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[Page 1]THE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í

JUNE 24, 1998 RAHMAT / MERCY BAHÁ’Í ERA 155 VOLUME 29, NO. 5

Forward through the Four Year Plan

Bahá’í National Convention marshals forces for ‘that next great leap’

BY JAMES HUMPHREY AND TOM MENNILLO

We have had the first half of the Four Year Plan to refine our methods. Now the American Bahá’í community is ready and obliged to use them as never before to spread the Message of Bahá’u’lláh and advance the process of entry by troops.

This was the message at the 89th Bahá’í National Convention May 28–31 at the Holiday Inn O’Hare in Rosemont, Illinois, a gathering of energy, love, consultation and information exchange propelled in part by the words of Wilma Ellis, member of the Continental Board of Counselors: “Now is the time for that next great leap.”

The central business of the Convention came Saturday morning, as the votes of 167 delegates elected by Unit Conventions nationwide were cast prayerfully at the House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois.

Later that day the election results were announced: Juana Conrad, William Davis, Robert Henderson, Firuz Kazemzadeh, Patricia Locke, Jack McCants, Dorothy Nelson, James Nelson and William Roberts are to serve the Bahá’ís of the United States as the National Spiritual Assembly through Riḍván 1999.

Prolonged applause erupted from delegates, visitors and staff in attendance—850 in all—in congratulation to the new Assembly and in tribute to Alberta Deas, who had served as a National Assembly member continuously for more than a decade.

The addition of Dr. Roberts to the National Assembly represented its first change of membership since 1993. When the new Assembly was presented

SEE NATIONAL CONVENTION, PAGE 19

Right: William Roberts, newest member of the National Spiritual Assembly, speaks briefly after the newly elected Assembly was presented to Convention delegates.

Below: Delegates gather in front of the House of Worship after voting for the National Spiritual Assembly. Photos by Amethel Parel-Sewell

First-time delegate shares impressions, sense of mission

INTERVIEW BY TOM MENNILLO

What does someone experience the first time he attends the Bahá’í National Convention—as a delegate participating in election of the National Spiritual Assembly, and more than that, chosen to help count the votes?

First-time delegate David Henderson of Pineville, North Carolina, talks here about his convention-week experience, including the messages of mission he’s carrying home to his Electoral Unit and his feelings about his first-ever visit to the House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois.

...

What were your initial impressions?

On Wednesday night was the reception. Being a first-time delegate, I was very nervous and excited. Just the anticipation of the convention led me to many thoughts and many feelings, and even questioning whether I was the right person to represent my Unit. However, the reception put me at ease by breaking the ice and seeing so many familiar faces and getting to sit down and just talk to people.

SEE FIRST-TIME, PAGE 20

I·N·S·I·D·E

TEACHING THROUGH ARTS PAGE 3

WOMEN’S RIGHTS WORK PAGE 26

75-YEAR CELEBRATION PAGE 29

REGIONAL INSTITUTES • 5-7 TREASURER’S HONOR ROLL • 16-17 KID’S CORNER • 18 YOUTH NEWS • 33 CARTA A LOS AMIGOS • 35 PERSIAN PAGES • 38-42

THE NATIONAL FUND

Between May 1, 1997 and April 30, 1998

$27,000,000 Goal/All Funds

$22,690,216 Received/All Funds

National Fund Deficit: $2,310,046 See page 3 for details

E·X·C·E·R·P·T·S

“... endeavor as much as thou art able in order to illumine the lamp of thy heart by the light of love.” —‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Message from the Universal House of Justice to all National Spiritual Assemblies, May 13, 1998

WITH JOYFUL HEARTS WE ANNOUNCE APPOINTMENT COUNSELLOR MEMBERS INTERNATIONAL TEACHING CENTRE FOR FIVE-YEAR TERM BEGINNING 23 MAY 1998: KISER BARNES, ROLF VON CZEKUS, HARTMUT GROSSMANN, VIOLETTE HAAKE, FIRAYDOUN JAVAHERI, LAURETTA KING, JOAN LINCOLN, PAYMAN MOHAJER AND PENNY WALKER. PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL SHAPOOR MONADJEM, DONALD ROGERS, FRED SCHECHTER, KIMIKO SCHWERIN AND JOY STEVENSON FOR RECORD DISTINGUISHED SELF-SACRIFICING LABOURS THIS VITAL INSTITUTION. —Universal House of Justice [Page 2]

LETTERS FROM READERS

LETTERS POLICY

The American Bahá’í welcomes letters from readers, particularly on topics relating to the furtherance of the goals of the Four Year Plan and the principles of the Writings.

• The purpose of the Letters from Readers column is to encourage an exchange of ideas and opinions, never to denigrate another’s views or attack anyone.
• Opinions expressed are those of the writers, not necessarily those of the editors.
• Letters should be as brief as possible (a 250-word maximum is suggested) and may be edited for length and style.

Please address letters to Managing Editors The American Bahá’í 1233 Central St. Evanston, IL 60201-1611 e-mail

Make the arts integral to community life

To the Editors:

As members of Arts Afire Bahá’í Institute, an institute which encourages, supports and develops artistic expression of the Bahá’í teachings and spirit, we would like to commend individuals and groups who are striving to incorporate the arts in teaching the cause of Bahá’u’lláh. As Shoghi Effendi stated: “The day will come when the Cause will spread like wildfire, when its spirit and teachings will be presented on the stage or in art and literature as a whole.”

Our concern is that some fellow Bahá’ís consider the arts as a garnish rather than a necessary and vital resource in advancing the Cause. We would therefore, like to offer the following suggestions for greater use of the arts in future conferences and Bahá’í gatherings, teaching events, classes, etc.:

• Include some artists and art appreciators in the planning of events.
• Create a team of people who will work well together and support all of the program aspects—devotions, conference sessions, the use of the arts, and so forth.
• Do not separate the arts programs from the rest of the event, even if there is an “arts evening.” Make sure that chairpersons are enthusiastic about the integration of the arts as part of the event and are helpful to artist participants.
• Be open to “other voices,” not just the known, established artists or spokespersons for the arts. Include women and children as well as representatives of diverse cultures.
• Assemble a technical team who will be on hand to do sound checks, set props, run equipment, and so forth.
• Foster teamwork among planners, speakers, arts presenters, technicians and MCs.
• Include the arts at the beginning of various sessions, incorporating music, poetry, readings, etc.

In conclusion, we encourage Bahá’í artists to work at perfecting their crafts and to develop classes for the whole Bahá’í community.

We challenge the Bahá’í community at large to develop a deeper appreciation for the arts; go to a concert, a play, an art museum or gallery; or better yet, pick up a paintbrush, join a choral group, be in a play—the arts enrich us all!

Artfully yours, Arts Afire Bahá’í Institute

EXCELLENCE IN ALL THINGS

TARA AZIZI, a 5-year-old Bahá’í from Huntington, New York, was a winner in the “Reflections” contest at her elementary school, with a poster on the theme “We are Flowers of One Garden.” With the permission of the school, she is teaching the song and a Bahá’í prayer to her kindergarten class.

KEN CUTLER, a Bahá’í pioneer in Central America since 1975, was selected for inclusion in the fifth edition of Who’s Who Among American Teachers. A longtime member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Honduras, he teaches at the Mayapan School in La Ceiba.

WENDY DIESSNER, a Bahá’í in Lewiston, Idaho, recently wrote the ‎Idabo Idaho‎ Domestic Violence and Sexual ‎Assualt Assault‎ Manual, which was published by the state and distributed for use by more than 40 domestic violence shelters and programs.

JAY GREEN, a 16-year-old Bahá’í from Johnsonville, South Carolina, recently received the American Legion School Award, which is granted for courage, honor, leadership, patriotism and academic excellence. He was also one of six youths invited by the South Carolina Race Unity Task Force to attend the “Imagine South Carolina Youth Summit 1998,” sponsored by civic leaders working to eradicate racism. A longtime honor student who participates in music and the student council, Jay serves as an assistant to Auxiliary Board member Shahin Vafai.

ALLYSON LARIMER, a 13-year-old Bahá’í from West Liberty, West Virginia, recently won a contest sponsored by the Family Channel with an essay about her experience volunteering with her family at a soup kitchen. A local newspaper story on the award quoted Allyson as saying that helping others boosted her own confidence, while her teacher praised her for entering an essay contest that doesn’t give material prizes to the winners. The cable television station instead made donations in Allyson’s name to the Second Harvest food charity, the local Catholic Neighborhood Center and her school.

JERRY LIMBER, a 13-year-old Bahá’í from Rockville, Maryland, took second place in the state wrestling tournament in his weight class. He had won the tournament for Montgomery County.

JALAL MOHTASHAMI, a Bahá’í who has maintained a 4.0 grade point average in seventh grade at Lincoln Middle School in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, has been nominated for National Merit Scholar in English and Science. He was part of a team that recently won first place in an engineering contest sponsored by the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

LEE MUENCH, a 16-year-old Bahá’í from Morton Grove, Illinois, and a high honor student, earned first place in the Junior Varsity Division of the 1997 Glenbrook National Debate Tournament. His division of the tournament, for second-year debaters, included 64 debate teams from 15 states.

DR. DIETER SCHRODER, a Bahá’í from Scottsdale, Arizona, was one of three recipients of the Teaching Excellence Award at the May 13 convocation for the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Arizona State University in Tempe. Dr. Schroder teaches electrical engineering.

KACEY ANISA STAMATS, a 12-year-old Bahá’í from the El Paso County East community in Colorado, has received a Student of the Year Award from the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program. The El Paso County Sheriff’s office, the Widefield School District and Webster Elementary School selected her for her commitment to the program and her outstanding essay.

THE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í

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

PUBLISHED BY THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF THE UNITED STATES

Bahá’í National Center 847.869.9039

Managing Editor / Editorial Content James Humphrey

Managing Editor / Art Director Amethel Parel-Sewell

Associate Editor Tom Mennillo

Facilities Manager Artis Mebane

Production Support Ramzia Duszynski

Contributors Vina Parel Ayers, Bahá’í International News Service, Sedona Callahan, Ken Duszynski, Glenn Egli, Ken Harper, Ellyn Jaresko, MKDesign, Craig Rothman, Vladimir Shilov, Nancy Wong, Connie Young

PUBLISHED ONCE EVERY 38 DAYS (plus one special issue) for a total of 10 issues per year by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís 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 Office of Information Services, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201-1611.

ISSN Number: 1062-1113

SUBMITTING ARTICLES AND PHOTOS The American Bahá’í welcomes news, letters or other items of interest from individuals and the various institutions of the Bahá’í Faith.

• Articles should be clear and concise. Stories may be edited for length.
• Photographs may be color or black-and-white prints or slides. Please submit photos that are well composed and in focus and identify people in photos when possible. If you wish photos returned, include a self-addressed envelope.
• DEADLINES for upcoming issues: June 29 for the issue dated Aug. 1; Aug. 4 for the issue dated Sept. 8

PLEASE ADDRESS ALL ITEMS for possible publication to Managing Editors, The American Bahá’í, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201-1611 (e-mail )

©1998 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. World rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. [Page 3]

The arts reach, the arts teach

Rochester: ‘Oneness’ celebration moves hundreds with display of many facets of diversity

No one, not even the planning committee members, expected the multitude that showed up on a wintry Saturday in March to witness “The Celebration Of The Oneness Of Humanity” at the School of the Arts in Rochester, New York.

With nearly 500 in attendance, most of whom were not Bahá’ís, the event was an unparalleled success for the local Bahá’í community.

Audience members wept openly as humanity in all its glory displayed what it is capable of:

• A dancer glides across the stage, lifted in a graceful pose by a man in a wheelchair.
• Black and white youth together perform a moving display of the sacrifices of early Bahá’ís in Persia.
• American Indian youth share the culture which they so valiantly work to uphold.
• The glory of mother Africa is upraised in a joyful, resounding presentation of drumming and dancing.
• Six of the world’s great religions are honored through an inspiring recitation of writings on the oneness of humanity.

“My wife kept crying when the people with Down Syndrome performed,” one attendee said afterward. “Very moving. So deeply touched. I think I will have more respect for those people. What made it more dramatic was they were wearing the oneness T-shirt [created for the event], the same shirts I purchased for myself and my wife.”

Others called the performance “mind-blowing” and “refreshingly delightful,” while several asked for more information on the Bahá’í Faith.

An array of food from different countries and cultures was provided by local Bahá’ís and offered free to all those in attendance. Dishes represented Iran, Greece, Jamaica, China, Italy, Vietnam, Trinidad, Guyana, and many others.

One planning committee member commented, “Seeing 500 people line up to be fed this beautiful gift of food, particularly within the context of the Bahá’í Fast, and knowing the spiritual food they were about to receive afterward, was a most powerful and unforgettable image of the evening for me.”

While people ate and visited with one another, the Trinidad and Tobago Steel Band entertained the crowd in the foyer.

The performance was accompanied by a show of middle and high school

SEE ROCHESTER, PAGE 9

Above: A youth group showcases their Native American heritage at “The Celebration of the Oneness of Humanity” in Rochester, New York.

Left: Members of an African drumming group pose with a dancer from the tradition of India. Photos by Glenn Egli, Rochester, NY

More on spreading the teachings through the performing arts, page 10

Concert and public service tribute builds alliances with like-minded organizations

The Bahá’ís in greater Denver, Colorado, are capturing the attention and hearts of residents through concerts sponsored by the Global Visions Arts Alliance social and economic development project.

The One Human Family Gospel Workshop and Concert on April 19 brought about 325 people to the Metro Denver Bahá’í Center and drew heavy coverage from print and electronic media and lots of phone calls expressing interest in the Faith.

Community Builder Awards were presented at the concert to five people for their selfless efforts providing assistance and services to victims of the Oklahoma City bombing and their families when they were in Denver for the trials. April 19 was the third anniversary of the bombing.

The event was co-sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Denver, the Colorado Civil Rights Division and the Mountain States Network Against Bigotry.

Valerie Dana, who headed the inter-faith council in Oklahoma City that provided economic and spiritual support to the victims, was emcee, and city/county human rights director James Mejia presented a message from the mayor.

Guest director Eric Dozier conducted the Denver Bahá’í Choir, composed for this event of 50 people of all ages from four states. Dozier sang, played piano and included the audience in the highly spiritual experience.

Solo singing by Archie Evans and Juli Redson-Smith was warmly received, as were instrumental performances by Bill Moore and Stephen Fordham, the regular Denver Bahá’í Choir director, who led the backup band.

Many attendees who had never really listened to gospel music commented on how deeply they were moved.

One of the Bahá’ís in the choir said she loved watching the variety of people in the audience standing and clapping their hands and singing “Alláh-u-Abhá,” including the Rev. Gary Mueller, one of the award recipients, who invited Dozier to sing at his church.

Dozier also gave presentations at Metropolitan State College and two local high schools on gospel music, African-American history and “The Human Mosaic.” Video footage from these appearances is to be compiled and televised on a community access station.

The choir members themselves ranged in age from 11 to 60-plus and represented African-American, Anglo, American Indian, Hispanic, East Indian and Persian cultures.

Five television stations, including

SEE DENVER, PAGE 10

Enrollments
May 1998 ........................................... 155
May 1997–April 1998 ............. 1,595

THE FUND
May 1, 1997–April 30, 1998
Contributions received by National Treasurer
Received since May 1, 1997: $22,690,216
Goal for entire year: $27,000,000
84% of goal was met
100% of fiscal year has passed
April 30, 1998

Allocations to other funds
Arc Projects Fund $2,897,657
13% of contributions received by National Assembly (goal was 19%)
International Bahá’í Fund $5,488,525
24% of contributions received by National Assembly (goal was 7%)
Continental Bahá’í Fund $407,474
1.8 % of contributions received by National Assembly (goal was 2%)
Other contributions: $757,399

Total revenues and expenses at Bahá’í National Center May 1, 1997–April 30, 1998
$17,153,019
Revenues ♦
$19,463,065
Expenses ▼
Resulting deficit: $2,310,046
♦ Includes contributions plus revenues from Bahá’í Publishing Trust, Bahá’í Home, permanent schools, etc.
▼ Operating and capital expenses, not including depreciation.

Mail contributions to: National Bahá’í Fund 112 Linden Avenue Wilmette, IL 60091-2800 Please write Bahá’í ID # on check [Page 4]

Columbus makes effective use of race unity video

A showing of The Power of Race Unity video at the Columbus (Ohio) Bahá’í Center on April 15 yielded enthusiastic response and a declaration of faith.

Eight seekers attended the program, which began with a chanted prayer in Persian, a meal and inspirational music.

After the video was played, a spirited discussion followed. The chairman of the jazz department at The Ohio State University, an African-American, had some very challenging issues to discuss. At the same time, he reiterated that he felt honored to be there.

A woman who came with her daughter firmly stated that she was a Muslim, and the entire evening she seemed very stern-looking. But toward the end of the discussion she said that during the video it took all she had not to cry, that she had been saying to herself all night that this is what she has been looking for. “Where do I sign?” she asked, then hugged everyone.

A professor from the OSU biochemistry department was involved in the discussion, but her husband sneaked out. He later was found on the lower level reading every pamphlet on the Faith he could find. Still later he was engaged in the kitchen with two Local Spiritual Assembly members having a more concentrated fireside.

“Some of the things people said were so beautiful it was so powerful and overwhelming,” wrote Connie Young, an organizer. “I can see at least two or three of the seekers declaring soon. Wow. One seeker told me—tonight was the first she’d heard of the Faith—that she was sure she wouldn’t sleep tonight!”

Two weeks later, on April 30, a showing of the video was held on campus. The director of the Black Cultural Center could not attend. But he offered a conference room with big-screen television and VCR and said he would help promote the showing. —Submitted by Connie Young ♦

Floridians tally up Victory 2000 gains

Results are in from Phase I of the Victory 2000 Media Campaign in south Florida.

Radio spots aired on 12 stations between late January and February 10. Volunteers who answered the phones 24 hours per day received 91 responses and sent out 82 informational packets.

The same volunteers made follow-up calls to those who received the packets, inviting them to attend firesides and asking their permission to have their local Bahá’í community call them. As an immediate result, two people declared their faith in Bahá’u’lláh and 11 sought further contact with Bahá’ís.

Many interesting stories have emerged from the campaign:

• A young Bostonian visiting his parents in Boca Raton left a voice mail message saying he was so delighted when he heard the radio spots that on his return to Boston, he immediately called the advertised toll-free number and requested information packets for himself and five friends, who reside in New York, Los Angeles, Boston and England.
• A Dade County man, who had known about the Faith for some time, was inspired by the radio spot on the equality of men and women to contact the Bahá’ís in Kendall.
• A Broward County woman was enthusiastically discussing the Faith with regulars at a coffee shop after attending a fireside and the Naw-Rúz party.
• The executive producer of “Adam’s World,” a radio talk show, called and asked to interview a Bahá’í. A member of the Media Task Force has been in contact with him.
• Another caller, a radio station owner, said he would like to meet

At home as a Bahá’í

Eula M. Milliken chats with Richard Hobbs, administrator of the Bahá’í Home in Wilmette, Illinois, where she has lived just over five years. A woman of lovable charisma, full of laughter and smiles, Milliken started attending firesides in nearby Highland Park with Hobbs. Earlier this year, at age 78, she became the first resident of the Bahá’í Home to sign a declaration card. She shared that her heart always has held Bahá’í principles. Asked about her feelings upon declaring, she said, “Actually, it’s comforting. I feel I have a friend, Bahá’u’lláh.” The Bahá’í Home, a residence for the elderly, was established in 1958 as a dependency of the House of Worship. Photo by Vladimir Shilov, information submitted by Ellyn Jaresko

NATIONAL UNITY • LOCAL ACTION

WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA Bahá’ís here are using The Power of Race Unity to enhance a program to introduce visitors to the contributions of their state’s earliest known Bahá’ís.

Forty-three students and seven teachers from a middle school near Charlotte came on a tour bus May 14 to visit the Wilmington Bahá’í center, a home donated by Felice Sadgwar, a well-known African-American believer, upon her passing in 1988.

A well-received short program shared the history of the black community in the area, and a video titled The Talented Tenth—Heritage Rediscovered introduced the story of the Sadgwar family and that of nine others. Selections from The Power of Race Unity also were presented. A brief talk was given about the Faith and how Frederick Sadgwar and his family were introduced to the Faith by the Hand of the Cause of God Louis G. Gregory in 1923. He and his 12th child, Felice, became the first Bahá’ís in North ‎Carolinawhose Carolina whose‎ names are known.

Felice was a music teacher in the New Hanover County Schools and a piano instructor at home. Her sister Mabel Manly, who became a Bahá’í in 1975, was an educator, nurse and horticulturist.

The Wilmington community has conducted similar tours in recent months, once as part of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington’s African-American Heritage Tour, and again for a comparative religion class from the university. Another was planned for late May.

SUBURBAN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS Skokie, Evanston, Wilmette and other communities north of Chicago pooled their resources to benefit from advertising outlets they previously thought unapproachable to promote and broadcast The Power of Race Unity.

Because several communities did not have the Odyssey channel on their cable systems, some arranged for broadcast on cable access channels. Then they bought advertising space not only on cable TV channels but also in local movie theaters, promoting the TV broadcasts as well as the weekly “Morning Fireside” radio program produced by the Bahá’í community in nearby Highland Park.

These efforts ran alongside a ‎sytematic systematic‎ fireside campaign.

FORT COLLINS, COLORADO Bahá’ís have delivered copies of The Power of Race Unity videotape to the city Human Rights Office and to Black Student Services at Colorado State University. Also, during the community’s regular devotional meeting, about 25 people viewed the tape. And a Bahá’í spoke in a class on multiculturalism for teachers being recertified.

PORTLAND, OREGON A Bahá’í was asked to write a series of articles on the Faith for The Portland Observer. The first will be on race unity. An accompanying small ad will be repeated for 12 weeks, inviting readers to request information on race unity and the Faith. ♦ [Page 5]

Regional Institutes: ‘with efficiency and love’

Regional Training Institutes have been created across the country in response to the Four Year Plan directives of the Universal House of Justice calling for “centers of Bahá’í learning” dedicated to the “raising up of large numbers of believers who are trained to foster and facilitate the process of entry by troops with efficiency and love.” Here, courtesy of the National Teaching Office and listed region by region, are profiles of the 18 Regional Training Institutes created by the National Spiritual Assembly.

SOUTHERN STATES

REGIONAL TRAINING INSTITUTE PROFILES
Central States • page 6 Western States • pages 6–7 Northeastern States • page 7 Conferences for Institutes • page 6 Focus on Race Unity • page 7

• Atlanta, Georgia area: The Atlanta Area Bahá’í Institute is, in its initial phase, delivering systematic courses on a regular basis, including “New Believers: We are Bahá’ís” in English and Spanish, “Arming for Victory” in English and Persian, “Teaching the Cause of God” and Core Curriculum teacher training. About 350 believers have completed at least one institute course in the last year.

The institute is launching the second phase of its plan to address the specific needs of Local Spiritual Assemblies and registered groups. This will be initiated with a training institute offered to all local communities in June titled “Mini-Course of the Message of the Universal House of Justice.” The purpose of this course is to provide an opportunity for all local believers to study the 155 B.E. Ridván message.

As fruit of its collaborative relationships, 13 Local Spiritual Assemblies and one group have hosted at least one training session.

Over the course of its operation, the Atlanta institute has also had several declarations during or following one of its training courses. At its first institute training in May 1997, one participant was a friend of the Bahá’ís and wanted to participate with his wife. He had studied the Bahá’í Faith for years, but had not yet declared. One week after he completed the training institute he declared himself a Bahá’í. He said this course alleviated his doubts and answered all his questions.

Following training courses, the AABI has noticed an increase in personal firesides in the area as well as an increased dedication among believers in offering their services. Since May 1997, more than 50 participants have volunteered to serve the institute in various capacities.

For information contact Rowena Rampersad, secretary, Avondale Estates, GA 30002 (phone 404-299-8075, e-mail ).

Participants in a recent course on “Teaching the Cause of God,” organized by the Atlanta Area Bahá’í Institute, gather for a group photo at the East Cobb Community Center in Roswell, Georgia. Photo courtesy National Teaching Office

• Florida: The Magdalene Carney Bahá’í Institute has served for many years and was designated a regional training institute by the National Spiritual Assembly in February 1997.

This institute has developed a series of program tracks, each including various courses:

• Track A: basic spiritual enrichment.
• Track B: Assembly and community development.
• Track C: social and economic development. This new track includes “The Bahá’í SED Project” and two literacy courses.

About 450 believers have completed at least one institute course. The institute has plans to develop three new courses: “Teaching Christians,” “Teaching Jewish People” and “How to Give a Successful Fireside.” They also plan on establishing a training session for junior youth.

The Carney institute is in the process of establishing an infrastructure at the local level. An example has been the creation of study groups of two to nine believers, who meet weekly for a few hours to study an institute course. This is in addition to the systematic training regularly offered.

These study groups have inspired a greater desire to serve and an enhanced unity among the believers. In some cases, teaching teams have been formed. The institute hopes to establish 30 study groups statewide in the third year of the Four Year Plan. It also hopes to attract 20% of all believers in Florida to be course participants.

Institute courses are used in weekly or biweekly sessions with the Bahá’í Youth Workshop and Persian and Latino believers in southern Florida.

To further collaboration, the MCBI asks Local Spiritual Assemblies to help make preparations for its courses. The institute also is in close collaboration with the Florida State Teaching Committee and the Latin Task Force in South Florida.

For information contact Richard Bauman, secretary, Jacksonville, FL 32224 (phone 904-992-1826, e-mail ).

• South Texas: The Mathew Kaszab Regional Training Institute, serving the Lower Rio Grande Valley and reaching believers on the border in Mexico, has been in operation for a year and a half.

It has offered Ruhi trainings and has designed courses geared toward further helping Local Spiritual Assemblies understand the role of training institutes and aiding them in creating local teaching plans, also bringing area Auxiliary Board members into this collaboration.

About 30 believers have completed at least one training institute course. An exciting impact of these efforts came last summer when the institute offered to train participants preparing for a teaching project proposed by individual Bahá’ís. This training was a key motivation for surrounding Local Spiritual Assemblies to endorse the teaching project and thus forge an enthusiastic collaboration.

For information contact Wig De Moville, McAllen, TX 78504 (e-mail ).

• District of Columbia area: The Metro Washington D.C. Regional Training Institute has operated for eight months and planned its first course for four Sundays in June. Topics covered will include the spiritual nature of the Local Spiritual Assembly, consultation, the application of spiritual and administrative principles, and the role of the Local Spiritual Assembly in teaching.

The institute met with representatives of most nearby Spiritual Assemblies to consult about the type of training courses most urgently needed. That consultation made it clear that area Bahá’ís require immediate training in teaching the Faith and building strong communities.

For information contact Leila Rassekh-Milani, secretary, Charlottesville, VA 22903 (phone 804-979-1927, e-mail ).

• North Carolina: The North Carolina Regional Training Institute has operated for seven months and recently held its first course, “The Path Toward Spirituality,” taught by Auxiliary Board member Shahin Vafai and co-sponsored with the Spiritual Assembly of Asheville. This course was offered for youth across the state and had 31 participants.

Future course offerings are to include “Raising the Call to Serve,” in the Triangle area and in Charlotte; and “The Power of Race Unity” for the next six months in the state’s five major urban centers. The institute plans to target these five urban areas to offer Core Curriculum courses and will offer other specialized courses periodically across the state.

For information contact Lola Schappell, secretary, Kernersville, NC 27284 (phone 336-992-9855, e-mail ).

• North Texas: The North Texas Regional Training Institute has operated for nine months and has prepared a year’s schedule of courses. The institute has also surveyed area Local Spiritual Assemblies for assessment of needs and created a brochure of its course offerings.

Recently the institute ‎held a Ruhi training was held held a Ruhi training‎ for assistants to the Auxiliary Board members, and a course for training facilitators. Immediate goals include beginning systematic curriculum development, raising the presence of the institute in the community, and offering courses on social and economic development.

The board of directors has already

SEE SOUTHERN STATES, PAGE 34 [Page 6]

CENTRAL STATES

• Columbus, Ohio area: Through the Dorothy Baker Regional Training Institute, in its nine months, about 60 participants have completed at least one course.

Recent highlights include a course facilitated by Auxiliary Board member Hoda Mahmoudi on “The Covenant and Effective Teaching” as well as an institute facilitated by Gwen Etter-Lewis titled “Reclaiming our Spiritual Heritage: African-American Women in the Bahá’í Faith.” The institute is actively focusing on building harmonious relationships among area Local Spiritual Assemblies, the Olivia Kelsey Bahá’í School, the Columbus Bahá’í Teaching Institute and the Inter-Community Teaching Committee. Race unity will be an overriding theme for future institutes. The summer course schedule includes training institutes on “Love for the Institutions,” “Living the Life,” “The Joy of Service” and “The Power of Divine Assistance.” To establish a presence in the community, the institute has developed a brochure and is seeking innovative ways of delivering its curricula. The board of directors wishes to help Assemblies in the creation of local teaching plans and is striving to become servants of the greater Columbus community. For information contact Ben Koen, secretary, Columbus, OH 43228 (phone 614-853-9433, e-mail ).

• Milwaukee, Wisconsin area: The Milwaukee Metro Regional Training Institute has been in operation for nine months. Last fall, the board of directors held a retreat with the Auxiliary Board members serving their area to assess needs and consult on creating a loving environment.

In the winter, the board of directors held a series of gatherings for the Local Spiritual Assemblies, registered groups and individuals in the greater Milwaukee area, to introduce the institute concept. They included music, devotions and consultation on how the institute can best serve the training needs of the Milwaukee area. With the help of the feedback from those meetings, the institute is to begin offering its first course, “To Serve the Covenant,” in June. It is planning a course schedule for the next year and seeking to find at least one core location to hold courses regularly, with additional courses being offered in a wide variety of locations. For information contact Carolyn Paik, secretary, Delafield, WI 53018-3019 (phone 414-646-3769, e-mail ).

• Minnesota: The Minnesota Bahá’í Institute was founded in 1986. As the Four Year Plan calls for an evolution of teaching institutes into centers of Bahá’í learning, the MBI was designated a regional training institute by the National Spiritual Assembly in January 1997.

This institute is offering the courses “From Believers to Teachers,” “Consultation Intensive Series” and “Race Unity Workshop” simultaneously in different parts of the state. About 150 believers have completed at least one institute course in the last year. The institute will play a significant role in the upcoming Minnesota Bahá’í Summer School. On average, the institute offers a course every other week, with plans soon to offer at least one course a week within the state. Its main goal this year is to establish collaborative relationships with Local Spiritual Assemblies statewide and become a part of their local teaching plans. The MBI is developing a number of new courses, including “Living the Life as a Bahá’í Youth,” “Response to Opposition,” “Marriage and Bahá’í Life” and an audio series on “Inspirational Bahá’í Stories.” The institute recently completed a statewide survey and will be developing new surveys for specific target groups. It is maintaining a Web site, and the board is excited that individuals are approaching the institute asking to be trained. Loving and close attention received from Auxiliary Board members over the years, the board feels, has been a key to the institute’s development. For information contact Robert Moshrefzadeh, secretary, Oakdale, MN 55128-5345 (phone 612-739-4304, e-mail ).

• St. Louis, Missouri area: Since the Gateway Regional Training Institute offered its first course in September 1996, about 120 believers have completed at least one course, primarily Core Curriculum courses.

Gateway was the first regional institute in the country to present a Core Curriculum Race Unity Workshop, and it is seeking to develop a race unity program to meet the needs in its region. To enhance the teaching skills in their area, the institute is presenting the course “Every Believer is a Teacher” and developing a concurrent program to promote teaching skills in children. Another highlight is a “Seeker Follow-up” system. In collaboration with Local Spiritual Assemblies and communities, Gateway has actively trained at least one person per Bahá’í community in the “We are Bahá’ís” course for new believers, hoping to facilitate prompt consolidation of new declarants. To develop a communication network in its area, Gateway is setting up point people at several localities to communicate needs and resources back to the board of directors. Gateway feels the impact of its programs has inspired believers to arise to greater levels of service and increased regional cohesion. For information contact Dianne Nagy, secretary, St. Louis, MO 63116-4841 (phone 314-773-1293, e-mail ).

Series of conferences helps institutes clarify their paths to service

Three Regional Training Institute Conferences hosted by the National Education Task Force helped strengthen the network of training institutes nationwide, provided a forum for consultation, and addressed the specific needs of the regional training institutes.

The conference for the Southern region was held April 10–12 in Atlanta, Georgia; for the Western region April 17–19 at Bosch Bahá’í School; and for the Central and Northeastern regions April 24–26 at Louhelen Bahá’í School.

Each conference was attended by boards of directors representing each regional training institute, members of the Regional Bahá’í Councils, Auxiliary Board members and members of the National Education Task Force and the National Teaching Committee.

Topics included networking among the institutes, needs assessment, administration of training institutes and available educational programs.

“[The institute conference in Atlanta] provided a wonderful forum for boards of directors to share their successes and challenges.” —Mahyar Mofidi, Regional Bahá’í Council member

A highlight of each conference was a letter addressed to the participants from members of the Continental Board of Counselors offering five points for consultation. In Atlanta, when participants received the letter halfway into the conference, they immediately adjusted the agenda to consult on the letter. They then faxed the results of their deliberations to the Counselors before the end of conference.

Mahyar Mofidi, member of the Regional Bahá’í Council of the Southern States, said the conference “provided a wonderful forum for boards of directors to share their successes and challenges and was a significant first step towards networking among the institutes.” Each conference displayed the dedication of the boards of directors to further understand their role, to carry out their duties, and to foster the evolution of the regional training institutes into permanent centers of Bahá’í learning.

WESTERN STATES

• Arizona: The Arizona Regional Training Institute has operated for nine months and is in the process of assessing needs, selecting courses and developing resources.

It is studying local teaching plans from Spiritual Assemblies throughout the state, and hopes to offer courses in alignment with specific teaching needs. The institute would like to place a major emphasis on youth development and teaching, as well as training youth to serve in administrative roles. The institute is also creating a database of staff and volunteers. For information contact Donald Streets, secretary, Scottsdale, AZ 85259 (phone 602-451-4119, e-mail ).

