Seeking a Common Vision
Garden sites have been
proposed that are located across the USA and Canada and vary greatly in
topography, climate, acreage, infrastructure and price. As the Garden
Council researched the various proposals, we observed that the
properties presented 3 different approaches to building the Garden. Each
of these approachs offers a separate scenario with it's own benefits and
drawbacks. It is important to carefully explore each of these
scenarios with more detailed projections to determine which approach is
most environmentally sustainable and financially feasible. Which would
best serve the needs of the Urantia community and be most pleasing to
the Master?
We present the scenarios below and ask for your input. Which
scenario is most appealing to you, and seems the best approach? Is a
combination of different approaches possible? Your responses will be
considered at the meeting the Garden Council is co-hosting with Urantia
University on May 21st, 2011, in Denver, so if you would like to share
your input, please respond by Saturday. This exploratory meeting
convened with other UB-affiliated organizations will seek a common
vision for the Garden that might also meet the needs of multiple UB
affiliated groups for a potential Urantia center. Please read over the
3 scenarios below and share your thoughts by sending an email to us at:
info@rebuildthegarden.com We look forward to reviewing your
comments and benefitting from the collective wisdom of the group.
Exploring
Three Scenarios
SCENARIO #1
Community Integration Scenario
The central idea here is that the Garden Council
could purchase a communal site in a small town with existing
infrastructure. This communal site would house visitors and serve as
headquarters and gathering point for members who could purchase their
own developed or undeveloped properties nearby and would participate in
Garden activities and development. Other members could join the Garden
community by purchasing nearby sites and becoming active in both the
Garden community and the public community.
The focus here is that the Garden would
grow as Garden participants purchased living and working spaces that
suited their own tastes in the community. We have identified one
specific community in southern Colorado for this scenario, where a
number of houses are available. The community is a gathering place for
a variety of world spiritual traditions, and is a leader in green
construction and alternative power.
No doubt other communities in various
parts of the United States might be suitable for a similar scenario. The
community should be small and should have a culture that is at least
somewhat compatible with the mission and values of the Garden project.
Below we discuss the advantages of the Community Integration scenario.
Immediately doable: In the appropriate
community, a variety of lots, residences, adjoining lots, larger plots
of land, and larger structures should be available at reasonable
prices. Interested people could begin gathering in the community
immediately. Anyone who could buy a house or a lot or an agricultural
property could do so without having to wait for other aspects of the
project to materialize. Once sufficient interest and funding is
generated, central community and educational centers and facilities can
be designed and built to meet our needs.
Low initial investment: One residential
property, small or large could be a starting place for the Garden. The
down payment required for a typical residential loan would secure this
property. Interested participants would be free to personally invest in
lots and/or other properties as their desires and finances allowed.
Complete infrastructure is already in
place: Both initially and long term, the most expensive part of real
estate development is infrastructure. Much money and responsibility is
entailed in planning, designing, and surveying the site, as well as
providing roads and utilities. In the Community Integration scenario,
these are already in place and adequately managed by the existing
community government. Public education, libraries, medical services,
fire and police, road maintenance, etc., are already established. As the
Garden grows our individual or group involvement in these services could
increase as we chose to become more active in the local planning.
Minimized ownership/control entanglements:
Garden participants could purchase properties close to each other or
adjoining. Through individual ownership and existing community codes
and covenants, the Garden Council would be relieved of having to control
ownership, architecture, land use, etc. Individual participants could
buy and sell as they saw fit, which might make the enterprise more
attractive for participants hoping to relocate there. Groups could make
their own arrangements for shared ownership and control of group owned
properties.
Unrestricted type and level of involvement
for participants: Because of the variety of property available in such
a community, and because each person or group can decide on their
distance from other participants, we can choose our type and level of
involvement with other Garden participants and with the community at
large. Participants who wish to be in a closely controlled scene perhaps
with a spiritual leader may do so. People who desire more autonomy will
be free to live accordingly.
Wide range of service opportunities: In an
existing community there are numerous ways of serving. We can not only
serve each other but serve those who are outside of our immediate
circles. This outside service is a great way to demonstrate the spirit
of the Garden.
