The Spirit of Stewardship

“There is a great difference between wealth which leads to covetousness and selfishness and that which is held and dispensed in the spirit of stewardship by those who have an abundance of this world’s goods, and who so bountifully contribute to the support of those who devote all their energies to the work of the kingdom.” 165:4.5

We are emerging into a new era in the Urantia movement. Our community, along with the world, is growing fast, changing and adapting to the rapid increase in communication via the internet, the settling of the dust from the “divorce” and the emergence of new young leadership.

Something I’ve noticed working inside Urantia organizations in the movement is an unreasonably deathly slow desire to upgrade the way we organize information, share resources, raise money, and accomplish common goals.

urantia_youth_ericI’ve been a long time critic of, as I see it, the lack of enthusiasm for growing and revolutionizing our movement. To me the way seems so clear after reading the Jesus papers. We have the 5th Epochal Revelation, we have a good foundation of resources and secondary works, and as never before, the time is right to focus all our efforts in two areas, evangelism and community building. In my opinion our lack of a clear vision and defined goals is what is stopping us from operating in “high gear”.

Our Youth committee has been an invaluable asset in helping me work towards my personal goals in a group setting. Together we support each other in our common goals of growing community and provide a space for religious self expression and spiritual unity. This success is due to our commitment to meet every week for almost two hours, communicating through email, and attending regular conferences where we grow our friendships and commitment to our cause. As a team we are running a website, putting on two yearly events, and constantly engaging our community in numerous ways. This level of engagement keeps us invested in each other’s lives which grows our friendships.

Fundraising is at the heart of our efforts for a few reasons. Our committee was blessed with a large budget its first years as a standing committee in The Urantia Book Fellowship. With these resources we have made a incredible impact on the youth movement and brought new life into the Fellowship. But since our first year we have seen our budget drop about 25% each year. This would be understandable if our efforts were not bearing fruit, but they are. At our first conference in Boulder we had 6 registrants and our last conference we had 30+. The funding is working to grow the youth community.

angela This issue of reduced funding is due to an attempt to “balance” the budget and in no way feels like an attack on the work we are doing. What I do feel though is that it shows a very serious disconnect between the “leadership” and the Youth. YOUTH ARE WHAT MAKE AN ORGANIZATION ATTRACTIVE. PERIOD. So as our youth movement grows and gains more valuable talent everyday, how is it we can’t find the resources to support these efforts to see even more continued growth? You might ask ” If the Fellowship doesn’t have the money in their account can’t we go find it to support this growth? Well, actually no.

Once we receive our yearly budget we are not allowed to raise funding to support activities inside our committee even if they have been unfunded in our regular budget. An example this year is our Family Life program. Though we now have an active group working very hard on creating resources for family life we are just about cutting all of its funding. So to be clear the Urantia Book Fellowship is saying it has no money to support young families. Or at least they are not willing to allocate funds towards this.

So the first thing that comes to my mind is “well lets raise funds for this line item then”. If we can inspire people as to its importance then we should be able to find funding for it. And here lies the problem. We, meaning members of the YaYA committee, can not raise funding for a specific project through Urantianow or any of our other committee assets. As well, even if someone wrote us a check for $5000 dollars just for family life it could not go to family life. It would have to go into the General Fund and sit for a year before the executive committee of 16 people hashed out if they even wanted to put it into Family Life. This is not effective at all.

spiritual_unityBasically the Fellowship does not have mechanisms set up to allow for ear marking, even if it is completely transparent. So after our budget is decided we are stuck in some respects. A clear example is Urantianow. As it continues to grow as a valuable resource to the community and by far one of the most active Urantia Book website in the world, it needs to have more resources to be fully developed. But because it is supported by the Fellowship we are not allowed to raise any money for its development past what ever budget we get handed down.

So what to do? Well I would love your opinions and ideas. Inside our group we feel that this issue is of the most importance. The bottom line is people with money want to support whatever it is they’re passionate about. That more times then not is going to be the youth or outreach or publications etc.

The fear (yes fear) is that if we allow earmarking then people who would normally just donate to the Fellowship will only donate to “sexy” committees or projects and we won’t have money to keep the lights on (meaning Paula and our other valuable part time employees). My solution for this is that we take an agreed upon percentage out of earmarked donations and put them towards operating costs.

urantia_youth_2Other ideas include just raising money through our committee and Urantianow, giving it all to the Fellowship and then hoping they will give it back to us in next years budget. As well many people have talked about creating other organizations to raise money outside of the Fellowship and to some degree this is already happening. This of course breaks up the group into pockets of individuals with differing goals instead of all working together to help support each other and pool resources and talent.

