About us
The Center for Unity (CFU) is a non-profit organization, comprised of dedicated Urantia Book students and seasoned leaders, supported by a vibrant community of volunteers.
Our name, "The Center for Unity," draws inspiration from a powerful quote: "The religion of Jesus is the most powerful unifying influence the world has ever known." The Urantia Book, 194:3.17.
We strive to embody this unifying spirit in all that we do.
Our mission
The CFU is a collective of Urantia Book students, leaders, and volunteers united by a shared mission: to foster personal relationships with God through the teachings of Jesus.
We believe these teachings offer a practical and accessible path to spiritual connection for all individuals, regardless of their background.
In a world where many feel disconnected from institutional religions, CFU's projects present the life and teachings of Jesus in a context that resonates with modern truth-seekers.
Our focus is on serving the young truth-seekers of the world, offering them a path to explore and understand the teachings of Jesus in a way that resonates with them.
Origin Story
I woke up one morning in 2014 with a vivid mental picture of the Sea of Galilee (the Kinneret, in Hebrew), and then this quote came to mind:
"And it was from these old memories of Nazareth, Capernaum, Mount Hermon, and of the sunrise and sunset on the shimmering Sea of Galilee, that he soothed himself as he made his human heart strong and ready to encounter the traitor who should so soon betray him." 182:3.10
What to do with this, I had no clue. A couple of months later, a friend came from Switzerland and asked me to take her sightseeing around the Sea of Galilee. We came up on a little hill while hiking around the Mount of Beatitudes. I looked down and I saw the amazing vista pictured above. To be honest, I still had no clue what to do with this. A couple of weeks later, my good friend Diane Labrecque came to lead her first spiritual retreat for Urantia Book students to follow in the footsteps of the Master.
Among some of that group shown in the picture below, you’ll see (left to right) Rick Lyon, Maramis Choufani, Diane Labrecque, Jeff Wattles, and me (Gabriel Rymberg). We spent many hours talking about Jesus and in those conversations the idea came to build a retreat center for pilgrims. During the retreat, we told the group about this idea, and later we did a group prayer on top of the same hill.
Rick Lyon, a Center for Unity’s executive team member, prayed there with us on that hill. Rick’s recollections of that day are as follows:
"I remember standing there when this photo was taken. You can barely see me in the red striped shirt on the left. Gabriel Rymberg was helping Diane Labrecque guide our Urantia group tour. As we stood on this hilltop overlooking the beautiful Sea of Galilee, Gabriel shared his desire for a Urantia retreat on that very spot. As a way for Diane to keep track of us in a crowd we all carried a small Urantia banner to wave in case we got separated. Inspired by Gabriel’s vision, I suggested a prayer and that we plant one of the little Urantia flags and claim the location for Urantia. What for me began as a prayer and a little ceremony that day has grown from a grand vision of what could be into a grand project of what will be. Our Center for Unity’ projects are increasing in both potential and actuality." – Rick Lyon.
Back in 2014, I (Gabriel) was still fully engaged with the translation of The Urantia Book to Hebrew. I was still in Part II, so I pretty much set aside the retreat center for later.
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Meet Our Team
At the Center for Unity, we're a tight-knit team bound by a shared mission. Inspired by the teachings of The Urantia Book, we understand that teamwork is a crucial lesson in our journey. Our collective effort, guided by leadership, allows us to effectively bring the life and teachings of Jesus to all. Meet the dedicated individuals fostering this unity.
Gabriel Rymberg
Rick Lyon
Santiago Kneeland
Lisa Crawford
Roland Siegfried
Martha Pingel
Sandra Rymberg
Mike Robinson
Godwin Uzu
André Radatus
Luis Miguel Morales Urrea
Mark Kurtz
Marjorie Ray
Rick Warren
Kerri Blache
Susan Lyon
Maryjo Garascia
Ilunga Adell
Katharina Becker
Maramis Choufani
Gary Tonge
Paula Thompson
Joel Garbon
Chris Selmek
Lisa Tao
Diane Labrecque
Ed Cantin
Fraser Gorrie
our philosophy
Jesus Before Christianity
We believe in exploring Jesus as a person, not just a religious figure. Jesus was a Jewish man who lived long before Christianity existed. His teachings are relevant to everyone, regardless of their beliefs.
