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| Ridvan message monn the Universal House of Justice, Page 3
“AZAMAT B.E. 1517
May 17, 1994
Vo.ume 25, Numser 7
85th Baha’i National Convention
The American
at
Delegates applaud renewed spirit, press forward
By Tom Mennillo
“Whatever the outward conditions of mankind in the year ahead, the Baha'i community must gather strength, demonstrate more clearly the distinguishing character of its way of life, reach out with confidence to proclaim and teach its message, and draw down in ever-greater measure the confirming assistance of the Hosts of the Supreme Concourse. In every aspect of this work, it is the individual Baha’t who holds the key to victory.” (Ridvan 151 mess. of the Universal House of Justice)
°
Call it an outpouring of bounties from the Holy Year and release of the Kitab-i-Aqdas.
The hand of destiny, if you will.
Whatever the source, a spirit of love and confidence pervaded the 85th Baha’f National Convention from beginning to end.
Little wonder delegates moved unwaveringly to grasp the “key to victory” and unlock, with their fellow believers, all doors before them.
The sacred convocation April 21-24 at the Baha’i House of Worship abounded with symbols of the Faith’s first 100 years in America:
- appearances by David S. Ruhe,
retired member of the Universal House of Justice, and Margaret Ruhe;
¢ the personal reminiscences of Elsie Austin, a former member of the National Spiritual Assembly;
- an audio-visual history of the
institutions of the National Convention and the National Assembly;
¢ stirring choral renditions of songs long dear to American Baha‘is;
- even the presence and use of the
table/lectern that had solidly served
The members of the newly elected National Sr . Davis, Firuz Kazemzadeh, Patricia Locke, Robert C. Henderson, Dorothy W. Nelson, Juana Conrad, James F. Nelson, Alberta
the Convention. From left: Wil
Deas and Jack McCants.
so many early Conventions.
And there were manifest confirmations of this community’s growing maturity:
- a burst of spiritual energy in the
past year resulted in a 48 percent increase in annual enrollments and the promise of a plentiful harvest to come;
- generosity of spirit enabled the
National Fund to end its year without an operating deficit;
- victory in one Three Year Plan
goal—traveling teaching—was achieved and several other goals, such as in pioneering, are within immediate reach;
the delegates themselves gave inspirationally, through an extraordinary level of consultation and their contributions totaling five units of $9,000 each for the construction
itual Assembly are presented to
projects on God’s Holy Mountain.
National Assembly elected
Filled with the significance of the occasion, the delegates gathered on Saturday morning, April 23, in Foundation Hall to elect the National Spiritual Assembly for 1994-95: Juana Conrad, William E. Davis, Alberta Deas, Robert C. Henderson, Firuz Kazemzadeh, Patricia Locke, Jack McCants, Dorothy W. Nelson and James F. Nelson.
The new National Assembly met shortly afterward to elect its officers: James Nelson, chairman; Dorothy Nelson, vice-chairman; Robert Henderson, secretary-general;
@ Hmong Institute makes friends @ International collaboration goals
@ National Arts Task Force formed
William Davis, treasurer; Firuz Kazemzadeh, secretary for External Affairs; and Juana Conrad, assistant secretary.
An awareness of the National Convention’s import and the American community’s role in building the Kingdom had been made abundantly clear from the outset by Counselor Arturo Serrano.
The National Convention “is not a meeting of individuals but a means of expressing our respect for the National Spiritual Assembly,” he said.
Conducted in the proper spirit, Counselor Serrano said, it will return blessings “a thousandfold” and hasten entry by troops.
Delegates will return home “confident of the community’s capacity to usher in a new stage in the Faith’s progress,” he averred.
Mr. Henderson continued the theme in his remarks following the annual report of the National Spiritual Assembly and its agencies.
He began by recounting the National Assembly’s recent three-day consultation in Haifa with the Universal House of Justice.
See CONVENTION page 8
Vision in Action ..
iat
pts)
@ Annual Report pull-out section ... 11-22 @ Chicago banquet to mark centenary ..27
Wilmette, Illinois.
Chalk up three more awards for the Baha’ House of Worship restoration.
The decade-long project is being honored this time by the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois (LPCI), the Structural Engineers Association of Illinois (SEAOD) and the Village of
These awards follow on the heels of the International Concrete Repair Institute’s designation of the Temple work as its “Project of the Year.”
Restoration project manager Robert F. Armbruster was informed by LPCI on March 22 that the Temple Restoration Group has received the 1994 Richard H. Driehaus Preservation Project of the Year Award.
In announcing the award, LPCI cited the “enormity” of the project and said judges were impressed with the “strong degree of collaboration that was attained between the project managers and the contractors.”
House of Worship restoration honored thrice more
‘First-rate effort’
The judges also referred to the project as “a first-rate preservation effort—a model for other religious institutions.”
A letter of recommendation from Wilmette Village President John Jacoby accompanied the nomination.
Calling the House of Worship a “magnet for
See AWARDS page 26
[Page 2]
ion im
shia
THe American BanA'l 2
Letter from the National Teaching Committee
Teaching: toward a more mature approach
Teaching the Cause of God is a privilege and a responsibility for everyone who has been so blessed as to have recognized Baha'u'llah as the supreme Manifestation of God in this wondrous age. There is no activity more fun— damental to the life of a true believer.
Baha'u'llah has thus proclaimed: “Teach ye the Cause of God, O people of Bahd, for God has prescribed unto every one the duty of proclaiming His Message, and regardeth it as the most meritorious of all deeds.”
In its Ridvan 1988 message, the Universal House of Justice wrote: “...the paramount purpose of all Baha’t activity is teaching. All that has been done or will be done revolves around this central activity...to which all progress in the Cause is due. ...Every individual—man, woman, youth and child—is summoned to this field of action; for it is on the initiative, the resolute will of the individual to teach and serve, that the success of the entire community depends.”
As the generality of humankind sinks deeper into a state of confusion, despair and hopelessness, the commitment, sacrifice and effectiveness of those who teach the Cause should rise to unprecedented levels.
In its Ridvan message last year, the Universal House of Justice called for a massive expansion of the Faith, and stated that the goals of the Three Year Plan must be magnificently achieved “...whatever the sacrifice.”
The success of this community in achieving the goals of the Plan will depend on our in— creasing our understanding of the nature of the teaching work and our taking a more ma— ture and holistic approach to this vital responsibility.
As a community, we have reached a point in our development, as well as a time in the world's history, where as individuals, communities and institutions, we are called upon to carry out the teaching work in a more systematic way, with a clear vision of the purpose of the work we are called upon to perform—the spiritual conquest of the planet.
The Universal House of Justice has written: “Armed with the strength of action and the cooperation of the individuals composing it, the community as a whole should endeavor to establish greater stability in the patterns of its development, locally and nationally, through sound, systematic planning and execution of its work—and this in striking contrast to the shortlived enthusiasms and frenetic superficialities so characteristic of present-day American life.”
Ina letter of February 27, 1975, written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, it was stated that “proclamation, expansion and
in a way ih JO
cally addresses each of the complementary aspects of teaching is more effective when the Baha'i community is so organized, and the pattern of community life so established, as to ensure the proper balance between proclamation, expansion and consolidation.”
consolidation are really three different aspects of teaching which to some degree merge into one another. ...As a community, we must teach with the understanding that these three components of teaching are complementary and mutually supporting. It is not only necessary that we give due attention to these aspects of the teaching work, but we should also balance the amount of time and attention devoted to each.”
Ina process of systematic teaching, one's declaration of faith and request for enrollment in the Baha'i community is only the beginning. In a letter of April 17, 1981, the House of Justice wrote: “Consolidation is as vital a part of the teaching work as expansion. It is that aspect of teaching which assists the believers to deepen their know]edge and understanding of the Teachings, and fans the flame of their devotion to Baha'u'llah and His Cause, so they will, of their own volition, continue the process of their spiritual development, promote the teaching work, and strengthen the functioning of their administrative institutions.
“Proper consolidation is essential to the health of the community, to the protection of its interests, to the upholding of its good name, and ultimately to the continuation of the teaching work itself.”
Teaching the Cause in a way that systematically addresses each of the complementary aspects of teaching is more effective when the Baha'i community is so organized, and the pattern of community life so established, as to ensure the proper balance between proclamation, expansion and consolidation.
Each community should initiate a process of building a spiritual and social infrastructure that
supports systematically each aspect of the teaching work. For instance, each proclamation activity should be supported by direct teaching such as firesides, individual and door-to-door teaching.
In turn, deepening classes, Sunday school classes, institutes, summer and winter schools should be available and accessible to newly enrolled believers.
Other activities within the community's spiritual and social infrastructure may include regular social gatherings, deepenings, children's classes, programs for youth and local Spiritual Assembly Development Program modules, in addition to Assembly meetings, Feasts, and Holy Day observances. These activities help establish the distinctive pattern of Bahé'f com— munity life. Once started, they should not be allowed to disappear.
It is also important to note that most of these activities may, and should, be attended by those who have not yet embraced the Cause. In this way, many avenues for learning about and capturing the spirit of the Faith are made available to those we wish to teach.
A clear illustration of why it is necessary to establish such patterns of Baha'i community life may be found in the answers to the following questions:
- If your community were able to conduct a
successful teaching campaign that resulted in 100 or more enrollments in a brief period, say several weeks, how would the community re— spond to ensure that these newly enrolled be— lievers were welcomed properly into the com= munity and the consolidation process begun?
¢ Who would deepen them?
¢ Where would this be done?
- What would be the subject matter, and what
materials would be used?
¢ How would the community deal with differences in language and culture?
When distinctive patterns of Baha'i community life are established, the various aspects of teaching happen in a more routine and systematic way. When decisions about consolidation are considered only after expansion activities have met with success, our approach to teaching tends to become frenetic and inconsistent.
Through the guidance and direction provided by the institutions of the Faith and the commitment to sacrificial endeavor on the part of each individual believer, we will soon witness the process of entry by troops as the next stage in our mission of the spiritual conquest of the planet and the long-awaited establishment of God's Kingdom on earth.
The National Teaching Committee May 1994
REIS PISA The American Bahé’t is published 19 times a year by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahs'fs 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'i welcomes news, letters and other items of interest from individuals and the various institutions of the Ba~ ha'{ Faith. Articles should be clear and concise; color or black-and-white glossy photographs should be included whenever possible. Please address all materials and correspondence to The Editor, The American Baha'i, Wilmette, IL 60091. Postmaster: Send address changes to Man-agement Information Systems, Baha’t National Center, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201. Copyright © 1994 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahs'fs of the United States. World rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
Portland's Hmong Institute deepens believers, makes friends
Efforts by the Baha'is of Portland, Oregon, to reach their Southeast Asian neighbors through the Hmong Teaching Institute have led to the recent declarations of eight new believers in that city.
The Institute, which was brought into being at the end of the Holy Year a year ago, began by holding children's classes in the home of a Hmong, Baha’f. Within two months the children had memorized prayers and passages from the Writings, and the end of the first term saw the first declaration as a result of the classes.
After moving the classes to the larger Baha'{ Center in Portland, the Baha'fs found a Baha'f, Song Lor (Mike), who had lived in the city for 10 years but had lost contact with the Baha'i commu nity. During the first visit to their home, his wife declared her belief in Baha'u'llah.
Song Lor now meets with a Baha’{ each week to study for his GED (high school equivalency diploma), and through him the friends found that there is aneed in the Hmong community for such classes.
A program was set up based on the Writings to study science, reading skills and math. While the adults study, their children have Baha’f classes based on the Core Curriculum materials. There was one declaration at the very first GED class.
In consulting with Hmong elders about teaching, the Baha'is were told that it is perfectly proper to ask the Hmong how they feel about the Faith and if they would like to become Baha'is.
[Page 3]
‘AZAMAT 8.E. 151 / May 17, 1994
‘There is so little time and so much to do...’
To the Baha'is of the World Dearly loved Friends,
One year of the Three Year Plan is now behind us, a year in which the turmoil of the world en— gendered in hearts and minds both hope and fear, both optimism and despair, both admiration of people’s courage and shame at the cruelty to which mankind can sink. Amidst these trials, the followers of Bahd’u‘llah press forward, clearvisioned and confident, raising the structure of God’s Kingdom, suffusing society with a new spirit, and demonstrating to all people the re— vitalizing effect of the divine Teachings.
At the World Center, the 23rd of May saw the opening of a new five-year term of the membership of the International Teaching Cen— ter. In our first joint meeting we ap ciety, the friends have increased the use of workshops and institutes, with notable success. In the year ahead these two complementary processes— attracting people of capacity and increasing our own abilities—must be further advanced, stimulating individual action and the harmonious development of a wide range of activities for the promotion of the Faith.
As the potentialities of the individual believers unfold, so the local and national Baha’f institutions are gaining ability to foster the quality of the life of their communities and to conceive and implement imaginative programs. In many areas local Spiritual Assemblies have collaborated in teaching the Faith in a region. National Assemblies, likewise,
to establish strong bases for continuing growth. To assist them in their endeavors, to help the Baha'is in other countries to initiate and maintain this process, and to dispel the misconceptions which inevitably surround so challenging a concept, a compilation on “Promoting Entry by Troops” has been issued. Study and application of the principles and approaches described therein will undoubtedly assist every Baha'i teacher and community, whether in an area where entry by troops has been a reality for many years, or in one where no sign of it has yet appeared. In respect to the latter, it will help to convince individual believers of the reality and validity of this process and will enable Baha’{ communities to prepare themselves spiritually and materially for this surge for— ward, to eagerly anticipate its occur plauded the many initiatives which it ‘The reer reputation of the Faith in the eyes of the rence, to take those steps which will had pursued during the previous term world, and the attention that this is drawing to the World foster its beginning, and to ensure the and urged their further development. Center, underscore the importance of completing the Ter- measures which will perpetuate its Prominent among these initiatives was races of the Shrine of the Bab and the buildings for the growth.
the guidance given to the Continental Counselors to promote consultation at local and national levels, among institutions and believers, leading to the initiation and sustaining of processes of growth in the Baha’{ community. Another was the progressive clarifying of various approaches to the teaching work. As the year has proceeded, these actions have intensified the impetus being given to the development of the Faith and its institutions by the Counselors, the Auxiliary Board members and their assistants, reinforcing the insight and encouragement that they give to the National and local Spiritual As— semblies and the individual believers.
The growing reputation of the Faith in the eyes of the world, and the attention that this is drawing to the World Center, underscore the importance of completing the Terraces of the Shrine of the Bab and the buildings for the World Administrative Center of the Cause of Baha’u’ll4h. Since the issuing of the special appeal to the Baha’f world to raise $74 million for this project during the course of the Three Year Plan, the response has been heartwarming, and it is our ardent hope that the continuation of this spirit of sacrifice will result in the speedy achievement of this goal and will ensure the uninterrupted progress of the work, drawing to God’s Holy Mountain the admiring gaze of visitors and residents alike.
Study of the Kitdb-i-Aqdas is illuminating the lives of the rank and file of the believers. Awareness of the importance of upholding the principles of the Faith and obeying its laws is rising. Universal application of the law of Huqtiqu’Iléh has aroused an enthusiastic response. The friends’ consciousness of their individual obligation to teach the Faith is growing. As they discharge their spiritual responsibilities and learn greater dependence on the confirmations of Bahd’u’llah, they find that their faith gains new vitality, and their hearts fresh confidence. These are all areas where the action of the individual need not wait for either urging or help. Alone, and aided solely by the power of the Almighty, each believer is challenged to develop these spiritual strengths which will contribute beyond measure to the evolution of the community.
More systematic deepening
The human resources of the Cause are being augmented in two ways. People of capacity are being moved to embrace the Faith, reinforcing the ranks of those who are already serving. The latter, for their part, have been enriching their experience and acquiring greater capabilities through a more profound study of the Teachings and through ex— pressing them in action. Recognizing the need for a more systematic deepening of their understanding of the Teachings and their application to so World Administrative Center of the Cause of
have been evolving innovative projects to seize the opportunities presented by developments outside the Cause. Some examples of such activities, in very different fields, have been the Open Letter Project in Albania; the response to the extraordinary receptivity of the authorities and the general population in the Sakha and Buryat Republics in Siberia; and the agreement signed between the National Spiritual Assembly of the Marshall Is— lands and the local government of Majuro Atoll in response to the national authorities’ request that the Bahd’fs assume responsibility for the operation of five state elementary schools.
Crucial prerequisite
The evolution of local and national Baha’f in— stitutions has made possible an increased measure of decentralization in the administration of the work. For this beneficial process to expand, however, the crucial prerequisite in most countries is the speedy improvement of the functioning of local Spiritual Assemblies. This calls for the close attention of every believer. These local Baha’f institutions, ordained in the Kitdb-i-Aqdas itself, constitute a reservoir of strength and guidance which will amplify the effectiveness of the work of the Cause as they mature.
We live in the midst of populations which are in desperate need of the Message of Bahd‘u’llah. It is our duty to present it lucidly and convincingly to as many souls as possible. The darkness and suffering around us not only are the signs of a need, but also present us with an opportunity which we must not fail to use. Conveying the message is merely the first step. We must then ensure that it is understood and applied, for, as we read in one of the letters written on behalf of the Guardian: “Until the public sees in the Baha’i community a true pattern, in action, of something better than it already has, it will not respond to the Faith in large numbers.” When people embrace the Cause, they should then, through the Teachings, develop their relationships with each other and with their fellowcitizens to gradually produce a truly Baha’i community, a light and haven for the bewildered.
After the glorious events of the Heroic Age of the Faith, entry by troops of the peoples of the world into the Cause of God first occurred in Africa during the ministry of Shoghi Effendi, and then spread to other areas. Gradually, the Baha’f communities of those regions are learningthrough experience and are evolving methods and programs which aim to draw these large numbers of believers together in functioning communities and
ahd’u’ll4h.’
The notable rise in international collaboration during the past year, the settlement of pioneers, and the flow of traveling teachers have knit ever more closely the fabric of the Baha’i community. Leading the way in such achievements, Amatu’l-Baha Rahiyyih Khanum undertook an arduous journey for the encouragement of the believers and the proclamation of the Faith, covering Russia and other lands which were formerly parts of the Soviet Union, from the Baltic States in the west to Siberia in the east, from the Central Asian re— publics in the south to St. Petersburg and Ya— kutsk in the north.
This Ridvan seven inaugural National Conventions will be held. Our representatives at these historic events will be the Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahé Ruahfyyih Khénum for the election of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahd’fs of Cambodia in Phnom Penh, and for that of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Mongolia in Ulaan Baatar; the Hand of the Cause ‘Ali-Muhammad Vargé for the election of the Regional Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Slovenia and Croatia in Ljubljana; Counselor Lauretta King for the election of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’fs of Kazakhstan in Alma-Ata, and for that of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Kyrgyzstan in Bishkek; and Counselor Shapoor Monadjem for the election of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Tajikistan in Dushanbe, and for that of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Uzbekistan in Tashkent. The present Regional Spiritual Assembly of Central Asia, with its seat in Ashkhabad, will then become the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Turkmenistan.
Two primary tasks The end of the century is fast approaching. There is so little time and so much to do. We call upon every follower of the Cause of Baha’u’llah to consecrate the utmost endeavor to the two primary tasks of teaching the Faith to every thirsting soul, and of providing the material means for the com— pletion of the monumental projects being pursued on Mount Carmel. Whatever the outward conditions of mankind in the year ahead, the Baha’i community must gather strength, demonstrate more clearly the distinguishing character of its way of life, reach out with confidence to proclaim and teach its message, and draw down in evergreater measure the confirming assistance of the Hosts of the Supreme Concourse. In every aspect of this work, it is the individual Baha’i who holds the key to victory. The Universal House of Justice Ridvan 151 B.E.
4
THe AMERICAN BAHA't
On June 27, 1993, the Universal House of Justice defined the international
needs of the Faith by four categories. These are goals that the worldwide 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'i National Center, Wilmette IL 60091. Telephone 708-733-3508; fax 708733-3509.
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* Kirgystan*, Mongolia, Turkmenistan*, Uzbekistan*
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 assist in the opening of new centers.
Africa
Bophuthatswana, Botswana+, Burkina, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Ciskei, Gabon, The Gambia, Lesotho, Madagascar, 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,
International collaboration goals
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 assisting with projects of social and economic development.
Africa Cameroon, Chad", Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Swaziland+, Zambia, Zimbabwe Americas Barbados, Belize+, Boliviat, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Ricat+, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Haiti+, Honduras, Panama+, Peru, Suriname*, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela Asla Bangladesh, Hong Kong+, India’, Japan*, Macaw+, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Taiwan Australasia
Papua New Guinea+, Samoa*
Mauritius,
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’{ 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 Australasia
Islands
St, Vincent and the Grenadines, West Leeward Islands+ Andaman and Nicobar Islands, South Korea+, Sri Lanka, Thailand
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
Asia
Afghanistan, Armenia, Bhutan, Brunei, Indonesia, North Korea, Laos, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Tadzhikistan*, Vietnam
French Polynesia*, Wallis and Fortuna
- Need for traveling teachers specified, to date
+ Opportunities for youth
Five-year-old Baha'i sends ‘lot of money’
to Fund as he prepares to pioneer with family
This precious letter was written by Kevin Alexander Hewitt Kastle the day after his 5th birthday and on the eve of his family’s departure for the pioneering field.
. National Baha’t Center Office of the Treasurer Wilmette, IL Dear Friends,
I’m sending you a lot of money because I love all of you. Send it to all the Funds.
This is not all the money I have but Isent you more than I have.
We're [going pioneering] soon and my mommy wonders how we can send money to the Fund while we are there. But we will send some.
We're Baha’is. I bet you are too. I love all of you. I would like to see all of you and see how the Funds are doing.
Love,
Kevin
Friends close to winning goal for traveling teaching trips
In his message to the 1943 AllAmerica Centennial Convention, Shoghi Effendi expressed deep gratitude for work of the pioneers and traveling teachers, saying: “To the band of pioneers, whether settlers or itinerant teachers, who have forsaken their homes, who have scattered far and wide, who have willingly sacrificed their comfort, their health and even their lives for the prosecution of this Plan;...1 myself, as well as the entire Baha’f world, owe a debt of gratitude that no one can measure or describe.
“To the sacrifices they have made, to the courage they have so consistently shown, to the fidelity they have so remarkably displayed, to the resourcefulness, the discipline, the constancy and devotion they have so abundantly demonstrated, future generations viewing the magnitude of their labors in their proper perspective, will no doubt pay adequate tribute—a tribute no less ardent and well-deserved than the recognition extended by the present-day builders
of the World Order of Bahd’u’‘ll4h to the Dawn-Breakers, whose shining, deeds have signalized the birth of the Heroic Age of His Faith.”
Thanks to the outstanding spiritual commitment to teaching and reporting to the National Assembly evidenced in this first year of the Three Year Plan, we are close to achieving our initial goal of deploying 2,000 international pioneers and traveling teachers. With only months to go before completing “Mission 19,” the mid-point of the Plan, it is critical that the friends report all international trips of any nature taken during the last Baha’i year, and begin planning teaching trips for the summer months and beyond.
In the Tablets of the Divine Plan, ‘Abdu’'l-Bahd told the Baha’fs of the United States and Canada that three vital conditions must be fulfilled by our communities. The third of these conditions is that “Teachers must continually travel to all parts of the continent, nay, rather, to all parts of the world. ...”
The National Spiritual Assemblies of the countries listed below welcome the support of such traveling teachers, whose vital role Shoghi Effendi describes as “to give the final touch to the work that has already been done” and to “encourage and inspire the individual believers, and to broaden and deepened their vision of the task that is to be done...in the spirit of simple and whole hearted cooperation.”
There are certain areas of most urgent need not listed below about which the friends can only be informed by contacting their local Spiritual Assembly, Auxiliary Board member, or the Office of Pioneering.
AFRICA: Botswana, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Malawi, Niger, Senegal, South Africa and St. Helena, Transkei, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
AMERICAS: Alaska, Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Belize, Brazil,
See TRAVELING page 26
MISSION 19
‘AZAMAT B.€. 151 / May 17, 1994
(6 MONTHS TO GO!)
ZA 1993-1996
U.S. Baha’i Community Current Goals and Status - ‘Azamat 151 - May 17, 1994
( >»
2)
TEACHING TEMPERATURE’S RISING!