Some have said “why do the youth need our support?” “we didn’t have support like this when we were young”. “Exactly”, is what I say to those opinions. There has never been continued support to bring the youth into our movement AND KEEP THEM THERE so look where we find ourselves. A sleeping, disconnected community. You don’t believe me? Doesn’t matter. I’ve heard that come out of hundreds of older readers mouths and I’ve traveled most of the country and visited almost all our societies and seen it for myself.

How do we think Churches attract large numbers of youth? By providing for their needs. And in turn these young people get experience and training a grow into adults who actively support and participate in the movement. Without their needs being meet they go somewhere else as SO MANY Urantians have. Taking their families and resources to find and build community somewhere else. It is going to take an investment in the youth for decades to make up for the lack of support for 50 years. And what you will start to notice is a highly active, loving, goal driven culture start to emerge. Without support sadly you will see more of the same.

youthLets talk about what is possible for a minute. If you don’t allow your mind to live in a world of “possibility” you will have a hard time seeing what I see. WE HAVE THE COMPLETE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST…. Lets think about this… We live in a Chrisitan nation full of Truthseekers who don’t know it but are looking for what we have. I read book after book about Chrisitan youth leaders trying to find a “new path” of what it means to be Chrisitan in the 21st century. How can we help show them the new path the Revelation has provided? We are not there because we have not united behind the possibility that in one life we could transform the world by introducing followers of Christ to the Revelation of Jesus’ life in the Urantia Book.

To me this is what’s possible. It takes being clear in our community what our mission is. Maybe that’s not everyone’s mission who reads the UB but it sure as hell is mine. And we need to consider that we must grow our efforts exponentially if we really desire to accomplish the wishes of our Master. We need more servants of truth, better networks, and more finances to fund their efforts. Strong leadership and clear goals will accomplish this.

One of the first hurdles in my eyes is how to fundraise. Being on a committee of the Urantia Book Fellowship I still have little understanding of how we fundraise or if we have evaluated it recently for its effectiveness. What I do know is that all the Fellowships outreach committee budgets have been decreasing over the last two years. I understand this to be due to “balancing” our budget into a place of not spending too much more then we bring in. What I don’t understand and refuse to ignore any longer is why we are having zero conversation about how to change this!!

urantia_girlsIn the last two years I have personally brought up this issue with posts like “Fundraising for the Future” and others. As well we have sent letters to leadership about helping with fundraising with literally no response. So again this year we found out our committee budget was pre-determined for us with no ideas or suggestion of how to make up for this loss in funding. All this in the face of very real and visible progress in the “youth” involvement in the community.

When I asked for coaching about how to bring up this topic again I was told to “not point fingers” and be “general” in my method. I write these articles because it is what I’m being lead to address by my indwelling spirit. True I can be frank and upfront but I do it from a place of love with a real desire to help bring change and progress to the culture of the Urantia community because it so badly needs it.

So what do I want? I want to be able to raise funds for specific projects, through the Urantia Book Fellowship, to help support the progress of any project we see as invaluable to Christs mission on Urantia.

What do you think we should do?

From the book: 148:8.5 “The new Jerusalem convert, Abraham the Pharisee, gave all of his worldly goods to the apostolic treasury, and this contribution did much to make possible the immediate sending forth of the one hundred newly trained evangelists.”

 

 

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20 thoughts on “The Spirit of Stewardship”

  1. I’ve read this article with great interest. The more I got into reading, the more uneasy I became inside myself. From my point of view, according to this article, you’re raising very serious issues around the funding and future progress of YaYa. I *do* hear what you are presenting to us, Teuvo…

    You ask what the rest of us think the Youth Committee should do? Well, from my personal perspective, you’ve provided the answer in your last paragraph, i.e.:

    YOU MUST BE ALLOWED AND BE ABLE TO RAISE FUNDS FOR *SPECIFIC* PROJECTS. That’s IT!. I would’ve thought this request not only to be reasonable, but imperative.

    It’s our Youth that’s going to move forwards with the FER – and thank you for being there 🙂

    I want to be able to raise funds for specific projects,

  2. Teuvo, your frank and forward style is refreshing and I don’t want to snuff out anyone’s positive energy for spreading the Spirit and our new revelation.

    I slept on your question: “What do you think we should do?”

    We both know plentiful money is out there. You’re young, energetic and willing. Why you are not attracting it is the question, isn’t it?

    Is it possible you are not bringing in the money you want because donors worry about tolerance, even support for, channeling and a personality cult by you and the Fellowship? These are two issues that have caused considerable controversy and resistance for you and FEF lately.

    The other issue is something I feel. Maybe others do too. I understand and share your desire for a Urantia based community, but I also have this stronger feeling that it’s not yet time. Could that be another factor in your inability to attract financial support and start a community? I think we are still in a phase of mingling, not segregating. Not sure when that will end, and can accept that others feel otherwise.

