The American Bahá’í/Volume 29/Issue 1/Text

From Bahaiworks

[Page 1]

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Strengthening the helping hand

Development conference aims at empowering Baha’is

BY TOM MENNILLO

he fifth annual Baha’i Conference on Social and Economic Development for the Americas

in Orlando, Florida, was a “people’s



conference” in every sense. From its atmosphere of participatory learning to a stripped-down program focusing on hands-on workshops rather than speeches and awards, the Rabbani ‘Trust-sponsored conference Dec.18-21 helped attendees build a capacity to apply Baha’ principles in the community. In their quest, the 1,300 partici ided by about 225 social and economic development practitioners from North, Central, and South America. a experts on the ground led 12 advancement of women,







agriculture, arts, broadcast media, business and economics, education, environment, health, indigenous peoples, literacy, marriage and family, and peoples of African descent —that they had launched during a three-day seminar prior to the conferen

Between formal










sions, participants viewed displays o! ial and economic development projects from around the hemisphere and engaged their practitioners in discussion. How might they serve these projects? How might they get a similar project off the ground where they live?

To aid the latter, grant-writing as: tance was provided. Also, Mottahedeh Development Services, the social and economic development arm of the










A MESSAGE TO THE PRESIDENT OF IRAN

he National Spiritual Assembly

has arranged for publication of an open letter in The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times, in response to a recent televised talk by President Khatami of Iran, addressed to the American people.

‘The letter was composed after consultations at the Baha’i World Center among representatives of seven National Spiritual Assemblies engaged in external affairs work in defense of the Iranian

Baha'i community.

SEE MESSAGE, PAGE 25




Nobel Prize winner Betty Williams chats with youngsters at the Baha’ December. She shared her story of building a peace network in Northern Ireland; see Page 28. Photo by James Cheal

Economic Development Conferenc:

THE POWER OF BAHA’i PRINCIPLES, PAGE 4

National Spiritual Assembly, led an allday workshop on integrating development into Baha’i community life.

Heavy-duty networking during the conference resulted in some éxciting collaborations that could bear fruit in the coming year, such as the formation ofa U.S. Baha’ busin al forum similar to Europe’s.

A corps of performers coordinated by Jack Lenz also spiritualized the gathering.

Award-winning family singer Red Grammer was featured along with such




5 2 =

Social and


crowd pleasers as balladeer Nancy Ward; Persian singer Mansour Sobhani; folkrock artists J.B. Eckl and K.C. Porter; the French-Canadian duo of pianist Lucie Dubé and violinist Christian Prévost; indigenous chanter Phil Lane Jr; and dramatist Mary K. Makoski.

But even with the hands-on focus, the weekend was far from “speech-less.”

Inspirational case stud blazing social and economic development were presented throughout the weekend, including

  • The Foundation for the Application







SEE CONFERENCE, PAGE 28

National Assembly creates Office for Women’s Affairs

the National Spiritual Assembly has named Juana Conrad as director of its newly established Office of Women’s Affairs, in an effort to bring the principle of equality between women and men closer to the forefront of Baha’i work in American soci ‘The action is in keeping with a strategy put forth by the Universal House of Justice in an Oct. 10, 1994, message, saying B external affairs work should focus on human rights, the status of women, moral development and global prosperity. ‘The mandate of the new office is to “ensure emphasis on and assist in coor








dination of women’s affairs for the National Spiritual As:

The office’s mission includes participating in activities designed to promote the equality of women and men, and to the Assembly on s and trends dealing with women.

“J want to ensure the National Assembly is kept abreast of trends in the American Baha’i community regarding the equality of women and men and the advancement of women,” Ms. Conrad said.

One of her first tasks in the new post, she said, will be to survey Baha’is







SEE WOMEN’S AFFAIRS, PAGE 3 1




FEBRUARY 7, 1998

MULK/ DOMINION BAHAI ERA 154

VOLUME 29, NO. |

  • IN-S-1-D-E

-Baha’w'lléh



�[Page 2]

I was profoundly impressed by The American Baha’’s new look. The revamped format, high-quality photos, and splash of color attract the reader’s attention, while the increased quality and range of articles hold this attention from the first page to the last. I think you have hit upon a winning formula!

Steven Phelps Graduate Student Princeton University

It was wonderful to receive the December edition of The American Baha’ with its impressive new, upgraded, and greatly more readable format. Thank you for the effort and the artistic work gone into this new look. Please keep up this format.

B.N. Kermane

Tam a Baha’i living in Kansas and when I received this month's current American Baba’, about fell over. The


‘TROKON P. BRYANT and NICOLE ‘TAHIRIH JOHNSON, Baha’ students from New York City, were among honorees at a recent Yankee Stadium ceremony for service in their community. ‘Trokon is a senior at St. John's University and Nicole is a freshman at Dewitt Clinton High School in the Bronx.

MARCI COVERSTONE, an 11-year-old Baha’ from Carroll County, Maryland, was awarded first place in a Friendship Valley Elementary School art contest for her design of a button on the importance of immunizations for children. She also received a perfect attendance certificate for the 1996-1997 school year.

BERNICE G. DORMIO, a Baha’i from Avondale, Louisiana, was the first African-American woman to be elected president of the Jefferson (Parish) Historical Society. She has served on the board of the society since 1991.

SHAHLA MAGHZI, a Baha’f student at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, won the Harlan Smith Builders of a Better World essay contest sponsored by the World Federalist Association. The essay connected her crosscultural experience with a vision of the oneness of humanity.

RAjI MARTINEAU,

a 10-year-old Baha'i from Pacific, Washington, received an Academic Exellence award from Alpac Elementary School for the first half of the 1997-98 school year.

om

‘

J


jt MARTINEAU

VALERIE MARTINEZ, a Baha’ who is a poet, translator and professor of English at New Mexico Highlands Univer



ABOUT THE RECENT CHANGES IN THE AMERICAN BAHA’|

process color is really beautiful. I work for a publishing company. Joe Sporleder Beloit, KS ‘The editorial staff of Hawai'i's national news organ Light of the Pacific would like to offer our hearty congratulations on the beautiful new The American Baba’t publication. We have been burning with the flame of the spirit that you evoke in the opening editorial and are constantly seeking new ways in which to improve our own publication. Liz Hahn-Morin, Joanne Farlander and Corale Borges, Kaua'i, Hawaii


I've wanted to write you several times but I must say and commend you that the new American Bahd’t in color really makes an effect. Please don't stop this positive, wonderful, successful addition.

Neda Najibi Austin, TX


sity in Las Vegas,

New Mexico, was , recently awarded the Larry Levis Prize for her first book of poetry. Four Way Books of New York and Massachusetts, which awarded the prize, chose her book from among 1,500 submissions. As a result of the prize, Ms. Martinez will read from the book in a tour of several cities including New York and San Francisco. Her poems already have appeared in literary magazines and anthologies, a she co-edited an anthology of native women's writing, Reinventing the Enemy's Language, which was distributed by a major publisher.

VALERIE MARTINEZ



=] DoRN MATTHEWS, a 14year-old Baha’t from Gresham, Oregon, was awarded a black belt in ‘Taekwondo after four years of study in the martial arts.


DORN MATTHEWS

LINDSAY S. MCCOMB, 11, of Arvada, Colorado, and TAHIRIH CORDOVA, 10, of Denver, both Baha’is, were among outstanding math and science students chosen from three area elementary schools to participate in a summer science adventure program on the environment, sponsored by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado.

ANNA ZOTIGH, an 11-year-old Baha'i from Wichita, Kansas, who is a member of the Kiowa Tribe, was accepted as a traditional dancer for all


I want to pass along my compliments for an outstanding edition. I’m very proud of these developments. The layout is interesting and professional, the addition of color is a fabulous idea. Please keep up the wonderful work. Wishing you the very best of continued creativity!

Katherine Christensen Gilbert, AZ

Just sat down and leafed through the remarkable new American Baha’é - and was oh so jealous. Well done. Congratulations. Here at Baha’i Canada we are making changes to the way we put our publication together, although doing it in a much more piecemeal basis. ... Again, a big pat on the back to you all for a job very well done.

Don Long Editor, Baha’i Canada

THINGS

pow-wows during a special ceremony Sept. 13 in the Inter-Tribal Pow-Wow at the Mid-American Indian Center in Wichita.


THE AMERICAN


1233 Central St. Evanston, IL 60201 Tel/ 847.853.2352 Fax/ 847.256.1372 E-mail/ http://tab.usbne.org

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PusLisHeD ONCE EVERY 38 Days (ph pecial issue) for a total of 10 issues per year by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201-1611. Periodical postage paid at Evanston, IL and additional mailing offices.




SEND ADDRESS CHANGES to Management Information Services, 1233 Central St. Evanston, IL 60201-1611.



ISSN Number: 1062-1113

SUBMITTING ARTICLES AND PHOTOS ‘Tite American Band’t welcomes news ters or other iter i


from individitutions of the




‘ious. ins


‘ould be clear and concise. Stonay be edited for length.

  • Puorocraris may be color or black-andwhite prints or slides. Please submit photos

that are well composed and in focus and people in photos when possible. If you wish photos returned, include a selfaddressed envelope.

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March 6 for the issue dated April 9 April 14 for the issue dated May 17






PLease appRess ALL rreMs for possible publication to Managing Editors, The American f’‘, 1233 Central St. Evanston, IL 60201-1611 (e-mail rr —————_—_} ©1998 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States. World rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.








page 2 THE AMERICAN BAHA’i * EXCELLENCE February 7, 1998 �[Page 3]

Pierre community hastens to meet service opportunity


BY TOM MENNILLO

¢ Baha’fs of Pierre, South Dakota, have a different perspective on the Four Year

Plan now that one of those opportunities the Universal House of Justice said the American Baha’f community is well-placed to receive has dropped in their laps.

The community of nine adult believers in one of the nation’s smallest state capitals—population 13,000—recently was asked by a public school counselor to spearhead the spiritual education of area American Indian youth.

The request took the Local Spiritual Assembly by complete surprise and left it scrambling to find the right approach and resources. Auxiliary Board member Kevin Locke, contacted immediately, made plans for a Jan. 14 visit to consult with the Assembly and with the Indian youths themselves.

Deepening on the Ridvin 153 message to the Bal of our continent had made the friends aware that the time is ripe for breakthroughs:

“In North America, there are opportunities for the advancement of the process of entry by troops, the like of which presently exist in no other place on earth. Three unique characteristics combine to give rise to this condition: the unparalleled strength of your local communities, particularly evident in the 4 y of your Local Spiritual and in the co tion of the Baha’ youth; the positive impression of the Faith which has been conveyed, not only to the generality of the population, but also to leaders of thought and people of influence; and












“We thought we were deepened on the Four Year Plan. But now we read it and have a different perspective because we see it happening.”

—Shiva Khadem Ziai, secretary of Pierre Assembly

——


the composition of your nations, w! have welcomed to their shores immigrants, students and refugees from all parts of the planet, drawn from all the major racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds of humanity.”

Who knew, though, that it would occur in such an isolated area, where the Faith has slipped in and out of Assembly status over the years and the teaching work has been arduous and frustrating?

“We thought we were deepened on the Four Year Plan,” said Shiva Khadem Ziai, Assembly secretary. “But now we read it and have a different perspective because we see it happening—even in Pierre, South Dakota.”

Over the years, Pierre Baha small steps to involve themselves in the schools. Statements such as The Prosperity of Humankind were sent to superi tendents and principals with a cover letter. Teachers were honored for their vital role with cakes, flowers, and quotations from the Writings.

No official acknowledgement came from those efforts, and school authorities remain wary of intertwining religion and education. But the friends persisted. ‘The latest overture was an offer by the Baha’is to award scholarships to stu












dents in several schools.

‘This time the Baha’f message struck a nerve. Joanne Beare, a junior high school counselor primarily responsible for working with Indian youth in a predominantly white district, met with the friends to discuss the offer. During that meeting, she shared with them a pressing need for spiritual education.

Case in point: The Pierre schools have been rocked over the past years by six or seven youth suicides. Although only one of the tragedies involved an Indian, Beare is trying to fill a void in young lives through her work with them outs school hou

Would the Baha said automatically.

Would they head the effort? A response was slower coming this time. Let’s meet with the teens and their adult advisers and go from there, they suggested.

At this first session, the Indian youths shared troubled lives marked by alcohol, drugs, and dysfunctional . The friends shared their neces and related them to Baha’ principles.

Where to go from the: he Bal know they need resources. The Curt jum surely would be helpful, but Pierre is far from any training sessions.

And they know they will have to build a relationship carefully with these youths from a different culture. But they’re willing to try, with the prayers pport of other Baha’is. all, they know how precious this opportunity is.

“The mess




help? Sure, they






Core





rs have told “If an opporand. we're




| Enrollments

December ’97..........++. Total since May | ’97.








THE FUND

May 1 - December 31, 1997

Contributions received by National Treasurer


ed Goal for nce May 1: entire year: $13,799,339 $27,000,000

lee

of goal has been met



of fiscal year

has passed A A

April 30, 1998

67%




December 31, 1997





89™ BAHA


2

I NATIONAL CONVENTION


Baha'i ID#

MAY 28-31, 1998 AT HOLIDAY INN O’HARE, ROSEMONT, IL Registration form

This will be an open convention. Believers wishing to attend the convention as observers may pre-register with the Baha’{ National Center. Questions about details should be

Bye.

referred to the Conventions Office at the Baha’{ National Center (phone 847-733-5329, e-mail

Full name


Address

Allocations to other funds

Arc Projects Fund

$2,080,963


15% of contributions received by National Assembly (goal is 19%)

icomPi Omri we atte $2,365,091


17% of contributions received by National Assembly (goal is 7%)

OO en oe le SP em m oe

$219,230


2% of contributions received by National Assembly (goal is 2%)

Other contributions

$469,146


Total revenues and expenses at Baha'i National Center May 1 - December 31, 1997

RIB PAL

Revenues @

$13,401,333



City/State/Zip


Delegate __ Visitor __ Agency/Office/Other __



_ Home phone





Expenses ¥


1,642,290

\s plus revenues

Resulting defici @ Includes contributi iPr

Home, permanent schools, ete.



from Bah blishing ‘Trust, Bahs’s


Y Operatin J capital expenses, not Otherness eben o noe enka is Work phone including depreciation. RETURN FORM TO: HOTEL RESERVATIONS AVAILABLE: Mail contributions to: Conventions Office, Baha’i National Center Holiday Inn O’Hare Natic ai Wilmette, IL 60091 5440 N. River Road, Rosemont, IL 60018 . eel eee Phone: 847-733-3529 Phone: 800-HOLIDAY Wilmette, IL 60091-2800 E-m: Fax: 708-671-1378 st y Please write Baha’i ID # on check











February 7,1998. THE AMERICAN BAHA‘i * THE SECOND FRONT _ page 3 �[Page 4]

Power of the Teachings drives development

BY THE OFFICE OF THE TREASURER AND DEVELOPMENT

% live in a nation with, officially,

269 million people as of Jan. 1

What hope can the 120,000 or

so Baha'is really have of maki a dent in the crises facing the United States right now?

Maybe the principles of Baha’s social and economic development offer an answer. Sound unlikely? Listen to a story that was told in December at the Rabbani Seminar on Development.

A young woman w al relief organization she works for ina ci more than 500,000 in a country that has been torn by years of internal warfare. All shall remain nameless because it is still risky to speak about the Faith there.

This adventurous woman, only three years a Baha’f, had little more than a knapsack and a copy of The Foundation of Tr Economics, a compilation of Baha’i teachings by Houshmand Badii.

‘To say she faced a difficult challenge would be an epic understatement. When she arrived five years ago, the only roads into the city had been bombed. Electricity, gas, drinking water and sewage systems were distant memories for the people who lived there. No businesses were operating, and the local and national governments were shut down.

Our friend had a budget from her organization but it was obviously much too small to make a eal difference, and anyway most of it would have disappeared into the pockets of the leaders of the many factions who had influence locally. What was she to do?

t she began to boil the problem down to



ent by a multinationy of










size. She remembered two things: The Faith teaches that man has both a material and a spiritual side, and ‘Abdu’l-Baha used to say it is hard to talk about heaven with people whose stomachs are empty. These insights helped our heroine separate out the parts of the problems she faced, and put them in some order of urgency.

As she met with the men, for example, they all wanted her to do something about the water supply. Agreed, she would say, that’s urgent, but if we don’t clean up all the human waste lying around, it will just p any water we can get cleaned; why don’t we start with the waste problem? we make some citywide changes? they would ask. Why don’t we begin in the neighborhoods and grow gradually, organically? she would respond.

Soon real progress was showing, but she was already preparing the way to tackle the spiritual problems the community faced. After so many years of warfare, there was no community to speak of, so people were missing out on all the benefits of real community. And no viable community consists only of men.

“Where are the women?” she would ask. “Maybe it would be a good idea to get them involved, too.” The men would always answer that they knew what the women wanted and spoke for them, but our friend was persistent.

After about six months, in one neighborhood, the local leader said, “OK, I’ll arrange a meeting for you with the women.” Now the hidden problem came home to our friend: If we meet with the women, what then? They will expect results, especially as they would take a big risk to come to a meeting.

Her fears seemed well-founded at first: As she and a local Baha’{ waited in a freezing mosque, a
















SEE DEVEL


|ENT, PAGE 35

Distinction between needs and ‘wants’ is crucial

ulating our Huqtqu’llih obligation,

Baha’u’llah exempts what He terms the “needful” ext ng. As examples of such “needful” items He mentions one’s residential home, tools of one’s trade and what a person needs to earn a living.

But this list is not all-inclusive. Cost-of-living items such as food, clothing, transportation etc. all are “needful.” Th ial spiritual principle is that we are to distinguish between what we need and what we want. ion Baha’u’llah leaves to the individual, and it is the greatest impetus to our spiritual growth and maturation.

Frequently asked question: How much is 19 mithqals of gold?

The basic unit set by Baha’u’llah for measuring of our assets for the purpose of paying the Huqtiqu’lléh is the value of 19 mithqals of gold, which is equal to 2.2 troy ounces. The price of an ounce of gold can be found in the b section of any newspaper. At this writing it is about $300, making 19 mithqals or 2.2 ounces worth about $660.

Helpful Hint: Please make sure that there is no discrepancy between the numeric and the lettered amount on your check, and that your check is correctly dated.













ANSWERING QUESTIONS ON HUQUQU’LLAH

Payments to Huqiqu’llah should be made to “The Baha'i Huqtiqu’llah Trust” (please write your Baha’f identification number on your check) 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, Lunenburg, MA 01462 (phone 508582-9216)

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

Inquiries about Huqiqu’llah should be referred to one of the Trustees or to the Office of the Secretariat, Baha’{ Huqiqu’llah Trust,

River, OH 44116.





THE 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 increased your community's understanding of and participation in the Fund, you are imvited to share them with other communities through this column. Contact the Office of the Treasurer and Development (phone 847-733-3472, e-mail B

ASSEMBLIES INCREASE CONTRIBUTIONS

number of Local Spiritual Assemblies have increased

heir yearly goals for the National Fund significantly. This is an encouraging response to a request made in recent: months by the Treasurer of the National Spiritual Assembly to consider such action as a means to reach this year’s goal of $27 million for the American Baha’i { community. One Local Spiritual Assembly reports it has increased its regular giving by 23 percent and raised $3000 toward alleviating the national deficit—without the aid of fund-raising events. This Assembly also joyously reports none of the other funds has declined in the process! What a glorious testimony to the words of our Supreme Body: “The unity of the believers, rich and poor alike, in their support of the Fund will be a source of spiritual confirmations far beyond our capacity to envisage.” (Universal House of Justice, Sept. 17, 1992)

INVOLVE THE CHILDREN emember that the children are interested in knowing bout the Funds, too. Children are especially creative and energetic in their view of the Funds, and tend not to see the barriers to giving that adults often do. Ask for their ideas and make them an integral part of every Fund-related endeavor.

NEW FUND ENVELOPES

new type of envelope for the National Fund was mailed |

swith The American Baba’ with the Nov. 23 issue, and be included periodically. In response to numerous egieeee the envelope has a contribution form attached, which is to be completed and enclosed with one’s contribution. The forms — appear to be confusing to some of the friends. It is intended that the forms be detached and placed in the envelope with, the contribution. Treasurers, please take a few moments at the next Feast to explain the new envelope and the form,

BUSINESS CONTRIBUTIONS

aha’f-owned businesses may make contributions to the

Funds. However, all owners of the business must be eligible to give as Baha’is. When making a first contribution from a business account directly to the National Fund, please enclose a statement that the business is wholly owned by: Baha’fs. This statement remains on file in the Office of the ‘Treasurer. The owner(s) may wish to have the contribution: credited to their personal Baha’i identification numbers, or: may request that a separate number be assigned to their business. If it is requested, this number should accompany subsequent contributions on behalf of the company. This proce-' dure will ensure proper accounting of business contributions.

THE ANNUAL AUDIT

Ga should be given soon to preparing for the

annual audit of the local Fund. Treasurers may wish to” begin the process by suggesting to the Spiritual Assembly the names of trusted people who might perform the audit. At least: two people should be chosen. The treasurer should not serve as an auditor, but should be available to answer questions. If the size and complexity of your local Fund requires hiring of a professional, this is appropriate and does not compromise the confidentiality of contributions. For additional information on preparing for the audit, refer to Stewardship and Development: A Reference for Spiritual Assemblies and Treasurers, avail able through the Baha’ Distribution Service at 800-999-9019.




“The practice of giving to the Fund strengthens the

connection between the believer and the Cause and enhances his sense of identification with it.” _

—Universal House of Justice, in a message dated Sept. 17, 1992,





page 4 THE AMERICAN BAHA’i * ADMINISTERING THE CAUSE — February 7, 1998 �[Page 5]

Giving, frugality help reduce deficit

slowdowns and continuing expense control have helped reduce the National Fund deficit.

The deficit, which grew to $1.8 million in the first six months of the year, rose to $1.9 million at Nov. 30 but dropped to $1.6 million by Dec.31.

The next major challenge will be to continue reducing the deficit in the months ahead, and increasing contributions will be the key to victory. November contributions of $2.9 million set a record for recent years, in part due to an extraordinary $1 million gift. December totals look encouraging: early results show contributions of over $2 million.

Earmarked contributions for the Arc, International and Continental funds were $1.5 million by Nov. 31. This is in addition to money allocated to these funds by the National Assembly.

$1 million gift helps International Fund shortfall

[: late November a gift of $1 million

[= giving, seasonal work


was made by a Baha'i couple, boost ing contributions for the first time all year beyond the $2.25 million monthly goal.

Made to the National Baha’i Fund, the gift was accompanied by a request that the National Spiritual Assembly consider allocating the sum to the Baha’i International Fund, which the National Assembly immediately did. In this way, the offering of these friends became a part of the American community’s response to the call of the Universal House of Justice to remedy a shortfall in the International Fund.

“Every contribution to the Faith is vital,” said William Allmart, coordinator of the Office of the Treasurer and Development. “We all know sacrifice is the measure Baha’u’llah us dollar amount of a Fund contribution is really secondary.

“At the same time, this gift reminds us that those who have special capaci whatever area of service, have a particular responsibility to use that capacity for the good of the Cause. It is a thrill to serve here in the Treasury and to see the friends doing this every day. The Teachings assure us that when we serve to our utmost, we earn blessings for ourselves and our families.”





OAKLAND ON HONOR ROLL


The Local tual Assembly of Oakland, California, should have appeared on the Treasurer’s Honor Roll for 153 B.E. We apologize for its exclusion and congratulate the Baha’is of Oakland for their achievement in steadfast and consistent giving tothe Funds of the Faith.







Expenses are set to increase, however, as the Regional Baha’i Councils, the media proclamation component of the national teaching plan, and several



“We are undertaking this campaign on the basis of the National Assembly’s confidence in this community’s generous, continuing support for the advancement of His Cause.”



important task force: of national activity. “When you are living in a time when all your comfortable patterns and habits are changing,” one National Center staff member said, “it is not unusual to

increase the pace

see different rates of change among the different parties involved. In the case of the national budget, expenses have been ine g at a faster rate than our contributions because the National Spiritual Assembly has identified opportunities that cannot be missed just because there is no cash on hand.”

