Fellowship Admin
International Fellowship Committee Report
January 24 – 27, 2008
Spanish Readers Services Position: During the regularly scheduled meeting on October 13, 2007 in Oklahoma City, the Executive committee approved the position as half-time, or 20 hours per week with salary, and expenses – listed in the 2008 budget. There were six faithful readers who applied for this position, and the International Committee selected Agustin Arellano as the most qualified and experienced candidate. An Independent Contractor Agreement was draw up reflecting a starting date of November 15, 2007.
Agustin came to the United States for a Committee meeting at Paula Thompson home in Westminster, CO (present was Paula, Susan Ransbottom, David Kantor, Dolores Nice (by phone conference) and myself on December 14 -16, 2007. And, after a review by the EC, a conference call with Robert Burns, minor changes were made and the contract signed on December 15, 2007. Salary payments began just after the first of the New Year, reflecting that 2007 starting date of November 15, 2007.
The one year goals are:
1. Develop and support awareness of the Urantia teachings in Spanish speaking communities and to increase the number of readers and reader groups. Contractor will support and participate in conferences and events in Spanish speaking communities pertaining to the dissemination of El Libro de Urantia. Goals: attend 1 Infinito Congress; attend 1 Expo Esoterica; make presentation at one national conference in Latin America; participate in one national radio show; and participate on one national Television interview.
2. Coordinate and support Spanish speaking study groups. Goals: to strengthen at least one (1) study group in each one of the 10 primary states in Mexico by providing one case of 6 books per group (60 books total); and provide to each study group at least one copy of secondary material, to include the Spanish translation of: “Urantia Book Basics” by Mary Eddy Livingston; “When Things Go Wrong” and “21 Steps to a Spiritual Awakening” both by the Michael Foundation; and “Study of the Forward” by Bill Sadler.
3. Develop and distribute a Guide to Developing and Maintaining Study Groups. Goals: guide is to be developed by contractor and distributed to 8 study groups throughout Central and South America per contract year.
4. Develop web resources accessible through the Fellowship’s Spanish website www.ellibro.org for Spanish speaking countries: Goal: add one new country to the list of contact per quarter.
5. Respond to Spanish language inquires. Goal: respond in a timely and appropriate manner.
6. Regularly update Fellowship’s Spanish reader data base. Goals: to provide a monthly list or report of new additions following the data base format provide by the Urantia Book Fellowship IT ( such as name, contact information, date of entry); with 30 additional names plus updates per month.
7. Quarterly Reports. Goal: to complete each quarter with past and current activities, and to list upcoming activities.
8. Coordinate production, marketing and sales efforts of supportive works of El Libro de Urantia. Goal: coordinate production on one supportive work per contract year. In 2008, contractor will complete in book form “Diccionario de Cosmologis y Teologis segun El Libro de Urantia” (Dictionary of Cosmology and Theology according to the Urantia Book”.
9. Monthly Distribution of El Libro de Urantia. Goal: contractor will distribute 10 books per month and document name, location, and date of distribution to the recipient.
Agustin’s activities and the International Committee’s involvement with the Seraphim in Latin America since the October 2007 report have been many and varied:
- Secondary Book printing of “Lo Básico de El Libro de Urantia” written by Mary Ebban Livingston and translated by Agustin. There were 2,000 copies printed in Monterrey, Mexico at an approximate cost of $1.25 per copy. The beautiful cover drawing was done by Jorge Ortega, a reader from Mazatlan. Half of the 2,000 copies will be donated to readers throughout Latin America and the other half sold in the $5.00 range; proceeds will go “Orvonton”, the newly completed tax-exempt organization created by Agustin and other readers to promote the Revelation in Mexico.
- On October 25 – 31, Agustin attended and presented at the CN3 in Mérida, Venezuela from 7 cities with more than 40 people in attendance ranging from ages 12 to 70. The theme was “Service and Worship”, and despite past conflicts between competing groups (of the UF/UAI and the UBF) progress was made toward unification. As a measure of this, they agreed to work toward forming their own tax-exempt organization; with David Machado as president of the board, and Ana Soto, an attorney, doing the legal work, and Henrique Vegas, the former Foundation rep. agreed to be the webmaster. Agustin carried a case of books, posters, and spiritual vitamins with him, and acknowledged the political situation is worsening and getting books into Venezuela is becoming more difficult. His report (with pictures) contains the names, telephone numbers, and some email addresses of 37 readers, and is available upon request. (These names have not yet been entered into the Fellowship data base because Agustin did not receive his laptop until January 8, 2008 and has not yet worked out the IT details with David Kantor.)