    Prayers for your wisdom and divine guidance, Rick W

    1. Rick thank you for your thoughts.

      I’m not the one actually bringing in money for the Fellowship. I’m just a member of a committee of the Fellowship and have watched budgets related to the dissemination of the 5th Epochal Revelation shrink over the years instead of grow.

      To be honest about mine, and many others, tolerance of our other brothers and sisters with different beliefs has little to do with this issue in my opinion. True a few people might stop supporting the Fellowship because of this concern but that ok. Did Jesus instruct us to be intolerant of people with different beliefs? I think not so in my personal opinion those individuals are misguided in there prejudiced and are not truly involved, or present, to the spiritual movement that is happening at the core of the Urantia community.

      Forgiveness, grace, patience, love are the what must guide this group. Treating Gabriel or a channeler different because we don’t believe their claims are legitimate is not who the Revelation or our Master instructed us to be.

      148:8.3 About this time there arrived at the Bethsaida encampment a trance prophet from Bagdad, one Kirmeth. This supposed prophet had peculiar visions when in trance and dreamed fantastic dreams when his sleep was disturbed. He created a considerable disturbance at the camp, and Simon Zelotes was in favor of dealing rather roughly with the self-deceived pretender, but Jesus intervened and allowed him entire freedom of action for a few days. All who heard his preaching soon recognized that his teaching was not sound as judged by the gospel of the kingdom. He shortly returned to Bagdad, taking with him only a half dozen unstable and erratic souls. But before Jesus interceded for the Bagdad prophet, David Zebedee, with the assistance of a self-appointed committee, had taken Kirmeth out into the lake and, after repeatedly plunging him into the water, had advised him to depart hence — to organize and build a camp of his own.

      On your point that “it’s not time yet” I absolutely disagree. I’ve been evangelizing and sharing the UB strong for more then five years and I meet people all the time who are excited to here about the Revelation. Its all about how fragrant the fruits of our life are that attracts others to what we have.

      This community is having a hard time right now. I pray that we all continue to study the Revelation and Jesus’ message so that we may truly realize this simple teaching “The quickest way to realize the brotherhood of man on Urantia is to effect the spiritual transformation of present-day humanity”

      How can we help foster “spiritual transformation”? A good place to start is with our young people. Look at the YaYA committee. All second generation readers. If we can continue to foster this culture we well continue to see incredible results.

      Really my article was about the simple math of making resources available for growth. The money is out there. Its not the only thing we need but its an important one.

      Thank you brother. Teuvo

  3. Hi Teuvo, and thanks for your well written letter.

    I don’t think you will ever have the support of general consensus of true students of The URANTIA Book, including increased funding, unless you and your group demonstrate that you understand the importance of positive efforts to share kinship with all persons of any faith without deviating from the intrinsic nature of the Fifth Epochal Revelation which is to CLARIFY and RECTIFY our common basis of decision making as an entire race.

    We ALL must differentiate between acknowledgement of personal spiritual camaraderie and active organizational perpetuation of inaccurate philosophical tenets which contradict reality and only serve to further confuse our planet.

    Endorsement of or by any group should be precious rather than expected. I suggest you examine the legitimate concerns of those who think you are deviating from the purpose of the organization that supports you, and who know the difference between our resulting philosophy and that of other faiths and beliefs.

    Specifically..the practice of channeling is considered “spiritualism” and it invites other beings TO USE US as their conduits, rather than emphasizing the enormous dignity Jesus taught us of daily growing into a more balanced personality as we love. He taught the apostles to work hard at coming to consensus then said he would support their decisive actions.

    I think channeling is a self-indulgent panacea for timid personalities who need help and KNOW it is a method of control by some who make claims to having it’s authority.

    Charismatic leadership is easily abused and I know persons who have directly suffered, who eventually lost their own personal prerogative, power of CHOICE, besides their belongings, fortunes and children to the insidious seduction of a “pleasant” congregational lifestyle propounded by it’s practitioners but actually of most benefit to it’s leaders.

    The fact is that you and I can work on behalf of any philosophy, but we need to discern what it is, and be conscientious about not confusing them, particularly when we are counting on support of those who share our philosophical SOURCE.

    1. Ellen,

      Much of what you said I agree with. Its true that some people have a desire to follow strong spiritual leaders. It talks about this in the Revelation. In fact its is a biological part of our existence so I have a hard time judging my fellow brothers and sisters who give in to this need.

      I have not personally endorsed any group that I’m aware of. I have shared many personal experiences but never have I said I think the teaching mission or Gabriel or anything else is a substitute for a personal relationship with God.

      Some feel the need to take a very strong stance against evil and sin. I do this in my own life but I’m not yet personally called to point it out in other individuals or groups. Especially when they really only share different beliefs then me.