Meanwhile, all National Spiritual Assembly agencies have been asked to identify and implement cuts of up to 20 percent. Some already have taken effect.

‘These are fleeting days, with a special meaning in mankind’s life, and we Baha’is have important work to do.

In the words of the Feast letter for Sultén from the national ‘Treasurer: “We are undertaking this campaign on the basis of the National Assembly's confidence in this community’s generous, continuing support for the advancement of His Cause.”







Youths at the May Township Youth Conference Nov. 28-30 at Wilder Forest, Minnesota, raised $122.48 for the National Fund and the Arc Projects through a bookstore and a “Cafe” at the conference. Local photo



Letters with gifts show generosity, resourcefulness in supporting Cause

‘he spirit of the friends who

have responded to the National Fund deficit is captured in the following excerpts from letters received récently.

  • California: “The enclosed check

includes well over $1,000 above our ‘usual’ contribution level a direct result of an impassioned plea from one of our youth at Feast, who had his wits about him, and forthrightly noted that there were enough people in the room to accomplish the goal of an ‘extra’ $1000 they were ‘discussing’ by each one donating $33, whereupon, they proceeded to do it. Those that didn’t have it on them mailed it in, but




there is no doubt that they were responding to a simple and direct definition of the problem. Just thought you'd like to know, that our youth are eager to find ways to help.”

  • Massachusetts: “Allah-u-Abha.

At 55 it was the first time I was offered a Senior Citizen discount! So as a symbol here is the savings. I don’t have lots of money to call my own to give now, but I give 100% spirit. Our prayers are with you all and our teaching.”

¢ Texas: “Baha’u’llah provided the means, and I pass it on to National with warmest love and best wishes and prayers.







Use The American Baha’i at your Feast!

Information presented in The American Babd’i can be used by Assemblies and groups to inspire and focus

teen Day Feast. Examples from this issue include:

  • The center pullout section dealing with the national teaching plan,

with information on how local communities-might take advantage of the


consultation at the Nine- ~

upcoming nationwide _ television broadcasts.

  • Reports on social and economic

development projects that could inspire believers in your area to help apply the Baha’ principles in society.

  • Stories on teaching triumphs

across the nation.

  • Reports on the National Baha’

Fund or international teaching goals.



NATIONAL


recent weeks some of the ss have asked what the National Spiritual Assembly is doing to cut the deficit besides appealing to the friends to increase their giving. ‘The National Assembly wishes the friends to be assured that every possible way of containing _ or reducing expenses is being pursued. In fact, a constant process of management and | review goes on, including strict expense controls, careful cash management and regular evaluations intended to discover new economies in the work of the Baha’i National Center and the National Assembly’s many offsite agencies.

One recent example: The lease contract on the National Center's photocopiers is nearing expiration. Staff of the Office of the ‘Treasurer and Development and

| of Information Services began several weeks ahead of the deadline to look at a) whether the current service provider was doing the best job possible; and b) whether new technologies or _ changes in the market would _ make it possible to do the work in | new ways. They have consulted » Baha’is who work for copier man_ ufacturers as well as commercial _ Early results of their analysis | indicate that new kinds of equip~ ment should make it possible to have a larger number of machines and to bring certain kinds of tasks inside the Center, rather than | having them done by outside businesses. These changes would increase productivity and reduce "costs significantly. The ability to do such research and analysis depends on having people with the time and ability to carry it out. In many ways, the staff of the National Center are already working at more than 100% of capacity; it was the addition of two new staff people with _ the right skills and experience that made it possible to uncover | new, better ways of accomplish_ ing more with less. Seep?













February 7, 1998

‘THE AMERICAN BAHA'I * ADMINISTERING THE CAUSE page 5 �[Page 6]


Thousands of New Jersey educators see the message

escribing its 23rd year at the New Jersey Education Association Convention as a “recordbreaker,” the Baha’i group of Ventnor, New Jersey, reports it uted more es of Baha’ literature



with the theme “Teach this Generation to be Prejudice-Free,” the second in an ongoing series. This one, designed by Drew University art student Jesse Richards, features the faces of a diverse group of children superimposed over the continents of the world.

Also among the thousands of items distributed at the event were 609 copies of The Vision of Race Unity statement.

Forty-six educators at the Atlantic y convention filled out interest cards requesting more information, many of them asking to attend Baha’{ meetings. ‘The group led 62 information packets which included The Babd’is magaine, the pamphlet “Baha'u'llah, God’s Messenger” and other materials.

Before the convention, the group sent a mailing to about 500 educators










who signed up for information at previi ing them to visit


[the Faith] and did a twopage report and shared it with five teachers. Very interesting. It made a lot of sense.”

—Teacher who visited the Baha'i display at N.J. educators convention

ee eet

included self-addressed postcard asking to learn more about the Faith, including three who want to attend me

The two-day convention “become the largest proclamation and teaching project in New Jersey, and its effect continues throughout the year,” the group reports.

The small Baha'i group of Ventnor was supported the project with $3,990 in contributions from 22 households and nine Assemblies and groups, toward its $4,400 in expenses. “The day







. before we had to pay the balance for the

new posters, we received contributions from two sources which surpassed what we owed by $20. Oh Baha’u’llah!” their report sa

Volunteers also arrived from across the state to set up, staff and dismantle the booth, as well as helping out with advance mailings. Several children and youths among a contingent of middle and high school students from Bergen County were helping out at the event for the third year in a row.

The new posters were a “big hit” at the convention, as Mr. Richards autographed almost 500 copies of the poster during his visit to the convention.

One teacher asked for seven posters to mail to friends in Jamaica. Another remarked, “What a great poster! You guys always have the best things.” One teacher mentioned she had the “Teach This Generation” poster from the previous year laminated and hanging in her classroom.

Many people in the crowd that gathered for the posters also picked up additional literature and asked questions










Louisville festival showcases amity among faiths

n invitation to share the

Baha’i teachings with the

public in Louisville, Kentucky, coupled with an offer of free publicity and free artwork, was too good an opportunity for the Spiritual Assembly of Jefferson County to pass up. The second annual Festival Faiths was held Nov. 12-17, bring ing together more than 50 faith



of


SS] ——£_—

The Baha’i booth exhibited a large banner, quoting Baha’u’llah: “Consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship.” Several

festival committee members commented that the Baha’i booth best exemplified the spirit of the festival.

$$$ rrr


communities invited to share their beliefs, their goals, and their role in the city and county neighborhoods.

‘The event was organized by the Cathedral Heritage Foundation Inc., an interfaith organization founded by a large Roman Catholic church in downtown Louisville.

‘The mission statement of the festival was: “To celebrate the diversity of our faiths, be grateful for our

unity and strengthen the role of religion in society.”

The Baha’i booth exhibited a large banner, quoting Baha’u’llsh: “Consort with the followers of all re’ gions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship.” Other parts of the exhibit highlighted the local Baha’ community over the t 77 years ented the basic teachings of






bers commented that the Baha’i booth best exemplified the spirit of the festival.

Many school groups walked through the exhibit during its fiveday run. Three teachers bought packets of the Golden Rule poster to use in their classrooms.

On the main stage, Baha’{ children sang several songs and performed a puppet show about celebrating diversity. Also, Shabnam Cyrus and Carrie Kanani sang a duet.

‘Twenty-seven people signed interest cards at the booth. Those people received additional literature and were invited to a public fireside held a few weeks later. Several attended the fireside and expressed continued interest.

Media coverage was the best the Baha’i community has experienced in quite some time:

  • A story by the city’s major daily

newspaper reported in the last para“Baha’is want people to that we do believe in one God, that we believe that world peace is possible.’”









Jaleh Rezvani and Vida Cyrus were among greeters at the Baha’i booth during the Festival of Faiths in Louisville, Kentucky. Local photo

  • The opening paragraphs of a

social column in a weekly paper sounded as if it had been written by a Baha'i, citing the Writings and using paraphrases from other Baha’i quotes. The same paper later published a letter by the local Bahé’i public information representative thanking the columnist for her coverage.

  • A story on the festival by the

local public television _ station showed the six-foot banner displaying the quote by Baha’u’llah.

The Festival of Faiths project fulfilled part of a Four Year Plan goal jointly held by the Louisville and Jefferson County assemblies.

—Submitted by the Baha'is of the Louisville area







about the Faith.

Along with the posters and lite: the Baha’is gave away 2,000 sti with the message “No room in my heart for prejudice” in under three hours. These colorful proclamation aids, which also say “courtesy of the Baha’i Faith,” were “so hot that we had people coming to us long after we ran out asking for more,” a report said. The group ordered 1,000 extra stickers to fill those requésts, mostly from teachers wanting to provide them for. their students.

Over the years, the Baha’is of Ventnor report, the educators at the convention have shown greater familiarity with the Faith and admiration for its teachi'

One teacher said he had seen a Baha’ Holy Day on the official list of religious holidays recognized by the state. As a joke, he and a few friends went to lunch to celebrate the anniversary of the Birth of the Bab. “As a result,” he said, “I studied up on it and did a two-page © report and shared it with five teache Very interesting. It made a lot of sens










gs.



Indianan finds help on Internet

hen Glen Pierce was “won derfully, bountifully, unex pectedly railroaded” into ting the Bahé’i community in st Night celebration of ville, Indiana, he turned to the Internet for suggestions of prayers and quotations to read.

In making the request, he described First Night as a Gregorian New Year ebration sponsored by city authorind various churches and busin He noted community is remely conservative, religiou: politically,” and he noted that raci problem but not an issue in the

Several Bahi’is responded, some “with speci readings, others with prayer suggestions, and still others with general tips.” These helped him come up with a fiy

He opened with the sage found in Paris Talks, pages 30-33. “This passage,” he said, “truly captures the essence of the Revela of Baha'u'llah, as provided for a mixed audience that is facing the cold of winter ... seasonal and spiritual!”

Phe second part was the Prayer for Mankind found on pages 102-103 in the American edition of Bahai Prayers.

“These two passages ... and the use of the Name of Baha’u’llah within the passage, and the name of ‘Abdu’lBaha as the author, will serve to proclaim the name of the Faith and i Central Figures among the inhabitants of my current home city,” he told electronic respondents.





Evans





the

es.






















page6 THE AMERICAN BAHA’i ¢ SPREADING THE TEACHINGS

February 7, 1998 �[Page 7]

he Baha’i group of Sisseton, South Dakota, is | disregarding the smallness of its numbers in its plans to spread the Teachings on the Lake Tra verse Reservation.

‘The two-member group has carried out activities since 1995 on the reservation of the ton Wahpeton Sioux Tribe, including a proclamation of Baha’u'llah’s message at an elder and youth luncheon last summer where Amalika Tahirih Jackson read several Hidden Words and shared tenets of the Faith while Bryan Akipa played the traditional Lakota flute for about.50 tribal members.

The pair has enlisted the aid of Baha’is from three solidifying and helping carry out hey held their first “official” gather




consultation involving Auxiliary Board member Kevin Locke and a number of believers from around the area.

Future plans include staging the first annual Unity Celebration Day on the reservation. The public will be invited to future planning meetings for the May 30 event.

Also, they plan to participate in the 133rd annual Sisseton Wahpeton Sioux Tribal Wacipi (pow-wow) by setting up traditional games for youth.

Mr. Akipa and Ms. Jackson say believers from Moorhead and Alexandria, Minnesota, as well as the Spiritual Assembly of Fargo, North Dakota, have been

“instrumental” in the teaching efforts. They invite anyone interested in helping in the local teaching work to contact her at seton, SD 57262 (phone 605-698-4417).

“Baha? that it







id, ‘So powerful is the light of unity ine the whole earth,’ and we believe illumine the hearts of the people on the ation,” Ms. Jackson wrote.


Pair of young Californians each show the true spirit of teaching, service to the Cause in their unique ways

A WISH FOR THE UNIVERSE nne Morgan Zinke, a teen-age Baha’i from A alifornia, had gone through grave illness when the Make-a-Wish Foundation invited her to write a letter expressing “My Wish for the Universe.”

Her letter was one of 82 chosen to be carried on the April 2 space shuttle launch. Five of those 82 letters were to be chosen for reading aloud from the shuttle.

Nancy Vincent Zinke, Anne’s mother, wrote to the National Spiritual Assembly that despite painful chemotherapy, “her spirits are high, and she, her



Anne Zinke presents a sheet of commemorative stamps to Arc Projects Manager Fariburz Sahba in Haifa, Israel, during the Zinke family’s pilgrimage. Her Baha’i com munity had used the stamps to raise funds for the Arc.

brother Matt and I are looking forward to pilgrimage.”

Here is Anne's letter:

“Dear Universe,

“In January, 1995 I was diagnosed with an “incurable” brain tumor. Against all odds, I survived thanks to unfailing support from family, friends, nurses, doctors, and most of all, prayers from people of many Faiths. I am now seventeen years old and a senior in high school. Since birth I have been surrounded by workers for peace. Permanent and lasting peace for the world has been my wish since I was able to comprehend the concept. I feel that this is the only thing that will lead to happiness for the human race. Every day I pray for my wish to come true.

“In my small town of Cambria, California, Make-aWish Foundation had a tree planted with a plaque that has a statement about world peace. This California Live Oak tree is planted on the front grounds of the ‘Veterans’ Memorial building next to the “Prisoner Of


War” and “Missing In Action” flags. To me this is symbolic because the flags represent American women and men who served their country with the hope of peace. I hope that when people see this tree their hearts will be touched, and they will be reminded that peace can be attained. If I could wish for only one sentence to be read from the space shuttle, it would be a quote from Baha'u'llah, Prophet-Founder of the Baha’i Faith, “The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens.’

“Sincerely, Anne”

Anne has been written up in The American Baba’ in the past. News of her illness in early 1995 resulted in an outpouring of support and love from Baha’is in several countries, much of it in the form of contributions in her name to the Arc fund.

An American pioneer couple in dad and Tobago donated a sheet of commemorative stamps honoring the Baha’i Faith, issued by that country during the Holy Year of 1992-1993. The Assembly in Anne’s home community, San Luis Obispo County Northwest, used those stamps to raise another $2,500 for the Arc. On the family’s December pilgrimage, Anne presented the stamps—framed and mounted on acid-free materials—as a gift to the Baha’i World Center.





FROM CHILD TO CHILD

Jasmine Olinga Howard, age 4, has a lovely voice— her parents won’t deny that. One recent day during “sharing time” at her Ventura, California, school she sang “O God! Educate these children.”

A few days later, the mother of a classmate was touched to find her son had learned that beautiful song from Jasmine. The teacher soon asked Jasmine’s mother, Salma MughrabiHoward, if it would be all right for the girl to sing it at an upcoming holiday concert. Would it indeed!

Then the avalanche started: Several other children asked to sing the prayer along with Jasmine, so she obligingly taught it to them all. At a rehearsal, Ms. Mugharabi-Howard said, “I stood agape as they all finished the song perfectly!” she wrote after the event.

She praised the Baha’i community support at the concert: “It was wonderful to see them rally around her and have them witness the words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha being uttered from the mouths of babes.”

Jasmine Howard has her classmates singing the Baha’i Writings.


Amalika Jackson and her daughter Haley pose with Auxiliary Board member Kevin Locke at a “Unity Potluck” and consultation session. Local photo



TEACHING SKILLS EXERCISE:

Composing a brief introduction to the Faith

BY SHAHIN VAFAI

onversations about the Faith often begin ( when seekers directly ask Baha’is, “What is

the Baha’ Faith?” Many believers have found it helpful to prepare a one- or two-sentence response to this question. By having a prepared response, the teacher can give an effective, well-thought-out answer. He can respond confidently and lead the conversation into a deeper discussion af the Faith.

What can we say in answer to this question? In addition to discussing the central principles of the Faith, we may want to mention the name of Bah@’u'llah. “Whoso openeth his lips in this Day and maketh mention of the name of his Lord, the hosts of Divine inspiration shall descend upon him. ...” (Gleanings, p. 280) Moreover, it would be good to include in our answer a phrase or passage from the Writings: “From the texts of the wondrous, heavenly Scriptures they should memorize phrases and passages bearing on various instances, so that in the course of their speech they may recite divine verses whenever the occasion demandeth it, inasmuch as these holy verses are the most potent elixir, the greatest and mightiest talisman.” (Tablets of Bahd'u'lléh, p. 200)

Here are a few examples of how the Writings can be incorporated into a brief introduction to the Baha’i Faith: ¢ “The Baha’i Fai Baha’u’llah,






unity.

s but one

is are followers of Baha’u’llih, Who taught is the changeless Faith of God, eternal in the past, eternal in the future.”

“We Baha'is believe that God has spoken again in this day, that ‘this is the Day in which mankind can behold the Face, and hear the Voice, of the Promised One.”

Other characteristics of an effective response include capturing the seeker’ attention and arousing his interest to ask other questions. Let us consider the following example: “The Baha’ Faith is the love of my life! It teaches, ‘So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth, and we Baha'is believe that this unity can be established through the Teachings of Baha’u’llah.” Because of the way this response is crafted, the hearer may be aroused to ask, “Why is it the love of your life?” or “What are these Teachings that will establish unity?” or “Who is Baha'u'llah?” Thus, the conversation can move easily into a deeper exploration of the Faith.

What is your one- or two-sentence introduction to the Faith?

—Excerpted from Raising the Call by Shabin Vafai. Used by permission.






February 7, 1998

THE AMERICAN BAHA‘I ¢ SPREADING THE TEACHINGS

page 7 �[Page 8]

Cleveland-area choir draws hundreds for benefit performances

wo hundred people gathered in

Cleveland to hear Baha’ songs

in the choral and South Ame can traditions, as the Baha’i Choir of Northeast Ohio presented “Songs of Glory,” its fourth annual benefit concert, in honor of the anniversary of the Birth of Baha’w'llah.

The 30-voice choir, Cleveland area, was augmented by 43 guest singers from 13 states for the Nov. 15 concert. Also performing was the South American folkloric group El Viento Canta, whose membe! thered from North Carolina, Illinois, Indiana and Spain.

Barbara Baumgartner, the choir’s director, commented,.“The No. | joy ng all these wonderful souls join us. in Cleveland. I am so overwhelmed by the generosity and





the





for me is ha





over the world.

Many of the sing ung together before the day of the concert. But there is a unique solution to that aumgartner said, is a growing worldwide network of people that are learning the same songs,” she said. “Our choir’s

st 50 songs. This




repertoire allows us to gather people from around the world, put them together, and they sing beautifully. This came in handy when we were on tour in Luxembourg and were asked to sing a prayer at the American ambassador's home. We hadn’t practiced it together, but it worked!” El Viento Canta, a Peruvian-Ameri‘an group, performed traditional songs and dances from the Andean reg South America. They sang in English, Spanish and the native tongue of the






ons of




Barbara Baumgartner, director of the Baha’i Choir of Northeast Ohio, greets Tom Price, guest director, at the annual benefit concert in November.

Missouri and arranged by Victor Wong. David Williams of Dublin sang a rousing “We Are Soldiers in God’s Army.” His father, Beauford Williams of




Julia de Burgos Cultural Art

Ticket proceeds went to benefit the Spanish American Committee, which provides diz al employment services, housing service and education; Esperanza Inc., which provides educ: s to Hi panic students in Cuyahoga County from preschool through college; and the s Center, a family-oriented nonprofit organization devoted to the enhancement of the cultures of Puerto Rico and the bean region, and to the teaching and practice of the multicultural visual, performing and literary arts.

The concert was translated into Spanish by Renee Timberlake of Oberlin, who has participated in many youth service projects in Central and South America.

As usual, the annual Cleveland


soci









Qu

willingness of so many to come from such distances to be a part of this


is guest director and a role he has


master of ceremonies filled all four years for the concert. Mr. Price also organizes and directs “Voices of Bahé” concert tours all

Temple slide show available for use in home version.

he Baha’i House of Worship is pleased to announce that a home version of The



Dawning Place, the multimedia presentation about the House of Worship and the Bahai Faith, shown ‘for visitors in Foundation


Hall of the Temple, is available on a loan bas

The 14-minute slide program with narration on cassette addresses the concept of progressive revelation and the central teachings of Baha’u lah through the context of the architecture of the holiest House of Worship ever to be built. It includes photographs of the developing Temple during the construction years.

‘This “take-home” adaptation of the popu ‘Temple presentation was created to assist the friends in their communities to understand their Temple, to foster visiting the Hous Worship and for use in teaching groups of people about the Faith in a fashion acceptable to many program-seeking clubs and_ interest groups. It is well-received in varied public formats such as libraries, senior services centers, campus environments, world religion study groups, and art and architecture organizatior

The program is shipped in two carou slide trays. Along with the cassette, a printed text of the script is included so that onscreen image changes can be timed with the narration. Required equipment includes a Kodak Carousel-type projector, a cassette player and a screen or other surface for viewing. Practice with the materials is needed for a smooth presentation.

Communities hosting the program will need to cover the cost of shipping both ways. To inquire about reserving this program, contact the Activities Office of the Baha’i House of Worship (phone 847-853-2300, e-mail





of









hua Indians.

A highlight of this solo in Pers Sabet “Mohajer,” the Persi arranged by Nelson LeDuc. Also performed for the first time was “Home of Peace,



Shiloh, the concert.


year’s concert wa an by I1-year-old Nadine

ng

n pioneer song



ature table coord


who sa




composed by Anne Biswell of _ local fi

i

Se siay

ng and played piano before

Many seekers at the concert kept the ated by Veronica Dickey and Hamid Farzan of Jackson Township busy. The program booklet included a list of contact numbers and



concert timing was paired with a patient appreciation party in Boardman, Ohio, given by ophthalmologist Dr. Kong Oh, and wife. Nine hundred people heard music by the choir and El Viento Canta at that Nov. 16 event.

—submitted by Suzanne M. Alexande






Muhtadia Rice performs

her one-woman show, A

Woman and Her Words,

The Story of the Persian

Poetess, Tahirih, at a

recent public gathering Maryland.



Stage performance helps community forge contacts

Maryland Baha’i community found new strengths

and capacities recently in organizing public perfor mances of a dramatic presentation on ‘Tahirih, the early heroine of the Faith.

On Dec. 6, Muhtadia Rice performed her one-woman show titled A Woman and Her Words, The Story of the Persian Poetess, Tabfrib at the Glenelg Country School in Glenelg, Maryland, to benefit a local teen cente

That show followed a free afternoon performance Dec. 4 at Howard County Community College.

“Despite the inexperience of the Howard County community to meet the requirements of such a professional and inspiring performance, we rose to the occasion, only because of the assistance of the Concourse on High, to meet the logistical, advertising, lighting, sound, recording, etc., requirements of Ms. Rice’s show,” Robert Merriken wrote ina report. “Based on post-performance interviews, all who attended could feel the spiritual forces unleashed by Ms. Rice’s riveting and stylish performance.”



Attending the Dec. 6 show were Ryland Chapman, the Country School headmaster; Mona Grieser, owner of Global Vision Inc., an international development communication business; and Ada Adler, the Commercial Coordinator of the Office of Economic Policy for the U.S. State Department.

The report said the gathering was honored by the presence of Ms. Adler, who, though not a Baha’i, helped bring the plight of the Baha’is in Iran to the attention of Congress, which in turn applied pressure to the Iranian government to respect this religious minority’s human rights.

‘The show at the college was attended mainly by students and faculty of the college, but “an unexpected, but completely welcome group of 35 students from a Baltimore middle school filed in shortly after the performance began,” Mr. Merriken wrote. In the question-and-answer period after the show, the young students provided most of the questions about the times Tahirih lived in and what women endured in her day.







page 8 THE AMERICAN BAHA’i * SPREADING THE TEACHINGS

February 7, 1998 �[Page 9]

The most comprehensive book to explore extensively the teachings of the Baba’i Faith on gender equality and the status and advancement of women, the

Bahd’t Publishing Trust is pleased to offer for a special pre-publication price:

The Advancement of Women: He A Baha’i Perspective by Janet A. Khan and Peter 7. Khan (AWH)

The price for this hardcover edition is $29.95 with no shipping charges if ordered before March 21, 1998.* After March 21 the regular retail price of $34.95 will apply. As advancing the status of women is one of the core external affairs goals for the

present plan it is important that a fuller understanding be developed regarding the Faith’s teachings and their application in the world around us. This seminal work val help the reader understand the contribution the Faith has made and is ye the area of gender equality and the part that the Central Figures, the institutic the individuals have played and will play in shaping the forces that will ultimately bring about positive change on a global scale.