Increased employment opportunities: An
existing community already has nearby opportunities for employment. As
Garden participants increase the population of the community, we will
create more need for a variety of services from retail, health services,
schools, construction, entertainment, etc. These opportunities will
attract more people looking for long term residence and a place to raise
their families.
Unlimited potential for expansion: In the
right community, one surrounded by farmland, wilderness, and other
communities, the potential for expansion is limited only by the
enthusiasm of the participants and the availability of resources. This
community should be in a rural area with extensive farmland and natural
or wilderness areas.
Abundant diversity: Unlike a planned,
exclusive community, the existing community appropriately chosen would
already include diversity in age, race, religion, skills and
professions, etc.
One year plan
Minimum Initial investment—$100,000.
For a shared property or even a one-owner property, the initial
investment might range between $20,000 and $200,000.
Estimated Annual fixed costs--$24,000
[taxes, mortgage payment, utilities, insurance for a low to mid range
property]
Minimum initial number of participants
required—2
The first year would involve mostly
organizational activity such as inviting guests, generating interest
among other entities and organizations, advertising, beautifying, etc.
This could be accomplished by 2 skilled workers but would be much more
extensive and effective with numerous other participants. Probably
several young people and one or more families could be induced to
participate at least part time or seasonally.
The first year would also involve whatever
renovation, retrofitting, efficiency improving construction that was
necessary and desired and that we could afford. This might include
building a greenhouse, installing passive solar system or power
generating facility, etc.
Projected maximum first year one-time
cost--$50, 000 [Rough estimate for renovation and solar retrofit of
small to mid-range
property]
Another first year activity would be
developing of venues for the following year. Retreats, workshops, music
and other interest-generating and income-producing activities would be
planned at the property purchased or nearby in the community. Other
community individuals and organizations would be contacted and
relationships initiated. Also any horticulture and agricultural, and
construction projects for the coming years would be planned and
necessary resources acquired.
5 year plan Outline
In the next five years, retreats and
workshops would be held regularly, and visitors would be welcomed.
Interest would grow and more individuals, families, or groups would
purchase homes or acreage in the area and move in. Together we would
plan a larger communally-held space which would include sacred areas,
gardens, a large visitor/retreat center and a temple of the Father. By
already hosting activities on either owned or rented properties,
visitors and potential donors could be accommodated. We would also find
ways to work and serve in the larger community so that our presence
would be welcomed and transparent to the larger community.
Carry out previously planned activities
Plan and implement projects of other
participants
Expand centrally organized community
service projects
Develop study groups in the community
Attract individuals and families into the
community
Establish a training program and
participating construction to build homes and facilities.
Raise funds for and build communal
housing, school, guest center, worship center (Temple of the Father)
Purchase, find manager for, and develop an
agricultural property
In 20 years
In 20
years we envision that the chosen community and the Urantia community
will have developed a presence and a reputation as leaders in service,
sustainable living, and goodness. By then, the influence of the Garden
should have reached into the population of the area, both in spiritual
and in practical matters. This is not to say that the Garden leaders or
the Urantia community would control or dominate 1the
social or political scene, but that the spiritual fruits demonstrated by
our community will have influenced everyone toward more sustainable,
peaceful, and loving lives. By demonstrating fruits of the spirit, by
serving the community, by modeling sustainable spiritual and practical
living patterns, over the decades, we can rebuild the Garden one person,
one small town, one region at a time.
Scenario #2
Land with Existing Buildings
Come, be awakened to God's presence, be empowered for Life and Service.
The Garden Project Center will provide an environment where all are
welcome to pursue their spiritual path whatever their journey.
Inspiring all to live in awareness of God's presence in creation and the
universe
Reverencing, appreciating and protecting Earth's resources as gift
Sharing opportunities to further personal growth, relationships and
faith
Acting with compassion, creativity, hospitality and mutuality
Creating partnerships that promote common endeavors
Creating a climate of innovative approaches to gardening, healing,
learning and prayer
Mission:
To provide an environment of serenity, prayer and natural beauty
To provide, through its programs and environment, a nourishing place of
peace
where persons of all faiths can search for truth, engage in dialogue,
experience personal growth,
realize their self worth, embrace the sacred, then refreshed and
renewed, participate more
responsibly in the creation of a just and peaceful world, and a whole
and healthful earth.
