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[Page 1]THE American Bahá’í Volume 28, Number 7 ‘Izzat B.E. 154 / September 8, 1997

Blueprint for Regional Councils unfolds

To the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

On studying your letters of July 27, 1995, February 19 and July 31, 1996, and the subsequent detailed announcement of your decentralization scheme in The American Bahá’í for the month of ‘Alá 153 (March 2, 1997) we were profoundly impressed with the wide-ranging survey you had carried out and the thorough consideration you had devoted to this scheme before its adoption. We are pleased with the outcome, and are eagerly looking forward to the beneficial effects of this development.

In recent months, after a prolonged study of the entire question of the balance between centralization and decentralization, and of the various examples which were shared with you in the letter of June 27, 1994, written on our behalf, we have taken the major decision to formalize the establishment of a new institution to be introduced in certain countries where the conditions require it. This decision has been ...

See LETTER, Page 19

FROM THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

Momentous changes are coming to the Bahá’í world with the advent of the new Institutions established through the infallible wisdom of the Universal House of Justice. Members of local Spiritual Assemblies in the United States will have the honor of electing the members of these Regional Bahá’í Councils on the Anniversary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh.

The House of Justice has established these Councils as a result of the “expansion of the Bahá’í Community and the growing complexity of the issues which are facing National Spiritual Assemblies in certain countries.”

Regional Bahá’í Committees already had been established in this country as first steps toward achieving a balance between centralization and decentralization. The Universal House of Justice has decided to formalize this new element of Bahá’í administration by creating these new Councils.

In commenting on the established Regional Committees, in a letter to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States of America dated May 30, 1997 (accompanying this article), the Universal House of Justice has confirmed the use of the same geographic ...

See COUNCILS, Page 19

Explanatory chart, Pages 17-19

To the aid of a ‘silent teacher’

House of Worship renewal demands long-term vision

By JAMES HUMPHREY

It is an unmatched landmark in the spiritual landscape of this country: the Mother Temple of the West, called by the Master a source of light and power to the soul of humanity, praised by the Guardian as the most sacred edifice of its kind and a great silent teacher.

But like every other Bahá’í teacher, the House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois, must be exposed to the hazards of the world. And those threats must be dealt with if it is to serve its purpose for 1,000 years or longer.

More than a decade ago the House of Worship stood in peril. The skylights were riddled with leaks. The monumental stairs at the main entrance were cracked and threatened to become a safety hazard. Water had seeped between concrete layers in the walls, and decades of freezing ...

See RESTORATION, Page 24

Joe Senchuk of Chicago (left) and Jaime Baskin of Portland, Oregon, cut plywood for concrete forms that will be used to cast stairs for replacing those at the perimeter of the House of Worship. (Photo by James Humphrey)

Survey finds vital U.S. community

A wide-ranging survey of Bahá’ís across the United States has found that as the end of the century approaches they are talking about the Faith more readily, growing in enthusiasm about it, and deriving greater satisfaction from prayer and the Writings.

The second national survey in five years commissioned by the National Spiritual Assembly revealed a “very encouraging” picture of Bahá’í life and activity as opportunities to teach the Faith rise to an unparalleled level, said Ken Bowers, secretary of the National Teaching Committee.

It helped confirm the impression that the Bahá’ís are “a very right-hearted, devoted, enthusiastic community,” he said, and gauged some basic opinions and priorities of the friends to help the committee plan its projects.

See SURVEY, Page 33

Native American Bahá’í Institute sets scene for transformation

By TOM MENNILLO

Youth and service intertwined to weave a fine tapestry as the Native American Bahá’í Institute hosted a unity pow-wow, youth conference, and educational workshops July 31 to August 3 on its Houck, Arizona, campus.

Some of the more than 30 youth who rolled off Interstate 40 and onto the dirt paths of NABI came in groups from the Phoenix, Arizona, and Las Vegas, Nevada, metropolitan areas.

Others were individuals from the Indian Reservations of northern Arizona or from as far away as San Francisco, California.

The youth had varying expectations of what they would take from the weekend. Perhaps memories of a good time, or a better understanding of native cultures.

It’s unlikely any anticipated growing ...

See NABI, Page 28

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

• Regional teaching plans take shape across country 2
• Wilmette Institute prepares students for service 3
• Unit Conventions coming in October: Deepening, list of locations 10-14
• Race Unity Day: Roundup of local celebrations 15

Issue of contacting officials stirs interest

The National Spiritual Assembly has been heartened by the number of calls and letters it has received in response to the policy reminder on contact with government officials that was published in the June 24 issue of The American Bahá’í.

The calls and letters indicate a high level of interest and engagement in the affairs of society and are yet another sign of “the emergence of Bahá’í as a force in society recognized by govern- ...

See CONTACT, Page 39 [Page 2]

Diverse efforts, one goal for regional projects

By TOM MENNILLO

Throw out the cookie cutter.

The campaign of concerted action that is spreading nationwide has as many shapes as the individual cities involved.

In Atlanta, Georgia, where the campaign started, the friends used years of race unity initiative as leaven for a media campaign.

Now other Bahá’í communities are turning up the heat, and in each case unique ingredients—resources and opportunities—are sweetening the strategy mix.

As in Atlanta, the National Teaching Committee is working with Auxiliary Board members and Assemblies in Los Angeles County, California, to plan and implement an area-wide strategy for teaching.

Nascent campaigns of concerted action also are emerging throughout the country with the assistance of the four Regional Committees. The direction and timetable in each case are being decided strictly by the local believers and their coordinating teams.

Atlanta

A high level of activity in the Atlanta area has been sustained since the initial media blitz, thanks in part to the efforts of more than 200 additional Bahá’í volunteers.

Some proclamation continues as the coordinating Atlanta Task Force works to craft the next phase of media exposure. But the big news is how Bahá’ís of all ages and backgrounds are reaching out to nurture those who have been attracted by the message of Bahá’u’lláh.

At the area's three Bahá’í Centers and in dozens of homes, the friends are touching hearts and minds through devotional meetings, firesides, and institutes. Direct teaching also is being done, particularly among the Asian and Latino people of Chamblee and Doraville.

The Atlanta Area Bahá’í Training Institute has been particularly successful.

A course titled "Arming for Victory" has been offered four times by the Assemblies of West Cobb County and Atlanta, and 48 adults, six youth, and four children have completed it. A seeker who participated in the course has since declared belief in Bahá’u’lláh.

Participants have overwhelmingly expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to partake in what has become a life-changing, unique Bahá’í experience for many.

These course graduates also have pledged time and energies to the Atlanta Task Force, the prayer campaign, and the institute itself. And they have referred 43 other Bahá’ís to the institute for invitation to participate in the next session.

In addition, a new believer course is being offered. Halfway through the first course, in June, a seeker declared his faith. Starting in August, the course has been offered on the first Sunday of every month.

Northeastern states

Northeast cities in which large-scale efforts are starting include Boston, Massachusetts, and Rochester, New York.

The former is an example of several local Spiritual Assemblies drawing on their diverse strengths to develop a plan. The latter is showing how one mature, united Spiritual Assembly with influence that fans outward can draw others into the process.

A recent kickoff meeting in Boston involved members of nine Spiritual Assemblies from inside the Route 128 arc. Secretary-General Robert C. Henderson of the National Spiritual Assembly also participated, as did Secretary Ken Bowers of the National Teaching Committee, Auxiliary Board members Thelma Khelgati and Marbara Markert and their assistants, and members of the Regional Committee.

Several meetings with the individual Spiritual Assemblies had been held in previous weeks to determine conditions in the area. So attendees were primed to consult at the kickoff on how all area Bahá’ís could become "spiritual associates" of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the manner of early Boston believer William Henry Randall.

Uplifted by the singing of the Northeast Regional Bahá’í Gospel Choir, they laid the groundwork for consultation among Boston-area believers over the next six weeks. From this a "bottom-up" campaign will be devised with a role for every Bahá’í.

Integral to the Boston effort is its position as home to the largest concentration of colleges in the United States. This environment provides a wonderful breadth of talents and energies, but also the challenge of seeing those young believers graduate and depart.

In Rochester, the city's Spiritual Assembly and Bahá’í Center are magnets for activity and the foundation for intercommunity cooperation.

This is an Assembly that was granted a three-day visit to consult with the Universal House of Justice in 1989, and returned for a second visit more recently. It also exhibited instant obedience at the start of the Four Year Plan by formulating a deep teaching plan.

As part of that plan, the community has consulted extensively on how to be champions, as defined in the Fire Tablet, and individuals have arisen to champion each goal.

The Regional Committee started meeting with the Rochester-area friends in April. A comprehensive campaign has yet to take shape, but one outcome of the meetings has been a media survey initiated to discover what people know about the Bahá’í Faith and their views on religion and social concerns.

Southern states

Enthusiasm at the local level and a willingness to coordinate resources have convinced the Southern Regional Committee that the Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, and Dallas, Texas, areas are ripe for large-scale action.

Coordinating teams in both areas have been appointed after meetings with Assemblies and consultation with Auxiliary Board members, and those teams are developing plans based on local needs and resources.

Raleigh-Durham enjoys several strong communities across three counties, along with two Bahá’í Centers—one purchased with the support of five Assemblies—and a recently formed regional Bahá’í gospel choir.

Historically, though, the communities were divided between two districts. It is the coordinating team's task to bring the area's human and material resources together to expedite action among Assemblies and communities.

Not that activity is lacking. A campaign of focused teaching across all strata was held August 1-10 and another will happen in Durham in September. A fireside campaign is in the works, as is a media effort.

In addition, a prayer campaign has been launched, in which groups of two to six believers gather at least once a week to recite specific prayers, including the Tablet of Ahmad and the Prayer for the Southern States, for the success of the teaching work.

Plans are being developed in the Dallas area building on meetings that have been held among 10 to 12 Assemblies.

The Regional Committee also is working with the friends in Conway, South Carolina, an area with few functioning Bahá’í communities but incredible potential. Hundreds of mass-taught believers live in the area, and they have a powerful resource in WLGI Radio Bahá’í and the Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute.

Another initiative the committee is following is in South Florida, where many communities share talents under the umbrella name Lights of Bahá’u’lláh. Then there are rapidly growing Burke County, North Carolina, and Charlotte, North Carolina, where Spanish-speaking people are being added to the rolls and integrated into community life in large numbers.

Central states

A "campaign of the heart" that looks to maximize possibilities presented to believers in the second year of the Four Year Plan is being waged in the Central States.

The campaign focuses on the development of regional training institutes in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Columbus, Ohio. They join ones already functioning in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and St. Louis, Missouri.

A series of meetings among the Regional Committee, local Assemblies, Auxiliary Board members, and the coordinating teams have led to plans for the institutes to be introduced to local believers this month.

The Regional Committee believes the institutes will help these metropolitan areas build on activity they have in place already so all Bahá’ís can work together in a process of transformation.

Through this, a foundation will be laid to attract seekers and assist them along their spiritual journey.

Western states

The Western Regional Committee is working with the Bahá’í communities of greater Denver, Colorado, and Portland, Oregon.

Members of the committee also have traveled to Wyoming and Montana to gauge readiness there to engage in large-scale action.

Plans are so preliminary, though, that the committee feels it would be inappropriate to describe them in more detail at this time.

But keep an eye out! They're coming, in these and other cities across the region.

Two in West Virginia declared Covenant-breakers

The Universal House of Justice has determined that Cheryl Ann Hinshaw and Susan Nolte Kitchen of Huntington, West Virginia, have broken the Covenant by following the same lamentable paths as Brent Reed in supporting Joel Bray Marangella’s claim to the Guardianship. Their administrative rights have therefore been removed.

The National Spiritual Assembly reminds the friends of the admonition given to every Bahá’í to strictly avoid communication or contact of any kind with any Covenant-breaker. Anyone who is contacted by a Covenant-breaker should report the matter either to an Auxiliary Board member for Protection and/or to a local Spiritual Assembly. [Page 3]

Wilmette Institute: Turning study into service

For a second summer the Wilmette Institute has armed a small company of the friends with a fresh grounding in the Creative Word through the rigors of academic study and real-world service, and sent them home to keep studying and to share their gains.

With a vision of developing into a primary Bahá’í educational center, the institute is carrying out year two of its four-year program “Spiritual Foundations for a Global Civilization,” focusing its three-week session of residential study, July 19–August 8, on the individual and the family.

But this year the 27 students added an extra touch: They donated nine books of the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi. The Wilmette Institute now has the beginnings of a library.

And that is in line with the institute’s goal of producing better-equipped servants of the Cause: training effective teachers and administrators with an awareness of how the teachings direct us to live and serve.

“It’s a total circle,” said Betty Fisher, a member of the institute’s board of directors, explaining that along with the book learning, students are expected to pray regularly at the House of Worship, develop teaching and other skills, perform service at the Bahá’í National Center, build a Bahá’í community among themselves, and prepare for months of home study.

In three weeks studying together and residing on the campus of National-Louis University in Evanston, Illinois, this year’s class “coalesced into the most amazing, supporting, loving and self-reliant community,” as Dr. Fisher told them at a dinner celebration concluding the residential session.

In addition to this year’s theme, students also were instructed in subjects that are to be taught every year at the institute: Bahá’í history and writings, research and communication skills, and teaching the Faith.

The faculty and guest lecturers brought educational backgrounds rich in psychology, religious studies and literature.

Keith Hetman and Maja Hetman of Chanhassen, Minnesota, and Katayoun Sadri of Durham, North Carolina, confer during a Wilmette Institute class session.

Instructors included Dr. Saba Ayman-Nolley and Dr. Michael Penn, on individual development; Mary K. Radpour, family life; Dr. Robert H. Stockman, Bahá’í history; Dr. Peter Oldziey, teaching the Faith; Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh, the individual and Bahá’í institutions; Dr. Habib Riazati, Bahá’í laws and ordinances; Dr. David Ruhe, the life of Bahá’u’lláh; Dr. Heshmat Moayyad, the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá; Dr. Iraj Ayman, sacrifice, service and the Covenant; Lily Ayman, family and community; Dr. Roya Ayman, family consultation; Margaret Ruhe, marriage and family life; Dr. Phyllis Perrakis, writing; and Shahab Fatheazam, financial responsibility. Robert C. Henderson, Secretary-General of the National Assembly, gave a welcoming address to the students.

At least three hours of daily classes, plus numerous workshops, study groups and special lectures, were held at the First Unitarian Church in Evanston. The curriculum also embraced 3½ hours of volunteer work weekly at the Bahá’í National Center, the House of Worship or the Bahá’í Home.

The formal study was also complemented by devotions at the House of Worship, a weekly “feast,” election of a student council, and field trips to places visited by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and to a Sikh temple.

Traditional college-age students studied alongside professionals in psychology, engineering and medicine. They ranged in age from the teens to the 70s and their hometowns were as far-flung as the Pacific, Atlantic and Gulf coasts and Canada.

Aurore Ragston of Missouri City, Texas, a second-year student at the institute, said she felt the institute’s program had helped her toward becoming “a more knowledgeable person, a more courageous person, a more audacious person ... truly an asset to my community.”

Carlie Barbour, a clinical psychologist from Wilmington, North Carolina, who has only been a Bahá’í for a few years, said he was drawn to the institute as a “structured, integrated” approach to learning about the Faith and helping apply its principles to his profession.

The first week alone, focusing on individual development, was “worth the cost and effort for the entire three weeks,” said Warren Wittekind, an engineer from Richland, Washington. Overall, he said, “I feel a renewed commitment and determination to study the Writings.”

“When we started this program we had 18- to 22-year-olds in mind,” Dr. Fisher said. But the student body grew more diverse with people “looking to study, looking to pioneer, looking for ways to apply the teachings.”

The studying isn’t over. In the next few months, students still must complete a number of essays and papers that will be turned in as graded assignments. They also will take part in monthly conference calls involving course professors, and are contributing to what Dr. Fisher calls a “very robust” exchange of questions and discussions via e-mail.

Some students are applying portions of the “Spiritual Foundations for Global Civilization” program to earn graduate credit through the Graduate School of America.

The formation of “well-organized, formal” institutes of this sort, developed by serious Bahá’í scholars, was encouraged by the Universal House of Justice in its message of December 31, 1995, to the Bahá’ís of the world, and are being initiated in several areas of the country.

The Wilmette Institute was designed with a lofty aspiration: To become a national education center and the educational dependency of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, as well as to fill a need Dr. Fisher sees to create “a sustained tradition of rigorous study” within the American Bahá’í community.

A letter from this year’s institute students to the Universal House of Justice expresses the students’ gratitude for the opportunity to learn in such a spiritual atmosphere and to carry the lessons back to their communities, adding:

“The transformative breezes that have consecrated each of us have had an ethereal and divine effect. By studying the Sacred Texts and applying them to our lives, we have become part of a community spirit we never dreamed possible. Our hearts and minds have been touched by the hand of Bahá’u’lláh. He has sent to us the wisdom of the temporal world steeped in the infallible Word of the Holy Writings.”

Assemblies recruited in drive for advancement of women

On July 26, the National Committee for the Advancement of Women kicked off a series of meetings with the friends nationwide when members met in Washington, D.C., with representatives of 12 local Spiritual Assemblies.

The Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Washington hosted the meeting, in which 18 women and four men consulted on ways to promote the principle of the equality of women and men within the Bahá’í community and in the wider society.

Two major goals of the National Committee for the Advancement of Women are:

• To raise up a new generation committed to gender equality; and
• To encourage rapid dissemination and broad discussion within the Bahá’í community and the community at large of the National Spiritual Assembly’s statement Two Wings of a Bird: The Equality of Women and Men.

One purpose of the Washington meeting was to explore what local communities are doing and what could be done to promote the equality of women and men.

How can LSAs most effectively present the statement to local officials? One suggestion by a participant was to encourage LSAs to sponsor a Humanitarian Award to recognize individuals and groups that have contributed to the equality of men and women.

Such an event, it was suggested, can generate considerable favorable attention and raise the visibility and public awareness of this issue. It can also be a means of distributing the statement, both when seeking eligible candidates among various community organizations and in giving copies to those who attend the Humanitarian Award reception.

National committee members shared some perspectives and invited those present to study the statement and the relevant Bahá’í Writings on the subject and to continue the discussion with their Spiritual Assemblies and at Feasts.

Regarding raising a generation of prejudice-free children who are free of sexism, one parent said, “I need a copy of the statement for a 6-year-old!” One suggestion was to see how study of the statement fits into the Core Curriculum and the Summer School programs, and incorporate it systematically into children’s classes.

The need for positive role models, both male and female, and for parent education were discussed. The need to encourage girls to have high aims and to aspire to excellence in their educations was mentioned, as was the need for boys to learn from their earliest years to treat women and girls with respect.

What are the issues of gender justice affecting the United States, with its tremendous cultural diversity, including the American Bahá’í community? To quote the statement: “The elimination of discrimination against women is a spiritual and moral imperative that must ultimately reshape existing legal, economic, and social arrangements.”

Emphasis on the roles of men as well as women was commented upon, in the context of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s statement that “when men own the equality of women there will be no need for them to struggle for their rights!”

For the full text of the Two Wings statement, please refer to the May 17, 1997, issue of The American Bahá’í.

For further information about the Bahá’í vision of gender equality, contact the National Committee for the Advancement of Women, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201-1611. E-mail [Page 4]

Training for pioneers: ‘Fuel and spiritual energy’

In the Tablets of the Divine Plan, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá outlines a “grand design for the spiritual conquest of the planet” and calls on the believers to exert themselves in promulgating the Cause of God throughout the world. He emphasizes the significance of pioneering and asks us to arise and teach, saying: “Travel ye to the East and to the West of the world and summon the people to the Kingdom of God. Hence the mercy of God must encompass all humanity.”

The Hand of the Cause of God Horace Holley commented on the significance of pioneering on a personal level, describing it as a journey “from an old self to a new self.” Both the spiritual and the material journey from one country and culture to another, benefit greatly from thoughtful planning on the part of the traveler. A Pioneering/Bahá’í Youth Service Corps Institute is one of the most important programs for this most meritorious service to the Cause of God.

These Institutes are offered at regular intervals throughout the year and are open to adults and youth alike. One of the important admonitions given to the Office of Pioneering is the spiritual preparation of the friends for the challenges of international service, the focus of a Pioneering/BYSC Institute.

In the words of trainees after they have participated in Pioneering/BYSC/SITA institutes: “It has inspired me ... and it has given me ideas for better ways to learn and teach the Writings.” “I enjoyed and appreciated this program, not only because it helped in preparing and thinking about serving abroad but also because it made me think about serving the Cause in this country as well.” “This has been an ‘eye’ in my ‘hurricane’ of preparations for our departure—an opportunity for spiritual centering.” “[The program] has provided spiritual sustenance and a framework for continued study and meditation in preparation for going [pioneering].” “This program [not only] allowed me to get a glimpse of what physical preparations I must make in order to go, but also provide[d] me with the spiritual perception that I undoubtedly need in order to be successful in my service to Bahá’u’lláh. It gave me the fuel and spiritual energy to be effective in my plans.” “The SITA training I attended has not only empowered me with an abundance of wonderful materials to continue studying but has also more than adequately filled me with the Divine Spirit of love ... and a burning to serve and learn.”

This intense program includes deepening on the Writings regarding the Covenant, pioneering, teaching and service, as well as practical information, cross-cultural activities and interaction with current and veteran pioneers—all aspects of effective pioneering.

For those friends who arise to serve in “sensitive teaching areas” of the world, the Universal House of Justice, through its agencies, has developed materials specific to the needs of these areas. The Sensitive International Teaching Areas (SITA) program, incorporates these special materials and guidelines.

An orientation to the specific challenges of sensitive areas is an aspect of obedience to our beloved Institutions. Without such preparation, our well-intentioned efforts can set back the careful work of others and even result in danger to the very people we hope to serve. SITA programs are offered regularly nationwide either separately or in conjunction with the Pioneering/BYSC Institutes, and are also available on a local or regional basis.

We invite you to join us for one of the upcoming Pioneering/BYSC/SITA Institutes, planned for the following times and places:

• October 31—November 3—Green Acre Bahá’í School in Eliot, Maine
• January 16—19—Bosch Bahá’í School in Santa Cruz, California

To begin working toward service as a pioneer, please contact your local Spiritual Assembly or the Office of Pioneering at 1233 Central Street, Evanston, IL 60201–1611 (phone 847-733-3508; e-mail

We look forward to hearing from you!

To follow in their footsteps: Vivian Dunlap Wesson

Third in a series

“Unquestionably, the African-American believers are enviably poised to bring the life-giving Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh to the peoples of sub-Saharan Africa itself, with whom they share a common ancestry. Shoghi Effendi specially encouraged black Americans to pioneer to Africa and there have been some who heeded that call, serving the Cause with great distinction and to great effect. But many more are needed.” —Universal House of Justice, letter dated February 14, 1994

Vivian Dunlap Wesson, a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh, was born March 12, 1895, and embraced the Faith as a young woman during the 1920s. She served the Cause with devotion for more than 30 years in the Chicago area before she responded to the Guardian’s call for pioneers during the Ten Year Crusade. French Togoland in West Africa was a virgin area which the Guardian hoped to be opened before the end of Ridván 1954. Mrs. Wesson and another believer, Mavis Nymon, arose to fill this important goal.

Despite a series of delays and obstacles, but with amazing and timely spiritual assistance, the two women arrived in French Togoland one-half hour before sunset May 2, 1954, amazed and thrilled at having been given the privilege of obeying their beloved Guardian. In her memoirs of pioneering, Mrs. Wesson states, “This beginning experience has set the pattern of my life as a pioneer and as a believer. It gave me such joy, such a serene unshakable faith that I have never been the same.”

“This beginning experience ... gave me such joy, such a serene unshakable faith that I have never been the same.” —Vivian Dunlap Wesson

The fact that these two believers, who lived and served together in this West African country, represented a mixed racial team was example enough of the Bahá’í Revelation to attract much admiration and interest, and there was soon a small community of Bahá’ís in French Togoland.

In 1957, Vivian moved to Monrovia, Liberia, to continue her services to the Cause. She served this community with unfailing love and dedication, including service on the National Spiritual Assembly, for 13 years.

In March 1970, having reached the age of 75 and finding village living in Liberia more challenging than her health permitted, Mrs. Wesson (known as “Mama Wesson” to her African friends) moved to Sierra Leone, where she served until she returned to the States in June 1977.

Upon learning of her death in Palo Alto, California, in January 1994, the Universal House of Justice sent the following cable to our National Spiritual Assembly:

“Deplore news passing dearly loved greatly admired Knight Bahá’u’lláh Vivian Wesson. Her historic teaching and pioneering services particularly in Togo and Liberia have left gleaming example unwavering devotion Cause God. Fervently praying holy Shrines progress her illumined soul Abhá Realm.”

Time for teachers to seek overseas posts

Now is the time of year to apply for overseas school assignments for academic year 1998/99. Openings exist for K-12 teachers, counselors, administrators and other education specialists at American/international schools worldwide and within independent school systems.

The most common method of recruiting teachers and other education candidates is the “recruitment fair,” sponsored by third-party educational search firms and academic institutions. The fairs are typically two- to three-day events, where recruiters and candidates meet face to face. As many as 30 to 50 percent of job-seeking teachers end up with solid offers, resulting directly from their participation in a fair. Some schools only will hire candidates that have been interviewed at a fair.

Successful participants often have overseas teaching experience, or at least substantial overseas travel or living experience.

Most sponsors discourage participation by applicants who do not have a minimum of state certification and at least two years’ teaching experience.

You may want to contact one or more of the following sponsors for dates and details of the upcoming fairs:

Association of American Schools in South America (AASSA): AASSA is a regional school association that recruits for its 38 American and international member schools in South America. AASSA-Teacher Search, 14750 N.W. 77th Court, Suite 210, Miami Lakes, FL 33016; phone 305-821-0345; fax 305-821-4244; e-mail

International Schools Services: For information, contact ISS, Educational Staffing Program, P.O. Box 5910, Princeton, NJ 08543; phone 609-452-0990; fax 609-452-2690.

Ohio State University: Contact Ohio State University, Office of Career Services, ATTN: B.J. Bryan, Columbus, OH 43210-1172; phone 614-292-2741; fax 614-292-4547.

University of Northern Iowa: Contact UNI Overseas Placement, SSC #19, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0390; phone 319-273-2083; e-mail

International teaching projects and events

Conferences, Schools and Events

September 23-25: Annual meeting of the International Society for Agriculture and Rural Development, Oxford University, UNITED KINGDOM.

October 24-26: International Bahá’í Environment Conference at de Poort Conference Center, NETHERLANDS.

Please contact the Office of Pioneering for further information about needs and opportunities for international traveling teachers. We also have the schedule of summer schools, deepening institutes and Bahá’í camps in CANADA and the 1997 program of the Landegg Academy in SWITZERLAND, as well as project and event information received after the deadline for this edition of The American Bahá’í. Contact: Office of Pioneering, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201; phone 847-733-3508 or 3511; or e-mail (for traveling teaching and international events): [Page 5]

The Bahá’í Distribution Service is now distributing back issues of the premier magazine for Bahá’í youth, One magazine

One magazine is an exciting and unique resource. It can help you share the teachings of the Bahá’í Faith with friends, and is a place to find familiar voices for your own upliftment. One began as a photocopied magazine created by a few youth, and has blossomed into a professionally printed publication with a staff of nearly 30 in the United States and elsewhere. One is published nine times a year and features interviews, essays, art and reviews. Each issue has a theme that relates to the teachings of the Bahá’í Faith.

Badí

The Pride of Martyrs by Ivan Lloyd $9.95 SC (BPM)

This bilingual edition (English and Persian) tells the story of one of the most courageous of the early believers, who personally delivered to the Shah of Persia a letter from Bahá’u’lláh and for that act of service suffered martyrdom. This booklet also includes full-color reproductions of original artwork by Ivan Lloyd, the author of the book and accomplished Bahá’í artist. Beautiful reproductions and an inspiring text help keep alive the story of one of the Faith’s true heroes.

8½"x11", 16 pp., color illustrations Day Spring Studios

‘In this bilingual edition (English and Persian), beautiful reproductions and an inspiring text help keep alive the story of one of the Faith’s true heroes.’

Memorials of the Faithful

by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá $10.95 SC (MFS)

‎Memorial sof Memorials of‎ the Faithful, by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, immortalizes the lives of 69 early Bahá’ís who were the essence of faithfulness. In outward form it is a collection of brief biographical sketches, but they do not concern the personal transitory aspects of human life. It is the quality of the soul, the attributes of the spirit, the quintessential humanity, and the reflection of the Divine in man that is the focus here. This is a book to be savored slowly, allowing the figurative language to create its own spirit as these words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá trace the shape of the valley of love and faithfulness.

5½"x8½", 204 pp., contents, glossary Bahá’í Publishing Trust

Suite: Mothers & Angels

by Caroline Mackay $18.00 CD (SMACD), $12.00 CS (SMACS)

The mystical Celtic harp and the extraordinary voice of Caroline Mackay cast an ancient spell upon the heart. Moving from simplicity to intensity, this impressive new recording celebrates the sacred role of women in the transformation of mankind. Caroline has been internationally acclaimed for the clarity and tenderness of her voice. Her previous CD, O Most Mighty Ocean! Selected Passages from the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, has become a most sought-after title, played worldwide at Feasts and Holy Days as well as for private meditation and creativity. Suite: Mothers & Angels includes the Little Maidservant’s Prayer, a passionate ode for the Báb by the poet Táhirih, Let’s Be Angels, and many more enchanting songs of mothers, daughters and grandmothers...a gift of heavenly ballads and blessings.

58 minutes High Spirits Music

‘The mystical Celtic harp and the extraordinary voice of Caroline Mackay cast an ancient spell.’

A Literary History of Persia

by E. G. Browne $275.00 HC, 4 VOLUME SET, (LHP)

A Literary History of Persia is still the standard work in the English language on Persia and her literature. The first volume was published in 1902 and Browne completed the fourth volume in 1924. This edition makes this seminal work available once again after 10 years being out of print. A Literary History is recommended to all those who “having learned to love the Persian in translation, desire to know more of the language, literature, history, and thought of one of the most ancient, gifted and original peoples in the world.”

4 volumes, 2,225 total pages Iranbooks

‘Still the standard work in the English language on Persia and her literature. ... This edition makes this seminal work available once again.’

Available in September! Spiritual Revolution Series III

Featuring 12 new shows for $60, this series of videotapes was produced specifically to address the Christian viewer.

See the next American Bahá’í for more details!

Racism is Out of Style

Television Teaching Institute $19.95 VT (EROSN)

The Television Teaching Institute was formed to develop television and video productions which inspire, educate and entertain audiences while seeking to eradicate prejudices and help to establish world unity. This latest production features Dr. Wilma Ellis, member of the Continental Board of Counselors, discussing Bahá’í perspectives on racism. This production is specifically designed to help teach the Faith to African-Americans.

60 minutes Images International

Mount Carmel Bahá’í Projects

A Presentation at the Bahá’í World Center, Haifa, 1996 Mount Carmel Bahá’í Projects $19.95 VT (EMCBPN)

Almost seven years after the inauguration of the Mount Carmel projects on the Mountain of God, these developments stand at an exciting threshold. Fariburz Sahba, manager of the Projects, shares fascinating stories and progress updates in this 52-minute video, which also brings us the latest aerial images and details of the Mount Carmel Bahá’í Projects.

52 minutes Images International

‘Fascinating stories and progress updates in this 52-minute video, which also brings us the latest aerial images and details of the Mount Carmel Bahá’í Projects.’ [Page 6]

Crossing Frontiers: Portrait of a World Citizen

$19.95 VT (ECFN)

This video, on the life of Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum, explores the frontiers she has crossed in her travels to over 185 countries. In the course of her travels she has given countless lectures, met many leading dignitaries, and been interviewed on radio, television and by the press throughout the world, continually promoting the essential teachings of the Bahá’í Faith.

22 minutes Badiyan Productions

Managing with the Wisdom of Love

Uncovering Virtue in People and Organizations Dorothy Marcic $24.95 HC (MWL)

Disappointing reengineering and downsizing efforts have prompted many managers to realize that prescribed formulas and materialistic solutions are not the total answer to organizational problems. But what more is there? In Managing with the Wisdom of Love, Dorothy Marcic explores that question from a fundamentally different perspective as she poses an intriguing question of her own: How would the workplace change if we acknowledged that spiritual values are as important in the operations of organizations as they are in the lives of the people who work there? As the author convincingly shows, love, justice, dignity, and respect are more than just traditional spiritual ideas; they are also the new management virtues needed in the contemporary workplace.

6"x9", 156 pp., endnotes, references, index Jossey-Bass

Claire Gung: Mother of Africa

Adrienne Morgan $9.95 SC (CGMA)

German-born and living in England, Claire Gung at the age of 46 answered the Guardian's call for pioneers to Africa. Alone and with limited material resources, Mrs. Gung spent the remainder of her life teaching the Cause to the peoples of Africa. The story of her trials and successes over the next 34 years proved her title "Mother of Africa," given to her by the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith. This account, taken in large part from Claire Gung's own diary, is an inspiring read for all audiences.

54"x8", 164 pp. The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of South Africa

Enlightened Views

compiled by Alan Bryson $9.95 SC (EV)

Alan Bryson has compiled a systematic presentation of the Bahá’í Faith from the words of its Central Figures. Covering a range of topics, Enlightened Views is one of the most comprehensive compilations to be published in years. An excellent reference work for Bahá’ís or non-Bahá’ís.

5½"x8", 364 pp., bibliography, index Sterling Publishers

Lua Getsinger: Herald of the Covenant

Velda Piff Metelmann $29.95 SC (LGHC)

When so many Bahá’ís around the world name their daughter Lua in her memory, why do we know so little about her? This intriguing question drew Velda Piff Metelmann into a fascinating journey of research into the life of this renowned believer and teacher of the Bahá’í Faith whose tireless travels from east to west in the United States, in Europe and in India attracted hundreds to the love of their Lord. This book makes available for the first time Lua Getsinger's own voice through her letters, diaries and talks between 1898 and 1916. Though fragmented by distance and time, it is a voice that can't fail to find a response in modern readers.

5½"x8", 414 pp., photographs, notes, appendix George Ronald

Journey to the Heart of Africa

Mary Firman $6.95 SC (JHA)

An activity book from the same author who brought us Journey Into Exile about the life of Bahá’u’lláh. Designed for children 7 to 12 years old, this book has stories, activities, and information that will engage a child and make learning fun.

114"x8", 32 pp. Brilliant Books

Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

‘Abdu’l-Bahá PS $3.95 (SWAP)

A compilation of passages from Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to the East and West. Published to "increase the fervor" of Bahá’ís and to "add to their perception of that wondrous harmony of the human and divine" that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá exemplified.

44"x7", 359 pp., index, paragraph numbering Bahá’í Publishing Trust, United States

Buddha Maitrya-Amitabha Has Appeared

Jamshed Fozdar $34.95 HC (BMA)

This book is not just another thesis on Buddhism. Rather, it is an invitaion to people everywhere, especially people of religion, and particularly our Buddhist brethren, to accompany the author in quest of that greatest of all phenomena—the advent of the Buddha Avatar—the divine manifestation, whose rare periodic appearance has been the only source of spiritual upliftment throughout humanity's long and checkered history and for whose recurrence we stand once more in such dire need in this travailing age. Mr. Fozdar conclusively proves from the great wealth of Buddhist prophecies that this momentous event which will usher in a new golden age has already occurred and that it is identical to the Return of their own Redeemer awaited by Hindus, Jews, Zoroastrians, Christians and Muslims.

6"x8", 490 pp., contents, glossary, index Jamshed Fozdar

Spiritual Being: A User's Guide

Happy Dobbs $18.95 SC (SBUG)

Every new appliance, from a toaster to a computer, comes with an instruction booklet giving information on how to use it, get the best from it, service it and fix it when it breaks down. Here's an instruction booklet for your spiritual self, containing all the information you need to know about yourself, develop your potential, understand your place in the universe, prevent personal disasters and solve problems when things go wrong. Using the Bahá’í writings, stories from Bahá’í history and poetry, Happy Dobbs helps us explore our true selves, from our purpose in life to our ultimate destiny. If you have ever asked yourself the question, "Who am I really?" then this book is for you.

64"x9", 318 pp. George Ronald

Indigenous Peoples: In the Wake of Mabo

edited by Dr. Kamal Puri HC $16.95 (IP)

Reconciliation between the descendants of the original aboriginal landholders and white "invaders" is one of the most critical social justice issues facing Australian society. Prominent academics and aboriginal and Bahá’í scholars focus on the progress of the process of reconciliation. The Australian experience is worthy of study because it combines all the challenges facing developed and developing countries alike as they confront increasing demands for justice and land rights by indigenous elements of society.

200 pp., introduction, preface Bahá’í Publications Australia

The Ocean of His Words: A Reader's Guide to the Art of Bahá'u'lláh

by John S. Hatcher SC $12.95 (OHW)

"Immerse yourselves in the ocean of My words, that ye may unravel its secrets, and discover all the pearls of wisdom that lie hid in its depths..." is Bahá’u’lláh's exhortation to us. In his latest work, titled The Ocean of His Words, John Hatcher provides a remarkably effective set of tools for making the most of this immersion. Using the tools of literary analysis, Dr. Hatcher shows us how to apply these same techniques to unravel an ever deeper understanding of the Sacred texts. Examples are used extensively to demonstrate the application of such literary devices as examining the narrative perspective, subject, and structure of a work as well as using historical criticism, among others. His elaboration of divine revelation as a perfect form of artistic expression is genuinely fresh, and even though this book essentially is an academic exercise it is eminently readable and thoroughly enjoyable. This heightens its appeal as a text for teaching and training institutes. Before too long not only will you have read it, you will be using the tools this book offers as a means to a deeper understanding of the art of Bahá’u’lláh!