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February 7,1998 = THE AMERICAN BANA‘I * BAHA’i DISTRIBUTION SERVICE —_ page 9 �[Page 10]


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$15.00 CD (FTSSCD)

‘This album displays an innovative

use of rap in singing praises to the Messenger of God for this day and age. Musical selections offer commentary on today’s social issues blended with a contemporary sound which stress the underlying spiritual principles guiding mankind. Justice Leeg and fellow artists at times use their voices as musical tones to enhance the interface with instrumental portions.

total playing time 64:57

Secret Service Communications



The Wisdom of the

Master

The Spiritual Teachings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha

A compilation

$17.00 HC (WM)

The Wisdom of the Master, a new collection of the sayings and writings

of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, includes eyewitness accounts of incidents in his life and a number of new and corrected translations provided by the Baha’{ World Center for this volume. This compilation is intended for anyone searching for a source of inspiration and personal healing.

6” x 8”, ILI pp., photographs, introduction, endnotes, bibliography.

Kalimat Press



Andalib Songs of Invocation LuAnne Hightower $16.00 CD (ASICD)

Andalib is an exquisite recording featuring traditional and contemporary devotional songs from the Abrahamic tradition. These heartfelt renderings are more a glimpse into an encounter with the sacred than a performance

of sacred music. The soul stirring vocals and extraordinary instrumentals converge to weave a sound tapestry that is hypnotic and accessible.

approximate time is 58 minutes Karim Sound Associates


How to Live Sideways A Guide for Baha’i Kids Michael Fitzgerald

illustrator John Burns

$14.95 HC (HTLS)

This whimsical compilation of the Baha’i Sacred Writings is certain to amuse and fascinate any child. The author offers his delightful pre: tions for living the Baha’i life with a freshness and spirit that is both profound and childlike. Build Baha’f identity and introduce your children to the Baha’{ teachings on prayer, unity, faithfulness, service, and contentment.

6 3/4” x 6 3/4”, 40 pp.

Kalimat Press




SPN: Wall Calendar


$2.95 CA (SWC)

A Spanish language wall calendar featuring the Baha’i House of Worship in Panama.

1i’x17”

National Spiritual Assembly of Panama




page 10 THE AMERICAN BAHA’I * BAHA’i DISTRIBUTION SERVICE February 7, 1998 �[Page 11]


(TBUTION SE

SETA





A Resource Guide for the Scholarly Study of the Baha’i Faith

Robert Stockman and Jonah Winters $9.95 SC (RG)

This comprehensive research and educational tool for the student or teacher of the Baha’f Faith provides guidance on including the Bab Faith in college and university courses. It contains carefully prepared curriculum guides, lecture outlines, annotated bibliographies, lists of educational materials and Internet resources.

8 1/2” x 11”, 227 pp.

Research Office of the Baha’i National Center, Wilmette, Illinois



Two Wings of a Bird The Equality

of Women and Men


National Spiritual Assembly of the Babé’ts of the United States

$7.95 SC (SWMPE)

‘The presentation edition of the National Spiritual Assembly’s statement on gender equality.

T” x9”, 15 pp.

Baha’i Publishing Trust, US

Spiritual Revolution 3 produced by Marcia Day

$60.00 for 3 tape set of 12 shows, VT (ESR3N)

Spiritual Revolution 3 is a dynamic telsion series designed to reach every waiting soul and particularly helps Christians understand the relationship between Christ and Baha’u’llah. An invaluable teaching tool now made affordable for everyone - only $5.00 per show! - these tapes can be used for firesides, Sunday brunches, college campuses, library gifts, after-dinner










Michael Sours, and Sylvester Scott among others. Hosted by Billie Crofts and ‘Tommy Kavelin.

12 shows, 30 minutes per show PAVONE International


Spiritual Solution of Economic Problems Hooshmand Badit $10.95 SC (SSEP)

The author shares his understanding of the deeper significance of Baha’u’llah’s teachings ‘on economics gleaned from living in both developed and developing areas.






He examines the role of religion in solving economic problems and explores the spiritual relationships whic! ist between the individual, his Creator, his society, religion and economics. This book will be of invaluable assistance to those searching for guidance to a permanent solution to the economic problems which afflict humanity

5 1/4 x8 1/4”, 206 pp., table of contents, acknowledgments, introduction,

references, glossary, appendix Hooshmand Badi’i


Messages to the Antipodes

Communications from Shoghi Effendi to the Baha’i Communities of Australasia Shoghi Effendi

$29.95 HC (MAH)


ight into the complex

dynamics of the growth of a Baha’i community in a Western society, and into the gradual emergence of that community from unmitigated obscurity into a position of admiration and respect from the most progressive elements of that




the introduction by Peter J. Khan, member of the Universal House of Justice

526 pp., introduction, preface, glossary, footnotes, index. Baha'i Publishing Trust, Australia

[ epeenmielan ing

The Baha'i Distribution Service will be closed the week of February 23 through 27 to install a new comput


er system. All orders received prior to close of business Friday, February 20, will be processed and shipped on the following Monday. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause. Our goal with the new system is faster, more accurate and reliable service. We sincerely hope that you find this to be true after we are up and running again! Thank you for your support and understanding.

—The Staff of the Baba’i Distribution Service




























SeTO CODE TITLE QUANTITY COST EACH | TOTAL DAYTIME TELEPHONE #( +) PAYMENT METHOD O CHECK OR MONEY ORDER ENCLOSED SHIPPING CHARGES/SALES TAX SUBTOTAL O CREDIT CARD UNITED STATES: ADD 10% (MIN. $2.00, MAX. $10.00) SHIPPING

Ov« OM ‘ARI VI "

ISAO MASTERCARD O/AMER EXP O DISCOVER CANADA: ADD 15% (MIN. $3.00) SALES TAX

(CREDIT) CARD $i (siscaem si coor S01 Na EN BE EE INTERNATIONAL: ADD 40% (MIN. $5.00,VIA AIRMAIL ONLY) OTA

DATE SIGNATURE ee SALES TAX: SHIPMENT TO TENNESSEE ADDRESS ADD 8.25% February 7,1998 | THE AMERICAN BAHA’‘i * BAHA’i DISTRIBUTION SERVICE _ page II �[Page 12]

ENGLISH

Letter to the friends

from the Latin-American Task Force


ear and Esteemed Friends in the Cause of Baha’u’lléh:

“God hath prescribed to each one the duty of teaching His Cause.”

—Gleanings from the Writings of Baba’u'llib

The present time is of supreme importance. There is no time to lose. With serene firmness and absolute determination, it is imperative that, no matter what the sacrifice required, we reach the goals that we have set for the next two years.

The Universal House of Justice, in its recent communication to the Regional Councils, refers to the present moment as a time of “critical urgency” during which it is essential to redouble our efforts. The shortness and extraordinary transcendence of the few months that separate us from the close of the present century require of each believer a new mentality, a change of attitude toward the unavoidable responsibility that Baha’u’lléh has given us, and which every Baha’{ has accepted, to do everything in our power to spread the Faith.

From this point of view, the obligation of teaching the Faith may be considered as an integral part of the Covenant, and our fidelity in fulfilling this obligation therefore assumes another dimension.

In its message launching the Four Year Plan, the Universal House of Justice makes special mention of the importance of teaching the Faith to Hispanics in the United States. This Task Force continues striving to help the national community in this great task, and considers that one of the most important factors in successfully reaching the Hispanic population throughout the country is that of being better informed about this population group. We believe that, possessing better knowledge, we can be more effective in teaching and in better preparing our communities for receiving the new members.

Desiring to serve the friends, we have felt it to be of general interest to share some demographic data obtained from the Department of Health and Human Services:

  • Iv is estimated that in 1996 the Hispanic population in the United States

had grown to some 27.7 million, representing about 10 percent of the total population. It is the fastest-growing sector, and if the growth continues at the same pace, it is estimated that by

2000 Hispanics will be the largest minority in the country.

nty percent of U.S. Hispanic: reside in only four states: California, Texas, New York and Florida. And the 10 states with the greatest percentage of Hispanic population are: New Mexico, Jalifornia, Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, New York, Nevada, New Jersey and Illinois.

  • Another fact that may be surprising

is that 64 percent of Hispanics in the United States have been born in thi country, and their primary language is English. It is estimated that only 12 percent speak Spanish exclusively, and in fact there are Hispanics here who do not speak Spanish. Therefore, it is possible to teach the Faith to a good number of Hispanics without speaking Spanish.

  • Another aspect of interest is that

the Hispanic population is young: The average age is 26 years, and one in every nine U.S. children (12 million) is His: panic.

We trust that this information will help the friends in formulating their plans of action. It is imperative that the Hispanic friends join the great army of Baha'u'llah not only to carry the message to other Hispanics, but rather to all mankind. It is of critical importance that we integrate ourselves into the national community as never before. Cultural differences, rather than impeding, enrich us, and the difficulties that sometimes arise because of language will give way to the universal language of the Baha’is: the language of love for Baha’u’llah.

Friends, it is extremely urgent that we prepare our communities to receive the new multitudes who will soon arrive. Are we deepening and becoming confirmed in the Faith? Are we working with a spirit of service and of unity for the strengthening of our own community? What is our personal contribution of to the success of the plans of our Local Spiritual Assemblies?

Let us remember the words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahé in the Tablets of the Divine Plan:

“O Thou Incomparable God! O Thou Lord of the Kingdom! These souls are Thy heavenly army. Assist them and, with the cohorts of the Supreme Concourse, make them victorious, so that each one of them may become like unto a regiment and conquer these countries through the love of God and the illumination of divine teachings.”









ueridos y Estimados Amigos en la Sausa de Baha’w'llah:

ios ha prescrito a cada uno el deber de ensenar su Causa.”

—Pasajes de los Escritos de Babd’w'lldb, p. 236

La hora presente es de suma importancia. No hay tiempo que perder. Con serena firmeza y absoluta determinaci6n, es imperativo que sea cual fuere el sacrificio requerido, alcancemos las metas que nos hemos propuesto para los proximos dos afios.

La Casa Universal de Justicia, en su reciente comunicacién a los Concilios Regionales, se refiere al momento presente como un tiempo de “critica urgencia” durante el cual es indispensable redoblar nuestros esfuerzos. La cortedad y extraordinaria trascendencia de los pocos n que nos separan del cierre del presente siglo, exigen de cada creyente una nueva mentalidad, un cambio de actitud frente a la responsabilidad ineludible que Baha’u’llah nos ha encomendado, y que cada Baha’i ha aceptado, de hacer cuanto esté a nuestro alcance para esparcir la Fé.

Desde este punto de vista, la obligacién de ensefiar la Fé podria considerarse como parte integral del Convenio, y nuestra fidelidad en cumplir con tal obligacién asume por lo tanto, otra dimensi6n.

En su mensaje que lanzaba el Plan de Cuatro Afios, la Casa Universal de Justicia hace menci6n especial de la importancia de ensefiar la Fé a los hispanos en los Estados Unidos. Esta Comisién continua esforzindose por ayudar a la comunidad nacional en esta gran tarea, y considera que uno de los factores mas importantes para alcanzar con éxito a la poblacién hispana en todo el pais, constituye el estar mejor informados acerca de este grupo poblacional. Creemos que, provistos de un mejor conocimiento, podremos ser més efectivos en la ensefianza y preparar mas adecuadamente a nuestras comunidades para el recibimiento de los nuevos ingresos.

Con el deseo de servir a los amigos, hemos creido de interés general el compartir algunos datos demograficos obtenidos del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos:

  • Se calcula que en 1996 la poblacin

hispana en los Estados Unidos habia llegado a unos 27.7 millones de personas, representando aproximadamente el 10 por ciento de la poblacion total. Es el sector de mas rapido crecimiento, y si sigue al mismo paso, se

eocce








ecco


Carta a los amigos de la Comision de Trabajo Latinoamericana

proyecta que, para el aio 2000, sera la minorfa mas grande del pais.

¢ El 70 por ciento de los hispanos reside en solamente cuatro estados: California, Texas, New York y Florida. Y los 10 estados con el mayor porcentaje de poblacién hispana son: New Mexico, California, Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, New York, Nevada, New Jersey e Illinois.

  • Otro hecho que quizés sorprenda

es que el 64 por ciento de los hispanos actualmente en los Estados Unidos han nacido en este pais, y su idioma predominante es el inglés. Se calcula que solamente un 12 por ciento hablan exclusivamente el espafiol, y atin mas, hay hispanos en los Estados Unidos. que ni hablan el espafiol. Por lo tanto, es posible ensefiar la Fe a un buen nimero de hispanos sin hablar espafiol.

  • Otro aspecto de interés es que la

poblacién hispana es joven: la edad promedio es de 26 afios, y uno de cada nueve nifios en este pais es hispano (12 millones).

Esperamos que esta informacién ayude a los amigos al formular sus planes de accién. Es imperativo que los creyentes hispanos se sumen al gran ejército de Baha’u’llah, no solamente para llevar el mensaje a otros hispanos, sino a toda la humanidad. Es de critica importancia que nos integremos a la comunidad nacional como nunca antes: las diferencias culturales antes que entorpecer, enriquecen, y las dificultades que a veces aparecen por causa del idioma han de ceder paso al idioma universal de los Bahd’is: el idioma del amor a Baha'u'llah.

Amigos, es extraordinariamente urgente el preparar nuestras comunidades para recibir las nuevas multitudes que pronto llegaran. ;Nos estamos profundizando y afianzando en la Fé? ¢Estamos trabajando con espiritu de servicio y de unidad para el fortalecimiento de nuestra propia comunidad? ¢Cual es la contribucién personal de cada uno al éxito de los planes de su Asamblea Espiritual Local?

Recordemos las palabras de ‘Abdu’lBaha en las Tablas del Plan Divino:

“;Ob Titi Dios incomparable! ;Ob Ti Senor del Reino! Estas almas son tu ejército celestial. Aytidales, y con las cobortes del Concurso Supremo, hazlas victoriosas; a fin de que cada una de ellas se convierta en un regimiento y conquiste estos paises por medio del amor de Dios y la iluminacion de Jas ensenanzas divinas.”


page 12

‘THE AMERICAN BAHA‘i ¢ SPREADING THE TEACHINGS February 7, 1998 �[Page 13]

Training and deepening: Different but both needed


BY THE OFFICE OF EDUCATION AND SCHOOLS


ppears 12 ge to the from the Universal House of Justice that launched the Four Year Plan. That’s not counting seven times the word appears in the Dec. 26, 1995, letter to the Cont nental Counselors.


World”




What is the significance of this term? Is it simply another aspect of deepening? Perhaps it’s easier to begin at the end to understand the reasons for the recurrence of this term by ourselve:




“Wh: are the expected outcomes or results that train


ing produces?

Effective “training” turns out people who


oo —E——_—=E

all Baha’is, new _—;; and veteran, [are urged to] embark on ng a systematic study of the fundamental verities of the Revelation of Baha’u’Ilah.”


participatory methods are important: “Only when participants learn to become active agents of their own learng, rather than pa that the desired attitud





ive listeners, towards service are born and develop. ...” (Nov. 2, 1989, letter to the Counselors)

should not underestimate y of deepening in our liv studying the Writings and memorizing verses of our ith. However, the results of deeping, as differentiated from trainng, are focused on building skilled workers. “To deepen in the Cause means to read the writings of Baha’u’llah and the Master so thoroughly as to be able to give it to



the









are better able to —Universal House of Justice others in its pure do a_ particular form.” (Compilatask. They have tion of Compilations, perfected, or No. 451, p. 212)

begun to perfect, skills. In other words, training is focused. on action—ou comes-tangible, concrete jobs that need to be done.



However, training in a Baha’ context is not only learning how to pe form a tangible task, like teaching children’s classes or giving public talks. ‘The manner and spirit in which som one delivers the training is vital.

‘Training in a Baha’i sense needs to be done in a way that inspire for Baha’u’llah and encourages viduals to participate in the work of the Faith.

If we study tional ”







the advice of the Internaching Center, we can see that



One likely outcome of deepening is personal transformation, which can translate into deeds of service, but not ily skilled deeds of service!

The Universal House of Ju specifically called for “tra





need to develop hur determined, worldwide effort to develop human resources must be made. ... It is therefore of paramount importance that systematic attention be given to devising methods for educating large numbers of believers in the fundamental verities of the Faith. ... [There should be no delay in establishing permanent institutes designed to provide well-organized, for





by children at the recent winter session at Louhelen Baha’i School. Eighty-five children and youth attended the session. For more on recent activities and upcoming events at the permanent Baha’i schools, see pages 14-15. Photo courtesy Louhelen Baha’i school

mally conducted programs of training on a regular schedule.” (Ridvan 153 letter to the Baha’is of the world)

This calls for training that is regular, systematic, sustained and wellorganized, and that translates into concrete action. Deepening, on the other hand, expands one’s conand understanding. It “insight into the realities of the











Almighty God.” (Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahi, p.126)

It is simply not enough to hold occa sional study classes or courses in our home: is brief period before the end of the century, we need more. s that the concept of training to increase insights, knowledge and skill greater emph: the Four Year Plan use the current methods being used are not adequate for the education and training of a community destined for rapid expansion.

The House of Justice also explains that training, just like deepening, is not










rse and the hidden mysteries of



eserved exclusively for new believers. raining institutes should provide an opportunity for “all Baha'is, new and veteran, to embark on a systematic study of the fundamental verities of the Revelation of Baha'u'llah.” (Ridvan 153 letter to the believers in North America)

Their most basic goal is to raise up “large numbers of believers who are trained to foster and facilitate the process of entry by troops with efficiency and love.” (Ridvan 153 letter to the Baha’is of the world)

Near the conclusion of the Ridvan 153 letter, the Universal House of Justice urges each believer to “arise to | the ta: | moment.








s of this cruci

. [to] inscribe his or her own mark on a brief span of time so charged with potentialities and hope for all humanity.”

‘Training can begin to increase the human resources so desperately needed now. Training will help to “inflame the heart”; training will help us unfold the “spiritual drama of these momentous days.”



Still time to enter mediation, conflict resolution workshop by TJC

ime is running short to register for comprehensive medi: and conflict resolution training sponsored by the Corinne True J Center (TJC), Feb. 12-16. The program will run noon Thursday to noon Monday in the Denver Baha’i Center,






Denver International Airport. Participants successfully completing the entire session receive certification in mediation. Faculty includes attorneys Steven Gonzales of Phoenix, Arizona, chai person of the Baha’f Justice Society, an



agency of the National Assembly; Nancy Rank of San Diego, California, specializing in interracial and intercultural conflict resolution; Margaret Leeds of Los Angeles, specializing in school and community mediation; and Trip Barthel of Sparks, Nevada, a professional arbitrator. Conflict resolution has generated much excitement in recent years, providing profound opportunities for to teach the Cause and render a service to their local community, government and __ neighborhood. Recently, the Los Angeles Spiritual Assembly voted to establish the sec Spiritual










ond Baha’i-sponsored conflict resolution center in the U.S. in collaboration with the Baha’i Justice Society, to have offices in the Los Angeles Baha’i Cente

The TJC Baha’i Justice So Sr




ty and the Local ual Assembly of Denver.

The inaugural training s held last Labor Day weekend, atiracted participants from 14 states representing a variety of professi Because demand is very





space limited due to the intensive interested

nature of the training, people are adv


a joint project of the.

before registration is closed. Registration fees are $350 and che hould be made out to the True Justice Center. Send registrations to: Registrar, Corinne True Justice Center, Phoenix, AZ 85044, Fees cover training only and participants are responsible for their own lodging, food and local transportation. ‘or more information about the Denver training or using conflict resolution in your community, contact Steven Gonzales (phone 602-4127330 daytime, 602-940-7594 evenings, -mail










February 7, 1998

THE AMERICAN BANA’ * CONSOLIDATING THE VICTORIES page 13 �[Page 14]

Green Acre puts focus on wellness

\ X es programming at Green Acre Baha’i School in Eliot, Maine, continues Feb. 13-16 when the Baha’i Network on AIDS, Sexuality,

Addictions and Abuse (BNASAA—formerly IASA) will spon sor “Transformation Through Healing: A Conference on

Wellness.” This three-day regional conference will begin

with an opening circle Friday evening and continue through

lunch Monday.

Because of the sensitive nature of the issues to be discussed at this conference, participation is requested for the entire program by both resident conferees and commuters. All ses: sions, including evening programs, will be open only to registrants, and preregistration is required.




ee,” “Cherishing Love,” “Opening the Heart,” “The ience of Nurturance” and “The Principles of Happis he weekend's ons will also feature consultation and sharing circles, as well as a variety of recreation activities. On Feb. 20-22, Brian Kurzius, compiler of Fire & Gold: Benefiting from Life’s Tests, will lead participants through an exploration of “Gleaming in the Fire: The Role of Joy & Pain” Feb. 20-22. Examine the spiritual reali tests in the process of s and victory that uni advances both our own growth and that of the Cause of God. The presenter’s book, Fire ¢& Gold, is a sourcebook for discovering the value of tes ng them ‘Take a Spiritual Retreat for the Fast at Green Acre March 6-8. Refresh and gladden your spirit with prayers in ‘Abdu’lB: room and ample time for reflection, meditation and retreat, as well as deepening on the verities enshrined within










Workshop participants gather at the recent Winter School session at Green Acre Baha’i School. Photo courtesy Green Acre

the Hidden Words. This year’s annual retreat will be led by Dr. Tahereh Ahdieh. Designed for those age 15 and older, the sessions begin each day with dawn prayers and a hearty breakfast in the Sarah Farmer Inn. (Cost is extra for those who will require lunch; please notify registrar.)

“Laying the Foundation of the Fortress,” a preparation-formarriage course, will be offered March 27-29. Trained facilitators Claudine and Aeric Meredith-Goujon will conduct this three-day intensive course for youth age 15 and older, as well as adults. Course material discu: the link between selfknowledge and suc | marriage and family life, as well as the part that chastity, consultation, and roles and relationships




s at 9 a.m. Friday, and attendance at all program s is required.

Green Acre will host a Per March 27-29. Dr. Talat Ba: in America and lish-language s program will



ian-American Weekend on topic will be “‘Abdu’l-Baha d concurrent Persian- and Engions will be offered. The Saturday-evening ture a performance of Persian music.

Habib Riazati returns to Green Acre April 10-12 to lead a study of the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf. This work by Baha@’u'llah includes His own summary of the nature of His Revelation and what its objectives are, as well as how they can mplished, and also cont: ns from His earlier works on various themes. Participants are asked to bring a copy of the book, have read the text and come equipped with any questions they may have. arly registration is encouraged, some programs have limited enrollment. A 10 percent discount will be offered to those who register at least 30 days prior to a program.












ns major








Wilmette Institute opens registration for ‘Foundations


HOW TO CONTACT THE WILMETTE INSTUTUTE:

Automated information line: 847-733-3595 Contact us directly: Phone 847-733-3415 E-mail






egistration has begun for the Rives Ss of the

“Spiritual Foundations” program of the Wilmette Institute. Applications will be accepted through March 31.

This year’s “Spiritual Foundations” program focuses on the Baha’i community and its organization. Background material in sociology and political science also will be offered.

The Baha’i history module will cover the period when the Admin ion

Correspondence course on Revelation is full

‘he Wilmette Institute’s correspondence course on the Revelation of Baha’u’llah for the period 1853-68 is full and no additional registrations are being accepted. Designed for 75 students, the course was filled Dec. 31, the day before it was originally scheduled to begin. The course was scheduled to end

April 30, but was extended to June 26 to give students enough time to read all assignments and complete the exercises.

Registration for the correspondence course on the Revelation of Baha’u’llah, 1868-92 (‘Akka period), will open April 1. For more information or an application, call the automated information line or contact the Institute directly.

istrative Order was built (1921-57), and the Baha’i scripture module will focus on ‘Abdu’lBaha’s and Shoghi Effendi’s writings related to the Administrative Order and Baha’i community.

The skills module will cover consultation and other Assembly and community development skills.

