40 Year Anniversary

[Jim Spencer]

On Dec 17th, I marked 40 years since joining the Unification Church in Alaska. Anyas, my wife, joined today on Dec 19th in Germany.

It's a time for reflection because 40 years is very symbolic in the Church. I started re-reading Father's speeches from 1955 to 2012. His contention is that we are gateways---symbolic representatives to erase the suffering heart of God and Jesus. Well, I can tell you from personal experience that my course has been an extremely difficult one. I went to Laos in 1975; then to Thailand for 3 years. After the matching in London in 1979, I stayed for a Home Church assignment in Southfields England for a year. After that it was back to Tarrytown for more training and then off to Saudi Arabia for 6 and a half years. In 1986, Anyas and I returned to Alaska for 26 years, raising 3 children and overcoming some deep historical character traits.

In 2012, we moved to Medford Oregon, where we have opened another health food store which we call The Heartsong Cathedral. Anyas holds womens groups there and I conduct a Urantia Book study group once a week. It has been 40 years since we dedicated our lives to Christ. Today, we are more committed to spreading the gospel of The Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man----with the heart of the Father in the Shoes of a Servant.

How many missionaries are still involved in an active spiritual path out there? Who is left?

 

[Jim Spencer]

Regis,

Thanks for the letter. 1975 seems like such a long time ago, perhaps a different lifetime. Many things happened since then. I stayed in Saudi Arabia until 1986, when, Anyas, and my two boys that were born there, moved to Alaska. We ended up staying there for 26 years and raised another child, a girl. Two years ago, the whole family moved to Oregon. Our son-Sunji-manages our health food store/smoothie bar, and the two other children live and work in Portland.

Spiritually, Anyas conducts some Womens Soul Circles and I host a Urantia Book Study Group.

I have been a Urantia Book Reader since 1986. My scope has broadened considerably. For me, the highest truth is The Fatherhood of God and the Sonship of Man under the banner of the Creator Son--Michael. The Urantia Book is called the 5th Epocal Revelation. It is 2100 pages long and was mysteriously received back in the 1930's. It was first published in 1956 or so. The revelation is a celestial revelation. Although it most certainly came through a human being, it deliberately tries to avoid anointing any human for its presence. It does not advocate any churches or movements--saying that--"God lives within the heart of each person". The great Universal Father bequeathed a divine fragment of Himself into each mortal--that still small voice which ever leads man inward eventually to the presence of the Father. We go by way of Michael and The Holy Spirit (known by us as Jesus of Nazareth)

The Urantia Book clarified the whole development and history of Earth. It's not fundamental Christianity nor any other religion, although the second half of the book is a new recital of the Life and Teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. Christians are shocked to hear that Jesus did not come to die---He can to reveal the Father's Heart and Will to mankind. Hence, the thousands of years of preparation. The victory of Jesus was the Resurrection, not the crucifixtion. The crucifixtion was the failure of the prepared peoples to accept God's Son.

The book goes into great detail about the journey of all faith-based children up through the superuniverse and inward to the dwelling place of the Father. Hubble showed us that 75% of the universe is dark matter----the spiritual world.

My enlarged understanding and deeper love do not in any way disagree with whatever truth is to be had from The Divine Principle. Rev. Moon is still Father and The Spirit of Truth which Jesus said that He would bestow is still active in the hearts of all believers. Father taught me how to live a life with the "Heart of a Father in the Shoes of a Servant". And Urantia taught me why this is the way to Light and Life. Urantia showed me in depth about living a life of Service Ministry as the only way to develop my soul---to transform a finite created being into an eternal being bound for Paradise.

You can read and search the book at Truthbook.com

Blessing to You and Your Family in the work in Panama

Jim Spencer

[Regis Hanna]

Hi Jim,

 Thanks for your post. I remember you well from 1975 and I also remember seeing you back in the New Yorker during a "break" from Saudi Arabia. I was very shocked to see the changes in you: it was clear to me that Saudi Arabia had been an incredibly suffering course for you.

 My wife and I are in Panama. Have been since 1996, when she came, 1997, when the kids came, and 1998, when I came here. She developed 2 businesses that enabled us to support our 7 children, the last of which just finished college (thanks to the generous help of my parents, who are now in SW).

 I was the first doctoral graduate from Cheongshim Graduate School of Theology in Cheongpyeong, Korea, in 2010.

 We work closely with a very prepared Martial Arts group who are Evangelical Christians, but whose leader fully accepts True Parents, and 49 of their top couples have been Blessed. We regularly do "one on one" reading of DP with them and consider their "church" to be a satelite church. It takes time for them to change over to the tradition of True Parents, but they somehow don't seem to have a problem accepting True Parents as the 2nd coming of Jesus!

  We feel very blessed and grateful to be able to be active in the mission. I just celebrated my 67th birthday. It is God's grace that we can be here and contribute at this time of our lives.

All the best to you and your family,

Regis and Nancy Hanna