5½"x8", 388 pp., foreword, contents, preface, appendix, bibliography Bahá’í Publishing Trust, United States [Page 7]

BAHÁ’Í DISTRIBUTION SERVICE

1-800-999-9019

A Miracle of Governance

The Local Spiritual Assembly The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States $19.95 VT (INCLUDES WORKBOOK) (MGV)

As “Trustees of the Merciful,” members of every local Spiritual Assembly have a critical role to play in the progress of the Cause of God. Working through the Bahá’í texts in a style the French call l’exposition, Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh, member of the National Spiritual Assembly and professor emeritus of history at Yale University, brings viewers to a greater understanding of the bedrock institution of the Bahá’í Faith, discussing the station of the local Spiritual Assemblies, their duties, their functioning, and their relationship with the community. Whether viewed as a whole, or analyzed section by section with the companion workbook, the program provides a valuable tool for the further maturation and development of Local Assemblies.

The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States

Without a Net

A Sojourn in Russia by Esther Bradley-DeTally SC $9.95 (WAN)

In 1990, the Universal House of Justice stressed the importance of sharing the Faith in the Soviet Union. Without a Net is 23 stories of an American couple’s emotional, physical and spiritual journey while sharing the Faith with the people of Belarus, Russia, and the Ukraine. This book is “a fascinating account of daily lives” taking first steps away from the spiritual shackles of communism towards the light of Bahá’u’lláh. Humorous, reflective essays reveal a willingness of the “ordinary human being” enamored by the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh arising to serve because the important had to be discarded for the most important.

5½”x8½”, 137 pp. Bahá’í Booksource International

Overcoming Barriers to Unity

An Essay on Group Harmony by Steven E. Ellis SC $6.00 (OBU)

In this enlightening discourse on the dynamics of unity and disunity, the author, Steven Ellis, provides insights into creating harmonious consultative groups. Using extensive references from the Bahá’í writings, Mr. Ellis provides a very practical set of “red flags” so that we may learn to recognize when our behavior is not in accordance with the promotion of unity. This book also includes a short compilation on the subject of unity.

5½”x8½”, 98 pp., references The Alaska Bahá’í Bookshop

Huqúqu’lláh

The Right of God CS $9.95 (HC)

Taken from the video of the same name, this audio edition is perfect for those times when you’re not able to watch and learn ‎and at‎ the same time.

51 minutes Badiyan Productions

In Grandfather’s Barn

by William Sears SC $8.95 (IGB)

Written from the perspective of a young boy named William who lives in Green Valley, Minnesota, during the 1920s, In Grandfather’s Barn is a humorous novel that recounts his adventures and misadventures growing up. Living in a small town is not always easy, but it can be the source of many hilarious lessons about life: His great crush on the beautiful Angela Raffodil; his first confession at church with Father O’Malley; his befriending Jerry Haller, the only black boy in town; and more—we always find him resolving the perplexities of life in Grandfather’s barn. Relying on the practical, no-nonsense advice of his facetious grandfather, who helps him see through others’ pretenses, William begins to understand what it really means to live an upstanding life with compassion.

5½”x8½”, 96 pp. Bahá’í Publishing Trust, United States

The Mission of This Generation

Messages from the Universal House of Justice to Bahá’í Youth $12.95 SC (MGS)

A helpful and timely new book, containing the complete texts of 16 messages from the Universal House of Justice to young Bahá’ís. Also contains a section of exploratory questions on each of the messages, plus a compilation of extracts from the messages.

5¾”x8¼”, 144 pp., preface, contents, introduction, bibliography, notes, references, index Bahá’í Publishing Trust, United Kingdom

The City and the Heart

by Arthur M. Weinberg SC $7.95 (CH)

Ismael, Lisa, Helen, Aaron and the other children from Arthur Weinberg’s story The Refuge and the Cage are back in another installment of a popular children’s tale. Picking up where the last book left off, the characters continue their adventures while they acquire spiritual understanding.

5¾”x8¼”, 109 pp. Brilliant Books

Fundamental Verities Course Series

National Bahá’í Education Task Force $7.50 FOR EACH COURSE

What are the “fundamental verities” of the Faith? How do we study them? How do we act on them? How will this contribute to advancing the process of entry by troops? A three-part curriculum series on the Fundamental Verities is being developed by the National Bahá’í Education Task Force for use in regional and local institutes. The materials are clear, systematic, and utilize diverse learning styles. The course works to build a sustainable vision for study and action, and calls for action outside of the course sessions. Participants in the pilots of this program have felt that they were energized by the direct study of the Writings and by the application of the course to their real lives.

The three parts include:

Part One, To Serve the Covenant (FVTSC), focuses on the human soul as a sign of God, the bounty of the Manifestations of God, and the lives and teachings of the Central Figures of our Faith, within the context of the Covenant.

Part Two, Every Believer is a Teacher (FVEBT), focuses on giving participants skills and practice for the teaching work. Bahá’ís can learn how to approach seekers, how to relate the Faith to contemporary issues, how to make friends, and gain skills in how to plan and carry out firesides.

Part Three, A New Civilization (FVNC), is being developed and will be available in the fall of 1997. Participants will explore how the Bahá’í rhythm of life, the Administrative Order, and obedience to the laws all work together to advance the process of entry by troops and create the long-awaited new World Order of Bahá’u’lláh.

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Bahá’í Distribution Service • 5397 Wilbanks Dr., Chattanooga, TN 37343 • 1-800-999-9019 • Fax: 1-423-843-0836 • Internet: [Page 8]

Kansas Bahá’ís celebrate 100th

Enterprise centennial parade highlights variety of activities

Bahá’ís from varied localities, many in turn-of-the-century garb, get ready for the parade as part of Bahá’í centennial activities in Enterprise, Kansas.

Take one statewide Bahá’í community that has reached its hundredth year, a joint planning committee of nine local Spiritual Assemblies, a supportive friend of the Faith, encouraging words from the Universal House of Justice, a gubernatorial proclamation, an art exhibit and a hot summer day in Kansas, and what do you have? “Bahá’í Centennial Day in Kansas” (as proclaimed by the governor), the biggest party in Kansas Bahá’í history.

Bahá’ís came from all over the state as well as from Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Oklahoma, Texas and even Australia.

There were a parade (organized by the chief of police) down the main street of Enterprise (population 961), which hosted the party; a cookout and ice cream social planned by the local Lions Club; an address by the mayor; a history presentation by the president of the local bank; electrical work by the city engineer; and support work by the city clerk. The party couldn’t have happened without these people assisting the Bahá’ís.

The only buildings in town that would hold more than 100 people were unavailable, so the planning committee brought in everything: a tent to seat 300, food for as many people as were pre-registered, restroom facilities, even trash containers.

One of the first decisions taken by the Spiritual Assembly of Shawnee County after its re-formation at Ridván 1996 was to invite other Assemblies to take part in planning the celebration. Nine Assemblies joined the project, with the Spiritual Assembly of Hutchinson serving as sponsor.

Planning was aided immeasurably by the longtime friendship between a Bahá’í in Enterprise and Reed Hoffman, president of the town’s bank, who enlisted the services of many others.

Thanks to them, the community building was transformed into an art gallery, the windows of the city library became display space for Bahá’í books and photos of the House of Worship, and parts of the city park were set aside as the main meeting site, a classroom for children and an outdoor café.

A momentous week

July 19 was chosen for the event because that ended the first week in which classes were held in Enterprise in 1897. The date those classes began is unclear, but the first newspaper article about them appeared July 13, 1897, and by the following week articles had been published in 14 papers in 10 cities stretching 150 miles across northeastern Kansas.

The opening parade honored the memory of those earliest Bahá’ís in Enterprise. One area newspaper reported that the parade “featured about 200 walkers, some in traditional 1890s garb.” A photograph appeared in the local paper.

Among those riding in the parade were Dr. David Ruhe, former member of the Universal House of Justice, and his wife, Margaret.

Another honored guest was Hugh Chance, a native Kansan who served for 30 years on the House of Justice until 1993. Mr. Chance’s daughter Maryanne came from Australia to share the day with him.

Mr. Chance traveled 150 miles to take part in the celebration even though he was confined to a wheelchair with a broken collarbone he had suffered days before.

The historical perspective

In the morning program, emceed by Auxiliary Board member David Freeman, Mr. Hoffman spoke about 19th-century Enterprise and historian Duane L. Herrmann gave a presentation on the beginnings of the town’s Bahá’í community.

After lunch, attendees enjoyed performances by the Kansas Bahá’í Youth Workshop, the “Irregular Volunteer Bahá’í Band,” and vocal duets by Bahá’ís Susie Bishop and Tracy Freeman.

Auxiliary Board member Marcia Gitchell introduced Dr. and Mrs. Ruhe, both of whom addressed the audience, Mrs. Ruhe on her experience growing up in the Bahá’í community, Dr. Ruhe on the station of Bahá’u’lláh as compared to other historical figures.

Next came two dramatic presentations. “Awakening Hearts,” written by Mr. Herrmann and Lynne Wieties, portrayed the lives and experiences of several early Bahá’ís in Kansas. “Glimpses from the Journey,” by Carolyn Nur Wistrand, recounted the experiences of early believers Lua Getsinger and Thornton Chase.

Lisa Bradley of Wichita presented the Kansas Bahá’í Centennial Quilt Project, showing quilt blocks submitted for the effort. Then the afternoon wound down with an informal buffet, a singalong led by Chris Ruhe, and the presentation of new Bahá’í videos.

On Sunday morning, newspapers across the state carried news articles about the centennial, including two articles with photographs on the front page of the paper in Abilene. Papers in other cities used an Associated Press report based on an article the day before in the Wichita Eagle.

The impact of the celebration may well stretch across the country. Kansas, at the heart of the nation, is proof of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s statement that “everything that appears in and manifests from the heart influences all the organs and limbs of the body.”

Meanwhile, the Kansas Bahá’í community’s second century has begun.

Submitted by Duane L. Herrmann.

HUQÚQU’LLÁH

Payments to Huqúqu’lláh should be made to “The Bahá’í Huqúqu’lláh Trust” and sent to one of the Trustees:

• Dr. Amin Banani, Santa Monica, CA 90402 (phone 310-394-5449).
• Mr. Stephen Birkland, Arden Hills, MN 55112 (phone 612-484-9518).
• Dr. Daryush Haghighi, Rocky River, OH 44116 (phone 216-333-1506).
• Mrs. Thelma Khelghati, ‎Lunen-berg Lunenburg‎, MA 01462 (phone 508-582-9216).

Due to a recurrent illness, Trustee Dr. Elsie Austin is unable to receive payments for Huqúqu’lláh at this time.

Inquiries about Huqúqu’lláh should be referred to one of the Trustees or to the Office of the Secretariat, Bahá’í Huqúqu’lláh Trust, Rocky River, OH 44116.

Treasurer’s corner

The Treasurer’s Corner is devoted to helping local treasurers and others who have special interest in development of the Funds by offering suggestions and ideas that might be helpful in this work. If you would like to offer stories or ideas that have proven useful in your community, you are invited to share them with other communities through this column. Just contact the Office of the Treasurer and Development at 847-733-3472 or e-mail

Goal 154 B.E.: Supporting all the Funds

The National Fund goal of $27 million includes allocations for every major Fund. Therefore with each unearmarked contribution, all the major Funds of the Faith are supported.

Stewardship and Development Seminars

Although Stewardship and Development Seminars planned for this year are continuing, 124 (!) seminars have been held in the last four months. These meetings represent deepening/training for more than 1500 friends nationwide on matters of the Funds. Participants’ evaluations have been enthusiastic, often expressing the feeling that every believer should take advantage of this program. Many of the seminar facilitators have offered to deliver additional seminars in new locations. If your community would like to have a special opportunity to reflect and deepen on the “life-blood of the Cause,” please contact the Office of the Treasurer and Development, phone 847-733-3472, to make your request.

New manual for Bahá’í Treasurers

If you have not had an opportunity to attend one of the Stewardship Seminars and have not yet ordered your copy of the new reference manual, Stewardship and Development: A Reference for Spiritual Assemblies and Treasurers, you will want to know that copies are available through Bahá’í Distribution Service, phone 800-999-9019. This new and greatly expanded looseleaf manual replaces the old Accounting Procedures for Bahá’í Treasurers and is being used as the centerpiece for the Seminars described above.

153 B.E. Honor Roll

If you feel your community should have been listed on the Honor Roll for 153 B.E., and was excluded when the list was published in a recent edition of The American Bahá’í, please contact the Office of the Treasurer and Development, phone 847-733-3472. We would appreciate the opportunity to correct any oversights.

Save Your Receipts!

Treasurers, please remind the friends in your community that year-end “summary” receipts for total contributions to the National Bahá’í Fund are no longer provided by the Office of the Treasurer. With this in mind, receipts provided for individual contributions should be retained as proof of these contributions for tax purposes. Summary receipts will continue to be issued at year’s end for subscribers to the Automatic Contribution System.

In Honor and In Memory

As treasurer of your community, you may wish to remind the friends that there is a way to honor special occasions in the lives of their friends and family or to honor the memory of someone who has passed. Special gifts to any of the Funds can be given “in honor” or “in memory” of a friend or family member. The person honored, or the family of the person who has passed, will receive an appropriate notification of the gift. Forms are available through the Office of the Treasurer and Development, phone 847-733-3472. Or, local treasurers may request forms, make copies, and have them available for their communities.

“Bahá’u’lláh has written that, ‘. . . He who is the Eternal Truth—Exalted be His glory—hath made the fulfillment of every undertaking on earth dependent on material means.’” —Universal House of Justice, September 17, 1992 [Page 9]

TOTAL ENROLLMENTS

July	188
Total for year	557

THE FUND

(As of July 31, 1997)

	YTD Goal	Difference
All Bahá’í Funds (Fiscal year beginning May 1, 1997)	$4,500,000	$-545,840

	thru June 97	thru July 97
National Bahá’í Fund	$1,846,690	$2,759,533
International Bahá’í Fund	$134,432	$298,813
Arc Projects Fund	$555,615	$756,677
Continental Bahá’í Fund	$52,477	$75,245
Other International	$51,758	$63,892
Total/All Funds	$2,640,972	$3,954,160

All Bahá’í Funds: Goal & Actual

Where we are	3,954,160
Where we need to be	4,500,000

All International Funds

Where we are	$1,194,627
Where we need to be	$1,261,762

Arc Projects Fund

Where we are	$756,677
Where we need to be	$861,130

International Bahá’í Fund

Where we are	$298,813
Where we need to be	$315,000

Continental Bahá’í Fund

Where we are	$75,245
Where we need to be	$85,632

Universal participation and our capacity to give

By the TREASURER’S OFFICE

“Neither the very rich nor the very poor have stepped forward as yet and made their mark on the needs of the Funds,” said the informed Bahá’í. Is this statement true, and if it is, what might it mean?

First, let’s look at some data. We know there are 100,000+ Bahá’ís in our community. Of those, 9,805 individuals (8-9%) contributed to one of the Funds via the Bahá’í National Center between May 1, 1996, and April 30, 1997.

We are not looking at local Spiritual Assemblies or groups right now (of which about 1,500 made a contribution to at least one of the Funds), and naturally the number of contributors would increase significantly if there were data about contributions at the local level. We do know that gifts received in Wilmette from individuals through April 30 dropped 31% from the previous year.

Of these 10,000 friends, only 323 gave between $1 and $10. On the other end of the spectrum, just 113 believers gave $10,000 or more. The largest gift was $1,000,000 and was offered for the Arc Projects; the next largest was $312,000 for the National Bahá’í Fund. The amounts drop off sharply after those two.

We don’t know what the mathematical probabilities are, but it would seem a reasonable guess that even in our population of 100,000 or so, there would be more individuals on both ends of this spectrum who could give, whether their capacity is a few dollars or a few million dollars. The “informed Bahá’í” may be correct!

“You aren’t tracking all giving,” one might say. “You’re not looking at giving through the local funds; maybe the answer is there already.” Well and good; let’s look at that data.

It is true that no global statistics are available for the giving behavior of individuals at the local level, but giving by Assemblies from their local Funds to the senior Funds is tracked. The range in giving by local Spiritual Assemblies ran between $5 and $271,000, with an average of $6,646. At these levels, significant funding, commensurate with the scope of the Faith’s work, is not yet coming through these local institutions.

This information does not discount our “informed Bahá’í” and the statement that major segments of our Bahá’í population have not yet committed to the struggle. So we come to the question of universal participation.

Building the Kingdom is a privilege of each one of us, in accordance with our opportunities and capacities. Might our ability to achieve full participation by all be a matter, not of finance, but of expectations? As parents and teachers know, children and students often behave in accordance with the expectations set for them. Mature adults also tend to act in line with their own expectations of themselves. So, if the local Spiritual Assembly sets an expectation that everyone in the community will participate in giving, might we not find that our pattern will trend in that direction?

The flip side of this point is that if we are seeing less-than-universal participation, it might be the result of expectations that are too low. The question to consider, then, is: What expectations do we really have of ourselves, and are they in line with the wishes of Bahá’u’lláh? Of the Universal House of Justice? Of the National Spiritual Assembly?

It may well be that we have underestimated our capacity. Our task would then be to figure out how to promote a different set of expectations. Local Treasurers can take a more active role in education and in making it easier for the friends to give: who would give, who only has a few pennies, when they are tacitly expected to write a letter, buy stamps and envelopes, etc.?

A local Spiritual Assembly, for its part, can consult with Auxiliary Board members and their assistants on this question. It is an exploration we are engaged in: How do we become more mature? What results will the power of our unity produce? What can we really do for Bahá’u’lláh to achieve the kind of community He has envisioned?

Assemblies added to Honor Roll for 153 B.E. for steady contributions

The following Spiritual Assemblies should have appeared on the Honor Roll for 153 B.E. We apologize for their exclusion and congratulate them on their achievement in steadfast and consistent giving to the Funds of the Faith.

Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of ‎Loudon Loudoun‎ County, Virginia

Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Roanoke County, Virginia

Your contributions to the National Fund can be mailed to:

National Bahá’í Fund 112 Linden Avenue Wilmette, IL 60091-2800

To honor a loved one’s memory ...

Special gifts to any of the Funds can be given “in honor” or “in memory” of a friend or family member.

“The progress of man’s spirit in the divine world, after the severance of its connection with the body of dust, is through the bounty and grace of the Lord alone, or through the intercession and sincere prayers of other human souls, or through the charities and important good works which are performed in its name.” — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Forms are available through the Office of the Treasurer and Development 847-733-3472 [Page 10]

Suggested for study and deepening in advance of Unit Conventions in October

The Unit Convention and the sanctity of the Bahá’í election

Over the past few years, the friends have had the bounty of having the Counselors, Auxiliary Board members or their assistants present at many Unit Conventions, helping them better to understand our unique opportunity as Bahá’ís to take part in the Administrative Order. A day before the National Convention in April, the Counselors met with all the delegates to set the tone, spirit and attitude for the event. As a result, the level of consultation and the spiritual approach to voting were exceptional.

The Universal House of Justice has asked all the National Spiritual Assemblies to urge the friends “to appreciate the importance ... of carrying out all Bahá’í elections, on the national as well as the unit and local levels, in an exemplary manner, in full harmony with the spirit of purity and sanctity which must characterize them.” (Universal House of Justice, letter of December 10, 1989)

It is hoped the friends will take the opportunity to deepen on this material before the upcoming Unit Conventions so that they will be better attended, the consultation will be at a higher level of maturity, and the voting will be purely spiritual in approach and held in a sanctified atmosphere. Communities may wish to consult on these subjects at Feast, at a special deepening or individually. Whatever the approach, all are encouraged to attend and prepare for the Unit Convention ahead of time.

Uniqueness of the Bahá’í election

The main purpose of the Unit Convention is the election of a delegate or delegates to the National Convention. It is important that voting be discharged in the proper spirit, which will contribute to the health and growth of the Bahá’í community. Shoghi Effendi stressed “the vital importance and necessity of the right of voting—a sacred responsibility of which no adult recognized believer should be deprived. ...” (letter of April 28, 1935)

Voting is a process that requires our participation in the activities of the Faith throughout the year in order to approach this delicate task intelligently. Through our involvement in the community, we can observe the friends serving the Faith and the qualities each one expresses. Shoghi Effendi encouraged the friends “to get thoroughly acquainted with one another, to exchange views, to mix freely and discuss among themselves the requirements and qualifications for such membership. ...” (letter of May 14, 1927) While we are never to refer directly to persons as possible candidates, we should be aware of their spiritual qualities and remember these qualities when voting.

Regarding the responsibilities of the person voting, the Guardian states: “Bahá’í electoral procedures and methods have, indeed, for one of their essential purposes, the development in every believer of the spirit of responsibility. By emphasizing the necessity of maintaining his full freedom in the elections, they make it incumbent upon him to become an active and well-informed member of the Bahá’í community in which he lives. To be able to make a wise choice at the election time, it is necessary for him to be in close and continued contact with all local activities, be they teaching, administrative or otherwise, and to fully and wholeheartedly participate in the affairs of the local as well as national committees and assemblies in his country. It is only in this way that a believer can develop a true sense of responsibility and acquire a true sense of responsibility in matters affecting the interests of the Cause.” (Lights of Divine Guidance, Vol. I, p. 68)

The Bahá’í election is also unique in other ways:

• Non-political: Bahá’í elections are free of any nomination process, which leads to disunity and restricts the electorate. The essential freedom of all voters to elect only those who they feel possess the necessary qualities is paramount to the spirit of initiative for which Bahá’ís are responsible.

Shoghi Effendi states that “the practice of nomination, so detrimental to the atmosphere of a silent and prayerful election, is viewed with mistrust inasmuch as it gives the right to the majority of a body that, in itself under present circumstances, often constitutes a minority of all the elected delegates, to deny that God-given right of every elector to vote only in favor of those who he is conscientiously convinced are the most worthy candidates.” (Bahá’í Administration, p. 136) Further, he states that “the practice of nomination has the great disadvantage of killing in the believer the spirit of initiative, and of self-development.” (Lights of Divine Guidance, vol. I, pp. 67-68)

• Atmosphere: Voting is performed in an atmosphere of prayer and reflection. This purely spiritual approach sanctifies the election and frees it from the limitations of this earthly plane. The decision is elevated to a level that is holy and sacred. We are asked to approach our task “with that purity of spirit that can alone obtain our Beloved’s most cherished desire” (Ibid, p. 65) and to hold our elections in a “rarefied atmosphere of selflessness and detachment. ...” (Ibid)

• Secret ballot: Bahá’í elections use secret balloting. Shoghi Effendi states: “One’s vote must be kept confidential. It is not permissible to make any reference whatsoever to individual names. The friends should avoid the evil methods and detestable practices of the politicians. They must turn completely to God, and with purity of motive, freedom of spirit and sanctity of heart, participate in the elections; otherwise the outcome will be chaos and confusion, serious difficulties will ensue, mischief will abound and the confirmation of God will be cut off.” (Letter of January 16, 1923, to an Assembly in Iran).

Our complete freedom to vote is clearly a precious right and is protected in many ways. Even our innocent sharing of whom we may vote for and have voted for has detrimental consequences and should be avoided.

• Attitude of the elected: The attitude to being elected to a position in the Administrative Order is unique. Being elected to serve in any capacity is not seen as an achievement of power or importance, but rather a responsibility we must take on because we have been asked to do it. It is a responsibility we perform with humility and a sense of service to our community. The Guardian asserts, “They [those who are elected] should never be led to suppose that they are the central ornaments of the body of the Cause, intrinsically superior to others in capacity ‎of or‎ merit. ... They should approach their task with extreme humility, and endeavor ... to win, not only the confidence and the genuine support and respect of those whom they serve, but also their esteem and real affection.” (Principles of Bahá’í Administration, p.45)

Qualifications

The Bahá’í Writings provide a vast amount of material on the elector’s and the delegate’s qualifications. We are asked to consider multiple factors:

• The electors: We are to be completely open-minded in our decision and not allow ourselves to be prejudiced toward considering anyone for any reason. Shoghi Effendi tells us that “it is incumbent upon the chosen delegates to consider without the least trace of passion and prejudice, and irrespective of material consideration” everyone in the community when we are voting (Lights of Divine Guidance, vol. I, p.68). Thus we are not to be swayed by our emotions or by dominant personalities in the community.

Shoghi Effendi stressed the need to “disregard personalities and concentrate their attention on the qualities and requirements of office” (letter of August 11, 1933). In particular, we are encouraged to not attach importance to any limitations such as the inability to attend the Convention. The Guardian makes it clear that all should be able to serve: “... the fundamental concept of everyone being able to do Bahá’í service on administrative bodies will be weakened, and the Friends may be tempted to vote for those who, because of independent means or circumstances in their lives, are freer to come and go but less qualified to serve.” (Principles of Bahá’í Administration, p.72)

While certain individuals may be well-known or popular for various reasons, this should not be the central reason to vote for someone. Our vote is to be focused on defined spiritual qualities.

• The delegates: The specific qualities which the electors are to look for in the delegates include the well-known and often-quoted qualities of “unquestioned loyalty, selfless devotion, a well-trained mind, recognized ability and mature experience.” (Bahá’í Administration, p. 88) Further, we are to consider carefully the person’s general character and qualities such as honesty, sincerity and truthfulness, all of which typify a true Bahá’í. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá admonishes us all to “stand out distinguished and brilliant as the sun among other souls. Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a center of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and loving-kindness towards all the peoples of the world.” (Selections From the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p.71).

In addition, we are asked to consider the demonstrated ability of members of the community and whatever service they may have provided, and to vote for those individuals who are best qualified, irrespective of considerations such as social rank, material means, academic qualifications, sex or race. The Guardian asks us to consider voting for those individuals by “their actual capacity and present attainments, and only those who are best qualified for membership, be they men or women, and irrespective of social standing. ...” (Dawn of a New Day, p. 4) In the case of a minority, we are asked to consider in favor of those who may be in the minority:

“If any discrimination is at all to be tolerated, it should be discrimination not against, but rather in favor of the minority, be it racial or otherwise ... [in order to] safeguard every minority belonging to any faith, race, class or nation within it. So great and vital is this principle that in circumstances ... where the qualifications for any office are balanced as between the various races, faiths or nationalities within the community, priority should unhesitatingly be accorded the party representing the minority, and this for no other reason except to stimulate and encourage it, and afford it an opportunity to further the interests of the community.” (Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice, p.35)

Aspects of the voting process

There are two methods of voting:

• Attend Convention: This allows the person to take part in the entire convention, including the consultative portion, and is strongly encouraged. It also provides an opportunity to meet with the friends and become familiar with the activities throughout the electoral unit and develop a larger sense of the community by looking at the unit as a whole once a year. Shoghi Effendi reminds us that it should “be made clear ... that it is a sacred responsibility and admittedly preferable to attend if possible in person the sessions of the Convention, to take part in all its proceedings.” (Bahá’í Administration, p. 91)

• Absentee: The second way to vote is by absentee ballot. When doing so, it is important to put one’s ballot into a sealed envelope marked “ballot” and then put that envelope into another envelope with the elector’s name on it. The ballot may be mailed or hand-delivered to the Convention. This method deprives the individual of the opportunity to participate in the consultative portion of the Convention and share in the spirit of the friends coming together.

Other considerations regarding the voting process include the following:

• Confidentiality: All votes are confidential and the friends should not discuss their votes at any time with each other, before or after the election. Should a person do so, all should attempt to educate that person to the dangers of such a practice and if necessary refer the matter to the sponsoring Assembly.

See ELECTIONS, next page [Page 11]

Listing of Unit Convention sites nationwide

The National Spiritual Assembly lovingly invites you to participate in your Unit Convention, to be held the first or second weekend of October. The main topic of consultation at this year’s Conventions, the establishment of Regional Bahá’í Councils, promises to be highly stimulating and will have implications for the entire American Bahá’í community. The Unit Convention will be the first opportunity for the believers to consult regionally on this recently ordained Institution. Special deepening materials to help the friends prepare for the imminent birth of this new Institution will be made available at the Convention.

The Unit Convention has a twofold purpose. The first is to elect the delegate(s) from each electoral unit who will vote for the National Spiritual Assembly at the National Convention. The second purpose is for the believers to consult, to voice hopes and concerns, both as individuals and as communities for the advancement of the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh. It is also an important opportunity to make recommendations and suggestions to the National Spiritual Assembly.

The article titled "The Unit Convention and the Sanctity of the Bahá’í Election," included beginning on Page 10 to help your preparation for this event, is also accessible along with the 1997 listing of Unit Convention sites on the National Spiritual Assembly administrative Web site: www.usbnc.org.

Bahá’í youth are encouraged to attend the Convention and to participate in the consultation. They also may want to participate by serving as registrars, readers, children’s class facilitators, and helpers to the tellers. Youth involvement in the Convention not only will contribute to the success of the consultation, but will aid in preparing the youth for future service as administrators of the Faith. Bahá’ís younger than age 21 may not vote in Bahá’í elections or serve as delegates or Convention officers.

Electoral Unit information: To find out which electoral unit you are in, look on the right side of the mailing label on your American Bahá’í for your electoral unit number. For information on logistics of your convention, find the number in the following list. Some electoral units have partial information at this printing. You will receive a mailing from the Spiritual Assembly hosting your Convention giving updates on time and location. Contact your local Spiritual Assembly or the Conventions Office at the Bahá’í National Center, phone 847-733-3529, if you still have questions.

Voting instructions: All adult believers in good standing should receive ballot information by mail in the middle of September. If you are unable to attend the Unit Convention, you may vote by absentee ballot by writing the name of one person on the ballot who you believe best exemplifies the qualities of a delegate. "The electors ... must prayerfully and devotedly and after meditation and reflection elect faithful, sincere, experienced, capable and competent souls who are worthy of membership..." (Written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi and published in The compilation of Compilations, p. 317) Vote for just one delegate, except in New York City (two), San Diego (two) and Los Angeles (four).

Any Bahá’í in good standing who is at least 21 years of age and who is a resident of your electoral unit is eligible to be elected as a delegate. The only exceptions are the hands of the Cause and members of the Continental Board of Counselors. Auxiliary Board members are eligible but, if elected, must choose between accepting this responsibility and remaining a member of the Auxiliary Board.

Insert your completed ballot into a small envelope (marked "ballot") and seal it. Do not put your name or other identifying mark on it. Put the ballot envelope into a larger envelope, seal it, and write your name in the upper left corner. Mail it to the mail ballot address listed below for your unit (do not mail to the Bahá’í National Center). Put it in the mail at least one week before the time of your Convention, or have a friend bring it to the Convention for you.

Convention sites: Updated listings

The listings below are in many cases more up to date than the information in letters mailed to individuals containing their ballots. A "bullet" mark (•) before the listing indicates changes or corrections in an electoral unit's schedule. For more information, please call the contact number listed for your unit.

EU001: Green Acre Bahá’í School, 188 Main St., Eliot, ME; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM–1:00PM followed by lunch and social (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Eliot, P.O. Box 103, Eliot, ME 03903. Phone: 207-377-4453.

EU002: 105 Dartmouth Hall, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM–4:00PM (Registration: 8:15AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Lebanon, P.O. Box 2089, Lebanon, NH 03766. Phone: 603-448-2297.

EU003: Northern Essex Community College, Elliott Way, Haverhill, MA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM–5:00PM (Registration: 8:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Salem, 11 Church St. #302, Salem, MA 01970-3755. Phone: 508-744-3401.

• EU004: Boston Bahá’í Center, 595 Albany St., Boston, MA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM–3:30PM (Registration: 8:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Medford, Medford, MA 02155. Phone: 508-875-6054.

EU005: Smith Vocational High School, 80 Locust St., Northampton, MA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM–3:00PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Amherst, P.O. Box 2118, Amherst, MA 01002. Phone: 413-253-2021.

EU006: Wheaton College, 26 E. Main St., Norton, MA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:30AM–4:00PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Barnstable, MA, P.O. Box 1275, Hyannis, MA 02601-1275. Phone: ‎580 508‎-420-5025.

EU007: Wheeler YMCA, 149 Farmington Ave., Plainville, CT; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM–4:00PM (Registration: 8:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of West Hartford, West Hartford, CT 06110. Phone: 860-236-5004.

• EU008: Rogers Park Junior High School, 21 Memorial Drive, Danbury, CT; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:15AM–4:00PM (Registration: 9:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of New Canaan, P.O. Box 1597, New Canaan, CT 06840-1597. Phone: 914-238-5172.

• EU009: Islip Bahá’í Center, 774 Sycamore Ave., Bohemia, NY; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM–4:00PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Brookhaven Town, E. Patchogue, NY 11772-6137. Phone: 516-289-2006.

EU010: Bahá’í Center, 53 E 11th St., New York, NY; Sunday, Oct. 5; 1:00PM–5:00PM (Registration: 12:30PM). Mail ballots to: LSA of New York, 53 E 11th St., New York, NY 10003-4601. Phone: 212-674-8998.

Continued on Page 12

Elections

Continued from previous page

We are advised that "when one sees inexperienced or immature Bahá’ís indulge in electioneering, either openly or secretly, far from being tempted to imitate them, one should resolutely arise and through proper administrative channels and procedures assist in eradicating such tendencies and cleansing the Bahá’í community from such evil influences." (The Universal House of Justice, letter of December 6, 1971)

• Eligibility: The elected individuals must be 21 years of age, in good standing, and living in the electoral unit in which one is voting. If you have any doubt whether the person you are voting for is in your electoral unit, you may refer to the list of eligible Bahá’ís posted at your Convention.

Consultation

In addition to the election, the second purpose of the Unit Convention is the opportunity to consult about important affairs of the Bahá’í Faith. Each year the National Spiritual Assembly eagerly looks forward to receiving the recommendations and suggestions of the friends on the topics it has delineated as well as other issues. Consultation is a key part of the Unit Convention, and in many cases takes most of the time.

The Bahá’í writings encourage us to take part in the spirit of frank and loving consultation, which is described as "the bedrock of this unique Order" (Shoghi Effendi, letter to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada, 1933). In a large group, this statement takes on a new meaning. Obviously not all can easily speak as freely in a large group and must learn to maturely temper their comments. Each person must carefully consider what has already been said and decide when it might be appropriate to speak.

The goal of consultation is to investigate the truth of a particular matter collectively through a spiritual atmosphere of love and fellowship. Our motives must be pure, our spirit radiant and our attitude that of complete detachment. This is beautifully described by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá:

"If a few souls gather together in a beloved meeting with the feelings of the Kingdom, with the divine attractions, with pure hearts and with absolute purity and holiness, to consort in spirit and fragrance, that gathering will have its effect upon all the world. The conditions, the words and the deeds of that gathering will lead the world to eternal happiness and will be evidence of the favors of the Kingdom. The Holy Spirit will strengthen them and the hosts of the Supreme Concourse will render them victorious and the angels of Abhá will come in succession." (Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 508)

Conclusion

Our participation in the Unit Convention involves more than simply voting and consulting; we must also prepare ourselves ahead of time. Deepening on the various aspects of the convention is an excellent way to prepare, as it can provide us with the knowledge to act. Our participation in the activities of the community throughout the year, so that we may be informed of the qualities of individuals, is essential to preparing for this event if we are to vote with wisdom.

We are all encouraged to attend the convention in person, if at all possible, and should make it a goal to set aside this one date each year. We should approach this event not only as a Bahá’í duty, but with a sense of the wonderful opportunity we have to be a part of building the Administrative Order. Further, we should prepare spiritually by creating an attitude within ourselves of purity and selflessness through prayer and meditation.

We must constantly hone our consultative skills and strive to develop spiritual qualities so that when we attend an event such as this, we will be better prepared to take part in the consultation. Learning when and how to speak, and detaching ourselves from our own ideas, for example, are skills that must be developed over time. All these elements can only be created by the participants, and in order to achieve them we must come prepared to meet the task, armed with the understanding necessary to carry out our role. Finally, we should come prepared to serve. We all have a role to play in the Unit Convention, whether that role has a name or not. Our full participation is required in order to create unity.

Material contributed by Paul Olson of Herndon, Va. [Page 12]

UNIT CONVENTIONS

Continued from page 11

EU011: Rutgers University, Busch Campus, Science & Engineering Center, Piscataway, NJ; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-2:30PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Piscataway Township, P.O. Box 1406, Piscataway, NJ 08854. Phone: 732-699-0240.

EU012: The Cabin, Place, Teaneck, NJ; Sunday, Oct. 5; 12:30PM-5:00PM (Registration: 12:00PM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Bloomfield, P.O. Box 1798, Bloomfield, NJ 07003. Phone: 201-338-0724.

EU013: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Albany, Albany, NY. Phone: 518-426-1248.

EU014: Bahá’í Center, 693 East Ave., Rochester, NY; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-5:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14610-3011. Phone: 716-924-2875.

EU015: The Ice House on Sand Island, near Main and Lehigh, Bethlehem, PA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 12:00PM-4:00PM (Registration: 11:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Bethlehem, P.O. Box 1184, Bethlehem, PA 18016-1184. Phone: 610-868-5604.

