The American Bahá’í/Volume 25/Issue 12/Text
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The National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States Dear Baha'i friends,
During your meetings with the Universal House of Justice in the Holy Land, you raised a question about the propriety of Baha'is from abroad appealing to believers in the United States to contribute funds to specific projects.
The general principles governing such mat—
Guidance on fund-raising appeals for projects abroad
ters were conveyed to your Assembly in the letter we wrote on behalf of the Universal House of Justice on April 26, 1993. The particularly relevant passage in that letter was as follows:
“The House of Justice is not insensible to your concern about fund-raising activities in the United States intended to support educational establishments and other social and economic development projects abroad. As you know,
knowledge about particularly worthy projects is communicated by a myriad informal ways, and individuals in your community may thus be moved to contribute toward them. There is nothing that can be done about this beyond your keeping the community fully informed about its financial priorities as a guide to the actions of
See RESPONDING page 2
ASMA’ B.€. 151/ Auausr 20, 1994
VoLumeE 25, Numer 12
A
Army of Light: a ‘snapshot’
(Editor's note: More than 100 “Army of Light” youth teaching teams have taken to the field to conquer hearts in the name of Bahé’u'lléh. In an upcoming issue of The American Baha’i, we'll take a detailed look back at the first summer of the campaign. For now, let this one teaching event impart some of the flavor of an important and exciting initiative.)
°
By Tom Mennillo
Perhaps it symbolized new beginnings when the caravan of 13 Nashville-area teens rolled into Red Clay Historic Area that broiling July afternoon.
Not only were these Baha’i youth entering grounds where the Cherokee nation last held council before embarking on its Trail of Tears march westward in the early years of the 19th century—they were about to make history.
For no such team had ever visited this religiously conservative hill country.
Moreover, these youth had never as a unit sallied into the sometimes intimidating arena of direct teaching.
But a couple of things weren’t new as they prepared to touch souls in Bradley County, Tennessee: youthful enthusiasm and an unshakeable
See ARMY page 5
(Above) Taking time out for a pose are Negar Sharifi, Ferraby Lizarraga, Aria Radpour, and Saba Homayoon.
(Left) The teens enjoy a banner lunch at Red Clay Historic Area.
10 State Teaching Committees appointed
By Tom Mennillo
A strong link between grassroots teaching efforts and the National Teaching Committee has been forged with the appointment of State Teaching Committees in 10 regions of the country.
“Think of them as entry by troops committees,” said Ken Bowers, Na— tional Teaching Committee secretary. “Their overriding goal is to help pro— mote rapid growth by supporting local activities.”
The committees’ emergence comes at a time when the American Baha’t community is poised for a new level of achievement in the second half of the Three Year Plan.
It also furthers a decentralization of administration encouraged by the
See NEW page 14
Nicholas Brothers awarded Vision of Dance honors
By Teresa Langness “Like the cinema, dance is an art form that is largely appreciated through the gift of sight. The
Nicholas Brothers—Fayard and Harold—have been presenting audiences with a veritable ‘feast for the eyes’ for decades. ...
So began the written tribute to Baha’{ Fayard Nicholas and his younger brother, Harold, at the 1994 Vision Award banquet, a benefit for Retina Pigmentosa International (RPI) to raise funds for eye research and education.
The Nicholas Brothers received the Vi:
ision of Dance award on June 18 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles, where they also performed for the gathering of celebrities.
They were in good company: the award recipients for writers, commentators and filmmakers included Steven Spielberg, Chick Hearn, Oliver Stone, Penny Marshall, Barry Levinson, Joel Silver, Robert Zemeckis, Sherry Lansing, Richard Donner, Deborah Bonnan Schwartz and Tim Burton.
The Nicholas Brothers’ unique style set the pace
for modern dance in this century, combining tap, jazz, acrobatics and ballet in what the award vers described as “rhythmic brilliance.”
Since the splashy musicals of the 1930s and ‘40s—(“Stormy Weather,” “Down Argentine Way,” “The Pirate,” “Sun Valley Serenade” to mention only a few)—their memorable performances have brought countless audiences—as well as dancers— to their feet.
RPI honored them “in recognition of their tremendous contributions to their art form, and with hopes that the visually challenged will some day be able to not only hear the taps on their shoes, but see their phenomenal footwork on film.”
In December 1991, the Nicholas Brothers received the Kennedy Center Honor in Washington, D.C., honoring their lifetime of achievements in the arts.
Fayard Nicholas and his wife, Barbara, have traveled extensively, teaching by example the value of excellence in the arts and sharing the Faith with fans throughout the world.
Actess Jane Withers remembers the Nicholas Brothers as her childhood favor’*es, When presenting them with the 1994 Vision of Lance award, . » recalled her days on the MGM set with Shirley Temple, with whom she appeared in a number of movies, when she would sneak off to watch Harold (left) and Fayard rehearse.
a i
Vision in Actio
THe American BAHA't 2
Responding to fund-raising appeals from overseas
Continued from Page |
individuals. However, institutions and individuals outside your jurisdiction should not mount fundraising activities in the United States without your explicit approval.” The House of Justice asks us to say that this policy should not be taken to extremes. It is important to foster in every Baha’ the understanding that he (or she) belongs to a local, a national and an international community and should have a worldion of the Faith and his responsibilities toward it.
natural for a believer who is
iting a foreign country, or for a
pioneer or traveling teacher who
Baha'is in Richmond give presentation to local Interfaith Council
Last December, Baha'is from the Richmond, Virginia, area gave a presentation on the Faith to 83 members of the Interfaith Council of Greater Richmond as part of an ongoing program in which the Council highlights each year two of its member religions and presents information about their beliefs, holy places, holy days and traditions.
After an introductory talk on the Baha'f teachings, Martha Dick, who recently returned from pilgrimage, presented slides of the World Center and Baha'i Holy Places. The presentation ended with the reading of a passage from the Writings of Baha’u'lléh.
Baha'is have been members for more than 20 years of the Interfaith Council, which was established in 1929 to bring people of diverse beliefs together. Mrs. Midge Falconer, a Baha'i, is second vice-president of the Council, and in two years will serve as its president.
The American Baha’ is published 19 times a year by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahd‘is of the United States, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201. Second class postage paid at Evanston, IL, and additional mailing offices. ISSN Number: 1062-1113. Executive editor: Jack Bowers. Associate Editor: Tom Mennillo. The American Baha’t welcomes news, letters and other items of interest from individuals and the various institutions of the Baha‘f Faith. Articles should be clear and concise; color or blackand-white glossy photographs should be included whenever possible. Please address all ma— terials and correspondence to The Editor, The American Baha'i, Wilmette, IL 60091. Postmaster: Send address changes to Management Information Systems, Baha’{ National Center, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201. Copyright © 1994 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahd’is of the United €tates. World rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
returns home, to speak to his fellow believers about the accomplishments, needs and problems of the areas from which he has come. This can arouse in the hearts of the friends the desire to assist, in person, with funds or in some other way, the work in that land. Such informal international collaboration should in no way be discouraged. It may reduce to some degree the amount that the believers are able to contribute to their own local or national funds, but the House of Justice feels that the overall negative effect is not large enough to be a cause of concern, whereas the positive effects are highly beneficial for the Baha'{ community as a whole. Such informal connections are not
what the House of Justice had in mind when referring, in the letter of April 26, 1993, to mounting “fundraising activities.” Fund-raising activities which would require your Assembly's approval are more formal endeavors, such as a mailing of appeal letters to a number of believers who have no direct relationship to the matter in question, or undertaking a tour of communities specifically to speak of the financial needs of a particular project.
A part of the worldwide consciousness of the friends should be their awareness of their multiple personal responsibilities to give financial support not only to their local funds, but also directly to the national,
continental and international funds as well as to such international work as is supported by the Arc Projects Fund, the International Deputization Fund, and the Persian Relief Fund. It may be fiscally sensible, for taxation or currency control purposes, to channel such contributions through their local or National Assemblies, and this course is entirely in order, but some friends prefer to remit their contributions directly, and this they are free to do.
The House of Justice trusts that these comments will assist in alleviating your concern in this regard.
The Universal House of Justice Department of the Secretariat May 8, 1994
NATIONAL
YOUTH CONFERENCE
pete ead
We want you in Phoenix December 23 - 26
For more information, watch for The Banner in the next edition of
The American Baha'i or call 1-800-DWN-BRKR
MISSION 19
(3 MONTHS TO GO!)
d.S. Baha’i Community Current Goals and Status - Asma’
151 - August 20, 1994
re,
it forward.
Whether you are traveling or
dent or retired, a Baha'i for
can be of the most service.
‘Know thou the value of these days. Beg thou God to make thee a lighted candle...’
The Baha’{ Faith is on the move, and we need ever-increasing numbers of Baha’ fs to carry
moving to a new home, a stumany years or recently declared,
call the National Teaching Office at 708-733-3494 to find out where you
- You are only
one free phone call away from your National Youth Task Force
1-800-DWN-BRKR
Help light unlit candles
ISN'T FREE WONDERFUL?
THE FUND:
(Preliminary, July 31, 1994)
Four Mayor Funps () 33877,277
HRB Coat for 151 B..
[23) Contributions to Date
Nationa Fund
$3,067,435
INTERNATIONAL FUND a $58,207
Arc Projects FUND
(aaa) CONTINENTAL FUND a) 27.017
LEVEL OF TEACHING EXCITEMENT BUILDS
“A humble man without learning, but filled with the Holy Spirit, is more powerful than the most profound scholar without that inspiration.” ‘Abdu’|-Bahé
Throughout the nation we are seeing more and more indications of the friends arising to serve the Faith with a new spirit, both in individual initiative and community enthusiasm. The innovative activities that are being presented show a new level of awareness, a heightened sense of dedication and a continued commitment to spreading the Divine Message. The following examples are a sampling from the many exciting letters we have received in the National Teaching Office.
- “Read God Loves Laughter aloud at a nursing home.”
- Thirty Dallas-area youth have
- In Minnetonka, Minnesota, fi
s throughout July and August.
. One had 12 countries represented.
- Stamford, Conne oordinated a “Mini World Cup” with soccer games played for unity, not competition.
- New Rochelle and White P s, New York, Baha’ fs planned two weeks of street teaching with nightly firesides.
- “All of us in Oklahoma are quite excited. There is a tingle of excitement, quite contagious, feeling something very good
will happen one of these days soon.”
- In Birmingham, Alabama, the community formed Friends of Greenwood Cemetery to help restore the cemetery where
three young girls killed in the 1963 bombing of a black church are buried.
“7 sformation youth group initiated traveling 2
- The Illinois Peacemakers toured South Dakota for 10 days, visiting four R S
with the Baha’és that he has arranged for the Minneapolis group to perform for the Tribal Council. + Monthly Unity Feasts are the heart of the Memphis, Tennessee, community’s teaching plan. They are spiritual in nature with a th da brief presentation.
- The Bal Campus Club at the University of Alabama sponsored a “Seeker’s Hour” every Sunday for nine months.
- “We do indeed wish to show, as the excerpt from the Universal House of Justice iterates, ‘a measure of our determination
to respond to the immense opportunities at this critical moment in the social evolution of the planet.’ With the help of Baha’u’llah and the Heavenly Concourse, we shall do s + Five people enrolled in the Faith during five days of unity and education at the Heartland Baha’f School.
- In Florida, seven youth workshops are traveling teaching and performing around the state. About 250 youth attended a
summer school earlier this summer.
- In Kenosha, Wisconsin, the simple questions “What would you do if you heard Christ had returned?” “What if it was
proven to you?” and “What would constitute a proof for you?” have Ited in a lot of interest in the Faith.
- Believers from New Mexico, Colorado, Texas and Arizona all, of their own accord, travel taught in Mexico.
fancouver, Washington — A family of nine declared their faith in Baha’ u’llah during a fund-raising barbecue.
There is a fire moving up the mou n in Franklin County, Massachusetts, and it is destined to grow and spread until it Ge every corner of the earth! Ya 4’ u"I-Abha!”
hroughout Colorado. leader was so impressed
z= From Nat'l Baha’i Fund ( »
[0] Earmarked Dollars TOTAL ENROLLMENTS
i rostconmtont __) | UY ss atauantuannins 68 Year to date ssessreesesssssrerenein 584 | & XV :
th
On June 27, 1993, the Universal House of Justice defined the international needs of the Faith by four categories. These are goals that the world Baha’t community must achieve in the Three Year Plan. Information on the specific needs of many of these countries is available from the Office of Pioneering at the Baha’f National Center, Wilmette IL 60091 (telephone 708-733-3508, fax 708-733-3509).
°
CATEGORY 1: The following are countries and territories where there are now especially fertile opportunities for the rapid spread of the Faith that must be urgently met.
Africa—Benin, Congo Republic, Djibouti (Ethiopia), Equatorial Guinea*+, Guinea, Guinea Bissau
Americas—Nicaragua
Asia—Asiatic Russia including Sakhalin, Azerbaijan, Cambodia)*, Georgia, Kazakhstan*, Kir— gystan*, Mongolia, Turkmenistan*, Uzbekistan*
Europe—Albania’, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland+, Russia*, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Ukraine
CATEGORY 2: The following are countries and territories where the Faith is established, but pioneers are needed to stimulate the process of growth and to help open new centers.