      All I really want to do is help this organization grow into a force for good in the world. Your only a short Google search away from realizing how small we are playing. There is so much change happening everywhere and I see only very slow and resistant change happening in our community. Why? I don’t really know.

      What I do know is that each generation will take this Revelation further then the last. What will define the last generation is their ability to realize this truth and support its progress.

      I see this happening in the Fellowship and I truly want it to continue.

      We are the stewards of the Revelation. How amazing.

      Thank you for your thoughts Ellen. 🙂 Teuvo

      1. Well, Teuvo, I see that there is still general misunderstanding about the actual objections raised that may be influencing your present lack of group support.

        Those I saw on Facebook and elsewhere concern your perceived advertisement and promotion of a group which many find seriously objectionable and some more actively raise alarms about, all involving channeling in particular, but similar to them objecting to any URANTIA named publication promoting any organization or philosophy that is dedicated to precepts standing in direct opposition to the philosophy presented by The URANTIA Book, known as the Fifth Epochal Revelation. -ell

        1. Ellen,

          I’m crystal clear about peoples objections. No misunderstanding here. But I completely disagree with people claiming I am “promoting” channeling or the like through my articles about Avalon Gardens. I did quite the opposite in reality.

          And I did not say in my article that we are experiencing any lack of support. My generation is feeling incredible support in general. True we’ve experienced some upset but I expect that when we are trying to foster growth in a culture like the UB community. What my article was about is the way the Fellowship is operating in handling its committees and their budgets.

          At the very same time that we are enjoying overwhelming participation and interest in the YaYA committee and outreach our budgets are being cut with ZERO suggestions of how to make up the loses. Though not mentioned in my piece I feel this is partially due to the reality that the Fellowship has a President at the moment who did not want to see the Youth committee formed at all. If fact she told me personally she voted against it. As well she does not feel that spending money on outreach is a top priority. So the Youth and Young Adults committee budget has been significantly cut and so has outreach. This is a serious problem in my eyes and I intend to shed light on it.

          Bottom line there is just differences in opinion of how an organization like the Fellowship should operate. I shared some of my thoughts and I really hope others will share theirs.

          Question Ellen. If I wrote a piece about Christianity would people be as upset about it? Does not many teachings in the Bible have “direct opposition to the philosophy presented by The URANTIA Book”? I think it does. Or how about Mormonism? Or Judaism? Just a thought. If we start becoming fundamentalist were in big trouble. I could quote drop all day about Jesus’ acceptance of all peoples beliefs. The Master called for unity of Spirit. Why is this so hard to for some people to understand? I have some opinions but really don’t know for sure. I think it will just take time.

          Thank you for participating in the conversation.

          Teuvo

  4. How absolutely fascinating the replies are to your heartfelt desire to grow grass-root support under your passionate flaming mission to take Jesus’ injunction of loving one another and spreading the true gospel of the kingdom to the spiritually hungry youth and masses on the planet. One can hear the grinding chains on the minds of unrelenting opposition to you and your group; these are just transparent imagined judgments of your supposed loyalties instead of an understanding of your beautiful tolerance and Jesus like sympathy to other ways of being spiritual and letting their so called “evil” play itself out.

    Organizations tend to have the brakes on for all kinds of reasons and are inherently natured that way. Fear, yes fear-based much of the time- if you listen closely to the conversations… fear begets fear. Exactly the opposite of the bright loving fire of youth…surely you are blinded by your high ideals- but only blinded (from what this old man sees) as to the impossibility of your dreams… Go for it brother… others will follow you and so will the money. Its not “their” money anyway.

    You at your young age are so much further along than I in your tolerance of committee- ism and of slow moving organizations. They tend to get bogged down by not progressively adopting modern techniques of communication and organization. And they get inhibited-clogged by personalities stuck in ego instead of activating continuous soul/adjuster consciousness of each other. Adjuster’s are sometimes trapped in human minds competing instead of lovingly cooperating, hearing and seeing the truth in front of their ears and eyes.

    Jesus is our master and you are hearing him correctly from my life experiences of street work… lots of it. The money will follow as you have the courage to follow your morontia mind, dual, divine and human, soul mind.
    And as you use your clean perception/channeling of your seven adjutants.. for a young pup your adjutants of counsel of wisdom are keen.

