Younger-Generation Urantia
Background and news:
I began focusing on seeking out young readers and working
ago, after I went to my first conferences and experienced how there were
years passed dozens of immensely rewarding young reader events were coordinated and a humbl
organized “UByouth” family/network developed. Some of our most thrilling adventures were “tours” that involved
groups of young readers traveling all over N. America and sometimes Europe and other parts of the world for months at
a time. Among other joyous activities that fostered community and bonding during these tours, we attended
international and regional conferences, had young reader gatherings and retreats, and engaged in creative outreach
projects such as hosting Urantia camps at rainbow
Today, like many of my generation, I am no longer able
related responsibilities. Nevertheless, we feel it is vital that we continue fostering community and activity among
readers, in addition to youth, even though we no longer are particularly young
readers are less inclined to become and stay active wit
precious friends including many of one’s generation who are devoted to the UB’s marvelous teachings enriches
inspires immeasurably. Additionally, it is clear that there are still extremely
America (my informed estimation is that under 1
unified younger generations of readers and preparing for the inevitable “taking of the torch” in
imperative.
The YaYAs: Before getting into the Boulder gathering
team devoted to fostering Urantia youth and young adults
bounds. This is the Youth and Young Adult (YaYA)
first time a reader organization has ever started a formal youth
members will likely be joining the Boulder pow
their upcoming invitational just two weeks
urantianow.com!
Boulder is outstanding in beauty, progressive culture
large reader community. That is why Boulder was a favorite stop on the young reader tours and
aged “ubyouths” organized a younger-reader
and I are spending this fall in Boulder while I am on paternity leave since we want to be part of a center of 5
culture. I think the sparse younger generations
Generation Urantia Gathering October 14-
Boulder CO
readers and working to galvanize and bring them together about fifteen years
ago, after I went to my first conferences and experienced how there were almost no young readers
rewarding young reader events were coordinated and a humbl
youth” family/network developed. Some of our most thrilling adventures were “tours” that involved
groups of young readers traveling all over N. America and sometimes Europe and other parts of the world for months at
ous activities that fostered community and bonding during these tours, we attended
international and regional conferences, had young reader gatherings and retreats, and engaged in creative outreach
osting Urantia camps at rainbow gatherings and placing books in libraries and hostels around Europe.
no longer able to devote as much time to such efforts
we feel it is vital that we continue fostering community and activity among
, even though we no longer are particularly young. For one thing, some younger generation
readers are less inclined to become and stay active with a group of people their parent’s age, and
generation who are devoted to the UB’s marvelous teachings enriches
is clear that there are still extremely few post-boomer UB enthusiasts active in N.
under 10% are under 55). I believe doing all we can to cultivate dynamic and
unified younger generations of readers and preparing for the inevitable “taking of the torch” in
Boulder gathering details, I want to spread the good news about how
youth and young adults recently formed and has begun doing service in leap
the Youth and Young Adult (YaYA) committee of the Fellowship. To the best of my knowledge this is the
first time a reader organization has ever started a formal youth-focused endeavor like this. Several
the Boulder pow-wow Oct 14-16 and I am excited to have the opportunity to
just two weeks after the Boulder gathering - Nov 4-6 in Los Angeles!
n beauty, progressive culture etc., but most important for us is its vibrant and comparatively
That is why Boulder was a favorite stop on the young reader tours and
reader-oriented conference in 2009 in Boulder – which was amazing! My family
and I are spending this fall in Boulder while I am on paternity leave since we want to be part of a center of 5
culture. I think the sparse younger generations would benefit greatly from a center/centers of
-16, 2011
hem together about fifteen years
young readers to be found. As the
rewarding young reader events were coordinated and a humble and not-formally-
youth” family/network developed. Some of our most thrilling adventures were “tours” that involved
groups of young readers traveling all over N. America and sometimes Europe and other parts of the world for months at
ous activities that fostered community and bonding during these tours, we attended
international and regional conferences, had young reader gatherings and retreats, and engaged in creative outreach
gs and placing books in libraries and hostels around Europe.
to such efforts due to parental and job-
we feel it is vital that we continue fostering community and activity among Gen X
some younger generation
h a group of people their parent’s age, and having dozens of
generation who are devoted to the UB’s marvelous teachings enriches and
boomer UB enthusiasts active in N.
. I believe doing all we can to cultivate dynamic and
unified younger generations of readers and preparing for the inevitable “taking of the torch” in the coming decades is
about how a dynamic
doing service in leaps and
. To the best of my knowledge this is the
focused endeavor like this. Several YaYA committee
am excited to have the opportunity to be part of
6 in Los Angeles! Find out more at
but most important for us is its vibrant and comparatively
That is why Boulder was a favorite stop on the young reader tours and recently some of us
which was amazing! My family
and I are spending this fall in Boulder while I am on paternity leave since we want to be part of a center of 5th
epochal
of Urantia activity and
culture – I certainly dream of being part of one - and we
hope to eventually move to Boulder for the longer term to
pursue these dreams. After so many years of traveling
thousands of miles to try to get groups together who all
live so far apart, I really look forward to one day living
closer to many of you and building up a dynamic local next-
generation community together.
The Details:
This gathering will be rather intimate and informal (but not
unfocused). Around twenty to thirty younger generation
readers (mostly in their 20s and 30s) are expected to
participate. The program will be well-rounded and
designed to make most meaningful use of our precious time. As always, an underlying focus of this type of gathering is
establishing, maintaining and strengthening friendships (I was going to write “lifelong” friendships but …we don’t expect
them to be THAT SHORT!) In addition to sharing about our lives and spiritual strivings, the program will include outdoors
activities, interacting with Boulder readers, UB study, and more. We will devote some time to the question of
dissemination and outreach. Themes that we will explore will center around Jesusonian living as well as community.
What are our goals? What is the best path toward the highest good for the future of our community? What might 5th
epochal culture look like and how can we cultivate it?
Costs, food and lodging: There is no registration or event fee. Participants will basically merely need to bring enough
money to feed themselves – sometimes we will eat in town and sometimes we will pitch-in on home-cooked meals. We
expect the majority of visitors to stay at the house that will be used as a base for the gathering or in other reader-homes
in the area if needed. This option is wallet-friendly but could mean sleeping-bag-and-pad-on-floor-style. Inexpensive
hostel and motel rooms are available for those who prefer.
Let us know as far in advance as possible if and when you are coming and we will work out the details! We hope to be
seeing you very soon! Your brother, Mike MacIsaac
(The photo at the top is of younger generation readers at the 2009 Boulder conference, the pictures on this page are
from when the young reader tour stopped through Boulder in 2003)
Spiritual growth is mutually stimulated by intimate association with other religionists. Love supplies the soil for
religious growth… (1094.2)
You cannot truly love your fellows by a mere act of
the will. Love is only born of thoroughgoing
understanding of your neighbor’s motives and
sentiments. It is not so important to love all men
today as it is that each day you learn to love one
more human being. If each day or each week you
achieve an understanding of one more of your
fellows, and if this is the limit of your ability, then
you are certainly socializing and truly spiritualizing
your personality. Love is infectious, and when
human devotion is intelligent and wise, love is
more catching than hate. But only genuine and
unselfish love is truly contagious. If each mortal
could only become a focus of dynamic affection,
this benign virus of love would soon pervade the
sentimental emotion-stream of humanity to such
an extent that all civilization would be
encompassed by love, and that would be the realization of the brotherhood of man. (1098.3)