Objectives
To cultivate spiritual growth
To promote the common good of our communities
To nurture a culture of peace and healing
To work for the renewal of the earth
To host educational and spiritual programs
Retreats
/Conferences
Private retreats for individuals and groups are available on the
grounds.
Conference and meeting rooms of various sizes are available
Sleeping and meal accommodations provided as needed
The
Garden
Project
Center welcomes
non-profit groups, churches, faculties, community service organizations,
spiritual and personal development programs for day or overnight
retreats. Our facilities include meeting rooms set-up to meet your
needs, overnight accommodations, delicious meals served buffet style, a
friendly & caring staff, serene gardens, chapel, and bookstore.
Vision & Mission Statement and Core Values
are already in place.
One Year Plan
Research existing models in the United States for a spiritual retreat
center.
Create a business plan for a spiritual retreat center based on research.
Gather interested people and resources by presenting idea at conferences
and meetings.
Meet with interested people monthly to implement the plan.
Combine the Garden Project, spiritual retreat center, and Urantia
University in one location.
Explore the idea of eventually having 1000 satellites and time shares.
Five Year Plan
Raise needed funds.
Have a core of three families that are committed to living on the
property for a lengthy period of time as groundskeepers.
Purchase land with buildings on it suitable for the Garden Project /
spiritual retreat center Urantia University.
Provide for areas of play without cars for children.
Provide for areas of rustic cabins for young adults.
Provide for natural areas and consider land near wildlife preserves as a
high priority choice.
Ten Year Plan
Become accredited as a university that can give degrees in religious
studies, organic gardening, interfaith ministers, and holistic health.
Expand the concept of the classroom to include the outdoors hands on
learning of gardening, identifying wild herbs and medicinal plants, and
cultivating animals.
Strive for high attainment in the arts, including creativity and
performance.
Strongly advocate for preventative health through organic foods, fresh
air, exercise, and a robust social life.
Twenty Year Plan
Continually strive for the highest quality in education, the arts, and
food, so that the institution has an attraction based on its innovation
and cutting edge practices in sustainable living, interfaith study, and
family life.
St. Bede Monestary by Eau Claire, Wisconsin
http://sbm.osb.org/index.php/saint_bede_monastery/
Valle Crucis Conference Center, North Carolina
http://www.highsouth.com/vallecrucis/
13 buildings, beautiful valley
Kitchen
Housing
Chapel
Lousy cell phone and computer reception
Where we could be in 150 years from now
Unity
Village http://www.unityvillage.org/village
College of
Saint Ben’s /
Saint John’s University
http://www.csbsju.edu/
Scenario #3
Building A
Garden and Potential Urantia Center On Open Land
This proposal presumes that we locate an
affordable property meeting the following criteria:
-
100-500+ acres of open land in the USA
or Canada,
-
Adequate water supply for consumption
and crops
-
Temperate climate that is neither too
hot nor too cold
-
Beautiful topography that lends itself
to botanical gardens
-
Centrally located in a private area not
too far from an urban center
-
No zoning restrictions on development
-
Suitable for agriculture, orchards
-
Potential for alternative energy
generation with wind, solar or water
Once an appropriate property is located,
interested parties will front the purchase of an 'option to
buy' to hold the land until sufficient building lots are sold to cover
the purchase price and reimburse the original investors.
Community Design
Greg Ramsey, award winning architect and
community designer, has expressed a willingness to work with interested
members of the Urantia community in a 3 day workshop to develop an
environmentally sustainable community design. Greg and his firm,
Village Habitat Inc, unanimously won a United Nations competition with
150 entries from around the globe as the best example of environmentally
responsible and socially just development. (See
www.villagehabitat.com and
sample design below)
The blueprint for the project will reflect
the wishes expressed by Urantia community members at the design workshop
and is likely to include such components as a Temple to the Father,
organic gardens and orchards, a retreat and conference center, an
environmentally sustainable intentional residential community, an art
center, and lovely botanical gardens.