    I think you are embarrassing some with your successes, leadership and experiential wisdom gleaned from your hard work in dynamic social interactions with all kinds of readers across the country and nations – and you have some great genetics.
    Your kind of spiritual experiences are undeniably full of truth, beauty and goodness from actual experiences, which is what spiritual life is really about on this backward blessed planet of the cross.
    and spiritual growth/support of the workers in the field is not about pointing at imagined liaisons to duck the truth of an organization’s responsibility to respond to success where they see it… your success in outreach brings in finances in abundance to the organization-s you are part of, that is obvious – for years to come.
    Can you imagine Apple not funding their most successful departments,individuals, research, and processes?

    and spiritual progress is not aided by making excuses out of thin air about not working in harmony together, while they point fingers and judge and project from their own fears, weakness and blind spots. Sorry you are having such trouble in being understood clearly… you obviously are working in harmony with your brothers and sisters of all ages.. and responding tactfully and gracefully. I hear and see you this way.. know that.
    I also see/hear your Divine Self inspiring you as you invite the Father’s will to act through both your personality (it’s your TA’s personality too).. All your committees’ works resonate beautifully in my Spirit of Truth’s heart mind.
    you have defended your cause admirably with tolerance and tact and you sound loud a clear trumpet to what is obvious to many… yes the rule of not being able to raise money for your own committee is bs. it is wrong, period.

    Both and all and any funding modality must and should be available to you immediately to put fuel in your obvious mission and successes..with the money going to your committee immediately. Success sometimes scares the heck out of some who don’t know what to do with it or with those who create success. It is all of your groups’ honesty that puts you at the forefront of the movement… you and your group are so pure …. YOU ARE THERE…using the social media -twenty first century style..and in most of your programs.. so keep it up.. congratulations by the way on spiritual jobs well done by all of you!
    You all are the envy of most of us un-organized other generation readers, because of the Jesusonian love you all obviously have for each other and your spiritual joy in your brother/sisterhood that is so lacking in other parts of the movement. You all sing and dance together spontaneously no matter what your genetics or family loyalties.. I have experienced that directly this year many times..it is a healing joy to this old heart, and that is truly LIVING IN HIS KINGDOM!

    keep on keepin on brothers! and sisters. I and we are sooooo proud of you all …..your lights only expose the darknesses. do not worry about old oppositions.. . no bushels for you all.

    You all might want to go for maximum spiritual power assistance –
    ” give your angels part of the responsibility to direct your fund raising and see what happens… ENGAGE YOUR ADJUSTERS TOGETHER — your Adjusters know how to loosen the purse strings… they own and are the purses. THEY KNOW AND ARE YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS – so SYNC UP! – in worship -together – with that objective”.
    REMEMBER, WHEN YOU ARE IN TRUE SYNC YOU HAVE THE POWER OF THE SQUARE OF YOUR NUMBER.
    No organization-s can hold back your kind of spiritual energy, ever. Your spiritual fragrances are a most powerful attraction.
    In His love and light
    Pat

    1. Patrick,

      I’m so honored to have your support my friend! Your lifetime of focus on the thought adjuster and the spiritual kingdom shines in your words. Please know that comments like this wash over a 100 negative ones. It’s not that I’m looking for agreement in my mission or in my beliefs but it feels so good when some one from the older generation is so in sync with the younger generation. I know there are lots of you out there but I truly thank you brother for taking the time to share this with me.

      Feel so blessed to be on this mission with you brother. All praise to the unseen Father!!

      Teuvo

  5. Teuvo,

    I’m perplexed by this post. I don’t understand what you hope to gain by bringing your issues to an open blog where nothing can get resolved. Why haven’t you brought this to the General Council? Since you are a Councilor it’s even easier for you to do so. All you have to do is request time on the agenda. Then the entire Council will discuss your issues and ideas. Since you are a member of the board, YOU are the “they” you keep referring to. Why aren’t you working within the group you were elected to serve & support?
    There are other avenues fundraising open to you as well. Societies can get behind specific projects. I know you have been working on creating a local Society & that takes time but you can ask other Societies to help. Look at the NY Society. They are sponsoring the Turkish translation. It’s their project & they fund raise for it. You can also volunteer to work with the Finance Committee, that’s the group that does the fundraising for the Fellowship.
    As someone who was part of the budget process I can tell you that each one of us would love to be able to fund every project every year. We spend days trying to do the most good with the funds we have. YaYa ‘s budget is 2nd in size only to Publications.
    Why are you posting such negative comments about the organization that has served, and fostered and put their money behind the youth group?

    Lara Amyx

    1. Lara,

      I don’t feel my comments are negative. I’m sharing my thoughts and opinions about reductions in the budgets related to the dissemination of the 5th Epochal Revelation.

      Me being on the general council gives me no say in the final committee budgets. The executive committee, which you are on, decides the budgets. I share the opinion that cutting Outreach and Youth budgets while still not allowing for earmarked contributions to make up for these loses is not how a healthy non-profit operates. While at the same time leaving Publications as our largest budget in the digital age. Please understand I don’t attach right or wrong to this. I see areas that need improvement in my opinion.

      I respect and am fully present to the reality of having less money in the General Fund to support projects. What I’m not sure about is why there is not discussion about how to raise more money so we can continue to the grow this organization and its ability to transform the world. I know personally of Fellowship members who have asked to have donations go directly to a committee budgets and told been told NO so they keep the money in the bank. So in my opinion its no wonder we don’t have enough finances to fund all our projects in full. We are operating in a fashion not congruent with the mission we have to fulfill. We must have the faith that where people desire to put there money is where it belongs.

