Endure persecutions and mistreatment.
- Attempt the amazing exercise of fatherly affection.
- Challenge the evils of hate and anger by the fearless acts of love and forbearance.
Be Loving:
- Get to know your neighbor's motives and sentiments.
- Extend help to your fellows without thought of rewards.
- Give expression to urges of affection in intelligent ministry to others' real needs.
Be Faithful:
- Have faith in God; have faith in one another.
- Be faithful to the kingdom even in times of peace and prosperity.
- Exercise unconquerable faith even when confronted with the challenge of the inexplicable.
Be of service:
- Service is sacred and exhilarating.
- True religion is a living love, a life of service.
- Service is productive of the highest satisfaction and is expressive of the divinest dignity.
Let your battle cry be:
"In liaison with God, nothing--absolutely nothing--is impossible."
Let your mantra be:
"Even if I cannot do this, there lives in me one who can and will do it, a part of the Father-Absolute of the universe of universes."
The Universal Governing Principle:
The spirit world is governed on the principle of respecting your freewill choice provided the course you may choose is not detrimental to you or injurious to your fellows. |
National Forgiveness Day
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National Forgiveness Day was just celebrated on Oct. 31, 2009. In its fourth year now, this movement is gaining momentum! As designated by the Center of Unconditional Love, Forgiveness Week occurs Oct. 24-31. It culminates with a celebration of National Forgiveness Day (NFG) on the last Saturday of October
This year volunteers from across the nation supported the Ohio-based Center Of Unconditional Love (COUL) in its celebrations. Some participated by sending email copies of the Center's "Power of Love, Joy of Forgiveness," a health and welfare plan. Neighboring governors even sent proclamations of support for the ideals which the Center promotes.
Forgiveness is essential every day of the week, of course. However, formal celebration of the transforming power of forgiveness helps direct attention to this divine act.
A 12-step plan offering guidance for this important work has eight objectives. These include reducing negative stress; strengthening the immune system; balancing the emotions; preventing sickness, illness and disease; resolving conflicts; restoring relationships; improving communications; and creating the power of love and the joy of forgiveness.
Step 1:
Declare the day a joyful day when you wake up!
Step 2:
Speak the truth with love.
Step 3:
Ask questions. Listen with understanding. Thank in silence. Love one another.
Step 4:
Do not give permission for anger, fear, sadness, and hurt to take away your joy.
Step 5:
Resolve conflicts by thinking this thought: "Thank you. There is a lesson to be learned. What are you trying to teach me?"
Step 6:
Restore and rebuild relationships by asking the person what you can do to make the relationship better.
Step 7:
ASK FOR FORGIVENESS AND FORGIVE OTHERS.
Step 8:
Know that distress is caused by having to be right; by finding fault; by trying to control and manipulate; and by being selfish.
Step 9:
Stop doing things that cause stress. Give up bad habits. Say, "I want to stop." With humility say, "I can't stop." Ask that the desire to do certain things be taken away. Go and do acts of kindness.
Step 10:
Practice the Seven Super Powers you have the power to control. You have the power to control your attitude, communications, truth, love, encouragement, forgiveness, and humility.
Step 11:
Use these 21 wonderful words as often as possible: I'm wrong. I'm sorry. Forgive me. Thank you. You're welcome. Please. What is your opinion? I love you. Yes dear. Amen.
Step 12:
Know the power of love lives inside you. Know you were created for relationships and to love one another no matter what.
Would you like to know more about this Father-honoring work? Visit www.unconditionallovelive.com
Download the health and wellness plan, and consider sending copies to friends across the nation and around the world. Only good can come from this! Information may also be obtained by calling 419-533-4191. Robert Moyers, Center director, will be glad to hear from you. He has dedicated his life to spreading this life-changing message.
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GET A FREE
"Paramony" with purchase of The Urantia Book
Get a FREE "collectors" edition of the Paramony, by Duane Faw, with each purchase of the fully indexed Uversa Press edition of The Urantia Book. Just call 877 288-3772 and mention this offer.
BY THE WAY, BEFORE YOU GO
Consider supporting our work with a donation. To make a donation, CLICK HERE.
The work of The Urantia Book Fellowship is possible because of your spiritual and financial support. Please keep the work of the Fellowship in your prayers.
In addition, consider setting up an automatic monthly donation or a one time donation. We hope to make your donation as easy as possible. Just click through to our secure site. Your support is greatly appreciated. |
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The United Urantia Family Festival
July 1-5, 2010
We are pleased to announce the inauguration of a new triennial Family Festival to be held Montreal, Quebec (Canada). The inaugural event is currently scheduled for the Canada Day/Independence Day weekend in 2010. The Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), which is situated in the heart of beautiful downtown Montreal, will provide the festival venues.