Africa—Bophuthatswana, Botswana+, Burkina, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Ciskei, Gabon, The Gambia, Lesotho, Madagascar,
| e $ ‘ oat 7 r oe AHS Prikl ae panes ace
Categories for pioneering abroad during Plan
Malawi*+, Mali, Namibia, Niger, Réunion, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal+, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, St. Helena*, Tanzania, Transkei, Uganda, Venda
Americas—Argentina, Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, Bahamas, Bermuda, Chile, Dominica*, East Leeward Islands, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe+, Guatemala*, Jamaica including the Cayman Islands, Martinique+, Mexico, Paraguay+, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, West Leeward Islands+
Asia—Andaman and Nicobar Islands, South Koreat, Sri Lanka, Thailand
Australasia—Cook Islands+, Eastern Caroline Islands*+, Fiji Islands, Kiribati, Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands+, Nauru, New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands+, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Western Caroline Islands
Europe—Andorra, Azores, Belgium+, Channel Islands, Corsica, Cyprus, Denmark, Elba, Estonia", Faroe Islands, Finland, Gibraltar, Greece*+, Latvia*, Liechtenstein, Lithuania*, Madeira, Malta, Monaco, Portugal+, Sardinia, Spitzbergen
CATEGORY 3: The following are countries and
territories where the process of expansion and consolidation has a significant momentum, but there is a need for pioneers who can undertake specific tasks, such as arousing the interest of prominent people, strengthening the communities in certain areas, or helping with projects of social
THe AMERICAN BAHA'i
and economic development.
Africa—Cameroon, Chad*, Céte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, South Africa, Swaziland+, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Americas—Barbados, Belize+, Boliviat, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica+, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Haiti+, Honduras, Panama+, Peru, Suriname’, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela
Asia—Bangladesh, Hong Kong-+, India*, Japan*, Macau+, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Taiwan
Australasia—Papua New Guinea+, Samoa*
Europe—Canary Islands+, Iceland, Romania*
CATEGORY 4: The following are countries and territories where pioneers are greatly needed, but entry is difficult because of restrictions on Baha’f activity, lack of security, or other circumstances. These conditions present a need for believers who will resourcefully seek out opportunities for pioneering.
Africa—Angola, Comoros, Liberia, Mauritania, Mozambique, Somalia, Togo+, Zaire
Americas—Cuba
Asia—Afghanistan, Armenia, Bhutan, Brunei, Indonesia, North Korea, Laos, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Tadzhikistan*, Vietnam
Australasia—French Polynesia*, Wallis and Fortuna
- Need for traveling teachers specified, to date.
+ Opportunities for youth
The Baha'i communit
of Shreveport and Bossier City, Louisie
ana, recently took
part in Shreveport's third annual community service project, ‘Paint Your Heart Out, Shreveport.’ Baha'is comprised one of 100 teams that painted and cleaned houses for the elderly, poor and disabled, using paint and materials supplied by local businesses. The Baha'is, wearing ‘Racism, Just Undo It’ T-shirts, spent four hours painting the home of a 90-year-old woman, cleaned and beautified the surrounding area, and ended the project with a picnic lunch at a local park.
Working with the United Nations
(Excerpted from “International Employment Hotline”, June 1994.) °
If you're looking for a professional or skilled general service level job with the UN, you should take a fourpronged approach. Securing one of these jobs takes not only expertise in your field, but a diligent effort to track down openings and meet application deadlines.
The sources for your search should be the State Department’s UN Employment Assistance Division (UNEAD); the United Nations itself; the UN agency you are targeting, and the equivalent U.S. government
agency.
Send your resume to UNEAD, which serves as a liaison between the State Department and Americans seeking employment with UN agencies, and then write or, preferably, visit the hiring office of your chosen UN agency for information on its latest openings. The U.S. government department or agency that specializes in your field is also a good source to check out.
For a copy of the complete article, please contact the Office of Pioneering, Baha’i National Center, Wilmette IL 60091. Telephone 708-733-3512 or fax 708-733-3509.
Overseas
Opportunities and events
In progress-Sept. 15—CROATIA AND SLOVENIA’s “Istria Sunshine Project” under the auspices of the regional teaching committee for Croatia and Slovenia.
September—Next contingent of traveling teachers and/or short-term pioneers needed in Grenada during, the next 6-12 months to follow up on a recent teaching campaign. Experience in consolidation of new believers from rural areas, especially using Ruhi Institute procedures, is helpful. Minimum stay of two weeks is desired. pt. 21-24—Sixth International Research Conference on Housing in Beijing, CHINA. Sponsored by the Urban Studies Institute of China. Themes: Housing and Public Policies, Housing and Quality of Life, Sociology of Housing, and more. Papers requested.
Sept. 19-21—International Symposium on “Family Beyond the Year 2000” in Moscow, RUSSIA. Sponsored by 10 Russian institutions including the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Russia in recognition of the United Nations Year of the Family. The symposium is depending on the international participation of “Baha’t family experts.” Summaries of papers for short presentations on various subjects needed immediately. Traveling teaching before and/or after the symposium encouraged.
Sept. 29-Oct. 3—First International Women’s Conference in Kishinev, MOLDOVA. Theme: “Women, Spirituality and Family.” Conference languages: English, Romanian, Russian, French.
Oct. 10-15—Seminar entitled
“International Year of the Family: Families, Women and Children” in Tianjin, CHINA.
Oct. 16-19—International Symposium on Miao (Hmong) Culture, Economy, Trade, Communication and Cooperation, Jishou, CHINA.
Oct. 13-15—International Conference on “Violence in the Family,” Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS. Organized by the Task Force on Violenc the Family of the Free University of Amsterdam in collaboration with the International Council of Women (ICW) during the International Year of the Family.
Sept. 4-15, 1995—United Nations fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development, Peace. Beijing, CHINA.
National Assembly, local communities have fiscal year from May I-April 30
Please note that the fiscal year for the National Spiritual Assembly and for local Baha'i communities is May 1-April 30.
You will probably find that there are still some treasurer's materials, such as the manual “Accounting Procedures for Baha'i Treasurers,” budget sheets and audit forms that refer to the cutoff dates of April 28April 27 which were used for some time as the Baha'i fiscal year.
It will be helpful for local Spiritual Assemblies and Groups to make note of the correct dates and to change all materials accordingly. Any questions should be directed to the Office of the Treasurer at the Baha'i National Center (708-869-9039; fax 708-8690247).
Army of Light team passes its initial test
Continued from page |
reliance on Baha’u‘llh.
And, because of that, the impact of this weekend trip is likely to ripple for years to come in southeastern Tennessee and wherever they teach.
How do you measure success? That is not to say the July 23-24 venture would be judged a success
by everyone’s standards.
No one was enrolled in the Faith that weekend. No one even showed up for the two public meetings to which the youth invited Bradley Countians.
Many people, though, now know of the Baha’i Faith for the first time. Lots of good will also was spread in 's to area churches.
Most important, the teens’ own spiritual maturation was fostered by the team-building experience.
Auxiliary Board member Mary K.
teaching sites in Bradley County.
Radpour foreshadowed these developments in welcoming the young people—the 13 Nashville teens, their leader, Mehran Baheri, and a Hamilton County teen—on Saturday.
Tonight, she told the group, “you'll have no idea whether what you did was successful. But there is something about you that serves God’s purpose, and He has made you His instruments.”
Mrs. Radpour urged the teens to become responsive to their intuitions in ways we’re not accustomed to in our society.
It isn’t so important, she said, that we impart an encyclopedic knowledge of the Faith to seekers. Instead, she urged them to convey what Bahd’is have that the world sadly
Lois Osborne and David Sperry map out possible
lacks today: mutual love and acceptance.
God, she said, will take it from there.
The teens then were asked in turn to tell what they thought they could bring to the weekend's teaching. Few had much teaching experience. Some said they meet people easily, though, and others said they listen well to others. All agreed they would rely on Bahd‘u‘llah.
On that note, it was time to teach. Judge the results yourself from the evidence.
Exhibit A: weathering opposition
Frustration met the group almost at the entrance to Tinsley Recreation Center in Cleveland, the seat of Bradley County.
Most park-goers, it seems, were there to attend a baseball tournament. They would be taking off for home right after the games and would not be around for the public meeting.
Others in the park reacted angrily to the teens’ message.
One party of older couples enjoying a country band told the teens flat out that their God is Jesus, and anyone who doesn’t accept Him as personal savior is going to burn.
Another man the youth met turned out to be a minister. He wasn’t so much hostile as firm in quoting Bible chapter and verse to press his points.
This encounter was pivotal for the group. The approach had been made by Laura Nance, a Baha’{ from Soddy Daisy in nearby Hamilton County. She knew many of the Nashville teens, having been a youth herself not so long ago. Now she is married with two children, one of whom was along for the ride on her back.
So the youth watched her closely as she stood face to face with the worked-up preacher. They noted how she kept her cool and refused to be drawn into an argument. They saw her make observations, quietly but with conviction, that might lead the man to look at things differently.
Later, at the first public meeting that wasn’t to be, the group had a chance to ponder how best to approach conservative Christians. They agreed that a good approach would be to draw on shared values to achieve a rapport, then introduce the
ees The Rev. Mitchell M. Walker Sr. (third from left) greets the A outside the St. James Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Bahd’i perspective.
Still, Mrs. Nance, for one, must have been a bit discouraged by the afternoon’s events. Until, that is, she got home and received a call from a seeker out of the blue. Ya Bahaul’Abha!
Exhibit B: spreading good will
It was with some trepidation— besides having to dress up—that the teens set out Sunday morning for Cleveland. Many had never been to a church before, let alone talked about their faith in one.
But set out they did. After breakfast with their host, Lois Osborne, Red Clay Park manager and the lone Baha‘i in Bradley County, they piled into a van driven by David Sperry, himself the only Baha’f in Cleveland.
Mr. Sperry had sent letters to the churches advising them that Baha’i youth would be in town and might attend their Sunday school that day. But having received no response, he was now dropping off the Baha’i teens to fend for themselves.
At the first church, Broad Street United Methodist, the teens found a youth class and took seats. What ensued was an unfocused session centering on projects and jokes.
No one seemed to particularly want to be there, and no one even asked the Baha’f teens who they were! It wasn’t until after class that they were able to introduce themselves to anyone.
The second church, Wesley United Methodist, was a somewhat different story, thanks to Mr. Sperry’s mother, a church member.
The Baha‘i teens were ushered into an adult study class, where they first heard a talk on Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. Then, as time ran down, they were introduced by Mrs. Sperry and were able to tell about the Baha’f Faith, with emphasis on progressive revelation.
The third and last church was a new experience altogether for the teens.
This was St. James Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America, a predominately African-American congregation led by an effervescent
Rev. Mitchell M. Walker Sr.
Fortunately, the Rev. Walker was outside the church when the van pulled up. Mr. Sperry greeted him by name and told him the teens would be attending the service.
That was all the pastor needed to hear. He took the group under his wing and whisked them in. They filed into two pews at the front and were soon filling out guest cards in between hugs from welcoming church members.
As soon as the service started, the group again was welcomed, and there were more hugs. An hour and a half later, the young Baha'is had gotten a real view of faith in action, a congregation so attuned to what God can do for them that they surrendered themselves wholly to His will.
When the teens talked later of their experiences, those who went to the first two churches said they immediately had picked up on that difference. The people in those congregations, they felt, did not really know— and seemed not to care—why they were there.
It was a good lesson in commit ment, and, all in all, a positive morning of sharing.
Exhibit C: bullding ‘teamness’
What difference does a day make? Plenty, even for teens who thought they knew each other pretty well.
Saturday afternoon, listening to Mrs. Radpour, they probably weren't sure what kind of instruments of God they were.
How would they would react to having to talk about their faith with total strangers? What would they do if someone rejected them out of hand? How could they express themselves to overcome suspicion or, simply, lack of interest?
It was a test for them, but one punctuated with opportunities to bond, whether in preparing meals, learning how to “hacky sack,” or lending moral support.
Their consultation also grew stronger and more confident as time went on. What works? What doesn’t? What makes others tick? And the most important: Where can we teach next?
It.was a weekend to build on.
[Page 6]
THe AmeRrICAN BaAHA'l 6
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Classified notices in The American Baha'f are published free of charge as a service to the Baha’t community. Because of this, notices are limited to items relating to the Faith; no per— sonal or commercial ads can be ac— cepted for publication. The opportunities referred to have not been ap— proved by the National Spiritual Assembly; the friends should exercise their own judgment and care in responding to them.
SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
THE GREEN ACRE Baha‘ School has an immediate epetng 108 a full-time maintenance person. This person will be response for general maintenance and upkeep of the facility and grounds ona
ear-round basis. Candidates should
ave a good working knowledge of plumbing, electrical and mechanical sys~ tems. preventive maintenance, basic car— pentry and small engines. Three or more years experience in a similar position is
juired. Please send a letter of interest
and résumé to the administrator, Green Acre Baha’{ School, 188 Main St.., Eliot, ME 03903 or phone 207-439-7200.
