A Look Into Light and Life

by Pat Murnin
NUA President

I attended the USUA Nashville Study Symposium at the end of April, and noticed again that when I left the conference, I was floating on a spiritual high. This always seems to be the case. The conference is over, but the uplifting charge to the spirit stays with me as I venture out into the real world. The contrast of environment can be a shock.

Thursday morning I attended the USUA business meeting, conducted by USUA President Betty Zehr.  We discussed the wording of the USUA by laws, discussed the future of USUA and the importance of publishing the USUA newsletter. Then we witnessed the signing of USUA’s licensing agreement with the URANTIA Foundation, attended by the Foundation Trustees.

After dinner, we were welcomed to the conference and given a symposium overview by Jeffrey Wattles, followed by a Remembrance Supper and prayer conducted by Gard Jamison. Friday morning was plenary talks by Jane Ploetz and James Perry to start the day. Then we went to our assigned rooms to discuss “Understanding the Neighbor” and “Exploring Jesus’ Ways of Personal Ministry” in small groups.

Friday evening we were treated to a theatrical reading by Lee Armstrong called The Prison, written by Michael Nesmith. We wrapped up the evening with a reversion session in the Residence Hall. These sessions are my favorite because it is during these times that you really get to talk to and get acquainted with everyone.

Saturday morning Preston Thomas and Voyette Perkins-Brown gave us plenary talks. Voyette is a southern style preacher with a powerful inspirational speaking ability that filled everyone with the fire of the spirit. After, we again broke up into small groups, this time to discuss the use of parables in teaching, and then composing and sharing our own parables.

Saturday evening Eddie King and Bill Page gave individual perspectives on Sharing the Teachings, followed by a breathtaking piano and synthesizer concert by Bob Solone in the chapel.

Later, we all gathered in Bennett Hall for a social time in which we played a URANTIA Trivial Pursuit game invented by Jane and John Ploetz, that was very clever and a lot of fun. I would like to mention that we broke up into teams to play this game and the team that won the game was made up of the youngest people at the conference, proving that fresh minds have better memories.

Then we had a rousing sing-along led by Richard Keeler. There is something special about hearing the President of URANTIA Foundation leading a group of readers from around the world singing YOU REDNECK MOTHER. What fun. This went on until well after one a.m.

Sunday was the last day, and before we said our good-byes, there was a Symposium Roundtable Discussion to evaluate and take suggestions on the conference. Following was a worship service conducted by Steve Shinall.

Then comes the hard part, leaving this all behind and going home to reality, as it were.

My thoughts on this are, that I have had a retreat into Light and Life, and now I have to try and take this spirit back to the rest of the world, knowing that this level of fellowship is the future of our planet. A place where we are all joined together in the spirit of God and the brotherhood of man. A place where you can trust everyone you meet. If I can keep this spirit alive in my heart, by living it I can show a little Light and Life to my fellow Urantians. Jesus said “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” and I feel that it’s there, we just have to try and keep it in sight, which can be a challenge when you are surrounded by the trials of this planet. All we can do is our best.

I would like to give special thanks to the Southern Kindred Spirits for doing a wonderful job putting this conference together, with special recognition to Eddie King, JoAnne Nelson, and Travis Binion.

Mighty Messengers:  Cosmic Role Models to Mortals

by Janet Quinn Nilsen

Of all the intriguing authors who contribute papers to The URANTIA Book, the revelators whom I find most understanding and informative are the Mighty Messengers.

Mighty Messengers are those perfected former mortals who have displayed exceptional loyalty to the Universal Father sometime in their pre-fusion careers.

From the inhabited worlds of space they have followed the guidance of their Indwelling Spirits, past the pitfalls of insurrection, to the security of fusion, then all the way to Paradise. There, rather than joining other perfected mortals in the Corps of the Finality, they are embraced by the Trinity, and as Trinity Sons of Attainment are sent back to reveal truth to mortals of the seven superuniverses, even to humans such as ourselves.

Reading a Mighty Messenger paper is a perfect tonic for loss of perspective. While a Mighty Messenger will acknowledge our temporary human limitations, always do they point out the benefits of starting from the very bottom of creation and working up to the pinnacle. Always do they encourage us to look past the frustrations of the present to the satisfactions of eternal life and supreme service.

