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)