Publishing The Urantia Book has been a major Fellowship preoccupation for nearly three years. The success of the initial efforts generated considerable enthusiasm in our community, spawning plans for a variety of additional publication and distribution projects. Suddenly, the immediate future of these activities appears uncertain. In prudent anticipation of potential legal ramifications, all sales of the Uversa Press edition of The Urantia Book have been suspended, along with plans for a second printing. Contact with URANTIA Foundation has been initiated, but, as of this writing, there is no clear indication of how the Trustees intend to proceed.

The situation raises two general areas of concern. First are the practical problems involved in the resolution of this matter. What do we do with the remaining books? What damage claims will the Foundation seek? Is there some way to continue printing the Uversa Press edition? If not, will there be difficulties obtaining sufficient copies of the Foundation’s book for Fellowship outreach efforts? An extensive list of similar practical questions could be posed here, none of which have clear answers at this time. They must await the outworking and interaction of organizational processes in both the Fellowship and the Foundation. These material consequences, whatever they turn out to be, are the smaller part of the matter. The depth of experience, cleverness and talent in our assembly has always been able to handle any practical problem presented to it; nothing about this matter is likely to exceed that collective ability.

The second and more important consideration is found in a theme from the Quickeners of Morality: "Even the work of this world, paramount though it is, is not nearly so important as the way in which you do this work." (39:4.13) It is important to remain calm, balanced, resolute, enthusiastic, prayerful, intelligent, resourceful, insightful, wise, practical, undaunted, hopeful, teachable, tactful, - in short, virtuous: "Virtue is righteousness--conformity with the cosmos. To name virtues is not to define them, but to live them is to know them. Virtue is not mere knowledge nor yet wisdom but rather the reality of progressive experience in the attainment of ascending levels of cosmic achievement. In the day-by-day life of mortal man, virtue is realized by the consistent choosing of good rather than evil, and such choosing ability is evidence of the possession of a moral nature."(16:7.6) Opportunities for virtuous achievement are before us each time we find ourselves faced with unexpected and difficult circumstances. When correctly understood they are pearls of great price, worth all they cost and more.

Of course, we may not all agree on what constitutes virtue in this or any other matter, and that is as is should be. Soon we will assemble to hear from one another our various understandings. We will consider all views fairly, without prejudice, and then determine our course of action by majority vote. This being a triennial year, that will occur in two separate forums - the Triennial Delegate Assembly and the General Council. To the degree that we each bring to these processes our sincerest personal concepts of virtue, along with a respectful regard for the concepts of others, the results are certain to be of value, both to ourselves and, through the Supreme, to all.

The Fellowship is now over forty years old, the “age of discretion” as some interpret the teachings. It has survived many difficulties, sudden disturbances and threatened disasters. As a body, there is no group of Urantia believers that has accumulated anything near the collective experience and wisdom concerning the social response to The Urantia Book. No group has been better prepared to face these challenges and difficulties than the Fellowship community.

Each generation has its own peculiar problems to grapple with. I am reminded of the prayer of some of our early Andonite ancestors: "…deliver us from the curse of the ice, save us from our forest enemies…” (63:6.6) We are not much concerned with ice anymore. Our attention, while still occupied with immediate practical considerations, pursues far more complex goals; it seeks to better comprehend and integrate our efforts with those of a near infinite and divinely coordinated cosmos.

In fact, the ice was not a really a curse to our ancestors; it was an inescapable stimulus that brought forth their latent potentials for progressive growth. Our presence here is sufficient evidence to indicate that they rose to the occasion, benefiting themselves and all their posterity. We also must contend with our ice, and, like our ancestors, find within ourselves those untapped resources which await supreme evolution through cooperative human achievement. We will also rise to our challenges, whatever they are, and leave both ourselves and the cosmos a little closer to its supreme destiny than it was before.

Concerning other specifics, I can only observe that prior to its publishing efforts the Fellowship had developed a wide range of services and activities; some - like expo participation, international conferences, study group directory, and experiments in outreach - are unique. Now it appears that circumstances will refocus our creative energy on these areas, along with others yet to be developed.

The Urantia Revelation is still very young. There are virtually unlimited opportunities for significant service in support of its planetary mission. These potentials manifest through the spiritized creative imagination of beings who are wholeheartedly committed to this effort. It is entirely possible that current circumstances are merely a redirecting fatherly hand, pointing our attention to areas we might otherwise neglect, in which we shall find answers to our prayers for meaningful service assignment that far exceed what we now see, or can even imagine. I prefer to believe that this is the case.

By the time we assemble in Vancouver, I expect that any tendency towards disappointment or discouragement connected with recent events will have passed, and we will all be prepared to go on with our work enthusiastically, cheerfully, energetically, purposefully, and with the full conviction that the best is yet to come.

This is my final report to you as the Fellowship’s president. For six years you have seen fit to entrust me with the duties of that position. During that time I have received continuous support, cooperation and encouragement from Fellowship members, especially from the members of the General Council and Executive Committee with whom I have worked most closely. The experience has been among the most outstanding and treasured of my life. I hold a genuine affection for each of you.

I am always impressed at the ability of our community to confront difficult issues, arrive at intelligent conclusions, and provide the resources and talent necessary to achieve what has been decided. I do not suggest that we always arrive at the best decision, or that we have nothing more to learn; obviously that is not the case. But I do believe that we are engaged together in a sincere effort to find God, both as Father and as Supreme, and that we will continue that search with renewed determination as we move into the future. I intend to remain with you in this adventure in some capacity until the “end.”

In affection, fellowship and gratitude,

Steve Dreier