IntroductionTeaching Mission History
WOODS CROSS GROUP
Jeremiah
Early History of the Woods Cross Group
Establishing The Teaching Mission In The United States
March 1995
[Editor’s note: The Woods Cross Group is thought to be the very first teaching mission group to come into existence in the United States after the New Zealand group brought the teaching activity to U.S. Urantia Groups. Jeremiah served as the group leader until his death
The Woods Cross Urantia Book study group has been meeting weekly since the 70's with one break in service due to the death of the hostess. It started up again in 1987 with five members who met each Thursday to read and discuss the book. We would read a paper ahead of time at home and discuss it and any related material at the meeting. The main characteristic of the three women and two men were their unity in seeking truth and the desire to serve.
In approximately 1989 one individual heard from her Thought Adjuster asking her if she desired to become a member of the reserve corps of destiny. Of course, she responded yes. She was told the others could also become members. (This started the cedar post society for the other four members, as they at that time could not hear anything, like a cedar post.)
Nothing was heard again until we received the announcement from New Zealand of conversations with Abraham and the coming Correcting Time. It is our understanding that the four individuals in New Zealand had instructions to write to all known Urantia Book groups to make this important announcement. Most Urantia Book coordinators and listed groups received this information which consisted of conversations with Father Abraham by the process that we now call transmitting and receiving or TRing.
Most groups and individuals that received this information, rejected it. Some wrote the New Zealand group with comments and questions for both them and the celestial teachers. As usual with new information, most people did not accept the communications as real, as coming from celestial beings and the spiritual world. The New Zealand group sent more papers on further conversations with Abraham to interested groups in which he answered some of the questions which others had sent to him in response to his announcement.
We view the New Zealand efforts to be a John the Baptist like role of announcing the coming Teaching Ministry/Correcting Time Mission. It is our understanding that the Woods Cross group was the only one which accepted this communication as genuine and wrote them with encouragement and support. In such matters, faith is very important. The Woods Cross study group was given the mission to start the Teaching Mission.
The individual who initially heard from her Though Adjuster now heard from teacher Ham that he was going to be the teacher for the Woods Cross study group and the first meeting occurred on February 28, 1991. As is always the case, the TR had trouble initially and with practice was able to come online. The important thing here was the other members of the group gave her complete and loving support, there was no disbelief, criticalness or other human behaviors which would be poisonous to the spiritual world. Soon another member of the group was able to also TR and therefore allow the main TR to also ask questions and be coached by Abraham and Ham to perfect the process in private.
These weekly sessions continued with teacher Ham for two years when he decided to leave actively teaching the group so that the members would develop their own contact with teachers and our Father. He then continue to teach on an individual level.
It was exciting times. All Urantia Book readers in the area were contacted about our new teacher. Many came to hear teacher Ham. Some were members of the earlier study group and hence had a background in the Urantia Book; others did not. The original lessons were meant for all levels and are available to all. Teacher Ham had to discuss many things, including who he was, what was going on, the TR process, the future etc. as all this was new. We asked many questions of what we now would call materialistic in content. None of us had any experience with channeling before Ham came.
One woman who was communicating with celestial beings via candle lights, when asked to come to hear teacher Ham, asked her celestial contacts if the Lucifer rebellion was indeed over and if teacher Ham was a righteous teacher. Receiving yes to both questions she came and was surprised to see that Ham was invisible. She expected a human teacher!
The usual practice with groups coming online in the Teaching Mission is for them to remain in secrecy for a while until most feel comfortable with letting others know about what was going on. They would not use any names on their transcripts and would limit their distribution. With time, most groups and individuals would open up and share their beliefs and experiences with others. Such was not the case with the Woods Cross group as it was their Mission calling to disseminate the teachings. There was much criticalness and negativity experienced as we reached out to others about the new form of communicating with supernals. Nothing was known about the Mission. There was no one else to call on or to read about what was happening. It took much courage, faith and hard work to obtain this new information and make it available to mostly hostile audiences. Much work and expenses were incurred to transcribe and make tapes available to all who desired them. Our meetings were open to visitors and many individuals journeyed to Salt Lake City to hear teacher Ham directly and experience first hand what was occurring. It was a great opportunity to meet and help many individuals in spiritual pursues.
Even though these exciting times and experiences of this initial dissemination of the Teaching Mission are over, every group or individual can likewise experience it. There will be numerous possibilities for service in the future as there will always be people who will never have never heard of it.
For half a year, the Woods Cross group existed without knowledge of any other group or individuals involved with this form of teaching. We could not communicate anymore with the New Zealand group as their public mission was completed. When others came online, it was very satisfying and reassured our own experiences.
In the beginning, each potential group had to request a Mission teacher from teacher Ham during one of our meetings. Healings at this time also require a formal request which would be answered in later sessions as only one individual at that time was able to perform healings. Private meetings became available but one had to request them in advance and set up an appointment at some special time. The TR process was not understood and no one knew who or how one received such abilities. With time others developed the communication process and then it was announced that all who desired personal teachers would have one. More people received the gift of healing, soon it was available for all. In all of these matters, the teachers wisely moved slowly and surely to avoid knocking us off balanced. It would have been impossible for all of this knowledge to be made available in the beginning without causing problems. A little light is illuminating, too much is blinding.
On February 1, 1992, seven of us traveled down to Los Angeles to support teacher Ham address the Urantia Fellowship through our main TR. We requested to be formally placed on the meeting agenda, but being rejected, we had to rent a room in a near by hotel to allow Ham to announced the day one of the Correcting Time Mission and that Machiventa Melchizedek was installed as acting Planetary Prince of Urantia. After his address (available by request), he answered questions from the audience of over 100 individuals. Again most did not accept the truth of this Mission.
Many individuals in the Woods Cross group journeyed to other groups to explain the Teaching Mission, give healings, to help them come online in the TR process, and give them encouragement. We answer many letters and telephone inquiries. We meet many interesting and spiritual people in this outreach effort.
On December 9, 1991, thirty-six people gathered to witness the announced physical appearance of Gabriel, the Bright and Morning Star. He was there but not visible. This was an unique experience and similar to the announced appearance of Machiventa later in Naperville.
The meetings with teacher Ham and others increased in size and eventually we had to rent a public hall to accommodate the 40 some people including visitors that we usually had.
This Mission spread and became established and our group mission assignments were over. From then on we had individual assignments.
Faith and an open mind is what brought us through these early and difficult times. There was no room for doubt nor to discuss such matters with others, for there were no others. No other transcripts to read, just the announcements from New Zealand. It was truly exciting.
Jeremiah
Woods Cross Group
March 1995