Homerront Travet Goats Teaching ‘Fires’ Enkindled Across the Country
—— Billings Denver Minneapolis. 1G,
Homerront PIoNEER GoALs vee eet ones
Portland / i ae Waynos) ft Ree Lancaster
Woodburn ——_, Detroit
. Providence
Int’L PiongER, TRAVEL GOALS en Charice
pater Charlotte/Gastonia
a Greensboro
en cees ih Durham
Completed as of this report ay se = a — Conway
‘reac Psa tiene
Las Cruces OLE % yo a Rat
Jicarilla joca Raton
ichita é eh Magdelene Came
THE FUND ia Ea
(As of March 31, 1994) Oklahoma City iis Tallahassee - — Central Dade County
Miami, OK South DeKalb Sarasota
County St Petersburg,
Four Major Funps
In recent weeks the National Teaching Committee has received news of teaching victories from all over
the country:
HR Coal for 150 B.E. ¢ The number of reported firesides has risen.
Contributions to Date ¢ The number of communities making teaching plans is on the upswing.
¢ New teaching campaigns are being launched almost every day.
NATIONAL FuND The fires ignited must now spread to other areas, until the entire United States is ablaze!
$11,613,960
I F Let us continue to carry “the torch of God's undying flame to the waiting multitudes” and witness the
Bat Se UND: victory of the Divine Plan.
N YY,
( >)
soe Ne Does your community
TOTAL have a teaching project?
NROLLMENTS ° .
i SEN Have you seen victories
$110,000 i , 7
i ’ in teaching? Let us know.
Osiz75 PATIL teeicisets 2
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Year todate...11808 Please call the National [EBB From Nat Bans’ Fund Teaching Office at (HB) Earmarked Dollars WB Total contributions 708-733 -3 494, . 7
[Page 6]
Distribution
Robe of Light
The Persian Years of the Supreme Prophet Baha’u'll4h 1817-1853
by David S. Ruhe
HC $24.95 / cope—ROL
In this study of the life of Baha’u'll4h, Dr. David Ruhe focuses on the early years of Baha’u’llah’s life from His birth in 1817 to His banishment to Iraq in 1853. The book discusses that most mysterious time when, in the underground prison, Bahd’u’llah became aware of His station as the Manifestation of God for this age and embarked on His world-embracing, world-healing mission.
9-1/2" x 6-1/4", 230pp., contents, list of Illustrations, preface and acknowledgments, Introduction, appendices, glossary, bibliography, references, Index
Melodies From the City of the
Covenant
CD $16.95 / cove—MFCCCD CS $10.95 / cope—MFCCC This unique album includes a special introductionin Persian by Amatu’l-Bahé Rihfyyih Khanum, with chantsby Hands of the Cause of God Dr. Varga and Mr. Furdtan. This collec
ON THE SHOULDERS
OF we
by Craig Loehle
From George Ronald
such as racism.
George Ronald, Publisher
On the Shoulders of Giants
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Isaac Newton is famous for his statement that if he saw farther than others it was because he had stood on the shoulders of giants. The theme of this book is the same: what we can see when our perspective is elevated. If we combine science and religion into a genuine partnership, we will be able to solve problems that have bedeviled humanity for thousands of years. Mr. Loehle’s essays explore how the partnership of science and religion can be used to address real problems and issues
T’ x 4-1/2", 201pp., contents, acknowledgments, Introduction, bibliography, references ok George Ronald, Publisher
tion of Persian music and chanting was recorded at the World Congress in New York, featuring Dr. Manoochehr Sadeghi on santour, accompanied by Behruz Sana’i on the zarb. A selection of prayers and poems is chanted and sung by Shokouh Rezai and Narges Nouhnejad.
78 minutes Live Unity Productions
enti ba
There are only 300 copies of the deluxe leather edition of Che Kitdb-t-Agdas in print. Lo order, please call 1-800-999-9019
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Prayers for Young Baha’is
complied from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, the Bab, ‘Abdu’'l-Bah4, and the Greatest Holy Leaf
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Children will cherish this illustrated compilation of some of the short prayers of the Central Figures of the Faith. Passages have been chosen for easy reading and memorization. A charming gift for children from 6-12.
6-11/16" x 6-3/4", 36pp., contents Kallmat Press
Fires in Many Hearts
by Doris McKay
SC $15.95 / copp—FIMH
Fires in Many Hearts is the stirring “life of a Baha’f” by Doris McKay, who became a Baha’f in upstate New York in 1925. After her passing in late 1992, the Universal House of Justice wrote, “her years of devoted service will long be remembered by countless believers whose lives were touched by her manifold activities on behalf of the Cause.” Intimate and moving portraits of Grace and Harlan Ober, Louis Gregory, May Maxwell, Martha Root, the Ives, Dorothy Baker, and many other early believers show how the Faith was taught, how racial amity was achieved, and how they took the first baby steps in the Administrative Order.
5-1/2" x 8-1/4", 338pp., photographs
Nine Pines Publishing
ss VOEUVIUUVUYGY
See teeta
Dll
REFER ‘Abdu’l-Baha
SW $75.00 / cope—RA3.5 or RA5.25
A reference program for ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s writings and utterances. Among the authenticated texts included are Memorials of the Faithful, Some Answered Questions, The Secret of Divine Civilization, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahd, Tablets of the Divine Plan, the Tablet to Dr. Auguste Forel, A Traveler's Narrative, Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahd, prayers of ‘Abdu’l-Bahé found only in the U.S. or U.K. editions of Bahd’f Prayers, the economic talk found in Foundations of World Unity, the Tablet to the Hague, and passages from various compilations researched and compiled by the Universal House of Justice. Among the included talks and explanations based on notes are Paris Talks, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahd in London. Information about the editions of publications used to compile the program is also included and easily retrieved. The user’s manual provides information on hardware requirements; installing the software; starting the program; changing colors toalter the background screen or the text screen; making ‘Abdu’l-Bahd REFER memory resident; changing the hot key; exporting text to a word processor; and problems, questions, and solutions. ‘Abdu’lBaha REFER will help Baha’fs to delve into the vast seas of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s teachings to acquire the “priceless treasures” it holds.
5-1/4" floppy disks or 3-1/2" disks, user's manual (please specify 5-1/4" or 3-1/2" disks when ordering)
Crimson Publications
[Page 7]
Distribution Sas nce
Promoting Promoting Entry by Troops Entry by Troops A Statement and Compllation De EW Bu Prepared by the Research Department
- of the Universal House of Justice
eras a The Universal House of Justice released this statement to help the friends “understand, welcome, initiate and sustain” the process of entry by troops, which “will soon become an established pattern for the growth of the Faith in country after country.” They also urge the friends 5 to “study this compilation, to understand the coherence of its state- N Edit ments, and to use its counsels to lend a renewed impetus to the spread ew I Oo n of the Faith and the establishment of the institutions of the Cause of
remsurerm use| God.” Tablets of Baha’u’llah
ie
5-1/2" x 8-1/2", 60pp. ress Bah4’i Publications Australia by Baha'u'llah
HC $11.00# / cope—TB The Baha’f Publishing Trust has just released
ee a new edition of Tablets of Bahd’u'llah to The Baha’i Songbook match the series of maroon hardcover editions Volume 1 of the writings of Baha’u’llah. Tablets of SC $10.95 / cope—BSB BD Bahdé’u’lléh contains 16 of Baha’u’llah’s most
A brand new collection of songs to enhance the quality of music and encourage singing at Feasts, Holy Days, Baha’f schools, and firesides. Melodies, lyrics, and simple guitar chords are included. The Baha’ {Songbook can be used by beginners, professionals, solo performers, and groups.
Designed and embellished with meditative illustrations, this excellent new publication will help spread the word of God through the arts and deepen the spirit of the Faith.
The Bahd’t Songbook features some of the most popular Bah’f songs of recent years—Mona with the Children, Traces, Peace Moves, The Royal Falcon, Storming the Gates of Heaven, Unity House, and more than 20 others.
8-1/4" x 11-3/4", 64pp., contents Bah4’i Publishing Trust - United Kingdom ed we
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significant and well-loved Tablets. ‘Abdu’lBaha has urged us to read a number of them with close attention so that we will have a model of how to be and how to live and may become the center of attraction wherever people come together. Also included is the Book of the Covenant, which Shoghi Effendi says will enable Baha’fs to withstand every test and the attatks of enemies outside the Faith.
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[Page 8]
THe AMERICAN BAHA't
Convention grasps ‘key to victory’ of the Cause
Continued from page |
As he described the love of the Supreme Institution for this community, a picture emerged of the higher calling to which we are summoned.
The challenge ahead
Several fundamental issues face American Baha'is, said Mr. Henderson. The first of these is developing a passion for teaching.
There exists in the United States a growing openness to Baha’f principles, he said, but the Faith is growing too slowly to exert its influence on events.
In short, he added, we must establish habits of teaching that will open hearts to Baha‘u’lléh.
The second fundamental issue is inspiring individual initiative.
Mr. Henderson noted the Ridvan 150 message's appeal to the individual believer, “who within himself or herself the measures of initiative that ensure the success of any global Baha‘i enterprise.”
He wondered aloud whether sometimes individuals feel stifled.
A balance must be struck, he said, between audacious initiative and the loving guidance of institutions. In that way, progress will accelerate.
A third issue facing the friends, he said, is building loving, nurturing, and mature local Spiritual Assemblies and Baha’f communities.
If we exhibit “bonds and ties that are stronger than blood,” Mr. Henderson said, we will be “seized with power” and people will be magnetically drawn to the Faith.
A fourth challenge is fostering race unity and equality of the sexes.
A statement by the National Assembly on the equality of women and men is upcoming, and the race unity work is well under way, said Mr. Henderson.
But an unfortunate pattern has unfolded, he said, in which diversity is emphasized more than the power of unity.
“Is this appropriate in light of the Writings?” he asked, noting the few references to diversity and the legion of references to unity in the Sacred Texts.
Only through living our unity will the Baha’f community become a true model for the peoples of the world, he said.
The fifth important issue is meeting the financial requirements of the Faith. Although admirable progress has
been made, Mr. Henderson said, a core of the friends shoulders a disproportionate burden in supporting the Funds.
Universal participation, he pointed out, will bring both spiritual and practical blessings at a time in which unprecedented opportunities for the Faith exist.
Three Year Plan update
Those opportunities underscore the spiritual advances made in the first third of the Three Year Plan, Mr. Henderson reported.
To the Universal House of Justice Dearly Loved and Esteemed Members,
The delegates to the 85th Baha‘i National Convention gathered in the presence of Counselors Jacqueline Delahunt, Wilma Ellis, and Arturo Serrano and retired member of the Universal House of Justice Dr. David Ruhe and Mrs. Margaret Ruhe were heartened to learn in your Ridvdn 151 message of the progress of the Faith throughout the world. We were likewise touched by reports from our beloved members of the National Spiritual Assembly about their meeting with you, accounts that reflected the depth of love and kindness you showered upon them. The effects of this guidance and encouragement have had a profound influence on the atmosphere of our consultation which has, we feel, exhibited what may well be an unprecedented level of maturity, love, and unity.
We have also been inspired by reports from our National Spiritual Assembly regarding successes and progress in the American Baha‘f community in fulfilling the goals of the Three Year Plan. Specifically, we have been encouraged by achievements in the arenas of pioneering, traveling teaching, and homefront pioneering, as well as important increases in the Fund. We have also been uplifted by reports of a steady increase in recent enrollments. It is our fondest hope that the years of planting seeds and nourishing growth will at long last yield a mighty harvest.
However, as you so aptly note in your message, and we now understand more clearly, “There is so little time and so much to do.” As you also observe, and as we have confirmed in our own consultation, our community, however devoted, energetic, and well intended, cannot achieve the glorious goals of the Faith without the immediate increase in the number of believers, and this can only occur through the process of entry by troops. This increase in believers is also the most effective method by which we can provide the material means for the completion of the projects on Mount Carmel.
As you state in closing, the fulfillment of this task can only be accomplished when the community achieves the collective realization that “it is the individual Bahai who holds the key to victory.” Therefore, we, the assembled delegates at this 85th Convention, pledge to take upon our individual shoulders the task of sharing with those in our districts this clear message. We further pledge to help foster communities that will exemplify the very “pattern in action,” which may offer “a light and haven for the bewildered,” a pure draught for “every thirsting soul.”
We humbly beseech your prayers at the Holy Theshold that each one of us may arise and serve.
Delegates to the 85th Baha'i National Convention April 22, 1994
Delegates to the 85th Baha'i National Convention of the United States Dearly loved Friends,
Your message has thrilled our hearts. We are especially grateful for the news that notable progress is being made in expansion on the home front and that a massive deployment of pioneers and traveling teachers has been effected during the first third of the Three Year Plan. May this evidence of movement be the sign of an unrelenting momentum that will propel the American Baha’i community to new peaks of triumph. You should have no doubt that conditions are ripe for the realization of such a wonderful prospect.
We welcome your pledge as delegates to impress upon the individual friends when you return home the awareness that they hold the key to victory in their own hands. Tell them to persevere in courage, patience and confidence and doors of success will be opened to them. You may also rest assured of our ardent supplications at the Holy Threshold on behalf of your beloved community.
The Universal House of Justice April 24, 1994
Seven months remain in Mission 19, the National Teaching Committee’s challenge to win the numerical goals of the Plan by the anniversary in November of the Birth of Baha’u’llah.
Already, however, significant teaching successes have been achieved:
- as of the first Day of Ridvan,
international pioneers and traveling
teachers totaled 1,636—closing in on the goal of 2,000;
- homefront pioneers numbered
447, near the goal of 500;
- domestic traveling teachers
exceeded the goal of 3,000 by more than 300;
- enrollments of 2,349 believers
were recorded, an increase of 48
percent from the previous year and the highest total since 1987.
A change in spirit among the friends has brought about these successes, said Mr. Henderson.
He counted among the more exciting initiatives during the year the HEAT Wave nationwide fireside campaign and the burgeoning, number of teaching projects.
And he saw these as evidence of a developing trend toward greater enrollments and teaching energy—if, he said, we harbor the spirit in our hearts before we enter the field.
Looking outward
The historical continuum of the Faith’s institutions also was on the mind of Mr. Kazemzadeh.
Fifty-three years ago, he told the Convention, he stood behind Shoghi Effendi as the Guardian chanted the Tablet of Visitation at the Holy Threshold.
Now, in January, he again was present as a member of the Universal House of Justice performed this supplication.
A similar “merging of the institutions” exists in the external affairs work of the Faith, said Mr. Kazemzadeh.
From Baha‘u’llah’s Tablets to the Kings onward, he said, relations with the world and its leaders have been integral to the development of the Faith.
A special role in that arena falls to the American Baha’{ community today, he pointed out, especially in view of the United States’ global position and the United Nations’ presence here.
It is a role the Universal House of Justice has appealed to the National Assembly not to diminish, even in the face of financial challenges that have resulted in a dilution of the workforce and temporary closing of the Office of Public Information.
Indeed, he said, the Baha’i community is being exhorted to move its involvement in world affairs a giant step forward, until the Cause of God speaks for all peoples with a voice of moral persuasion based on the teachings of Baha’u’lléh.
All external affairs activity, then, must further that aim, whether it be in defending the Faith and its believers wherever they are under persecution; working with the UN and its nongovernmental organizations; sustaining support for the Martin Luther King Holiday Commission and the Carter Center; continuing our linchpin efforts toward ratifying international conventions; or helping local Spiritual Assemblies work toward their goal of making local officials more aware of the Faith and its aims.
Looking within
It was to the American community’s support of the material needs of the Faith that Mr. Davis addressed his remarks to the Convention.
The gratifying response to the “Vision in Action” message of the National Assembly has laid a foun
dation for sustained levels of giving, he said.
The keys to its continuation, he said, lie in expanding the number of contributors to the Fund as well as the over-all number of believers in this community.
Mr. Davis called on local Spiritual Assemblies to fulfill the function of inspiring in the friends a spirit of giving.
And he urged the delegates to help the community look beyond provincial interests to its pivotal role in the worldwide development of the Faith.
With that preparation, the Ridvan 151 message of the Universal House of Justice was presented to the Convention.
Twin priorities
Counselor Jacqueline Delahunt summed up for the delegates the ongoing priorities contained in the message: completion of the Arc Projects and teaching.
These, plus the emphasis on individual initiative, she said, add up to powerful guidance for the Baha’f community.
She related how a young man in her South Dakota community had his heart set on serving for a year at the World Center of the Faith.
At the last minute, though, the youth re-examined his priorities and decided instead to stay home and work so he could raise a unit for the Arc.
Counselor Serrano also saw in the Ridvan message the means for connecting,all individual believers to the-effort to bring about entry by troops.
No one can feel isolated anymore, he said. In the same vein, no local Spiritual Assembly can be said to be “jeopardized”; rather, it is a body “with capacity to grow.”
Completing the projects on Mt. Carmel will cement that connectedness, said Counselor Wilma Ellis.
“The click, click, click of machines [during construction] is preparing the way for entry by troops,” she said. “When people come into the Faith, it will be their Arc.”
Counselor Ellis invited particular attention to one facet of the Arc in light of the Ridvan message's exhortation to “gather strength”: the Center for the Study of the Texts.
“Where are the scholars who will study the Scriptures?” she asked, urging Baha’f communities to guide young people toward fields of study that will produce such minds.
“Tt takes many years to grow a scholar, so we'd better get started with it,” she said.
Similarly, said Counselor Ellis, the Faith needs an army of confident speakers. We must turn ourselves into great teachers.
Consultation
The stage was set for consultation among the delegates over the next two and a half days on such vital issues as teaching, Baha’{ community life, race unity, the Funds, and pioneering.
Paul Lample, a member of the National Teaching Committee, reminded delegates at the outset that, as Sir Winston Churchill once said, “This is not the end or the beginning of the end, but the end of the beginning.”
He said the past year’s initiatives, including the Atlanta conference on large-scale growth, have begun to transform teaching efforts in the community.
One piece of evidence, he said, is that enrollments are coming in from. every corner of the nation. No single district, in fact, recorded more than 100 enrollments during the year.
Mr. Lample attributed the new teaching spirit in part to a higher level of cooperation between communities and their Auxiliary Board members and assistants.
Other key factors, he said, have included the recognition that many avenues of teaching legitimately lead to growth, a renewed emphasis
A ji (ale Aas “ The-tulips onthe. grounds of the Baha‘i House of
Worship bloomed literally overnight, to the delight of National Convention delegates and visitors.
on teaching about Bahd’u’llah and His message, and placing youth in the forefront of teaching.
Fellow National Teaching Committee member Ken Bowers put it another way: “I’m jazzed by what's going on in this country.”
One thousand of the year’s traveling teachers reported their involvement just that week, he said. “They're on fire and want to make their contributions count toward the Three Year Plan goals.”
Mr. Bowers asked the friends to take heart if the same level of activity is not yet present in their community.
“Tt soon will be,” he said, if the proper spirit is present. Homecoming
Delegates also were heartened in their consultation by words of encouragement from Dr. and Mrs. Ruhe and by a special Saturday evening program.
In between, the hushed assemblage heard a tape of the National Public Radio commentary on the slaying of three Baha'i pioneers in South Africa. As the tape trailed off, a refrain of “Allah’u’Abha” was quietly but resolutely taken up.
Mrs. Ruhe, in her remarks, observed that spiritual rebirth and renewal of the individual is the main teaching of the Faith.
It is the first spiritual principle, she said, just as unity is the first social principle.
She also counseled delegates to win hearts as well as minds.
“Hospitality, love and lendship will bring in more Bahd’fs than talk,” she said, adding that music also serves uniquely to touch the soul.
Dr. Ruhe told of the couple’s recent trip to South America, where they toured the three Baha’f universities that promise to blaze new paths in values-based education.
Down memory lane
Saturday night, delegates and guests enjoyed the recollections of Elsie Austin, whose half-century of service to the Faith connects the early community-builders to a Faith that today has emerged from obscurity.
Dr. Austin shared an incident from the first National Convention she attended that left a lasting impression on her.
Delegates were in the midst of consultation on administration and teaching, she related, when sharp disagreement broke out. Suddenly anon-delegate took the floor to verbally attack the National Spiritual Assembly in general and one member in particular.
Then “one lovely voice” could be heard saying the Remover of Difficulties, to which all joined in.
The effect, said Dr. Austin, was “electrifying.” Tensions receded and, without comment, the chairman took out his agenda and proceeded to the next item.
“To a new believer it was a revelation,” she said. There was no acrimony, no chastisement, only the power of prayer and dedication.
Dr. Austin’s remarks were followed by a slide presentation on the development of the sacred institutions of the National Convention and the National Spiritual Assembly.
The program took the Faith in America from the days of Temple Unity to the 1960s, emphasizing the community’s steadfast guidance from and devotion to the representatives of God on earth: first ‘Abdu’lBaha, then Shoghi Effendi, the Hands of the Cause of God, and the Universal House of Justice.
The self-styled 85th Baha’f National Convention Choir, a group of singers from 13 states conducted by Tom Price, brought the evening to an appropriate conclusion.
As audience members sang along and linked arms, the choir presented an uplifting medley of songs beloved by Baha'is. The choir then made a transition to the present with “O Bahd‘u'llah” from the oratorio first heard at the second Baha’i World Congress in 1992.
The Right of God The final morning of National Convention was devoted to our
17, 1994
material devotion to the Cause.
Daryush D. Haghighi, a Trustee of Huqtiqu’llah in America, reminded the delegates that this community was instrumental in making the Right of God universal.
Since then, he said, the believers have shown loving obedience to this spiritual law.
Fifty-three percent of offerings in 1992-93 were first-time payments, he pointed out, adding that the letters that accompany Huqtqu’llah invariably end with such words as “we pray that this offering may be acceptable at the Holy Threshold.”
Dr. Haghighi said the Right of God is destined to have a great effect, both on our personal behavior and on society as a whole.
If we remember that 19 percent of our assets belong to God, he said, no longer will the old order exist and we will be that new race of men brought into being by the Revelation of Baha’u’llah.
Then, the impact will flow from the economy of the family to that of the Faith and the entire human race.
Ongoing deepening on the spiritual application of the law will be necessary to bring this about, said Dr. Haghighi.
All laws of the Faith, including Huqtiqu’llah, must be presented as a gift to people the moment they come into the Faith, he said.
Dr. Ruhe also addressed the “genius” behind the law of Huqtqu'llah.
In contrast with the United Nations, which must rely on governments for funding, he said, the Universal House of Justice can draw on the support of the individual.
In future, he said, the Universal House of Justice will receive nearly all of its support for expanding the Cause in this manner, and it will fuel pioneering, traveling teaching and other activities worldwide.
As such, he concluded, the Right of God is the most most important structural element of the world society we are building.
The Funds
Mr. Davis opened consultation on the Funds with an announcement that the National Assembly anticipates closing the fiscal year without an operating deficit.
He cautioned, however, that capital deficits remain. There are significant ongoing property obligations that must be met from the Faith’s meager discretionary resources.
Fortunately, this community does not look inward to its weaknesses but outward to development and growth, he said. When the spirit is moved, we find out deep down that we have capacities we didn’t know existed.
He drew a parallel between the capacity to love and the capacity to be generous, and called on the institutions to find the concepts and words that will give life to this capacity.
One element that Mr. Davis said will be critical to the maturity of local communities is the Local Assembly Goal Program. In the past,
oals were suggested by the reasurer’s Office; starting this year, communities will set their own goals.
THe AMERICAN BAHA't
10
Teaching Committee establishes National Arts Task Force
“That day will the Cause spread like wildfire when its spirit and teachings are presented on the stage or in art and literature as a whole. Art can better awaken such noble sentiments than cold rationalizing, especially among the mass of the people.” (Shoghi Effendi)
°
The Guardian said it is the arts that will ignite the wildfire—not only those of us who are professional artists.
It is the general body of believers who arise to use the arts as a tool in their teaching, deepening, and social and economic development activities who will reach the masses.
The National Teaching Committee has established a National Arts Task Force (NATF) and asked its members to work, in collaboration with professional Baha’{ artists nationwide, to develop a program that will allow each believer to know that, whether you are a professional artist or not, the arts can play a role in your teaching efforts.
The goal of the NATF is to foster the integration of the arts into all areas of Baha’f community activity.
In collaboration with professional Baha’i artists nationwide, the NATF will produce a publication titled Art Matters. Three issues will be produced each year to provide you and your community with in-hand information and resources to help your teaching and deepening efforts.
Plainly and simply, this is a resource guide to support the use of the arts toward massive expansion.
