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[Page 1]THE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í

JULY 13, 2000 KALIMÁT/WORDS KAMÁL/PERFECTION BAHÁ’Í ERA 157 VOLUME 31, NO. 5

INSIDE

• AN EMOTIONAL SENDOFF — PAGE 5
• ANNUAL REPORT — PAGES 17–48
• VINEYARD OF THE LORD — PAGES 54–55
• YOUTH • 7
• KID’S CORNER • 8
• UNIT CONVENTIONS • 51–53
• IN MEMORIAM • 56
• CLASSIFIED • 57–58
• PERSIAN PAGES • 60–62

One YEAR PLAN 2000

Goal: CARRY OUT THE NATIONAL TEACHING PLAN

• Involve individuals, communities and institutions
• Encourage leadership and initiative among youth
• Make training institutes fully operational

Goal: INTENSIFY DEVELOPMENT OF SPIRITUALLY DISTINCTIVE FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES

• Foster love, happiness and spiritual devotion
• Insure children and junior youth acquire spiritual virtues and are free of prejudice
• Foster devotional life of individuals and community

Goal: STRENGTHEN AND FOSTER MATURITY OF THE BAHÁ’Í COMMUNITY

• Reinforce external affairs activities
• Encourage success of the Kingdom Project
• Strengthen social and economic development

With the advent of a new global teaching plan as directed by the Universal House of Justice, our National Spiritual Assembly has outlined the above priorities to constitute our National Teaching Plan. Through the upcoming year, The American Bahá’í will organize its content according to those priorities.

“We were less concerned with transferring knowledge than instilling a sense of belonging.”

Teaching from the heart in Texas

BY TOM MENNILLO

No one ever accused Texans of thinking small.

A year into growth and consolidation efforts, the College Station Shahriar Teaching Project is well on the way to meeting ten-gallon-size goals: Initiate entry by troops in the Brazos Valley, engender the spirit of teaching among participating Bahá’ís, and create a model of focused teaching for Texas and the American Bahá’í community.

Forty souls of all strata have been brought into the Cause. A high percentage have been retained. Moreover, many are bringing their relatives, friends, neighbors and co-workers into the welcoming embrace of local Bahá’ís.

Not only has this greatly enlarged the Assembly communities of College Station and Bryan and allowed Brazos County to form an Assembly—it has greatly strengthened them. Witness a number of believers who have rekindled an energetic participation and involvement with the Bahá’í community.

SEE TEXANS, PAGE 15

Friends gather for some barbecue at the home of a new Bahá’í and her family in College Station, Texas. The Shahriar Teaching project not only has helped Bahá’í communities across Brazos County to grow, it is helping redefine what Bahá’í community is all about. Photo by Grant Suhm

Gregory Institute gets facelift

BY BARBARA McCORD, EDUCATION AND SCHOOLS OFFICE

Extensive remodeling began in late May on four buildings at the venerable Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute (LGI) as part of its transformation into a full-service community center.

Because of the renovation work, activities other than continued programming of WLGI Radio Bahá’í will not be scheduled until after the work is completed.

The institute, an hour from the Atlantic coast in Hemingway, South Carolina, has been a center of learning and service since it began operating in 1972.

Now the National Spiritual Assembly is tightening its focus on the immediate community, both Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í.

“Once the facilities have been upgraded, the Institute will be developed as a community center with programs designed to support the expansion and consolidation of the local Bahá’í communities as well as to foster the development of the community at large,” said Nancy Davis, coordinator for the National Education and Schools Office.

This new community development challenge will be assisted by Mottahedeh Development Services, a social and eco-

SEE LGI, PAGE 13

Forum gives voice to NGOs at UN

When the largest-ever gathering of heads of state convenes in September, participants will benefit from a unique “declaration and agenda for action” integrating a wide range of issues vital to universal peace.

The declaration was forged through consultation by more than 1,000 non-governmental organizations (NGOs)—including the Bahá’í International Community and the National Spiritual Assembly—May 22–26 in a Millennium Forum at the

SEE FORUM, PAGE 53

THE NATIONAL FUND

Between May 1 and May 31, 2000

$2,250,000	Goal/all funds
$1,116,613	Received

Excluding Kingdom Project See page 3 for details

E·X·C·E·R·P·T·S

“The understanding of His words and the comprehension of the utterances of the Birds of Heaven ... depend solely upon purity of heart. ...” —Bahá’u’lláh [Page 2]

ALMANAC

Some significant dates in Bahá’í history

Late July and August

August 1844: A few months after the Báb first declared His mission, a Tablet of His was delivered to Mírzá Husayn-‘Alí in Tehran, Iran, who immediately declared acceptance of the Báb as the Voice of God. Mírzá Husayn-‘Alí is now known to us as Bahá’u’lláh.

Aug. 15, 1852: A bungled attempt to assassinate the Shah of Iran cast suspicion on many followers of the Báb. Soon, Bahá’u’lláh was among dozens imprisoned in the Tehran prison known as the Black Pit. While confined with heavy chains on His neck, Bahá’u’lláh months later received the first revelation that He was the Manifestation of God prophesied by the Báb.

July 26, 1868: Bahá’u’lláh, residing in Adrianople (Edirne, in European Turkey), was condemned by the Sultán to perpetual banishment; this order led to His decades of confinement at ‘Akká in the Holy Land.

August 1910: About two years after His decades of confinement officially ended, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá permanently moved His residence from ‘Akká across the bay to Haifa. This is the city in which the Bahá’í World Center has developed since then.

July 19, 1907: The Bahá’ís of Chicago filed incorporation papers, becoming the first Bahá’í community to acquire legal status.

Aug. 1, 1927: The Geyserville Bahá’í School was established on property donated by John Bosch north of San Francisco. It operated there until 25 years ago, when it was transferred to the Santa Cruz area and renamed Bosch Bahá’í School.

July 15, 1932: Bahíyyih Khánum, daughter of Bahá’u’lláh and sister of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, passed away in Haifa, Palestine. She was chief steward of the Faith from the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá until Shoghi Effendi assumed the duties of his Guardianship.

Aug. 2, 1951: The first Bahá’í pioneers to Uganda arrived in the capital: Músá Banání (later a Hand of the Cause of God) with his family, ‘Alí Nakhjavání (now a member of the Universal House of Justice) with his family, and Philip Hainsworth.

July 21–26, 1953: Fourteen Hands of the Cause of God were among 374 Bahá’ís at the European Intercontinental Teaching Conference, one of a series of conferences that launched a worldwide expansion of the Faith at the beginning of the Ten Year Crusade.

August 1971: The Universal House of Justice erected a 35-foot-tall marble obelisk on Mount Carmel near Haifa, marking the spot where a House of Worship will be built in future.

Upcoming Holy Days

Anniversary of the Birth of the Báb: Oct. 20

Anniversary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh: Nov. 12

Facts in this section were compiled from A Basic Bahá’í Chronology.

EXCELLENCE IN ALL THINGS

ALBERTA DEAS, a Bahá’í in the Navajo Indian Reservation who is a faculty member at Diné College, was named Adviser of the Year by the National American Indian Business Leaders, an organization with student chapters in 34 colleges and universities. With Deas as faculty adviser, the Diné College chapter won first prize in the Business Plan Competition at the organization’s 2000 national conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

CATHERINE BOROVICKA, a Bahá’í in Conway, South Carolina, was this year’s winner of the South Carolina Black History Month Essay Contest for high school students, sponsored by the state Department of Education. Her winning essay, selected from about 1,500, was on “Louis G. Gregory: Champion of Racial Unity.” As a high school senior, Catherine also won this year’s South Carolina Public Health Association Award for her community project on recognizing racism.

SUSAN AUDÉ FISHER, a Bahá’í in Columbia, South Carolina, was recently presented with the Masters Award by the South Carolina Broadcasters Association, in recognition of her lifetime achievements as a news broadcaster. The anchor for WIS-TV is one of only seven recipients of the award in 12 years.

TRAVIS OSTROM, a Bahá’í in Mesa, Arizona, graduated this spring as valedictorian at the top of his class at Westwood High School. He has been awarded a full scholarship to the University of Miami.

TRAVIS PINN, a 13-year-old Bahá’í in Battle Ground, Washington, recently received a black belt ranking in Tae Kwondo. Travis has been an honor student at his middle school, and was Student of the Month for October 1999.

FARIBORZ OMID SARVIAN, a Bahá’í who is an eighth-grader at Lincoln Middle School in Santa Monica, California, was his school’s winner in the National Geographic Bee contest.

EDWARD WIDMER, a Bahá’í in Chicago, Illinois, has been elected to a two-year term as state president of the United Nations Association of the United States (UNA-USA). A member of the Academic Council of the United Nations, he has chaired several UN satellite conferences on human rights, sustainable development and international health issues while a pioneer in South America. Widmer will operate from a newly established Chicago UNA office and be responsible for statewide education programs, expansion of UNA membership and liaison with government officials. ♦

Nine months. A handful of professionals all but volunteering their time. One hundred children, and now their parents. The circle of the Children’s Theatre Company in New York City is steadily widening, and its Bahá’í founders have gained publicity and accolades.

MEHR MANSOURI (from left) and ROYA MOVAFEGH were honored recently by Time Warner Cable Channel 1 as New Yorkers of the Week. An accompanying news profile of the effort, aired May 24, showed the two, along with dance instructor Kamal Sinclair, guiding schoolchildren from the Bronx in rehearsal—reciting a line from Dr. Seuss’ Yertle the Turtle, a quote from opera star Beverly Sills, and an excerpt from a child’s letter to God.

The two started the project about a year ago, guided by a model of “Assets Based Community Development” and viewing ordinary inner-city schoolchildren as resources who, with guidance and encouragement, can develop themselves beautifully. The Spiritual Assembly of New York City supports the group with a “lease-grant” that allows ‎performaces performances‎ at the center’s theater without charge.

With three nine-week cycles of “theatre by children for grown-ups” under its belt, the company is developing parent discussion groups that delve into the issues behind the material the children perform.

For information on the Web, see:

• www.childrenstheatrecompany.org
• ‎www.ny1/com www.ny1.com‎ (click on the “Nyer of the week” link) ♦

THE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í

PUBLISHED BY THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF THE UNITED STATES Bahá’í National Center 847-869-9039

Editorial Office of The American Bahá’í Mail: 1233 Central St. Evanston, IL 60201 Phone: 847-869-9039 Fax: 847-251-3652 E-mail:

Editor James Humphrey

Associate Editor Tom Mennillo

Facilities Manager, Bahá’í Media Services Artis Mebane

Contributors Walt Boyd, Pamela Brode, Mary Ching, Mona Goharriz, Red Hubbard, John Kolstoe, Aaron Kreader, Craig Loehle, Barbara McCord, Chris Palmer, Amethel Parel-Sewell, Veronica Shoffstall, Grant Suhm, Ruhi Yargha, William Vasta, Nancy Wong

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. ISSN Number: 1062-1113 Canada: Publications Agreement Number 1486683

ADDRESS CHANGES If you have an address change, or wish to stop or consolidate mailings, contact the Membership Office, Bahá’í National Center, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (e-mail ). There is no need to contact the Editors directly. A form is on the back page.

SUBMITTING ARTICLES AND PHOTOS THE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í welcomes news, letters or other items of interest from individuals and institutions of the Bahá’í Faith. •ARTICLES should be clear, concise and relevant to the goals of the worldwide and national teaching plans. We may edit stories for length. We cannot print advance articles to publicize locally sponsored events, but may be able to list them in the Calendar. •PHOTOGRAPHS may be color or black-and-white prints. 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 (you do not need to supply postage). •DEADLINES for upcoming issues: September 27: Deadline August 11 November 4: Deadline September 15

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

©2000 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. World rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. [Page 3]

Honor where honor is due

Film project drew Bahá’í into effort to recognize often-overlooked service

BY TOM MENNILLO

In city after city, Americans are saying “thank you” to the minorities who served in World War II.

And a chief mover in the Day of Honor 2000 movement is a Bahá’í, William H. Smith of Sudbury, Massachusetts.

The men and women of African, Asian, Hispanic and American Indian descent who proudly donned uniforms to preserve democracy served “under conditions that have since been condemned by American society and government,” Smith said in a report to the National Spiritual Assembly.

“Whereas the denial of an accurate view of the extraordinary service of minorities in World War II has fueled racism and prejudice for over 50 years, the embrace and public praise for their role can serve as a key source of knowledge and respect,” he said. “Thus the Day of Honor is a girder in the bridge to span the racial divide.”

Smith owns ComTel Productions Inc., a small video, film and visual media company. In 1997 he was contracted to produce a documentary for the U.S. Department of Defense.

The film, African-Americans in World War II: A Legacy of Patriotism and Valor, was widely hailed and won several awards.

But what was left on the cutting-room floor, at the sponsor’s direction, became the impetus for a second film and the Day of Honor 2000 project.

At a premiere in New York City, the chaplain of an African-American veterans’ organization commented to Smith, “Son, this is a great film, but it has something missing. ... S[o]meone has to do a film one day that talks about how they treated us ... [so] the world can know the kind of men we really were—that we done our job in spite of how they treated us.”

Smith vowed to try. That led to 15 months of additional interviews and research into wartime footage.

The new documentary, The Invisible Soldiers: Unheard Voices, premiered in Los Angeles on April 13, 1999, with support from the NAACP and DreamWorks SKG.

William Smith (second from left) stands in the company of a number of dignitaries, including Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Sen. Edward Kennedy and Veterans Affairs Secretary Togo West, as President Clinton signs the Day of Honor resolution in late May. White House photo by William Vasta

What’s ahead for the Day of Honor movement?

• William Smith said he hopes that 200 cities will hold Day of Honor events by the end of 2000 and that Bahá’ís will become involved. He already plans to give public talks on the Faith at such observances in several cities.

For information, see the Web site (www.dayofhonor2000.org).

• The Day of Honor 2000 Commemorative Book is to be published.
• PBS is to broadcast the film Invisible Soldiers in November.

Counselor Wilma Ellis, National Spiritual Assembly member Firuz Kazemzadeh and the rest of the overflow crowd of 525 also were treated to a reading of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s prayer for America.

The program’s success led to a decision to hold Day of Honor commemorations nationally.

Sponsors envisioned holding Day of Honor events in 10 cities. Soon the number of cities organizing activities grew to 20, then 100-plus.

Meanwhile, efforts were initiated for a congressional resolution that would officially recognize, for the first time, the role of minorities in World War II and would call upon Americans to honor these veterans with appropriate programs and activities.

These two foci converged May 25–26 in Washington, DC.

A wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was followed by a reception and briefing at the White House Old Executive Office Building and activities at Howard University.

That day the congressional resolution was passed and Smith received notice he was to report to the White House the next morning for its signing.

At the ceremony, Smith was joined by Gen. Colin Powell, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Togo West, Sen. Edward Kennedy and several veterans’ representatives. Also on hand was Rep. ‎Shirley Sheila‎ Jackson-Lee of Texas, who knows of the Faith as a result of community action initiatives involving the Bahá’ís in Houston.

Kennedy stepped forward and introduced Smith to the president as “the good citizen of the Commonwealth [Massachusetts] who came up with this idea.”

President Clinton signed the resolution using eight pens in turn. Then he arose and Smith, who had gotten National Assembly permission beforehand, presented Clinton with a framed copy of the prayer for America. He explained the prayer “has become a key part of the Day of Honor celebrations across the country. It represents the spiritual aspect of the Day of Honor.” ◆

MEDIA CAMPAIGN

Late-breaking news:

New video on the air The third-quarter national broadcast schedule (July through September) includes the new half-hour video program We Are One with Dan Seals! See details on the Web at www.usbnc.org

The family is growing Enrollments resulting from the national media campaign, in interaction with local teaching and community activities, are on the rise as more seekers respond to broadcasts. Details will be reported in the next issue of The American Bahá’í. ◆

Service for Earth Day

Nick Martin (from left), Camrika Nkwenti and Effendi Nkwenti were part of a Springfield, Missouri, Bahá’í children’s project celebrating Earth Day 2000 by helping a community-based Earthworks Project at a state nature center in Springfield. Older children pulled weeds, while smaller children moved mountains of wood chips to the bird sanctuary area. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Huffman

Enrollments
May 2000	157
May 1999–April 2000	1,389

THE FUND
May 1–31, 2000 Contributions received by National Treasurer (excluding Kingdom Project)
Received since May 1, 2000: $1,116,613	Goal for entire year: $27,000,000
4.1% of year’s goal was met
8.3% of fiscal year has passed
April 30, 2001

Total cash-basis revenues and expenditures for Bahá’í National Fund May 1, 1999–April 30, 2000 (latest available)
$23,335,475 Revenues (contributions, book sales, school fees etc.)
$25,514,030 Expenditures (operations, capital and debt payments etc.)

Critical projects that could no longer be deferred forced our Bahá’í national operations into a cash deficit.

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

Cultivating Distinction

A national program of focused study in 2000

The study material for July through December includes these six letters from the book The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh:

• The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh
• The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh: Further Considerations
• The Goal of a New World Order
• The Golden Age of the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh
• America and the Most Great Peace
• The Unfoldment of World Civilization

[Page 4]

Beware letting ‘scaffolding’ block our long-term goals

BY CRAIG LOEHLE

This is an excerpt from the essay "Growth and Development of the Bahá’í Community." The full essay is posted on the Web in MS Word format. Access www.usbnc.org with your Bahá’í ID number, click on the "NSA Departments" icon, then follow links to Education and Schools Office, Educational Materials and Educational Articles.

Bahá’u’lláh has given us a blueprint for what a community can be. However, we are not yet using the blueprints effectively. Our difficulty is threefold. First, we do not know how to read blueprints, and must learn slowly. Second, we have no example of a completed house to use as a point of reference. Third, we must live in the house while we build it. This causes a number of complications.

To build a house, we must first clear away the trees, bulldoze an area flat, and start digging a hole. This is the stage of community initiation at which old customs and habits are cleared away, but a new structure is not yet constructed. At this stage, the situation actually looks worse than before the trees were cleared. We have given up corrupted holiday traditions but do not yet have a large community for our own celebrations. We have embraced a new way of life but for many of us our relatives have not done likewise, leaving our family ties frayed. It is easy to be discouraged at this stage unless a vision is kept in mind of the house that is being built.

As later stages of construction are reached, it becomes possible to function in some sense in the partially completed house. When the foundation is poured, leaving an open basement, meetings can be held there. It is quite tempting to try to make the basement comfortable by covering it with a tin roof. However, this roof gets in the way of further construction. We may decide to plant shrubs and flowers around the house to pretty it up, but then it becomes difficult to do any work. When the initial framing is up, it is tempting to throw a tarp over part of it to keep the sun off of us. We may become fond of this arrangement, and resist further efforts to build.

At each stage, the tendency to become accustomed to the conditions we have lived with can cause us to fall in love with the scaffolding we can see instead of the house specified by the blueprints. The current stage of the house is visible and can be made workable enough with a tin roof or a little canvas. The whole purpose, of course, is to build a house, not to build scaffolding. It is not possible to simultaneously maximize our comfort and build the structure as fast as possible.

The current condition of the house is the structure. The construction trajectory is the process of community development. During the construction process, we often tear down part of what we have built, such as forms or scaffolding. Too much focus on structure causes resistance to any change. We have fallen in love with the scaffolding.

At each stage of the development of a Bahá’í community, particular features may or may not be scaffolding, that is, temporary structures that exist solely to get us to the next stage. The only way to tell the difference is to refer to the blueprints. We may love having meetings under a tent in one country or in someone’s home in another country, but is either of these approaches the "best" way? If we are used to one or the other, we may assume that it is best, and therefore resist any change, but it may actually be merely expedient rather than integral to the functioning of the Faith. With each potential change we should refer back to the blueprints to see what is essential and what is merely scaffolding. This will drastically accelerate the process of constructing our Bahá’í communities.

Some examples of scaffolding illustrate the problems when process and structure are not differentiated. A key process in a community is deepening of both new and established members. Let us say that in a small community one individual is knowledgeable about history and volunteers to give classes on the history of the Faith. This is scaffolding. The community is having this particular class not because it is what is really needed but because this individual had only this skill, and only this individual volunteered. The class is being held at a certain time only because that is when the teacher was free. When this class is a success and becomes a beloved local tradition, the community is in danger of falling in love with the scaffolding and may resist changing the class.

A key to fighting this tendency to fixate on the current structure and to resist change is to develop a habit of referring back to the guidance of the Central Figures and the Universal House of Justice as to the processes of growth and the essential features of the Faith. Only those structures explicitly specified, such as the rules for holding elections, are part of the blueprint. Everything else is scaffolding whose sole purpose is to get us to our goals in an expeditious manner.

Thanks expressed for provision of study plan in 2000

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

I would like to express my gratitude for your guidance on having us study "The Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh" and The Advent of Divine Justice as well as the other upcoming texts. After reading "The Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh"—it had been some time since I had previously read it—I decided to read and study it again as I begin to read The Advent of Divine Justice.

I realized while reading "The Dispensation" what a wonderful explanation Shoghi Effendi provides for the station of the Manifestations, including Bahá’u’lláh and the Báb, and of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, as well as our Creator, using quotes extensively from the Central Figures of our Faith.

It struck me that this book can be used greatly in our teaching work as it concisely and in a definitive tone explains the basic fundamental verities of our Faith.

I appreciate very much your love and guidance. Thank you.

Bryce C. Abel

Reassuring Christians

Dear Friends,

Familiarity with the Gospels and the Kitáb-i-Iqán are crucial to our teaching of Christians. By looking up the Bible quotes Bahá’u’lláh illustrates, we can go to the Christians' own scripture to show a solid link between the Revelations of Christ and Bahá’u’lláh.

Frequently we may also encounter fear of "false prophets," inhibiting investigation of the Faith for sincere people, even if the fear is unspoken. We can reassure Christians if we lovingly ask them to review the Bible verses that refer to the "false prophets," specifically in Matthew, chapter 7, starting with verse 15:

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? So every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit."

What are "good fruits"? Paul identifies the fruits of the Spirit in Galacians 5:22-24: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control."

In Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 257: "Man is like unto a tree. If he be adorned with fruit, he hath been and will ever be worthy of praise and commendation. Otherwise a fruitless tree is but fit for fire. The fruits of the human tree are exquisite, highly desired and dearly cherished. Among them are upright character, virtuous deeds and a goodly utterance."

We see even the language of Christ and Bahá’u’lláh flows seamlessly together. Let us use this to connect with our fellow believers in Christ and lovingly, through the study of their text and ours, see that we follow the same Holy Spirit.

Jeanne Barzydlo Council Bluffs, Iowa [Page 5]

NATIONAL TEACHING PLAN

“O that I could travel, even though on foot and in the utmost poverty, to these regions, and, raising the call of ‘Yá Bahá’u’l-Abhá’ in cities, villages, mountains, deserts and oceans, promote the divine teachings! This, alas, I cannot do. How intensely I deplore it! Please God, ye may achieve it.” —‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Spirit Runners begin their cross-country trek

BY TOM MENNILLO

High on a bluff overlooking Puget Sound, nine young Bahá’ís drank in early-morning air laden with chants of “Yá Bahá’u’l-Abhá.”

Then they sprang forward, and the 3,000-mile Spirit Run for race unity was under way.

It was 5:15 a.m. May 29, the anniversary of the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh.

It will be Aug. 13 when, God willing, these brave souls of diverse backgrounds reach the Shinnecock Reserve outside New York City to complete the run.

They will have sacrificed not just comfort but, in some cases, jobs and graduation ceremonies to spread—and model—the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh from town to town, reservation to reservation, the breadth of the United States.

An emotional sendoff

Months of preparation culminated Sunday, May 28, at the tree-encircled Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center in Seattle.

“One seems to be far away from the city at the far end of this Army base-turned-park,” recounted Wesley A. Dyring, secretary of the Lynnwood, Washington, Spiritual Assembly, which is handling the project’s finances. “The immense and profound spirit present was apparent as soon as I arrived.”

