Mustard Seed Grant—Disseminating the Revelation in Greater New York

By Charles Lehner, New York, United States

Editor’s Note: Charles was a recipient of the first round of Mustard Seed Grant awards in 2025. The following article is excerpted from his report on the completed project.

After honing my skills at the Awaken Wellness Fair in Tarrytown, New York, last November, I applied for a Mustard Seed Grant to exhibit The Urantia Book at some outdoor fairs and an expo in the greater New York area.

Between August 30 and the weekend of November 15 to 16, we exhibited copies of The Urantia Book, promotional materials, and secondary works at events in Greenport, Mattituck, Nyack, and Manhattan. Volunteers joined me from the Urantia Society of Greater New York and the wider Urantia Book Fellowship community.

We gave away copies of the book and also sold several copies, being careful to pay sales tax. We also made valuable contacts with people who seemed interested in the book and its teachings.

Reflecting on these activities, I have gained valuable experience in leading projects, and also in cultivating teamwork. In the beginning, if I wanted to participate in a booth at a fair, I would have to be there to make it happen. But now my colleagues are able to set up and operate the tables without me. This allows me to be in other places for additional service. I am not by nature a talkative and outgoing person, so these fairs have also given me opportunities to interact with the public and make friends with other vendors.

I would like to thank Urantia Foundation for the generous Mustard Seed Grant, and Aprilhelen Lovesyou, Gerard Lehner, Francisco Martinez, Maria Telmont, Bruce Manheim, Nick Curto, Hal Rainbow, Taylor Young, and Deadrick Baker, for joining me at these events.

Image