Mighty Messengers are the original ‘been there, done that’ personalities. They have lived the mortal career completely and repletely. They possess a total experiential overview of who and what we will encounter; what we are expected to learn and accomplish, and the surety of unforeseen rewards. They know God, intimately, and because of their proven loyalty, they are entrusted to reveal truth gems to the especially vulnerable human minds of the quarantined worlds.

But even these perfected beings are careful not to “overrevelate” to the human psyche. Despite their immense cosmic knowledge, they never hesitate to share their own questions and speculations with us.

They even candidly and refreshingly admit to not knowing the answers to many of these questions. How wonderful to know that some mysteries continue to intrigue even sixth stage spirit personalities.

The Mighty Messengers were assigned by the Revelatory Commission to reveal to us everything from the existence of the Trinitized Sons of God, and the Ministering Spirits of the Superuniverse, to the physics of energy, mind and matter. They examine the complex moral issues of true and false liberty, the spiraling repercussions of the Lucifer Rebellion and the necessary time lag of mercy. They present to us our ultimate destinies in their superb discussions on Universal Unity and our relationship to the Supreme Being.

They have been charged with imparting to us many complex concepts, which they do in surprisingly matter of fact terms. While other revelators might bemoan our lack of understanding, the Adjuster fused Mighty Messengers always give us credit for at least being able to “faintly comprehend what all this means.”

Mighty Messengers are the untiring advocates of the values of the ascendant career. They endearingly point out the limitations of being perfect and the many advantages of an evolutionary origin. We are even told of the “envy” of perfected beings, who long for our richness of experience.

But as they extol the rewards of the ascendant career, they are also mindful of details important to human emotions and they take care to reassure us in ways that other revelators might overlook. Do we get to maintain our relationships with earthly friends and loved ones? Absolutely--friendship is eternal, earthly friendships may last through Paradise and beyond. Can we wait on Havona till a tardy pal catches up? But of course, there is no time penalty attached to loving service. Will we be able to recognize our earthly friends and relatives in morontia form? Will we retain our own recognizable individuality as the ascendant life proceeds? Will we still miss our loved ones when separated? Will we be able to make up for the deprivations of earthly life? Over and over they assure us that the answers to these humble concerns are a resounding YES! - these are the desires of the Paradise Father himself.

Mighty Messengers are our proven role models, our perfected elder siblings, our enthusiastic Paradise cheerleaders, our understanding counselors, our living guideposts to Paradise and back.

How exciting to know that we will be able to communicate with and understand our perfected mentors as soon as we are delivered from the flesh. How fortunate for us, that through the pages of The URANTIA Book, even now we can begin our eternal friendship with the magnificent Mighty Messengers.

A small sample of Mighty Messenger thought gems:

P.245:3  Every ascendant mortal  of insurrectionary experience who functions loyally in the face of rebellion  is destined to become a Mighty Messenger of the superuniverse service.

P.245:6  ...the companion and associate of my mortal experience was also triumphant in the great test...

P.246:3 ... As soon as you are delivered from the flesh, you will communicate freely and  understandingly with us...

P.312:2  The higher you ascend the more lonely you become when temporarily without the association of your fellows.

P.312:3 ...there is inherent joy in freewill existence, independent of all extraneous influences.

P.317:1 ...Greatness and goodness simply cannot be divorced.

P.330:2  It is best that man not have an overrevelation; it stifles the imagination.

P.361:3  In the case of those who entertain the Mystery Monitors there is indeed no limit to possible heights of their spiritual ascent and universe attainment.

P.361:5  The fact of animal origin attaches no stigma to any personality...all the more honor  to those who began at the bottom..

P.364:3  All  your mortal struggling is not in vain.

P.381:5  The spirit never drives, only leads...The domination of the spirit is never tainted with coercion or compromised by compulsion.

P.616:7  ...Justice in a mercy dominated universe may be slow, but it is certain.

P.623:1   Natural physical death is not a mortal   inevitability.

P.476:8  ...there are never more nor less than one hundred ultimatons in a typical electron.

Editor’s Corner

by Janet Nilsen

Nashville was great. Worship, study, play, song and fellowship combined with SKS’s southern hospitality drew nearly 150 attendees from around the world.

USUA President Betty Zehr did a superb job of conducting the USUA Council of Presidents business meeting. The new USUA governing board Dorothy Elder, Vice President, Morris Kaplowitz, Treasurer, were introduced. New committee chairs were announced: Richard Brinkman, Membership; Jo Anne Nelson, Conference; Janet Nilsen, Publications; and Joyce Anderson, Education.