The Art Matters resource guide will highlight creative ways to teach and deepen; present ways to use the arts for Holy Day programs, the Nineteen Day Feast, public meetings and weekly prayer services; print a calendar of events for nationwide Baha’i concerts, plays, workshops, projects and performances; index where to obtain artistic resources (such as banners, songs, books, Tshirts, posters, scripts) created by Baha’{ artists to assist teaching and deepening activities; create a national directory of Bahd’{ artists willing to use
their art in local and traveling
teaching; list scholarships; and
offer space for classified ads. And, of course, there will be
space devoted to exhibiting work donated to the newsletter
in the form of poems, drawings, fp
graphic designs, children’s stories—any art form capable of being printed.
You'll find a subscription form for the Art Matters resource guide on this page in The American Baha’t.
If you would like to be a part of this effort toward massive
expansion, please write to the "|
NATF via the Baha’f National Center.
We invite you to send us (a) announcements and photographs of newsworthy Baha’i
events that incorporate any of a
the arts, (b) profiles of local artists in your community who use their art to teach or express the principles of the Faith, (c) inspirational anecdotes of artsrelated teaching and deepening activities, and (d) ideas you would like to share about successfully using the arts in social and economic develop
ART MATTERS is a resource guide to support the use of the arts towards massive expansion.
‘ART MATTERS, a publication of the Boh&'i National Arts Task Force, will provide you and your
community with on hand information and resources 40 assis! your teaching and deepening efforts
Please send ART MATTERS to: Nome
Address
Telephone Baha'i ID # (for individuals) Boha'i Locality Code (for ISAs, groups)
Please enclose for your one yeor subscription (3 issues):
DS indiided D $i2gaup C1 $151sA
Please make check payable to the Notional Teaching Committee, re: ART MATTERS, Notional Bohd'i Center, Wilmette, IL 60091
We invite you to send us a) accounts and photographs of newsworthy Bahd’i events that use any of the orts, b) profiles of local artists who use their art to teach or express the principles of the Foith, ¢) inspirational anecdotes of arts-related teaching and deepening activities, d) ideas you would like to share about successfully using the arts in social and economic development projects, and d) please inform us of any upcoming performances, conferences, or activities that you would like listed in the Calendar of Events. In addition, if you have created any ortistic resources thot can be used for teaching and deepening efforts, such as banners, scripts, chil
dren's books, songs, butions, posters, please send us a brief description of the item os well os ‘your name and address/phone number through which readers can contact you directly. Please write to us via the Notional Teaching Committee, Attention: National Arts Task Force, National Bahd’i Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.
ment projects. Also, please let us know
about any upcoming performances, conferences, or activities that you would like listed in the calendar of events.
In addition, if you are a professional artist who has created items and resources that can assist in the teaching work of your fellow Baha'is, please
refer to the Art Matters subscription form for details on how to get a listing in the resource guide.
We look forward to receiving your input, and hope that you and your community begin using the arts to spread the Faith like wildfire today!
Greensboro Baha'is mark 99th birthday of first North Carolina believer
On January 29, the Baha'is of Greensboro, North Carolina, gathered at the Baha'f Center in Greensboro to celebrate the 99th birthday of Louise H. Sawyer, the first Baha’f in North Carolina.
After an opening prayer, Joseph Sawyer Jr. recalled how his mother had been introduced to the Faith by traveling teacher Ruth Moffett. Farzad Roberts then spoke on progressive revelation, the topic emphasized by Mrs. Moffett in all her presentations of the Faith.
William Tucker, another of the early Baha'is in North Carolina, paid tribute to Mrs. Sawyer's service and dedication, adding that she was always kind and loving and never criticized anyone in any way. Her home, he said, was always open to everyone, black or white, rich or poor, educated or uneducated.
After a video presentation of the early days of the Faith in North Carolina by Joe Sawyer, a choir closed the program by singing “Alléh'u'Abha,” after which cake was served as everyone sang “happy birthday” to Mrs. Sawyer.
At Baha'i National Center in Wilmette
Second Arjmand Scripture Conference held
The second Haj Mehdi Arjmand Conference on Scripture was held March 25-27 at the Baha'i National Center in Wilmette, Illinois.
The purpose was to explore scripture, both Baha'i and that of other religions, using perspectives derived both from the Baha'i revelation and academic scholarship.
Among those taking part were persons from Canada, Japan, four European countries, and 11 states.
Each of the conference's five formal sessions included presentations reflecting its particular theme. The themes were: (1) “Revelation: The Roles of the Divine and Human,” (2) “Revelation and the Human Response,” (3) “Myth and Parable in Scripture,” (4) “Examination of Specific Works by Baha'u'llah,” and (5) “New Revelation and Old.”
A dozen presentations were made during the course of the weekend. The conference was opened Friday evening with brief remarks including a talk about Haj Medi Arjmand (1860-1940) by one of his granddaughters, Minoo Mahboubian, who explained that Haj Mehdi Arjmand
y\ae
Scripture.
was a highly effective Baha't interpreter of both the Old and New Testaments; for two years he regularly debated an American Protestant missionary in Iran about biblical prophecy, and his arguments were eventually published in Persian.
A volume of selected papers from this and the first Arjmand Scripture Conference is planned. The abstracts
Dr. Robert H. Stockman, director of the Research Office at the Baha'i National Center, welcomes participants to the second Haj Mehdi Arjmand Conference on
of the conference may be obtained by sending a check for $3 to the Research Office, Baha'{ National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091. The check should be payable to “Baha'f Services Fund” and marked for “Arjmand Abstracts.”
A third Arjmand conference is planned for March 24-26, 1995, on the theme of the Kitdb-i-Aqdas.
1
‘AZAMAT B.E. 151 / May 17, 1994
The Annual Report Of the National Spiritual Assembly
Fundamental Issues Facing the American Baha’i Community
Toward the end of Shoghi Effendi’s ministry he made the following appeal to the American believers about the teaching work:
“The prizes within the reach of this community are truly inestimable. Much will depend on the reaction of the rank and file of the believers to the plea now addressed to them with the fervor of my soul.
“To act, and act promptly and decisively, is the need of the present hour and their inescapable duty. That the American Baha’i Community may, in this one remaining field, where so much is at stake, and where the needs of the Faith are so acute, cover itself with a glory that will outshine the splendor of its past exploits in the far-flung territories of the globe, is a prayer which I never cease to utter in my continual supplications to Bahé’u’lléh.”
The need for growth is urgent. Its slow rate compels the National Spiritual Assembly to raise fundamental questions that our community must discuss and resolve.
Developing a passion for teaching
The time is right for the Baha’i Faith to begin exerting a greater in-uence in society. The growing, openness to Baha’ principles and ideas, combined with the declining confidence in old approaches, is creating unparalleled opportunities for the Baha’{ Faith to infuse a fresh spirit and to point our struggling nation in a new direction. However, the Baha’f community is too small and is growing too slowly to sway mainstream patterns of thought, spirit, and action. To accelerate the expansion of the Baha’ community, we must cultivate a passion for teaching among individuals, Baha’{ families, and local spiritual assemblies. Sharing Baha’u’llah’s message and winning the hearts of increasing numbers of people of all backgrounds must become the cornerstone of Baha'i life. We must ask ourselves, What steps can we take to inspire and sustain the passion that will move the teaching work forward?
Inspiring Individual Initiative
Redoubling individual effort is the key to growth. Yet the friends sometimes feel stifled in their desire to teach and serve. Let us ask ourselves, How can we achieve a better balance between encouraging individuals and loving guidance and assistance from Baha’f institutions, their agencies, and the believers generally? What does the community need from the National Spiritual Assembly to help in this process?
Bullding loving, nurturing, and mature Spiritual Assembliles and Bahd'l communities The goal of the Baha'i Faith is the spiritual transformation of the world. Achieving the goal requires Baha’i communities to develop high standards of loving encouragement and concern for every soul and demands that Baha’f institutions become models of spiritual maturity and competence. In an age of widespread distrust of institutions, Baha’i assemblies must function as affectionate parents to their communities and models of loving cooperation between the institutions of the Learned and Rulers. At a time when interpersonal conflict and disunity are commonplace, Bahd’is must struggle to build a universal family held together by “bonds and ties that are stronger than blood.” The pursuit of these essential virtues is a never-ending process. What actions can individuals and institutions take to reinforce such roles and qualities in their communities and
in their spiritual assemblies? Moreover, in larger communities where the problems of size, complexity, and social ills are compounded, what special measures are needed?
Fostering racial unity and the equality of the sexes
Conflict and division among the races and between the sexes are rife in American society. Baha'is face the same challenges. Nevertheless, Bahd’fs have made important strides toward building models of unity and equality within and outside the Baha’{ community. Moreover, Baha’is generally understand the spiritual and social importance of these cardinal principles of their Faith. It appears, however, that an inordinate emphasis on diversity and an incomplete understanding of the power of the principles of oneness and unity may be impeding our efforts to achieve the Baha’ ideal. What is the status of our community in this regard and what should our next steps be?
Increasing the number of Baha’is contributing to the Fund
The opportunities and challenges facing the United States Bahé’i community are greater than ever. The funds available to seize the opportunities and to meet the challenges have not been adequate for some time. This scarcity of funds has forced the National Spiritual Assembly to reduce sharply its work force, to postpone important projects, and to curtail services. Our challenge is to increase the number of individuals contributing regularly and consistently to the Funds and to deepen their understanding of the spiritual significance of sacrificial giving. What is holding the friends back, and what will inspire their sustained commitment?
We commend the aforementioned thoughts and questions to your prayerful consideration and vigorous discussion. We pray that Baha’u’llah will guide us to a clear understanding of what we must do and a resolute determination to act “promptly and decisively.”
Highlights
The reports of the National Spiritual Assembly’s offices and agencies provide detailed summaries of the community’s activities during the year. What follows is a brief summary of highlights from the first year of the Three Year Plan:
The Universal House of Justice’s call for 2,000 long- and short-term pioneers and traveling teachers during the Three Year Plan has. been answered by 1,460 pioneers, Youth Service Corps volunteers, and international traveling teachers leaving American shores for service abroad.
The enthusiastic response to the Vision in Action message demonstrated the friends’ abiding commitment to the progress of the Cause. The leadership and participation of the Continental Counselors and Auxiliary Board members and the enthusiastic efforts of 300 representatives who carried the message prompted a sustained response from the friends. So far, the results include a strong surge in the number and intensity of teaching projects and a sizable reduction of the fund deficit.
Baha’ teacher training made solid progress through the National Teacher Training Center at the Louhelen Baha'i School, which trained 125 Core Curriculum teacher trainers, 1,000 teachers, and 25 race unity liaisons, preparing them for new levels of service in the spiritual education of their communities.
The final phase of ten years of restoration work
on the House of Worship was completed with repairs to the cornice and gutter. Five seasons of construction were finished ahead of schedule and below budget. The project’s outstanding craftsmanship and technical achievement earned the “Project of the Year” award from the International Concrete Repair Institute. The leadership and competence of project director Robert Armbruster are largely responsible for this historic achievement.
Progress on the Three Year Plan goals
At the outset of the Three Year Plan the National Spiritual Assembly adopted twelve goals for the American Bahd’f community. These incorporate the three goals outlined by the Universal House of Justice, as well as a continued emphasis on the goals of the Six Year Plan. The twelve goals are listed below, along with highlights of the American Baha’i community’s progress toward meeting them.
1. intensify study of the Sacred Writings as a means of fostering spiritual strength and transformation.
Organized at the permanent and regional schools courses for studying the Kitéb-i-Aqdas.
Sustained the Master Key program, greatly increasing distribution of the sacred texts.
Trained 125 Core Curriculum teacher trainers and 1,000 teachers.
2. expand vastly the human resources of the faith.
Increased greatly the use of volunteers in all phases of service.
Initiated many teaching projects.
3. raise at least 3,000 traveling teachers. Received reports from 3,357 traveling teachers who, we are confident, represent only a portion of
those who have arisen.
4. settle at least 500 homefront pioneers on Indian Reservations, in the South, and in other areas of great need.
Settled 477 homefront pioneers.
5. establish a local Spiritual Assembly in every city with a population of 50,000 or more, resulting in no fewer than 150 new local Spiritual Assemblies.
Prepared to establish 37 new local Spiritual Assemblies in cities of 50,000 or more.
6. strive to become leaders in the movement for race unity and to make Baha’ communities models of unity that inspire emulation and lead to growth.
Were asked to lead the effort to have the United States Congress ratify the United Nations Convention Against Racial Discrimination.
Conducted a large-scale, soon-to-be published study of models of racial, ethnic, and religious unity in metropolitan Atlanta. Similar studies are either in progress or have been completed in Portland, Oregon, and Greensboro, North Carolina.
Sustained among local Baha’i communities across the nation a high level of initiative and participation in race-unity activities.
Received appointment of two Baha’is as Federal Commissioners of the Martin Luther King Federal Holiday Commission.
7. teach Bahd’i and other children and youth to become the first generation of Americans free of all prejudices and truly united.
Trained 25 race-unity liaisons to help individuals and communities develop Core Curriculum materials on race unity.
Increased the number of Baha’i youth workshops and youth training activities to over sixty.
Saw local communities across the country
develop race-unity programs and curricula.
8. expand programs for the education of Baha’f children, youth, and adults and programs for the strengthening of Bah4’f family life.
Advanced the Core Curriculum training.
Expanded programs and academies for youth and children and began planning programs for strengthening marriage and family life.
9. promote the advancement of women and publish a statement on women.
Coordinated NGO involvement in the U.S. ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimation Against Women.
Furnished detailed information about the status of women in Baha’f communities to the Baha’{ International Community’s Office for the Advancement of Women for its survey titled “Participation of Women in Baha’i Community Life.”
Began drafting a statement on women. *
Published a special issue of World Order magazine devoted to the equality of the sexes.
10. foster the maturation of local and national institutions with particular emphasis on the development of Spiritual Assemblies, the refinement of the art of consultation, the refinement of the Feast, and the operation of the Funds.
Began planning a new local Spiritual Assembly training program and sustained the Local Spiritual Assembly Development module program.
Conducted the Vision in Action meetings.
Conducted an inspirational and planning conference for the Southern states, together with the Continental Counselors, the Auxiliary Board members, and their assistants.
11. strengthen the financial position of the national community.
Conducted the Vision in Action meetings.
Reduced staff, postponed projects, and curtailed some services of the national administration.
12. extend the range of the National Spiritual Assembly’s collaborative projects with the Bah4‘f communities of Alaska, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Eastern Europe, Greenland, Mexico, the countries of the former Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom.
Initiated a wide range of service and teaching projects with the National and Regional Spiritual Assemblies of Brazil, Canada, Russia, and Australia and in the Peoples’ Republic of China.
External Affairs
The National Spiritual Assembly continued its external affairs activities in Washington, D.C., New York, Atlanta, and Wilmette, consisting in part of the defense of Iranian Baha’fs, ratification of United Nations human rights treaties, promotion of the principles of sustainable development, protection and resettlement of Baha’{ refugees, promotion of United Nations activities, and collaboration with the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent and Social Change in Atlanta.
This past year the external affairs work was impaired by the drastic cuts in personnel and funding, which resulted from the severe shortage in the National Fund. Since April 1993 there has been a 40% cut in staff and a $200,000 cut in the external affairs budget. One result was the closing of the Office of Public Information in Wilmette in September. The National Assembly has maintained contact with the national communications media through its Washington office and with the assistance of Fleishman-Hillard and Marjorie Sonnenfeldt. However, the development and support of the 1,200 local public information pepeeeenatves and committees were severely affected by the closing of the office. Advice and guidance continued from Washington, D.C., but public information materials were not available for sale, and the systematic education of this excellent nationwide network ceased.
In spite of difficult circumstances caused by reductions in staff and budget, the accomplishments of the external affairs work were several.
Washington, D.C., Secretariat
The primary activity in the Washington, D.C., office of the National Spiritual Assembly continued to be the defense of the Iranian Baha’fs through frequent contacts with U.S. government officials, the communications media, and other non-governmental organizations interested in human rights issues.
On April 22, 1993, President Clinton mentioned the plight of the Iranian Bahd’fs as an example of human rights violations when he spoke at the dedication of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., Before a crowd of several hundred he criticized the “abusive treatment of the Baha’f in Iran.”
In July the National Spiritual Assembly learned that the Tehran municipal government had begun to dig up graves at the Baha’i cemetery. The State Department issued a protest of the action, and the New York Times ran an editorial condemning the desecration of the con*scated Bahd’f cemetery.
The National Spiritual Assembly placed in the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times on November 22 and 29 advertsiements titled “An Appeal to the Conscience of Humankind.” Fortynine individuals, including two Nobel laureates, three former secretaries of state, academics, civil rights leaders, and former government officials, signed the appeal urging the world’s leaders and the United Nations “to continue to speak out against Iran‘s plan to destroy the Baha’fs.” The appeal appeared in November in order to coincide with the U.N. General Assembly’s consideration of its resolution on human rights violations in Iran. The National Assembly sent a copy of the appeal to each public information representative and asked local spiritual assemblies to place the ad in local newspapers.
The National Spiritual Assembly’s secretary for external affairs visited Washington, D.C., frequently to keep officials informed of the latest news from Iran. During the year copies of several court verdicts reached the National Assembly, including the death sentences of two Baha’fs in Karaj who were condemned in part because of their communication with the United Nations about their incarceration. The verdicts became known as the United Nations General Assembly was meeting to vote on the Iranian human rights resolution. The National Assembly provided the U.S. government with the information, and on December 20, U.S. Ambassador Victor Marrero delivered a speech on the floor of the General Assembly criticizing Iran for continuing “to flout the human rights of its own citizens, unrelentingly persecuting some simply because of their religious beliefs.” On December 31, 1993, the New York Times ran an editorial alerting the world to the decision of the Iranian government.
In November 1993, the U.S. Senate passed Concurrent Resolution 31 that declares “the Congress holds the Government of Iran responsible for upholding the rights of all of its nationals, including members of the Baha’{ Faith, Iran’s largest religious minority” and, as in the resolution of 1992, again urged “the Government of Iran to emancipate the Baha’{ community.” At the time of the vote several senators spoke on the floor of the Senate expressing their continued concern for the flagrant violations of the rights of the Baha’f community in Iran. As of March 1994, the House of Representatives was considering an identical resolution which had over 80 cosponsors. The National Assembly had asked almost one hundred local Spiritual Assemblies in November to meet with their congressmen to ask for support and cosponsorship of the sixth and most recent congrtessional resolution. The House version is expected to pass during the summer of 1994.
In March 1994 three Baha'is in South Africa were
12
THe AMERICAN BAHA't
killed by terrorists in Ciskei, South Africa. The National Assembly’s Washington office and the Bah4’{ International Community’s Public Information Office in New York received a number of requests for further information from the media. One such request resulted in a piece on National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition in which the correspondent very movingly described why the Bahd’fs had been killed: because they persisted in holding integrated activities.
The Washington staff of the National Spiritual Assembly also continued its activities, particularly in human rights and the environment. In June, 1993, Kit Cosby, representing the National Assembly, attended the U.N. World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna. She was an active member of the Washington Coalition on Human Rights, which coordinated the activities of many of the U.S.-based nongovernmental organizations at the U.N. conference. After Vienna, the Coalition continued to hold conferences and to prepare testimony on human rights issues for Congress. During the year she also continued to meet with the group of Washington-based directors of human rights organizations.
The National Spiritual Assembly has now entered its tenth year of support for the ratification of U.N. human rights conventions and covenants. The Assembly’s staff in Washington continued to coordinate the NGO involvement in the ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. In Vienna, at the U.N. Conference, the Secretary of State called for the immediate ratification of several conventions, including the Race Convention, the Women’s Convention, the Americas Convention, and the Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, all of which the staff of the National Assembly promote and support through meetings with administration and congressional officials as well as other NGOs.
The United Nations Association remains a vital component of the National Assembly’s NGO work in both its Washington and New York offices. Peter Adriance, a Washington staff member, was the secretary of the UNA Conference of Washington Representatives executive committee this year. In this capacity he helped organize a panel on the International Year of the Family and a meeting on the U.N.’s fiftieth anniversary with the U.N. Under-Secretary Gillian Sorenson. Ms. Cosby also continued as a member of the local UNA task force on human rights. The National Assembly’s U.N. Representative and two members of the Washington staff attended the UNA-USA‘s National Convention in January. They set up an exhibit, gave workshops, participated on the by-laws committee, and offered resolutions on U.N. conventions. Ms. Cosby was elected to the UNA’s National Council during the convention.
The Washington staff participated in the Third Global Structures Convocation in February 1994. They organized and moderated a panel on U.N. human rights advisory bodies; set up a booth with Baha‘{ information on human rights, women, and sustainable development; participated in discussions on global governance; and served as a rapporteur on one of the conference panels.
In May the National Spiritual Assembly participated in the “From Rio to the Capitals: State Strategies for Sustainable Development” conference in Kentucky. Dr. Robert Henderson, secretarygeneral of the National Assembly, spoke on race unity, a prerequisite of sustainable development. A Baha’i representative set up an exhibit and gave interviews and firesides on some of the Baha’{ principles related to the conference topics.
In 1993 Ms. Cosby was asked to become a member of the Board of Directors of the Global Tomorrow Coalition, an organization that promotes sustainable development.
During the year the National Assembly's staff worked with other NGOs who had also partici
pated in the 1992 U.N. Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) to inform the President's Council on Sustainable Development of the suggestions and concerns of the NGO community. Mr. Adriance had an article published in Ethics and Agenda 21, commissioned by the U.N. Environment Program. He is also a member of the national planning committee for the July 1994 conference in Iowa on UNCED two years after Rio. In December he spoke at the North American Baha’{ Conference on Social and Economic Development in Florida on Agenda 21, the document that was produced at the U.N. environment conference in 1992.
Two major events occurred in August that were coordinated in part by the Washington staff. The first, the Parliament of the World’s Religions, was held in Chicago, and had been supported by Bahd’fs from the Chicago Spiritual Assembly since its early planning days. Over thirty Baha’is gave talks, and members of the Continental Counselors and the National Spiritual Assembly participated in events of all types.
During the last week of August, over 400 Bahd’fs participated in the March on Washington, commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of the renowned civil rights march at which Martin Luther King Jr. had delivered his “I Have A Dream” speech. The Washington Post published a front-page photograph of Baha’f children in which their Baha’f tee-shirts were clearly visible. Carole Miller, one of the National Assembly’s representatives in Atlanta, read the Baha’{ prayer for America at the official opening of the March. The MLK Youth Assembly was held in Washington immediately before the March.
Atlanta
The external affairs staff in Atlanta also felt the impact of the shortages of the National Fund. In January the National Assembly had to lay off the clerical support. However, Pat Steele and Carole Miller continued to work with the Martin Luther King Jr. Center, the King Federal Holiday Commission, and the Olympic Committee. Involvement at the King Center included planning interfaith and multicultural conferences, award ceremonies, and youth conferences. During King Week in January, Dr. Henderson was again a co-grandmarshall of the Parade. Mr. David Hofman also participated in the King Week events, and both he and Dr. Henderson received media coverage.
This past year Dr. Henderson was appointed a member of the King Federal Holiday Commission. In January, National Assembly members Robert Henderson and Pat Locke, along with Dr. Miller, a second Baha’f commissioner on the King Federal Holiday Commission, attended a luncheon with the U.S. Attorney General and a reception hosted by the Secretary of State. One of the Atlanta Baha’f representatives continued to serve as chairperson on the Religious Involvement Committee of the King Holiday Commission.
Ms. Steele and Ms. Miller are members of the 1996 Olympic Committee’s Interfaith Council, the Committee of Education and Values, and the Committee of the Olympic Village. The Olympic Committee has taken an even greater leadership role in the promotion of interfaith activities for the 25,000 athletes and their families expected in Atlanta during the Olympic Games in two years.
Ms. Steele and Ms. Miller continued to serve on the Religion Committee of the Atlanta Project sponsored by President Carter and directed the “Survey of Attitudes on Racial Unity” to be presented to the Atlanta Project when the work is completed at the National Center in Wilmette.
U.S. Baha'i Refugee Office
The Refugee O'ce, despite a cut in sta, continued to assist Bahd’fs who are seeking refugee status; to represent the National Assembly in governmental and nongovernmental conferences on refugee and immigration issues; to assist Baha’{ communities to integrate newly arrived refugees
into the American Baha’f community; to teach Southeast Asian people the Faith; to locate Southeast Asians and to ensure that they become effective teachers of the Faith within their communities; to help translate Baha’i written and audiovisual materials into the various Southeast Asian languages; and to develop and coordinate the “Helpers” network that deepens Southeast Asian Baha’fs.