THE LOUHELEN Baha‘ School is seeking applicants to fill an anticipated vacancy for coordinator of property improvement. This is a regular, full-time permanent staff position, with salary and
nefits appropriate to the core supervisory role it offers. The coordinator of property improvement oversees Louhelen’s maintenance and grounds department and is responsible for coordinating and assuring the maintenance, upkeep and over-all physical improvement of the school’s equipment, facilities and grounds. It is anticipated that the position will be available beginning December 1, 1994. Interest persons may ask for more information and application materials from Dr. Rick Johnson, ad— ministrator, Louhelen Baha’{ School, 3208 S. State Road, Davison, MI 48423, or phone 810-653-5033 (fax 810-653-7181).
PIONEERING (OVERSEAS)
EMPLOYMENT opportunities over~ seas. AFRICA: Tanzania—secondary school English teacher, volunteer li~ brarian/secretary. Zambia—urgent need for math, physics, chemistry, French and geography teachers. ASIA: Macaugent need for teachers. Mongolia—En— lish language teachers. EUROPE: Czech ‘epublic—teachers of science, math, En— pls history and social sciences, foreign languages, Baha’{ studies. Latvia—Sec— retariat, manager of the office of the Regional eplntal Assembly of the Baltic tates. For more information, please con— tact the Office of Pioneering, Baha’{ National Center, Wilmette IL 60091 (phone 708-733-3512 or fax 708-733-3509).
PIONEERING (HOMEFRONT) HOMEFRONT pioneers are wanted on the Pottawatami Indian Reservation in Kansas, 17 miles northeast of Topeka. Many forms of employment in the area: health services, nursing, mechanics, construction and food services. Also good for a retired couple (preferably Persian). For more information, contact Mike Topeka, KS 66604
Moss,
(phone 913-232-2653). COME to sunny Sierra Vista, Arizona (about 75 miles southeast of Tucson), and
help us rebuild the Assembly. Sierra Vista, a mile high and surrounded by mountains, has average femperatires between 50 and 75 degrees. Fort Hua— chaca, an Army post, is a part of the city
and is the largest employer in southern Arizona. Sierra Vista isn’t the county seat but is the county's economic and shopping center. The Baha’ community is small but active, having sponsored public meetings for the past two years on topics important to family and community life, and hosting an annual Race Unity Day picnic for the past 20 years. Come and enjoy our good weather and many activities.
QUINCY, a tree-lined suburb of Bos— ton, is a homefront goal for Massachusetts. Quincy has cheaper rental apartments than Boston proper and is on the subway line. If you are thinking about college, greater Boston has many reputable educational institutions and active Bah4'f youth. For more information, pee. contact Nancy Long or Wanjiku
agira, .
Quincy, MA 02169 (phone 617-472-5991).
HOMEFRONT pioneers: artists, craftsmen, photographers, writers, weavers, potterss-anyone in the arts— come help us start an artists’ colony in the lovely rolling farmlands of central Illinois. Housing in Rushville is extremely reasonable, schools are excellent, a university is only 30 minutes away, and there are many recreational facilities, alittle theatre group, a community band and choir, an arts club, galleries, and community playhouse—remarkable for a town of 3,200—and there are only two. Baha'fs. We are willing to help you settle here. Call us! Dick or oe Hatch, 800840-4540.
BAHA‘fS are needed in Altamonte Springs, Florida (in the greater Orlando area), one of the nicest places in the state in which to live. There are many opportunities for employment, schools are good, and there are a number of hospitals and shopping malls. If interested,
lease phone Pearl Fleischhacker, 407 60-9073.
BOZEMAN, Montana: the last best
lace. A cultural center in a rural state.
e Baha'is of Bozeman would like to increase their diversity, and ask that you consider what you can do to help. For college students and teachers, there is Montana State University with diverse programs such as engineering, liberal arts, music, nursing and more. For businessmen and women, there are the growing resources of the Gallatin Valley, the interstate highway system, the state's second busiest airport, and an active financial community. For families, there are an exceptional school system, safe neighborhoods, many pas and recreational programs. For fun-lovers, there are world-class facilities for skiing and easy access to Yellowstone National Park. For those in the arts, there are five theatre groups, the Intermountain Opera Company, a symphony orchestra and choir, a multi-purpose arts center and more. If you can bring ethnic diversity to the Baha'i community, you are especially welcome. Please phone 406-587-1739 and ask for Mr. or Mrs. Drong, or write to
Bozeman, MT 59715. ARCHIVES
THE NATIONAL Baha‘ Archives is seeking, at the request of the Universal House of Justice, original letters written on behalf of the Guardian to the following individuals: Harry Taylor, Mrs. E.R. Tegen, Rose B. Tesmer, Ayliffe Thayer, Carrie D. Thomas, Olive Logan Thom— asson (died Los Angeles, 1948), Emma Thompson (died Eliot, ME, 1951), Ethel Thompson (died Mill Valley, CA, 1960) and Juliet Thompson (died New York City, 1956). Anyone knowing family members or relatives who might have these letters from the Guardian is asked to contact the National Baha'f Archives, Bah'i National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091 (phone 708-869-9039).
THE NATIONAL Bahd’f Archives is seekin, photographs of local Spiritual eae ly meetings and Nineteen Day
HELP WANTED
The office of the National Teaching
National Projects Administrator
ing Committee. Some duties include:
Baha’{ administration.
use in print and audio/visual media.
skills.
3427).
in the NATIONAL TEACHING OFFICE
restructuring in light of the present needs of the Faith. As a result, applications are being accepted for the following full-time positions:
Responsible for executing projects sponsored by the National Teach ¢ Manages national support of teaching throughout the U.S.
- Monitors nationally appointed task forces and national initiatives.
- Coordinates special activities and events.
Experience: Proven project management skills; excellent verbal ability; strong analytical and management capacity; superior interpersonal skills; experience in teaching and familiarity with the principles of
Communications and Development Administrator
Responsible for the communications and development agenda of the National Teaching Committee. Some duties include:
- Develops news and messages to the American Baha’{ community for
- Facilitates the production of teaching and deepening materials.
¢ Gathers and analyzes information related to the teaching work.
Experience: Professional background in writing and production for the media; superior writing skills; comprehensive knowledge of the Baha’i Writings; proven ability in research and data analysis; ability to coordinate the work of volunteer task forces; excellent interpersonal
For more information or to apply, please write to the Office of Human Resources, Baha’i National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091 (phone 708-733 Committee has undergone a recent
Feasts for its photograph collection. Please identify the photrerepts if pos— sible with name of locality and date. Anyone having photographs they could donate is asked to send them to the National Bah4'f Archives, Bahd'f National Center, Wilmette; IL 60091.
BOOKS, PERIODICALS
YOUTH! Here's an exciting opportunity to communicate with young people around the world. Be Magazine (an in— ternational magazine for Baha'i youth) is seeking written and visual materials. Be is currently available on computer networks as “Be On-Line.” Please send in your articles about youth year of service or pioneering, creative writing, poetry, PnoierePhy, (camera-ready halftones, if possible), or art work. Send to Be Magazine, . Albuquerque, NM 87106. For information, phone 505-256-7734.
ITEMS AVAILABLE
SOFTWARE available. I have brand new, still in shrink wrap copies of the word processing programs WORDSTAR Professional 5.0 and WORDSTAR 6.0 and the database program REFLEX 2.0 which I am offering free to any Baha'i institution or to any individual in return for a contribution to any Baha’f Fund. If you are interested in any of these
rams, please contact Marilyn Rea p Medford, OR 97501, or phone 503-772-5502.
WANTED
SINGERS and musicians are needed for what might be the largest-scale Baha'i musical program since the second World Congress. The Rabbani Charitable Trust is planning a significant role for music at its second annual North American Baha’{ Conference, to be held December 8-11 in Orlando, Florida. The theme of this year’s conference is “Baha’{ Family: For the Time of the Lesser Peace.” Tom Price, who conducted the World Congress choir and orchestra, will organize and lead the Orlando groups. Anyone who took part in the music at World Congress is automatically eligible. Others are
encouraged to audition. Choir and orchestra members will receive a discounted rate on conference registration. They will be responsible for their own travel and accommodations, but a conference rate is available at the host hotel, ista Palace adjacent to Dis= For information on musical participation, write to North American Baha’i Conference Music, Hendersonville, TN 37075. WANTED: papers, correspondence,
recollections, stories, photographs, tapes, newspaper clippings, notes of talks, procome compilations etc., relating to the Hand of the Cause of God Roy C. Wilhelm for use in producing a biography. Any expenses you incur will be reimbursed. Please send to Diane Iverson, liot, ME 03903-1825 (phone 207-439-8532).
MISCELLANEOUS
MONTESSORI teacher training is offered in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with full or partial scholarships available to Bahd'fs. This is a 27-semester-credit, oneyear (graduate or undergraduate) certificate. The method is compatible with Baha'i principles, offers a hands-on, action-oriented approach to learning, and provides training skills that are easily applied to the Faith. Certification can provide opportunities to serve the underprivileged in public or private schools, in socio-economic projects, and increase skills as one pioneers and teaches the Faith. Classes begin in September and January. Candidates must meet requirements. For information, contact Judy Amick-Becerra,
Virginia Beach, VA 23464 (phone 804-467-1644).
BAHA'IS who plan to attend the Rosebud Days Pow-wow and Rodeo August 26-27 in Rosebud, South Dakota, are invited to a Baha'i social and barbecue at the Indian Health Service compound house No. 54 in Rosebud from 3-5 p.m. Friday, August 26. House No. 54 is. within walking distance of the rodeo and camping area. For information, phone 605-747-2166 or 605-856-4571 (those who speak Lakota may phone 605-856-4043 and ask for Velma).
Responding to the Universal House of Justice's call for entry by troops, the Baha'is in Bangladesh began a mass teaching campaign that resulted in the enrollment of more than 10,000 new Baha'is in the last few months. According to a report, the foundations of the campaign were established during consultation among the National Spiritual Assembly, the Counselors and Auxiliary Board members on forming a Three Year Plan for Bangladesh, consultation that “resulted in a bold and visionary plan for the community.” Among the factors contributing to its success are regular deepening classes to inspire the friends to rededicate themselves to teaching, and a regular flow of traveling teachers from abroad.
°
Fourteen Baha’is including an Auxiliary Board member and a representative of the National Spiritual Assembly took part in a teaching campaign in May in Nigeria's Akwa Ibom State during which 19 new believers were enrolled in the Faith and a new Baha'f community was established in Iboko Offot village. More than 600 other people heard about the Faith during the campaign.
.
Last August, the Spiritual Assembly of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, began the A.Q. Faizi Teaching Campaign in the city's Villa lo de Mayo neighborhood with the aim of initiating the process of entry by troops. The campaign, which is to last through the Three Year Plan, has to date seen the enrollment of between 300 and 400 new believers. It is spearheaded by a team composed of Bolivians and friends from other countries who are offering anywhere from one month to one year of service to the campaign. Encouraged by the success of this permanent teaching team, the National Teaching Committee has moved to establish a second permanent team in the area around Radio Baha'i in Caracollo, supported by teachers from the campaign in Santa Cruz.
.
In Kenya, more than 120 women, men and youth attended a Baha'i women's conference in April at the Baha'i Center in Jeboreni, after which many of the participants visited about 30 homes in various nearby localities to inform residents about the Faith. As a result, five people declared their belief in Baha'— u'llah.
.
On May 4, the Constitution Draft ing Commission of Ethiopia offi
cially received a three-member
dele-gation from that
country's National Spiritual
Assembly to discuss the future
Constitution. Present were a
majority of the Commission's
members as well as representatives from the Ethiopian
News Agency and radio and
on reporters. The
rman of the Commission warmly welcomed the Baha‘is, ing them that the new Constitution would accommodate the concept of the separation of “state” and “re-ligion” and ensure the freedom of izens to worship as they
In reply, the Ba-ha‘is explained that they were not there to ask for special sta-tus for the Faith but to offer a document containing ideas based on Baha'i teachings that would be of benefit to the entire country. They then gave the chairman 19 copies of the document.
In February, the Bah.
151 / Aucusr 20, 1994
is of the Falkland Islands celebrated the 40th anniversary of the introduction of the Faith in the islands with a reception at the Upland Goose Hotel. Special guests were Claudio Vera of Chile (seated center), the Auxiliary Board member for the Falklands, and Philip Hainsworth (seated right), a member of the National
. Spiritual Assembly of the United Kingdom, who spoke about changes in the world during
At Ridvan, the Baha'is of Tirana, Albania, hosted a celebration for Albanian authorities to introduce the most important Baha'f feast to the public. About 140 people took part including Pjeter Arbnori, president of the Albanian Parliament, and representatives from the Bulgarian and Ro-manian Embassies. At the end of the program, which was mentioned on all news programs on national telev: n, Mr. Arbnori spoke on freedom of religion and the importance of love and harmony among the various religious communities. Mr. Arbnori mentioned privately to the secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly that he has a special re-spect and sympathy for the Baha'f Faith, and spoke of his desire to see the Baha'i Holy Places at the World Center.
°
A Baha‘ architectural exhibit, organized and sponsored last April by the Spiritual Assembly of Debrecen, Hungary, was visited by about 1,500 people. “New Architecture for a New World” consisted of 24 frame panels set up as a nine-pointed star, which included photographs and posters of the Baha’{ Houses of Worship around the world and the Holy Places at the Baha'f World Center. The opening was broadcast that same day on local television.