EU016: Philadelphia Regional Bahá’í Center, Philadelphia, PA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:30AM-4:30PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Tredyffrin Township, Wayne, PA 19087-1207. Phone: 610-993-8492.

EU017: Murphy School, 14 Kings Hwy. (Rt. 8), Dover, DE; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:30AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of New Castle County West, Newark, DE 19711-3422. Phone: 302-239-9200.

EU018: Harbor Hospital Center, Max & Rosalie Baum Medical Conference Center, 3001 S Hanover St., Baltimore, MD; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:30AM-3:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Baltimore County West, P.O. Box 514, Owings Mills, MD 21117. Phone: 410-788-4086.

EU019: Upper County Community Center, 8201 Emory Grove Rd., Gaithersburg, MD; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Montgomery County Southeast, P.O. Box 7016, Silver Spring, MD 20907. Phone: 301-681-9778.

EU020: Greenbelt Community Center, 15 Crescent Rd., Greenbelt, MD; Saturday, Oct. 4; 9:15AM-1:30PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Anne Arundel Cty East, Severna Park, MD 21146-2703. Phone: 410-544-9761.

EU021: The Colonies Clubhouse, 7681 Provincial Circle, McLean, VA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-6:00PM (Registration: 8:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Great Falls, VA, P.O. Box 9721, McLean, VA 22102-0721. Phone: 703-450-6397.

EU022: George Mason University, Student Union Bldg #2, Fairfax, VA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-5:00PM (Registration: 8:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Fairfax County Central South, P.O. Box 10514, Burke, VA 22009-0514. Phone: 703-455-2973.

EU023: Minor Hall Auditorium, Alderman Ave., Charlottesville, VA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Charlottesville, P.O. Box 4228, Charlottesville, VA 22905-4228. Phone: 804-979-1925.

EU024: Old Dominion University, Webb Center, Norfolk, VA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-3:30PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Norfolk, P.O. Box 6100, Norfolk, VA 23508. Phone: 757-489-1212.

EU025: Bahá’í Center, 15 North 8th St., Wilmington, NC; Sunday, Oct. 5; 11:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 10:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 28405. Phone: 910-762-0354.

EU026: Intercommunity Bahá’í Center, 5103 Revere Rd., Durham, NC; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Durham County, P.O. Box 12324, Durham, NC 27709. Phone: 919-544-3895.

EU027: Coastal Carolina University, 755 Hwy. 544, Conway, SC; Sunday, Oct. 5; 1:00PM-5:00PM (Registration: 10:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Horry County, Conway, SC 29526. Phone: 803-347-9842.

• EU028: Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute, 1272 Williams Hill Rd., Hemingway, SC; Sunday, Oct. 5; TBA (Registration: TBA). Mail ballots to: LSA of Williams Hill, Hemingway, SC 29554. Phone: 803-558-9661.

• EU029: College of Charleston, Charleston, SC; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-3:00PM (Registration: 9:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Mt. Pleasant, P.O. Box 1389, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29465-1389. Phone: 803-881-9599.

== Electoral unit boundary changes ==

Based on National Spiritual ‎Assemblydecisions Assembly decisions‎ taken in December 1996: Arizona: Greenlee County has been moved from EU124 to EU120. California: Tuolumne County has been moved from EU147 to EU153; San Benito County has been moved from EU147 to EU146. Michigan: Eaton County has been moved from EU75 to EU78. North Carolina: Currituck and Dare counties have been moved from EU25 to EU24. Ohio: Lorain County has been moved from EU50 to EU49. South Carolina: EU37 and EU38 have been combined under the name “EU37.” Please note that there is no EU38 this year. South Dakota: Meade County has been moved from EU111 to EU112. Washington: Klickitat County has been moved from EU129 to EU160.

EU030: Reeves residence, Summerville, SC; Sunday, Oct. 5; 11:00AM-3:00PM (Registration: 10:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Summerville, Summerville, SC 29483. Phone: 803-871-6375.

EU031: Location and times TBA. Mail ballots to: LSA of St Helena Island, P.O. Box 977, St Helena Island, SC 29202-8501. Phone: 800-735-4445.

EU032: Orangeburg Area Development Center, 1060 Pineland, Orangeburg, SC; Sunday, Oct. 5; times TBA. Mail ballots to: LSA of Lexington County North, P.O. Box 8501, Columbia, SC 29202. Phone: 803-772-2425.

EU033: Heathwood Park, Columbia, SC; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:45AM-1:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Richland County North, P.O. Box 210351, Columbia, SC 29221. Phone: 803-798-7116.

EU034: Lally residence, Kingstree, SC; Sunday, Oct. 5; 3:00PM-6:00PM (Registration: 2:00PM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Kingstree, P.O. Box 26, Kingstree, SC 29556-0026. Phone: 803-354-5339.

EU035: Jackson residence, Hemingway, SC; Saturday, Oct. 4; 1:30PM-5:00PM (Registration: 1:00PM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Donnelly, SC, P.O. Box 915, Hemingway, SC 29554. Phone: 803-558-9289.

EU036: Kozlow Residence, Johnsonville, SC; Saturday, Oct. 4; 10:30AM-7:30PM (Registration: 10:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Johnsonville, Johnsonville, SC 29555. Phone: 803-386-3744.

EU037: Florence Bahá’í Center, 541 W Evans St., Florence, SC; Sunday, Oct. 5; 2:00PM-6:00PM (Registration: 1:30PM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Florence, SC, Florence, SC 29501. Phone: 803-667-1540.

EU039: Location and times TBA. Mail ballots to: TBA, South Carolina Teaching Committee. Phone: 800-735-4445.

EU040: Location and times TBA. Mail ballots to: TBA, South Carolina Teaching Committee. Phone: 800-735-4445.

EU041: Johnson residence, P.O. Box 1848 (520 E. McIver), Darlington, SC; Sunday, Oct. 5; 1:30PM-5:00PM (Registration: 1:00PM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Winnsboro, P.O. Box 178, Winnsboro, SC 29180. Phone: 803-635-9602.

EU042: Badiyan residence, Ft. Mill, SC; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-2:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Winnsboro, P.O. Box 178, Winnsboro, SC 29180. Phone: 803-635-9602.

EU043: War Memorial Building, 140 Main St., Chester, SC; Saturday, Oct. 4; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Chester, Chester, SC 29706. Phone: 803-581-0669.

EU044: Greenville High School, 1 Vardry St., Greenville, SC; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Greenville County, Greenville, SC 29680. Phone: 864-268-0088.

EU045: West Rockingham Elementary School, Hwy. 74 East, Rockingham, NC; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-3:00PM (Registration: 9:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Hamlet, Hamlet, NC 28345. Phone: 910-582-2280.

EU046: Philo Middle School, 410 Haverhill St., Winston-Salem, NC; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-3:00PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Winston-Salem, P.O. Box 5262, Winston-Salem, NC 27113-5262. Phone: 910-784-4253.

EU047: Avanti Ristorante Banquet Room, 119 E. Washington St., Charlestown, WV 25414; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Jefferson County, Rt. 3, Box 334, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425. Phone: 304-535-2351.

EU048: Williams Center, State University of New York at Fredonia, Fredonia, NY; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:45AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Clarence, NY, E. Amherst, NY 14051. Phone: 716-688-0497.

EU049: Baker Hall, Case Western Reserve University, 10950 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-4:30PM (Registration: 8:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Mentor, Mentor, OH 44060. Phone: 216-953-0304.

EU050: Bexley High School, 326 S Cassingham Rd., Bexley, OH; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-4:30PM (Registration: 8:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Bexley, P.O. Box 9954, Bexley, OH 43209. Phone: 614-235-3186.

EU051: University of Findlay, Ritz Auditorium, Findlay, OH; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43609-3304. Phone: 419-244-9142.

• EU052: Masterson’s Restaurant, 1830 S. 3rd St., Louisville, KY; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-5:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40206-1369. Phone: 502-635-6396; 502-894-9991.

EU053: Lake View Club House, Lake Tomahawk Park, 1 Rhododendron Ave., Black Mountain, NC; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:30AM-3:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Buncombe County, P.O. Box 7242, Asheville, NC 28802-7242. Phone: 704-628-3893.

EU054: Tate Student Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA; Saturday, Oct. 11; 9:30AM-3:30PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Athens-Clarke County, P.O. Box 5304, Athens, GA 30604. Phone: 706-369-0102.

EU055: Bahá’í Center, 2370 Wesley Chapel Rd., Decatur, GA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 1:00PM-6:00PM (Registration: 12:30PM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Dekalb County Central, Decatur, GA 30033. Phone: 404-325-7637.

EU056: Georgia Tech Student Center, Auditorium, Atlanta, GA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Atlanta, 379 Edgewood S., Atlanta, GA 30312-1839. Phone: 404-758-2524.

EU057: Designer Business Cards Bldg., 1320 Johnson Ferry Rd., Marietta, GA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:30AM-12:30PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of N.E. Cobb County, 1320 Johnson Ferry Rd., Marietta, GA 30068. Phone: 770-578-4835.

EU058: University Hospital Medical Center, 4106 Columbia Rd., Martinez, GA 30907; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Columbia County East, Grovetown, GA 30813-9782. Phone: 706-651-9257.

EU059: Windsor Forest Community Center, Savannah, GA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-3:00PM (Registration: 8:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Savannah, P.O. Box 1093, Savannah, GA 31402-1093. Phone: 912-234-1016.

EU060: Konan residence, Columbus, GA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-2:00PM (Registration: 8:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Columbus, Columbus, GA 31907. Phone: 706-568-0108.

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EU061: Bahá’í Center, 4451 N.W. 19 St., Gainesville, FL 32602; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Greater Gainesville, P.O. Box 631, Gainesville, FL 32602. Phone: 352-371-6796.

EU062: University of Central Florida, 4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando, FL; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-5:00PM (Registration: 8:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Orange County West, P.O. Box 680576, Orlando, FL 32868-0576. Phone: 407-299-8275.

EU063: Magdalene Carney Bahá’í Institute, 130 S.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Belle Glade FL; Saturday, Oct. 4; 10:00AM-12:00PM (Registration: 9:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Belle Glade, Belle Glade, FL 33430. Phone: 561-996-1959.

EU064: Palm Beach County Bahá’í Center, 420 U.S. Hwy. 1, North Palm Beach, FL; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-about 3:00PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Palm Beach County North, P.O. Box 581, Loxahatchee, FL 33470. Phone: 561-845-1919.

EU065: Broward Community College, Seahawk Faculty Dining Room, 3501 S.W. Davie Blvd., Davie, FL; Sunday, Oct. 12; 9:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Ft. Lauderdale, P.O. Box 4092, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33338. Phone: 954-568-9257.

EU066: Naples High School, 1100 Golden Eagle Circle, Naples, FL; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Collier County, P.O. Box 3081, Naples, FL 34106. Phone: 914-594-0812.

EU067: University of S. Florida, Tampa Campus; Tampa, FL; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Tampa, P.O. Box 17241, Tampa, FL 33682-7241. Phone: 813-632-8615.

EU068: Bahá’í Center of St. Petersburg, 676 2nd Ave. S., St. Petersburg, FL; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:15AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:45AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Pinellas County, St. Petersburg, FL 33714. Phone: 813-526-7360.

EU069: Mehran Abbey, Creek Suite D, Tallahassee, FL; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-3:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Leon County, Tallahassee, FL 32312. Phone: 904-893-0926.

EU070: Faulkner State University, Centennial Hall, School St. at Fairhope Ave., Fairhope, AL; Saturday, Oct. 11; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Tuscaloosa, P.O. Box 2494, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403-2494. Phone: 205-553-2711.

EU071: University of Chattanooga, 615 McCallie Ave., Chattanooga, TN 37403; Sunday, Oct. 12; 9:30AM-4:30PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Chattanooga, Hixson, TN 37343. Phone: 423-624-4789.

EU072: Gallatin Civic Center, 210 Albert Gallatin Ave, Gallatin, TN; Sunday, Oct. 5; 12:00PM-6:00PM (Registration: 11:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Nashville, Antioch, TN 37013. Phone: 615-391-3046.

EU073: University Club, Indiana Memorial Union, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Bloomington, P.O. Box 1004, Bloomington, IN 47402-1004. Phone: 812-824-9991.

EU074: Teacher’s College Building, Ball State University, McKinley Ave., Muncie, IN; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:30AM-3:30PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Muncie, IN, P.O. Box 586, Muncie IN 47308. Phone: 765-289-9999.

EU075: Charles Martin Youth Center, 802 Lincolnway West (U.S. Hwy. 20), South Bend, IN; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:30AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of South Bend, South Bend, IN 46616. Phone: 219-289-4467.

EU076: Detroit Bahá’í Center, 17215 James Cousins, Detroit, MI; Sunday, Oct. 5; TBA (Registration: TBA). Mail ballots to: LSA of Detroit, P.O. Box 14487, Detroit, MI 48214-0487. Phone: 313-884-5670.

EU077: Louhelen Bahá’í School, 3208 South State Rd., Davison, MI; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-5:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Flint, Flint, MI 48507-1886. Phone: 810-743-7480.

EU078: Ferris State University School of Pharmacy, 220 Ferris Dr., Big Rapids, MI 49307; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Grand Rapids, P.O. Box 1112, Grand Rapids, MI 49501. Phone: 616-245-9781.

EU079: Northern Michigan University, 1401 Presque Isle, Marquette, MI; Sunday, Oct. 5; 11:00AM-3:30PM (Registration: 10:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Marquette, P.O. Box 492, Marquette, MI 49855. Phone: 906-228-7668.

EU080: Wilson Town Hall, Business Hwy. 42 S., Sheboygan, WI; Sunday, Oct. 5; 1:00PM-5:00PM (Registration: 12:00PM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Oshkosh, Oshkosh, WI 54901. Phone: 414-233-4667.

EU081: University of Wisconsin At LaCrosse, Cartwright Center, La Crosse, WI 54601; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-3:00PM (Registration: 9:15AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of La Crosse, P.O. Box 3396, La Crosse, WI 54602-3396. Phone: 608-788-5020.

EU082: Senior Citizens Center, 69 S. Water St., Janesville, WI; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-3:00PM (Registration: 9:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Janesville, Janesville, WI 53545. Phone: 608-756-1049.

EU083: Timber Lake Clubhouse, 1600 N Colorado Ave., Aurora, IL; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Aurora, P.O. Box 1808, Aurora, IL 60507-1808. Phone: 630-898-6385.

EU084: Bahá’í House of Worship, Linden St. and Sheridan Rd., Wilmette, IL; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-1:00PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Northbrook, Northbrook, IL 60062. Phone: 847-272-8954.

EU085: Grace Place, 637 South Dearborn St., Chicago, IL; Saturday, Oct. 4; 1:30PM-5:00PM (Registration: 1:00PM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60616-3933. Phone: 312-225-1919.

EU086: Georgetown Clubhouse, 301 Prospect Ave., Wood Dale, IL; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Glen Ellyn, P.O. Box 2151, Glen Ellyn, IL 60138-2151. Phone: 630-469-4807.

EU087: Ramada Inn, 625 S. St. Joseph St., Springfield, IL; Saturday, Oct. 4; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Springfield, P.O. Box 1841, Springfield, IL 62705. Phone: 217-498-7694.

EU088: First Presbyterian Church, 2701 Rochester Ave., Iowa City, IA; Saturday, Oct. 4; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Cedar Rapids, P.O. Box 2298, Cedar Rapids, IA 52406-2298. Phone: 319-373-9206.

EU089: University of Missouri-Rolla, McNutt Hall, Room 204, Rolla, MO; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-3:30PM (Registration: 9:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Phelps County, P.O. Box 446, Rolla, MO 65402. Phone: 573-368-3518.

EU090: Saint Louis University, Tegeler Hall, 3550 Lindell, St. Louis, MO; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of St. Louis, P.O. Box 15771, St. Louis, MO 63163. Phone: 314-776-4727.

EU091: Excelsior Hotel, 3 Statehouse Plaza, Little Rock, AR; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Little Rock, Little Rock Bahá’í Center, 511 N. Pine, Little Rock, AR 72205. Phone: 501-221-2011.

EU092: ‎Frederick Douglas Hall Frederick Douglass Hall‎ Music Center, 1400 John R. Lynch St., Jackson, MS; Sunday, Oct. 12; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Jackson, P.O. Box 1489, Jackson, MS 39215-1489. Phone: 601-982-5547.

EU093: Bahá’í Center of Baton Rouge, 4270 Perkins Rd., Baton Rouge, LA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge, LA 70806. Phone: 504-927-3747.

EU094: South Texas High School, 151 Helen Moore Rd., San Benito, TX; Sunday, Oct. 5; 1:00PM-5:00PM (Registration: 11:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Brownsville, Brownsville, TX 78521. Phone: 210-425-7675.

EU095: Clear Lake Park, 5001 NASA Rd., across the bridge from Hilton, Clear Lake, TX; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-5:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Pasadena, P.O. Box 7498, Pasadena, TX 77508. Phone: 281-479-2554.

EU096: Houston Bahá’í Center, 2121 Oakdale, Houston, TX; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:30AM-1:00PM (Registration: 8:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Houston, P.O. Box 301190, Houston, TX 77230. Phone: 281-486-1739.

EU097: Austin Bahá’í Center, 4317 Airport Blvd., Austin, TX; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Austin, Austin, TX 78722-1039. Phone: 512-835-5324.

EU098: Rudder Tower, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:30AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Round Rock, P.O. Box 433, Round Rock, TX 78680. Phone: 512-930-5403.

EU099: Holiday Inn, 1515 North Beckley, DeSoto, TX 75115; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-3:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Mesquite, P.O. Box 870854, Mesquite, TX 75187-0854. Phone: 972-222-1844.

EU100: Dallas Bahá’í Center, 4235 W. Northwest Hwy., Dallas, TX; Sunday, Oct. 5; 2:00PM-7:00PM (Registration: 1:00PM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Irving, P.O. Box 154636, Irving, TX 75015-4636. Phone: 972-506-7549.

EU101: McKinney Community Center, 2001 South Central Expressway, McKinney, TX; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-3:00PM (Registration: 9:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Frisco, P.O. Box 1449, Frisco, TX 75034. Phone: 972-335-2313.

EU102: Tarrant County Bahá’í Center, 723 E. Border St., Arlington, TX; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-3:45PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Arlington, Arlington, TX 76010. Phone: 817-265-0332.

EU103 (two sites): Western site: El Paso Bahá’í Center, 9931 McCombs St., El Paso, TX 79924; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-3:30PM (Registration: 9:15AM). Eastern site: Midland Holiday Inn, 4300 Business Loop 20, Midland, TX; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Both areas mail ballots to: LSA of El Paso, El Paso, TX 79936. Phone: 915/520-3555.

EU104: Keplinger Hall, University of Tulsa, Harvard Ave. between 4th & 5th, Tulsa, OK; Sunday, Oct. 12; 10:30AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Tulsa, P.O. Box 251, Tulsa, OK 74101-0251. Phone: 918-749-2859.

EU105: Oklahoma City Bahá’í Center, 1201 S. Blackwelder, Oklahoma City, OK; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Norman, P.O. Box 335, Norman, OK 73070. Phone: 405-364-6216.

EU106: Hutchinson Community College, 1300 N. Plum, Hutchinson, KS; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:30PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Hutchinson, P.O. Box 1332, Hutchinson, KS 67504-1332. Phone: 316-662-9225.

EU107: Jack Reardon Civic Center, 500 Minnesota, Kansas City, Kansas 66101; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:30AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Kansas City, MO, Kansas City, MO 64138. Phone: 816-734-5570.

EU108: Nebraska City High School Auditorium, 141 ‎Stienhart Steinhart‎ Park Rd., Nebraska City, NE; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:30AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:45AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Council Bluffs, Council Bluffs, IA 51501. Phone: 712-322-5101.

EU109: Minnetonka Community Center/City Hall, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd., Minnetonka, MN 55345; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:30AM-2:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Minnetonka, P.O. Box 1707, Minnetonka, MN 55345. Phone: 612-934-5672.

EU110: Bemidji State University, Crying Wolf Room, 1500 Birchmont Dr. N.E., Bemidji, MN; Sunday, Oct. 5; 12:30PM-4:30PM (Registration: 12:00PM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Beltrami County, Bemidji, MN 56601. Phone: 218-751-4035.

EU111 (two sites): Northern site: Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Bldg., 818 E Divide Ave., Bismarck, ND; Saturday, Oct. 4; 10:30AM-3:30PM (Registration: 10:00AM). Southern site: South Dakota Public Library, 800 Governors Dr., Pierre, SD; Saturday, Oct. 4; 10:30AM-3:00PM (Registration: 10:00AM). Both areas mail ballots to: LSA of Bismarck, Bismarck, ND 58501. Phone: 605-945-2625.

EU112: Treehaven, 7½ miles S. Kyle, TBA; Sunday, Oct. 12; 11:00AM-5:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Pass Creek District, P.O. Box 407, Kyle, SD 57752. Phone: 605-455-2621.

EU113: Colorado State University, Lory Student Center, Laurel St. and Hwy. 287, Fort Collins CO; Sunday, Oct. 12; 9:30AM-4:30PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Loveland, P.O. Box 323, Loveland, CO 80539. Phone: 970-635-9424.

EU114: Metro-Denver Bahá’í Center, 225 E. Bayaud Ave, Denver, CO; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:30AM-3:30PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Arvada, P.O. Box 923, Arvada, CO 80001-0923. Phone: 303-425-9323.

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EU115 (two sites): Eastern site: University of Southern Colorado at Pueblo, OCCHIATO Center, 2200 Bon Forte Blvd., Pueblo, CO; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Western site: La Plata County Fairgrounds-Extension Bldg, 2500 Main St., Durango, CO; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Both areas mail ballots to: LSA of Pueblo, Pueblo, CO 81005. Phone: 970-247-5732.

• EU116: Sabana Grande Recreation Center, 4100 Sabana Grande Dr. at Hwy. 528, Rio Rancho, NM; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:15AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Rio Rancho, P.O. Box 45267, Rio Rancho, NM 87174. Phone: 505-896-2541.

EU117: Albuquerque Bahá’í Center, 202 Harvard S.E., Albuquerque, NM; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Albuquerque, P.O. Box 21517, Albuquerque, NM 87154. Phone: 505-255-8639.

EU118: Doña Ana Community College, 3400 S. Espina, Las Cruces, NM; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:30AM-3:00PM (Registration: 10:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Las Cruces, P.O. Box 1491, Las Cruces, NM 88004-1491. Phone: 505-645-5505.

EU119: Pima Community College-West Campus, 2202 W. Anklam Rd., Tucson, AZ; Saturday, Oct. 4; 9:30AM-3:00PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of North Pima County, P.O. Box 37121, Tucson, AZ 85740-7121. Phone: 520-825-3462.

EU120: District Education Building, 140 South Gilbert Rd., Gilbert, AZ; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:30AM-1:30PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Gilbert, P.O. Box 485, Gilbert, AZ 85299-0485. Phone: 602-826-3690.

EU121: Phoenix Bahá’í Center, 944 E. Mountain View, Phoenix, AZ; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:30AM-3:00PM (Registration: 9:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Phoenix, P.O. Box 9964, Phoenix, AZ 85068-9961. Phone: 602-943-3837.

EU122: Glendale Community College Center North, 59th Ave. North of Thunderbird Rd., Glendale, AZ; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:30AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Glendale, Glendale, AZ 85301. Phone: 602-934-6417.

EU123: Scottsdale Civic Center, Library Auditorium, 3839 Civic Center Blvd., Scottsdale, AZ; Sunday, Oct. 12; 1:00PM-5:00PM (Registration: 12:00PM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Scottsdale, P.O. Box 5441, Scottsdale, AZ 85261-5441. Phone: 602-451-8778.

EU124: Unity Church of Prescott, Hines Hall, 145 S. Arizona, Prescott, AZ; Saturday, Oct. 11; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Prescott, P.O. Box 2203, Prescott, AZ 86302-2203. Phone: 520-778-1824.

EU125: Native American Bahá’í Institute, 830 Burntwater Rd., Houck, AZ; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:30AM-5:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Houck, P.O. Box 417, Houck, AZ 86506. Phone: 520-587-7599.

EU126: Westminster College, Gore Auditorium, 1840 S. 1300 E., Salt Lake City, UT; Sunday, Oct. 12; Times TBA (Registration: TBA). Mail ballots to: LSA of Salt Lake City, P.O. Box 57775, Salt Lake City, UT 84157-0775. Phone: 801-486-3670.

EU127 (two sites): Northern site: Seventh Day Adventist Center, #16-14 St. S., Great Falls, MT; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-3:00PM (Registration: 8:00AM). Southern site: Little Tree Inn, 888 N. Holmes, Idaho Falls, ID; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:00AM). Both areas mail ballots to: LSA of Great Falls, MT, Great Falls, MT 69401-3133. Phone: 208-523-3704.

EU128: West Valley High School, E. 8301 Buckeye, Spokane, WA 99212; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Spokane CCD #2, P.O. Box 14724, Spokane, WA 99214. Phone: 509-928-0244.

EU129: Walla Walla High School, Abbot Rd., Walla Walla, WA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-3:30PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Walla Walla, P.O. Box 2016, Walla Walla, WA 99362. Phone: 509-525-7177.

EU130 (two sites): Western site: Traner Middle School, 1700 Carville Dr., Reno, NV; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-4:30PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Eastern site: Boise State University, Student Union Bldg., Jordan Ballroom, 1910 University Dr., Boise, ID; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:00AM). Both areas mail ballots to: LSA of Boise, P.O. Box 585, Boise, ID 83701-0585. Phone: 208-385-7979.

EU131: Bahá’í Center, 7035 West Oakey Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89102; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Clark County West, Las Vegas, NV 89103. Phone: 702-873-3318.

EU132: Lemon Grove Senior Center, 8235 Mt. Vernon St., Lemon Grove, CA 91945; Saturday, Oct. 4; 3:30PM-9:00PM (Registration: 3:00PM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Spring Valley, CA, P.O. Box 2582, Spring Valley, CA 91979-2582. Phone: 619-461-8479.

EU133: San Diego Bahá’í Center, 6545 Alcala Knolls Dr., San Diego, CA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 4:30PM-8:30PM (Registration: 3:30PM). Mail ballots to: LSA of San Diego, San Diego, CA 92111. Phone: 619-587-6033.

EU134: Senior Citizen Center, 799 Pine Ave., Carlsbad, CA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-1:00PM (Registration: 8:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Oceanside, P.O. Box 2035, Oceanside, CA 92051-2035. Phone: 760-433-4447.

EU135: University of Redlands, 1259 E. Colton Ave., Redlands, CA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Redlands, P.O. Box 1894, Redlands, CA 92373. Phone: 909-792-3982.

EU136: Bahá’í Center of South Orange County, 3316 del Presidente, San Clemente, CA 92672; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of San Clemente, P.O. Box 5181, San Clemente, CA 92674-5181. Phone: 714-369-9278.

EU137: Lake View Senior Center, 20 Lake Rd., Irvine, CA 92714; Sunday, Oct. 5; 1:00PM-5:00PM (Registration: 12:00PM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Newport Beach, P.O. Box 7145, Newport Beach, CA 92658-7145. Phone: 714-760-5360.

EU138: Fullerton Senior Center, 340 W. Commonwealth Ave., Fullerton, CA 92632; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-3:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Chino Hills, Chino, CA 91709-1489. Phone: 909-590-4199.

EU139: Parnell Park, 10711 Scott Ave., Whittier, CA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 1:30PM-5:00PM (Registration: 1:00PM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Diamond Bar, P.O. Box 4695, Diamond Bar, CA 91765. Phone: 909-860-3290.

EU140: Veterans Memorial Bldg., 4117 Overland Ave., Culver City, CA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 2:00PM-4:00PM (Registration: 1:00PM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Santa Monica, Santa Monica, CA 90402. Phone: 310-394-5449.

EU141: Arcadia Community Center, 365 Campus Dr., Arcadia, CA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:30AM-1:30PM (Registration: 8:45AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Altadena, Altadena, CA 91001. Phone: 818-798-4032.

• EU142: Los Angeles Bahá’í Center, 5755 Rodeo Rd., Los Angeles, CA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 1:30PM-5:00PM (Registration and potluck: 12:00PM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90016. Phone: 310-519-1811.

EU143: Canyon Country Park, 17615 W. Soledad Cyn Rd., Santa Clarita, CA 91351; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:45AM-1:30PM followed by lunch (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Newhall Judicial District, Castaic, CA 91384. Phone: 805-257-4398.

EU144: Rancho Santa Susana Community Center, 5005 Los Angeles Ave., Simi Valley, CA; Sunday, Oct. 12; 9:30AM-3:30PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Simi Valley, P.O. Box 3044, Simi Valley, CA 93065. Phone: 805-522-3440.

EU145: Nine Oaks Bahá’í Institute, 1201 Old Oak Park Rd., Arroyo Grande, CA 93420; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Bakersfield, P.O. Box 9002, Bakersfield, CA 93389. Phone: 805-588-0779.

• EU146: YMCA, 600 Camino El Estero, Monterey, CA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 2:00PM-5:30PM (Registration: 1:30PM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Prunedale, Prunedale, CA 93907-3310. Phone: 408-663-0812.

EU147: Fresno Bahá’í Center, 2240 E. Angus Ave., Fresno, CA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Clovis, P.O. Box 462, Clovis, CA 93613. Phone: 209-297-7137.

EU148: San Jose State University, Duncan Hall, Room 135, San Jose, CA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:30AM-1:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Milpitas, P.O. Box 360491, Milpitas, CA 95036-0491. Phone: 408-297-8779.

EU149: Bosch Bahá’í School, 500 Comstock Lane, Santa Cruz, CA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 1:00PM-4:00PM (Registration: 10:00AM followed by lunch at 12:00PM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Campbell, P.O. Box 94, Campbell, CA 95009-0094. Phone: 408-378-6931.

EU150: Lions Club of Burlingame, Burlingame Ave. near Washington Park, Burlingame, CA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:30AM-1:00PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Burlingame, P.O. Box 117628, Burlingame, CA 94010. Phone: 415-342-0563.

EU151: College of Alameda, 555 Atlantic Ave., Alameda, CA 94501; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-2:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Oakland, P.O. Box 10562, Oakland, CA 94610. Phone: 510-763-7151.

EU152: Bancroft School, 2200 Parish Dr., Walnut Creek, CA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:00AM-12:00PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Concord, P.O. Box 42, Concord, CA 94522. Phone: 510-686-4494.

EU153: University of the Pacific, Raymond Great Hall, Stadium Dr., Stockton, CA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Stockton, P.O. Box 7231, Stockton, CA 95267. Phone: 209-473-3138.

EU154: Holiday Inn, 5321 Date Ave., Sacramento, CA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-3:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Carmichael, Sacramento, Sacramento, CA 95821. Phone: 916-481-7906.

EU155: University of California at Davis, 2 Wellman Hall, Davis, CA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-3:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Davis, P.O. Box 578, Davis, CA 95617. Phone: 916-753-3274.

EU156: Santa Rosa Junior College, 1501 ‎Mendocyno Mendocino‎ Ave, Santa Rosa, CA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-2:00PM (Registration: 9:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Santa Rosa, P.O. Box 2744, Santa Rosa, CA 95405. Phone: 707-544-8187.

EU157: Veteran’s Memorial Bldg., 1100 Main St., Ferndale, CA; Saturday, Oct. 19 at 12:00PM until ‎Sunday, Oct. 19 Sunday, Oct. 20‎ at 1:00PM (Registration: 10:00AM Saturday). Mail ballots to: LSA of Eureka, P.O. Box 584, Eureka, CA 95502-0584. Phone: 707-441-1995.

EU158: Campbell Center, 155 High St., Eugene, OR; Saturday, Oct. 4; 9:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Eugene, P.O. Box 10743, Eugene, OR 97440. Phone: 541-683-9924.

EU159: Lasells Stewart Center, 26th & Western, Corvallis, OR; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Corvallis, P.O. Box 309, Corvallis, OR 97339-0309. Phone: 541-752-7066.

EU160: Water Resources Education Bldg., 4600 S.E. Columbia Way, Vancouver, WA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Vancouver, P.O. Box 5074, Vancouver, WA 98668-5074. Phone: 360-695-8988.

EU161: Portland Bahá’í Center, 8720 N Ivanhoe St., Portland, OR; Saturday, Oct. 4; 9:30AM-4:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Portland, P.O. Box 83297, Portland, OR 97283. Phone: 503-978-1530.

EU162: Community Senior Center of Hillsboro, 750 S.E. 8th St., Hillsboro, OR; Sunday, Oct. 5; 10:00AM-3:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Washington County North, P.O. Box 255, Beaverton, OR 97075-0255. Phone: 503-640-1353.

EU163: Brighton Creek Conference Grounds, 4516 State Hwy. 702, Roy, WA; Sunday, Oct. 12; 10:00AM-3:00PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Tacoma, P.O. Box 11242, Tacoma, WA 98411. Phone: 253-472-8439.

EU164: Cadle Theater-Lake Washington High School, 12033 N.E. 80th, Kirkland, WA 98033; Saturday, Oct. 4; 1:00PM-4:00PM (Registration: 12:30PM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Woodinville, P.O. Box 768, Woodinville, WA 98072. Phone: 206-485-3737.

EU165: Richmond Highlands Community Center, Fremont Ave. N. and N. 167th, Shoreline, WA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:30AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Shoreline, P.O. Box 60132, Shoreline, WA 98160-0132. Phone: 206-364-8222.

EU166: Western Washington University, Fairhaven College, Bellingham, WA; Sunday, Oct. 5; 9:30AM-4:00PM (Registration: 8:30AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Bellingham, P.O. Box 103, Bellingham, WA 98227. Phone: 360-647-4518.

EU167: Panhandle 4-H Camp, W. 370 Panhandle Lake Rd., Shelton, WA; Oct. 5; 10:00AM-3:30PM (Registration: 9:00AM). Mail ballots to: LSA of Port Angeles, P.O. Box 173, Port Angeles, WA 98362. Phone: 360-452-9984. [Page 15]

RACE UNITY DAY

Concert honoring Dizzy trumpets race unity

Breaking through racial barriers is often difficult in rural southern communities. Imagine, then, the delight and surprise of the Bahá’ís of Glynn County, Georgia, when 165 people attended a musical event they sponsored—an audience as racially diverse as the players on stage.

"We just felt that we had to do something different for Race Unity Day," said Phil Morrison, who spearheaded the project. "A jazz concert which honored Dizzy Gillespie seemed like it might have wide appeal. We were not quite prepared, however, for the fantastic response we got."

Mr. Morrison called on longtime friend and Bahá’í Jay Corre to perform on saxophone and to serve as master of ceremonies. Well-known as a soloist with Buddy Rich, Jay also has played with Harry James, Benny Goodman, the Duke Ellington Orchestra and Mr. Gillespie. He delighted the audience with personal reminiscences of Dizzy, Charlie Parker and many other jazz greats.

Other performers included Mr. Morrison himself, a bass player who leads the recording group The Phil Morrison Trio. Keith Williams, also a Bahá’í and a singer-pianist with the group, helped promote the concert with appearances on two local radio shows.

Two artists who were not Bahá’ís also were featured in the two-hour concert. The fireside that followed was attended by more than 20 people.

Lodi, California

Three Bahá’ís and a lot of ingenuity led to a Race Unity Day picnic in Lodi, California, that is sure to jump-start teaching there.

The idea to hold a race unity potluck barbecue was initiated several months ago, when the trio officially formed a Group in this goal city of 51,000. A lovely park with trees, a play area, barbecue pit and shelter was rented for the day, and the friends planned publicity and looked for entertainers.

One Group member attended a multicultural day at a local elementary school. She asked the teacher how the Bahá’ís could publicize their picnic. The teacher suggested requesting that a notice be put in the school bulletins.

That meant printing, sorting and delivering 5,100 fliers within days, but again help was there. An Internet e-mail plea garnered a contribution, prayers and news that a couple returning from service at the Bahá’í World Center had just settled in Lodi.

The publicity resulted in two articles announcing the event and coverage by a photographer for one newspaper. The event drew a wide ethnic mix of more than 30 people from Lodi and surrounding communities.

Fairfax, Virginia

It was a fun time for all as the Bahá’ís of Fairfax County Central South, Virginia, held their first 5K Race for Race Unity on June 8.

The weather was great and more than 130 runners participated, including Rep. Tom Davis. DC Road Runners Club supplied timekeepers, and several other organizations co-sponsored the event.

Prizes were awarded to the male and female winners in seven categories: overall; age 19 and under; 20-29; 30-39; 40-49; 50-59; and over 60.

The youngest finisher was Kayanna Reid, who slept in her stroller as mom Colleen Reid pushed her across the finish line in a respectable time.

Winners of the race were Wendy Neely in a time of 32 minutes 45 seconds and Steven Berry in 27:50. And, of course, everyone who showed up or heard about the race.

Austin, Texas

About 1,000 Austinites celebrated the 40th Annual Race Unity Day with music, fun and a variety of entertainment at Waterloo city park on June 8.

Mayor Bruce Todd officially proclaimed June 8 as Race Unity Day in Austin. With sponsorship from KTBC-FOX TV, the Austin Chronicle, New Texas Magazine, the Austin Children's Museum and the Bahá’í Faith in Austin, this year's was the largest Race Unity Day event ever in Austin.

