On Monday, Aug. 22 , our dear friend, Pat Murnin, died of cancer at age 61. He was a solid rock of strength here in the Portland, Oregon Urantia community, always attending study groups, involved in Urantia prison ministry for the past nine years, and serving as president of the local Oregon Urantia Association chapter.
Pat truly lived according to the teachings of Jesus. He was an outstanding father to his five kids, raising them single-handedly for many years. He was a loving and beloved grandpa. Pat worked 10 and 12 hour shifts for many years as a Portland city bus driver, getting up at 3 a.m . to begin his shift so he could arrive home in time to pick his kids up from school and make dinner for them. His home was truly a safe haven for his children’s friends and the neighborhood kids.
Pat loved music and was a very accomplished bass player. After he retired he played in three different bands per week! He was a ìbest friendî to many different people, because, like Jesus, he was always willing to be of service, and he loved doing even little things for all sorts of people. When he was a bus driver he would even help out his customers. He went grocery shopping for one person who got sick and could no longer take the bus; he drove another one in his own car to her doctor’s appontments when she was too sick to take the bus anymore. Anyone who knew Pat, knows that he had a great sense of humor. He always had a few jokes to tell and he had a ready laugh for many of life’s situations. Yet he was also very serious about politics, a solid Democrat who was always fighting for the rights of the little guy. In group prayers before beginning the Urantia study group, Pat would always pray for others ñ people he knew who were sick, families who had recently lost a loved one, the people dying of starvation in Africa , those suffering the ravages of war, etc. Pat’s compassion for others is truly inspirational.
One of Pat’s favorite Urantia Book quotes is the following (he used to quote it to others all the time; he has it highlighted in his Urantia Book and next to it, in the margin, he wrote, ìIt all boils down to this!î):
ìAll true love is from God, and man receives the divine affection as he himself bestows this love upon his fellows. Love is dynamic; it can never be captured; it is alive, free, thrilling, and always moving. Man can never take the love of the Father and imprison it within his heart. The Father’s love can become real to mortal man only by passing through that man’s personality as he in turn bestows this love upon his fellows.î Pg. 1289 P117:6:10
Pat lived his life by that quote, and he has inspired those of us who knew him to go and do likewise. Urantia has lost a really remarkable man, but certainly he is now living, loving, laughing, playing music, growing spiritually, and serving more than ever in his new life on the mansion worlds!