The institute is further exploring Ruhi training and other methods. It will be offering courses on “Circles of Learning” and hopes to deliver training at a Bahá’í summer school. A goal is to triple the number of its participants in the third year of the Four Year Plan. It is collaborating with the Colorado East Bahá’í Schools Committee, local training institutes, Auxiliary Board members serving the area and Local Assemblies. The Columbine institute is just beginning to see impact from its programs. During one class of “Every Believer is a Teacher,” a veteran believer remarked that she needed to change her whole life and center it around teaching the Cause of God. Other participants also have responded enthusiastically. For information contact Kathy Staller, Secretary, Brook Hollow, Evergreen, CO 80439 (phone 303-674-1478, e-mail ).

• Colorado: The Columbine Regional Training Institute has operated for 10 months. It is offering training from Parts 1 and 2 of the “Fundamental Verities” course created by the National Education Task Force and plans to offer Part 3. Ten believers have completed at least one institute course with an overall participation of 30 believers.

• Oregon: The Oregon Regional Training Institute has operated for nine months and plans to begin offering courses in the fall.

[Page 7]

Preparing systematically around the ‘most challenging issue’

• “... the Four Year Plan works where a systematic approach is understood and applied.”
• “[Systematization] implies an orderliness of approach in all that pertains to Bahá’í service ...”
• “Systematization ensures consistency of lines of action based on well-conceived plans.”
• “[Systematization] suggests the need to be clear-headed, methodical, efficient, constant, balanced and harmonious.”
• “Systematization is a necessary mode of functioning animated by the urgency to act.”

The Ridván 155 message from the Universal House of Justice, as quoted in the passages above, refers again and again to systematization—the arrangement of ideas in an ordered system. Much of the message emphasizes the need for persistent, methodical action.

The National Teaching Plan, to which most U.S. communities have committed themselves, also calls for a systematic approach to accelerating the process of entry by troops: setting goals and developing specific lines of action, then assessing progress.

The National Teaching Committee suggests local communities develop a long-range teaching plan that includes arranging for broadcasts of The Power of Race Unity, increasing local fireside activity, sponsoring devotional gatherings, and holding training institutes and deepenings.

While Bahá’ís have been in the fore-front of the struggle to eliminate racial prejudice since the early part of this century, we are now called upon to look at the way in which we engage in this struggle. When we actively promote the principle of the oneness of mankind, the “pivot round which all the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh revolve,” we would do well to reflect on the advice of the Guardian:

“It is difficult for the friends to always remember that in ‎matter matters‎ where race enters, a hundred times more consideration and wisdom in handling situations is necessary than when an issue is not complicated by this factor.” (Pupil of the Eye, p. 87)

Although Bahá’ís are generally more aware and better-prepared to answer questions about racial unity and its implications, we must clearly stand far above anything else that is being used or touted. In light of the Ridván 155 message, we must exert ourselves in a more orderly, methodical and persistent manner than ever before. In fact, the Universal House of Justice goes further to assert, “Becoming accustomed to such a procedure of systematic striving lends meaning and fulfilment to the life of any Bahá’í.”

To help Bahá’ís systematically strive toward making racial equity a reality, a series of workshops has been developed to complement the program The Power of Race Unity.

The first workshop for Bahá’ís is designed to assist the believers to be wise, considerate and systematic in their preparation for teaching communities about “the most challenging issue” facing this country. This day-long workshop begins by constructing the spiritual framework for race unity work and gives a historic overview of what Bahá’ís have done to promote racial equality since the early 1900s.

The workshop helps participants delve deeply into the National Assembly’s statement The Vision of Race Unity, then look closely at how Bahá’í writings answer common questions and concerns related to issues of race. It concludes with training on how to lead discussions with sensitivity and wisdom, and then an opportunity to develop specific steps to take for inviting guests to view The Power of Race Unity.

The five follow-up workshops, designed to be used as firesides and based on material in the first workshop, have been well-received. Bahá’ís are discovering how eager people are to talk about vital issues like racial prejudice and to learn how to actively and systematically take steps to promote oneness.

Each Assembly was recently mailed a copy of the workshops. If you would like an additional copy of the packet, please call the Education and Schools Office at the Bahá’í National Center, (phone 847-733-3495, e-mail: ).

We have suggested a $5 donation payable to Bahá’í Services Fund–Workshops, for each packet to cover the cost of printing and postage.

NORTHEASTERN STATES

• Boston, Massachusetts area: The Boston Regional Training Institute had its board appointed in February.

In the spirit of training itself to foster love and unity, the board of directors has participated in a session based on the compilation “Towards Oneness,” facilitated by Auxiliary Board member Barbara Markert.

The institute has begun consultation on course development and needs assessment for the Boston area. The board is focusing on the role of discussion in participatory methods and on the importance of further unlocking the transformative power of the Bahá’í Writings.

Many of the institute’s future courses will be geared toward university students and Bahá’í college clubs.

For information contact Caren Rosenthal, secretary, Natick, MA (phone 508-655-2442, e-mail ).

• Rochester, New York area: The board of the Rochester Regional Training Institute, appointed in February, has elected officers and has begun initial planning, needs assessment and course selection to meet the needs of its area.

The institute hopes to utilize the media and publicity opportunities abundant in the Rochester area.

Plans include course offerings on the principle of the oneness of humanity, children’s classes, youth and developing effective teachers of the Cause.

For information contact John Joyce, secretary, Sodus Point, NY 14555 (phone 315-483-8223, e-mail ).

WESTERN STATES

In October, the institute surveyed all the Local Spiritual Assemblies in Oregon and designated seven areas of training needs: deepening new believers, individual teaching skills/holding firesides, race unity, Local Spiritual Assembly development/strategic teaching plan development, programs for youth/mobilizing youth as teachers, teaching specific populations, and training children’s class teachers. These areas are all in different stages of course development.

The institute provided a full-day orientation for 50 prospective faculty of its role and responsibilities. This January gathering was joined by members of the Auxiliary Board and the Regional Bahá’í Council of the Western States.

In April, the Oregon institute also invited select teachers to review and develop materials for courses.

For information contact Lyn Martin, Corvallis, OR 97330 (phone 541-745-7916, e-mail ).

• Southern New Mexico: The Rio Grande Regional Training Institute has operated for a year and a half. Its courses, offered in English and Spanish, have drawn about 60 participants, some from Far West Texas.

The courses focus on elements of unity, skill development and memorization, spiritual transformation and use of the arts.

The institute hopes to survey local communities and stay in touch with Assemblies to find out more about needs in its area of service and align its courses to those needs. It also hopes to increase the institute’s faculty and will create one-day courses to encourage greater participation by the believers.

One outcome of the programs has been the reactivation of believers in an area with a registered group. Through increased community activity and teaching inspired by the efforts of the training institute, the believers formed a Local Spiritual Assembly.

For information contact Carolyn Staples, secretary, c/o Silver Sun, Santa Fe, NM 87501 (phone 505-466-2137, e-mail ).

• Southern California: The Southern California Regional Training Institute, in its eight months, has offered two courses with 75 believers participating.

The institute plans to incorporate selected Core Curriculum trainers and Ruhi tutors as staff. It also plans, in collaboration with Auxiliary Board members in its area, to develop a new assistants training course.

A goal of the SoCal institute is to focus on the issue of race unity until the end of the Four Year Plan. They have held a “Towards Oneness Training” for facilitators, conducted by Tod Ewing and Wilma Ellis, members of the Continental Board of Counselors. The facilitators will help staff the institute and will go to assigned areas to deliver this course.

In the third year of the Four Year Plan, the institute hopes to provide opportunities for every Bahá’í in southern California to participate in the “Toward Oneness” training institute.

Serving the largest concentration of Bahá’ís in the United States, the SoCal RTI is in close collaboration with its Auxiliary Board members to promote their efforts in one voice to the community. They are also seeking to appoint an executive director to guide the efforts of their institute.

For information contact Joannie Yuille, secretary, PO Box 857, Monrovia, CA 91017 (phone 818-358-8254, e-mail ).

• Washington/North Idaho: The Washington/Northern Idaho Regional Training Institute has operated for six months. In April, it held orientation classes in two locations for one of four courses on “The Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh.” A total of 39 prospective facilitators and administrative staff attended. In June, they will complete facilitator training for the three remaining course offerings on Feast and devotional meetings, institutions of the Faith and individual teaching focusing on fireside teaching. All courses will focus on a participatory method.

The institute hopes to incorporate the use of the arts in its programs. It has designated eight areas within the region to hold courses.

For information contact Richard Schaut, Woodinville, WA 98072 (phone 425-486-8908, e-mail ). [Page 8]

Pioneering: frequently asked questions

The Office of Pioneering seeks to raise up, assist and prepare pioneers, youth and adult, and traveling teachers to respond effectively to the international goals of the current Plan. This article is the first in a series of three answering many frequently asked questions about serving internationally.

A NEW PATTERN FOR SERVICE

At the conclusion of the Holy Year, with the initiation of the Three Year Plan, a new pattern for international service was revealed. In a letter dated March 8, 1995, addressed to a National Spiritual Assembly, the Universal House of Justice described this new pattern, stating:

“The friends are to consider the entire world as the arena for pioneering and travel-teaching; they are being called upon to fulfill according to their own possibilities, the needs of the Faith in any country or territory or where doors open to them. ... [I]n principle, any believer who arises and leaves his home for the purpose of serving the Cause and settles in another place is a pioneer. Short-term pioneers are those who spend a relatively short period of time in a place, usually from six months to two years, but, under special circumstances, as little as three months. ... Traveling teachers are, of course, those who travel from their place of residence to other localities for the purpose of promoting the interests of the Faith, individually or as participants in projects and programs. Youth-year-of-service volunteers working in the international field would fall into one or the other of the above categories, depending on their circumstances. ...”

Q: I want to serve internationally, but I am not sure what I can do.

There are many ways open to everyone desiring to serve internationally.

Service on a short-term basis from a few days to three months is considered traveling teaching. This can be done in conjunction with vacation, business, study opportunities, teaching projects within a country, summer or winter schools and any other activities.

For stays of longer than six months, and in special circumstances as little as three months (sometimes as long as you are able to get a visa to some countries) you can serve as a short-term pioneer.

For more permanent stays of a year or longer, you would be serving as a long-term pioneer. This includes youth serving through the Bahá’í Youth Service Corps.

The needs of the Faith throughout the world are diverse and require the talents and abilities of every willing believer. Every pioneer and traveling teacher can play a needed part, from assisting the administration and development of teaching institutes to direct mass proclamation and teaching work, assisting the development of social and economic development projects and Local Spiritual Assemblies, and fostering the unity and development of the local community in reaching new strata of society.

Q: Now that I’ve decided to serve internationally, what do I do?

Your first step is to contact your Local Assembly. If you do not live under the jurisdiction of an Assembly, contact one close to you whose members may know you. If there are no Assemblies nearby, turn to your Auxiliary Board member to consult on your desire to serve internationally, to initiate your preparation, and to receive either the Traveling Teaching or Pioneer/Bahá’í Youth Service Corps Volunteer form. The Assembly or Auxiliary Board member will also fill out an evaluation form for you. An Assembly or Auxiliary Board member may contact the Office of Pioneering to receive the forms.

Complete and send the forms as soon as you can to the Office of Pioneering, enclosing a résumé if possible. Make sure your Assembly or Auxiliary Board member has sent in the evaluation form, too.

Another very important step is to consult with your family to make sure your service will be a source of unity. This is essential whether you are a youth or an adult, single, married, divorced, or in a year of waiting, especially if you plan to pioneer for a length of time. The Office of Pioneering is available to consult with you about any concerns your family may have.

Rely heavily on prayer, meditation and consultation. In its letter of June 27, 1993, introducing the “new pattern for the pioneer call” to the Bahá’ís of the world, the Universal House of Justice advises: “Through prayer and consultation, and after considering his own particular experience, inclinations and possibilities, he can choose his goal area and, confidently relying on the confirming power of Bahá’u’lláh, set out to serve the cause of his Lord in distant lands.”

The Office of Pioneering will work closely with you on your plans for serving abroad, providing as much information as available about both the needs of the Faith and the general conditions in your areas of interest and guidance for your decisions.

Q: Are there any special preparations I should be aware of?

Your preparation will be both spiritual and material. The first step is to plan to attend a Pioneer/BYSC/SITA Training Institute where you will be intensively assisted with all aspects of preparing for international service.

SPIRITUAL PREPARATION

• Begin to deepen on pioneering, teaching and service to the Cause. The Office of Pioneering includes in the packet initially sent to you a bibliography of Bahá’í books and compilations that will be beneficial to you no matter how you plan to serve. These materials are also available from your Local Spiritual Assembly.
• Develop and maintain spiritual habits essential to your service. These include prayer, meditation, reading the Writings and memorizing them, if you can. These steps will strengthen your firmness in the Covenant and provide you with the confidence to teach our beloved Faith wisely.
• Since a central role of the pioneer and traveling teacher is to teach the Faith, whether directly or indirectly, the more you practice systematic teaching now the easier and more effective should be your service in another community.
• Obedience to the Institutions is a critical spiritual discipline to practice beginning with your preparation for serving abroad and continuing at your post. This will save you hardship and difficulties, as the Institutions are best able to guide you in serving the needs of the Faith in the community under their jurisdiction.

LOGISTICAL STEPS

• Once you have been introduced to them by the Office of Pioneering and addresses have been provided to you, tell your plans to the National Spiritual Assembly of the country where you are going. They should be able to best answer your questions about preparing spiritually and materially for service in their particular community.
• Begin to learn as much as you can of the language, and about the history and culture of your goal area(s).
• If you do not have one, apply for a passport as soon as possible. Investigate the kind of visa you will need and how long it is likely to take to acquire it. Basic information about visas and other requirements for U.S. citizens, as well as current phone numbers for most consulates and embassies, is available through the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs (Web site http://travel.state.gov).
• If you lack sufficient financial reserve to fund your projected service, prepare a budget reflecting what you have available, what you can earn before your departure, and what you need to meet the requirements of your service. Present this to your Local Spiritual Assembly and ask its assistance. It is appropriate for your Assembly, rather than you as an individual, to make your need known to your community, other Assemblies or individuals. Your Assembly may also set up a fund-raising plan for you, taking into consideration the needs and resources of the community. In addition, the Office of Pioneering is available for consultation about possibilities for deputization.
• Begin early to take care that your personal concerns are in order: financial, legal, health, immigration, etc. You do not leave your problems behind you when you settle abroad. It is important to take care of these issues so you may be free to teach and serve as well as adapt to your new post. One source of information about vaccinations is the Centers for Disease Control (Web site http://www.cdc.gov). If you are planning to be abroad for an extended period, designate a trusted friend or relative with power of attorney to handle any legal matters or property concerns.
• Since your airline ticket is likely to be your largest single expense in serving internationally, shop wisely. Check with more than one international travel agency, especially those owned by individuals from the country you plan to visit, as they sometimes have connection to inexpensive airlines. The Office of Pioneering has some helpful information, usually of a general nature, about international travel.

People to call at the Office of Pioneering

The Office of Pioneering at the Bahá’í National Center has reorganized in recent months to more efficiently handle inquiries from various regions of the United States. If you wish to ask about pioneering or international teaching, contact the consultant for your region: NORTHEAST AND CENTRAL REGIONS: Alex Blakeson (phone 847-733-3511, e-mail [redacted]) SOUTHERN REGION: Amanda Respess (phone 847-733-3507, e-mail [redacted]) WESTERN REGION: Aurore Ragston (phone 847-733-3512, e-mail [redacted]) OR YOU MAY CONTACT THE OFFICE OF PIONEERING AT: 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 phone 847-733-3508, fax 847-733-3509, e-mail [redacted]

[Page 9]

Service in Namibia leaves enduring ‘traces’

In its Ridván 155 letter to the Bahá’ís of the world, the Universal House of Justice points out the significance of the window of opportunity we have before us in the last two years of this century.

The House points out that not only is it a window of opportunity, but an inescapable responsibility. "In extolling the unprecedented potential of the twentieth century, the beloved Master averred that its traces will last forever. Seized with such a vision, the mind of the alert follower of the Blessed Beauty must undoubtedly be astir with anxious questions as to what part he or she will play in these few fleeting years, and as to whether he or she will, at the end of this seminal period, have made a mark among those enduring traces which the mind of the Master perceived. To ensure a soul-satisfying answer, one thing above all else is necessary: to act, to act now, and to continue to act."

TIES OF HERITAGE

Two Bahá’ís from South Carolina found their answer in short-term pioneering. Moses and Ursula Richardson, who live in rural Lydia, South Carolina, decided they could give three months to pioneering. They chose Namibia, in southern Africa, as their destination in response to the call of the Universal House of Justice in the Four Year Plan for the North American Bahá’ís to "consider the extent to which they can use familial and ethnic ties to other regions of the world for the fulfillment of the global mission conferred upon [them]..."

The Richardsons were in a unique position to serve the needs of the Faith in Namibia, an African nation whose language is similar to German. As an interra- and Ursula is German-they presented a new model of a unified family in an area where racial differences have been critical.

After overcoming several obstacles, including bronchitis, a broken wrist and pneumonia, on Aug. 27, 1997, the Richardsons were on their way to Namibia.

"As Moses [Richardson] put it, 'We come with no agenda but are here to do whatever we are asked to.'" —Ursula Richardson, about pioneering in Namibia

Upon their arrival they were asked by the Bahá’í institutions to settle in a special region of the country where there were no other pioneers and to help the local Bahá’ís effect "a transformation which will lay the foundation for entry by troops in this region."

Following a few days of traveling teaching, firesides and visits with local Bahá’ís, Moses and Ursula drove to their new home. They had the bounty of staying with a local Bahá’í family during their time in this city. Ursula recorded that "Just seeing and hearing the Bahá’ís.... express their surprise and happiness that we actually stayed in their home and shared what ever all we could put together, created a very special bond."

While in the city, they joined the local Bahá’ís in many activities including Sunday prayer meetings and firesides. They helped identify youth who wanted to teach children's classes for the community and supported them in conducting the lessons.

TEACHING, CONSOLIDATION

In addition to making many local contacts for the Faith and collecting signatures to establish a National Race Unity Day, they helped carry forward the consolidation of the friends in the community. They compiled deepening materials on subjects of importance to the local believers and assisted deepening on the role of the Local Spiritual Assembly.

While the Richardsons were in this special region of the country, the community saw nine new friends declare their belief in Bahá’u’lláh.

In a note to the Office of Pioneering, Ursula wrote: "Short-term pioneering ... has its unique challenges both for us and the community/country we went to." She explains, "We did not have that much time to 'set up house' as we would if we pioneered for a long time. That made us feel more 'we need to do something.' Nevertheless as Moses put it, 'We come with no agenda but are here to do whatever we are asked to, I brought only my prayer book and the Hidden Words' for me it was two prayer books and The Power of Divine Assistance.' That worked very well actually. We had such a good time and we learned a lot. We are truly thankful for this opportunity."

ROCHESTER

Students' artwork from around the area. The colorful and inspiring works were on display in the lobby of the School of the Arts before, during and after the performance.

A group of four Bahá’ís from in and around Rochester had worked eight months to produce the program, in hopes it would help galvanize the entire community. Care was taken to invite participation by many cultural and religious groups.

Each week for many months, committee members met, prayed together, and found themselves "falling in love with each other's spirit" and complementing each other's strengths, a report from the organizers said.

"As the event drew closer, one obstacle and hurdle after another melted away, as countless members of the community arose and outpourings of heavenly confirmation displayed themselves.

"When the moment came, the committee was awestruck at the clear presence of Bahá’u’lláh and the Concourse on High," the report said.

A very special set of performers captured the hearts of the audience at the "Celebration of the Oneness of Humanity." Photo by Glenn Egli, Rochester, NY

The concert was interpreted for the hearing-impaired, and the interpreter declared her faith in Bahá’u’lláh less than a week after the performance.

Even the preparations were an inspiration, as one Bahá’í reported about a friend who helped in the kitchen:

"I told [the friend] that I was going early to help set up and she wanted to help, too. I couldn't get her out of the kitchen. I mentioned that she should go eat, but she insisted that she was having fun. 'I feel like I belong here.' She saw the multicolored, multi-aged family working together. She saw and heard adolescents respecting adults and helping eagerly. She asked many questions about the Faith and kept saying, 'I've been looking so long for this.'"

As a result of the program, a newly energized community is at work to ensure that the momentum released by this event is not lost, already planning future events and activities to advance the process of entry by troops.

—Submitted by Roya Bauman, Alloysia Haynes, Carl Appleton and Jaci Ayorinde of Rochester, New York

TEACHING PROJECTS

Baltic States: Dr. Muhajir Mass-Teaching Project, July-September.

Bolivia: Permanent Teaching Project, Santa Cruz.

Botswana: John Robarts Long-Term Teaching Project.

Cameroon: Teaching projects, including one affiliated with a regional institute center for training new believers.

Caribbean: Luces del Caribe Teaching Project throughout the region.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Nine zonal teaching projects.

Ecuador: Expansion and Consolidation Project.

El Salvador: Assisting in ongoing deepening and social and economic development projects at the Badasht Insitute, Jamaliyyíh Insitute, and New Garden Bahá’í Institute.

Guatemala: Assisting in teaching, consolidation/deepening, and human resource development projects at the Ruhiyyih Project, Chimaltenago Shiraz Project, and the National Network of Institutes.

Guyana: On the Wings of Words Literacy Project.

Hungary: Békéscaba Long-Term Teaching Project.

Ivory Coast: Various teaching projects.

Jamaica: Assisting teaching and consolidation efforts including the William Sears Teaching Project, assisting Bahá’í Youth Workshops, and helping with a radio show.

Madagascar: Roddy Lutchmaya Long-Term Teaching Project.

Malawi: Ongoing teaching projects.

Mexico: Furutan Project-teaching on college campuses, and an exchange program with the Huasteca Potosina.

Romania: National Teaching Project "Queen Maria" July 16-Aug. 23.

Russia: Marion Jack Project.

Slovenia and Croatia: Slovenian and Croatian Teaching Plan.

Solomon Islands: 1-3 months assisting a Bahá’í Youth Workshop, teaching, and developing creative youth activities in a rural village.

Sweden: Teaching Project.

Zambia: Various rural teaching projects.

CONFERENCES, SCHOOLS AND EVENTS

Bahamas: Summer School, July 6-18.

Brazil: National Unity Conference, June 11-14.

Colombia: National Youth Conference, July 3-5.

France: Summer School, Aug. 22-29.

Hungary: Summer School, Aug. 17-23.

New Zealand: Association for Bahá’í Studies Conference, July 11-12.

Sweden: Training seminar for developing skills to teach the Faith.

Please contact the Office of Pioneering, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (phone 847-733-3508, fax 847-733-3509, e-mail: ) for:

• Further information about these and other urgent needs and opportunities for international traveling teachers.
• Schedule of summer schools, deepening institutes and Bahá’í camps in Canada and the 1998 program of the Landegg Academy in Switzerland.
• Updates on projects and events.

[Page 10]

BRIEFLY

‘LIFTED UP’ IN SPRINGFIELD

Musical and dramatic performances proclaimed the Faith at one of Springfield, Illinois’ most distinguished churches, in an April 25–26 event that drew many seekers and people of capacity.

Caroline Mackay of Duncan, British Columbia, using her voice and harp, “raised the call of Ya-Bahá’u’l-Abhá in such an effective and wonderful way that the souls of the audience were truly ‘lifted up unto the realm on high,’” the Springfield community reports.

After her Saturday night ‎performace performance‎ at the First Presbyterian Church—which was the church of ‎the Abraham Lincoln’s Abraham Lincoln’s‎ family, recently renovated to be one of the premier halls for musical performance—the pastor invited Mackay to sing at the regular Sunday morning service.

SAN ANTONIO RISING

The two-year-old musical group Los Nice Guys in San Antonio, Texas, is no longer toddling but running as bookings pour in from non-Bahá’í organizations.

The group formed at the beginning of the Four Year Plan, inspired by its emphasis on the arts. With anywhere from one to four of its members, the group has performed for an AA retreat, a city-sponsored Earth Day event, a new age church and a women’s meeting of the National Conference.

The San Antonio Bahá’í community has a well-focused race unity campaign under way, centered around the distribution of Unity Ribbons. Band members give these ribbons out at every concert and ask people to wear them in support of race unity.

The music of Los Nice Guys, written by Larry Magee, includes upbeat country songs such as “I’m a Buddhist-Baptist-Catholic-Jew,” lively songs of Bahá’í Scripture in Spanish, some rock and blues, and slower lyrical songs in both Spanish and English.

Los Nice Guys can be contacted at ________________ San Antonio, TX 78232 (daytime phone 210-491-1235, e-mail ______________ ). ◆

DENVER, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

(From left) Tiara Green, Anna Cordova, Juli Cordova and a friend gather in the wings as the Metro Denver Bahá’í Choir (upper right) breaks between songs. Photo courtesy Denver Bahá’í community

Channel 11 from Colorado Springs, were there, as were the Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News.

An April 14 article in the Post—placed next to the daily weather map—is probably what sparked interest from Channel 9. That station conducted advance interviews and broadcast announcements about the event starting with its 6 o’clock news April 17.

At that point, Global Visions’ phone started “ringing off the hook,” Redson-Smith reported.

The announcement aired all weekend, with “Metro Denver Bahá’í Center, 99 S. Grant St.” displayed across the screen. Channel 9 interviewed Dozier on its morning news the day of the concert.

The positive coverage continued the next week, when Channels 7 and 9, reporting on issues involving race, referred to the unity presented by the concert.

In addition to Mueller, honorees were Mary Ann Castellano of the U.S. Attorney General’s Office, who moved many to tears with her brief comments on her work with the bombing victims; the Rev. Lucia Guzman, executive director of the Colorado Council of Churches; and Robin Finegan and Krista Flannigan, co-directors of the Colorado/Oklahoma Resource Council, a coalition of victim/witness assistance professionals.

At the end of the awards ceremony, Susan Lewis Wright sang “Bird,” about the soul taking its flight to the next world.

The sponsors are meeting to discuss making this joyous, community-building activity an annual event, and one of Denver’s most prominent women in gospel music (nationally known as well) wants to be part of it next year.

Discussions are under way to continue a gospel/multicultural singing group, as well as a band. All the non-Bahá’í participants in the choir said they want to come back to the center to continue singing or attend programs.

The event followed on the heels of a successful benefit concert staged by Global Visions in December, titled “Songs from a Persian Garden.” The event, which drew 400 people, featured several vocal, instrumental and dance soloists as well as the Denver choir. ◆

Teaching, giving closely linked

BY THE OFFICE OF THE TREASURER

“Let [the teacher] also strive to obtain adequate knowledge of the Teachings and reflect the virtues of that knowledge in his daily life.” —Universal House of Justice, Ridván 1984 message to the United States

Here is one of those teachings: “...our contributions to the Faith are the surest way of lifting once and for all time the burden of hunger and misery from mankind, for it is only through the System of Bahá’u’lláh—Divine in origin—that the world can be gotten on its feet, and want, fear, hunger, war, etc., be eliminated.” —Letter on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, Dec. 8, 1947, to an individual believer

Other teachings: “The practice of giving to the Fund strengthens the connection between the believer and the Cause and enhances his identification with it.” —Universal House of Justice, Sept. 17, 1992

Also: “Contributing to the Bahá’í fund constitutes an act of spiritual discipline which is an intrinsic element of the devotional life of the individual.” —Universal House of Justice, ibid.

The better teacher is one whose identification with the Cause is stronger, whose life reflects the virtues acquired from that identification, who can bring spiritual discipline to the task, whose devotional life is deeply rooted, vital and dynamic.

Prayer helps the teacher achieve these qualities; it’s interesting to know that giving does, too.

We tend to understand giving to the Fund as something we do for the Institutions. That may be why Assemblies are sometimes accused of always asking for more money, and why friends can get annoyed at the thought that they might be trying to get more from us.

But if we realize that giving is actually for our own benefit, to make us better Bahá’ís, the pattern changes. Giving is even for ‎the benefit all those the benefit of all those‎ who thirst for the Faith. Giving will make us better teachers. ◆

Teaching Skills Exercise 4: Challenging others to investigate the Faith

Some people who hear about the Faith take the initiative to investigate it. However, many will never look into the Cause unless and until they are challenged to do so. Thus it is very important to learn the skill of challenging others to examine the claims of Bahá’u’lláh and His Faith.

The Universal House of Justice, in one of its messages, called upon Bahá’í youth to “boldly challenge” and “invite” their contemporaries to “examine” the Cause and “join” the Army of Bahá’u’lláh. (Messages from the Universal House of Justice: 1963–1986, p. 134)

In challenging others to investigate the Faith, we must balance courage with wisdom, audacity with tact. We must not proselytize, of course. Rather, the teacher should, in an appropriate manner, challenge those whom he feels have the capacity to be challenged.

We are told to “use great tact and challenge strong souls and lead weak souls.” (The Individual and Teaching #79) The approach depends on the teacher’s personality and relationship with the seeker.

Here are a few examples of how a teacher might challenge another to investigate the Faith:

• “If you are seeking true happiness, you will find it in the Bahá’í Teachings. You should seriously consider investigating it.”
• “You really should consider examining the Bahá’í Faith. It will change your life.”
• “I believe the Bahá’í Faith provides the answers to the social and spiritual problems of our time. I challenge you to put its answers to the test.”
• “Many people adhere to the religion of their parents, the religion they were born into. But this is simply an accident of nature, dependent upon where we were born. Should we not investigate other Faiths to see whether they may be true?”
• “If you are strong in your own beliefs, what do you have to lose in investigating the Bahá’í Faith?”
• “The claim and the life of Bahá’u’lláh are so stupendous that they demand our scrutiny.”
• “Bahá’u’lláh is the Messenger of God for this day. I challenge you to investigate His claim.”
• “Bahá’u’lláh’s claim is so great that no sincere Christian should fail to examine what Bahá’u’lláh has taught.”
• “Bahá’u’lláh says, ‘This is the Day in which mankind can behold the Face, and hear the Voice, of the Promised One.’ His claim is so great that it must be either true or false. Because there can be no middle ground, I urge you to investigate it for yourself.”
• “If Christ really has returned, wouldn’t you want to know?”
• “What is our accountability on the Judgment Day if we have rejected without investigating? Didn’t Jesus admonish us to watch?”
• “This is a matter of great spiritual urgency. Please do not dismiss it lightly.”

How do you challenge others to investigate the Faith?

Extract from Raising the Call: The Individual and Effective Teaching (Palabra Publications, 1998). Used by permission of author. ◆ [Page 11]The Bahá’í World, 1996–1997 $25.95 HC (BW97H) $13.95 SC (BW97S)

The Bahá’í World series provides both non-Bahá’ís and Bahá’ís with valuable information about the activities and concerns of the Bahá’í world community and is suitable for presentation to dignitaries, researchers, and others. This latest installment includes a retrospective essay on Shoghi Effendi, an essay on contemporary human rights discourse, a report on Bahá’í participation in Habitat II, a profile of five moral development activities undertaken by Bahá’ís in different parts of the world, and other significant articles as well.

346 pp. World Centre Publications

Mahmúd’s Diary translated by Mohi Sobhani with Shirley Macias $39.95 HC (MD)

The long-awaited translation of the famous account of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s journey across America.

George Ronald, Publisher

The Three Year Plan, 1993–1996 Summary of Achievements $5.00 SC (TYP)

This record of achievements by the worldwide Bahá’í community during the Three Year Plan was compiled by the Research Department at the Bahá’í World Center. The number of activities represented in their respective goal areas demonstrates the international scope and full range of Bahá’í activity around the world. An impressive reference work and an equally impressive reflection of the efforts of the Bahá’í world community.

178 pp. World Centre Publications

Developing Distinctive Bahá’í Communities Office of Assembly Development $24.00 PC (DDBC)

The long-awaited revision to this Local Spiritual Assembly manual is now completed. Originally created in 1989, this manual has become a standard reference used by Assemblies to facilitate their consultations and their efforts to apply spiritual and administrative principles to the situations before them. An extensive revision process brings the contents up to date with the latest guidance from the Universal House of Justice and the National Spiritual Assembly.

Office of Assembly Development 585 pp.

The Servant, the General, and Armageddon by Roderic and Derwent Maude $11.95 SC (SGA)

The intriguing story of a battle foretold in the Hebrew Bible that linked the lives of two men who shaped history in very different ways: General Allenby and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Published to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Armageddon.

George Ronald, Publisher [Page 12]

The Light of Unity

Healing Racism

(LU) bulk priced:

• 1 copy $1.25
• 2-9 copies $1.00 each
• 10-99 copies $.85 each
• 100-499 copies $.65 each
• 500-999 copies $.50 each
• 1000 copies and up $.40 each

This is a full-color booklet containing extracts from the Bahá’í writings on the subject of racial unity. Although specifically developed as a follow-up piece to the National Media Initiative, this collection will have a broad appeal due to the general nature of the quotations and attractive format.

32 pp. Bahá’í Publishing Trust, U.S.

Stewardship and Development

A Desktop Reference for Spiritual Assemblies and Treasurers $8.95 (SAD)

The first publication of its kind in the U.S. since the late 1970s, this valuable booklet includes a deepening on the fundamental spiritual ‎principals principles‎ of the Fund with several passages never before published, as well as in-depth guidance for local treasury management. In addition, extensive appendices ‎includes include‎ passages from the Writings and sample forms for use in managing the local funds. Comprehensive references to such topics as accurate accounting for contributions, earmarking, proper receipting, tax deductibility and fund-raising make this expandable document a must-have resource, particularly for Local Spiritual Assemblies and individuals alike.

145 pp. Office of the Treasurer, Bahá’í National Center

Teaching the Cause

Ruhi Institute Book 6 $6.00 (TC6)

Book six in the Ruhi series is designed to train effective teachers. The three parts cover the following: “The Spiritual Nature of Teaching” explores the spiritual dimensions of teaching; “The Qualities and Attitudes of the Teacher” helps to develop humility, courage, wisdom, and other qualities and attitudes of a capable teacher; and “The Act of Teaching” examines how to teach, building skills necessary for individual teaching and participation in organized projects.

149 pp. Palabra Publications

Raising the Call

The Individual and Effective Teaching by Shabin Vafai $6.00 SC (RTC)

The followup book to The Path Toward Spirituality, this book is a practical training guide on the subject of individual teaching and what it takes to become truly effective in this essential work of the Cause. Includes ‎excercises exercises‎, quotations, questions for study. Excellent for use in training institutes and personal deepening.