°
About 250 women and five men,
among whom only 50 were Baha'fs,
Romanian, Russian Gypsies given Baha'i statement
Fifty Romanian and Russian Gypsies from Moldova, who were visiting Reno, Nevada, recently to perform at a local hotel were given copies of the International Teaching Center's monograph, “Baha'u'llah,” by Joseph Galata, secretary of the Spiritual Assembly of Reno, and his nine-year-old daughter, Shayda, who. themselves are Romani.
With the permission of the hotel management and the group's artistic director and choreographer, Mr. Galata was given permission to video tape the performance and interview dancers and musicians. The 51-minute video has been shown on Nevada television and nominated for two national television awards for excellence in cultural arts.
was attended by local Bah.
took part April 8-10 in an international women's conference sponsored by the Baha'i community of Brest, Belarus. The conference was supported by the United Nations office in Belarus and the International SOROS Fund, and was held at the Brest State Pedagogical Institute. The Baha’fs of Brest concluded the weekend with a public meeting at the Gorky Museum at which many Bela— russians heard Wendy Momen, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United Kingdom, speak about the Faith.
On May 23, more than 260 people observed the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of the Bab at a sitdown dinner in Brisbane, Australia, attended by the Governor of the State of Queensland, Leneen Forde. Other guests included a member of the State Parliament; a representative of the Lord Mayor of Brisbane; mayors of two nearby cities; the Consul of the Solomon Islands; and representatives of government departments, the University of Queensland, the United Nations, and the media. Also attending were a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Papua New Guinea, and two Auxiliary Board members. In addressing the gathering, Gov. Forde commented on Baha'i work at the United Nations, cited various Baha'f teachings, and quoted from the Universal House of Justice's statement, “The Promise of World Peace.”
.
The Baha'fs of Argentina once again took part in this year's Book
the past 40 years and how the Faith has provided an impetus for them. The reception and 26 invited guests. The Faith was brought to the Falklands on February 10, 1954, by Knight of Baha'u'llah John Leonard (seated left). Others in the picture (standing left to right) are Des O'Shea, E Bound, Sharon Middleton, Margaret Leonard, Michael Smallwood, Margo Smallwood and Cynthia O'Shea.
zabeth Monti, Joan
Fair in Buenos Aires, one of the largest of its kind in the world with more than two million visitors. Thousands visited the Baha'f booth, where videos on the Faith were shown and Baha'i literature was displayed. This year's book sales were greater than previous years.
.
In March, about 250 non-Baha'is were among the 300 or so people who took part in a Festival for Inter— national Understanding, organized by the Baha'f community of Alten— kirchen, Germany. The program included folk dancing and a painting competition for students entitled “Mankind—One Organism,” prizes for which were donated by the mayor,District Councillor, 20 banks, other firms and individuals.
°
Sarah René, First Lady of the Seychelles, presented a talk on trai and educating children at a con! ence April 27 planned by the Baha'i Women's Committee of the Seychelles to observe the United Nations Year of the Family. The conference was entitled “A Family Is a Nation in Miniature.”
In April, the Baha'i Youth Workshop of Majuro, Marshall Islands, gave its first performance at a college-sponsored variety night program. The performance, seen by about 300 people, included dances about the search of the soul, the equality of men and women, and the glorification of Baha'u'lléh. According to a report, the Workshop was highly praised by attendees and organizers of the event.
Make a Teaching Goal
If you travel and do these things, you are a traveling teacher. You will need to travel with someone who is older. Ask your family if they would please help you with your plan.
Are you old enough to bea traveling teacher? yest
You can travel and teach no matter how old or young you are. Here are some things traveling teachers do. vx Travel from your community to another community. vx Say special prayers for teaching. vx Tell people about Baha’u'llah.
“Let him put his whole trust in God, as the best provision for his journey.” Bahé’w'tiah
out CE START a? RAVE a cA £ mak Poe. cal & & pas 2 P a = dg % Ce necnelg < esh $70. aeran Anoyenite oLo aoe as? th! each We FOR VE 7 ane for! ARGey, i 8 OT RELIGION
HOME Reprinted from Brilliant Star, My Part of the Plan, Nov-Dec 1993
DEAK
Here is a maze to help you on your journey.
On the right path, you will pass through 9 good ways to travel and teach before safely returning home. Watch out for the dead ends. These are not things you do when you go traveling teaching. Turn around and return to the right path to complete the maze.
The Five-Pointed Star ae eae
VK OK
LO
Sauneee
We
[\
\7
“The five-pointed star is the symbol of our Faith, as used by the Bab and explained by Him.”
Shoghi Effendi, Directives of the Guardian, p. 53-54
How many five-pointed stars can you find in this picture? Color each star a different color.
OS
(bX) A Dt
Reprinted from Brilliant Star, Starship, July-Aug 1994
from the pages of Brilliant Star.
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Starship
July-August 1994
Brilliant Star
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\.__BDS order form on another page in this newspaper. )
It was no ordinary commemoration when the Bahd‘fs of San Diego County, California, gathered to mark Race Unity Day and the centenary of the Baha’f Faith in America.
It was a party, a celebration, a family festival.
Participants from the 16 Baha’f communities in the area and their guests “danced inthe streets” to ragtime jazz, big bands and rock & roll.
Following suggestions in The American Bahé’i and Brilliant Star, the Nightingale Teaching Project also coordinated a Centennial Fair.
The exhibit took participants through the history of the Faith, addressed the issue of race unity, and presented the prospects for raising the first prejudice-free generation—all at the same time.
Teams of four to eight people each took a decade of history to present, drawing on the resources printed in Brilliant Star.
Personal and local touches were added, with newspaper headlines, items of local Baha’f history, photographs, etc.
Together, the teams’ booths represented a century full of stories and images of the progress. the Faith has made in America.
In addition, the Baha‘is organized a refreshment booth, a game arcade for children, book sales and public information.
The commemorative issues of World Order and Brilliant Star
Events of the decade 1954 to 1963 are displayed in a booth.
Centennial Fair combines with race unity see ee
a
Children from the public speaking
program explain principles of the
Faith.
magazines were available for sale. Two authors of articles in those issues also were on hand for the celebration.
Robert Stockman, research director at the Baha’f National Center, spoke briefly.
“1 find it fascinating how all the booths were displaying the various parts of our history,” he said. “I was proud to have contributed. I look forward to telling everyone at the Baha’f National Center how successful this event was. History is just the story of us all.”
The other author, five-year-old Nura Adiparvar, tells her touching story in the Brilliant Star centenary issue.
NEW YORK, NY
High-profile events show Faith’s unity in diversity
After three months of intensive planning and outreach, Bahd’is and their guests from in and around the City of the Covenant came together June 12 in a powerful show of unity in diversity to celebrate Race Unity Day.
In March, the local Spiritual Assembly decided to sponsor a high-profile event promoting racial harmony in New York City and reaching out to people of capacity and prominence. To that end, it appointed a task force representing various teaching institutes and other groups.
Weeks of intensive consultation and factfinding led to a plan to organize three distinctive events for Race Unity Day: a sunrise prayer gathering, an afternoon children’s march and rally, and a unity celebration and awards ceremony at Columbia University’s Earl Hall, where ‘Abdu’l-Baha had spoken in 1912.
This decision set in motion an unprecedented planning process. Permits were obtained from the Police Department and the Department of Parks and Recreation. Special insurance certificates were secured. Letters, invitations and fliers were mailed to more than 2,000 groups and individuals, and were followed by phone calls.
What resulted was an uplifting day and a foundation for further outreach.
It started at 4 a.m. with a radio interview that included a public service announcement recorded by Nabil Jurney and a lively introduction to the upcoming events.
Dawn was ushered in with a moving prayer gathering. A small but hardy group braved earlymorning rains to take part in the program of music, song and prayers for healing racial tensions in the city. Refreshments and fellowship followed at the Baha’f Center.
That afternoon, a few hundred people from the city and beyond gathered at the edge of Central Park for a two-mile children’s march for race unity. Public
ae EUREKA, CA
pop band, Hmong traditional dancers, a Hmong khene (flute) player, the Fargas Family Band from Nicaragua, the Arcata Community West African dance troupe, the female blues trio B.B. Queen, an African-American multicultural dance troupe, and a reggae band called Mix
School children free New York City.
schools, churches and even a Civil Air Patrol squadron were represented, as well as Baha’ children. The march ended in a festive rally. Children were given balloons, blew bubbles, had cold drinks and received “Racism Free Zone” stickers while a disc jockey played pop music. After welcoming remarks that highlighted the
‘oclaim the goal of a prejudic
significance of the day and created a greater awareness of who the Baha’is are, there was time for socializing, teaching and allaround fun. Several Baha’is and leaders of other organizations shared their groups’ ideals.
The evening program at Earl Hall began with the spirited music of the United Ensemble and the Children’s Aid Society Choir. Auxiliary Board member Eugene Andrews told the audience of mostly youth that all three of the “false gods” of the Old World Order referred to by Shoghi Effendi—communism, nationalism and racism—are losing their destructive grip on the world. “We've seen the fall of communism, we are seeing the fall of nationalism, and we will see the fall of racism,” he said.
A performing ensemble from the City Kids Foundation, which received a Race Unity Day award, completed the evening with an intense program of song, dance and drama that attested to a belief in universal brotherhood. Other Race Unity Day awards went to AT&T's “Don’t Hate ... Communicate” program and to the One World Club at Franklin K. Lane High School.
300 people of all backgrounds enjoy music, fou a different cultures
Black, white, Hispanic, Hmong, Laotian.
Three hundred strong, they enjoyed an afternoon of music and food June 12 at the Race Unity Day picnic at Sequoia Park in Eureka, California.
The entertainment was as diverse as the audience. Included were a rock band, a Hmong
Tribe. It turned out that the drummer for Mix Tribe is a Baha’i from a neighboring community. One person who attended is the director of a
multicultural group in Arcata. He said he was amazed to see that so many cultures could come together in peace.
-— FLINT, MI —— Baha’is, city cooperate on dual program
Race Unity Day in Flint, Michigan, was observed with a two-part program consisting of a “lock-in” on June 10 for preyouth grades 5-8 and a Race Unity Fair on June 12.
Co-sponsoring the events h the Spiritual Assembly of Flint were the Louhelen Baha’f School, the Flint Human Relations Commission, Flint Youth Commission, WFELT-AM radio, Flint community schools, the YWCA, and the International Institute.
Two local businesses donated drinks for both occasions, and various community-based individuals contributed time and talent including free entertainment.
The lock-in began at 7 p.m. on June 10 and ended at 7 a.m. the next day. The YWCA gymnasium and pool were provided without charge so the 32 youngsters and seven chaperones could enjoy swimming, games, pizza and a showing of “Calling All Colors,” followed by skits inspired by the video.
The Race Unity Fair was held for four hours in a park-like area behind the Flint city hall. About 50 people attended. African-American, East Indian, and One World booths were staffed, as well as an exhibit of T-shirts printed with spiritual attributes. Games were played, followed by entertainment and fellowship.
The Flint Assembly’s cooperation with the city through the Human Relations Commission began three years ago when the Assembly presented the mayor with a “Mankind Is One” Tshirt and asked for a Race Unity Day proclamation. The mayor then suggested that the occasion be a cooperative one with the city.
-— LARGO, FL —— Gospel fills the air
Nearly 300 people enjoyed a Race Unity Gospel Fest cosponsored by the Baha‘fs and the Pinellas County Urban League on June 12 to celebrate Race Unity Day.
The Florida Baha’ Gospel Choir and three local church choirs shared beautiful music.
The Florida Baha’f Youth Workshop gathered everyone in a mass-participation “unity dance.”
A potluck supper was enjoyed and workshops held.
-—— EVANSTON & WILMETTE, IL =
A program of fun and entertainment following the walk featured the Chicago Baha‘i Youth Workshop (above) and bubblepopping (left).
(Above) A long column of marchers, many carrying colorful signs, winds past the Baha‘i House of Worship during the fifth annual Walk for Race Unity on June 12. The march, sponsored by the North Shore Race Unity Task Force, started at Northwestern University.in: Evanston and ended at Gillson Park in Wilmette.
i ates
>= MOUNT VERNON, VAR eee ee Baha’is join in service to share message
On June 12, Race Unity Day, the Bahd’is of Mount Vernon, Virginia, joined the congregation of the Woodlawn United Methodist Church at its Sunday morning service to share thoughts on racial harmony.
one family, Mr. Loudenback said. He spoke of the evolution of the human family through ever greater unities, from family unity to world unity.
Spiritual unity also was highlighted in the slide
W. DuBois Johnson, a member of the Baha’icommu- _ presentation by showing the names of the Manifestanity of Mt. tions of God Vernon, helped including the Rev. John Muhammad, Barr plana Christ and successful Baha’u'llah.
The Rev. Barr’s sermon, “When Things Get Out of
program. The Rev. Barr, pastor of the
historically Whack,” epitoAfrican- mized the mesAmerican sage that the road
church, has known of the Baha‘f Faith since his days in seminary training and extended a warm welcome on behalf of his congregation.