In March 1994, the National Spiritual Assembly received welcome news. After nineteen months the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) approved the refugee status of 140 Baha’fs in Pakistan, some of whom will eventually resettle in the U.S. Mrs. Puran Stevens, the Refugee Coordinator, had worked with the U.N. and U.S. authorities, as well as the Baha’f International Community in New York and Geneva, to solve the distressing situation. She made several visits to the State Department and the UNHCR office in Washington, D.C., and provided documentation to the Office of Document Exchange. The American Refugee Committee interviewed her for their annual survey. The Refugee Office prepared guidelines in Persian and English for the Immigration and Naturalization Services and the State Department on the criteria and priorities of U.S.bound refugees.
After years of work in the refugee arena, other organizations now recognize the Refugee Office’s expertise and consult the National Assembly’s staff on a variety of issues, including difficult cases of humanitarian parole and asylum. Mrs. Stevens has been asked to speak publicly several times on the Baha‘ persecutions in Iran. She also spoke at the Chicago Coalition for Immigration and Refugee Protection (CCIRP), and at a U.N. Day luncheon, as well as on the accomplishments of the Bahd’{ community to promote the principle of the equality of women and men before a U.S. Committee for UNIFEM event. She is a member of the CCIRP and its Refugee Issues Committee and serves on the Illinois Refugee Social Services Consortium.
During the year Mrs. Stevens attended several events related to the development of the Southeast Asian community. She was appointed a member of the Program Committee of the National Association for the Education and Advancement of Cambodians, Laotians, and Vietnamese Americans. In September 1993, she attended a conference in Fresno, California, to promote social and economic development programs. Over six days in October, she visited eleven Bahé’{ communities in California and consulted with local spiritual assemblies in Oregon and Washington about their efforts to teach the Faith to Southeast Asians and to integrate those who are refugees into their communities.
U.N. Representative, New York
The new U.S./U.N. representative, Rebequa Getahoun Murphy, continued the education of the U.S. Baha'i community on U.N.-related activities through The American Baha'i and through correspondence with individuals and spiritual assemblies. The office monitored or worked with the following committees or groups: the U.S. Mission to the U.N.; the U.N. Department of Public Information; the Environmental Sabbath; the UNAUSA: the NGO Committee of Youth; the NGO Committee on UNIFEM; the Committee of Religious NGOs at the U.N.; the NGO Working Group on Human Rights; the NGO Committee on UNICEF; the International Coordinating Committee on Religion and the Earth; the U.S. affiliate of the International Grass Roots Women Organization; and the Committee for the Day of the African Child.
Taking into consideration the goals of the National Spiritual Assembly's Three Year Plan and the upcoming events at the United Nations, the U.N. office developed its own three year plan. It calls for a focus in three major areas: International
‘Azamat 8.€. 150 / May 17, 1994
13
Year of the Family (IYF) in 1994, the Fiftieth Anniversary of the U.N. (UN-50) in 1995, and the Fourth World Conference on Women to be held in Beijing in September 1995. In addition to general announcements in The American Bahd’t for communities to plan activities for YE, UN-50 and the Beijing conference, sixty local Spiritual Assemblies were invited to collaborate with the U.S./U.N. office to develop activities in all three arenas. The U.N. office also collaborated with the National Spiritual Assembly’s Education and Schools office to involve all the permanent Baha’f schools in [YF activities. Baha’ college clubs were contacted to encourage them to initiate campus activities in the three areas.
Treasury
Over the past decade the National Spiritual Assembly has struggled to build a sound financial foundation for achieving financial stability. Internally, the National Assembly has sought to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of its agencies. Externally, the Assembly has continued to seek and implement new ways of strengthening, the commitment and spiritual response of Bahd’is in the United States to the major funds.
The spiritual energy of the Holy Year provided the impetus for numerous restructuring plans. Virtually every aspect of the national administration—including properties management, the communications and information systems, the schools and education operations, the publishing organization and its agenda, the teaching organization and teaching strategies, and fund education and development—were examined and revised or restructured. All of the restructuring plans and activities were part of an overall restructuring process that was intended to help the National Spiritual Assembly achieve financial stability.
At the end of the Holy Year a balanced operating budget seemed to be in sight. The need to underwrite capital expenditures of approximately $3 million per year, along with the National Spiritual Assembly’s commitment to support the construction of the Arc, led to a plan for issuing a $50 million promissory note. However, cancellation of the note program in late September made it necessary to find other new ways to balance the budget. Contributions were lagging behind by $1 million, and $3 million were needed for capital expenditures, as was an increase in contributions to the International Funds beyond the $2 million already allocated in the budget. A shortfall of nearly $4.5 million was estimated for the year.
Scaled back plans resulted in a reduction of expenses by over $1.2 million. At the same time the “Vision in Action” program conducted in the Fall of 1993 inspired a substantial increase in contributions. During the last two weeks of November and in December a total of $1 million more in contributions was received than during the same period in 1992. The trends initiated by the Vision in Action program have continued and will result in $2 million more in contributions than earlier trends suggested.
Nevertheless, without a significant increase in contributions or further major reductions in expenses, a deficit of approximately $1.5 million to $1.8 million is anticipated at the end of the 1993— 94 fiscal year. This is $2.7 million to $3 million less than the shortfall anticipated a few months ago.
The following outline of operating goals and strategies and general review of revenues and expenses from 1978 to 1992 provides a context for understanding the National Spiritual Assembly’s financial position.
Major operating goals and strategles of the National Spiritual Assembly and Its agencies The need to meet the goals of the Three Year Plan and the urgent need to achieve large-scale growth have resulted in the following operating goals and strategies for the National Spiritual
3. 3.6% External Affairs - estengion. Once 3.7% National Teaching 4.0% Human Resources.
Salaries by Projects and Services (in thousands)
studying the growth of revenues, expenses, and enrollments from 1978 to 1992, the trends were extended to construct an economic model for the next fifteen years.
The historic model showed that the National Spiritual Assembly had achieved an aggregate increase in total revenues of nearly 224% over the fifteen-year period, multiplying our revenues 3.25 times from $3,952,000 in 1978 to $12,800,000 in 1992.
Operating expenses over the same fifteen-year pstied increased
263%, multiP lying 3.6 times
Assembly and its agencies:
1. Balancing the operating and capital budgets
2. Achieving a significant increase in contributions
3. Providing adequate contributions to the Universal House of Justice
4. Achieving large-scale growth
5. Building an administration and infrastructure that will inspire and sustain large-scale growth
6. Developing communication and computer networks that will support large-scale growth
7. Continuing the defense of the Baha‘is in Iran and other Muslim countries
8. Further developing relationships with non-Baha’f institutions and organizations
9. Completing the restructuring of the Baha’i Publishing Trust
10. Refining the management of properties
ll. Pursuing a development agenda, including further development and expansion of Mottahedeh Development Services, Health for Humanity, and Race Unity Consulting
12. Expanding Baha’ institutes, including expanding the Native American Bahd’{ Institute, working toward financial self-sufficiency at Louis G. Gregory Baha’i Institute
13. Meeting the goals of the Baha’f schools by expanding programs and service, achieving financial selfsufficiency by the end of the Three Year Plan, and raising the first generation of prejudice-free children and youth
14. Meeting the goals for the Baha’f Home, including expanding its facilities, diversifying its services, and achieving financial self-sufficiency by the end of the Three Year Plan.
Employee salaries and benefits
Employee salaries and benefits account for $7,000,000, or 38% of total expenses. All offices are working with skeletal staffs, and salary and wage increases have not been offered for more than three years. In February 1994, responding to the financial crisis, the National Spiritual Assembly was forced to reduce staff. Graph A shows the projects, services, and activities that require these resources.
Sources of revenue
The National Spiritual Assembly’s revenues come from the following sources: contributions (73%), book sales (14%), estate bequests (5%), schools tuition (3%), Baha’i Home resident fees (2%), contributions for properties (1%), contributed properties (.03%), and other income (2%) (see graph B).
Before November 1993 the National Spiritual Assembly ex rom $4,000,000 in 1978 to $14,500,000 in 1992.
Registered enrollments in 1978 totaled 2,242, including children. In. 1992 enrollments totaled only 1,998, including 638 children.
What can be expected If the same trend continues
During the Holy Year the National Spiritual Assembly put into effect a special austerity plan. The National Assembly and its agencies, with help from Baha’‘f experts, performed numerous evaluations and in-depth studies in an effort to find ways to meet the community’s many challenges. They concluded that the budget could not be balanced unless contributions increased significantly and the staff of the national administration were reduced by 60%. Such a reduction would have required dismantling most of the national administration, leaving only enough staff to maintain the most important
14
THe AMERICAN BAHA'T
properties and handle only the most
critical correspondence. Such a move
would cripple the growth of the
Faith in the United States.
A forecast of trends in the future, based on our present patterns of contributing, spending, and enrolling new believers suggests that an enormous crisis faces the American Baha’{ community. Without significant, sustained increases in growth or contributions, a $50 million deficit can be expected over the next fifteen years.
highlights
Development efforts during the past year have focused on three areas of action: educating the friends about the needs of the Faith, training and supporting local Spiritual Assemblies and their treasurers, and expanding the National Spiritual Assembly’s development agenda.
Educating the friends
The ongoing activities of the Development Department included five Weekend Visits, which brought together nearly 150 Baha‘fs from across the country for in-depth exposure to the operations and concerns of the National Spiritual Assembly; preparing articles for each of the nineteen issues of The American Bahd’f, preparing information for inclusion in a number of Feast letters; and carrying on voluminous general correspondence as well as correspondence about the Local Spiritual Assembly Goal Program, the Honor Roll Program, and social and economic development projects.
In the fall the Development Department was intimately involved in planning and carrying out the “Vision in Action” programs by creating materials, planning training sessions for presenters, and training, and following up with the presenters and their communities.
During December and January the Development Office was actively involved in the sixteen-city tour of Mr. Jeffrey Mondschein, chief financial officer of the Baha’i World Center. Extensive planning for the tour began during the summer to ensure that Baha’fs across the entire country would be able to obtain
pected to receive during the 1993- B 94 fiscal year a total of $10 million to $10.5 million in contributions to the National Baha’i Fund. Now the total is expected to reach over $12.7
Contributions for Properties 1%
Resident Fees 2%
Estate Bequests 5%
million. Other Income 2% The historic School Tuition 3% trends i During the Contributed 1992-93 fiscal year Properties 0.3% the National Spiritual ae Sale of Books 14% bly reviewed a fifteen-year
strategic plan of operations. After
1993-94 Sources of Revenue
Total Revenues $17,345,950
Contributions 73%
firsthand information about developments at the Baha’f World Center. The friends who attended the meetings. showed a sense of renewed commitment by pledging a number of “units” to the Arc Projects Fund, as suggested by the Universal House of Justice in its 31 October 1993 letter.
Training and support for local Spirltual Assemblies and their treasurers
During March through May 1993 some fifty Area Development Seminars for
local Spiritual Assembly treasurers were Total
held in every region of the nation. These
were a direct response to the Develop- ing ment Department's October 1992 survey Planned Giving
of spiritual assemblies, in which many local spiritual assemblies requested training and information. The seminars provided detailed information about professional fund development and the plans and programs of the National Spiritual Assembly. The goal of holding, at least three additional seminars during the year was not met because of budgetary constraints.
The Local Spiritual Assembly Goal Program, in which every local Assembly is asked to set contribution goals and inform the National Spiritual Assembly of its annual goal for contributing to the National Fund, made significant progress this year. Now in its third year, the program accounts for roughly 31% of the National Spiritual Assembly’s revenues, with nearly three-fourths of all Assemblies participating and actively pursuing their goals. Based on comments from. Auxiliary Board members and on past performance, an effort was made to refine the goals that were suggested to
Combined Operating Results ERLE LTT LOT NL EORTC SEN RIL IS EE ET
Total Revenues (Including Estate Bequests)
Total Operating Expenses, (Including Contributions to the Baha’{ International and Arc Projects Funds) Excess Revenues (Expenses)
Financial Condition SAT STELLATE LT IP TE LETTS
National Bahda’t Fund:
Assets
Liabilities
Fund Balance (Accumulated Deficit)
15
‘AZAMAT 8.€. 151 / May 17, 1994
National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States Years Ended April 30, 1994 (Estimated) and 1993
Contributions PRIS TSE LT TST LARS EIT
National Baha’f Fund Baha’ { International Fund Are Projects Fund Continental Baha’f Fund
Estate Bequests
Operations and Agencies Combined:
local Assemblies. The system for commu- | Assets nicating progress updates was also Liabilities further refined. In March 1994 a tele- Fund Balance
phone calling campaign was conducted
463,337 425,433 9% 1,237,703 880,175 4% 182,236 221,541 -18% $14,586,755 $12,808,236 14%
PF SESE REIT 785,652
$17,345,950 $17,405,470 (17,754,516) (18,736,623) -5% ($408,566) ($1,331,153) -69% ma $2,569,205 $2,780,620 -8% (12,596,936) (11,129,145) 13% ($10,027,731) ($8,348,525) 20% $23,521,443 $22,681,605 4% (13,078,715) (11,830,310) 11% $10,442,728 $10,851,295 4%
OT REO : 703,479 $11,281,087
TRIOS
1,956,293
OCT TER
5 PREPS TO CE TRINA
to determine whether a selected group of 362 local assemblies would meet or exceed their goals.
The program has become sufficiently established that in the coming year the National Spiritual Assembly will not suggest goals to local Assemblies. Instead, each local Spiritual Assembly will be asked to set its own goal and to advise the National Spiritual Assembly accordingly.
The Development Office fully expects that, over time, the bulk of the National Spiritual Assembly’s contribution revenues will begin to flow through this vital channel between the local and national institutions of the Faith.
Expanding the National Spiritual Assembly's development agenda
The National Spiritual Assembly has made meaningful progress, both directly and through its affiliated agencies, in the development field, complementing the heroic efforts made by hundreds of individuals at the grass-roots level.
The Development Department, through its work with Mottahedeh Development Services (MDS), played a direct role in the North American Conference on Social and Economic Development, held in December 1993 in Orlando, Florida. Mottahedeh Development Services cosponsored the event with the Rabbani Charitable Trust; assistance was provided by both MDS and the Development Department in the form of publicity, coordination with the National Spiritual Assembly and its various agencies, copy editing, and program planning. The conference, which brought together nearly 600 adults and 350 children to discuss all aspects of Bahd’i development, may well come to be seen as a turning point in the American Baha‘{
community’s development efforts.
In addition to its contributions to the Social and Economic Development Conference, Mottahedeh Development Services had an intense year of growth and consolidation. Under the supervision of the Universal House of Justice and its Office of Social and Economic Development, it actively supported educational projects in the Marshall Islands. It also held detailed discussions with the
Feasibility studies are being planned for the next fiscal year to investigate a long-term source of funding for capital expenditures on national properties and investment products that could be offered to Baha’is nationwide.
National Spiritual Assembly of Samoa about possible programs in those islands. Domestically, MDS is exploring the feasibility of a number of programs in the Atlanta area, rural Georgia, and Virginia and expects to launch, within the first months of the next fiscal year, programs that will pursue the National Spiritual Assembly’s goal of raising the first generation of prejudice-free children.
Health for Humanity (an affiliate of the National Spiritual Assembly established in 1992 for creating and managing assistance projects in the healthcare field) successfully completed its second year of operations. Its growing membership is drawing health-care professionals from both inside and outside the Baha’f community. Members visited Guyana, Honduras, Albania, Nicaragua, and the People’s Republic of China. A number of program proposals are under consideration, while ongoing programs and program support continue in Guyana, Dominica, Honduras, and Albania. A new effort to develop eye-care services is being launched in Dominica as the result of a request from the island nation’s Ministry of Health to assist in setting up ophthalmic services. A particularly interesting possibility is the “Hospital to Hospital” program, which facilitates collaborative relationships between hospitals at which Health for Humanity members work and hospitals in other countries for the purpose of sharing expertise and materials. Initially launched by the Baha’{ Health Agency in the British Isles and adopted in Spring 1993, the “Hospital to Hospital” program is considering Nicaragua and other countries as possible sites.
Two economic programs lie on the horizon: a race unity consultants’ referral system and a multi-year program for building the community’s financial strength nationally and locally. Feasibility studies are being planned for the next fiscal year to investigate a long-term source of funding for capital expenditures on national properties and investment products that could be offered to Baha’‘fs nationwide.
16
THe AMERICAN BAHA'l
Summary of Operating and Capital Expenditures
For the Years Ended April 30, 1994 (Estimated) and 1993
SUMMARY OF OPERATING AND CAP EXPENDITURE
Secretariat General & External Affairs: Services: General Operations 1,136,453 Publications: Legal Affairs 110,500 Brilliant Star 79,065 Community Administration 241,223 Herald of the South 8,058 District & National Conventions 61,615 The American Baha’{ 286,063 World Order 9,679 Extemal Affairs Offices 756,170 Archives 79,641 Refugee Program 98,052 Chinese Teaching 2,841 Coordinating Committee 1,908 Contributions to Int’! Baha’f Funds: Education & Schools Coordination 140,635, International Funds 1,120,000 Finance 635,243 Arc Projects Fund 1,800,000 Fund Development 278,140 Other NSAs and Agencies 361,423 H.O.W. Visitor's Center 235,493 5,685,436 Human Resources 342,985 Management Information Systems 788,543 Committees: Media Services 252,173 Services for Hearing Impaired 1,300 NSA Research 65,783 Continental Indigenous Planning 500 Office Services 18,713 National Education Committee 73,129 Persian Integration 160,920 National Teaching Committee 415,946 Pioneering 277,012 Race Unity Task Force 1,908, Subscriber Services 26,632 Total Committees 492,783. Travel and Meeting Services 62,419 Visitor's Center Book Shop 263,816 Total Services 4,015,762 Properties: Maintenance, Grounds, Security, etc. 1,446,205, Wilhelm 23,469 Baha’ Institutes: Total Properties 1,469,674 Louis Gregory Institute & WLGI Radio 537,704 Native American Bahé’{ Institute 105,197 642,901 Projects: Assoc. for Baha’f Studies 46,013 Baha’ { Encyclopedia Project 66,047 Baha’f Schools: Baha’ { Newsreel 82,163 Bosch 569,537 Baha’{ Gospel Choir 2,289 Green Acre 309,131 Auanta Models of Unity 11,568 Louhelen 494,704 El Riisefior 4,000 1,373,372 Emerging Projects 46,732 LSA Development 1,600 Media Productions 10,137 Baha’{ Publishing Trust 1,862,625 Promissory Note Issue-Vision In Action 299,290, Baha’f Home 419,376 South Carolina Coord. Project 25,017 Total BPT & Bahd’i Home 2,282,001 Souvenir Picnic 333. Total Projects 595,189. Capital Expenditures 2,200,000 Debt Retirement (Mortgage) 94,655 Grand Total 18,851,773 For the Years Ended April 30, Combined Operating 1994 (Estimated) and 1993 and Capital Expenditures: $18,851,773 Combined Revenues: Cranial ote iu & Agencies $361,423 $ 1 7, 345, 950 Sete ple BIF $1,120,000 Secretariat General, Earned Revenues Contributions For ¥ External Affairs $3,562,714 Properties $235,679 $2,404,013
Capital Expenditures $2,200,000
Estate Bequests $785,652 ne Contributed Properties Debt Retirement $94,655 Publishing Trust $58,426 $1,862,625 Baha’ Institutes $642,901 cal Bah4'{ Schools $1,373,372 Sh i eee Bahd'f Home $419,376 ere Contributions Properties $1,469,674 Services $4,015,762 $12,703,479 Committees & Projects
$1,087,972
17
‘AZAMAT 8.£. 151 / May 17, 1994
The Annual Report
Of the agencies of the National Spiritual Assembly
Secretariat Community Administration
Goal: To provide administrative support to the National Spiritual Assembly by monitoring the development of Baha’ communities; offering
uidance to local Spiritual Assemblies in their
formations, dealing with violations of Baha'i law, problems of disunity and disputes, personal status issues, withdrawals and reinstatements of Baha’{ membership; assisting Persian believers with issues of immigration and naturalization and with applications for aid from the Persian Relief Fund; assisting Management Information Systems with enrollments and membership transfers of individuals from the Middle East; maintaining files of all correspondence received from the Universal House of Justice; and coordinating arrangements for pilgrimage to the Baha’ World Center.
Activities: Received and processed a total of 5,558 letters and handled approximately 10,000 telephone calls.
Prepared 114 personal status cases for the consideration of the National Spiritual Assembly. A total of 434 requests for withdrawal were granted, and 34 people were reinstated after having been withdrawn from Baha’ membership.
Persian/American Affairs Office
Goal: To further the integration of Persianspeaking Bahd’is in collaboration with local Spiritual Assemblies, Groups and individuals and the development and distribution of integration programs and materials that can be used also by other agencies.
Activities: Organized a meeting of selected Baha'is from the Phoenix, Arizona, area to explore issues of integration and discuss strategies for promoting closer ties among various groups of Bahd’is.
Held a regional meeting of Chicago-area “Friends of Persian Culture” (formerly the Persian Arts and Culture Association) and met with the Advisory Board of the association to consult about goals, strategies, and specific programs and activities.
Organized a meeting in collaboration with the Persian Media Committee of Southern California (created to keep track of Persian media and respond to misrepresentations of the Faith) to discuss strategies for using the media to enlighten expatriate Iranians. Additionally monitored the activities of that Committee which presented a weekly live program of talks about the Faith for over a year ona “closed circuit” radio station and began a new weekly program of 90-minute talks in February 1994 on an FM station that covers most of Southern California.
Arranged for a weekend intensive deepening program in Persian conducted in Arlington, Texas, by Dr. Riaz Ghadimi and arranged for his participation in the Grand Canyon Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.
Conducted a weekend program on the Covenant at the Louhelen Baha’f School.
Prepared an outline for a course in Persian on race relations in the United States to be used in local communities for deepening the Persian believers.
Sent a youth survey questionnaire to 260 local Spiritual Assemblies in areas where youth activities were reported to ascertain Persian youth involvement.
Coordinated the work of the Persian Reviewing Panel; received subscription fees for Payam-i-Baha't from U.S. subscribers; and helped to distribute Bahd’{ literature in Persian and Arabic published abroad.
Produced a total of 55 Persian pages for The
American Baha’t; produced four issues of Tabernacle of Unity, a quarterly bilingual publication sent to Counselors, Auxiliary Board members and 300 network members; prepared Persian “Vision in Action” materials; and also worked on the following publications: a new edition of An Essay on the Kitab-i-Aqdas by Mr. Badi‘ullah Farid; An Introduction to the Baha’t Faith, a booklet written in a contemporary Persian style; Perspectives on Spiritual Integration, a bilingual compilation of the writings about unity and integration; a set of five cards with passages from the writings in Persian/ Arabic calligraphy; and the proceedings of the first two Persian Arts and Culture conferences.
Coordinated translations of a number of compilations prepared at the Baha’i World Center, helped translate the Ridvan 150 message of the Universal House of Justice, helped with the Persian translation of The Baha’t Newsreel soundtracks, prepared Persian translations of National Spiritual Assembly messages, including Feast letters, and prepared English translations of items in Persian newspapers for the Secretariat for External Affairs.
Office of Research and Review
Goal: To perform research, scholarship, literature review, and special materials review functions for the National Spiritual Assembly.
Activities: Wrote 2,229 items of correspondence concerning literature review, special materials review, the Models of Unity Project, World Order magazine, the Baha’{ encyclopedia project, the Association for Baha’f Studies, the Haj Mehdi Arjmand research grant program and its scripture conference, and replies to research queries.
Completed the literature review process on 111 items; the number of manuscripts received and reviewed more than doubled the volume handled in the previous year.
Conducted Models of Unity research in Atlanta, Georgia, and composed a final report on the findings, continued to encourage Models of Unity projects in Portland, Oregon, and in Greensboro, North Carolina, and collaborated with the Louhelen Baha'i School on a Models of Unity conference in July 1993.
Conducted a non-credit course on world religions at the Baha’f House of Worship and pursued opportunities to offer courses on the Baha'i Faith for college credit at DePaul University. A regular full-credit course on the Baha’f Faith begins at DePaul in June 1994.
Drafted articles and important letters for the National Spiritual Assembly; wrote four articles for A Short Encyclopedia of the Baha'i Faith; and wrote two articles for World Order magazine.
Collaborated on the planning of observances for the centenary of the establishment of the Baha’i Faith in North America, including a conference on Baha‘j history for June 1994.
Served on the Association for Baha’i Studies International Advisory Committee, its Executive Committee, and the editorial board of its Journal oi Bahd’i Studies and served on the editorial board o| World Order magazine.
