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I would like to take this opportunity to recognize, on behalf of the entire Committee, the contributions of our previous Chairman, Dr. Meredith Sprunger, who resigned from the Chairmanship last Fall and retires from the Committee this Summer. This retirement concludes the process by which Meredith has gradually disassociated himself from formal organizational responsibilities within Urantia Brotherhood, to be free to pursue his personal initiatives in dissemination of and ministry through The URANTLA Book,

Throughout his long and Illustrious association with Urantia Brotherhood, Meredith has been recognized for his frank and honest opinions on the changing issues of the day, for his unique and insightful commentary on the relation of the Book to contemporary "mainstream" Christianity, and for his excellent and timely theological commentary on matters Urantian. A dedicated supporter of group action beyond mere group debate, Meredith sensitized a generation of readers to the concept of "outreach" in its many forms and manifestations.

We have all been enriched by our friendship with this man and by his years of unselfish service to Urantia Brotherhood.

Almost twenty-two years ago a debate began within the Fraternal Relations Committee. The opposing sides of this debate have polarized the thinking of the Committee and the Brotherhood to the present day. The essence of this debate is the manner in which the Brotherhood can best satisfy two apparently conflicting purposes.

One purpose derives from the Constitutional charge to the Fraternal Relations Committee. This purpose is to establish a relationship of good will between Urantia Brotherhood and religious groups throughout the world. Many sincere readers of the Book have urged that this purpose be addressed by aggressive, direct, and even official contact between Urantia Brotherhood and the leadership of such religious groups.

The other purpose derives from the realization of the limited degree of acceptance which The Urantia Book can receive at this time from most leaders of most organized religions, as buttressed by years of personal experience by many readers and by the traditional authority of the Contact Commission. This purpose is to protect the Book from extensive uninformed criticism, that it may be received by as many new readers as possible as a fresh experience, uncontaminated by the authoritarian pronouncements of unsympathetic commentators. Some sincere readers of the Book have urged that this purpose be addressed by avoiding contact with existing religious groups.

For many years the Fraternal Relations Committee has sought a middle way in this debate, satisfying neither extreme, but accumulating experience which can now support the unification of these divergent purposes.

Under the Chairmanship of Jim Mills, the Committee first initiated the idea of helping Urantia Societies to establish Speakers Bureaus, to provide local religious groups with access to informed and prepared discussants of the Book.

Under the Chairmanship of Carolyn Kendall, the Committee gradually evolved a program of presenting to the readership, at general and regional conferences and workshops, commentaries on the belief systems of world religions, on their relationship to the concepts of The Urantia Book, and on the overall commonality of their concepts of final value.

Under the Chairmanship of Meredith Sprunger, the Committee began to serve readers as an interface between Urantia Brotherhood and associations which they formed to engage in "outreach" activities, encompassing dissemination of the teachings of Jesus, as presented in the Book, and the teachings of the Book In general.

The common theme which unites all these activities is one of service to the readership by helping readers to bridge the gaps of understanding or authority which separate them from fellow religionists of differing beliefs and social customs. Over the past 18 months, as the Committee has sought to clarify its purpose and mission, the primacy and practicality of service to the readership has emerged as a key feature of our activities.

We now have before us the challenge of determining how best to serve.

In the final analysis, relationships of trust and good will between organizations are simply the sum and substance of the trust and good will which exists between the members of the organizations. Trust and good will between organizations is not created by joint executive flat, but is earned as the individual members of the organizations learn to love and to trust one another.

The task of the Fraternal Relations Committee is to assist, in any way possible, in the formation of these relationships of trust and good will. By emphasizing this role for the Committee, we make it possible to begin active outreach at a level which is practical for the readership and which will not challenge the established religious authorities of our day.

The Fraternal. Relations Committee will develop and sponsor activities designed to assist the readership in discovering and living the fraternal, ideal, to help the readership in extending bonds of fraternity to their fellow non-readers, and to unify the readership in purposeful, personal service to God and man.

The Committee is currently considering how best to develop an educational forum to support exploration of the fraternal ideal and its effective relationship to the overall purpose of Urantia Brotherhood. Such a forum would reach as much as possible of the active readership, would involve these readers in creation and direction of activities of direct interest to themselves, and would enhance communications between the central organization in Chicago and the readership.

While this program could be conducted through the traditional mechanism provided by General Conferences and Intensive Study Sessions, it may be more appropriate and effective to work through regional conferences, local Urantia Societies, and larger study groups. The principal advantages of a decentralized approach are the ability to involve a broader class of readers and to allow specialization to accommodate local themes, priorities, and attitudes.

The past year has been a time of searching reevaluation and reconsideration for the Fraternal Relations Committee. We now see emerging a coherent guiding purpose for our work. We pray for the wisdom and humility to receive and to accept those spiritual insights which can unify us for effective service to Urantia Brotherhood and the worldwide readership of The Urantia Book.

Respectfully submitted,

Dan Massey Temporary Chairman