URANTIA 2004 International Conference

Chicago conference aftermath

Well it is practically over for all of you who have organised this very inspiring conference. No doubt that there has been many challenges to face and resolve; but hey! This is how we grow. I came back home by the long way, driving and exchanging with my wife the highlights that we had enjoyed during this whole week and you know what, everyday was a highlight to us. Yes every speeches, lectures, workshops, meetings we
attended, new friends we made and old we rejoiced in seeing again was a highlight. We came home with a better sense of purpose for our engagement in the work we are doing for this revelation.

I hope that many peoples that were there will have or will take a decision to become sincerely involve with all of us in the work required to make this revelation an outstanding success.

Again, thanks to all of you who have dedicated many days of your life to make this a memorable conference and a class one experience.

Gaétan Charland
President IUA

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I returned from the conference energized, revivified and with a combined feeling of pride, privilege and appreciation in my heart, and I know it's going to remain with me for a very long time. It means so much to me to have made the acquaintance of the many beautiful souls who crossed my path this past week. I feel truly blessed.

The dedicated worker bees on the planning committee are deserving of so much appreciation for their efforts. The logistics of our conference were orchestrated with such finesse and grace that it all progressed like a rail trip through the sunny Swiss countryside. I'm usually reluctant to single people out, but this must be an exception I'm afraid. Guy and James, you were both outstanding contributors. A lot of hard work goes into making it look easy, so you must have both worked very hard indeed. Congratulations to all of you - YOU ROCK!

The speeches, lectures and workshops were beyond my expectations and just excellent, culminating in an awesome last plenary, all of which came straight from the heart of each presenter. What a send off!

How inspiring this all was, dear friends. I am now resolved to have more prayer and quiet communion with the Father in my daily life; to lower the barriers and share from my heart; to always remember to see God in everyone I meet. And so the work begins.

Love to you all, and let's do this again sometime.

This morning while getting ready for work a poem began to hatch in my brain (not in the little squishy azure blue brain-shaped-brain I received as a conference souvenier) and I sketched it out. I share this poem with you for our mutual edification.

Meredith

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Love Song

This is a love song for my brother Carlos

And my sister Rebecca into whose eyes I looked,

And those of my daughter Tamara and my son Jimmy,

And my brother Mario and sisters Sharron and Connie,

And my brothers Bill and Michael and Guy,

And daughters Linda, Judy, Suzanne and Lynn,

And those of Chris, Daryl, Dick and Mark,

Of Ralph, Betty, Brenda, David, Sheri,

Shari, Lee, Roslyn, George, Gard, Alain, Maria,

Seppo, Mary Tere and Helen, of Jan, Janet, Cathy,

Katie, Victor, Lynn, Peep, Merindi, Vance, James,

Jean, Jim, Lisa, Jane, Paul, Nancy, Barbara, Rich,

Carolyn, Tickie, Matt, Jay, Al, Christine and Dorothy,

Rick, Peter, Mindy, Benet, Phil, Jeff, Nick, Pio, Don, Terry,

Dan, Colette, Rita, Ginny, Svetlana, Attilio, Sofia,

And Shakyra, sitting patiently awaiting her unborn baby,

And Wanda, Joy, Gary, Greg and Mike, Kipp,

And Hilvania, Carrie, Jerry, Rhonda, Ellen, Jahn,

Will, Margo, Tom, Patricia, John, Gaetan,

Shirley, Kathleen, Sam, Richard, Costas,

Steve, Bob, Moussa, Bert, Dana, Erlene, Rose,

Chick, Istvan, Erica, Neal, Kenny, Tapio, Eddie,

Eija, Travis, Joanne, Patti, Ron, Paula,

And to all whose eyes I met a love song naming you,

Seeing you in the eyes of my mind,

And to all I cannot see and cannot name:

I thank you for being in my small space

For a love moment!

My eyes have seen the peace possibilities

Of love saturated souls,

Every name a Love Song.

M. Van Woert

Aug. 2, 2004

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Conference accounts by:

   • Jeffrey Wattles
   • Meredith Van Woert
   • Terry Grier
   • Gaétan Charland

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Chicago conference

Greater Lake Michigan Urantia Association very successfully hosted the international conference on the theme "The Mind Arena of Choice." This was Tonia's brain child; and the topic, the overall sequence of sub-themes for each day, and the multiple tracks giving diverse choices for participants were developed under her leadership. The work of James Woodward and Rick Lyon and their teams was truly rewarded.

I cannot recall an IUA conference with a higher average quality of presentations--verbal and artistic. We heard plenary presentations from several speakers who were not "regulars" often heard in such roles, and so we discovered talents new to us. The emcee, Guy Perron, consistently added humor that made our minds refreshed and receptive.

The scholarship fund was responsible for bringing at least three of the distinguished presenters to Chicago, and we should all be aware of the value of participating in that ministry if our intelligent and wise affection opens that door for us.

In my limited observation, the conference was blessed by a remarkably high proportion of readers with a keen focus on the in-depth study of the teachings of The Urantia Book, a remarkably low proportion of antagonistic"political" discussion. There were many new readers there, and the young readers made a particularly moving appeal for unity among readers. We had readers from Canada, Finland, Spain, Senegal, and Mexico as well as the U.S. (I'm sure I'm leaving out some country). The weather was unseasonably mild, and the food was the best university cafeteria food I can recall. The musical tribute to Lee Farmer was a marvelous experience. Many people enjoyed a thorough tour to Urantia Foundation, and there were many good comments about the lectures and workshops. The Dominican University staff were marvelous. As always, the socializing was most joyous.

Above all, we are most grateful to our unseen friends, the greater circuits, the Thought Adjusters, the Spirit of Truth, and the Holy Spirit (not to mention the revelators, without whom . . . , etc.). The partial surprise, I think, was how much the mind of Jesus became more real to us during those blessed days together.

--Jeffrey Wattles

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