The TUUFF-10 family festival team invites all readers of our "blue book" to join together in Montreal and celebrate our Global Family.
If booked in advance, discounted accommodation fees are available at the rate of $50 per day for a private room in an 8 room complex ($200 for 4 nights), $65 per day for a private room in a 4 room complex ($260 for 4 nights) or $75 per day for a double occupancy, Studio room ($300 for 4 nights). Studio rooms, with their one double bed, are suitable for couples. The 4 and 8 room complexes include a shared common area. The TUUFF-10 team can only guarantee these discounted reservation rates through to the end of this year, 2009.
For an additional $80, UQAM will provide breakfast and lunch to festival participants in a university cafeteria. The TUUFF-10 team is also planning a banquet to close the festival gathering. Reservations for this banquet ($30 per person) are recommended.
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"God-Consciousness: A Living University"
Inspires In-depth Study
By Barbara Newsom and Charles Olivea "A life-transforming experience." "The workshops were great!" "I see growth in the people-in the community-and it shows in the depth of the program." Streams of positive feedback like this emerged from the 116 participants studying "God Consciousness" at the 2009 Summer Study Session, Dominican University, River Forest, Illinois, July 31-August 2. Definitions of God consciousness, which appear in the Forward's final sentence, and the first sentence of the book's final paragraph, helped to stimulate this exploration.
Eager students arrived from Canada, Germany, and many parts of the U.S. Each of the three days featured a principal theme: God the Father; our Brothers and Sisters; and our Master Son, Michael. In addition, a pre-conference day included a workshop on the future of education in our community, a spiritual retreat, and a tour of Chicago's art and architecture.
Dominican's lovely, nature-filled campus was utilized for worship. A specific section was designated a Temple of the Father's Invisible Presence (inspired by the Garden of Eden). Participants were invited to gather there for morning and evening meditation. From this meaningful beginning, the Education Committee has now committed to setting aside a formal place for worship at each conference, to help anchor and expand our consciousness of the divine. As one participant remarked, "The centering silence was a great asset in balancing head and heart."
Twenty faculty members presented a far-reaching program. Each day began with a morning plenary session with music, worship and a presentation in the auditorium. Thereafter, topics were explored in two-hour workshops (one a.m. session and one p.m. session). This easy schedule left time for reversion, including socializing with others, or private reflection on new understandings.
Besides the introduction of an outdoor worship setting, this conference saw other new format additions. For example, all workshop leaders requested that participants bring their Urantia Books to the sessions. In addition, some leaders provided registrants with advanced preparatory readings. As for theme cultivation, some leaders even met, pre-conference, with their local study groups and societies. Their intention is to continue that work post-conference.
Participants were also treated to an extensive bookstore staffed by volunteers from the Urantia Foundation, the Morning Star Foundation, and the Urantia Book Fellowship. One volunteer also undertook the task of providing audio recordings of presentations and workshops. One of the many fruits of the conference is that new study materials are being added to the committee's site: www.urantia-education.org. (Check them out!)
Having noted that "voluntary study" is a norm for the majority of ascenders at the stage of the Fifth Mansion World, the Education Committee is strongly committed to deepening and broadening the nature of community and individual study. Study of the revelation is a complement to the "unselfish service" and "spontaneous worship" which are also commonplace on the Fifth Mansion World (47:7.5, page 457).
To what extent can we actualize these potentials now? As one participant enthusiastically said, "I do feel more real!" |
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In His Name: Emilio Coppola
By Lee Loots
This is the story of a one-time little Catholic boy, Emilio Coppola. Emilio liked that he was introduced to God through Catholic schooling and church experiences. Even so, his young mind turned over many puzzling questions. He wondered, for example, why God was wrathful and angry. He also didn't understand why God didn't give his followers more specific instructions than the Bible.
Emilio's outstanding Catholic education continued through college graduation. Nevertheless, he continued to entertain questions. As an adult still in search of answers, Emilio thus tried other religions. In short, they all seemed too full of the human element.
Adult life took Emilio from his childhood home in Westchester County, New York, to Atlanta, Georgia, to work as a financial planner. As someone who likes to get a head start on the day, Emilio arose early, and often had time to stop at a favorite waffle house on his way to work.
One morning, while seated at the counter and working on his laptop, an elderly gentleman seated nearby began chatting with Emilio. The conversation, while enjoyable, had no particular focus. Hence, as Emilio made ready to leave, he was surprised that the man asked him if he might like to see a book that he had in his van.
As it turned out, the man hadn't much read this book himself. He was attached to it through his son. After his son had died, the man was cleaning out the son's possessions, and he came across several copies. Some of the copies were even heavily underlined. He was thus intrigued by his son's interest in this 2,000 page "Urantia Book."