Ramona King of Everett, Washington, felt the same spirit. “The celebration ... was so intense in its impact that I doubt I shall ever be the same,” she said.

Inside, people hung onto every word as Arthur Fernandez-Scarberry, the 30-year-old initiator of Spirit Run, spoke at length about the purpose animating the project and shared through tears his vision of the destiny of the American Indians.

Then came a moment that had many in tears: presentation of the sacred message, which runners would carry in a bundle on their backs. “The message of Bahá’u’lláh would be carried on foot because it would emphasize to the Indians its sacred nature,” Dyring said.

After talks by elders and mentors, “the runners were called to the front amid profound and heart-moving applause and cheers,” Dyring said. “We all understood the sacrifice that these nine youth were offering for the sake of our beloved Cause.”

One by one the runners shared their ethnic heritage—Choctaw, Guamanian, Cherokee, Hungarian, Japanese, African, Persian and Mexican among them—and why they decided to join Spirit Run. Support staffers later shared the stage.

King was impressed with the runners. “[O]ne of the youth brought a plate of food to me, honoring me as one of the elders attending the special occasion,” she said. “I felt humble before the service rendered to me.”

Later the Diversity Dance Workshop gave a powerful and moving presentation. The Spiritual Assembly of Seattle, which Scarberry had first approached about Spirit Run, presented him with a blanket.

Prayers into the night

Outside on the parade grounds were four tepees as well as a sacred fire to be used later for a sweat lodge. Prayers were said in the tepees, each at one point of the compass.

After dinner the crowd began to diminish and preparations for the Run started.

Not long after 3 a.m., a number of Run participants and local Bahá’ís assembled to observe the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh. By 4:30 everyone was eating breakfast. Several runners were stretching.

One last ceremony was held to bless the run, beginning shortly after 5. In attendance was Erica Toussaint, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly, who would travel with the runners as part of the support team. Area resident Phil Lucas contributed traditional Indian elements to the ceremony.

“We heard the prayer for the Western States in a way in which it had not affected me so much before,” Dyring said. “Everyone present took a small piece of stone which was brought back from the construction of the International Teaching Center [building in Haifa].”

At exactly 5:15 the Run began.

“The entire group of runners and many of the support staff ran the first mile together. The chant ‘Yá Bahá’u’l-Abhá’ rang out from the group amidst the sound of jingle bells and rattles on the legs of a couple of the runners,” said Dyring.

The runners began to relay, taking turns running a mile with the Message.

Safety was enhanced by bicyclists—including Dyring and traveling teachers Jerome and Lucia Knudson—guiding the runners and keeping them visible to traffic. Support vans traveled in front, behind and miles ahead.

Honored at the first stop

Six-and-a-half hours of nearly constant travel brought the runners to Monroe, Washington, and lunch at the home of a member of an American Indian council.

“He expressed his profound respect for the runners and what they are doing, and presented Arthur with an eagle feather and with a small totem,” Dyring said.

With great reluctance, Dyring parted with the team in Monroe.

“It broke my heart to watch the runners [return] to the exact spot where they had interrupted their run for lunch,” he said. “How much I wanted to be with them!” How we all want to be with them. ♦

Lineup of runners

Spirit Runners at the beginning of the run May 29 in Seattle, as published in the Seattle Times:

Billy Harris, 19, Kenmore, WA Alfred Kahn Jr., 15, Houck AZ Charles Nelson, 17, North Seattle, WA Micah Reed, 23, Raymond, CA Sahar Sattarzadeh, 20, Irvine, CA Samaan Sattarzadeh, 18, Las Vegas, NV Chris Shattuck, 20, Eugene, OR Nancy Torres, 24, Portland, OR Mike Pennington, 15, Portland, OR

Glimpses of Spirit Run’s first week

From Verna J. Zuttermeister Leavenworth, Washington

“It seemed as if they appeared from right out of the mountain: Nine runners in white T-shirts with bright nine-pointed-star logos, trotting in rhythm in a double line ... with a drum beating out the rhythm of ‘Yá Bahá’u’l-Abhá’ and the runners chanting the words. ...

“We had invited a local person and his son to do Native American dancing. ... Arthur, also in full Native American regalia, joined them and danced and then we were all dancing. Even the shy elderly couple who had come in off the street danced the friendship dance.”

From Marsha M. and Joseph F. Urlacher Spokane, Washington

“We are very excited to report that all three of our Spokane TV channels have been out following the Spirit Runners this morning as they have run through Spokane, so this should be on our news reports this late afternoon and evening.

“The Spokesman-Review will go out to cover the story tomorrow, Monday. ...

“Our daughter, Tiara, ran with them this morning and got to carry their special bundle. She was thrilled!”

From William Schipp Spirit Run Task Force

“The first week of their journey has been filled with the challenges inherent in moving, housing, feeding and organizing 19 people. It has also been a week of bonding and learning to work together as a team. ...

“The team ... shared a song they had written, with a working title of ‘The Driving Song,’ a beautifully rhythmic message of hope, love and responsibility for putting faith into action, intoned in the refrain, ‘This is my world, This is my world.’”

SEE GLIMPSES, PAGE 6 [Page 6]

Visiting Counselor brings workshop on equality

“Vision without action is a mere dream. Action without vision is a waste of time. Vision with action will change the world.”

These are the words and concepts that lifted the hearts of participants in a day-long presentation of “Equal Wings: A Training Manual for Men and Women for the Advancement of Women,” hosted May 21 by the Chicago Regional Training Institute.

Lee Lee Loh Ludher, a member of the Continental Board of Counselors for Asia, facilitated an overview of the training program for more than 30 women and men. The program has been successfully used in Asia, Africa and South America with both urban and suburban populations.

The advancement of women is a necessity, not a luxury, the program reminds attendees. And it provides a systematic means for men and women to be trained to effect lasting change without reproach or threat.

This community-based training program combines the study of Bahá’í writings with self-awareness activities that challenge attitudes, perceptions and beliefs—of participants and trainers, men and women alike, conscious and unconscious—to bring the noble principle of the equality of women and men into our lives.

There are eight modules: four for women only, facilitated by a woman; two for men only, facilitated by a man; and two for women and men together, facilitated by the same woman and man who presented the separate modules.

Translations of “Equal Wings” are available in Malay, English, French, Arabic and Bengalese. Work is in progress on Chinese and Hindi translations, as well as a program for general use.

The Office of Women’s Affairs is optimistic that “Equal Wings” will be an asset to training institutes in the United States, as it has been in other parts of the world.

Module workshops on equality

This program builds on material that already is available. The National Spiritual Assembly’s Office of Assembly Development has published two training modules on the equality of women and men.

Part One targets individuals in the spirit of building community. The focus of this 200-minute module is the exploration of the complementary roles of women and men in establishing the partnership between the sexes as described in the Bahá’í writings.

Part Two, also 200 minutes long, explores the role of the Spiritual Assembly in fostering a partnership between the genders and describes resources available to help the Assembly.

The Office of Assembly Development has trained representatives across the country to facilitate these modules, and materials are available through the Bahá’í Distribution Service (see article on page 49).

Core Curriculum program

And still more: The Education and Schools Office of the National Assembly recently added to the Core Curriculum a program on equality of women and men. It includes modules on the role of equality in the world at large, equality in the family, and how to teach the concept of equality.

It is designed to be a 32-hour course that helps the participants in their efforts to live by and teach others the principle of the equality of women and men.

As we strive to bring true equality into being we are reminded that, in the words of Bahá’u’lláh:

“In this Day the Hand of divine grace hath removed all distinctions. The servants of God and His handmaidens are regarded on the same plane. Blessed is the servant who hath attained unto that which God hath decreed, and likewise, the leaf moving in accordance with the breezes of His will.” ♦

1-800-22-UNITE • MAKING IT WORK IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Bounce-back calls, or ...

What happens when your local 800-22-UNITE contact person misses a message?

• If a seeker call is not retrieved five days after it is forwarded to your community voice-mail box, it “bounces back” to the national 800UNITE Office.
• The 800UNITE Office then re-forwards the call to the local community.
• If the community does not retrieve the call after five more days, the same call “bounces back” again to the 800UNITE Office.
• This time, the 800UNITE Office forwards the call to the state “default box.” A default contact person in the relevant state follows up with the seeker and contacts the local community regarding how to retrieve calls.
• If the state contact person does not retrieve that call from the default box, the same call bounces back again to the 800UNITE Office, and it is then forwarded to the appropriate Regional Bahá’í Council.

BUT ... What if a message is saved as “new”?

Sometimes local contact people will retrieve and record a message, then mistakenly save it as a new message. In any case:

• Any message that is saved as “new” will, again, bounce back after five days.
• The 800UNITE Office will only be able to treat that message as one that was not retrieved by the community, state or regional contact people.
• Then the whole process explained at left starts over again.

So ... Please delete your messages after you have confidently transcribed them.

800UNITE Office • Phone 847-733-3497 • E-mail membership@usbnc.org

Táhirih helps do the teaching in Tucson

BY MONA GOHARRIZ

Sahba Rohani, a Bahá’í youth in Arizona, had no idea that her tryout for a Tucson children’s theater play would lead to an opportunity to touch hundreds with the story of a Bahá’í heroine.

While working with Rohani on the play, Ride a Blue Horse, one person in particular, Anne Heintz, grew close to several Bahá’ís. Heintz became very interested in the Bahá’í Faith and had many personal firesides with youths.

In time, Heintz was asked to direct the University of Arizona’s semester show. She immediately came to her friends and asked for plays that had a Bahá’í theme or dealt with a Bahá’í principle.

A search turned up nothing. But as Heintz looked through Bahá’í books, she came across The Dawn-Breakers and, in it, the story of Táhirih.

“This is what I want,” she said. “I want to do a play about the life of Táhirih.”

She added, “I can’t believe I haven’t ever heard of this woman before. Why haven’t you told me about her?”

Heintz contacted Bahá’ís all over the country. Finally, after a few months, she found what she was looking for—somewhat. It was a play written by an early Bahá’í in 1902, and it needed some work.

But what she did with it was amazing. She held auditions and cast 19 people for the show, only five of whom were Bahá’ís. The play was publicized in many places including the university paper, where an article and a picture were dedicated to the play.

The show ran March 30–April 1. More than 800 people attended.

The impact on the cast was greater than anyone had expected. Each actor received a copy of Release the Sun. They have stayed in contact, and the Bahá’í Faith is a natural topic of conversation. ♦

GLIMPSES, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

“Those gathered were also privileged to hear from the team’s elder, Bill Ekomiak, [an Inuit from] Canada. Ferris Paisano offered prayers and relayed messages of hope and of love from the Spiritual Assembly of Lapwai [Idaho] and the Nez Perce Reservation. ...

“[Auxiliary Board] Assistant Ann Torrie presented Spirit Run with a very special and meaningful gift entrusted to her from the Continental Counselor from Mexico, Alejandra Miller ... prayer beads that had been covered with the dust of Fort Tabarsi. ...”

From Dale F. Morrow Flathead Indian Reservation, Montana

“[The runners’] first five days in the state of Montana left us in a state of exhausted wonderment. ...

“In Noxon, where a local member of the Ku Klux Klan stood just outside the door to hear what the youth were saying, the mother of two absent teenage daughters was overheard telling her neighbor that, whatever it took, she was bringing her daughters to see the Spirit Runners at their next stop in Plains.

“It was here that the county sheriff and his wife came because he didn’t have a deputy available to send, and was so moved by meeting with the runners that they too had to come again the next night, where they were both in tears listening to the runners.

“On Wednesday, the runners were met by 10 Navajo runners from the Kicking Horse Job Corps Center. ... They gave the runners some greatly needed relief by carrying the [sacred message] over 20 miles that day. They had so much fun that five of them came out again two days later to travel with and run in rotation with them for almost 50 miles.

“On Thursday the Spirit Runners ... went to the chambers of the Tribal Council of the Salish and Kootenai Tribes for what was to be a brief formality. Again the Concourse on high had thrown the doors open wide, and in executive session the Tribal Council decided that the Spirit Runners could have whatever time they wanted and the elected leaders of these peoples heard the Message that the runners are carrying.

“That evening we were again welcomed by another Drum with an honor song and a barbecue at the peoples’ center in Pablo, where about 200 people came. ... Things could have gone better there. The runners arrived an hour late. The food got cold and some people grumbled and were impatient. ...

“It was a time of testing and deep pain. ... It was also a time to witness the grace, the sin-covering eye of Bahá’u’lláh, for the next morning when the runners came running and chanting ‘Yá Bahá’u’l-Abhá’ through Pablo, people came running from the college, from the tribal offices and their homes and places of work to cheer the runners on their way.” ♦ [Page 7]

TRUE WEALTH

“... it is incumbent on everyone to engage in crafts and professions, for therein lies the secret of wealth. ...” —Bahá’u’lláh, Hidden Word No. 80 from the Persian

Working at the Bahá’í National Center is different from many jobs young adults have after high school or college, because it is a place where “the boss” is the National Spiritual Assembly and “the mission” is the establishment of the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh.

It is, however, very similar in that employees use, for their work, what they already know while learning new skills and methods. This helps them prepare for future jobs and allows for continued service to humanity!

Among more than 20 young adult Bahá’ís working at the National Center, we caught up with a few and asked them:

Q: How is your experience here helping you to professionally and personally prepare for your future?

Gerren J. Allen, 24 Special Projects Editor, Media Services I am able to explore my other talents and I am more deepened on the Faith. What I actually do here does matter and so I am reminded that I and my skills are needed, especially for the advancement of the Cause. Essentially, my experiences here prepare me to give to anyone I come in contact with who had the same struggles I did the importance of valuing each person’s creative and spiritual contributions.

Vahid Farahani, 25 Clerk, Mail Services I am further developing my knowledge and understanding of the Faith, and while I am getting my master’s degree in business administration, I can study theories and see how they are being practiced within a Bahá’í context. All of these help me to develop spiritually and professionally.

Kari Carlson, 21 Associate Producer, Media Services Working on Bahá’í Newsreel has allowed me both to apply what I learned in film school and to develop new skills. It’s wonderful to combine working in a field I love with service to the Cause.

Ladan Cockshut, 28 Associate Editor, Bahá’í Publishing Trust I get to put to work all of my technical and creative skills as an editor and work in a subject area that I love, the Bahá’í Faith! I can apply the Bahá’í spirit of service to my work—that’s something I will carry with me in any future job I may have.

Rebecca Ellison, 29 Research Coordinator, National Teaching Office My experiences here are preparing me for more leadership responsibilities, giving me familiarity with conducting research via the new media, and enabling me to work more cooperatively on projects with people who have different experiences and perspectives. The work is fun and both intellectually and spiritually stimulating.

Angeline Widmer, 24 Senior Conservation Technician, Temple Conservation My work at the House of Worship challenges me to dedicate myself entirely to the task at hand and to complete that task at a high standard of excellence, skills which are readily applicable to any future job or career.

Now, a question for you(th) readers:

Q: How are YOU professionally and personally preparing for your future? ◆

TRAINING FOR ACTION!

Throughout the United States youths are eagerly embracing the concept of training institutes—not only going through courses as students, but also leading classes as trainers.

In one such program, the Oregon Regional Training Institute is systematically training youths to be active teachers, administrators and community members through an interactive and action-oriented four-year curriculum.

This program is quite different from the retreats and conferences many youths are used to attending. For starters, it was developed directly from the guidance of the Universal House of Justice and the Regional Bahá’í Council for the Western States, and is very systematic in nature.

The institute holds four conferences per year. There are no lectures or large group classes; a variety of study methods are used, and the arts are especially utilized. The facilitators are college-age youths who remember what it was like to sit in boring classes for years.

Between the main sessions, smaller “circles of learning” are held in local communities. Youths get to build deeper friendships, continue the study process, and make action plans with their older youth facilitators.

“Mystic Foundations” is the first course everyone takes. Its purpose is to help youths understand their Bahá’í identity. After that, other courses focus on skills training—for example, “Teaching the Bahá’í Faith,” “Teaching Christians” and “Being an Active Community Member.”

It doesn’t stop there; it leads to action. After the first conference in March, for example, one youth woke up at 5:15 a.m. the next day to say the long Obligatory Prayer before going to school. Two groups of youths began Circles of Learning with their facilitators, while others led a deepening for their peers.

With similar programs starting in each region of the country, the youth of the United States are preparing themselves for their important role in teaching and consolidating. We can only look forward to greater victories as the process of entry by troops rapidly advances! ◆

SUMMER OR ANY TIME OF THE YEAR SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

Youths are needed in the following locations to work in the teaching and development fields of Bahá’í service:

Central Region

• Supporting college activities and serving in the Regional Bahá’í Council offices in Rolla, Missouri
• Louhelen Bahá’í School, Davison, Michigan

Western Region

• Bosch Bahá’í School, Santa Cruz, California
• Desert Rose Bahá’í Institute, Casa Grande, Arizona
• Native American Bahá’í Institute, Houck, Arizona

Northeastern Region

• Green Acre Bahá’í School, Eliot, Maine

Southern Region

• Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute, Hemingway, South Carolina
• Supporting college activities in Austin, College Station or Houston, Texas; Murfreesboro, Tennessee; Gainesville, Florida; Chapel Hill, North Carolina

INTERESTED?

Office of Youth Affairs Bahá’í National Center 1233 Central St. Evanston, IL 60201 phone 847-733-3499 e-mail [Page 8]

Brilliant Star Kid’s Corner!

By the Office of the Treasurer

100% with Project Unity!

Hooray! We finished Project Unity with 100% participation of the states. Over 800 Bahá’í children and junior youths took part in illuminating the country through our unity in the National Bahá’í Fund. Congratulations and many thanks to each one of you who helped to make it a success!

Can you find a community’s spiritual qualities in the word find? How do each of these qualities help make a community healthy and strong? These are the same qualities that helped to make Project Unity successful. (Keep the list of a community’s spiritual qualities for an activity coming soon with one of the Feast letters!)

“So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.” —Bahá’u’lláh

Children and junior youth from all over the United States participated in Project Unity!

Find these hidden words in the puzzle above

Adaptability	Generosity	Radiance
Compassion	Joy	Respect
Confidence	Justice	Serenity
Courtesy	Love	Tolerance
Creativity	Nobility	Trust
Diversity	Patience	Unity
Faith	Peace
Frankness	Prayerfulness

For subscriptions to BRILLIANT STAR, call Bahá’í Distribution Service at 800-999-9019 or see page 59 to subscribe. [Page 9]

BAHÁ’Í DISTRIBUTION SERVICE

Light After Death Alan Bryson $12.95 SC (LADS)

The phenomenon of near-death experience (NDE) has shown itself to be of considerable public interest. Light After Death examines this topic by reviewing various works related to NDE. Parallels are then drawn from relevant books throughout the centuries ranging from Plato’s Republic to some of the more recent best-selling books on the subject. Bryson then, after a brief introduction to the Bahá’í Faith, begins to explore the many instances in which the Bahá’í writings validate and support the unusually common stories shared by individuals who have encountered a near-death experience.

5½" x 8½", 109 pp.

Standing Up for Humanity John Huddleston $12.95 SC (SUH)

In his examination of the far-reaching depth and range of the Bahá’í concept of a global society, Huddleston draws upon his training as an intellectual, his wide experience traveling throughout the globe to better understand the economic problems besetting the world, and his sense of justice and compassion. While covering the three monumental subjects of global and national economics, politics and religion, he clearly presents essays for the enlightenment and empowerment of present and future generations.

5½" x 8½", 428 pp.

Thoughts On Marriage Margaret Ruhe $2.95 SC (TOM)

Mrs. Ruhe studied sociology and psychology at the University of Illinois, and she earned her master’s degree in social work at Bryn Mawr College. In addition to serving as a family case worker for a number of years, Mrs. Ruhe lived in Haifa for 25 years while her husband, Dr. David Ruhe, served as a member of the Universal House of Justice. Throughout the years Mrs. Ruhe has given numerous courses on marriage and family life. Thoughts On Marriage presents a wholesome and spiritual view of the reality of marriage.

5½" x 8½", 22 pp.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá In New York—The City of the Covenant Eliane Lacroix-Hopson $7.95 SC (ABNY)

A revised edition of the author’s 1987 book produced to mark the 75th anniversary of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s journey to North America. Includes new and extensive appendices, footnotes and bibliography. Drawing upon numerous works such as 239 Days, Star of the West, The Diary of Juliet Thompson and Mahmúd’s Diary, Lacroix-Hopson has assembled a vivid picture of what it was like to walk with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the streets of New York.

5½" x 8½", 132 pp.

Enoch Olinga Knight of Bahá’u’lláh created by Joyce Olinga $29.95 (EEON)

This emotionally engaging video tells the story of the Hand of the Cause of God Enoch Olinga of Uganda (1926–1979), his spiritual transformation and the seeds of love he sowed throughout the world. Its 90 interviews, stories, footage and photos all offer ample testimony to the unforgettable impression he left with so many people, and reveal the genuine warmth, love and happiness he showered upon them all. The love reflected in these personal recollections provides a triumphant and enduring tribute to a man whose physical life was unexpectedly cut short by a sorrowful and horrendous act.

144 minutes

Death: the Messenger of Joy a Bahá’í compilation on death and afterlife Madeleine Hellaby $3.95 SC (DMJ)

This compilation presents, in a single volume, many of the Bahá’í quotes and stories related to death and afterlife. Topics include the nature of the soul, reincarnation, progress through the worlds of God, the harmony of the two worlds and the influence of prayer on the soul.

5½" x 8¾", 35 pp.

The Pattern of Bahá’í Life A Compilation $3.95 SC (PBLI)

“It is through your deeds that ye can distinguish yourselves from others. Through them the brightness of your light can be shed upon the whole earth. . . .” —Bahá’u’lláh

The Pattern of Bahá’í Life is a pure compilation, without commentary, related to creating in one’s life an individual pattern of behavior as set forth in the Bahá’í writings. Although the main headings include Purity, Kindliness and Radiance, many other subjects are addressed within its 71 pages.

5½" x 8¾", 71 pp.

Spinning the Clay Into Stars Bernard Leach and the Bahá’í Faith edited by Robert Weinberg $12.95 SC (SCS)

Bernard Leach wrote, “The spinning wet clay must be kept dead true to the center of the wheel.” Commenting on this Weinberg states, “The act of throwing thus becomes a metaphor for the unique soul, now centered in God, allowing itself to become malleable so that God’s will may use it as a vehicle through which to operate.” Spinning the Clay into Stars gathers, within one small volume, an impressive and cohesive collection of Leach’s journal entries, essays, letters, sketches, photographs and poems. Bernard Leach, a Bahá’í artist whose achievements and legacy are “. . . intimately connected to his deep commitment to the spiritual and social teachings of Bahá’u’lláh,” is thought of by some as “the leading figure of the modern movement in the Western Hemisphere as it relates to studio pottery.”

4¼" x 6¾", 140 pp.

GOSPEL MUSIC

We Have Come To Praise Him First Commandment Gospel Singers $18.00 CD (WCPHCD)

Live From Toronto First Commandment Gospel Singers $18.00 CD (LITCD)

This group from Canada brings a refreshing mix of R&B to their gospel music. Whether performing in the studio, as with We Have Come To Praise Him, or before a live audience as with Live In Toronto, the First Commandment Gospel Singers provide a display of rich vocals with rhythm-and-blues backup to produce a diverse assortment of songs ranging from traditional Christian gospel to original Bahá’í composition. [Page 10]

The Bahá’í World 1998-99

Seventh volume

$25.95 hardcover (BW99H) $13.95 softcover (BW99S)

Shoghi Effendi referred to The Bahá’í World as a “testimony to the irresistible march of the Faith and the vitality of its indomitable spirit.” In 1993 the Universal House of Justice stated that it “feels that the availability of a liberally illustrated, attractively designed annual record of Bahá’í activities will facilitate the efforts of the friends and Spiritual Assemblies to present to non-Bahá’ís at all levels of society current information about the Cause. . . .” This volume includes an update on the situation of the Bahá’ís in Iran and a progress report on the Mount Carmel Projects with numerous color photographs throughout.