      I’m in no way putting down the Fellowships incredible support of the YaYA committee, Outreach, Publications and everything else. Look what we have accomplished over the last few years. Its amazing! What I’m pointing out is that for the last two years we have been looking at reduced budgets in the face of amazing growth with no suggestions from the Executive Committee as to how to make up for these losses. Do you have suggestions?

      I’ve spoken with many other individuals who have worked for non-profits that say earmarking is a everyday thing. People who support non-profits want to see their money go to what inspires them. That doesn’t mean every penny, as you obviously must keep the lights on, but it does mean there are mechanisms in place to allow members of our community to support whatever it is that inspires them.

      When I went on my road tour this year (http://raisingawarenesstour.com/) the Fellowship was so generous and helped with a $1000 in gas. This was only a fraction of what it took to travel for ten weeks but it was an important piece. The rest of the money was from private donors. In the last two weeks of the tour we ran out of money and put up a link on Urantianow to see if the community would help support getting us home. I was send emails from the Fellowship in BOLD RED WRITING telling me I must “cease and desist” in raising funds on a Fellowship supported website. Though this was incredibly frustrating I did so but continued to try on the website I has personally build for the tour – http://raisingawarenesstour.com. Then I was sent the same “cease and desist” for this website. The reasoning was that because the Fellowship had supported a part of this tour we were not allowed to raise any more money. I did not listen to these requests as they were baseless and was able to raise the money needed to get home.

      My point in sharing this story is the confusion and dysfunction we have about fundraising. And I understand it. Its money. People get all upset and worked up about money. I’ve been attacked like crazy by people in this community for being someone who is partially compensated for my time working on Urantianow. But the reality is money is a fact of life. It provides food and shelter and gas to go places. It provides scholarships for young readers who would otherwise have no way to come to a conference. It provides hand outs that people take home and share with their friends. It provides Urantia Books to those who would otherwise not have one.

      What I want to see in the Fellowship move into the next mode of raising resources to support its valuable projects and committees and societies and members. I want to hear ideas from the Executive Committee on how to make up for lost funding when it must happen. Not just silence. Lets work together to engage and enroll our community in the important work we have taken on.

      Maybe I’m just drunk on the mission I have chosen for my life. To share the good news in a million and one creative ways. This takes time, energy, faith, and resources. If the Fellowship doesn’t have the funds to support continued growth lets see if our community is ready to pitch in.

      Thank you Lara. Teuvo

  6. Teuvo, the YaYas’ problem, as I see it, is that the YaYas are part of the Urantia Fellowship and therefore you are chafing at the restrictions and budgetary constraints imposed by the Fellowship on the YaYas. I would think that there are basically two primary ways to resolve these problems:

    (1) Work internally with the Fellowship to change the policies of which you complain, or

    (2) create an independent non-profit organization run by the UB youth and solicit funds through that organization.

    From what I can tell, your ability to influence the Fellowship, to the extent that the YaYas had that influence (and I believe that they did), has been compromised recently due to the uproar about the Gabriel affiliation – right or wrong.

    As such, I would think that a stand alone YaYa tax exempt non-profit corporation could be the best resolution to your problems.

    That doesn’t mean that the YaYas would have to cut ties with the Fellowship, just that the YaYas would be more in control of their own fundraising and activities. The YaYas have a lot more power than you may realize. Without the UB youth, the Fellowship will be out of business in 50 years, or sooner.

    In any event, good luck to the YaYas. I love you guys and look forward to assisting you whenever I can. Hold High the Mission!

    Fred Harris

    1. Fred,

      I’m always very thankful for you thoughts and advice.

      On your first suggestion we are and have been trying to do this. The Fellowship is in need of some modernization of how it operates as a steward of the 5th Epochal Revelation in the 21st century. But when I think about this option I’m reminded of what I’ve experienced so fare working with the Fellowship. They have supported the YaYA’s with large (but shrinking) budgets but to be honest we really need much more then that. We need support and communication. We need participation from the leadership. Especially the Executive committee who makes all the final decisions about Fellowship business.

      Outside of my committee members I almost never hear from Fellowship leadership. In fact in two years I’ve never gotten a phone call from our President to see how things are going. This is not something I necessarily expect but it seems that it would happen considering all that we are up to and how important our mission is to the future of the Fellowship. I don’t think they are clear on how few younger people are in this community. But that trend is changing thanks to our committee.