5 1/2" x 8 1/2", 222 pp. Palabra Publications

Day Break

Studying the Bahá’í Teachings Day by Day compiled by Christine Kurzius-Krug $16.95 SC (DBS)

A carefully chosen selection of passages from the writings of Bahá’u’lláh, the Báb, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice to answer the questions often asked by young people and to assist in the daily study of the Bahá’í teachings.

4 1/4" x 6", 464 pp. George Ronald, Publisher

A Guide to Studying Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963–1986

$7.95 SC (SGMUHJ)

This guide is designed for a systematic study of the recent compilation of messages from the Universal House of Justice. Thematically oriented, thought-provoking and well-organized, this study guide can be adapted to a range of needs, interests and settings.

6" x 9", 117 pp. Bahá’í Publishing Trust, U.S.

Toward Oneness

A Compilation on Racial and Cultural Issues compiled by Tod Ewing $4.00 (TO)

A selection from the Bahá’í writings specifically designed to foster a greater understanding of the goals of the Cause regarding unity and equality and the process by which these goals can be achieved. Includes sections on “Principles Regarding Race and Culture,” “The Significance and Effects of Prejudice,” “How to Address Issues of Prejudice” and “How to Eliminate Racial Prejudice.”

69 pp. Palabra Publications

Coral and Pearls

Some Thoughts on the Art of Marriage by Mehri Sevidvash $11.95 SC (CAPS)

Married? Engaged? Thinking about the future? Coral and Pearls looks at some of the reasons why relationships fail to thrive and offers practical suggestions for keeping our marriages vibrant, joyous and intact.

5" x 7 3/4", 116 pp. George Ronald, Publisher [Page 13]The Ayyám-i-Há Surprise by Stacey Coverstone illustrated by Anja Shanmugampillai $5.95 AHS

The Santos family is busy getting ready for Ayyám-i-Há. They’re baking cookies, wrapping presents, and decorating the house. Lisa and her grandfather are working hard on a special surprise. Come and join the Santos family as they celebrate these days of Ayyám-i-Há. Brilliant Books

Mariana and the Mountain of God by Stacey Coverstone illustrated by Mary Firman $6.25 (MMG)

After watching a videotape about the Arc on Mount Carmel, Mariana is inspired to do all she can to help. But how can she help build the Mountain of God with an empty piggy-bank? Brilliant Books

For Children!

I Can Teach by Shidan Toloui-Wallace illustrated by Salka Holtz $4.00 (ICT)

Black and white illustrations and a simple text that encourages young children to become teachers of the Faith. Also suitable as a coloring book. 28 pp. Palabra Publications

A Bahá’í Alphabet Book by Anne Breneman illustrated by Barbara Casterline $6.95 (BAB)

“A” is for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá... and airplane, animals, and Africa. An ABC for Bahá’í children, through Deeds, Kindness, and Prayer, all the way to Zeal. With a few ducks and kangaroos and pandas and zebras too! Brilliant Books

Bahá’ís and the Bible by Gary Matthews see pricing information below (BB)

A frank examination of the Bible as sacred scripture and of its position in the Bahá’í Faith: Are the Old and New Testaments divinely inspired? How reliable and authentic are the manuscripts we possess? To what extent should we take the Bible literally? Does the Bible itself claim to be God’s “last and only” revelation? An essential deepening tool for Bahá’ís and Christians alike. Stonehaven Press

Christianity and the Bahá’í Faith Frequently Asked Questions by Gary Matthews see pricing information below (CBF)

Who was Jesus Christ? What do Bahá’ís believe about the Incarnation, the Trinity, the Bible, the Resurrection, Satan, Heaven and Hell? Using traditional Christian language, and emphasizing common ground, this pamphlet offers brief but challenging answers to these and other questions. Stonehaven Press

The Glory of Christ A Bahá’í Testimony by Gary Matthews see pricing information below (GOC)

If progressive revelation is true, why did Jesus Christ call Himself the only way to God? This pamphlet shows from the Bible that the “Christ” who makes this claim is not the historical Jesus, but that universal divine Spirit which speaks through all the Manifestations. The reader is challenged to investigate the claim that this same eternal Voice speaks today through Bahá’u’lláh. Stonehaven Press

Secret of the Second Coming Christ’s Glorious Return by Gary Matthews see pricing information below (SSC)

This pamphlet explains that Bahá’u’lláh satisfies biblical conditions for the Second Coming of Christ, in the same way that Jesus Himself fulfilled Old Testament promises of the coming of the Messiah. A challenging introduction to the claims and station of Bahá’u’lláh. Stonehaven Press

PRICING ON PAMPHLETS FROM STONEHAVEN PRESS

10 copies	$.35 each
100 copies	$.25 each
1,000 copies	$.18 each

SHIP TO _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________

DAYTIME TELEPHONE # ( ) _________________________________

PAYMENT METHOD O CHECK OR MONEY ORDER ENCLOSED O CREDIT CARD O VISA O MASTERCARD O AMER EXP O DISCOVER CREDIT CARD # _________________________________________ EXP DATE _________ SIGNATURE ___________________________

CODE	TITLE	QUANTITY	COST EACH	TOTAL
SHIPPING CHARGES/SALES TAX UNITED STATES: ADD 10% (MIN. $2.00, MAX. $10.00) CANADA: ADD 15% (MIN. $3.00) INTERNATIONAL: ADD 40% (MIN. $5.00, VIA AIRMAIL ONLY) SALES TAX: SHIPMENT TO TENNESSEE ADDRESS ADD 8.25%			SUBTOTAL
			SHIPPING
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Bahá’í Distribution Service • 5397 Wilbanks Drive • Chattanooga, TN 37343 [Page 14]

How to make sense of a multitude of appeals for money contributions

BY THE OFFICE OF THE TREASURER

Many Local Spiritual Assemblies and individuals have written or phoned to advise the Office of the Treasurer and Development that they feel inundated with appeals for money: local Bahá’í centers 10 states away, youth projects and trips involving kids they have never heard of, teaching projects in countries half a world away. Then there are the more “normal” requests like the neighbors’ Arc fund-raiser. What do you do, these friends ask?

Fortunately, there is guidance. It involves priorities, crossing borders, and independence.

PRIORITIES

“...the most challenging and urgent is the completion of the Mount Carmel Projects...” was the assertion in a letter, written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice on Oct. 31, 1993, that set the Arc as the Bahá’í world’s first priority. That will be the case at least until 2000.

“The beloved Guardian has explained that the general and national interests of the Cause take precedence over local ones; thus contributions to local funds are secondary to those to national funds,” wrote the Universal House of Justice (Lights of Guidance, p. 259), confirming the principle that there is a hierarchy of need within the Administrative Order.

The progression is clear: The Arc, the International Fund, the Continental and National funds, and then the local fund. The magnitude of the financial requirements may differ, but the order of priority is unmistakable.

This allows us to screen or filter some of the requests that we get. Are we current, for example, on our goals for the National Bahá’í Fund? If we are, then perhaps we can entertain the request for the youth trip, but if we are not, then the National Fund should come first.

CROSSING BORDERS

From time to time members of communities outside the U.S. have tried various means to raise money here. The worth of the projects they seek to fund is rarely in question, but in line with the priorities, the National Spiritual Assembly has had to decline assistance in many cases. The Universal House of Justice has given guidance on this matter, too:

“The House of Justice has advised a number of National Spiritual Assemblies that they should not develop the habit of requesting financial support from their sister Assemblies, and that in cases where there are urgent or special calls on them ... they should turn to the House of Justice. ... You should respond with candor to the requests for financial assistance you receive. The fact that you have decided resolutely to contribute as much as you can to the International Funds of the Faith is a sound reason for your inability to contribute to projects in other countries, except with respect to our collaboration goals. Indeed, it would be a good lesson to others to know that, at this critical period when the needs at the Bahá’í World Center are so great, you are focusing your financial priorities in this way. ... The House of Justice is not insensible to your concern about fundraising activities in the United States. ... As you know, knowledge about particularly worthy projects is communicated by a myriad informal ways, and individuals in your community may thus be moved to contribute towards them. ... However, institu-

SEE FUND APPEALS, PAGE 34

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 invited to share them with other communities through this column. Contact the Office of the Treasurer (phone 847-733-3472, e-mail ). ANNUAL AUDIT DUE JUNE 30 The annual audit report for Local Spiritual Assemblies is due to the National Spiritual Assembly by June 30. The audit form was mailed to all Local Assemblies in mid-May. A reminder: If your Assembly uses the services of a professional firm, a copy of the audit, including the management letter, should be forwarded to the National Spiritual Assembly as soon as possible following its completion. CORPORATE MATCHING FOR MDS AND HH Many companies match the charitable contributions made by their employees. If friends in your community are employed by companies following this practice, those friends might like to know that Mottahedeh Development Services and Health for Humanity, both not-for-profit agencies under the auspices of the National Spiritual Assembly, can accept contributions and grants from other than Bahá’í sources. Employees of the federal government who participate in the Combined Federal Campaign can also name either of these agencies to receive their contributions. STEWARDSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT SEMINARS At least 160 Stewardship and Development Seminars were offered around the country over the last year. Those who attended expressed an enthusiastic response. Hosted by Local Spiritual Assemblies and led by trained facilitators, these seminars offer an opportunity to explore the guidance given us in the Sacred Writings and by the Universal House of Justice on the spiritual nature of supporting the Funds of the Faith. Part 2 of each seminar explores the practical aspect of managing the local treasury. This fall, Spiritual Assemblies will again have the opportunity to host additional seminars. If your Assembly would like to host a seminar, please contact Jennifer Torrence at 847-733-3421 or e-mail . CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HONOR ROLL The Honor Roll for 154 B.E. includes 801 Local Spiritual Assemblies and 200 registered groups. Congratulations to these Assemblies and groups that have demonstrated consistence and reliability in their contributions to the National Fund. The Honor Roll is released each year at the National Convention and appears on pages 16–17 in this edition of The American Bahá’í. “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

Believer discovers financial avenue for helping humanity

From the start this column was designed to elicit questions, comments and responses from the readers. To bolster its interactive nature from time to time we share some of the inspiring letters that tell of the impact of the sacred law of Huqúqu’lláh in the lives of believers who obey it. Here is a recent one:

“For several weeks I had found myself in an agitated state over the impoverished conditions of my fellow humans all over the planet. I was giving regularly to the Fund and believed that the Faith was the ultimate answer to these problems. But neither that knowledge nor the thought of giving more or of giving to non-Bahá’í agencies concerned with world hunger—nor anything else I could think of doing—gave me a respite from my anxiety. Memories of suffering I had seen in Third World countries continued to haunt me, and I didn’t know what to do.

“Then I heard there was to be a talk about Huqúqu’lláh. I flew to that meeting! Before then I had not paid attention to Huqúqu’lláh. It was for me something that the Persian Bahá’ís did that Americans were not yet obliged to observe. But at that meeting I heard about the spiritual solution to the economic problems. We Bahá’ís had often used that phrase at firesides when speaking of the Bahá’í principles, but we had not necessarily really understood the meaning of our words or how economic problems would be solved. I realized then that the institution of Huqúqu’lláh would play a major part in that solution. It would furnish the means whereby the extremes of wealth and poverty would be eliminated and a more equitable distribution of resources achieved.

“That was it! That was the answer! I thus felt spiritually ‘called’ to Huqúqu’lláh some time before the law became universally applicable, and it was with great joy and enthusiasm and lots and lots of tears that I made my first Huqúqu’lláh payment.” ◆

HUQÚQU’LLÁH	THE RIGHT OF GOD
Payments to Huqúqu’lláh should be made to “The Bahá’í Huqúqu’lláh Trust” (please write your Bahá’í identification number on your check) and sent to one of the Trustees:
• Dr. Amin Banani,	Santa Monica, CA 90402
• Mr. Stephen Birkland,	Arden Hills, MN 55112
• Dr. Daryush Haghighi,	Rocky River, OH 44116
• Mrs. Thelma Khelghati,	Lunenburg, MA 01462
Due to a recurrent illness, Trustee Dr. Elsie Austin is unable to receive payments for Huqúqu’lláh.
Inquiries about Huqúqu’lláh should be referred to one of the Trustees or to the Office of the Secretariat, Bahá’í Huqúqu’lláh Trust, Rocky River, OH 44116.

[Page 15]

Story-telling creates new spark for Feasts in California

BY SEDONA CALLAHAN

Sharing stories with one another touches each person’s heart. And that is why Feasts in the Bahá’í community of Toro-Laguna Seca, California, now truly feel like one family coming together around the table.

This small and struggling community on the Central Coast of California has held the Nineteen Day Feast regularly during its long existence. But positive change has come about just in the past few months through a slight restructuring of the business portion of Feast.

In the past, the community followed the business format utilized by most others: The secretary shares messages and correspondence, the treasurer gives a local and national treasury report, other committee reports are offered, and the chairperson asks the community members to consult and offer suggestions or recommendations to the Local Spiritual Assembly. Many times, there was no consultation.

A few months ago, based on the suggestion of a returned pioneer from Venezuela, this routine was altered. Community members are now asked at the beginning whether they have any Bahá’í news or stories to tell—international news first, then national, regional and local news.

Because several community members have family and friends who are pioneering in other countries, they are encouraged by the community to tell about them.

One young man related how his brother, a professional fisherman, docked in Fiji after three months at sea and attended a local Bahá’í Feast. An older couple just returned from a teaching trip to Mexico entertained all with stories of the people they met. Another couple described connecting electronically with family members abroad. Another man told of his correspondence with a young Bahá’í man in Uganda.

When the friends move to the national arena, stories are again shared—and then the secretary reads the National Assembly’s Feast letter.

Using this new format, all of the business of the community is taken care of.

The treasurer’s report is a part of local news, for example, but it is all told in story fashion, rather than report form.

The result is that all community members eagerly contribute to this sharing of stories—even the children, who want to tell, for example, that they got an e-mail from a cousin who is pioneering, or about their experiences while on pilgrimage.

The stories often lead to serious consultation and recommendations to the Assembly.

One result is that the Toro-Laguna Seca community, working with the Assembly of ‎an a‎ Ugandan community, is helping to pay for the education of two recently orphaned Bahá’í children in Uganda.

Thus by the time refreshments are brought out for the social portion of the Feast, the friends are already feeling a close bond of connection with other community members and continue to discuss those issues that were begun during the business proceedings.

Sedona Callahan is a member of the Toro-Laguna Seca community. ♦

Summer course on Persian open in Wilmette

There is still time to register for the intensive Persian language course to be held July 19–Aug. 8, sponsored by the Persian-American Affairs Office in collaboration with the Wilmette Institute.

• Where: In Wilmette, Illinois, at the same time and facilities as the Wilmette Institute’s Spiritual Foundations for a Global Civilization summer residential session.
• Session: Three weeks, five hours a day, five days a week. Program will include cultural activities to support and enhance classwork.
• Costs: $450 for tuition, study materials, plus $20 per night for dormitory.
• More information/To register: Contact the Persian-American Affairs Office, Bahá’í National Center, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (phone 847-733-3526). Payment should be made in advance. ♦

A SPIRITUAL OASIS

You are invited to participate in the 1998 Special Visit Program at the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár. These visits are created to offer the friends who live farther from the Mother Temple a spiritual oasis in which to relish a memorable experience.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE VISIT

• Guided visits to the Bahá’í Home, Publishing Trust, Media Services, Archives, House of Worship, National Center
• Enrichment sessions from the National Teaching Office, Pioneering Office, Wilmette Institute and House of Worship
• Audio-visual and film programs
• Bahá’í Bookstore shopping
• Garden teaching, guiding opportunities
• Option to read in daily devotional programs in the Auditorium
• Classes and activities for youth and children age 4 and up
• Also: group photo, lakeshore park with beach, and other free time Bahá’ís may bring friends and family, but should understand that some activities may require supplementary explanation for visitors who are not enrolled Bahá’ís.

Please return this form to: Special Visit Program, Activities Office, Bahá’í House of Worship, Wilmette, IL 60091

Inquiries: phone 847-853-2326, e-mail

Registration for weekend of August 13–16 is still being accepted; please register by July 5.

---

Family name of your travel group ___________________________________________ Number in your party _________

Telephone: Home ____________________________________________ Work ________________________________

Address __________________________________________________________________________________________________

City _____________________________________ State _______ ZIP Code ________ Country ___________________

List name(s) and Bahá’í ID numbers of all registrants. Attach an additional sheet if needed. Indicate Children/Youth ages and ID numbers (ages 4 and up may register). Some youth-specific activities will be included. A complete program for children is planned. Infant care and child care will not be provided. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

All registrants will receive transportation information and an itinerary of program activities by mail with their confirmation from the House of Worship Activities Office.

Registration fees: Adult $25 • Youth (11-20) $20 • Child (4-10) $10

Please make check payable to Bahá’í Services Fund and send with this form. Canadian or Mexican monies must be sent by cashier’s check in U.S. dollars.

HOTEL/TRANSPORTATION/MEALS

Do you want us to register you at our group rates at the Skokie Howard Johnson? _________ If so, number of rooms needed _________ Number of people in each room _________

Room rates (buffet breakfast included): Queen bed $80, 2 Double beds $85, King bed $93 You will handle all financial arrangements with hotel. Bus transportation to/from airport is provided. Please plan to lodge with family or roommate(s) of same gender. This office cannot match roommates. Please state any special needs associated with your accommodation. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Do you wish us to send you a list of other hotels in the area? _________ Transportation to or from other hotels will be on your own throughout the visit weekend.

Two lunches and occasional snacks are included with registration fees. Other meals and free-time transportation will be on your own. [Page 16]

1997-1998 TREASURER’S HONOR ROLL

We are very pleased to publish the Community Honor Roll for 154 B.E., a list of the 801 Local Spiritual Assemblies and 200 registered groups that distinguished themselves by the diligence and care they displayed in financial support of the National Spiritual Assembly over the past year.

To be listed in the Honor Roll, a community must have contributed to the National Bahá’í Fund:

• Fifteen times or more during at least 12 of 19 months of the Bahá’í year;
• At least 10 of 12 Gregorian months through the Automatic Contribution System (ACS) between March 1997 and February 1998; or
• With the same regularity through a combination of ACS and mailed contributions.

Congratulations to those communities, which have demonstrated unity and maturity in their consistent, regular and reliable contributions.

ALABAMA Birmingham Florence Homewood Jasper Jefferson County Madison Montgomery Tuscaloosa

ARIZONA Avondale Chandler Chino Valley Cochise County SW Coconino East Flagstaff Fountain Hills Ganado Chapter Gilbert Holbrook Houck Chapter Mesa Oro Valley Paradise Valley Peoria Phoenix Pima County North Pima County Central Pima County South Pinal County Prescott Scottsdale Sierra Vista Sun City Tempe Tucson Yuma

ARKANSAS Fayetteville Little Rock Rogers Russellville

CALIFORNIA Agoura Hills Altadena Anaheim Arcadia Arcata Arroyo Grande Bakersfield Belmont Berkeley Beverly Hills Boulder Creek Brea Burbank Burlingame Calabasas Camarillo Campbell Capitola Carlsbad Cerritos Chico Chino Hills Chula Vista Citrus Heights Claremont Clovis Concord Corona Covina Culver City Cupertino Dana Point Danville Diamond Bar El Cajon El Cajon JD El Dorado County NW El Dorado County SE Escondido Eureka Fair Oaks-Orangevale Fairfield Fallbrook San Diego Fillmore Folsom Fremont Fresno Garden Grove Gilroy Glendale Glendora Goleta Hanford Hayward Healdsburg Hemet Inglewood Irvine La Canada Flintridge La Crescenta La Habra La Mesa Lafayette Laguna Beach Laguna Hills Laguna Niguel Lakeside Lakewood Lancaster Lemon Grove Livermore Lomita Long Beach Los Alamitos Los Altos Los Angeles Los Gatos Madera Sierra JD Manteca Marin County Mariposa County Martinez Milpitas Mission Viejo Modesto Monrovia Monterey Moorpark Moreno Valley Mountain View Mt. San Jacinto JD Murrieta Napa Nevada County Central Nevada County SW Newark Newhall JD Newport Beach North Fork Novato Oak Park Oakland Oceanside Ontario Orange Orange County South JD Orange County West JD Orinda Oxnard Palm Desert Palm Springs Palmdale Palo Alto Paradise Pasadena Petaluma Placerville Pleasanton Poway Prunedale Rancho Cucamonga Rancho Palos Verdes Redlands Redondo Beach Redwood City Richmond Ridgecrest Riverside Riverside JD Rocklin Roseville Sacramento Sacramento County SE Sacramento County NW San Anselmo San Bernardino San Bernardino MCD-Victorville San Clemente San Diego San Diego County North JD San Francisco San Jose San Juan Capistrano San Leandro San Leandro Hayward JD San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo County NW San Luis Obispo County South San Marcos San Mateo San Mateo County South JD San Rafael San Ramon Santa Barbara Santa Clara Santa Clarita Santa Cruz Santa Cruz County North Santa Maria Santa Maria JD Santa Paula Santa Rosa Santee Saratoga Seal Beach Sierra Madre Simi Valley Sonoma County SD #4 South San Francisco Spring Valley Stanford Stockton Suisun City Sunnyvale Temple City Thousand Oaks Three Lakes JD Tiburon Toro and Laguna Seca Tuolumne Central JD Tustin Union City Upland Vacaville Vallejo Ventura Ventura County Victorville Vista Walnut Walnut Creek West Hollywood Westlake Village Whittier Windsor Yorba Linda

COLORADO Arapahoe County Arvada Aurora Boulder Boulder County Colorado Springs Cortez Douglas County Fort Collins Glenwood Springs Jefferson County La Plata County Lafayette Lakewood Larimer County Longmont Louisville Loveland Northglenn Pueblo Westminster

CONNECTICUT Farmington Town Hartford Norwalk Oxford Town Plainville Ridgefield Town Roxbury Town Stamford West Hartford Town

DELAWARE Dover New Castle County North New Castle County West Sussex County Wilmington

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Washington

FLORIDA Altamonte Springs Atlantic Beach Brevard County Broward County South Charlotte County Citrus County Clearwater Collier County Cooper City Coral Springs Dade County Central Dade County North Dade County South Deerfield Beach Fort Lauderdale Gainesville Greater Gainesville Hillsborough County East Hillsborough County NW Hollywood Indian River County Jacksonville Key Largo Key West Lakeland Largo Lee County Leon County Manatee County Marion County Miami Nassau County Orange County East Orlando Osceola County Palm Beach County Central Palm Beach County South Pembroke Pines Pinellas County Polk County Pompano Beach Sarasota Sarasota County North St. Petersburg Beach Tallahassee Tamarac Wilton Manors

GEORGIA Alpharetta Athens-Clarke County Atlanta Augusta Clayton County Cobb County SW Cobb County NE Cobb County South Cobb County SE Cobb County West Columbia County East Columbus Dalton De Kalb County Central De Kalb County North Fulton County Central Glynn County Gwinnett County North Hall County Lithonia Peach County Savannah Valdosta

IDAHO Ada County Boise Idaho Falls Lewiston Moscow Valley County

ILLINOIS Arlington Heights Aurora Bloomington Bolingbrook Champaign Chicago Crystal Lake Darien Decatur Deerfield Des Plaines Downers Grove East Peoria Edwardsville Elgin Evanston Glen Ellyn Glencoe Glenview Hoffman Estates Joliet La Grange Mahomet Township Maine Township Naperville Northbrook Oak Park Park Forest Park Ridge Peoria Rockford Roscoe Township Skokie Springfield St. Charles Urbana Waukegan Wheaton Wilmette Woodstock

INDIANA Angola Bloomington Bloomington Township Gary Indianapolis Kokomo Lafayette Mishawaka Mount Vernon Muncie South Bend Vincennes

IOWA Ames Cedar Falls Cedar Rapids Council Bluffs Davenport Des Moines Iowa City Mount Vernon Sioux City Warren County Waterloo

KANSAS Butler County Derby Dodge City Hutchinson Kansas City Lawrence Newton Overland Park Wichita Winfield

KENTUCKY Boyle County Jefferson County Jeffersontown Lexington Louisville

LOUISIANA Avondale Baton Rouge East Baton Rouge Parish Jefferson Parish East La Place Lafayette Monroe New Orleans Ouachita Parish Shreveport St. Tammany Parish SE St. Tammany Parish West

MAINE Auburn Augusta Dexter Town Eliot Town Kingfield Portland South Portland

MARYLAND Annapolis Anne Arundel County East Baltimore Baltimore County Central Baltimore County West Calvert County Carroll County Frederick County Gaithersburg Greenbelt Laurel Montgomery County East Montgomery County North Montgomery County NW Montgomery County SE [Page 17]

ADMINISTERING THE CAUSE

Montgomery County South Montgomery County SW Prince Georges County North Prince Georges County South Rockville Takoma Park

MASSACHUSETTS

Amherst Town Arlington Town Barnstable Town Boston Bourne Town Brookline Town Cambridge Chelmsford Town Concord Town Dartmouth Town Easthampton Town Foxboro Town Ipswich Lexington Town Longmeadow Town Lowell Malden Marlborough Medford Milford Town Montague Town Nantucket Newton Northampton Northfield Town Salem Somerville South Hadley Town Springfield Wareham Town Watertown Town Westford Town Wilbraham Town Worcester

MICHIGAN

Allen Park Ann Arbor Big Rapids Bloomfield Township Canton Township Clinton Township Davison Township Detroit East Lansing Flint Grand Rapids Hart Township Holland Huntington Woods Kalamazoo Lansing Marquette Midland Niles Township Oak Park Pittsfield Township Saginaw Saginaw Township St. Clair Shores Scottville Southfield St. Joseph Troy White River Township Ypsilanti Township

MINNESOTA

Aitkin County Arden Hills Baudette Beltrami County Clearwater County Coon Rapids Duluth Eden Prairie Edina Falcon Heights Foley Golden Valley Grand Rapids Greenwood Little Canada Maple Grove May Township Minneapolis Minnetonka Moorhead Plymouth Roseville Sartell St. Louis Park St. Paul Stillwater West St. Paul Woodbury

MISSISSIPPI

Gulfport Jackson Vicksburg

MISSOURI

Columbia Franklin County Jefferson City Kansas City Phelps County Rolla St. Charles St. Charles County St. Louis St. Peters Springfield University City Webster Groves

MONTANA

Bozeman Butte-Silver Bow Flathead County Great Falls Helena Missoula

NEBRASKA

Aurora Bellevue Gering Grand Island Lincoln Nebraska City North Platte Scottsbluff County

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Concord Exeter Town Keene Lebanon Manchester Nashua Peterborough Portsmouth Wolfeboro Town

NEW JERSEY

Bloomfield Clifton East Brunswick Township Franklin Township Glassboro Hamilton Township Hopewell Township Lakewood Township Lawrence Township Matawan Montclair Township Piscataway Township Ridgewood Teaneck Trenton Ventnor City

NEW MEXICO

Alamogordo Albuquerque Aztec Belen Farmington Gallup Hobbs Las Cruces Lincoln County Los Alamos County Los Lunas Pajarito Rio Rancho Roswell San Juan County Sandoval County North Santa Fe Santa Fe County

NEW YORK

Albany Amherst Town Beacon Brookhaven Town Buffalo Clarence Town Garden City Geneva Greece Town Greenwich Hempstead Town Hoosick Falls Huntington Town Islip Town Ithaca Mount Vernon New Paltz New York City Olean Orchard Park Town Perinton Town Pittsford Town Rochester Schenectady Smithtown Town Tonawanda Town Utica Victor Town Webster Town White Plains

NEVADA

Boulder City Carson City Churchill County Clark County West Las Vegas North Las Vegas Paradise Town Reno Sparks Sunrise Manor Washoe County South

NORTH CAROLINA

Asheville Buncombe County Carrboro Cary Chapel Hill Charlotte Chatham County Durham Durham County Greensboro Hamlet Henderson County High Point Matthews Orange County Raleigh Wake County Wilmington Winston-Salem

NORTH DAKOTA

Jamestown Minot

OHIO

Bainbridge Township Bexley Bowling Green Bucyrus Chesapeake Cleveland Heights Columbus Dayton Delaware Jackson Township Kent Kettering Macedonia Mansfield Mentor Miami Township Poland Shaker Heights Stow Sylvania Toledo Urbana Warrensville Heights Weller Township Yellow Springs

OKLAHOMA

Edmond Midwest City Moore Norman Oklahoma City Ponca City Sapulpa Shawnee Tulsa Yukon

OREGON

Ashland Beaverton Bend Benton County Burns Clackamas County NW Clackamas County South Clatsop County Coos County Corvallis Deschutes County Douglas County Eugene Forest Grove Greater Grants Pass Hillsboro Jackson County Jefferson County Klamath Falls La Grande Lake Oswego Lane County Central Manzanita McMinnville Medford Milwaukie Oregon City Pendleton Portland Roseburg Springfield Tigard Wallowa County Washington County North Washington County South West Linn

PENNSYLVANIA

Altoona Bethlehem Buckingham Township Harrisburg Lower Merion Township Philadelphia Pittsburgh State College Susquehanna Township Tredyffrin Township Warren

RHODE ISLAND

Hopkinton Town Warwick

SOUTH CAROLINA

Aiken Anderson County Charleston Columbia Conway Cross Florence Greater Darlington Greenville Greenwood County Horry County Lexington County North Mauldin North Augusta Pendleton Pickens County Spartanburg Summerville

SOUTH DAKOTA

Custer Pierre Rapid City

TENNESSEE

Brentwood Chattanooga Franklin Hamilton County Hendersonville Johnson City Maryville Memphis Murfreesboro Nashville Rutherford County Shelby County Williamson County Wilson County

TEXAS

Addison Allen Arlington Austin Bedford Bellaire Benbrook Canyon Carrollton Cedar Park College Station Colleyville Coppell Corpus Christi Dallas Del Rio Denison Denton Duncanville Eagle Pass Edinburg El Paso Flower Mound Fort Worth Frisco Garland Grand Prairie Grapevine Harris County NW Harris County SW Houston Hurst Irving Lake Jackson League City Lewisville McKinney McAllen Midland Missouri City North Richland Hills Odessa Pasadena Plano Richardson Round Rock San Antonio The Colony The Woodlands Travis County Tyler Victoria Waco West University Place Williamson County

UTAH

Logan Ogden Salt Lake City Salt Lake County Sandy South Ogden

VIRGINIA

Albemarle County Alexandria Arlington County Charlottesville Chesterfield County Fairfax City Fairfax County Central S. Fairfax County East Fairfax County West Falls Church Great Falls Greater Vienna Henrico County Herndon James City County Loudoun County McLean Mount Vernon Newport News Norfolk Reston Richmond Roanoke Roanoke County Scottsville Stafford County Staunton Vienna Virginia Beach

WASHINGTON

Aberdeen Anacortes Auburn Bellevue Bellingham Bothell Bremerton Cowlitz County CD 3 Edmonds Everett Issaquah Juanita King County E. Central King County S. Central King County SE Kitsap County Central Kitsap County South Lake Forest Park Lakewood Lynnwood Makah Reservation Mercer Island Moses Lake Mount Vernon Mountlake Terrace Mukilteo Newcastle Normandy Park Olympia Pasco Pierce County CD 3 Port Angeles Pullman Raymond Redmond Renton Seattle Shelton Shoreline Snohomish County SE Snohomish County SW Snohomish County North Spokane Spokane County CD 1 Spokane County CD 2 Tacoma ‎Thorston Thurston‎ County East Toppenish Tumwater University Place Vancouver Walla Walla West Richland Whatcom County CD 3 Woodinville Yakima Yakima County CD 1

WISCONSIN

Algoma Antigo Appleton Beloit Cedarburg De Pere Delafield Eau Claire Farmington Town Fond du Lac Greenfield Janesville Kenosha La Crosse Madison Milwaukee Muskego New Berlin Oshkosh Portage County Sheboygan Stevens Point Sun Prairie Waukesha Waukesha Township Wausau Wauwatosa West Allis Wilson Township Winchester Township Winneconne

WEST VIRGINIA

Charleston Jefferson County Morgantown Princeton

WYOMING

Laramie [Page 18]

Rich & Noble, too

“... make me a cause of bounty to the human world, and crown my head with the diadem of eternal life ...”

Rich & Noble, too is about the Bahá’í Funds. Kids can and do give to the Funds and help the world tremendously by doing so!

The answer to last issue’s activity is LIANG which means ‘light’ or ‘bright’ in Chinese. It is pronounced LEE (like BEE) and ONG (like ONG). LIANG the LION has a new phrase to share with you! It’s an important one:

UNIVERSAL PARTICIPATION

When every Bahá’í contributes to the Bahá’í Funds, this is called Universal Participation. The Universal House of Justice says that when we have Universal Participation, our communities and the world will grow and will be blessed!

Liang the Lion welcomes any stories or ideas you have about giving to the Funds! You can contact him at the Office of the Treasurer (mail: 1233 Central St. · Evanston, IL 60201-1611 / e-mail: nwong@usbnc.org) Until next time, Liang wants to share some more of Bahá’u’lláh’s wonderful words with you!

O SON OF BEING!

Thou art my lamp and My light is in thee. Get thou from it thy radiance and seek none other than Me. For I have created thee rich and have bountifully shed My favor upon thee. — Bahá’u’lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh

radiance: great brightness, love, kindness, joy

bountifully: plentiful, abundant, more than enough

Color each box according to their symbol and discover what we have when universal participation happens!

❂ RED

♥ YELLOW

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Activity by Nancy Wong

We are LOOKing for KIND-Hearted artists, ILLUSTRATORS, educators, WRITERS, and photographers to contribute their talents to Brilliant Star.

Our upcoming themes: Force of Transformation Dynamics of Prayer Study of the Holy Texts Inspired to Teach

Please contact: Amethel Parel-Sewell Managing Editor/Art Director BRILLIANT STAR c/o Bahá’í Media Services 1233 Central St. · Evanston, IL 60201 tel/847.853.2355 · fax/847.256.1372

Brilliant Star in Color!

Brilliant Star Special Edition 1998 in color and an accompanying music tape with a theme song by Red and Kathy Grammer are now available from:

Bahá’í Distribution Service 5397 Wilbanks Drive Chattanooga, TN 37343 1.800.999.9019 Fax: 423.843.0836

Special Edition was created for use in the Bahá’í Summer Schools. For information on attending summer classes, contact: Education and Schools Office 847.733.3492 or at their e-mail address ( ) [Page 19]

Counselors’ comments on the Ridván 155 message from the Universal House of Justice

• Wilma Ellis noted the current Plan continues previous Plans’ prime objective of carrying the healing message to the generality of humankind and said the National Assembly has responded with a dual emphasis on race unity and the advancement of women.

