New Year’s Day Message
to Urantians Worldwide
From Janet Farrington Graham, President
The Urantia Book Fellowship
January 1st, 2000Dear Friends,
At this dawn of a new millennium, please join us in renewing our commitment to seek the Father’s will and to serve our brothers and sisters. As Urantians, we are challenged to bring a revelation of truth to the planet, a profoundly creative endeavor made difficult by a legacy of default and isolation. We have no resident Planetary Prince or Material Son and Daughter to guide us in the work of uplifting the quality of life on Urantia. We have no Father’s Temple or Garden of Eden to which we can petition for wisdom or retreat for worship. We must each rely on our personal ability to utilize spiritual resources—our Thought Adjuster, the Spirit of Truth, and the Mind of Jesus—as we work with others, seen and unseen.
As revelation volunteers, we are challenged to seek the greatest good for the greatest number of people, and to recognize that freedom of religious expression by individual believers strengthens the entire community. These principles of service have evolved during the forty-five year history of our organization, first as Urantia Brotherhood and now as The Urantia Book Fellowship. Over the years, we have been confronted by a spectrum of difficult issues sometimes leading to the choosing of sides and the setting of one reader against another. We have learned through experience that an embrace of diversity more accurately reflects the truth of the revelation and the spirit of the Master’s life and teachings.
During the past decade, The Fellowship has made great progress in our willingness to accept alternative views and to use dialogue to resolve conflicts. We enter this new millennium fully committed to all readers and believers regardless of the form of their personal call to service. Revelation service is a living process, dependent on creativity and the freedom to experiment, as well as the presentation of an authentic revealed text.
This ideal of encompassing service is reflected in new programs for members and non-members alike. We are committed to facilitating the exchange of ideas, opinions, and opportunities among Urantians worldwide, and to fostering a growing consciousness of brotherhood in our work together. The Fellowship’s expanding web presence and range of services, as well as our conferences, special events, and publications contribute to the realization of these service goals.
We have discovered that a sincere embrace of diversity enriches our religious experience and deepens our spiritual insight into the nature of the Supreme. “Whosoever will, let him come,” said the Master. And however he is called, let him serve. Urantia needs every willing heart and hand. Let us know what we can do to help you serve. Together, we can change the world.
Please accept our sincere best wishes for a productive and peaceful year 2000.
In loving service,
Janet Farrington Graham, President
The Urantia Book Fellowship