The Baha’i speaker was Vaughn Loudenback of Great Falls, Virginia, who presented the divine requirement of racial harmony through a slide presentation. He made it clear to the audience that America does not have a “race problem,” it has a “oneness problem.”
to harmony to which the Bible calls u solely an individual responsibility buta question of change and adjustment. All must play their part, but need not believe that they alone as individuals are to blame for all the harmful things that might happen to them. About 30 Bahd’is joined other visitors and members of the congregation for the informal, participatory service filled with joyful music. The Baha’is were warmly received and were invited to return any time.
PRR ac bi = The Rev. John Barr and Baha‘is outside Woodlawn United Methodist Church,
Humanity always was, is now, and always will be
-— ADA COUNTY, ID Month of activities capped by first race unity workshop
The first in a series of “hands-on” Race Unity Workshops capped a month of race unity activities by the Baha'is of southwestern Idaho.
At the workshop, held at the Ada County Public Library, seven-yearold Bahé’{ Ruhia Crumbaugh presented a speech on the oneness of humanity, another child offered a humorous reading, and several other Baha’i children and youth supervised activity centers.
The Baha’fs hope to build on the success of the initial workshop and are working toward getting the workshops into area schools.
Earlier in the month, the Baha’fs staffed a booth for the first time at Eagle Fun Days, an annual local festival. Hands-on activities such as. “unity ribbons” attracted children
interest in learning more about the Faith.
Also during June, a month-long race unity book and picture exhibit was displayed at the library. Baha’is gained access to the display case when an in al believer offered to create a lay for Black History Month. That display was so well received that the library staff eagerly allowed the Baha‘fs to promote Race Unity Day with literature including The Power of Unity, Brilliant Star magazine, and To Be One. Pamphlets such as “The Vision of Race Unity” were made available to library patrons. Bookmarks with quotations from the writings of Baha’u’llah also were available and proved quite popular.
All of the month’s events shared these characteristi
Bahda‘is of RGUCMES ETT Idaho staff a booth at Eagle Fun Days. Adults (left to
right) are John Badostain, Donna Lungren, Chris Badostain, Pam Shultz, Louard
Crumbaugh III and Jane Crumbaugh. Children (left to right) are Louard
Crumbaugh IV, Brett Badostain, Lindsay Badostain, Amber Badostain and Ruhia
Crumbaugh.
as well as adults as teachers and event.
of all ages to the booth. Many
adults commented on the wonderful spirit of the Bahd‘iss and the need to promote the principle of dan
race unity, and some exp!
-— MARIN, CA —— Program aids healing effort
In an area rife with conflict over the issue of immigration, the Baha’is of Marin County, California, extended a healing hand June 11 with a Race Unity Day program that brought together people and community groups of many backgrounds.
Unity in diversity was the message of the day, and theme colors were red, white, black and yellow, the American Indian healing colors.
Native costumes and multicolor clothing made for a vivid sight as Latin Americans, Vietnamese, African-Americans, Chinese, American Indians, and North Americans took part in a unity parade, accompanied by the Samba do Coracao drummers and dancers.
An art station was set up in Pickleweed Park which allowed children, inspired by the day, to illustrate their ideas about unity in diversity.
Live music, cultural dance performances, storytelling and food from around the world continued all day as the children worked on their murals and drawings. The art work is scheduled to be displayed at libraries, banks and civic buildings through November.
The Race Unity Day event and art exhibits were cosponsored by the Arete Foundation.
vidual initiative that developed into intercommunity action. nit
— KANSAS CITY, KS ———
- — CLARKDALE, AZ
- They were started with indi- receptive souls.
¢ Each event focused on children
Leon Brady (left) and Lillian Battaye (center) are honored on Race Unity Day by the Baha‘is of Kansas City, Kansas, represented by Loree Foroughi-Gross, for their contributions to youth.
Event for 500 leads to firesides
The Baha’is of Clarkdale, Arizona, are busy holding firesides in the wake of a successful Race Unity Day picnic attended by more than 500 people—about three-fourths of cultures other than Caucasian.
Of course, it was because the Bahd’fs got busy in the first place that so many people came out for the fourth annual event.
They personally handed invitations to every household on the three Indian Reservations in the Verde Valley and in the town of Clarkdale. Advance stories in local newspapers and frequent spots on the radio helped, too, as did a banner that stretched across the main street for nine days.
The picnic included lots of free food, along with balloons and carnival games for children. Slim Chance and his band, Combo Deluxe, provided songs interspersed with remarks about the Faith.
The Baha’ booth also was popular, with many pamphlets taken, questions answered, and invitations to upcoming firesides handed out.
- All provided increased opportus for individual teaching
outside the confines of the respects
- The level of unity, spiritual
energy and excitement engendered raised the spirit among area Baha'is to new heights.
ra LEE COUNTY, VA
Small community draws 400 to picnic
Race Unity Day in Lee County, Virginia, is proof e that a small Baha’i community can do big
BS:
In only its second year, the Race Unity Day picnic and program drew about 400 people of diverse races and backgrounds to Cumberland Bow] Park in Jonesville.
All this in a community with four adult Baha‘fs and two Baha'i youth—and many friends of the Faith who pitched in to make the day successful, including the Appalachian African-American Historical Culture and Community Development Center, the Lee County School Board, and area churches and businesses.
Prior to the event, two proclamations were signed making June 12 Race Unity Day, one by the county board of supervisors and the other by the mayors of three towns in the county.
The picnic featured singing by Children of Race Unity, a group organized especially for the occasion, and by church choirs and a number of soloists. Passages from the Baha'i writings were read, with the backdrop a banner proclaiming “Only One Race—The Human Race.”
The guest speaker was James Williams of Roanoke, a Baha’f who said he drove 232 miles to be at the celebration because of its importance in showing that unity that can achieved in a community.
"het the record show,” Mr. Williams was quoted as saying by the Powell Valley News, “that there are both black and white here and the whites outnumber the blacks. That, in itself, is highly significant.
“Let the record show that the Biears Americans, Caucasians, Persians and others unknown are observing race unity not far from battlefields where a divided nation fought a war over slavery,” he said.
“And let the record show that this is not a religious | meeting, but God was mentioned and praised here.”
The Bahai community of Rosebud Indian Reservation, South Dakota, with traveling teachers Fred, Elizabeth and David Jenner.
Traveling teachers join twin celebration
The Bahd’i communities of Mission and Rosebud, South Dakota, celebrated Race Unity Day and the centenary of the introduction of the Faith in North America with a picnic in Mission City Park on Saturday, May 28.
Thirty local Baha’fs and traveling teachers Fred, Elizabeth and David Jenner shared an afternoon of Indian tacos, Baha’{ songs, and celebrating the unity of humankind.
The event was covered by the Todd County Tribune.
On a previous visit to the Rosebud Indian Reservation, the Jenners and Essan and Rezvan Tebyanifard met with local Baha’fs and attended Feast in Mission.
- — ST. LOUIS, MO ———_
Proclamations proclaim Race Unity Week in area
Armed with proclamations from the city and county, St. Louis-area Bahd’fs celebrated Race Unity Day with a picnic at Forest Park in the heart of St. Louis. Many non-Baha’‘fs attended the event.
Baha‘ representatives had met June 3 with County Executive George (Buzz) Westfall. A copy of the “The Vision of Race Unity” was presented to Mr. Westfall, and he proclaimed June 5-11 Race Unity Week. At the ceremony, Mr. Westfall asked the Baha’is to support his hate-crime bill.
On June 5, Mayor Freeman R. Bosley Jr. of St. Louis proclaimed the same period as Race Unity Week.
-— DUNCAN, OK ———_, Picnic garners coverage
Duncan, Oklahoma, a town of 20,000 with no Bahd’fs, was the site of the third annual Race Unity Picnic sponsored by the Baha’fs of southern Oklahoma.
More than 30 Baha'is traveled from all over Oklahoma and from Dallas and Ft. Worth, Texas, to make the June 25 event successful.
Newspaper ads were placed in advance, and the local newspaper published an article the day before the picnic. The day after, the newspaper carried a picture and front-page story.
Quake couldn’
It wasn’t an earthquake, but w the Bahd’is moved people all along the route of the Kingdom Day Parade in Los Angeles, California, honoring Martin Luther King Jr.
The April 23 parade was rescheduled from January 17— the day L.A. shook.
Baha'is from all over the city showed up to carry a brand new banner and signs conveying the message of Baha‘u’lléh.
The Los Angeles Baha’i Youth Workshop, wearing its traditional “One Planet, One People ... Please” T-shirts, performed tirelessly at every intersection along the three-mile parade route down Martin Luther King Boulevard.
They were met v cheers from the crowd as they danced and chanted “unity in diversity.”
Comments from onlookers ranged from “That’s the best group Ive seen yet!” to “One Planet, One People—that’s the answer!”
One woman was so moved by the banner, which proclaims “One Race ...The Human Race,” that she begged a hug from Baha’f Christina Johnson. Needless to say, Christina was more than happy to
. +
tnd
t wipe out parade
i} core Ill |
ONE PLANET
L.A. Baha‘is show up in force for the Kingdom Day Parade.
oblige.
A dedicated group of Baha'is of all ages marched behind the Workshop, carrying signs and singing “We Shall Overcome,” joined by many of the spectators.
If spreading the word of Baha’u’llah wasn’t bountiful enough, as icing on the cake the Workshop received first-place honors in the Dance Group competition.
New State Teaching Committees to provide a helping hand, vision
Continued from page |
Universal House of Justice when the Supreme Body wrote, in its May 19 letter to the National Spiritual Assembly, about fostering “the involvement of individuals in the work of the community at the grassroots.”
The recently formed committees cover Washington state, Oregon, northern California, southern California, Arizona, Texas, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina. Each committee has five to seven members, each appointed for a oneyear term.
State Teaching Committees will be named in other regions as circumstances warrant.
The first 10 states were chosen “after long, thoughtful consultation among the Continental Board of Counselors, the National Spiritual Assembly and the National Teaching Committee,” said Mr. Bowers.
In each of these areas, he said, it was deemed that “the level and complexity of teaching work had reached a point at which this means of coordination was needed.” Combined, these states aver— age 60 to 65 percent of the annual growth of the Faith in the U.S. and comprise about 70 percent of the country’s Baha’i population and local Spiritual Assemblies.
State committees will operate much like the National Teaching Committee, but on a statewide level. This includes offering expert analysis of the teaching work; lending strategic advice to National Teaching Committee and the National Spiritual Assembly; and taking the lead in executing the teaching work.
The committees will provide local projects material assistance, vision and coordination, and will work to further National Teaching Committee initiatives such as the HEAT Wave. In addition, they will keep the believers in their area informed of progress in teaching through newsletters and
other means.
Consultation has begun between the committees and local Spiritual Assemblies, individuals and Auxiliary Board members and assistants within their state. Through these relationships, the committees hope to identify areas where they can foster the emergence of areas of effective teaching.
All local Spiritual Assemblies in the 10 states have received letters informing them of the makeup of their state committee and urging them to avail themselves of its support.
The committees’ relationship with the Auxiliary Board is seen as critical, since they can reinforce one another in supporting local initiatives. In most areas, the committee and Board members have already begun meeting.
Formation of the State Teaching Committe: “a product of the degree to which American Baha’is have arisen to teach during the Three Year Plan,” said Mr. Bowers.
At the Plan’s outset, the National Spiritual As— sembly took a fresh look at the level of teaching activity in the American community, he said.
The National Teaching Committee was reorganized and re-formed. Likewise, the 85 District Teaching Committees were disbanded, except for a few involved in critical projects.
“Although the District Teaching Committees were performing a highly valued function and performing it well, the National Spiritual Assembly felt it important at that point to deal directly with local Spiritual Assemblies and individuals to motivate them to a new level of action,” said Mr. Bowers.
Now, many regions have become active to a degree not seen in many years, and a streamlined mechanism—the State Teaching Committees—is being put in place to support that activity, he said.
One can only imagine the results that are possible. ‘
[Page 15]
More shan 100 at S.E.
More than 80 adults and 20 youth and children from Cambodian, Chinese, Hmong, Japanese, Persian, Vietnamese and American cultures gathered May 20-22 at the Bosch Baha'i School in Santa Cruz, California, for the third annual Southeast Asian Community Builders Roundtable Dis— cussion.
Participants traveled from all over the country to the lovely Santa Cruz mountain area to devise strategies to further help in the development of Southeast Asian Baha'{ communiti
Three important sessions were held: “Empowering Southeast Asian Baha'i Women,” with a Cam— bodian, a Hmong and a Vietnamese tak-ing part; “Reaching Out and Teaching Other Southeast Asians in the United States,” introduced by a prominent Hmong leader from the San Diego area; and “The Importance of Baha'i Funds,” at which time $601.10 was raised for the Arc Projects.
Unique to this event were concurrent sessions in which the youth and children took part in a separate program led by Michael and Joclyn Baral of Stockton, Michelle Brown of Davis, and Brian Genung of Arcata.
The themes presented in these programs were teaching, heroes of the Faith, Baha'i identity, Baha'i service, marriage, and education. The information introduced was informative, but the real gift of this program was the opportunity to meet, consult and have fellowship with other youth.