But she stressed the Ridván message’s injunction that the individual, in the words of Shoghi Effendi, “not wait for any directions.”

She asked: Do we really believe in the power of race unity and in the equality of women and men? Are we really prepared to sacrifice to accomplish these aims?

• Jacqueline Left Hand Bull keyed on the message’s plea for systematization. She quoted the message that our efforts need to be “clear-headed, methodical, efficient, constant, balanced and harmonious.”

In response the individual, in the words of the Supreme Body, “must make a conscious decision as to what he or she will do to serve the Plan, and as to how, where and when to do it.” In this we would do well, she said, to restudy the Tablets of the Divine Plan and The Advent of Divine Justice, as well as the Ridván messages and the Dec. 26, 1995, letter to the Counselors. ♦

NATIONAL CONVENTION, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

to the delegates that evening, he was invited to the podium—“Reporting for duty,” he quipped—and recited a heartfelt prayer for assistance.

Chairman James Nelson, in the evening, introduced the Assembly and its other newly elected officers: Dorothy Nelson, vice-chairman; Dr. Henderson, secretary-general; Dr. Kazemzadeh, secretary for external affairs; Mr. Davis, treasurer; Ms. Conrad, assistant secretary.

Several Assembly members paid warm tributes to Dr. Deas, who over the years has traveled extensively in the teaching work, served as head of the Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute, and participated in international work for the equality of women and men. She was praised in addition for her spiritual approach to the National Assembly work, her loyalty and her mastery of the essentials of consultation. She was warmly, sometimes tearfully, applauded when invited to speak to the gathering.

Dr. Deas challenged the American Bahá’ís through their delegates: “We need your sacrifices, we need your tenacity, we need to be audacious when we talk about Bahá’u’lláh.”

Harking to the Guardian’s assertion that one soul can cause the spiritual illumination of a continent, she said, “We need to see 50,000, 100,000 believers come into this Cause” by the end of the Plan. “We cannot just socialize each other and teach each other. ... We have to embrace humanity.”

The gathering was also marked by a National Teaching Committee report designating the midpoint of the Four Year Plan as the beginning of a “performance phase” of the teaching plan after two years of a “building phase” that involved the first efforts in Atlanta and activities surrounding the first wave of nationwide broadcasts (see box).

The first day of the Convention took a celebratory tone, highlighted by a summary of the National Assembly’s annual report that was filled with a triumphant succession of accomplishments (see box).

Old friends greeted each other after long absences; new friendships sprang up left and right. Members of the National Spiritual Assembly and the Continental Board of Counselors carried the joy of the recently completed International Convention in the Holy Land. And all looked back in amazement at a year that saw the U.S. Bahá’í community making great strides toward redefining itself. (See box below)

To be sure, solemnity blended with joy at the start, as international performer Red Grammer sang a meditative setting of the Tablet of Ahmad, accompanied only by his guitar, that left the gathering in deep silence for close to a minute.

But after prayers in Persian, Spanish and English, proceedings get under way with a roll call of the delegates from across the country and prayerful elections that placed Dorothy Nelson as convention chairman and William Davis as secretary.

Jacqueline Left Hand Bull joined Dr. Ellis, her fellow Counselor, in sharing enthusiasm from the International Convention.

“The diversity of humankind was unequaled by [nearly] any gathering we’ve had,” Ms. Left Hand Bull said. She was impressed at the Haifa convention by “all the National Spiritual Assembly members in their 20s and 30s who were reporting on the victories they’ve already had,” and now are analyzing and planning their next steps.

Dr. Ellis passed along the reminder by the Hand of the Cause ‘Alí Muhammad Varqá that the Faith has grown from 500,000 adherents in the time of the Guardian to more than 6 million.

In addition, a pre-release version of the video presentation on the International Convention moved the Convention-goers Saturday night.

The presence of several distinguished guests added an extra note of inspiration: Mildred Mottahedeh, Eunice and Leonard Braun, Nancy Phillips and Gayle Woolson.

On the second day, the business of consultation got under way in earnest, fueled by a reading of the Ridván 155 B.E. message of the Universal House of Justice—our marching orders for the year—and the National Teaching Committee’s presentation on the National Teaching Plan, which already has helped accelerate teaching and local community development. (See boxes, pages 22–23)

The four Regional Bahá’í Councils earned sometimes-thunderous ovations with brief presentations on their actions and plans in the last five months. They involved race unity and diversity development efforts, teaching campaigns, youth emphasis and work with regional training institutes, among other areas.

Other presentations were given during the Convention by the Board of Trustees of Huqúqu’lláh in the United States and the National Youth Committee.

During consultation, delegates lined up on either side of the meeting hall waiting their turn at a microphone. Those who had not yet spoken at the Convention got priority at all eight formal consultation sessions.

Discussion by the delegates was frank and loving, focused on the goals of the Four Year Plan and how the national and local communities can achieve them. Several delegates and visitors commented on the great degree of sensitivity and courtesy shown in the consultations.

A special place in discussion was set aside for American Indian believers. Phyllis Sheridan, a member of the Assembly of Macy, Nebraska, was invited to say a special healing prayer for Native American Bahá’ís.

It was noted that 1998 marks 50 years since Macy elected the country’s first Assembly whose members were all indigenous believers. After reading part of a letter from the Guardian paying tribute to that Assembly, Ms. Left Hand Bull reminded the friends of the significant role American Indians can fulfill as teachers and pioneers, and the need to pave the way for these believers to serve the Cause.

She reported an upsurge in American Indian teaching and community development. Sixteen Local Spiritual Assemblies were formed on reservations this Ridván in the states she oversees, compared to just four last year in all states.

In the presentation on Huqúqu’lláh, trustee Amin Banani stressed that the Right of God is an integral part of Bahá’í life and represents the privilege of pro-

SEE CONVENTION, PAGE 23

Mildred Mottahedeh (left) is greeted by fellow special visitor Eunice Braun alongside Jacqueline Left Hand Bull, member of the Continental Board of Counselors. Photo by Tom Mennillo

ANNUAL REPORT SUMMARY HIGHLIGHTS

Spontaneous applause broke out frequently Thursday night as members of the National Spiritual Assembly listed a dazzling array of achievements since Ridván 1997, in response to directives of the Four Year Plan, in these and other areas:

• Development of the institutions, with four Regional Bahá’í Councils established and 75 percent of the country’s Local Spiritual Assemblies undergoing training.
• Strengthening the consolidation of the Faith through training institutes (18 regional, 350 local) and Core Curriculum courses.
• Earning prominent national and local roles in women’s rights and dialogues toward race unity. In particular, Bahá’ís are leaders in the national campaign supporting ratification of the U.N. convention to eliminate discrimination against women, and 100,000 copies of Two Wings of a Bird: The Equality of Women and Men have been distributed.
• A new energy from youth, who have formed 200 performing workshops and carried out a record number of service and teaching projects.
• A revolution in national communication, with 19 new titles produced by the Publishing Trust and revamping of The American Bahá’í, Brilliant Star and World Order.
• Increase in efforts in social or economic service to humanity, on a local level through Unity Centers in Atlanta and Los Angeles and nationally or globally through Health for Humanity, Mottahedeh Development Services and the Rabbani Trust.
• A 20 percent increase in unrestricted contributions to the National Fund, and a goal for the upcoming year of $27 million contributed by the friends to all funds through the National Treasurer.
• A total of 567 U.S. pioneers in place outside the United States and 3,376 international teaching trips, including 97 trips by African-Americans to Africa, and 97 Youth Service Corps participants.
• The National Teaching Plan and media initiative (see box, page 23). ♦

[Page 20]

CONVENTION REFLECTIONS

LENNEL GRACE MAYWOOD, ILLINOIS

I got a lot of spiritual energy from this Convention, from seeing old friends and talking to them, sharing ideas, opportunities to listen and to reflect. I need it because we lost our LSA this year and it’s a pretty serious blow. ... If we all do our jobs better it wouldn’t be an issue, and a 50-year-old Assembly wouldn’t go out of existence. What can I do to improve the situation?

It’s like I feel thirsty and I need some water. I had a desire to feel better spiritually and this desire was fulfilled. I got around other people who feel great, who feel well, and I absorbed that. I feel better because I am taking home hopefulness, upliftedness and spiritual clarification.

Displays, workshops help national agencies connect

BY TOM MENNILLO

It was a two-way, pothole-free street that agencies of the National Spiritual Assembly traveled with 89th Bahá’í National Convention attendees.

Displays and workshops provided convention-goers with one-on-one access to representatives of the various agencies and lots of fliers, brochures, and other handouts.

Just as important, they allowed agencies not only to deliver a message but sign up potential volunteers such as pioneers, authors and illustrators, and skilled resource people.

The Bahá’í Publishing Trust booth, for example, vividly demonstrated the process of how a book gets made—from manuscript proposal to press run.

“We’re hoping to interest potential authors and illustrators,” said Terry Cassiday, staffing the display, “and we’d like to get out information to them so that people know a little more about the process of how to submit a manuscript and what’s involved in selecting a manuscript for publication.”

At the Office of the Treasurer display, Jeremy Phelan and others chatted amiably with passers-by.

“We have here a number of giveaways: on the writing of a will, which is very important, on alternatives people can consider for giving to the Funds. And Spiritual Gifts, which has been particularly popular with kids, where they tell us what they’re happy for in their lives and share that with all the friends here,” Phelan said.

But he believes the personal contact to be just as critical. “We want them to see we’re real people, not just a stamp on your check, that we’re here to help,” he said.

Lynne Yancy of the Research Office hoped convention delegates and visitors came away with a sense of the department’s function.

“All we do is read, read, read and respond to the friends with what we find out,” she said. “And helping the friends get things straight, and helping the writers.”

Fortunately, “They’re writing things better and more surely, and it’s very fun to read.”

At the convention, Yancy also was representing the Institute of Bahá’í Studies and the Wilmette Institute.

“I really wish people would sign up for this [Wilmette Institute], especially the short courses that are coming up this summer. You don’t have to be a full-time, four-year student, but you still get the advantage of in-depth knowledge of Bahá’u’lláh’s Writings, which is really good.”

Meanwhile, a series of workshops was conducted for convention non-delegates.

The Education and Schools Office presented “The Evolution of the Core Curriculum” and “Implementing The Power of Race Unity Video.”

The Office of Pioneering offered “Have You Heard the Call?” several times.

“Spiritual Gifts” and “Where There’s a Will” were popular sessions by the Office of the Treasurer, while its “Communities Considering a Bahá’í Center” session drew an especially large audience.

Participants in a workshop titled “The National Media Initiative and the Evolving Role of the National Teaching Committee” received the same opportunity to ask questions about the teaching campaign that delegates got in their consultation.

“Local Spiritual Assembly Integration System” allowed the Information Services Office to explain progress toward decentralizing many record-keeping functions. The schedule now is for all Assemblies to participate by September.

The Office of Assembly Development offered “A Sense of Partnership: The Individual and the Local Spiritual Assembly.”

The Board of Trustees of Huqúqu’lláh also presented a workshop, as did the national African-American and American Indian teaching committees, the Latin-American and Chinese task forces, and the National Committee for the Advancement of Women.

FIRST-TIME DELEGATE, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Even more so the next morning at the delegate deepening; we were blessed to have two Counselors lead the deepening. And when we sat at tables in little groups, my group just basically took me by my arm and led me through the whole process of what I was supposed to do and answered every question I had. The questions were answered with such love and excitement. That really helped me in ways I can’t describe. ...

And then was the excitement of my first time being in Chicago and being in Wilmette. That was even much more enjoyed with going to the House of Worship for the Ascension [of Bahá’u’lláh observance]. I remember sitting on the bus and all of a sudden I saw the House of Worship appear and my heart just dropped. And I tell you, it’s just an unbelievable experience that everybody needs to have.

What are you going to tell the friends back home in your report?

I took a lot of notes. When I get back I will filter everything and put it in a way I’ll be able to explain.

First of all I’d like to let my area know the atmosphere that was here. ... And I’d like to share with my community the important things I highlighted such as having a loving and nurturing community, the major emphasis on consolidation, share some information that was discussed by the National Teaching Committee, which I think is doing a wonderful job for the Faith in the United States because of the research information that has gone out. That information can help us do what we’re supposed to be concentrating on, which is going to receptive souls. ...

We don’t get together with people in our Unit as much as we should, so what I will probably try to structure is a sit-down lunch or dinner where we can all be together, or [like last year] have something out at a park. And I’d like to give the opportunity to as many people in our Unit who came to the Convention to express how they felt about it.

Tell me about being a teller.

The opening day of Convention I was blessed with being selected as one of the tellers, and when I heard my name called out my heart dropped again. I didn’t know what to do, but the head teller [David Young] did an excellent job.

Delegate David Henderson speaks during consultation. Photo by Tom Mennillo

Working with the tellers confirmed that the process of how we hold our elections is a bounty—unique, completely spiritual. It put to rest any doubts I might have had in the process of how we go about electing our National Spiritual Assembly: the prayers before the voting, the way we vote, and just how the atmosphere is set before you vote.

And the staff at the House of Worship made sure we felt welcome and that we had everything we needed. It’s just a tremendous feeling to see the sacrifice that so many people make, people behind the scenes that normally we wouldn’t see or recognize. But there are many people who are making these conventions what they are, from the security to the staff to the greeters at the door, all the youth who are here volunteering.

What has the Convention experience meant to you personally?

Having my wife here has been a pleasure. This is not just an affair for the individual. ... And that has brought us closer to be able to hear the recommendations and suggestions from the delegates together. And having such a large group of Bahá’ís from my Unit—there are approximately 16 of us here from the Charlotte area [including five youth]—is nice to know. And for myself I’ve had the opportunity to spark some dialogue at the convention about the issues of our youth. ... My heart feels lighter for being able to do so.

What did you learn from the consultation on youth that will help you?

I think the key moment for me in regards to the youth was when a delegate got up and asked, “Does the National Spiritual Assembly see a problem pertaining to our youth?” ... Juana Conrad got up and the answer was that, yes, the National Spiritual Assembly sees there’s a critical situation with our youth. Hearing that answer, I realized that the situation would be addressed and it would be addressed correctly.

What it tells me as a Youth Workshop coordinator is that the role of coordinators is even that much more important. No matter what we go through in our individual lives we still have to be there and give an immediate sacrifice of our time to our youth. It charged me up and I’m now ready to go back and meet with my group.

What was it like getting up to speak during consultation?

I thought it would make me a little bit nervous, but just because of the atmosphere I felt I was in my own living room among friends, so I was really at ease. ... I had a listening ear.

What other consultations really stood out for you?

The open consultation at the House of Worship after we cast our ballots. Being a teller I was off in a room, but they had hooked up a feed into our room so we could hear the consultation. I was removed physically from the consultation but was there spiritually. I was able to hear what was being said ... and just by listening I was able to pick up good ideas I can take back to my own community. [Page 21]

MESSAGES TO AND FROM THE CONVENTION

To the Universal House of Justice, May 30, 1998

Dearly Loved and Esteemed Members,

Having been inspired by a day of consultation with Counselors Wilma Ellis and Jacqueline Left Hand Bull fresh from their attendance at the International Convention, we, the delegates assembled at the 89th Bahá’í National Convention, send to you our most loving greetings.

We are eager to tell you of the power unleashed at this gathering by your Ridván letter, particularly as that guidance exhorts us as individuals to focus on personal teaching and to become more systematic in all our endeavors to serve this beloved Cause. How clearly your message confirmed, yet again, that the success of the Four Year Plan is dependent on individual initiative coupled with the support of our divinely guided consultative bodies. You reminded us that individual initiatives become empowered and unleashed through the continued development and utilization of Training Institutes. You have also made us aware of the urgency with which we must prioritize all our actions and use every moment in the rapidly narrowing corridor of time remaining in this, the final plan of this century. It is with this understanding in mind that we commit ourselves

• to develop individual teaching plans
• to measure and monitor our progress
• to encourage the Local Institutions on which we serve to systematize their own plans and efforts, and
• to inspire and motivate the friends at our Convention Reports that they may be similarly guided by the infallible wisdom of your Ridván letter.

While we are painfully aware that from a purely statistical point of view, our community does not yet demonstrate the quantitative growth we sorely long to achieve, the delegates have become conscious of a more subtle but no less significant type of growth. First, we cannot help being encouraged by the evolving maturity and caliber of the consultation among the delegates. Second, we have shared one and all our enthusiasm for and total support of the well wrought initiatives already inaugurated under the leadership of our National Spiritual Assembly with its ongoing media campaign “The Power of Race Unity” which has garnered an unexpectedly propitious response. Third, we have been tremendously excited by the substantive reports given by the newly-elected Regional Bahá’í Councils. Indeed, your wisdom in creating this institution has been made readily apparent here, for it is obvious they have taken to heart your exhortation to “press forward quickly.”

In closing, let us assure you how seriously we take your advice and how intensely we feel your loving and prayerful support. In return, we pledge to you “to act, to act now, and to continue to act.”

Delegates to the 89th Bahá’í National Convention

To the Delegates to the 89th Bahá’í National Convention of the United States, May 31, 1998

Dearly loved friends,

Your message of hope and determination has impelled us to the conviction that great victories hover on the horizon of your community. You have only to reach for them in a thrust of action fit for champions. The plan of the United States is set, its early results promising, its prospects high. Nothing must distract the members of this community now: for this is the time, the right time, for their preparation and their effort to yield magnificent fruit. Be confident, too, that the unfailing assistance of the divine Concourse is accessible to any individual who will arise to serve the major aim of the Four Year Plan. Forward, then, to new frontiers of achievement! And rest assured that our loving prayers surround our dear co-workers throughout that specially blessed land.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,

The Universal House of Justice

To the National Conventions of the Bahá’ís of Alaska, Greenland and the United States, May 16, 1998

Dear Bahá’í friends,

As we gather in Montreal to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the election of the first National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Canada, we greet you, our sister communities of the North American Continent and of Greenland, with hearts and souls filled with deep awe and humility, but also with a profound sense of love and joy at the indescribable bounty bestowed upon us all. Together, we share a common heritage and a common destiny.

At this extraordinary juncture in the history of the Cause of God, at this mid-way point in the Four Year Plan which closes the Century of Light and brings us closer to the Lesser Peace, at this momentous occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the election of our first National Spiritual Assembly, the Bahá’í Convention of Canada wishes first to acknowledge, with abiding gratitude, the messages of love it has received from the Universal House of Justice and the Hands of the Cause of God. As well, we wish to express the profound appreciation of the Bahá’í community of Canada to the National Spiritual Assembly and Bahá’í community of the United States whose love and support during the past fifty years has been constant. The presentation to us by the representative of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, following the expressed instructions of the beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, of the original Tablet of the Divine Plan dated April 5, 1916 addressed to Canada by the Master, was one of the most intense and poignant moments of this Convention and once again called to our attention the eternal bond which unites our two communities.

Our fiftieth anniversary celebrations were particularly blessed by the presence of a substantial number of Indigenous delegates and observers. This reminded us so powerfully of the special place which the first inhabitants of this continent occupy in the Tablets of the Divine Plan and of their special mission in the spiritual awakening of this continent.

It is the fervent hope of the Canadian National Convention that the Bahá’ís of the North American continent and of Greenland unitedly surge forward to arrive victoriously at the fulfillment of the Four Year Plan.

With deep Bahá’í love,

The National Convention of the

Bahá’ís of Canada

A special connection

Believers who are American Indians or are pioneering on reservations gathered for a group photo after Saturday night’s consultation. With the group was longtime National Spiritual Assembly member Alberta Deas (right), who moved in recent months to the Navajo Reservation. Photo by Tom Hennillo

FIRST-TIME DELEGATE, CONTINUED

The Counselors at the deepening ‎[early Thursday] bracketed text in original‎ did such a wonderful job of emphasizing that we should focus on national concerns and on the advancement of the process of entry by troops and the Four Year Plan. There was a great amount of emphasis at Convention based on the individual believer and taking individual initiative. We as individuals need to come to bat, get a hit, do what we need to do for the Faith.

What was particularly memorable to you about the rest of the program?

One of the most memorable moments for me has been the singing. Somebody would start singing and we would sing songs, and that really touched me because I’m really missing in religious life the gospel music I grew up to love.

The other thing would be the presentation of the ‎[preview video] bracketed text in original‎ about the International Convention. I haven’t had the opportunity to go to the Holy Land, but just by seeing those pictures and the way it was presented I felt like I was at the Holy Land and it brought tears to my eyes. ... It helped me get a sense of what the Bahá’í Faith is really doing.

Were you able to visit many of the displays by the offices and agencies of the National Assembly?

Not really, because every time I tried to move down the hall a delegate would grab my arm and start talking to me, people I had never met before. And for me that’s been so wonderful. I don’t know as many Bahá’ís as I would like to, but I feel like now I have met some people who will be friends for a lifetime. ◆

CONVENTION REFLECTIONS

SHERDEANA JORDAN SUGAR LAND, TEXAS

I feel that great energy and love just surrounding me. ...the workshop on effective teaching in the African-American community ... was very soul-stirring to me. It was amazing the love you felt in this meeting. As the spiritual Dawn-Breakers of this time we have to focus more on the organic unity of mankind. I’ve been asked to go to Africa as a member of the youth dance workshop and teach the Faith in different African countries. Soheil Zargarpoor, who coordinates the project “Generation Hope,” is putting together a group of youth to participate in this teaching. I am very excited about it! ◆ [Page 22]

CONVENTION REFLECTIONS

SUSANNE AMENT BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA

It’s the first U.S. National Convention I’ve attended. I was able to attend the first National Convention of the U.S.S.R. in 1991 and it was an amazing special occasion. Here it feels like a family, a lot of camaraderie that I didn’t know would be. It was a wonderful moment when one of the delegates got up and said, “Bahá’u’lláh says that it’s heaven to be one of His followers. I am in heaven to be among you Bahá’ís!” It touched my heart so much! I met many wonderful friends. I am blind and I am using a guide dog, and when I am with the Bahá’ís there are so many people helping, who ask if I need anything. ...

I feel that the American Bahá’í community is totally alive and working. I am taking a new energy to the community! ◆

Top right: Members of the newly elected National Spiritual Assembly are presented to delegates. From left are William Roberts, Jack McCants, Robert Henderson, Juana Conrad, Firuz Kazemzadeh, James Nelson, Patricia Locke, William Davis and Dorothy Nelson.

Bottom Right: Convention-goers look over the wide array of books, pamphlets, magazines, audio and video and other materials on display at the Bahá’í Distribution Service booth in the lobby at the Holiday Inn O’Hare. Photos by Amethel Parel-Sewell

NATIONAL TEACHING PLAN HIGHLIGHTS

RESULTS AT THE END OF THE TWO-YEAR “BUILDING PHASE”:

Results from the six broadcasts of The Power of Race Unity on the Odyssey channel complemented by the Web site, new phone network, and teaching activities in hundreds of communities:

• Some 6000 individuals either inquired about the Bahá’í Faith or attended a Bahá’í meeting at the invitation of the believers within 10 days. That number has grown by another 4,000 since then.
• 90% of local communities had developed or were developing teaching activities in conjunction with the broadcasts or as a follow-up.

VICTORIES:

• The tempo of teaching has accelerated; growth should follow.
• National and local teaching approaches are more systematic, complementary.
• National and local activities are wider-ranging, more “seeker-friendly.”
• Local community-building is lending vitality to this accelerating process.

WHAT THIS MEANS:

• There are seekers and we are finding them.
• We are communicating with defined audiences. If we do it right, people will respond.
• Research will help us learn about the different audiences we can reach.

PLANS FOR THE TWO-YEAR “PERFORMANCE PHASE”:

NEXT STEPS IN PROCLAMATION:

• Refine our message, continue our systematic public outreach.
• Improve our public relations.
• Focus more closely on the spiritual needs of women.
• Labor to extend the range of our appeal.

NEXT STEPS IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT:

• Develop human resources, with emphasis on regional and local training institutes.
• Step up community development and strengthening of Assemblies.
• Focus on consolidation of enrollees.

NEXT STEPS IN EXPANDING OUR NETWORKS:

• Work to embrace a racial/ethnic diversity that more closely reflects the changing makeup of American population.
• Provide a model of race relations that will offer a signal of hope.
• Maintain the campaign launched by the National Spiritual Assembly to emphasize gender equality. ◆

More details to be presented in the next issue of The American Bahá’í

OTHER CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS

• The goal of involvement of the arts in Bahá’í activities was reinforced with open-hearted musical performances by singers Red Grammer, Van Gilmer, Susan Engle, and Eric Dozier with the Midwest Bahá’í Gospel Choir.
• Smaller groups led by Dozier drew dozens of listeners at late-night gatherings in the hotel lobby Friday and Saturday nights.
• Spontaneous side meetings sprang up to organize and hold a youth forum, and to discuss the development of training institutes.
• Consultation on greater attention to American Indian Bahá’ís led to a gathering of indigenous believers and pioneers to Reservations and a gift of a contribution to the nation’s first all-American Indian Spiritual Assembly.
• Several important new works were introduced through the Bahá’í Distribution Service booth, including “The Light of Unity: Healing Racism,” a booklet for the public designed to complement the “Vision of Race Unity” teaching effort.
• The delegates composed a message of greeting to the Bahá’ís in Iran. ◆

Regional Bahá’í Council vacancy filled

Vickie Nizin of Ridgewood, New Jersey, will serve on the Regional Bahá’í Council for the Northeastern States, filling the vacancy created when William Roberts was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly.

The Secretariat of the National Assembly announced that Ms. Nizin received the highest number of votes in the region among those not elected to the Council in November 1997. This automatically designates her to fill the vacancy, according to a National Assembly decision taken in response to Section 2.2.5 of guidelines included in the Universal House of Justice’s message of May 30, 1997, to National Spiritual Assemblies.

The National Assembly has ruled its members ineligible to serve on a Regional Council.

Current members of Regional Bahá’í Councils in the United States are to serve until May 23, 1999. The Council for the Northeastern States is to choose a chairman, as Dr. Roberts held that position. ◆

Red Grammer performs a song for the Fund at the beginning of the Friday morning session of the Convention. Photo by Tom Mennillo

Top: Members of the Midwest Bahá’í Gospel Choir and a few other singers spread their harmony (and harmonies) during an impromptu songfest after the Saturday night Convention session.

Above: Children enjoy the crafts and activities hosted by Brilliant Star magazine in the hotel lobby. The first color issue of Brilliant Star, for which Red and Kathy Grammer created a theme song, was presented at National Convention. Photos by Amethel Parel-Sewell

CONVENTION

(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19)

viding the means for the Head of the Faith, the Universal House of Justice.

Dr. Banani said letter after letter to the trustees testifies of the transformative power of Law of Huqúq, he said. “The act of distinguishing between our needs and wants is a spiritually maturing experience. It makes people happy.”

Another trustee, Daryush Haghighi, urged Local Spiritual Assemblies to deepen the friends continually on the Law of Huqúq. Affordable materials include a readily available videotape—“the best substitute for having a teacher present”—and a soon-to-be-released audio version of the video.

The delegates voted to send a gift and letter of appreciation to longtime Huqúq’u’lláh trustee Elsie Austin, who recently resigned because of poor health.

In the youth presentation, Youth Committee members Ramine Yazhari and Elizabeth Dwyer reported on the first-ever Convention youth forum, which was quickly organized Saturday night. It brought the youth together to discuss their challenges in bringing about entry by troops, Dwyer said. They shared news of lots of initiatives, but also tackled chastity, school situations, backbiting and other tough issues youth face.

Yazhari outlined the Heroic Deeds of Service campaign through which American Bahá’í youth are being challenged to “deepen on the spirit of heroism, connect with it, and pledge acts of service in that spirit.”

The convention was stirred next by the reading of the Universal House of Justice’s response to the message of love delegates had sent to the Supreme Body.

At Convention’s close, the Counselors imparted final thoughts to put a signature on the gathering.

Recalling the youth report, Dr. Ellis said young believers’ heroes should come from our Bahá’í extended family. In fact, she said, teaching need not be a “family destroyer.” Take the children with you, she urged, and help them fulfill their responsibility to God to teach.

Another concern she expressed was that we have become so comfortable with the current Bahá’í community that we fear nurturing new Bahá’ís. What will it take? “We need a little talk between our hearts and Bahá’u’lláh,” she said.

Ms. Left Hand Bull asked each convention attendee to pray for God’s help in making a personal teaching plan for the coming year. Pray, too, she said, that delegates can communicate successfully the essence of the Ridván message and the spirit of the convention.

She fervently pleaded that those at the Convention take home a sense of mission that lasts long after the “blush is gone.” ◆

EXAMPLES OF DELEGATES’ CONSULTATION SUBJECTS:

• Individual initiative.
• Refining our message to invite diverse humanity to examine the Faith.
• Making decentralization of the Administration work.
• Core Curriculum and training institutes.
• Spiritual Assembly development.
• More effective use of all mass media, including the Internet.
• Participation and training of youth and children, with a focus on moral development.
• The involvement of the Faith in the life of society, especially in collaboration with like-minded groups.
• The need for systematic action and study materials to support growth and develop communities.
• Cultivating the divinely revealed principles of race unity and gender equality in the hearts of men and women of all races, and recognizing that those two principles are interlinked. ◆

CONVENTION REFLECTIONS

JANICE SADEGHIAN WASHINGTON, DC

The experiences were some of the most uplifting I have ever had. The opportunities to be with the Counselors and to be a part of the election process were overwhelming. One of the special moments was actual voting for the NSA. I was in tears. I just wish that all the American Bahá’í community could be here and experience everything. One of my suggestions as a delegate during the consultation was about the intercommunity cooperation process. It would be great if the communities that are working on the issue of intercommunity cooperation would send their ideas and experiences to the Office of Assembly Development, since this is a new step in community integration. I feel that this Convention was the realization of the World Order, that we elected one of the pillars of the Universal House of Justice. ◆

CONVENTION REFLECTIONS Photos by Ken Duszynski Interviews by Ramzia Duszynski [Page 23]

Scenes from the Eighth International Convention

Bahá’ís from more than 160 countries gathered April 29–May 2 at the Bahá’í World Center in Haifa, Israel, to elect the Universal House of Justice. Almost 1,600 delegates from all 171 National Spiritual Assemblies in the world cast votes in this holy event. The Bahá’í International Convention is held only once each five years. This one was very special for being the last to be held in the 20th century. ♦

Right: The members of the newly-elected Universal House of Justice from left: Hushmand Fatheazam, Douglas Martin, Farzam Arbab, Hooper Dunbar, Ian Semple, Glenford Mitchell, Adib Taherzadeh, Peter Khan, Ali Nakhjavani.

Below: The Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum addresses the delegates early in the Convention.

Above and Left: Members of National Spiritual Assemblies engage in the solemn yet joyous act of casting their votes for the Universal House of Justice.

PHOTOS COURTESY BAHÁ’Í INTERNATIONAL NEWS SERVICE [Page 24]

Message from the Universal House of Justice to International Convention delegates

May 2, 1998

To the members of National Spiritual Assemblies assembled at the Eighth International Bahá’í Convention

Dearly loved Co-Workers,

In a short few months, a century and thirty years will have elapsed since the Promised One of All Ages was forcibly brought to this land as a prisoner in exile. The powerful adversaries arrayed against Him intended this to be the final act towards the obliteration of His divine mission. But they had no perception of the triumphal promise divinely imparted to Him when, according to His own testimony, “banners of light” welcomed His arrival in ‘Akká, and the “Voice of the Spirit cried out saying: ‘Soon will all that dwell on earth be enlisted under these banners.’”

A significant new stage towards the ultimate fulfilment of that great expectation is evident in your having gathered here in this very land on this auspicious occasion as representatives of the burgeoning communities being raised up in His Name throughout the length and breadth of the earth. We hail with uplifted hearts what you have done here. For through your participation in a uniquely conceived electoral process you have fortified the crown of that world-embracing administrative structure of which your Assemblies are the indispensable pillars; and through the clarity, cogency and discipline of your consultations you have opened vistas on the progress that must be achieved in a brief time. But what has impressed us even more deeply is that the manner of your conduct has reflected a degree of love and unity rare for so variegated a gathering of humanity as you represent. We are immensely encouraged by these indications of an accelerated process of maturation among members of institutions that must in the fullness of time play a major role in guiding the destiny of nations. Considering all that has transpired during these eventful days, can this experience not be regarded as the defining moment for the Four Year Plan—as that turning point when there must begin to be realized the full range of its aim and possibilities? If not now, for what other occasion shall we wait? Surely, the friends at home looking forward with anxious hearts to your return are eager to lend their wholehearted support to the audacious actions you will wish to undertake. This is the time when you will want to pursue more urgently and effectively your God-given duties, for apparent in you are the signs of a new confidence, a recharged energy, and a reconsecrated spirit. These will enhance your capacity to rally the friends to teach and to assume their other important responsibilities as never before.

May the unity that has permeated the Convention exercise its influence on all National Assemblies, the generals of the Army of Light. May this unity emanate from them with a force of love that will envelop and galvanize their national agencies, the local institutions and individuals residing within their national jurisdictions, and that will embrace the advice and endeavours of the Continental Counsellors and their auxiliaries. Thus may it be seen in each country that, in contrast to the contentious attitudes of the world, the unity of the Bahá’í community is an outer reflection of that inner reality that motivates the divinely ordained institution charged with directing and coordinating the community’s affairs.

Beloved friends, yours is the enviable privilege at this time of contributing to a systematic mobilization that can raise up the human resources capable of bringing about the enlistment of an ever-swelling company of new recruits under the banner of the Most Great Name. The plan is set, the path clear. Onward, then, with confidence, with vigour, with speed!

The Universal House of Justice

Photos above: The gathering places of the International Convention delegates turned into a kaleidoscope of human diversity.

Left: Visitors enjoy newly finished terraces of the Arc above the Shrine of the Báb, overlooking central Haifa. [Page 25]

PROMOTING the PRINCIPLES

Bahá’ís help civic group, VIPs make ringing statement for women’s rights

An array of 20 prominent speakers delivered a message of equality at the Philadelphia Regional Bahá’í Center for the International Women’s Day Challenge to Ratify the UN Women’s Convention (CEDAW), attended by more than 100 people on March 8.