Media coverage was extensive. More than 50 press releases were sent to local media—all containing quotes from the Bahá’í writings. Six feature articles were published about the event; two radio interviews, one television interview, 24 TV commercials and numerous radio announcements were broadcast; and the mayor's proclamation was televised. CBS, NBC and Fox stations all covered the event on their evening news, with NBC turning it into a longer piece on race relations in general.

This year's theme—featured on posters and T-shirts—was "Flowers of One Garden." The quote from which this excerpt was taken was given to each person who bought a T-shirt at the event.

The day was enlivened by a full musical and dance program. Children were able to enjoy a carnival area with games, face painting, and craft tables representing various cultures. Community organizations that work toward building unity in the community had booths in the park, and artisans and vendors offered an assortment of treats from around the world.

Flint, Michigan

The Flint, Michigan, community observed Race Unity Day with a Funfest and cookout in the yard of a community member.

Mayor Woodrow Stanley issued a proclamation designating June 15 as Race Unity Day and sent a representative to make the presentation on his behalf. A local television station covered the event and aired a segment on the evening news.

There were activity tables, sandboxes and water games for the many neighborhood children who stopped by. Attendance varied from 50 to 80 at any given time.

Enjoying Race Unity Day in Flint, Michigan, are (standing) Sandy Charles, (seated) Margaret Roberts, LaVerne Peters and Markeda Johnson.

Springfield, Oregon

The first Race Unity Day celebration in Springfield, Oregon, was planned by four Bahá’ís on a very limited budget. But what transpired couldn't be purchased at any price:

• Mayor Morisette proclaimed June 14 as Race Unity Day. Three local television stations and the local newspaper covered the day's activities. The newspaper article took two-thirds of a page.
• A Bahá’í was given the opportunity to speak on radio prior to the celebration.
• The friends are holding followup potlucks and picnics on race unity.
• Plans are being made to enter the Eugene Celebration march in September and, of course, to hold other Race Unity Day events next year and beyond.

The big day itself was gloriously sunny following days of rain.

In front of banners strung up at Springfield City Hall, emcee Ernestine Berkey outlined the Bahá’í concept of race unity. An award was bestowed on a local resident for his work toward race unity. And the mayor was presented with a copy of the video The Prisoner of Akká.

Then about 100 people walked, rode bicycles, or were pushed in wheelchairs down the street, closed by police, toward Island Park. Banners created by local Bahá’ís proclaimed the race unity message. At the head of the march carrying one end of a banner was Mayor Morisette.

At the park, several musical groups performed. Like-minded groups set up booths at the celebration, two clowns painted children's faces and performed magic tricks, and cooperative games were played.

PREJUDICE: A PIGMENT OF IMAGINATION

Ernestine Berkey and Mayor Morisette carry a banner reading 'Prejudice: a pigment of the imagination' during a Race Unity Day march in Springfield, Oregon. (Photo by Jaimie Heinz)

Lakewood, Colorado

One hundred Bahá’ís and their friends braved severe thunderstorms and a tornado to attend the third annual Race Unity Day picnic June 8 in Lakewood, Colorado.

Guests of honor included retiring Jefferson County Superintendent of Schools Wayne Carle; several representatives of the city's Commission on Cultural Diversity and Human Relations (on which a Bahá’í, Brenda Bellonger, serves); and Lakewood police officers, who addressed attendees on cultural differences and eliminating crime.

Spiritual Assembly Chair Nancy Jones read the proclamation of Mayor Linda Morton making June 8 as Race Unity Day.

Entertainment was provided by Red Feather Woman, an American Indian storyteller. Her portion of the program was videotaped by KMGH-TV, the local ABC affiliate, and broadcast at 5 p.m. along with a brief interview with a Bahá’í, Rick Wadleigh, on the significance of Race Unity Day.

Prior to the picnic, invitations were sent to local dignitaries. Press releases were mailed to area media, resulting in notices published in the Rocky Mountain News and The Denver Post, three weeklies, and, for the first time, the Latino newspaper La Voz.

Two days before the event, a Bahá’í representative attended a breakfast dialogue for 80 public officials and leaders in the nonprofit arena. The program featured a panel on cultural diversity and honored Dr. Carle with the establishment of the Wayne Carle Legacy of Cultural Understanding.

Following that program, Dr. Carle expressed his appreciation for Bahá’í efforts promoting race unity. A Colorado state representative also introduced himself to the Bahá’ís and told her he had a lot of respect for the Bahá’í Faith. [Page 16]

Manifestations

from the pages of Brilliant Star®

"This plant beside me has risen from the seed; therefore, it is a manifestation and unfoldment of the seed. The seed, as you can see, has unfolded in manifestation, and the result is this plant. Every leaf of the plant is a part of the seed." — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 59

Each of the pictures on the left is a manifestation of something in nature. Each gives a clue of something else nearby. The source is a mystery. Look at the nature picture to solve the mystery. Match each source to its manifestation. Draw a line between the two.

Solve the Mystery!

Illustrated by Leona Hosack

You have a mystery seed. You don't know what kind it is. How do you find out? If you bury it in soil, give it water and light, it will probably grow into a plant. The plant is a manifestation of the seed.

The dictionary says that the word "manifestation" means to make something easier to see. If you grow daisies, the daisies are manifestations of the seed. Now you know what kind of seed you planted.

Manifestations help us solve mysteries.

God is a mystery to us. We can never know Him completely. He sends us His Manifestations to help us know Him better. Bahá’u’lláh is a Manifestation of God.

To understand the mystery of God, we study the life of Bahá’u’lláh and read His holy tablets. We learn that God loves us and wants us to love Him and each other. We learn that God will never leave us alone, but will send more Manifestations when we are ready to know more. For now, the best way to know God is through Bahá’u’lláh.

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Make check out and mail to: Bahá’í Subscriber Service Bahá’í National Center 1233 Central St. Evanston, IL 60201 847-251-1854, Ext. 11

Reprinted from Brilliant Star, May-June 1997 [Page 17]

Foundation for establishing a new Institution

With the Universal House of Justice’s ground-breaking action authorizing Regional Bahá’í Councils in the United States, a series of historic decisions has been taken to make these Councils instruments of dynamic action and communication. The National Spiritual Assembly is presenting this chart to inform the friends of the basis for these decisions and how they shape this new institution.

ESTABLISHING REGIONAL BAHÁ’Í COUNCILS
	Sections excerpted from the May 30, 1997 letter by the Universal House of Justice to all National Spiritual Assemblies	Confirmations for the U.S. from the Universal House of Justice (italic type) or decisions and responses of the National Spiritual Assembly (regular type)
Authority for formation	1.1 The formation of Regional Bahá’í Councils in any country, and the choice of the regions to be assigned to them are dependent upon the approval of the Universal House of Justice in each case.	Details clarified as noted below from the letter from the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, dated May 30, 1997.
Location of Councils	2.1.1 Regional Bahá’í Councils are not necessarily established universally through a country, but rather in those regions where the condition and size of the Bahá’í community indicate that such a development would be beneficial. In such cases, all other parts of the country remain under the well-established pattern of national committees, including a national teaching committee and its regional teaching committees.	“We believe that your decision to base the regions of the United States on the areas addressed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the Tablets of the Divine Plan is both wise and of profound spiritual significance.” —Letter from the Universal House of Justice Regions: Northeast, Southern, Central, Western.
Number of members	2.1.2 The number of members of a Regional Bahá’í Council is nine or, in certain cases, seven or even five, depending upon the decision of the National Spiritual Assembly in each case.	“...transformation of the Regional Committees into Regional Bahá’í Councils will take place on the anniversary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh, Wednesday, 12 November 1997, through the election on that day of nine members to each Council.” —Letter from the Universal House of Justice
Election or appointment	2.1.3 In accordance with local requirements and the condition of the Bahá’í community, the Universal House of Justice will decide which Regional Bahá’í Councils are to be formed by election and which by appointment.	Members will be elected.
Can National Spiritual Assembly members serve on Councils?	2.1.4 It is within the discretion of the National Spiritual Assembly to decide, case by case, whether its members may also serve on Regional Bahá’í Councils.	“In general, the preference is for members of National Spiritual Assemblies not to serve on Councils, whether these be elected or appointed bodies.” —Letter from the Universal House of Justice The National Spiritual Assembly will not be eligible for service. This action is to be included in voting instructions.
Terms, eligibility and timing	2.2.1 The members of an elected Regional Bahá’í Council, who shall be nine in number, are elected from among all the adult believers in the region by the members of the Local Spiritual Assemblies in that region every year on 23 May, the anniversary of the Declaration of the Báb according to the Gregorian calendar, or on a weekend immediately before or after that date.	“The first term of office of these newly elected Regional Bahá’í Councils should run for eighteen months until 23 May 1999, to avoid having to have an election for the Councils in 1998, which will be the occasion of your National Convention that year.” —Letter from the Universal House of Justice Who can be elected? Any Bahá’í in the region 21 years of age or older, in good standing, except members of the Continental Counselors, National Spiritual Assembly, or Auxiliary Board members. Who elects the Councils? Members of Local Spiritual Assemblies in the region. When is the election held? In the United States the first election will take place on November 12, 1997.
Balloting to be secret, primarily by mail	2.2.2 Owing to the large number of voters involved and the brief interval between the National Convention and the elections of the Regional Bahá’í Councils, these elections are to be conducted primarily by mail, through methods to be decided by the National Spiritual Assembly. The voting is to be by secret ballot. The members of the Local Spiritual Assemblies may send in their ballots individually or they may be collected by the Secretary of the Local Spiritual Assembly and mailed together.	Ballots are to be developed and distributed by the national Spiritual Assembly. Ballots are to include space for identifying each of the individuals by name and an additional space for other descriptions if necessary, such as city or state. Ballots will be collected by the Secretary after voting in the ‎elction election‎ meeting; individual Assembly members who do not attend the meeting may mail ballots individually. Ballots are to be sent to the regional post office box for the respective region.
Electoral meetings in each region	2.2.3 If feasible and desirable, an electoral meeting, or several electoral meetings, may be held in the region for those voters able to attend, in order to provide an occasion for members of Local Spiritual Assemblies in the region to consult about the progress of the Cause. Other believers may attend, but would not take part in the voting.	All Local Spiritual Assemblies are to hold a meeting after sundown November 11 and before sundown November 12, 1997, to elect the Regional Bahá’í Councils for their respective areas with the following agenda: Open with prayers, deepen on the significance of the Regional Bahá’í Councils and sacredness of the electoral process, and conclude with the voting. Ballots must be returned to the designated regional post office box, postmarked no later than November 13, 1997.
Breaking tie votes	2.2.4 If there is a tie vote, the tie is to be broken by lot, in view of the impracticability of holding a revote in such a situation.	Tie votes broken by lot unless “it is obvious that one of the persons involved represents a minority. ...”
Vacancies	2.2.5 Any vacancy on a Regional Bahá’í Council should be filled by the person who had the next highest number of votes on the ballot in the preceding election.	Vacancies will be filled by the person with the next highest number of votes on the ballot in the preceding election, according to Universal House of Justice guidance.
Auxiliary Board members ineligible	2.2.6 Auxiliary Board members are not eligible for service on a Regional Bahá’í Council.	Auxiliary Board members are not eligible for service. This is to be included in instructions for voting.
National Assembly to confirm results	2.2.7 The result of the election is to be confirmed by the National Spiritual Assembly.	The National Spiritual Assembly will review tellers’ reports and confirm results of the elections. Continued on Page 18

[Page 18]

REGIONAL BAHÁ’Í COUNCILS

Not limited to functions of national or regional committees

Carry out policies, supervise action

Keep National Assembly informed of activities, conditions throughout the region

Teaching, administration, committees

Arranging, supervising Unit Conventions and elections

External affairs: promoting teachings, defending Faith

Formulating regional plans

Plans for expansion and consolidation

Drawing up a budget

Managing the regional budget

Managing regional funds

Encouraging contributions

Communicating with Bahá’í World Center

Originating, distributing publications

Sections excerpted from the May 30, 1997 letter by the Universal House of Justice to all National Spiritual Assemblies

Decisions and responses of the National Spiritual Assembly

FUNCTIONS OF REGIONAL BAHÁ’Í COUNCILS

3.0 The functions of a Regional Bahá’í Council and the degree of authority conferred upon it are within the discretion of a National Spiritual Assembly. However, they should not be limited to those of a national or regional committee for, in such a case, there would be no justification for bringing into being a Regional Bahá’í Council rather than appointing a national or regional committee.

3.1 To carry out the policies of the National Spiritual Assembly and to supervise on behalf of the National Assembly, the smooth and efficient execution of the plans and projects for its region.

3.2 To keep the National Spiritual Assembly regularly informed of the Council's activities and of the conditions of the Faith throughout the region. Regional Bahá’í Councils are allowed to develop their own strategies and programs, and to carry out their day-to-day work without having to obtain further approval from the National Spiritual Assembly. However, through their frequent reports and the minutes of their meetings, the National Assembly is kept informed of their activities and maintains its overall supervision of the affairs of the Cause in all parts of the country.

3.4 To deal with both teaching and administrative matters within the region including the appointment of committees for issues within its terms of reference, such as external affairs and the translation, publication and distribution of Bahá’í literature.

3.4.2 A Regional Bahá’í Council may be asked by the National Spiritual Assembly to arrange and supervise the unit elections for delegates to the national convention.

3.5 To be responsible, under the general guidelines and policies established by the National Spiritual Assembly, for conducting, on behalf of the National Assembly, the external affairs of the Faith at the level of the region, representing the Bahá’ís of the region in relation to the civil authorities of that region.

3.6 To take part, under the guidance of the National Spiritual Assembly and in consultation with the Counselors or their deputies, in the formulation of a plan for its region as part of the national plan within the framework of each worldwide Plan.

3.7 To devise, for the approval of the National Assembly, its own expansion and consolidation programs for the achievement of the plan for its region, within the overall framework of the national plan.

3.8 To formulate an annual budget for the region, in consultation with the Counselors or their deputies when advisable, and to submit this budget to the National Spiritual Assembly for its approval.

3.9 To administer the budget for the region, sending regular reports and financial statements to the National Spiritual Assembly.

3.10 A Regional Bahá’í Council can be authorized by the National Spiritual Assembly to act as its agent in operating a regional branch of the national Bahá’í fund.

3.10.1 It encourages believers within its region to contribute to various funds of the Cause, including the regional branch of the national fund, with the aim that, in due course, the entire expenditure for the region would be provided by the believers in the region.

3.11 Under normal conditions, correspondence between Regional Bahá’í Councils and the Bahá’í World Center should be addressed to the National Assembly, which would then convey the communication to its intended recipient.

3.11.3 When Regional Bahá’í Councils publish Bahá’í literature or regional newsletters, copies of such publications should be sent directly to Bahá’í World Center under the same guidelines as apply to national Bahá’í publications.

Immediate functions: Incorporate itself; carry out policies of the National Spiritual Assembly; devise and execute expansion and consolidation plans; create strong local Assemblies; prepare a budget; oversee Unit Conventions/elections starting in October 1998; arrange for Regional Bahá’í Council elections starting May 23, 1999; oversee external affairs up to and including the state level.

Each Council will carry out the policies of the National Spiritual Assembly and supervise the execution of plans and projects in the region.

Regional Bahá’í Councils will be instructed during their orientation to send frequent reports and minutes of their meetings to the National Spiritual Assembly They are allowed to develop their own strategies and programs without having to obtain further approval.

Regional Bahá’í Councils are authorized to appoint committees as needed, as well as to publish and distribute pamphlets and small teaching materials to support local teaching efforts within their respective regions.

Regional Councils have the responsibility of organizing the Unit Conventions for 1998 and thereafter with the necessary logistical assistance from the Bahá’í National Center. The goal is to improve attendance and participation and to deepen the understanding of the friends of the sacred character of the Bahá’í electoral process.

The National Spiritual Assembly approves, in principle, assigning the Regional Bahá’í Councils the work of external affairs of the Faith in each region up to and including the state level, under the guidelines and policies established by the National Assembly.

The materials for orientation of the Councils are to include the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the Commentary on the Will and Testament, May 19, 1994 letter, Constitution of the Universal House of Justice, guidance of the Universal House of Justice on the role of the Institution of the Learned, and the By-Laws of the National Spiritual Assembly and Local Spiritual Assemblies. The training should include participation of the Counselors and transpire over time, as events prompt the consideration of issues of principle.

The Spiritual Assembly Development Program module on designing teaching plans will be used in the training of the Councils to support their planning efforts.

Operations of the Regional Bahá’í Councils will be financed from the National Bahá’í Fund until the end of the Bahá’í fiscal year 1997-98. The Regional Councils will be requested to develop by April 1998 their budgets for the next fiscal year.

Regional Bahá’í Councils will be provided with the financial systems for management of Funds currently available on the Local Spiritual Assembly automated network.

Regional Bahá’í Council funds will be established in November 1997.

The Office of the Treasurer and Development will collaborate with the Regional Bahá’í Councils in fund development activities.

This principle will be followed; however, appeals from the Regional Bahá’í Councils may go directly to the Universal House of Justice.

In the interest of decentralization, Regional Bahá’í Councils can develop, publish and distribute pamphlets and small teaching materials to support local teaching efforts within their respective regions after surveying existing materials. Centralization in production and distribution of books and other materials for wider distribution and requiring review will be maintained by the National Spiritual Assembly. [Page 19]

Incorporation

Sections excerpted from the May 30, 1997 letter by the Universal House of Justice to all National Spiritual Assemblies

3.12 In most countries the legal status of Regional Bahá’í Councils would seem to be adequately covered by the National Assembly's incorporation.

Decisions and responses of the National Spiritual Assembly

Since the incorporation of the National Spiritual Assembly does not cover Regional Bahá’í Councils, the National Spiritual Assembly will draw up a sample incorporation document and offer the Regional Bahá’í Councils the option of incorporating in one of the States within their respective region or to incorporate in Illinois through the Bahá’í National Center.

NATIONAL COMMITTEES IN THE NEW STRUCTURE

4. ... It is advisable for a National Spiritual Assembly to have a National Teaching Committee even if Regional Bahá’í Councils are formed in every part of a country.

4.1 "... rather than diminishing the role of its National Teaching Committee when Regional Bahá’í Councils are formed, a National Spiritual Assembly would develop further the advisory and executive aspects of its responsibilities in certain respects. The capacity of the National Teaching Committee to monitor the effectiveness of the teaching work throughout the country could be enhanced.

4.2 The work of the National Teaching Committee in relation to Regional Bahá’í Councils is one of service and assistance, rather than direction and supervision as it is in relation to regional committees.

4.3 In the case of all national committees, it is important to ensure that legitimate national programs do not run counter to the process of decentralization, except in special emergency situations.

Letter from the Universal House of Justice

May 30, 1997

...announced to all National Spiritual Assemblies in a letter of which you have no doubt already received a copy. We believe that this concept could prove to be highly advantageous for your own project of decentralization which is already very similar to this new structure and can, with a few important modifications, be developed into it. A similar structure is, as you know, already operating in its early stages in Canada. To avoid the misunderstandings which can arise from the use of the word "committee" in relation to these institutions, which have significantly different characteristics, we are designating them "Bahá’í Councils."

We believe that your decision to base the regions of the United States on the areas addressed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the Tablets of the Divine Plan is both wise and of profound spiritual significance.

At this point, with the Four Year Plan entering its second year, and with your new decentralized teaching structure getting into its stride, it is essential to maintain and accelerate the momentum already achieved. The changes that are called for in order to transform your Regional Committees into Regional Bahá’í Councils and to modify their relationship to your National Teaching Committee should be introduced in a manner which ensures the continuity of plans and activities.

When you have studied the principles set forth in our letter to all National Spiritual Assemblies, and its attachment, you will be in a position to make the necessary adjustments to your current teaching structure. This will include modification of the terms of reference of the National Teaching Committee; as you will see from [section] 4 of the attachment to our message to all National Assemblies, a close relationship is envisaged between the National Teaching Committee and the Regional Councils, and it will be entirely appropriate for the current National Task Forces to continue to operate under the National Teaching Committee.

We urge you to announce that the transformation of the Regional Committees into Regional Bahá’í Councils will take place on the anniversary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh, Wednesday, November 12, 1997, through the election on that day of nine members to each Council. The first term of office of these newly elected Regional Bahá’í Councils should run for eighteen months until May 23, 1999, to avoid having to have an election for the Councils in May 1998, which will be the occasion of your National Convention that year.

The establishment of Regional Bahá’í Councils in the United States will be a historic step which can, we believe, augment the stimulating effect of the decentralization you have already set in motion, and arouse the enthusiasm of the friends who have already been galvanized by the ground-breaking and highly imaginative television broadcast from your National Convention.

We shall pray ardently at the Sacred Threshold for divine blessings to confirm every endeavor of the beloved followers of Bahá’u’lláh in the United States toward the achievement of the Four Year Plan.

With loving Bahá’í greetings, The Universal House of Justice

National Teaching Committee Mandate

The National Teaching Committee is to be maintained.

The National Spiritual Assembly will draft a new mandate for the National Teaching Committee outlining the structure, duties and responsibilities for its operation under the guidelines provided in the Universal House of Justice's May 30, 1997 letter; namely, to develop further the advisory and executive aspect of its responsibilities in certain respects, to monitor the effectiveness of the teaching work throughout the country, to analyze opportunities for expansion and consolidation in rapidly changing conditions, to identify successful approaches to teaching, to disseminate promising teaching methods and to focus attention on issues related to teaching among minorities and specific groups who reside in more than one region of the country.

The mandate for the National Teaching Committee will reflect its role of providing service and assistance to the Regional Bahá’í Councils, rather than direction and supervision as in its relation to the Regional Committees.

This principle will be followed.

Councils

...divisions for the Councils, stating: "We believe that your decision to base the regions of the United States on the areas addressed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the Tablets of the Divine Plan is both wise and of profound spiritual significance."

The establishment of the Regional Bahá’í Councils in the United States is a historic step that can, in the words of the Universal House of Justice to our National Spiritual Assembly, "augment the stimulating effect of the decentralization you have already set in motion and arouse the enthusiasms of the friends who have already been galvanized by the ground-breaking and highly imaginative television broadcast from your National convention."

Building on the work of the Regional Committees, the Regional Bahá’í Councils will operate in each region to devise and execute expansion and consolidation plans in close collaboration with local Assemblies and believers. Their goal is "to create strong Local Spiritual Assemblies which will be the focal centers of Bahá’í activity." As such, they also will assist Assemblies to arise to exercise their vital role in the development of the Faith and demonstrate their ability to regulate the affairs of their communities.

In the May 30, 1997, letter from the House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, it is stated that our Councils will have nine members. Every believer over the age of 21 and in good standing is eligible for election, except members of the Continental Board of Counselors and their Auxiliary Boards and members of the National Spiritual Assembly.

Local Spiritual Assembly members are asked to gather as Assemblies to vote as part of a celebration to be organized locally. Assemblies may choose to celebrate together with other communities.

The election is to take place between sunset November 11 and sunset November 12, on the Anniversary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh. The celebration is to include a Holy Day program and deepening on the Regional Bahá’í Councils. After this, the Assembly members will retire to a separate room to vote while believers pray for the election.

Ballots will be tabulated at a designated locality in each region by tellers who themselves are members of local Spiritual Assemblies, selected by the National Spiritual Assembly from each state in the region. Assemblies are to send completed ballots to the designated post office box for tabulation.

If an Assembly member cannot attend an election meeting he or she should mail the ballot to the site designated in ballot mailing instructions.

Because of the impracticability of a revote, ties will be broken by lot, except where membership in a minority is a determining factor. Any vacancy occurring on a Council will be filled by the person with the next highest number of votes.

Regional Councils will be elected May 23 each year beginning in 1999. Because the National Convention for the United States will be held in May 1998, the Universal House of Justice has decided the Councils elected this November will have an 18-month term of office.

The National Assembly is preparing deepening and instructional materials for the community and, in particular, for the Assembly members who will be voting. These materials also will serve as the basis for consultation at Unit Conventions. In addition, they will be available for purchase from the Bahá’í Distribution Service. [Page 20]

Individual Rights and Freedoms in the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh

This is the second in a series of commentaries written on behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly in response to a letter from the Universal House of Justice to the American Bahá’í community dated December 29, 1988, titled "Individual Rights and Freedoms in the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh."

Section 2

It is this perspective that helps us to understand the question of freedom and its place in Bahá’í thought and action. The idea and the fact of freedom pervade all human concerns in an infinitude of notions and modes. Freedom is indeed essential to all expressions of human life.

Freedom of thought, freedom of expression, freedom of action are among the freedoms which have received the ardent attention of social thinkers across the centuries. The resulting outflow of such profound thought has exerted a tremendous liberating influence in the shaping of modern society. Generations of the oppressed have fought and died in the name of freedom. Certainly the want of freedom from oppression has been a dominant factor in the turmoil of the times: witness the plethora of movements which have resulted in the rapid emergence of new nations in the latter part of the 20th century. A true reading of the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh leaves no doubt as to the high importance of these freedoms to constructive social processes. Consider, for instance, Bahá’u’lláh’s proclamation to the kings and rulers. Can it not be deduced from this alone that attainment of freedom is a significant purpose of His Revelation? His denunciations of tyranny and his urgent appeals on behalf of the oppressed provide unmistakable proof. But does not the freedom foreshadowed by His Revelation imply nobler, ampler manifestations of human achievement? Does it not indicate an organic relationship between the internal and external realities of man such as has not yet been attained?

In his summary of significant Bahá’í teachings, Shoghi Effendi wrote that Bahá’u’lláh "inculcates the principle of 'moderation in all things'; declares that whatsoever, be it 'liberty, civilization and the like,' 'passeth beyond the limits of moderation' must 'exercise a pernicious influence upon men'; observes that western civilization has gravely perturbed and alarmed the peoples of the world; and predicts that the day is approaching when the 'flame' of a civilization 'carried to excess' will devour the cities."

Expounding the theme of liberty, Bahá’u’lláh asserted that "the embodiment of liberty and its symbol is the animal"; that "liberty causeth man to overstep the bounds of propriety, and to infringe on the dignity of his station"; that "true liberty consisteth in man's submission unto My commandments." "We approve of liberty in certain circumstances," He declared, "and refuse to sanction it in others." But He gave the assurance that, "Were men to observe that which We have sent down unto them from the Heaven of Revelation, they would, of a certainty, attain unto perfect liberty." And again, He said, "Mankind in its entirety must firmly adhere to whatsoever hath been revealed and vouchsafed unto it. Then and only then will it attain unto true liberty."

Bahá’u’lláh’s assertions clearly call for an examination of current assumptions. Should liberty be as free as is supposed in contemporary Western thought? Where does freedom limit our possibilities for progress, and where do limits free us to thrive? What are the limits to the expansion of freedom? For so fluid and elastic are its qualities of application and expression that the concept of freedom in any given situation is likely to assume a different latitude from one mind to another; these qualities are, alas, susceptible to the employment alike of good and evil. Is it any wonder, then, that Bahá’u’lláh exhorts us to submission to the will of God?

Comments and questions

23. Why do you think that freedom is "essential to all expressions of human life"? How does the human need for freedom differ from the needs of animals for freedom?

24. One of the quotations of Bahá’u’lláh about the kings and rulers to which the Universal House of Justice alludes may be the following:

"O kings of the earth! We see you increasing every year your expenditures, and laying the burden thereof on your subjects. This, verily, is wholly and grossly unjust. Fear the sighs and tears of this Wronged One, and lay not excessive burdens on your peoples. Do not rob them to rear palaces for yourselves; nay rather choose for them what ye would choose for yourselves. Thus We unfold to your eyes that which profiteth you, if ye but perceive. Your people are your treasures. Beware lest your rule violate the commandments of God, and ye deliver your wards to the hands of the robber. By them ye rule, by their means ye subsist, by their aid ye conquer. Yet, how disdainfully ye look upon them! How strange, how very strange!" (Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh, 12)

25. What are the "internal and external realities of man"? Does this refer to the spiritual and social dimensions of humans? What sort of "organic relationship" exists between them?

26. What are some of the positive and negative features of the nationalistic movements of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries? Which of these features manifest the adolescent stage of human society?

27. How does Bahá’u’lláh’s teaching of moderation in all things differ from the current values in American society?

28. The letter states that "whatsoever" exceeds the limitations of moderation exercises a "pernicious" influence. What does this mean? Does it suggest that the negative consequences are even greater than the waste of effort and materials inherent in the excess? For example, there are certain vitamins and minerals, such as iodine, which, at a certain level, are essential to a body. However, an excess of such a vitamin or mineral is not only useless, as the body cannot use it, but may, in fact, kill.

29. On the topic of civilization, Bahá’u’lláh has written:

"The civilization, so often vaunted by the learned exponents of arts and sciences, will, if allowed to overleap the bounds of moderation, bring great evil upon men. Thus warneth you He Who is the All-Knowing. If carried to excess, civilization will prove as prolific a source of evil as it has been of goodness when kept within the restraints of moderation." (Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, 342-43)

What is meant by excessive civilization? What are some possible examples of current excesses?

30. Give some examples from the history and current events of Western civilization that have "gravely perturbed and alarmed the peoples of the world."

31. Bahá’u’lláh, in His writings, makes a distinction between "liberty" and "true liberty." Western thought sometimes makes a similar distinction between libertinism, one definition of which is "unrestrained liberty" (Oxford English Dictionary), and a more moderate liberty.

32. Give some examples of circumstances when Bahá’u’lláh approves of liberty and some when He refuses to sanction it.

For example, an individual has the right to choose whom he or she will marry; but this "liberty" is tempered by the need for parental permission.

33. Give some examples of individuals who have attained or approached "true" or "perfect" liberty.

34. What are some of the ways that the words "freedom" and "liberty" are used in this letter? In contemporary Western thought? In the Bahá’í writings? [Page 21]

DEEPENING/COMMENTARY

Since any constructive view of freedom implies limits, further questions are inevitable: What are the latitudes of freedom in the Bahá’í community? How are these to be determined? Because human beings have been created to "carry forward an ever-advancing civilization," the exercise of freedom, it may be deduced, is intended to enable all to fulfill this purpose in their individual lives and in their collective functioning as a society. Hence whatever in principle is required to realize this purpose gauges the latitudes or limits of freedom.

Contemplating Bahá’u’lláh’s warning that "whatsoever passeth beyond the limits of moderation will cease to exert a beneficial influence," we come to appreciate that the Administrative Order He has conceived embodies the operating principles which are necessary to the maintenance of that moderation that will ensure the "true liberty" of humankind. All things considered, does the Administrative Order not appear to be the structure of freedom for our Age? ‘Abdu’l-Bahá offers us comfort in this thought, for He has said that "the moderate freedom which guarantees the welfare of the world of mankind and maintains and preserves the universal relationships is found in its fullest power and extension in the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh."

Within this framework of freedom a pattern is set for institutional and individual behavior that depends for its efficacy not so much on the force of law, which admittedly must be respected, as on the recognition of a mutuality of benefits, and on the spirit of cooperation maintained by the willingness, the courage, the sense of responsibility and the initiative of individuals—these being expressions of their devotion and submission to the will of God. Thus there is a balance of freedom between the institution, whether national or local, and the individuals who sustain its existence.

35. What are some ways that one individual's exercise of freedom limits another individual's freedom?

For example, if one person is talking to a group, the other individuals are not free to talk at the same time. If one person hates an ethnic group, how can his or her public expression of that hatred affect the freedom of members of the ethnic group?

36. Although personal rights and individual freedoms are fundamental to Bahá’í community life, it would be misleading to focus exclusively on this aspect of the Faith. The teachings constitute a matrix that defines and unifies not only the complex interrelationships among Bahá’í principles themselves, but also between the individual believer and the institutions of the Faith. Shoghi Effendi has written:

"One might liken Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings to a sphere; there are points poles apart, and in between the thoughts and doctrines that unite them. We believe in balance in all things—we must not be too emotional, nor cut and dried and lacking in feeling, we must not be so liberal as to cease to preserve the character and unity of our Bahá’í system, nor fanatical and dogmatic...." (from an unpublished letter dated July 5, 1947, to an individual believer)

37. In what ways is the Administrative Order the "structure of freedom for our Age"?

It is capable of maintaining moderation, through its divine guidance and its operating mechanisms (such as consultation).

38. To what relationship is ‘Abdu’l-Bahá referring when He states that the moderate freedom of the revelation of Bahá’u’lláh preserves "universal relationships"?

There are various possible answers to this question. Perhaps He is referring to social relationships or to the relationships that exist between the various spiritual stations of humanity.

Consider, for example, the local Spiritual Assembly, the methods of its formation and the role of individuals in electing it. The voter elects with the understanding that he is free to choose without any interference whomever his conscience prompts him to select, and he freely accepts the authority of the outcome. In the act of voting, the individual subscribes to a covenant by which the orderliness of society is upheld. The Assembly has the responsibility to guide, direct and decide on community affairs and the right to be obeyed and supported by members of the community. The individual has the responsibility to establish and maintain the Assembly through election, the offering of advice, moral support and material assistance; and he has the right to be heard by it, to receive its guidance and assistance, and to appeal from any Assembly decision that he conscientiously feels is unjust or detrimental to the interests of the community.

But occupation with the mechanics of the Bahá’í administration, divorced from the animating spirit of the Cause, leads to a distortion, to an arid secularization foreign to the nature of the administration. Equally significant to the procedures for election—to further extend the example—is the evocation of that rarefied atmosphere of prayer and reflection, that quiet dignity of the process, devoid of nominations and campaigning, in which the individual's freedom to choose is limited only by his own conscience, exercised in private in an attitude that invites communion with the Holy Spirit. In this sphere, the elector regards the outcome as an expression of the will of God, and those elected as being primarily responsible to that will, not to the constituency that elected them. An election thus conducted portrays an aspect of that organic unity of the inner and outer realities of human life which is necessary to the construction of a mature society in this new Age. In no other system do individuals exercise such a breadth of freedom in the electoral process.

39. The letter suggests that three factors maintain the balance of freedom between institutions and individuals: the force of law; recognition of a mutuality of benefits; and a spirit of cooperation.

How does the relative importance of these factors differ in various societies? Which factor is dominant in American society?

40. Can it not be said that the letter lists an individual's (1) willingness, (2) courage, (3) sense of responsibility, and (4) initiative as expressions of "civic responsibility" as well as aspects of his or her devotion and submission to the will of God?

41. It is interesting to note that the Universal House of Justice describes the act of voting as a subscription to a Covenant—a kind of social contract.

What are the obligations and rewards for individuals, communities and Assemblies who subscribe to this contract?

42. What freedoms does an individual lose when campaigning and nominating are permitted?

To name a few of the most important: the right to vote his or her conscience; the right to vote independently of outside opinion (voting thus constitutes a kind of independent investigation of truth).

43. "Arid secularization" here refers to the process of removing the religious spirit from the Bahá’í Administrative Order; of divorcing the Administrative Order from the spiritual side of the Faith. Such a dissociation, Shoghi Effendi wrote, would be "tantamount to a mutilation of the body of the Cause, a separation that can only result in a disintegration of its component parts, and the extinction of the Faith itself." (The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, 5)

What distortions of our understanding of Bahá’í administration can result from divorcing its mechanics from the spirit of the Cause?

44. The letter states that a properly conducted Bahá’í election "portrays an aspect of that organic unity of the inner and outer realities of human life which is necessary to the construction of a mature society in this new Age." What do you think is meant by "organic unity of the inner and outer realities of human life"? [Page 22]The facade of the Center for the Study of the Texts takes shape as marble and stone details are put in place.

Terraces of the Shrine of the Báb

By July, three months after the Office of the Project Manager took over construction management in all areas of the Terraces of the Shrine of the Báb, work had picked up momentum:

• The remaining northern section of Hatzionut Avenue, next to the Main Terrace, was excavated.
• Service lines that had to be relocated were again active.
• Work on the bridge started in earnest, with the foundations of the north pier excavated and columns on the southern side being raised to the level of the bridge slab. It will, however, be a few months before the superstructure of the bridge takes shape.
• Preparations got under way for final excavation of the pedestrian tunnel on the west side of the Bahá’í property.

The structure of the building that will house the Information Center and the Office of Security is nearly completed, with interior finishes, partitions and tiling under way.

With this building completed, work can begin on Terrace 12 above the Shrine of the Báb. Anchors are being placed along the south retaining wall to strengthen the mountainside, and areas are backfilled sometimes as high as 36 feet to enable construction of the terrace structure. The first consignment of stone-clad precast panels for this wall has been erected.

On the next level up, curved concrete stairs on both sides of Terrace 13 have been completed, and concrete is being cast for drainage runnels next to the stairs.

Eighty-five percent of the gravity walls inside this terrace, which will give it form and act as retaining walls for the backfilled soil behind it, have been constructed. They are structurally quite significant, as the slope inside the terrace ranges from 45 to 60 degrees.

On Terrace 14, the walls on which the stairs will be built have been completed. On the west side large excavations were carried out to grade the mountainside and align the terrace.

A marble fountain is installed in the entrance portico of the Center for the Study of the Texts. A large crane had to be moved before installation could be done.

A perspective of the interior of the Center for the Study of the Texts.

On Terraces 15 through 19, landscaping of the outer western areas is on the way to completion. Similar activities will soon begin on the eastern side. The central garden will be landscaped during winter, and its completion is planned by Ridván 1998. Stone work continues on Terraces 18 and 19, and various architectural details are becoming more defined.