Office of the Secretary—Conventions
Goal: To plan, coordinate and direct implementation of National and District Conventions and to educate the American Baha’i community on the principles and implementation of Baha’‘f elections (National and District).
Activities: Coordinated all activities and reporting procedures for the 156 District Conventions, appointed local Spiritual Assemblies to host conventions, and supported and assisted these assemblies with logistical procedures for hosting
Conventions.
Planned and coordinated the logistics for holding National Convention and serving the 171 delegates and approximately 230 visitors in attendance.
Revised, published and distributed to the District Convention host Assemblies the District Convention Planning Guide.
Prepared an informational article and a Convention site listing for publication in The American Baha’t.
External Affairs U.S. Baha'i Refugee Office
Goal: To locate Southeast Asian Baha’fs, ensure their integration into the Baha’f community as active members, and empower their efforts to translate Baha’{ materials into various Southeast Asian languages for production and distribution; to coordinate the “Helpers” network to reach and deepen Southeast Asian Baha’is and to teach Southeast Asian non-Bahd’fs; to assist Baha’is who. are seeking refugee status from other countries; to help in obtaining Humanitarian Parole for urgent medical cases and to assist with asylum cases; to represent the Baha’i community in refugee and immigrant matters on state and national levels, in both government and non-government areas; to share information regarding the Baha‘{ refugees and asylees with local Bahd’‘f institutions, communities and individuals in order to integrate them into the American Baha‘i community.
Activities: Visited the director of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Washington, D.C., on several occasions (the UNHRC in Pakistan had been systematically refusing refugee status to all Baha'is since August 1992, causing great concern to the families and friends of the reported 400 Iranian Baha’i refugees in Pakistan) and provided him with copies of the original secret document of the Islamic government of Iran, case summaries and other proofs of persecutions of Iranian Baha’is. These meetings, meetings with Mrs. Sadako Ogata of the Commission for Refugees of the UNHCR, and follow-up work by the Baha’f International Community in New York and Geneva resulted positively in all of the cases of Iranian Baha'i refugees being approved by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Pakistan.
Prepared, in both Persian and English, and sent to the friends in Pakistan the definition and guidelines from the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the Department of State informing them of the criteria and priorities for U.S.bound refugees since the Baha'i agencies in Pakistan were unable to provide such assistance.
Provided a variety of documentation regarding the status of the Baha'is in Iran to the Office of Document Exchange, a resource information center that provides proof of the need for political asylum around the world.
Added over 350 new enrollments of Southeast Asian Bahé’f adults and children to the U.S. roster. The enrollment figure included individuals who were transferred into the U.S., new declarants and Southeast Asian Baha’fs already residing in the United States. Since the voluntary agencies resettling refugees are not obligated to inform the U.S. Baha'i Refugee Office due to the Privacy Act, the location of thousands of Southeast Asian Bahd’{ refugees is unknown. USBRO investigated 14 out of 82 possible communities where Southeast Asian Bahd’fs reside to locate them and to encourage the involvement of American Baha’is in those communities with them.
Arranged for the translation and production of
1,000 copies of The Baha'i Faith teaching booklet in the Vietnamese language; also produced for distribution three new videotapes to assist in teaching and consolidation efforts of Southeast Asians: An Introduction and Deepening on The Baha'i Faith in the Hmong language; A Deepening Tape on The Baha'i Faith in the Laotian language; and The Early History of The Baha'i Faith in Viet Nam and Some Teachings from The Bahd’t Faith in the Vietnamese language. Copies of these items were distributed to places as far as Australia and Hawaii.
Reproduced 300 copies of the teaching pamphlet, 25 copies of The New Garden, and 15 copies of The Hidden Words translated in the Hmong language; 50 copies of a Baha'i prayer book, 50 copies of The Hidden Words, 25 sets of three prayer cards, and 300 copies of the teaching pamphlet in the Laotian language; and 50 copies of a Baha’i prayer book, 120 copies of the teaching pamphlet, and 50 copies of Daily Readings books in the Vietnamese language. USBRO provided 800 photocopies of the teaching pamphlet in the Hmong, Laotian and Vietnamese languages for the Atlanta Youth Project and sent 18 boxes of Baha’{ prayer books, Daily Readings and back issues of Child's Way/Brilliant Star magazine to Baha’{ “Helpers” for distribution to Southeast Asian children and youth for Ayyam-i-Ha.
Sponsored and held the second annual Southeast Asian Community Builders Roundtable Discussion at the Bosch Baha’f School, April 30-May 2, 1993. Forty Baha’is from California, Illinois, Texas and Washington represented various cultures, including Cambodian, Hmong, Japanese, Laotian, Vietnamese and American.
Displayed Southeast Asian materials and projects in which the USBRO is involved at the North American Baha’f Conference on Social and Economic Development held in Orlando, Florida.
Visited 11 Baha'i communities in California and in Portland, Oregon and Tacoma, Washington, to consult with local Assemblies and individual “Helpers” about the location, integration, consolidation and teaching efforts taking place amongst Southeast Asians; visited Southeast Asian families; and introduced newly arrived refugees and/or families to their local Assemblies.
Produced four issues of the quarterly Southeast Asian Helpers Bulletin (Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter) and distributed 300 copies of each to individuals and institutions throughout the country and submitted nine articles to The American Baha'i regarding success stories of the efforts being made to integrate, consolidate and teach Southeast Asian Bahd’fs.
Met with Ms. Phyllis Oakley, the senior deputy assistant secretary of state to Warren Christopher, to apprise her of the current situation of the Bahd’fs in Iran and the refugees in Pakistan and Cyprus and to seek assistance in resolving some of the difficult cases.
Attended the “United Nations Day Luncheon Celebration” and spoke about refugee women at a special meeting of the Illinois Refugee Social Services Consortium attended by Mrs. Sadako Ogata, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Later spoke directly to Mrs. Ogata about the plight of the Iranian Baha’fs and Baha’f refugees stranded in Pakistan, and also presented her with documents about the persecutions.
Presented a talk regarding the persecution of the Tranian Bahd‘is that resulted in a sign-on letter prepared by the Chicago Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Protection (C.C.LR.P,) being sent to all the organizations that are members of this group.
Accepted an appointment to the Steering Committee of the Plenary Session “Voices of the Dispossessed” for the Parliament of the World’s Religions and prepared and submitted to the Committee initial documents, photographs and a videotape on the plight of the Bahd’fs in Iran.
Co-sponsored with the U.S. Committee for the United National Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) an evening with Ms. Jewel Lafontant Makarious, former ambassador-at-large and coordinator for refugees, giving a talk about the goals and accomplishments of the Baha’fs in promoting the equality and advancement of women in the world and distributing many Baha’i pamphlets and copies of The Baha'is magazine.
Attended a meeting at the request of the new director of the Office of the U.S. Department of State Resettlement and met with 14 other members of the Mutual Assistance Association (MAA) to consult about the future needs of refugees; served as an appointed member of the Program Committee of the National Association for the Education and Advancement of Cambodians, Laotians and Vietnamese Americans (NAFEA); and served as a voting member of the Chicago Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Protection (C.C.LR.P) and its Refugee Issues Committee and on the Illinois Refugee Social Services Consortium to stay informed of news, issues, governmental legislation and programs of concern to Baha’ refugees and immigrants.
Attended the “Legal Training Program” on asylum issues presented by the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law; the Refugee Program of Chicago’s In-Service Training at the Uptown Hull House on June 3, 1993; and two open meetings on the “Future of the Refugee Program” at the State of Illinois Thompson Center in Chicago, presenting the Iranian Baha’f dilemma to the attention of the new Director of Refugee Resettlement at the Department of State.
Attended the “Oprah Winfrey” show on the subject of “Race and Ethnic Conflicts” (October 27, 1993) at the request of the National Spiritual Assembly, met Miss Winfrey following the show, and presented her with the publications “The Vision of Race Unity: America’s Most Challenging Issue,” “Models of Unity,” and “World Peace through Racial Unity.”
Participated in the discussion of “Racism in the Media and Films” at the Illinois Ethnic Coalition held on September 23, 1993, by presenting the Baha'i view, which was videotaped for broadcast on television.
Represented the Baha’{ International Community at the Jane Addams International Women’s Leadership Award ceremony and reception honoring Dr. Wangari Maathai of Kenya.
Represented the National Spiritual Assembly at a conference held in Fresno, California, to promote social and economic development programs in the San Joaquin Valley, an area that had a surge of enrollments and where the cooperation of several communities in consolidation efforts was needed.
Teaching National Teaching Committee
Goal: To support and guide regional and district teaching committees, regional school committees, and local teaching and race unity efforts; to assist the National Assembly in restructuring the administrative aspects of the teaching work; and to help prepare a working agenda for the Three Year Plan.
Activities: Encouraged the American Baha’{ community to achieve the numerical goals of the Three Year Plan in 19 months, by the anniversary of the Birth of Baha’u’llah on November 12, 1994. “Mission 19” has a goal of 3,000 traveling teachers, of which 2,000 have arisen; 500 homefront pioneers, of which 321 have settled; and 142 new local Spiritual Assemblies in cities with populations of 50,000, of which three have been formed and 37 await reformation. Recorded enrollments, as of March 1, 1994, at 1,075 adults, 295 youth and 895 children.
Called for all local Spiritual Assemblies to formulate teaching strategies for the first year of the Three Year Plan. About 480 communities out of 3,296 localities responded by submitting copies of their plans, with 198 of those communities adopting extension teaching goals.
Produced and distributed throughout the country a booklet titled The Three Year Plan which
THe AMERICAN BAHA’t
18
included the Ridvan 150 message of the Universal House of Justice, the Ridvan message of the National Spiritual Assembly, and guidance from the National Teaching Committee about creating and implementing teaching plans.
anized community town meetings, arranging for 106 such meetings during the summer of 1993 with half the meetings attended by representatives of the National Spiritual Assembly or the National Teaching Committee.
Originated a national “Heat Wave” fireside campaign to engage more individual believers in achieving the goals of the Three Year Plan, to stimulate the regular holding of firesides, and to further support various ongoing race unity activities.
Collaborated with the Office of the Treasurer in the “Vision in Action” campaign to incorporate aspects of the Fund in the teaching work. Over 750 pledges for individual action in teaching and in contributing to the funds have been received by the National Spiritual Assembly.
Dissolved the District Teaching Committee apparatus, with the exception of ten areas in the country where district committees remained due to the specific needs of the community, to pave the way for future regional structures and to stimulate local community initiative.
Identified 14 large-scale growth initiatives and over 30 significant teaching projects around the country. In further support of regional teaching efforts in the wake of the Atlanta Large-Scale Growth Conference, State Teaching Committees will be appointed for Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina. Additionally, a State Teaching Committee will be appointed for Oregon to support its teaching and consolidation efforts.
Promoted race unity activities throughout the country and hosted a model “Calling All Colors” conference for children during the Atlanta LargeScale Growth Conference. Such conferences continue to be encouraged throughout the national community.
Hosted a gathering of leaders in the field of Latin-American teaching to consult on the needs of that population, including systematic approaches to the translation and dissemination of literature and news in Spanish.
Hosted a gathering of youth teachers in the Chicago area in September 1993 to discuss a national youth strategy for the Three Year Plan; placed 11 youth in domestic Baha’f Youth Service Corps posts; sent College Club packets to 150 local Spiritual Assemblies that sponsor college clubs; and established a national electronic mail network linking Baha‘{ college clubs.
Monitored the activities of Baha’{ Youth Workshops, which have increased from 40 to about 60 since August 1993.
Appointed a National Youth Task Force charged with formulating a plan to mobilize youth as traveling teachers beginning in the summer of 1994; a National Arts Task Force charged with developing strategies to foster the use of the arts in teaching with a special emphasis on race unity and the participation of youth and children; and seven regional committees for teaching Native Americans.
Sent representatives to 21 events, including “Vision in Action” training sessions and conferences, regional schools sessions, Special Visitors programs and various other meetings and conferences.
Office of Ploneering
Goal: To fulfill the mandate as stated in a letter from the Universal House of Justice dated August 25, 1993, to the National Spiritual Assembly to “raise up and prepare an increasing number of long- and short-term pioneers and traveling teachers, aiming at the deployment of at least 2,000 of them in the international field ....”
Activities: Deployed, as of March 1, 1993, 1,460 pioneers and traveling teachers. Of these, 278 were pioneers, 44 were Baha’i Youth Service Corps volunteers, and 1,143 were traveling teachers.
Established Pioneer Emphasis Days to recruit
individuals to assist in the fulfillment of the goals of the Three Year Plan. Four hundred thirty-six individuals attended 15 programs offered in Los Angeles and San Francisco, California; Seattle, Washington; Denver, Colorado; Rolla, Missouri; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Chicago, Illinois; Indianapolis, Indiana; Dallas and Houston, Texas; Raleigh, North Carolina; Gainesville and Miami, Florida; Arlington, Virginia; and Boston, Massachusetts. In an effort to decentralize the initial administrative process for volunteers for international service, Pioneer Emphasis Days included training for local Spiritual Assemblies in the process of encouraging, screening, and preparing prospective pioneers.
Developed a network of resource individuals to assist in recruiting and training prospective pioneers and traveling teachers for specific countries.
Held three Pioneer and Baha’f Youth Service Corps Training Institutes, attended by 105 adults, youth and children.
Continued collaboration with the National Teaching Committee on the goals for homefront pioneering and traveling teaching by encouraging these activities during Pioneer Emphasis Days and in the course of conversations with believers who are not yet ready to leave the country.
Continued development of a concept of “International Pioneering on the Homefront,” whereby individuals are encouraged to homefront pioneer to communities where there are ethnic populations of the country to which they desire to settle. Such an approach enables the prospective international pioneer to become familiar with the language and culture of the population, to teach the Faith to individuals of that culture who can then return to their native land to teach, and enhances the probability that upon arrival at an international post the pioneer will have a list of “family” contacts.
Witnessed the greater involvement of the Faith in human society in the National Assembly‘s extension goal of Providenciales, Turk & Caicos Islands, where on November 4, 1993, a new medical clinic, owned and run by Baha'is, was established; followed the progress of U.S. pioneers and traveling teachers who continue to impact the fields of health and health education in Guyana, Albania and Honduras through social and economic development projects; and anticipated the installation of U.S. pioneers sought by the government of the Marshall Islands to assist in the development of a national school system, general curricula, and moral education and training; and congratulated the Baha’fs of the Falkland Islands, another of the Assembly’s extension goals, on celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the establishment of the Faith in that country.
Task Force for the Baha’{ House of Worship
Goal: To serve and work with Baha’{ communities to spread the message of the Baha’i Faith and to involve larger numbers of people from greater distances in the activities held in the Temple.
Activities: Welcomed 157,500 visitors from 75 countries over the course of the year, 11,050 of whom attended the 12:15 p.m. daily devotions, and conducted 157 tours for 4,796 people. Staff witnessed twelve declarations of Faith in Bahd’u'llah at the Temple.
Responded to 902 interest cards in four lanBrages, the majority of which were from the
Inited States, and mailed 773 introductory books at the requests of seekers.
Provided free materials in 38 languages, including a comprehensive brochure about the Faith, prayer sheets in English and Spanish, the statement of the Universal House of Justice on peace, visit cards provided to hotels, airports, tourist shops and individuals, and a quarterly newsletter for volunteers.
Supervised the activities of volunteers who gave over 10,000 hours of service as guides, tour leaders, discussion leaders, choir members, readers, ushers/hosts, offce aides, program and hospitality coordinators, flower arrangers and
summer interns.
Held a twenty-four hour prayer vigil for the success of the Race Unity Day walk; arranged daily dawn devotions during the Fast; began monthly prayer breakfasts; commemorated all Holy Days and provided special programs for children; held open meetings to honor Race Unity Day, Universal Children’s Day, United Nations Day, United Nations Human Rights Day, International Day of Peace, and World Religion Day; and hosted two devotional programs in honor of the Parliament of the World’s Religions which were attended by 1,200 dignitaries, religious figures and local community members.
Presented the tenth annual David Kellum Awards which was attended by 275 people, most of whom were not Bahd’is.
Conducted a Special Visit Program attended by 85 participants, the largest such program attendance ever.
Held two monthly firesides in English and Spanish; held two additional firesides, one in Russian conducted by a traveling teacher from Russia and another in Spanish coordinated in conjunction with the National Teaching Committee.
Sponsored a weekly introductory class on the Faith, a series called “Religion in Baha’i and Comparative Perspectives” conducted by the Research Office, and continued “The Light Exchange,” a bimonthly discussion group focused on spiritual education.
Coordinated instructional and consultative meetings to train local Spiritual Assemblies to assist with hospitality and programming needs for Holy days and special events at the House of Worship, to train volunteers to focus their teaching efforts on Baha‘u’lléh and His Station, and to convene the Wilmette Interfaith Association for the year and host one of its meetings.
Served on the Board of the North Shore Race Unity Task Force, assuming the major planning role for the annual Walk for Race Unity.
Provided facilities for National Convention, the District Convention for Illinois Northern #2B, the Office of the Treasurer’s training for the “Vision in Action” campaign, special meetings with speakers from the World Center and elsewhere, two memorial services, and 17 weddings.
Education National Education and Schools Office
Goal: To coordinate and oversee the efforts of the five permanent schools and institutes and the 36 regional schools committees, to provide support and supervision to the National Education Task Force, to oversee the development of educational programs in response to the goals of the National Assembly, and to temporarily supervise Brilliant Star magazine until a Publications Coordinator is hired.
Activities: Appointed new advisory boards for the five permanent schools and institutes to develop strategic plans and objectives in response to the goals of the Three Year Plan.
Supervised the activities of the 36 regional schools which held a total of 46 school sessions during the year, attended by approximately 5,000 people, on topics of study including The Kitdb-iAqdas, the lives of the Central Figures of the Faith, the Universal House of Justice, the Three Year Plan, teaching, Huqtiqu’ll4h, marriage and family life. Several trainings for mglonal schools committees were held to improve the quality of the schools and their functioning. ,
Convened a group of program providers, schoo leaders and skilled professionals to develop an approach toward achieving the goal of teaching Bahé’{ and other children and youth to become the first generation of Americans free of all prejudice and reported the findings to the National Spiritual Assembly for its consideration.
Disseminated curricula to all permanent schools, institutes, regional schools and schools which
‘Azamat 8.€. 151 / May 17, 1994
19
requested materials on the theme “The Destiny of America,” which was developed in collaboration with the National Teaching Committee, the National Education Task Force, the US/UN Representative, the Office of the Treasurer, and representatives from the schools and institutes.
Published a quarterly educational newsletter for all schools, teachers and educators with topical information, professional articles, and specific information about trainings, courses and other publications.
Developed and edited a new regional schools manual for publication.
National Education Task Force
Goal: To assist the American Baha’{ community in its efforts to fulfill the goals of the Three Year Plan of intensifying study of the Sacred Writings, striving to become leaders in the movement for race unity, making Baha’{ communities models of unity which inspire emulation and lead to growth, expanding programs of education for Baha’{ children, youth and adults, and strengthening Baha’{ family life through further development of the Core Curriculum and the National Teacher Training Center.
Activities: Developed a compilation and reference booklet of sacred writings on the spiritual education of children for publication in the spring of 1994.
Designed, delivered and supported the training for twenty-five race unity liaisons to community development as related to the Core Curriculum for the spiritual education of children.
Trained 125 Core Curriculum trainers and over 1,000 teachers in the Core Curriculum for the spiritual education of children and eighteen trainers in the Parent Facilitation Program.
Refined and utilized a set of materials including a training manual, strands of instructional content, and a reference section for the Core Curriculum, and began development of a Core Curriculum Activities Booklet.
Bosch Baha’l School
Goal: To incorporate the triple theme of the Three Year Plan in programming designed to foster the spiritual and intellectual growth of individuals and the maturation of local Spiritual Assemblies.
Activities: Welcomed over 3,214 Baha‘is to 44 sessions, including nine weeks of summer sessions, two winter sessions, a spring session on Women’s Issues, an Adult session, Marriage Retreat programs, one two-week Youth Institute, two Junior Youth Institutes, a day of deepening on service and a commemorative program for the Birth of Baha’u’llah.
Held five “Rendezvous of the Soul” weekends of intensive study, two youth research weekends, one college club weekend, a National Latino conference, a Chinese teaching weekend, a Southeast Asian Leadership conference, two Race Unity conferences, a Youth Service Corps/Pioneer Training Institute, and the third West Coast Urban Assemblies conference.
Held three Assembly “bonding” weekends where anywhere from five to eight Assemblies participated in a series of trust-building activities and were given an opportunity to consult as institutions and among combined institutions.
Incorporated service projects for the school during all nine weeks of the summer program and during every session at the school except during intensive study programs, securing 20,581 volunteer hours and the services of a full-time, non-paid volunteer coordinator to organize and train the volunteers.
Hosted three Elderhostel programs and rented facilities to several outside organizations and individuals for weddings, Bar Mitzvahs, and a Passover celebration.
Continued quarterly publication of Bosch Calls and produced three session brochures and a promotional video about the school.
Raised over $12,000 which was used to renovate completely two cabins, including the addition of
additional bathrooms and new furnishings, and
reorganized the Food Services Department,
resulting in higher quality, healthier meals and a
19% reduction in cost to program fees. In addition,
$4,107 was contributed to the Ronald S. Gilpatrick
Memorial Fund for the Education of Children and
Youth, $5,412 was donated to general scholarship
funds, and approximately $120,000 has been
secured in earmarked funds for building new
classrooms. Additionally, Bosch received the
Marzieh Gail book collection for the library.
Developed a Bookshop/Cafe concept which increased book sales and provided a new hospitality and teaching center.
Green Acre Baha’ School
Goal: To provide an environment that assists participants to internalize and put into action the moral and spiritual principles of the Faith.
Activities: Welcomed over 1,200 adults and children to conferences and sessions focused on The Kitdb-i-Aqdas, community development, personal transformation, marriage and family life, the role of women, race unity and teaching.
Held two youth institutes, a Pioneer Training Institute and Youth Service Corps training, a weekend for assistants to the Auxiliary Board, a spiritual retreat weekend, a Core Curriculum Teacher Training, and Holy Day observations, Feasts, numerous local community events, and four weddings.
Hosted a “Picnic on the Piscataqua” and the “99th Anniversary of the Raising of the Peace Flag,” attended by 300 people including members of the Vedantic Society who presented the school with a plaque in recognition of Swami Vivekananda’s historic visit to Green Acre in 1894.
Established the Green Acre Scholarship Fund, made possible by an individual donor, to provide assistance to friends of racial and cultural minorities.
Established the Green Acre Children’s Chorus as a social and economic development program in the local community for children aged 8 to 15 which offers public performances along the seacoast area promoting a message of the oneness of mankind and universal peace.
Completed installation of a new sewer system connecting all the buildings on the main campus to the municipal sewer. The reopening and dedication of Sarah Farmer Inn is scheduled for summer 1994.
Louhelen Baha’! School
Goal: To support the education goals of the Three Year Plan, emphasizing intense study of the sacred writings, expanding the human resources of the Faith, promoting race unity and the advancement of women, and supporting the development of the National Teacher Training Center at Louhelen in collaboration with the National Education Task Force.
Activities: Sponsored and hosted conferences and intensive study sessions designed to spiritually strengthen and expand the vision of parents and families, youth, children, pioneers, race unity workers, writers and artists, women, married couples and those preparing for marriage, and teachers.
Provided training, service opportunities, and structured deepening on the meaning and station of service to participants in programs at Louhelen and to six Youth Service Corps volunteers.
sored a national Models of Unity conference which featured program participation by important local leaders of thought, including the U.S. Congressman who serves the Louhelen district.
Participated as a cosponsor in the planning and implementation of a major Race Unity Day event carried out in collaboration with the mayor’s office in the city of Flint, Michigan, and other community groups.
Supported and facilitated the development of Core Curriculum programs through the National Teacher Training Center.
Recruited and organized volunteers who provided over 15,000 hours of service to the school at
an estimated value of $200,000, replacing contract services.
Louls G. Gregory Baha’l institute
Goal: To serve as a resource center for the training of Baha'is to enable them to become more actively involved in the promotion of the Faith and the development of strong communities in South Carolina and to bring the Faith to the attention of the local population.
Activities: Hosted the South Carolina Summer and Winter Schools; a Local Spiritual Assembly Development weekend sponsored by the Auxiliary Board; a women's conference; and the seventh annual Baha’i Black Men's Gathering, attended by approximately 75 men who contributed $9,000 to the National Fund.