Emcee for the program was New Jersey state Sen. Diane Allen, a former local TV news anchorwoman. Others who made brief but powerful speeches included Pennsylvania state Rep. Connie Williams, Philadelphia City Councilwoman Happy Fernandez, the mayor of a nearby town, township commissioners, the president of the area chapter of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, a business leader, the head of Philadelphia’s delegation to the Beijing Women’s Conference, a visiting representative from the London group Women Against Rape, a U.N. representative from the Society of Friends (Quakers), two Bahá’ís, and others.

Each speaker was presented with the statement Two Wings of a Bird: The Equality of Women and Men.

The event was initiated and principally organized by a board member for the local chapter of the World Federalist Association (WFA), who called on the Bahá’ís to provide a meeting place and help with the arrangements.

“There is no doubt that a great contributor to the success of the event was the fact that the Bahá’ís did not act alone in organizing a major public event,” said Homa Tavangar, one of the Bahá’í co-organizers.

“Wherever possible, diverse volunteers were enlisted for assistance. The fact that so much unity went behind the effort was very much reflected in the program, as so many people commented during the event,” she said.

Three television stations covered the event at the Bahá’í center and showed brief clips during the evening news. Some newspapers covered the event and two radio interviews were held.

The idea for the event came from Jan-Marie Rushforth of the WFA, who three years ago had attended meetings at the Bahá’í center. Aware that the National Spiritual Assembly is co-chair of the campaign for U.S. ratification of CEDAW, Rushforth felt the Bahá’ís would serve as natural allies for such an event. The Bahá’ís shared that idea, especially since the National Spiritual Assembly had encouraged communities to hold programs for International Women’s Day.

Rushforth and other volunteers from various civic groups did a great deal of legwork and planning. The Bahá’ís’ involvement was primarily to help with tasks the WFA could not perform: videotaping, photography, helping with media contacts, and beautifying the center. A spur-of-the-moment Bahá’í task force emerged to set up refreshments in conjunction with the WFA coordinator, to help ensure a dignified setting.

In order to accommodate 20 speakers at the 90-minute program, each speaker was limited to three to five minutes. The novel format resulted in a dynamic, energized program expressing a wide variety of opinions and approaches.

Several people said they were inspired to attend the event by a radio interview on one of the most popular morning shows in the region, featuring Ms. Tavangar, who serves on the Bahá’í National Committee for the Advancement of Women.

Advertised several days in advance, the interview highlighted the Bahá’í center and mentioned the Power of Race Unity campaign. Many calls came to the station inquiring about CEDAW and International Women’s Day. —Submitted by the National Committee for the Advancement of Women ♦

(From left) Lisa Longstaff of Women Against Rape in London, Tanzanian activist Margaret Awiri and Homa Tavangar of the Bahá’í National Committee for the Advancement of Women greet at the International Women’s Day Challenge in Philadelphia. Photo courtesy National Committee for the Advancement of Women

THE BALANCE IS SHIFTING

The National Committee for the Advancement of Women would love to hear your personal and community stories that reflect the shift in balance described by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá when he wrote:

“The world in the past has been ruled by force, ... But the balance is already shifting; force is losing its dominance, and mental alertness, intuition, and the spiritual qualities of love and service, in which woman is strong, are gaining ascendancy. Hence the new age will be an age less masculine and more permeated with the feminine ideals ... an age in which the masculine and feminine elements of civilization will be more evenly balanced.”

—quoted in Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era: An Introduction to the Bahá’í Faith

Please send accounts of your community’s activities to: National Committee for the Advancement of Women, Bahá’ís of the United States, Washington, D.C. 20036 e-mail

Massachusetts walk brings ‘joy,’ inquiries

Six Bahá’ís from Newton, Massachusetts, discovered that their “Help America Bridge the Racial Divide” T-shirts were an attraction when they took part in a Walk for Hunger on May 3.

Along the eight-mile stretch, “people kept walking up from behind and asking us about what we were wearing and what we represented,” said one participant. “We ran out of our pamphlets and regretted not having brought more.”

The participant concluded, “The joy these inquiries brought us totally refreshed us. We felt a great satisfaction and have decided to embark on such walks again.” ♦

Donations for shelter lead to continuing commitment of service by Bahá’ís in small Georgia community

The Bahá’í group of Fayetteville, Georgia, experienced the joy of helping others when it donated items to the local shelter for battered women. In the spirit of Ayyám-i-Há, the friends discovered a community need and helped to fill it.

They found that laundry supplies, including baskets, soap, and quarters for use at the coin laundry were items most women did not have when they moved into the shelter. In addition to these supplies, the Bahá’ís donated greatly needed table lamps and school supplies.

When the items were delivered, Shahla Mottahed, Amelia Cutting and Borna Mottahed presented the director of the shelter with a copy of Two Wings of a Bird: The Equality of Women and Men, with the thought that it will find a permanent place in the shelter’s library.

The Fayetteville ‎Bahá’í Bahá’ís‎ plan to continue to provide items and tutoring as needed throughout the year. ♦

Fayetteville, Georgia, Bahá’ís (left to right) Bernice R. Hunter, Alex Hunter, Ava Mottahed, Vicki Arendt, and Sandy Cutting load a van with supplies for the local shelter for battered women. Photo courtesy Fayetteville Bahá’í community [Page 26]

Grant helps Health for Humanity in literacy campaign

Health for Humanity, a service and development organization under the auspices of the National Spiritual Assembly, was awarded a $12,550 grant to support the first year of a literacy promotion program for pre-schoolers in the West Side of Chicago.

The grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation of Battle Creek, Michigan, brought to a total of $25,550 the grants awarded for this effort over two years, according to project director Dr. Richard Czerniejewski. “We are now able to purchase the books for the children, employ the community person who will oversee the program at the West Town Neighborhood Health Center, and manage all the details of conducting a successful effort,” Czerniejewski said.

The program, called “Prescribe a Book for Children,” is an outgrowth of the “Reach Out and Read” program that began at Boston (Massachusetts) City Hospital in 1989. It provides books for children in poverty-level families every time they get a well-baby checkup at the center from 6 months to 5 years old.

The doctor encourages parents to share the books with their children “in an atmosphere of love and fun,” the project director said. Meanwhile, community volunteers read to the children in the waiting area.

Reflecting the population of the area served by the health center, the program will provide books in English, Spanish, Polish and other languages. Health for Humanity is conducting the program in cooperation with the local Department of Health, the Chicago Board of Education and the Humboldt Park Public Library.

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation was established in 1930 to “help people help themselves through the practical application of knowledge and resources to improve their quality of life and that of future generations,” the foundation states. It focuses its grants on programs for health, food systems and rural development, education, philanthropy and volunteerism, in the Americas, the Caribbean and southern Africa.

Health for Humanity, with 1,300 active supporters worldwide, also conducts projects in Albania, Bolivia, Cameroon, Honduras, Los Angeles, Atlanta and other locales. For information or to receive the Health for Humanity Newsletter, contact its office at Glencoe, IL 60022 (phone 847-835-5088). ◆

Health for Humanity volunteer Pat Armbruster shares a book with pre-schoolers at Chicago’s West Town Neighborhood Health Center, as part of the “Prescribe a Book for Children” program. Health for Humanity organized the project in cooperation with several civic and government groups. Photo courtesy of Health for Humanity

Bahá’í Chair professor addresses ceremony for new citizens

Dr. Suheil Bushrui, holder of the Bahá’í Chair for World Peace at the University of Maryland, delivered the keynote address Feb. 20 to a citizenship ceremony in Baltimore.

More than 1,000 people gathered to celebrate the naturalization of 313 immigrants from 52 countries. The significance of the occasion was underscored by the attendance of Immigration and Naturalization Service Commissioner Doris Meissner and INS Deputy District Director Warren A. Lewis.

Pictured at the citizenship ceremony in Baltimore, Maryland, are (left to right) Mary Bushrui, INS Commissioner Doris Meissner, Bahá’í Chair holder Suheil Bushrui, INS Deputy District Director Warren Lewis and singer Lloyd Marcus.

Dr. Bushrui’s inspiring speech was followed by a passionate recitation of his poem “The Bounty of America.”

The invitation to Dr. Bushrui was an example of the critical contribution the Bahá’í Chair can make to American society by fostering unity and diversity. It also testified to the high esteem in which the Chair is held.

Following the formal ceremonies, Meissner expressed her admiration for the poem and requested a copy. Other senior officials of the INS displayed great interest in the mission of the Bahá’í Chair and the ideals of the Bahá’í Faith.

The following lines from “The Bounty of America” encapsulate the call for peace and unity that resonated in the War Memorial Building:

“I have come to erect the edifice of your glory

“With my other brothers, the Indian, the Eskimo, the European, the Asian and the African;

“And in your love be united with the Red, the White, the Yellow and the Black

“I have come to embrace every one of your religions

“So that I become one with the Indian and the Hindu, the Jew and the Christian, the Moslem and the Bahá’í.

“How rich you are in your many sons,

“In your many faiths, and in your thousand tongues.” ◆

‘Calling All Colors’ movement spreads to southern Florida

Inspired by the Calling All Colors conferences in South Carolina, Bahá’ís in south Florida have initiated programs in public schools as a social and economic development project.

The planners sought permission to hold conferences during the school day that would include all students. A target school was selected and several preliminary meetings were held with the principal and staff.

On the morning of Feb. 13, the first such conference was held at S.D. Spady Elementary School in Delray Beach, Florida.

That pilot conference—for three student assemblies gathering more than 650 children—was so impressive that the school principal afterward announced that race unity would become a larger part of the school curriculum.

After brief remarks by the principal, students were greeted by Justin Rosenberg, age 10, who read a statement introducing Calling All Colors as a “club for children who want to remind other kids that even though people look different, we are all really equal and the same. ... I think we all know that it’s what’s on the inside that counts, not the outside. It’s what’s in our hearts and how we treat everyone that’s important. We are all members of one human race.”

Justin then read a poem he had found in Brilliant Star called “Family,” and Jordan Campbell, age 8, read from the book We’re All Alike, We’re All Different.

A skit titled “The Gingerbread Cookies,” performed by the Bahá’í Youth Workshop, depicted cookies made from one batch of dough that nevertheless argued about which color was the best. A question-and-answer session with the children in the audience helped to clarify the lessons of the skit.

The assemblies were concluded with the singing of “We Are Drops.” One music teacher was seen vigorously writing the words while the song was being sung; she was later given a printed copy.

Reception at the school was enthusiastic. The principal, teachers, and staff were helpful and all made positive comments. Student participation was lively throughout.

Members of Calling All Colors will continue to consult with each other and school officials on the best ways to reach children of various ages and backgrounds. ◆

Guest column expounds unity principles

Bahá’ís in Los Angeles reached out through The Sun in San Bernardino County, California, to make people aware that the roots of ethnic strife start in the home.

Lenise Jackson-Gaertner, president of Mothers for Race Unity and Equality, wrote a Point of View column in the newspaper May 4 explaining how attitudes instilled in the young traditionally have resulted in discrimination and violence against those outside their culture.

She called for mothers and other women, as the primary teachers of their children, to “educate themselves on these issues and acculturate their female and male children toward safeguarding human life and having a higher moral consciousness.”

And she presented a convincing argument that the same dynamic played out in societies around the world is at work in our inner cities, where gangs and others seek the “acquisition of political and economic power, material comfort and personal respect” through warlike behavior. ◆ [Page 27]

Bahá’ís play leading, supporting roles in national convention for religious PR

Bahá’ís were prominently involved April 23–25 when Louisville, Kentucky, hosted the national convention of the Religious Public Relations Council (RPRC).

The interfaith organization, founded in 1929, lists 58 denominations and religious affiliations in its membership directory and has 11 chapters throughout the United States. About 100 members attended the convention.

Nancy Harris, public information officer of the Bahá’í of Greater Louisville and president of the RPRC Louisville chapter, served as convention chair. She also offered the convention benediction.

Bahá’í youth Shabnam Cyrus sang the prayer for the opening of the convention.

Jim Wilde, a Bahá’í in Whitesburg, Kentucky, presented a workshop on “The Changing Role of Public Relations Practitioners in the Information Age.” Because of last-minute circumstances he was unable to present a second workshop. But a tape of the first session was played in its place, and word of mouth brought a large audience to its showing.

Using the overall theme of symbols, Bahá’í speaker Navid Kanani used a photo of the House of Worship in India to briefly explain the symbolism of the number nine.

The Bahá’ís present had numerous other opportunities to educate fellow attendees about the Faith. When keynote speaker Maria Elena Hermosilla of Chile said she was unfamiliar with the Bahá’í Faith, she was given a copy of the unity prayer in Spanish and assured that there are Bahá’ís in Santiago.

Copies of The Bahá’í magazine were made available on a table outside the workshop area and 11 were taken.

Also, luncheon speaker Bob Abernethy, host of the PBS series Religion and Ethics Weekly, mentioned the Founder of the Bahá’í Faith in his talk. Noting that he often has to pronounce unfamiliar words in his programs, he said, “I learned how to say Bahá’u’lláh, too. I had to say it in my head several times. Has a nice ring to it.” ♦

“I learned how to say Bahá’u’lláh, too. I had to say it in my head several times. Has a nice ring to it.” —Bob Abernethy, host of PBS series Religion and Ethics Weekly

Fallbrook friends reaching out on race unity

The Spiritual Assembly of Fallbrook, California, has begun to draw fellow residents of this scenic avocado-growing village north of San Diego into a dialogue on race unity.

About 40 people attended a panel discussion held to initiate the dialogue. Panelists included Jerry Donahue, a retired man who had started an after-school program, primarily for Latino children, to provide help with schoolwork and self-esteem.

Another panelist, Sandy Coleman, a Bahá’í, spoke of the efforts made by the North County Racial Healing Institute.

A staff member at Fallbrook High School praised Keli Lovejoy, a Bahá’í youth in the school’s student government, saying she has transformed the cultural heritage week from a fragmented event that tended to polarize the students to a single unified assembly that celebrates the contributions of many cultures in one place.

Another speaker was Randal Mejah, a Native American raised in San Diego. He said he knew racial prejudice having been raised in a white community, but also spent the last 20 years living on the Pala reservation, so he also knows prejudice “from the other side, too,” as he put it. Each panelist spoke five minutes.

Sylvester Scott, an African-American Bahá’í from nearby Temecula, was moderator. He recounted how initially he was only peripherally interested in the subject of race, but a number of years ago he was asked by the Bahá’ís to research and address this issue. As a result of that work, he has been asked to speak at many meetings across the country.

Among the several references Scott read from various sources, one pointed out that by 2000 half the people on the globe will be Asian, the largest cities in the world will not be in Europe or the United States, the majority language will not be English, and the majority religion will not be Christianity.

A nice closing touch was the unveiling of the Fallbrook Ministerial Association’s new “Friendly Fallbrook” bumper sticker. An association member explained that the avocado with continents painted on it represented the world, and that the cut-out paper doll figures in different colors—linked around the avocado, holding hands—represented the racial diversity of Fallbrook.

He thanked the Bahá’í representative to the Ministerial Association, Thellie Lovejoy, for her efforts to make this bumper sticker project a reality. ♦

CORINNE TRUE JUSTICE CENTER COURSES

CONFLICT RESOLUTION FOR THE BAHÁ’Í COMMUNITY July 3–5, 1998	BASIC MEDIATION TRAINING September 3–7, 1998
An intensive 3–day training seminar designed to improve consultation in dealing with difficult personal and legal problems facing Bahá’í communities.	Fundamentals of mediation; basic training and certification in bargaining and negotiating skills, legal and court-annexed procedures, conflict resolution theory/practice
Faculty includes: Valerie Dana, attorney and mediator Stephanie Fielding, mediator Stephen Gonzales, attorney, Landegg professor of conflict resolution J’Leim Liese, conflict resolution/race unity specialist	Faculty includes: Trip Barthel, business arbitrator/community mediator Stephanie Fielding, mediator Stephen Gonzales, attorney, Landegg professor of conflict resolution J’Leim Liese, conflict resolution/race unity specialist Nancy Rank, attorney, community mediator, race unity specialist
Registration form Name __________________________ Organization ___________________ Address ________________________ City ___________________________ State _______ Zip ______________ Phone ____________ Fax _________ E-mail _________________________	Registration form Name __________________________ Organization ___________________ Address ________________________ City ___________________________ State _______ Zip ______________ Phone ____________ Fax _________ E-mail _________________________
Registration fees: • $75 by June 15 • $100 after June 15 Make check or money order in U.S. currency, payable to True Justice Center, and return with this form. Fee covers tuition and materials only.	Registration fees: • $300 by Aug. 1 • $350 after Aug. 1 Make check or money order in U.S. currency, payable to True Justice Center, and return with this form. Fee covers tuition and materials only.
Please return form to: Registrar, __________ Littleton, CO 80128-4034 Classes held at: Metro Denver Bahá’í Center, 225 East Bayaud, Denver, CO For information: Call 303-933-2854 E-mail _________________________ Classes start at 9 a.m. Friday and end noon Sunday	Please return form to: Registrar, __________ Littleton, CO 80128-4034 Classes held at: Metro Denver Bahá’í Center, 225 East Bayaud, Denver, CO For information: Call 303-933-2854 E-mail _________________________ Classes start at 1 p.m. Thursday and end noon Monday

[Page 28]

Mrs. Sears helps Milwaukee celebrate 75th anniversary

Marguerite Sears recently returned to her one-time home to help the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Bahá’í community celebrate its 75th anniversary.

More than 200 Bahá’ís and guests from around the country gathered at a gala dinner, at which Mayor John Norquist proclaimed April 26 “Bahá’í Day” throughout the city.

The Central States Regional Bahá’í Choir graced the afternoon with several spirituals, and professional trumpeter David Young of Evanston, Illinois, dazzled the audience with several pieces, including a musical interpretation of a tablet of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

Also, longtime Bahá’í and Milwaukee resident Jerry Johnson played an original song in keeping with the community’s theme “Celebrating 75 Years of Racial Harmony.”

In her keynote speech, Mrs. Sears recounted her early years in Milwaukee. It was in this city that she met her husband, the Hand of the Cause of God William Sears, and a few of their courting stories took place there, as mentioned in his well-beloved book God Loves Laughter.

Mrs. Sears, a native of Green Bay, Wisconsin, also noted that her father, Charles Reimer, was one of the five meat packers who started and named the Green Bay Packers football team.

But Mr. Reimer’s real passion was one thing: teaching the Bahá’í Faith. And that is what Mrs. Sears stressed in her speech—the need for Bahá’ís in Milwaukee and throughout the world to teach and keep teaching. While applauding the progress Bahá’ís have made, she said, “We have a long way to go.”

The Milwaukee Bahá’í community truly has come a long way since its beginnings in 1923. Its center, established in 1968, is the site of thriving children’s classes, weekly devotional services, deepenings and firesides.

The Milwaukee Spiritual Assembly, serving what was once the third-largest Bahá’í community in the country, was blessed with a special tablet from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

“The Assembly ye have established in that town is an effulgent ray from the Realm of Glory,” it read. “I pray that men’s hearts may become illumined thereby and their souls rejoiced by this great glad tidings ...”—Submitted by the Spiritual Assembly of Milwaukee

Trumpeter David Young of Evanston, Illinois, performs at the 75th Anniversary gala in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The gathering was also treated to reminiscences of Wisconsin Bahá’í life from Marguerite Sears. Photo courtesy Milwaukee community

Portland-area friends flock by hundreds to Naw-Rúz festival

A Naw-Rúz celebration turned into one of the biggest Bahá’í events ever held in the Portland, Oregon, area.

More than 350 Bahá’ís and their friends converged on the community of Lake Oswego to break the Fast together and enjoy fellowship, performances of American and Persian music—plus a blending of the styles—and dance from the heritages of China and Tonga.

A highlight was a dance and prayer honoring the new year by Roman Orona, a Lake Oswego Bahá’í of Apache and ‎Yaki Yaqui‎ heritage. He later led the whole group in a traditional social dance.

“I counted close to 200 friends marching in twos following Roman up and down the aisles,” wrote Patricia Campusano in a report on the event. “The friends laughed in the excitement and joyful confusion of this, and it all reminded me of the Faith’s requiring of us both solitude and communion, study and feast.”

The Spiritual Assembly of Lake Oswego reports it is planning to make the area-wide gathering an annual event.

Roman Orona, a Lake Oswego, Oregon, resident, organized ceremonial and social dances for the Naw-Rúz celebration in the Portland, Oregon, area. More than 350 people participated in the celebration. Photo courtesy Portland, Oregon community

Women’s retreat discusses life roles

Sixteen women and teenage girls met in the mountains of Coarsegold, California, March 28–29 for their first-ever women’s retreat to discuss the equality of men and women and people’s roles in this day.

The gathering was a direct result of a Chicago-area conference held last December by the National Committee for the Advancement of Women. Patti Lacefield of Clovis, California, had attended that conference.

At the retreat, Lacefield, Norma Johnson, and Gayle Scott presented sessions on such topics as “Our Healing Powers,” “Women’s Suffrage,” “Táhirih,” “The Portrayal of Women in Books, TV and Movies,” “Matriarchal and Patriarchal in History,” and “What the New Day Will Look Like.”

Also, the presenters read and answered questions on the statement Two Wings of a Bird: The Equality of Women and Men.

Correspondence course students cite results from Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh session

The Wilmette Institute’s second correspondence course on the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, 1868–92 (‘Akká period), runs July 3–Dec. 27. Registration will be open until July 3 or until the course fills to its 75-student limit.

Students taking the first course on the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, 1853–68 (the Baghdad and Adrianople periods), report that this method of studying the Bahá’í writings is helping them fulfill goals of the Four Year Plan that call for a “systematic approach” to acquiring “the knowledge and capacity to sustain a continuous expansion and consolidation of the community.”

Using the course’s materials, correspondence students have been giving firesides and deepenings—several for the first time. One student helped form a new Local Spiritual Assembly. Others report greater confidence in explaining the Faith to others and an increased desire to teach the Cause.

Tuition is $200, or $160 per student for a local study group of three or more. Students will receive 17 assignments over the six months, each to be completed within a week.

For information, contact Heather Gorman, registrar, at the Wilmette Institute, 536 Sheridan Road, Wilmette, IL 60091 (phone 847-733-3415, e-mail ). Information is available on the Web (www.usbnc.org/wilmette) or the 24-hour automated information line, 847-733-3595.

SEEKING PRINT PRODUCTION SPECIALIST

THE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í & BRILLIANT STAR

need a print production specialist

• To assist in production and design of both publications
• To work with authors, illustrators, etc.
• Must be versed in all phases of digital print production
• Experience with ‎Quark Xpress QuarkXPress‎, Photoshop, Illustrator
• Experience with Web design and development

See details in Classified section, page 36 To inquire or apply, contact the Office of Human Resources, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (phone 847-733-3427, fax 847-733-3430) [Page 29]

Children’s class songfest

The Bahá’í Sunday morning children’s program at the San Diego Bahá’í Center was recently joined by staff of the U.S. Bahá’í Refugee Office. The children, mostly Hmong, were led in a round of songs by Tony Killeen (second row - right), who encouraged them to suggest verses for the song “Love Is Something If You Give It Away.” For more information about the work of the Refugee Office, call 847-733-3547. Photo courtesy U.S. Bahá’í Refugee Office

Youth deepening retreat gets Hmong youth involved

A weekend deepening retreat designed for Hmong youth in Merced, California, was recently conducted by Tru Chang, a Bahá’í youth, with his wife and sister and attended by U.S. Bahá’í Refugee Office staff.

Consultation focused on race unity, Bahá’í administration, and applying Bahá’í principles to one’s life. Along with the discussion sessions were singing, fellowship and a quiz game on the material studied.

At the end of the retreat, several young Hmong women ages 10–20 said they would like to share letters with female friends from other cultures and other places in the United States.

To take part in this letter exchange, please contact the U.S. Bahá’í Refugee Office at the Bahá’í National Center, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (phone 847-733-3547, e-mail ). ♦

Tru Chang (far right) leads a deepening retreat for Hmong youth sponsored by the Merced Bahá’í community. Pictured left of center is Lillian Jensen, their friend and mentor. Photo courtesy U.S. Bahá’í Refugee Office

World Order

Your window to teaching, deepening and external affairs work

The Winter 1997–98 issue of World Order is hot off the press and beckons you to find ways to use it in your teaching work, for personal and group deepenings, and for external affairs work.

The lead article, by Judge James F. Nelson, explores “The Spiritual Dimension of Justice: Personal Experiences.” An enlightening article for attorneys, those interested in conflict resolution, and anyone who longs to hear how the U.S. judicial system can be infused with moral principles and a genuine respect for justice and for the individual.

Jim Stokes concludes his essay on the evolving meaning of the biblical story of Joseph as it flows through the scriptures of successive dispensations. In World Order’s Spring 1997 issue he explored the story in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. In the final installment the story of Joseph reaches its universal significance in the Bábí and Bahá’í traditions.

An editorial on unity and diversity as hallmarks of a world civilization and a review of Giuseppe Robiati’s Faith and World Economy round out the issue.

It’s not too late to obtain a copy of World Order’s Fall 1997 issue marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Guardian and the 40th of his passing. The issue, being used as a text by the Wilmette Institute, contains a long editorial assessing Shoghi Effendi’s legacy after one hundred years; an essay by Sandra Hutchison on “Shoghi Effendi and the American Dream,” a study of The Advent of Divine Justice; an overview of the Guardianship by Geoffrey W. Marks; a review of God Passes By by Firuz Kazemzadeh; and a review of six books about Shoghi Effendi by Howard B. Garey. Order copies and use them for personal deepening on the Guardian and the basis of classes for local institutes.

To subscribe

Fill out form, mail to: Bahá’í Subscriber Service 5397 Wilbanks Drive Chattanooga, TN 37343-4047

Phone 800-999-9019 (Single issues available on phone orders for $5 plus shipping/handling)

Payment must be enclosed. For Canadian or international orders enclose an international money order or bank cheque drawn on a U.S. bank in U.S. dollars payable to Bahá’í Subscriber Service.

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Central States Badasht conference aimed at inspiring youth to action

““Arise and conquer” is the battle cry this summer as the Bahá’í youth of the Central States come together to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Conference of Badasht by dedicating themselves to completing the Four Year Plan goals in this region.”

This daylong conference, sponsored by the Regional Bahá’í ‎Countil Council‎ of the Central States, is set for July 11 at the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois. The focus will be on the role of youth in the Four Year Plan, with the aim to inspire to action all who participate.

This event will draw its strength and spirit from the original conference of Badasht in 1848, where the independent nature of the Revelation of the Báb was established. Táhirih had a great impact on the emancipation of women globally through the symbolic act of removing her veil. Most of the 81 participants were youth. They left the 22-day conference with a new identity and sense of dedication.

A full day of devotions, speakers, presentations, art, and music is on the agenda. Members of the Continental Board of Counselors, National Spiritual Assembly, National Teaching Committee and Regional Council will share their wisdom and help motivate the friends into action.

The program is designed for high school through college-age youth, most specifically for those of the Central States, but everyone is welcome to attend.

Support by the local institutions to assist youth to attend will be invaluable. Meals and lodging will not be provided, but a list of convenient restaurants and hotels are to be sent to Local Spiritual Assemblies in the Central States. If you cannot attend, please send a picture of yourself and your pledge of service to the Faith so your spiritual presence can be felt.

For registration information or to volunteer, contact Badasht Conference, Bahá’í House of Worship, 100 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091 (phone 847-853-2300, e-mail ). ♦ [Page 30]

Service, learning are central to Green Acre’s mission

BY TOM MENNILLO

Learning and service in a spiritual atmosphere. That sums up the Green Acre Bahá’í School experience co-administrators Jim and Jeannine Sacco and their staff foster on the Eliot, Maine, campus.

The Saccos arrived in October 1995 from their pioneer post in Brazil, where they served at the Bahá’í-owned School of the Nations.

When the Four Year Plan was promulgated, they pored over it with Green Acre’s advisory board and developed a vision for aligning the school’s offerings to the Plan.

The result has been a focus on fostering spiritual transformation in individuals, communities, and institutions alike.

There are classes on teaching, on training institutes, on Local Assembly development, on the Persian and African-American (and soon Latino) cultures, and so on. Programs are devoted to pre-youth and youth, and Auxiliary Board members and their assistants.

The process of transformation begins the minute visitors set foot on the historic grounds along the Piscataqua River separating Maine from New Hampshire.

At orientation, they hear the words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá on putting the Bahá’í teachings into practice and are asked to consider the concept of service to each other, the institutions, and the Cause.

“It sets a wonderful tone,” Jim said. “The friends respond wholeheartedly to that. It creates an environment in which they can feel the unity growing as the week or weekend progresses.”

He noted, “We don’t want people in a passive mode like they’re at a five-star hotel being waited on.” Each attendee has a role to play, such as talent show coordinator.

Green Acre’s history plays a large role in setting the tone for a stay on campus.

Visitors are encouraged to visit the room where the Master received visitors during his week at Green Acre in 1912.

“People say things like they feel the poison draining from them or that their spiritual batteries have been recharged,” said Jim.

He recalled the May 19, 1994, letter from the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly stressing that spiritual relationships form the basis of community life and that the institutions exist to foster that.

Non-Bahá’ís sense this spirit.

“Green Acre is away from the madding crowd,” said Jeannine, “an island of peace in the middle of a frenetic world. It’s always been that way since the days of Sarah Farmer. People of all backgrounds can come together and delve into spiritual truths.”

Jim said many of the older residents have worked at Green Acre from time to time and have pride in it.

At the school’s open house during Eliot Festival Days each year, “old folks come up and tell us stories of their service here and how they met people from all over the world who broadened their horizons,” he said.

“A woman who comes here remembers being held on ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s lap as a child,” added Jeannine. “Green Acre is dear to her.”

Sixteen parcels around Eliot totaling 250 acres are owned by the National Spiritual Assembly, and 19 buildings house activities. Numerous Bahá’ís own properties they intend to deed to the Faith.

That’s a lot to take care of, Jim and Jeannine acknowledge.

“We work closely with the Properties Department at the Bahá’í National Center and have an excellent staff that keeps them in shape,” Jim said.

Jeannine noted the Sarah Farmer Inn and the Olé Bull Cottage are more than a century old. But new facilities are planned as well—“God willing, with resources”—including an amphitheater, a campground, lower-cost housing, a meeting hall to hold 500, and new classrooms.

As Green Acre points to the future, it is continuing a decades-long commitment to oneness of humankind. The campus is hosting a series of meetings on race unity bringing together organizations from all along the seacoast.

“Given this exemplary life of Louis G. Gregory and his example of teaching and nobility and dedication to the race amity conferences that were held here year after year, this is a part of our heritage that we are giving a lot of attention to and are seeing lots of confirmations in terms of greater participation of minorities in our programs,” said Jim.

“You know, the Bahá’ís are known here as people who work patiently and steadfastly ... on the issue of the unity of the races,” he said, “and the people of this area have come to count on us as supportive of these efforts.”

Green Acre also has extended a welcoming hand, through the Bahá’í International Community, to possible collaboration with the United Nations on substance abuse prevention.

These types of programs and the increasing rental of school facilities by outside groups such as the Jewish Temple Sisterhood, the Quakers, and the Lyman Fund environmental group are winning friends for the Faith—and helping Green Acre’s bottom line.

“We’re gaining ground slowly” toward self-sufficiency, said Jim. “Even though we have more people attending, which means more revenue, it’s also very expensive to carry a professional staff as we do and to care for this large a property with this many buildings ... and we haven’t raised our prices.

“We’re sort of looking at it in terms of our spiritual mandate, which is to deepen the friends, have them leave here feeling stimulated and refreshed and also to foster the spirit of fellowship among the friends,” he said.

Young students at Green Acre Bahá’í School take a game break during a recent school session. Photo by Pepper Oldziey

MORE ABOUT GREEN ACRE...

• Eliot citizens voted early in the century to preserve Green Acre’s connection with the Bahá’ís. Though few had participated previously in election of the Green Acre Fellowship board of trustees, townspeople came out in droves to defeat an anti-Bahá’í slate of candidates, showing support for founder Sarah Farmer.

• Two Hands of the Cause became Bahá’ís at Green Acre. Hand of the Cause Louis G. Gregory spent many years there and is buried nearby.

• ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said a House of Worship and a great Bahá’í university would be located in the vicinity.

This is the first in a series of articles profiling the permanent Bahá’í schools in the United States. Louhelen and Bosch schools will be profiled in future issues. [Page 31]

Mr. Hofman drops in on Bosch session

Participants in the May 15–17 concurrent sessions at Bosch Bahá’í School for the Association for Bahá’í Studies Regional Conference and the San Jose Community Retreat, were treated to the unexpected pleasure of Mr. David Hofman, former member of the Universal House of Justice and his wife, Kathleen Hyatt Hofman, visiting Bosch. Mr. Hofman was the opening speaker Friday evening for the conference, “Profound Faith and Freedom of Thought: Developing Bahá’í Scholarship.” Saturday evening following a program of music and dance, Mr. Hofman showed slides of Mount Carmel and the Arc projects for the participants of both sessions and those who came just for this special evening.

In addition to Mr. Hofman’s contributions, the ABS Conference presented a workshop on scholarship and presentations of papers on a variety of subjects, both completed papers and works in progress. The program for the San Jose Community Retreat featured Mehrdad Fazli on the “Love of God and Teaching.” This was a spiritually rejuvenating weekend for both groups, with loving fellowship and beautiful spring weather, at last.

The Social and Economic Development Conference facilitated April 17–19 by Robert Phillips provided participants the opportunity to write recommendations for projects for “Boschville,” after interviewing staff members and collecting necessary information. Students found this practical experience very helpful in putting theory to work.

Two other sessions were held that busy weekend. A Marriage and Family Youth Training Conference, facilitated by Marsha Gilpatrick and Ann Miller using Core Curriculum materials, provided study of the pertinent Writings and frank discussion on this important topic with many opportunities to demonstrate learning through the arts and role-playing. The Wilmette Institute’s course on the Old and New Testaments was presented by Dr. Robert Stockman, director of the Wilmette Institute and head of the Research Department at the Bahá’í National Center. The last of the scheduled series will be Sept. 11–13 with Behrooz Sabet on “The Bahá’í Faith and Philosophy.”

Looking ahead, a busy summer of children, youth and music activities is scheduled, as well as our family general sessions and very special teaching conferences, the Ocean of Light Pacific Islanders Conference July 2–5 and the Southeast Asian Leadership Roundtable, August 28–31. Dates of upcoming programs are listed on the Calendar, page 44.