Meanwhile, fabrication of additional architectural elements, such as ornate marble fountains for Terraces 13, 15 and 17, has begun in Italy. Unlike the fountain pools on the terraces below the Shrine of the Báb, which are at ground level, these fountains are mounted on walls above the ground.

Soon after demolition of the last building on Ben Gurion Avenue in March, work began at the site of Terraces 1 and 2 at the foot of Mount Carmel. After the excavations, concrete retaining walls were built as deep as 29 feet to support the structure of Terrace 2 and connect it to the walls of Terrace 3 above.

As concrete work proceeded, areas around the structure wall were being backfilled and draining works were begun. The structure of Terrace 2 is almost complete and construction of stairs and retaining walls for Terrace 1 has begun.

So that construction of these terraces could begin, a modified Town Planning Scheme had been filed to vacate the portion of Ben Gurion Avenue that ran across Bahá’í property. Authorities have transferred about 330 feet of public road into the Bahá’í gardens to provide an alternative access road for the area.

Center for the Study of the Texts

As work on its exterior and interior finish advances, the Center for the Study of the Texts shows greater elegance.

Marble flooring in the entrance portico, and the main stairs leading to it, have been completed. The marble installers from France are applying silicone sealant to joints.

Marble work around the circular section of roof on level 7 also has been finished. Stone grilles are being installed over adjacent drains. While walkways on the roof have been paved with stone, stone work on ornamental pedestals is under way. Topsoil is in place on the areas of the roof that will be landscaped, and metal railing is being added around them.

Inside the building, installation of granite on the floor of the entrance hall and surrounding corridors is in progress. Drywalling is complete and the last touches of compound were added before the final coat of paint. Most of the wood doors have been delivered and are being installed.

Stone pavings and pedestals have been installed on the roof of the Center for the Study of the Texts.

Millwork and shelving in the library, situated in the basement, is finished. Installation of glass in the central patio has been completed.

The large marble fountain is in place in the center of the portico garden area. About 10 feet wide, the fountain is made from a single piece of Piastrone marble. Paving and fountain work is complete in one other patio, and in progress in a third.

Equally significant is the drainage work being carried out at the Arc buildings. A long, deep trench is being prepared for drain pipes that will connect all the Arc buildings with the municipal drainage system at street level. The work is to be completed and connection made to the city's system before the rainy season starts. [Page 23]the drains connected by winter.

Steady progress at the site of the International Teaching Center

Large and complex in design, the massive structure of the Teaching Center inspires awe as it rises to its seventh level. To maintain the momentum of work, the number of workers on site was increased a few months ago, and has been kept at 110 laborers, who often work extended hours.

Most of the floor of level 6, which has the largest floor area, has been constructed. At the eastern and southeastern wings of the building, the floor of level 6 forms the roof of almost 40 percent of the building area, much of it covering the auditorium. A stretch of this area has been connected to street level by a bridge slab spanning between the building walls and the micropile walls. Completion of this roof has provided substantial and much-needed storage area for materials.

The linkage to the street also has facilitated delivery of materials to the site. Nearly 8,000 cubic yards of backfill material, excavated at the site of Hatzionut Avenue, was brought to the Teaching Center site by trucks that traveled on the roof to deposit the excavated earth around the northern and eastern sides of the building. This recycling of excavated soil had been coordinated carefully to reduce the cost of earthworks.

The roof also made it easier to deliver 42 pieces of massive fan room units into various mechanical rooms. With this major delivery all fan room equipment has been bought and delivered.

As work proceeds from level 7 upwards, the structure in the central portion takes shape as a four-story circular building that will house the main facilities of the Teaching Center.

Making economy and quality hallmarks of Mt. Carmel projects

An undertaking of such spiritual significance and physical dimensions as the Terraces of the Shrine of the Báb and the buildings on the Arc has tremendous implications for the worldwide Bahá’í community in terms of costs and quality control, especially with the current slow economy. This is magnified by the fact that every such effort materializes through contributions, often at great sacrifice, by the followers of Bahá’u’lláh.

From the inception of the current projects on Mount Carmel, economy has been a major issue in project management. Still, there must be no letup in quality control measures. A guiding principle has been this statement made on behalf of the Guardian:

"It is only through a wise economy, the elimination of nonessentials, concentration on essentials and a careful supervision, that the Guardian himself has been able to build the Shrine and the International Archives at the World Center, and surround the Holy Places here by what appears in the eyes of the public to be lavish gardens, but are in reality the result of rigorous and economical planning." (From a letter dated August 8, 1957, written to a National Spiritual Assembly on behalf of Shoghi Effendi)

Among several measures adopted to contain or reduce costs on the projects was the purchase of millions of dollars' worth of materials directly by the World Center, rather than by the contractors. These purchases were arranged mostly by Bahá’ís around the world through whom considerable discounts from wholesale prices could be obtained. This factor, along with the saving of the normal profits and overhead costs of the contractor—often estimated at 30 percent to 50 percent of the actual market price—brought the projects' purchase price often to half the cost that would have been paid if the contractor had supplied the materials.

In addition, the excellent reputation of the Bahá’ís, known for their trustworthiness and financial stability, has allowed the Mount Carmel projects to obtain unprecedented discounts from local manufacturers. The size of the orders and a reputation for making payments on time make the Bahá’í World Center one of the best customers in Israel.

A great number of "value engineering" measures also resulted in savings. Put simply, value engineering amounts to a review of design and alternative methods of construction, materials or design solutions aimed at achieving the original design concept while cutting costs.

For example, on Panorama Street, next to Terrace 19, is a 990-foot-long promenade. The original design envisioned foundations, columns, beams and a floor slab. A value engineering review resulted in the use of micropiles and precast concrete slabs for the promenade, providing the same result with a large saving of money.

In effect, value engineering proposes changes without detracting from the structural integrity or the aesthetic value of a design.

Whenever feasible, the office of the project manager has succeeded in altering areas of contracts to bring about savings for the projects.

A case in point is the reorganization of the office's relationship with the contractor at the site of the International Teaching Center, which enabled a doubling of manpower and resources in a way that guarantees the speed of construction while minimizing conflicts with the contractor, which is in effect the most important insurance for the completion of the Arc projects.

In areas of Hatzionut Avenue and the terraces, as well as many of the finishing works of the buildings of the Arc, the project manager's office has taken construction management upon itself. Work in these areas is also progressing with speed, efficiency and economy.

Hundreds of such measures, big and small, on every aspect of the projects, together with an atmosphere of teamwork and close cooperation with the contractors that has resulted in speedy progress, also have fostered the extraordinary yet frugal achievements of the Mount Carmel projects.

Cranes tower over construction and landscaping on terraces above the Shrine of the Báb from Hatzionut Avenue to the crest of Mount Carmel.

A view along Hatzionut Avenue on Mount Carmel shows construction on terraces above the Shrine of the Báb in Haifa. [Page 24]

Restoration

and thawing created gaps as wide as an inch at the base of the dome, snapping a number of steel reinforcement pins.

The worst is over, thanks to years of careful work that followed intense examination and consultation by an array of Bahá’í building experts convened by the National Spiritual Assembly in 1983. That work has paved the way for a long-term approach to keeping the building whole and safe for centuries to come.

"Now that we've taken care of the crisis and established a conservation program, the next phase of repairs will renew materials that have worn out... largely at the base of the building," said Robert Armbruster, director of the House of Worship restoration.

Another team of experts will be assembled this fall to put together a strategy for the next crucial series of repairs:

• Rebuilding the rest of the building's monumental stairs and concrete terraces, which have deteriorated to the point that all the needed spot repairs would be too expensive.
• A series of repairs to weathered sections of the ornamental concrete facade throughout the building.
• Replacing the disintegrated cap stones on top of the pillars at the temple's circumference.
• Renewing the gardens on the Temple grounds, including shrubs and trees, fountains, irrigation plumbing, and stairways and bridge structures.

This series of projects is expected to cost roughly $5 million to $6 million, and will be carried out over several years, Mr. Armbruster said.

Monumental task

Rebuilding of the white quartz concrete stairs at the Temple's base is the most massive part of the campaign. When the first phase of restoration was completed in the early 1990s, the stairs were partially rebuilt only at the entrance. That left more than eight-ninths of the stairs in their weathered state.

"We have been monitoring the rate of deterioration for the past three years, and it's going faster," Mr. Armbruster said. "Fortunately it's a straightforward type of repair."

Refurbishing the eroded sections of the building's facade poses more complex challenges, however. The concrete latticework that makes the Temple so distinctive forces the development of new repair techniques because few buildings have such ornate features.

"It's never really been addressed before," said John Richardson, concrete and stone conservator at the House of Worship. "How do you replace the top one-eighth inch of the surface of the building? The book is being written on that right now.

"We have very highly sculpted surfaces: three-dimensional intertwining lattices, [relief castings of] oak leaves and berries.... We're talking about acres of surface area to restore," he said.

It will involve training so that various craftspeople use consistent techniques, careful watching of weather to make sure the concrete sets well, and devising methods to move "tons and tons of material to the top of the building," he said.

Looking like ants atop the House of Worship dome, Karim Beers of Ithaca, New York, Dena Bermann of Evanston, Illinois, and Kelsey Taylor of Chicago pressure-wash the concrete. All three are harnessed securely. (Photo by James Humphrey)

One crucial learning process has to do with finding the right concrete mix to match the building's surface exactly, not only in appearance but in water permeability and reaction to temperature changes.

The original ornamental concrete was made of crushed quartz—a mixture of pure white and clear quartz, to give the surface its color and sparkle mixed only with cement and water. Mr. Richardson said a lab has been created at the temple to test hundreds of formulas for similar concrete, saving tens of thousands of dollars, before the samples that most closely match the original concrete are sent out for expensive testing.

Search for material

Over the years, the effort to find the right grades of quartz has led to quarries in Colorado, the Carolinas and Illinois, Mr. Armbruster said. The previous quarries even ran out in midsummer for a few days before a new source was found in Ontario, Canada.

"If we hadn't found it in Canada our next probable supplier was in Brazil," he added.

While the supply lasted, it was used to cast concrete "coping stones" to replace the original stones around the fountains in the Temple gardens that had deteriorated and been painted over. That is one of the projects involving young Bahá’í summer workers from across the country in the Temple Conservation Team.

It also has increased the staff's understanding of how to handle the material, especially making fiberglass molds for odd-shaped sections of concrete, Mr. Richardson said.

An attractive property of the quartz-based concrete is that the aggregate from a demolished surface can be recycled completely. The crushed quartz can endure a strong hydrochloric acid bath that dissolves the cement, Mr. Richardson said, adding that about 30 tons had been saved from the last decade's repairs on the crown of the building.

As the exterior work progresses, improvements to the interior that are under way include refinishing and reupholstering the 1,200 chairs in the Temple auditorium, replacing drapery and repainting the interior. Youths from the conservation team also are finishing the cleaning of some steel structural elements that haven't been cleaned in 70 years, and repairing some original building plans and drawings.

But all this work is done discreetly, with a minimum of disturbance to visitors.

"The biggest consideration is: There can be no interruption in the function of the House of Worship," Mr. Richardson said.

That principle applied as well to the earlier phase of restoration. For instance, rather than replacing panes in the skylights under the outer concrete layer of the dome, which could have posed extra hazards for people below, workers took care of leaks by placing an extra layer of glass over each pane and resealing it.

Ironically, the attractiveness of the Temple dome to another class of travelers—pigeons, purple martins, all manner of birds—posed another danger to the structure.

"For 45 years this was a bird hotel," Mr. Armbruster said. "Maintenance workers used to go up with shovels and burlap sacks to clear it away."

"It" is the predictable accumulation of droppings and other detritus left by the winged visitors, which had helped corrode much of the steel framework for the skylights. To the relief of the planners, the damage didn't compromise the structure, and the steel was cleaned and recoated.

To prevent a repeat of the problem, sheets of garden netting have been attached, virtually invisibly, inside the outer latticework of the crown. On various exterior sills, clear plastic panels or clusters of tiny spikes discourage roosting.

Other actions over the last decade included replacement of all plumbing, some of it over 70 years old; and a thorough water cleaning of the exterior, sometimes with mild acid to dissolve stalactite-like deposits caused by acid rain.

There was also the matter of tearing up and replacing structural concrete at the base of the dome, 120 feet off the ground.

It turned out that the thicker structural concrete was more vulnerable to the effects of water seepage than the more durable quartz-based concrete on the surface. Because of a drainage problem that has been corrected, water tended to settle at the base of the dome. And the concrete deep inside a decorative cornice crumbled.

"Even though the structure looked perfect from the outside," Mr. Armbruster said, "we had to remove [and replace] concrete to a depth of as much as three feet."

A telling example of the long-term view that was built into the process: Hoists for lifting materials to higher levels of the building are in storage, and the anchors for their use are still in place.

Two centuries hence

"When they need to do this again 200 years from now, they can put the hoists back in the same place," Mr. Armbruster said.

The National Assembly's depth of commitment to conserving the building, in fact, played a large part in drawing Mr. Richardson, a master stone craftsman who is not a Bahá’í, to the project more than two years ago. And he has grown more convinced this is a project for the ages.

In centuries to come, he said, "this House of Worship will be venerated not just in a spiritual sense but also secular. ... It will be one of the oldest buildings in North America, and people will gather to celebrate it for that reason as well as its wonderful spirit."

He's also seen a transforming effect on craftspeople who have been hired for skilled work.

"This building brings out the best in everyone who comes to work on it," Mr. Richardson said. "No matter what your faith or your background, the building asks, 'I want your best.'" [Page 25]

Youth contribute energy, elbow grease

Youth have been moving the world one stone at a time at the House of Worship this summer.

Volunteers of all ages will spend a few days helping out at the Bahá’í National Center every summer, perhaps in the mail room, at the Bahá’í Home for the aged or in an office or two that needs some secretarial slack picked up.

But the two dozen or so hard-hatted summer workers in the Temple Conservation Team, mostly of college age, are the most numerous young helpers—casting concrete for the coping stones that encircle the garden fountains, washing 70-year-old dust from the structural steel inside the dome, repairing old architectural drawings, even trying to keep ahead of the birds 30 feet off the ground.

“I love the House of Worship. I was ecstatic to find out that there were jobs available here and I eagerly took up the opportunity,” said David Young. “I feel quite honored to carry out the work that needs to be done.”

For David, that has meant spending a number of days anchored securely to a steel cable high above the Temple’s second level, removing birds that are “devoid of life” and cleaning up the leavings from live ones.

The conservation team evolved over several summers, said Robert Armbruster, director of the House of Worship restoration. “It’s taken us 10 years to really develop a program—the training, the deepening, and the ‎organization. organization.”‎

While overall responsibilities rest on a few year-round staff members, several youths have built up their skills over several summers and assist in the leadership, Mr. Armbruster said.

Angelina McLaughlin, a Chicago-area resident who has been cleaning the inner steel structure, described a typical day:

“I start at 8:15, scrub steel, stop for devotions, keep working, then stop for lunch, back to work until 5. We clean out dirt and rust, which prevents erosion and improves the safety,” she said.

The “stop for devotions” is not a whim. Every morning the youths gather to read and deepen, in part to bolster their attitude of service.

“That’s not something we asked them to do,” said John Richardson, concrete and stone conservator. “That’s something they’re doing of their own volition.

“There’s a buzz and an energy they have that’s just plain fun to be around,” he added, noting that a highlight this summer was when Universal House of Justice member Glenford Mitchell visited, talked to the youths for an hour and “left everybody walking about this far off the ground.

“How many summer jobs can you find where that’s part of the job?” he asked.

Other reflections from the team members themselves:

• Joe Senchuk of Chicago said his work with the ornamental concrete is “the best job I could ever have,” and he plans to make a career of masonry.
• Sarah Armbruster of Glencoe, Ill., helps repair historic architectural plans for the Temple with careful application of a wheat-based paste. “I like being able to work at the Temple as well as working with youth,” she said. “And I like seeing all the visitors ... with awe in their faces.”
• Karen Bermann, a student at the University of Illinois at Champaign, said service is the first thing she associates with her work in cataloging concrete test samples, but admitted she looks forward to one part of the day: “Lunch.”
• Ken Clayborne of Glencoe, a veteran summer worker on the painting crew, said his greatest joys in the work are the service and “seeing the work completed, especially on the Temple. It’s also stress-free.”

In the process hearts have been moved as well. Organizers report five declarations of faith in Bahá’u’lláh among members of the conservation team and the privately contracted crew working nearby on refinishing auditorium chairs.

Youths considering summer work or volunteering at the Bahá’í National Center should be aware they need to arrange on their own for places to stay, noted Christine Stanwood, recruiting specialist for the National Center.

In fact, high school-age kids should first look at helping out at one of the permanent Bahá’í schools or institutes, where there’s more structure and a more-established setup for hospitality, she said.

But she sang the praises of the young people who do help at the Temple, especially their role in teaching the Faith to summer visitors in the gardens late Saturday nights.

“If it wasn’t for the youths who come in, that wouldn’t exist,” she said.

Saghar Talebi, a youth volunteer from Holiday Island, Arkansas, contributed to this story.

An elevated view of the mundane

For those in charge of a building that is the Dawning-place of the praise of God, the most everyday concerns sometimes deserve a fresh look through a spiritual eye.

Three years ago, when work was planned to install an elevator to bring disabled people to the Temple auditorium, that fresh view was this: Some visitors are missing the full effect of the entrance to the holiest Bahá’í place of worship on this continent, simply because they cannot climb stairs.

“The House of Worship was designed to act on you visually and emotionally as you approach it,” said John Richardson, concrete and stone conservator. The design of the monumental stairs discourages approaching the auditorium too quickly, he noted, and “the colors, the materials, the light as well as all the symbolism woven into the design” of the building help prepare a visitor to enter the auditorium in a more meditative state.

So Robert Armbruster, director of the House of Worship restoration, set a goal: “His very approach was that the elevator has got to be a piece of the auditorium,” Mr. Richardson said. So one of the masonry craftsman’s first tasks at the Temple was to create an interior for the ‎elevator’s elevator‎ as the shaft and hoist mechanism were built.

He took months to devise the right concrete mix to cast several seven-foot-high panels of concrete only half an inch thick, matching the concrete in the auditorium walls in color and composition. The main difference was that while the walls are highly textured, the panels in the elevator had to be polished for the comfort of passengers.

Producing panels that thin was a challenge—“I was told it couldn’t be done”—but Mr. Richardson said a thicker layer of concrete would have been too heavy.

Near the top of the elevator is an elegant concrete molding with lights placed above, in the style of the auditorium’s decoration and lighting. In the rear is brasswork that mirrors other decoration in the auditorium.

One reason he relishes the results of his part in the project, Mr. Richardson said, is that the margin for error was so small compared to most concrete work. “It’s working with masonry on the tolerances of cabinetry,” he said.

Captions

• Matthew Talpt (left) of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Erik Anderson of Wilmette, Illinois, put in some high-altitude hours near the crest of the dome at the House of Worship over the summer. (Restoration project photos)
• Kathryn Lucatelli of Kalamazoo, Michigan, cleans steel frame members inside the dome.
• Some of the monumental stairs at a doorway to the House of Worship facing Lake Michigan (above) show cracks from weathering. At the top of the building, concrete and stone conservator John Richardson (right) shows a piece of concrete that has broken off. The surface of the concrete has become much more pebbly than the original finish as the elements have worn away cement. (Photos by James Humphrey)

[Page 26]

Local communities urged to plan UN Day activities

The National Spiritual Assembly, in collaboration with the United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA), invites local Bahá’í communities, permanent schools and college clubs to join with others in the nationwide observance October 24 of United Nations Day.

The Bahá’í community has historically given strong support to UN special event days and activities. They provide opportunities for Bahá’ís to share the teachings of the Faith on a wide range of topics.

The National Assembly encourages Bahá’ís either to plan their own activities or to link with other community groups in organizing activities for UN Day such as public meetings, seminars and proclamations. It also encourages public information representatives to coordinate related publicity.

Last year, the National Spiritual Assembly joined UNA-USA and 136 other organizations in sending an open letter to the White House and Congress calling on the government to fulfill its financial obligations to the UN. Despite a series of UN reforms to increase efficiency, the United States remains about $1.5 billion in arrears.

Also, the National Assembly is co-chair with Amnesty International USA of a Washington-based campaign to urge Senate action toward ratifying the UN Convention on Women.

In June the National Assembly sent information on the Convention to more than 140 local Assemblies, asked individuals to contact their senators on the issue and encouraged them to build local awareness of the importance of women’s rights.

For help in planning United Nations Day events, the UNA-USA can provide:

• A program manual titled “Building For A Sustainable Future,” available for $6 and focusing on three current UN issues: the funding crisis at the United Nations; implementation of Earth Summit +5, a UN General Assembly session on sustainable development held in June; and the international campaign to eliminate land mines.
• Programming ideas, identification of speakers and resources, and communication with UNA-USA chapters/divisions and college clubs.

Statements submitted to the United Nations by the Bahá’í International Community can be purchased through the Bahá’í Distribution Service. Other relevant publications include recent issues of World Order magazine.

For information and materials on UN Day, please contact Jeffery Huffines at the U.S./UN Bahá’í Office, 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 120, New York, NY 10017 (phone 212-803-2500; fax 212-803-2573; e-mail usun-nsa@bis.org) or Liz Marmanides at UNA-USA headquarters, 801 2nd Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10017 (phone 212-907-1300; fax 212-682-9185; e-mail lmarmanides@unausa.org).

For information on efforts for ratification of the Women’s Convention and payment of U.S. arrears to the UN, please contact the National Assembly’s Office of External Affairs, 1320 19th Street N.W., Suite 701, Washington, DC 20036 (phone 202-833-8990; fax 202-833-8988; e-mail oea-nsa@bis.org).

1997 BAHÁ’Í CONFERENCE ON SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE AMERICAS

THEME: DEVELOPING BAHÁ’Í COMMUNITIES OF SERVICE.

“...service to humankind is the purpose of both individual life and social organization.” —The Prosperity of Humankind

With featured presentations and speakers from throughout the Americas and a series of track networks for in-depth consultation, participants will enhance their capacities “...in equipping people and institutions with the means through which they can cultivate the limitless potentialities latent in human consciousness.” —The Prosperity of Humankind

DECEMBER 18-21, 1997 - CLARION PLAZA HOTEL - ORLANDO, FLORIDA

FEATURED PRESENTATIONS: Radio Bahá’í in Latin America - Foundation for the Application and Teaching of Science (FUNDAEC) - Núr University - Four Worlds International Institute for Human and Community Development

Representatives and Program Participants Invited from 150 Bahá’í Projects, Institutions/Agencies and Bahá’í-Inspired Organizations from 29 countries, plus Bahá’í International Community

FEATURED SPEAKERS AND PLENARY SESSION PRESIDERS:

Haleh Arbab (‎Columbia Colombia‎)	William E. Davis (U.S.)	Phil Lane, Jr. (Canada)
Eloy Anello (Bolivia)	Kenneth Gould (U.S.)	Jack Lenz (Canada)
Jacqueline Left Hand Bull (U.S.)	Duncan Hanks (Bolivia)	Patricia Osorio (Chile)
Elizabeth L. Bowen (U.S.)	Ann Jorgensen (Panama)	David S. Ruhe (U.S.)
Gustavo Correa (‎Columbia Colombia‎)	May Khadem (U.S.)	Andy A. Tamas (Canada)
		Susanne E. Tamas (Canada)

OTHER FEATURED TRACK PRESENTERS:

Dwight Allen (U.S.)	Alfred K. Neumann (U.S.)	Barry Smith (Honduras)
Austin Bowden-Kerby (Puerto Rico)	Helen Mirkovich (Costa Rica)	Marilyn J. Smith (Honduras)
Jaime Duhart (Chile)	Gordon A. Naylor (Canada)	Neil Whatley (Costa Rica)
Joseph Andrejchak Galata (U.S.)	Brian O’Toole (Guyana)	Donald R. Witzel (Venezuela)
Michael W. Horton (Bahamas)	Pamela O’Toole (Guyana)	...and many more
Owrang Kashef (Canada)	William Roberts (U.S.)
Larry M. Miller (U.S.)	Barbara J. Rodey (U.S.)

FEATURED PERFORMERS:

Red Grammer (U.S.)	Jack Lenz (Canada)
Thelma Khelghati (U.S.)	Mary K. Makoski (U.S.)
Phil Lane, Jr. (Canada)	Joel V. Oroná (U.S.)

TRACK NETWORKS: Advancement of Women; Agriculture; The Arts; Broadcast/Media; Business and Economics; Education; Environment; Health; Indigenous Peoples; Literacy; Marriage and Family; Peoples of African Descent.

“Let them step forth to take their places in the arena of service where their talents and skills, their specialized training, their material resources, their offers of time and energy and, above all, their dedication to Bahá’í principles, can be put to work in improving the lot of man.” —The Universal House of Justice (Message to the Bahá’ís of the World, October 20, 1983)

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION

Fee Type	Before November 20	After November 20
Adult Fee	$99	$119
Children & Jr. Youth Fee (3-14 years)	$39	$59
Youth Fee (15-20 years)	$59	$79

Add $19, if possible, to assist with Scholarships. No refund for “no-shows.”

HOTEL/AIRLINE INFORMATION Special Bahá’í group discount rates for:

• Hotel rooms at the Clarion Plaza Hotel in Orlando: $44 per night (up to 4 persons)

Limited Availability Call Promptly Hotel Reservation: 1-800-627-8258 or 407-354-1703

• Airfare Discounts from American Travel Consultants 1-800-393-5050 (outside North America 407-679-6655) File No. XS883

Make Check Payable and Mail To: RABBANI CHARITABLE TRUST 1477 W. FAIRBANKS AVE., Suite 200 WINTER PARK, FL 32789 GENERAL INFORMATION: 407-740-5415

Health for Humanity furthers global plan

Health for Humanity contributed to consultation at a World Health Organization conference in Geneva, Switzerland, which was convened to review the new global health policy, “Health for All for the 21st Century.”

About 130 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were invited into the consultation, which preceded the 50th World Health Assembly, held May 5-14 and involving the 191 member states of the World Health Organization.

Dr. Beth Bowen, a family physician from Atlanta, Georgia, represented Health for Humanity in one of six working groups, focusing on development of a global health policy.

Giovanni Ballerio, a representative of the Bahá’í International Community (which has worked with the WHO since 1989), also took part in that working group.

Garth Pollock, who serves HH as Eye Project Coordinator in Albania, participated in the working group on health, community action, and development.

Health for Humanity representatives traveled to Cameroon in February at the request of the WHO, to help initiate a project to fight river blindness. The Bahá’í Agency for Social and Economic Development, a Cameroonian NGDO (non-governmental development organization), made a commitment to the effort, with financial and technical help from HH.

That month, Health for Humanity also took part as an associate member of the Partnership of NGDOs Dedicated to Blindness Prevention and the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind in a meeting at WHO headquarters in Geneva. [Page 27]

Brazil celebrates establishment of new National Center

Ten years of efforts to establish a National Center in Brasilia, Brazil, were rewarded during a reception attended by more than 70 authorities and leaders of thought in the capital, followed closely by a dedication ceremony for the new Center.

The ceremony included prayers, readings from scriptures, and music by the Brasilia Bahá’í Choir. “[This] all blended together to make the event a very spiritual and touching one,” a report on the event said.

In attendance at the reception May 21 were representatives of ministers of state, federal deputies, the director-general of the national Senate, ambassadors and diplomats, writers, artists, media representatives and other friends of the Faith.

The official inauguration of the new headquarters of the Brazilian community took place May 23 in the presence of 200 Bahá’ís from many states and localities.

A plaque unveiled at the event was inscribed in part: “The Brazilian Bahá’í community dedicates this Bahá’í National Office to the service of God and humanity, inspired by the following words of Bahá’u’lláh: ‘The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens.’”

More than 60 new believers entered the Faith in Nukalofa, Tonga, during a four-week effort in April and May by the Dr. Muhajir Teaching Project, which was developed in consultation with Auxiliary Board members, the National Spiritual Assembly and local believers.

Organizers had decided to teach on the island of Tongatapu in areas with strong local Spiritual Assemblies to assure consolidation and nurturing of the new believers.

The first base of operations chosen was Patangata, where the Bahá’ís are “wonderful, deepened individuals who have activities five or six nights a week,” organizers reported.

Teachers were sent to the neighborhood to talk at firesides that were filled to capacity every weeknight, and youth groups performed during public meetings every weekend. An Auxiliary Board member for that area, Mrs. Sela Paasi, moved in with her assistants to start simultaneous consolidation, with deepening programs for new believers.

East of the capital, youths were enrolling more new believers on teaching trips every night.

A report from two Auxiliary Board members on the island of Vavau states that a similar teaching project had garnered several enrollments at roughly the same time.

A Training Institute in Hyderabad, India, in late May bore immediate fruit as a participant soon ushered dozens of new declarants into the Faith.

The eight-day class, focusing on materials developed through the Ruhi Institute, had 19 participants who studied and memorized the Bahá’í Sacred Writings.

One of the participants, who is blind, later led teaching activities in his own village that resulted in declarations of faith by 40 new believers.

The State Bahá’í Council of Andhra Pradesh reported that the institute also was successful in “creating 51 Bahá’í tutors at the grass-roots level who are now offering tutoring to the respective local believers.”

Members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Solomon Islands express their ‘unity of purpose, unity of spirit, unity in laughter’ after a meeting held in Honiara in May.

A gathering of the National Spiritual Assembly of Rwanda with representatives from 14 local Spiritual Assemblies was the first Bahá’í institute held in that nation since the subsiding of the tragic ethnic war.

“All three [major] ethnic groups gathered in unity for three days of intensive study,” the National Assembly reported.

The gathering in June, at the National Bahá’í Center in Kigali, culminated in a consultation on the goals of the Four Year Plan. It followed the re-formation of the National Spiritual Assembly for the first time since its suspension due to the war.

“We feel great confirmations and blessings are flowing to Rwanda where a strong united community is striving to share the healing message of unity brought by Bahá’u’lláh. This is truly a new beginning for the Bahá’ís of Rwanda.”

Members of the Bahá’í communities of the Netherlands and Belgium received the first Dutch-language edition of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, the Most Holy Book, in a May 18 ceremony hosted by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Netherlands.

The occasion also saw the unveiling of the first stone of the future House of Worship in the Netherlands, presented as a gift on behalf of all the country’s Bahá’ís.

Before about 900 Bahá’ís and relatives gathered at the Musis Sacrem in Arnhem, Netherlands, Louis Hénuzet, a member of the Continental Board of Counselors, spoke about the book, in which Bahá’u’lláh announced His exalted station and issued Divine laws and decrees.

The program included santour and violin music, a talk on the historical background of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, and a dance by five youths representing the search for true life.

Marga van Luijtelaar, a member of the host National Spiritual Assembly, noted that many friends had worked since 1993 to make publication of the Most Holy Book in Dutch possible.

The stone for the House of Worship, a five-sided block of basalt, was presented to the Assembly as “a link between this day and that glorious day in the future when the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár will be built.”

The European Diversity Dance Workshop drew more than 3,000 spectators and active media attention with eight days of performances during April in Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Septemes les Vallons and Salon de Provence, France.

Performances were given in a variety of halls, including Espace Julien—one of Marseille’s best-known halls—two universities, a high school and other public places.

An observer reported that audiences applauded the presentation on the Bahá’í Faith at the beginning of each show, including two quotations from Bahá’u’lláh.

The tour inspired one person to declare his faith in Bahá’u’lláh. In addition, the project was reported in four newspaper articles, six radio interviews and a short television report.

The Bahá’ís of Ethiopia dedicated the Permanent Teaching Institute of Weyisso on June 1, with hundreds of people in attendance. “This was a most successful and happy gathering,” a newsletter article reported, “with entertainment provided by youth from Addis Ababa and 11 young Bahá’ís from the United States who happened to be visiting.”

The ceremony followed a Ridván during which teaching activities in several regions resulted in the formation of seven new local Spiritual Assemblies.

“The new Bahá’ís ... have really taken responsibility for spreading the Faith,” the newsletter reported. “We are all so in awe of Bahá’u’lláh that He has raised up such believers and we feel humbled to be able to be witnessing this ‘entry by troops.’”

On July 5, the government of Kyrgyzstan, a former Soviet republic in central Asia, recognized the Bahá’í Faith as an independent religion with a registration certificate signed by the country’s president.

A European tour of the “Voices of Bahá” choir took three dozen Bahá’ís from five countries to performances in nine cities last spring.

The group, conducted by Tom Price, performed choral songs as well as solo performances by Hooshmand Aghili, Ava, Dash Crofts, Lucie Dubé, Adrienne Ewing-Roush, Van Gilmer, Red Grammer, Paul Seaforth and Dan Seals. There also were a barbershop quartet and a trio of three young girls.

After two days of rehearsals and prayers at the grave of the Guardian in London, England, the praises of Bahá’u’lláh were sung in:

• The Great Assembly Hall of Holland Park School in London, with about 2,000 in attendance.
• A hall in Paris, France, with 270 people who felt such excitement that some joined the singers on stage during a performance of “We Have Come to Sing Praises.”
• The Palais des Beaux Arts in Brussels, Belgium, where a television crew taped the program witnessed by about 300, who demanded an encore.
• Luxembourg, where several dignitaries in attendance included the ambassador for the United States, who invited the group for tea at the Embassy the next day.
• The Filharmonie Filderstadt in Stuttgart, Germany, where 550 attended.
• The Tonhalle in St. Gallen, Switzerland, where 450 attended and the concert was a benefit for the United Nations Children’s Fund. National Spiritual Assembly member Heinz Goeltenboth presented 6,000 Swiss francs to a UNICEF representative, who said it would go toward education of girls in India.
• The Salle Paderewski in Lausanne, Switzerland, where the performance before a mostly young audience of 350 “was very important for the French-speaking part of Switzerland,” a report stated. “It mobilized the community for future events.”
• The Auditorium del Palazzo dei Congressi in Florence, Italy, where the local Spiritual Assembly’s pre-event publicity was so successful, 450 members of the audience of 650 were non-Bahá’ís. Listeners were “standing holding hands during most of the music,” the Assembly reported.
• Vienna, Austria, where the National Spiritual Assembly arranged a Bahá’í-only concert as part of a fundraising event for the Mount Carmel projects.

[Page 28]

NABI

Continued from Page 1

literally before observers’ eyes. Yet after four days drinking deeply from the spiritual waters of NABI, they left more committed than ever to a life of service.

Preparation for service

The weekend’s defining moment for many youth came Thursday night when they participated in the sweat lodge, a tool used by the Indians to build one’s inner strength even while being tested physically.

All day those who chose to sweat had been preparing for the experience.

Joel Orona, NABI co-administrator, likened the process to teaching. Initially, the seeker has little knowledge, lots of questions, and a measure of fear. As questions are answered, concerns are allayed and understanding can begin.

It is the same with the sweat. The prospect of sitting for four rounds of prayers and shared thoughts in a small domed enclosure with the temperature rising and steam filling the air from heated rocks is daunting.

But Dr. Orona assured the youth that the sweat would be conducted carefully. He explained that between rounds participants emerge for fresh air and a cool drink, and at any time an individual who no longer can bear the heat is free to leave without shame.

He also led the youth on an exploration of heroes and heroines. They discussed how Americans generally choose who they emulate. They contrasted that with the qualities of character our spiritual role models should have. And they were urged to examine how they personally stand in respect to those standard bearers.

Just before the sweat, Cherokee storyteller Mike Lindsey, a Bahá’í pioneer to Rock Point, Arizona, reinforced the notion of discovering a personal path to service in a series of tales delivered around a roaring campfire.

Then, with the Milky Way providing illumination, the youth traipsed across sagebrush to the sweat lodge for an experience none will ever forget.

For these already-radiant young ‎Bahá’í’s Bahá’ís‎ emerged from each round with an added strength and serenity that shone on their faces. As a NABI staff member commented the next day about the sweat, “It’s amazing how much you can see when you can’t see anything at all.”

Taking up the challenge

Friday saw the youth continue their process of forging a Bahá’í identity.

Marty and Mike Lindsey helped the youth build consultation skills, which they immediately put to use in planning a presentation of thanks to the NABI staff.

Michael Orona of the NABI staff led a discussion on the foundations of world unity, tracing evolution in thought from the European “rights of man”—property, security, and liberty—to the corresponding requirements of today: education, racial harmony, and justice.

Michael and Roman Orona and their wives, Selena and Shahrzad, thrilled the youth with slides of recent traveling teaching trips to Malaysia and the Yukon. And they described opportunities for service at NABI.

That led perfectly into the assignment of duties to the youth for the remainder of the weekend.

As Dr. Orona and co-administrator Esther Orona explained, the youth conference wasn’t being held in an artificial environment. NABI is a teaching institute founded to serve the capacity-building needs of people in the area, particularly those on the Navajo Reservation.

The next two days would see hundreds of people—Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í and from many cultures—arrive for educational workshops and the pow-wow, they noted. The youths’ role would be to show the Bahá’í principles in action by their service and spirit.

Bunkhouses, bathrooms and kitchens would need to be cleaned and trash barrels continually emptied. The children’s program would require helpers.

It might not be exciting work, but if the youth were willing to do whatever is needed, they would have what it takes to “conquer the world.”

Dancers in full regalia (above) are one of the highlights of the annual pow-wow at NABI. Between youth conference sessions (left), participants find shade and fellowship. (Photos by Tom Mennillo)

In this the youth would have great role models in the NABI staff itself and the volunteers such as Seth Ward and Charlotte Kahn in the kitchen who made the weekend possible.