6" x 9", 352 pp.

Spiritual Institutions

The Unique Nature of Bahá’í Institutions Produced for the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States

(SPIN) Bulk priced as follows: 1–9 $3.50 each 10+ $3.00 each

Combining beautiful photographs with inspiring and relevant quotes, Spiritual Institutions educates and enlightens by covering subjects including the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh, the Nature of Divine Institutions, Local and National Assemblies, Regional Councils and the Universal House of Justice. Additional related quotes, photographs and graphics focus on the appointed and elected Institutions, the rarefied atmosphere of Bahá’í elections, unit conventions, and the relationship between the Institutions and the individual.

11" x 8½", 16 pp.

Compilation of Compilations

Volume Three

$21.95 HC (COC3)

With the same excellent quality and format as in its previous editions, Volume Three compiles 11 Bahá’í compilations into a single volume. With topics including arts, community functioning, cultural diversity, teaching indigenous people, scholarship and promoting entry by troops, this volume is a convenient reference on many of today’s topical issues and a necessary addition to any home or community reference library.

5½" x 8¾", 319 pp.

Guidance For Bahá’í Groups

by the Office of Community Administration and Development

$5.00 SC (GBG)

This reference booklet has been prepared for the use of Bahá’í groups and isolated believers. Although Bahá’í groups are not official administrative institutions, they do perform a vital role in a Bahá’í community’s growth, development and eventual raising of a Local Spiritual Assembly. This latest guide provides valuable assistance to those friends who, while diligently striving to share the healing message of Bahá’u’lláh, are committed to developing their community by establishing a Local Spiritual Assembly.

8½" x 11", 48 pp.

Picture Postcards of the Shrine of the Báb and of the Terraces

from the Bahá’í World Center

$3.95 8-pack (PCBAB)

These most-recently produced postcards feature large full-color photographs of the Shrine of the Báb and the soon-to-be-completed Terraces. Produced on extra-large postcard stock, they are suitable for special greetings and invitations to seekers, yet are also large enough for matting and framing.

These eight new photographs breathtakingly proclaim the gradual unfoldment of Mount Carmel’s destiny.

Each postcard is 4¾" x 6¾"

FOR CHILDREN

Let Us Build A Peaceful World Together Rosa Vasseghi

$5.95 SC (LBPWT)

Combining fictional narrative with Bahá’í prayers and holy writings, this children’s story tells the tale of a diverse group of students who live at a school within the City of Peace. One day the principal lovingly informs the students that they must go out into the world to teach the healing message of oneness and to lend their share to the lifting of the spirit of humanity. That evening the children, frightened by the charge they have been given and anxious about their possible departure from the city, share with each other the stories of pain and suffering that had brought them to school. Through this sharing they also realize that significant individuals played a role in providing each of them succor as they find the strength to venture forth to proclaim the teachings for a new age.

5½" x 8½", 68 pp. [Page 11]

The Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh

Two-CD set Shoghi Effendi read by Steve Boergadine $19.95 CD (DBCD)

Identified by our National Spiritual Assembly as the first book of study in a nationwide charge to deepen our understanding of the Bahá’í writings, The Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh is now available, unabridged, in audio book form. This two-CD set provides the listener with a beautiful, professional recitation of the beloved Guardian’s letter. In The Priceless Pearl, our dear Rúhíyyih Khánum reflected upon the first release of this historic letter, “I remember when I first read it I had the most extraordinary feeling as if the whole universe had suddenly expanded around me. ... all the frontiers of our understanding flew outwards. ...” “However Shoghi Effendi felt in his inmost heart about his other writings, I know from his remarks that he considered he had said all he had to say, in many ways, in the Dispensation.”

Making the Crooked Straight

A Contribution to Bahá’í Apologetics Udo Schaefer Nicola Towfigh Ulrich Gollmer 59.95 HC (MTCS)

Referred to in the 157 Ridván Letter of the Universal House of Justice, this significant work is a masterly constructed rebuttal of a 450-page monograph written by an embittered former Bahá’í against the Bahá’í Faith. As mentioned in its foreword, this book “... has wider implications for the study of the Bahá’í Faith than what otherwise might be viewed as a localized scholarly dispute in German-speaking Europe. By the way of an apologia, the reader is led into an instructive exploration of the salient and distinctive features of the sacred teachings and history of the Bahá’í Faith.”

5¾" x 8¼", 862 pp.

Days to Remember

compiled by Dr. Baber Forghani $13.95 SC (DTR)

Within one cover, Days to Remember provides an efficient guide for individuals, committees, groups and Local Assemblies in preparation and planning of Bahá’í Holy Days, celebrations and commemorations. Each Holy Day chapter includes a substantial list of suggested readings. Several Tablets and talks of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá on the topic of Naw-Rúz are published for the first time here. The addition of even more passages from Bahá’í sacred writings and the inclusion of several photographs of Bahá’í holy places related to historic events all help deepen one’s appreciation and understanding of these nine holiest of days.

6" x 8", 169 pp.

The Right of God

A Workbook for Understanding, Appreciating and Applying the Law of Huqúqu’lláh compiled by Dr. Allan Waters $12.95 SC (HW)

This second edition comprehensively educates the reader about fulfilling their obligation to pay the “Right of God.” Contents include extracts from the writings of Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice. In addition, there are chapters on the history and development of Huqúqu’lláh, excerpts from a collection of talks on the subject, a quick reference guide for the study of the major themes, and as guidance for calculation and for making necessary provisions in one’s will.

11¾" x 8¼", 164 pp.

The Right of God CD-ROM

a companion to The Right of God workbook created by Dr. Allan Waters & Negin Golestani $12.95 CD (RGCDR)

This companion to The Right of God workbook contains: Huqúqu’lláh calculator, seven examples, worksheet showing the value of 19 mithqáls in multiple currencies, expense calculation worksheet and cash flow worksheet. System requirements: Microsoft Windows 95 and Microsoft Excel 97 or Lotus 1-2-3.

Healing

Mind, Body & Soul Alan Bryson 12.95 SC (HMBS)

While encouraging readers to follow the guidance of Bahá’u’lláh to consult competent physicians, Alan Bryson explores the fascinating and often-neglected relationship between health and spirituality. Writing from the perspective of an individual Bahá’í, Bryson reviews a wide range of research findings and examines their implications for our health. Throughout the book, he combines quotes from the Bahá’í writings and from famous individuals while sharing his personal insights on such health issues as diet, spirituality, emotions, faith, virtues, prayer, stress management and “finding one’s own inherent healing potential.”

5½" x 8½", 244 pp.

Health for All

The Challenge of the New Millennium Dr. Robert Kim-Farley $6.95 SC (HFA)

“We stand at the threshold of a new era in health. ... But to ensure a healthy future for all, we must mature to the next stage of our collective existence as a global society: the stage of unity and interdependence.” Dr. Kim-Farley discusses health issues confronting a shrinking world and offers the viewpoint of a Bahá’í who is responsible for the World Health Organization’s largest country program.

5¾" x 8¼", 40 pp.

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BUILDING THE KINGDOM IT’S OUR TIME

‘Abdu’l-Bahá at Green Acre • Photo courtesy of National Bahá’í Archives

During His visit to America, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, characterized by Shoghi Effendi as the “Founder” of the American Bahá’í community, placed upon this land a mighty responsibility.

On May 1, 1912, with His own hands ‘Abdu’l-Bahá laid the cornerstone for the House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois. Later He would describe the creation of this Holiest House of Worship as marking “the inception of the Kingdom of God on earth.” Today, and for all time, this sacred edifice symbolizes the charge with which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá entrusted this blessed American Bahá’í community:

“Your mission is unspeakably glorious. Should success crown your enterprise, America will assuredly evolve into a centre from which waves of spiritual power will emanate, and the throne of the Kingdom of God, will in the plenitude of its majesty and glory be firmly established.”

Advancing the Process of Entry by Troops

In His Will and Testament, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote, “In these days, the most important of all things is the guidance of the nations and peoples of the world. Teaching the Cause is of utmost importance for it is the head corner-stone of the foundation itself. ... This is the secret of faithfulness, this is the requirement of servitude to the Threshold of Bahá!”

Building on the Foundation

Returning to the Holy Land after His visit to America, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá sent us His Tablets of the Divine Plan, establishing the mission of the American Bahá’í community and directing our first steps in achieving that mission. The many tasks now before us will not be easy: as the “chief trustees” of the Master’s Divine Plan, we have inescapable obligations to our Supreme Body, to our sister national communities and to each other, all across this specially blessed land. Our effort to meet these goals will, in and of itself, through the operation of the spiritual forces at the heart of the Cause, hasten the advancement of the fortunes of our Faith.

Our capacity must expand in order to foster and accommodate dramatic growth, which is fast approaching. Therefore, with the blessing of the Universal House of Justice, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States has designed a Comprehensive Development Plan to take the American Bahá’í community to our next level of advancement, maturation and service to the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh.

Comprehensive Development Plan

The goal of the National Spiritual Assembly’s Comprehensive Development Plan is to build on the spiritual foundation laid by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and to “prepare ourselves,” as instructed by the Universal House of Justice, “for ... the hour whose coming it is our task to hasten.”

A financial commitment of $60 million over the next five years is required to achieve these initiatives.

The goals of the plan represent investments in our future, and demand sacrifices above and beyond the regular contributions needed to carry on the annual operations of our national community and our ongoing commitments to the international Funds of the Faith.

MEDIA INITIATIVE

Throughout the Four Year Plan, our National Spiritual Assembly through its National Teaching Committee pioneered and tested a new approach to the national teaching work through its media initiative. The first phase involved the creation of materials and testing their distribution on both national and local media outlets. This teaching strategy has produced highly encouraging results. Tens of thousands of searching souls have already responded to this effort, and local communities have arisen to support the initiative by providing a welcoming response to those who have been attracted by the message.

In a letter on its behalf, the Universal House of Justice praised the work of the National Teaching Committee:

“We have been asked to express the immense pleasure of the House of Justice at the high response to the media campaign; it is impressed with the analysis of the results to date and the manner in which the campaign facilitates the teaching work throughout the country.”

Given this encouragement, our National Spiritual Assembly plans to expand the initiative during the new plan. It will increase production of video materials, in both long and short formats; produce, test and use radio materials; and significantly increase purchases of broadcast time in national and regional media. The goal is to reach everyone in America—regardless of language, ethnic or economic background—with the Message of Bahá’u’lláh in a way that motivates souls to further investigate the Faith. This is a costly undertaking, but one that has already proven to be extremely effective when combined with local activities.

PROGRESS REPORT:

AS OF LATE JUNE 2000

• Nearly $15 million in pledges or cash contributions has been committed to the Kingdom Project.
• More than 1,000 individuals have pledged or given.

COMPONENTS OF THE KINGDOM PROJECT

• Mashriqu’l-Adhkár
  • The Mother Temple and Gardens
  • Temple Visitor Center
  • Bahá’í Home for the Aged
• National Hazíratu’l-Quds
  • Hazíratu’l-Quds
  • National Archives
• Advancing the Process of Entry by Troops
  • Media Initiative
  • Bahá’í Publishing
  • Bahá’í-Owned Schools
• Providing for the Future
  • Strategic Reserves
  • Establishing an Endowment

BAHÁ’Í PUBLISHING

Not everyone whose interest is awakened by the media and by related local teaching efforts will come directly to their local Bahá’í community. Many, if not most, will instead turn to their local bookstores for resources with which to pursue their own study. The time has therefore come for Bahá’í literature to become available in the retail book trade. Our National [Page 13]Spiritual Assembly is founding Bahá’í Publishing with a solid plan to enter the retail market by 2002.

Bahá’í-Owned Schools

The Bahá’í schools provide believers with opportunities to deepen our understanding of the teachings, to associate with other members of our Faith, and to work together toward common goals. These schools offer venues for delivery of training institute courses as well as, a critical element in the maturation and further development of our teaching efforts.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá himself was personally connected to the Green Acre Bahá’í School in Eliot, Maine, and in fact visited the Sarah Farmer Inn during his sojourn in America. He established the vision of the school’s future significance: “In the future, God willing, Green Acre shall become a great center, the cause of the unity of the world of humanity, the cause of uniting hearts and binding together the East and the West. This is my hope.” He also told the friends that the first Bahá’í university would be raised on its site, giving us a glimpse of the potential inherent in the permanent Bahá’í schools.

The existing schools—Green Acre, Bosch Bahá’í School in Santa Cruz, California, and Louhelen Bahá’í School in Davison, Michigan—are in need of development and expansion to meet the growing needs of the community.

These enhancements will play a key role in propelling the schools to their next phase of development as centers of Bahá’í learning. They will also increase the schools’ capacity to function as conference and retreat centers for the general public. Facility improvements are also planned for the permanent institutes—the Native American Bahá’í Institute and the Louis Gregory Institute.

In addition, plans for two additional schools are emerging—one in the Southern Region and another in the Western Region. Sites will be purchased, similar to those of the other permanent schools—rural in nature and having the potential to accommodate immediate needs and future growth.

Future issues of The American Bahá’í will explore the other components of the Kingdom Project and provide news updates. ♦

THE KINGDOM PROJECT IN ACTION: LOUIS G. GREGORY INSTITUTE

Left: Workers prepare the interior of a dorm building at the Louis G. Gregory Institute to be rebuilt from scratch. Above: A washroom wall in the building shows damage from seepage of water over the decades. Photos by Red Hubbard

LGI, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

nomic development agency of the National Assembly.

“When we’re done by September it’ll be fresh, clean and contemporary,” said Sam Conrad of the Properties Department at the National Bahá’í Center about the LGI facilities.

Included in the summer renovation work will be an upgrade of the main building’s kitchen, dining room and classrooms.

The kitchen will be brought up to code with new stainless-steel cabinets and appliances. Dark paneling in the dining room will make way for brightly painted drywall. All flooring and roofs will be replaced. And, of course, necessary repairs will be done throughout.

Big changes also are coming to the men’s and women’s dormitories.

“Many people remember the dark partitions in the dorm rooms. They’re going, too, as well as the old plastic mattresses that had been endured by so many people for so long,” Conrad said with a smile.

New staff will be arriving soon, too.

“We’re really very excited,” said Ellen and Frank Jordan, new administrators of the Institute. The baton recently was passed to them by Lanita Barnes, who has graciously served at LGI the past six years.

The Jordans will work alongside the building renovations to prepare for a busy fall.

Ellen and Frank Jordan, new administrators, will shape Louis G. Gregory Institute’s new role as a community center.

Ellen and Frank have lived in South Carolina for about 15 years, arriving there after pioneering in Honduras. During their first few years back in the U.S. they lived close to LGI as homefront pioneers and attended many events there.

“The Louis Gregory Institute was a spiritual refuge for us. But never, ever did I think that Frank and I would be the ones to now help create the loving spiritual environment that we always enjoyed when we were there,” said Ellen.

“It seems that everything we have been doing for the last few years was in preparation for this role,” she added.

Frank completed his doctorate in community development in 1991, but as a high school and junior high teacher in the nearby Conway public school system had not yet been able to put what he had learned into practice.

Ellen, also a schoolteacher, had just spent a year receiving training to teach a remedial reading program.

Then they received a call on the second day of this year’s Fast, inviting them to serve in this capacity. Everything changed and, at the same time, everything became clear.

“It is now apparent that Bahá’u’lláh was preparing us for this role. We’re now well-prepared to focus on children and youth, as is the instruction from the Universal House of Justice at this time,” Ellen said. “The timing was absolutely right for us.”

She noted that their children are now grown and gone, leaving them alone in their large house in Conway. The “empty nesters” will now live in LGI’s administrators’ residence.

“In a sense I’ll be coming back to Hemingway, but Frank has never left there,” Ellen said, referring to the fact that everybody in Hemingway seems to know Frank because he worked for the local school district. “He taught them when they were small and now he’ll be there for their children.”

Frank says one of the first challenges he and Ellen will face will be to communicate the new mandate to the people of the surrounding community.

“We want to be able to effectively communicate to the people that the Institute is now truly their resource,” he said. “We’ll reach out to all the people. It will be a very exciting time for us all.” ♦

A UNIQUE COMMITMENT

Building the Kingdom: It’s Our Time is a development plan of a type never before launched by our National Spiritual Assembly.

One of its unique features is that the National Assembly is encouraging Bahá’ís and Bahá’í institutions across the country to make pledges. These pledges make it possible to go forward with the components of this bold plan, in the confidence that the friends will be firm in their support throughout the life of this endeavor.

What is a pledge? A pledge is a voluntary commitment—a promise. Each person or institution prayerfully considers their capacity in a spirit of sacrifice, then decides what amount can be offered between now and Ridván 2005. The total amount is the amount of the pledge.

Is my pledge in addition to regular contributions? Yes. The operational expenses of our Spiritual Assemblies, both national and local, continue and must be maintained.

Why are pledges being requested by Ridván 2002? The National Spiritual Assembly must proceed with some components of the Comprehensive Development Plan ‎imme- diately immediately‎. While others will be undertaken later, planning for them relies on the knowledge that resources will be forthcoming from the friends as they unfold.

How do I make my pledge? Once you have decided the total amount you can pledge to contribute during these five years, enter that amount on a pledge card (they have been mailed to Bahá’ís nationwide). If you wish to complete your pledge before Ridván 2005, write in that date. Indicate how you would like to fulfill your pledge: by check, credit card or automatic contribution. You may break your pledge into regular payments, which may be paid by various methods.

Where can I get another pledge card? Contact the Kingdom Project (address, phone and e-mail below).

Can I make a contribution immediately? Yes. A check made out to “Kingdom Project” can be mailed to the Treasurer’s Office using any Treasurer’s envelope.

If you would like the Treasurer’s Office to arrange a local briefing in your area on Building the Kingdom, please contact:

KINGDOM PROJECT Office of the Treasurer 112 Linden Ave. Wilmette, IL 60091-2839 phone: 847-733-3472 e-mail: [Page 14]

MATURING COMMUNITIES

An alliance for the homeless

Bay Area communities team up to extend free voice-mail service

BY CHRIS PALMER

A Bahá’í-sponsored program that provides voice mail for homeless people seeking employment and housing now serves thousands of people and families in eight counties around San Francisco Bay.

The network of 10 Local Spiritual Assemblies covering a 4,000-square-mile area also dramatizes to an astonished social service community the unity and capacity of local Bahá’í institutions.

Through the Voicemail Project, an eligible person can use any phone to access a voice-mail box for receiving private recorded messages.

Within six months recently, 650 people used the program to obtain a job or housing.

Shelter workers say the service lifts residents’ spirits. Residents, they report, say such things as “I feel like a human being again” and “I can’t believe someone cares enough to help us in this way.”

The program originated during Ayyám-i-Há 1994, when the Bahá’ís of Danville, about 25 miles east of San Francisco, served dinner at the local homeless shelter and stayed to share in dining and fellowship with the residents.

Deeply moved by the experience, the Spiritual Assembly consulted for many sessions on what a small community with few resources could do to aid the homeless in a meaningful way.

One obstacle inherent in homelessness, they found, is inaccessibility: Without a phone number, a person has no opportunity to receive offers of work or housing.

The fruits of that consultation have evolved into the Voicemail Project, through which the 10 Spiritual Assemblies processed more than 28,000 calls in March alone.

This free service is offered through existing social service agencies under a contract that protects client confidentiality and shields the Bahá’ís from liability.

The Assemblies rely on professional case workers at the agencies to screen clients, limiting the risk both of illegal activity and of the service being used just to make it more comfortable to remain homeless.

The scope of service grew during the first three years. Now it is also used to help women fleeing ‎domestie domestic‎ violence.

And the number of agencies contracting to use the service has grown to 60, including county welfare-to-work programs, the Red Cross and Catholic Charities.

The Voicemail Project is made possible through a generous donation of hardware and software by APEX Voice Communications.

Initially, APEX provided the components to transform a UNIX computer into a machine that would provide 100,000 voice-mail boxes in Contra Costa County. As the program expanded, APEX contributed a total of 11 such packages, for 10 live on-site systems and a backup system.

In 1997, the Martinez Bahá’í community took over stewardship of the program in Contra Costa County from Danville. Its more-central location provided local service to more of the county’s concentrations of homelessness.

In consultation with Auxiliary Board members Marsha Gilpatrick and Farhad Sabetan, the Spiritual Assembly of Danville also decided to assess interest in expanding the program to other counties. Bahá’ís in Napa responded with enthusiasm and set up a program for...

SEE VOICEMAIL PROJECT, PAGE 15

Volunteers from 10 Bahá’í communities who run the Voicemail Project gather to meet in May with Derek Cockshut of the Regional Bahá’í Council for the Western States.

Quotes from two of the many newspaper articles and other media stories about the Voicemail Project: Contra Costa Times: “[F]or the Bahá’ís, being of service to humanity is their form of worship.” San Francisco Chronicle: “[I]t’s a way for [homeless] people to do what they need to do without being stigmatized.”

County	Spiritual Assembly
Alameda County	Oakland
Alameda County	San Leandro
Contra Costa County	Martinez
Marin County	San Rafael
Napa County	Napa
San Francisco County	San Francisco
San Mateo County	San Carlos
Solano County	Vacaville
Sonoma County	Petaluma
Sonoma County	Sonoma County North District 4

Community works through wariness, difficulties to join the chain of service

BY WALT BOYD

Excitement stirred members of northern Sonoma County, California, Bahá’í communities as we gathered in Windsor at the home of James Hesson to hear Danville Bahá’ís describe something new and promising.

These friends had expended considerable effort over the years to hold groups and Assemblies together and at the same time teach the Cause among the rapidly growing population of our area 90 miles north of San Francisco.

We learned quickly that a number of Bahá’í communities in the Bay Area were adopting a social and economic development program that would be of considerable interest to county government and independent social services agencies: the Voicemail Project.

To some of us, the presentation was electrifying. But questions came thick and fast, many with a tinge of “impossible!” and “what’s in it for our communities?” Even if someone would take on this responsibility, how could we afford it and still keep up our commitments to the National Bahá’í Fund?

This was so new to us, so broad in scope yet so pregnant with possibilities for benefit to the homeless and to the Faith, that most of us went home that night with alternating exhilaration and despair as our companions.

In the days that followed, someone volunteered to host the system. Another volunteered to act as liaison to the agencies. And the Spiritual Assembly of Sonoma County Supervisory District 4 accepted sponsorship.

The up-front financial outlay was barely within the means of the community, but by some miracle the needed funds appeared in the treasurer’s report at the following Assembly meeting. What more confirmation could be needed?

The enterprise did not launch without setbacks and detours.

To begin, the voice-mail system would be settled into a house that was at the dead end of a country road, outside even a village boundary. No wonder the telephone company dragged its heels when presented with requirements for new lines.

But constant, patient pressure for service over 18 months finally moved the giant utility, and the system went fully online.

Even at that point, the social service agencies wondered: How could an obscure religion give away such service? Could the volunteers be trusted with confidentiality of client messages? Could they be depended upon over the long term?

Yet these and other difficulties proved providential. The social service community witnessed the patience and resourcefulness of Bahá’ís through the whole frustrating process. In addition, they saw the thoroughness and professionalism of the contractual arrangements laid before them, as well as the reputation of the Bahá’ís with this program in other areas.

Eventually, contracts were signed and the Bahá’ís gained the chance to prove over time that we would be trustworthy partners.

The Bahá’ís of Northern Sonoma County are embarked now and for the foreseeable future in a social program of expanding dimensions, a challenge of major proportions to the individuals and to the Assembly.