A musical and cultural talent show proved to be
Pictured are participants in the third annual Southeast Asian Community Builders Roundtable held May 20-22
at the Bosch Baha'i School in Santa Cruz, California.
a spectacular event, bringing together art forms from each ethnic background at the conference: songs, dances, poetry and prayers from many parts of the world.
On the final day, a plan of action was developed setting specific goals to be worked toward by each
individual and/or community.
The sharing and flow of ideas left everyone with an overwhelmingly positive feeling and commitment to continue the development of the Southeast Asian communities.
New Center galvanizes proclamation activity in San Antonio, Texas
Since January the Baha'is of San Antonio, Texas, have made good use of their new Baha'i Center, which was opened last October, as activities planned by an Inter-Community Proclamation Committee established by Spiritual Assemblies in the area have begun to materialize.
To celebrate Martin Luther King Week in January, the Baha'is initiated “A Call to Eliminate Racism” which began with a meeting with the mayor and city council at which Carrie Paige Smith, a Baha'i from the Dallas area, was the spokesperson. The following day, Ms. Smith
News briefs
was interviewed on WOAI radio.
Several local Baha'is served on the planning committee for the eighth annual Memorial Service for Dr. King, and the program included a Baha’f reading. The King Week parade, in which a large group of Baha'is marched with banners and distributed 4,500 flyers with information about the Faith, was followed that evening by a public meeting at the Baha'i Center. The response was. good, with one declaration within the week.
In February, the Baha'f Club at the University of Texas-San Antonio arranged for a university professor to speak at the Center on “Women Rulers.”
he { We. NRE FLOVERS &
The Baha'is of Carson City, Nevada, with help from friends from other northern Nevada Baha'i communities, built and entered this prize-winning float in the annual Nevada Day parade in Carson City. The parade, which drew more than 20,00 spectators along its twomile route, had more than 250 separate entries. As the float passed by each of several announcing stands, the announcer offered a brief description of the Faith including mention of Baha'u'llah. Later, the friends were pleasantly surprised to learn that the float, the first ever built by the Carson City Baha'is, won first place among religious entries in the parade.
In April several Baha'is took part in an Earth Day celebration at a local park, and on April 30 the Baha'i Center was the scene of an all-day seminar, “Deepening on Wills,” conducted by Kalil and Valerie Dana of Edmund, Oklahoma.
Shreveport incorporates
In February, the Spiritual Assembly of Shreveport, Louisiana, completed the requirements for its incorporation by the state.
Three members of the Assembly were members when it was formed in 1959: Grace Bulboaca, Everett (Red) Hubbart and D. Barbara Hubbart.
On June 12, the Assembly held an open house at its newly leased Baha'i Center, inviting several hundred people. Having the Center has helped re-energize the Shreveport community through a number of wellattended events that have drawn wide community support.
Baha'i is speaker
On May 2, John Knowlton Brown, a Baha'i from Mt. Vernon, Virginia, gave a four-hour presentation at the second annual International Conference on Conflict Resolution held in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Mr. Knowlton's presentation, “Conflict Resolution Methods in Islam, Buddhism and the Baha'i Faith: Toward a Holistic Approach,” emphasized
the ways in which Baha'f consultation and principles enhance the insights of other world religions and help provide a more holistic approach to resolving conflicts and other human problems.
Six hundred people from around the world attended the conference, which is sponsored by the Harmony Institute for Psychotherapy in St. Petersburg and the Common Bond. Institute in the U.S.
Bullet buried in Baha'i book
There’s nothing like a bullet to bring home the point of the Baha’i writings.
Recently, someone sought out a copy of Bahd’i World Faith at the Baha’i Books and Information Center (BBIC) in Seattle, Washington.
The researcher was expecting selected writings of Baha’u‘ll4h and ‘Abdu’l-Baha.
But he or she found something else as well upon pulling the book from the shelf: a hole in the cover and a bullet embedded within the pages!
Upon examination, a bullet hole could be seen in the back of the bookcase and in the exterior wall of the BBIC.
The police were extremely interested. It seems a shooting had taken place across the street a few weeks earlier, and an extensive search for the bullet had yielded nothing.
The bullet found at the BBIC, it turns out, matches the trajectory of the shot.
So now there is a copy of Bahai World Faith in a Seattle police station with a bullet lodged within— stopped at the section of the book titled “This Radiant Century.”
[Page 16]
The Are
16
THe AMERICAN BAHA'i
Vineyard of
the Lord. part 4
Looming on the skyline halfway up Mount Carmel, a tower crane can be seen in action. Located in the middle of the site of the Center for the Study of the Texts, the crane is 40 meters (132 feet) tall with an operational range of 45 meters (about 149 feet). Another crane is being assembled for another 45-meter radius, adjacent to the site of the parking building and car tunnel.
Lifting formworks, reinforcement steel, mechanical equipment, pouring concrete, etc., they will cover between them the entire range of operations on the site comprising about 4,000 square meters (13,200 square feet). Installation of the 18-meterlong steel sleeves, with a diameter of a little under one meter, to hold the steel pistons for the hydraulic elevators for the Center for the Study of the Texts has been successfully undertaken. It may be recalled that the Center for the Study of the Texts is designed to be a nine-story building.
One can also see on-site a full-scale mockup of an exposed concrete wall. This has been built to determine whether the proposed formwork will produce the desired standard of quality of concrete finish; to experiment about various details such as cold-joints and expansion joints; and to check the visual impact of the finish so that no air bubbles, segregation of aggregates, etc., show up.
To monitor construction at the site of the Center for the Study of the Texts, a program has been created, establishing what is known as critical path activities. This program has identified 4,500 operations on the shell structure alone of the Center for the Study of the Texts. A full-time planning engineer, backed by a professional
, Project management team, is responsible for monitoring the execution of these critical path activities by preparing work schedules, materials ordering, etc. The purpose of this exercise is to see
A concrete mixer pours a foundation for the Archive Building’s extension, while a massive crane lowers the steel sleeve for the elevator shaft of the Center for the Study of the Texts.
that every lead activity is appropriately undertaken with a timely supply of materials, thus ensuring that work on the project is moving forward on schedule. Filtration system
When the excavation for the Archives’ extension was begun, the close proximity of the site to the existing Archives Building became a source of concern, as heavy excavation work could expose the building to extreme dust and pollution. A feasible option was to close the Archives for the period of construction at the adjacent site; but this would deprive the pilgrims of the bounty of visiting this precious building.
One solution was to seal the openings of the
Prime minister signs plan for Terraces
On May 10, the mayor of Haifa informed the Mount Carmel Baha'i Projects Office that Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who is also acting Minister of the Interior, had signed the Town Planning Scheme submitted by the Baha'f World Center.
With this final stamp of authority, approval of the Town Planning Scheme was completed, paving the way for the uninterrupted implementation of the design of the Terraces encircling the Sepulcher of the Bab and Arc buildings.
The approval fulfills the fondest wishes of the beloved Guardian, who expressed his total dissatisfaction with the old Town Planning, Scheme of the Haifa Municipality, which was passed during his time and has been in force ever since.
The approval brings with it not only protection for our Holy Shrines and recognition by the government of Israel of the extraordinary significance of the gardens surrounding the Shrine of the Bab and the Mount Carmel Projects, but reinforces as well the recognition of special status conceded by the government to all Baha'f Holy Places.
left) is given a brief description of the Arc Project on Mount Carmel by architect Fariburz Sahba as he views models of the design at the Pilgrim House in Haifa. The prime minister, accompanied by the mayor of Haifa and several other dignitaries, visited the World Center on June 13 and was escorted to Terrace 9 below the Shrine of the Bab, which provides a perfect perspective of the lower Terraces down to the Templar Colony avenue, whose restoration is a major project of the City of Haifa. The prime minister was especially interested to learn of the linking of these projects, which together form the Kings' Pathway.
Archives Building, pressurize the exhibition area, and install a state-of-the-art filtration system, which would protect the Holy Texts, relics and historic documents, and also create a meticulously clean environment for the pilgrims. It was decided to install a cost- and energy-saving filtration system known as a deep bed scrubber.
The air circulating inside the building is purified by this system through various filter media. The incoming air is filtered in the first stage by a prefilter which catches dust and larger particles; this is then passed through another medium which has two chemical beds—activated carbon and potassium permanganate. This helps to purify the air from chemical pollution. Finally, the air passes through a fine filter which catches any remaining minute particles.
The air that is finally circulated in the exhibition area is considered to be as pollution-free as the air circulated in a surgical operating theatre. The system is now fully operational, and even with construction speeding up at the site of the Center for the Study of the Texts/ Archives extension, the International Archives Building is clean and protected to a degree much higher than before the construction work began.
Work on the Lower Terraces
Earthwork on Terraces 3 and 4 below the Shrine of the Bab is now complete. The underground mechanical rooms have been built, and grading of the inner zone is finished. The installation of the drainage pipes is under way, and aqua drains will soon be installed. Interestingly, the aqua drains not only serve a drainage purpose but also form the geometric curves, securing the shape of the
[Page 17]
The Are
Terraces. What gives the Terraces the appearance, from a distance, of a shallow bowl are the concrete blocks of the aqua drains, 40 centimeters (1.32 feet) long, 30 centimeters (1 foot) high and 20 centimeters (8 inches) wide).
Further up the mountain, on the bridge on ‘Abbas Street that links Terraces 4 and 5, masonry work on the south wing of the retaining walls of the bridge has been completed, and work on the north wall is in an advanced stage. Waterproofing is under way, and soon after its completion stone work on the bridge will be taken up.
(Left) An artist's rendering of one of the upper Terraces on Mount Carmel.
(Below) The first consignment of cut and curved
Sajur stone for the fountain pools on
Terrace nine below the Shrine of the Bab has been received at the site.
On the west side of Terrace 5, work on the irrigation is in the final stages, while on Terraces 6 and 7, with the irrigation pipes in place, the ground is being prepared to take the grass cover as topsoil is laid on the outer rings of these Terraces.
The distinctive concrete outline of the fountain pools on Terraces 6, 7,8 and 9 is now visible as they await their lovely mantle of Sajur stone. The stone has been cut and shaped in Noufi's Factory at Nazareth, undergoing the final
touches. A visit to the factory reveals that the entire premises of 10,000 square meters (33,000 square feet) with its 10 working sheds is strewn with stone for the projects, and workers are engaged in accomplishing the work of the Mount Carmel projects. Noufi proudly acknowledges that three generations of his family have been serving the Baha'is, and that his own association began with their work for the Hand of the Cause of God William Sutherland Maxwell.
Mountain slope a challenge
It is a challenging task to shape Terraces 15, 16, 17 and 18 above the Shrine of the Bab. The slope of the mountain as it approaches its higher elevation makes accessibility to the site difficult and dangerous. Access to Terrace 11 is available through Hatzionut Street, Terraces 11, 12 and 13 through Crusader Road, and the uppermost Terrace, No. 19, through Yefe Nof Street. It is the intermediary Terraces which have no direct access. Nevertheless, work is progressing well on them.
Earthworks for the inner zone and concrete stairs have been constructed. The stairs sit atop underground rubble concrete walls going down to a maximum depth of 12
meters (39.6 feet). The walls of the mechanical room on Terraces 16 and
17 have been cast, while the excavation for the Underpinning a retaining wall adjacent to
mechanical room on Terrace 18 is complete. This is the only Terrace where this utility is situated on the east side. Seat.
the Seat of the Universal House of Justice to connect the Arc Service Tunnel to the
AsmA’ 8.€. 151 / Auaust 20, 1994 17
One of the buildings to be erected on the Arc on Mount Carmel is the International Bahd't Library. In a letter dated August 31, 1987, the Universal House of Justice explained to the Baha'is of the world that “[t}his Library is the central depository of all literature published on the Faith, and is an essential source of information for the institutions of the World Center on all subjects relating to the Cause of God and the conditions of mankind. ...” Significantly, construction of this institution is not scheduled to begin during the Three Year Plan, nor to be completed by the turn of the century. y
In one of his messages to the Baha'i world, the beloved Guardian prophesied that the raising of the edifice off the International Baha'i Archives “will herald the construction of several other structures which will serve as the administrative seats of such divinely appointed institutions as the Guardianship, the Hands of the Cause, and the Universal House of Justice. ... This vast and irresistible process...will synchronize with two no less significant developments—the establishment of the Lesser Peace and the evolution of Baha'f national and local institutions. ...” (Messages to the Baha'i World, p. 74)
In a letter dated May 31, 1987, to the project manager of the Mount Carmel Projects, the Universal House of Justice indicated that “[h]ere we should point out that the institutions mentioned by the beloved Guardian in the passage in which he spoke of the completion of the Arc being contemporaneous with the establishment of the Lesser Peace did not include the Library. And there is no reason in principle why it should not be constructed at a later date.”
The scale of the projects of the Arc and Terraces is vast, their size extending over a kilometer on Mount Carmel. The exclusion of construction of the International Baha'i Library at the present time not only makes the projects more manageable but also provides an opportunity to accumulate the necessary funds. Another practical reason for the phasing of this project is to avoid the problem of access to the Seat of the Universal House of Justice, which also houses its Secretariat. If major building operations for the International Teaching Center and the International Baha'i Library, which are to stand adjacent to one another, were to be undertaken simultaneously, it would greatly hamper the functioning of the Secretariat.