Further proof the youth were flexing spiritual muscles came that night during the conference-ending talking circle in NABI’s beautiful prayer hogan. As they spoke one by one around the circle, a momentum built.

Some had known each other before, but now they knew those friends—and themselves—in an entirely new way.

They were effusive in appreciation for the opportunity to connect, not only with other cultures, but also with their Bahá’í spiritual family.

They described leaving their comfort zones to experience the sweat lodge and open themselves up to other challenges totally outside their previous experience.

And they laid down burdens that had weighed on their souls for so long.

Fortified for the future

Thus fortified, they were ready to serve and enjoy the rest of the weekend.

First, early Saturday morning, came the 5K Run through the Indian trails on and around the NABI campus. Many of the youth joined in, as did visitors from afar and nearby residents.

Twenty-four entrants in all braved the 6,500-foot altitude, none more gamely than 5-year-old Jacob Lincoln, who ran the whole way and finished to enthusiastic applause.

The Children as Peacemakers program started in the classroom building after breakfast, with children of all backgrounds learning how to enjoy each others’ contributions to our lives.

In the shadehouse, a round open-air building ringed with benches, adults in the Spiritual Education workshop studied the Bahá’í writings for guidance on how to develop their own and children’s spirituality.

A third workshop, a continuation of last year’s Paths to Healing seminar, met in the prayer hogan. Practitioners from many modalities consulted on how their and traditional services could best serve the needs of area residents.

Saturday afternoon and evening, it was pow-wow time.

Dancers of all ages and from many tribes donned their regalia. Seven drums waited their turn to beat accompaniment. People of all hues sat on benches or in any shade to chat and enjoy the program.

In the shadehouse, volunteers stood by a display on the Bahá’í Faith and prepared for inquiries. An acupuncturist and a Reiki practitioner also offered their services. A fireside in the prayer hogan by Bahá’í artist Mitchell Silas, featuring intricate sand paintings, was keenly anticipated.

Then the call went out for Grand Entry. The dancers marched in category after category behind the U.S., Navajo, Arizona, and POW/MIA flags.

After prayers and a song honoring veterans, the colors were posted and the dancing began.

Tiny tots’ dances, girls’ jingle dances, and men’s traditional and fancy dances alternated with social dances called intertribals in which anyone, audience included, could get out on the pow-wow ground and add their expressions in dance.

A blanket dance midway through the afternoon garnered contributions to defray the expenses of the dancers.

A dance also honored the head male and female dancers, Carlos Peynetsa and Wabinook Blackard, who traveled all the way from Chicago to participate. Mr. Peynetsa had worked with Dr. Orona there, and he came bearing gifts for the NABI staff: beautifully beaded Chicago Bulls caps.

Rounding out the afternoon, the Tohono O’odham dancers from Gila Bend in southern Arizona presented dances.

A cleansing rain

A few sprinkles had been felt in midafternoon, but it appeared the 500 “Removers of Difficulties” recited by the staff after torrential rains Tuesday and Wednesday were warding off a further deluge.

The evening saw the afternoon’s program repeated, with one notable exception. The youths poured onto the pow-wow ground to present their own thank-you to the NABI staff. They had made a huge poster covered with photographs taken during the weekend. Two youth also presented a rap of gratitude for the experience. A videotape of the presentation was to be given to the staff as a gift.

Around 9 p.m., just after Roman Orona finished a ceremony honoring one of the drums, a cloudburst sent spectators scurrying for cover. The dances went on, and after a few minutes the rain ceased.

Then, around midnight, as the emcees were thanking everyone for their attendance, the skies finally opened up. It rained all night, driving many campers from their tents to their cars or into the bunkhouse. Much of the night, however, the youth, staff, and other volunteers labored to clean up from the pow-wow for Sunday’s final workshop sessions.

That last day signaled time for everyone to take home what they had learned to benefit themselves and others year-round. The youth, especially, had spread their wings, and they were eager to soar. [Page 29]

Bridge across languages in Carolina

Pereira/Abbasi project aims to help Latino immigrants embrace community

“It should not, for a moment, be forgotten that Central and Southern America embrace no less than 20 independent nations ... and are destined to play an increasingly important part in the shaping of the world’s future destiny.” —Shoghi Effendi

It began simply enough. One day in January 1996, several Bahá’ís in Charlotte, North Carolina, began a conversation in a mall with a man from Honduras. Twenty-one months and more than 60 declarants later, the Charlotte Bahá’í community stands transformed.

Roberto Carcamo declared his faith in Bahá’u’lláh shortly after that conversation, and his wife, Vanessa, his son Guillermo, and his sister-in-law Maura soon followed. Thus began a chain of declarations that led to the community’s embracing troops of new believers from Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico and other Latin American countries.

The enthusiasm shown by the new Latino Bahá’ís has energized the entire community. A few minutes before signing his card, Jairo Guillen Mora of Costa Rica said, “I don’t need to ask myself if I’m sure. I’m just surprised I’d never heard of it before.”

Efforts to consolidate these new declarants were hindered by the small number of deepened believers who spoke Spanish and the large number of new believers who spoke little or no English. Consolidation progressed slowly as the number of declarations continued to rise.

Prompted by the offer of two Ecuadorean youths to do their Year of Service in Charlotte, the local Spiritual Assembly has launched a project designed specifically for consolidation among the new Latino Bahá’ís.

The Pereira/Abbasi Project was named in honor of two heroines of the Faith dear to the Charlotte community, Dr. Sarah Martin Pereira and Mrs. Talieh Abbasi, both audacious teachers and loving friends who spent their last years in Charlotte.

The main activities of the Pereira/Abbasi Project are the deepening visits to the homes of new Latino Bahá’ís. Project members also work to involve the Latino believers in weekly firesides and spiritual meetings in Spanish.

Another element of the project is to offer English classes to these recent immigrants and to give them information about social services.

The vision of this project is to have an active core of deepened Latino teachers and administrators who are completely integrated into the Bahá’í community. The project’s task force sees its ability to be flexible and systematic as a key to its success. One member of the local Spiritual Assembly of Charlotte, James Pitts, said, “I sincerely believe that this area has received this spiritual bounty for a purpose. Our challenge as a community is to create an atmosphere that allows our Latin American sisters and brothers to be active participants in the Cause.”

The Spiritual Assembly of Charlotte is accepting applications from youth and adults with a working knowledge of Spanish who wish to serve on the project. Pioneers and short-term visitors are welcome.

Project members live with local Bahá’í families and may be asked to help with expenses.

“Teaching minorities who have difficulties with English is almost like pioneering to a country where you don’t speak the language,” said Mehrdad Badiian, a member of the task force. “You have to get out of your comfort zone, and that means sacrifice, and without sacrifice there is no success or victory.”

For more information, contact the Pereira/Abbasi Task Force, Charlotte, NC 28211 (phone 704-442-0121 or e-mail

Denver picks up pace on media

Since its formation at a town meeting in February, the Bahá’í media committee in the Denver, Colorado, area has established an e-mail address for use in advertising, proclaimed the Faith on a PBS television station, and publicized a Race Unity Day picnic through invitations, television, newspapers and a mayoral proclamation.

The Bahá’í Information Service has used the e-mail address Bahai.Faith@usa.net in local advertising, and responses are forwarded to appropriate communities.

It is seen as the first step in reaching the goal of creating a teaching and service Web site.

In March, 15 Bahá’ís from nine Denver-area communities staffed public TV station KBDI’s phone banks for five hours during the spring membership drive.

The volunteers wore Bahá’í T-shirts, and the announcer read a paragraph on Bahá’í principles from information he was given.

Station staff expressed interest in Bahá’í programming, and the committee is in the process of obtaining and reviewing videos.

PARTICIPATE

INSTITUTES & SCHOOLS

Davison, MI - Louhelen Bahá’í School, September 26 - 28, College Club Weekend. Contact Louhelen, (810) 653-5033.

Eliot, ME - Green Acre Bahá’í School, September 26 - 28, College Club Weekend. Contact Green Acre, (207) 439-7200.

Eliot, ME - Green Acre Bahá’í School, October 30 - November 2, Pioneering/Year of Service/SITA Institute presented by the Office of Pioneering. Contact Green Acre, (207) 439-7200.

Eliot, ME - Green Acre Bahá’í School, October, special weekend Institute for youth ages 15 and up. Contact Green Acre, (207) 439-7200.

Florida - Florida Bahá’í Winter School, November 27 - 30, The Four Year Plan, featuring guest speakers Gilbert Hakim, Kery McCord, James Sturdivant, and Howard Tangler, with entertainment by Carla Baker. Contact Denise Godsey, (954) 942-1844.

Glenwood Springs, CO - Hotel Colorado, Annual Commemoration of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to Glenwood Springs, September 12 - 14, Prerequisites to Peace. Speakers Jack McCants and Brent Poirier, meditation workshop with Mehri Jensen, dynamic youth program with year of service highlights by Akin Green and Adam Headington. Proclamation events with Kevin Locke, Yvonne Varis and the Colorado Bahá’í Youth Workshop. Contact Nancy O’Brien, (970) 464-5196.

Hemingway, SC - Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute, September 20 - 21, Individual and Teaching. Cost is $35.00 with $10.00 pre-registration fee. Contact LGI, (803) 558-5093.

Hemingway, SC - Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute, October 10 - 12, College Club Weekend. Cost is $50.00 with $5.00 pre-registration fee. Contact LGI, (803) 558-5093.

Oklahoma - Oklahoma Regional Bahá’í School, September 26 - 28. Contact David Gainey, (405) 622-2655.

Phoenix, AZ - Grand Canyon Conference, December 25 - 29, The Covenant, at the Hyatt Regency downtown. Contact LSA of Phoenix, Priscilla Sharp, (602) 995-3817.

Santa Cruz, CA - Bosch Bahá’í School, October 10 - 12, College Club Weekend. Contact Bosch, (408) 423-3387.

Wisconsin - 38th Annual Greenlake Bahá’í Conference, September 12 - 14, The Institutions: Channels of God’s Grace, with speakers Counsellor Stephen Birkland, Dwight Allen, Michael Penn, Kathy Penn, Linda Kavelin Popov and Daniel Popov. Special guests Marguerite Sears and Javidukht Khadem. Exciting youth program, children’s classes, and jewelry from Ansar. Contact Lori Block, (414) 432-7110.

COLLEGE CLUB WEEKENDS

These weekends are scheduled at the beginning of the academic year to enable campus clubs to plan early for a year of activities.

IS YOUR CAMPUS CLUB STUCK? Bring your challenges to the college club weekend near you and let the group consult about how to improve the club.

IS YOUR CAMPUS CLUB JAMMIN’? Bring your strategies and methods to the table to share with other clubs.

The ‎collge college‎ club weekends will provide a chance to connect with other Bahá’í students in your area, make new friendships, exchange ideas and effective approaches to teaching and service on campus, study the Four Year Plan, be connected with national plans and goals, and consult with members of the Auxiliary Board. Please encourage the graduate and undergraduate students in your area to attend these important weekends.

SEPTEMBER 26 - 28, 1997: Green Acre Bahá’í School (207) 439-7200 Louhelen Bahá’í School (810) 653-5033

OCTOBER 10 - 12, 1997: Bosch Bahá’í School (408) 423-3387 & Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute (803) 558-5093

For more information, contact the National Youth Committee at

one magazine

Subscribe now to One and get nine great issues at $5 off the cover price! Send your name, address, and a check for $22.00 (payable to One magazine) to: One Subscription. Kittery, ME 03904.

One magazine is ‎puplished published‎ nine times a year by Bahá’í youth using a consultative, collaborative process. It features art, poetry, stories and reviews. One is sponsored by the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Eliot, ME and is reviewed at the US Bahá’í National Center. Send contributions and inquiries to One magazine. Kittery, ME 03904. (207) 438-9034. [Page 30]

CARTA A LOS AMIGOS

De la Comisión de Trabajo Latinoamericana

A letter to the friends from the Latin American Task Force

Dear and esteemed friends in the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh:

“Fire in Florida!” This battle cry denotes the Hispanic teaching campaign recently inaugurated by the Latin American Task Force for the southern zone of the state of Florida.

The campaign, which will begin in Broward and Dade counties, is planned with a view to its spreading throughout the state during the next three years.

Thanks to the energy, enthusiasm and dedication of the believers in the area, the Task Force, in collaboration with the local Assemblies and members of the Auxiliary Board, began developing specific plans for the campaign during a general consultation held August 9–10 at the Magdalene Carney Regional Institute in Belle Glade, Florida.

The meeting was quite a success, attended by about 50 people including a good number of youth, members of the Auxiliary Board, the board of directors of the Institute, and members of the committee named to plan the teaching campaign.

The consultation, centered on the plans and lines of action to follow during the initial stages of the campaign, was marked by enthusiasm, unity of thought, fellowship and good humor. The program further included a social evening to which residents in the neighborhood were invited, and a talk on the Faith that was open to the public.

Sunday morning the Task Force consulted with members of the Auxiliary Board, the board of directors of the Institute, and the campaign committee. At the same time, teaching groups contacted people on the streets. As a result, three friends of the Faith declared their belief in Bahá’u’lláh.

The previous Friday, a “Latin evening” was held at the Broward County Bahá’í Center with Counselor Arturo Serrano, who invited all the Hispanic friends in the area for an evening of fellowship and consultation.

Florida, one of the “key areas” named by the National Teaching Committee for opening the door to entry by troops, thus joins other areas already on the move, including Atlanta, Los Angeles and Boston.

We express our deep gratitude to all those whose dedicated efforts have attracted these confirmations from Bahá’u’lláh.

It is important to note that the campaign in Florida is the first one to be launched exclusively with the idea of attracting the Hispanic population to the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh.

A similar campaign is envisioned for the Chicago area, which, like Florida, has been designated a “key area.” In collaboration with the local Assembly and believers in that area, a meeting is planned for Chicago on September 20.

Its purpose is for the friends to come together to share their love for Bahá’u’lláh and to consult about the best ways to make his Message known within the large Hispanic community in that area.

One needn’t be Hispanic to attend. All those who wish to help with Hispanic teaching are welcome.

In California, at the Bosch School, the Task Force, in collaboration with the National Teaching Committee, is sponsoring a National Hispanic Teaching Conference on November 7–9.

The conference will focus on intensive study of projects to establish model teaching campaigns and to set forth guidelines for developing the human resources necessary to promote entry by troops in the Hispanic community.

Among those taking part in the conference will be Counselor Serrano, members of the National Teaching Committee, and other special guests.

As can be seen, the work is beginning to take on encouraging prospects, thanks in large part to the initiative and efforts of the believers who have arisen in these areas, confidently and decisively, to spread the Message of Bahá’u’lláh.

We would like to remind the friends of the words of the beloved Guardian, quoted by the Universal House of Justice in its Ridván 153 message to the Bahá’ís of the world:

“Shoghi Effendi underscored the absolute necessity of individual initiative and action. He explained that without the support of the individual, ‘at once wholehearted, continuous and generous,’ every measure of the National Spiritual Assembly is ‘foredoomed to failure,’ the purpose of the Master’s Divine Plan is ‘impeded,’ and furthermore, the sustaining strength of Bahá’u’lláh Himself ‘will be withheld from every and each individual believer, who possesses the power of execution which only he can release through his own initiative and sustained action....’ Not until all the friends come to realize that every one of them is able, in his own measure, to deliver the Message, can they ever hope to reach the goal that has been set before them by a loving and wise Master.... Everyone is a potential teacher. He has only to use what God has given him and thus prove that he is faithful to his trust.”

Latin American Task Force

August 1997

Everyone is a potential teacher. He has only to use what God has given him and thus prove that he is faithful to his trust. —Universal House of Justice

Queridos y Estimados Amigos en la Causa de Bahá’u’lláh:

“¡Fuego en La Florida!” Se trata de la campaña de enseñanza hispana inaugurada recientemente por la Comisión de Trabajo Latinoamericana para la zona sureña del estado de la Florida. La campaña, la cual comenzará en los condados de Broward y Dade, está planteada con miras a extenderse a todo el estado durante los próximos tres años.

Gracias a la energía y al entusiasmo y dedicación de los creyentes del área, la Comisión de Trabajo con la colaboración de las Asambleas locales, los miembros del Cuerpo Auxiliar, y el Instituto Regional Magdalene Carney, se dispone a formular los planes específicos de la campaña en una consulta general que se llevará a cabo en el Instituto Magdalene Carney (en Belle Glade, Florida) el fin de semana del 9 y 10 de Agosto.

La reunión fue muy exitosa, con 50 participantes incluyendo a un buen número de jóvenes, a miembros del Cuerpo Auxiliar, de la Junta Directiva del Instituto, y del Comité asesor para la campaña de enseñanza a planear.

La consulta, enfocada en los planes y líneas de acción a seguir durante las etapas iniciales de la campaña, abundó en entusiasmo, unidad de pensamiento, camaradería y buen humor. El programa incluyó además una noche social a la cual fueron invitados los habitantes de la vecindad, y una charla sobre la Fe abierta al ‎publico público‎.

El domingo por la mañana la Comisión consultó con los miembros del Cuerpo Auxiliar, de la Junta Directiva del Instituto y del Comité asesor. Al mismo tiempo, grupos de enseñanza se desplazaron por las calles. Como resultado de lo anterior, tres amigos de la Fe declararon su creencia en Bahá’u’lláh.

El viernes antes, 8 de Agosto, en el Centro Bahá’í del Condado de Broward, habrá una “Noche Latina” con el Consejero Arturo Serrano, quien ha invitado a todos los amigos hispanos del área a una noche de camaradería y de consulta.

La Florida, uno de los “sectores claves” indicados por el Comité Nacional de Enseñanza para abrir la puerta a la entrada en tropas, se une así a otras áreas ya en movimiento, tales como Atlanta, Los Angeles y Boston.

Expresamos nuestro profundo agradecimiento a todos cuyos dedicados esfuerzos han atraído ‎esta confirmaciones estas confirmaciones‎ de Bahá’u’lláh.

Es preciso anotar que esta campaña en la Florida es la primera que se lanza exclusivamente con el ánimo de atraer a la población hispana.

Otra campaña semejante se ‎prevee prevé‎ para la el área de Chicago, que al igual que la Florida, es ‎tambien también‎ “sector clave.” Se está planeando en colaboración con la Asamblea local y los creyentes del área, una reunión en Chicago para el sábado 20 de Septiembre. El propósito es el que los amigos puedan unirse ese día a compartir su amor por Bahá’u’lláh y a consultar sobre la mejor manera de hacer conocer Su Mensaje en la gran comunidad hispana de la región. No es necesario ser hispano para ser invitado: se da la bienvenida a todos los creyentes que deseen ayudar con la enseñanza hispana. Recibirán más detalles en la debida oportunidad.

En California, en la Escuela Bahá’í Bosch, la Comisión, en colaboración con el Comité Nacional de Enseñanza, auspiciará una Conferencia Nacional de Enseñanza Hispana enfocada en el estudio intensivo de proyectos con el fin de establecer modelos de proyectos de enseñanza, y de señalar las pautas para el desarrollo de los recursos humanos necesarios para promover la entrada en tropas en la comunidad hispana. La conferencia se llevará a cabo del 7 al 9 de Noviembre, con la participación del Consejero Serrano, miembros del Comité Nacional de Enseñanza, y otros invitados especiales.

Como pueden apreciarlo, el trabajo ‎comienze comienza‎ a tomar perspectivas muy alentadoras, gracias en gran parte a la iniciativa y a los esfuerzos de los creyentes que en estas regiones se han levantado de manera confiada y decisiva a esparcir el Mensaje de Bahá’u’lláh.

Queremos recordar a los amigos las palabras del amado Guardián, citadas por la Casa Universal de Justicia en el mensaje de Ridván 153:

“Shoghi Effendi, subrayando la necesidad absoluta de la iniciativa y acción individuales, ha explicado que sin el respaldo del individuo ‘al mismo tiempo entregado, continuo y generoso,’ ‎todos las planes todos los planes‎ y medidas adoptados por su Asamblea Espiritual Nacional están ‘condenados al fracaso, el propósito del Plan Divino del Maestro queda “impedido,” y lo que es más, la fuerza sustentadora del propio Bahá’u’lláh se ha de apartar de todos y cada uno de los creyentes que a la larga no se alcen a desempeñar su parte.’ De ahí, que el corazón mismo de todo progreso que deba realizarse, sea el creyente individual quien posee el poder de ejecución, que sólo él puede ejercitar con su propia iniciativa y acción sostenida. ... Hasta que los amigos no lleguen a comprender que cualquiera de ellos es capaz, dentro de su propia medida, de entregar el Mensaje, jamás podrán concebir esperanzas de alcanzar la meta a la que les emplazó un Maestro sabio y amoroso. ... Cada cual es potencialmente un maestro. Lo único que le corresponde hacer es emplear lo que Dios le ha dado y de esa manera demostrar que es fiel a su encomienda.”

Comisión de Trabajo Latinoamericana

Agosto 1997

Cada cual es potencialmente un maestro. Lo único que le corresponde hacer es emplear lo que Dios le ha dado y de esa manera demostrar que es fiel a su encomienda. —Casa Universal de Justicia

[Page 31]

Core curriculum movement taken beyond borders

“On behalf of the first International Teacher Training Seminar, we would like to express our heartfelt appreciation for this momentous opportunity to participate in the Core Curriculum training.

“We each experienced spiritual transformation as we took part in the activities so energetically, lovingly and creatively presented.”

So reads in part a letter to the National Spiritual Assembly from the 21 women and men who took part July 11–17 in the country’s first international teacher training sessions, held at the Louhelen Bahá’í School’s National Teacher Training Center.

Participants came from Alaska, the Bahamas, Canada, Eritrea, Germany, Hawaii, India, Italy, Kuwait, Norway, Spain and the U.S. to implement the Core Curriculum spiritual education program designed to train teachers and educate children according to the needs and circumstances of the countries in which they live.

Strategies for implementation will include applying the systematic study of the Bahá’í writings to the needs and aspirations of the friends they serve. Because the spiritual education program for training teachers focuses on the role and responsibilities of the teacher, the spiritual reality of the child, the importance of parents and community in education, and the skills of lesson planning and classroom management, participants expressed their conviction that this training program can be easily adapted to meet the diverse needs of their countries.

This training for those who will train children’s teachers offered a unique opportunity not only for studying the Bahá’í writings and consulting about their application to various circumstances, but also for sharing artistic and cultural patterns that will lend beauty to the service of the friends from the Bahamas to Alaska, from Hawaii to Eritrea.

The friends’ comments reflect their dedication to the spiritual education and training of children everywhere, citing “the infusion and renewal of the spirit of love” and “a new understanding of the Writings, a new idea of putting them into action.”

Participants were also introduced to the National Assembly’s other training programs including those for parents, race unity, and marriage and family life as well as courses for new and veteran believers on the fundamental verities of the Faith.

Simultaneously, teacher training sessions were being held in Belarus, Romania and Russia by friends who had taken part in previous sessions of the teacher training program.

These friends report that participants’ “understanding of the concepts of the Four Valleys, for example, was extraordinary. They explored it very well, and came up with observations [we] had never thought of before and that were very inspirational.”

News also arrived at Louhelen about the soon-to-be-completed Parent Facilitator training sessions sponsored by the National Education Committee of Brazil.

Sharing these stories both inspired and affirmed the participants in the training seminar at Bosch. Dissolving barriers and increasing communications make shared resources more apparent and accessible through the use of the Teacher Training Center at Louhelen.

Learning how to teach the teachers of children at the International Teacher Training Seminar at Louhelen sometimes means taking a kids’-eye view of hands-on playing and sharing.

Green Acre plans college program

Fall programming at the Green Acre Bahá’í School in Eliot, Maine, begins September 26–28 with a College Club symposium presented by the National Youth Committee.

The weekend sessions will explore the role college clubs can play as leaders in social activism and in sharing the Bahá’í perspective on campus “hot topics,” and also will deal with the meaning of Bahá’í scholarship.

That weekend, the Green Acre School will take part in the annual Eliot Festival Days with a special program, tours of the Sarah Farmer Inn and a turkey dinner served to the public.

An expanded three-day program will be offered October 10–13 with Sheila Banani presenting a course on The Seven Valleys. An evening of performance art will highlight the program.

In addition, special Persian-language sessions on “The Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: An Overview” will be offered by Dr. Amin Banani. Sunday evening’s program will include a Persian dinner, music and dancing.

Bring the family October 17–19 when presenters Pepper and Peter ‎Oldjiey Oldziey‎ offer a unique session in which children, youth and adults work together to explore “the Bahá’í community as workshop” with emphasis on Four Year Plan goals and on inviting the generality of humankind to embrace the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh.

On October 24–26, join Jeffery Huffines, U.S. Bahá’í representative to the United Nations, for discussions and workshops on “Bringing the UN Home.” Participants will learn about the history of the Faith at the UN, discuss the Bahá’í approach to politics and the emergence of the Lesser Peace, and consult about ways to engage their communities in UN-related initiatives.

To register, or to obtain information about Green Acre, phone 207-439-7200, e-mail   or use Green Acre’s new fax number, 207-438-9940.

In brief ...

Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute

The summer of 1997 has been filled with renewed hope, excitement and vision for Bahá’í children and youth who have attended Summer Academies at the Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute in South Carolina.

Five academies were held July 5–August 3. The Field Academies were housed in Conway, with teaching and consolidation as part of their daily routine. Activities of the Basic Academy included study of the Writings, prayer and meditation, arts and crafts, recreation, discussion of current issues concerning youth, teaching and service activities on campus and in the community.

In addition to youth-centered activities, July marked the 11th annual Black Men’s Gathering. More than 95 people took part, and many made commitments to travel and teach in Africa.

Native American Bahá’í Institute

The Native American Bahá’í Institute offers a work/study program Monday through Friday, consisting of a four-hour service project and four-hour college or vocational studies program.

The Institute is also continuing its social and economic development program for American Indian children, youth, adults and community organizations. NABI invites the friends to consider homefront pioneering to the Navajo Reservation.

An Artist in Residence program provides an outreach and service opportunity for teaching American Indians through arts and crafts. Other regular activities include the annual American Indian Gathering, children’s programs, and workshops affecting the lives of those on the Navajo and Hopi reservations.

Attend a session at one of the permanent schools or institutes:

Bosch Bahá’í School 500 Comstock Lane Santa Cruz, CA 95060-9677 408-423-3387

Louhelen Bahá’í School 3208 S. State Rd. Davison, MI 48423 810-653-5033

Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute ‎Rt.2 Rt. 2‎, Box 71 Hemingway‎. ,‎ SC 29554-9405 803-558-9131

NABI 830 Burntwater Road Box 3167 Houck, AZ 86506-3167 520-587-7599

Green Acre Bahá’í School 188 Main Street Eliot, ME 03903-1827 207-439-7200

Bosch plans active autumn

Fall events at Bosch Bahá’í School, including two noteworthy conferences and a college club symposium, follow a summer that brought a variety of activities.

The Association for Bahá’í Studies’ California Regional Committee and the Spiritual Assembly of San Francisco are teaming to present “Remembering Religion: Integrating the Beautiful, the Good, and the True” on September 27. The conference will look at the postmodern integrative philosophy of Ken Wilber in the light of the Bahá’í Writings. The program will include presentation of papers and panel discussion.

September 26–28, the National Committee for the Advancement of Women will present a conference on the recently released statement from the National Spiritual Assembly, “Two Wings of A Bird: The Equality of Women and Men.”

The College Club Symposium, sponsored by the National Youth committee, will be held October 10-12. Since sessions have been well attended, it is important to register early before the classes are filled.

The wide range of summer programs at Bosch began with the third annual Choral Camp in June, directed by Tom Price, and introducing the first Children’s Music Camp directed by Victor Wong. The session closed with a public concert featuring Dash Crofts, Paul Seaforth and Ava with choirs from both music programs.

The March Training Institute and College Institute, facilitated by Auxiliary Board member Gary Bulkin along with Margie Bulkin and Ed Diliberto, focused on study of the Writings, service and prayer.

Events aimed at younger students included the Summer Children’s Academy for fourth, fifth and sixth-grade students; two junior youth sessions; and the Youth Institute July 26-31, directed by Traci and Larry Gholar, which carried out a service project as the youth studied The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh.

The first general session featured National Spiritual Assembly member Jack McCants, Gary Matthews and Christine Rayner. [Page 32]

ADS

CLASSIFIEDS

Classified notices in The American Bahá’í are published free of charge as a service to the Bahá’í 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

OPPORTUNITIES to serve at the Bahá’í National Center. Publications Support Specialist, Bahá’í Publishing Trust. Maintains office management systems for daily operation of the Bahá’í Publishing Trust. Manages general office functions; distributes information internally and externally; manages copyrights and permissions requests through close communication with Editorial Department, Production Department, Marketing Department, Operations Managers, and Publications Coordinator; provides administrative support to Publications Coordinator as needed, including coordination and management of in-house meetings with off-site staff and volunteers. Assistant Director for Southeast Asian Program, U.S. Bahá’í Refugee Office. Assists the Refugee Coordinator in executing the work of the Department. Primarily responsible for Southeast Asian teaching and consolidation activities. Prepares correspondence to refugees, LSAs, Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í agencies (both government and non-government). Prepares monthly, quarterly and annual reports, and the annual budget proposal for the Southeast Asian activities. Gathers, organizes, and reproduces audiovisual and printed materials for the refugee program. Provides administrative and logistical support. Compiles and writes quarterly Southeast Asian Helpers Bulletins and articles for The American Bahá’í and other publications. Coordinator of Volunteer Services, Bahá’í House of Worship. Recruits, places, trains, supervises the House of Worship’s volunteer staff. Contributes to a loving and hospitable environment. Recruits and interviews volunteers from among the Bahá’í community for all categories of service at the House of Worship, including guides, speakers, devotional readers, choir members, educational teachers. Must have a clear knowledge of the Bahá’í Teachings and possess such qualities as tact, courtesy, and cheerfulness, both in person and on the telephone. Enjoys interaction with people of all ages and people from all cultures. Evaluates situations logically and reaches sound decisions with limited directions. Must possess excellent command of the English language. Must be computer literate in WordPerfect or Word. Administrative Assistant, Office of the Treasurer. Coordinates the administrative affairs of the office, to include relieving department heads of routine administrative functions. Helps coordinate projects assigned to the office by the National Spiritual Assembly. Exercises leadership in streamlining the administrative work of the office. Advanced knowledge of office technology and computer software such as WordPerfect 5.1, Microsoft Word, Excel, Windows and presentation software. Mainframe computer knowledge helpful. Benefits Administrator, Department of Human Resources. Primary responsibilities include hands-on administration of the benefits program, serving as contact on benefits issues, handling communications including FMLA, COBRA, STD, LTD, and coordinating employee presentations. The ideal candidate would be a computer-literate college graduate with at least two years’ background in all phases of human resources. Highly visible position; requires someone with service-oriented focus and superior interpersonal and intuitive skills. Recruiting Specialist, Department of Human Resources. Identifies the Human Resources staffing needs of the National Bahá’í Administrative offices and agencies; insures that those needs are quickly and efficiently filled with personnel who meet the technical/professional requirements of the positions and the organizational standards for spirit and manner in which the work is accomplished. Needs exceptional interpersonal skills that include courtesy, warmth, hospitality, tact, diplomacy in relaying sensitive information. Must be multi-tasked, extremely flexible, and able to respond to constant change with a kind and loving attitude. Background in recruiting desirable. Able to use WordPerfect and Word for Windows. System Support Specialist, Management Information Systems (MIS). Responsible for the management and maintenance of the following Bahá’í National Center enterprise-wide systems: electronic mail, telecommunications (PBX switches at all sites), help desk and training. This position also provides direct support to the Hardware Support Specialist in the maintenance and troubleshooting of computers and related hardware systems. Will communicate with Network Support Specialist in the operation of all enterprise networks. Programmer/Analyst, Management Information Systems. In this position you will be primarily responsible for enhancing and maintaining existing systems and the planning, development, documentation and support for new client/server systems. Prior Windows programming experience and SQL is necessary along with some knowledge of reporting, HTML, networks, and the Internet. For information on any of these positions, please mail updated resume to Christine Stanwood, Evanston, IL 60201, or fax 847-733-3430.

Customer service representatives are needed at the Bahá’í Distribution Service in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Two positions are open. Representatives will facilitate the distribution of Bahá’í literature and other products by timely data-entry of telephone, fax and mail orders; respond to requests for information about accounts, publications and other materials; investigate and resolve customer complaints in a timely manner; and ‎prepares prepare‎ timely correspondence. Ability to accurately pack up to several hundred orders per day is essential. For information or an application, contact Christine Stanwood, 847-733-3429.

THE MOUNT Carmel Bahá’í Projects have an urgent need to fill the following positions: Industrial/commercial electrician with experience in outdoor power and lighting distribution systems, general lighting control and maintenance. Experience in high-tension and large-cable installation will be an added qualification. Industrial/commercial plumber with experience in all aspects of the trade, including drainage, fittings etc. Electrical and mechanical technician with experience in refrigeration and HVAC maintenance. Horticulturist for expanding formal gardens. Experience in gardens or general horticulture preferred. Professional gardener with experience in general aspects of formal or informal gardens. Resumés should be mailed or faxed to: Mount Carmel Bahá’í Projects, Project Manager’s Office, P.O. Box 155, 31 001 Haifa, Israel; phone 011-972(04)835-8237; fax 011-972(04)835-8437; e-mail

ADMINISTRATIVE coordinator, Bosch Bahá’í School. Knowledge of computer programs, specifically Word, My List, Meeting Pro, Publisher, PageMaker, Quicken, CCMail and Pro-Cite desired. Communication skills including the ability to generate written correspondence, accounting and bookkeeping experience, typing skills and knowledge of most office business machines required. Some college required, bachelor’s degree preferred. Candidates should be knowledgeable about the spiritual, administrative and historical precepts of the Faith. Experience on a local Assembly or other administrative committees is highly desirable. Please send resumés to Mark Bedford, Bosch Bahá’í School, 500 Comstock Lane, Santa Cruz, CA 95060-9615, phone 408-423-3387, or fax 408-423-7564.

TECHNICAL services manager, Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute. Responsible for ensuring the continuity of technical and computer services for the Institute and WLGI Radio by providing planning and technical leadership, FCC, FAA and OSHA compliance, and project coordination to assure delivery of a quality on-air signal and technical services. Should have experience in Bahá’í teaching and administration, a bachelor’s degree in broadcast engineering, related field or its equivalent, certification by the Society of Broadcast Engineers, experience as a broadcast engineer, and strong interpersonal skills. For information or an application, phone Christine Stanwood, 847-733-3429.

CARETAKERS WANTED for the Philadelphia Regional Bahá’í Center. Located in a charming Victorian mansion with beautiful yard, close to shopping and public transportation. Live-in caretakers are needed to be responsible for the house and the yard and to assist as needed with the many Bahá’í activities the center hosts. Congenial demeanor, affinity for yard and garden work, willingness to do light cleaning on a regular basis, and dependability are top priorities. Organizational skills would be a plus. Living accommodations consist of an apartment occupying the third floor. Philadelphia boasts numerous universities and medical facilities, as well as interesting and diverse artistic and cultural programs, not to mention being chock full of historical attractions—a great place to live! For more information call the LSA Secretary at 215-879-8866 or write the Philadelphia Regional Bahá’í Center at 2462 Bryn Mawr Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19131.

THE LOUHELEN Bahá’í School has an immediate and urgent need for more Year of Service volunteers, either adults or mature youth. Room and board are provided. Volunteers must supply all other needed financial support and have personal health insurance. A wide variety of skills and interests can possibly be accommodated, depending on circumstances at the time of application. Louhelen is a permanent national center of Bahá’í education sponsored by the U.S. National Spiritual Assembly. Please send application materials to Rick Johnson, administrator, Louhelen Bahá’í School, 3208 S. State Road, Davison, MI 48423 (phone 810-653-5033; e-mail or contact the National Youth Desk, 847-733-3499.

EXCITING opportunities in China: Numerous openings for Teachers of English or English as a second language. China Europe International Business School is recruiting students for MBA and EMBA programs, taught entirely in English. For more information contact Ms. Gwili Posey, 847-733-3512; fax 847-733-3509; e-mail

PIONEERING (OVERSEAS)

EMPLOYMENT opportunities overseas. Although the Office of Pioneering tries to help by providing information on employment opportunities that come to its attention, it does not have the resources for actual placement. AFRICA: Ethiopia—Self-supporting volunteer to help the National Assembly secretary and to train a replacement. Tanzania—Teachers. Zambia—Teachers. AMERICAS: Belize—Receptionist for National Center. Grenada—Manager of small bed and breakfast. Turks & Caicos—Government doctor. Venezuela—Computer outlet store for sale. ASIA: Afghanistan—Information/Education/Communication person to develop peace/world citizenship curriculum and/or train teachers. India—Volunteers and teachers to teach moral education at a Montessori school. Sakhalin—Teachers. AUSTRALASIA: Western Caroline Islands—self-supporting assistant to the National Assembly Secretary. EUROPE: Czech Republic—Primary and secondary teachers in mathematics, science, humanities, Spanish, English as a secondary language. MULTI-REGIONAL: International consultants in banking, industrial, economic and trade development, tourism etc. are sought by an Irish international consultancy firm. International consultants in agriculture and rural development sought by a Portuguese company of management and engineering consultants. URGENT NEEDS: Honduras—Elementary and secondary school teachers. Macau—The School of Nations needs qualified kindergarten, primary and secondary teachers. Solomon Islands—Self-supporting couple to serve as Custodians of the Bahá’í Center in Honiara. Volunteer to train National Center office staff. Virgin Islands—Self-supporting individual or couple to serve as caretaker(s) at the National Hazíratu’l-Quds. Australia—General Manager of Bahá’í Publications; a qualified candidate will have experience in managing or operating a successful business in the publications field. For more information, please contact the Office of Pioneering, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette IL 60091; phone 847-733-3512; fax 847-733-3509; or e-mail

PIONEERING (HOMEFRONT)

THE SPIRITUAL Assembly of North DeKalb County, Georgia, is looking for homefront pioneers to help a neighboring community, Chamblee, a multicultural city about 10 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta with a large population of Southeast Asian refugees. Help is needed in consolidating about 70 new believers. A family or couple with good listening skills is preferred. For information, please phone Liz Donnelly, 770-457-4350.