We are no longer in obscurity in our own front yard; rather, we are becoming known for the very principles on which our beloved Faith stands, demonstrated through service in action. Is it not written, “Let deeds, not words, be your adorning”? ◆

Walt Boyd is system operator for the Voicemail Project in Northern Sonoma County. [Page 15]

VOICEMAIL PROJECT, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

Napa County.

With the unified efforts of three Spiritual Assemblies and the Auxiliary Board releasing spiritual forces, many doors opened in rapid succession.

By October 1997, the Danville Assembly was approached by the Bay Area Homeless Alliance, a consortium of social service agencies widely known as BAHA. That group asked the Assembly to expand the program throughout the area.

In close cooperation with its Auxiliary Board members, the Spiritual Assembly contacted Bahá’í communities in seven target areas in five counties and presented the program to them. A model was developed for systematic implementation of voice-mail machines, contracts and outreach.

Within 18 months, Spiritual Assemblies in Geyserville (Sonoma County Supervisory District 4), Oakland, Petaluma, San Carlos, San Rafael, San Leandro and Vacaville brought systems on line and established relationships within the social services community.

Two Bahá’ís per community each devote about four hours a month to the project, one as a system operator and the other as a liaison with social service agencies.

The service agencies pay the phone bills, amounting to about $80 per month per county for four incoming lines (no matter how many voice-mail boxes are used).

That leaves the Spiritual Assemblies responsible for an initial investment in equipment. Some Bahá’ís have made loans to help with those purchases.

An interesting problem arose in the development of this program. While standardization of technology and contracts was essential to maintain a manageable program, no Spiritual Assembly had jurisdiction over the others.

Consultation between the Danville Assembly and Auxiliary Board members brought a solution in the form of a contract. Danville functions as convenor, with a point person coordinating the effort in a support capacity. For their part, the communities running the program in their counties function as sponsors.

This program commanded immediate attention from local governments and social service agencies, and not just because the Bahá’ís refuse payment for this valuable service. The unity of purpose required to set up such a network over such a wide geographical area had proved impossible among well-meaning counties with conflicting agendas, and among equally well-meaning agencies that must compete for funding.

In fact, the Bahá’í administrative network, by providing an organizational framework for the program, has enabled the federally funded BAHA to work together with private industry. The project also marks a unique cooperative initiative involving the institutions of the Rulers and the Learned.

Earlier this year, based on work done at nearby sites, the mayor of San Francisco asked the Bahá’í community to implement the program in that city.

With the benefit of nine other communities’ experience, the Spiritual Assembly of San Francisco had the program up and running in their city within a few months.

That completed the current phase of expansion, and proved the ease with which the program can be replicated.

As of this writing, the Danville Spiritual Assembly, in consultation with the Regional Bahá’í Council for the Western States, is preparing to transfer its role as convenor for this program to a nonprofit Bahá’í-inspired agency.

That way the program can obtain outside funding to hire a full-time coordinator, who can explore possibilities for further refinement of services and the practicality of making the program available in other Bahá’í communities. ◆

TEXANS, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

At the One Year Plan’s outset, area Bahá’í communities remain committed to the project. During the last 19 days of July, a concentrated teaching effort is planned in conjunction with the Southern Regional Bahá’í Council and its youth coordinating team.

College Station is aiming for close to 100 percent participation, a year after 95 percent of local believers pitched in to help get the teaching project started.

And the project shows every sign of being sustained over the long term. Why? One paragraph jumps out from a recent status report:

“From the beginning, the [College Station] Spiritual Assembly saw this experiment as a model discovering and demonstrating how entry by troops could be integrated into a functioning American community. Crucial to the process was keeping and consolidating new Bahá’ís and involving them in Bahá’í activities. We took a long-term approach, realizing that transformation of entire families and communities, although a slow process, would yield the best results. We were less concerned with transferring knowledge than instilling a sense of belonging.”

Up close and personal

Grant Suhm, co-coordinator of the project, had seen “the value and effectiveness of raising up villages and communities” while a pioneer in Colombia and Micronesia. The key, he said, is forming relationships with people, especially youths and children.

“That means visiting them regularly and going out and doing things with them in your free time. They’re not just ‘subjects’ of our teaching,” he said.

Corinne Mills of the Regional Council’s Teaching Office, which is watching the project with great interest, agrees this dynamic is crucial.

“There is an ongoing effort to visit the new believers [once or twice a week] and to become their friends,” she said. “Getting to really know the new Bahá’ís, their needs and desires and just to enjoy each other’s company is a high priority for the project participants.”

Besides this balance between expansion and consolidation, Mills lists three elements important to the project’s success:

Ongoing, systematic teaching efforts. “May makes the 11th consecutive month the Spiritual Assembly has sponsored the teaching and consolidation efforts.”

Love and unity among the believers. “The community and Assembly are united in their teaching efforts. . . Seekers and new believers continue to be attracted to the Bahá’ís and the gatherings (social, study circles, Feasts).”

Widespread participation and support. “There is a wide range of participation among community members, . . . each providing different aspects of service to the project.”

Adds Mahyar Mofidi, a member of the Regional Council:

“The support and complementary activities of the Aguila del Cielo Regional Training Institute has also been key. ... This is one of the few examples we have in the country where an ongoing teaching campaign is being supported and reinforced by an institute.”

In fact, the training institute’s strength helped precipitate the project.

Teaching team + Institute = enkindlement

A little over a year ago, members of the Eagles, a group of audacious veteran Bahá’í teachers with members in several states, were seeking an area to “jump start,” as Suhm put it.

Jerry Collier of Tyler, Texas, knew the area well and had enrolled several people during a one-week 1998 visit. Partly with his input, the Eagles decided the College Station-Bryan area had “all the ingredients” for a successful campaign.

Those ingredients included an institute that offers courses in direct teaching, a community with strong ongoing activity and an Assembly receptive to diverse teaching methods.

Indeed, the Brazos Valley already had a record of sustaining “very successful firesides, public events, regional conferences, Sunday children’s classes, Holy Day celebrations, Chinese teaching activities, public service events, college club activities. . .”

SEE SHAHRIAR PROJECT, PAGE 16

Members of a teaching team, including a few members of the Eagles, gather during the Shahriar Project in the College Station-Bryan area. Photo by Grant Suhm

BRIEFLY

Memphis, Tennessee

Bahá’ís here played a visible role when the National Civil Rights Museum hosted an interfaith celebration April 2 called “Bridges of Harmony” to honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

More than 300 attended. Two Bahá’ís had been designated by the Spiritual Assembly to serve on the steering committee.

At the celebration, John Smith, a Bahá’í, read from our scriptures a sacred and inspired reading on human rights.

After the service a march of about four blocks in the rain took attendees to a reception at the Civil Rights Museum.

Here the Bahá’ís had a table display featuring a portrait of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá by high school senior Josh Herron, pictures, books and pamphlets.

A Bahá’í “Memphis blues” band called Common Ancestors provided music for the reception. Band members John Jones, John Bailey and Cedric Van Hooks use lyrics inspired by the Bahá’í writings.

Annapolis, Maryland

The DelMarVa Bahá’í Youth Workshop arrived April 1 in Annapolis already knowing they would perform at a Unitarian Universalist church the next morning.

The surprise for workshop members was an opportunity to make new friends and enlarge the circle of their service.

On arrival at the church that Saturday night, the Bahá’í group was invited by the church’s youths to a potluck supper that preceded a sleep-over.

Both youth groups mingled freely, and when the workshop group started rehearsing, the Unitarians stayed—not only to watch, but to participate as well!

Next morning, as part of a program of celebrating unity in diversity, the workshop delighted everyone with four performances. The Unitarian youths joined them in two. The performers were greeted with happiness, excitement and heartfelt warmth. ◆ [Page 16]

SHAHRIAR PROJECT,

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

ties and a yearly statewide youth conference," the status report notes.

The area also had Assemblies in College Station (with about 30 adult Bahá’ís) and Bryan (about 20 adults) and a registered group in Brazos County (about seven adults).

But focused direct teaching was absent, according to the report. And the Eagles were happy to fill the breach.

In June 1999, Collier and training institute board member Jeff Kester proposed an intensive week of teaching to the College Station Assembly.

The Assembly responded quickly, keeping a crucial question in mind: How would the effort be sustained? At that first meeting, the Assembly committed to an expansion and consolidation program with these components:

• A 10-day teaching campaign to start the process.
• A followup "teaching weekend" every month through the end of the Four Year Plan.

The project was dedicated to Shahriar Yekrangi, a local youth who had recently died in a car accident.

A potent beginning

The opening salvo was a period of concentrated teaching in July 1999. Ten Eagles from Georgia, Ohio and several other states joined the Texas members.

Just as important, "95 percent of the Bahá’ís in the area participated either teaching or hosting daily events," according to the status report. Simultaneously, "the Spiritual Assembly supported experimentation with all kinds of teaching. Richard Hoff [an Eagle] and the regional institute provided training in how to teach."

Immediately, 24 new believers were enrolled.

"Many of the new believers," the report states, "were widely scattered across the area, with a few clusters being concentrated in certain apartment complexes. More than half of the new believers were African-American, reflecting the integrative objectives of teachers and Assembly alike."

Through discomfort into unity

At first, community follow-up with new believers was "sporadic and ineffective," the report notes. But by the second followup teaching weekend, with traveling teachers from all over Texas to aid teaching and consolidation efforts, "we had enrolled about 36 believers and established a weekly visit system."

Soon the entire effort was under local management, with Collier continuing to make regular visits. Teaching weekends, though regular, gradually receded from the spotlight while community-building took center stage.

Challenges arose as the Bahá’í community grew.

"When you enroll a lot of people, you get stretched and have a new set of challenges," Suhm said. "There’s more to unity than meets the eye. We learned to recognize that stages of change often included denial, anger, opposition—and that this was a sign that change was occurring.

"The important thing is to realize that we are all members of the Bahá’í family. Healthy families argue, but then they get over it and get on with their business."

With an eye on promoting effective consolidation, the project took on "a neighborhood approach ... concentrating on public-assisted housing projects with high numbers of minorities and single mothers," the report explains. "We adopted three neighborhoods: one in College Station and two in Bryan."

With the help of Texas A&M students and a Bahá’í Youth Service Corps volunteer, "we tried to visit all interested believers in each neighborhood weekly," the report continues. "We focused on establishing friendships and bringing the believers to existing meetings and working with children of Bahá’ís."

Using this process, says the report, "we had a very high rate of retention—nearly 100 percent for those we [visited regularly]." If people were uncomfortable with receiving regular visits, the project "gave them space," but maintained regular mailings that include deepening materials and an activities calendar.

Meanwhile, children’s classes at a nearby community center were attended by 10 to 40 people—including most of the new Bahá’í children. Outings were also regularly arranged.

Among youths and adults, Ruhi Book One courses were conducted. Twelve tutors then were trained, and study circles were started. Youths also were encouraged to attend conferences.

A newly purchased vehicle picked up Bahá’ís and seekers for firesides and Holy Day events "on a space-permitting basis," according to the report.

Not only has the vehicle usually been full, many times there have been too many interested youths for the space.

Other lines of action were not neglected in the process. An experimental coffeehouse teaching effort has been successful. Also, a mall teaching booth drew on the energy of some "incredibly enthusiastic" Bahá’ís who happened to dislike neighborhood teaching.

In each of these activities, the report says, teachers have "concentrated on establishing relationships of trust and letting our meeting and enthusiasm light the spark of belief."

Suhm terms this approach "natural, organic." First came the burst of energy from the teachers who were invited in, he said. Then when the local friends took over the teaching work, more and more new believers participated right away in community building.

Collier noted one other change: "We haven’t been doing quick enrollments as much [during followup teaching weekends]. Mostly it’s a slower process."

A Bahá’í center in Bryan

The purchase of a Bahá’í center—a former fraternity house with a large lot in a diverse Bryan neighborhood—has aided the process, Suhm said.

All area communities are contributing to the center fund, he said. Just as important, new believers as well as veteran Bahá’ís who had not previously been engaged in the teaching project are working shoulder-to-shoulder with other friends to renovate the future teaching and meeting center.

Suhm said not even a flash flood dampened enthusiasm.

The day after a torrential downpour, the soggy center lot was unsuitable for a planned barbecue and Feast. So construction equipment was moved aside and an inside room quickly cleared of debris.

And when a number of guests arrived in addition to several new Bahá’ís, creating standing room only, the planned Feast was transformed.

Bahá’í prayers were read. Gospel and choral music was played. As the Word was spoken, people could be heard intermittently saying "I believe" and "That’s right."

"The light of unity shone bright through the sawdust that day," Suhm said, adding that a number of people have asked when the Bahá’ís would be holding more "prayer meetings."

"Flexibility and innovation have been keys to success," he said.

Significantly, nine recently enrolled believers voted in the latest Assembly election in Bryan.

This brand-new believer became active with the Texas A&M youths, "even around my most difficult semester to date," he said. He was on the staff of the A&M-hosted youth conference in April. He taught the Faith to a woman on a plane to San Francisco. He participated in follow-up visits to seekers and new believers in Bryan and College Station.

The kicker: "This was all before I declared."

Above: Home-based firesides, along with many other facets of Bahá’í teaching and community life, have maintained an increased vitality throughout Brazos County since the project began.

Left: Children from the College Station-Bryan area meet for regular virtues classes. Photos by Grant Suhm

Texas Map by Aaron Kreader

Participants in the Shahriar Teaching Project can look with pride at a year of accomplishments:

• Enrollment of more than 40 souls
• Presence of about 15 children who "come to anything and everything we host"
• A marked increase in the number of "really active Bahá’ís in the area," with some Bahá’ís who had previously stayed in the background becoming "among our most active teachers"
• Drawing 30 to 80 people to firesides, "equally split between seekers/new believers and old-timers"
• Purchase of a center to support teaching and consolidation activities
• Election of an Assembly in Brazos County and formation of a registered group in Burleson County
• An increase in Fund levels—"even without counting center contributions"—and in the number of friends giving

[Page 17]RIDVÁN 2000

ANNUAL REPORT of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States

1999–2000 MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF THE UNITED STATES (in alphabetical order)

Juana C. Conrad Assistant Secretary

William E. Davis Chair

Robert C. Henderson Secretary-General

Firuz Kazemzadeh Secretary for External Affairs

Patricia Locke

Jack McCants

Dorothy W. Nelson Vice-Chair

William L.H. Roberts Treasurer

David F. Young

INSIDE THE ANNUAL REPORT

• REPORT OF THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY
  • External Affairs • 18–21
  • Treasury • 21–24
  • Huqúqu’lláh • 24
  • Women’s Affairs • 24–25

• REPORT OF THE AGENCIES OF THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY
  • Secretariat • 25–27
  • Teaching • 28–33
  • Education • 34–38
  • Properties • 39
  • Publishing • 39–40
  • Services • 40–42
  • Social and Economic Development • 42–43

• REPORTS OF THE REGIONAL BAHÁ’Í COUNCILS
  • Central States • 43–44
  • Northeastern States • 44–45
  • Southern States • 45–46
  • Western States • 46–48

INTRODUCTION

The Four Year Plan aimed at one major accomplishment: a significant advance in the process of entry by troops. At the outset of the Plan few of us could foresee a system of research and development that would identify spiritual seekers on a national scale and prompt thousands of them to respond to us, that would help us learn about their spiritual concerns and about how to share Bahá’u’lláh’s message in ways that speak to their needs in a language they understand, with video, audio, and written materials tested among those very people—a system that would help us gain new understandings of the Bahá’í community itself, its patterns, activities, needs, and beliefs. Nor could we dimly imagine the creation of a new institution—the Regional Bahá’í Councils—and training institutes and the increase, in so short a time, of our capacity to coordinate proclamation and teaching, training and development plans on a national, regional, and local level.

At the Plan’s end, we are a community engaged in learning and experimentation and applying knowledge to our plans for the Bahá’í community’s growth and development. Continuous learning is the means by which we will advance the process of entry by troops, build the Bahá’í system, and embrace new believers with love and flexibility. We have now a keener appreciation of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s statement that “All blessings are divine in origin, but none can be compared with this power of intellectual investigation and research, which is an eternal gift producing fruits of unending delight.”

Response to the media campaign tripled in the Plan’s last year, with over 35,000 individuals calling the 800-22UNITE line. Since March 1998, some 47,000 seekers have contacted the Bahá’í community. We now receive on average over one hundred calls per day; yet caller follow-up, while improving, remains inconsistent. With the scheduled release of new videos aimed at women, Latinos, American Indians, and Christians, the production of radio programs, and the publication of books for the trade, the number of seekers will grow; so too must our ability to respond to them.

Through the coordinated efforts of the institutions at all levels, forty area teaching plans are now in place, and forty-five more are in development. These plans include local media broadcasts, various teaching strategies, institute training, service, devotional gatherings, and programs for seekers. They are balanced and comprehensive, incorporating the elements necessary to attract seekers and meet their needs.

Refining Bahá’í communications was a major goal of the Plan. To supplement the videos, new teaching materials and publications were produced, including, for seekers, The Light of Unity series of booklets, and, for the community, The Bahá’í Update. The American Bahá’í—whose redesign was warmly commended by the Universal House of Justice—and Brilliant Star are helping to maintain a focus on our priorities and the activities that support them. Soon an Internet-based fireside program will be implemented to support the teaching work. The Local Spiritual Assembly Integration network (LSAI) is now complete and will soon link all of the institutions electronically, providing a range of services including e-mail, membership, treasury, and research of the sacred writings.

Centers of learning

The rapid growth of national, regional, and local training institutes is also an important victory of the Plan. Four years ago the Universal House of Justice called for a new kind of training institute that would educate Bahá’ís in the Faith’s fundamental beliefs and train them to teach and administer the Faith with efficiency and love. The Supreme Body called for a “wide variety of approaches.”

At the beginning of the Plan, after considering the wide range of educational and training programs already in place and the high number of functioning spiritual assemblies and large Bahá’í communities, the National Spiritual Assembly called for the creation of local and regional institutes. Local institutes were to be started at the initiative of capable assemblies, and regional institutes were to be established where assemblies did not exist or were not able to sustain such programs. The National Assembly reasoned that education and training are basic functions of local assemblies and that taking on this duty is consistent with their institutional mandate.

The call for both local and regional institutes caused confusion and disagreement among some of the friends, who felt that the House of Justice’s intended priority was the creation of regional institutes alone. The National Assembly sought the guidance of the Supreme Body, which found merit in the Assembly’s approach.

Today over two hundred local and thirty regional institutes serve the community. The efforts of these institutes are reinforced by national initiatives such as the Core Curriculum programs of the National Teacher Training Center, the Wilmette Institute, the Institute for Bahá’í Studies, the Local Spiritual Assembly Development Program, and the Stewardship Development Program of the Office of the Treasurer. The Regional Bahá’í Councils, which supervise the regional training institutes, have provided outstanding leadership in their development. Studies are now underway to learn more about their activities and results.

Of special note are the outstanding programs of the Native American Bahá’í Institute and the growing distinction of the Bahá’í Chair at the University of Maryland.

State of the community

By every measure and indication, the spiritual health of the community has improved continually since the holy year 1992–93. The great majority of Bahá’ís pray daily and read the sacred writings regularly. Bahá’ís teach frequently and engage in service to the Faith and to other social causes—particularly those that foster race unity—on a scale unparalleled by any other group in the United States. Bahá’ís have extraordinary confidence and trust in Bahá’í institutions. Bahá’ís are generous to the funds. The average believer gives three times more to the Bahá’í Fund than the average American contributes to religion and charity combined. In the past four years Bahá’ís have contributed over $83 million to the National Fund, of which 30 percent was sent to the Bahá’í International Fund.

Pioneering and international traveling teaching are another indication of the community’s spiritual vitality. In four years, over 6,306 pioneers and traveling teachers went abroad. It is especially significant that more than 300 African-American Bahá’ís pioneered or went traveling teaching to Africa in response to the Universal House of Justice’s call for believers of African descent to go to the African continent. In all, 587 traveling teaching trips to Africa were made by American Bahá’ís during the Plan.

Consistent progress was made in the maintenance of the House of Worship. This summer a new series of repairs will begin, including the replacement of the stairs and terrace.

In the light of this gratifying progress, we must also come to terms with certain challenges. Foremost is the need to enhance continually the spiritual quality of Bahá’í individual and community life: “souls must be transformed, new models of life thereby consolidated.” To prepare for the enrollment and retention of new seekers [Page 18]believers, we must intensify our efforts to foster united and loving families, communities, and institutions that nurture, in turn, the spiritual quality of life for children, youth, and adults. Of special note is the need to:

• Complement the administrative competence of Bahá’í institutions with greater efforts to become “loving shepherds of the multitudes.”
• Balance the demanding pace of Bahá’í life with the ongoing need to infuse spiritual love and purpose in all things.
• Learn to accommodate legitimate differences in thought and approach and not allow them to rob the community of a unifying vision and the critical energy necessary for growth. Issues such as mass teaching versus other methods, Ruhi versus the Core Curriculum, and local institutes versus regional ones must not be permitted to divide the friends, lest we cripple ourselves and repel seekers.
• Promote gender equality within the Bahá’í community.
• Nurture a fuller sense of Bahá’í identity and lifestyle among children and youth.
• Improve the retention of new believers.

Special notes

The loving support and wise advice of the Continental Counselors and their auxiliaries were essential to our progress in the Four Year Plan. Their tireless efforts were invaluable to the advance of the national teaching plan, the maturation of Bahá’í communities, the development of training institutes, and the rapid maturation of the Regional Bahá’í Councils. To them we extend our deep love and profound gratitude.

The dramatic emergence of the Regional Bahá’í Councils is one of the Four Year Plan’s greatest victories. Elected at the midpoint of the Plan on the anniversary of the birth of Bahá’u’lláh, the Regional Bahá’í Councils have firmly established themselves as competent, trustworthy, effective, and indispensable leaders of teaching, training, and development work.

We extend our wholehearted gratitude and profound admiration to all of the offices and agencies of the National Spiritual Assembly for their heroic services, often under difficult circumstances, which unfailingly won the day. To the members of the National Teaching Committee, we extend our deep appreciation for their ground-breaking work in advancing the process of entry by troops which will surely bear a rich harvest.

Finally, acknowledging thirty-six years of distinguished and historic service to the National Spiritual Assembly, we reluctantly announce the retirement of Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh, Secretary for External Affairs. His unswerving devotion to principle, his peerless wisdom, and his spiritual stamina have been indispensable to the National Assembly’s growth and functioning as an institution. Moreover, his leadership of the Office of External Affairs, which has brilliantly worked to defend the Iranian Bahá’ís and become a leading force in human rights, will occupy scholars well into the future in the calculation of its significance. As our dear brother Firuz retires from the Assembly, he will continue his services as a presidential appointee to the Commission for Religious Freedom. We are unable to express the depth of our loss or mark the boundaries of our love, admiration, and gratitude.

Dear Friends, notwithstanding the decline in enrollments during the Four Year Plan, we are now more confident than ever that the American Bahá’í community approaches the horizon of a great victory.

We have but to press forward in a “thrust of action fit for champions” to win unprecedented victories as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá promised. “The full measure of your success is as yet unrevealed, its significance still unapprehended. Erelong ye will, with your own eyes, witness how brilliantly every one of you, even as a shining star, will radiate in the firmament of your country the light of divine Guidance, and will bestow upon its people the glory of an everlasting life.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF ACTIVITIES 1999–2000

In a letter dated November 26, 1999 the Universal House of Justice observed that the achievements of the Bahá’í community worldwide “in reaching the general public, governments and organizations of civil society and in winning trust in all these circles are striking. Agencies specialized in external affairs, following a well-defined strategy, have broadened the range of the Faith’s influence nationally and internationally....” The work of the four offices of external affairs has continued to follow the twofold strategy given to all National Spiritual Assemblies by the Universal House of Justice in October 1994: (1) to defend the Faith, as in the case of the persecution of the Bahá’ís in Iran; and (2) to influence the processes toward world peace by focusing on such areas as human rights, the status of women, global prosperity, and moral education.

