FIFTH EPOCHAL FELLOWSHIP

Memorandum

TO: Society Officers
DATE: November 24, 1989

FROM: Steve Dreier, Chair‑‑Judicial Committee

SUBJ: Constitutional Processes

Executive Committee, Judicial Committee, Fellowship Members

Most of you know that FIFTH EPOCHAL FELLOWSHIP is the temporary operating name of the former Urantia Brotherhood. On October 30, 1989, the Trustees of Urantia Foundation suddenly and unilaterally withdrew permission for Urantia Brotherhood to use the name Urantia and the concentric circles symbol.

Urantia Brotherhood has changed in name only. Our entire organizational structure remains intact. We are still an association of twenty societies and more than two hundred and fifty members‑at‑large, approximately 1,200 members in all. The Constitution of Urantia Brotherhood continues in effect as the Constitution of FIFTH EPOCHAL FELLOWSHIP, and as before, it is the procedural basis for our democratic group decisional activities. The members who have been elected by Societies to serve on the General Council continue to function in those positions. The officers, executive committee, and all nine departmental committees continue to carry our their constitutional responsibilities. Most services and activities will continue without substantial interruption.

During this confusing time of change it is particularly important that we adhere closely to our constitutional procedures and responsibilities. That is our best guarantee of an orderly and productive transition. It would be helpful if all members would take some time to review the Constitution of the former Urantia Brotherhood (now FIFTH EPOCHAL FELLOWSHIP) and reinforce their understanding of the structure and operating procedures of our organization. Our most valuable asset is an informed and interested membership.

In addition, each Society has its own local constitution, and this also remains unchanged. Each Society should continue to adhere to the requirements of its local constitution, including  notification and  majority vote requirements. All constitutional procedures for business meetings, by‑law changes, and. amendments should be followed with care including provisions which might govern any form of change in chartered status. name changes. or changes in organizational association. This is particularly important for those Societies operating under the law as non‑profit organizations. It is also necessary in order to minimize confusion during this transitional period. The Judicial Committee would be glad to assist any Society wishing advice in these areas.

Unfortunately, Urantia Foundation has encouraged Societies to ignore constitutional process. In selectively distributed written statements (see enclosed November 3. 1989 letter from Urantia Foundation) the Trustees have claimed that their actions against the former Urantia Brotherhood do not involve Societies or individuals, but affect only the formal organization represented by the leadership of Urantia Brotherhood at the national level.. In making this claim the Trustees are knowingly misrepresenting the basic structure of our organization and encouraging Societies to disregard the re­quirements of both their local and international constitutions. In effect. they are encouraging anarchy.

This so‑called 'formal organization represented by the leadership of Urantia Brotherhood at the national level" is composed of men and women selected by Societies to represent our membership in larger collective activities. There is no 'national level' apart from Societies. Such a concept is a fiction which exists only in the minds of the Trustees. The Societies and their elected representatives are one body, one integrated organization. 

The Trustees' suggestion that these elected representatives are somehow separate from the Societies is a self‑serving sophistry designed to divide and confuse. These elected members occupy their positions through the actions of the Societies at the Triennial Delegate Assemblies. The elected government of a country is not separate from the people of that country; in spirit, they are one and the same. Neither are the elected representatives of Societies dif­ferent from the Societies: they are also one entity, [It is interesting to note the use by the Trustees of the word "national" to describe Urantia Brotherhood; in fact. our organization has a growing world­wide membership.]

The Trustees have announced their intention to form a new organization to be named Urantia Broth­erhood Association. This organization is another fictional creature‑an empty concept. As of this date, it is nothing more than a name‑chosen to be confusingly similar to the name Urantia Brotherhood. It has no constituency, no constitution, and no democratically elected representative bodies. As the creation of the Trustees, it is completely subject to their autocratic control. . Since the recent actions of the Trustees clearly state their belief that 'Urantia' and the concentric circles symbol cannot safely be licensed to a democratic organization not subject to the Trustees' overcontrol, it is unlikely that Urantia Brotherhood Association will ever be anything more than a wholly‑controlled subsidiary of Urantia Foundation.

Conversely our organization, FIFTH EPOCHAL FELLOWSHIP, has a thirty‑four year history. During that time we have become increasingly sensitive to the values of democratic decision making. Inspired by The Urantia Book, we have progressively learned that the best decisions are those which result from the combined consideration of many individuals representing different perspectives. Unfortu­nately, during this same period, the Trustees of Urantia Foundation have moved in the direction of increasing secrecy, legalism, isolation, and arbitrary control. Given this situation, it was inevitable that the difficulties between the two organizations would multiply. Separation, however, was not inevitable; that resulted entirely from the unilateral action of the Trustees. FIFTH EPOCHAL FELLOWSHIP was, is, and will remain willing and eager to work with Urantia Foundation. It is Urantia Foundation which has chosen to sever relationships and go its own way,

Our collective work in FIFTH EPOCHAL FELLOWSHIP has produced many good fruits in the last thirty­ four years. Slowly we are learning how to build an organization that is open, responsible, accessible, inclusive, encouraging, productive, and dedicated to the realization of supreme goals. Recently we have moved beyond the borders of the United States, our first step in becoming a truly worldwide as­sociation. What a loss it would be if now, just as we are beginning to emerge from organizational adolescence, our forward momentum were halted or seriously diminished. We have so many wonderful and exciting challenges before us as we go on with our efforts to disseminate The Urantia Book throughout the world, while learning to live its teachings. If together we can rise to the challenge of this moment and make a united effort to perceive clearly and fulfill faithfully our group responsibilities. someday we will look back to this time as an example of how a sincere and affectionate fellowship, dedicated to the group process (supremacy), can confront and transcend all challenges to growth, and pass safely through a maze of sophistry and narrow self‑interest to new insights and enhanced capacities for cosmic citizenship.

Again, I encourage all members to give careful attention to due process, and to remain informed and active participants in all current decision‑making activities. Temporarily, we may have lost the legal right to use the word Urantia and the concentric circles symbol but we are completely free to give full attention and expression to what these symbols stand for. Perhaps it is all a disguised blessing.

Please copy and distribute to your membership. Thank you.

Fifth Epochal Fellowship