Site Index

Policy Issues

Urantia Symbol pins and buttons for members only

Area designations for Field Representatives removed.

Money will be put aside to establish employee benefit program.

Book sales will be withheld from certain "stores" which although legally licensed to sell books, are engaged in illegal or other activities inimical to the interests of Urantia Brotherhood.

New Study Aids and Other Products

Ruth Renn's study aid for Part 4 being printed.

Tape cassettes finished, but no distribution will be made until we clarify the effects this may have (both legal and psychological) on the protection of the copyright. Some Urantians feel the tapes may establish a precedent for fragmenting the Book.

Communication Within the Brotherhood

Journal of Urantia Brotherhood.

Cooperation with Urantia Foundation to ensure control of the name The Urantian.

Newsletter format for the beginning . . . plan to evolve in gradual stages into a monthly magazine (no advertising) sold by subscription to Urantians.

Editorial Committee appointed to (1) review all materials considered for publication, (2) establish policies for the Journal, (3) work in cooperation with the Publications Committee. (Mary Lou Hales, Jim Mills, Meredith Sprunger, Kenton Stephens.)

Urantians are being encouraged to submit articles in preparation for the first issue.

Personal Communications

Many .Letters, visits, phone calls with Urantians.

Visits to Fort Wayne, Los Angeles, Oklahoma, and Orvonton Societies, and some study groups.

Administrative Notes

Relationship with Urantia Foundation

Clarified the Brotherhood function as "sales agent" for The Urantia Book.

Asked Urantians in meetings and personal discussions to work to protect the copyright and to maintain the integrity of the Book in their local areas.

Sent out resolution supporting Urantia Foundation to Field Representatives, Societies, and Study Groups.

In all other ways the Brotherhood has continued to demonstrate full support for the Foundation's activities.

Organization

A year ago we pondered this question at some length. But now we have firmly decided that the wisest course is for the officers of Urantia Brotherhood to continue to serve without material compensation.

But to maintain continuity and direction in the headquarters function, it will be necessary for the Brotherhood to employ a small, full-time, paid staff--a Resident Director and a Secretary.

These positions are necessary on a full-time basis to ensure that the day-to-day job continues to get done.

The Executive Committee has appointed John Hales to be Resident Director of Urantia Brotherhood. This position, which is paid, is completely independent from his elective position as Secretary of Urantia Brotherhood, which is unpaid .

Our long range organizational strategy with respect to Headquarters staff is to keep it as small as possible.

All which the regular staff cannot do will have to be done by volunteers or farmed out to the Urantia Societies and Field Representatives.

Organizationally, we will continue to decentralize to the greatest extent possible--retaining as headquarters work only that which cannot be done by others.

Leadership Development

One of our most important administrative tasks, to develop leadership throughout the Urantia movement.

By asking more young people to speak at the Summer Study Session, we are addressing ourselves to this task, at least to some extent.

The Urantia Brotherhood School will play a vital future role in this effort, but we have done nothing this year which would lead to its re-establishment.

Coordination and Communication

July 25th meeting of 35 people constituting perhaps 60 to 75% of the known leadership within the Urantia movement.

Operational aspects of Urantia Brotherhood which were discussed at this meeting included:

-- Priorities and goals of the Urantia movement.

-- How to guide the vast energies of young people (who are task oriented) who wish to work in active support of the Urantia movement.

-- Disseminating The Urantia Book as a revelation vs. disseminating the teachings of the book.

Should there be restrictions on membership in Societies? Should there be restrictions on persons attending Summer Study Sessions? Are we restricting our Brotherhood with so many restrictions?

-- Intensive Summer Workshops (e.g., 1 week) to prepare teachers, speakers, leaders.

Long Range Planning

The process of professional management begins with the establishment of clear goals.

Article 2 is a beautiful statement of our overall mission.

The strategic goals we are now trying to develop are all subsumed by Article 2.

We have begun by asking Urantians everywhere for their suggestions as to what these goals should be ... or short of that, what are their hopes, dreams, and desires

I have now received some 25 to 30 letters, several long distance phone calls and a visit or two about these.

Every proposal submitted will be evaluated at least once by the Executive Committee. The worthiest ideas will be the subject of a number of discussions in the Committee.

The goals which emerge from these discussions will be published and circulated widely within the Urantia movement.

There are three purposes to be served by this process of setting goals:

To provide sound reference points for evaluation and review of short-term objectives.

To enhance all decisions relating to the commitment of resources and evaluation of strategic opportunities.

To provide a focus within the framework of the mission defined in Article 2 for the coordination and unification of the work of Urantia Brotherhood throughout the world.

Long range strategic goals serve as "homing devices" for the many decisions which will have to be made in the years ahead .

Short Term Planning

No action yet on short term planning or simplified administrative and operational procedures.

Contingency Planning

Preparations have been underway for some time, and they are continuing, for the time when the Urantia movement becomes visible to the world at large.

Domestic extension committee has been developing a Press kit.

Fraternal relations committee has been developing plans for a speakers' bureau.

Additional contingency planning needs will be revealed during the discussions about long range goals.

All of these planning activities will lead us into a stronger position from which we may carry out the mission which has been entrusted to us. We will plan and build for the future in an orderly progressive and systematic way.

As leaders of the Urantia movement, our :first and foremost administrative goal must be to oversee and direct the affairs of the Urantia movement according to our highest concepts of truth, beauty and goodness--the Father's will as we are able to perceive it..

Our Long range goal for this General Council must always be to make this Council the wisest and most spiritually advanced governing body on the planet.

Paul Snider