HOLBROOK AND WINSLOW, Arizona, need homefront pioneers. This sunny, small-town area of northern Arizona has large Native American and Hispanic populations. Job opportunities; local community college; rentals and homes available. Contact the Bahá’ís of Holbrook, P.O. Box 188, Holbrook, AZ 86025; or phone Terry Slimko, Secretary, 520-524-2010, ext. 104. For information on an immediate opening in Holbrook for a family practitioner or internist, phone Hannah Rishel at 520-524-2095, e-mail or write to Holbrook, AZ 86025.

YOUTH

THE LOUIS Gregory Bahá’í Institute is looking for youth service volunteers to serve for six months or more. For more information please contact Greg Kintz, WLGI Radio Bahá’í, 803-558-9544, or contact the National Youth Desk, phone 847-733-3499.

THE NATIVE American Bahá’í Institute needs youth ages 18 and older for summer service or a year of service. [Page 33]

ADS

NABI, on the Navajo reservation in Arizona, offers a great opportunity to serve the Cause, learn about another culture, and experience hands-on activities on the reservation. NABI also provides a unique chance for youth to study while they serve by providing many distance-learning courses. For more information, phone NABI at 520-587-7599, e-mail or contact the National Youth Desk, phone 847-733-3499.

YEAR-OF-SERVICE youth are needed at Diné College on the Navajo (Diné) Reservation in Tsaile, Arizona, close to the “four corners” area. Students may attend classes related to Navajo language and culture and/or earn two-year associate degrees transferable to other universities while assisting in the expansion and consolidation of the Faith through the college Bahá’í Club as well as reservation-wide teaching activities. Dormitories with meal plans are available or housing is possible with a pioneer couple. Tuition is $25 per semester hour. Approximate expenses per semester, including dorm and meal plan, is $2,100. For information please contact Charles or Jeanette Coffey, phone 520-724-3495, e-mail or phone the National Youth Desk, 847-733-3499.

ARCHIVES

AT THE REQUEST of the Universal House of Justice, the National Bahá’í Archives is seeking original letters written on behalf of the Guardian to the following individuals: Jerry B. Bolibaugh, Doris C. Bolton (died in Hartford, Connecticut, 1976), James H. Bolton, Eli Boraks, Hazel Bornholdt, Caroline Bosche and Maurice E. Bosley. Anyone knowing family members or relatives who might have these letters is asked to contact the National Bahá’í Archives, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201-1611, or phone 847-869-9039.

COPIES OF the following books in good or excellent condition are sought for archives: Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh (clothbound, 1943, 1948 and 1982 printings), The Hidden Words (paperbound, 1940, 1943, 1948, 1952, 1980 and 1982 printings). Anyone having copies they could donate is asked to send them to the National Bahá’í Archives, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201-1611.

WANTED

NEEDED: YOUTH or adults with a working knowledge of Spanish to serve with the Pereira/‎Ábbasí ‘Abbásí‎ Project, consolidating the new Latino believers in Charlotte, North Carolina. Contact the Pereira/‎Ábbasí ‘Abbásí‎ Project Task Force, Charlotte, NC 28211, phone 704-442-0121; or e-mail.

Van Gilmer directs the Bahá’í Gospel Choir at the 87th annual Souvenir of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to America, held at the home of the Hand of the Cause of God Roy Wilhelm in Teaneck, New Jersey.

The Unity Feast, patterned after the celebration during the Master’s visit in 1912, featured a reading of a talk first given by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, a speech by Counselor ‎Abdu’l-Missagh ‘Abdu’l-Missagh‎ Ghadirian of Canada, and glimpses of a car in which the Master rode.

BAHÁ’ÍS who are currently operating, or who might be interested in operating, foster/custodial/assisted living/intergenerational homes for the elderly are invited to contact the Bahá’í Home Advisory Group, 401 Greenleaf Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091 (phone 847-251-7001; fax 847-251-6540; e-mail).

The information gathered is important to help in long-range strategic planning consultations.

WANTED: Traveling teachers, musicians, singers for campsite firesides at the 26th annual Walnut Valley Festival September 18–21 in Winfield, Kansas. Camp Harmony, the Bahá’í campsite sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Winfield, won third place in last year’s campsite contest and is visited by hundreds each year. Musical highlights include the national flatpick and finger-pick guitar, mandolin, fiddle, hammered dulcimer and mountain dulcimer contests; songwriters’ contest; an amateur stage; workshops for adult and children’s music; and all-night jam sessions involving many of the 15,000 campers. Diversity needed. Limited hospitality available for those who can’t camp. Phone Barb McAtee, 913-588-5128, or e-mail.

MISCELLANEOUS

LOCAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES: Would your Assembly like to attend a Weekend Visitors program at the Bahá’í National Center? Assemblies are now being offered the opportunity to participate in a program where you will be invited to the Bahá’í National Center for two days of tours, talks and presentations (a Friday and Saturday). Those attending will be greeted by members of the National Spiritual Assembly, will hear updates and plans for national projects and will have the opportunity to convey news and concerns of your community. Among your tour sites will be the House of Worship and the National Bahá’í Archives. If your Assembly is interested in attending and can arrange to bring, at your own expense, at least a quorum of your members, please contact the Office of Assembly Development, phone 847-733-3490, fax 847-733-3486, or e-mail.

“COMMUNICATING with Deaf People: An Introduction,” a booklet prepared by Gallaudet University’s National Information Center on Deafness, was recently obtained in limited quantity by the Office of Assembly Development. The booklet provides an overview of the subject of deafness as well as a reference list for more information. Assemblies or groups may order a copy free of charge by contacting the Office of Assembly Development at the Bahá’í National Center, 1233 Central Street, Evanston, IL 60201-1611; phone 847-733-3490; fax 847-733-3486; or e-mail.

The story behind the survey

National Teaching Committee Secretary Ken Bowers provided the following points about how the survey was conducted, in hopes of clearing up questions Bahá’ís may have:

• A polling business not owned or operated by Bahá’ís was chosen intentionally, to avoid possible bias that might arise from Bahá’ís giving each other “socially acceptable” answers.
• Two thousand names were chosen at random from the address list of all U.S. Bahá’ís, in conformity with accepted scientific practice.
• The survey was not announced in advance, in part to protect families from getting calls from impostors posing as survey-takers.

The draft report on survey results showed about two-thirds of those whose names were chosen could not be reached by phone or declined to take part in the survey. Between 640 and 650 people answered each question, while about 4 percent of those contacted expressed hostility toward the survey.

Survey

Continued from Page 1

Surveying is a tool the Teaching Committee hopes to use more often to complement reports and other communications the National Spiritual Assembly and its agencies receive from local communities, Mr. Bowers added.

In fact, technology is making the effort less expensive than the most recent survey, which cost $15,000. So, the committee has begun surveys to find out why the most recent enrollees became Bahá’ís and to gauge the impression WLGI Radio Bahá’í has made on listeners in the Hemingway, South Carolina, area over the past 15 years.

“Our real guide is the Writings,” Mr. Bowers said, “but this kind of information helps us translate guidance into practical steps, to increase awareness and stimulate activity by the friends.”

The outcome of the 1997 general phone survey was compared with that of a written survey taken in 1991, and Mr. Bowers said the biggest changes were in the behaviors, activities and attitudes the participants reported.

Among important survey results from a draft report:

• More than 70 percent of those who responded said they mention the Faith to a non-Bahá’í at least once a week, up from about 60 percent five years ago. In fact, 40.2 percent said they make such mention of the Faith several times a week, compared to 27.8 percent in the previous survey.
• Nearly 82 percent were involved at some point in other teaching activities, most often inviting people to firesides, hosting firesides or speaking at them.
• Reading the Writings was reported by the most participants (88 percent) as being a source of personal satisfaction, followed by daily prayer (82.6 percent), being a part of the Bahá’í community (77.5 percent) and teaching the Faith (77.2 percent). In stark contrast, only 33.5 percent from the previous survey had listed daily prayer as a source of satisfaction, although the survey report noted there was a difference in how the question was asked.
• Nearly 81 percent agreed that being a Bahá’í has “made people better.”
• Close to 53 percent said they were more enthusiastic about the Faith than when they joined, while 34.7 percent said they felt about the same enthusiasm.
• More than 57 percent, especially people ages 20 to 44, said that being a Bahá’í gives them support “to a great degree” in dealing with social issues.
• Agreement with the spiritual principles was the most-reported reason for enrolling in the Faith (84.6 percent), followed by agreement with the social principles (78.5 percent), affinity for the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh (76.4 percent) and love for one or more of the Central Figures (55 percent). Esteem for the Bahá’ís in general or for the person who introduced one to the Faith each was cited by a little more than 40 percent of respondents.
• The percentage of Bahá’ís contributing to a Fund at least once over a three-year span exceeded 90 percent in both surveys. The number contributing 4 percent or more of their income in the most recent tax year was 34.9 percent in the recent survey, up from 28.2 percent. Those reporting they made a Huqúqu’lláh payment were 46.7 percent, up from 32.2 percent.
• Nearly 94 percent said they felt at least fairly well informed about Bahá’í activities. The biggest change between the two surveys was that 49.7 percent felt “very well” informed, compared with 37.6 percent five years ago.
• More than 60 percent of respondents were women. Just under 67 percent were married, while 16.2 percent were single and 11.1 percent were divorced and not remarried. The average reported household income was $43,800, and more than 83 percent reported having some education beyond high school. These figures were close to those from the previous survey.

A concern from the results was that some racial and ethnic minorities appear either to be underrepresented in the Faith or undercounted in the survey, Mr. Bowers said. For instance, 7.6 percent of the respondents identified themselves as African-American, 2.2 percent as Hispanic and 0.9 percent as Asian. Among Americans in general, those figures, respectively, are closer to 12, 9 and 3 percent.

The two largest racial/ethnic groups were those identifying themselves as Caucasian (63.6 percent) and Persian or Middle Eastern (13.3 percent). About 2 percent identified themselves as American Indian.

As the vast majority—about 83 percent—said they first learned of the Faith through an acquaintance or relative, and only tiny percentages through public meetings or other proclamation events, Mr. Bowers said some could interpret that to mean proclamation is a relatively ineffective means of drawing people to the Cause of God.

However, he said, it may also mean that a Bahá’í community that is “already very good at cultivating friends and relatives” has the potential to learn better ways of proclaiming the Faith and using media to “add a new dimension” to their efforts to spread the Cause. [Page 34]

ASSOCIATION FOR BAHÁ’Í STUDIES

Fostering Human Rights: Developing Pathways to Peace

21st Annual Conference * Washington, D.C. * November 14-16, 1997

Guest speakers will include: Judge Dorothy Nelson, Ninth Circuit, Court of Appeals Hasan Balyuzi Lecturer Techeste Ahderom, Bahá’í International Community to the United Nations Firuz Kazemzadeh, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Yale University Suheil Bushrui, Ph.D., Bahá’í Chair for World Peace Susan Clay, Ph.D., U.S. Agency for International Development Lester Brown, WorldWatch Institute Richard Claude, Ph.D., University of Maryland and author of Human Rights Education for the 21st Century David Little, U.S. Institute for Peace Ambassador Sonia Picado, Inter-American Institute for Human Rights Shulamith Koenig, Ph.D., People’s Decade for Human Rights Education

Presentations will reflect various aspects of human rights including:

• Religious persecution and intolerance
• Racial and gender equality
• Implications of refugees and a global society
• Environment and human rights
• United Nations and human rights
• Freedom of conscience, thought, and expression
• Rights of children
• Human rights education and advocacy
• Need for an international criminal court

• • The conference will also feature presentations in Farsi. **
  • Special activities will include a children’s conference on the overall theme of human rights education and musical, dramatic, and dance performances. **

Conference Registration Costs
Adult members of the ABS:	$80 (September 20 deadline)	$90 (October 20 deadline)	$100 On-site
Non-member adults:	Add $40 (this fee includes an annual membership).
Registration for children:	$50 by September 20	$60 On-site. [Ages 3-12 years]
Discounts are also available for couples, seniors, and students.

ASSOCIATION FOR BAHÁ’Í STUDIES - CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FORM 21st Annual Conference - 14-16 November 1997 at the Renaissance Hotel: (202) 898-9000 or 1-800-HOTELS1 Please send registration forms for each individual by fax to (613) 233-3644 or by phone to (613) 233-1903 or by mail to the Association for Bahá’í Studies at 34 Copernicus St., Ottawa, Ontario K1N 7K4, Canada Visit our Web Site: http://www.pagecreator.com/~newsroom and click on “ABS News In Brief” or E-mail us at

For Discount Air Travel: Air Canada #CV971273 or United Airlines Meeting ID #514MK

Name: __________________________________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________________________ City: ___________________________ Province/State: __________ Postal/Zip Code: ________ Telephone: ______________________ E-Mail Address: __________________________________ Association for Bahá’í Studies Expiry Date: _________________ Life Member: ____________ If this registrant is a child, please indicate age: _______ Please specify special needs of child: ______ Total Amount: _____________ Check: _______________ Money Order: _______________ VISA/MasterCard/AmEx Number: ____________________________ Expiration Date: ________ Cardholder’s Name (Please Print): ___________________ Signature: ______________________

Efforts to teach Latinos, S.E. Asians showing progress

Despite obstacles, progress continues in two significant Hispanic and Southeast Asian teaching projects.

In Watsonville, California, the Pajaro Valley Latino Teaching Project has continued without interruption for more than two years now despite personal crises in the lives of the teachers and attacks on the project, its teachers, and the institutions.

In Chamblee, Georgia, the Multicultural Teaching Project’s follow-up visits to Spanish-speaking and Southeast Asian contacts have brought fresh rewards and fresh challenges.

Almost every week, teachers go to Watsonville and visit the new believers to deepen their understanding of the Faith and build friendships. There is also a continuous stream of new declarants, increasing the total of people who have accepted Bahá’u’lláh to more than 200.

As several teachers have arisen to pioneer to other parts of the world, new teachers have joined the project. They supplement a core of about a half-dozen teachers, most of whom have been with the project since the beginning.

The project has spawned hundreds of small personal deepening sessions, children’s classes and Ruhi training courses. Sunday morning prayer meetings also were recently launched.

A glimpse of the Watsonville project: Teachers Jeff and Janie Rhodes went door to door looking for people interested in hearing Bahá’u’lláh’s message.

Soon they came to a door answered by a woman named Elidia. Jeff and Janie identified themselves as Bahá’ís and asked if she would like to hear about the Bahá’í Faith. She brought her husband, Antonio, to the door, and he invited Jeff and Janie in.

They went through the teaching book with Antonio, Elidia and their two daughters. Occasionally, Elidia would ask questions and Antonio would help answer them.

When the book was finished, Antonio was asked whether he believed in his heart that Bahá’u’lláh was the Messenger of God for this day. He answered that not only is Bahá’u’lláh the Messenger of God, He is the only One who could bring unity to the world.

Before leaving, Jeff and Janie gave the family a prayer book, a card with a children’s prayer in English and Spanish, and a promise to return.

Organizers are using a computer program to track the new believers’ names and addresses, the teachers who guided them into the Faith, dates of their declarations, the names of their family members, the languages they speak, literature they have been given and reports on follow-up visits, among other things.

The Chamblee project has seen many follow-up visits in recent months to contacts made when the Tennessee-based Mobile Bahá’í Information Center bus was there in June.

And many new contacts have been made. Two traveling teachers, one from Brazil and one from Venezuela, have conducted many firesides and deepenings for the Spanish-speaking friends.

One challenge the teachers have faced since people from South and Central America began enrolling in large numbers is that women seem to embrace the Faith readily, while men do not. As this has caused some tension in the households, organizers could use help from deepened male Bahá’ís who speak Spanish in surmounting this problem.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Bahá’í Refugee Office Bulletin’s spring edition had many pictures and articles about the Southeast Asian Conference at Bosch Bahá’í School in April, and Chamblee’s two attendees, Akiko Kobayashi and Lam Dan, were photographed and interviewed.

For those wishing to learn more about teaching the Faith to Southeast Asians, you can get on the mailing list for this newsletter by calling USBRO at 847-733-3522. [Page 35]می خواستم به اصطلاح خودی نشان بدهم و نطق کنم. ناشر نفحات جناب متوجه که خطا بالای دو چشم هر مؤمن و لازم‌الاطاعه است. منظور این است که در جلسات غیر‌رسمی و مهمانی فامیلی و یا دوستانه انتقاد و ایرادگیری از محافل خطا و بر خلاف شؤون امری است. صحبت دربارۀ دیگران نیز غیبت است و همه را بر طبق نص "السامع للغیبة احد المغتابین" گناهکار می‌سازد.

جناب سرهنگ آوارگان که در حل مسائل و مشکلات تبلیغی مربوط به کمونیسم و طرفداران فلسفۀ مادی ید طولی و روش خاصی داشتند، در جلسۀ تبلیغی در اتاق جنب محل اجتماع می‌نشستند و بنده را امر به صحبت با مبتدی می‌فرمودند و پس از ختم جلسه همانند معلم و پدر مهربانی اشتباهات مرا اصلاح می‌فرمودند. درست است که متأسفانه زحمات اینگونه نفوس فداکار در مورد بنده به هدر می‌رفت ولی دیگر کسانی که در آن زمان مورد تشویق آنان قرار گرفتند اکنون در سطوح بین‌المللی و ملی و محلی مصدر امور امری هستند.

مثل عامیانه‌ای هست که می‌گویند ارزش امام‌زاده را متولی بالا می‌برد. اگر ما محفل مقدس روحانی خود و همچنین محفل مقدس ملی را با قلم و قدم و بیان تقویت و پشتیبانی نکنیم از دشمنان امر چه توقعی خواهیم داشت. کسانی از ما که مسن‌تر هستیم خوب است این حقیقت را بپذیریم که خواه ناخواه رفتنی هستیم و آتیۀ امر به دست جوان‌هاست.

به یاد دارم هنگامی که حدود ۴۵ سال پیش دانشجوی پزشکی بودم و در بخش اطفال دورۀ مربوطه را می‌گذراندم یک روز همۀ ما دانشجویان در خدمت استاد روانه بخش نوزادان شدیم. همۀ آنها در گهواره‌های کوچک پهلوی یکدیگر گذاشته شده بودند و اغلب گریه می‌کردند. استاد مربوطه پرسید این بچه‌ها چه می‌گویند. یکی از دانشجویان گفت استاد زبان اینها را شما بهتر می‌دانید. استاد نگاهی به سوی همه انداخت و گفت اینها می‌گویند ما آمده‌ایم شماها باید بروید! این سخن استاد برای بنده از تمامی دروس و مطالب علمی سودمند‌تر بود.

منظور آن است که بزرگسالان باید از پیشرفت جوانان شادمان باشند و اشتباهات اندک آنان را به دیدۀ اغماض بنگرند و در جمیع موارد مشوق حقیقی آنان در خدمات امری باشند. از خرده‌گیری و به اصطلاح مته به خشخاش گذاشتن دوری جویند و خدمات افرادی را که وقت گرانمایۀ خود را صرف محفل و لجنات می‌کنند گرانمایه بدارند و این حقیقت را همواره در نظر داشته باشند که امر مبارک در مرحله تکوین است و در بسیاری از کشورهای خارج از ایران مردم آن مهارت و پختگی و تجربۀ تشکیلاتی را که مسن‌ترها در ایران کسب کرده‌اند ندارند و فقط و فقط به وسیلۀ تشویق و راهنمائی دلسوزانه می‌توان آنان را مجرب و آزموده کرد و الا انتقاد و ایراد هر قدر هم که بجا و از روی دلسوزی و بی غرضی باشد مایۀ دلسردی خواهد شد.

ثالثاً بعضی عقیده دارند که انتقاد در جامعه لازم و وسیلۀ تصحیح و پیشرفت در امور است. گرچه این اصل صحیح است اما بر طبق نصوص مبارکه انتقاد را شرایط مخصوصی است که قسمتی از آن در زیر به عرض می‌رسد:

۱- انتقاد باید توأم با سنجیدگی و آگاهی کامل نسبت به موضوع باشد والا ندانسته و نسنجیده انتقاد کردن به زبان شخص منتقد است و به اصطلاح مشت خود او باز می‌شود. "یا سخن سنجیده گو ای مرد عاقل یا خموش!" یکی می‌گفت که فلان محفل اعانات را حیف و میل می‌کند. وقتی که از او پرسیدند در چه موقع و چه موردی و چه مبلغی حیف و میل شده و در کجا خرج شده، از جواب درماند و معلوم شد که به کلی بی اطلاع بود و همین‌طور برای اینکه اظهاری کرده باشد این را گفته است. باید اذعان کرد که متأسفانه ما ایرانی‌ها با همۀ محاسنی که داریم از دو چیز لذت می‌بریم، یکی غیبت و دیگری انتقاد ناروا و چه خوب است به هوش آئیم و از روی نادانی تیشه به ریشۀ امر مبارک نزنیم.

۲- هر سخن جانی و هر نکته مکانی دارد. انتقاد از محفل فقط باید شفاهاً یا کتباً به ساحت خود محفل گزارش شود نه در جمع احباء. در جلسات ضیافت، مشورت جزء ارکان مهم جلسه است ولی منظور تقدیم پیشنهاد و ابدای رأی و پرسش و پژوهش است نه انتقاد و ایرادگیری. اگر چنانچه یکی از یاران گزارش انتقادی به محفل محل خود نمود و پس از تکرار گزارش و یادآوری موضوع عکس‌العمل قانع کننده‌ای مشاهده نکرد، آن وقت او حق دارد که گزارش و شکایت خود را به محفل ملی تقدیم نماید و حتی پس از قانع نشدن از توضیحات و اقدامات محفل ملی به ساحت بیت‌العدل اعظم گزارش نماید که بدیهی است حکم آن ساحت معصوم از خطا بالای دو چشم هر مؤمن و لازم‌الاطاعه است. منظور این است که در جلسات غیر‌رسمی و مهمانی فامیلی و یا دوستانه انتقاد و ایرادگیری از محافل خطا و بر خلاف شؤون امری است. صحبت دربارۀ دیگران نیز غیبت است و همه را بر طبق نص "السامع للغیبة احد المغتابین" گناهکار می‌سازد.

۳- دیده خطا‌پوش از لوازم ایمان به این دیانت مقدس است. مثل اعلای گفتار و رفتار ما در این امر مبارک حضرت عبدالبهاء است. ملاحظه بفرمائید که آن حضرت در مقابل دوستان و دشمنان و حتی ناقضان بی‌انصاف تا چه اندازه مظهر اغماض و خطا‌پوش بود. مطالعۀ شرح زندگی حضرتش ما را به انبوه موارد و نمونه‌های گذشت و خطا‌پوشی و خوش‌بینی مواجه می‌سازد. خود آن حضرت می‌فرماید: "اگر چنانچه از بعضی دوستان قصوری صادر گردید دیگران باید به ذیل ستر بپوشند و در اکمال نواقص او کوشند نه آنکه از او عیب‌جوئی نمایند و در حق او ذلت و خواری پسندند. نظر خطاپوش سبب بصیرت است و انسان پر‌جوش ستار هر بندۀ پر‌معصیت. پرده‌دری شأن وحوش است نه انسان پر‌دانش و هوش." (گلزار تعالیم بهائی، ص ۶۴) و باز می‌فرماید: "به قصور کسی نظر ننمائید جمیع را به نظر عفو ببینید زیرا چشم خطابین نظر به خطا کند اما نظر خطاپوش به خالق نفوس بنگرد." (همان، ص ۶۲)

پدر بنده از سواد ظاهری بی‌بهره بود ولی ایمانی محکم داشت و روحش شاد در کمال سادگی مرا نصیحت می‌کرد که "بابا جان، هر فکر و سخن و عملی را که می‌خواهی بکنی ببین اگر حضرت عبدالبهاء، به جای تو بود چه می‌کرد. اگر او آن کار را می‌کرد تو هم بکن والا خیر." اگر چه بنده این نصیحت داهیانه را کمتر به کار بسته‌ام اما همیشه صدای او در گوشم طنین‌انداز است و در هزاران مورد بنده را از کج‌راهی و خطاکاری نجات داده است. حضرت ولی‌امر‌الله فرموده‌اند: "هر چه صبر و شکیبائی و تفاهم محبت‌آمیز یاران نسبت به یکدیگر و اغماض نواقص بیشتر باشد، ترقی جامعۀ بهائی به طور کلی افزون‌تر خواهد گشت." (همان، ص ۶۵)

۴- در این دنیای بزرگ به غیر از هیاکل مقدسه ای که معصوم و مصون از خطا هستند هیچ کس دیگری بدون خطا نیست. همۀ ما اشتباه می‌کنیم. به قول شاعر: "همه عیب خلق گفتن نه مروت است و مردی / نظری به خویشتن کن که همه گناه داری!" درست است که محافل محلی و ملی مصون از خطا نیستند و مقام مصون از خطا فقط بیت‌العدل اعظم است و بس اما این دلیل نمی‌شود که ما با ذره‌بین انتقاد اعضاء محفل و نفس محفل و تصمیمات آن را بررسی کنیم و هزاران تصمیمات عالی و داهیانۀ آنها را نادیده بگیریم و در کمال بی‌انصافی یکی دو مورد را که به زعم ما اشتباه است بزرگ جلوه دهیم و کوس رسوایی جامعه را بنوازیم. بر طبق نص صریح حضرت بهاءالله شخص عیب‌جو ملعون درگاه الهی است، چنانکه فرموده: "یابن الوجود، کیف نسیت عیوب نفسک و اشتغلت بعیوب عبادی؟ من کان علی ذلک فعلیه لعنة منی." (کلمات مکنونه) مضمون بیان به زبان فارسی این است که چگونه عیوب خود را فراموش کرده و به عیوب بندگان من پرداخته‌ای. کسی که چنین کند لعنت من بر او باد! حضرت عبدالبهاء، می‌فرمایند: "مبغوض‌ترین اخلاق عیب‌جوئی است. باید تحری مدائح نفوس نمود نه تجسس عیوب نفوس." (اخلاق بهائی، ص ۱۰۳) و همچنین می‌فرمایند: "این از نفس اماره است که هر چیزی را به نظر انسان بد می‌نمایاند به غیر از نفس خود انسان." (مائده آسمانی، جلد ۵، ص ۱۳۶) و باز می‌فرماید: "هیچ خصلتی مضرتر از این صفت عیب‌جوئی نه، علی‌الخصوص به امرالله." (گنجینه حدود و احکام، ص ۳۰۷) و همچنین فرموده است: "همیشه ملتفت حال خود باش. ببین چه نقصی داری، کوشش نما تا آن را اصلاح کنی. چشم انسان هم کور است هم ذره‌بین، کور است از دیدن نقائص خود، بینا و ذره‌بین است در خطاهای دیگران." (بدایع الآثار، ج ۲، ص ۳۱۰)

خلاصه اینکه مخصوصاً در موقعیت کنونی، جامعۀ امر احتیاج به اشخاصی که بالا بنشینند و باد به غبغب بیاندازند و از خادمین و تشکیلات بدگوئی کنند ندارد. جامعۀ امری احتیاج به نفوس مؤمن و فعالی دارد که در کمال فروتنی به خدمت و تبلیغ مشغول شوند و در رفتار و گفتار باعث تشویق دیگران شوند. اینگونه اشخاصند که مشمول این بیان مبارک حضرت عبدالبهاء خواهند گردید "هر کس خادم احباب است سرور اصحاب است و هر که چاکر دوستان است شهریار دو جهان است. خدمت یاران خدمت حق است...."

چون رشتۀ کلام به اینجا رسید آن مرد منتقد محترم در کمال انتباه از آنچه گفته بود از حضار معذرت خواست و جلسۀ دوستانۀ آن شب با تلاوت مناجات پایان یافت. [Page 36]

یادی از دکتر جلیل محمودی

DR. JALIL MAHMOUDI

دکتر جلیل محمودی در ۲۵ فروردین سال ۱۹۱۲ در کرمان در یک خانواده بهائی زاده شد. پدرش جناب محمود محمودی و مادرش مریم خانم در اواخر قرن نوزدهم در یزد به امر بهائی اقبال کردند.

دکتر محمودی پس از اتمام دوره متوسطه وارد دانشکده کشاورزی کرج شد و در سال ۱۹۴۴ به دریافت لیسانس کشاورزی موفق گردید و سپس به کار مشغول گردید. از جمله مشاغل او ریاست دانشکده کشاورزی بود.

در سال ۱۹۵۹ دکتر محمودی همراه با همسرش بدری خانم — که ۵ سال پس از ازدواج به امر مبارک اقبال کرده بود — و سه فرزندشان عازم ایالات متحده شدند و در شهر لوگان (Logan) در ایالت یوتا اقامت گزیدند. از آنجا که دانشگاه ایالتی یوتا واقع در لوگان دکتر محمودی را برای ادامه تحصیل پذیرفته بود، ساکن آن شهر شدند.

دکتر محمودی در سال ۱۹۶۱ به دریافت فوق لیسانس در رشته اقتصاد کشاورزی توفیق یافت اما پس از گذراندن چند واحد تحصیلی در رشته جامعه‌شناسی به آن رشته علاقمند شد و روی آورد و در سال ۱۹۶۶ موفق به دریافت دانشنامه دکتری در رشته جامعه‌شناسی از دانشگاه یوتا شد. عنوان پایان‌نامه او "تحلیل جامعه‌شناختی نهضت بهائی" بود.

دکتر محمودی در سال ۱۹۹۱ به استادی در دانشگاه یوتا نائل شد و پس از بازنشستگی در سال ۱۹۷۷ مقام "استاد ممتاز" از طرف همان دانشگاه به او اعطاء شد.

دکتر محمودی و همسرش پس از ورود به ایالات متحده در خدمات امری فعالیت بسیار داشتند. هنگامی که در ایالت یوتا زندگی می‌کردند برای تبلیغ یا تشویق مرتب به مناطق سرخپوست‌نشین می‌رفتند. در مدارس بهائی به تدریس و ‎تهیجب تهییج‎ احباء می‌پرداختند. به عنوان پیروان امر بهائی در میان دشمن یا پیروان یکی از مذاهب مسیحی که مرکزشان در یوتاست شناخته شده و محترم بودند. دکتر محمودی همواره جلسات تبلیغی داشت. دکتر محمودی در لجنه ملی مدارس تابستانی بهائی عضویت داشت و از سال ۱۹۷۱ تا ۱۹۸۱ عضو هیئت معاونت بود.

دکتر محمودی پس از بازنشستگی به سانتا مونیکا در ایالت کالیفرنیا نقل مکان کرد و در آن نقطه نیز به خدمات حیاتی توفیق یافت و بالمال در ۸ مارچ سال ۱۹۹۹ به ابدی پیوست. یادش ماندگار و روانش شاد باد.

مقاله‌ای درباره محفل روحانی

LOCAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES

به تازگی یکی از دوستان مقاله‌ای درباره محافل روحانی مکاتبه که به هیئت تحریریه ارسال داشته‌اند. از آنجا که آن را متین یافتیم و سودمند، ضمن سپاسگزاری از نویسنده محترم به درج آن — با اندکی تصرف — مبادرت می‌شود:

"آنچه را محفل روحانی مصلحت بداند اگر به من تکلیف کنند من منتهی میل دارم ابداً ‎توفیق توقف‎ ننمایم." حضرت عبدالبهاء (گنجینه حدود و احکام، ص ۵۸)

چندی قبل گروهی از احباء که هر کدام در ایام جوانی در ایران مرکز خدمات امری بوده و در دوائر تشکیلاتی آن دوران فعالیت می‌نموده‌اند در منزل یکی از دوستان گرد هم آمده، ضمن صرف چای و تنقلات و ‎غناهای غذاهای‎ خوشمزه ‎حاجت‌الانه خاله‌زنانه‎ به صحبت درباره موضوعات محلی و ملی امر آمریکا رسیدند.

یکی از دوستان که از دیگران مسن‌تر و در سابق در دوائر تشکیلاتی امری سمت‌هایی داشته و با گذشت زمان ‎زبانه زبان‎ و گویای او ناچاراً به واسطه کبر سن و ندانستن زبان تقریباً کنار گذاشته شده بود، شروع به انتقاد از اعضاء جوان محفل محلی و کم‌تجربگی آنان در تصمیم‌گیری و اداره امور امری نمود.

این شخص محترم که صحبتش به اصطلاح گل کرده و به علت کبر سن، دیگران را وادار به گوش دادن نموده بود، یک‌یک اعضاء محفل را به باد انتقاد قرارداده یکی را بدین سبب، ‎سومی دومی‎ سوا، دیگری دارای هیکل اداری در سطح پایین است، سومی سواد امری ندارد و چهارمی سابقه‌اش در معاملات خراب است و خلاصه داشت چنان پیش می‌رفت که گوئی نظم بدیع الهی در این شهر وجود ندارد و محفلی که از اینگونه اشخاص تشکیل شود تکلیفش معلوم است.

تا اینجا این شخص در کمال بی خبری و تا اندازه‌ای نخوت انتقاد از افراد می‌کرد همه ساکت بودند ولکن به محض اینکه دامنه انتقادات ناروای خود را به محفل کشاند یکی از حضار محترم تاب نیاورد و ضمن قطع صحبت وی بیانات خود را با این شعر سعدی شروع کرد:

یکی بر سر شاخ و بن می‌برید خداوند بستان نگه کرد و دید بگفتا که این مرد بد می‌کند نه بر کس که بر نفس خود می‌کند

دوست محترم، این بنده با وجود احترام عمیقی که نسبت به جنابعالی دارم با بیانات شما کاملاً مخالفم و آن را مباین نصوص صریح امری و روش بهائی می‌دانم زیرا:

اولاً حساب محفل از اعضاء آن جداست. شخصیت و حیثیت حقوقی و اداری و روحانی محفل کوچک‌ترین ارتباطی به شخصیت اجتماعی و مالی و معلوماتی اعضاء ندارد. وقتی ۹ نفر اعضاء محفل اکثریت یافتند و ‎مساوات مناجات‎ شروع را تلاوت نمودند و محفل رسمی شد آن هیئت ملهم به الهامات روحانیت است. حضرت عبدالبهاء می‌فرمایند: "... تأیید روح‌القدس رسیده و آن مجمع مرکز ‎سنوحاات سنوحات‎ رحمانیه گردد و جنود توفیق هجوم کند و هر روز فتوحی جدید حاصل شود." (مکاتیب عبدالبهاء، جلد ۳، ص ۵۰۵)

و حضرت ولی امرالله می‌فرمایند: "راه اعضاء منتخبه و ‎منکر شون منکر شدن‎ صفت و اعتبار محافلی که از ابناء متنوعه امر حضرت بهاءالله تشکیل یافته به منزله ‎مولود نمودن مواد مندرجه‎ الواح ‎نامحدودی نامعدودی‎ است که حضرت بهاءالله و حضرت عبدالبهاء صادر فرموده و در آن مزایا و وظائف اعضاء محفل را ستوده و عظمت خدمتشان را بیان فرموده و کثرت مشقتشان را معلوم ساخته و اعضاء را انذار نموده‌اند که منتظر حملات و لطمات و اهاناتی باشند که از ‎تهاونی تهاون‎ دوستان و کینه دشمنان متوجه آنان خواهد شد." (نظم جهانی بهائی، ص ۱۵)

ثانیاً ‎معضاء اعضاء‎ محفل ممکن است کم‌سواد و حتی بی سواد، بی‌بضاعت، بی‌نام و کم‌تجربه و حتی دارای سوابق منفی باشند ولکن پس از توبه و ابتهال به ملکوت و تلاوت مناجات مخصوص تشکیل محفل آراء و اراده که اعضاء محفل قبل از تشکیل دارای عقیده و رأی خاصی بوده‌اند و پس از رسمی شدن محفل بدون اینکه خودشان متوجه باشند رأی خود را عوض کرده‌اند. کسانی که در محافل روحانی اعم از ملی یا محلی خدمت کرده‌اند این موضوع را به تجربه دریافته‌اند.