Held weekly morality classes for children, a nine-week summer Academy program and six weekend leadership programs for youth, junior youth and children; and weekly deepenings for the Louis Gregory Baha’i Youth Workshop.
Supported three targeted communities (Conway, Florence and Kingstree) in their collaboration efforts by providing training for traveling teachers and new believers, publicity and technical support, and facilities and equipment for use in their work.
Cosponsored, with the South Carolina Department of Mental Health, the second annual “Enabling and Supporting the Development of Black Males” conference which featured a Baha’f keynote speaker and several Baha’i workshop leaders.
Organized and helped facilitate travel arrangements for approxionately 100 area residents to attend the thirtieth anniversary of the March on Washington.
Adjusted work schedules to accommodate seven staff members who undertook various international traveling teaching trips to the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and the Marshall Islands.
Native American Baha'l Institute
Goal: To develop local educational projects related to the indigenous culture as a means for teaching the Faith; to develop teaching materials for use on the Navajo Reservation; and to assist local Assemblies with their teaching work and their participation in social programs with nearby Native American tribes.
Activities: Continued weekly overnight Nobility Classes for local school children and youth to study Baha’i teachings, Navajo culture, and to receive help with their school studies. Continued emphasis on youth resulting in retreats, work days and service projects, and the sponsorship of a local basketball team.
Held Mobile Teaching Institute and Family Unity Weekends to reach out to Native believers in the district and deepening sessions and a week-long Native Youth Deepening in the Navajo language.
Established an audio/video editing suite and trained youth in its operation.
Hosted monthly work weekends assisted by Phoenix-area volunteers, completing construction of a new shower house, septic systems and camper parking.
Provided facilities for the local Spiritual Assembly of Houck to host various local events.
WLEI Radio
Goal: To increase Radio Baha’t’s participation and involvement in community affairs.
Activities: Aired three times per day, every day, two mini-program series (“Blessed Beauty” and “Baha’{ Laws and Principles”); aired Baha’f Community Calendar seven times per day which included news of activities planned and sponsored by area local Spiritual Assemblies; and began and ended each broadcast day with specially produced devotional programs that included prayers, readings and music. Daily programming also included recitations of passages from the sacred texts alone and in conjunction with pre-selected music by Baha’{ and other popular artists and announcements supporting the Institute’s and
THe AMERICAN BAHA'l
regional teaching activities.
Created special programs for broadcasts aired on Holy Days and gave priority air time to tapedelayed and live coverage of area communities’ special teaching events.
Supported race unity efforts by airing music, programs and spots highlighting African American culture and history, by combining the text from “The Vision of Race Unity” with music and airing it as a program bearing the statement's name, and by airing talks given by Baha’fs that promote the theme of race unity.
Broadcast a number of program series focused on African American women: “African American Women: Proud and Determined,” “Black Women: A Portrait of Dignity,” “Black Achievers,” and “African Americans in Baha’i History.”
Maintained a toll-free telephone line for listeners to call in with questions about the Faith and announced the availability of the toll-free number following all Baha'i programs.
Properties House of Worship Restoration
Goal: To adopt, initiate and sustain a welldefined, phased plan for the restoration of the Mother Temple of the West and to establish a comprehensive program for the conservation of the House of Worship over the next millennium.
Activities: Completed the final phase of ten years of restoration of the Holiest House of Worship with repairs to the concrete cornice and gutter. Five seasons of construction concluded ahead of schedule and below budget. The work's outstanding craftsmanship and technical achievement earned the “Project of the Year” Award from the International Concrete Repair Institute.
Established a conservation team for the Temple.
Continued documentation of the restoration project, carefully storing samples, molds and unique equipment, and conducting detailed inspections, research and testing for future preservation work.
Designed and initiated construction of an elevator in the House of Worship to improve access for disabled individuals.
Assisted with inspections and condition reports on the Shrine of the Bab, providing technical assistance for the molds and production of new ornamental urns for the terraces on Mount Carmel, and assisted with inspections and condition reports for the House of Worship in Kampala, Uganda.
Bahd’l Properties Office
Goal: To oversee the maintenance and development of all nationally owned Baha'i properties in the United States, to consult with the National Spiritual Assembly on the acquisition and disposal of such properties, and to provide similar support to local assemblies on property acquisition and/or development.
Activities: Remodeled the Properties Office; installed conduit, electrical outlets and mounting panels in the House of Worship and in the Properties Office in preparation for the installation of a new telephone system; installed a new compressor in the air conditioner in the National Archives Office and additional lighting in the Activities and Archives offices; rewired the Personal Computer Center; constructed an acoustical box for Media Services; installed surge protectors at the National Center and Properties offices to protect computers from power -uctuations; and installed a drain in the grounds at the House of Worship that directs ground water to the canal instead of the parking lot.
Handled all the maintenance, custodial, grounds and public safety tasks relating to the National Center properties.
Made a model of the elevator to be installed in the House of Worship.
Acquired the services of an environmental firm and initiated work on asbestos abatement in the House of Worship. _
Publishing
Baha’! Distribution Service
Goal: To promote the distribution and use of Baha‘f publications and materials at the lowest prices possible and to develop further a solid business structure.
Activities: Achieved, as of March 1, 1994, sales totaling $1,384,099, about 7% under the $1.95 million sales goal. A profit for the year was projected despite the shortfall in sales since adjustments were made in the operational budget.
Added 150 new titles to the Distribution Service inventory, resulting in sales of over $300,000. Best sellers for the year include: The Kitdb-i-Aqdas (sales in all editions were over 16,500); Lasting Remembrances (1,000 tapes); The Baha'is magazine; Call to Remembrance (1,400); and Healing Racism in America (1,900).
Established 2,865 new customer accounts, an increase of 31% over last year, and filled 23,295 orders for 270,451 items, an increase of 48% in orders and 10% in items over last year.
Achieved gains in inventory and accounts receivable control systems, reducing inventory value to $371,000 from over $450,000, a remarkable accomplishment in light of the inventory reduction occurring simultaneously as the Baha’f Publishing Trust dramatically increased the size of the printings of Authoritative Text titles. Increased printings have insured low unit costs and retail prices.
Reduced total accounts receivable from over $400,000 at the beginning of the year to $193,262 as of March 1, 1994, which resulted in the Publishing Trust becoming a major source of revenue for the National Center and operationally self-supporting.
Produced advertising and promotional materials, including 52,000 price lists; 60,000 16-page fliers; 135,000 one-page fliers and order stuffers; 15,000 postcard promotional pieces; and 19 twopage ads for The American Baha’, In addition, complimentary copies of The Kitdb-i-Aqdas and Tablets of the Divine Plan were sent to every National Spiritual Assembly and Bahd’f Distribution Service in the world. .
Compiled and edited promotional copy on over 1,500 books in anticipation of the publication of a comprehensive Baha’f Distribution Service catalog.
Established relationships with 16 new vendors, signed 41 new letters of agreement with Baha’f Distribution Service vendors, and negotiated more favorable terms with several other vendors, including the Visual Services Office of IBAVC, resulting in 175 new videotapes being added to the Baha’{ Distribution Service inventory.
Coordinated the sales efforts at several conferences such as the Green Lake Conference, the Atlanta Large-Scale Growth Conference, and the Tennessee Baha'i School.
Baha’t Project
Goal: To advance Bahd’{ scholarship by publishing a two-volume Short Encyclopedia of the Baha'i Faith that defines Bah’{ belief and practice for the general public.
Activities: Decided in a meeting of the Editorial Board that the amount of material collected for the encyclopedia would be better produced in two volumes than in the originally planned one volume.
Secured and edited 90% of the articles for the first volume (A-J), and sent the materials to the copy editor for final editing. The work of the encyclopedia has been carried out over a number of years with country articles being edited in Canada and general articles being edited in the United States and then in England. The Canadian part of the operation has been closed down due to the resignation of the full-time assistant, and since May 1993 the files for country articles have been transferred to England, causing delays in the progress of the encyclopedia.
Baha’ Trust Goal: To support the teaching and consolidating
of the Faith by publishing the Baha’{ Writings, introductory and historical works, literature for children and youth, teaching literature, and audiovisual materials; to promote the use of Baha’{ literature; and to foster the translation, publication, and distribution of Bahd’f literature in the Kazakh and Ukrainian languages.
Activities: Published three new literature titles: new pocket-sized editions of The Kitdb-i-Aqdas and Tablets of the Divine Plan and a new U.S. hardcover edition of Tablets of Baha’u'lléh. Also published the Baha’f Wall and Pocket Calendars and Datebooks.
Reprinted, in cooperation with other Baha’f publishers, Marriage: A Fortress for Well-Being and The Open Door.
Completed reprints of nine titles: The Kitdb-iIgqan, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahd’u’Iléh, Refer: Baha'u'llah, Some Answered Questions, The Secret of Divine Civilization, The Advent of Divine Justice, The World Order of Baha’u'lléh, Baha’t Prayers, The Divine Art of Living, The Vision of Race Unity, Baha'u'llah and the New Era, and The Baha'i Faith Teaching Booklet.
Assisted other agencies of the National Spiritual Assembly in the publication of three titles in Persian: Introduction to the Bahd’t Faith, Essay on The Kitab-i-Aqdas and Spiritual Integration; the teaching booklet in Vietnamese for the Refugee Office; visitor cards and postcards for the House of Worship; video sleeve and cassette cover designs for Media Services and the National Teaching Committee; a telephone directory for Management Information Systems; and a marketing brochure for the Baha’f Home.
Continued to provide administrative support to the Short Encyclopedia of the Bahd’t Faith project, including hosting two Editorial Board meetings.
Sent a representative to Kiev, Ukraine, for consultation on the status of Baha’f publishing and the needs of the Ukrainian community and donated two Bahd’{ libraries for presentation to public libraries in the Ukraine.
Brilliant Star Editorial Board
Goal: To produce six issues of Brilliant Star magazine per year, designed to serve the needs of children by confirming their Baha’ identity and helping them to become Baha’{ teachers, and one special edition for summer schools.
Activities: Produced seven regular issues this year: Life’s Journey, The Role of Women, Being Leaders, My Part of the Plan, Families, and Courage and a special edition for 1994, The Spiritual Conquest ofthe Planet.
Produced an additional special edition for 1994, The 100th Anniversary of the Baha’f Faith in America, prepared in collaboration with the 100th Anniversary Task Force for use at regional schools in the coming summer.
Completed production of the special edition for 1993 on The Kitdb-i-Aqdas for the Education and Schools Office for use at regional schools last summer.
Collaborated with the National Education Task Force to provide teacher packets for all those trained in the Core Curriculum and curriculumreferenced indices for teachers in every issue of Brilliant Star.
Increased subscribers and renewals through a new renewal notification program and doubled bulk sales and school standing orders by switching distribution of all non-subscription sales to the Bahd’{ Distribution Service.
Perlodicals Office
Goal: To produce 19 issues of The American Bahd’t, presenting news of the progress of the Cause in the United States and abroad to the American Baha’i community to inspire and guide its efforts to win the goals of the Three Year Plan.
Activities: Produced 19 issues of The American Baha'i, on time and under budget; added a new staff member; relocated the Periodicals Office from the Baha’f National Center to the Baha’f Publishing Trust; and redesigned the newspaper.
21
‘AZAMAT B.E. 151 / May 17, 1994
Covered on-site events including: the “Fruit of
the Holy Year” teaching campaign in Atlanta; the
Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago;
Peace Fest “93 at the Louis G. Gregory Baha’f
Institute; the “Vision in Action” meeting in
Wilmette; the first North American Baha’f Conference on Economic Development in Orlando,
Florida; the Atlanta Large-Scale Growth Conference; and numerous other significant items,
among which were included: an eight-page pullout section of a compilation from the Universal
House of Justice on entry by troops; a letter
released by the World Center on sexual abuse;
news about progress on the construction of the Arc
on Mount Carmel; “Mission 19”; the National
Conference on Sustainable Development in
Kentucky; reports on the continuing outcry in
Congress and the UN against the persecution of
the Baha'is in Iran; and the National Spiritual
Assembly's “Appeal to the Conscience of Humankind” concerning the persecutions in Iran, which
was signed by 49 prominent Americans and
published in a number of leading newspapers.
Subscriber Services
Goal: To fulfill subscriptions, distribute, and promote The American Baha’ (foreign subscribers), Brilliant Star, One Country, Tian Xia Yi Jla, Herald of the South, and World Order magazines.
Activities: Furnished Baha’ periodicals to 3,854 subscribers, of which 1,213 are foreign subscribers.
World Order Editorial Board
Goal: To publish World Order magazine, a direct teaching and deepening effort of the National Spiritual Assembly focusing on topics of broad social concern from a Baha'i perspective.
Activities: Published the Fall 1993 issue commemorating the one hundredth anniversary of the passing of Baha‘u’llah and the inauguration of His Covenant, including impressions of ‘Abdu’l-Baha by Thornton Chase and an account of meeting ‘Abdu’l-Baha by Juanita Storch.
Published the Winter 1993-94 issue devoted to the equality of women and men and including statements on the equality of the sexes by the Bahd’{ International Community and the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Australia, as well as examinations of women in the American Bahai community between 1900 and 1912 and African American women between 1898 and 1919.
Published the Spring 1994 issue devoted to the centenary of the establishment of the Baha’f Faith in North America.
Began desktop publishing the magazine with the Fall 1993 issue, a step that cut typesetting costs, worked with the Baha’f Distribution Service and The American Bahd’i for regular promotion of the magazine, and worked with Subscriber Service to resume regular mailing of renewal letters to rebuild the number of World Order subscribers.
Services
National Baha'i Archives
Goal: To assist and support the National Spiritual Assembly, its agencies, and the American Baha’ community by maintaining archival records and materials, providing research assistance, and educating and assisting local Spiritual Assemblies in the proper care and management of local records and archives.
Activities: Assisted with the planning of the 1994 centenary observations of the eae baineen of the Baha’ Faith in North America.
Acquired one original Tablet of ‘Abdu’l-Baha and 14 original letters written on behalf of the Guardian. Accounted for 1,687 dates in a list received from the Baha’i World Center of approximately 7,200 dates of Guardians letters.
Organized a collection of extracts on various subjects from the Archives’ holding of Guardian’s letters which currently consists of 4,371 extracts in 885 categories.
Sent to 30 local communities a set of biographi
cal sketches of noteworthy African American, Asian, Hispanic and Native American Baha‘fs for use in proclamation and teaching activities.
Answered 351 research requests including 131 from the National Spiritual Assembly and its agencies, 44 from other Baha‘{ institutions, and 176 from individuals. The Archives reading room was visited by 18 scholars and Bah4’{ National Center staff from four offices.
Processed 891 historical photographs and provided publishers and scholars with 151 prints and 4,303 photocopies of historical documents.
Sent information on local records and archives to 16 local communities in 11 states.
Increased the National Reference Library collections by approximately 3,150 items, bringing the total volume up to nearly 50,000 items, and made donations of duplicate books to the World Center and Louhelen Baha’f School libraries.
Developed two archival displays and conducted six tours of the Archives and an Archives open house and relics display for National Convention.
Received 190 boxes of Baha’i National Center records; acquired seven new collections of personal papers and 12 additions to existing collections, arranged and opened for research ten collections of personal papers, and made 17 inquiries into collections of papers the Archives wishes to acquire.
Microfilmed the Office of the Secretary’s Shoghi Effendi Files (1922-1940) and The American Baha’t (1986-1993) and photocopied on acid-free paper 2,00 pages of newspaper clippings for archival preservation.
Bahé’i Service for the Blind
Goal: To provide the literature of the Faith in mediums such as cassette tapes, Braille, and largeprint formats, for purchase and/or loan, for those unable to use standard print due to physical or mental handicaps.
Activities: Maintained a lending library of materials for the blind and managed to remain financially independent of assistance from the National Fund.
Made The Kitdb-i-Aqdas available on cassette tape within two weeks of the release of the print edition.
Advertised the Faith in numerous world-wide publications for the blind.
Donated braille books to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahd’fs of Ethiopia to help establish a braille library for blind Bahd’fs in that country.
Baha'i Service for the Hearing Impaired and Deaf
Goal: To facilitate understanding and acceptance of individuals with hearing loss in the American Baha’i community and to provide services for deaf individuals and their Baha’f communities.
Activities: Provided information on interpreter services and other services for the deaf to the House of Worship and met with various agencies of the National Spiritual Assembly to consult on potential areas of collaboration.
Submitted to the National Spiritual Assembly a request that it consider adopting a standard set of policies regarding services for the deaf and hard of hearing at the national, regional and local levels and developed a preliminary set of policies, procedures and guidelines with alternative rationales and cost analyses.
Human Resources
Goal: To attend to the human resource needs of the National Spiritual Assembly and its employees and to serve as a resource for the coordination of activities among the agencies, institutes and departments of the National Spiritual Assembly.
Activities: Assisted in completing the restructuring of the national Baha’f administrative and teaching organizations begun in the previous fiscal year.
Assisted in the training delivery system and
production of training materials used for the “Vision in Action” presentations and in the design of the Treasurer’s Seminar conducted for local treasurers and community members in the United States.
Facilitated the hiring of 48 employees and the termination of 178 employees (including summer temporary staff, World Congress staff, and employees impacted by the reduction in staff due to the status of the National Fund).
Implemented a new Long Term Disability plan effective February 1, 1994, with cost savings projected at $12,000 annually while increasing Employee Assistance benefits.
Revised the employee retirement plan to allow employees greater investment options at no additional expense to the National Fund.
Established an employee Credit Union which provides savings and loan privileges to employees and their families at not-for-profit rates.
Deferred $73,454 employee dollars through a Section 125 Plan (Flexible Benefits) with estimated tax savings to employees of $18,363 and to the National Spiritual Assembly of $5,553.
Developed and conducted training sessions for all managers on administering performance appraisals, developed a new policy manual for managers, and completed an employee policy manual.
Management Information Systems
Goal: To provide services in office automation, network services (E-Mail, Wide Area Network), document management (image processing and file room automation), and administrative systems support (membership, records, financial and accounting functions, and mail services) to support the operation of the Baha’{ National Center, its associated departments, and agencies.
Activities: Provided the Baha’f National Center Bulletin Board System (BNCBBS) to 2,105 users in the 48 contiguous states, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Canada, an increase of 17% within one year, ata current rate of 650 messages per month.
Installed a new digital telephone system for the Baha‘{ National Center facilities, the House of Worship, and the Properties/Public Safety facilities complete with enhanced user features such as voice mail, speed dialing, customized call forwarding, automatic call distribution and advanced call conferencing.
Installed the initial component of the National Center Electronic Mail system in selected offices to provide for desk-to-desk global communications and connection to the worldwide Internet system.
Implemented a schools registration system at four permanent schools.
Redesigned and distributed the U.S. Baha’f Directory.
Designed and developed an automated budgeting system to facilitate the budgeting process for all agencies through standardization and elimination of duplicate data entry.
Provided support to the “Vision in Action” campaign by generating computer reports, charts and graphs.
Created Electoral Unit boundaries for and mapped local Spiritual Assemblies on the Geographic Information System. Additionally provided mapping services in support of projects for Baha’f National Center offices and agencies including the “Vision in Action” and “Heat Wave” campaigns.
Shortened by one month the time required to recognize local Spiritual Assembly formations following Riovan elections by automating portions of the formation verification process.
Completed 65% of the automation of the file room through the implementation of a document retrieval system utilizing laser disk and imaging technology enabling on-line access to all membership files.
Completed approximately 1,100 service calls
22
THe AMERICAN BAHA'I
through PC Services which provides support for training, troubleshooting problems, maintenance, and upgrading hardware and software. PC Services also completed a hardware and software inventory and instituted an inventory control procedure.
Processed 26,808 address changes, 2,154 enrollments, 1,186 child registrations, 1569 name changes and identification card replacements, 1,043 administrative changes, 925 transfers into the American Baha’ community, and 753 transfers out of the community; verified and processed 1,386 local Spiritual Assembly formations, including the resolution of 430 problems formations; and recorded 633 deceased.
Sent out 889,291 pieces of mail through Mail Services, taking advantage of the following savings during the past year: $25,000 cost avoidance through the use of zip+4 and barcode for mailing The American Baha'i and another $25,000 savings through in-house mail preparation and sorting.
Baha’l Media Services
Goal: To expand media production capacities to serve the interests of the Faith both nationally and internationally; to increase greatly the availability and use of video materials in languages other than English; and to increase the capacity to generate broadcast-quality video productions.
Activities: Completed production on the following items: three new editions of The Baha'i Newsreel with translations in Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Persian, Hindi and Russian; a 96-minute video program for the series of nationwide meetings held to launch the “Vision in Action” campaign and a 38-minute follow-up video program which was delivered to the community for the Feast of *Alé (March 2, 1994); 1993 National Convention Highlights (audio); and Mount Carmel Projects Report developed from the Arc. presenta~ tion given at the second Baha’f World'Congress.
Completed post-production work on The Spiritual Revolution II and provided background video and editorial support for a video production in
rogess titled Shoghi Effendi: The Guardian of the Baha'i Faith for the producers of those works.
Assisted in the production of The Parliament of the World's Religions, a broadcast quality documentation of that event, in collaboration with the Parliament, the Chicago Sunday Evening Club and Chicago Broadcast Ministries. Baha’i Media Services has become recognized as a leader in the production of religious programs, leading to requests for information and assistance from CBS, NBC, Vision TV (Canada), and VISN.
Provided technical support for video, audio, lighting, staging, documentation, short run audio and video duplication, archival recording, and providing stock footage and still photos to publishers, producers and Bahé”i communities.
Meeting Planning and Travel Services
Goal: To provide the National Spiritual Assembly and its committees and agencies meeting and travel planning services to insure cost-effective quality.
Activities: Interviewed travel agents and trial tested over 50 proposals before selecting vendors.
Developed and implemented travel policies and procedures.
Negotiated and contracted discounted rates with hotels and negotiated a contract with a local and nationwide car rental agency at 25% below market rate at a cost savings of over $50,000.
Provided over 1,000 travel tickets at a cost savings of over $200,000 by taking advantage of airfare “wars,” implementing 14-day advance purchase requests, and recapturing unused tickets.
Supported over 145 meetings and conferences, including National Convention, a meeting of the Continental Boards of Counselors for the Americas, National Spiritual Assembly meetings, committee and task force meetings, and the “Vision in Action” conferences.
‘Azamat 151 8.€. / May 17, 1994
23
Spring sees marked upsurge in teaching across U.S.
Taking its cue from June, which is right around the corner, teaching is “busting out all over,” as these news items and excerpts of letters from around the country illustrate:
.
¢ “HEAT Wave sweeps South Portland (Maine) and seeker declares! Intense teaching, especially by the youth of our community, has resulted in the declaration of a new believer. ...(She) has since invited more of her friends to learn about the Baha’{ Faith. Cars full of youth from South Portland are traveling to firesides—rumor has it 11 seekers headed to one ona recent Saturday night.”
¢ “The big news (in our area) is that an inactive believer was found. (She) has stated her intention to ‘become active as a Baha’{’ and raise her 10-year-old daughter as a Baha’! Consequently, we are registering as a Baha’ Group.”
¢ “The following log details the traveling-teaching trips I have taken in B.E. 150. There may have been more times I traveled...that I did not record. I did not send this information sooner, because I thought...to count as traveling teaching, one had to give a ‘talk,’ not just teach the Faith informally. Before each of these trips, I prepared to teach the Faith by praying and asking God for guidance. Total: 27 trips. PS.: During each activity listed, the Faith was taught directly, sometimes with literature. I have firesides in my home which, of course, don’t appear on this list, but they are the other half of the picture. ...lama single Baha’f with a job, stable in— come who has the opportunity to travel frequently.”
¢ “Alléh’u’Abha! I have been wanting to write this letter for some time, but you know how itis. I’ve been fighting procrastination all my life, but guess who’s winning lately? Iam. Ihave a pile of The American Baha’f on my desk reminding me every day that I have just a little note to write. Well, the most recent issue spurred me to turn the computer on and type. ...Now when the numbers are published I will know that at least the above three traveling teachers have been counted and that our community, with its adoption of Georgia's only national extension goal (of cities of 50,000+), has also been counted.”
“Greatest victory to date: my mother-in-law declared herself a Baha’i. (A friend) asked her to join our (Baha’f) family.”
¢ “have formulated a plan for traveling teaching by plane with a Bahé’{ friend. He has an airplane and will fly me to anywhere in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan to teach. ...We hope to be able fly somewhere to travel teach about once a month, with some possibilities in the summer.”