Defense of the Bahá’ís of Iran

The paramount concern of the National Spiritual Assembly in external affairs continued to be the defense of the Bahá’ís in Iran and other Muslim countries. The National Spiritual Assembly’s secretary for external affairs, Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh, visited Washington, DC, regularly to meet with government officials in the State Department, the White House, and in Congress. On these visits he was accompanied by Ms. Kit Cosby, the director of the Washington, DC-based Office of the Secretary for External Affairs. These and other visits throughout the year by the staff of the Washington office kept the U.S. government up to date on the situation of the Bahá’ís in Iran. The UN representative, Mr. Jeffery Huffines, and the Washington director also visited government officials at the U.S. UN Mission in New York. Such information was reflected in the public statements made by the White House and State Department, in the annual State Department report on human rights in Iran, in Congressional hearings and statements in the Congressional Record, and in other government actions.

On May 5, 1999 President Clinton appointed Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh a member of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. The commission was created by Congress to provide recommendations for U.S. policy responses to violations of international religious freedom. The commission issued its first annual report in the fall of 1999.

Death sentences confirmed

In February 2000, death sentences were reaffirmed for Mr. Sirus Zabihi-Moghaddam and Mr. Hedayat Kashefi-Najafabadi. A death sentence was imposed on Mr. Manuchehr Khulusi who had been arrested in June 1999 because of his Bahá’í activities. The verdicts were conveyed orally to the prisoners, who were given only twenty days to lodge a protest against their sentences. On the same day Mr. Ataollah Hamid Nasirizadeh, whose death sentence had been commuted in October 1998, also had his ten-year prison term confirmed. All four men are in prison in Mashhad.

The president of the United States made a statement condemning the death sentences on February 11, and the State Department spokesman addressed the death sentences at the daily briefing on February 14. The Washington office spoke with reporters at the Associated Press and Reuters wire services who later wrote articles about the death sentences.

On February 24, 2000, the Commission on International Religious Freedom held a press conference on Capitol Hill to publicize the death sentences. The chair and vice chair of the commission made statements condemning the sentences. Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas appeared in person to speak out against the actions of the Iranian government and also issued a statement along with Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut. Later that day Senator Brownback issued another statement on the floor of the Senate that was entered into the Congressional Record.

The National Spiritual Assembly’s Washington office distributed The Bahá’í Question: Iran’s Secret Blueprint for the Destruction of a Religious Community to select U.S. government officials and national journalists and writers who cover religious persecution, the Middle East, and human rights.

Teachers of the Bahá’í Institute of Higher Education

On April 20, 1999 the White House issued a statement about the sentencing to prison of four instructors from the Bahá’í Institute of Higher Education (BIHE), Messrs. Farzad Khajeh, Habibullah Ferdosian, Sina Hakiman, and Ziaullah Mirzapanah, who were convicted for teaching Bahá’í religious classes. They had been arrested in the autumn of 1998 shortly after the raids on the homes of Bahá’ís connected with the operation of BIHE, and on March 16, 1999 had been sentenced to prison terms ranging from seven to ten years. The court cited their involvement in a program of Bahá’í studies known as the Institute for Higher Bahá’í Studies as evidence of crimes against national security.

The National Spiritual Assembly learned in December 1999 that Messrs. Khajeh, Ferdosian, and Hakiman had been released from prison.

The fourth prisoner, Mr. Mirzapanah, had been sentenced to three years in prison. In July 1999 Mr. Mirzapanah became ill while in prison and was hospitalized. Eventually prison authorities allowed him to return to his home, where he remains under house arrest.

The Campaign to inform the U.S. educational sector

Spiritual assemblies, Bahá’í campus associations, and individual Bahá’ís who work in the educational field persisted in their efforts to inform the U.S. academic community about the Iranian government’s attempt to close the BIHE and about the continued denial of admission of Bahá’ís to Iranian universities. As a result, numerous petitions and letters of protest were sent to the Iranian minister of education and to UNESCO, the UN agency charged with protecting the right to education.

Congressional resolution

In September 1999 and February 2000 Representatives John Porter of Illinois, Tom Lantos of California, Christopher Smith of New Jersey, and Steny Hoyer of Maryland invited members of the House of Representatives to cosponsor a House Congressional Resolution, “a resolution condemning Iran’s ongoing repression of its Bahá’í community, Iran’s largest religious minority group.” In July 1999 and February 2000 Senators Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut and John McCain of Arizona invited members of the Senate to cosponsor a Senate Concurrent Resolution that was identical to the House resolution. The resolutions will be the eighth since 1982 in defense of the rights of the Iranian Bahá’í community. Congress is expected to vote on both resolutions by late spring or early summer 2000.

Diplomatic work

In January 2000 the National Assembly’s secretary for external affairs and the director of the Assembly’s Washington office, together with external affairs representatives from six other National Spiritual Assemblies and the Bahá’í International Community’s UN offices, participated at the Bahá’í World Center [Page 19]in Haifa in detailed discussions about the conduct of the diplomatic work, particularly aspects related to the defense of the Bahá’ís in Iran.

Together with representatives from twenty-eight National Spiritual Assemblies, they also participated in the Fourth Diplomatic Training Seminar convened by the Bahá’í International Community in Acuto, Italy, in September 1999. The meeting focused on fostering greater integration and coordination of the Faith’s diplomatic efforts internationally.

Refugees

The U.S. Bahá’í Refugee Office (USBRO) director, Mrs. Puran Stevens, met regularly with officials from the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Justice and its Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) division, the Department of Health and Human Services, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), national voluntary resettlement agencies, state coordinators for the U.S. refugee program, and regional and local immigration coalitions. These meetings kept key government and nongovernment officials informed of the plight of the Iranian Bahá’ís and the conditions faced by Bahá’í refugees in Austria, Pakistan, and Turkey.

The USBRO’s close working relationship with the UNHCR was influential in the latter’s decision to establish a “fast-track” program for all Iranian Bahá’í refugees. The fast-track program will greatly speed up the resettlement process for all U.S.-bound Bahá’í refugees once they are in Turkey. The director worked with senior UNHCR and U.S. government officials in arranging for the expedited transfer of elderly refugees and those in need of immediate medical attention. She also received assurances that the processing of Bahá’í refugees in Pakistan would proceed once again after a nine-month delay caused by internal problems in UNHCR’s Pakistan headquarters. The U.S. government authorized the opening of a refugee processing center in Pakistan to speed up the resettlement of all U.S.-bound refugees including the Afghans and the Iranians. This processing center will benefit Iranian Bahá’í refugees as well.

The USBRO continued to execute its responsibilities for coordinating all free refugee resettlement cases (those without immediate family) and for serving as an intermediary between the State Department, local Spiritual Assemblies, and national voluntary agencies. The USBRO staff worked with numerous resettled families throughout the country. More specifically, the office staff worked with refugees to secure Supplemental Security Income (SSI), food stamps, and other government assisted living programs, when necessary. Further, the USBRO worked closely with refugee families who had special medical needs, mobilizing Bahá’í physicians to diagnose medical problems and to direct the families to appropriate treatment centers.

The USBRO stayed aware of the latest developments in refugee and asylum law and policies, attending numerous meetings, symposia, and training seminars. In 1999 the director and the assistant director, Kevin Morrison, attended the annual Office of Refugee Resettlement Conference, at which top officials outlined the refugee resettlement strategies and policies of the U.S. government for the coming year.

In the spring of 1999 the Department of Justice stated that all agencies offering immigration services must apply for accreditation through the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). Accreditation enabled agencies to represent clients in any matter pertaining to the INS and in BIA cases. The National Spiritual Assembly has now received such accreditation through its USBRO. Mrs. Stevens earned a three-year accreditation after completing the required courses. The USBRO is one of the very few agencies to have received BIA accreditation.

The USBRO was invited by the INS to provide a half-day comprehensive training session for supervisors and officers in the Los Angeles area.

The USBRO also worked with the INS to investigate claims of membership in the Bahá’í Faith by individuals subject to deportation proceedings. In almost every case these were false claims made by individuals who attempted to deceive the U.S. government in order to remain in the U.S. In response the National Spiritual Assembly adopted a policy of enrolling Middle Easterners and citizens of other Muslim countries only after they have received permanent status in the U.S.

The USBRO continued to make available the latest information on immigration, refugee, and asylum matters to the Bahá’ís of Iran and various National Assemblies. At the request of the Bahá’í World Center, the USBRO forwarded a Persian translation of the documents regarding the U.S.-government-sponsored 2000 Diversity Visa Lottery. Moreover, documents regarding the lottery (55,000 visas are granted at random to applicants) were forwarded to many National Spiritual Assemblies, including those of Austria, Pakistan, Turkey, and several on the continent of Africa.

The director and assistant director of USBRO attended numerous events, presentations, meetings, training sessions, and symposia in the Chicago area on refugee, asylum, and humanitarian issues. The director also made several presentations throughout the year on human rights, the status of women, cross-cultural experiences, and the Bahá’í refugee situation. She addressed a large gathering at the Midwest regional Amnesty International conference regarding the role of the Bahá’í Faith in the promotion of human rights and provided examples of worldwide activities. She worked closely with the offices of the Bahá’í International Community (BIC) in New York and the Office of the Secretary for External Affairs in Washington, DC.

UNITED NATIONS ACTIVITIES: HUMAN RIGHTS, THE STATUS OF WOMEN, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Support for selected UN activities and collaboration with other nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that participate in UN fora has proven to be the greatest avenue for Bahá’í entrée into external affairs activities at the national level. Since its initial support in 1985 for U.S. ratification of the UN Convention on Genocide, the National Assembly has expanded its activities by working on the preparation for the UN conferences on the environment and development, human rights, social development, women, and human settlements. In recent years its staff has held positions of leadership within networks and committees that promote international issues and UN activities. The U.S. National Assembly supports and reinforces the BIC’s activities in the international arena, and the BIC and the National Assembly collaborate with many of the same organizations.

U.S. ratification and implementation of UN human rights treaties

For the past several years the director of the Office of the Secretary for External Affairs has been the co-chair of the General Human Rights Working Group that has organized NGO efforts to ratify UN human rights treaties since the mid-1980s. Current treaties under consideration include the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the American Convention on Human Rights, and the Covenant on Economic, Cultural, and Social Rights.

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

The director of the National Assembly’s Washington, DC, office and Amnesty International U.S.A.’s chief legislative counsel continued to be co-chairs of the Washington-based Working Group on Ratification of the UN Convention to Eliminate Discrimination Against Women, a group of more than one hundred national nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) engaged in outreach and education to achieve ratification by the U.S. of the UN treaty that bans discrimination against women. The National Assembly’s Washington office continued to serve as the secretariat for the working group, fielding questions and providing materials nationwide on CEDAW to Bahá’ís and to non-Bahá’í organizations and individuals working on U.S. ratification of the treaty. The director of the Washington office participated in several workshops and made presentations on the ratification of CEDAW at the White House, the State Department, in Congressional offices, and at several national and regional conferences.

In September 1999 Senator Barbara Boxer of California introduced a Senate Resolution (S. Res. 237), which called for hearings on CEDAW and Senate action by March 8, 2000, International Women’s Day. As a co-chair of the national Working Group on Ratification of CEDAW, the director of the Washington office played a critical role in developing strategies to achieve universal Senate sponsorship of this resolution. The action plan called upon all U.S. Bahá’ís and members of other NGOs around the country to urge their Senators to cosponsor the Senate Resolution. Bahá’ís in selected states also met with their Senators or their Senators’ aides to urge ratification during the 106th Congress.

United Nations funding

The National Spiritual Assembly continued to cooperate with other organizations in advocating payment of U.S. debts to the United Nations. In August 1999 Mr. Peter Adriance, the National Spiritual Assembly’s NGO liaison, became chair of the Internationalism Working Group (INTWG), a group of some thirty organizations and coalitions concerned with resolving the funding situation. The group held visits with congressional staff and administration officials and initiated cooperative grassroots activities in support of arrears payment. The American Bahá’í community contributed to the grassroots effort through letter writing, phone calls, and visits to their members of Congress. The collective efforts helped to persuade Congress to make progress toward paying the debts.

International Criminal Court

During 1999 the National Spiritual Assembly joined an NGO working group that encourages the U.S. government to support the formation of an International Criminal Court (ICC). Throughout the year Mr. Dwight Bashir, the National Assembly’s human rights officer, attended numerous meetings of the working group, which developed strategies to keep the U.S. government engaged in the creation of this international institution. In October 1999 the National Spiritual Assembly wrote a letter to the national security advisor supporting the formation of the ICC.

Office of the Bahá’í U.S. UN Representative

The U.S. UN alternate representative, Mr. Carl Murrell, chaired the NGO/UN Department of Public Information (DPI) conference planning committee of the fifty-second annual NGO/DPI conference, titled “Challenges of a Globalized World: Finding New Directions,” which was held in September 1999. He joined UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, Jordan’s Queen Noor, and former president Oscar Arias of Costa Rica, among others, to welcome more than 2,800 NGO representatives who gathered for the opening session in the UN General Assembly Hall. Ms. Victoria Jones, director of the U.S. Bahá’í Office of Public Information, moderated one of the plenary sessions on “The UN and the Media” in her professional capacity as a television and radio talk show host. The UN representative organized the participation of sixteen Bahá’ís from local communities throughout the country.

The UN representative was elected to serve a two-year term as vice president of the Committee of Religious NGOs at the UN and continued to serve on the [Page 20]Executive Council of the U.S. chapter of the World Conference on Religion and Peace (WCRP/USA). The chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly, Mr. William E. Davis, and the UN representative attended in October 1999 the first joint meeting of the WCRP/USA Council of Presidents, Executive Council, and the World Assembly delegation. The UN representative also worked with the U.S. Committee for UNICEF to organize a mailing to all Bahá’í Regional Councils, local spiritual assemblies, Bahá’í groups, permanent schools, institutes, and regional school committees in the U.S., Hawaii, and Puerto Rico to support the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign in October 1999.

Upon the request of the BIC, the UN representative helped draft a section on reforming the UN and global institutions for the vision statement of the Millennium Forum, an NGO conference that will take place in May 2000 at the UN. On behalf of the Committee of Religious NGOs, the UN representative also submitted a proposal to hold a memorial service to commemorate UN and NGO staff killed in the line of duty. The event will be held during the Millennium Forum and will include the UN secretary-general and other high-level officials.

The alternate UN representative was elected as co-chair of the Values Caucus for a one-year term. The Values Caucus hosts NGO gatherings for UN ambassadors to discuss the role of values within the UN system. The Values Caucus, along with the Committee of Religious NGOs and the NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief, hosted a reception at the New York Bahá’í offices to welcome Mr. Paul Hoeffel, the new chief of the NGO section of the UN DPI. The Values Caucus also hosted a reception at the Bahá’í offices in honor of Mr. Alfredo Sefir Younis, the World Bank UN representative. The alternate representative is on the UNEP/RONA interfaith partnership on the environment as well as the NGO committee on youth. In August 1999 he participated in the ninth annual Amenia World Peace Festival in New York sponsored by the World Peace Prayer Society. He was also on the planning committee of the Annual Gandhi/King Season for Non-violence at the UN that took place in January 2000. He gave a teleconference briefing to students in Canada and spoke on overcoming racism at a UN conference for educators.

The National Spiritual Assembly co-sponsored the third annual interfaith service to open the fifty-fourth session of the UN General Assembly as well as a seminar featuring the UN high commissioner for human rights sponsored by the NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief.

The UN office encouraged local Bahá’í communities to commemorate the annual UN days. The UN Office issued an action alert to all Bahá’í campus associations to encourage student participation in the Model UN and to request support of the National Assembly’s initiatives to pay the U.S. debt to the UN and to ratify CEDAW. Moreover, the UN representative recruited and supervised three interns who assisted in a variety of projects on behalf of the UN office.

Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women

The National Spiritual Assembly continued its commitment to implement the Platform for Action, the official document of the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing. The year 2000 is the fifth year review of the UN conference, and in June there will be a UN General Assembly Special Session called “Beijing Plus Five.” The Working Group on the Human Rights of Women, of which the Washington office director is co-chair, held a series of meetings at the Bahá’í office that was designed to communicate NGO recommendations to the State Department and the White House on the UN “Beijing Plus Five” Declaration and other UN documents. At the working group’s request to respond to the spread of misinformation about the objectives of the Platform for Action, Ms. Leila Milani, the National Spiritual Assembly’s NGO liaison for women’s issues, co-authored a document designed to dispel the myths surrounding the Platform for Action. She and the Washington director attended regular meetings of the State Department hosted by the President’s Interagency Council on Women. The UN representative attended briefings on “Beijing Plus Five” at the UN and at the U.S. Mission.

To celebrate the progress made in the advancement of women since 1995, regional outreach “Beijing Plus Five” events were organized around the U.S. by NGOs, colleges and universities, regional community organizations, and the U.S. government. In an effort to encourage and enlist the participation of the Bahá’í community at these regional events, the National Spiritual Assembly contacted the local Spiritual Assemblies of Charlotte, Boston, Seattle, Denver, San Francisco, and Atlanta, where the regional conferences were held, requested the appointment of individuals who assisted and served at these regional conferences, and ensured Bahá’í participation.

The U.S. government appointed Ms. Cosby as a member of the U.S. delegation to the UN Commission on the Status of Women preparatory meeting for “Beijing Plus Five” in March 2000.

The National Spiritual Assembly’s Washington director and the liaison for women’s issues maintained their involvement in the creation of a new national NGO, U.S. Women Connect, a focal point for global communications in North America on “Beijing Plus Five.” U.S. Women Connect successfully obtained its 501(c)(3) status, and its board of directors was established in 1999. The Washington director was named to the new organization’s board of directors and served as its treasurer. She spoke about U.S. Women Connect at one of the regional “Beijing Plus Five” conferences and on the “Beijing Plus Five” at the Feminist Expo 2000.

The liaison for women’s issues attended several meetings of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) and worked on support for the legislation, the Violence Against Women Act II.

The Washington office director remained on the Women in International Law Interest Group Steering Committee of the American Society for International Law (ASIL). In April 1999 she participated in a panel at the ASIL annual meeting on women’s religion and human rights violation. She helped plan the 2000 ASIL annual meeting panel on ratification of CEDAW.

Sustainable development

The National Spiritual Assembly’s NGO liaison served on the National Planning Committee for the National Town Meeting for a Sustainable America (NTM) held in Detroit, May 2-5, 1999. He was a member of the Outreach Working Group charged with attracting broad participation in the event and its related activities. More than 3,500 people including leaders from government, business, and civil society participated in the NTM while more than 60,000 people joined concurrent affiliated events held in forty-six states. The NGO liaison helped develop the National Spiritual Assembly’s exhibit for the NTM, which emphasized the importance of the oneness of humanity as a spiritual principle integral to sustainable development.

The National Spiritual Assembly continued its involvement with the Alliance for UN Sustainable Development Programs. The alliance monitors and evaluates the work of UN agencies in advancing sustainable development, undertakes activities to broaden public understanding of sustainable development, and expresses its concerns and views on UN sustainable development initiatives to policy makers in Washington, DC. The NGO liaison served on the steering committee.

The Earth Charter

Mr. Adriance continued to work with other organizations in developing the Earth Charter. The Earth Charter has become one of the most comprehensive expressions of the principles of sustainable development available in a succinct document.

The NGO liaison involved the Bahá’í community in the development of the Earth Charter through presentations at two conferences: the Fourth Annual Conference of the International Environment Forum, a Bahá’í-inspired organization with membership in more than thirty countries, and the Bahá’í Conference on Social and Economic Development for the Americas.

In October 1999 the NGO liaison represented the BIC in an On-line Global Forum on the Earth Charter with participants from more than forty national committees and twenty international organizations.

He also served on the steering committee of the Earth Charter USA Network, one of more than forty national networks around the world charged with helping to develop the Earth Charter. He was co-chair of the Religious and Spiritual Community Working Group, which did outreach to the religious community on the charter. He also helped plan the Second Annual Earth Charter USA National Conference, held in Alexandria, Virginia, in April 2000.

United Nations Association of the United States

The UN representative completed a two-year term as first vice chair of the New York Council of Organizations. The UNA/USA Council of Organizations in Washington, DC, and New York coordinated events in both cities to support UNA’s “UN Women 2000” effort to encourage widespread grassroots participation in “Beijing Plus Five” activities.

President’s Initiative on Race

In December 1999 the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ) asked the National Spiritual Assembly’s Washington director to be a member of a committee to plan a March 9, 2000, White House conference at which the president and 150 religious leaders discussed commitments by the faith communities for racial justice in America. The National Spiritual Assembly submitted to the White House details of several local and national Bahá’í activities and initiatives that address racism. Several Bahá’ís, including the secretary general of the National Spiritual Assembly, the chairperson of the National Teaching Committee, and the director of the National Assembly’s Washington office, attended the meeting at the White House. The secretary general spoke to the entire gathering about the Bahá’í commitment to racial unity and about two of the current initiatives the Bahá’ís have undertaken to achieve race unity in America.

Hate crimes legislation

In July 1999 the National Spiritual Assembly endorsed the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Mr. Bashir, the National Assembly’s human rights officer, attended a meeting for religious organizations at the White House to consult about ways in which the religious community in the U.S. might play a role in helping the legislation pass in the 106th Congress.

CONFERENCES

The director of the Washington office continued to serve on the advisory board of the International Development Conference, one of the premier international conferences for development agencies and professionals.

The National Spiritual Assembly appointed several individuals to be its representatives to other national organizations such as the North American Interfaith Network and the National Council of Women.

Work with media

The director of the Office of Public Information (OPI), Ms. Victoria Jones, gave interviews and information to several media outlets, including print, radio, and broadcast television. Almost all aspects of the teachings of the Bahá’í Faith were addressed at one time or another. There was particular interest in the relationship between the teachings of the Bahá’í Faith and the millennium, the equality of women and men, other current social and political issues, and where the Bahá’ís “fit in.”

The OPI continued its subscription to ProfNet, an electronic expert service that [Page 21]delivers daily a summary list of journalists’ needs for stories being written in the U.S. media. The OPI was able to recommend several Bahá’ís to give their expert opinions to the press on issues as varied as prayer and science, interracial marriage, and gender relations.

The OPI advised and assisted communities and individuals on a number of media-related issues. The number of Bahá’í communities that hosted regular local radio and television shows increased steadily, and many communities involved in live broadcasts sought guidance on “do’s and don’ts.” There was an increased interest in the “Bahá’í view” in many local newspapers. The OPI assisted Bahá’ís to understand the difference between the “Bahá’í view” and their own opinion of an issue.

The OPI contacted several national media outlets about inaccurate information that appeared regarding the Faith. At times the contact was through a letter to the editor, and at other times the approach was informal. The Faith was under increased scrutiny and investigation by the public, and it was important that references to the Bahá’í Faith in the national media be responded to by the National Assembly’s Office of Public Information.

Because there was an increase in the number of individual Bahá’ís calling national radio shows and engaging the media on a national level about Bahá’í issues, the OPI reminded Bahá’ís of the long-standing policy about contact with national media.

The passing of Rúhíyyih Khánum

Following the passing of Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum on January 19, 2000, the National Spiritual Assembly asked the OPI to obtain maximum publicity to honor her life. After writing an obituary, the OPI worked with various journalists. On January 23, in its Sunday edition, the New York Times printed a major obituary article about her. It was the lead obituary for that edition. Stories on Rúhíyyih Khánum’s passing also appeared in the two other national newspapers, the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times. PBS’s weekly television program Religion and Ethics broadcast a substantial news item, and the story was also mentioned on National Public Radio.

The OPI sent a press release on the passing of Rúhíyyih Khánum to all public information representatives in the U.S., who were very successful in placing stories in the local media.