An important conference on “AIDS, Sexuality and Addiction,” sponsored by the Bahá’í Network on AIDS, Sexuality, Addictions and Abuse, will be held Sept. 25–27. This conference, held previously in various locations throughout the country, will this year be at Bosch. ♦

(From left) Shamim Imani, Mary Eiland and Njeri Kamau gather at the Marriage and Family Youth Training Conference in April at Bosch. Photo courtesy Bosch Bahá’í School

BRIEFLY

SPANISH RADIO IN YAKIMA

KDNA, a Spanish-language public radio station in Yakima, Washington, has interviewed Bahá’ís from Yakima and Moses Lake about race unity and the equality of women and men, as a result of ongoing contact with the station.

Quotations by Bahá’u’lláh opened and closed the interview, which clearly identified the speakers as members of the Bahá’í Faith and furnished addresses and phone numbers.

In addition, the Bahá’í communities served by KDNA are contributing to a monthly Bahá’í program, “El Jardin de los Niños,” earlier reported in a photo and caption in the April 9 issue of The American Bahá’í.

Featuring stories with Bahá’í-inspired moral themes and Bahá’í children’s songs, the program is scheduled the first Friday of each month.

FRONT-PAGE TREATMENT AT USC

A front-page article in the Daily Trojan newspaper spotlighted a series of Bahá’í Club-sponsored events at the University of Southern California promoting the equality of women and men, coinciding with International Women’s Day in early March and organized as part of the nationwide OneVoice campaign.

The article noted plans by Bahá’í Club members to hand out statements of their beliefs on a campus plaza and to make presentations to deans and directors on campus to further understanding of the Faith. Club members Arghavan Rahimpour and Samir Koirala were quoted in the article about the Bahá’í principles of gender equality, and member Tajalli Greengus was quoted inviting anyone on campus “dedicated to racial unity” to join the club. ♦

The Covenant: Pivot of Oneness

Association for Bahá’í Studies 22nd Annual Conference Sept. 24–27, 1998, Hôtel du Parc, Montréal, Québec Conference Web site: www.bahai-studies.ca/~absnam/news/conferences/1998.html

Topics and Themes Lectures, panels, arts presentations, seminars and workshops on:

• History/significance of the concept of “covenant” in world religions
• The concept of “covenant” in the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh
• Covenant and law: international, civic, personal, spiritual
• Covenant, world order and global governance
• Expressions of covenant in personal, family, and community life
• Hasan M. Balyuzi Memorial Lecture: “Love Power and Justice,” by Dr. William S. Hatcher

Other features

• Authors’ Corner: Authors meet with participants and sign books (authors contact Barry Brown at ABS by Aug. 31).
• Children’s conference: Full-day program for 5- to 12-year-olds. Also sessions and outings for pre-youth ages 12 to 15.
• Association for Bahá’í Studies Annual Meeting and Members’ Luncheon on Sunday.

TO REGISTER (Please register for each person attending the conference):

• By phone: call 613-233-1903 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
• By fax: Transmit completed form(s) to 613-233-3644, a 24-hour fax line. You can have a registration form faxed or mailed to you by calling 613-233-1903 during the office hours listed above.
• By mail: Send your completed registration form to 34 Copernicus Street, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1N 7K4.

Hotel reservations and rates: Phone 800-363-0735, fax 514-288-2469, E-mail

Air travel: For discounts on air tickets, use Air Canada and quote Event Number CV982322 to book air travel. Reservations: Phone 800-361-7585

Fees in Canadian dollars (4 days):	By July 31	by Aug. 31	On-site
Individual (ABS member):	$80	$90	$100
Individual (non-member):	$120	$130	$140
Couple (member):	$140	$160	$180
Couple (non-member):	$190	$210	$230
Senior/student (member):	$60	$70	$80
Senior/student (non-member):	$85	$95	$105

Ask about one-day rates, rates for children, financial assistance.

Nebraska summer school

Information on this summer’s Great Plains Bahá’í School session in Nebraska was ‎inadvertantly inadvertently‎ omitted from the May 17 issue of The American Bahá’í. That information is as follows: Dates: July 23–26 Program: “The Individual Advancing the Process of Entry by Troops” with Mehrdad Fazli, James Borland Jr., Sharon Firooz, Bob Waddell; music by Susan Lewis Wright and Ralph Southern; youth classes by Melissa Cleaver; children’s classes. Location: University of Nebraska at Kearney. Facilities: Air-conditioned lodging; classrooms and nursery. Pool, sports, bookstore. Fees: Adult (13–up) $89–109 with lodging, $39 meals only; Youth (7–12) $69 with lodging, $19 meals only or with sleeping bag; Children (up to 6) $49 with lodging, free for meals only or with sleeping bag. Contact: Colin Taylor, North Platte, NE 69101 (phone 308-534-4939, e-mail ). Pre-register by June 30 with deposit of $10 per person or $15 per family. ♦ [Page 32]

Finding another world here at home

BY SAHBA ROHANI

Sahba Rohani (center) gathers with friends in Hemingway, South Carolina.

“Anywhere,” I thought, “except in the United States.” I had always heard these amazing stories of youth who had gone to other countries to serve the Faith; in Asia, South America, Africa. I couldn’t wait until it was my turn to go to some foreign country, and come back with amazing stories about the villages I visited and the communities I worked with. It was the first year of the Four Year Plan, and I knew I had to make it memorable. “Anywhere,” I told the Office of Pioneering, “except the U.S.”

A month later I ended up at the Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute in Hemingway, South Carolina. So there I was, in the U.S.

But Bahá’u’lláh always answers our prayers, one way or another, because Hemingway is like no U.S. I have ever known. They told me I would feel as though I was in a different country, but it was more like I was in a different world. Everything was new to me; everything was foreign. There were times when I was so alone and had no one to turn to but Bahá’u’lláh.

Other times I was completely surrounded by wonderful people. Words cannot express the deep feelings of love and respect I have for the people I met while serving. I saw for myself the principles of the Bahá’í Faith manifested in their lives, and this is what affected me. This made me realize the special potency of this Gift of God, this honor of bearing the name: Bahá’í.

I served in the Education Department, working with children and youth from the community directly surrounding the Institute. Also, as do all youth volunteers rounding the Institute, I took the opportunity of being on the air for granted; I had the opportunity to proclaim the name of the Blessed Beauty over the air waves on Radio Bahá’í. While I was there, I took the opportunity of being on the air for granted; I was happy to have a night off. But now, I would do anything, just to be in that studio for one minute. Anything—I didn’t know what I had until it was gone.

I realized when we serve our lives are no longer our own. Anything that needed to be done, I knew I had to help do, with a smile on my face. Clean, rake, garden, cook, and then clean some more. My life belonged to the Institute and its needs. It was about forgetting who I am, forgetting what makes me comfortable. It was about letting go of all my personal opinions and realizing it’s all for Bahá’u’lláh. Everything I did, everything, was about serving Him.

My heart aches, I have a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes as I sit here writing this short description of my year of service at the Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute. No mere words can describe the feeling of knowing it is all for Bahá’u’lláh. I knew that no matter where I was, or what I did, it was all for Him. I found myself there. I found my Faith there. I fell in love with Bahá’u’lláh. Most people say, “I went away for my year of service,” but I say, “I went home.”

Sahba Rohani is a student at the University of Arizona in Tucson. ◆

The first-ever National Convention Youth Forum gathers after being organized quickly by members of the National Youth Committee, along with other young Bahá’ís, attending the Convention May 30. Photo by Tom Mennillo

YOUR THOUGHTS ARE INVITED AND WELCOMED

The National Youth Committee would love to hear from you! We welcome:

• Pictures of youth activities.
• News and information about teaching/conference/service opportunities.
• Questions and feedback.
• Artwork, essays, and poetry.

National Youth Committee • Bahá’í National Center 1233 Central Ave. • Evanston, IL 60201 Phone 847-733-3499 • Fax 847-733-3502 E-mail

‘Heroic Deeds’ campaign brings in pledges of service from youth

“We look to the members of the Bahá’í community in the United States to perform, during the Four Year Plan, heroic deeds of service to the Cause, which will astonish and inspire their fellow-believers throughout the world.” —Universal House of Justice, Ridván 153 B.E. to the Bahá’ís of North America

Some pledges submitted so far:

• “I will provide support for one youth serving for a year of service in a French-speaking African country. Material support of at least $1,000, advice and counsel, support for pioneer institute, and one Tablet of Ahmad on their behalf every day that they are there. This is heroic for me because there is a call for delegation, and my heroes are people that inspire me to perform heroic deeds, and I consider a year of service in a country as difficult as these as heroic. Thus by helping (and hopefully inspiring) some to perform a heroic deed, I may be heroic.”

• “I have never held an official fireside or discussion group before, preferring instead to take the supporting role. As a not-so-new ‎new ‎ Bahá’í I have a need to overcome many of the perceptions of inadequacy that many of us face as Bahá’ís. Qualities needed for the fulfillment of this objective: detachment, faith, certitude, sacrifice. ‘Nothing whatsoever is unattainable. Endeavor, ceaseless endeavor is required. Nothing short of an indomitable will and determination can possibly achieve it.’ —‘Abdu’l-Bahá”

• “I intend to carry out a three-pronged spiritual campaign: personal spiritual development, community development, teaching. [Examples of each category given] These are all small deeds and not necessarily heroic in themselves. But taken together, I think their impact will be powerful. I look at where I am today and in some ways I am very proud because I know that the distance I have covered in the year and a half since I declared is immense. The Faith is no longer my parents’, it is mine. At the same time, I know that I have a great deal of potential, strength and dedication that I have not even begun to tap into. And my life is quite comfortable now, and I am fairly content, but I know that I could be doing so very much more. So this will be my “heroic” deed, waking myself up out of my state of inertia, and incorporating the Faith more and more into my daily existence until it is at the center of my thought and action even as it is already at the center of my heart.” ◆

Youth around the country are deepening on the spirit of heroism and sending in pledges for the Heroic Deeds of Service to the Cause campaign. The National Youth Committee will collect hundreds of pledges that will be sent to the Universal House of Justice as a gift from the Bahá’í youth of the United States.

If you would like to participate in the campaign, please send a letter or e-mail to the National Youth Committee that includes the following:

1. What is the heroic deed of service to the Cause that you will perform? If your heroic deed is of a private nature, you may describe it in a more general way that conveys the spirit of your efforts without including details.
2. Why is this heroic for you?
3. What other thoughts or quotes do you have related to heroism?
4. Your name, age, address, e-mail, phone number.
5. The date by which you expect to complete your heroic deed of service to the Cause.

Individuals who send in pledge sheets will be contacted some time after their sheets have been received to see what was easy or difficult about converting their pledges into action (not to check up on them). Please send this information to the National Youth Committee. ◆ [Page 33]with the Bahá’ís even if they never aired any spots on his station. He had had contact with Bahá’ís in Boston and thinks Bahá’ís are the greatest people.

Running parallel to this effort, the Latin American Teaching Committee of South Florida has been organizing a 30-minute live radio program every Saturday night on a station that reaches from Miami to Orlando and at times to large parts of the Caribbean. Response from listeners has been very positive. An 800 number is given out numerous times during the program and there are usually two or three responses requesting information packets during each program. One of the Victory 2000 campaign's declarations was from this program.

In gearing up for Phase II of the media campaign, the friends were to finalize estimates for showing various commercials on BET and Lifetime and were looking into running five spots per day for 10 days during prime time. The target groups are African-Americans and women.

For information contact Jacquelyn Oswald, secretary, Richardson, TX 75080 (phone 214-231-4261).

noticed an impact of their programs on participants. In response to a training institute offered on teaching, one believer said taking the course was life-changing. After another course on the Fast, two veteran Bahá’ís said they gained new insights and practical skills.

evaluate its work every three months and make necessary changes to the courses and administration, establish a PR committee to inform friends of upcoming trainings and encourage attendance, and to carefully plan courses for the fourth year of the Four Year Plan addressing teacher training, Local Spiritual Assembly training and extensive courses on race unity.

⚫ Central Texas: The Aguila del Cielo Local Training Institute is one local enterprise that has operated on the scale of a Regional Training Institute, and its board has participated in RTI training. Its Spanish name translates into English as "Eagle of the Sky." Its organizers were lovingly and patiently trained by Alejandra Miller, a member of the Continental Board of Counselors, who encouraged them in their understanding and implementation of the institute. About 150 believers have completed at least one training institute course with a total of 300 participants overall.

Some of the institute's goals for the third year of the Four Year Plan are to It has planned curricula through 1999, published a schedule and created a Web page. The institute has had success in integrating pre-youth, youth and adults into courses. It continues training in Ruhi, Core Curriculum and workshop formats.

Programs it has offered are showing signs of impact on its core group members, facilitators, tutors and participants. As more people are trained, the institute feels confident it will begin to see communities benefit from increased spiritual understanding and teaching.

For information contact Susan Nossa, Secretary, Pflugerville, TX 78660 (phone 512-990-0201).

PIONEERING NEEDS OUTLINED BY THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

At Ridván 153, the Universal House of Justice addressed the believers in North America stating:

As members of the North American Bahá’í community, you enter the Four Year Plan with a brilliant progress the eight decades since you received this mandate, your prodigious exertions have carried the Message of Bahá’u’lláh to all parts of your continent, and throughout the entire length and breadth of the planet. You have played a critical role in the establishment of the framework of the Administrative Order and in the sustained proclamation of the Faith. These tablets launched you on a worldwide enterprise which you, and the generations to succeed you, are called upon to continue during the vast period of time stretching throughout the Formative Age and into the Golden Age of the Bahá’í Dispensation.

"Let all believers consider the extent to which they can use familial and ethnic ties to other regions of the world for the fulfillment of the global mission conferred upon the recipients of the Tablets of the Divine Plan."

• "... the descendants of the early inhabitants of your continent... should be ever mindful of the vital contribution they can make to the work of the Faith throughout the American continent, in the circumpolar areas and in the Asian region of the Russian Federation."

• "We direct the attention of the believers of African descent... to the pressing need[s] ... of the Cause in distant areas, including the continent of Africa for which they were assigned special responsibility by the Guardian...."

⚫ "... the friends of Hispanic background have fertile fields before them throughout Latin America."

• If you arose in response to the call of the Universal House of Justice to one of the above-mentioned ethnic groups, please indicate your background and trip information below.

• If you made any other international trips for the purpose of promoting the interests of the Faith, please also return this form to the Office of Pioneering.

Name(s): Street: City, State, Zip: American Indian African descent Hispanic background Other

COUNTRIES FROM TO MAIN PURPOSE

Please attach any comments. I.D. #(s):

FUND APPEALS

tions and individuals outside your jurisdiction should not mount fundraising activities without your explicit approval."—letter on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, April 26, 1993

The same principles apply at the local level. In addition, the National Assembly has often advised Local Spiritual Assemblies to use one other measure: Does the project bring a benefit to the friends in our care? "Benefit" can be defined in many ways, but the question is still on target. How does a center in Ohio help a small community in New Mexico, except perhaps in a very indirect sense?

INDEPENDENCE

Which brings us to the final set of issues. The guidance of the Universal House of Justice and of the Guardian on community development makes it clear that we are meant to pay as we go, and if we don't have the resources locally, we probably should not commit to a project.

"The steps to be taken [in developing SED projects] must necessarily begin with the Bahá’í Community itself, with the friends endeavoring, through their application of spiritual principles, their rectitude of conduct and the practice of the art of consultation, to uplift themselves and thus become self-sufficient and self-reliant." Universal House of Justice, Oct. 20, 1983

"There are two principles which the House of Justice feels are fundamental to the generality of such projects of social and economic development, although, of course, there will be exceptions. The first is that they must be built on a substructure of existing, sufficiently strong local Bahá’í communities. The second is that the long-term conduct of the project should aim at self-sufficiency and not be dependent upon continuing financial support from outside....

"The second principle must take into account that any project started by the Cause should be designed to grow soundly and steadily, and not to collapse from attrition. In other words, external assistance and funds, Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í, may be used for capital acquisitions, to make surveys, to initiate activities, to bring in expertise, but the aim should be for each project to continue and develop on the strength of local Bahá’í labor, funds and enthusiasm even if all external aid should be cut off." —Universal House of Justice

So if your Assembly feels that the long-term development of the person or community seeking your help would be better served by them finding their own resources internally, you have your answer to the funding request.

Using these three sets of criteria may help you and your community to find your way through the thickets of paper and letters, with greater confidence that you are on the firm ground of principle. [Page 34]

Letter to the friends from the Latin-American Task Force / Carta a los amigos de la Comisión de Trabajo Latinoamericana

ENGLISH

To each of the dear friends in the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh:

Where are you?

“Put it in writing, please, put it in writing. ...” A believer said to a Bahá’í who had just enrolled in the Faith, “You know, those of you who have had the immense privilege of finding Bahá’u’lláh after long years of search should write the story of that search for the benefit of future generations of Bahá’ís, and for the inspiration of all the friends. So, please, tell your story, write it down.”

Did this believer do it? How many of us have done it? Have you, dear reader?

Ponder for a moment on how limited would be our knowledge of the evolution and history of the Faith without those dedicated souls who “put it in writing” for our enlightenment and education.

This task force is asking each and every Latino Bahá’í in the United States: How did you become a Bahá’í? Are you the first or the only one in your family? In your city? Tell us your story, put it in writing, attach some photographs and send it to us. We want to create an archive for future historians of the Faith about the Hispanic Bahá’ís in the United States, and perhaps we may even publish some of those stories in this space.

We do not know how many Latino Bahá’ís there are in this country, where they learned of the Faith, and where they serve the Faith, what have been their contributions to its work, etc.

Are you a member of a community or of a Spiritual Assembly with a large number of Hispanics? Can you tell us the story of your community, including who the first Hispanic believers were? Are there any photographs or documents of that time? Can you send us a photograph of your Local Spiritual Assembly and the names of its Latino members?

As the evolving process of the Faith unfolds and the floodgates open to the torrent of new believers, the story of those “dawn-breakers,” of the first believers of this and of earlier generations, will be lost, perhaps forever. Do you know of other Latino Bahá’ís in the United States from past generations? Can you document their story?

Nabíl’s Narrative was possible in part thanks to the information he had available about the people and events of that time. And what a magnificent epic it is, and how privileged we are to be able to derive from it an intimate knowledge of so many of the first followers of the Faith.

Perhaps we feel that our little story in itself is not important. And we might be right. However, in terms of historical perspective, it is very important, because it constitutes part of the development of the Faith in this part of the world, and as such needs to be documented. The materials gathered will be preserved in the archives of the National Bahá’í Center. So, let us pass down the history of our Faith as we have carved it.

You will also notice we are saying both “Hispanic” and “Latino,” because both terms are in use. So we would also like to know in which way you refer to yourself.

And while we are all occupied with writing, let us also fill out the form below. If necessary, make copies for others. We need a national census of Latino Bahá’ís in the United States, and this is a modest but good beginning. Please, help us tell your National Spiritual Assembly who and where you are, and let future generations of Bahá’ís know about you and your community.

With loving greetings to each and every one of you, dear friends, The Latin-American Task Force

ESPAÑOL

A Cada Uno de los Queridos Amigos en la Causa de Bahá’u’lláh:

¿En ‎donde dónde‎ estás?

“Escríbelo por favor, escríbelo....” Una creyente le dijo a una Bahá’í recién entrada en la Fe, “Sabes, aquellos de ustedes que han tenido el inmenso privilegio de encontrar a Bahá’u’lláh luego de largos años de búsqueda, deberían escribir la historia de esta búsqueda para beneficio de futuras generaciones de Bahá’ís y para la inspiración de todos los amigos. Así que, por favor, cuenta tu historia, escríbela.”

¿Lo habrá hecho? ¿‎Cuántos Cuántos‎ de nosotros lo hemos hecho? ¿Tú, querido lector?

Reflexiona por un momento acerca de lo limitado que sería nuestro conocimiento de la evolución e historia de la Fe sin aquellas almas dedicadas que “lo pusieron por escrito” para nuestra ilustración y educación.

Esta comisión pregunta a todos y cada uno de los Bahá’ís latinos en los Estados Unidos: ¿Cómo te hiciste Bahá’í? ¿Eres tú el primero o el único en tu familia? ¿En tu ciudad? Cuéntanos tu historia, escríbela, anexa unas cuantas fotografías y envíanosla. Queremos crear un archivo para futuros historiadores de la Fe acerca de los Bahá’ís hispanos en los Estados Unidos, y quizás hasta podríamos publicar algunas de esas historias en este espacio.

No sabemos ‎cuantos cuántos‎ Bahá’ís latinos hay en este país, en donde conocieron la Fe, cómo sirven a la Fe y en donde, cuáles han sido sus contribuciones al trabajo de la Fe, etc.

¿Eres miembro de una comunidad o de una Asamblea Espiritual con gran número de hispanos? ¿Puedes contarnos la historia de tu comunidad, incluyendo quienes fueron los primeros creyentes hispanos? ¿Existen fotografías o documentos de la época? ¿Puedes enviarnos una fotografía de tu Asamblea Espiritual Local y los nombres de los miembros latinos?

A medida que se desenvuelve el proceso evolutivo de la Fe y se abren las esclusas al torrente de nuevos creyentes, la historia de aquellos “rompedores del alba,” de los primeros creyentes de esta y de anteriores generaciones, se perderá quizá para siempre. ¿Sabes de otros Bahá’ís latinos en los Estados Unidos de pasadas generaciones? ¿Puedes documentar su historia?

El Relato de Nabíl ‎fué fue‎ posible en parte gracias a la información de la cual él dispuso acerca de los personajes y eventos de la época. Y cuán magnífica epopeya es, y cuán privilegiados somos de poder derivar de ella un íntimo conocimiento de tantos de los primeros seguidores de la Fe.

Quizás pensemos que nuestra pequeña historia en sí no es importante. Quizás tengamos razón. Sin embargo, en términos de perspectiva histórica, es bien importante, ya que constituye parte del desenvolvimiento de la Fe en esta parte del mundo, y como tal necesita ser documentada. Los materiales recopilados serán preservados en los archivos del Centro Bahá’í Nacional. Transmitamos, pues, la historia de nuestra Fe tal y como la hemos labrado.

Habrás notado también que decimos tanto “hispano” como “latino,” pues ambos términos se usan. Así, quisiéramos saber también de ‎cual cuál‎ manera tú te describes a ti mismo.

Y mientras nos ocupamos en escribir, llenemos igualmente el formulario abajo, y si es necesario, hacer copias para otros. Necesitamos un censo nacional de Bahá’ís latinos en los Estados Unidos, y este es un modesto pero buen comienzo. Por favor, ayúdanos a comunicarle a tu Asamblea Espiritual Nacional quién eres y en dónde estás, y deja que futuras generaciones de Bahá’ís sepan de ti y de tu comunidad.

La Comisión de Trabajo Latinoamericana

Census Form

Para el Censo de los ‎Baháis Bahá’ís‎ hispanos en los Estados Unidos
(For the Census of Hispanic ‎Baháís Bahá’ís‎ in the United States)

Srta. / Sra. / Sr. Miss / Mrs. / Ms. / Mr. _____________________________________________			Enviar a la Comisión de Trabajo Latinoamericana Send to Latin-American Task Force
Dirección/ Address ____________________________________________________			por correo a/by mail to: Vera Breton, Vienna, Virginia
Ciudad/ City ______________________	Estado/ State ____________________	ZIP Code ___________	por fax a/by fax to: Larry Kramer, (773) 509-0466
Número Telefónico/ Telephone Number __________________________________________			por e-mail a/by e-mail to: LATFORCE

[Page 35]Classified notices in The American Bahá’í are published free of charge to the Bahá’í community. Because of this, notices are limited to items relating to the Faith; no personal or commercial ads 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 BAHÁ’Í NATIONAL CENTER

Administrator, the Bahá’í Home. Provides for management and supervision of all aspects of operations of the Bahá’í Home, a licensed, sheltered care home for the aged. Provides quality of service to the residents and ensures supportive cooperation among all employees in accordance with the principles of the Bahá’í Faith. Ensures employees work as a team, particularly in delivery and continuity of quality resident care. Supervises a staff of about 20 full-time, part-time and time-as-reported employees. Responsible for awareness and compliance with federal, state, local and departmental regulations, policies and procedures. Must be a member of the Bahá’í Faith in good standing; a high school graduate; experience and education in health care administration and application and training in gerontology preferred; supervisory experience desired. Knowledge and experience with basic financial accounting procedures desired; should be able to work holidays, weekends and extended hours as required. Proficiency in IBM-compatible computers preferred. Oral and written proficiency in the English language required. Willingness to live on premises desirable.

Assistant Coordinator for Refugee Program, U.S. Bahá’í Refugee Office. Helps the Refugee Coordinator in executing the work of the office. The employee is primarily responsible for work associated with refugees, asylum seekers and diplomatic matters. Should have excellent written and oral communication skills in English, and flexibility in performance of routine and non-routine tasks, as well as typing/word processing skills. Will be responsible for drafting letters and reports without supervision, helping carry out other functions of the office, and keeping track of the status of all refugee, immigrant and asylum cases. Also will maintain computer files, databases and office systems.

On-site meeting and travel specialist experienced in hospitality supervision with strong organizational skills, good understanding of hotel business, site research, contract negotiation, meeting room arrangements, food functions and accommodations. Should know travel industry; Apollo or other travel system experience helpful. Will reconcile bills and claims. Must be able to work under pressure and handle several meetings at the same time. Work schedule flexible, considerable weekend work required.

The Bahá’í Encyclopedia Project is seeking a full-time administrative assistant to support its editorial team. Maintains a variety of files and records, inputs editorial corrections from hard copy; assists with various research tasks. Must type a minimum of 60 wpm, have excellent computer skills, sound judgment, strong writing and editing skills, and the ability to produce professional-quality work.

If interested in any of these positions, contact the Office of Human Resources, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (phone 847-733-3427, fax 847-733-3430).

THE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í & BRILLIANT STAR MAGAZINE

Print Production Specialist for Bahá’í Media Services. Provides production support for The American Bahá’í and Brilliant Star magazine. Assists in design and layout of both publications. Works with printers and outside vendors to ensure smooth production of each issue; with freelance authors, illustrators, writers and designers to acquire content for both publications. Qualifications include a strong command of all phases of digital print production, including design, layout, photo editing, copy editing, production, and digital prepress; a minimum of two years’ experience with Quark Xpress and Adobe Photoshop in a newspaper, magazine or other print production environment; experience with Illustrator and Freehand; skill in verbal and written communication; ability to work with minimum supervision. If interested, contact the Office of Human Resources, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (phone 847-733-3427, fax 847-733-3430).

CRITICAL NEEDS FOR THE MOUNT CARMEL PROJECTS

constructing the buildings and terraces of the Arc in Haifa, Israel:

• Industrial/commercial plumber. Needs experience in all aspects of the trade, including drainage, fittings, etc.
• Horticulturist/professional gardener. Needs experience in maintenance and general aspects of formal and informal gardens.

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 bwc-personnel@bwc.org)

STAFFING NEEDS AT THE BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTER in Haifa, Israel: In addition to the following opportunities for service, the World Center is looking for skilled carpenters, painters, plumbers, photographers, floor care specialists and much more. Terms of service can be 18 or 30 months, or indefinite, depending on the requirements of the position.

HEALTH SERVICES: Urgent need for a registered nurse with minimum 10 years’ experience. Emergency care nursing or first aid experience is preferred.

ARCHIVES OFFICE: Professional archivists with qualifications and experience in archival science, writing skills in English. People with strong skills in Persian and Arabic and ability to communicate in English, for work with original Tablets; particular need for proofreaders for project to enter texts of Tablets into computer database in the original languages. Microfilming workers with archive/library experience in work with documents and camera/film.

RESEARCH OFFICE: Research assistant with high skill in Persian and Arabic and knowledge of Bahá’í Writings in those languages, plus computer skills. Translator with excellent skills in Persian, Arabic and English as well as familiarity with Bahá’í Writings.

DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS: Employees to monitor data on progress of teaching plans and national community growth and activities; requires strong interest or experience in social science research/analysis, basic math, good to strong English skills, interpersonal skills. Computer/Web skills a plus.

INFORMATION SYSTEMS SERVICES: Critical need for programmers with experience supporting Oracle financial and human resource packages, and Oracle database administrators/programmers who can convert applications to graphical user interfaces. Also, several positions for people with background in technical support/computer skills training.

ACCOUNTING: Accountant with 3–5 years’ experience (general ledger, budgeting, financial analysis) and four-year degree or equivalent, plus knowledge of computerized accounting system. Foreign currency knowledge helpful.

GARDENS OFFICE: This office has the privilege of maintaining and expanding the gardens at Bahjí, the most holy spot on earth. Also cares for the gardens at the Mansion of Mazra’ih, the Ridván Garden, the soon-to-be developed Junayn Gardens north of Mazra’ih and—when completed—the terraces on Mount Carmel and other gardens of the Bahá’í World Center. Professional needs: Gardens Coordinator; needs background in life sciences, 5–10 years’ experience in management and Bahá’í administration, organizational, communications and leadership ability. Senior Horticulturist; minimum 5–10 years’ experience in ornamental horticulture/gardens management (related degree preferred), organization, supervisory, and people skills. Junior Horticulturists; degree in horticulture, agriculture, agronomy or related field, at least one year’s experience, ability to supervise Bahá’í youth and local workers. Arborist/Tree Care Specialist; 5 years’ experience pruning and maintaining ornamental trees, supervisory ability, related degree preferred. Mechanic/‎Puchasing Purchasing‎ Agent; experience in repair of small equipment, demonstrated ability to maintain records, scheduling and inventory control.

If interested in serving, please contact Bahá’í World Center, Office of Personnel, P.O. Box 155, 31 001 Haifa, Israel (e-mail bwc-personnel@bwc.org).

AT GREEN ACRE BAHÁ’Í SCHOOL Full-time assistant cook sought for summer. Must love people and food and be self-motivated. Will oversee all aspects of meal period from dining room setup to preparation and serving of food to cleanup of kitchen. Must have knowledge of food safety, proper food handling and kitchen sanitation; also knowledge of operation/maintenance of food service equipment, including convection oven, ranges, steamers, dishwashers. Minorities encouraged to apply. Contact James M. Sacco, Co-Administrator, Green Acre Bahá’í School, 188 Main St., Eliot, ME 03903 (phone 207-439-7200, fax 207-438-9940, e-mail gaschool@compuserve.com).

Maintenance worker. Enthusiastic, industrious, spiritually motivated. General knowledge of custodial duties, building maintenance and repair, grounds work, and mechanical systems helpful. High skill in interior/exterior painting a plus. Work environment requires a resourceful person dedicated to courtesy, meticulous attention to detail. Minorities, women encouraged to apply. Professional training available. Contact Eric Nelson, Facilities Manager, Green Acre Bahá’í School, 188 Main St., Eliot, ME 03903-1800 (phone 207-439-7200, fax 207-438-9940, e-mail gaschool@compuserve.com)

AT BOSCH BAHÁ’Í SCHOOL Assistant facilities manager sought for Bosch Bahá’í 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, repair, restoration and new construction. Must 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, condo, light industrial, etc.), with at least 3 years supervising 3 or more workers. Basic computer literacy (database, spreadsheet, word processing) is necessary; CAD experience desirable. Organization/consultation skills, flexibility and enthusiasm are essential. Contractor experience very desirable. Vehicle maintenance skills desirable. Contact Mark J. Bedford, Co-Administrator, Bosch Bahá’í School, 500 Comstock Lane, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (phone 408-423-3387, fax 408-423-7564, e-mail bosch@cruzio.com).

INTERNATIONAL

Friends interested in participating in professional and academic exchanges with colleagues from China, here at home or abroad, can be of great service to this rapidly developing country. The following fields are especially desired: Health and Western medicine, psychology/counseling, women and family, education and moral development, agriculture, computer science, advanced technologies of all kinds, electronics/telecommunications, bio-engineering, new materials and energy sources, environmental protection, marine science, aerospace, architectural engineering, marketing/advertising, public relations, business management, many other fields. If within the next few years you are willing to make a trip to China to consult with Chinese professionals in your field, please contact Susan Senchuk (phone 847-733-3506, e-mail ssenchuk@usbnc.org).

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

Botswana—Chief executive officer (Botswana Export Development and Investment Authority). Central African Republic—Population development (UNFPA). Cameroon—World Bank financial management specialist. Cape Verde—Monitoring and evaluation specialist (Food Aid Program). Côte d’Ivoire—Information systems specialist. Ghana—Executive director, National Development Planning/Poverty Reduction/Social Investment Fund, internal auditor (FAO). Gambia—Manager for Permanent Institute. Guinea—Materials development assistant. Mali—USAID team leader, Information and Communication. Madagascar—Reproductive health project adviser. Mozambique—Senior auditor. Zambia—Teachers. Zimbabwe—Project development coordinator, disaster mitigation and preparedness [Page 36]

CLASSIFIED

coordinator, Africa monetization technical adviser.

AMERICAS Alaska—Companion/caretaker. Bolivia—Child Survival Project manager. Chile—Program officer. Colombia—Business development officer, economist (CIAT). El Salvador—Professional administrative and management support services (USAID). Guyana—Volunteer trainers for literacy project. Haiti—Field director (NDI). Honduras—Teachers. Jamaica—Senior lecturers (management) UWI. Mexico—Teachers, Universidad de Quintana Roo, English teachers. Paraguay—Beekeeping technical trainer. Suriname—Clinical specialists. Turks & Caicos—Government doctor. Venezuela—Caretakers for National Institute, computer outlet store for sale. Virgin Islands—Carpenter/cabinet maker (Volunteer for National Spiritual Assembly).

ASIA Armenia—Small business lending specialist, finance delegate, technical construction delegate, contracting specialist, Peace Corps director. Azerbaijan—Community health education manager, field coordinator, administrative officer, country director for IRC. Cambodia—Disaster preparedness delegate, HIV/AIDS program adviser (WB). Georgia—Communication specialist (IEC), chief technical adviser (health project). India—vice principal New Era High School, program manager, communications specialists (IEC). Japan—ESL teachers. Kazakhstan—Country representative for ACDI/VOCA, engineering manager, R&D mechanical engineer. Korea—University ESL teacher, program manager (computer/telecommunications). Kyrgyzstan—Finance and administrative manager. Macau—Teachers. Russia—Sakhalin teachers, financial controller. Philippines—IRRI director general and director for external relations, librarian Asian Development Bank. South Asia—Development managers. Singapore—Project assistant (HIID MPP). Taiwan—Teachers. Uzbekistan—Country director (OSI), Peace Corps director. Vietnam—Industry consultants.