      I blame a lot of this on the nature of our mission though. We have this incredible map to understand God, Jesus, and the Universe but we have almost zero direction on how to use it to form a healthy, spiritual, focused community. They leave it up to us. So because of no common goals we all just do our own thing for the most part. Our community is made up of people who hate organizations and people who think they should direct everything the community does. We have people who think we should segregate people who have different beliefs and those that just want to unite in spiritual communion.

      We have so many conflicting opinions that for the most part everyone just ends up doing it on their own. This could be fixed if strong leadership inside the Fellowship created clear goals that a majority could unit behind. That is yet to happen. I can hardly wait for the day it does!

      On your second option. I would in fact like your help doing this. When I traveled the country I had many conversations with individuals who see the need for much more outreach and evangelism. I think creating a organization solely focused on these efforts could make incredible contributions to the Revelation and Jesus’ mission.

      Such a life on such a planet. Your awesome Fred. Thank you brother.

  7. Hi Teuvo,

    I was just reading what you and Ellen were saying about Avalon Gardens, and it occurred to me that the disagreement is not about accepting that different beliefs or actions exist, but whether or not they are tolerable. You probably wouldn’t go to an organic gardening festival run by a group that believed in rape, torture, and murder as paths to enlightenment because those beliefs are repugnant to you. So it’s not about accepting that others have different beliefs.

    And you probably wouldn’t go to a festival run by a group whose former members had reported rape, torture, and murder either – for the same reason.

    When you tell those of us who find the beliefs and practices of Avalon Gardens intolerable that we just can’t accept different beliefs and practices, you demean our motivations.

    Just about everyone can tolerate some form of different belief or practice, but what is tolerable varies widely from individual to individual. And higher levels of toleration do not necessarily correlate with higher levels of morality. It’s easy to see that the extremes of toleration of nothing or toleration of everything is in error – the hard part is the grey area in between.

    Richard

    1. Richard,

      I feel the nature of what you getting at. My problem with you comments though is your comparing channeling to acts of violence and murder. What’s up with that?

      The teaching mission, Gabriel, and other Religions around the world all have different flavors of Religion and as many different belief systems as they do members.

      You mention you and other find The Continuing Revelation “intolerable”? Do you find Mormonism intolerable? Do you find Catholicism intolerable? Please help me understand where you draw the line.

      Thank you for helping me understand where you stand. I do not mean to demean your motivations. I just hold the belief from studying the Urantia Book we are not to judge others based upon their different beliefs not matter how we feel about them.

      “The religions of authority require of men uniformity in belief, but this is impossible of realization in the present state of the world. The religion of the spirit requires only unity of experience — uniformity of destiny — making full allowance for diversity of belief.” 155:6.9

      Thank you joining the conversation my friend. Hope your not to buried in snow over there!

      1. Teuvo,

        You misinterpreted my hypothetical example. It was simply an example of beliefs you would not tolerate. In no way am I comparing channeling to acts of violence and murder.

        My point is that there are beliefs that you would find intolerable. That’s normal. Just about everyone has beliefs that they find intolerable. When you tell people that they have a problem with tolerating different beliefs, you make it sound like you would tolerate ANY belief of another person. Obviously that’s not true – as illustrated by my hypothetical example.

        Also, when you tell people they have a problem tolerating different beliefs (implying that you don’t) it sounds like you think there is some correlation between morality and toleration of the beliefs of others. Again, my hypothetical example shows that to be untrue because I’m sure you wouldn’t think it moral for someone to tolerate a belief in acts of violence.

        When you think that those who disagree with you regarding Avalon Gardens simply have some character defect of intolerance, it prevents you from examining their thoughts with any significant degree of depth. It makes it all too easy for you to write them off.

        We have very good reasons for saying what we have said – we’re not just a bunch of intolerant bigots. You need to understand that we have valid, experiential reasons too.

        As an example from my own experience, my own Dad sincerely thinks that I deserve eternal torture in hell because I don’t believe in the Christian doctrine of blood atonement. Yet I overlook that belief and love him anyway because I understand that his childhood experiences with his own Dad have made it difficult for him to conceive of God as a loving Father. As you can see, I am able to tolerate the beliefs of others.

        Where do I draw the line? I draw the line when I see the craving for absolute power over others – as I detailed in my “Ecclesiastical Authority” post.

        Teuvo, you know I support your enthusiastic evangelism. Please give careful consideration to what I’ve said.

        All the best,

        Richard

  8. Teuvo,

    I agree wholeheartedly with what Patrick and Fred have posted here so won’t repeat much of what they already have said. From your writing it sounds like you are very frustrated with the catch-22 restrictions that you are experiencing. I also feel there are some influential leaders in the Fellowship that will not support fully funding your ideas because of their right or wrong perception of your support of Gabe and the teaching mission. They have so much invested in the Fellowship (cognitive dissonance: money, beliefs, volunteer time) that they will continue to defend resisting and dealing with what you have expressed. It is a catch-22 for them too…there hasn’t been a charismatic leader for bringing in a new generation of readers of the UB. Without new, young readers, the stagnate organizations will fade away as the elders graduate to elementary school on the mansion worlds. So in some ways they are frustrated too.