- Coordinating with Agustin and Susan Ransbottom, Nelida Oliver, in Argentina has been continuously active. She had an introduction presentation on the Revelation September 28, 2007 at the Argentum in Buenos Aires; complete with books, posters, introductory materials, spiritual vitamins, and flyers. She developed a booth at the “II Expo Vida Natural” (2nd Natural Life Expo) also in Buenos Aires on November 4th. In December she made a follow-up trip to Cordoba and Capilla del Monte to stimulate study group activity and encourage outreach. Nelida has also completed a series of 4 one-hour radio talk show programs in Buenos Aires and, because of the listener response, has been encouraged to do more. Nelida will also play a pivotal role in the upcoming Buenos Aires Book Fair in April/May; discussed more thoroughly below.
- In Ecuador, Sandra Naranjo is a reader emerging as a leader. With guidance of Agustin and Nelida, Sandra delivered an LU presentation at Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana Benjamin Carrion (Home of Ecuadorian Culture, named after Benjamin Carrion) in the capitol of Quito on November 19th. As a result of Sandra influence, and other visits by Nelida and Agustin, we have a list of 104 readers from 4 cities (Quito 24, Ibarra 11, Ambato 5, and Guayaquil 64. (Again, these names and telephone numbers have not yet been entered into the Fellowship data base, but available upon request.)
Sandra is a teacher by profession, and will be attending (visa providing) IC08.
- With the support of books, posters, pins, coupons (provided by the UBF), and other study aid materials, Olga Tartakowsky (some of you may know Oly, from Chile) visited Cuba on an outreach mission in December. It was a great success. Most of the books and materials were given to health professionals – seen by Oly as a gateway to the masses. Despite their economic hardships and restrictions their faith remains high. One of Oly’s best memories was watching an communist/atheist woman get excited when reading about the life of Jesus. Unfortunately the coupons did not work there because of the embargo of most material goods from the USA. Oly has developed a friendship with a woman in Chile who makes regular trips to Cuba and we have decided to make her a “pipeline” of books to Cuba. So I have placed a order with our Pipeline of Light for a one year order of 2 books per month to be sent to Oly to give to her friend to take to Cuba.
For the first quarter of his contract year Agustin has begun by going to Central America. The first stop was in El Salvador on January 14 and 15, 2008 to attend the CN3 at Kalpatharu Plaza in the capital San Salvador. His second stop was in Nicaragua on January 16th for the CN2 at the UNAN University Center in Managua. The last stop on the Central America trip was to Costa Rica CN4 and the 5th gathering of the III Americas conference in Grecia January 18 – 20. Also in attendance and participating was Delores Nice. The theme of the conference is “Cosmic Citizenship and Service: Here and Now” with speakers from Mexico, Costa Rica, and Brazil. Dr. Rafael Rojas is the primary leader there, and has led the way to their nearly completed tax-exempt organization. Dolores and Agustin will stay over a day after the conference to brainstorm and develop a brochure for the first International Bilingual Conference to be held in Costa Rica in January 2009 (we hope you all will come). The brochures will be ready for IC08 handouts. Dr. Rojas and his lovely wife, Nidia, will most like attend IC08. Agustin will have the Fellowships Spanish reader’s data base updated with at least 30 new names, and have distributed supportive materials to 3 study groups in Mexico.
For the second quarter, Agustin will attend the Buenos Aires Book Fair, reputed to be the largest in all of Latin America. The Book Fair runs from April 14 – May 5 and will have an El Libro de Urantia booth. The booth is having a tri-sponsorship equally between the UAI, the Foundation, and the Fellowship; sharing the planning, financing, and layout of the booth with shared personnel representing each organization. Negotiations have been on-going between Marian Hughes (UAI), Tamara Wood (Foundation), Carlos Rubinsky (formerly the UAI/Foundation rep in Argentina) and the IFC chair; and are continuing. While often tedious and trying, all parties concerned have shown themselves (mostly) negotiable and committed to showing to Latin Americans (nay, the world) that we can and will work together to advance the causes of this Revelation; with the help of the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Truth. All the details of our enterprise, though not yet complete, will be finished by the end of February. Representatives from the Fellowship “to man the booth” will be Agustin, Nelida, Susan, and Delores – dividing their time, as well as some of the readership in Buenos Aires and other parts of Argentina. It’s a long fair. Agustin will have the Fellowships Spanish reader’s data base updated with at least 30 new names, and delivered 2 LU and other secondary books to 3 study groups in Mexico.