AUSTRALASIA Australia—Natural resource economist tropical agriculture, professor of economics, secretary general (CIVICUS), post-doctoral fellowship/research fellowship in international relations, director Executive MBA Program. Kiribati—Printing set-up/train for National Assembly. Mariana Islands—Physician at a health center on Rota. New Zealand—Lecturer in Economics. Papua New Guinea—Senior program Manager (U.N.). Solomon Islands—Custodians at the Bahá’í Center. Western Caroline Islands—Self-supporting assistant to the National Assembly Secretary.

EUROPE Austria—Legal officer (IAEA), personnel officer. Bosnia—Senior media professional. Czech Republic—Primary and secondary teachers in mathematics, science, humanities, Spanish, English as a secondary language, Montessori teacher. Finland—Research fellows (3) WIDER. France—Economist. Germany—Economists. Hungary—University lecturers and professors for CEP, head of office (IOM). Iceland—Lecturers in mathematics/statistics/physics. Ireland—Research post for Northern Ireland Economic Research Centre, economic/financial strategists. Italy—Agricultural officer, information officer for TV, legal officer, personnel officers (legal matters and other), food security officer, project leader (CGIAR), weather and climate specialists. Kosovo—Project directors, nurses, nurse midwives, obstetricians, child psychologists, pediatric neurologists, child welfare specialists, epidemiologists (DOW). Luxembourg—Lending/credit specialist (EIB). Netherlands—Senior officer ISNAR, water enterprise development professional, director general, economist (Global Climate Change). Poland—Junior lecturer in public policy. Portugal—Consultants in agricultural and rural development. Romania—Junior lecturer in political science. Russia—International finance, economic development/regional investment specialist, facility protection officers, agricultural lending/credit specialist, international finance. Slovakia—English teacher. Switzerland—Professor for entrepreneurship and innovation, senior training officer, director/division of international trade (U.N.), special coordinator (U.N.), Web site developer (UNHCR). Ukraine—Program director (economics education). United Kingdom—Information management faculty appointment, director Policy Studies Institute Westminster, dean and director of business school, readership in economics and deputy director Center for Study of African Economies, lectureship in economic theory and mathematical economics, foreign exchange strategists, co-ordinators (4) for International Save the Children Alliance.

MULTI-REGIONAL Agri-business consultants worldwide, project managers, social development. Agricultural economists (ICRAF). Managing director, financial controller, operations manager (Seaboard Corp.). Public relations specialists (worldwide), communication specialists for Africa, Latin America (IEC). Teachers for African Program of IFESH. University faculty to teach on military bases in Russia (Irkutsk and Vladivostok), Europe and Asia. Financial sector experts for IMF. American Refugee Committee. Breast Cancer Treatment/Prevention Central Europe; English Teaching Fellows (ETF). Teachers in international training in women’s and development projects, entrepreneurial agricultural marketing specialist for Latin America. Director of operations, regional communications coordinator for WWF in Latin America/Caribbean. Manager of Rapid Biological Assessment Program (Francophone Africa). Educational Services Institute (ESI) is recruiting instructors. Multi-disciplinary team for WRI (World Resources Institute). Country representatives for Africare. CEO for Central Asian-American Enterprise Fund. Managers and specialists for SAC International. Economists for Latin America and Asia (EIU). Clinical legal specialists for Albania, Romania, Bulgaria and Ukraine, Central and Eastern Europe, NIS. Associate Liaisons for Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kazakhstan, Ukraine. Civic educators and organizers for Eastern Europe (NDI). Program director for Plan International. Peace Corps—Foresters, parks and wildlife, environmental education and awareness. Water and sanitation engineers, Agronomists for Action Against Hunger. Director European sales (England). Senior sales manager (U.S./Latin America) 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 ESL/EFL certificate or one year ESL/EFL teaching experience. Internships (some paid positions)—reproductive health program, rural self-help, HIV/AIDS education.

URGENT NEEDS Honduras—Elementary and secondary school teachers. India—Experienced, qualified vice principal for New Era High School. Macau—School of Nations needs qualified kindergarten, primary and secondary teachers. Solomon Islands—Self-supporting couple to serve as custodians of the Bahá’í Center in Honiara. Volunteer to train National Center office staff. For additional information, please contact the Office of Pioneering, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette IL 60091 (phone 847-733-3508, fax 847-733-3509, e-mail ).

PIONEERING / HOMEFRONT

WESTWARD ... HO! Head ’em up and move on out to Cheyenne, Wyoming! Here’s your opportunity to be a “true pioneer” in a progressive Western city that boasts a huge shopping center, hospital, an Air Force base, businesses and friendly people. Nearby, you’ll find ranches, beautiful scenery, camping, skiing, lakes, horses, buffalo and quiet places for solitude. A wholesome place to raise your family while having fun. Cheyenne lost its Assembly last year and we want to get it back. For Cheyenne Bahá’ís, e-mail , and for an “Old West Trail Explorer Adventure Guide and Wyoming Vacation Planner” phone 800-530-5714 or fax 701-250-9772.

The Warwick, Rhode Island, Bahá’í community is acting to expand membership and consolidate the community. We are seeking homefront pioneers who would like the challenge of living and teaching in a predominantly Catholic state (80%+). Warwick is on Narragansett Bay, 10 miles south of Providence and easy driving distance from Boston, New York City, the ski areas in southern New Hampshire and Vermont, and Green Acre Bahá’í School. Our culturally diverse state has several universities and colleges, including Brown University. With affordable living and housing costs, Warwick is within commuting distance of high-tech firms surrounding the Boston metropolitan area. If interested contact Charles R. Roderick (phone 401-738-2479, e-mail ).

The Bahá’í group of Clarksville, Tennessee, is in great need of homefront pioneers, so if being needed makes a difference and you can commit to our community, please fly here on “wings of spirit.” Retirees, doctors, lawyers and those who can set up their own business would have an advantage, but if you have to work, low debt is best. Austin Peay State University has a need for Bahá’í students. If interested please contact Larry Clark, Clarksville, TN 37040 (phone 931-552-4997).

PROJECTS WITHIN U.S.

Want to travel and teach this summer? Then come to South Carolina. The State Teaching Committee is hosting an intensive traveling teaching project July 4-Sept. 7. For more information call the committee at 800-735-4445.

Opportunity to serve the Faith among the Southeast Asian Bahá’ís in areas of California, Georgia, Oregon, Washington and more. As stated in the Four Year Plan: “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. ... immigrants, students and refugees from all parts of the planet, drawn from all the major racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds of humanity.” Help welcome these beautiful souls into the Bahá’í communities of these areas, assist in deepening them and help to meet their needs in social and economic development. You should find employment and housing, preferably in close proximity to the Southeast Asian community in the area you choose. For more information, call the U.S. Bahá’í Refugee Office, Bahá’í National Center, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (phone 847-733-3547).

WANTED

Musicians, dancers, writers, artists, healers: Is your calling to teach the Faith full-time through your music or art? Would you like to form a collective and help start a Creativity and Healing Institute to help suffering souls and promote entry by troops? Inspired by the recent Artists’ Gathering, I would like to network with you in the hope of establishing a project to express a love and spirit that will transform and heal hearts and lives. If the unity of the group is strong enough, this will happen! I am also interested in pioneering new forms and styles of music and art, especially using improvisation. I play electric guitar and keyboards, and my musical influences are classical, rock, jazz, new age, avant-garde, and Indian classical. Anyone who is interested in supporting such a project is asked to contact Bob Charnes, Voorhees, NJ 08043 (phone 609-772-2195; e-mail ).

ARCHIVES

The National Bahá’í Archives is seeking original letters written on behalf of the Guardian to the following individuals: Amelia Buxton, Elise Pumpelly Cabot, S. Parkes Cadman, Danny Caldwell, David Caldwell, Elaine Caldwell, Harry Caldwell, Geo. Caleoper, Ward M. Calhoon and Elizabeth Callaway. Anyone knowing family members or relatives who might have these Guardian’s letters is asked to contact the National Bahá’í Archives, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201-1611 (phone 847-869-9039).

Several free information sheets on local archives and records are available from the National Bahá’í Archives. Any local Bahá’í community wishing a set is asked to send a request with a mailing address to the National Bahá’í Archives, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201-1611 (phone 847-869-9039).

Doctor recognized for saving baby’s life

A Bahá’í physician’s role in saving the life of a baby born with a severe heart condition was recounted recently in a feature story in the “Florida Magazine” section of the Orlando Sentinel.

When Roxanne Edwards-Barbee, a Bahá’í in Lake County Florida, west of Orlando, recognized the newborn’s problem, he was “minutes from death—or brain damage—caused by a lack of oxygen,” according to the article.

“This is one of those one-in-a-million cases, a life-and-death situation, that reaffirms why we are trained to do things a certain way,” Edwards-Barbee was quoted as saying. “It gives me goosebumps to think that he could have died.”

The baby was rushed by helicopter to Florida Hospital in Orlando, where three heart procedures were performed in the next few days. He now is 3 years old and healthy. [Page 37]کلاس از ۱۹ جولای تا ۸ آگست سال جاری ادامه خواهد داشت. برنامه درسی کلاس مذکور هفته‌ای ۵ روز و هر روز ۵ ساعت ادامه خواهد یافت و شامل فعالیت‌های فرهنگی برای کمک به فعالیت‌های داخل کلاس خواهد بود.

قیمت ثبت‌نام برای کلاس فشرده فارسی در طی سه هفته ۴۵۰ دلار و مخارج خوابگاه شبی ۲۰ دلار است.

علاقه‌مندان می‌توانند برای نام‌نویسی و یا دریافت اطلاعات بیشتر با دفتر امور احبای ایرانی-آمریکایی تماس حاصل نمایند. شماره تلفن: ۷۳۳-۳۵۲۶ (۸۴۷)

FRIENDS OF PERSIAN CULTURE CONFERENCE

چنانکه در شماره‌های پیشین این نشریه به آگاهی دوستان رسید، هشتمین کنفرانس سالانه دوستداران فرهنگ ایرانی از ۳ تا ۶ سپتامبر ۱۹۹۸ در هتل هالیدی این O’Hare نزدیک فرودگاه اصلی شیکاگو تشکیل خواهد شد.

دوستان می‌توانند برای رزرو کردن اتاق مستقیماً با هتل تماس حاصل نمایند و ذکر فرمایند که برای شرکت در Bahá’í Arts Festival اتاق لازم دارند. نرخ مخصوص کنفرانس که از ۲ تا ۷ سپتامبر ۱۹۹۸ معتبر خواهد بود برای هر اتاق شبی ۷۹ دلار است. این مبلغ فقط برای کرایه اتاق است و شامل مخارج خوراک و نام‌نویسی نمی‌شود. در هر اتاق از یک تا چهار نفر می‌توانند بخوابند. رفت و آمد از فرودگاه O’Hare به هتل مجانی است. شماره تلفن هتل: ۶۷۱-۶۳۵۰ (۸۴۷)

نام‌نویسی از صبح روز پنجشنبه ۳ سپتامبر آغاز می‌شود. شروع جلسات کنفرانس عصر روز پنجشنبه و خاتمه آن ساعت ۱۱ شب یکشنبه ۶ سپتامبر خواهد بود. از علاقه‌مندان دعوت می‌شود برای نام‌نویسی در کنفرانس برگه ثبت نام را تکمیل فرمایند و آن را همراه با حق نام‌نویسی در وجه Bahá’í Services Fund به نشانی زیر ارسال دارند.

Persian-American Affairs Office Bahá’í National Center 1233 Central St. Evanston, IL 60201

برای دریافت اطلاعات بیشتر می‌توان با دفتر "انجمن دوستداران فرهنگ ایرانی" تماس حاصل نمود. تلفن: ۷۳۳-۳۴۶۷ (۸۴۷) فکس ۷۳۳-۳۵۴۵ (۸۴۷) e-mail:

اطلاعات بیشتر درباره برنامه خردسالان

برای شرکت خردسالان بهائی در کنفرانس موارد و شرایطی در نظر گرفته شده است که خلاصه آن در زیر درج می‌گردد:

۱- در طول کنفرانس همه خردسالان کمتر از ۱۲ سال باید در قسمت خردسالان نام‌نویسی کنند. ناگفته پیداست که انتظار می‌رود نونهالان عزیز رفتار و اخلاق و شؤون بهائی را رعایت نمایند.

۲- نونهالانی که در رابطه با فرهنگ ایران مایل به اجرای برنامه‌ هنری باشند، باید والدینشان از قبل با هیأت برگزاری کنفرانس تماس حاصل نمایند.

۳- معلمانی که برای بخش خردسالان انتخاب شده‌اند همگی از افراد باتجربه و حرفه‌ای و متخصص آموزش و پرورش خردسالانند.

۴- کنفرانس خردسالان شامل بخش‌های آموزشی، تربیتی، هنری و ورزشی خواهد بود.

۵- حق نام‌نویسی کودکان برای سه روز کنفرانس نفری ۵۰ دلار است. در صورتی که دوستان مایل باشند که اطفالشان را روزانه نام‌نویسی کنند مبلغ نام‌نویسی روزی ۲۰ دلار خواهد بود.

۶- برای نام‌نویسی خردسالان باید دوستان برگه زیر را به همراه چک قبل از ۱۵ آگست سال جاری به نشانی دفتر امور احبای ایرانی/آمریکایی ارسال دارند. چک ارسالی باید در وجه Bahá’í Services Fund صادر شود.

۷- برای دریافت اطلاعات بیشتر می‌توان با خانم آتی‌سا آذر در دفتر امور احبای ایرانی-آمریکایی تماس حاصل نمود. شماره تلفن: ۷۳۳-۳۵۲۸ (۸۴۷)

برگه نام‌نویسی
Registration Form
انجمن دوستداران فرهنگ ایرانی
Friends of Persian Culture Association
هشتمین کنفرانس سالانه
Eighth Annual Conference
۳ تا ۶ سپتامبر ۱۹۹۸
September 3-6, 1998

Last Name...................................................	نام خانوادگی
First Name.................................................................	نام
Address...................................................................	نشانی
City.................... شهر State..................................	ایالت
Zip Code.............. کد پستی Country.........................	کشور
Telephone...............................................................	تلفن

حق نام نویسی تا ۱۵ آگست برای هر نفر ۳۵ دلار و بعد از آن تاریخ ۴۵ دلار خواهد بود.

Registration fee until August 15, 1998 is US$35 per person. After that date it will be $45.

Number of Participants....................... عدّة شرکت کنندگان Amount of check $.... ......................................... مبلغ چک Check No. ........................................................... شماره چک

لطفاً چک را در وجه Make check payable to “Bahá’í Services Fund” بنویسید و به نشانی زیر ارسال فرمائید. and mail to : Persian/American Affairs Office Bahá’í National Center 1233 Central St. Evanston, IL. 60201 USA

برگه نام‌نویسی برنامه خردسالان
Registration Form for Children’s Program
انجمن دوستداران فرهنگ ایرانی
Friends of Persian Culture Association
۳ تا ۶ سپتامبر ۱۹۹۸
September 3-6, 1998

Last Name...................................................	نام خانوادگی
First Name.................................................................	نام
Age ............................................................................	سن
Mother’s Name ...............................	نام و نام خانوادگی مادر
Father’s Name ...............................	نام و نام خانوادگی پدر
Address...................................................................	نشانی
City.................... شهر State..................................	ایالت
Zip Code.............. کد پستی Country.........................	کشور
Telephone...............................................................	تلفن

حق نام نویسی تا ۱۵ آگست برای هر نفر ۳۵ دلار و بعد از آن تاریخ ۴۵ دلار خواهد بود.

Registration fee until August 15, 1998 is US$35 per person. After that date it will be $45.

Amount of check $.... ......................................... مبلغ چک Amount of check $.... ......................................... مبلغ چک Check No. ........................................................... شماره چک

لطفاً چک را در وجه Make check payable to “Bahá’í Services Fund” بنویسید و به نشانی زیر ارسال فرمائید. and mail to : Persian/American Affairs Office Bahá’í National Center 1233 Central St. Evanston, IL. 60201 USA [Page 38]مراعات حکمت کنند. در این کارگاه که یک روز به طول خواهد انجامید سابقة فعالیت‌های احباء دربارة وحدت نژادی از اوائل سدة بیست ارائه خواهد شد.

شرکت‌کنندگان در این کارگاه در مفاد بیانیة محفل روحانی ملی دربارة وحدت نژادی غور خواهند کرد و سپس با نظر به نصوص مبارکه و مروری بر آن به بررسی پاسخهائی که در مورد مسائل نژادی داده شده است خواهند پرداخت. در پایان کارگاه چگونگی ادارة مذاکرات مربوط به موضع وحدت نژادی با تأکید بر مراعات حکمت تعلیم خواهد شد و فرصتی به دست خواهد آمد که اقدامات مشخصی که برای ارائه ویدیوی "نیروی وحدت نژادی" لازم است، تعیین شود.

۵ کارگاه دیگر در تعاقب کارگاه اول و بر مبنای آن در نظر گرفته شده است که در بیوت تبلیغی از آن استفاده خواهد شد. کارگاه‌های مذکور مورد استقبال احباء قرار گرفته است.

اخیراً نسخه‌ای از مطالب این کارگاه‌ها به هر یک از محافل روحانی محلی ارسال شد. دوستانی که مایل باشند نسخه‌های اضافی دریافت دارند می‌توانند با دفتر مدارس امری تماس حاصل نمایند.

شماره تلفن: ۳۳۹۵-۷۳۳ (۸۴۷)

e-mail:

فعالیت‌های تبلیغی

TEACHING ACTIVITIES

در چند ماه گذشته احبای الهی در جوامع گوناگون امری بر فعالیت‌های تبلیغی خود افزوده‌اند. شرحی از این گونه خدمات در زیر درج می‌شود:

کلمبوس، اوهایو روز ۱۵ اپریل سال جاری ویدیوی "نیروی وحدت نژادی" در مرکز بهائی شهر کلمبوس در ایالت اوهایو به نمایش گذاشته شد.

جلسة نمایش ویدیو که ۸ نفر غیربهائی در آن شرکت داشتند، شامل تلاوت مناجاتی به زبان فارسی و صرف شام و برنامة موسیقی بود.

یکی از افراد غیربهائی حاضر در جلسه خانمی بود که اظهار داشت مسلمان است. خانم مذکور در طول جلسه قیافه‌ای جدی به خود گرفته بود اما در اواخر مذاکرات آخر جلسه اذعان کرد که به سختی توانسته است از گریه خودداری کند. او همچنان اظهار داشت که در طی تماشای ویدیو با خود می‌گفته است که این همان چیزی است که در تمام مدت عمر به دنبالش بوده‌ام. این خانم در همان جلسه کارت تصدیق خود را امضاء کرد.

جنوب فلوریدا احبای جنوب فلوریدا نیز ساکت ننشسته و به اعلان عمومی امر مبارک پرداخته و نتیجة مرحلة اول برنامة تبلیغی خود را اعلام کرده‌اند.

از اواخر ماه جنیوری تا ۱۰ فیبروری سال جاری پیام‌هائی از ۱۲ ایستگاه رادیوئی پخش شد. داوطلبان بهائی آماده بودند که در طول شبانه روز به سؤالات علاقه مندان پاسخ بدهند. این داوطلبان به ۹۱ تلفن پاسخ دادند و ۸۲ پاکت حاوی اطلاعات دربارة امر مبارک به علاقه مندان فرستادند. در نتیجة پیام‌های مذکور ۲ نفر تصدیق امر مبارک کرده‌اند و ۱۱ نفر خواسته‌اند که تماس‌های بیشتری با احباء داشته باشند. در عین حال داستان‌های شیرینی روایت شده است که برخی از آن به قرار زیر است:

• یک جوان ساکن بوستن که برای دیدار از مادر و پدرش به فلوریدا سفر کرده بود، پس از شنیدن یکی از پیام‌های رادیوئی بهائی اظهار داشت که از شنیدن آگهی بهائی بسیار خوشحال شده است. او همچنین درخواست کرد که پاکت‌های حاوی اطلاعات برای خود و ۵ نفر از دوستانش که در نیویورک و لوس انجلس و بوستن و انگلستان زندگی می‌کنند، فرستاده شود.

• مردی که آشنائی مختصری با امر مبارک داشته است، پس از شنیدن آگهی بهائی با احبای یکی از جوامع تماس گرفت و درخواست اطلاعات بیشتر کرد.

• یکی از کسانی که با احباء تماس تلفنی گرفته بود صاحب یک ایستگاه رادیوئی است که اظهار داشته بود که مایل است با احباء ملاقات کند حتی اگر احباء هرگز در ایستگاهش آگهی ندهند!

ولمینگتون، کرولاینای شمالی Wilmington ویدیوی "نیروی وحدت نژادی" را در بخشی از برنامة معرفی احبای اولیة آن ایالت به کار می‌برند.

حظیرة‌القدس بهائی ولمینگتون خانة یکی از احبای سیاهپوست است که پس از صعود او در سال ۱۹۸۸ به امر مبارک تقدیم شده است. روز ۱۴ می سال جاری ۴۳ دانش آموز و ۷ معلم از این حظیرة‌القدس دیدار کردند.

نخست تاریخچة جامعة سیاهپوست محل به طور مختصر ارائه و سپس بخشهائی از ویدیوی "نیروی وحدت نژادی" به نمایش گذاشته شد. ناگفته نماند که برنامة مذکور با استقبال حاضران روبرو شد.

سکوکی، ایلینوی عکس‌العمل بسیاری از احباء پس از آگاه شدن از اینکه ویدیوی "نیروی وحدت نژادی" از شبکة Odyssey پخش می‌شود این بود که ما دسترسی به آن شبکه نداریم. احبای سکوکی (در حومة شیکاگو) هم با همین مسأله روبرو بودند و تصمیم گرفتند با همکاری شش جامعة امری دیگر از منابع دیگری برای اعلان عمومی امرالله استفاده کنند.

بدین ترتیب احباء با مدیر یکی از کانال‌های محلی تماس گرفتند و موفق شدند آگهی‌های بهائی را در کانال مذکور به نمایش بگذارند.

همچنین سه جامعة امری سکوکی و ویلمت و اونستن Evanston با اشتراک مساعی توانستند برای پخش اعلانات بهائی در چهار مجموعة سینمائی وقت نمایش بخرند. بدین ترتیب در اپریل سال جاری در بین نمایش فیلم‌های سینمائی ۱۶ هزار اعلان بهائی نشان داده شد.

حقوق الله

RIGHT OF GOD COLUMN

یکی از خوانندگان نشریه "امریکن بهائی" نامه‌ای دربارة تجربة شخصی خود راجع به حقوق الله نگاشته است که خلاصة آن به فارسی در زیر درج می‌گردد:

"چندین هفته بود که در مورد فقر رقت‌بار مردم دنیا تشویش خاطر داشتم. البته خودم مرتب تبرعاتی به صندوق ملی تقدیم می‌کردم و بر این عقیده بودم که امر مبارک حلال همة مشکلات بشر خواهد بود. اما نه این عقیده و نه تبرع به صندوق امری و نه حتی اعانه به سازمان‌های غیربهائی پیکار با گرسنگی می‌توانست تشویش خاطرم را بر طرف کند. خاطرة فلاکتی که در مردم جهان سوم دیده بودم ذهنم را مشغول و مضطرب می‌کرد.

بعد شنیدم که در جائی یک سخنرانی دربارة حقوق الله ایراد خواهد شد. به آن جلسه رفتم. تا قبل از آن روز توجهی به حقوق الله نکرده بودم و آن را امر واجبی برای بهائیان ایرانی می‌پنداشتم و بر این گمان بودم که دیگران از تقدیم آن معافند. اما در آن جلسه گوئی ناگهان چشم و دلم باز شد و راجع به حل روحانی مسأله اقتصادی مطالبی شنیدم.

در آن جلسه فهمیدم که مؤسسة حقوق الله سهم بسیار مهمی در مورد حل روحانی برای مشکلات اقتصادی ایفاء خواهد کرد و ابزار لازم را برای تعدیل معیشت به دست خواهد داد.

برای من همین کافی بود و تشویشم رفع شد. بدین ترتیب احساس مسؤولیت کردم و با شوق زیادی اولین تبرع خودم را به صندوق حقوق الله تقدیم کردم.

حقوق الله
از دوستان عزیز مستدعی است تقدیمی‌های حقوق الله را در وجه ‎Baha'i Bahá’í‎ Huququ’llah Trust و به نشانی یکی از امنای حقوق الله ارسال فرمایند.
Mrs. Thelma Khelghati Lunenburg, MA. 01462-2125
Dr. Amin Banani Santa Monica, CA 90402-3154
Mr. Stephen Birkland Arden Hills, MN. 55112-3756
Dr. Daryush Haghighi Rocky River, OH 44116-1124

کلاس‌های فشرده زبان فارسی

INTENSIVE PERSIAN COURSE

دفتر امور احبای ایرانی-امریکائی با همکاری مؤسسة ویلمت در صدد تشکیل کلاس فشرده‌ای برای آموزش زبان فارسی در تابستان سال جاری است.

بر اساس تقاضاهای رسیده، کلاس فارسی تابستان امسال در حد ابتدائی خواهد بود. برنامة [Page 39]می‌داریم: کایزر بارنز Kiser Barnes، رالف فن چیکوس Rolf von Czekus، هارتموت گروسمن Hartmut Grossman، ویولت هاک Violette Haak، فریدون جواهری، لرتا کینگ Lauretta King، جون لینکلن Joan Lincoln، پیمان مهاجر، و پنی واکر Penny Walker. از مساعی ممتاز و فداکارانه‌ای که شاپور منجم، دونالد راجرز Donald Rogers، فرد شکتر Fred Schechter، کیمیکو شورین Kimiko Schwerin و جوی استیونسن Joy Stevenson در این مؤسسه مهم حیاتی انجام داده‌اند صمیمانه سپاسگزاریم.

بیت العدل اعظم

ترجمه پیام بیت العدل اعظم

مورخ ۲ می ۱۹۹۸ خطاب به اعضای محافل روحانی ملی حاضر در هشتمین کانونشن بین‌المللی بهائی

Persian Translation of the Message of the Universal House of Justice Addressed to Members of National Spiritual Assemblies Attending the Eighth International Convention

همکاران عزیز روحانی

تا چند ماه دیگر سدوسی سال از زمانی که موعود جمیع قرون و اعصار اجباراً بعنوان زندانی به این اراضی سرگون گردیدند میگذرد. مقصود دشمنان نیرومندی که علیه جمال قدم صف‌آرائی کرده بودند آن بود که این تبعید اقدام نهائی برای امحاء مأموریت الهی حضرتش باشد، غافل از آنکه مطابق وعدهٔ نصرت و ظفری که اراده الهیه به آن مظهر احدیه عطا کرده بود به شهادت قلم اعلایش "اعلام نصر" از ورودش به عکا استقبال نمودند و "نادی المناد: فسوف ... یدخل الناس فی ظل هذه الاعلام." *

مرحله نوین پراهمیتی در مسیر تحقق نهائی آن وعدهٔ عظیم در اجتماع کنونی شما آشکار است، اجتماع نمایندگان جوامع شکوفنده‌ای که در سراسر جهان بنام آن محبوب امکان تأسیس گردیده و حال در این نقطه و در همان اراضی، در این موسم فرخنده گرد هم آمده‌اند. با قلوبی پر اهتزاز آنچه را که در این اجتماع موفق به انجام آن شده اید تجلیل می‌کنیم. مشارکت شما در جریان انتخاباتی که بنحوی بدیع وضع و تنصیص شده اکلیل جلیل بنای نظم جهان‌آرائی را تقویت می‌نماید که محافل ملّیه ارکان اساسی آن محسوب می‌گردند. صراحت، اتقان و نظمی که در مشاورات این انجمن به منصّهٔ ظهور رسیده دورنمای پیشرفتی را در برابر انظار می‌گشاید که باید در مدتی کوتاه تحقق یابد. آنچه با شدتی بیشتر ما را تحت تأثیر قرار داده نحوهٔ رفتار پر از مهر و عطوفت و اتحاد و اتفاق آن یاران عزیز است. چنین روح محبت و اتحادی در هر گروه دیگری که چون جمع شما از عناصری چنین متفاوت تشکیل شده باشد بسیار نادر است. از این شواهد و آثار جریان پر شتاب سیر تکامل و بلوغ اعضای مؤسسات امریه که باید در مستقبل ایّام نقش عمده‌ای در هدایت مقدّرات ملل داشته باشند بسیار دلگرم و مشعوفیم.

با توجه به آنچه در این چند روز سرشار از رویدادهای گوناگون گذشت، آیا نمی‌توان این تجربه را لحظات سرنوشت‌سازی برای نقشهٔ چهارساله محسوب داشت، یعنی نقطهٔ عطفی که آغاز تحقق جمیع اهداف و امکانات نقشه است؟ اگر چنین نیست پس باید منتظر کدام فرصت دیگری باشیم؟ به یقین یاران الهی در ممالک شما با قلوبی پر شور و شوق در انتظار مراجعتتان هستند و مشتاقند تا با صمیم قلب اقداماتی را که با جرأت و شهامت مایل به شروع آن هستید نصرت و حمایت نمایند. چه وقت آن رسیده است که آن عزیزان با سرعت بیشتر و به نحوی مؤثرتر به اجرای وظائف که حقّ جلّ جلاله برای شما تعیین نموده قیام نمائید زیرا علائم و آثار ثقه و اعتمادی جدید و نیرو و انبعاثی تازه و تجدید حالت انقطاع و انجذاب در ناصیهٔ آن حبیبان معنوی لائح و آشکار است. این عوامل سبب افزایش امکانات و توانائی شما در تجهیز و اعزام افراد احبّاء به میادین تبلیغ و تشویق آنان به تعهد سایر مسؤولیتهای مهم بنحوی بی‌سابقه میگردد.

امید چنان است که روح وحدت و یگانگی حاکم بر کانونشن در جمیع محافل ملّیه که سالار سپاه انوارند تأثیر و نفوذ نماید، و امید است که این روح وحدت و یگانگی با چنان جذبه و نیروی عشق و محبتی در آن عزیزان ظاهر و ساطع گردد که مؤسسات ملّی و محلی و افراد احبای ساکن در حوزهٔ محافل ملّیه را احاطه نماید و نصایح و مساعی مشاورین و معاونین و مساعدینشان را در بر گیرد. تا در هر کشوری، علی‌رغم ‎ستیزه جوئی و ستیزه جوئی ستیزه جوئی‎ رایج در جهان امروز، وحدت و یگانگی جامعهٔ بهائی تجلّی صوری آن حقیقت ذاتی درونی باشد که محرّک اصلی مؤسساتی است که من عندالله تأسیس گردیده و مسؤول اداره و هم‌آهنگ ساختن امور جامعه‌اند.

ای یاران عزیز الهی، مایهٔ بسی افتخار و مباهات برای آن عزیزان است که در این برهه از زمان در تجهیز منظم منابع انسانی بذل مساعی مینمائید، کوششی که می‌تواند گروه‌های جدیدی از مقبلین را در ظلّ رایت اسم اعظم در آورد. نقشهٔ کار آماده و طریق اقدام واضح و آشکار است. با اطمینان خاطر و قوّت قلب بشتابید و پیش روید.

بیت‌العدل اعظم

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• مضمون بیان مبارک به فارسی چنین است: منادی ندا نمود که بزودی تمام ساکنین روی زمین در ظلّ این اعلام (پرچمها) وارد خواهند شد.

وحدت نژادی

THE MOST CHALLENGING ISSUE

بیت‌العدل اعظم الهی در پیام رضوان سال ۱۵۵ بدیع می‌فرمایند: "ضرورت اقدام ایجاب می‌کند که در انجام وظائف و امور اداری نظم و ترتیب علمی (سیستماتیک) مراعات گردد."

و نیز می‌فرمایند: "... اجرای برنامهٔ منظم در مورد جمیع خدمات امری صدق می‌کند، چه خدمات تبلیغی باشد چه خدمات و اقدامات اداری، چه کوشش‌های فردی باشد چه مساعی جمعی."

در پیام مذکور بیت‌العدل اعظم الهی چند بار دیگر نیز به اهمیت روش منظم در اجرای خدمات امری اشاره فرموده‌اند. بدین ترتیب لجنه ملی نشر نفحات توصیه می‌کند که جوامع بهائی یک برنامهٔ منظم و درازمدت تبلیغی طرح ریزند که شامل پخش ویدیوی "نیروی وحدت نژادی" باشد و همچنین تعداد بیوت تبلیغی و جلسات تزیید معلومات افزایش یابد.

با اینکه احباء از اوایل قرن حاضر در صف اول پیکار با تعصبات نژادی بوده‌اند، در حال حاضر باید در روش این پیکار تجدید نظر نمایند. حضرت ولی امرالله بیانی به این مضمون فرموده‌اند که باید یاران در خاطر داشته باشند که در مواردی که عامل نژادی دخیل می‌شود، به کار بستن ملاحظه و حکمت باید صدها برابر بیشتر مراعات گردد.

هر چند احباء به دلیل موضعی که در قبال تعصبات نژادی اتخاذ کرده‌اند، نسبت به دیگران آگاهی و آمادگی بیشتری برای پاسخ گوئی به نیازهای مربوط به رفع تعصبات دارند، اما آنچه در حال حاضر بدان پاسخ می‌گویند باید کاملاً ممتاز از فعالیت‌های دیگران باشد.

در پیام رضوان سال جاری معهد اعلی فرموده‌اند: "بنا بر اطلاعاتی که واصل گردیده در هر جا که به کار بستن رویه منظم درک و به کار بسته شده، نقشهٔ چهارساله پیشرفت داشته است. اطلاعات مزبور همچنان حاکی از آن است که مؤسسات امری در جوامع فوق‌الذکر در بذل کوشش‌های گروهی در سطوح ملی و منطقه‌ای و محلی به این نکته توجه داشته و آن را به کار بسته‌اند ولکن افراد احباء که موفقیت نهائی مالاً منوط و مربوط به اقدامات آنان است به میزان کافی این رویه را درک نکرده‌اند. به این سبب باید برای موفقیت در اقدامات فردی در تبلیغ امرالله و سایر خدمات امری اهمیت این شرط ضروری را به یاران عزیز تأکید نمائیم."