The USUA by-laws were passed, and most importantly, the licensing agreement between USUA and URANTIA Foundation was signed by Foundation President, Richard Keeler, the officers of USUA, and IUA Coordinator, Cathy Jones.

At last USUA has the organizational tools it needs to operate on equal footing with other national URANTIA Associations. The international Foundation Representatives also attended the signing after conducting their own meeting. The importance of the signing was indicated by the presence of all five Foundation Trustees, as well as IUA President, Seppo Kanerva.

The conference program was lively and enlightening--I could hardly keep up with so many activities. A highlight of my trip was dining with Seppo and several Foundation Representatives Sunday evening. At least four languages were spoken, translations were flying, but we had no problem understanding each other. Such exchanges are the reward of USUA’s new global status. Great days are ahead for the revelation, IUA, and our own USUA!

Secretary’s Report

by Janet Nilsen

Our last business meeting was held at Bruce Porter’s home the morning of April 14.

Elections for vice-president and secretary were held. Janet Nilsen was voted in as V.P., David Glass as secretary. Both are two-year positions.

Plans were discussed regarding the upcoming summer picnic at Cascadia State Park. Reservations were set for July 17, at day use Site A.

A donation of $60.00 was made to the new IUA youth group in care of Mike McIsaac.

Liz Engstrom Cratty was congratulated on her completion of the Prison Project and her recent marriage to Al Cratty. Liz offered to hold the fall meeting on October 10, at their new home in Eugene.

A new college book placement program was discussed. Janet promised to speak further with Foundation representatives in Nashville about procedure and funding. The business meeting was followed by a potluck lunch and an afternoon of study and fellowship.

Treasurer’s Report

by Anne James

 “The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.”    C.G. Jung

Isn’t it great to know that when we truth seekers connect, the transformation that occurs isboth empowering and energizing? This makes me think with anticipation of our upcoming NUA picnic. The scenery, food, and the river are exquisite, and of course there will be that wonderful chance to share our spiritual lives with one another.

Also, we’re in the dues round-up season, so be thinking of sending in your yearly $40 dues - $60 for couples, if you haven’t done so yet. Please send checks to me at: 333 S. State St. #113, Lake Oswego, OR 97034. Thank you!

The College Project

At least one copy of The URANTIA Book in every state college and university library is the goal of this new book placement program.

A five-dollar donation will make it possible to place a copy of The URANTIA Book in a college or university. We need participants and donations. Donation checks payable to URANTIA Foundation. Please contact:   Janet Nilsen, PO Box 833, Cascadia, OR 97329. E-mail: jqnagog@peak.org

Glen Ivy Retreat: Food for the Soul

A spiritual retreat for URANTIA Book readers was held the last weekend of May at the Glen Ivy Community, Corona, California.

A weekend of intimate spiritual communion was enjoyed by the thirty or so attendees, and Emissary hosts. Foundation Trustee, Gard Jamison, was present to lead a worship and prayer session.

Up on the plateau, Andean folk music and poetry were provided by Dave and Teresa Doolittle of the much-loved duo, Condor.  Even the coyotes joined in.  A very moving native American prayer ceremony was led by Fred Matthews.

All attendees agreed that such retreats, focusing on enhancing the personal worship experience, are as necessary to our community of readers as the more structured study symposiums.

JQN

UB Internet School Opens

Dorothy Elder, USUA Vice-President and UBIS Chairperson has announced that registration for classes of The URANTIA Book Internet open-ed on June 10. The first classes will begin on July 10.

The UBIS philosophy of purpose and class information is available on the UBIS page of the URANTIA Foundation website.  Participation is available to the first ten registrants per class.

The Internet School course of study is focused solely on The URANTIA Book teachings.

This service is sponsored by URANTIA Foundation and IUA for the community of URANTIA Book readers. Applications are still being accepted for Teacher/Facilitators. For further information contact Dorothy Elder at: delder03@sprynet.com

Farewell to a Friend

All who ever met Eva Van Sant, of the Oklahoma Association,  couldn’t help but be enthused by her joyful, forthright and energetic personality. Her enthusiasm was matched by her faith. Her belief in The URANTIA Book teachings was chief among her many interests.    

It is not hard to imagine Eva reunited with her beloved husband Chuck, enjoying every phase of her new morontia career with her customary enthusiasm. Her positive presence will be valued on high and much missed by her friends here.

Farewell for now, dear Eva.