Financing the Project
The initial purchase price of the land will be raised by marketing ¼
acre 99 year leasehold lots in an eco-village on the property. To
become a leaseholder an individual and/or family will pay between
$15-$25,000 for a 99 year lease on a lot which may be inherited by
beneficiaries and renewed at the end of the 99 year term. Leaseholders
may sell or transfer the remaining term of their property lease at will,
but the community landholders will be accorded an option to buy and the
right of first refusal upon any sale. There will also be a reasonable
($60) monthly fee equivalent to a condo fee which supports the
development and maintenance of infrastructure and facilities held in
common by the community. The price of the lots and monthly fee can be
determined by the cost of the land and number of lots, and used as a
financing tool to build other infrastructure and facilities.
Every effort will be made to make living
in the community highly affordable and accessible for young families and
those with limited incomes. Thirty lots leased @ $25,000 a piece would
generate $750,000. – a sum adequate to cover the purchase price of a
large parcel of land and potentially generate some funds for
infrastructure on the property. Using a ‘cluster housing’ community
design, 30 ¼ acre lots would occupy only 7 ½ acres leaving many acres
left over - perhaps a 100 or more depending on the original size of the
parcel - to be held in common for use as beautifully landscaped
botanical gardens, walking paths, a Temple to the Father, a
retreat/conference center, orchards and agriculture. This
non-residential land should be held in common by a 501(c) 3 on behalf of
the wider Urantia community. Rob Rocheleau, UBer and executive director
of Earthlands, a 330 acre retreat center and eco-village which has been
developed with lease-hold agreements will be available as a consultant.
Dwellings
Simple, pleasing but inexpensive
Garden-type dwellings of cob will be constructed on the property. Cob
building does not require an expert. Once the basics are understood, cob
building is amazingly simple. We may wish to hire a specialist in cob
construction to come and do some hands on training and a workshop so
that each individual or family leasing a building lot can build their
own dwelling with the assistance of volunteers and other community
members. Garden Councilors recently visited Earthsong, an
environmentally sustainable intentional community in Athens, GA, that
utilizes cob construction. At Earthsong, residents have been able to
build their own cob structures with the aid of a professional
consultant, and told us that a 20’x20’ cottage could be built for less
than $20,000. Cob structures could be used not only for individual
dwellings, but also as cottages for retreatants or conference attendees.
Cob is a traditional building
technique using hand formed lumps of earth or clay mixed with sand and
straw. Cob is easy to learn and inexpensive to build. It dries to a
hardness similar to lean concrete and is used like adobe to create self
supporting, load bearing walls. Cob has been used for centuries
throughout Western Europe, and can last for hundreds of years even in
rainy and windy climates. This ancient technology doesn’t contribute to
deforestation, pollution or mining, nor depend on manufactured materials
or power tools. Cob is nontoxic and completely recyclable, which is
important in this era of environmental degradation, dwindling natural
resources and chemical contaminants.
The rate of building depends on
weather and the size of the workforce, but in dry weather it is
generally possible to build up to a foot of height per day. In wood
construction, the frame is a tiny part of the work, but a cob wall once
built is finished apart from the plaster. Pipes and wires are laid
directly in place and there’s no need for sheet rock, tape, spackling,
sanding, painting sheathing or vapor barriers. Unlike conventional
building with its frenetic pace and power tools, cob-making is a
peaceful, meditative and rhythmic exercise. Building cob is easier and
more enjoyable with a crew, so it lends itself to community projects,
building parties and workshops and would create a wonderful opportunity
for people to come together and help rebuild the Garden and a Urantia
center.
Below: Garden Councilor Steve Shinall in
a cob dwelling at Earthsong.