One focus of the module on teaching the Faith will be the role of institutions in encouraging individual teaching efforts.

The program will begin May 1 with home study. The three-week summer residential session (which is required) will run July 18 through Aug. 8. Additional home study begins Sept. 1 and ends in



April 1999.

For more information or an application, call the Wilmette Institute’s automated 24-hour

information line or contact the Institute directly.

~~

Friends of Persian Culture Conference rescheduled

‘he eighth annual Conference of

the Friends of Persian Culture Association will be held at Holiday Inn O’Hare in Chicago Sept. 3-7, 1998 (Labor Day weekend).

The change in the date of the conference this year is due to the fact that the National Convention will be at the end of May, the regular date of this conference.

For hotel reservations the friends may call 847-671-6350. The special conference rate is $79 per room (1-4 people) plus tax. When calling the hotel you must make your reservation for “Baha’i Arts Festival” to obtain this rate. Free shuttle service is provided from O’Hare International Airport to the hotel.

_ PERMANENT SCHOOLS AND INSTITUTES: Bosch Baha’i School 408-423-3387

500 Comstock Lane Santa Cruz, CA 95060


Green Acre Baha’i School 207-439-7200 at 188 Main St. Eliot, ME 03903

Louhelen Baha’i School 810-653-5033 3208 S. State Road Davison, MI 48423

Louis Baha’i Institute 803-558-9131 Route 2, Box 71

Hemingway, SC 29554

Native American Baha’i Institute 520-587-7594 Box 3167 Houck, AZ 86506

Regional school sets spring session

One regional Baha’i School committee has scheduled a spring session, the Education and Schools Office reports. North Dakota: March 27-29

Program: “Flowers of One Garden.” Key presenters include Habib Riazati.

Location: Mayville State University, Mayville, North Dakota.

Facilities: Dorm rooms or local motels available. Meals available at cafeteria on campus.

Recreation: Gym and swimming pool available on the university’s schedule.

Contact: Rosalin Chrest, registrar,

Minot, ND 58703 (phone 701-839-1015).


page 14. THE AMERICAN BAHA’i * CONSOLIDATING THE VICTORIES © February 7, 1998 �[Page 15]

Louhelen looks ahead to Core Curriculum, study sessions |

he Winter School session at Louhelen Baha’i School, Dec. 27-Jan. 1, was attended by more than 180 active and loving individuals united to explore two weighty topics: “Teaching the Baha’i Faith to African-Americans” and “The Kitabi-Aqdas and the Creation of Justice. Programs at Louhelen continue through this spring:







¢ Core Curriculum training sessions, two weekends each, on Race Unity training (Feb. 20-23, M



15-17) and Marriage and F; training (Feb. 20-23,,May 15-17).

Coordinated by the National Teacher Training Center at Louhelen, these cour: are part of a growing movement to help Baha’is help each other toward ma| reality in our lives.

  • Married couple retreat with Kathy

Penn and Dr. Michael Penn, Feb. 13-15. This celebrates the institution of marriage while exploring the Writings on strengthening marital and family relationships.

  • “Chinese History and Culture”

with Charles Pau, Feb. 13-15. This course is designed to assist Baha'is e interested in sharing the message of I wllah with the Chinese people. Chinese friends who would like to explore how the Baha’f t ings relate to their own ‘ground are especially invited to participate.

mily Life






g the Teachings a













Bosch season to be

inter programs at Bosch Bahaé’i School continue with a special “Black Heritage Within the Baha’i Faith” celebration Feb. 13-16, with Carol and Tom Butler, race unity trainers, and LeNise



Audrey Compere and Dr. Richard Thomas discuss a point during Louhelen’s session on teaching African-Americans. Photo courtesy Louhelen

‘aith” with



. 27—March 1. slamic the Holy


Qur’An, and the history afd culture of the Islamic dispensation.

¢ “Pilgrimage in the Days of the suardian,” min Banani Sheila Banani, March 20-22. Th Knights of Baha’u’llah thei experience of pilgrimage. The weekend will include a children’s program and a Naw-Riiz celebration filled with music and festivities.

¢ “The Physician’s Challenge,”



share





with Drs. David Bowen, Joanne M. Kang! and John LeBlanc, March 2 9. This interactive program explores paths of serv ice and health issues for Baha’i phy cians in the Four Year Plan.

© Institute for Young Women, with Dr. Hoda Mahmoudi, Auxiliary Board member, and Nasim Abmadiyeb, April 3-5. This institute, specifically designed for young women ages 12-17, focuses on promoting the equality of women and men

Ruhe, Elizabeth





hool course on

teaching the Faith to African-Americans, Dr. Richard Thomas, a member of the National African American Teaching Committee, guided participants to increased knowledge, insights and skills necessary to fulfill the responsibility to teach Americans of African descent.

Participants developed concrete lines of action that will complement the national teaching campaign calling for individual and community teaching efforts to correspond with the upcoming nationwide tel dcast of The Power of Race Unity. The session on the Kitib-i-Aqdas ated by Dr. Holly Hanson, xplored the implications for the individual, the family, society and the world of obedience to Baha’u’llah’s laws that establish justice and promote unity.

One parti




bro:



fa







nt commented that Dr. Hanson’s explanation of the law of Huqtiqu’lléh helped her make a heartfelt connection to the beauty, simplicity and bounty of this gift.

A comprehensive educational program on the theme “Falling in Love with Baha’u’llah” promoted learning and love among the 85 children and youth who attended the Winter School. The youth class extended their learning by volunteering in various children’s classes and as: with evening programs all we








highlighted by celebrations of African-American heritage

Jackson-Gaertner, community activist, educator, writer and consultant on racial issues.

Adding to the joy and unity of this gathering will be the Western edition of the Black Mer thering and the



Celebrating diversity in the community

Hmong dancers perform at an observance of the anniversary of the Birth of Baha’u’llah in Merced, California, which also featured a song performed in the Lao language and several Hawaiian dances. The event, attended by about 125, was described by one attendee as “a beautiful display of the oneness of mankind.” Said Lillian Jensen,

Local Assembly member and helper of the U.S.

Baha’i Refugee Office,

“This gathering demonstrated the advancement that a Baha’i community can make when it has a united, mature Assembly.”

Local photo courtesy U.S. Bahd’i Refugee Office


Sisters’ Gathering. Last year the “Si ters” shared inspirational stories and a beautiful video of experiences during travels in southern Africa.

‘The weekend may also hold some sts—and there is always great gospel singing and lots of fun. This program can help prepare for the national teaching campaign to be launched soon with the broadcast of The Power of Race Unity.

Students from Daystar Internatior al School in Japan will again v Bosch Feb. 7-20 for classes in org ic gardening and the study of from Paris Talks.

The Wilmette Institute













classes on Taoism and Confucianism Feb. 20-22, and on Judaism and Chris ty March 27-29, both ses



ons taught by Dann May. Also March 27-29, a Youth and Arts Workshop will feature Alice Moore, Paula Wahlstrom, Robin Moore and Christa Schanda in hands-on experience in a variety of artistic media. The International Women’s Writing Guild will again hold their annual conference at Bosch on March 13-15. Call Bosch for a brochure with information on prices and registration. The Mysticism Conference offers a long weekend, April 2-5, to experience and discuss the work of the Persian mystical poet Rumi with Dr. Amin Banani, and The Seven Valleys



and The Conference of the Birds with Sheila Banani. Also invited to participate are ‘Terry Culhane, LuAnne Hightower and Stephen Lambden. ‘The program is planned by the Mysticism Task Force including John and Michelle Thelen-Steere, Steven Keightley, Linda Cicada and Oma Richmond, with Derek Cockshut as Bosch liaison.

Highlights of fall and winter programs included g conference on bus s, “Applying Spiritual Principles in the Workplace,” with noted author Dorothy Marcic. Another such conference is planned for next year.

Winter School brought together Jeffery Huffines, U.S. Baha’ representative to the United Nations, presenting a wealth of information on the U.N. and meaningful ways for Baha’is to get involved in external affairs at the local level. Christine Rayner shared her experience and perspectives on Baha’i family life, and Richard and Pauline Hoff presented a dynamic and effective method of teaching for enrollments through reaching the hearts of those we teach with Baha’u’llah’s love.

Despite the dire predictions of heavy El Niiio rains, the fall and early winter days of sunshine and crisp nights have added to the enjoyment and spiritual rejuvenation from attending the programs at Bosch.










February 7,1998 | THE AMERICAN BAHA’i ¢ CONSOLIDATING THE VICTORIES _ page |5 �[Page 16]


@ TOP 10 TEACHING LIST }

© ACTIVITIES & SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES }


IN THE RIDVAN 153 MESSAGE, the Universal House of Justice quotes Shoghi Effendi in explaining that the individual's duty is to “consider every avenue of approach which he might utilize in his personal attempts to capture the attention, maintain the interest, and deepen the faith, of those whom he seeks to bring into the fold of his Faith” (The Advent of Divine Justice, Page 51). In light of this, we challenge you to send us your favorite teaching ideas. In the upcoming issue of The American Baha'i, we will create a Top 10 list of ideas!


6 YOUTH HIGHLIGHTS )

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS

In response to a mural contest for student organizations, the Baha'i Club at the University of California at Davis was one of 20 organizations chosen to paint a creative mural design along a construction wall in the center of campus. The mural, “Celebrate Diversity,” was designed and painted by Clayton Russell and other Baha'i Club members. It faces the entrance to the UC-Davis coffee house along a walkway where thousands of students and faculty pass every day.

DENVER YOUTH

TASK FORCE

The Denver Youth Task Force was appointed

in September 1997 to help mobilize the more than

40 youth in the Denver area. Composed of four

youth ages 17 to 23, the task force has organized

several events:

- A Baha'i team was formed to walk in the AIDS Walk Colorado, which attracts 10,000 people annually. Seven Baha'is participated and handed out hundreds of pamphlets.

- Weekly deepening/study groups are organized for youth; they just finished deepening on The Power of Race Unity and will begin studying Christian topics next.

- Members of the task force assist the Aurora youth group in hosting a weekly “coffee house” where they sell baked goods, and invite bands, poets and others to perform. This event attracts 25-50 people each week, and to date, three people have declared! Future plans involve a spring weekend retreat to be held in a mountain resort area for Colorado youth. .

REFLECTIONS OF DIVERSITY WORKSHOP IN UTAH Reflections of Diversity, a Baha'i Youth Workshop in Utah, formed just a year ago, has already made 90 presentations about the Faith! Composed of 15 youths ages 13-19, the workshop is ethnically diverse and its artistic expressions encompass ballet, jazz, lyrical, hip-hop, gymnastics, modern, break dancing, singing, and ethnic dance. All their performances are original works created and choreographed by workshop members. To introduce each piece, they teach the principles of the Faith and quote from the Baha’i writings. Between dances, adult coordinators sing songs and perform African storytelling. Non-Baha’i dance instructors volunteer their time to work with the group because of their belief in the Baha’i principles. The workshop has been able to secure contributions from organizations such as Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Utah toward the purchase of T-shirts, visors and dance shoes for the members. To date, the workshop has performed for events such as the YWCA’s Week Without Violence, NAACP’s state convention, Kwanzaa, Human Rights Day, Black History Month and Juneteenth. They have been featured in a Salt Lake City newspaper, on local news and on children’s television programs. To celebrate their anniversary, the workshop hosted a benefit concert for the YMCA’s homeless and battered women and children’s fund. On Dec. 6, more than a dozen entertainers came together to celebrate their successes while honoring YEDI Women” (Justice, Economic Dignity, and Independence for Women) for their work with low-income single women.



6 QUOTE OF THE MONTH )

“Let every believer, desirous to witness the swift and healthy progress of the Cause of God, realize the twofold nature of his task. Let him first turn his eyes inwardly and search his own heart and satisfy himself that in his relations with his fellow-believers, irrespective of color and class, he is proving himself increasingly loyal to the spirit of his beloved Faith. Assured and content that he is exerting his utmost in a conscious effort to approach nearer every day the lofty station to which his gracious Master summons him, let him turn to his second task, and, with befitting confidence and vigor, assail the devastating power of those forces which in his own heart he has already succeeded in subduing. Fully alive to the unfailing efficacy of the power of Baha'u'llah, and armed with the essential weapons of wise restraint and flexible resolve, let him wage a constant fight against the inherited tendencies, the corruptive instincts, the fluctuating fashions, the false pretenses of the society in which he lives and moves.” Shoghi Effendi, Baha’/ Administration, p. 130


SINFRONTERAS (Without Borders) is a Web page dedicated to the exchange of information between the Baha'i youth of Latin America. You can find information about — service opportunities in Latin American countries, materials related to several areas of service, and announcements of future international events. Seehttp://www.geocities.com/~sinfronteras or e-mail

RAISING THE STANDARD: The Baha'i Association of the University of Wisconsin at Madison will host a conference at the University of Wisconsin campus February 20-22. Sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Madison with the Auxiliary Board for Propagation in Wisconsin, the conference seeks to bring together university clubs from the Central Region so they can make a more dynamic contribution to achieving the goals of the Four Year Plan. For registration information, contact Jesse Kiley (608-835-3453, or Danielle Reiff (608-251-4079,

GREEN ACRE BAHA’i SCHOOL is welcoming applications from spiritually mature youth who would like to join their dedicated staff for what promises to be service full of unprecedented spiritual transformation, real and loving friendships and the opportunity to become a part of a unique environment imbued with the spirit of love and service. Two openings are available immediately for food service/housekeeping positions. For information and application forms, please contact Green Acre as soon as possible (207-439-7200,

or contact the National Youth Committee.

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

LAST ISSUE’S QUESTION: STATE ONE WAY in which Baha'i administration is similar to a democracy and one way in which it is different. Do the same for autocratic and aristocratic governments. ANSWER: Baha'i administration is similar to democracy because the people elect the rulers; it differs because those rulers receive no mandate from the people. It is similar to an autocracy in the hereditary principle and authority to rule which is invested in its two successive interpreters, ‘Abdu’lBaha and Shoghi Effendi; it differs in that no other individual has authority to rule. It is similar to an aristocracy in that groups of individuals may hold special positions to accomplish certain tasks (Continental Board of Counselors); it differs in that representation comes from the full body of believers and the position is usually held for a designated period of time (except for the Hands of the Cause). Details can be found in The World Order of Baha'u'llah, pp. 152-154.

NEW PUBLICATION

If you would like to receive Fertile Field, a monthly newsletter for Baha'i college clubs, please contact the National Youth Committee.

CONTACT THE NATIONAL YOUTH COMMITTEE

MAIL: 1233 Central Street, Evanston, IL 60201-1611 PHONE: 847-733-3499 E-MAIL:



page 16 THE AMERICAN BAHA‘i* YOUTH — February 7, 1998 �[Page 17]SPECIAL PULLOUT «

JUMMON THE PE OPLE

TO THE

\INGDOM



Process:

The link between idea and goal

BY LARRY MILLER

ver the past few years the term

“process” has become increasingly

common in Bahé’i vocabulary. Although the use of the term process is not new in the Baha’{ writings, we are just beginning to understand the profound importance of addressing the issue of defining, managing and improving the processes essential to the development of the Baha’f community.

The Guardian frequently spoke of both the larger historical processes of integration and disintegration, as well as the processes of expansion and consolidation.

Several messages of the Universal House.

of Justice have referred to the “process of entry by troops,” the “process of social and economic development,” or the “process of building Baha’i communities.” A longer example: “While this vital teaching work is progressing each ‘National Assembly must ever bear in mind that expansion and consolidation are inseparable processes that must go hand in hand. ... To ensure that the spiritual life of the individual believer is continuously enriched, that local communities are becoming increasingly conscious of their collective duties, and that the institutions of an evolving administration are operating efficiently, is, therefore, as important as expanding into new fields and bringing in the multitudes under the shadow of the Cause.” (Letter of Feb. 2, 1966, from the Universal House of Justice to National Spiritual Assemblies engaged in mass teaching work) What does this term What is its significance? A process is a set of related activities that, over time, together achieve a defined

“process” mean?

we: a purpose, can be measured and improved.

Defining processes is a way of planning activities. It is a way to assess progress and improve one’s performance. It is also a way to share responsibility and ensure consistency of action, rather than relying heavily on individual personalities.

For this stage of Baha'i community growth, the Universal House of Justice has called on us to become more systematic in our planning:

“Armed with the strength of action and the co-operation of the individual believers composing it, the community as a whole should endeavor to establish greater stability in the patterns of its development, locally and nationally, through sound, systematic planning and execution of its work—and this, in striking contrast to the short-lived enthusiasms and frenetic superficialities so characteristic of present-day American life. A Baha'i community which is consistent in its fundamental life-giving, life-sustaining, activities will at its heart be serene and confident; it will resonate with spiritual dynamism, will exert irresistible influence, will set a new course in social evolution, enabling it to win the respect and eventually the allegiance of admirers and critics alike.” (Universal House of Justice, “A Wider Horizon” 27).

The establishment of this “greater sable ty in the patterns of development” through systematic planning is a key to the community entering its next stage of development. Understanding, studying and planning processes is a way to achieve this goal.

How does planning for Baha'i activities

SEE PROCESS, PAGE 20

Marquette reaps fruit of planning

BY LINDA MAXWELL, SECRETARY SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF MARQUETTE

The Spiritual Assembly of Marquette, Michigan, has developed a system for following a seeker’s progress from the moment he asks, “What is a Baha’i?” until he becomes an active member of the community. The system is divided into three areas: Structured teaching plan and followup system; new


believers deepening program; and Spiritual Assembly structure. STRUCTURED TEACHING PLAN AND FOLLOWUP SYSTEM Marquette community members are provided with basic teaching packets that they give to people asking about the Faith. These inquiries may be by phone, mail or in person.

Once the information has been provided to

SEE MARQUETTE, PAGE 19

ELT LT ELE EOL ELL ELIE TEE IE BLE ERNE EE EERE EE ERD REE EEE DEED EE RED EERE DEERE EERE ERLE BEE EERE HE DETER EERIE EER EER. PART TWO OF A CONTINUING SERIES




NATIONAL TEACHING CAMPAIGN:

KEY ELEMENTS

ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL

  • Cable TV broadcast of The

Power of Race Unity, a half hour program produced by


$IDCorp in New York. Tentative broadcast schedule (all times Eastern):

5 p.m. Saturdays, March 28 and April 4 8 a.m. Sundays, March 29 and April 5 1 p.m. Wednesdays, April | and 8

  • Radio “spot” ads produced

by Radio Baha’i WLGI for local use (See page 19)

  • Nationwide toll-free phone

line with available local access to messages (See page 18)

  • Web site with general information on the Faith and various means for response by

interested Internet users

  • A media/press kit produced

by the U.S. Baha’i Office of Public Information for local use (See page 18)

ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE

  • Increase local fireside activity
  • Sponsor devotional gatherings
  • Long-range teaching plans
  • Public relations activities
  • Training institutes and
  • Arrange for local broadcasts

of The Power of Race Unity and radio productions



February 7, 1998

‘THE AMERICAN BAHA‘i ¢ SUMMON THE PEOPLE TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD

page 17 �[Page 18]

MAKING THE MOST OF THE PHONE CONNECTION


to come over and watch it Now that Atlanta is planning St of its campaign, what might be done dif someone’s home.” And have the person look you up at the event, she ed) That gives ie Peon a

With that information, your designated contact person can follow up with invitations to activities—a race unity festival, children’s classes, etc.—related to the

BY TOM MENNILLO

waves of your community and the pages of your local newspaper, the telephone calls of interest—or curiosity—will start coming in. How

QO the Baha’ Faith hits the air should you answer?

We turned to Pat Steele. She has spoken to more than 250 such callers since the Adanta teaching campaign kicked

off last spring.

Steele noted that about two-thirds of the Adlanta callers volunteered a phone number and the others gave only an

address for sending literature.

Your respondents who give a number need to be contacted promptly by someone with good communications skills, she said. That means someone who is

interest. This should include activities in other nearby communities, so you need

be invited to aS homes of is people he or she meets at the event.

ferently there this time around?

Steele said the task force discovered it’s important to very clearly inform the Baha'i community about program sta



ie advertised during broadcasts of and on our Web site, will be linked to

matically to the community nearest the caller. mmunity with this phone line (the cost is $20 th, plus the cost of incoming calls), please ational ‘Teaching Office at 847-733-3493.


tions and times well ahead of time, so the friends make plans.

In addition, she said, materials given to seekers should be tailored to their interests and needs. Atlanta sent out copies of The Bahd’is magazine to callers, but Steele found it was a case of too much too soon for many people.

A simple pamphlet on the Faith would serve them best, she said. Or a small prayer book, labeled as a gift, might touch the person. If possible, she said, organize focus groups to tell you how they respond







friendly over the phone, not just knowl edgeable about the Faith. “An effective opening is, ‘

Then find out wh ested in the Bah:



pick up the phone and dial?

T’m calling from the TV program,” Steele said. People respond well to such personal interest. the caller is interith, she said. What did the person like about our television program that prompted him or her to

to be up to date on what's going on there. Also, Steele said, ask permission for a Baha’i who lives near the caller to periodically inform him or her of events. It’s helpful, she said, to plan public events that can serve as a person’s first contact with the Faith. “It’s easier for a seeker to go from the TV show to a festival than from TV to something in

Steele urged Baha’

Tide of religious coverage can raise Baha’i profile


BY THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION


ave you noticed that religion is playing a larger role in the media?

This season, seven prime-time network shows deal with matters of faith.

Odyssey interfaith cable channel broadcasts religious programming exclusively to more than 28 million homes. Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) debuted a weekly show this season titled “Religion and Ethics Newsweekly.”

Several major newspapers including The New York Times and The Washington Post have expanded their coverage of religious news. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Dallas Morning News have created weekly religion sections, an increase from one page on Saturdays.

As Baha’is we know that changes in the social climate, such as Americans’ turning towards religion, are the result of the

“mysterious forces of — this supreme Revelation” (The Compilations: Vol. 1, pp. 166-167).

Media professionals with the responsibility of gauging changes in public interest and opinion have noted the focus on religion and have increased their coverage of religious news.

“The managers at AJC [Atlanta Journal-Constitution) were seeing a



growing interest within the community in religious news,” Ron Feinberg, the paper's religion editor, explained, “and thought they would be foolish not to devote additional time, resources and person power to it.”

How do editors choose what religious news to cover?

“We look at every thing in proportion to its weight in the community,” Feinberg said. “We would like to think that if you took a year’s worth of our (“Faith and Values” sections, you would roughly see Christianity covered about 60% of the time, also Judaism and coverage of Islam along with stories about individuals, some who consider themselves spiritual but not religious.”

Feinberg continued, “Now that means the Southern Baptists, as the numerically dominant group in this area, are going to get more coverage than the Baha’is, but we are going to go out of our way to do stories that reach those groups that may not have had a voice in previous times.”

Other media outlets also are interested in reporting on the country’s diverse religious landscape. Thus, stories about the Baha’i Faith have increased over the past years as journalists’ interest has increased.

One example of increased interest at the national level is the Baha’i involvement in the development of the new PBS “Religion and Ethics Newsweekly” show.

Pamela Zivari of the National Spiritual Assembly’s Office of Public Information attended several focus group meetings at WNET, New York’s PBS station. Zivari said, “The show's producers are very interested in showing the religious diversity in our country. Last November, show host Bob Abernethy reported news about the celebration of the birth of Baha’u’llah and included photographs of the Shrine at Bahji.”

On the local level, before the Dallas Morning News printed its first religion section in September 1994, the editorial board called together representatives of different religions for a brainstorming session. Local Spiritual Assembly member Kambiz Rafraf was included in that session.

From the beginning, Baha’fs have contributed to the section’s development and have submitted a number of monthly guest columns. Rafraf reported that when two representatives of the Baha’i Faith met with the paper's managing editor, he acknowledged the contribution of the Baha’is in the development of the Religion section.




{ communities, however, not to wait for people to come to them. “You get the most mileage from people you already know,” she said.

She suggested telling friends, relatives and other people you see often (make sure you have fliers handy) about an upcoming broadcast. Indeed, why not create your own audience? Invite them



to specific types of literature.

‘Two more hints from Steele: Be sensitive to the sex of your contact person. For example, many women respond poorly if the first contact is by a man, and vice versa.