    Like Fred suggested, I too think you should create a non-profit organization to fund your vision. A tax exempt 501-c-3 one so tax deductions can be attached to any donations the organization receives. It sounds like you have experienced in your travels that you have potential monetary support for that vision. You control your future. You create your future’s reality by laser beam focusing on that vision.

    As the UB says: 160:4.10: It requires intelligence to secure one’s share of the desirable things of life. It is wholly erroneous to suppose that faithfulness in doing one’s daily work will insure the rewards of wealth. Barring the occasional and accidental acquirement of wealth, the material rewards of the temporal life are found to flow in certain well-organized channels, and only those who have access to these channels may expect to be well rewarded for their temporal efforts. Poverty must ever be the lot of all men who seek for wealth in isolated and individual channels. Wise planning, therefore, becomes the one thing essential to worldly prosperity. Success requires not only devotion to one’s work but also that one should function as a part of some one of the channels of material wealth. If you are unwise, you can bestow a devoted life upon your generation without material reward; if you are an accidental beneficiary of the flow of wealth, you may roll in luxury even though you have done nothing worth while for your fellow men.

    Continue doing the heavy lifting of your work but also visualize finding those well-organized channels and tap into them. Unfortunately, you will probably find some of those influential people in the Fellowship will possibly ostracize you for breaking off on your own.

    Like Patrick and Fred, I admire your spunk, dedication, hard work and vision for the future.

    Tom Alexander

  9. Dear Tuevo,

    I really like your idea to be “united behind the possibility that in one life we could transform the world by introducing followers of Christ to the Revelation of Jesus’ life in the Urantia Book.”

    We have a visioning session coming up in February. I know that dissemination is the top of the list for all of us. This frames dissemination in a more focused way.

    Thank you for this provocative article!

    Cristina

  10. Hello Teuvo!! Thank you for your candid approach to this sensitive issue. Lay it out and let the Spirit of Truth be revealed! Let us not be disheartened by fear or resistance…Let us pray that Jesus will guide our hearts to feel and our minds to discern the right path for us Urantia Book readers, young and old – especially those of us who feel the powerful call to rise up and uplift the planet in an open and energetic way.

    Brother, I love your energy and focus and I have your back!! I met you only months ago and we already shared this vision, this passion, this feeling of divine leading to spread God’s love, not in a slow meandering way, but in an exciting and modern way, which can be faster than one might think…yes, Patience is always a watch word in our Eternal progress and we should practice it daily – it does take eternity, after all, to learn so many lessons – but patience should not lead to stagnation, fear, or sitting on the cosmic fence…those of us with this feeling simply cannot deny it, cannot oppress it and God will not allow us to be quiet about it!! lol! We are too joyful and our cups are overflowing!

    Patrick’s post was a breath of fresh air…my heart literally felt uplifted and eased, thank you <3 I respect individual expression, but when it is full of fear and judgement it feels oppressive and binding on the heart…I have thought and prayed on this very much and I do feel it would be in line with God's will for the Yaya's to start our own non-profit, or work with another organization who supports our vision, and agree with Fred that this in no way means we must cut ties with the Foundation, as least as far as they are open to having ties with us. In truth, we mustn't hold back God's Divine plan, we feel is at hand, in our attempt to appease anyone…if they open their hearts and minds to the plan unfolding then that is good and we can all together utilize our divine sparks to realize the Spirit of Truth, interpret and share Revelation and encourage each other to live as Jesus did; anyone who continues to close off their hearts and minds to this inspiration, I believe we must release the weight of resistance that can only hinder progress…it does come down to vision Teuvo, and it seems to me we can't manufacture or impose that vision on anyone else. Each person has their own path to walk with God; their own lessons to learn, and we are all at different places in our spiritual journey, no better or worse, just different. The Yayas should be Lovingly supported in realizing our vision of spiritual unity, spreading the Word, uplifting humanity, in the way we feel called to do it! But that support may not come from the Foundation and we shouldn't be afraid to accept that with no hard feelings… we must take a leap of faith in our sincere desire to do God's will.

    So, this is a beautiful thing and, yes, I agree – the money will come… it's in God's hands but we must choose. Let's put our minds and hearts together in our devotion to God's will and seek to find these channels of wealth which will support our mission. We will find it Tuevo, I am sure of it!

    Much Love, brother – I miss you!

    Tara

  11. There needs to be a New Corpse of Evangelists to spread the message of the gospel as Jesus taught it and as he sent out his apostles and disciples to preach, The Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man. Let’s get back to the roots of the gospel! Infinite Blessings

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