The aforementioned not only provides a valid basis for delaying construction of the International Bahd'{ Library, but also provides the much-needed time to acquire the remaining properties on which it is to be located. Whenever this institution is raised, it will undoubtedly play a great and significant role, as foreseen by the Universal House of Justice: “In future decades its [the International Bah4'i Library's] functions must grow, it will serve as an active center for knowledge in all fields, and it will become the kernel of great institutions of scientific investigation and discovery.” (Letter dated August 31, 1987)
EXCELLENCE IN ALL THINGS ...
On May 28, Kean T. Ou, a 23-year-old Baha'f from Poland, Ohio, received his doctorate in medicine as valedictorian of the class of 1994 at the Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine. Kean, a national merit scholar while at Poland Seminary High School, earned his bachelor of science degree at Kent State University, graduating summa cum laude. At this year's commencement ceremonies he received the William H. Falor Research Award, the Douglas M. Evans Award for outstanding clinical work in surgery, and the first Outstanding Achievement Award sponsored by Marion Merrell Dow. He will intern at Aultman Hospital in Canton, Ohio, before taking up a residency in ophthalmology at the University of lowa in Towa City.
Dr. Juorry Jennricu, a Baha’ from Park Ridge, Illinois, who is assistant professor of Medical-Surgical Nursing at Loyola University Hospital in Chicago, has been named a Fulbright Scholar for 1994-95 by the J. William Fulbright Foundation, a federally-funded international exchange program administered by the U.S. Information Agency. Dr. Jennrich, who received a lecturing award, traveled to Belize this spring to lecture on critical care education.
Seita Monaser Horert, a Bahd'f who attends the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, has received the Academic Award for second-year students from the University of Florida Medical Guild. She is ranked first in her class of 123 students.
Moni Sosxant, a Baha'i from Encino, California, has been granted 35 patents from the U.S. Government Patent Office in the past two years for his work in electronics. Dr. Sobhani was also asked to lecture this year at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) on electronic interconnections.
Davio Naw, a 16-year-old Baha'i from Norwood, New Jersey, was chosen for this year's S.M.A.R.T. competition among high school students and won a computer for his school and a $24,000 scholarship to Stevens Institute of Technology for posting the highest combined score in math and chemistry. He also received the Rensselaer Medal for excellence and a $20,000 scholarship. In the prestigious Merck State Science Day, David won fourth place in biology in New Jersey as a freshman, was first in Chemistry I as a sophomore, and first in Physics I in this, his junior year. He has won National Honor status for three years on the American High School Mathematics Examination and the National Science Olympiad in biology and chemistry, and placed second in the region in the American Chemical Society competition. As a singer, he was chosen for the 1992 All-State Chorus in New Jersey, and performs with the New Jersey Baha'i Youth Workshop.
Three young Baha'is from Cedarburg, Wisconsin, were recently honored for academic achievement by the state's largest daily newspaper, the Milwaukee Journal. Eighth grader AARON ARFMAN was recognized in the “highest grade-point average” category, while Davio HiNTERTHUER (seventh grade) and Nataue Zarrke (eighth grade) were identified as being “most improved.”
Maryan Anore, an 11-year-old Baha'f from Ontario, California, has been named Outstanding Student of the Year for 1994 at Edison Elementary School. An honor roll student, she served as student body president two years ago and again this year. The Girls Club soccer team on which she plays won last year's California State Cup. And this year, Marjan represented the Spiritual Assembly of Ontario by reading a prayer to open a meeting of the city council.
JEANNIE DENNISTON, a 43-year-old Baha'i from Little Rock, Arkansas, was graduated in May with honors from the University of ArkansasLittle Rock School of Law and was to take the state bar examination in July.
Robert A. Lanory, a 13-year-old Baha'f from Lumberton, Texas, has been inducted into the National Junior Honor Society for demonstrating outstanding qualities of leadership, service, character and citizenship. He was a member this year of the track team and math/science team, and his art work was displayed on the cover of Lumberton Middle School's 1993-94 yearbook.
Suzanne Ament, a Baha'f who is a doctoral student in Russian history at the University of Indiana, has won this year's Campus Life Divisional Award in the student category. The awards recognize outstanding contributions by students, faculty, staff and community members to the goals of the Campus Life division.
Kean T. On
Marsan ANDRE
Two Baha'i architects in New York
honored by city, trade associations
‘Two New York City Bahd’is who are architects have recently won honors for their work.
On May 9, Noushin E. Bryan received the Asian/Pacific Business Achievement Award from Mayor Giuliani for her contributions in the business community “for the betterment of our city.”
She founded Accessible Architecture PC in 1985 with a vision of bringing architecture down from its lofty towers to serve the needs of the public—in accordance with her Faith’s teaching that work performed in the spirit of service is exalted as the worship of God.
Bashir Zivari is garnering outstanding publicity and acclaim for Kin-der-Link, his patented bentplywood furniture system that was designed especially for children.
“The main problem with most children’s furniture is that it’s just a shrunken-down version of adult furniture,” says Mr. Zivari. “But children are more informal and open for experimentation.”
Kin-der-Link furniture can be used as chairs, tables and/or benches. The individual pieces also can be linked in a variety of shapes such as circles
Oscar P. Stone
Connecticut Tree Association establishes Research Fund to honor Baha'i Oscar Stone
At the annual meeting of the Connecticut Tree Protective Association last January, the Board of Directors announced the establishment of the Oscar P. Stone Research Trust Fund whose purpose is to stimulate research on important problems. confronting the tree care industry.
Named in honor of a Baha'f, Oscar P. Stone, the Fund acknowledges his many contributions in educating arborists and promoting arboriculture, not only in Connecticut but throughout the U.S.
To commemorate the honor, an oak tree was planted June 1 at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.
Donations to the Oscar P. Stone Research Trust Fund are greatly appreciated and may be sent to the Connecticut Tree Protective Association Inc., Rocky Hill, CT 06067-1527.
and snakes for multiple seating.
The innovative design has been chosen for display in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, and the Montreal Museum of Decorative Arts.
Honors also have come from the Industrial Design Society of America, which recently bestowed on Mr. Zivari its Gold Award for Consumer Products, and from I.D. magazine, the Japanese International Furniture Design Fair, the Chicago Athenaeum, and Early Childhood News.
Articles about Kin-der-Link have appeared in Business Week, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune, Elle Decor, Progressive Architecture, and many trade publications.
Correction
On page 1 of the June 24 issue of The American Baha'i (Vol. 25, No. 9), the statement is made that the por— trait of the Bab was “last publicly viewed in 1944 when the Baha'i Era entered its second century.” The portrait also was displayed in 1950 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Martyrdom of the Bab. We regret the error.
21st Conference of Nur draws capacity audience to see, hear Dr. Ruhe, Counselor Ellis, others
On May 27-29, a capacity audience was present to take part in the 21st annual Conference of Nur at Elizabethtown (Pennsylvania) College.
The yearly event is co-sponsored by the Spiritual Assemblies of Harrisburg and Lancaster.
This year's conference was blessed by the presence of Dr. David Ruhe, retired member of the Universal House of Justice; Counselor Wilma Ellis, administrator-general of the Baha'i International Community; and Auxiliary Board member Tahereh Ahdieh.
The friends were moved by presentations on “Firmness in the Covenant,” “Promoting Love, Unity and Fellowship,” and “Beginning to Build the Kingdom of God on Earth.” Each talk was followed by nine separate workshops for adults and youth, with special programs for the children.
An afghan, made by local Baha'f Lillian Leonard, was auctioned and raised more than $9,000 for the Arc Fund.
A number of Baha'i musicians—the Gilmer family, Fereydoon and Fer— eshteh Aryani, Ethel Harwood, Virginia Schawacker, Kathy Tomarelli, David Welliver and Dale Root— added greatly to the spirit of the conference.
Dr. Ruhe led the friends in chanting the words and promise of Baha'— u'lléh: “Soon will all that dwell on earth be enlisted under His banner.”
There were two declarations during the conference.
[Page 19]
Hudson, New Hampshire,
sponsors ‘Arc Building’
weekend of fund-raisers
In June, the Spiritual Assembly of Hudson, New Hampshire, sponsored a weekend of “Arc Building” witha series of fund-raising events, a public meeting and a fireside.
Dr. David Ruhe, retired member of the Universal House of Justice, and his wife, Margaret, were honored guests, sharing with the friends some of their experiences during 25 years of service in the Holy Land.
The weekend began with a halfhour radio interview and an informal reception as a thank you to those communities and individuals in New Hampshire who had helped Hudson organize and carry out these events.
Saturday was fund-raising day with a brunch, pizza party and silent auction, and a talk by Dr. and Mrs. Ruhe about “building the Arc” on the slopes of Mount Carmel. Music and entertainment was provided by Marty and Wendy Quinn of Lee, New Hampshire.
During the program, news was received that Halina Mantel, a devoted Baha'i from Concord, was close to death, and a friend donated for auction a piece of Mrs. Mantel’s unique pottery. Thanks to this act of love, and the generosity of the friends, more than $6,000 was raised, and after deducting expenses, $4,400 was sent to the Universal House of Justice to support construction of the Are.
On Sunday morning, 34 Baha'is from New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont shared breakfast with the Ruhes, and that afternoon more than 150 Baha'is from all over New England gathered to enjoy a jazz concert by Charlie Jennison and Friends; poetry by Thelma Khelghati, and Dr. and Mrs. Ruhe's insights on “Bahd'u'llah's Promise of Peace.”
The weekend closed with a Sunday evening fireside hosted by the Baha'fs of Nashua and attended by more than 50 Baha'is and their guests.
HUQdQU'LLAH
Payments for Huqtqu'llah should be made to “The Baha'i Hugqtiqu'lléh Trust” and sent to
9039 Sligo 612, Silver Spring, MD 20901 (telephone 301-589-8481)
¢ Dr. Amin Banani,
Santa Monica, CA 90402 (telephone 310-394-5449) ¢ Dr. Daryush Haghighi, Rocky River, OH 44116 (telephone 216333-1506)
Inquiries about Huqdqu'llah should be referred to the Trustees at the Office of the Secretariat, Baha'i Huququ'llah Trust,
Rocky River, OH 44116.
AsmA’ B.£. 151 / Auaust 20, 1994 19
By Tom Mennillo Imagine linking the roomful of seekers
in your home to Bahd’fs in other states and countries who have interesting stories to tell or expertise on a particular topic.
Imagine reaching out to isolated Baha’is eager for contact with other believers.
Imagine providing a tool whereby National Spiritual Assemblies and even the Universal House of Justice can speak to many communities at once.
Katherine and Rick Christiansen dared to imagine—and to act. The Scottsdale, Arizona, Baha‘is have teamed up with Canadian Baha’is Chris and Safieh Anderson of Red Deer, Alberta, to facilitate what they call “teleconference firesides.”
They use the power of something everyone has: a telephone. fee for connection to the conference call, plus any long-distance charges incurred.
Several such teaching events have been held since May 28.
The initial fireside connected 20 to 25 people at the Christiansens’ home with about 15 people at the Andersons’ and a Baha’ who called in from a pay phone in Calgary.
The Christiansens sandwiched a potluck dinner, conversation, and entertainment by the Roses of Love Baha’f Choir around the half-hour conference call.
Four declarations—two in the United States and two in Canada— were attributed to that initial fireside and the teaching energy flowing from it.
The telephonic gatherings have since grown in number of lines conferenced at one time, bringing, together Baha’is and seekers in such far-flung localities as Alaska, Hawaii, Arizona, Philadelphia, and Alberta.
How is a tele-fireside set up?
Interested participants first contact the Andersons at 403-346-9999 (fax: 403-343-7077) or the Christensens at 602-483-7923 (fax: 602-483-7248) to obtain the telephone number d in the conference call. At that time they say whether they wish to just listen to the call or be a speaker.
They also must send a check for $10 right away to the Christensens at Scottsdale, AZ 85254 to cover the cost of the company whose service is used to link everyone.
Then, at the appointed hour, participants call in two to five minutes before the starting time. When the operator answers, they give their name and ask for the “Baha'i fireside conference call” so they can be connected to the host.
How do participants keep from talking over each other?
Firesides by phone bring together
Baha’is, seekers anywhere in world
ch participant pays a nominal service &
That's where the host's role is critical. After an opening prayer, the host gives an overview of the Faith, then calls on each speaker in turn.
When someone isn’t speaking, he or she must keep the “mute” button on to eliminate background noise.
After each conference call, the operator gives the host a list of who called.
The Christensens and Andersons also appreciate feedback from participants as to how many people— Bahda’is and non-Baha’is—were in attendance, whether there were declarations, and any suggestions or comments.
What's down the line?
One possibility is a publicly advertised “listening line” that anyone can call to hear the conference call.
Another is an “800” number where people can phone in and use their touch-tone keypad to receive information on various aspects of the Faith.
A telecommunications user’s guide also is being prepared to explain how Baha’fs can tap into available technology to spread the Cause.
And the ultimate: video teleconferencing in which participants can see as well as hear one another.