And hold an orientation session so your contact person knows how to approach seekers. “It’s all about taking * people beyond window shopping” to true interest, she said.


The ae the first of its kin ry, is intended to cover staff a1 eI the national effort and to ensure the pr Pp term continuity. ;

“This Pledge i is extremely i imy

reasons,” said Ken Bowers, secretary of al Teaching Committee. “The staff of th Committee and of the Baha’i National general are already working at 120 percent of « ity. The gift these friends have made will : possible to find additional talent who will nate national efforts, spearhead the production additional video and print pete and bi our contacts in the media.”

‘The teaching plan fulfills a promise the Assembly made at last year’s National Conve that this year would see some bold ii initiatives. rally these projects will come with major expens

The decision to launch such an ambitious gram, in the face of a $1.6 million defic al operations, is an act of faith on the part—faith in Baha’u’llah’s aid, and

piritual descendants of the Dawn-Bi

In this light, Mr. Bowers ne

sonnel ‘conn commitment t exploration of mass media in p ‘The National Assembly feels | sents a challenge to each of those Baha'is blessed with

Cause of God.


page 18 THE AMERICAN BANA‘i * SUMMON THE PEOPLE TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD February 7, 1998 �[Page 19]


Radio reaches target groups


BY STAFF OF WLGI

adio is an excellent way to reach the




American public with the message of Baha’u’llah. Radio creates awareness in a very cost-effes y. A community can signifi


cantly increase the knowledge of the exisi tence of the Faith, and its basic principles, among a specific population using radio spots and radio programs can target specific ach as African s between 25 and 40. And radio is significantly less expensive than tele and can sometimes be free.

‘There are several approaches a community can take to using radio to proclaim the Faith. One is by using spots, 30- and 60-second ‘comme! ” that promote the Faith in relation to issues of concern to the target audi ‘or instance, education and racial harmony are major issues for African-American women with school-age children.

Finding a radio station that has such an audience and airing spots that address these issues can create an awareness and attraction that result in calls to an information number, and an increase in positive responses to casual eonversations that mention the Faith.

Another approach is to host.a weekly 30-minute radio program on a station that reachés the’ target population you want to teach. Such a show, consisting of interviews, music, and prepared commentary, can create a much greater awareness of the









ion,








MARQUETTE, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17


It is important to remember that proclamation is only successful when followed

up with firesides. rr

Faith than spots, although to a smaller audience (because it is aired only once per week, as opposed to several times per day for spots).

Both approaches require commi interest, and some skills.

It is important to remember that proclama tion is only successful when followed up with ides. In the 13 y that Radio Baha’ WLGI has been on the air, very few people




ment,





have enrolled just from listening to the radio. Many people

have attended firesides, come to public meetings, and asked questions of Baha’is they met or knew because of what they heard on the station. However, only those people who were actively taught after their initial interest enrolled in the Faith.

WLGI is working on developing some spots that can be used by communities that are trying to reach an African-American audience. The station is also working on developing a 30-minute weekly program that can air on stations around the country, also targeting an African-American audience. ‘These spots and programs will be made available to any community that is interested. There will be a charge to cover costs for production, duplication and distribution. An article in The American Baha’, on the administrative web site, and in “Bahai-Annourice” will announce when these are available.

If your community is seriously interested in the weekly radio program, please e-mail, write or call WLGI Radio and let them know.





IR ee teletext re ate croescooe ANE Geol se in America’s history, the will co work towards race unity with firm resolve is more importane than ever before. That work is urgent

Action motivated by spiritual values such as justice and brotherhood is the essence of each and every religion. Humanity cannot continue to harbor racial prejudice. The only race is the human race. The Bahd'i Faith attracts people from every race and nationality who believe that the oneness of humanity is a reality. Bahd'is are building communities based on love for all people. The power to make the vision of race unity a reality is within our grasp. Join the conversation. To learn more about the Baha'i Faith and its commitment 0 racial unity, watch for The Power of Race Unity appearing on television in your area:

CALL 1800.22 UNIT OR VISIT OUR WEASITL AT. WW¥.US. BAHALORG

THe BAHAT FAITH

The National Spiritual Assembly’s Office of Public Information is providing camera-ready print ads such as this for your possible use in local newspapers, as part of the public information packet

it is distributing to communities. Note that space is provided

at the bottom for local information.




the seeker the follow-up system is put into place.

DEEPENING NEW BELIEVERS

This system is divided into three parts: “request for information,” “serious seeker” and “declarant.”

When community members respond to a request for information about the Faith, they record the seeker’s name, address, and telephone number. That information goes to the local Teaching/Consolidation Committee, which enters it into a data intake sheet under “request for information.”

If the seeker then requests more information or attends a Baha’i fireside or event, hi information is transferred to the “serious seeker” level. Transfer to the third level occurs if the

Key to this process is the appointment of a primary teacher for each person who requests information. If a teacher cannot continue to follow the seeker through the various stages of search, another teacher is assigned in









- tie een Ra ave Left to t: Violet Clark, Willie his/her place. This ensures that seekers receive Maxwell Marquette Spiritual a basic core of information as well continuous _ Assembly member), and Linda

contact with the Baha’is.

Another important aspect of this system is monthly followup from the Teaching/Consolidation Committee to the primary teachers. If the teacher has been unable to make progress the committee offers assistance.

This system has been in place for over a year and Marquette is reporting a declaration per month. For their area this translates into doubling the core of active believEven better news: 100 percent of the new believers are active in community life and most are actively serving the Cause.

Maxwell (Marquette Spiritual Assembly secretary). Local Photo





‘The program incorporates the “We Are Baha’is” deepening program developed by the National Spiritual Assembly. When a seeker declares, the deepening program coordinator is alerted. Within a week of the declaration, the seeker is contacted by the coordinator to set up deepening dates. In most cases, the program is completed within a month of declaration.

During the program every effort is made to determine how the declarant may best serve the That information is forwarded to the various Assembly committees so they may include the declarant in activities where he/she may serve best.

This program has been in place long enough to prove its effectiveness. All our new declarants have gone through the program and all are active in community life. Moreover, those who were contacted within a week of declaration, and who completed the program within a month, have shown increased enthusiasm for service to the Cav

RESTRUCTURING THE ASSEMBLY

As the two above mentioned functions developed, it became apparent that the itual Assembly had to provide the community with avenues of service to the Cause. Like many Assemblies we thought we had to deliberate and consult on every aspect of everything that went on in our jurisdiction. With the support of our Auxiliary Board members we undertook the task of restructuring.

The Assembly has formed five committees for various aspects of community development. Each committee gathers information in its area of expertise for the Assembly.

In addition, task forces that are created as needs arise, to work developing plans and projects for Assembly approval. Some task fore while others are on-going.

At the task force level, unlimited areas of service to the Cause can be developed for new believer:

‘This new structure preserves the Assembly’s authority while allowing the community to develop responsibilty for community life. In a short time we have already seen a great increase in activities. Communication between the Assembly and the committees has been good. The assembly is functioning at a new, more mature level. With this sharing of responsibility, the Assembly is free to concentrate on community planning and long-range goals. . :












are short-lived




For more information about Marquette, please contact Linda Maxwell (phone 906-226-9852, e-mail


February 7, 1998

‘THE AMERICAN BAHA‘i ¢ SUMMON THE PEOPLE TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD _page 19 �[Page 20]CRETE CRN LELT ALLL ITT EEE TREE ITE Fe “SPEC.

SPECIAL*PULLO




PROCESS, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

ee rcccccccccccccccccccccccece


differ from planning in the non-Baha'f world? The major difference is that we use the guidance inherent in the spiritual, ethical and social teachings of the Faith grafted onto management principles and lessons developed over many years.

For an instructive example of Baha'i planning, see Ugo Giachery’s beautiful book Shoghi Effendi: Recollections and especially pages 61-108, “The Queen of Carmel,” in which he details some of the care with which the beloved Guardian sought to ensure top quality and efficient scheduling in his work while holding costs down.

How can we improve and manage our processes? The following five steps can help.

Define the purpose

It is difficult to evaluate and learn from a process if it is unclear what the process is intended to accomplish. Even in the process of teaching the Faith there is often confusion about the purpose of a teaching campaign.

Some teachers feel they have accomplished their goal when they have enrolled a new believer. Some feel the goal is accomplished simply by introducing the Faith to a large number of people. Others may feel that the purpose is not accomplished until the community has increased its ability to engage in service and other community activities.

A well-defined purpose allows one to determine success because you know when you have reached your goal. Define the steps

We have come to think of teaching campaigns as events that last for a few weeks. Singular events may be excellent, but they are not processes. A process will involve some number of steps, or separate activities, that when coordinated will achieve a goal.

For example, what might the steps be in deepening a new believer? Here is an example of a step-by-step process you might find useful:

1. Joyful welcoming of the new believer.

2. Getting to know the needs, family and interests of the new believer.


5 them turn his face toward some direction and sum- mon the people to the Kingdom of God, all the - ideal forces and lordly confirmations will rush to his

support and reinforcement. He will behold all the doors open and all the strong fortifications and impregnable castles razed to the ground. Singly and alone he will attack the armies of the world, defeat the right and left wings of the hosts of all the countries, break through the lines of the legions of all the nations and carry his attack to the very center of the

I: the Atlanta teaching cam powers of the earth.”

—‘Abdu'l-Bahd: Tablets of the Divine Plan, Pages 49-50

3. Invitation to Feasts and firesides.

4. A weekend training institute course for new believers.

5. Invitation to participate in service activities.

You can see that there is no necessary right or wrong process, only better or worse ones. The important thing is that by defining and then following the process we ensure that the new believer gets a better-rounded, perhaps morerealistic view of the community and the Faith than he would if all his dealings were with one fellow believer.

Assign responsibility

When our Baha’i communities were only a few active believers, they could manage affairs by deciding who would do what when the need arose. But when many people enroll at once, Spiritual Assemblies will not be able to manage the growth without a clear process.

The local Assembly will need to delegate, assign responsibility, encourage and assist committees and task forces— and that includes asking the committee or task force for a definition of the process and its measures.

Measure the process



TELL US YOUR PLANS

To be a part of the national teaching campaign, We/I commit that We/I will:

(Write your plans below)

Your or your community’ name:


Clip (or copy) and mail to:

NATIONAL TEACHING CAMPAIGN

c/o National Teaching Committee

Baha’{ National

Center

1233 Central St.

  • Evanston, IL 60201



Measurement of process, just like measurement of education, often leads to controversy. This can come from the assumption that there is one right measure, rather than a “set” of measures.

Also, our culture has produced an unhealthy fear of measurement—we fear being “failed” because of a bad score.

We measure so we can determine what works, what doesn’t, and what changes we may need to make.

It is particularly desirable to balance any “scorecard” between qualitative and quantitative measures. For instance, in business, if only production is measured quality tends to suffer. If only quality is measured, productivity may go down.

Tt would be useful to consult within Feasts and Assemblies as to the most useful measures of both quality and quantity. A set of four to eight measures is usually adequate.

Continuous improvement

  • There is no one right way.
  • Problems are normal.

These two simple statements represent a huge shift in our understanding about how to manage affairs, whether in a business or a Baha’i community.

We are all students. The important management task is to create an environment in which learning, problemsolving and improvement are normal and acceptable.

In the Bahai community we will develop excellence in all things, along with institutional capacity to successfully engage in the process of entry by troops, as we learn to manage and continuously improve our processes.

“Central to the capacity of a Baha’ community to lead a process of transformation is the ability of its members and institutions to apply the Revelation of Baha’u’lléh to various aspects of life and thereby establish consistent patterns of change. ... Learning ... comes about in combination with action. The believers must regularly engage in consultation, action, reflection. ...” (16 September 1993 letter of the House of Justice on Social and Economic Development).

Atlanta planners drew up steps and assigned responsibility

paign, the task force has

defined a process it hopes will lead to entry by troops. The intention is that the entire community develops the capacity to present the message, to enroll, and deepen large numbers of believers.

Accomplishing this requires a well-thought-out process, not simply events.

Several steps in the process have been identified, and responsibility for each step has been assigned.

Those steps include:

¢ Proclamation, with responsibility assigned to the media and information task force.

¢ Heart-to-heart teaching via both fireside and mass-teaching methods, with teaching teams targeting receptive areas.

  • Regular public worship services at Baha’i centers, carried out

by local communities.

  • Inviting seekers to join.

¢ Training and deepening through the Training Institute, which has developed specific courses to prepare believers for entry by troops and to deepen new believers.

© Service activities, such as tutoring programs, that are expressions of faith and lead to confimation, with an area service committee developing projects and helping local communities to do the same.

The intention is that the believers come to understand the

«processes of expansion and consolidation as a necessarily integrated and coordinated set of activities.

A simple example of this in action occurred at a recent meeting of the various teams. The Hispanic teaching team was sharing its progress in teaching in an area and pointed out that the new believers and their families are very much in need of English courses and would welcome this.

The service task force took on the responsibility of finding a teacher who would conduct courses in the home of a new believers. This service activity will support the teaching work and _ itself attract new believer. This is the type of integration of effort that we believe is essential.

The Atlanta Task Force does not know whether the process it has defined is the best process. The process already has been changed several times and will be changed again as the task force and its members study, learn and improve.



page 20 THE AMERICAN BAHA’i ¢ SUMMON THE PEOPLE TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD February 7, 1998 �[Page 21]. Armenia,

International goals by category

[eee pioneering and traveling teaching ‘needs for the Four Year Plan, in categories as defined by the Universal House of Justice in 1996. Category 1

The needs in these countries and territories are especially pressing:

Africa—Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Lesotho.


Category 2

The Faith is established, but pioneers are needed here to stimulate the process of growth and help open new centers:

Africa—Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Cape Verde, Eritrea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Namibia, Niger, Reunion, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, St. Helena (South Africa), Tanzania, Uganda.

Americas—Argentina, Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, Bahamas, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Chile, Chiloe Island, Dominica, East Leeward Islands, Easter Island, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, Galapagos Islands, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Jamaica, Juan




Fernandez. Islands, Martinique, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Turks and Caicos Islands, Venezuela, Virgin Islands, West Leeward Islands.

Asia—Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Asiatic Russia (including Sakhalin), Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Korea (South), Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Ogasawara Islands, Ryukyu Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.

Australasia—Christmas Island, Eastern Caroline Islands, Fiji Islands, Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Cale~ donia and the Loyalty Islands, Norfolk Islands, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Western Caroline Islands.

Europe—Albania, Andorra, Balearic Islands, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Channel Islands, Corsica, Croatia, (Northern), Cyprus (Southern), Czech

Azores,


prus

“Mala

Republic, Denmark, Elba, Eston’ Islands, Finland, Gibraltar, Gr gary, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Macedonia, Madeira Island, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Sardinia, lovak Republic, Slovenia, Spitsbergen, Ukraine. Category 3

The process of expansion and consolidation has a significant momentum here, but there is a need for pioneers who can undertake specific tasks, such as arousing the interest of prominent people, strengthening the communities





and economic development projec

Africa—Cameroon, Central Republic, Chad, Congo Republic d'Ivoire, Ethiop’ Mauritiu


Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, geria, Rodrigues, South Africa, Swaziland, Togo, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Americas—Barbados, Brazil, Colombia,





Belize, Bolivia,

Rica, Dominican


Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Peru, Surinan ‘Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay.

Asia—Bangladesh, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Taiwan.

Australasia—Kiribati, Guinea, Samoa.

Europe—Canary Islands, Iceland.

Category 4

Pioneers are greatly needed here, but entry is difficult because of restrictions on Baha’f activity, lack of security or other circumstances. These conditions present a need for believers who will resourcefully seek out opportunities for pioneering:

Africa—Angola, Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Liberia, Mauritania, Mozambique, Rwanda, Somalia

Americas—Cuba, t Pierre and Miquelon.

Asia—Afgha n, Bhutan, Brunei, Korea (North), Laos, Maldives, ikistan, Vietnam.



Papua New





‘Wallis and Futuna.



Students at a video training workshop last summer in Georgetown, Guyana, complete assignments. The class was sponsored jointly by the Baha’i International Community and WETY, a global access television service based in Canada. Five of the 20 participants were Baha’is. Baha'i International News Service

TEACHING

  • Mozambique: A local teaching campaign named in tribute to the Hand of

the Cause of God Enoch Olinga got an auspicious start: Three seekers were enrolled in the suburbs of Quelimane between announcement of the campaign and its official launching in November. In the campaign, each participant éntered the suburbs—where most of the population lives crowded in

thatch: houses—and helped the ‘city’s

Local Spiritual Assembly establish meeting places in receptive areas.

© Pakistan: The Spiritual Assembly of Islamabad opened its first Baha’i information center last fall in the middle of the city’s main shopping area, “located at the best corner of the shops,” according to the Assembly. Plans were to keep the center open six days a week, furished in a dignified manner, with rature available in several lan




guages.


INFORMATION ON YOUR INTERNATIONAL TEACHING TRIP

‘To record achievement of the traveling teaching goals, the Office of Pioneering needs information on all international trips the Faith. This information is important whatever the level or amount aith or was combined with a trip for busi


undertaken for the s

ke of promoting the intere: of service and regardless of whether your trip was exclusively for service to the ness, holiday, family, study or otherwise.

‘To make this easiest for you, just fill out and send this form to the Office of Pioneering, 1233 Central St., Evanston,



IL 60201 (phone 847-733-3511, fax 847-733-3509, e-mail

traveling, the names of each country and the one or two main localities


of your travel. We look forward to hearing from you.

Name(s):

ited, the dates of your trip, and the main purpose

Please include the names of all Baha’is

IDG):


Address:

COUNTRIES and/or LOCALITIES

Please attach any additional comments.


DATES FROM TO MAIN PURPOSE. afta fice yf &s 5 PEE SS faa AYE A/S ONO e/a) ee af Pe Ley, (ich,

Phone:



EDUCATION

  • United Kingdom: Some 500 Baha'is

from all over Great Britain as well as Europe, Africa and the Caribbean converged to make the third Sidcot summer school a triumph. Sponsored by the Local Spiritual Assembly of Mendip, the nine-day session had morning study groups with afternoon workshops on spiritual empowerment through meditation and prayer, as well as on contemporary issues. A handful of seekers added an “extra dimension” to the school, according to a report, and one declared his faith in Baha’u’llah.


DEVELOPMENT




© Germany: The European Task Force for Women launched a series of 11 regional seminars last fall in Frankfurt, with participants from Austria, Liechtenstein and Switzerland joining their German. hosts. Follow-up seminars were to be held in those countries as well as Albania and Macedonia.





YOUTH


  • Bolivia: The Baha’is of Cochabamba

presented the Baha'i view on the environment and general teachings of the Faith t6 thousands at Expotierra 97, a week-long environmental fair organized by high school and university students. Dozens of contacts were made at the Baha’s booth, and more than 500 people watched performances at the end of the week by the local Baha'i Youth Workshop.

¢ Zimbabwe: The local Baha’i Youth Committee of Murewa organized an interfaith discussion day on the response to social issues by religious youth. Representatives of the governmnet and five churches were among the 35 who attended. All the rel groups present helped form a new committee to promote spiritual solutions to social issues.




February 7, 1998

THE AMERICAN BAHA‘i ¢ INTERNATIONAL NEWS

page 21 �[Page 22]

An overview of the site of the International Teaching Center building on the Arc at the Baha’i World Center.


PHOTOS BY RUHI VARGHA VIA BAHA’i INTERNATIONAL NEWS SERVICE


STRUCTURE OF THE INTERNATIONAL TEACHING CENTER REACHES LEVEL 8

f rsryrith about 85 percent of the conerete work completWwW: the structure of the Teaching Genter has reached

level 8, where the council chamber will be located. ‘The front entrance—facing the Monument Garden; which includes a series of staircases leading from the Monument Garden to the Teaching Center building—also has been completed. Construction is progressing intensively on two fronts: at level ’8 and upward to théroof, and at level 7 to join with the roof of the booster pump room,

The construction of the rear.circular wall,.rising from level 7 to level 9 with window openings, has been greatly facilitated by the use of a specially fabricated steel form that enables sections of the wall to be poured in a two-day cycle, cutting the wall’s construction time in half,”

The first consignment of marble for the Teaching Center, a load of 40 containers, was expected to arrive around the first of the year in time for beginning of the marble work, as the concrete bases for all marble columns and substantial areas of external walls were completed.

With major advances on the structure of the Teaching Center and the start of internal finishing work, it became essential to provide external drainage to prevent flooding in the building and damage to the finishes. Major excavations ranging from three to 10 meters for drainage were undertaken from the Teaching Center building through the Monument Garden to connect with the main line under Hatzionut Avenue. The excavations were carried out under careful and constant supetvision and the Monuments remained fully protected with braces to prevent any damage

from vibrations. '



Parallel with the construction of Terraces | and 2 below the Shrine of the Bab, work is under way by the Municipality of Haifa on a roundabout for traffic at the foot of Mount Carmel.

TERRACES ABOVE THE SHRINE OF THE BAB

‘Terraces 12 and 13 has begun\Mass concrete work continues on Terraces 13 and 14, as

well as backfilling between these'terraces and the building of the Center for the Study of the Texts. Fifty percent of the work of landseaping Terraces 15 through 19 has been completed, while masonry on the two-story structure of thé uppermost terrace is finished. By the time of the International Convention next year these terraces should become beautiful and very visible even from the foot of the mountain. 2

M: earthworks on Terracé\12 are under way, while concrete work for the steps between



page 22. THE AMERICAN BAHA‘i ¢ MOUNT CARMEL PROJECTS

February 7, 1998 �[Page 23]a


MOMENTUM OF ACTIVITY ACCELERATES ON HATZIONUT AVENUE

saving opened up all fronts on Hatzionut Avenue, the challenge in the past few weeks had been to maintain the momentum of activity, and even a¢celerate it, with the winter rains around the corner. During this period more than 650 cubic meters of concrete was poured, often under difficult conditions. Despite limited working space, at one time three concrete mixers could be seen on the road, one located on the north side with a long arm pumping concrete on the south side. While a large crane was placing precast panelsjexcavators.continued to work along the road. The,thousands of cubic meters Ofearth excavated in this operation will be nee as backfill in other artas. of the projects.

Construction/6f the 250-meter-long north retaining wall is virtually complete, and installation of the final curb stones and local stone on the wall has begun, with the arrival of an additional team of Turkish masons. On the south wall 50 percent of the precast stone panels are in position. All the concrete supports for the bridge have been cast and the scaffolding for the main slab of the bridge has begun on the south side, in the courtyard of thé building under ‘Terrace 11. Weather permitting, in a few*weeks the main road will be sealed with final asphalt up to the pedestrian tunnel at the west side.

»» GARDENS AROUND THE SHRINE OF THE BAB

he gardens around the main Terrace of the Shrine of the Bab have been a source of/delight to Baha’i visitors and



















de, with below the Shrine, has drawn fur


the completion of the Terrac ther admiration.

The ongoing mainténance of the Shrine gardens is an effort not only to maintain their beauty, but to continue to enhance them. A major refurbishing of the main Terrace is under way. Annual rye grass is being replaced with sod to:provide permanent lawns yearround. [he irrigation, lines are being upgraded, and overhead watering near extensive a¥eas covered by sentolina hedges is being eliminated to prevent damage t6'these plants. Underground irrigation lines have been laid to water the lawns, Old plants and trees are being replaced and flower beds and pathways are being regraded. Seve al trees and plants—cypress, jacaranda, delonix, lea, geranium—have been replanted or repl The ardens include repairs and replacement of ornaments and pedestals wherever necessary. The southern tions behind the Shrine will be realigned with the centerline of the terraces and integrated with the landscaping on the bridge over Hatzionut Avenue when the bridge is completed. It is worthy of note that all renovations are being undertaken without disturbing the original design of these gardens.

















FINISHING WORK UNDER WAY IN THE ARCHIVES EXTENSION

he floor of the Reading Room in the Archives extension is covered with green marble bordered with blac Marble installation in level 2 is 80 percent complet crete screed has been poured in the remaining areas of the roof of g, and replanted with temporary vegetation to prevent on during winter rains.


Con






Lap ®

A view from the south side of Hatzionut Avenue shows the almost-complete structure of the Public Information Center and Office of Security below Terrace 11.


