Snow Hill is a lovely little historic village on Maryland's Eastern Shore. I've been reading the book for 53 years. I attended study groups regularly in NYC, New Jersey, and Atlanta. Curious people who have not read the book are also welcome to come or to call any time--to get an introduction. (You can also read my book review on GoodReads.)
Since April 2023, we have been hosting a weekly topical/conversational virtual meeting for Chinese speakers with full Chinese translation. The book is read in both languages, then explained in English and that is translated into Chinese by my co-host. The Chinese and English text are both displayed side by side on the screen. (We take pains to provide a very accurate translation and it is probably the best Chinese translation available right now.) Each paragraph is carefully explained, sentence by sentence (when required). This process means we sometimes move slowly (especially in the more complex papers) but unlike any other study group I am aware of, just about everything we read in the Urantia Book should be FULLY understandable to anyone who listens.
I also answer questions and sometimes speak about related things--CAREFULLY differentiating what comes from the book and what does not. I am exceedingly careful to explain as best I can, what the author is saying and not put my own spin on it. (I am a trained professional technical writer/editor for 25 years so I am used to translating complex technical and academic writing into plain English for any audience, making it understandable and paying special attention to the author's intention.)
I am willing to host a real-life meeting for locals and/or a virtual meeting for English speakers. English speakers who want to read/hear the Urantia Book very carefully-explained and discussed, are also welcome to attend the English/Chinese group. We record each meeting and the recordings are available on YouTube. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCirYLUxCF-sQfFaGlzLZtCljJ6X3YMec&si=g6dsMI90miBAIwhm. I will be makng a new and better YouTube channel for these recorded sessions very soon. Just search YouTube on "Merry Agondonters Heidi." The earlier sessions are mostly just talking and providing background, but the later sessions are almost entirely reading.
We choose the papers we read first according to how relevent and useful they will be to the current lives of our readers/participants. We recently completed the paper about the history of the Chinese religions, the Solitary Messengers (a Solitay Messenger wrote the papers on the Thought Adjusters) and then the fascinating papers on our Thought Adjusters (which, I think, everyone should read early on.) We read the Foreward and are now just finishing the papers on the Supreme Being. We are about to start Section Four--the Life and Teachings of Jesus (written by a commission of Midwayers).
We are unlike most study groups in many ways. We don't want to just study the book; we want to make it completely comprehensible to everyone, in any country, at any time, who will listen to our recordings. We also try not to just read the book but also apply the teachings to our lives. We remain aware of and grateful to the individual authors of each paper.
See you in the future!