Other obituaries

Closely following the passing of Rúhíyyih Khánum, member of the Universal House of Justice Mr. Adib Taherzadeh passed away in Haifa. Three weeks after his death, Mrs. Mildred R. Mottahedeh, the first Bahá’í representative to the UN, passed away in New York City. The OPI wrote obituaries for both of these prominent Bahá’ís. An article based on the OPI obituary about Mrs. Mottahedeh was a feature in the New York Times.

National media campaign

The OPI continued its collaboration with the National Teaching Committee (NTC), Media Services, and other national agencies on the media initiative. The OPI and the NTC worked closely on the development of videos and commercial spots. The director of the OPI participated in the planning and review of upcoming videos, attended focus group testings, and worked with other Bahá’í professionals to give input on the videos and on television commercials.

The OPI also created protocols on dealing with media for the Regional Bahá’í Councils.

Media training

The OPI collaborated with the National Teaching Committee and the Regional Bahá’í Councils to identify geographical areas where potential for growth in the number of Bahá’ís might exist and then provided the media expertise to those Bahá’í communities to help achieve the goal of increasing their numbers.

The OPI also provided comprehensive training sessions in all four regions of the country. Public information representatives and other interested Bahá’ís increased their skills in such areas as developing and maintaining relationships with local print, television and radio outlets; writing press releases, op-ed pieces and letters to the editor; identifying, pitching, and writing stories of interest to the media.

During the intensive training sessions, the friends learned to consult and act immediately on issues relating to the media, and they developed skills in being interviewed. In many of the cities where these trainings took place, community-wide media task forces have been formed to coordinate better the efforts to obtain press coverage for the Bahá’ís.

Other activities

The Office of Public Information worked with the American Red Cross on a booklet designed to explain to local authorities and others the needs of adherents of different religions when disasters such as plane crashes occur. The OPI continued to work with PBS’s outreach development project of Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, which encouraged the participation of all religions in regional and local debates and discussions. The OPI continues to participate in the Public Relations Society of America and in the Religion Communicators Council (RCC).

The RCC 2000, a once-a-decade religious communications congress, took place in March 2000 in Chicago. It was a major convention of more than one thousand religious communications professionals from the U.S. and around the world. The Bahá’í National Center’s OPI office was very involved in the planning committee of this congress.

Public Information network

The number of public information representatives with access to e-mail continued to increase, and the OPI encouraged the Bahá’ís involved in this arena of work to have e-mail access. OPI received and responded to more than 2,500 requests from public information representatives and others this year. Several press releases were placed on the national Bahá’í administrative Web site.

Ms. Tonya Homan, assistant to the director, responded to the majority of requests from the representatives. She left the OPI after several years of dedicated service.

One hundred of the most active public information representatives continued to receive copies of World Order magazine on a quarterly basis for use in their proclamation efforts.

SOUTHEAST ASIAN TEACHING AND CONSOLIDATION

In addition to managing the National Spiritual Assembly’s program for Bahá’í refugees, the U.S. Bahá’í Refugee Office has another responsibility: maintaining the national program for Southeast Asian teaching and consolidation.

The Tenth Annual Southeast Asian Community Builders Roundtable Discussion Conference (SEARC) was held at Bosch Bahá’í School in June 1999. The USBRO sponsored more than ten Southeast Asian leaders to enable them to participate in the gathering and to share with other Bahá’ís the challenges and successes in Southeast Asian teaching and consolidation this past year. Conference deliberations focused on promoting a significant advance in the process of entry by troops among the Southeast Asian populations. The majority of the presenters this year were Southeast Asians; the majority of attendees were youth. A significant development at the SEARC was the declaration of fifteen Southeast Asians, including three Hmong leaders. The Universal House of Justice offered its prayers that “all [may] become enkindled with the fire of the love of Bahá’u’lláh, arising to emblazon His name among the Southeast Asian populations resident in your country.”

In order to collaborate further with like-minded agencies, the USBRO staff met regularly with those providing services to the non-Bahá’í Southeast Asian population in the U.S. The USBRO director attended the fifth annual National Hmong Conference to establish further the ties with Southeast Asian service providers. The assistant director met with the directors of the newly established federal Refugee Youth Commission and the National Youth Crime Prevention Conference.

The director of the USBRO visited several sites in the western U.S. with large numbers of Southeast Asians to stimulate the growth and development of local plans for teaching and consolidation among these populations. She consulted with leaders of various Southeast Asian clans and visited the USBRO volunteers and their families.

The USBRO continued to make available complimentary copies of the Bahá’í Newsreel video to Southeast Asian leaders who, in turn, shared these videos with the Southeast Asian Bahá’ís in their areas.

During the last year the USBRO still maintained the Bahá’í world’s largest inventory of Southeast Asian Bahá’í materials, including videos and audiotapes.

During the year the National Spiritual Assembly decided that the Regional Bahá’í Councils should assume some of the responsibilities associated with the Southeast Asian teaching and consolidation program. The USBRO began to work with the Regional Bahá’í Councils.

OVERVIEW AND PROSPECTS

Every contribution to the Bahá’í funds brings blessings to the giver and helps prepare the Faith to welcome new believers into a vibrant community that has the resources needed to realize its ambitions. Any review of the efforts of the Treasury during the Four Year Plan must begin with an expression of admiration and gratitude to the body of believers in general, and to a company of volunteers in particular, whose generosity and service to the Faith are worthy of great praise because their loving acts of sacrifice have helped pave the way for growth.

The overarching objective of the Office of the Treasurer at the Plan’s outset was to share with the greatest number of believers possible useful information and a sense of collective responsibility for meeting the Faith’s needs. Every success in reaching this objective is due to the believers’ responses, both individually and collectively.

The Stewardship and Development Program was initiated during the Four Year Plan for the purpose of shaping a new understanding of the Bahá’í Fund’s role in fostering the progress of the Faith and in nurturing the spiritual development of those who yearn to participate in sacrificial endeavor for Bahá’u’lláh’s sake. Some 150 individuals have thus far stepped forward to assist the process as facilitators; together they are responsible for holding, in partnership with local spiritual assemblies, nearly five hundred seminars nationwide. The seminars have ranged from full-day gatherings to short sessions on specific topics of particular interest or timeliness to participants. Two editions of the manual Stewardship and Development, the first material of its kind to be issued since 1979, were published to aid the friends’ efforts in the field. It is presently in use across the U.S. and in nearly twenty other national communities and has been partially translated into Portuguese and Spanish.

“Project Unity!”, a program encouraging children and junior youth to give and promoting their education about the spiritual importance of the Fund, was launched in the final year of the Plan. The number of young participants passed the seven hundred mark in March, with contributions coming from every one of the forty-eight contiguous states.

The Four Year Plan also saw the creation of a planned giving program which, in the [Page 22]scope of its goals, is a major step beyond any previous effort in this area. Planned giving offers important new ways for the friends to extend their support of the Faith into the future, ways that can also secure valuable tax savings for donors and their families. New materials and workshop resources are available to the friends, while the introduction of charitable gift annuities represents just the first in a series of deferred giving approaches to be rolled out over coming years. Although returns to the institution of such activities tend to be long-term, it is noteworthy that within the past year believers have entrusted nearly $700,000 of their retirement savings to the National Spiritual Assembly using gift annuities.

The Weekend Visit Program continued throughout the Four Year Plan, bringing scores of believers to the Bahá’í National Center. Spiritually, through their consultations and by meeting the staff of the Bahá’í National Center, they drew closer to the heart of the Cause in our nation. Two of these visits were specifically for local treasurers. After one such visit, a group of treasurers in the Portland, Oregon, area was moved to take the initiative to begin a series of meetings intended to bolster their service to their communities.

A group of twenty financial advisors from all corners of the U.S.—comprising a range of talents in the areas of financial and investment management, entrepreneurship, and strategic planning—was convened on several occasions during the Plan to advise the National Spiritual Assembly on accounting matters, financial management and reporting, investment strategy, and fund development. One product of their work was a revised investment policy for the Bahá’í National Fund which outlines “best practices” in this area, embraces the growing number of investment options, and provides risk parameters consistent with Bahá’í principles of fiscal responsibility. Seeds for such future initiatives as a Bahá’í financial institution were sown; and as time and resources permit, such initiatives will be explored more fully.

All of these activities rest on a solid foundation of work performed by numerous staff members at the Bahá’í National Center, often in partnership among departments and volunteers to achieve common goals: accounting for more than sixty thousand individual Fund contributions; identifying and implementing more powerful financial and accounting systems; formulating budgets that enable the National Assembly to channel its resources to emerging needs in an environment of continual change; and providing vital support to the Bahá’í World Center, the Bahá’í International Community, and the Continental Board of Counselors for the Americas.

NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF THE UNITED STATES
Financial Highlights
April 30, 2000 (Projected), April 30, 1999, April 30, 1998 and April 30, 1997

	2000	1999	1998	1997	Total 4 Year Plan
Contributions Received by the National Spiritual Assembly
Unrestricted	$ 18,105,664	$ 16,862,324	$ 20,179,076	$ 16,610,583	$ 71,757,647
Temporarily Restricted	625,652	768,940	321,266	338,533	2,054,391
International Restricted	1,722,727	1,513,324	2,150,456	3,927,662	9,314,169
Endowments	3,700,000	0	0	0	3,700,000
Total Contributions	$ 24,154,043	$ 19,144,588	$ 22,650,798	$ 20,876,778	$ 86,826,207
Contributions to Other Organizations
International and Arc Funds	$ 4,620,763	$ 3,742,868	$ 8,643,392	$ 8,121,651	$ 25,128,674
Continental Fund	258,564	226,264	395,967	334,207	1,215,002
Other Bahá’í Funds and Deputization	1,013,480	502,111	806,371	747,260	3,069,222
Total Contributions to Other Organizations	$ 5,892,807	$ 4,471,243	$ 9,845,730	$ 9,203,118	$ 29,412,898
Capital Expenditures and Depreciation
Capital Expenditures	$ 1,735,256	$ 1,335,719	$ 2,193,609	$ 1,392,152	$ 6,656,736
Depreciation	$ 1,655,445	$ 1,614,448	$ 1,548,585	$ 1,477,025	$ 6,295,503
Total Unrestricted Revenues	$ 24,271,316	$ 22,637,352	$ 25,221,654	$ 23,796,999	$ 95,927,321
Total Expenses	$ 24,638,179	$ 22,378,618	$ 25,226,984	$ 21,689,371	$ 93,933,152
Net Assets	$ 22,403,109	$ 18,599,161	$ 17,871,737	$ 18,129,344

Financial results

It is against this background of dedication and engagement by believers throughout the country that we see the financial results of the Four Year Plan and of the year just ending. Since May 1997 the friends have made contributions totaling $83.1 million through the National Center. Nearly one-third of that amount, or $24.1 million, was directed, either through the National Fund or via non-discretionary gifts, to the Bahá’í International Fund and the Arc Fund; this result surpassed the 27 percent allocation target established by the National Spiritual Assembly at the Plan’s beginning. In addition, the National Spiritual Assembly chose to contribute $1 million out of its unrestricted, general revenues to the Bahá’í International Fund, raising total Four Year Plan contributions to these important funds to $25.1 million.

Another $1.2 million was received for the Continental Bahá’í Fund, almost reaching the 2 percent allocation target for this important fund.

These contribution totals do not include a generous estate bequest of $3.7 million. The National Assembly has chosen to add this sum to its permanently restricted assets as the basis for an endowment fund for national properties, including principally the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár.

Fully $3.1 million of the total received at the Bahá’í National Center was directed by the friends to a variety of other international projects over the four years of the Plan. This amount was composed mainly of earmarked contributions forwarded by the National Spiritual Assembly to efforts managed by the Universal House of Justice, to other National Spiritual Assemblies, and to a wide array of other uses dear to the donors’ hearts.

In addition to such gifts, the National Spiritual Assembly was privileged to support international financial collaboration goals set by the Universal House of Justice. During the course of the Plan the supreme body invited the National Assembly to disburse $526,000 for new national endowments and Hazíratu’l-Quds; for social and economic development projects; and for teaching plans in places as diverse as Samoa, Honduras, Malawi, São Tomé, Albania, West Leeward Islands, and Ukraine.

Additional funds were used by the National Assembly to meet the needs of the teaching plan, to maintain the extensive national property holdings, and for general administration; in the last two years these amounts have totaled $11 million, $6.1 million, and $20.2 million, respectively. It should be noted that general administrative expenses also promote the expansion and consolidation of the community: support for local spiritual assemblies and their various plans through Community Administration, the schools, the Office of the Treasurer, and Information Services, among other agencies; defense of Iranian believers through the External Affairs Office; publication and distribution of books, curricula, and communications materials through the Publishing Trust and the Distribution Service; and other activities too numerous to list. A significant, unanticipated new activity funded during the Plan was the creation and early development of the Regional Bahá’í Councils, which in the two and one-half years since their inception have required investments by the National Fund totaling nearly $1.3 million.

Capital expenditures accounted for $6.4 million during the Plan, fully 10 percent of available contribution revenues, and $1.4 million during the year just ending. These investments included conservation research and repairs at the House of Worship, safety and other improvements at all the national properties, and an increased outlay for information systems and hardware that integrate our operations with the Internet, a field with countless implications for the work of the Faith at every level. The Bahá’í National Center currently hosts more than 10,000 Web pages, for access by the general public and in support of international, national, and regional agencies of all kinds.

A steady flow of funds was used to retire debt. Long-term debt has dropped from roughly $4 million at the beginning of the Plan to just $130,000 at the end of the current year, and total debt went from $6.5 million in 1997 to $5.6 million in 2000. The current ratio, which compares current assets with current liabilities and is a common measure of liquidity, went from 0.91 in 1997 to 1.28 at April 2000.

Contributions through the Bahá’í National Center over the last twelve months are up 7 percent, to $18.1 million. Of this total, $14.9 million was for the use of the National Spiritual Assembly, while $2.2 million of discretionary contributions were received for the International, Arc and Continental Funds; another $1 million was received in earmarked gifts for a variety of purposes here and overseas. The National Assembly chose to credit 100 percent of all discretionary contributions to the various beneficiaries designated by the donors.

Other income from operations was lower this year than last, $4.1 million compared with $4.3 million last year. The bulk of these amounts also represents a contribution, in a sense, as these revenues are derived mainly from book sales and school attendance by the believers. Bahá’í school tuition remained flat, while resident fees, principally earned on the rental of our school facilities to non-Bahá’í clients, was down slightly, from $329,000 in 1999 to $303,000 in the year ending April 2000. The gross margin sales of books and materials likewise declined, from $914,000 to $767,000. A lower demand for books among the Bahá’ís, the absence of a “best-seller” during the last year of the Plan, and certain cost increases contributed to this result.

Major operating expenses were teaching, including $750,000 in broadcast time purchases and other significant sums for research, materials testing, and seeker response; nearly $600,000 for activities of the Regional Bahá’í Councils; $3.1 million in maintenance for the roughly one hundred structures the National Assembly holds in trust for the community; and the $1 million pledge amount for the Bahá’í International Fund.

What is the bottom line? The excess this year of expenses over revenues was $367,000. Looking, however, at the difference between actual cash income and expense, which excludes depreciation and includes capital expenditures and debt repayment during the year, we see a cash deficit of $1,571,600. This sobering result reminds us that there is still much to be worked out before we are prepared to welcome large numbers of new believers into the community.

The Twelve Month Plan

While details of the next plan are still under consultation, the work of the Treasury will no doubt be dominated by a straightforward equation: Success in the [Page 23]

NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF THE UNITED STATES
Combining and Combined Statements of Financial Position
April 30, 2000 (Projected) and April 30, 1999

	National Bahá’í Fund	Publishing Trust	Bahá’í Home	Combined Total
				Apr-00	Apr-99
Assets
Current Assets
Cash and Investments	$ 2,586,489	$ 71,527	$ 8,320	$ 2,666,336	$ 3,958,885
Endowment Investments	3,700,000	0	0	3,700,000	0
Due From/(To) Other Funds	2,072,902	(2,072,902)	0	0	0
Accounts and Notes Receivable	1,283,102	265,072	2,456	1,550,630	349,112
Inventories	298,083	624,057	0	922,140	969,634
Other Current Assets	1,008,707	24,775	0	1,033,482	857,764
Total Current Assets	$ 10,949,283	$ (1,087,471)	$ 10,776	$ 9,872,588	$ 6,135,395
Property and ‎Equimpment Equipment‎, Net of Accumulated Depreciation	19,774,540	216,170	355,958	20,346,668	20,266,857
Total Assets	$ 30,723,823	$ (871,301)	$ 366,734	$ 30,219,256	$ 26,402,252
Liabilities and Net Assets
Liabilities
Current Liabilities
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities	$ 1,312,378	$ 2,778	$ (9,366)	$ 1,305,790	$ 1,543,354
Demand Notes and current Maturities of Long Term Debt	5,504,021	0	0	5,504,021	4,264,518
Deferred Revenues	813,814	33,651	28,179	875,644	239,824
Total Current Liabilities	$ 7,630,213	$ 36,429	$ 18,813	$ 7,685,455	$ 6,047,696
Deferred Compensation	$	$	$	-	26,863
Long Term Debt	130,692	0	0	130,692	1,728,532

NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF THE UNITED STATES
Combining and Combined Statements of Activities
April 30, 2000 (Projected) and April 30, 1999

	National Bahá’í Fund	Publishing Trust	Bahá’í Home	Combined Total
				Apr-00	Apr-99
Changes in Unrestricted Net Assets
Unrestricted Revenues
Contributions	$ 18,105,664	$	$	$ 18,105,664	$ 16,862,324
Pledges	867,000	0	0	867,000	0
Estate Bequests	997,577	0	0	997,577	1,125,783
Bahá’í School Tuition	1,081,358	0	0	1,081,358	1,079,525
Sale of Books and Materials	584,825	1,546,379	0	2,131,204	2,105,015
Resident Fees	0	0	302,679	302,679	328,810
Other Income	349,611	204,349	4,533	558,493	765,292
Assets Released from Restriction	227,341	0	0	227,341	370,603
Total Unrestricted Revenues	$ 22,213,376	$ 1,750,728	$ 307,212	$ 24,271,316	$ 22,637,352
Expenses
Contributions to International Funds	$ 3,763,101	$	$	$ 3,763,101	$ 2,957,919
Education and Teaching Activities	5,669,839	0	0	5,669,839	5,309,042
Properties Operations and Maintenance	2,818,567	185,428	80,999	3,084,994	2,963,944
Cost of Books and Special Materials	406,262	960,424	0	1,366,686	1,191,001
General Administration	9,280,557	1,052,459	420,543	10,753,559	9,386,712
Impairment of Fixed Asset	0	0	0	0	570,000
Total Expenses	$ 21,938,326	$ 2,198,311	$ 501,542	$ 24,638,179	$ 22,378,618
Other Changes in Unrestricted Net Assets	(281,873)	0	281,873	0	0
Increase/(Decrease) in Unrestricted Net Assets	$ (6,823)	$ (447,583)	$ 87,543	$ (366,863)	$ 258,734
Changes in Temporarily Restricted Net Assets
Contributions	$ 625,652	$	$	$ 625,652	$ 768,940
Investment Income	72,500	0	0	72,500	70,353
Net Assets Released from Restriction	(227,341)	0	0	(227,341)	(370,603)
Increase/(Decrease) in Temporarily Restricted Net Assets	$ 470,811	$	$	$ 470,811	$ 468,690
Changes in Permanently Restricted Net Assets
Contributions	$ 3,700,000	$	$	$ 3,700,000	$
Investment Income	0	0	0	0	0
Increase in Permanently Restricted Net Assets	$ 3,700,000	$	$	$ 3,700,000	$ 0
Increase/(Decrease) in Net Assets	$ 4,163,988	$ (447,583)	$ 87,543	$ 3,803,948	$ 727,424
Net Assets, beginning of Year	$ 18,798,930	$ (460,147)	$ 260,378	$ 18,599,161	$ 17,871,737
Net Assets, end of Year	$ 22,962,918	$ (907,730)	$ 347,921	$ 22,403,109	$ 18,599,161

national teaching plan equals increased investment. The programs outlined above will continue: the Stewardship and Development seminars, for example, are considered key by the National Assembly to enhancing our shared understanding of some of our most important spiritual obligations and privileges. One goal for this program is to integrate portions of it with the institute process under way around the nation. There can be no interruption in the consultation with the friends, support for their efforts to deepen their Faith, and improvement in all aspects of fiscal stewardship of the Faith’s resources. But the increasing likelihood of a breakthrough in the teaching field requires that serious thought be given to the needs that will flow from growth; indeed, preparation for this eventuality has occurred throughout the Four Year Plan and has become more intensive toward its end.

What is the infrastructure that will be required, for example, to stimulate and accommodate growth? Are the present Bahá’í schools adequate for a larger body of believers whose needs, in many cases, will be different from those of the current generation of Bahá’ís, so that every person who declares their belief in Bahá’u’lláh will stay in the community as an active member? Is the Mother Temple of the West ready to welcome, not 250,000 visitors annually, but 500,000 or more? And how will the Faith’s financial structure withstand the inevitable turmoil of change and, possibly, financial “retrenching” by the American nation when the number of contributors, as generous as they have been, is still less than half the community? To address these matters the Office of the Treasurer, together with many other agencies, has been supporting the consultations and planning efforts of the National Spiritual Assembly. Dozens of volunteers from all parts of the country have been consulted over the last twenty-four months in a review of diverse aspects of these challenges, surveys of giving behavior and other indices have been performed, and the Bahá’í World Center has been consulted. New communications and an educational process will be needed to help every Bahá’í—whether old or young, veteran or new recruit—to obtain new tools to create and manage wealth for the Faith and for themselves, to review priorities in relation to new challenges, and to play a distinctive role in meeting these unique, historic challenges.

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS APRIL 30, 2000 AND 1999

Operations and accounting policies

The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States (the Assembly) was established in 1927 as a voluntary trust and subsequently incorporated in October 1994 as an Illinois not-for-profit corporation to administer, teach, and further the Bahá’í Faith in the United States.

The accounts of the Assembly are maintained on the accrual basis. The financial statements of the Assembly include the assets, liabilities, fund [Page 24]balances, and financial activities of the National Bahá’í Fund, the Bahá’í Publishing Trust, and the Bahá’í Home.

The principal accounting policies used by the Assembly are as follows:

Contributions

All contributions from members of the Faith, unless specifically restricted by the donor, are considered to be available for unrestricted use and are recorded as received. Contributions in kind are recorded at an amount representing the estimated fair value of goods and services received during the year. Items received of artistic or religious significance for which no value can be readily determined and which are not anticipated to be sold are recorded at nominal value.

Contributions from nonmembers may not be used to support the Faith and, accordingly, such amounts received are distributed for other humanitarian causes. Contributions restricted by the donor for particular programs and projects, or for property and equipment acquisitions, are earned and reported as revenues when the Assembly has incurred expenses for the purpose specified by the donor. Such amounts received, but not yet earned, are reported as restricted deferred amounts. Estate bequests are recorded when the funds are received.

Tax exempt status

The U.S. Treasury Department has held that the National Spiritual Assembly and all subordinate local spiritual assemblies are exempt from Federal income tax as organizations described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (I.R.C.) of 1986. Accordingly, contributions made to the National Spiritual Assembly and all of its subordinate local spiritual assemblies are deductible by the donors for Federal income tax purposes as provided by I.R.C. Section 170.

Bequests, legacies, devises, transfers, or gifts to the National Spiritual Assembly or its subordinate local assemblies are deductible for Federal estate and gift tax purposes as provided by I.R.C. Sections 2055, 2106, and 2522.

Inventories

Inventories of books and special materials are valued at average cost.

Investments

Investments are recorded at market value.