EXCITING PROGRESS ON THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF THE TEXTS

mn the foyer of the Center for the Study of the Texts, installation of marble on the walls “behind the m staircase has begun. The walls will have French textured marble in beige, contrasting with dark red Italian granite on the stairs, finished with curved g' balustrade. Stone work is also under way around the shafts other staircases.





nd inside


Most of the teak windows, about 80 throughout the Center for the Study of the Texts, are in pl adding greatly to the beauty of the building. Teak has been selected not only for its attrac tive appearance, but also due to its durability and r nce to moisture and in:

Among other finishes: Skylights are in place, levels 3 and 4 of the building a paint, and work is under way on the installation of electrical fittings. Permanent power is being provided to the building, so that mechanical services, heating, ventilation and air conditioning can operate.

With the removal of cranes and other heavy equipment from the site, the ground in front of the building is being contoured to its final elevation and slopes to match with the Are Path.








Left: A view from above the structure of the Center for the Study of the Texts shows where the roof gardens will be placed.


A temporary framework braces the Shrine of the Greatest Holy Leaf in the Monument Gardens, protecting it from damage due to vibrations from nearby excavation.

A view from inside the structure of the Center for the Study of the Texts shows the seat of the Universal House of Justice slightly uphill.


February 7,1998 THE AMERICAN BAHA‘i * MOUNT CARMEL PROJECTS _ page 23 �[Page 24]

Development agency awarded national service grant

ottahedeh Development Serices is among a small number of organizations to receive a 1998 Martin Luther King Day of Service grant, President Clinton announced Jan. 2. More than 400 organizations applied for the grants from the Corporation for National Service. Grants were awarded to groups that were exceptional in carrying on activities that honor Dr. King’s legacy of bringing people together to solve community problems. Mottahedeh Development Services (MDS), the Adanta-based social and conomic development arm of the National Spiritual Assembly, will initiate a service project titled “Generation 21: ocially and Economically ‘









MDS planned to launch the project Jan. 19 with a dinner and an evening program for participants at the Baha Family Unity Center in South


Rights awards recognize work for women


he Baha’i communities of the Valley in Ohio recoged two local organizations contributions to the advancement of women at the 20th annual Human Rights Award Banquet, sponsored by the Local Spiri tual Assembly of Dayton.

Held at the Convention Center in downtown Dayton, the event drew about 60 people. Receiving this year’s awards were:

¢ Artemis House, for its work in helping women and their children ape abusive situations at home by providing them with guidance and basic resources until they can manage on their own.

  • The Elizabeth New Life Center,

for providing counseling and educa tion for new mothers about child care and offering alternatives to abortion for unwed mothers.

Auxiliary Board member Hoda Mahmoudi gave the keynote





for











address titled “Two Wings of a Bird.” Cla: 1 guitarist Kevin Mulhall provided beautiful and

original mus folowed by the South Central Ohio Baha’i Youth dance titled “The E quality of Men and Women.

In recent years, the theme of the awards and banquet has been the ame as the United Nations’ theme for t year. In 1997, the U.N. designated no theme, so it was decided to make the award based on humanitarian contributions towards the economic, spiritual and/or intellectual advancement of women.







DeKalb County, Georgia.

The project’s main goal is to assist refugee/immigrant women in developing the survival skills needed to build self-esteem and improve the quality of life for thems and their families.

“The root cause of poverty, crime, violence, racism and environmental problems are all the same: the absence of id Carole Miller, MDS director.

“Unity of self, family and community must be taught and developed,” she said. “Understanding the value of being connected with others and having close human bonds creat If-esteem and personal well-being. This, in turn, bles the individual to pursue the unity of family and to value this essential building block of community life.”

The Generation 21 project is orgai dint che di i











‘ed to foreign

exchange students. This session will

societal responsibility, probarch skills such as résumé writing and interviewing. Later, students will demonstrate some of what they have learned by volunte: homeless shelter.

Six weekly wor! for refugee immigrant wom workshops will focus participants’ attention on an approach to acquiring healthy values that will have a positive impact on the family and the community.

¢ Personal vi to the participants homes. These one-on-one counseling ions will impart information about health and educational resources, transportation, babysitting and medical care.

Working closely with the King Commission for four years, the Corporation for National Service has spearheaded efforts to fulfill the King Holiday and Service Act of 1994. This act seeks to



















Hoda Mahmoudi meets with attendees at the Human Rights Award Banquet in Dayton, Ohio, where she was keynote speaker. The awards recognized two organizations for their work toward the advancement of women. Local photo

Monterey Bay area communities honor middle school principal at luncheon


bel Valdez, principal of a middle school with a mostly Latino enrollment, was honored with the 18th annual Human Rights Day Award presented by the Baha’is of the Monterey Bay, Calif., area in a ceremony Dee. 6. he school has ly improved in performance and spirit under his leadership. In addition, he has performed several avenues of ice for those in need throughout his community. Raised in a small village in Mexico, Mr. Valdez was given help toward his education then has









a young man, and since devoted his life to helping others in similar circumstances.


The program is held each year by the Monterey Bay Chapter of the United Nations Association and the Baha’is. This year, 35 organizations who work in the field of buman rights were designated as honorary co-sponsor: ch year, a Bahai community in Monterey County choo: nt for the award after nominations by the community at large. The recipient be someone who has performed significant service in human rights.

The Dec. 6 luncheon drew a capacity audience of about 80 to the newly renovated club house at the former Fort Ord Army post.










transform the observance of King’s birthday into a day of service that reflects his life and teaching.

“As they have for 13 years, students will stay home from school and many adults will not go to work,” Harris Wofford, Corporation for National Service chief executive, said of the Jan. 19 holiday. “But while they are not working or studying, what can they do to really commemorate the day? King answered that question with a challeng persistent and most urgent qu What are you doing for others’

Coretta Scott King, chairperson of the King Commission, said, “The greatest birthday my husband could receive is if people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds celebrated the holiday by performing individual acts of kindness through service to others. Remember, it’s not a-day off; it’s a day on!”











THE WORLD _ IN WHICH WE LIVE 

Admonition: “It is essential that

x engage in a careful, deliberate eainason ¢ of attitudes, feelngs, and behavior deeply rooted “in cultural habit that block the equal participation of women and stifle the growth of men.” —Two Wings of a Bird: The Equality of Women and Men, p. \1 Response: The Baha’i men of a Midwestern city met to read the statement ‘Iwo Wings of a Bird and to consult on the equality of women | and men. Their focus was on both _ society in general, and on their local Baha'i community in particular. Among other conclusions was the | unanimous acknowledgment of the _ important role local Baha’ women | were playing in the administration, growth and nurturance of the local _ community. At the same time it was noted that, at least for the last 50 | years, there had never been a female chairperson of the Local Spiritual Assembly. Other attitudes and patterns of behavior were identified that | were felt to stifle the equal pafticipation of women in the community. Tt was decided to meet in consultation with women in the community tO seek a collaborative approach e goal of. gender equality in the | Baha'i community. ideas can your communiup with to promote the ity of women and men? let the National Committee Adyancement of Women














page 24 THE AMERICAN BANA’

© PROMOTING THE PRINCIPLES February 7, 1998 �[Page 25]



Catie Harle of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, displays her dance shawl at the ninth annual Pow-Wow at Eglin Air Force Base. The Spiritual Assembly of Okaloosa County is the only religious organization invited to attend every year. Local photo




Baha’is help honor general

Any received performance by the Jeffrey Barnes Baha’i C Choir of Los Angeles was a highlight of a tribute to the nation’s first black Army general Dec. 7 at the Santa Monica Public Library, the result of a longstanding friendship between a Santa Monica Baha’i family and the general’s family.

As the sun broke through the storm clouds and heavy afternoon rains, the choir’s performance brought the audience to its feet in the library auditorium, followed by appeals from several for a follow-up concert as soon as possible.

The event was


wd

was America’s first black military officer to reach the three-star rank of lieutenant general. The senior Davis’ daughter Elnora Davis McLendon, a Santa Monica resident, spoke about her father at the Dec. 7 event.

The Baha’is of Santa Monica, along with several civic agencies, were invited


Clyde Smith, Sheila Banani, Elnora Davis McLendon and

ee rede in Indira Tucker gather at the Dec. 7 tribute to Gen. Benjamin oste y the 9, Davis Sr., Ms. McLendon’s father. Local photo

library to honor the

1997 U.S. Postal

Service’s commemorative Black Heritage Stamp honoree, Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Sr. Born in 1880 in Washington, D.C., he rose in rank during a 50year military career to become the nation’s first — African-American brigadier general and was a driving force in the eventual integration of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Six days after the general’s retirement in 1948, President Harry S. Truman issued an executive order ending racial discrimination in the military. Davis Sr. died in 1970.

His son Benjamin O. Davis Jr., commander of the famed Tuskegee Airmen,

by the Davis family to be co-sponsors of the event.

Oliver Carter, director of the U.S. Postal Service’s Office of Diversity Development, began his speech at the event by acclaiming the “beauty” of the Baha’ choir’s racial diversity and wonderful singing.

‘This was another small step toward fulfillment of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s wish state in the Tablets of the Divine Plan:

“The blessed state of California bears the utmost similarity to the Holy Land. ... Now just as there are natural resemblances, heavenly resemblances must also be acquired.”


MESSAGE,

CONTINUED FROM PAGE |

eeccccccccccccccccccccscccces

Each Local Spiritual Assembly and group in the United States has received a copy of the letter, and has been encouraged to find ways to use the letter, including publishing the letter in local newspapers.

A sheet of questions and answers was included with the mailing to Assemblies and groups, for their assistance in dealing with questions that may arise in communication with local media regarding President Khatami’s speech and the National Spiritual Assembly’s response.

‘The National Spiritual Assembly would be very pleased to know if your community has used the letter in your local media. Please inform the Office of the Secretary for External Affairs, 1320 19th St. N.W., Suite 701, Washington, D.C. 20036-1610 by sending the office a copy of the full page of the newspaper in which the letter has appeared.

The text of the letter appears to the right.



A RESPONSE TO THE PUBLIC MESSAGE OF PRESIDENT KHATAMI TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

January 13, 1998 His Excellency President Mohammad Khatami Islamic Republic of Iran ‘Tehran, Iran

Your Excellency,

We, the American Baha’is, residing in more than seven thousand cities and towns across the United States and representing all races, cultures and ethnic origins in our nation, have listened with great interest to your words addressed to the American people, of which we are an organic part.

Your message prompts us to address you directly, because of your expressed dedication to the principles of freedom, justice and the rule of law—principles which, as you noted, are cherished by the American people.

We who enjoy such freedoms hope that our co-religionists in Iran, who have been deprived of them, will be granted their full rights as law-abiding citizens of your nation.

We are particularly encouraged by your assertion “that religion and liberty are consistent and compatible.” As you said, “Human experience has taught us that prosperous life should hinge on three pillars: religiosity, liberty and justice.” These, you concluded, “are the assets and aspirations of the Islamic Revolution as it enters the twenty-first century.”

Are the Baha’is of Iran—your nation’s largest religious minority—included in these aspirations?

Your explicitly stated determination to fulfill the provisions of the Iranian Constitution and to establish the rule of law gives us hope that the freedom of the Baha’i community in Iran openly to practice its religion will be guaranteed.

May we not expect, in the light of your commitment to human dignity and freedom, that the United Nations General Assembly Resolution (A/RES/52/142), which calls for the emancipation of the Baha’i community of Iran, will now be implemented?

Respectfully yours,

THE BAHA'IS OF THE UNITED STATES Robert Calvin Henderson

Secretary




February 7,1998 | THE AMERICAN BAHA‘i * PROMOTING THE PRINCIPLES _ page 25 �[Page 26]


AT

ntroducing ART, from the National | Arts Task Force (a task force of the

National Teaching Committee). Its goals are to stage a national arts conference and encourage Baha’i communities to develop the arts. ART, which will appear quarterly in The American Baba’s, is dedicated to stimulating thought and discussion within the American Baha’i Community about the spiritual nature of art and its role in transforming souls, about issues challenging Baha'{ artists and about ways to use the arts in teach Toast

Oo: I saw an ex in which the artist had taken toasted bread and arranged it on shelves, each piece of toast standing upright. I thought, bsurd, a meaningless insult ntelligence, a burnt piece of not art.” I wondered how the gallery kept the mice at bay. I spoke to a woman there who said she could not explain why but she thought it was beautiful. I thought she was crazy.

A year or so later I was at another exhibit by the same artist. Again, toast, burnt toast, piles of crumbs and in the middle of the room an old toaster. “This person is laughing at me,” I thought, and left in disgust.

More recently I saw another exhibit by the same artist. This time he had taken close-up photographs of toast. Each photo was enlarged to a 4-foot-by-4-foot format and displayed in vivid color. There were all








ing the Faith. We will introduce you to Baha’i artists in the United States, pose questions to you, and give you the opportunity to respond to articles on various aspects of the arts. We also hope to develop a calendar section for artists to announce upcoming events.

For the first time in recorded religious history a Revelation gives equal emphasis to the arts and’sciences. Our Writings are a mine of references to the arts. Let us make use of these teasures to inspire and enrich us.

Baha’u’llah wrote: “At the outset of every endeavour, it is incumbent to look to the end of it. Of all the arts and sciences, set the children to studying those


the little pits and the texture of the bread. There were whole worlds of golden tones.

Then I realized the shape of each slice of bread was different; like people. Each one was different; light, some dark, some nearly raw, others blackened to charcoal—like people.

Now I see! This is an allegory for human life, for what we go through in the oven of this worldly existence.

Suddenly the images were charged with meaning. Here is a slice of apple bread, still hot, the steam rising from it, sensuous and beautiful. Here is a grayed and withered unpalatable remnant with horrible mold on its edges like one of our society's walking dead, the derelicts, the homeless rejected, the lost. Now a bit of raw dough, uncooked. Unborn? Then a pile of black crumbs.

‘This artist has not been toying with me. He has been searching for a way to share with me what he sees when he looks at toast. This is about life, about




ich will result in advantage to man, will ensure his progress and elevate his rank. Thus the noisome odours of lawlessness will be dispelled, and thus through the high endeavours of the nation’s leaders, all will live cradled, secure and in peace.” (Lawh-i-Maqsid) The current NATF members are, Erika Batdorf of Quincy, MA; Don Camp of Philadelphia, PA; Sharon Melendez of Greeley, CO; Mark Schroder of Tempe, AZ; and Jaine Toth of Carpinteria, CA. Please introduce yourselves to us by writing to: NATF, Jaine Toth, Secretary, Carpinteria “CA


93013.

death, about pain and joy. I weep over the pile of black crumbs. I see someone staring at me from across the room as though I were madness incarnate. I have come full circle.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and so decadence too. How do you know what some art is about? How do you know whether it is good or not? Sometimes you don’t. There is beauty that everyone understands in the first moment and there is beauty that takes a while. We need both.

The Pope had the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo's masterpiece, dulled with brown glue and he covered Adam’s innocence with a fig leaf because he looked with the eye of decadence, because the Cardinals saw sin when they saw the human body. In just the last few years the fresco has been restored to its original condition. We have waited for four hundred years to look with the eyes of beauty. In this Dispensation we must do better.

— Kenji Konishi





FROM THE WRITINGS

“God grant that all men may turn unto the treasuries latent within their own beings... _The source of crafts, sciences and arts is the power of reflection. Make ye every effort that out of this ideal mine there may gleam forth such pearls of wisdom and utterance as will promote the well-being and harmony of all the kindreds of the earth.”

Baha'u'llah

from Gleanings

w

“Be thou of the people of hell-fire, but be not a hypocrite.

Be thou an unbeliever, but be not a plotter.

Make thy home in taverns, but tread not the path of the mischief maker.

Fear thou God, but not the people.

Give to the executioner thy head, but notthyheart. _

Let thine abode be under the stone, but seek not the shelter of the cleric.

Thus doth the Holy Reed intone its melodies, and the Nightingale of Paradise warble its song, so that He may infuse life eternal into the mortal frames of men, impart to the temples of dust the essence of the Holy Spirit and the heavenly

ot and draw the transient "world, through the potency of a

word, unto the Everlasting Kingdom.” - Baha'u'llah,

Compilation on Trustworthiness


maVA

iss your old roommate? Want M: teach-the Faith? Throw-a

reunion partyand_invite—all your friends!

After Keith Williams left Atlanta for St. Simons Island, Georgia, he and his former roommate Keith Clarke decided to hold a reunion party at the resi> dence they had once shared. One party, led to another. Four years later wordof-mouth has turned the get-togethers: into one of the biggest social events in their part of town.

In the spirit of the Faith the two friends wanted to make a statement about unity in diversity. They did—in their own back yard. Not content to stop there, the pair has taken the parties on the road: to other parts of town as well as to other cities. The party that closed the 1996 reunion season was held at the Arts Exchange (a cultural arts center in Aanta). Human Appreciation Day was the theme. “Wholesome Fun for Wholesome Folks” was their slogan.

The plans keep growing. Clarke’s hope for next year is to make one of the




gatherings..a_community...race-unity event that will attract grants and corpo+ rate sponsors. As—Clarke told the Atlanta Journal, “T just want to share on a larger scale the enjoyment of wholesome fun, and we can do it if we can get enough funding.”

‘The backyard parties have attracted a lot-of media-attention, which-in-turn. has resulted in Queries about the parties. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ran a half-page story about the events, complete with photos, on the cover of their “City Life/Inside Atlanta” section. What ‘attracts reporters is the diversity of the evénts as well as their intriguing content.

Writes reporter Kenneth Rollins, “The Keith-and-Keith «parties are famous for their ice-breakers that help shatter the barriers between strang At one reunion they unfurled their now-famous tissue routine. A roll of toilet tissue was distributed to partygoers. Each person was invited to tear off as many sheets as they wanted. ‘Some people tore off 22 sheets,’ Clarke said. ‘The catch: Each had to reveal a number



of personal details that matched the number of sheets in their hands.” The Keiths have devised other ice-breakers such as the human treasure hunt. The objective of the game is to find common traits between yourself and others such as: same favorite color, same place of birth, or same shoe

Of course, the parties never lack for music, all kinds of music, much of which is performed live. From jazz, to African drums, to mariachi bands, to reggae, the guys use the universal language of music to help bring people together.

Attendees are as impressed by the parties’ message of unity in diversity as they are by the friendly atmosphere and the great music. The parties have been described as a good, safe place where you can be yourself and get to know other people.

The parties have spawned smaller





gatherings, (such as the monthly “Jazz Night Out” where groups of people from all faiths go out for live music and fellowship), as well



as new types of activities. To celebrate Martin Luther King Day last year Keith Clarke spearheaded the st Annual

International Unity Dance. The event, held the night before the parade, drew several hundred people from the many different groups who had arrived in Atlanta to march the following day.

Said Clarke, “It was an incredible success. One of the TV stations came down and filmed us. They aired a five-minute segment (several times during the day) on the dance—that much TV coverage is virtually unheard of.”

For more information on the Keith-andKeith parties, call Keith Clarke at 404624-4720 or Keith Williams at 912634-1844. — Allegra Kazemzadeh




page 26 THE AMERICAN BAHA‘i* ART February 7, 1998 �[Page 27]


CE, (/

o learn how Baha'i artists ap proach their work, the National

Arts Task Force sent out two questions to a wide selection of artists in the Baha'i community. Following is a sample of what we received.

1. As an artist, what is your experience with work as worship?

(From a Baba’ needleworker) This isa relatively easy question. I enjoy creating something that is uniquely from)my heart and soul... something that takes time, but progresses visibly from day to day. The artistic process of stitching, for me, parallels the development of the soul in this life. In the chaos of dayto day living there is an underlying order, a»beauty, a systematic yet heart-driven process. L also like the Amish traditions of Placing one’s mark or name in an inconspicuous place on a piece, and of thanking God for the skill to do the work. In recent years I have begun using the Baha’f year on work, hoping that it will raise questions with nonBahd’is. s 2. What aspects of your process are sacred and transformative?

I would haye to say that the process is the key ... one sits down to work with an _ idea in mind of what will be achieved. ‘As one works this idea may change, transform into something better, or not work out at all, in which case one has to humbly tear out the work and start over.

I think one of the pleasures of this type of art is that no matter how you may envision it taking shape, invariably it is better than what you expect. This is an example to me of how, though we

may not see the good that prayer or good deeds accomplish ... the benefits

are far beyond our perceptions and _

expectations! I usually emerge from. stitching with a calmness and tranquility which I also associated with prayer and meditation.

Tam a scientist by trade and an artist by hobby. I have given informal talks on the history of needlework and how it relates to the education of women. It has been a wonderful way to teach the Faith. — Mary-Louise Roy

HEART

'e hear from the Seattle-based regional arts group, HEARTS (Heaven on Earth

Arts Resource and Teaching Service), that artists in their area have grappled for years with how to help communities better understand the practical and emotional elements of effectively integrating the arts into their events as well as the concerns of artists across a broad range of issues including: the importance of high-quality technical support, adequate lead time, creativity

1. As an artist, what is your experience with work as worship?

Tam a musician/songwriter living in the Portland, Oregon, area. My service to Baha’u’llah through music is primarily by playing at Baha’i events or at teaching events. If I play music at gatherings, from firesides to conventions, in the spirit of selfless service, then I find that the results are incredible. People are inspired by music, and it often helps groups to focus. Plus, I feel as though for'a.few moments Baha'u'llah has given. me the favor of being allowed to serve Him ih some way.

Recently, after a little bit of prayerful meditation, some stories from a certain province in Kenya, and a re-examination of the music from the World Congress, I reached the conclusion that miusic basically has two purposes (outlined below), and I have started directing my song-writing energies in these two directions:

a) The first purpose of music is to educate. For years, Bahd’fs all over the world used the song “God is One” as a kind of teaching handbook to express the Baha’ Faith in a nutshell. I that song now, because I’ve heard it so many times, but I understand it had a very specific purpose.



Unfortunately we don’t have any new

songs that really teach people about the Faith or its history. Apparently in a certain province in Kenya, the Bahé’fs use music to teach their Baha’f history and way of life. The entire history of the Faith is taught through songs and people remember it. From DawnBreakers stories, which Shoghi Effendi wanted Baha'is to use as an inspiration for artistic works, to such things as proper community functioning, Assembly deyelopment, and the fundamental verities of the Faith—many topics can be’ expressed effectively through the arts. In fact, many people learn and remember better with the help of the arts.

b) The second purpose of music is to evoke a certain mood. I have a tape that T use to put myself in a prayerful and meditative mood. It brings to the surface deep feelings of love for Baha’u’llah that are often buried by the day-to-day material strivings of this existence. ‘This tape quiets my mind and prepares

to HEA

and flexibility in planning, financial considerations, and the like.

Rather than stay mired in frustration, the group has produced a new booklet, Heart to Heart: Some Suggestions for Integrating the Performing Arts into Bahai Functions, as a means of reaching out to Baha’{ institutions and communities with a loving and optimistic invitation to enter the world of the artist and learn about the nuts and bolts necessary to put together effective events using the arts. Structured



me to commune with my Beloved. Baha’u’llsh says that music is like a ladder for souls. I can’t understand this quote, really, but I think it has something to do with what happens to me when I hear certain music. So, the second purpose is to evoke a mood. Since I have turned my songwriting ehergy toward these two areas, I have written a song about criti and I am working on a song that will evoke a mood in people by calling them to the presence of God in the style of the Tablet of Ahmad. J feel, for the first time in a while, that ! have done something with music that will be acceptable to Baha’u’lléh. 2. What aspects of your process are sacred and transformative? _ When you write a song to teach a subject) you need to know it well yourself. As you write you learn more. Just today I noticed an interesting tendency in myself to criticize people in a certain very sneaky way. This is something I want to change. I would never have'been conscious of it were it not for certain lines in my song. Similarly, when you write a song to evoke a certain mood, you must feel that mood. Ifyou write a song about being called you first have to feel Baha’u’llah ‘calling you. That is a powerful thing

think that the writer receives

ofthe benefit from such a song. David Hunt




te As an artist, what is your experience with work as worship? The poet William Carlos Williams wrote, “It is difficult to get the news from poems, yet men die miserably

every day for lack of what is found,

there.”

