Updates from the October 2022 Trustee Meeting

Printer-friendly version

By Judy Van Cleave, secretary, Urantia Foundation, Idaho, United States

Operations Overview

Books

• Total Urantia Book sales for Q3 were down 24%. YTD was down 1%. Total sales for Q3—including Urantia Press titles—were down 26%. YTD was down 1%.

• Downloads were down 24% for the quarter, and down 25% YTD.

• E-books were down 7% for the quarter, and up 5% YTD.

• The Audio Enablement Project is nearing completion. We anticipate launching audiobooks in 20 languages in mid-2023.

Education

• The Urantia Book International School (UBIS) opened the current trimester on September 12. The website was updated to include courses in 3 new languages—German, Hungarian, and Polish. In total, 20 courses in 7 languages are in session.

• The Urantia Study Group Directory team approved a coding project that will enhance their ability to automate the yearly clean-up process. An up-to-date directory is their highest priority. A total of 543 groups in 63 countries are registered. The top 5 languages are English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Korean.

Fundraising and Finances

• Donations—Q3 unrestricted donations were 52% above budget, and up 58% YTD. Restricted donations came in 23% below budget for the quarter, but still above budget YTD. Total income is up 46% from 2021 and up 80% from the budget.

• Estate gifts—Q3 estate gifts were $15,359 compared to $0 in Q3 2021. YTD estate gifts were $641,654 compared to $813,213 in 2021.

• Expenses—Total expenses are up 13% from 2021 but 8% below budget.

Translations and Revisions

Updates were provided on the translations and revisions in progress.

• Congratulations to the Filipino translation team for finishing Paper 31, which means the entire Part I is complete.

• The Farsi translation is now over 90% complete and available on our website. Our translator is sending the Foundation one paper per month and expects to finish in August of 2024.

• The Greek revisors are pleased to report that they have finished Paper 154 of Βιβλίο της Ουράντια.

• The Hungarian revision is complete and has been printed. Books will be available for purchase by mid-December across Hungary. https://www.urantia.org/hu/az-urantia-konyv/megveszem

• Heartfelt thanks go to Paul and Gosia Jaworski for finishing their third revision of Ksiegi Urantii. The text will be printed once the current inventory sells.

• The Portuguese team continues to make significant progress with their revision of O Livro de Urântia.

Hanno Van Der Plas

Cultural Advisory Council

Ms. Krystyna Piasecka presented a moving PowerPoint on the historical, geographical, and cultural evolution of Poland and its people. Through touching videos and her unique perspective, she brought us through millennia weaving throughout their story an enlightened understanding and appreciation of the Polish people and just why their population appears primed to embrace the truths of the fifth epochal revelation. Read Krystyna’s article.

Some highlights of Q3 2022 include:

• Brought on four new trustees to the board.

• Coordinated the printing of 10,000 Hungarian, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish EE books.

• Sold the remaining 1,000 Korean books in Korea for outreach purposes.

• Hired Hanno v.d. Plas of the Netherlands as the new European Book Sales Manager.

• Hosted the Urantia Education Center (UEC) at 533 for their annual meeting.

• Sponsored Urantia Association’s 3^rd European Conference in Malaga, Spain.