Administration and Decision Making:
Although the details of
administration in the Garden and a potential Urantia center would have
to be developed over time, collaborative organizations with a physical
facility and/or activities in the Garden would continue to function
autonomously. A Garden administrative body would coordinate different
organizations and components of the project . This body would have
representatives from each different organization and a rotating
membership utilizing meditative consensus for decision making after
input from a community-wide meeting. Individuals objecting to a
decision would have the right to request another open meeting where the
matter could be discussed further and all opinions heard. The
administrative core group would then meet again to meditate on the
question and any consensus they reached a second time around would be
considered final. If the administrative body was not able to reach
convergence, or an agreement not to disagree, the matter would be set
aside and no action taken until/if everyone was comfortable enough with
the decision to withdraw objections.
Advantages of the Open Land Scenario:
1) Energy Efficiency:
Infrastructure in an open land model can be built employing the latest
energy efficient technologies which will prove much more environmentally
sustainable and cost effective than older construction in the difficult
years ahead. Optimally, the project will be developed with a long range
view of what will work well for our children and our children’s
children. It seems likely that energy costs will continue to rise in
the future, and creating an energy efficient and sustainable
infrastructure is essential to the long term solvency and success of the
project.
2) Financial Solvency: This
scenario will allow us to generate sufficient income to pay the full
purchase price of the property and own it outright through the sale of
lease-hold lots. Free and clear ownership of the land will create a
firm financial foundation for the Garden and allow us to develop a
Urantia center over time as we are able to raise capital for it since we
will not be saddled with debt or an expensive mortgage.
3) Accessibility: The open
land approach allows individuals or families with limited incomes to
participate since the investment required to own a residence in the
Garden would be as low as $40-$50,000. This model of minimal or no debt
living will free up members of the community for spiritual pursuits and
service work rather than tie them down to a life time of debt repayment.
Affordability will make it easy for young people and families to move to
the community, and avoid creating an expensive exclusive community where
only older individuals with more resources can buy-in.
4) Design Flexability: The
bare land scenario is best suited for the creation of a project which
perfectly meets the needs of the Urantia community. We can create a
Temple to the Father, botanical gardens, an agribusiness, an
eco-village, a Urantia University or anything else we like. Although
pre-existing infrastructure has the advantage of availability for
immediate use, it might put limits on the Urantia center we would really
like to design and force us to settle for less than we really want,
failing to serve the Urantia community optimally over the long term.
5) Builds Community Spirit and
Unity: A community and potential Urantia center created on open land
presents unique opportunities for UBers to work together in a
cooperative manner to build the Garden. The group effort required to
construct buildings and plant gardens would have a unifying influence on
participants and the Urantia movement by directing our energies towards
a common goal. Van’s group volunteered to build the original Garden as a
labor of love, and that shared experience of working together to be
about the Father’s business could build a sense of community and spread
a benign virus of brotherly love.
6) Synergistic Effect:
Building on open land has the potential to create a synergistic effect
in which each component of the project strengthens the other
components. For example, an eco-village could complement a university
by providing residences for faculty, while students at the school might
help in the gardens or in constructing residences. Fresh organic
vegetables from the garden could provide healthful foods for students
and conference attendees, and the surrounding residential spiritual
community could support students in their quest for spiritual growth.
Each component builds on the others, creating more effective and
comprehensive programs and an end result which is greater than the sum
of its parts.
7) Full Experience and Impact of Living in Spiritual
Community: The fullest experience and greatest impact of living in
spiritual community can be had when believers live, work, and worship
together in close geographic proximity sharing a commitment to be about
the Father’s will. Each individual is supported and uplifted by others
creating an environment where adjuster fusion candidates can be
cultivated. In such a scenario, mutually held spiritual beliefs will be
strengthened rather than diluted by the prevailing culture or
overwhelmed by the materialistic values of our civilization.
Summer 2011
Although we initially intended to announce the site selected at
IC'11, we may or may not depending on the progress we are able to make
in Denver in identifying a common vision. We are committed to moving
with spirit and ask your patience with our evolving understanding of
what needs to happen next. We seek to remian open to new insights and
guidance, and trust that the end result of our efforts will bear
abundant fruits when the time is ripe.
.
Visit the Garden website at
www.rebuildthegarden.com for further information,
or contact the Garden Council at
info@rebuildthegarden.com
To receive a quarterly update on the progress of the Garden
Project send an email with 'subscribe' in the subject headline to
info@rebuildthegarden.com
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