To: General Councilors, Society Presidents, and Field Representatives

The United States District Court of Central California has issued an order and judgment in the case of Urantia Foundation vs. Urantian Research recognizing Urantia Foundation as the owner of the copyright to The Urantia Book and service marks. The court forbids Urantian Research from using "Urantia" or "UrantiaN" or any colorable imitation thereof. They are permanently enjoined from publishing material copied from The Urantia Book. Urantian Research is instructed to deliver for destruction all literature, labels, plates, etc., which bear the Foundation's registered marks or which contain material copied from The Urantia Book. This judgment was not appealed by the defendant.

We are enclosing the 1976 financial statement of Urantia Brotherhood Corporation, the fiscal agent of Urantia Brotherhood. In the future this statement will be sent to members of the Brotherhood along with the May issue of the Bulletin.

Arthur Born reported that a follow-up letter to the Finance Committee solicitation letter for 1977 resulted in responses from 80 individuals with pledges of $3,729. This brings the total to 382 individuals (out of 1470 solicited) responding with pledges of $46,866.98.

The Foundation last month was asked about the advisability of the Corporation acting as the primary distributor of the Concordex to bookstores. They have recommended that the Brotherhood Corporation not become the main distributor for the Concordex. The Corporation concurred with this recommendation and will continue to sell only to individuals.

The Judicial Committee handed out recommendations concerning member-at-large representation at the Triennial Delegate Assembly, the question of determining a quorum at Executive Committee meetings, and the concept of autonomy in Urantia Societies.

Briefly, the Judicial Committee recommended that we should not have members-at-large representatives on the Triennial Delegate Assembly. For the purpose of computing three-fourths of the entire membership of the Executive Committee (14), the number is eleven. If the Executive Committee is reduced by death or resignation to 13 or 12, a quorum would be 8 or 7 respectively. Urantia Societies serve under a federal type constitution which gives them a large degree of autonomy in local affairs, but they are neither sovereign nor absolutely self-determinative. Their freedoms and responsibilities are defined by the constitution. The Executive Committee will consider these recommendations at the June meeting.

The Foundation lawyers are working on a revision of the Confirmatory Agreement which the Foundation will submit to the Executive Committee as soon as it is completed.

There is a correction in the address of David Gray, President of the San Francisco Bay Area Urantia Society. The correct address is: 1630 McGee Avenue, Berkeley, CA 49703.

Wilbur T. Dillon of Vista, California, Michael E. Collins of Carden City, Kansas, Laurence R. Whelan of Ventura, California, and William Lindsay of Honolulu, Hawaii, have been accepted as members-at-large.

We should like to send our best wishes to the Eastern Regional Conference which meets at Pascoag. Rhode Island, May 14, and to the Third Oregon Conference which meets at Indian Mary Park, north of Grants Pass, May 20, 21, and 22.

The Fraternal Relations Committee is preparing a reading list on the religions of the world. They have revised the Speakers Bureau guidelines and are preparing a statement of Urantia Brotherhood's relationship to the religions of the world.

The Domestic Extension Committee is preparing a packet of information concerning Urantia Foundation and Urantia Brotherhood which might eventually be handed to news reporters when they inquire about us. This packet would be used with discretion. The committee is sending gift books to fifteen libraries.

The Committee on Education is working on a number of projects: suggested curricula for students interested in various educational objectives, formulating behavioral objectives in Brotherhood educational activities, and developing a workshop format for the 1978 General Conference.

As I am heading into the last couple of weeks of my official association with Indiana Institute of Technology, I hope all of you are easing into the warm, open-air activities of summer..

Cordially,

M.J. Sprunger, President