I think that artists provide “service” in its purest form by sharing a unique vision of the world with those who come in contact with their work. This vision can change a mood or enlarge an attitude, enriching the human and spiritual qualities of those who enjoy, it. Artists help others and themselves “get the news.”

2. What aspects of your process are sacred and transformative?

When I am writing poetry, I arrange my physical environment so that it does not distract me. I seclude myself

around very specific, practical tips for mounting events, the booklet also provides an easy-to-duplicate event planning checklist which essentially summarizes the content of the booklet.

Written and produced by Janis Gaines and Cindy Roat, the booklet is the first of a series of development projects planned by HEARTS. For information on ordering copies of the booklet, call HEARTS at 206-609-9086 and leave your name and address.



in an anonymous room and try to relax my conscious mind so that I can discover what the subconscious mind is working on. While I do not believe that I can “see” or “know” God directly, I do believe the creative process reveals what I had not previously known or understood about some facet of the creation.

— Peter Murphy

1. As an artist, what is your experience with work as worship?

As an artist my experience of work as worship has not always been so clear. The process of asking questions seems to help me. Sometimes the existential aspects of life overwhelm)-me—the abyss, feeling detatched, disconnected from this plane of existence. Working at these times is difficult when the insignificance of what I do seems to fill my field of vision. It’s only because work is seen as worship that continued effort is possible. There could be no other reason to work, in this,“blink of an eye” existence. The blessing of work as an act of worship is sometimes the only reason it makes any sense to work . or perhaps it makes the most sense, because we have only one purpose, to know and (worship) love God. Serving others and working on our work is then fulfilling our purpose. Also realizing we will be assisted by the Concourse is another blessing. Thanks bé to God that we have this much clarity.

2. What aspects of your process are sacred and transformative?

Going into nature to look for rocks and wood for my sculptures, I marvel at their complex yet simple beauty. How could I possibly improve upon it? Sometimes I sit on the beach and just marvel. Really looking deeply at the beauty in nature overwhelms me. The sacredness comes about when I try to express in my work the inspiration, concepts and emotion I receive from the Writings. That is the only way changing the natural forms from their original beauty can be justified for me.

This perhaps is what transformation is about; as my soul comes in contact with Creation and the Word, I transform, as well. To me this process is very sacred.




— Jaci Ayorinde

CALLING ALL TALENT!

Somewhere a Baha'i community is looking for a person with exactly your skills. Their upcoming project may be in dire need of a speaker, a service-oriented Youth group, a journalist or an entertainer, If you are interested in getting

involved check out. our Web site.

www.pagecreator.com/~newsroom/ info_form|.html

MU ee UC RCS UCT) herein are the personal opinions of their Pe ete hued Do UR CAO UCC ECL Force or the National Teaching Committee.



February 7, 1998

THE AMERICAN BAHA’i* ART page 27 �[Page 28]HT PETIT





FTES

DEVELOPMENT* CONFERENCE



Nobel laureate began her peace struggle for the children

etty Williams was derided as an “ordinary housewife” by critic of her initiative against sectari an violence in Northern Ireland. But that effort helped bring about the current peace process and earned jiams the 1976 Nobel Peace Prizi with Mairead Corrigan-Maguire. Since then, a vision for children has taken her around the world to provide “our greatest resource” with safe havens from war, hunger and abuse. The latest stop for Williams was






the onference on Social and E Development for the Americas. She was invited to speak

by a Baha’f who met her at a recent United Nations Children’s Fund conference in Paris, France.

Upon Williams’ arrival in Orlan do, the Rabbani Trust held a reception for her and Chuck LaMark, director of development and planning for the organization she founded last March, the World Centers of Compassion for Children (WCCC).

“The Baha’is are a working symbol of how we can all walk together in the world from every faith, and nothing but good can come out of that,” she told those gathered to greet her.

The next morning, she related to the full conference her moving story.

It started with three children on a Belfast street. A driver had been shot and his car hurtled into a mother and her three tots. As Williams held one of the dying children, she vowed to do whatever possible to ensure no


CON FERENCE, CONTINUED FROM PAGE |

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and Teaching of Sciences (FUNDAEC) in Colombia.

Gustavo Correa, member of the Continental Board of Counselors, led attendees on a three-decade journey in which development efforts have grown along with the Baha’i community.

In 1972, Colombia counted only hundreds of believers in a country with immense gaps between wealth and poverty. Then, the Ruhi Institute was born to spearhead teaching and consolidation, and FUNDAECS rural university approach began helping people participate in their own development.

A decade later there were 50,000 Baha'is and a solid foundation for the rative Order. Development efforts included a tutorial learning sys: tem, solidarity groups that allowed enterprises and their workers to receive training and credit, and a way for rural educators to earn degrees.

Now, FUNDAEC programs, which use the Administrative Order and the Covenant as models, are being replicated nationwide. Institutions such as the Catholic Church that once opposed the Baha'is’ efforts are coming around.

“Tt starts with a seed,” Dr. Correa reminded attendees. “It’s not a tree with fruit from the start. And that seed must be planted in an environment that allows it to grow.”

  • Four Worlds International Institute

for Human and Community Development, a Canada-based organization specializing in substance abuse prevention, especially among tribal peoples.

Phil Lane Jr. came to Orlando with a message: “Culture must be the foundation of development. It must embrace and build on that culture.”

He said Four Worlds operates under four principles: development comes from within; with no vision there is no development; individual development must go hand in hand with development of the family and community; and people of all ages have to participate.

“Baha'is are the respository of the wisdom and knowledge of the ages,” Mr. Lane said. If we apply our principles of























other children met the same fate.

When the first peace rally Williams organized drew 10,000 women, she knew she was on to something. But she realized: “If you want to take the rock or gun out of a man’s hand you have to replace it with another way to bring about change.

Williams’ “little cup of tea” campaign started bringing Catholic and Protestant women into each other's neighborhoods to talk about their hopes and fears. Then she moved to integrate the religiously divided schools.

Finally, to alleviate the economic woes that were fueling the discord, her “love force” worked with factory owners to keep the assembly lines humming and provide goods that people needed.

After Williams was awarded the



Joel Nizin of Ridgewood, N.J., and Mike O’Neal of Savannah, Ga., participate in the development conference. Photo by James Cheal

consultation and oneness to our efforts, and tie them into the Administrative Order, “we will be victorious.”

  • Health for Humanity’s efforts in

Africa to fight river blindness.

May Khadem described a collaborative effort to eradicate a fly-borne di: that has infected more than 20 million and threatens 100 million more with figurement and loss of vision.

A drug is available to save lives, but it must be administered regularly over 10 years. Other organizations lacked the means to sustain a program that long.

Health for Humanity, at the urging of the Baha’f World Center Office of Social and Economic Development, teamed up with the National Spiritual Assembly of Cameroon, the Continental Board of








Counselors and Baha’{ communities to sustain drug-giving at the local level. Other organizations now are eager to


cooperate, and the program soon will expand to the Central African Republic and Ethiopia.

  • The Coordinating Committee for

Radio Baha’j in Latin America.

Ann Jorgenson, a pioneer to Panama, told a story of faith in action. By grounding its work in the Covenant, Baha’i radio has become in 20 years an integral part of indigenous peoples’ spiritual and


material development.

She said Baha’ stations now flourish in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Panama, Chile and in the United States (WLGI-FM in Hemingway, South Carolina).

With uplifting programming that non-political, culturally supportive, vice-oriented and steeped in the verities of the Faith, Ms. Jorgensen said, in some areas 95 percent of the whole listenership prefers Radio Baha’.

  • Nuir University in Bolivia.

Eloy Anello, member of the Continental Board of Counselors, gets emotional when he speaks of Nir, and with good It “training the human resources to run a Baha’ nation” of the future while addressing the issues facing people toda:

“The Writings say educating a child is like educating a child of Baha’u’llah,” he told attendees. With that responsibility, he said, Baha’is must promote both universal education and the specialized education of moral development.

As a result, Nur’s programs train rural educators, municipal employees and others to be “agents of community development.” Baha’ principles are employed throughout to foster consultation, a service orientation, participatory learning, empowerment, development of capaci






reason:










Nobel Prize, her gaze shifted to the global level. With other laureates such as Bishop Desmond Tutu, she has toured countries where “unforgiveable” offenses are being committed against children.

WCCC is trying to turn the tide. The nonprofit organization based in Gulf Breeze, Florida, is creating safe havens where children are fed, sheltered, nurtured and encouraged to grow to their fullest potential.

She also is laboring to create a “consumer digest” of “who is doing what for kids.” And she is campaigning to divert military outlays to the fight against hunger.

“Peace starts with our littlest citizens being brought up with justice,” Williams said simply.

ties, and ongoing evaluation.

The next step, Dr. Anello said, is to offer study of the Baha’i Writings to these newly awakened agents in hopes they enroll, deepen, and apply what they learn in all aspects of life.

Attendees also were treated to:

  • A look toward the future by former

Universal House of Justice member David S. Ruhe.

With the new millenium 1,108 days away, he said, Baha’is must understand their destiny as “people of the future”; rapidly mature as individuals, communities, and institutions; and seize opportunities.

Noting the creative force unleashed by Revelation, he said our task iritual energy with sciento create a new social order imbued with service and justice.

  • Frank talks on developing Baha’i service, one by National Treasurer William

E. Davis and one from a youth perspective by Colby R. Lenz.

“The essence of community is the sense of abiding love and respect we share as members of the human family,” Mr. Davi! said. “Baha’u’llah’s mission was to instill oneness of humanity in our hearts. Wherever there is suffering, we must suffer. We have no right to rest.”

Social and economi said, is not something else Baha’is must do but central to “who we are, building communities of service. Never before has a global community devoted to the same principle and purpose for life worked to build a new society.”

Ms. Lenz reminded attendees of Baha’u'llah’s admonition to be concerned with the needs of those around us. “Let there not be a gap between our rhetoric and action,” she said.

But in acting on our principles, we must not fall into an “us and them” trap, Ms. Lenz said. She urged Baha’fs to get more involved in development efforts, even if non-Baha’f; put our resources where they will best effect change; and, most important for the future, challenge youth far beyond what they see as their capacities.






development, he










page 28 THE AMERICAN BAHA‘i ¢ DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE February 7, 1998 �[Page 29]

the

| ‘onomic Development for the Americas was how to start projects in

Jonference on Social and k wn communities.








An all-day workshop led by Mottahedeh Development Services was designed to help answer that question. As the session unfolded, a 10-step plan for developing a Baha’{ social and


economic development project was unveiled.

Participants were led through the steps, then broke into groups to identify the issues and challenges in their communities and, later, to design a project.

It wi 1 that the 10 steps are not cast in stone. Not every step pertains to every community, and they don’t have to be taken strictly in the order presented.

The 10 steps, with questions meant to help guide consultation, are:

1. Acquire a vision of the pattern of Baha’i community

  • What is our shared vision of the pattern of Baha’i community life?

2. Understand Ba cial and economic development as an element of Baha’i community life.

© What is our understanding of Baha’i s development?

3. Identify issues and set prioriti

  • What are the social and e

es of our area (within the Baha the wider community)?



tre:





cial and economic






onomic development community and in






4. Mobilize project champions around issues.

  • How do we foster and sustain commitment to addressing

the issue(s)?

5. Identify spiritual and social principles.

  • What are the spiritual and social principles that apply to

the issue(s)?

6. Assess lesson:

¢ What 4 and non-Baha’i development pre

7. Set broad goals and specific measurable objectives.

¢ What is our shared vision for addressing this i:

  • What do we wish to attain over the long term in

out a project?

8. Agree on an approach.

  • What is an appropriate approach (intervention) to address

the issue?

9. Design and implement the project.

  • What'do we need to do to implement this approach?
  • What is our plan for managing and implementing the proand for strengthening local institutional and human

‘ity as implemen: 10. Plan for evaluation and monitoring.






rrying




¢ How can we measure the achievement of our vision for


© What is our plan for monitoring, evaluating, refining and sustaining the project?

U.S. Baha’i business forum gets boost at conference



busin:





aha’ business and pro! s issues. now will report to the MDS board, which sional forum similar to Europe’s. So. when MDS board member could appoint a governing committee for has been discussed for years. In Lawrence M. Miller arrived at the Orlan- _ the forum at its February meeting.

do conference, he ¢ place the long-talked

the wake of the Baha’i Conference on



and Economic Development for

the Americas, the dream is a lot closer to reality

Mott:


efits, that would give




edeh Development Se social and econor lopment arm of the National Spiritual Assembly, decided six months ago to launch a number of interest groups including one devoted to

ic de that its European cot Response among the business and ecc

conference was posi





SPEAKER


the umbrella of MDS. Among other ben=

tion to the Baha’i admin


arried a proposal to J-about forum under

Miller is circulating a draft mission statement that will be submitted to the new committee. He has received input on it from many professionals and is seeking additional comment directly

and through an e-mail discussion list the Baha’i Computer and Communication Association is establishing.

the group a connecve order rt lacks.

Bal involved in nomics track at the itive, Miller said. He



unter]

Lee Be Ft ict ee i pe


/ Colby R. Lenz, David S. Ruhe called presenting a youth on Baha’is to underviewpoint, urged, stand their destiny “Let there not be a as “people of the gap between our future” and help rhetoric and create a new social action,” and called order of service and for greater chal- justice. lenges to youth. Photos by James Cheal

May Khadem related Eloy Anello

how Health for described programs ~~ Humanity became a of Nar University in rallying point for Bolivia that progovernment and mote moral develother organizations opment, and have

to work toward trained local educaeradication of a fly- tors and govern borne disease that ment employees in a threatens millions greater orientation

with blindness in toward service.

Cameroon.






OBJECTIVES OF THE 1997 CONFERENCE

nits fifth year conducting

the Social and Economic

Development Conference, the Rabbani Trust changed several approaches to conducting the conference.

The trust adopted four objectives for this year’s gathering: ¢ To provide an environment in which representatives of Baha’i development efforts in the Americas can gather together to share information and experiences—both challenges and successes.

  • To analyze the shared experience in light of the teachings of the Faith and current

thought in developmentrelated fields in order to advance the collective learning process.

  • To allow projects to come

into contact with individuals who can potentially be of assistance to them.

  • To enable those who desire

to initiate development efforts in their communities to learn about the principles

and practice of Baha’i social .

and economic development.

In addition, the Rabbani trustees “leveled the playing field” by omitting titles and biographies of speakers and workshop leaders from the conference program. A participatory atmosphere in track sessions made all attendees active agents in their own learning.

The changes, made with the input of the Baha’i World Center Office of Social and Economic Development, also included discontinuing three projects: the annual Award of Excellence, the recognition of a Baha’i development pioneer, and publication of the Baha’i Development Directory.



February 7, 1998

‘THE AMERICAN BAHA’i * DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE _ page 29


�[Page 30]

lassified notices in The American

Baha'i are published free of charge to the Baha’i community. Because o! this, notices are limited to items relating to the Faith; no personal or comis are accepted. Some of the opportunities have not been approved by the National Spiritual Assembly; the friends should exercise judgment and care in responding.

SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

AT THE BAHA’{ NATIONAL CENTER Recruiting Specialist, Department of Human ere Identifies the staffing needs of the national Baha’ administrative offices and agencies, and ensures those needs are quickly and efficiently filled with personnel who meet both the technical/professional requirements of the position(s) and the organizational standards of a spirit of service to the National Spiritual Assembly. 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. Should be able to use: WordPerfect and Word for Windows.

Program Coordinator I, Oe of the Treasurer and Development: Has prima¥ responsibility for education of children and youth in the spiritual nature and practical aspects of giving to the Funds; conducts presentations/training sessions as necessary at conferences, summer schools; designs programs/materials for educating children and yout Fund-related matters; produces articles for The American Babd’t, Brilliant Star and other publications. Must be wellgrounded in the fundamental verities of the Faith, have exceptional written and oral communication skills, be able to coordinate many tasks simultaneously. Prefer at least a bachelor’s degree in human services-related field, and experience in program design and management.

LSA Service Specialist, Office of the Treasurer and Development: Provid

Spiri lies with a single ons on developues. Meets a broad range of Local Assembly needs, including assistance or suggestions on managing the local Fund and on relating local concerns to the senior funds of the Faith; helping believers with questions and concerns about the Funds; and gath: ering feedback from Assemblies an believers in order to improve Treasury communication and program quality. Must be well-grounded in the fundamental verities of the Faith; have exceptional written and oral communication skills, supported by advanced computer skills; and be able to coordinate many tasks simultaneously. Prefer at least a bachelor’s degree in human service-related field, and experience in program design and management.

If interested in any of the above positions, please mail or fax updated résumé to the Office of Human Resources, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (fax 847-733-3427).










AT NATIVE AMERICAN BAHA’l INSTITUTE Maintenance worker needed at the Native American Baha’{ Institute. Should have some knowledge of building construction and repair. Please send résumé to Joel Orona at NABI, Box 3167, Houck, AZ 86506 (phone 520-587-7599, fax 520-521-1063) and a résumé to the Office of Human Resources, 1233 Central Street, Evanston, IL 60201 (fax 847733-3427).


Critical Needs at the Baha’i World Center


HVAC maintenance. ing drainage, fittings, etc. general horticulture preferred.

informal gardens.



‘THE MOUNT CARMEL PROJECTS, constructing the buildings and terraces of the Arc in Haifa, Israel, continue to have a critical need for these personnel:

° Industrial/commercial electrician. Needs experience in outdoor power and lighting distribution systems, general lighting control and maintenance. Experience in high-tension and large cable installation is highly desirable.

° Mechanicallelectrical technician. Needs experience in refrigeration and

  • Professional plumber. Needs experience in all aspects of the trade, includ- .

© Horticulturist for expanding formal gardens. Experience in gardens and ~

  • Professional gardener. Needs experience in general aspects of formal or

To apply, please mail or fax your résumé to Mount Carmel Projects,

Project Manager’s Office, P.O. Box 155, 31 001 Haifa, Israel (phone 972 (4) 835-8358, fax 972 (4) 835-8437, e-mail



AT THE WILMETTE INSTITUTE The Wilmette Institute needs someone to serve as coordinator for its summer session, July 18-Aug. 8. Must be mature, deepened, and responsible; have excellent communications skit ; be able to reside in the dormitory all three weeks; and be experienced at advising students, providing deepenings, and coordinating events. The person should arrive at least a week early to help with registration and setting up the dormitory. Compensation includes transportation to and from Wilmette, housing, meals and a modest honorarium. The coordinator will be able to attend some classes. A mature couple would be ideal. For more information contact Robert Stockman (phone 847733-3425, e-mail







AT Boscu BAHA’i SCHOOL Assistant facilities manager sought for Bosch Baha’i School. Responsible for maintenance of buildings, grounds, equipment and vehicles for Bosch; helps direct the work of volunteers. Responsible for creating and maintaining operating procedures and system documentation. Works on all renovation, repai restoration and new constructic have knowledge and skills in building and equipment maintenance, plumbing, electrical, carpentry, roofing, painting, masonry, etc. Strongly prefer applicant with five years’ experience in facility management (hotel, motel, school, condominium, light industrial plant, etc.), with at least three years supervising three or more workers. Basie computer literacy (database, spreadsheet, Sori processing)

i CAD experience desirable. yee ion and consultation skills, flexi and enthusiasm are essential. ing contractor experience ver desirable. Vehicle maintenance skills desirable. For further information, contact Mark J. Bedford, Co-Administrator, Bosch Baha’f School, 500 Comstock Lane, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (phone 408-423-3387, fax 408-423-7564, e-mail








AT Louis G. GREGORY BAHA’/ INSTITUTE Teaching-Education coordinator needed at Louis G. Gregory Baha'i Institute in Hemingway, South Carolina. Responsible for planning, implementation and evaluation of all teaching and education programs at the Institute. Four years’ administrative/management experience and a graduate degree in education, management or a comparable field desired. Maintenance worker also needed. Should have some knowledge of building construction and repair. For information or applications, please contact the Office of Human Resources, 1233 Central Street, Evanston, IL 60201 (fax 847-733-3427).

4

AT THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY FOR

EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, WASHINGTON, D.C. NGO Liaison/Assistant to the National Committee for the Advancement o; Women: Represents the National Spiritual Assembly on a broad range of women’s issues with other national non-governmental organizations (NGOs), federal fecuaent agencies and offices, and leaders of thought. As necessary, communicates National Assembly policies on the equality of women and men to the Baha’{ community. Provides administrative support for the Committee for Advancement of Women, coordinates dissemination of the statement Tio Wings of a Bird: the Equality of Women and Men, represents the committee at meetings and conferences, and conducts research on the status of women within the Baha'f community and in U.S. society. Must show knowledge and experience in applying Baha’i principles to the problems of society, especially concerning the advancement of women. Mu have a bachelor’s degree; an advanced degree is desired in women’s studies, social sciences, political science, international relations or related field. Two to five years’ work experiei essential; must have word processing skills, preferably Word. If interested, contact the Office of Human Resources, 1233 Central Street, Evanston, IL 60201 (fax 847733-3427).







AT BAHA'I DISTRIBUTION SERVICE A customer service sentative is needed at the Baha’f Distribution Service in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The representative will facilitate the distribution of Bahd’{ 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 prepare timely correspondence. Ability to accurately pack up to several hundred orders per day is essential. For information or an application, contact the Office of Human Resources, 1233 Central Street, Evanston, IL 60201 (fax 847-733-3427).

ACROSS THE NATION Beautiful Baba’t center in quaint old St. Johns Neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, needs an individual or couple as manager. The Helen Bishop Teachin; Campaign for the Martyrs, involvin 53 communities of the Vancouver and Portland metro areas, is spreading through Washington and Oregon. For information, please contact the secretary of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Portland (phone 503-281-2955, e-mail

The Colorado Baba’ Youth Workshop needs you! Our workshop is in desperate need of a coordinator, a dedicated volunteer with dance and theater skills, and preferably past experience working with a Baha'i youth workshop. The Colorado workshop meets weekly and performs monthly. The coordinator shares the responsibility and has support from the Workshop Board, the sponsoring Spiritual Assembly of Douglas County and other Baha’f communi If you are able to relocate to the Denver metro area and would like more information, please contact Mary Formeller (phone 303-7994006, e-mail

INTERNATIONAL China: Help build bridges of friendship and service in a land of rapid development. For information on job and service opportunites, contact Susan Wat alore 847-733-3506, e-mail






PIONEERING / 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 job placement. AFRICA: Angola—Project coordinator (agricultural development), agricultural coordinator, IMC Site manager, water construction manager, immunization (EPI) trainer, maternal child health trainer, primary health care nurse. Botswana— Senior research officer (bank). Cote dIvoire (Ivory Coast)—Information systems specialist. Eritrea—Advisers for inna Healey management firm. opie Se supporting volunteer to help the National Aerob secretary and to train a replacement. Ghana—Director, regional enterprise manager for CI. Namibia—Project coordinator (HR development). Nigeria—Program office for arts, culture and media grant-making program in Western Africa. Rwanda—

Jealth program manager, PHC trainer, technical assistant for ie rict health facilities, income generating program coordinator. South Africa—Tertiary educational specialist. Swaziland—Environmental economist. Zambia—Teachers. Zimbabwe—Project development coordinator, disaster mitigation and preparedness coordinator, Africa monetization technical adviser.

AMERICAS: Bolivia—Senior program officer WWE. Chile—Program officer. Honduras—teachers. Turks & Caicos— Government doctor. Venezuela—Computer outlet store for sale.

IA: Armenia—Small business lending specialist, finance delegate, technical construction delegate, contracting specialist. Azerbaijan—Community health education manager, field coordinator, administrative officer, country director for IRC. Cambodia—Disaster preparedness delegate, HIV/AIDS program advisor (WB).

India—Vice-principal for the New Era High School. Kazakhstan—Country representative for ACDI/VOCA. Korea— Program manager(computer/telecommunications). Macau—Teachers. Sakhalin (Russia) —Teachers. Philippines—IRR1 director-general. Tatwan—Teachers.

US IA: Australia—Professor of economics. Mariana Islands—Physician at a health center on Rota. Solomon Islands—Custodians at the Baha'i center. Western Carolin ye Eanes Seley rt ing assistant to the National Assembly Secretary.