¢ “We the undersigned would like
to officially notify you of our teaching efforts in Alexandria, Virginia. In an effort to save trees we have all signed our names and addresses here as participants in Out of This Darkness rather than each person notifying you individually (168 names were signed!).”
¢ “I found that when my mind was open to possibilities and I was expecting to find receptive souls they
seemed to appear everywhere. ...There has been a definite rise in interest and receptivity this Baha’f month, no doubt due to the HEAT Wave. I think it’s working. I just pray that we can sustain the effort and follow up on all the interest that has been generated.”
¢ “One way of teaching: turn any social event into a fireside. It’s easy since the problems of today’s world are usually the topic of any conversation. We can mention the remedies that Baha’u’llah has given us!”
- “I was moved spontaneously
after the November 14 Vision in Ac— tion session to start getting acquainted with Baha’fs and seekers. I'm finding this (firesides) another way to bring together older (over 40) and younger (under 30) people, communicating mutual desires and dreams and actions to actualize them.”
¢ “We had two firesides during the HEAT Wave period in Rhode Island. We were pleased how easy it seems to invite people to hear about Baha’— u’llah these days! There were a total of six seekers during the firesides. We pledge not to stop here.”
¢ “Hosted three dinner parties in our home. Provided all the food, games, entertainment, and music to approximately 80 persons from about 18 different ethnic groups. About 65 percent of guests were non-Bahd’fs. Invited Baha'is were asked to serve as co-hosts, making sure that all felt welcome and comfortable. Many
non-Baha‘i guests said afterward that it was the best party they had ever attended. Friendships were formed between Baha’fs and non-Baha‘fs, resulting in follow-up activities. For example, when an Italian Baha’{ woman and a young Vietnamese couple realized they lived in the same apartment building, they later exchanged dinners and hospitality reflecting their ethnic origin.”
a a
Pictured are the members of the first Spiritual Assembly of Stillwater, Minnesota, formed February 7 by joint declaration. Front row (left to right) are Joby Randrup, Steven Milston and Jeff Randrup. Back row (left to right) are Jack Malan, Dolly Britzman, Judy Milston, Bill Thompson, Louise Watson and Rita Bulger.
- “We recently took a trip north to
New York City to attend a United Nations Association national convention. While in New York we had a fireside with three non-Baha’is attending. On our return we had a fireside with one non-Baha’f attending.”
¢ “Nine youth and two adults traveled to Hammond, Indiana, to perform, teach, and participate in the first Calumet Area Race Unity Con— ference. This was not a Baha’f conference. The over 400 attendees were treated to a luncheon performance which centered on the oneness of mankind. The performance was so well received that the workshop was asked to perform at the NAACP. Youth Council Banquet in East Chicago in the spring. The youth were invited to attend the VIP reception for the Rev. Bernice King, end-note speaker at the conference. Hammond is a goal city in Indiana.”
¢ “These thoughts came to us as we were passing the many historic sites on our trip, over parts of the Lewis and Clark expedition trail, the famous Oregon Trail which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, and a portion of the old Santa Fe Trail. The thousands of immigrants who pressed forward over these trails succeeded...because of their courage, perseverance and their dedication to achieving their goals. Today we are called upon to exhibit a similar spirit, but we are different kinds of pioneers who are dedicated
to winning spiritual goals. Our courage and perseverance in pursuing the plans we set for ourselves will produce victory in spite of seeming difficulties. We Baha’is won't be charting any new physical trails, but our trails will be equally celebrated by future generations.”
“These are two of the goal areas to establish local Spiritual Assemblies, but there are no Baha'is in either location. We drove through both cities saying prayers, picked up local newspapers, tried to get to know the community a little, etc. ...We stopped at the library and men— tioned we were Baha’is and had a librarian help us find Baha’f books in the computer catalog. We ate dinner and left a Bahai card with a note thanking the waitress for her service.”
¢ “I traveled looking up longlost cousins in the South. There was a joint purpose: to gather and share what family history we each remembered, and to tell each as much as desired about the Baha‘f Faith. Twice I attended church services with my kin and filled out the guest card. Home church? Baha’i Faith.”
¢ “I engaged two of my fellow travelers in discussion about Baha‘u'llah. Once in Urbana (Illinois), I was asked by a stranger on the street, ‘How would the people of this town treat Jesus Christ if he returned today?’ I answered by asking him if he had ever heard of Baha’u’llah.”
¢ “Teaching efforts were up by 60 percent. Connecticut communities: (1) gave special firesides; (2) had more firesides; (3) established regular firesides during the HEAT Wave.”
¢ “The Connecticut Baha’f Youth Workshop performed at an interfaith Sunday service in honor of Dr. King’s birthday, and received a standing ovation from the men’s chorus of the participating black church.”
« “The New London (Connecticut) Baha'is held a proclamation, begun with prayers in many different languages, commemorating World Re— ligion Day, as well as the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Participating were the state’s two performing teaching institutes: the Connecticut Baha'i Youth Workshop, and the Connecticut Baha'i Chorale. Over three-fourths of the very diverse group who attended were seekers, and the Bahd’fs reported that there was a truly a new spirit of excitement and investigation present. Among the individuals who were attracted to the day’s events were the two janitors, who reluctantly closed the building at the end of the event and spoke with the Bahd‘is outside the facility for a long time afterward.”
¢ “One Connecticut Baha’f resigned her job at a large corporation to work full-time serving the Faith, especially in the area of racial har— mony. With a background in acting,
See TEACHING page 31
Classified notices in The American
Baha’ are published free of charge
as a service to the Baha'i community. Because of this, notices are
limited to items relating to the
Faith; no personal or commercial
ads can be accepted for publication.
The opportunities referred to have
not been approved by the National
Spiritual Assembly; the friends
should exercise their own judgment
and care in responding to them.
SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
THE LOUHELEN Baha‘ School is seeking applicants to fill an anticipated vacancy for coordinator of property im— provement. This is a regular, full-time permanent staff position, with salary and benefits appropriate to the core supervisory role it offers. The coordinator of RECreey 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 Bah'f School, 3208 S. State Road, Davison, MI 48423, or phone 810-653-5033 (fax 810-6537181).
THE BOSCH Baha'i School is seeking summer staff to plan and direct recreational activities for all ages, manage equipment, teach children’s classes, and be a creative part of its 11-week sumimer sessions with occasional duties in other
departments as needed. Talent in the arts, especially music, is highly valued. Mid-June through September 1. Room and board and a small stipend are provided. Please communicate with the director, Bosch Baha'{ School, 500 Com— stock Lane, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (phone 408-423-3387; fax 408-423-7564).
THE GREEN ACRE Baha’i School is seeking applicants for its 1994 summer staff. With the reopening of the Sarah Farmer Inn and expansion of programming and activities, many opportunities for service are available in a variety of areas. Those with little or no experience as well as skilled professionals are encouraged to apply. Positions include as~ sistant cooks, dining room assistants, dishwashers, housekeepers, grounds— keepers, general help, children's teachers, recreation leader, librarian, office assistant, gardener. Applicants should be available from June 20 through August 28; however, shorter terms. Bieaaries can be considered in some cases. While fulltime volunteer service in exchange for room and board is most desirable, pro— visions for additional compensation can be made. For information, please phone the school at 207-439-7200 (fax 207-4397202), Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (Eastern time), or send a letter of intent to Administrator, Green Acre Baha'i School, 188 Main St., Eliot, ME 03903.
THE LOUHELEN Baha'i School warmly invites applications from mature Baha'i youth and adults to join its full-time volunteer staff. Louhelen is a leading Baha'{ educational and cultural center which welcomes several thousand persons each year who come for a variety of Baha'i courses and conferences. Applications are sought from those who are able to serve during the summer season, June-August 1994. The school is also seeking persons who are able to offer
full-time service for one or two years. Areas of possible service are diverse, and many interests and skills are sought.
Volunteers live at the school while serv— ing, with Louhelen providing full board and room. Individuals are responsible for their personal expenses and health insurance. Address inquiries to Penny Schmicker, volunteer services manager, Louhelen Baha’f School, 3208 S. State Road, Davison, MI 48423. Phone 810-6535033; fax 810-653-7181.
SEARCHING for Youth Service Corps applicants: dedicated youth with a deep inner longing to serve the Cause and a desire to add skills through on-site training. Must be ready to learn new tasks and be flexible in areas of service. We will offer training in positions in several areas including maintenance, registration, cooking, library /bookshop. For a more information or an ay lication,
lease write to the Bosch Baha’ School, boo Comstock Lane, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, or phone 408-423-3387. Periods of service range from three months to one rar.
CLAFLIN COLLEGE, a liberal arts college in Orangeburg, South Carolina, affiliated with the United Methodist Church and the United Negro College Fund, is seeking an assistant professor of reading. A masters degree is preferred. Duties include teaching basic and advanced reading. Responsibilities would also include advising students in elementary education. Tenure track position for nine months; salary negotiable. In— terested persons should forward a letter of application and résumé (including names and telephone numbers of three references) to Dr. Roosevelt Ratliff Jr., chairman, Division of Education, Claflin College, 700 College Avenue, Orangeburg, SC 29115 (phone 803-535-5286). The position is to be filled by August 1.
PIONEERING (OVERSEAS)
EMPLOYMENT opportunities over~ seas. AFRICA: Congo—urgent need for elementary school teachers. Kenya—financial coordinator to oversee finances of nonprofit agency programs in Somalia, Kenya and Southern Sudan. Somalia—registered nurses, family practice/ internal medicine physician, nurse prac— titioner. Zambia—urgent need for math, physics, chemistry, French and geography teachers. AMERICAS: Brazil—urgent need for teachers. Colombia—geological engineer/hydrogeologist to serve as consultant in area of subterranean water sources. Honduras—elementary and junior high school teachers. Turks & Caicos—elementary school teachers. ASIA: India—nutrition and health unit director. Korea—EFL teachers, academic supervisors. Macau—elementary school teachers, economics professor. AUS— TRALASIA: Tonga—professional kayak guide. Western Caroline Islands—social studies, ESL, math, science, English, car pentry secondary school teachers; cer— tified public accountant; public auditor. EUROPE: Lithuania—general director for investment promotion agency. Poland—EFL instructors. Russia—chief financial officer. For more information, please contact the Office of Pioneering, Baha’{ National Center, Wilmette Il 60091 (telephone 708-733-3512; fax708-7333509).
PIONEERING (HOMEFRONT)
HOMEFRONT pioneers are needed in Apache Junction, Arizona (part of the Phoenix metro area, just east of Mesa), which formed its Assembly during this past Baha'i year. The community presently has 11 adult members, but four will be leaving the area sometime this sum— mer. The Phoenix metro area has about 10 active Baha'i communities that offer a wide variety of activities in which to take part. There are two Baha'f Centers, in
THe AMERICAN BaHA't
24
HELP WANTED
National Projects Administrator
Bahd'f administration.
skills.
3427).
in the NATIONAL TEACHING OFFICE
The office of the National Teaching Committee has undergone a recent 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 Teaching Committee. Some duties include:
- 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'f community for
use in print and audio/visual media.
¢ 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
Phoenix and Scottsdale. Employment
opportunities are growing, as the Phoenix/Me:sa economy is on the upswing.
The: area boasts one of the country's best
community college systems, and Arizona
State University is only 30 minutes away
via the freeway. For more information,
please write to the Spiritual Assembly of
Apache Junction, PO. Box 3011, Apache
Junction, AZ 85217, or phone 602-9829370, 602-671-1003 or 602-982-1562.
SUNNY BELEN, New Mexico, needs
homefront pioneers to help save its jeopardized Assembly. Belen (pop. 10,000) is
an historic railroad center with a rich
Hispanic history, in the high desert (at
5,000 feet) with a mild climate, only 30
minutes from Albuquerque and Kirkland
Air Force Base. Ideal for military retirees,
teachers, and those interested in teaching
the Faith at nearby Indian pueblos. Low
housing and living costs. Write to Ba~
ha’is, P.O. Box 663, Belen, NM 87002, or
phone 505-864-7363.
THE BAHA'f community of Orangeburg, South Carolina, has an immediate reat for one or two youth for a year of service. Orangeburg, 40 miles east of Columbia, boasts two major colleges and one university. Bahd'i youth and young adults who are interested in pursuing their education while on a year of service are encouraged to consider Orangeburg. We presently have three Baha'i faculty members and several students at South Carolina State University, and need more young, people to solidify the campus club and help us with community teaching events. Youth who are interested in con— ducting children’s classes are also need— ed. For information, please write to the Spiritual Assembly of Orangeburg, c/o Pamela Laursen, secretary, P.O. Box 2463, Orangeburg, SC 29116 (phone 803536-2752).
ARCHIVES
THE NATIONAL Baha'i Archives is seeking, at the request of the Universal House of Justice, original letters written on behalf of the Guardian to the following individuals: Daisy Smyth (died Boston, MA, 1959), Antoinette Snodgrass, Julia Sobel, Ronald Soderberg, El Fleda
Spaulding (died Chicago, 1930), Robert
Speller, Raymond Spencer, F. St. G.
Spendlove, and Hannah C. Sprague.
Anyone knowing family members or
relatives who might have these letters
from the Guardian is asked to contact the
National Baha'f Archives, Baha'i National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or to
Phone 708-869-9039.
THE NATIONAL Baha‘ Archives has a large collection of historical photographs, from which it can furnish copies of pictures at cost to individuals and institutions. As the selection and copying of photographs can take time, please contact the Archives a month or more before any deadlines. Requests for phofogrephs should be directed to the National Baha'f Archives, Baha'{ National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091 (phone 708853-2359 /708-869-9039).
WANTED
WANTED by Baha‘ artist: good quality close-up photographs of Baha'i fam— ilies and chi dren of agen cultural and ethnic backgrounds depicting daily Ba~ haf life (specifically morning, noon and evening, pe work, gardening, clean— liness, sibling love, giving to the Fund, teaching, kindness to animals, Baha'i Holy Days, etc.). Please mail to Barbara Curry, _ Denton, TX 76207, or telephone 817-383-3324.
1AM SEARCHING for Baha'is who have had experience with “Fourth Way” spiritual groups or who have read works by writers such as G.I. Gurdjieff, Maurice Nicole, John G. Bennett; also, people who have studied Taoism. | am hoping to write articles explaining the Faith to people in these and other New Age movements, and could use your help. Please contact John Dale,
Falls Church, VA 22041 (phone 703-845-1919).
WAS YOUR MOTHER an early American Bahd'f (enrolled before 1970)? Did your non-Baha'f mother have a pos~ itive influence on your decision to recognize Baha'u'lléh? We plan to edit a com-pilation about “Mothers of the American Baha'{ Community.” If you would like us to include memories of
your mother, please send information
such as her date of birth, education,
number of Ba-h'f children and grandchildren, religious and ethnic background, who taught her the Faith,
community and civic activities in which
she was involved, her Baha'{ travels and
areas of service, “words of wisdom” she
passed on to you, attitudes she expected
‘ou to internalize, and vig-nettes that
illustrate her character. Names may or
may not be used in the publication;
your/her pref-erence for an-onymity
will be honored. Send a 2,000-2,500 word
transcript or 3.5-inch Word-Perfect
diskette by September 1 to G. Clayborne,
Glencoe, IL 60022.
WANTED to borrow for a deepening
series: “The Light of Bah4'u'll4h,” nine
video cassettes. Please contact Paul and
Ellie Jacobi, Madison,
WI 53703 (phone 608-257-6396).
WANTED: poems by Baha'is for a
Hindi-English anthology of selected BahA'f poets. To assure accuracy of translation into Hindi, poems should be accom—
panied by a detailed summary and back—
ground of the work. Please send to Su
rendra Prakash, La
Crosse, WI 54601 (phone 608-782-5793).
PUBLICATIONS
YOUTH! Here's an exciting opportunity to communicate with young people around the world. Be Magazine (an in— ternational magazine for Bahs't 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, PROS EELY) (camera-ready halftones, if possible), or art work. Send to Be Mag azine, . Albuquerque, NM 87106. For information, phone 505-256-7734.
A GOAL of the Association for Baha'{ Studies Agriculture Seminar is to print directories of Baha'is who have interest/ experience in agriculture and sustainable development. The process of finding those who wish to be included in a directory has begun not only in Canada and the U.S. but also in Ireland, Scotland and the southern countries of Africa. If you would like to be included in such a directory, or would like more information, please contact one of the following individuals: Billy Rogers, 212 Sylvan School Road, Snow Camp, NC 27349 (phone 919-376-6749); Donald Grenier,
N. Delta, BC V4C 4B5 (phone 604-590-5585); Nancy Mc—
Intyre, Floyd, VA 24091 (phone 703-745-2918). MISCELLANEOUS
THE BAHA'f HOME in Wilmette (near the Baha'i House of Worship) has vacancies for elderly persons who are ambulatory (walkers/canes are accepted) and who can administer their own med— ications. Private living quarters (furnished or fitienintied ), home-cooked meals (and two snacks daily), nursing assistants on duty 24 hours, personal laundry, all necessary personal care, a full schedule of activities, single-floor design and lovely residential area are some of the many amenities provided in the low rent of $1,400 a month. For details, contact the administrator, 708251-7000. Open to all.
BECAUSE of unforeseen circumstances, the Spiritual Assembly of South Bend, Indiana, has postponed the celebration of its 60th anniversary from April to October 9. Those who would like to contribute their memories or memorabilia, or who wish to attend are asked to contact the Spiritual Assembly c/o Dr. Mana Derakhshani, secretary,
South Bend, IN 46616 (phone 219-289-4467; fax 219-2894673).
‘AzamaAT 8.€. 151 / May 17, 1994
25
Bolivia campaign embraces 300 new believers;
Kenyans ‘show love to Baha'u'llah,’ enroll 159
A national teaching campaign was held January 29February 5 in the area around Radio Baha'i in Bolivia. More than 40 of the friends, the ma— jority of whom were youth, took part in the campaign. As a result, about 300 new believers were enrolled in the Faith and 15 communities were opened. A group of volunteers stayed at the Radio Baha'i complex to help consolidate the new communities.
.
In an effort to meet the goals of the Three Year Plan for the Regional and Administrative Committee of Kisumu and Siaya, Kenya, the first phase of a teaching campaign entitled “Show Your Love to Baha'u'llah” was held from late December to early January. In a period of about three weeks, the participants were able to enroll 159 new believers and form 10 new local Spiritual Assemblies. More than 600 people heard about the Faith for the first time, and it was proclaimed at four gatherings of chiefs, who are the local administrators. Immediate follow-up was planned, with deepenings for the new believers and the local Assemblies.
°
A teaching campaign organized by the National Teaching Committee of Swaziland in the names of Brian and Jennifer Baylis, pioneers who were killed in a recent plane crash, was held last December 19-24. After com— pleting a teacher training and spir— itualization course, the 20 youth who took part in the campaign were sent to two villages in the south of the country where they lived in homesteads, made friends with the local people and taught them the Faith. In places where Baha’'fs already lived, they helped organize deepenings and children's classes. By the end of the campaign, 23 people had declared their belief in Baha'u'llah.
.
About 35 young people from all over Portugal attended a Youth Encounter last December 18-23 in Alferce-Monchique whose focus was on teaching the Faith. The special guest was Counselor Louis Hénuzet. The meeting, described in a report as “this encounter of unity and love,” resulted in the enrollment of three new believers.
.
On January 27, the State Baha'i Council of Jammu and Kashmir, India, held a public meeting to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the Faith in Jammu. The Honored Guest, Justice K.K. Gupta of Jammu and Kashmir's High Court, stated his appreciation for the teachings of the Faith. Among those in the audience of 150 were doctors, university professors and engineers.
The entire program was broadcast by AIR Jammu Radio, and the main speaker, Dr. Anil Sarwal, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of India, was interviewed on radio.
.
About 250 people, most of whom were not Baha'is, attended a celebration last November 12 at the Regional Baha'i Center in Bamenda, Cameroon, of the anniversary of the Birth of Baha'u'llah. The program, which began with readings of the Tablet of Visitation and Tablet of Carmel, included a talk by Baha'i David Gillett and a performance by the Baha'i youth choir, the “Nightingales of Bamenda.”
°
On January 19, the Prime Minister of Lesotho, the Hon. Dr. Ntsu Mokhele, was given a copy of the Statement on Baha'u'llah by the secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly, Mapheko Mofolo. Also present were the Minister of Information and Broadcasting, the senior private sec— retary to the Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister's press secretary. Mr. Mofolo took the opportunity to thank the Prime Minister for his govern— ment's cooperation and helpfulness, noting that for 20 years the application for recognition of Baha'i marriage had been rejected, but that within days of its submission to the new government the legal adviser to the Ministry of the Interior said she had been assigned to prepare an amendment to the law which would accommodate Baha'i marriages. In his response, it was reported, “the Prime Minister said his government is committed to do justice to all sec— tors of the population and to bring about national reconciliation.”
°
Twenty-five representatives from five National Spiritual Assemblies took part February 17-20 in the historic first Baha'i ASEAN Forum in Bangkok, Thailand. The National
A weekend Baha'i women's conference was held last August 20-22 at the Baha'i Center in Rabaul, Papua New Guinea. About 18 women from Rabaul, Vunabang, Balanataman, Wonga Wonga and Raim took part in workshops and heard talks on women's issues by Daisy Baitman, Kim Rajah and Dorrie Hancock. The women felt that a special conference for men should be held so that the men could be educated to understand more fully the role of women.
Assembly members were brought together from Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand to deliberate on the development of the Faith in the region with special emphasis on reaching people of capacity, pooling professional resources to advance the Cause, and develop the youth movement aimed a realizing the long-awaited initiation of “entry by troops.” Others taking part in the conference were Counselor Kimiko Schwerin of the International Teaching Center, 17 Counselors from Asia and one from. Australasia.
Last October, a teaching group of six young Baha'is was divided into teams to teach in the goal community of El Pilén, district of Montijo, Pa— nama. About 30 homes were visited, and the Message of Baha'u'llah was shared with more than 100 people.
In March, the members of the Pittwater High School Band from Mona Vale, New South Wales, Australia, visited the Baha'{ House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois, dur— ing a sister-city visit to the U.S. Wilmette and Mona Vale, site of the Baha'i House of Worship in Australia, were chosen as sister cities a number of years ago by their local councils. Before leaving for the U.S., more than 50 band members, tour leaders, teachers and parents spent several hours at the Temple near> Sydney. The band played a short selection of tunes, and official photos for the tour were taken on the lawns of the House of Worship with the Temple in the background. At the House of Worship in Wilmette, the band members and their tour leaders were surprised and delighted by a taped greeting from their Baha'i friends in Australia which was flown to the U.S. especially for the occasion.
THe AMERICAN BAHA' 26
M & R: keeping the record(s) straight (with your help)
By Tom Mennillo
You’re only as good as the information you receive.
That, in a nutshell, is the story of the Membership & Records (M&R) section in Management Information Services at the Baha’{ National Center.
M&R has instituted procedures to speed the processing of enrollments, transfers, child registration, address and name changes, and local Spiritual Assembly and Group formations.
But for American Bahd’fs to truly benefit from these procedures, M&R relies on individuals and communities to submit information promptly.
Thankfully, that is happening. M&R team members proudly report that no backlog exists in any area, and they intend to keep it that way.
National Assembly reminds Baha'i parents that they can register children as members of community
The National Spiritual Assembly would like to remind Baha’f parents that they may register their children as members of the Baha’f community.
For the purpose of our recordkeeping, Baha’fs are considered children from birth to age 15, youth from ages 15 to 21, and adults from age 21 on.
Child registration not only allows the National Assembly to keep accurate demographic statistics on the Bahd’f community, but also allows it to correspond with Baha’ children about their life goals and
- their beliefs.
As they approach their 15th birthday, registered Baha’{ children authomatically receive a letter and Baha’i membership card from the National Assembly explaining the privileges and responsibilities of being a Baha’ and inviting the new youth to make a commitment to follow the teachings of Bahd’u’lléh.
Parents and/or local communities are also encouraged to mark this milestone in the life of Baha’f youth in whatever way is appropriate for the individual youth.
Parents of youth (ages 15 to 21) who have not previously registered but who wish to declare their believe in Bahd’u'llah should help the youth complete a declaration card, which must be countersigned by a local Spiritual Assembly and returned to the Office of Management Information Services at the Baha’{ National Center for processing.
MIS will see that a Baha’f identification card is issued for new declarants within two business days of receipt in most cases.
If you are a Baha’{ youth, or know of one, who has not received his or her Baha’ membership card, please call the Office of Management Information Services at 708-733-3437.
