What can you do in your local community? Are you truly interested in dissemination of The Urantia Book -- in active participation in this effort?
There are many things you can do which require only your committed time. Here is a partial list:
1. Start a Study Group.
2. Submit comments to blogs.
3. Write a review for Amazon.com or another online bookseller.
4. Write reviews for other web bookstores.
5. Create pages at social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace -- list The Urantia Book as your favorite book; search these sites on the word "Urantia" and make contact with other people who list the book as their favorite.
6. Create a MeetUp group and contact other readers in the system.
7. Create a simple website focused on a single topic -- create backlinks to Fellowship and other Urantian websites; learn how to optimize it for top search engine responses.
8. Join and participate in religious discussion boards such as BeliefNet.
9. Monitor and participate in Urantian discussion forums such as those at TruthBook and UBRON.
10. Join YouTube; search on the term, "Urantia" and respond to comments made by online viewers of Urantian videos. Check in on a regular basis. Post positive, upbeat comments, avoiding contentious arguments.
11. Submit articles to online magazines about your belief in God or your own personal religious experience.
12. Stop arguing with other readers online and start talking to the world!
13. Write for the world, not just for online reader forums. Use reader forums to try and stimulate dissemination efforts and projects. 14. Submit articles to local newspapers; send letters to the editor when appropriate.
15. Write book reviews or essays and submit them for publication in appropriate local newspapers and magazines. Freebee publications such as the local events newspapers distributed at supermarkets, health food stores, car washes, and other local venues often are very happy to receive contributions of well-written articles.
16. Submit an article on a Urantian topic to the Religions section of your local newspaper.
17. Participate in local fairs and expos.
18. Check your local bookstores frequently for The Urantia Book. If it is in the "Occult" section, talk with the manager and point out that it is classified as a religious book and should be in the "Religion" or "New Age" sections. If it is not in the bookstore, ask why, pointing out that it is a spiritual bestseller with more than 800,000 copies in print in multiple languages. Offer to provide them with a free copy to prime the pump. If they accept, contact Paula Thompson at Fellowship@UrantiaBook.org or 303-467-7858 and a book will be sent -- Paula will need the name of the buyer as well as the address of the bookstore. For more information on this approach, contact Andrea Barnes, andbarnes@gmail.com
19. Write commentaries, create flash programs, powerpoint studies, etc., and submit them to the Fellowship, Truthbook, or other Urantian websites for publication.
20. Keep a case of books in the trunk of your car and pray about their placement. (Thanks to Don Ware in Florida who distributes a case every three months with this approach.)
21. Submit Urantian videos to YouTube.
22. Be creative -- several groups have volunteered to keep sections of local highways clear of litter resulting in a free roadside sign containing the name of their group which includes the word, "Urantia."
23. Create e-cards with Urantian sentiments for readers to use as greeting cards. 24. Volunteer to help with projects at the Fellowship; we need volunteers willing to commit to specific projects extending over a period of time.
25. Get involved in a local community of people who are interested in spirituality or religion -- churches, synagogues, reading groups -- to share ideas in a positive, non-aggressive manner.
26. Do presentations in bookstores, local coffe shops, cafes, or any other available venue.
27. Set up a book club at a local university or college--contact Don Green, dsgreen1@comcast.net for more information.
28. Place low-cost ads in local papers -- get the word "Urantia" included in anything you publish.
29. Place books in nursing home libraries, metaphysical libraries, Starbucks stores, cruise ship libraries, hotel libraries, military base libraries, retreat center libraries, book racks in beauty shops, dentist or doctor offices (just leave a book behind when you visit these places), hospital libraries, church libraries -- anyplace where there is a captive audience. If you don't have a book and find a place willing to accept one, send the contact information to Paula Thompson at the Fellowship and a complimentary book will be sent.
30. Share your ideas, successes, and failures on internal readership forums.
31. Make a commitment to provide long-term financial support for your favorite Urantian undertaking -- a small monthly contribution sustained over a period of time--such as a Fellowship autodebit--can make a big difference.
32. Provide financial support for organizations engaged in book publication, marketing, and distribution.
33. Provide financial support for the Pipeline of Light which distributes books worldwide.
34. Establish a program of ongoing personal education; the more familiar you are with the context in which you are attempting to work, the greater your chance of success.
35. Post notes on public bulletin boards in post offices, laundromats, coffee shops, book stores, supermarkets, etc. A simple note -- "Interested in The Urantia Book? Call nnn-nnn-nnnn" -- gets exposure for the word "Urantia" and creates a point of potential contact. Concerned about strangers in your home? Meet at a local coffee shop, library, or other public place.
36. Download, print, and distribute materials formatted and available for such purposes on the Fellowship website.
37. Participate in the work of the Urantia Book Fellowship by volunteering or making a donation.
38. Become active with local or regional group of Urantia Book readers; use this to mobilize local and regional dissemination projects.
39. Pray for opportunities. Pray for wisdom. Use your imagination!