Property and equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost. The Assembly computes depreciation of fixed assets over their estimated useful lives using the straight line method. The estimated lives used in computing depreciation are as follows:

Asset description	Asset life
Furniture/Equipment	5–10 years
Buildings/Improvements	20–40 years
Bahá’í House of Worship	75 years

HUQUQU’LLÁH

Huqúqu’lláh (Right of God) is a law revealed by Bahá’u’lláh in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. Obeying the law of Huqúqu’lláh purifies the material wealth we acquire throughout our lifetime by giving back to the Cause of God a portion of that which came from our Creator. Payments of Huqúqu’lláh are deductible for federal income and estate tax purposes. Checks for Huqúqu’lláh should be made payable to “Bahá’í Huqúqu’lláh Trust” and sent directly to one of these Trustees.

Dr. Amin Banani

Mr. Stephen Birkland

Mrs. Sally Foo

Dr. Daryush Haghighi

Mrs. Elizabeth Martin

WOMEN’S AFFAIRS

The Office of Women’s Affairs, established in 1997, works closely with the Office of the Secretary for External Affairs, the National Committee for the Equality of Women and Men, the Regional Bahá’í Councils, local spiritual assemblies, and other agencies of the Faith to gather and disseminate information about, and coordinate activities in support of, the advancement of women.

The Office’s efforts during the past three years have focused primarily on coordinating five major activities: (1) ensuring the widest possible distribution of the National Spiritual Assembly’s statement titled Two Wings of a Bird: The Equality of Women and Men as well as its presentation to local government officials across the nation, (2) mobilizing a Bahá’í presence at significant national or international conferences dealing with issues related to the advancement of women, (3) ensuring Bahá’í support of federal legislative issues that affect the advancement of women, (4) initiating a systematic process for gathering statistical information about the advancement of women in the Bahá’í community, and (5) establishing a lending library of resource materials for use by Bahá’í National Center staff and the various agencies and committees of the National Spiritual Assembly.

To date, some 190,000 copies of Two Wings of a Bird have been distributed since its publication in 1996. During the first year after the statement’s release, the National Assembly observed in the Bahá’í community an apparent hesitance to fully explore, study, and disseminate the statement. In January 1999, at the urging of the National Committee for the Equality of Women and Men, a letter was sent to local spiritual assemblies encouraging them to present the statement to mayors, officials, and like-minded organizations. This letter was followed by a similar message in September 1999. The pace of dissemination picked up substantially as a result of these communications. As of March 2000, over 231 Bahá’í communities had reported their activities. Statements had been presented to more than 169 mayors, 135 city councils, 148 women’s organizations, and 185 community organizations. Furthermore, at least 96 proclamation events and 114 firesides relating to the equality of women and men had been held, 53 press releases on the subject had been issued, and 17 televised presentations had been made. A Spanish-language version of the statement will be released soon and 344 copies of the Persian-language edition have been sold.

In a joint collaborative effort between the National Assembly’s Office of External Affairs and the National Committee for the Equality of Women and Men, a letter was mailed in March 1999 to the spiritual assembly of the capital city of each state. These assemblies were asked to present the statement on gender equality to their respective governors by September 1999. As of March 2000, only eight presentations had been made.

Though it would be impossible to acknowledge all of the noteworthy efforts to disseminate the statement, several outstanding individual efforts deserve mention here. Dr. Nushin Muvaddat created and sent to a long list of friends beautiful handmade booklets that included a poem by Táhirih, a brief description of her life, and the text of Two Wings of a Bird.

In March 1999 Mrs. Marianne Smith Geula, representing the Spiritual Assembly of Malden, Massachusetts, presented the statement to the mayor of Malden. Upon receiving the statement with enthusiasm, the mayor mentioned a pilot program at the Malden high school called Youth Technology Entrepreneurs, which focuses, among other things, on affirmative efforts to include and encourage girls’ participation in the design, support, and use of information technology. It would have been almost impossible for the Bahá’ís as a religious organization to have gained this access without the mayor’s help. Mrs. Geula and Ms. Leili Towfigh, of the National Youth Committee, made the presentation to the director and teenagers in the program.

A husband and wife team, Mrs. Suzanne Turner and Mr. Frank Amanat, began in January and February 1998 efforts to promote the equality of women and men with a deepening program sponsored by the Marriage Task Force in New York City. Participants in the program were refreshingly honest about issues and personal experiences and supported one another in trying to find practical, spiritual solutions to common problems and misunderstandings.

The Office of Women’s Affairs was responsible for mobilizing a Bahá’í presence at several significant conferences. In February 1999 the Office of Women’s Affairs, along with the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Taiwan and Women for International Peace and Arbitration, arranged for a delegation of legislators, judges, social workers, and police from Taipei, Taiwan, to visit New York City to study how domestic violence cases are handled in the United States. Taiwan’s first domestic violence laws were passed in 1998 and went into effect in June 1999. Events associated with the delegation’s visits to courts, police departments, and social institutions included a reception for the group and a dinner co-hosted by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Taiwan and Office of Women’s Affairs. This event resulted in an invitation for the director of the office to give a presentation in Taiwan on May 24, 1999 on the subject of domestic violence and child abuse. The presentation was covered by seven television stations and the print media. A Counselor and a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Taiwan also attended the event.

The Second Municipal District of the Circuit Court of Cook County presented a one-day Family Violence Prevention Symposium on March 1, 2000 at Oakton Community College in Des Plaines, Illinois. The National Spiritual Assembly asked three members of the Office of Community Administration and Development, Ms. Theresa Mullen, Ms. Sue Bingham, and Ms. Elizabeth Frey, to attend. The material presented at the symposium will prove useful in assisting this office to prepare effective assembly development workshops on the subject of domestic violence and additions to an updated edition of Developing Distinctive Bahá’í Communities: Guidelines for Spiritual Assemblies.

Another notable event for which the Office ensured a Bahá’í presence was a hearing on the status of women in Illinois at the President’s Commission on the Celebration of Women in American History. The Office of Women’s Affairs arranged for Ms. Roya Ayman to make a Bahá’í presentation at the hearing on November 12, 1998 in Washington, DC.

Ms. Shelley Rastall represented the Office at the Beijing Plus Five Regional Training Workshop supporting the Global Reach Out for Women (GROW) Project, held in Chicago, March 23–25, 2000, cosponsored by Partners of the Americas and Women’s EDGE. This training workshop brought together concerned citizens to further expand their knowledge of trade, development, and skills in local community education, trade and development issues in general, media outreach, and advocacy. [Page 25]The GROW project will work over the next three years to increase American women’s involvement in educating and advocating on trade and international development issues by giving women a say in political decisions.

Ms. Ada James was asked by the Office to attend the Women Work! National Network for Women’s Employment Power Breakfast in Chicago to learn about key findings from the Year 2000 Virginia Slims National Poll on Women’s Issues: A 30 Year Perspective, presented by representatives from Roper Starch. The findings were preliminary and the complete final report was not available at the time of publication.

The Office also helped to ensure Bahá’í support of two important federal legislative issues. In January 1998 the Bahá’í community was called upon to support a letter campaign urging the U.S. Senate to ratify the United Nations Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). More than five thousand letters were sorted by name and delivered to the Senators. In September 1999 the Office again called upon the community to support a letter campaign urging Congress to retain provisions in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) that guarantee equal access to educational opportunities for women. The American Association of University Women pushed strongly for passage, and it passed quickly.

The past year’s activities have also included sponsoring a Diverse Women’s Seminar, which was successful enough to prompt the planning of three additional conferences based on the same format; publishing the talks given at the Diverse Women’s Seminar; offering workshops at the International Women’s Conference—Partnership for the Next Millennium—in Brisbane, Australia, attended by more than 450 people from fifteen countries, with almost one-third of the participants being of Aboriginal descent; initiating the process of systematic gathering of statistics about the advancement of women within the Bahá’í community; and collaborating with the Bahá’í National Center’s Human Resources Department to hold a training on gender equality by international management consultant Dorothy Marcic.

In the immediate future the Office of Women’s Affairs will promote the widest possible use of the forthcoming video, titled Speaking of Gender, which has been prepared for use in the national media campaign; continue with the Common Journey series of conferences; promote the identification, understanding, and resolution of the unique issues particular to women of different cultural backgrounds; call for essays and scholarly articles on the sacred role of parenthood for possible publication in World Order magazine; promote education of the community in providing a safe and loving environment where men’s feelings are encouraged and women’s voices are heard; study, analyze, and make recommendations to the National Assembly regarding physical and sexual abuse in the Bahá’í community; examine traditional roles of women and men and explore Bahá’í concepts of full partnership; emphasize the importance of preparing both women and men for parenthood; emphasize the station of motherhood; gather statistics regarding Bahá’í elections and gender equality for the purpose of comparing with previous year’s statistics; ensure a presence at major national women’s conferences; collaborate with other agencies and offices of the National Assembly with portfolios regarding the advancement of women and girls; write an ongoing column in The American Bahá’í on women’s affairs; promote activities that enable youth and children to develop their true nature, free of artificial gender stereotypes; foster the spiritually healthy attitude and moral responsibility of young girls regarding their sexuality; and foster the development of leadership qualities in women.

The extent to which these plans will be fulfilled will depend in large part on whether a full-time director can be hired. At present, the Office is staffed by the Assistant Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly with part-time help from the Regional Bahá’í Council Liaison. Because the demands on the time of the Assistant Secretary are so great that there is little time to focus on the work of the Office, a proposal has been submitted to the National Assembly to hire a full-time director. This would enable the staff to systematize the work, gather and analyze statistics about women and equality, and study the surrounding issues.

OFFICE OF COMMUNITY ADMINISTRATION AND DEVELOPMENT

The office consists of two sections: Community Administration and the Office of Assembly Development. Community Administration provides administrative support to the National Spiritual Assembly by offering guidance to local spiritual assemblies and individual believers concerning issues of community functioning and the application of Bahá’í principles and laws. The Office of Assembly Development provides resources, training and analysis to assist local spiritual assemblies in their development. These resources also are available to assist Regional Bahá’í Councils, Regional Training Institutes, and other Institutions working to aid assemblies in their maturation.

Community Administration

During each year of the Four Year Plan, Community Administration received an average of three to four thousand letters, five to six thousand e-mails and ten to twelve thousand telephone calls. The challenge which the office’s small staff has faced and will continue to face in the coming years is that of providing timely responses to each of the many inquiries and requests for assistance that it receives. While more and more local spiritual assemblies are growing stronger in their ability to address issues that arise at the local level, the complexity of the concerns brought to their council chambers also has increased. This growing maturation is reflected in the fact that most assemblies are able to correctly identify which Bahá’í laws and principles apply in a given situation. Implementing sound decisions based on the laws and principles identified, however, continues to be a challenge for them. It is anticipated that as more assemblies take advantage of the training offered through the Office of Assembly Development, they will gain a clearer understanding of how to apply the laws and principles in a given situation and greater confidence in managing the affairs of their communities. In turn, this should help in reducing the number of communications received in the future by Community Administration.

Since the work of Community Administration is reactive in nature, and varies according to the content of the inquiry or request for assistance that is received, it is difficult to identify the office’s priorities for the future, other than to state that it will continue to do its best to serve the National Spiritual Assembly and the many assemblies, agencies, and individual friends with whom it has contact. Local spiritual assemblies can assist the work of the office by taking the time to educate the friends in their communities about the various laws of the Faith that are binding upon them at this time, answering their questions, and fostering a spirit of genuine love and concern for each member of their community. The individual friends can assist, too, by turning to their local spiritual assemblies with respect and confidence and seeking their guidance before choosing to write or call the Bahá’í National Center.

Office of Assembly Development

During the Four Year Plan the Office of Assembly Development increased both the number and quality of resources available to assist local spiritual assemblies in their development and also conducted and analyzed research to aid in development of optimal materials and programs. Resources from this office now include: Assembly Development Forums, Assembly Development Module Workshops, 120 trained facilitators for these workshops, the Assembly Weekend Visit program, the Assembly Self Assessment Tool, and a wide variety of printed and electronic materials. Each of these will be outlined briefly.

Assembly Development Forums are one-day training sessions held to provide assemblies with information to assist them in their functioning and to facilitate communication and sharing among assemblies. The forums include workshops by the Treasurer’s Office, the National Teaching Committee’s office, and the Office of Community Administration and Development as well as participation by Auxiliary Board members for the area. Eleven Assembly Development Forums have been held around the country since the inception of the Four Year Plan. In the course of these forums, more than 190 workshops were given to approximately 233 local spiritual assemblies, represented by almost 1,000 individuals. These events have been well received; participants on average gave them a rating of usefulness around 4.4 on a 1 to 5 scale with “5” signifying “high” usefulness.

Assembly Development Module Workshops are three- to four-hour workshops on a variety of topics useful to assemblies in improving their functioning. While several modules were originally developed in 1989, during the Four Year Plan revisions were made to most of the original modules and new modules were created to cover other topics that support initiatives of the National Spiritual Assembly. The ten new or revised modules are Bahá’í writings-based workshops that use a wide range of learning to accommodate a variety of learning styles. These mostly interactive workshops develop skills and understandings designed to promote behavioral changes. Participants gave high ratings for the usefulness of these modules, with an average rating of 4.50.

To help local assemblies take advantage of these training programs, a group of about 130 volunteers was trained to facilitate the modules. Fifty-nine volunteers were trained in the first two years of the Plan and an additional 71 were added in the last year of the Plan. Representatives now serve all regions and more than 40 states. Participants rate the skills of the representatives highly, with an average score of 4.65. Annual training was given to representatives to continue improving their skills and to introduce additional modules. The selection of representatives was based upon recommendations from local spiritual assemblies and input from Regional Bahá’í Councils and Auxiliary Board members.

The Weekend Visit Program for the Bahá’í National Center welcomed almost 250 individuals from some fifty local spiritual assemblies during the past four years. During these visits assemblies had an opportunity to learn more about the resources available to them at the Bahá’í National Center, visit the Archives to see relics of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, say prayers in the Mother Temple, hear updates on new initiatives from several offices, and have questions answered by members of the National Spiritual Assembly. Improvements in the program included additional opportunities to interact with the National Spiritual Assembly and visits that are coordinated for assemblies from the same area.

At the beginning of the Plan criteria for the maturation of local spiritual assemblies were developed based upon the Four Year Plan message of the Universal House of Justice. It was decided that only the assemblies themselves could assess their development in each of these areas, so a “Self Assessment Tool” was developed and mailed to all local spiritual assemblies at the beginning of the Plan. Fifty-three assemblies responded with copies of their results. The tool was reissued in the last year of the Plan. [Page 26]in a simpler format and with supporting documents that showed where assemblies could go for assistance if they rated themselves lower than they wished in any area. An additional 133 responses were received after this reissue of the document. Analysis shows that the average self-rating on the overall criteria was 2.97 on a scale of one to five, with “5” as the highest rating. The average goal for increased development was to move to 3.79 on this same scale.

During the Four Year Plan this Office developed a wide variety of published resources. The most important of these is the assembly manual titled Developing Distinctive Bahá’í Communities: Guidelines for Spiritual Assemblies, which was revised and published in an updated and expanded version. During the last year of the Plan it was placed on the National Assembly’s administrative Web site in a searchable and printable format. Other materials produced by the Office during the Four Year Plan include: Cultivating Distinction: The Spiritual Nature of the Bahá’í Electoral Process, a workshop produced in coordination with several other offices; Spiritual Institutions: The Unique Nature of Bahá’í Institutions, a basic booklet on the elected Institutions of the Faith; Electing Bahá’í Assemblies, a basic booklet about the local spiritual assembly and its election; and A Miracle of Governance: The Local Spiritual Assembly, a video and workbook deepening for the community and/or the assembly about the station of the local spiritual assembly and the relationship between the assembly and the community. When first-time local spiritual assemblies are formed each year they are sent a welcoming letter listing these and other resources and offering complimentary copies.

The Office of Assembly Development has relied heavily upon survey data in the formation of its plans and programs. A survey was conducted at the beginning of the Plan to assess the use of Developing Distinctive Bahá’í Communities: Guidelines for Spiritual Assemblies and the Assembly Development Modules. The responses received back were used in the revisions to these materials. The following year the Office participated in a multidepartmental survey that provided information about the patterns of usage of assembly development materials as well as further needs in this area. Both were helpful in refining plans. The Office also conducted a demographic analysis of assembly composition that provided useful input to two of the newest Assembly Development Module workshops. In addition, participants in all workshops and programs continued to be asked to provide information about program usefulness and to make suggestions for improvement. The data was analyzed and the information was used in program enhancements. The Office was also involved with the analysis of Self Assessment Tool responses to provide the National Spiritual Assembly with information related to the maturation of local spiritual assemblies.

This Office’s priorities for the future include the completion and testing of additional modules, scheduling and planning the Assembly Development Forums and Weekend Visits for the upcoming year, analysis of data, and preparation of further revisions and updates to Developing Distinctive Bahá’í Communities: Guidelines for Spiritual Assemblies.

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY-CONVENTIONS

The mandate for the convention aspect of the Office of the Secretary during the Four Year Plan was to plan, coordinate, and direct the implementation of national and electoral unit conventions and to plan and coordinate the reapportionment of electoral unit boundaries on a regular basis. Related to these activities was the need to educate the American Bahá’í community about the principles of Bahá’í electoral unit and national elections and about the purpose and principles of reapportionment. In addition to carrying out these activities, a significant evolution occurred in the Convention Office’s functioning and operations during the Plan.

The office spearheaded a nationwide redistricting and education campaign in the first year of the Plan to inform voters of their new electoral units. Increasing decentralization of tasks in 1996 led to this office appointing host spiritual assemblies to take charge of arranging unit convention logistics. While such elections were still coordinated by the Office of the Secretary, local believers were given far more responsibility and education related to the election process.

In 1997 the Convention Office continued to appoint host assemblies and to coordinate Unit Convention elections. A significant additional task was assigned to the office during this year, which was to manage and carry out the inaugural election of the Regional Bahá’í Councils. The Conventions Office also undertook arranging the logistics for the first plenary meeting of the Regional Councils.

As a result of the election of these new administrative bodies, in 1998 a new responsibility was incorporated into the work of the Conventions Office—that of the Regional Council Liaison. As Liaison, the Office arranged the logistics for the June and December meetings of the Regional Councils, began to instruct and orient the Regional Bahá’í Councils about the details and work needed to coordinate unit conventions, and helped the Councils organize the management of unit conventions.

In 1999 the Conventions Office continued to assist the Regional Councils with the coordination of unit convention elections. As the year progressed, a change in the responsibilities of the Convention Office came into being. It was split into two offices—one to coordinate unit and national conventions and one to assist the Regional Bahá’í Councils as Regional Bahá’í Council Liaison. As a result of this split, the Conventions Office took on broader responsibilities associated with National Convention.

For the remainder of 1999–2000, the final year of the Four Year Plan, the Conventions Office instituted further redistricting efforts, which impacted approximately 25 percent of the electoral units. This activity was followed up with education for the voters about how the new electoral units fit into the redistricting efforts. The Office also organized the final National Convention of the Four Year Plan and began consideration of its agenda for the upcoming Twelve Month Plan.

BAHÁ’Í ENCYCLOPEDIA PROJECT

The primary assignment of the Editorial Board for the Bahá’í Encyclopedia Project is to compile a comprehensive, authoritative, and easy-to-use encyclopedic reference work on the Bahá’í Faith for Bahá’ís, the media, students, scholars, diplomats, and others.

On the eve of the Four Year Plan the Encyclopedia Project underwent extensive restructuring, including changes in the membership of the Editorial Board and relocating the project’s editorial base from England to the United States. Since the beginning of the Plan, significant developments in the overall vision, direction, and structure of the project have occurred.

An office was established at the Bahá’í National Center in April 1996. The staff—a full-time coordinating editor and a full-time administrative assistant—reorganized a vast store of material in various stages of completion that was inherited from previous editors. Electronic and paper files previously held in the United Kingdom and Canada were consolidated into one comprehensive filing system, which has been maintained and refined.

Another major task for the office has been updating addresses of contributors all over the world (approximately 750) and incorporating them into an expanded database to facilitate correspondence with contributors. An article/author database, which provides an overview of the contents of the Encyclopedia according to various categories and makes it possible to track the progress made on each article, was thoroughly reorganized and enlarged.

The editors have disseminated information about the project by publishing an article in the April 9, 1996, issue of The American Bahá’í; by sending mailings to all contributors and corresponding with authors individually; by distributing information at national conventions; by participating in annual conferences of the Association for Bahá’í Studies; by providing flyers on the Encyclopedia Project to be distributed to participants in Special Visit and Local Assembly Development programs at the Bahá’í National Center; by offering up-to-date information about the Encyclopedia on the National Assembly’s administrative Web site; by giving a presentation on the Encyclopedia Project to a February 2000 meeting of the National Assembly with the staff and visitors; by regularly briefing visitors to the National Center; and by responding to questions posed by letter, telephone, and e-mail.

During this four-year period, the editors have developed and refined plans for (1) the contents and format of an interim series of publications, and (2) eventual compilation of a comprehensive Bahá’í reference work. The Editorial Board has devoted much time to reassessing the large number of articles in hand, establishing standards for overall quality, and identifying additional topics for which articles need to be commissioned. Once articles are accepted for possible publication, editing requires checking for accuracy, researching to fill gaps, and putting the text into a consistent style and format. The editorial process has included researching, developing, and refining editorial style policies and working on a full-fledged style guide for the Encyclopedia.

Consultation on editorial and administrative matters is carried out by means of Encyclopedia Board meetings, conference calls, and e-mail consultations. Similar interactions occur between the three members who constitute the editorial team.

The coordinating editor has represented the Encyclopedia Project as a member of the governing boards of the Wilmette Institute and the Institute for Bahá’í Studies and also as a participant at a conference on Foundational Issues in Bahá’í Studies sponsored by the Oxford University Bahá’í Society, Oxford, England, April 1–2, 2000.

The immediate priority for the Encyclopedia Project is to bring to editorial completion a group of articles for publication in volume one of a prospective interim series of publications and, generally, to proceed toward publication of the series. As a corollary to this goal, the staff is working on completing a style guide for Encyclopedia publications.

NATIONAL PERSIAN-AMERICAN AFFAIRS OFFICE AND NATIONAL PERSIAN-AMERICAN AFFAIRS TASK FORCE

National Persian-American Affairs Office

In addition to managing the executive functions of the National Persian-American Affairs Task Force, the Office undertakes various activities to help promote the integration of Bahá’ís of Iranian descent and to assist various Bahá’í administrative agencies in matters related to Iran.

The activities of the Office during the Four Year Plan have included: sending the Persian translation of press releases about the persecution of Bahá’ís in Iran and other significant events in the Bahá’í community to Persian-language media outlets in the United States; supporting the Friends of Persian Culture Association and organizing its ninth annual conference; publishing Bi Yád-i Dúst (In Memory of the Friend), a 206-page tribute in Persian to the Hand of the Cause of God, Abu’l-Qásim Faizi; helping to translate the messages from Bahá’í World Center and disseminating them to a number of National Assemblies around the world; translating Feast letters and other messages of the National Spiritual Assembly; publishing the bilingual quarterly Tabernacle of Unity; preparing the Persian pages of The American Bahá’í; publishing a revised edition of the introductory pamphlet in Persian, “An Introduction to Bahá’í Faith”; coordinating the work of the Persian Reviewing Panel as directed by the Universal House of Justice; assisting with the receipt of communications from the friends in Iran; helping to organize the Persian sessions of the ‘Irfán Colloquia; conducting an intensive Persian language course in conjunction with the residential session of the “Spiritual Foundations for a Global [Page 27]Civilization” program of the Wilmette Institute in 1998 and several sessions around the country for training teachers of Persian; and co-sponsoring the Institute for Bahá’í Studies and the Wilmette Institute.