Moving? Remember to change to new address
The National Spiritual Assembly would like to remind Bahd‘is who move to notify both their local Spiritual Assembly and the Office of Management Information Services at the Baha’f National Center (1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201-1611; telephone 708-733-3441) of their
new address and phone number.
This will allow the National Assembly to keep accurate statistics, maintain contact with all the Bah4‘fs, ensure that Baha’is who move continue to receive their mail, and avoid wasting the resources of the
Fund on returned mail.
Please remember to include the names of all members of the household (spouse, children, etc.) affected by the move. If you have any questions or wish to report a change of address,
please call 708-733-3441.
Many forms are recorded within 24 hours, they report. Baha’f identification cards are sent out every Monday.
In addition, Assembly /Group
formations this Ridvan are expected to be processed in two, not three, months. One indicator will be the number of “problem formations.”
Last year, 430 submitted forms were either incomplete or faulty.
Prompt reporting of changes also saves the National Fund much postage cost on returned mail. A program begun a year ago with the cooperation of local communities has resulted in 18 percent more “good” addresses, and M&R will continue to send out community membership lists quarterly.
Besides the cost factor, it’s important to keep up with where Baha‘fs live so they can receive The American Baha’t and other communications. from the National Spiritual Assembly.
Similarly, prompt verification of credentials enables newly enrolled or transferred Baha‘fs to take part in the life of their community.
Guidance for those moving to another country
Bahd’is who plan to move from the continental United States to another country (or to Alaska or Hawaii) should keep in mind the following:
1. As you make plans to move out of the United States, please contact the Office of Pioneering at the Baha'f National Center for guidance and specific instructions.
2. Notify both your local Spiritual Assembly and the Office of Management Information Services (MIS) at the Baha’f National Center (1233. Central St., Evanston, IL 60201-1611; telephone 708-733-3436) of your move.
If possible, please include the date you are leaving the country, the
Awards
Continued from page |
visitors,” Mr. Jacoby commented, “How fortunate the residents of this village are that our most famous and prominent landmark—one with which this village has become inex-tricably identified—is among the most beautiful buildings in the world.”
Mr. Jacoby noted, though, that the Temple is “more than a beautiful building.”
“The Baha’{ community has spoken with a strong and clear voice in our community for the principle that all men and women are equal in the eyes of God,” he wrote. “The unity of mankind is one of the principal tenets of the Baha‘f Faith, and by conducting its annual march for race unity and numerous other community activities Eee this tenet, the Bahd‘is have been effectively promoting a principle which has been recognized in law but which has yet to be fully accepted in the daily life of all citizens.”
He called the restoration “of critical importance to the village. The beauty of the House of Worship and the beliefs which it represents have greatly enhanced Wilmette; its
country you are moving to, and an address where you will be residing, or can be reached in that country. MIS will transfer your membership to the country of your destination.
Baha’is who move into the continental United States from another country or from Alaska or Hawaii should send current Baha’f credentials from the country where they last resided to MIS at the Baha’{ National Center (see address above).
They should also provide a copy of their Baha’{ credentials to their local Spiritual Assembly.
Individuals who do not have any Baha‘f credentials should ask the National Spiritual Assembly in the
physical deterioration would have greatly detracted from Wilmette.”
Mr. Armbruster said preservation awards from LPCL, the foremost historic preservation organization in Illinois, are highly esteemed. LPCI uses the awards in its advocacy, publication and education activities throughout the state.
The LPCI award will be presented June 3 at the Illinois Preservation Conference in DeKalb, Illinois.
The second new award, from SEAOI, also will be presented in June.
The specific award will not be known until then, but Mr. Armbruster noted that the association’s awards program recognizes excellence in structural engineering and execution.
He said Chicago has long been a center for structural innovations in concrete and steel, and SEAOL members are looked to as leaders in the field.
The third honor is a Historic Preservation Award from the Village of Wilmette.
The award is from the village Trustees and includes a presentation of information about the project on the local cable television channel. Materials also will be displayed in the Village Hall.
country of their former residence to provide a letter of credential to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, so that their membership can be transferred.
They must also provide MIS with their correct address and telephone number in the States.
3. Be sure to provide the names of, and documentation for, all the people in the household (e.g., spouse and children) affected by the transfer. Only those individuals specifically named will be transferred.
For more information, or if you need assistance, please call the Office of Management Information Services at 708-733-3436 or 708-733-3437.
Traveling
Continued from page 4
Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, East Leeward Islands, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, West Leeward Islands.
ASIA: Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.
AUSTRALASIA: Cook Islands, Eastern Caroline Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.
EASTERN EUROPE: Albania, Estonia, Croatia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Yugoslavia.
WESTERN EUROPE: Canary Islands, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland.
For more information, contact the Office of Pioneering, Baha’i National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091. Telephone 708-7833-3508; fax 708-7333509.
[Page 27]
‘Azamat 8.€. 151 / May 17, 1994
27
National Assembly
to mark Centenary
of Faith in N. America with gala banquet at Chicago's Navy Pier
1994 Centenary Banquet
Sunday, June 26, 1994 ___ Please reserve ___ table(s) for 10 at $500 per table
Navy Pier Chicago
_— Please reserve ___ places at $50 per plate
C38 We regret that we cannot accommodate children under twelve Total enclosed
Name The National Spiritual Assembly Address of the Baha'is of the United States City = State) ase 15 Zip Code i saihitak arts cordially invites you to celebrate , the Centenary of the Establishment of Daytime phone number 2 the Baha'i Faith in North America See below for list of guests for my table ___ yes ___no
Sunday, June 26, 1994
Navy Pier in Chicago Make checks payable to: 1994 Centenary Banquet
Please send to: 1994 Centenary Banquet, Baha'i National Center
Ethnic and evening attire 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (telephone 708-869-9039)
6 p.m.: Reception 7 p.m.: Dinner 8:30 p.m.: Program
1994 marks the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of the Bab and the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Faith in the Western Hemisphere. In 1943, Shoghi Effendi referred to the “marvelous coincidence” of the anniversaries of these two events and encouraged the American Baha'fs to celebrate them with various events and programs in 1944. As a part of this year's celebration, the National Spiritual 5. Assembly is planning a gala banquet to be held June 26 at Navy Pier in Chicago, and invites Baha'fs from around the country and indeed around the world to attend. To reserve your place, please complete and return the registration form at the right.
Baha'i Media Conference planned July 1- 4 in Nashville
a |
You will receive vouchers for you and your guests. Please present them at the door. Tables and places will be reserved in the order in which they are received.
The Spiritual Assembly of Nashville, Tennessee, and Pavon Media International are sponsoring a Baha'i Media Conference to be held July 14 at Loews Hotel—Vanderbilt Plaza in Nashville.
The collaboration came about through studying directives from the Universal House of Justice encouraging individual Baha’fs to arise in whatever way possible to help win the goals of the Three Year Plan.
“Our appeal for immediate, redoubled and sustained action on all aspects of the Plan,” the House of Justice stated in its Ridvan 1993 message to the Baha'is of the world, “is addressed primarily to the individual believer of every locality, who possesses within himself or herself the measures of initiative that ensure the success of any global Baha’ enterprise, and ‘on whom, in the last resort,’ as our beloved Guardian plainly stated, ‘depends the fate of the entire community.”
The media conference will demonstrate how we can put these directives into action, and what results can be accomplished when Baha'is with
San Jose Baha'is present 13th community service awards
Center.
expertise in a particular field come together under the guidance of a Spiritual Assembly to pray, to consult, and to dedicate themselves to achieving the goals of the Three Year Plan.
Baha'i professionals from many areas of the media will give presentations on topics ranging from how to produce a program; how to research and approach media outlets such as television, radio, newspapers, etc.; how to market and advertise products and materials; how to use electronic media including INTERNET and on-line services; how to distribute Baha'i materials via satellite; and, most important, how to network with one another to create an abundance of media materials for teaching, proclamation and consolidation.
Also included will be a three-hour introductory course on how to approach and use publicaccess cable television, and how to create programs suitable for cable TV.
If time and resources allow, some TV and radio
shows will be produced during the conference. Pre-production materials will be available, with taping done on-site and post-production completed afterward.
Baha'is involved in radio and/or television production are asked to bring with them cameras, sound equipment and other hardware to facilitate this project. If you are especially interested in this aspect of the conference, please contact Marcia Day at Pavon Media International via fax, 310-652-3983.
The conference registration fee is $75 (in advance). It should be sent no later than June 1 and made payable to the Spiritual Assembly of Nashville. The address is Nashville, TN 37217 (phone 615-399-9478).
Special rates are available at Loews Hotel. To make reservations, please phone 615-320-1700 and mention that you are attending the Baha'{ Media Conference. It is possible that some hospitality can be provided by the friends in Nashville.
Tue American BanA't Subscription rates
“Family” was the theme of the 13th annual community service awards sponsored by the Bahd’fs of San Jose, California.
The awards were presented January 29 at a banquet attended by 170 people, about one-third of whom were not Baha’is.
Honorees were James and Ann McEntee; Parents Helping Parents Inc. and its director, Florene M. Steward Poyadue; and the Ronald McDonald House Stanford Family
The McEntees are parents of eight natural and adopted children of multi-racial backgrounds. Parents Helping Parents helps children with special needs receive services to help them achieve their full potential. The Ronald McDonald House in Palo Alto accommodates families with children receiving medical attention for critical illnesses.
Each award winner was presented
with a glass sculpture created by a local Baha’f, Verne Allie.
Keynote speaker for the evening was Hossain Danesh, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada. Dr. Danesh is a clinician, academic, researcher and author in the field of psychiatry.
Auxiliary Board member Marsha Gilpatrick served as emcee. Entertainment was provided by professional violinist Alan Lornie.
Outside continental U.S. only 1Year 2 Years
First class/ $24 $45
Surface
Air Mail $32 $60 Please make check payable to:
Baha'i Subscriber Service, c/o Baha'i National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091. All orders must be pre-paid in U.S. currency. VISA/MasterCard ac— cepted; please include full account
number and expiration date.
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Educators to gather in July
at Louhelen School to
develop skills, help infuse
Faith's spirit in curricula
In July, professional educators will be brought together at the Louhelen Baha'{ School for their own professional development, so that they are better able to infuse the spirit of the Faith into the schools where they work, introduce Baha’f principles into academic curricula, and take leading roles in teaching the Faith to their peers.
Through seminars, workshops, consultation and networking, educators will be asked to share their ideas and experiences of incorporating Baha'i principles into their work. The group will study recent letters from the Baha'f World Center Office of Social and Economic Development that contain guidance for schools, educators and curricula. Through consultation, the group will generate strategies for a unified teaching initiative in academic settings.
Workshop topics will include strategic planning for schools, racial unity in schools and colleges, and moral education. More information about the conference will appear in the next issue of The American Baha’t.
Teaching
Continued from page 23
she has already booked three performances for Black History Month and is in the process of lining up numerous speaking engagements in communities requesting help on the issue of race unity.” [Her husband has deputized her efforts.]
- “Two members of the Greece,
New York, community have, during the past two months, each given a fireside in a neighboring town. The Hilton and Parma Bahd’is did a wonderful job of advertising for the firesides with nicely done fliers, etc. So add two notches for traveling teaching!”
¢ “Over-all, our community seemed disappointed by the turnout (at our teaching events). We had expected troops to come marching in, but in reality we found out that © teaching takes lots of effort, prayers, sacrifice. This seemed like a practice run at teaching to get us back into that mode. Thanks for bringing it back into the forefront of our thoughts.”
31
S. African exile, expert on apartheid speaks to Baha'is, guests at Center in Los Angeles
By Alan Eyerly
Both the excitement about South Africa’s historic transition from apartheid to democracy and fears about a continuing undercurrent of violence were discussed by Tandi Luthuli Gcabashe at the Los Angeles Baha’i Center on March 18.
Ms. Gcabashe, a South African exile for 23 years, is a prominent authority on apartheid and its damaging effects. She is also the daughter of Chief Albert Luthuli, the first African Nobel laureate.
Her appearance at the Baha’{ Center came just five days after three Baha'is were gunned down during an integrated prayer service in a black township of South Africa. The assassins were believed to be members of a black fringe group opposed to the country’s electoral process.
“My heart and my sympathy goes to the families of the three Baha’is executed in South Africa,” Ms. Geabashe said. “They were there for a noble cause.”
She attributed the killings to a legacy of more than 40 years of forced racial separation in South Africa.
“We can see the outcome now of a
- The Bahd’is of Huntingdon,
Pennsylvania, sent the National Teaching Committee a package that included a letter with the following, quotation: “We have not kept you informed of our activities in the past, but we wish to make every effort count as we work toward the goals of the Three Year Plan.” The package contained five pages of traveling teaching activities, proclamation events, fireside stories, and additional activities. The friends also included a flier they use to advertise their firesides.
¢ Among the many other communities that sent in recent reports of teaching activities were Batavia, Illinois; Ridgewood, New Jersey; Marion and Gary, Indiana; Tallahassee and Winter Haven, Florida; Weller Township, Ohio; Palmdale, Fallbrook/San Diego County and Milpitas, California; Summerville and North Charleston, South Carolina; Aurora, North Carolina; Memphis, Tennessee; Lufkin, Texas; St. Joseph County, Kalamazoo and White River Township, Michigan; Kenosha and Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
but on the one seeking asylum).
Those seeking asylum must give documentation
The U.S. Bah'i Refugee Office reports that, according to the U.S. government's new instructions, anyone who seeks refugee status overseas or who seeks asylum in the U.S. must provide documentation of proof of persecution (the burden of proof is not on the judge,
Documentation includes official statistics or the booklet, “The Baha'i Question,” which can be obtained free of charge by calling the Baha'{ National Center, 708-869-9039.
It is also important to note that no appeal will be granted after the immigration judge makes his/her decision.
policy that encouraged hatred,” Ms. Gcabashe said, adding that since 1985 about 15,000 people have lost their lives “due to senseless violence” in her country.
Ms. Gcabashe said she expects more deaths as South Africa goes through an “enormous struggle” during the post-apartheid healing process.
“The soul of South Africa is gone,” she said. “There is no value to life anymore.”
In addition to dealing with widespread violence, South Africa is fac— ing the challenge of providing improved living conditions and a quality education for all South Africans, and also elevating the rights of women, regardless of color or class.
Apartheid’s devastating effects are felt “eight times over” by black women, according to Ms. Gcabashe, who says they are regarded as “the lowest rung of the ladder.” Black women in South Africa have vir— tually “no rights whatsoever,” she said, and are legally designated as “perpetual minors.
“But now we have the vote,” noted Ms. Gcabashe, who is helping to develop a women’s charter that she
For Baha'i youth
hopes will be incorporated into South Africa’s constitution or bill of rights.
“We have come this far,” she said. “We cannot fail.”
Ms. Geabashe’s talk at the Baha’f Center represented a milestone in that it was the first meeting between a prominent South African in exile and an official representative of the South African government.
The Honorable Frik Schoombee, consul-general of the South African Consulate in Los Angeles, took part in a panel discussion with Ms. Gca— bashe about South Africa’s future and its relationship with the United States.
Also on the panel was Los Angeles television and radio personality Truman Jacques.
Ms. Gcabashe’s appearance was presented by the Los Angeles chapter of Women for International Peace and Arbitration. ‘
WIPA spokesperson Muhtadia Rice said that bringing Ms. Gcabashe and Mr. Schoombee together helped to “create a bridge of unity between diverse peoples who have been so long separated by apartheid.”
Summer teaching opportunities in countries around the world
JUNE 14-AUGUST 31: International teaching project in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, to include an International Youth Unity Festival in Latvia.
JULY 9-AUGUST 7: Dr. Muhajir Teaching Project, Grenada. Four weeks teaching in villages around the island. Cost of $410 U.S. per person covers housing, food and transportation in Grenada.
JULY 10-AUGUST 26: the European Baha’i Youth Council’s “Shaping Europe: The Mission of this Generation” summer teaching project and teaching conferences in Russia, Romania, United Kingdom, Spain and Germany.
JULY 24-27, JULY 27-AUGUST 2:
Latin American Baha’i Youth Conference and Global Youth Forum, Brasilia, Brazil. The Government of Brazil as well as several United Nations agencies will invite a select group of youth to the main forum. A parallel forum focusing on a wide range of topics relating to the issue of sustainable development, and including an Ecological Fair, will be held during the same dates.
Begin planning to go now! Many youth from several countries including the U.S. are already signed up. Contact your local Spiritual Assembly for forms and initial information, and then the Office of Pioneering at 708-733-3508 (fax 708-733-3509) for specific details of above projects.
Jane Caldwell James Hacke III Gainesville, FL Pescadero, CA March 15, 1994 October 21, 1990 Victor Coralin-Nadal_ Paul Hendricks Salinas, CA Mahomet, IL. March 17, 1994 February 10, 1994
Chedan Djalali-Gomez Florence Kibby
Columbia, SC Ellenton, FL, December 20, 1993 February 20, 1994 Lorraine Fenn Beulah Miller Maitland, FL Urbana, OH April 1, 1994 April 1, 1994 Jesus Giron
Anthony, NM
October 25, 1993
Henry Nuckles Ernest Stevens Roswell, GA Pocomoke City, MD March 20, 1994 February 17, 1994 Frank Sanders Eleanor Thomas Florence, SC Oklahoma City, OK March 1993 January 12, 1994 Prohn Sao Derek Valdez Stockton, CA Dulce, NM December 23, 1993 March 12, 1994 Willie Span Jr. Irmah C. Zam Gainesville, FL. Detroit, MI By December 11,1993 March 19, 1994
14 students from University of Rochester spend week at Native American Institute
Fourteen students from the University of Rochester visited the Native American Bahd’f Institute for a week in March as an alternative to the “spring break madness” common among college students.
These young men and women—all non-Baha’is—chose to learn about another culture in exchange for hard work during their break time.
The Baha’is of the area welcomed small groups into their homes and provided the students with varied work experiences such as cleanup, repair and building.
At NABI, the students dug trenches around the bath house, spread gravel for the driveways and helped with the nobility classes.
At the Pinesprings Trading Post, they made many trips to the dump to help clear away fallen building materials.
Chester Kahn, Lorraine C. Kahn
and Barbara Tong gave cultural information talks to the students. Eva Kahn taught everyone how to make fry bread. A neighbor, Albert Yazzie, held a sweat for the men.
On the last day of their visit, all went to Hopiland. Under the guidance of Elizabeth Dahe, they visited First and Second Mesa, chopped firewood for several elders, and had a memorable visit to a home in Old Oraibi, with piki bread for all.
The visit was such a good experience for the Baha’fis, NABI staff and the students that the Institute plans to encourage similar cultural exchanges in the future.
Although the students were not Baha'is, their varied backgrounds and good character exemplified Ba— ha‘i principles. Among the group were a Guyanan, a Puerto Rican, and several of Asian descent.
Fe i nc ets ne
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BAHA'f NATIONAL CENTER
112 Linden Avenue
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‘Azamat B.E. 151 /May 17, 1994
THe AMERICAN BAHA'I
MAY
26-30: Fourth Conference of the “Friends of Persian Culture,” North Shore Hilton Hotel, Skokie, Illinois. For information, phone 708-733-3531.
27-29: 21st annual Conference of Nur, Elizabethtown (PA) College. Theme: “Arise: Become an Apostle of Baha'u'llah.” Speakers to include Dr. Wilma Ellis, Dr. David Ruhe, Vaughn Loudenback. Registration deadline: May 11. For information, phone 717-390-1988 or write to the Spiritual Assembly of Lancaster, P.O. Box 2453, Lancaster, PA 17608.
27-29: First annual Poets’ Workshop, Dallas, Texas, sponsored by Purple Rose Press. Michael Fitzgerald, a Baha'f who is an award-winning poet, will lead workshops and offer critiques. Cost Gincluding room and board): $150. Contact Rhonda Palmer, Allen, TX 75002 (phone 214-727-4310).
27-30: Bosch Baha'f School's eighth annual Marriage Retreat, “Together Forever,” conducted by Khalil Khavari and Sue Williston Khavari, authors of Creating a Successful Family and Together Forever: A Handbook for Creating a Successful Marriage. For information or to register, phone 408-423-3387 (fax 408423-7564).
27-30: A “How-To” Conference, “Teaching: The Dominating Passion— Creating, Sustaining and Extending Larg-Scale Projects,” Woodburn, Oregon. For information, write to Jan House, director, Woodburn Baha’t Center, 237 N. Front St., Woodburn, OR 97071, or phone 503-981-3516.
27-30: Core Curriculum Teacher Training, Louhelen Baha’f School. For information, phone 810-653-5033.
27-30: Baha'i Pacific West Coast Youth Conference 1994, Bellevue, Washington. Theme: “The Three Year Plan: Press on to Meet the Dawn.” Sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Bellevue. For information, contact Ala Moshiri,
398 Bellevue, WA 98004, phone 206-453-9779, or fax 206-453 29: Celebration of the 50th anniversary of the enrollment of Ruby Bentley, Old
Medical College, Augusta, Georgia. For information, phone 404-509-9686.
oes Session on Women, Louhelen Baha'{ School. For information, phone 810653-' 5.
3-5: Newsletter editor training/The American Bahd'f Community: Becoming, an Economic Force, Bosch Baha'i School. Adults only For information, phone 408-423-3387; fax 408-423-7564.
3-5: NActOry Teaching, Conference followed by a teaching project to win the goals of the Three Year Plan, sponsored by the Baha'f community of Farmers Branch, Texas (Dallas County). For registration and information, phone Bahman Moghaddas, 214-620-9242.
9-12: “Vision in Action,” Regional Baha'i Youth Conference, YMCA Camp of the Rockies, Estes Park, Colorado. Sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly ot Golden, Colorado. For information, write to Regional Baha'f Youth Conference, P.O. Box 795, Golden, CO 80402, phone 303-399-4715, or fax 303-270-3326.
10-12: LSA Team Building Weekend—Sacramento/Northern California, Bosch Baha'f School. For information, phone 408-423-3387; fax 408-423-7564.
10-12: Mississippi Baha’f School, Galfport, Registrar: Simin Rohani,
Vicksburg, MS 39180; phone 601-636-9439.
10-18: Youth Institute, Louhelen Bah'{ School. For information, phone 810653-5033.
11-15: Idaho (Southern) summer school, near Ketchum. Registrar: Dawn Bowman, Pocatello, ID 83201; phone 208-233-9849.
12: International Baha'i Picnic, noon-5 p.m., Queenston Heights Park, Queenston, Ontario, Canada.
18: Fourth annual Los Angeles Baha'i Conference. Theme: “The ‘90s: A Baha'i Perspective.” Speakers, workshops, entertainment. For information, phone Yoss Missaghian, 805-493-1426.
18-23: Core Curriculum training (with Linda Bedford and Susan Miller), Bosch Baha'f School. For information, phone 408-423-3387; fax 408-423-7564.
19-25: Camp Louhelen, Louhelen Bahs't School. For information, phone 810653-5033.
23-26: Nebraska Baha'i School, near Cozad. Registrar: Colin Taylor,
North Platte, NE 69101; phone 308-534-4939.
30-July 3: Colorado East Summer School, Trinity Ranch. Contact Sandra Bolz, 34London Avenue, Lafayette, CO 80026 (phone 303-666-9275).
30-July 4: Florida summer school, Melbourne. Registrar: Yan Gan Yang,
Plantation, FL 33324; phone 305-424-1547.
JuLy
1-4: Persian-American Conference, Louhelen Bahd'f School. For information, phone 810-653-5033.
1-4: Media/Communications Conference, “Everything You Want to Know About Media,” Loews Hotel/Vanderbilt Plaza, Nashville, Tennessee. Sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Nashville and Pavon Media International. For information, phone 310-652-3983.
1-5: North Carolina Summer School. Rope Maria Hillis,
Wilson, NC 27893; phone 910-291-1187.
2: Memorial “Potlatch” in the Tlingit-Tagish tradition for Mark Shoghi An— derson, Sylvan Lake Baha'i Center, Alberta, Canada. For information, contact Ted Anderson, 403-347-4230.
2-7: Core Curriculum training (with Sharon Jensen and Robin Evans), Bosch Baha'i School. For information, phone 408-423-3387; fax 408-423-7564.
2-8: Washington (East)/Idaho (North) School. Ree Shannon McConnell,
‘ichland, WA 99352; phone 509-943-1236.
3: 25th anniversary Roundup/Reunion celebrating the formation of the Spiritual Assembly of Idaho Falls, Idaho. For information, write to the Assembly at Idaho Falls, ID 83404, or phone 208-522-0333.
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