لجنهٔ ملی نشر نفحات طرح تشکیل کارگاههائی را ریخته است که به مدد آن احباء به نحوی منظم در راه برقراری وحدت نژادی بکوشند.

کارگاه اول بدین صورت تهیه شده است که احباء را برای آشنا ساختن جوامع با مسائل مربوط به وحدت نژادی یاری نماید که ملاحظه داشته باشند و ... [Page 40]تحرى و جستجو هستند ابلاغ شود فرصت مغتنمی برای مبلغین بهائی به وجود می‌آورد. امکانات موجود برای انجام وظائف کنونی بسیار شوق‌انگیز و امیدبخش است.

آمال ما، اهداف ما، امکانات ما برای تقدم و پیشرفت، جملگی در اثر متمرکز ساختن مساعی در اجرای هدف اصلی نقشه الهی در مرحلهٔ کنونی تحقق خواهد یافت به شرط آن که بنحوی اقدام شود که در جریان دخول افواج مقبلین پیشرفت قابل ملاحظه‌ای نصیب گردد. این مقصود از طریق کوشش مبرم که با حوصله و شکیبائی معمول شود حاصل می‌گردد. امکان موفقیت در ورود افواج مقبلین در دسترس جامعه است. اطمینان راسخ، توسل به دعا و مناجات، اشتیاق جان و دل و تأییدات الهی از جمله ضروریات پیشرفت در هر فعالیت و مشروع امری است ولکن برای موفقیت در دخول افواج مقبلین بکار بستن روش واقع‌بینانه و اقدامات منظم حائز اهمیت حیاتی است. طرق میان‌بری وجود ندارد. مساعی منظم ضامن ثبات و استمرار اقداماتی است که بر اساس نقشه‌هائی که به دقت طرح شده باشد انجام می‌گیرد. بطور کلی این شرط ضروری یعنی اجرای برنامهٔ منظم در مورد جمیع خدمات امری صدق می‌کند، چه خدمات تبلیغی باشد چه خدمات و اقدامات اداری، چه کوششهای فردی باشد چه مساعی جمعی. اقداماتی که به طیب خاطر و به ابتکار شخصی انجام می‌گیرد هرچند مجاز و مطلوب است امّا لازمه‌اش بکار بستن هشیاری، روش صحیح، کارآئی، ثبات، توازن، و هماهنگی است. ضرورت اقدام ایجاب می‌کند که در انجام وظایف و امور اداری نظم و ترتیب علمی (سیستماتیک) مراعات گردد.

به منظور تضمین تکامل منظم جامعه از جمله وظایف مؤسسات بهائی آنست که رویه و ترتیب خاصّی برای پرورش نیروی انسانی اتخاذ نمایند تا افراد احبّاء از قدیم و جدید بتوانند معلومات و توانائی لازم را برای توسعه و تحکیم مداوم جامعه کسب کنند. برای این منظور تأسیس مؤسسات آموزشی ضروری است، زیرا این مؤسسات مراکزی هستند که بوسیله آنها تعداد کثیری از افراد می‌توانند توانائی تبلیغ امر و اداره امور امری را کسب و یا تکمیل نمایند. وجود این مؤسسات مؤید اهمیت معارف امری و منشاء نیرو و توانائی برای تقویت حیات جامعه بهائی و حیات بهائی افرادی است که جامعه را تشکیل می‌دهند.

بنا بر اطلاعاتی که واصل گردیده در هر جا که بکار بستن رویهٔ منظم درک و بکار بسته شده نقشه چهارساله پیشرفت داشته است. اطلاعات مزبور همچنین حاکی از آنست که مؤسسات امری در جوامع فوق‌الذکر در بذل کوششهای گروهی در سطوح ملّی و منطقه‌ای و محلی به این نکته توجه داشته و آنرا بکار بسته‌اند ولکن افراد احبّاء که موفقیت نهائی مالاً منوط و مربوط به اقدامات آنان است به میزان کافی این رویه را درک نکرده‌اند. به این سبب باید برای موفقیت در اقدامات فردی در تبلیغ امرالله و سایر خدمات امری اهمیت این شرط ضروری را به یاران عزیز الهی تاکید نمائیم.

نقشه چهارساله توسط مؤسسات امری ملّی و محلی به صورت برنامه‌ها و طرحهای اجرائی درآمده است. این برنامه‌ها و طرحها از جمله نحوه اقدام به اجرای نقشه را ارائه می‌دهند، هدف را مشخص می‌کنند، محرّک و مشوق سعی و کوشش هستند، اسباب و وسائل لازم را برای استفاده از خدمات نفوسی که به تبلیغ امرالله یا به سایر خدمات امری می‌پردازند فراهم می‌آورند. این اقدامات برای آنکه جامعه بتواند بنحو مطلوب وظایف محوّله را انجام دهد لازم است. امّا اگر افراد احبّاء به مشارکت فعّال در اجرای این برنامه‌ها و طرحها نپردازند همهٔ این مقدمات و تمهیدات بی فایده و بی حاصل خواهد ماند. برای این که افراد یاران موفق شوند به این نیازمندی پاسخ مطلوب دهند هر فرد باید با هشیاری تصمیم بگیرد که چگونه و در چه زمان و در کجا برای اجرای نقشه خدمت خواهد کرد. چنین تصمیمی فرد را موفق می‌سازد تا در نحوه پیشرفت اقداماتی که مبذول می‌دارد نظارت نماید و در صورت لزوم آنرا اصلاح کند. عادت کردن به چنین رویهٔ منظمی در خدمات امری به زندگانی هر فرد بهائی معنا و کمال می‌بخشد.

امّا گذشته از ضرورت پاسخ دادن به تقاضاهای مؤسسات امری، حضرت بهاءالله بنفسه فرد بهائی را به وظیفهٔ مقدس تبلیغ امر مبارکش موظف فرموده و می‌فرمایند تبلیغ امرالله "أفضل الاعمال" است. تا زمانی که نفوسی وجود دارند که نیازمند ارشاد و هدایت روحانی هستند مطمئناً این وظیفه فریضهٔ دائمی هر فرد بهائی خواهد بود. برای اجرای این فریضه هر فردی مستقیماً مسؤول حضرت بهاءالله است. حضرت ولیّ امرالله تاکید می‌فرمایند که "در این سبیل احدی منتظر دستور نشود و مترصد تشویق مخصوص از طرف امناء منتخب جامعه خویش نگردد و از هیچ مانعی که نزدیکان و هموطنان وی در راه تحقق اهدافش فراهم سازند و از انتقاد معاندین و اعتراض مفسدین و مغفلین افسرده و ملول نشود." آثار مؤسسین این امر نازنین و حضرت ولیّ امرالله مشحون از نصایح و وصایا در باره وظیفه و نقش فرد بهائی در پیشرفت امر الهی است. وظیفه و نقشی که قابل تفویض به دیگران نیست. بنا بر این ناچار احساس می‌کنیم که مجبوریم در این برهه از زمان در زندگانی بشر به فرد فرد اعضاء جامعه خود التجاء کنیم تا در باره وضعی اضطراری که همه ما بعنوان معاضدان حضرت بهاءالله با آن مواجهیم به تأمل و تفکر پردازند.

خواهران و برادران عزیز، مقصود این است که باید هشیارانه به جریان تاریخی عظیمی که تا بحال شبه آن را هیچ جامعه‌ای تجربه نکرده است بپیوندیم. بعنوان جامعه‌ای جهانی تا بحال موفقیتی بدیع و پر شکوه کسب کرده‌ایم؛ یعنی جامعه‌ای به وجود آورده‌ایم که نماینده طیف کاملی از نژادهای بشری است. این موفقیت در اثر انفاق جان و مال و بذل مساعی بی‌پایان گذشتگان ما حاصل گردیده است. در دنیا هیچ جماعت دیگری غیر از بهائیان وجود ندارد که بتواند ادعای بوجود آوردن نظامی را نماید که ثابت کرده است می‌تواند جمیع فرزندان خداوند را در ظلّ نظمی جهان‌آرا با یکدیگر متحد سازد. این موفقیت نه تنها ما را در موقعیتی قرار می‌دهد که از نظر توانائی قابل مقایسه با دیگران نیست بلکه در عین حال مسؤولیتی را بر عهدهٔ ما می‌گذارد که از تعهد آن مفری نمی‌باشد. بنابر این آیا هر یک از ما تعهد و الزامی روحانی برای اجرای امر تبلیغ نداریم تا این وظیفهٔ مقدّس را نسبت به هر نفسی که از ندای آخرین مظهر الهی بی‌خبر مانده است انجام دهیم؟ زمان متوقف نمی‌شود و منتظر نمی‌ماند. با گذشت هر ساعت بلیهٔ جدیدی بر جامعهٔ پریشان و سرگردان بشری وارد می‌گردد. آیا درنگ می‌توان کرد؟

در ظرف فقط دوسال دیگر، یعنی چند ماه قبل از انقضای این قرن فراموش نشدنی، نقشه چهارساله خاتمه می‌یابد. بنا بر این ما در قبال آتیه با موعد تاریخی مواجه هستیم. حضرت عبدالبهاء در ستایش از امکانات بی‌سابقه قرن بیستم به یقین قاطع فرموده اند که آثار این قرن برای ابد باقی خواهد ماند. با در نظر داشتن چنین آرمانی، افکار هر یک از پیروان هشیار جمال اقدس ابهی باید بدون تردید در اثر این سؤال به شوق و نگرانی آید که در این سالهای زودگذر چه سهمی را اجرا خواهد کرد و در پایان این دوران پربار که حضرت عبدالبهاء به آن تصریح فرموده اند چه اثر و ثمری از خود به یادگار باقی خواهد گذاشت. برای این که مطمئن شویم پاسخی به این سؤال خواهیم داد که سبب رضایت وجدان ما شود فقط باید قیام و اقدام کنیم، هم اکنون اقدام کنیم و مستمراً اقدامات خود را ادامه دهیم.

التماس و التجای قلبی ما در عتبهٔ مقدّسه علیا از جانب همهٔ احبّاء آنست که آنچه همگی به منظور تحقق این هدف عاجل نقشه الهی در این لحظات سرنوشت‌ساز در تاریخ بشر انجام می‌دهیم به تأییدات ‎لاریبیّه غیبیّه‎ الهیّه مستظهر و مؤید گردد.

بیت العدل اعظم

پیام بیت العدل اعظم

مورخ ۱۳ می ۱۹۹۸

که با وسائط الکترونیک مخابره شده است Persian Translation of the E-mail Message of the Universal House of Justice, Dated May 13, 1998

با قلوبی پرسرور انتصاب مشاورین عضو دارالتبلیغ بین‌ المللی را برای دورهٔ پنج ساله‌ای که از ۲۳ می ۱۹۹۸ آغاز می‌گردد به شرح ذیل اعلام [Page 41]

ترجمه پیام بیت العدل اعظم خطاب به بهائیان عالم رضوان ۱۵۵

Persian Translation of the Message of the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the World -- Ridvan 155

در این نیمه راه نقشۀ چهار ساله با قلوبی مملو از سرور و اهتزاز اعلام می‌داریم که جامعۀ جهانی بهائی در مرحله‌ای سرشار از نیرو و تحرک در سیر تکاملی خود به توفیقات جدیدی دست یافته و جریان دخول افواج مقبلین که محور اقدامات و توفیقات مزبور است آشکارا در پیشرفت و تقدم است.

سه پدیده، نوید بخش تحقق انتظارات ماست. یکی نتایج مثبتی است که از فعالیت مؤسسات آموزشی حاصل گردیده است. در دو سال گذشته ده ها هزار نفر از یاران الهی حداقل یک دورۀ آموزشی را در مؤسسات مزبور به پایان رسانده‌اند. فایده و اثر مستقیم این آموزشها تقویت قابل ملاحظۀ نیروی ایمانی و آگاهی بیش از پیش نسبت به هویت روحانی خود و تعهد بیشتر در قبول خدمات امری بوده است. پدیدۀ دوم مربوط به پیشرفت قابل ملاحظۀ شرایط و احوالی است که در تأسیس و تجدید محافل روحانی محلی مؤثر واقع شده است. تصمیم به انتخاب محافل محلی منحصراً در یوم اول رضوان که اصولاً به ابتکار و اقدام جوامع محلی مربوط به محافل مزبور واگذار گردیده در سال ۱۹۹۷ به موقع اجراء گذاشته شد. با آن که انتظار می‌رفت که این اقدام بلافاصله سبب کاهش تعداد محافل محلی در سراسر جهان گردد، ولکن تقلیل تعداد محافل خیلی زیاد نبود و حتی در بعضی از کشورها این اقدام سبب افزایش تعداد محافل محلی گردید. نتیجه‌ای که حاصل گردیده حاکی از آنست که جریان تکامل و بلوغ این مؤسسات که اساسشان من عند الله است در مسیر مطلوب به پیش می‌رود. سومین پدیدۀ حصول حس اعتماد و اطمینانی جدید در افراد یاران نسبت به امر تبلیغ و نشر نفحات الهی است که در مناطق مختلف نتایج مؤثری ببار آورده است. امکان ورود تدریجی و دائم الاتساع افواج مصدقین جدید به ظل شریعت الله همواره فراوان بوده و می‌توانیم با اطمینان راسخ اظهار نمائیم که در اثر اجرای نقشۀ کنونی امکان تحقق دخول افواج مقبلین به امر الهی بیش از پیش بنحوی منظم توسعه و پرورش می‌یابد.

گذشته از این نشانه‌های ترقی و تقدم، از سرعت شگفت‌انگیز پیشرفت امور ساختمانی مشروعات واقعه در کوه کرمل بسیار خشنود و مسروریم. برای سالی که اکنون خاتمه یافته برنامۀ ساختمانی تعیین شده کاملاً به مرحلۀ اجراء در آمده است. در آیندۀ بسیار نزدیک، یعنی در ماه می، با تأسیس سه محفل روحانی ملی در ‎سباح صباح‎ و ساراوآک و اسلواکیا و تجدید تشکیل محفل روحانی ملی لیبریا، اعمدة بیت العدل اعظم به ۱۷۹ بالغ می‌گردد. با توجه و اذعان به عنایات الهیه که شامل حال جامعۀ اهل بهاء گردیده شاهد خدمات بی‌وقفه حضرات ایادی امرالله و دارالتبلیغ بین المللی و مشاورین و معاونینشان در جمیع قارات هستیم. توانائی روزافزون محافل روحانی ملی نیز مؤید اطمینان ما به حصول قریب الوقوع فتوحات باهره است.

این تصویر امیدبخش از آینده موفقیت‌آمیز جامعه بر روی زمینه‌ای نقش بسته که دنیائی پر اغتشاش را مجسم می‌سازد، دنیائی که در ناسازگاری با خویشتن است. امّا در گیر و دار این پریشانی که روح انسان بدان گرفتار شده، مردم جهان بیش از پیش حرکتی قاطع و مقاومت‌ناپذیر بسوی صلح و وحدت جهانی را احساس می‌کنند. این احساس حاصل پیشرفت علم و صنعت است که در واقع موانع طبیعی را از میان مردم جهان بر داشته است. با وجود این، مجموعه مصائب گوناگونی که دنیا را به لرزه در می‌آورد و اقداماتی که به دنیا شکل جدیدی می‌بخشد، هم سبب سرگردانی و هم مایۀ حیرت و اعجاب افراد بشر است. طوفانها و فشارهائی که بافت اجتماعی را متلاشی می‌سازد برای عموم ساکنان کرۀ ارض غیر قابل درک است به استثنای معدود کسانی که به مقصد الهی برای این برهه از زمان پی برده‌اند.

همنوعان ما در همه نقاط بنحوی نا آگاه و غیر محسوس تحت نفوذ عواطف متضادی قرار دارند که تحت تأثیر مداوم جریانات همزمان "صعود و نزول و تألیف و تحلیل و انتظام و انقلاب" به وجود می‌آید. حضرت ولیّ‌امرالله این جریانات را جنبه‌هائی از نقشۀ کلّی الهی و نقشۀ اختصاصی الهی تشخیص داده‌اند، یعنی دو طریق شناخته شده‌ای که در آن نوایای الهیه برای نوع بشر به پیش می‌رود. نقشۀ کلّی الهی متضمّن نزول بلایا و مصائبی است که ظاهراً در اثر اغتشاشات و بی‌نظمی‌های تصادفی به پیش برده می‌شود، امّا در حقیقت بنحوی قاطع و خلل‌ناپذیر بشریت را بسوی وحدت و بلوغ سوق می‌دهد. عوامل اجرای این نقشۀ کلّی الهی غالباً مردمانی هستند که از مسیر آن بی‌خبرند و حتی با غایت و مقصودش خصومت می‌ورزند و همچنانکه حضرت ولیّ‌امرالله بیان فرموده اند نقشۀ کلّی الهی "برای تحقق مقصد آنی و مآلاً تأسیس ملکوت الهی بر روی زمین خرد و کلان را همچون مهره‌های شطرنج در حرکاتی جهان‌آرا بکار می‌گیرد." ما اهل بهاء شتاب جریاناتی را که نقشۀ کلّی الهی به وجود می‌آورد و اقداماتی را که سبب می‌شود، و در مراحل اولیه همراه با آلام و محن است، نشانه‌های فرا رسیدن صلح اصغر می‌دانیم.

برخلاف نقشۀ کلّی الهی که بنحوی اسرار آمیز عمل می‌کند نقشۀ اختصاصی الهی بطور وضوح طراحی و ترسیم گردیده و طبق روالی منظم و معلوم برای اجرا به ما سپرده شده است. هدف غائی این نقشه صلح اعظم است. نقشۀ چهارساله که اکنون به نیمه راه آن رسیده‌ایم مرحلۀ کنونی را در نقشۀ اختصاصی الهی تشکیل می‌دهد و باید جمیع توجّه و قوای ما حصر در تحقق اهداف آن گردد.

گاهی اوقات چنین بنظر می‌رسد که جریان نقشۀ کلّی الهی سبب توقّف و بهم ریختن اقدامات مربوط به اجرای نقشۀ اختصاصی می‌گردد. امّا احبای الهی به دلائل بسیار نباید دچار نگرانی و هراس شوند زیرا منشاء و مصدر آشوب‌هائی را که گاه به گاه در جهان روی می‌دهد می‌شناسند و بفرمودۀ حضرت ولیّ‌امرالله "به ضرورت آن اعتراف داشته و روال مرموز آن را مشاهده کرده و با حال تضرّع و ابتهال برای تخفیف شدّت آن دعا نموده و برای تسکین قهر و غضب آن با کمال هشیاری و درایت سعی و کوشش نموده و با بصیرتی تمام خاتمۀ ترس‌ها و امید‌هائی که بالضروره به وجود می‌آید را انتظار می‌کشند."

حتی بررسی سطحی آنچه در سالهای اخیر در جهان روی داده به ملاحظاتی منجر می‌شود که سرشار از اهمیت خاص برای ناظران بهائی است. مثلاً در بحبوحۀ ولوله و غوغای جهانی پر آشوب و پر اضطراب، تمایل و روندی قطعی را که آشکارا متوجّه صلح اصغر است می‌توان تشخیص داد. دخالت روز‌افزون سازمان ملل متحد با پشتیبانی دول قدرتمند برای حلّ مشکلات مبرمی که سالهاست دامنگیر جهان است اشارتی شگفت‌انگیز به روال مزبور محسوب می‌گردد. نمونۀ دیگر پیوستگی جمیع ملل در امور مالی و تجاری است که توسط پیشوایان جهان فقط در ماههای اخیر بنحوی شگفت‌انگیز به رسمیّت شناخته شده و از جمله شرائطی است که حضرت ولیّ‌امرالله آن را از خصوصیات دنیائی که از وحدت و یگانگی زنده و فعال برخوردار خواهد بود پیش‌بینی فرموده بودند. امّا تحولی که برای جامعۀ بهائی حائز اهمیت بیشتری است تعداد کثیر افرادی است که در جستجوی حقایق روحانی هستند. چندین مطالعه که اخیراً انتشار یافته به این پدیده اختصاص دارد. تفکرات و آرائی که قسمت اعظم قرن کنونی را تحت تأثیر قرار داده بود به تحلیل رفته و در سالهای پایانی این قرن رو به نقصان است، و اشتیاق به معنویت و تمایل شدید به روحانیات رو به ازدیاد و افزایش.

از مشخصات این عطش روحانی نا‌آرامی و بی‌قراری است، نارضایتی روز‌افزون از وضع اخلاقی جامعه و نیز افزایش بنیادگرائی (فاندامنتالیسم) در بین فرق مذهبی و همچنین ازدیاد نهضتهای جدیدی است که به صورت ادیان جدید یا بعنوان جانشین دین خودنمائی می‌کنند. اینها ملاحظاتی است که انسان را قادر می‌سازد تا تأثیرات عمل متقابل دو جریانی را که به ارادۀ الهی در جهان در حرکتند دریابد. امکانات گوناگونی که به تقدیر الهی در حال حاضر فراهم آمده تا پیام حضرت بهاء‌الله به نفوسی که در [Page 42]

TEACHING

• India: Tremendous teaching victories have been won through various projects carried out over several months, including:
  • Enrollment of 1,225 souls in projects from October through January, reported at a teaching conference in Tamil Nadu state.
  • A project undertaken by an Auxiliary Board member and his family through the Turumunga area that resulted in more than 300 declarations.
  • A three-month mass teaching project involving fifteen friends in the state of Kerala, resulting in enrollment of 276 people and spreading of the Divine Message to more than 5,000.

• Japan: Takamatsu Community Radio has launched a weekly interview program that regularly features Bahá’ís, who are invited to speak freely about life after death, prayer or any other aspect of religion, and to quote liberally from the Bahá’í Writings, the Bahá’í News of Japan reports.

The opportunity for this proclamation of the Faith arose as the answer to a “fervent prayer” of a longtime pioneer in Takamatsu. When she saw an announcement of the new program, which was looking for people who could talk about spiritual matters, she immediately met with the person in charge.

As a result, Bahá’ís were scheduled to be on the program regularly for several months beginning in January. The program, titled “Fine, Fine Day,” has an audience of 8,000 to 10,000.

A group of Bahá’í children in Mauritius presented a skit on “World Citizenship” during a recent teaching campaign. Photo courtesy Bahá’í ‎Interntaional International‎ News Service.

• Slovenia and Croatia: The Bahá’í Faith was included in a 30-minute program on religions aired late in April by Slovene National Television. A crew filmed Bahá’ís in several localities, including rehearsals by the Slovene Dance Workshop.

According to a report by the Continental Board of Counselors, they also filmed the friends singing and reciting prayers in a fireside setting.

Crew members who hadn’t known about the Faith were heard to make comments such as “This is the religion for the new age,” and “If this is what Bahá’ís are all about, then we are all Bahá’ís.”

DEVELOPMENT

• Iceland: In the western town of Ísafjörður, Inga Dan wanted to do something to commemorate United Nations Day Against Racism. With the help of two non-Bahá’í women, and later a women’s club, she created a project with the theme of Human Resources and Unity to “unite and introduce the various cultures to each other” and help people recognize each other’s potential.

The project quickly reached about 6,000 people in seven towns—and of 35 nationalities, according to a report from the Continental Board of Counselors. So the group planned a grand celebration in Ísafjörður.

It drew about 500 people, hundreds more than the school hall they hired could hold. A prominent television reporter drove the 10 hours from his station to cover the event and told the organizers, “This initiative is far more important than you can imagine and is just the beginning of something bigger.”

EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

• Hawaiian Islands: The National Spiritual Assembly hosted a buffet dinner last spring to honor Kiribati’s President Teburoro Tito, who was in Hawaii to attend a conference of leaders of Pacific nations.

“We believe this was the first time a head of state has been hosted at our National Bahá’í Center,” a National Assembly report read.

Ben Ayala, member of the Continental Board of Counselors, mentioned his 10-year association with Kiribati and outlined two major social and economic development projects being carried out by Bahá’ís in that nation. He also acknowledged that the president had long ago translated the Compilation on the Covenant into the native language, I-Kiribati.

For his part, the president shared the ideas discussed at the Pacific Island leaders conference, particularly about developing village and family life. He noted, “not to boast,” that his uncle was the first native Bahá’í in his country.

• Cuba: The Bahá’í display at the Cuban International Book Fair earlier this year attracted “many prominent intellectuals and government officials, in addition to attracting an overwhelming number of constant seekers,” a report from the Continental Board of Counselors stated.

Bahá’ís also made public comments on the Bahá’í Writings, introduced the book Introduction to the Philosophy of Bahá’u’lláh by Washington Araujo of Brazil, presented literature to recipients of awards for contributions to Cuban culture, and met with the cultural affairs minister and a representative of the Ministry for Religious Affairs.

The External Affairs Office of the National Spiritual Assembly of Mexico helped organize the Bahá’í presence, and the U.S. National Assembly donated a number of books.

IN MEMORIAM

Gerald Abas Rogers, AR April 15, 1998	Susan Brumm Alhambra, CA April 8, 1998	Frank Haendel Branford, CT May 12, 1998	Ghodsi O. Mahmoudifar Belen, NM April 2, 1998	Verona F. Suhm Suitland, MD April 5, 1998
Jose Lopez Aguinaga Harlingen, TX March 1998	Mary Buzan Phoenix, AZ April 21, 1998	Charles B. Hassan Gilroy, CA April 8, 1998	Crystal H. Marvig Richmond, CA April 29, 1998	Dory Tomberg North Palm Beach, FL January 18, 1998
Behle Alley Tualatin, OR April 27, 1998	Wofford Caldwell Gainesville, FL January 22, 1998	Dorene G. Heppa Annapolis, MD April 15, 1998	Billie J. Merritt Richmond, CA April 26, 1998	Ronald E. Van Pelt Ann Arbor, MI April 21, 1998
Quinn A. Baley Fries, VA April 2, 1998	Karen R. Chapin Mocksville, NC December 22, 1997	Consuelo Cardion Longoria Harlingen, TX March 1998	Tissa Pathiraja Metairie, LA February 4, 1998	Clarice P. Weil Scottsdale, AZ April 21, 1998
Ronald A. Baudendistel Dayton, OH April 19, 1998	Veneta J. Cotton La Mesa, CA April 1, 1998	Delia M. Lopez Sylmar, CA October 16, 1997	Helen R. Reed Dayton, OH February 25, 1998	Sadie M. Wheeler Hartsville, SC March 26, 1998
Ethel Belshaw Bozeman, MT April 2, 1998	Lyle Christenson Ogden, UT March 26, 1998	George W. Loxterman III Chula Vista, CA March 23, 1998	Ronald C. Scarberry Deming, WA April 17, 1998	Bernice Wood Seattle, WA March 12, 1998
Alice C. Brayboy Lafayette, CO April 24, 1998	Karrow J. Dehtan San Antonio, TX May 5, 1998	Rouhangiz Mahingostar San Diego, CA April 1998	Ellen Smith Hemingway, SC February 1998

Casey Walton, local stalwart in Nashville

Casey Walton, who served on the Spiritual Assembly of Nashville, Tennessee for more than 44 consecutive years, passed away May 5, 1998.

He was known to everyone as Mr. “Never Better,” because of his smiling response when friends asked, “How are you, Mr. Walton?”

In addition to his service on the Local Spiritual Assembly, Mr. Walton was several times a delegate to the National Convention. Only last year at his own request he retired from the Assembly when he felt his health was getting in the way of service.

He is survived by his wife, Alice Walton, and a daughter, Marsha Lample. [Page 43]

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT EVENTS sponsored by the National Spiritual Assembly or its agencies at the Bahá’í National Center, please phone 847-869-9039 and ask for the relevant department. The numbers for the permanent Bahá’í schools and institutes are as follows: Bosch Bahá’í School, phone 408-423-3387; fax 408-423-7564; e-mail __________ Green Acre Bahá’í School, phone 207-439-7200; fax 207-438-9940; e-mail __________ Louhelen Bahá’í School, phone 810-653-5033; fax 810-653-7181; e-mail __________ Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute, phone 803-558-5093; fax 803-558-9136; e-mail __________ Native American Bahá’í Institute, phone 520-587-7599; fax 520-521-1063; e-mail __________

JULY

2-5: Ocean of Light Pacific Islander Teaching Conference at Bosch Bahá’í School.

3-8: Persian American Bahá’í Studies at Louhelen: “The Life and Writings of the Beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi”; “The Hidden Words.”

3-8: Two programs at Green Acre: Junior Youth Institute; also “In That Great Gettin’ Up Mornin’: Images of Bahá’u’lláh in African-American Spiritual Tradition”/“Reaching the Hearts Through the Arts: Discovering the Artist Within.”

5: Concert-Picnic at Green Acre: Ladjamaya, Eric Dozier, N.E. Bahá’í Gospel Choir.

7-14: Youth Music Academy at Bosch. Application and audition tape required.

10-15: Three programs at Green Acre: “The Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh”/“Our Individual Response”; Youth Institute; Core Curriculum teacher training.

10-15: Two programs at Louhelen: “International Dialogue for Education”; Youth Eagle Institute: “The Role of Youth in America.”

11: Conference of Badasht 150th Anniversary: Conference for youth and young adults, sponsored by Regional Bahá’í Council for the Central States at the Bahá’í House of Worship, Wilmette, Illinois. For information e-mail

17-22: Spiritual Empowerment Institute for Junior Youth (12-15) at Louhelen.

18-23: Persian Session at Bosch: Tablets of the Divine Plan and Kitáb-i-Aqdas.

24-29: “Spiritual Parenting” at Louhelen.

25-29: “I Will Be a Happy and Joyful Being”/“Make a Statement” at Green Acre.

25-29: Children’s Academy at Bosch.

31-Aug. 5: “Creating Equality”/“Investigation of Reality” at Green Acre.

31-Aug. 5: “Epistle to the Son of the Wolf” at Louhelen.

AUGUST

1-6: Youth Institute at Bosch. For students entering 10th through 12th grades in the fall.

2: Concert-Picnic at Green Acre: Reunion Concert.

5-7: “Social and Economic Development” at Louhelen.

7-12: Two programs at Green Acre: “The Destiny of the Soul”/“Servant Leadership” and Youth Institute.

7-12: “Journeying Into Oneness: The Individual, the Institutions, and the Four Year Plan” at Louhelen.

8-13: Junior Youth Institute at Bosch. For students entering seventh through ninth grades in the fall.

14-19: “Creating a Just and Substance-Free Society” at Louhelen.

14-19: “The Secret of Divine Civilization/Bahá’í Development” at Green Acre.

15-20: “Unlocking the Power of the Individual”/“The Spiritual Transformation Process”/“Building Community: Pastoral Care” at Bosch.

21-26: “My Powerlessness and Thy Might”/“The Transforming Power of Love” at Green Acre.

21-26: “Music: A Ladder for the Soul” at Louhelen.

22-27: “The Destiny of the Soul/‘Abdu’l-Bahá: His Life and Writings/A Rewarding Approach to Teaching Bible-Based Christians” at Bosch.

28-30: Southeast Asian Community Builders Round Table Discussion Conference at Bosch, with concurrent youth conference. Special invitation to Vietnamese, Cambodian and Laotian individuals as well as any others interested. Sponsored by U.S. Bahá’í Refugee Office.

28-30: “Applying Bahá’í Principles to Business” at Green Acre.

28-30: “Charters of the Bahá’í Administrative Order” at Louhelen.

28-30: Massanetta Springs Bahá’í School near Staunton, Virginia. To inquire, register or volunteer for coordinating duties, contact Mehtrash Olson, Norfolk, VA 23508 (phone 757-489-1212, e-mail).

SEPTEMBER

4-7: Homecoming Weekend at Louhelen: speakers include Marguerite Sears, Dr. June Thomas, Dr. Richard Thomas.

4-7: “Heroic Deeds of Service” at Green Acre.

4-7: Bay Area Bahá’í Social Group at Bosch.

4-7: Pioneering/BYSC/SITA Institute at Louis Gregory Institute. Contact National Office of Pioneering.

6: Concert-Picnic at Green Acre: performers TBA.

6: Desert Rose Open Golf Tournament, Francisco Grande Golf Resort, Casa Grande, Arizona. Entry fee supports Desert Rose Bahá’í Institute. For information phone 520-466-7961 or e-mail

11-13: Wilmette Institute course on “The Bahá’í Faith and Philosophy” at Bosch.

12-13: Peace Fest at Louis Gregory Institute. Includes daylong festival of the arts and Sunday unity worship service geared toward the awareness of unity and peace.

24-27: Conference on AIDS, Sexuality and Addiction at Bosch. Sponsored by BNASAA.

24-27: Association for Bahá’í Studies 22nd annual conference at Hôtel du Parc, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Theme: “The Covenant: The Pivot of the Oneness of Humanity.” Details on page 32.

25-27: College Club Weekend at Louhelen.

25-27: College Club Weekend at Green Acre.

25-27: Youth Leadership Weekend at Louis Gregory Institute.

REGIONAL SUMMER SCHOOLS A nationwide list of summer schools, June through September, was published in the May 17 issue of The American Bahá’í. See listing for Nebraska on page 32. For information, please call 847-869-9039 and ask for the Education and Schools Office.

Eric Dozier leads an impromptu choir session during a break between National Convention sessions, including members of Bahá’í National Center staff and other convention-goers. Photo by Amethel Parel-Sewell

BAHÁ’Í NATIONAL CENTER 112 LINDEN AVE WILMETTE, IL 60091-2849

JUNE 24, 1998 RAHMAT/MERCY • B.E. 155

CHANGE • OF • ADDRESS

To avoid unnecessary delays in receiving The American Bahá’í, send all family members’ names, new address and mailing label to: Information Services, Bahá’í National Center, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201-1611. If acquiring a Post Office box, your residence address (B) must be filled in. Please allow three weeks for processing. (This also updates the National Center’s database.)

A. NAME(S)
1.	ID#
2.	ID#
3.	ID#
4.	ID#

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 Bahá’í Community / Moving Date	Area Code Phone Number / Name

F. WORK TELEPHONE NUMBER(S)
Area Code Phone Number / Name	Area Code Phone Number / Name

G. WE RECEIVE EXTRA COPIES BECAUSE: [ ] we do not have the same last name. We do not want extra copies, so please cancel the copy for the person(s) and ID number(s) listed above. [ ] the last names and addresses on our address labels do not match. We have listed above the full names of family members as they should appear on the national records, their ID numbers, and the corrections so that we will receive only one copy.

H. I WOULD LIKE A COPY [ ] Our household receives only one copy of The American Bahá’í. I wish to receive my own copy. I have listed my name, ID number and address above.