ثالثاً ما باید مشوق یکدیگر و مخصوصاً اعضاء محفل روحانی در خدمت امری باشیم نه اینکه فقط انتقاد و به اصطلاح منفی‌بافی کنیم. درست است که انتقاد به جا و به موقع باعث تنبیه و بیداری دیگران و بالنتیجه پیشرفت و اصلاح امور است اما انتقاد ناروا و بیجا مخصوصاً در جمع احباب عملاً خیانت به امر و به منزله تیشه به ریشه امرالله زدن است و به قول سعدی:

‎بدانیش بداندیش‎ بر خرده دست یافت به خرده توان آتش افروختن به خرده توان سوختن ‎بیش پیش‎ بزرگان به آتش سوختن پس بر آنکه درخت کهن سوختن

حضرت ولی امرالله می‌فرمایند: "یاران باید اعضاء محفل خویش را در تمام امور نمایندگان خویش دانند و اطمینان و اعتمادی مخصوص نمایند. هر حکمی را محفل صادر نماید به دل و جان اجراء نمایند و در ‎تآلیف تألیف‎ قلوب و رفع اختلاف و تبدیل برودت و خمودت به انجذاب و اشتعال، اعضاء محفل را مساعده تامه و معاونت قلبی نمایند." (گنجینه حدود و احکام، ص ۵۹)

دکتر جوانی در ابتدای زمان جوانی می‌گوید که بشر با فعالیت و نشان دادن خلوص و روحانیت مورد اعتماد دیگران واقع شده و به عضویت محفل انتخاب گردیده‌اند باید خوشحال باشیم نه با بحث تشویق و دلسرد و در خور ‎غمل غفلت‎ و عمل باعث تشویق و دلگرمی او شویم نه اینکه او را مورد انتقاد قرار داده و ریشه و کبر و دلسرد و از خدمت ‎وایپس واپس‎ کشیم. این نادانی و خیانت به امر مبارک است. جوانان قدیم که امروز از دانشمندان و با سوادان جامعه‌اند به وسیله تشویق پیشروان بیدار و ‎ودار وادار‎ به مطالعات امری و اجتماعی شده‌اند. تشویق ذوق و استعدادهای مکنونه در نهاد انسان باعث پرورش و رشد آدمی می‌شود. آب صافی برای پرورش نهال‌های استعداد انسان‌ها تشویق است و بس.

به خاطر دارم که در دوره جوانی و بی تجربگی و در حقیقت نادانی تازه به طهران رفته و در ضیافت ۱۹ روزه با لهجه شهرستانی که داشتم و هنوز هم دارم... [Page 37]

شواهدی از تحول معنوی درجامعه بهائی ایالات متحده

SURVEY OF BAHA’IS ACROSS THE U.S.

در بررسی گسترده‌ای که به اشاره محفل روحانی ملی در چند و چون جامعه بهائی ایالات متحده صورت گرفت نتایج جالب، و به گفتهٔ منشی لجنه ملی نشر نفحات ”نتایج امیدبخشی“ به دست آمده است.

بررسی مذکور که دومین ارزیابی است که در ۵ سال گذشته صورت گرفته حاکی از این است که احباء در پایان قرن حاضر بیش از پیش درباره امر مبارک با دیگران گفتگو می‌کنند و قوت روحانی بیشتری از دعا و مناجات و مطالعهٔ آیات الهی به دست می‌آورند.

به گفتهٔ منشی لجنه ملی نشر نفحات این بررسی نشان می‌دهد که جامعه بهائی اعضای وفادار و مؤمن و پرشوری دارد. لجنه ملی نشر نفحات از نتایج این بررسی برای طرح برنامه‌های آینده سود خواهد برد.

خلاصه‌ای از نتایج بررسی مذکور که در سال جاری انجام پذیرفت و مقایسه آن با نتایج بررسی پیشین که در سال ۱۹۹۱ صورت گرفته بود در زیر درج می‌شود:

• بیش از ۷۰ درصد پاسخ‌دهندگان اظهار داشتند که حد اقل هفته‌ای یکبار راجع به امر مبارک با غیربهائیان صحبت می‌کنند. این رقم در بررسی پیشین ۶۰ درصد بود. همچنین ۴۰/۲ درصد گفتند که در طی هفته چندین بار راجع به امر مبارک با دیگران صحبت می‌کنند. این رقم در بررسی گذشته ۲۷/۸ درصد بود.
• تقریباً ۸۲ درصد در فعالیت‌های تبلیغی از جمله تشکیل جلسات تبلیغی و سخنرانی در آنها و دعوت دوستان و آشنایان غیربهائی به جلسات مذکور شرکت داشته‌اند.
• موجبات حصول رضایت خاطر احباء عبارت است از: خواندن آثار مبارکه، ۸۸ درصد؛ تلاوت روزانه نماز و مناجات، ۸۲/۶ درصد؛ عضویت در جامعه بهائی، ۷۷/۵ درصد؛ تبلیغ امر مبارک، ۷۷/۲ درصد. در بررسی گذشته فقط ۳۳ درصد از پاسخ‌دهندگان تلاوت نماز و مناجات را موجب حصول رضایت خاطر ذکر کرده بودند.
• تقریباً ۸۱ درصد احباء بر این نکته اتفاق داشتند که بهائی بودن مردم را انسان‌های بهتری می‌کند.
• حدود ۵۳ درصد گفتند که نسبت به زمانی که به امر مبارک اقبال کردند، شور بیشتری دارند، در حالی که ۳۷/۴ درصد میزان شور روحانی خود را همانند زمان اقبال ذکر کردند.
• بیش از ۵۷ درصد به ویژه افراد بین ۲۰ تا ۴۴ ساله اظهار داشتند که امر بهائی آنان را در رویارویی با مسائل اجتماعی به میزان معتنابهی کمک می‌کند.
• دلائل اصلی برای پیوستن به امر مبارک عبارت است از: موافقت با اصول روحانی امر بهائی، ۸۴/۶ درصد؛ موافقت با اصول اجتماعی امرالله، ۷۸/۵ درصد؛ علاقه به آثار حضرت بهاءالله، ۷۶/۴ درصد؛ تعلق خاطر به یکی از طلعات قدسیه امر مبارک، ۵۵ درصد. همچنین بیش از ۴۰ درصد اظهار داشتند که احترام به احباء و یا فردی که آنان را با امر مبارک آشنا ساخته دلیل پیوستن آنان به جرگه اهل ایمان بوده است.
• بیش از ۹۰ درصد از احباء در سه سال گذشته به یکی از صندوق‌های امری تقدیم تبرع کرده‌اند. حدود ۳۵ درصد از احباء ۴ درصد یا بیش از ۴ درصد درآمدشان را به امر مبارک تبرع می‌کنند. در بررسی گذشته این رقم ۲۸ درصد بود. همچنین بیش از ۴۶ درصد احباء گزارش دادند که حقوق‌الله پرداخت می‌کنند. این رقم نیز در آمار قبلی ۳۲ درصد بود.
• حدود ۹۴ درصد اظهار داشتند که از فعالیت‌های بهائی آگاهی کلی دارند. حدود ۵۰ درصد گفتند که از فعالیت‌های مذکور کاملاً آگاهند. این رقم در آمار قبلی ۳۲ درصد بود.
• در مورد پاسخ‌دهندگان به بررسی اخیر باید گفت که بیش از ۶۰ درصد آنان را زنان تشکیل می‌دادند. حدود ۶۷ درصد متأهل و ۱۶ درصد مجردند و ۱۱ درصد طلاق گرفته‌اند. میانگین درآمد خانوادگی سالانه ۴۳۸۰۰ دلار است و بیش از ۸۳ درصد بعد از گذراندن دوران متوسطه لااقل چند واحد درس دانشگاهی گذرانده‌اند.
• نکته‌ای که موجب نگرانی است اینکه درصد برخی از اقلیت‌های نژادی و بومی کمتر از مقدار مطلوب است. با اینکه در ایالات متحده سیاهپوستان و اسپانیائی زبان‌ها و زردپوستان به ترتیب ۱۲ درصد و ۹ درصد و ۳ درصد جمعیت را تشکیل می‌دهند، درصد این اقلیت‌ها در جامعه امری به همان ترتیب ۷/۶ و ۲/۲ و ۰/۹ بود.
• سفیدپوستان بیش از ۶۳ درصد جامعه امری ایالات متحده را تشکیل می‌دهند. درصد ایرانیان و افراد خاورمیانه تبار ۱۳/۳ است. ۲ درصد اعضای جامعه را نیز سرخپوستان تشکیل می‌دهند.

از فلوریدا تا شیکاگو

FROM FLORIDA TO CHICAGO

هیئت تبلیغی اسپانیائی زبان‌ها در ماه آگوست سال جاری پیامی خطاب به احبای این دیار فرستاد.

در ابتدای این پیام آمده است که به تازگی یک برنامه تبلیغی برای افراد اسپانیائی زبان برای قسمت جنوبی فلوریدا طرح شده و شعار مجریان آن "آتش در فلوریدا" است. طرح مذکور قرار است در دیگر نقاط آن ایالت نیز اجرا شود.

لجنه ملی نشر نفحات فلوریدا را بعنوان یکی از "نقاط اصلی" برای تمرکز بخشیدن فعالیت‌های امری جهت تبلیغ دسته جمعی برگزیده است. دیگر این نقاط اصلی عبارت است از: آتلانتا و لوس انجلس و بوستن.

برنامه مشابهی نیز برای شیکاگو و حومه آن در نظر گرفته شده است. شیکاگو نیز یکی از نقاط اصلی برای تمرکز دادن فعالیت‌های تبلیغی است. قرار است جلسه‌ای با همکاری محفل محلی و افراد احباء در روز ۲۰ سپتامبر سال جاری تشکیل گردد.

غرض از تشکیل جلسه مذکور این است که احباء گرد هم آیند و با تشریک مساعی بهترین راه را برای تبلیغ ساکنان اسپانیائی زبان آن شهر بیابند.

مؤسسه ویلمت

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مؤسسه ویلمت و مدرسه بهائی بوش دست در کار طرح‌ریزی یک سلسله مواد درسی دربارهٔ ادیان از دیدگاه امر بهائی شده‌اند.

آموزش نخستین ماده درسی که در هفت آخر هفته تدریس می‌شود در جنیوری سال آینده در مدرسه بوش آغاز خواهد شد و به دنبال هر درس ۵ هفته مطالعه شخصی خواهد بود. هر دوره درس در مدرسه بوش غروب جمعه آغاز و ظهر یکشنبه پایان خواهد یافت.

موضوع‌هائی که تا کنون معین شده عبارت است از: ادیان هندو و بودائی؛ دین و فلسفه چینی؛ ادیان یهودی و مسیحی؛ عهد عتیق و عهد جدید؛ اسلام؛ امر بهائی و فلسفه؛ الهیات بهائی.

هر ماده درسی در حکم یک ماده درسی سه‌ماهه یا چهارماهه است و در حد مواد تدریسی آموزش عالی (دوره لیسانس) خواهد بود.

منابع و کتاب‌های درسی این دوره‌ها را مؤسسه ویلمت برای یک دوره چهارساله جهت مطالعه امر بهائی تهیه کرده است.

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پژوهشنامه نشریه پژوهشی پیام بهائی محتوی مقالات تحقیقی از محققین بهائی که در هر سال دو شماره منتشر می‌شود. شماره اول ۱۶۴ صفحه، بهای تک‌شماره ۱۲ دلار، حق اشتراک یک ساله (دو شماره) ۲۰ دلار.

سخنرانی‌های دکتر شاپور راسخ (سال ۱۹۹۶) ۷ نوار صوتی، ۳۵ دلار.

روح انسانی تقریر جناب ادیب طاهرزاده ترجمه دکتر باهر فرقانی حاوی متن انگلیسی و ترجمه فارسی مطالب و مفاهیم روح انسانی و عالم بعد از آثار و الواح امر بهائی، ۹۰ صفحه، با جلد شمیزی ۹ دلار.

آثار قلم اعلی جلد اول کتاب مبین متضمن ۲۳۲ لوح از آثار حضرت بهاءالله از جمله سورهٔ هیکل، لوح رئیس و غیره با فهرست مطالع الواح، نام مخاطبان آثار، مطالع مناجات‌ها و فهرست اعلام، ۵۲۰ صفحه با جلد چرمی نما طلاکوب ۳۸ دلار.

سهم اسلام در تمدن نوشته فیلسوف بهائی استان‌ود کاپ ترجمه پریوش سمندری (خوشبین)، تأثیر فرهنگ اسلامی در اعتلای تمدن غرب، ۱۰۰ صفحه با جلد شمیزی ۹ دلار.

علاقه‌مندان می‌توانند برای خریداری مواد بالا مستقیماً با مؤسسه معارف بهائی تماس حاصل نمایند. شماره تلفن: ۳۰۴۰-۶۲۸ (۹۰۵)

اطلاعیه مجمع عرفان

دورهٔ آینده مجمع عرفان، به زبان فارسی، در تاریخ ۱۰ تا ۱۳ اکتبر ۱۹۹۷ در مدرسه بهائی لوهلن تشکیل خواهد شد. از علاقه‌مندان دعوت می‌شود که برای نام‌نویسی و رزرو اطاق با مدرسه لوهلن با تلفن زیر تماس گیرند: ۸۱۰-۶۵۳-۵۰۳۳ [Page 38]PERSIAN

اعلان امرالله از طریق شبکه مخابره الکترونیکی

RACE UNITY IN THE U.S.

از پیش به آگاهی خوانندگان عزیز رسید که یک لجنه بهائی رسانه‌های گروهی در فوریه سال جاری در شهر دنور Denver در ایالت کلورادو Colorado تأسیس شد.

لجنه مذکور در آغاز تأسیس یک نشانی الکترونیکی (e-mail address) برای درج آگهی‌ها تعیین نموده، به اعلان امر مبارک از شبکه تلویزیون آموزشی و همگانی PBS توفیق یافته و برنامه پیک‌نیک وحدت نژادی جامعه امری را از طریق دعوت‌نامه و تلویزیون و روزنامه به آگاهی عموم رسانده است.

این لجنه که با عنوان "لجنه خدمات اطلاعاتی بهائی" Bahá’í Information Service (BIS) شناخته می‌شود، از نشانی کامپیوتری برای اعلانات محلی استفاده می‌کند.

این نشانی کامپیوتری دائماً تحت نظر لجنه قرار دارد و تماس‌هایی که با آن گرفته می‌شود به آگاهی لجنه‌های مربوطه می‌رسد. تعیین نشانی مذکور مرحله نخستین برای ایجاد یک برنامه تبلیغی و خدماتی در شبکه عمومی کامپیوتری وِب WEB به شمار می‌آید.

بهائیان و سازمان ملل متحد

UNITED NATIONS DAY

محفل روحانی ملی با همکاری با "بنیاد ملل متحد در ایالات متحده آمریکا" (United Nations Association of the United States of America, UNA-USA) از جوامع محلی بهائی و مدارس تمام وقت بهائی و کلوب‌های دانشگاهی دعوت در بزرگداشت روز سازمان ملل، ۲۴ اکتبر، به دیگر بنیادها بپیوندند و با آنها همکاری نمایند.

جامعه بهائی از این پیش نیز همواره از برنامه‌های ویژه مربوط به روز سازمان ملل و فعالیت‌های مشابه آن پشتیبانی کرده است. برنامه‌ها و فعالیت‌های مذکور فرصت مناسبی برای ابلاغ کلام الهی به مردم فراهم می‌سازد.

محفل روحانی ملی احباء را تشویق می‌کند که فعالیت‌های ویژه‌ای در این خصوص ترتیب دهند یا با گروه‌های دیگری که برای بزرگداشت روز سازمان ملل فعالیت‌هایی دارند، تشریک مساعی نمایند و در ترتیب و اداره سمینارها و مجالس عمومی و غیره با آنها همکاری کنند.

سال گذشته محفل روحانی ملی با تشریک مساعی با UNA-USA و ۱۳۶ سازمان دیگر نامه گشاده‌ای به دولت و کنگره ایالات متحده فرستاد که در آن از دولت آمریکا خواسته شده بود که تعهدات مالی خود را در قبال سازمان ملل متحده ایفاء نماید.

با اینکه سازمان ملل متحد به اصلاحاتی در زمینه امور مالی و صرفه‌جوئی در مخارج دست زده، بدهی‌های معوق ایالات متحده به آن بالغ بر ۱/۵ میلیارد دلار است.

همچنین محفل روحانی ملی به اتفاق سازمان عفو بین‌المللی شعبه ایالات متحده دست‌اندر کار فعالیت‌هایی در شهر واشنگتن دی‌سی است که بر مبنای آن به مجلس سنای ایالات متحده توصیه و تأکید می‌شود که پیمان سازمان ملل در خصوص زنان را تصویب نماید.

در ماه جون سال جاری محفل روحانی ملی اطلاعاتی درباره پیمان مذکور به بیش از ۱۴۰ محفل روحانی محلی فرستاد و از افراد احباء درخواست نمود که با سناتورهای خود تماس بگیرند و آنان را تشویق نمایند که بر آگاهی مردم محل در خصوص اهمیت حقوق زنان بیافزایند.

دوستان می‌توانند برای دریافت اطلاعات بیشتر درباره بزرگداشت روز سازمان ملل با دفتر جامعه بهائی در سازمان ملل تماس حاصل نمایند. تلفن: ۸۰۳-۲۵۰۰ (۲۱۲)، فکس: ۸۰۳-۲۵۷۳ (۲۱۲)

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همچنین علاقه‌مندان می‌توانند برای دریافت اطلاعات بیشتر درباره تصویب پیمان سازمان ملل متحد درباره حقوق زنان یا پرداخت بدهی‌های عقب‌مانده ایالات متحده به سازمان ملل متحد با دفتر روابط خارجی محفل روحانی ملی در واشنگتن تماس حاصل نمایند. شماره تلفن: ۸۳۳-۸۹۹۰ (۲۰۲) شماره فکس: ۸۳۳-۸۹۸۸ (۲۰۲)

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لجنه ملی اماءالرحمن

NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN

روز ۲۶ جولای سال جاری لجنه ملی اماءالرحمن یک سلسله جلسات با حضور اعضای لجنه و نمایندگان ۱۲ محفل روحانی محلی در واشنگتن دی‌سی تشکیل داد.

محفل روحانی واشنگتن میزبان جلسه‌ای بود که در آن ۱۸ نفر از زنان بهائی و ۴ نفر از مردان شرکت داشتند. شرکت‌کنندگان در این جلسه درباره چگونگی گسترش بخشیدن به اصل تساوی حقوق زن و مرد در جامعه بهائی و نیز جامعه خارج آن به مشورت پرداختند.

لجنه ملی اماءالرحمن دو هدف اصلی دارد که عبارت است از: ۱- تربیت نسل جدیدی که نسبت به تساوی حقوق زن و مرد متعهد باشد، ۲- تشویق یاران به توزیع بیانیه محفل روحانی ملی درباره تساوی حقوق زن و مرد "دو بال یک پرنده: Two Wings of a Bird: The Equality of Women and Men در داخل جامعه بهائی و خارج آن.

از جمله اهداف جلسه تشکیل شده در واشنگتن عبارت بود از: آگاهی یافتن از فعالیت‌هایی که جوامع محلی در مورد تساوی حقوق زن و مرد به آن مبادرت نموده اند و نیز چگونگی تقدیم بیانیه محفل روحانی ملی از طریق محافل محلی به اولیای امور در سطح محلی.

علاقه‌مندان می‌توانند برای دریافت اطلاعات بیشتر درباره تساوی حقوق زن و مرد در امر بهائی با دفتر لجنه اماءالرحمن واقع در دفتر محفل ملی تماس حاصل نمایند.

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اقبال دسته جمعی

MASS TEACHING

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علی‌رغم موانعی که در راه تبلیغ اسپانیائی‌زبان‌ها و افرادی که از جنوب شرقی آسیا به ایالات متحده آمده‌اند، قرار دارد پیشرفت‌های چشمگیری در تبلیغ آنان به دست آمده است.

در شمبلی Chamblee در ایالت جورجیا یک برنامه تبلیغی چندفرهنگی Multicultural Teaching Project دست اجراست. پیگیری این برنامه و دیدارهایی که احباء با مبتدیان اسپانیائی‌زبان و افراد جنوب شرقی آسیا ترتیب داده‌اند، ره‌آوردهای تازه و همچنین مشکلات جدیدی به دنبال داشته است.

در واتسن‌ویل Watsonville در ایالت کالیفرنیا نیز دو سال است که یک برنامه تبلیغی برای اسپانیائی‌زبان‌ها در دست اجراست و به رغم دشواری‌هایی که برای مبلغان ایجاد شده و حملاتی که به برنامه تبلیغی مذکور و تشکیلات وارد آمده، فعالیت‌های تبلیغی احباء همچنان ادامه دارد.

تقریباً هفته‌ای یک بار مبلغان از تازه‌تصدیقان واتسن‌ویل برای تزیید معلومات امری آنان و همچنین ایجاد و تحکیم اساس دوستی و الفت با آن نورسیدگان روحانی دیدار می‌کنند. تعداد تازه‌تصدیقان نیز رو به افزایش است و بیش از ۲۰۰ نفر به امر حضرت بهاءالله اقبال کرده‌اند.

اطلاعیه محفل روحانی سن‌دیاگو

DIVINE ART OF LIVING CONFERENCE

یاران عزیز الهی،

محفل مقدس روحانی سن‌دیاگو با نهایت خوشوقتی و مسرت تشکیل کنفرانس "دانستنی‌های مؤثر در حیات بهائی" را به استادی جناب دکتر ریاض قدیمی به اطلاع احبای عزیز می‌رساند. این کنفرانس در روزهای جمعه ۲۸، شنبه ۲۹، و یکشنبه ۳۰ نوامبر در هتل شرایتون در لاهویا تشکیل می‌شود. بنا به درخواست دوستان موضوع اصلی کنفرانس در مورد "خانواده، انتخاب همسر، تربیت فرزندان و روابط زن و شوهر" خواهد بود. برای آن دسته از دوستانی که با زبان فارسی آشنائی ندارند متن کنفرانس توسط جناب کامران نجاتی به انگلیسی ترجمه خواهد شد. نظر به اینکه هتل مزبور تا ۱۵ اکتبر برای مهمانان کنفرانس بهائی تخفیف مخصوص داده است لذا لطفاً تا قبل از این تاریخ اتاق‌های خود را رزرو فرمائید.... لازم به یادآوری است که اقامت آن عزیزان در هتل مزبور باعث کاهش قابل توجهی در هزینه اجاره محل کنفرانس می‌گردد.

علاقه‌مندان می‌توانند برای دریافت اطلاعات بیشتر با محفل روحانی سن‌دیاگو تماس حاصل نمایند. شماره تلفن: ۷۵۵-۷۶۲۳ (۶۱۹)

e-mail [Page 39]mental and non-governmental organizations and many prominent persons" (1996 Ridván Message to the Bahá’ís of the World).

The National Assembly’s policy on contact with government officials is designed to safeguard the unity and integrity of Bahá’í efforts in external affairs at the local and national level. Once again, the policy may be stated as follows:

Bahá’í individuals and institutions must seek permission from the National Assembly before contacting federal government officials, state legislatures or governors on matters or issues directly pertaining to the Bahá’í Faith.

Examples of official contact on behalf of the Bahá’í Faith include invitations to Bahá’í community events, presentations of Bahá’í statements, and expressions of Bahá’í support for or positions on particular policies or issues.

Individual Bahá’ís are free to appeal to and communicate with their elected representatives and other government officials on any matter that does not refer to the Bahá’í Faith.

The policy applies only to officials and agencies with national or statewide jurisdiction. This includes all agencies and officials of the federal government, state legislatures, and governors.

Bahá’ís wishing to contact individual state legislators, mayors, city council members, and other local officials on Bahá’í matters must seek permission from the relevant local Spiritual Assembly.

The policy does not apply in cases of informal contact with friends or family members who happen to hold public office.

The National Assembly would very much appreciate being informed if a Bahá’í has a personal relationship with a prominent person or government official, because such relations may facilitate official contact should such contact be required.

In like manner, Bahá’ís may inform the relevant local Assembly if they have personal relations with a mayor, city council member, county commissioner, or other local official.

The local Spiritual Assembly handbook Developing Distinctive Bahá’í Communities, in particular Chapter 12 on "External Affairs," contains further guidance and quotes from the Writings on government relations.

Any additional questions may be addressed to the National Spiritual Assembly through its Office of the Secretary for External Affairs, 1320 19th Street N.W., Suite 701, Washington, D.C.; phone 202-833-8990; fax 202-833-8988; e-mail

Stage presentation planned

Stage portraits of early believers Howard Colby Ives and Juliet Thompson will be presented in a six-city U.S.-Canadian tour this fall.

The double-bill presentation "Believers," to be performed by Phillip Hinton and Beverley Evans, consists of two solo-actor plays: "Portals to Freedom" and "Angel of Fire and Snow."

For more information, contact Melita Elmore at ‎or ‎ 510-832-8179. A Web site with play details is planned.

Guy Murchie, 90, was popular author

Guy Murchie, a Bahá’í who wrote the best-selling books Song of the Sky, Music of the Spheres and The Seven Mysteries of Life, died July 8 in Anaheim, California. He was 90 years old.

Mr. Murchie, a former reporter and artist for the Chicago Tribune, covered the early years of World War II for that newspaper and was reportedly the first correspondent wounded in the conflict.

After leaving the Tribune in 1942, he became a flight instructor and navigator and continued writing and illustrating. He later founded Apple Hill Camp, an international summer place for children, in New Hampshire, operating it for 11 years.

All three of his books were Book of the Month Club selections. The late Isaac Asimov said of Music of the Spheres, "One can only stand amazed at the breadth of Mr. Murchie’s understanding and his ability to put the facts and speculations of science into colorful and nontechnical language."

The seven mysteries of life about which Mr. Murchie wrote his last book are abstraction, interrelation, omnipresence, polarity, transcendence, germination and divinity.

Guy Murchie’s bestselling books were praised for putting science into understandable language.

Dunne, 89, served as pioneer on 3 continents

Major E. Dunne, former pioneer to Ghana, Liberia, the Madeira Islands, the Canary Islands, Nevis and Mexico, died in Spokane, Washington, July 19 at age 89.

Born in February 1908, Mr. Dunne became a Bahá’í in February 1947. Later that year he and a former pioneer to Canada, Zara Benson Phanco, were married and the next year went homefront pioneering to Astoria, Oregon, where they helped form the first Assembly.

In response to the call for pioneers in the Ten Year Crusade, the Dunnes arose to offer themselves for this service. In 1952 the U.S. Africa Teaching Committee wrote to the Guardian asking if the Dunnes should go to the Gold Coast (now Ghana) to replace another pioneer who had to return to the States. The Guardian replied asking that the Dunnes "promptly" go there. This they did, arriving in 1953.

When their visas expired and they were unable to stay on, they transferred to Liberia in 1954, staying there for the next eight years and returning there between periods of service in the ‎Madiera Madeira‎ Islands (1962) and the Canary Islands (1967-68).

While in West Africa, Mr. Dunne served on the National Spiritual Assembly of West Africa and on the Auxiliary Board for Protection in that region. Mr. Dunne worked as a commercial airline pilot and operated a small airline.

After a few years in the United States taking care of health concerns, the Dunnes again set out as pioneers to Nevis in the Leeward Islands in 1975. By this time they were quite elderly but determined to stay on in the pioneering field as long as they could. After twelve years in the islands, they pioneered to Mexico.

In 1991, Mr. Dunne became seriously ill and had to be evacuated from Mexico. Mrs. Dunne suffered a stroke soon after.

The Dunnes settled in Spokane, where their health needs were supplemented by the loving care and support of the Bahá’í community.

Javid, 73, was scholar of Writings

Kathleen Boland Javid, who pioneered to France with her husband, Farhang, in 1957, and served the Cause devotedly for nearly half a century, died January 16, less than a month before her 73rd birthday.

Her voluminous compilations on various topics, along with the outlines of courses she offered at Bahá’í summer schools, clearly show her eloquence and the depth of her understanding of the Sacred Writings.

Mrs. Javid served on many committees in the 1960s and ’70s including the National Teaching Committee and served for a time as the National Spiritual Assembly’s alternate representative to the United Nations.

In 1974, a stroke took away her speech and her ability to carry out her many duties, so she became a silent teacher of the Faith, loving everyone with whom she came in contact and shining with radiant acquiescence.

On learning of her death, the Universal House of Justice’s Secretariat cabled: "The Universal House of Justice was deeply saddened by the news of the passing of dearly loved Kathleen Javid, whose cheerful spirit and selfless services contributed to the development of the Bahá’í community in the United States."

The National Spiritual Assembly expressed its prayers "for our dearly loved Kathleen, whose example of true service in the development of our Holy Cause through participation in the teaching and administrative work will remain everlasting."

Kathleen Javid

Asuncion, 34, helped in Bosch maintenance

James Francis Asuncion, who served for 18 months at the World Center in Haifa, Israel, and for the past four years as a volunteer maintenance assistant at the Bosch Bahá’í School in Santa Cruz, California, died July 5, one day after suffering a stroke. He was 34 years old.

Mr. Asuncion worked on every building at Bosch, and his carpentry skills are best represented by the exquisite finish he applied to the new Seminar Rooms.

James Asuncion

In Memoriam

James Asuncion Santa Cruz, CA July 5, 1997	Parron M. Deas Hershey, PA June 27, 1997	John Kozlik Jr. Racine, WI July 11, 1997	Lois Nair Tulare, CA March 14, 1997
Carrie Lee Brown Covington, GA March 1997	Richard Eldridge Merced, CA June 24, 1997	Constance Markert-Weiss Laurel, MD July 21, 1997	Margaret Quance Lake Zurich, IL May 26, 1997
Gussie Mae Brown Covington, GA June 1997	Irene Fortney Sacramento, CA June 1, 1997	Olive McDonald Trenton, NJ June 26, 1997	Dolores Schermerhorn Cudahy, WI May 23, 1997
Winifred Byrd Sierra Vista, AZ July 4, 1997	Arnold J. Glaz Falmouth, VA July 26, 1997	Marguerite Mehaffey Dayton, OH June 2, 1997	Margaret Shelley Portland, OR June 5, 1997
Eugene Byrd Sr. Pikesville, MD July 17, 1997	Mariam Haghighi Chicago, IL January 4, 1997	Guy Murchie Anaheim, CA July 8, 1997	Bahereh Taslimi Santa Monica, CA July 4, 1997
Jean Columbus Morton, MN April 12, 1997	Kenneth Hollingshead Lenora, KS July 3, 1997	Leigh John Moon Silver Spring, MD July 17, 1997	Sarah Walters Marshallville, GA June 4, 1997
Art Conow Ontario, CA May 16, 1997	Lon Nell Karnes Phoenix, AZ June 1997

[Page 40]

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

A girl has her face painted at a summer picnic sponsored by the Bahá’í community of Louisville, Kentucky, organized in response to the National Spiritual Assembly’s call for interaction between youth and adults. More than 60 people attended the event, which also featured food and games.

MOVING? TELL US YOUR NEW ADDRESS	To avoid unnecessary delays in receiving The American Bahá’í, send all family members’ names, new address and mailing label to: Management Information Services, Bahá’í National Center, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201-1611. If acquiring a Post Office box, your residence address must be filled in. Please allow three weeks for processing. (This also updates the National Center’s data base.)
A. NAME(S) 1. _________________________________ I.D. # ___________________ 2. _________________________________ I.D. # ___________________ 3. _________________________________ I.D. # ___________________ 4. _________________________________ I.D. # ___________________
B. NEW RESIDENCE ADDRESS _________________________________ Street address _________________________________ Apartment # (if applicable) _________________________________ City ____________________ ____________ State                     Zip code	C. NEW MAILING ADDRESS _________________________________ P.O. Box or other mailing address _________________________________ Apartment # (if applicable) _________________________________ City ____________________ ____________ State                     Zip code
D. NEW COMMUNITY ____________________ ____________ Name of new Bahá’í community     Moving date	E. HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER (______) __________ ______________ Area code Phone number     Name
F. WORK TELEPHONE NUMBER(S) (______) __________ ______________         (______) __________ ______________ Area code Phone number     Name             Area code Phone number     Name
G. WE RECEIVE EXTRA COPIES BECAUSE: [ ] we do not have the same last name. We do not want extra copies, so please cancel the copy for the person(s) and I.D. number(s) listed above. [ ] the last names and addresses on our address labels do not match. We have listed above the full names of family members as they should appear on the national records, their I.D. numbers, and the corrections so that we will receive only one copy.	H. I WOULD LIKE A COPY [ ] Our household receives only one copy of The American Bahá’í. I wish to receive my own copy. I have listed my name, I.D. number and address above.

Bahá’í National Center
1233 Central St.
Evanston, IL 60201-1611

’Izzat B.E. 154 • SEPTEMBER 8, 1997

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

For information about events sponsored by the National Spiritual Assembly or its agencies at the Bahá’í National Center, please phone 847-869-9039 and ask for the relevant department. The numbers for the permanent Bahá’í schools and institutes are as follows: Bosch Bahá’í School, phone 408-423-3387; fax 408-423-7564; e-mail __________ Green Acre Bahá’í School, phone 207-439-7200; fax 207-438-9940; e-mail __________ Louhelen Bahá’í School, phone 810-653-5033; fax 810-653-7181; e-mail __________ Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute, phone 803-558-5093; fax 803-558-9114; e-mail __________ Native American Bahá’í Institute, phone 520-587-7599; fax 520-521-1063; e-mail __________

SEPTEMBER

12-14: Decentralization project of the National Spiritual Assembly, facilitated by Farzad Mogharabi, director of the National Center’s Management Information Systems, Bosch Bahá’í School. (Involving the Spiritual Assemblies of Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and Salt Lake City).

12-14: “Prerequisites to Peace,” annual commemoration of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Classes for youth, pre-youth and children; nursery for infants. For information, phone Nancy at 970-464-5196.

19-21: Assembly Team Development weekend, Bosch Bahá’í School. Also, Persian Women’s Conference on Bahá’í Family Life, facilitated by Dr. Kayvan Geula.

19-22: Core Curriculum sessions for Teacher Trainers and Parent Facilitators, Louhelen Bahá’í School. Also, National Teacher Training Center.

26-28: College Club Symposium presented by the National Youth Committee, Green Acre Bahá’í School.

26-28: Conference on the new Statement on the Equality of Women and Men, facilitated by the National Committee for the Advancement of Women, Bosch Bahá’í School.

26-28: College Club Conference, Louhelen Bahá’í School. Also, Institute for Young Women.

27: One-day conference, “Remembering Religion: Integrating the Beautiful, the Good and the True,” exploring the integrative thinking of Ken Wilber in light of the Bahá’í Teachings, Bosch Bahá’í School. Facilitated by Magdalene Rose, the Association for Bahá’í Studies California Regional Committee, and the Spiritual Assembly of San Francisco.

28: Eliot Festival Days program, Green Acre Bahá’í School. Program, tours of Sarah Farmer Inn, public turkey dinner.

28: 86th memorial service honoring Thornton Chase, the first American Bahá’í, Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, California. Sponsored by the Bahá’ís of Inglewood. For information, phone 310-519-1811 or 310-419-0643.

OCTOBER

10-12: College Club Symposium, sponsored by the National Committee, Bosch Bahá’í School.

10-12: Institute for Mature Youth and College Youth, Louhelen Bahá’í School.

10-13: Irfan Colloquium, Louhelen Bahá’í School.

10-13: The Seven Valleys, presented by Sheila Banani, and Persian-language sessions on “The Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: An Overview,” by Dr. Amin Banani, Green Acre Bahá’í School.

17-19: Video Stage Conference, Session on Ruhi Teaching Techniques, Bosch Bahá’í School.

17-19: Teacher Training Institute workshop, facilitated by Khalil and Sue Khavari, Bosch Bahá’í School.

17-19: Footsteps of the Master in America, Louhelen Bahá’í School.

17-19: “The Bahá’í Community Workshop,” a family session for adults and youth conducted by Peter and Pepper Oldziey, Green Acre Bahá’í School.

24-26: Star Trek teaching weekend, geared toward seekers, Bosch Bahá’í School.

24-26: “Bringing the UN Home” with Jeffery Huffines, U.S. Bahá’í representative to the United Nations, Green Acre Bahá’í School.

25: Public panel discussion, “Religious Perspectives on Sustainable Development,” Green Acre Bahá’í School.

30-Nov. 1: “The Kitáb-i-Aqdas and You,” facilitated by Azadeh and Nabil Fares, Bosch Bahá’í School. A personal development program using the Aqdas as the instrument for fulfilling the mandates of the Universal House of Justice.

30-Nov. 2: Pioneering/Year of Service/SITA Institute presented by the Office of Pioneering, Green Acre Bahá’í School.

31-Nov. 2: The Covenant and Community Transformation, Louhelen Bahá’í School.

31-Nov. 3: Pioneering/BYSC Institute, Green Acre Bahá’í School.

NOVEMBER

7-9: National Hispanic Teaching Conference, sponsored by the Latin-American Task Force and the National Teaching Committee, with Counselor Arturo Serrano and others, Bosch Bahá’í School. Also, retreat study group, “Structuring the Community,” facilitated by Derek Cockshut.

7-9: Youth Eagle Institute, ages 15 and up, Louhelen Bahá’í School.

14-16: Special Fund-Raising weekend, Bosch Bahá’í School.

14-16: 21st annual Conference of the Association for Bahá’í Studies, Renaissance Hotel, Washington, D.C. Theme: “Fostering Human Rights: Developing Pathways to Peace.”

14-16: Royal Falcon Bahá’í School at Pensacola Beach, Florida with Tod Ewing, Alberta Deas and Charles Bullock. For information contact Carol Payne, P.O. Box 289, Skipperville, AL 36374, phone 334-774-0020, or e-mail for hotel room reservations call 800-232-2416.