Our projects aim to share his wisdom with people from all walks of life, without regard to their identity or origin. We are committed to fostering exploration and understanding, rather than asking you to change who you are.
Personal relationship With God
Here at CFU, we're all about helping you find your own personal connection with God. We believe you can find God in your own way, on your own terms, and within yourself. We use the life and teachings of Jesus as a guide, but we believe there are many paths to discovering God.
Our goal is to help you, especially if you're a young truth-seeker, to find and foster your own unique relationship with God. It's all about your journey, and we're here to support you along the way.
Spiritually Inclusive
We believe that a spiritual journey is a personal one, unique to each individual. Our goal is to share the life and teachings of Jesus as one of many paths to discovering God for yourself.
We do not believe in following a set of rules or fitting into a box. Instead, we aim to learn from life's tough moments and grow stronger.
Whether you're facing challenges or coming from a different background, we welcome you to explore this journey with us.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Urantia Book, and why are you using it?
The Urantia Book, also known as The Urantia Papers or The Fifth Epochal Revelation, is a spiritual, philosophical, and religious book that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States, sometime between 1924 and 1955. The authorship of the book remains a matter of debate. It has received various degrees of interest, ranging from praise to criticism, for its religious and science-related content, its unusual length, and the unusual names and origins of the authors named within the book.
The text introduces the word "Urantia" as the name of the planet Earth and states that its intent is to "present enlarged concepts and advanced truth." The book aims to unite religion, science, and philosophy. Its unique content, which includes a large amount of information on topics of interest to science, sets it apart from other documents said to have been received from celestial beings. Among other topics, the book discusses the origin and meaning of life, mankind's place in the universe, the history of the planet, the relationship between God and people, and the life of Jesus.
We primarily use Part IV of The Urantia Book because we believe it is one of many revelations that humanity has received, and because it provides an extended version of the Bible's teachings on the life and teachings of Jesus. Part IV, titled "The Life and Teachings of Jesus," contains almost 445,000 words, almost twice the length of the New Testament.
What is the timeline for each of the projects?
- Discover Jesus web application is live at discoverjesus.com having launched on November 15, 2023. The mobile version will launch in February of 2024.
- The Jesus Experience is currently putting together an interfaith steering committee. We anticipate launching a unique crowdfunding campaign to raise the seed funding of $250,000 in the first half of 2024.
- AskJesus is now in experimental alpha. Version 0.4 was released in November 2023. We are working on the next version.
- Cinematic Jesus is currently in its early conceptual phase. There is no set schedule for this project.
How will my monetary contribution be used?
The CFU team is almost exclusively volunteer-based. We greatly appreciate your contribution, as it allows us to access the specialized services that our volunteers cannot provide. Your support is crucial for us to continue our mission effectively.
How can I participate as a volunteer or ambassador of the Center For Unity?
It's incredibly simple. Click here for the Volunteer application, and here for the Ambassador application. Fill out the form, and we'll schedule a meeting with you. Your time and contribution will be greatly appreciated!
How can I make a monetary contribution to these projects?
Thank you so much for considering supporting us! Any amount of contribution would be greatly appreciated.
Please visit the 'Contribute' page to make a donation online.
To donate via wire transfer, please contact donate@thecenterforunity.org for further instructions. If you prefer to talk over the phone or a zoom call, that can also be arranged as well.
If you wish to send a check, please email rick.lyon@thecenterforunity.org for instructions.
How is the CFU different from other ministries?
Our ministry is unique in three ways:
- We use The Urantia Book (specifically, the Jesus Papers) as a primary source.
- We promote the idea of “Jesus before Christianity”. This means that we suggest that Jesus existed before Christianity, that he was, in fact, Jewish (Joshua ben Joseph), and that anyone can safely connect with Jesus and his teachings without changing their existing beliefs or religious affiliation.
- We promote the idea of "a personal relationship with God", which means that anyone can find God for themselves, by themselves, and in themselves. Sharing the life and teachings of Jesus is one of many paths to finding God as a personal experience, and it is the path that we choose to focus on.