EUROPE: Czech Republic—Primary and secondary teachers in mathematics, science, humanities, Spanish, English as a second language. Germany—Social workers, registered nurses for advocacy programs on bases. Hungary—University





page 30

‘THE AMERICAN BANA‘i ¢ CLASSIFIEDS February 7, 1998 �[Page 31]

lecturers and professors for CEP. Ttaly—Agricultural officer, information officer for TV, legal officer, personnel officers (legal matters and other), statistician, food security officer for FAO. Lux -—Lending/credit specialist (EIB). Netherlands—Water enterpase development professional. ussia—Facility protection officers, icultural lending/credit specialist. kraine—Program director (economics education). MULTI-REGIONAL: University faculty to teach on military bases in Russia Grkutsk and Vladivodstok), Ez and Asia. Entrepreneurial agricultural marketing specialist for Latin America. Director of operations and regional communications coordinator for WWF in Latin America and Caribbean. Educational Services Institute (ESI) is recruiting instructors to teach project management methodology, product development, global project management, information technology, scheduling, risk management, contracting or project initiation and recovery. Country representatives for Africare. iMansyerd and specialists for SAC International. Global Classroom, Inc., offers free placement assistance to English as a second/foreign language (ESL/EFL) professionals seeking overseas employment. All positions require a minimum of an ES! certificate or one year ESL/EFL teaching experience. URGENT NEEDS: Honduras—Elementary and secondary school teachers. India—Urgent need for an experienced, walified vice-principal for the New Era igh School. ‘The School of Nations needs qualified kindergarten, primary and Sepeary teachers. Solomon f-supporting couple to serve as custodians of the Baha'i Center in Honiara. Volunteer to train ‘National Center office staff. For additional information, please contact the Office of Pioneering, Baha'i National Center, Wilmette IL 60091 (phone 847-733-3508, fax 847-7333509, e-mail

PIONEERING / HOMEFRONT

rr







Homefront pioneer in sunny, warm middle Georgia. Peach County has the only active Spiritual Assembly in a 75mile radius and we are earnestly seek ing to replace two believers who mi leave for a pioneering post. We are only 20-25 minutes from Macon and Warner Robins. We can offer the benefits of both rural and urban living: to moderate cost of living and hous plus college/ university amen more information please contact the Spiritual Assembly of Peach County, c/o Mike or Beverly Rogers, Fort Valley, GA 31030 (phone 912-825-1465, e-mail






Santa Ana, California, needs fluent Spanish-speaking homefront pioneers to help us promote the process of entry by troops. Santa Ana is in the center of Orange County, 40 minutes south of Los Angeles and two hours north of Mexico by car. The city’s population of 305,000 is 73% Hispanic, 14% Anglo, 11% Asian and 2% African-American. Job opportunities include manufacturing, retail sales, government, aerospace, military, medical and law. Santa Ana has a junior college and several colleges and universities nearby. The small but active Baha’f community in Santa Ana has conducted a Spanish teaching So ject for over a year. If interested, please contact the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’fs of Santa Ana, P.O. Box 28354, Santa Ana, CA 92799-8354 or call Paul Brown, 714-839-7672.

Considering homefront pioneering

toa goal area? The Local Spirit

Assembly of Lane County ‘ fam)

gem, is in jeopard, hive adults ing, energetic, i our community grow and re-form our Assembly at Ridvan. Numerous employment and educational opportunities, near two renowned centers of learning: University of Oregon and Lane Community College. A beautiful area with marvelous boating, fishing and skiing areas. Our community is a oal area of the Local Spiritual AssemBly of Eugene, Oregon, offering sound, diverse, mature assistance and support. For information, call 541895-2285 or 541-937-3901.



Galesburg, Mlinois, needs homefront pioneers for winning new believers to form its first Local Soaricual Assembly. Employment is available in factories, restaurants and meat-packing plants. Please call Phil Turner after 5:30 p.m. (phone 309-852-3989),

Galesburg, Illinois, necesita pioneros para ganar nuevos creyentes para la formacién de su primera Asamblea Espiritual Local. Hay empleos disponsibles en fabricas, restaurantes, empacadores de carne. Favor llamar a Phil Turner después de las 5:30 p.m. (tel. 309-852-3989). Se habla espafiol.

The Baha'is of Colchester, Vermont, are actively seeking to expand their four-member community to Local Assembly strength. Colchester is a

rime location between the Green

lountains and beautiful Lake Champlain, close to the state's cultural center, Burlington, but with immediate rural access. For information please contact Paul Smith and Janine CarranZa, Colchester, Vi Oss (phone 802-879-9537, email

The first-ever Local Spiritual Assembly in Elkhart County, Indiana, was formed at Ridvan. Since then, two adults have transferred ou


3 hours from Chicago. Contact the Spiritual Assembly of Concord Township, c/o Ann Kronemyer, secretary,


Elkhart, IN 46516-5810 (phone 219


The Indianapolis Local Spiritual Assembly is in the process of publishing a seeker’s newsletter. We are interested in receiving copies of newsletters from other communities to help our effort. Please send your newsletter to Indianapolis Baha’is, P.O. Box 20187, Indianapolis, IN 462200187 (e-mail

Manuscripts sought from experi enced or amateur writers for a Baha'i compilation of inspiring and perhaps amusing stories order aoee of faith. What were the circumstances? What brought the seeker to the Faith? The compilation will serve to inspire, educate and entertain Baha'fs and those interested in the Faith. Stories of any length and at are welcome; editing is available. Please send copied manuscripts with your name and method of contact to Jonel Thaller,

River




Ridge, LA 70123 (e-mail

Wanted: Your family’s Ayyém-i-Ha traditions. A Baha’ er is asking the friends to send letters regarding the way you celebrate this joyous holiday for possible inclusion in a book about Ayyim-i-Ha. Please include personal anecdotes, recipes, party ideas, etc. Any sent will not be returned to ank you for your contributions.

Dee Moye Hoban, Matawan, NJ 07747.









you. Send to:

Wanted: Information on bow to acquire the set of videos titled “Lastin; Remembrances,” the official video recordings of the Second Baha’f World Congress in New York City in November 1992. They are no longer available from the Distribution Service. Contact Gloria C. Holmes,

Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (phone 616458-7183, e-mail



The Milwaukee Baha’ community is looking for past community mem to help celebrate their 75th anniversary at a gala celebration April 26 at the beautiful Italian Community Center. Marguerite Sears is among featured speakers. Also planned are music, historical displays and entertainment. Reservations can be made at $25 per seat. If you are a former member of the Milwaukee Baha’{ community and/or are interested in attending, please send your name and address with telephone number and any questions or comments to History-Archives Project, Milwaukee Baha’f Center, 2526 West Vliet Street, Milwaukee, WI 53205.


‘The Tucson, Arizona, Baha’{ community will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the formation of its Spiritual Assembly during the next Baha’i year, and plans are under way for an area-wide teaching campaign. Also, the Assembly’s 50th Anniversary Task Force is seeking memorabilia, photos with identifying information, anecdotes and

documenting milestones in the development of the Faith in and near Tucson. A “memory book” is being compiled, and a display will be developed showing how Reeataadierde Baha’i developments coincide with world events of the time. Anecdotes will be used n but also next



history may be recorded on audio tape for transcription. Please contact the 50th Anni A ‘orce, P.O. Box 41961 85717 (fax 520-3237245;





ARCHIVES

‘The National Baha’i Archives is seeking original letters written on behalf of the Guardian to the following individuals: William D. Brooks, Emily A. Brown, Geneva S. Brown, Helen Hillyer Brown, Irma C. Brown, Kenneth I. Brown, Sally Brown, Alice Browne, Mary E. Broyles and Georgina R.B. Bruce. Anyone knowing family members or relatives who might have these 's letters is asked to contact the National Baha’f Archives, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201-1611 (phone 847-869-9039).




‘The National Baha’i Archives has available several free inj ition sheets on local archives and records. Any local Baha'i community wishing a set is asked to send a request with a mailing address to the National Baha’{ Archives, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201-1611 (phone 847-869-9039).















WOMEN’S AFFAIRS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE |

nationwide on how communities have used the statement Two Wings of a Bird: The Rquality of Women and Men—for example, in proclamation, study, and presenta tions to local officials.

Since the National Assembly _ published the Two Wings statement last spring, Ms. Conrad said, the Assembly “didn’t see it receiving the same attention as the statement on race unity.” The post was created in an effort to achieve a better balance of emphasis, she said.

“In the office, Ms. Conrad will work closely with other Baha’{ agencies that have done extensive work on gender equality issues— including the Baha’{ International Commu‘nity’s Office for the Advancement of | Women, the National Committee for the _ Advancement of Women and the National Assembly’s Office of External Affairs—as as the Regional Baha’{ Councils, Local | Spiritual Assemblies and agencies outside the Bahd’i Faith.

She will continue in her duties as assistant _ secretary of the National Assembly.

‘The director's work is intended to complement the duties of the National Committee for the Advancement of Women, which was appointed last spring and has been working with Baha’fs from across the country to promote activities and training in the area of its mission.

Tn choosing the director for the new office, the National Assembly wanted to appoint someone from its own membership with a background in women’ issues.

Ms. Conrad is founder and president of ‘Women for International Peace and Arbitra tion, a nonprofit organization that works with the United Nations in promoting mediation and arbitration for resolving international conflicts, and educating women for their rightful role in the work for lasting peace.

She also has served as a delegate or organizer for a number of global-scale conferences on women’s issues, including the 1995 United Nations Conference on Women in Beijing, the 1987 World Congress of Women in Moscow, the 1993 International Women’s Day Symposium in Georgetown, Guyana, and the 1990 Sino-American Conference on Women’s Issues in Beijing. She has traveled extensively in China with legal, educational and other professionals to promote mediation and the well-being of women, families and children.

Closer to home, she was appointed by the chief justice of the California Supreme Court in 1987 to the Judicial Council Advisory Committee on Gender Bias in the Courts.


Juana ConRAD




February 7, 1998

THE AMERICAN. BAHA‘i * CLASSIFIEDS

page 31 �[Page 32]

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February 7, 1998

‘THE AMERICAN BAHA’i * PERSIAN page 33 �[Page 34]

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page 34. THE AMERICAN BANA‘ © PERSIAN

February 7, 1998 �[Page 35]

DEVELOPMENT. continuen From pace 4

sudden flood of women rushed into the building. Soon they surrounded the two Baha'is, asking for answers right now! What about our children—when will we get schools? We need medical care— when is it coming?

Now the principle of consultation came to the rescue. The Baha'is said, “We don’t know the answers to these questions. Why don’t we all discuss them and see what we can come up with together?” That simple suggestion set in motion a process of work and study that has produced marvelous results.

Taking the concept of the Mashriqu’lAdhkar from The Foundation of True Economics, our young woman friend said, “Here’s an idea; why don’t we try it and see how it works?” She didn’t teach the Faith; that was not her intention. She brought the principles and concepts of the Faith about community and service into the discussions, because she felt they were powerful tools to help people rebuild their neighborhood.

They all decided they needed a center for their operations, but how to cover the costs? If they could start some small businesses in trades they already knew, they reasoned together, they might make enough money to help support their families and still cover the costs of their neighborhood center.

FROM THE GROUND UP

Using a few hundred dollars from her budget, our friend helped them buy some materials and tools, and soon a series of small enterprises were under way. They made enough money to clear their expenses, including salaries. From the excess, one-fifth went to the “manager” of the business to invest in future growth, and the rest went into the community’s savings. Using that money they found a building, hired a manager and a caretaker, and moved on.

Soon a small clinic was built and a kindergarten was started. Other money,



Baker was a pillar of Houston community He Baker, a Baha’i for thirty

years and a pillar of the early Baha’{ community of Houston, ‘Texas, passed away Dec. 12, 1997, at the age of 84.

Mr. Baker had been a member of the Local Spiritual Assembly for 13 years and a delegate to the National Convention for many years.

He and his wife, Freddie, hosted Assembly meetings, Feasts, deepenings and regular firesides in their home for most of the past thirty years. Together Mr. and Mrs. Baker have brought more than 140 people into the Faith.

He was a prominent businessman, the founder of the Baker and Jones Company as well as the Marie Baker Dressing Company, and one of the largest distributors of Shaklee products.

Mr. Baker was an enthusiastic teacher and joyful individual and his efforts ensured the progress of the Faith in Houston and in Texas.


coe

mostly from the community itself, was invested in wells and water pipes, street repair and waste cleanup. Reasoning that trained employees would be needed to ensure the growth of their small businesses, they started training programs.

In a sense, their community's “body” now had two arms: One produced income and another produced a supply of

Se

from their Scripture, then consult on the victories and setbacks they have had since the last get-together. Maybe someone is taking too much water or too much money from one of the little businesses; this gets talked through and resolved by the community. A visiting health worker wants to talk about hygiene; they come to

the “Three-Weekly

Meeting” where every people to ensure steady “The Baha’is said, one is gathered together. development of their ‘Wedon’t know the = The community memincome stream. They answers to these bers think they could do had a “trunk,” which questions. Why don’t better by handling the

was the building they got for their meetings, classes and social gatherings; and they had “legs” or infrastructure, their clinic and repair departments. FAMILIAR STRUCTURE

With establishment of a management council, they had a “head”—a group of the most dedicated people (nine in number, incidentally, by their own choice) to handle problems and oversee the community's development.

The “Mashriqu’l-Adhkar,” an institution devoted to spiritual and material well-being of the community, was beginning to take shape.

But something was missing, our young friend thought. Each individual is required, she remembered, to “bring oneself to account” each day. If a community functions in many ways like an individual, how might that “spiritual accounting” look at the community level? Maybe that is what the Feast is really about, she thought. (Now you see the connection with the starting point of this story!) The community members liked the idea, and now they get together every 21 days. “Nineteen days, near enough!” our friend said.

They begin with prayer and readings

we all discuss them and see what we can come up with together?’ That simple statement set in motion a process of work and study that has produced marvelous results.”

— EEE __

small loans made to their businesses themselves, rather than having outsiders at our friend’s agency manage the money; they discuss it, then turn over their recommendations to the management council, which follows up and reports back on their own study.

Their business done, they have a grand old party, every time different as family or business groups compete with each other to make everyone happy.

EVERYONE INTERESTED, INVOLVED

No one is bored, no one wants to miss the meetings, and everyone is involved in making their little community healthy again. They talk about real issues, reach real decisions, and take real action to improve their lives.

The power of the ideas is vividly demonstrated, and'no one cares or even needs at the moment to know their source. The intent is not so much to “make new Baha’fs,” but to use the Teachings to bring real good into the world, in a place that has known only violence, suffering and want.

This little neighborhood, and now 10 others in the same city, have begun to see real success in rebuilding their communi


ty’ material and spiritual health.

This young woman has brought extraordinary courage to a tough task. Asked whether she worried about getting shot, after calmly telling about two incidents where she almost was, she just said, “Well, there’s just too much to do to get very worried about it!”

WITHIN OUR GRASP

But she also brings imagination, and we all have that. Her genius lies in seeing the connection between the probJem under discussion and that passage in the Writings that makes the answer clear—a talent we can all cultivate. She is not doing, really, anything one of our Local Spiritual Assemblies can’t do.

Maybe there are lessons here for us. Of course, our infrastructure in the United States has not been destroyed, but that doesn’t diminish our need. The intense problems of drugs, family and urban violence, racism, and a number of others make it feel at times as if we are in a war of some kind.

Maybe Baha’i development can work in, for example, an urban setting, especially if we go one neighborhood at a t for instance, let’s not try to fix Chicago all at once, but instead let’s start in one neighborhood and go from there.

DISCOVERING THE FAITH’S POWER

Maybe Baha’i development can have an economic as well as a social component—who says the only worthwhile projects for Baha’is are schools and clinics, when our needs are so much broader than that? What about some entrepreneurs using their talent to start a business just for the benefit of the Faith?

Maybe the Teachings Baha’u’llah gave us contain a power we, in the comfortable United States, have taken for granted. But if we use that power we might really change the world.






November 27, 1997


November 29, 1997

Bertha Green


IN MEMORIAM Edmund W. Aird Meredith Dawes Ronald Jeremias Betty Ogden Harry A. Taylor Sr. Inglewood, CA Uruguay Phoenix, AZ Spring Valley, CA Seattle, WA December 5, 1997 November 1997 December 8, 1997 May 15, 1997 December 1, 1997 Sorraya Arbab Bonnie T Dimitratos Carol B. LaVine Cora H. Oliver Grace Thompson San Diego, CA Santa Rosa, CA Kansas City, KS Sarasota, FL Dothan, AL November 21,1997 | December 12, 1997 April 16, 1997 October 24, 1997 November 26, 1997 Kuroush Badii-Arani_ — W.C. Edwards John J. Mitchell Lloyd Sherrill Virginia Trickey Los Angeles, CA Baton Rouge, LA _ International Falls, MN St. Louis, MO ‘Tequesta, FL

November 12, 1997

Herbert Baker Michael Mlynick Alice M. Sinclair Martha P. Warren Houston, TX Little River, SC Kensington, CT De Kalb, IL Portland, OR December 12, 1997 August 1997 June 16, 1997 December 2, 1997 December 1, 1997

Alice Brawley Anna L.B. Hall Edith Newcomb Dolores Sprenkle Ethel Williamson Indianapolis, IN Nantucket, MA Brattleboro, VT Quakertown, PA Helena, MT December 11, 1997 | November 26, 1997 | November 23, 1997 July 22, 1997 December 2, 1997 Cheryl Cummins Joan Jensen Lois Nolen Gladys C. Tate _ _ New York, NY Madison, WI ‘Tacoma, WA Sacramento, CA Cw November 17, 1997 November 17, 1997 December 2, 1997 December 13, 1997

November 15, 1997

November 4, 1997



=


February 7, 1998

THE AMERICAN BAHA‘i * CONTINUED / IN MEMORIAM

page 35 �[Page 36]

uhelen Baha’f School:

13-15: Two sessions Married couple retreat with Dr. Michael Penn and Kathy Penn; “Chinese History and Culture,” with Charles Pau.

13-16: “Black Heritage Within the Baha’ Faith,” presented by Carol and Tom Butler and LeNise Jackson-Gaertner; also Black Men’s Gathering (western

edition) and Sisters’ Gathering; Bosch Baha’i School.

13-16: “Transformation Through Healing: A Conference on Wellness,” presented by Baha’i Network on AIDS, Sexuality, Addictions and Abuse, Green Acre Baha'i School.

20-22: “Raising the Standard,” regional college club conference at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, sponsored by Spiritual Assembly of Madison with the Auxiliary Board for Propagation in Wisconsin. To register, contact Jesse Kiley (phone 608-835-3453, email or Danielle Reiff (phone 608-251-4079, e-mail

20-22: “Gleaming in the Fire: The Role of Joy and Pain,” presented by Brian Kurzius, Green Acre Baha’i School.

20-22; Wilmette Institute course on Taoism and Confucianism at Bosch Baha’i School presented by Dann May, course credit offered; discount for registration two weeks in advance. Contact Robert Stockman for information on the series (phone 847-733-3425).

20-23: Two Core Curriculum sessions at Louhelen Baha’i School: Race Unity Training (continued May 15-47), and Marriage and Fai Life Training (continued May 15-17).

27—March 1: “Islam and the Baha’f Faith” with Dr. Nader Saiedi, Louhelen Baha’s School.





Pee eccccccccccccccccccccccsccccccccccee

6-8: Annual Spiritual Retreatfor the Fast, Green Acre Baha'i School.

6-12: Elderhostel Senior seminar program at Bosch School, for those 55 and older: “Freeing the Artisit Through Oil Painting,” presented by Kenji Konishi, and “The Baha’{ Faith: Making a Difference Around the Globe.”

13-15: International Women’s Writing Guild annual conference at Bosch Baha'i School.

20-22: “Pilgrimage in the Days of the Guardian,” with Dr. Amin Banani and Sheila Banani, Louhelen Baha’i School. Music by John Ebata, Ben Koen and Lorraine Williams.

21: Open house for Naw-Riiz at Bosch Baha'i School.

23-27: “Two Wings of a Bird: A Celebration of Human Equality,” a week of activities on the University of Southern California campus in Los Angeles, sponsored by the USC Baha’i Club. Nightly firesides, speakers and a panel discussion, lunchtime performances and a play about Tahirih. For information, contact Arghavan Rahimpour (phone 213-764-2649, e-mail

27-29: “Solutions for a Maturing Humanity: A Conference on Pressing World Issues,” at Rice University, Houston, Texas. This is a cooperative effort among several organizations, co-sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Houston. For information contact Stephanie Taylor (phone 713-630-8131).

27-29: “The Physician's Challenge” with Dr. David Ruhe and Dr. Beth Bowen, Louhelen Baha’{ School.

27-29: North Dakota Baha'i School at Mayville State University, Mayville, North Dakota. Theme: “Flowers of One Garden”; with presenter Habib Riazati. Rooms available at dorm or local motels. Advance registration deadline March 10. Registrar: Rosalin Chrest,

Minot, ND 58703 (phone 701-839-1015).









id unnecessary delays in rece! mailing label to: Management Information Services, Bahd’i National Center, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL,


4 YO for processing. (This also updates the National Center’ database.)

2-5: Mysticism confeten Bosch Baha’i School, sponsored by the Mysticism Task Force; with Dr. Amin Banani, Sheila Banani and Terry Culhane; LuAnne Hightower and Stephen Lambden invited.

3-5: Institute for Young Women, presented by Dr. Hoda Mahmoudi and Nasim Ahmadiyeh, Louhelen Baha’i School.

7-10; Children’s Academy at Bosch Baha’f School, for fourth- through sixth-graders.

10-12; Epistle to the Son of the Wolf , presented by Habib Riazati, Green Acre Baha’{ School.

10-12: Two programs at Louhelen Baha’i School: Youth Eagle Institute presented by Sarah Johnson, Dr. Kirk Johnson and Dr. William Smits; and “Spiritual Transformation,” presented by Jennifer Wilson.

13-18: Junior Youth Garden/Study Project at Bosch Baha’{ School. Enrollment limited.

24-26: Two programs at Green Acre Baha’{ School: “The Fortress and the Family” facilitated by Mary Lou and Michael McLaughlin ; “The Spirit of Children,”conference on children’s literature and art.

24-26: Social and Economic Development Conference at Bosch Baha’f School, facilitated by Robert Phillips.

24-26: Wilmette Institute course, “Study of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible,” presented by Robert Stockman.

26: Milwaukee Bahé’{ community 75th anniversary gala 2-5 p.m. at the Italian Community Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Speakers to include Marguerite Sears; also music, entertainment and historical displays. Reservations can be made at $25 per seat. For more information, contact Pat Miller at (414) 444-8995.

Se ecccccccccccccccecesccccesecesceecees

The American Babs,


nd all family members’ names, new address and


ur residence address (B) must be filled in. Please allow three weeks





| Four- and 5-year-old 60201-1611. Ifacquiring a Post Office children at the recent Winter School session at ‘A. NAME(S) Louhelen Baha’i School head to the gym for i TD recreation time. Rs Photo courtesy Louhelen i IDe

1D

4. ID#





BAHA’i NATIONAL CENTER 112 LINDEN AVE WILMETTE, IL 60091-2849

Lbbddotl tbe tsdbbbtabelfo tb bathad


B. NEW RESIDENCE ADDRESS

C. NEW MAILING ADDRESS









Street Address Street Address Apartment # (if applicable) Apartment # (if applicable)

City City

State Zip code State Zip code D. NEW COMMUNITY E. HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER

Name of new Baha'i Community Moving Date ‘Area Code Phone Number Name

F, WORK TELEPHONE NUMBER(S)

‘Area Code Phone Number Name Area Code Phone Number Name


we do not have the same last

name. We do not want extra copies, so please cancel the copy for the person(s) and ID number(s) listed above.


G. WE RECEIVE EXTRA COPIES BECAUSE:

H. 1 WOULD LIKE A COPY

[112m household receives only ‘one copy of ‘The American

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 ID numbers, and the corrections so that we will receive

only one copy.

Bahi'i. I wish to receive my own copy. I have listed my name, ID number and address above.





page 36 THE AMERICAN BAHA‘’i * CALENDAR — February 7, 1998 �

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