Significant People
Van of Urantia Has Met

Author and Activist

"Jim Channon came to me in Sedona, approximately 1993, for a spiritual reading. He is portrayed in the movie The Men Who Stare At Goats by Jeff Bridges who plays Bill Django, who is in real life Jim Channon. Channon was a U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, New Age futurologist, and business consultant. He was primarily known for authoring the First Earth Battalion Operations Manual, a popular book pointing the way toward a New Age transformation in the U.S. military. In Hawaii he lived next door to Centria, who was heading to Divine Administration in Sedona to join."

Evangelist and healer

Van’s spiritual advisor in the early seventies during his early days of spiritual growth and seeking. She also lived in Pittsburgh and Van went to many of her healing services.

Recently Retired Archbishop Emeritus and Anti-Apartheid Activist

Van met him in 1971 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the Episcopalian Cathedral. Van was then a young minister age 25 and Desmond Tutu laid hands on Van’s shoulders and prayed for his future ministry to the world.

Spiritual activist, author, lecturer, and founder of The Peace Alliance, a grass roots campaign supporting legislation currently before Congress to establish a United States Department of Peace.

Van was asked to play a few of his spiritual songs twice before her talks at the Unity Church in Santa Monica, California in 1986, which opened up several conversations between them after those performances. And there she reviewed Van's album Unicorn Love, stating "As spiritual as it is lovely." Currently she is running for the Democratic nominee for President of The United States.

While in Los Angeles in 1984 Van went to hear Mother Teresa speak with hopes in his heart of getting the chance to meet, or even just touch, this precious soul. He got within twenty feet of her, but was not able to make it through the throngs of people. He witnessed her in her humility refusing a limousine that had been provided for her transport. At that point, Van says an inner voice spoke to him clearly words he will never forget, "In India the poor and afflicted get to touch her every day." Although Mother Teresa graduated from this planet in 1997 and Van was never able to meet her face to face, he feels tremendously blessed by this encounter with her and the beautiful teaching he received from her actions.

Actor/Producer

Visited Van’s home in December 2008 with his wife, Clytie, and daughter, Sophia. Van re-introduced The URANTIA Book to Nick in depth. They discussed the state of the planet, the film industry, and spirituality. Van encouraged Nick to do more spiritual films like Peaceful Warrior.

Singer / Songwriter

"I met Donna in 1981 at Al Kasha's home in Beverly Hills at a bible study. We talked about the facility that I was going to direct on Hollywood Boulevard for music and acting and outreach. Donna had many suggestions for possible contacts and was very helpful and friendly."

American rock 'n' roll singer, songwriter, guitarist, and record producer.

Van met him in Los Angeles California at the Vineyard Fellowship in 1983. They talked about Gabriel's new appointment as the director of a facility on Hollywood Blvd, Van sang his song "Standing on the Mountain" many times with his own band.

Original band member of The Eagles.

Van met him in Hollywood, Los Angeles in 1983 at a luncheon and discussed spiritual music with him.

Jazz and pop vocal quartet.

"When I was 19, I was playing across the street from the famous Holiday House in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (which was the place to go in that city for top acts). I was playing at a club called The Kaleidoscope, which was a new venue and dance hall for younger people, with my band, called at that time, TJ and the Domineers (I was TJ). In between their shows The Mills Brothers came across the street and saw my act. I believe there were four of them. All wished me well, shook my hand and said that I should be playing across the street with them. It was quite a complement that I never forgot. If any of them are alive, and this message gets to them, they should remember it, let's talk."

of the band Chicago.

"In Hollywood in 1981, I met Robert Lamm, the keyboardist and songwriter and original member of Chicago. At Centrum Of Hollywood's male halfway house, as he was visiting it, we met to discuss the new facility on Hollywood Boulevard that I was going to direct. We began talking about songwriting, and I knew that he wrote "Saturday In The Park." I told him I also wrote a park song, called "The Day Is Warm And Clear." His song was one of my favorites and millions of others' also. My song is not yet recorded, but I'm getting to it. I did not have The URANTIA Book at this time, but we both were, then, born-again Christians and did talk about spiritual things."