After handing one of his copies to Emilio to browse through, the man invited Emilio to keep it. However, Emilio took down the man's name instead, saying he'd rather just borrow it. Later, when Emilio started exploring the book, the science sections grabbed his attention, whetting his appetite for more. Soon he acquired his own treasured copy of the "Urantia Book."
Though Emilio eventually lost contact with this man, he was able to connect with other "Urantia Book" readers through "Ticki" Harries (former Forum member). "Ticki" held study group meetings in the Atlanta area, which Emilio often attended when his job didn't take him on the road. Eventually, however, Emilio relocated to the New York area where he'd grown up.
Since then, Emilio says, "Becoming involved has become so important to me!" Take a look at how he's currently involved: Strategic Planning Committee member; Internet Technology Committee member; Treasurer of the Urantia Book Fellowship; IC '11 Program Chair; and President of the New York Urantia Book Society. In addition, he's also working with David Kantor and Larry Watkins to improve how readers can interact with the Kindle version of the "Urantia Book."
That formal list of service activities doesn't include spontaneous acts of outreach, like pairing with "Finney" to pass out "Urantia Book" literature on the Columbia University campus. Even at work, Emilio makes the "Urantia Book" known, filling his bulletin board with Truthbook's "Quote of the Day," which Emilio prints and posts. He's hoping some seeds will be planted!
One may wonder where Emilio gets the energy for his service dedication. His answer: "The more I read the "Urantia Book," the more I want to tell people about it!" His daily prayer is to do the Father's will, and he makes himself available for that. Consequently, he finds that opportunities continually flow into his life. Beyond that, for any "figuring out" of how he'll be used, he simply leaves that to God.
Emilio's truth receptors--functioning at high levels even as a child--have fueled his life journey. Hence, this former Catholic boy eventually became a man on fire for God and God's work, including heartfelt support for the "Urantia Book" revelation.
How uplifting it is to witness the transformative effects of the Living Spirit as uniquely manifested in Emilio Coppola! For him, and for all of us, his life is an on-going celebration of God partnered with man.
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Article from Fellowship Archives
HOW THE URANTIA PAPERS CAME
By Webster Stafford
Note: This document was retyped from a xerox copy of the original. It had a note paper-clipped to it which reads: "Sent us by Joseph Crossen, Morrestown, N. J. who got it from Rev. Benjamin Adams, San Francisco, at the home of Dr. Earl Douglass, Princeton, N. J." This note is dated 7/5/63 but there is no indication of the date when the history itself was written.
About the year 1924 Dr. "S", Sr. wrote his son that he felt inasmuch as the family did not have any particular religious or church affiliation, that it would be a desirable program for them to invite in their friends who held the same ideas on religion and ethics and hold an open forum discussion each Sunday from about three to five. This program was carried out and beginning at that time a group of people assembled each Sunday at the home of Dr. "S", Sr. in Chicago and there was also born the beginning of the society.
Addtional note: The Urantia Book Fellowship website in the archives section has many articles, pictures, timelines and documents preserved from as far back as 1875 with various apocryphal stories that some readers may find intriquing. Here is a link for your convenience.
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The Urantia Book Fellowship
The purposes of The Fellowship are the study and dissemination of the teachings of The Urantia Book; the promotion, improvement, and expansion among the peoples of the world of the comprehension and understanding of Cosmology and the relation of the planet on which we live to the Universe, of the genesis and destiny of Man and his relation to God, of the life and teachings of Jesus, and the inculcation and encouragement of the realization and appreciation of the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man -- in order to increase and enhance the comfort, happiness, and well-being of Man, as an individual and as a member of society, by fostering a religion, a philosophy, and a cosmology which are commensurate with Man's intellectual and cultural development, through the medium of fraternal association, ever obedient and subservient to the laws of this country and of all countries wherein The Fellowship may extend.
About The Fellowship
The Urantia Book Fellowship -- founded in 1955 as Urantia Brotherhood -- is an inclusive association of individuals, families, and groups inspired by the transformative teachings of The Urantia Book. Through worldwide support of study, dissemination, and reader services, Fellowship members seek understanding among all readers of The Urantia Book and the peoples of the world. The Fellowship is committed to the ideal of spiritual unity, which embraces individual diversity, as embodied in the teachings of The Urantia Book.
Reader Services and organizational business are managed by the General Council which consists of 36 members elected from the readership. The Council is assisted by an Executive Committee comprised of Council members who manage various working committees of The Fellowship. The Urantia Book Fellowship is a member of the North American Interfaith Network.
For more information, visit About The Urantia Book Fellowship or our home page at www.urantiabook.org
The Urantia Book Fellowship
PO Box 6631
Broomfield, CO 80021
Toll Free 877-288-3772
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