Artists invited to enter fund-raising ‘Art for Arc’ poster project
Artists in the American Baha’i community are invited to submit an
ing event on the release date. All proceeds from pos
the Baha’f Faith,” says Nizhoni
er sales will _ leries owner Lynda Haber-mann. “We
entry in a fund-raising project en titled “Art for the Arc” sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Nizhoni Galle
The gallery will choose one image to be printed as a limited-edition art poster, with a planned release date at Ridvan, April 22, 1995. The artist will be flown to Albuquerque for a sign be donated to the Arc Projects Fund.
Ownership of the original art work will be retained by the artist following use of the art for publication. The artist also will receive 50 “artist proofs” of the poster for personal use and possible publicity in his or her home community.
“Our most important criterion is that the art reflect the ideals or principles of
are open to any art medium that can be reproduced in a poster format.”
To receive an “Art for the Arc” entry form, please send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Nizhoni Galleries, 323 Romero NW, Apt. 2, Albuquerque, NM 87104. Completed entry forms and color slides of entries to be considered will be ac— cepted through October 31.
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€. 151 / Auausr 20, 1994
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Peace conference in Minneapolis may
interest Baha'is
From time to time, the Na— tional Spiritual Assembly re— ceives notices of conferences and other events that may be of interest to the Baha'i community. One such event is the National Conference on Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution (NCPCR), to be held next May 26-30 in Minneapolis.
Conference organizers have asked that proposals for the conference be submitted to them by October 1.
The conference theme is “Working It Out: Creating Inclusive Social Structures.”
It will offer tracks and miniconferences for people in particular fields such as community mediation, religion, the environment, or education.
Interested persons may or— ganize a workshop or short course, present a paper, request/organize a track, present a performance, convene a caucus or interest group, etc.
Those submitting proposals that mention the Faith are encouraged to inform the National Spiritual Assembly's Research Office at the Baha'i National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091 (phone 708-733-3425; fax 708-869-0247). Any questions of a Baha'i nature about pro— posals may also be referred to that office.
More information about submitting proposals can be obtained from Linda Baron, executive director, NCPCR, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030 (phone 703-934-5140; fax 703-934-5142; Ibaron@gmu. edu).
23
On June 11, Auxiliary Board members and their assistants from Arizona, New Mexico, west Texas and Matamoros, Mexico, gathered at the newly acquired Baha’i Center in El Paso, Texas, to discuss a wide range of topics including the growth of the Faith with Counselor Arturo Serrano (front row, right of center, in white shirt and glasses). Remodeling of the Center continued until the morning of the meeting to assure comfort and pleasant surroundings for those attending.
University of Louisville Baha'i Club caps remarkable year with Interfaith Dialogue
A truly remarkable year for the University of Louisville (Kentucky) Baha’i Club culminated April 16 in an equally remarkable Interfaith Discussion on Racism.
The club had won respect as the campus’s “voice of justice” through events it sponsored this past year including the Human Rights Symposia, Bosnian relief efforts and a panel discussion on Bosnia, special programs for Black History Month and Women’s History Month, and appearances by Auxiliary Board member and Lakota performer Kevin Locke.
Now a three-person panel and a mostly African-American audience of 120 people—about 100 of whom were non-Baha’is—were gathered to confront America’s “most challenging issue.”
Representing the Baha’is was Auxiliary Board member Jack Guillebeaux. The two non-Baha’i speakers were Kevin Cosby, the oftprofiled pastor of Kentucky’s largest African-American church, and Minister Jerald X of the Nation of Islam,
a frequent lecturer at universities, high schools and prisons. Both are figures with whom the Bahd’is have established positive relations.
The moderator was Katherine Amos, the university’s assistant vice president for student development, who proclaimed the Baha’i Club as the “voice of justice on this campus” and who afterward said that in her heart, she “is a Baha'i.”
The introduction by a member of the Baha’j Club set a tone of unity, fellowship, love and harmony for the evening.
Dr. Cosby then spoke, thanking the Baha'is for “being true to their Faith in holding a forum such as this which examines multiculturalism.” He added that “I am with Dr. King when he said that it is either coexistence or nonexistence,” and related this quotation to the activities of the Baha'i Club.
In his talk, Minister Jerald X also was appreciative of the efforts of the Baha'i Club. At one point he exclaimed, “We are here for unity and to come to a common understand Wisconsin Baha'i praised in newspaper for work in preserving history, environment
Connie Conrader, a Baha'i from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, was profiled last December 8 in a feature article in the local newspaper, the Oconomowoc Enterprise.
Mrs. Conrader, a historian, artist and author, was praised by the writer, Muriel Anderson, for her involvement in helping to preserve the history of the Oconomowoc area and for her involvement in environmental issues.
The article points out Mrs. Conrader's Baha'i affiliation and beliefs, mentions her collabo: ‘tion
with her photographer husband, lay,
on the coffee table book, Tokens from
the Writings of Baha'u'llah, and details
her authorship of the pamphlet
“Women: Attaining Their Birthright,”
which was used in 1975 at the
International Women's Year conference in Mexico.
Mrs. Conrader, who has worked as a staff member and volunteer at the local library since 1947, also wrote and illustrated a book of fiction for children, Blue Wampum, based on the story of Winnebago Indicn Chief Red Bird.
ing,” reflecting the atmosphere the Baha’i Club prayed would exist.
Mr. Guillebeaux concluded the formal session, capturing the audience’s attention and curiosity while holding fast to the all-embracing teachings of Baha’u’llah. His application of the Faith’s teachings as directly applicable to the dire conditions that exist in the African-American community was well received.
A question-and-answer session followed, centering on such issues as redemption, self-hatred, violence, and collective economics.
After the presentation, many peo— ple approached the Baha'is to ask for literature.
The forum was featured at 11 o'clock that evening in a two-minute story on local television that the news anchor ended by saying, “This event was sponsored by the Baha'i Faith, which believes in love, justice, unity, brotherhood, and the establishment of world peace.” The Louisville Defender, a newspaper serving Louis— ville’s black community, published a photo essay on the event.
Joe W. Bitsuie Kayenta, AZ March 21, 1994
Jordan B. Brown Duluth, MN April 10, 1994
Dale L. Forest Missoula, MT June 16, 1994
Mary Louise Garcia St. Louis, MO
June 12, 1994 Olivia Kelly-Hodge El Cajon, CA
July 1, 1994
Dennis C. Neil Duluth, MN June 23, 1994
Edna Norvell Bridgeport, CT June 9, 1994 Marjorie Reynolds Grand Rapids, MI January 29, 1994
Janet N. Ward Santa Clara, CA July 20, 1994 Merlin L. Young Pendleton, OR May 21, 1994
Galen Sapasennthean rm
eA EaEIAS
AUGUST
26-28: Massanetta Springs (Virginia) Baha’{ Conference. Theme: “The Destiny of America.” Speakers to include Auxiliary Board members Tahereh Ahdieh and Jim Sturdivant. Registrar: Brenner Pugh, Richmond, VA 23221 (phone 804-353-0873).
27-September 1: General Session, “The Destiny of America,” Bosch Baha’t School. For information, phone 408-423-3387; fax 408-423-7564.
30-September 5: Summer Institute, “The Family in Perspective,” Landegg, Academy, Wienacht, Switzerland.
SEPTEMBER
1-4: Program for Sensitive International Teaching Areas (SITA), Louis Gregory Bah4’i Institute, Hemingway, South Carolina. Attendance is by invitation.
1-6: Baha’i Youth Service Corps/Pioneer Training Institute, Louis G. Gregory Baha‘ Institute, Hemingway, South Carolina. Attendance is by invitation. Bae Homecoming, Louhelen Baha’{ School. For information, phone 810-653
" y 5: Appreciation of the Arts and Film Colloquium with presentations and
On May 14, the Baha'is of Downey, California, manned an information booth at WOTRSROPS Bosch Baha‘{ School. For information, phone 408-423-3387; fax 408the first ‘Downey Street Faire.’ The all-day event was attended by more than 5,000 ee yet a e 5
people, many of whom paused at the colorful Baha’ display to read and refresh slennessee Beta Institute, Monteagle Enemies The Destiny of America:
themselves with cold water handed out by the friends. More than 100 people eae TO Ee ac ae
zou Hixson, TN 37343 (phone 615-842-1720). asked questions and accepted Baha’ literature. 3-5: Kentucky Baha'i School, Lake Cumberland. Registrar: Chris Hamilton,
Bowling Green, KY 42101 (502-782-9060). Boh Se ST n deepening class for Dallas/Fort Worth area conducted by Dr. fz | Riaz Ghadimi, Arlington, Texas, Baha'f Center. For information, phone 214-361To avoid unnecessary delays im receiving your 9366 or 817-572-3269"
16-18: Chinese Weekend and Conference with Auxiliary Board members under Stephen Birkland, Bosch Baha’f School. For information or to register, phone 408-423-3387; fax 408-423-7564.
16-18: “Take Wings and Fly,” annual commemoration of ‘Abdu’l-Bahd’s visit to Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Program includes Dr. and Mrs. David Ruhe, Marguerite Sears, Louise Matthias, variety of workshops, performances by the Metro Denver Baha'i Choir, singer/songwriter Yvonne Varis. Special program for youth conducted by Oscar DeGruy. Children’s classes, nursery available. For information, phone 303-928-0543.
16-18: Green Lake (Wisconsin) Bahd’f Conference. registration, contact the Green Lake Confer
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| | | 1 | | | | ‘or housing and meal ce Center, American Baptist | Assembly, Green Lake, WI 54941 (800-558-8898 or 414-294-3323). For programI related information, contact Salma Mughrabi-Howard, secretary, Green Lake 1 Committee, 333 Des Plaines Road, DePere, WI 54115 (414-337-1844). 16-18: Annual meeting of the European Baha’t Bus ‘orum, Landegg
| Academy, Wienacht, Switzerland | 22-25: The Creative Resolution of Conflict: A Conf
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‘Street address: P.O. Box or Other mailing address
23-25: LSA Team Building Weekend, Bosch Baha’! phone 408-423-3387; fax 408-423-7564.
25-October 1: Elderhostel, Bosch Baha chool. Phone 408-423-3387.
30-October 5: Annual meeting of the A: ciation for Baha’f Speaking), Landegg Academy, Wienacht, Switzerland.
‘Apartment # (If applicable) ‘Apartment # (If applicable)
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Tp. New ComMUNITY: E. HOME TELEPHO! 2: Conference to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the birth of
| Mohandas K. Gandhi, University of Maryland, College Park. Co-sponsored by Ll ‘Name of new Bahai Community Moving date “Aveacods Phone samber ay the university’s Baha’i Chair for World Peace, Center for International Develop
ment and Conflict Management. For information about the conference, contact
the Gandhi Institute in Memphis, Tennessee (phone 901-725-0815; fax 901-7250846).
7-9: National Latino Conference, Bosch Baha’{ School. For information, phone 408-423-3387; fax 408-423-7564.
14-16: Annual meeting of the Bahai Justice Society, Tempe, Arizona.
| F: WORK TELEPHONE NUMBER(S):
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14-16: Third Haj Mehdi Arjmand Scripture Conference (conducted in Per Wwe do 201 ave to same Jat mame, the lat nsoes and ereses om oar urhovseholdreceivesonly ove copy
Ui Edy tre pane (en wehbe | [ar] utomnettesnvamiomerny | |i cn). Gasen Age Bahé't School: Hliot, Maine fee information, phorie Robert Hl cancel the copy forthe persons) and LD. lstedabovethefallnamesofallfaniy mem | receivemy owncopy. Ihavelisedmynane, | | Stockman, 708-733-3425.
[Pestle ees Aa tamed cope 20 Re petonnl | chore ms atten hose | 14-16: Urban LSA Conference IV, Bosch Baha'i School. For information,
- (dc 6a had WOTWIN rocolve caly Gan COPY. phone 408-4
- 87; fax 408-423-7564.
——— — — 20-23: Training program for Sensitive International Teaching Areas (SITA), Baha’f National Center, Wilmette, IL. Attendance by invitation.
20-23: Baha'{ Youth Service Corps/Pioneer Training Institute, Baha'f National Center, Evanston, Illinois. Attendance by invitation.
21-23: Kansas Baha'i School, White Memorial Camp, Council Grove. Contact: Joyce Stohr, Topeka, KS 66601.
28-November 2: Annual meeting of the International Society of Agri-culture and Rural Development, Landegg Academy, Wienacht, Switzerland.
NOVEMBER
4-6: Wisconsin Family Weekend, Byron Center. Contact Lisa Reimer,
West Bend, WI 53095 (phone 414-338-3023). Wasllabislallatledl 4-6: Fourth Haj Mehdi Arjmand Scripture Conference, De Poort, the Netherlands, with focus on the Kitéb-i-Aqdas. For information, phone Robert H. Stockman, 708-733-3425.
18-22: Music Forum, Landegg Academy, Wienacht, Switzerland. Theme: “The Role of Music in a Changing World.” Worskhops conducted in English and German. For information, please contact Landegg Academy, CH-9405, Wienacht/AR, Switzerland.
60091
BAHA'{ NATIONAL CENTER
112 Linden Avenue
Wilmette, IL
AsmA’ 8.€. 151 / Auaust 20, 1994
