Outreach Committee Report
January 2009

2008 was a good year for Outreach. We participated in multiple Expo's including Los Angeles, New York, and Minneapolis distributing hundreds of books, handouts and spiritual vitamins. The great conversations we have with the passers-by are the most memorable part of working at an expo. If you are wondering if there is an expo in your area, check this site and contact me if you need assistance in participating in your local expo. http://www.bodymindspiritdirectory.org/FindExpos.html

Our Cosmic Cafe Program continues to be used in various regions of North America, Canada and Mexico. The model works well and continues to bring the truths of the Urantia Book to the global community of truth seekers. The Coeur d' Alene Cosmic Cafe is now in it's fifth year - that's over 200 CC meetings and still going strong!

It was also a year of new ideas being developed and brought forth. My goal has been to grow the Outreach Committee to be multi-faceted and operate in many arenas.

The Ambassador Program of Urantia was launched in 2008. The APU's purpose is to bring new service projects into existence while providing coaching and training for the leaders. We currently have 5 Ambassadors and several new applicants. Aurora Hill, APU coordinator, will provide a brief report at the Orlando meeting.

Another aspect of outreach in the planning stages is to put traveling emissaries on the road. There are multiple reasons to begin this type of outreach. 1. It has proven effective for many religious movements including the Melchizadek missionaries, Asoka, and in recent times the LDS church. 2. It provides invaluable training and a life changing experience to idealistic and adventurous youth, many of whom are searching for a means to contribute to the welfare of the planet. 3. It is a necessary process if we wish to touch the lives of multitudinous souls we chance to meet in our travels. This program will also ask local communities to host and provide logistical and financial support to these traveling evangelists.

It should be noted that all the activities of the Outreach Committee are interrelated and work well together to form a cohesive outreach program. We are constantly looking for ways to make the program self-sustaining.

On the drawing boards for this year is to become more IT savvy. There is much we can do to utilize our existing web resources and we will work with David and others to reach out farther into the world with our work.

Thank you to Bobbie Drier for keeping the Study Group Directory up to date.

Contact me if you have any ideas, input or questions.

Thank you to all who participate in outreach activities in your communities and as you pass by.

Thomas Orjala Outreach Committee Chair