- For the third quarter, Agustin will have completed the formatting of and coordination for the first printing of “Diccionario de Cosmologis y Teologis Segun El Libro de Urantia” (Dictionary of Cosmology and Theology According to the Urantia Book”). He will also have completed and begun distribution of “A Guide to Developing and Maintaining Study Groups” to at least 8 groups throughout Latin America. He will have assisted Nedlia Oliver in completing the transfer of the hand-written El Libro de Urantia index by Marcelino Ramírez to a computer for future publication. A possible travel itinerary includes a trip to Panama for CN2 and to Colombia for CN4 in July, and Brazil in August. Agustin will have the Fellowships Spanish reader’s data base updated with at least 30 new names, and attended 3 study groups in Mexico.
- For the fourth quarter, Agustin will participate in one national radio talk show and one national television show based on the Revelation. He will have added one new country in Latin America to the Fellowship’s Spanish website www.ellibro.org and have the Fellowship Spanish reader’s data base updated with at least 30 new names. A possible travel route could include Venezuela for CN4 in October, Chile for CN4 and Ecuador for CN7 in November; and a trip to the USA for an IFC meeting, and distributed 5 copies each of “21 Steps to Spiritual Awakening” and “When Things Go Wrong” to 3 study groups. (This is a half-time job?)
In Africa:
- The big news there was the chartering of a UAI group in Zambia (The Urantia Association of Zambia) with Chita and Namukale as the Vice President and Secretary respectively, and Joseph Chanika as Treasurer; all known to us. The president is Joel Chongo Mvula, a person unknown to us and an apparently new reader. Chita and Namukale did participate in the 2007 National Library Week Book Fair at the French Cultural Center in Lusaka from November 21 – 23, 2007 with exclusive UBF financial and logistical support. Our financial support for their study group meeting room ended in July because of the lack of reports and receipts; although the receipts for the book fair expenses did come through. They sent an email explanation for their decision to have a UAI organization but it was tepid and mixed.
- In South Africa, Simon Cox and Marthe Muller have been passive with little or no communications. Perhaps many of you may have read Simone’s inspiring article in the Urantia Foundation’s News Online (Volume I, Issue 3, Dec. 2007). Mark Bloomfield’s wonderful outreach in South Africa may have been somewhat tarnished by his ideological remarks about the Uversa Press printing of the UB. An invitation was extended to Simon and Marthe for a short and small conference for readers in South Africa.
In India:
- The 18 New Delhi World Book Fair will be from February 2 to 10, 2008. We have 2 large “The Urantia Book…” banners, and carrying 10 cases of UB’s, 1 case of JANR, 1 case of the Urdu Samplers. 100 coupons, 50 DVD’s, and 2 sets of CD’s. Additional we will have pamphlets on the Fellowship, Intro. to the UB, and The UB Hinduism. And, of course, what book fair would be complete without a large catch of spiritual vitamins? Participants include Paula Thompson, Charlene Morrow, Buck and Arlene Weimer; and the late addition of Agustin Arellano (the recipient of a scholarship from a generous and anonymous donor). Also, the wonderful Sue Tennant is planning on participating with us for 4 of the days. In all, it is shaping up as a wonderful opportunity to expose the Revelation to the largest English-speaking Democratic country in the world.
- Dr. Rajan Chauhan in Jabalpur, India has completed what we hope will be a Sampler Book in Hindi. The language difference always presents exciting times. With David Kantor, we have communicated (?) with him many times over the telephone because his is not computer savvy, and exchanged letters. Transferring money to India is always an adventure. Nonetheless, after the Book Fair, Charlene, Agustin, Arlene and I will be traveling from New Delhi to Jabalpur to spend two days with Dr. Chauhan and his cluster of readers. We are looking forward to this interaction. We simply must make a strong foothold in India.
Respectfully submitted,
Buck Weimer
IFC Chairman