National Persian-American Affairs Task Force

The appointment of the National Persian-American Affairs Task Force shortly after the opening of the Four Year Plan was followed by the receipt of a message from the Universal House of Justice, dated Bahá 154, addressed to Iranian believers throughout the world. That message, combined with the exhortations of the Supreme Institution in paragraph 10 of the Ridván 153 message to North American Bahá’ís, became the charter for the activities of the National Persian-American Affairs Task Force, whose general goal was to raise the level of activity and involvement of the more than 12,000 Bahá’ís of Iranian origin in the United States in support of the goals of the community.

Taking into account the diversity of circumstances and backgrounds of the Persian-American members of the U.S. Bahá’í community, the Task Force undertook activities aimed at revitalizing the Bahá’ís of Persian descent, encouraging them to demonstrate, in every aspect of their lives, the high ideals of the Bahá’í Faith; to pay attention to the spiritual education of children and youth; to teach the Faith in the name of their brothers and sisters in Iran; and to teach their children the Persian language. To further these goals, the Task Force appointed sixteen Area Task Forces; organized meetings with Bahá’ís of Persian background in major areas of concentration of Persian-American Bahá’ís to discuss the messages of the Supreme Institution and encourage the friends to better serve the goals of the Four Year Plan; disseminated hundreds of copies of the Bahá 154 message of the Universal House of Justice in Persian and in English, along with study guides; produced an audiotape of the Bahá 154 message for distribution; and asked the Area Task Forces to organize small gatherings of several families each in different parts of their respective areas for the study of the messages. Additionally in each area, the National Task Force met with representatives of local spiritual assemblies in order to explore ways in which collaboration could lead to the activation of the Persian-American friends.

In order to assist the friends in adopting personal teaching plans, the National Persian-American Affairs Task Force developed a simple plan and outline, which was mailed to all Persian-American Bahá’í households.

The National Task Force also took advantage of a private visit to the United States of Mr. Hooshmand Fatheazam, a member of the Universal House of Justice, to organize five large gatherings to address the friends about Bahá’í life. Three of these meetings were held in Washington, DC, and the other two were held in Chicago, Illinois, and Los Angeles, California.

The area Task Forces were active in varying degrees in promoting the above goals in collaboration with the Regional Bahá’í Councils, Auxiliary Board members and local spiritual assemblies, in preparation for the tasks’ ultimate transfer to Regional Bahá’í Councils.

Another area where considerable progress has been made is that of contact with non-Bahá’í Iranians. A Persian Media Board was created to coordinate efforts to take advantage of the growing number of Persian-language media outlets in the U.S. for providing accurate information about the Faith to non-Bahá’í Iranians. The weekly Persian Bahá’í radio program, “Payam-i-Doost,” in the Washington, DC, area, entered its sixth year of operation and, as of November 1999, began broadcasting over the Internet, thus becoming the first ever Bahá’í radio program to be heard around the world, even within Iran. Thus far the program has been produced and aired using volunteers and locally-raised funds.

In response to a message dated June 18, 1999, from the Bahá’í World Center, the national Task Force, at the direction of the National Spiritual Assembly, gathered and organized ideas and suggestions for contacting non-Bahá’í Iranians and correcting their misconceptions about the Faith, which were submitted for the National Assembly’s consideration.

The future efforts of the national Task Force will focus on: (a) the smooth transition of area Persian-American Affairs Task Forces to the Regional Bahá’í Councils; (b) ensuring that the Persian translations of The Advent of Divine Justice, The Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh, and The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh (assigned by the National Spiritual Assembly for study during the next twelve months) is available, preparing study guides in Persian for those texts, and enlisting the assistance of area task forces in identifying individuals who can serve as “Friends of Families” by holding regular study sessions with one to three families to study those texts in depth; (c) expanding and formalizing the institutional structures needed for promoting the work with Persian-language media and contacts with non-Bahá’í Iranians; and (d) continuing our efforts for promoting Bahá’í life, especially among the youth of Iranian descent.

OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND REVIEW

The principal responsibilities of the Research Office include conducting prepublication review of manuscripts and special materials, assisting and encouraging research on the Faith, correcting published information about the Faith, interfacing with academia, and collaborating with other Bahá’í scholarly efforts. During the Four Year Plan the Office’s work increased steadily in several key areas.

The Office’s written communications doubled since the beginning of the Plan. By the end of the first year of the Plan in 1997, some 3,600 letters had been written; in the last year of the Plan, the same ‎two,staff two staff‎ wrote more than 7,200 items of correspondence. The increase can be attributed in part to the Bahá’í community’s steadily expanding interest in scholarly matters and the Office’s growing network of contacts with Bahá’í authors and researchers.

Since the Office’s inception in 1990-91, during which time it completed prepublication review of 64 written works, there has been a steady and significant increase in the number and quality of items submitted for review. During the Four Year Plan an average of 164 literature items and 304 special materials items were reviewed each year. Of the 655 manuscripts and 1,219 special materials submitted during the Plan, at least 70 percent passed review with no changes required to them, indicating that the quality of submissions has increased along with the work load.

The Office regularly supported the National Spiritual Assembly’s research needs throughout the Plan. Every year the Research Office organized statistical data requested annually by the Universal House of Justice. It also collected and edited data and prepared for publication the annual reports of the National Spiritual Assembly. The Office was called upon to prepare one or two additional reports per year; in 1999–2000 it prepared a study of social and economic development projects.

Support of academic research on the Faith also continued. The Research Office has become a major center of information for researchers (Bahá’ís and others) who are studying the Faith. The Office planned the Bahá’í program at the American Academy of Religion each year, involving one or two panels of talks on aspects of the Faith and a book display in the exhibit hall. A staff member served as a Bahá’í representative to the Pluralism Project, which studies the diversity of religion in the United States. For the last three years the Research Office has coordinated the Bahá’í involvement in the Cooperative Congregational Survey Project, a research effort to study 700 or more congregations in each of 40 denominations in the United States. The survey, to coincide with the 2000 government census, was mailed to all local spiritual assemblies in January 2000; some 500 assemblies already have completed the survey. In the last four years staff members have published Bahá’í-related articles in two encyclopedias and one CD-ROM; the journal Nova Religio; a sociological series on religions; and a volume on religions’ views about the millennium. In 1999 the Office helped find Bahá’í presenters at a conference on new religious movements in Pennsylvania and a staff member attended and spoke.

The Research Office has been centrally involved in most efforts in the United States to support scholarship by Bahá’ís. Staff members serve or have served on the boards of the Bahá’í Encyclopedia Project, World Order magazine, the Association for Bahá’í Studies, and the Journal of Bahá’í Studies. Reviewing or editing articles for the Encyclopedia and World Order, drafting interchanges and editorials for World Order, and planning special issues of World Order are a major focus of the Research Office. The staff is involved heavily in planning three ‘Irfán Colloquia per year, which focus on scripture and world religions from a Bahá’í perspective; in editing the abstracts and papers; and in publishing the program booklets. The Institute for Bahá’í Studies, based in the Research Office, sponsored several conferences for Bahá’ís interested in specialized research topics during the Plan, the most recent one being “Revealing the Splendors of His Light: Exploring Spirituality in Bahá’í Life” in Evanston in August 1999. Most of the conference planning was done by the Research Office.

The Research Office is also the home of the Wilmette Institute, which offers courses on aspects of the Faith. While research and publication are not the focus of Wilmette Institute courses, they have resulted in one or two published articles on the Faith that otherwise would not have been produced. The Wilmette Institute also has helped create an environment in the American Bahá’í community that is supportive of scholarship.

The Research Office, through the Institute for Bahá’í Studies, worked regularly on issues related to the protection of the Faith. It has become a center for correcting errors in academic publications and responding to unwarranted criticisms or attacks. Every year it sought to correct three or four works; lack of staff hampered such effort and a backlog of about fifteen works requiring comment has developed. The Research Office also was central to rallying support for the Bahá’í Institute for Higher Education (BIHE) in Iran when Iranian government agencies attempted to shut it down in the fall of 1998. The Office became a clearing house for information and developed two list servers—one for Bahá’í college professors, the other for students and staff—to provide news about the latest developments. Since then the two list servers have become a valuable conduit for networking like-minded researchers and disseminating research and scholarly requests.

Finally, during the Plan the Office worked to develop research resources in Wilmette by helping to expand the Bahá’í National Center library. An important development was the contribution of a collection of works on Judaism in mid-1999.

Over the next year the Research Office hopes to acquire more staffing, allowing it to focus more energy on protection of the Faith; responding to attacks and inaccurate publications; networking Bahá’í researchers; and training more Bahá’ís to be able to answer difficult scholarly questions about the Faith. The Office also hopes to make more effort to educate Bahá’ís about the prepublication review process, especially of special materials. [Page 28]

TEACHING

NATIONAL TEACHING COMMITTEE

The function of the National Teaching Committee is to conduct expert study and analysis of issues pertaining to the growth and development of the Bahá’í Faith in the United States; to offer strategic advice to the National Spiritual Assembly and the Regional Bahá’í Councils; and to assist the National Spiritual Assembly in executing the national teaching plan. The following is a summary of activities undertaken by the National Teaching Committee during the past year.

Media broadcasts

The national teaching campaign using the media was dramatically accelerated through sustained national broadcasts of existing videos and commercials, beginning in July. Three thirty-minute videos—The Power of Prayer, Family: Seeds of World Peace and three commercials—Golden Rule, One Race, and Children Without Prejudice—were broadcast. These same materials were made available to local communities in VHS and broadcast versions. Since July the programs and commercials have aired on the following national cable networks: Lifetime, CourtTV, Bravo, BET, WGN, Odyssey, and TVGuide Channel. There also have been hundreds of airings in local markets on the initiative of local communities.

The Harvest Database, designed in 1998, tracks all seeker requests for literature and follow-up phone calls, including those that come in through the 800-22UNITE system or the Internet. In addition, the public Web site counts the number of visitors and includes a survey that allows our office to project the number of non-Bahá’í users as well as the time of their visits. Since last Ridván some 35,000 individuals have contacted us through Internet or phone. Since the beginning of the campaign in March 1998, the total is about 47,000. All seekers who requested information were sent a copy of The Bahá’í magazine and information on how to contact local communities.

This past year about one-third of the respondents left requests for literature and/or follow-up calls, primarily through the 800 phone number; the other two-thirds visited the Web site as a result of the broadcasts but did not request further information about the Faith.

The number of local phone-mail boxes for seeker follow-up increased from 617 to 1,373 since April 1999. Of these, 883 are operated by local spiritual assemblies; 411 by registered groups; and 23 by isolated believers. There are fifty-four “Default boxes,” operated by regionally-appointed task forces, to deal with calls from areas without local sponsorship, and one box each for the states of Alaska and Hawaii, operated by those respective National Spiritual Assemblies. Nearly nine hundred boxes have received at least one phone call. Most of them have received far more, ranging up to more than three hundred in one box.

The Harvest system generates monthly reports of all seeker calls, including names, addresses, phone numbers, localities, and so on. The reports are sent to the Regional Bahá’í Councils, which help to ensure the quality of local seeker follow-up. A new Harvest system is in development at the time of this writing (March 1). When finished it will allow for more efficient routing of calls from seekers to local boxes; Internet access to seeker databases for Councils and local communities; and other data functions that will provide faster and more seeker-friendly services.

Media materials

The National Teaching Committee continued its work in developing quality broadcast materials through a process of interaction with focus group audiences.

Two new thirty-minute videos were made available in July—The Power of Prayer and Family: Seeds of World Peace. Several new videos are now in production and are scheduled for release by Ridván 2000: We Are One, targeting a conservative, blue-collar audience; I Am a Bahá’í, targeting baby-boomer parents and families; Latinos and the Bahá’í Faith, aimed at Hispanic audiences and to be made available in English and Spanish; and Speaking of Gender, aimed at young adults. The following are scheduled for release early in the Twelve Month Plan: Our Relations, aimed at American Indian audiences; Unity in Diversity; and two new series of commercials aimed at a variety of audiences. Ad slicks to complement broadcast programming are now in development and will be released with each new video. Production also has begun on a new video on the spiritual education of children. A new video on the Station and Claims of Bahá’u’lláh is now in script development. Both are scheduled for release during the second half of the Twelve Month Plan.

A series of instructional materials was published in July to help local communities understand and implement local media campaigns. Included in the packet were instructions for arranging local broadcasts, seeker follow-up by phone and by mail, and advice for creating local teaching plans in conjunction with the broadcasts.

A new seeker newsletter, Light of Unity, was launched in February. Developed in collaboration with the Regional Bahá’í Council of the Southern States and Auxiliary Board member Shahin Vafai, its purpose is to serve as a tool for seeker follow-up in local communities. Available on the Internet, the monthly newsletter includes articles about the basic teachings of the Faith and some news of Bahá’í activities. The format allows for local adaptation and inclusion of local news and events. Local communities can download the newsletter and send it to their list of contacts.

A new series of radio programs is now in development and should be available later in the year 2000. The series will focus on themes of relevance to Christian seekers and is being produced in collaboration with the National Teaching Committee and the Regional Bahá’í Council of the Southern States.

Banner ads on the Internet, adapted from the commercial Children Without Prejudice, appeared on Yahoo! for most of the past year, generating thousands of visits to the public Web site, www.us.bahai.org.

A new introductory booklet for seekers, Unite, is being developed in collaboration with the Bahá’í Publishing Trust. Drawing upon lessons learned from extensive research and experience with focus group respondents, the magazine will address issues of known interest to those who are investigating the Faith. It will replace The Bahá’ís magazine as the main promotional item sent out in response to seeker requests. It is scheduled for release in June 2000.

The National Teaching Committee collaborated with the Bahá’í Publishing Trust to develop a plan for achieving sustained presence of Bahá’í literature in retail bookstores. The plan, availing itself of lessons learned about seeker interests as a result of the media campaign, was approved by the National Spiritual Assembly and is now under way. The first titles are scheduled to be available through the retail trade in late 2001.

The National Education Task Force collaborated with the National Teaching Committee in developing a series of fireside manuals to complement each video now in existence and those that will be released at Ridván.

A plan is now under way for an Internet-based course on the Bahá’í Faith for seekers. This is scheduled for completion in late 2000.

In January the Committee held special consultations with a number of believers with extensive experience in teaching Christians. The result was the formation of a working group that will offer input and advice on future media materials and will also help the Committee to increase awareness of relevant issues on the part of the friends.

Collaboration with Regional Bahá’í Councils

Collaborations with each of the Regional Bahá’í Councils accelerated dramatically in the past year. The main focus of work was the organization of area teaching campaigns to complement the media plan. National Teaching Committee members or representatives attended some two dozen organizational meetings that usually included members of the Councils as well as local believers.

The committee attended two regional training institute conferences. The first, in April 1999, was hosted by the Regional Bahá’í Council of the Western States. The second, in February 2000, was hosted by the Regional Bahá’í Council of the Southern States.

A number of other specific collaborations are in progress, mostly centering around seeker follow-up materials and activities.

Area teaching campaigns yield seeker interest, some growth

The National Teaching Committee has heard reports from several areas about significant numbers of responses to media efforts, seeker attendance at firesides and other activities, and some enrollments. These areas include Springfield, Massachusetts; Raleigh/ Durham/Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Houston, Texas; and Boston, Massachusetts. All these areas are characterized by an array of activities that together are intended to advance the process of entry by troops. These include media, firesides, training programs, youth and children’s programs, service projects, and the like. They also have systematic programs for tracking seekers and helping to sustain their interest in the Faith.

There are some forty more campaigns, most of them no more than two or three months old, with the same elements in place and which have seen seeker response but no enrollments yet. Another forty-five campaigns are now in development, which will have the same patterns of activities. These should be launched within the next few months.

Meanwhile, the believers in greater Nashville, Tennessee; College Station, Texas; and northeastern Oklahoma continue teaching activities which have yielded significant numbers of enrollments in the past year. Programs for consolidation are also in place.

Research

The National Teaching Committee conducted research in a dozen different areas, which will be discussed in turn.

Seeker survey on the Internet. A survey mechanism was put in place to discern the backgrounds and interests of non-Bahá’í visitors to the public Web site. This has yielded a great deal of information about those who have investigated the Faith as a result of the media broadcasts and has offered helpful insights as to how our outreach might be improved.

Broadcast response patterns. The Committee has continually monitored broadcast responses generated in the media campaign to determine the most effective programs, channels, time slots, and so on. This has provided substantial information helping to guide media buying decisions and will continue into the future.

Internet-based testing. In February the Committee began experimenting with testing new media materials and concepts using respondents recruited on the Internet. The first tests, scheduled for completion in March, will glean audience reaction to a new video on gender equality and a print ad that has been developed for use in a local teaching campaign. If this approach is successful it will be broadened to encompass other future projects.

Analysis of membership database. The National Teaching Committee, in collaboration with Management Information Systems and with the help of William Ahlhauser of Americom Research, conducted a thorough analysis of the membership database of the U.S. Bahá’í community, yielding invaluable information about the patterns of growth and retention in the past thirty years.

Consultation of pertinent literature. The Committee continued its rigorous consultation of pertinent literature on the issues of religious change, spirituality, and social developments in the United States. [Page 29]This information has been helpful in offering insights to our own challenges as a community with respect to both growth and consolidation.

Community life survey. An anonymous survey of several hundred randomly selected Bahá’ís on aspects of community life and individual participation yielded new knowledge about challenges faced in developing spiritually flourishing communities and increasing levels of participation on the part of believers.

Regional Training Institute survey. The first phase of a series of surveys gauging the impact of Regional Training Institute programs was completed in February. The first phase was a baseline study of activities in the Western and Southern regions. Future phases will encompass all regions and will attempt to gain insights that will help improve the overall quality and effectiveness of training courses. The study will be completed in 2000.

Fund survey. The Committee assisted the Office of Fund Development in administering a survey of believers on patterns of Fund participation. This survey involved several hundred respondents who gave anonymous answers to a series of questions designed to determine individual understandings and levels of participation.

Cooperative Congregational Studies Project. The National Teaching Committee assisted the Office of Assembly Development and the Research Office in developing a cooperative survey designed to yield comparative information about religious denominations in the United States. The project is sponsored by the Lilly Foundation and is now in progress. Published results are expected later in 2000.

Youth survey. The Committee assisted the National Youth Committee in administering the first of a series of surveys designed to find out more about patterns of Bahá’í youth activities, perceptions and behaviors. The first phase is under way and will be completed by the end of March. Future phases will be administered later in 2000.

Education survey. The Committee assisted the Education and Schools Office to administer the first in a series of surveys to determine the quantity and quality of local programs of study for children and pre-youth. The first phase is under way and will be completed in March. Future phases will be administered later this year.

Community case studies. The Committee launched a new initiative designed to learn more about factors that promote unity and participation in local community life. Undertaken with researchers Dorothy Marcic, Richard Daft, Robert Rosenfeld and others, this case-study approach is designed to yield insights that might later be incorporated into local spiritual assembly development and other training programs. The study is under way and will be completed in the year 2000.

Communications

The National Teaching Committee assisted in developing a new newsletter for Bahá’ís, U.S. Bahá’í Update, which will offer “at a glance” information on the latest developments in teaching and other areas. The first edition was published in February and is available on the National Spiritual Assembly’s administrative Web site.

The Committee published regular articles in The American Bahá’í, assisted in the process for production of Bahá’í Newsreel, and published regular teaching updates on the administrative Web site.

Analysis of growth, retention and consolidation

The National Teaching Committee published a report, in December 1999, outlining the major opportunities and challenges in advancing the process of entry by troops in the United States.

The report, Issues Pertaining to Growth, Retention and Consolidation in the United States, suggests areas of strategic focus to pursue in individual and collective teaching efforts. Affirming all of the major strategic objectives set by the Universal House of Justice for the Four Year Plan, the report explores how those objectives can be met within the context of conditions faced by the believers in this country.

The report addresses a range of key issues. Among them are:

• The historical patterns of growth and consolidation of the Bahá’í community within the past few decades.
• Modern trends of religious change and spiritual search in America.
• Patterns of American Bahá’í community life and individual activism.
• Experiences in reaching out to audiences using mass media.

Drawing upon survey-based research of the American Bahá’í community, consultation of pertinent literature, and accumulated experience in developing and testing media materials, a number of conclusions are presented:

• Our historical growth rate is an impressive achievement in the context of American religion.
• We are in the midst of one of the most significant periods of religious and spiritual revival in American history, a phenomenon which has already impacted our growth and indicates vast opportunity for teaching in the immediate future.
• The issues driving the spiritual search of millions of Americans accord with our most cherished principles, such as interracial understanding, elimination of religious intolerance, and more.
• Our capacity to retain new believers as long-term active members must be improved if we are to achieve higher rates of growth.
• We have the proven capacity to reach out beyond traditional boundaries of personal contact to engage vast numbers of seekers, whose interest can then be nurtured through interaction with the believers in local communities.
• The U.S. Bahá’í community as a whole is committed, active and enthusiastic; the friends in general are ready and able to rise to present challenges.
• Discernible patterns in the current dynamics of growth, local community life and individual participation mirror the concerns and issues of seekers, and these patterns shed light on challenges that need to be addressed in order to achieve sustainable and rapid growth.

The report concludes by offering a series of specific suggestions in these areas:

• Achieving a new mindset about growth.
• Continued development of local and national outreach and follow-up.
• Building our communities: dealing with diversity of many kinds.
• Development of Training Institutes.
• Improving local stewardship.
• Improving our discourse about teaching.

The full text of the report is available on the National Spiritual Assembly’s administrative Web site at www.usbnc.org.

Future priorities

The National Teaching Committee will continue its now well-established pattern, undertaking research into relevant areas affecting the teaching work, managing the evolving national media outreach effort, participating in key consultations at the local, regional and national levels, and providing regular reports and other services for the National Spiritual Assembly and the Regional Bahá’í Councils.

A significant development during the Four Year Plan was the increase in the National Teaching Committee’s collaborations with other agencies of the National Spiritual Assembly and with individual believers, representing a wide range of talents and backgrounds. This unified work toward the common aim of advancing the process of entry by troops was instrumental in the successes that were achieved. This trend will expand in the months and years to come.

MINORITY TEACHING COMMITTEES

National African American Teaching Committee

The National Spiritual Assembly and the National Teaching Committee have demonstrated leadership and expressed hopes for bringing the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh to peoples of African descent with supportive, deliberate action. This expression was realized with the appointment during the Four Year Plan of the National African-American Teaching Committee (NAATC). Charged with the task of creating its own mandate, the NAATC sought to bring into fruition the major aim emanating from the direction of the Universal House of Justice to “advance the process of entry by troops.” The NAATC adopted this goal early in its first year of service, examining it through the lens of advancement among peoples of African descent from every stratum of society.

Responsible oversight for the development of such a process has been the primary work of the NAATC. Following the Committee’s establishment in August 1997, the NAATC approached this goal by emphasizing three directives—first, expert study through information gathering from key sources as well as insights gained through field exposure; second, the development of materials and resources useful to the teaching of people of African descent; and third, consultation and dialogue with key institutions critical to the growth of the Faith among African-Americans, including the Regional Bahá’í Councils and local spiritual assemblies, as well as active members of the Bahá’í community. In implementing these three directives, the NAATC set out on a deliberate course of action. Target areas were pinpointed as potential sites where the expansion of the Faith among African-Americans could be actualized. Areas recognized as potential models for such growth and expansion of the Faith included Detroit, Michigan; Los Angeles, California; and Atlanta, Georgia. Work in these areas has yielded great results.

The development of teaching materials and resources geared toward African Americans remains a top priority. During the Four Year Plan the Committee produced and distributed a workbook titled Exploring the Historical and Spiritual Significance of Being a Person of African Descent in the Bahá’í Faith, compiled by Dr. Richard Thomas, which articulates the contributions of African Americans to the Bahá’í Faith and serves as a foundation for conducting workshops as well as personal deepening. A day-long workshop based on the workbook was held in Atlanta in conjunction with the performance of the play “The Pupil of the Eye.” Similar workshops took place in St. Louis, Missouri, and in connection with the 1997 National Convention.

On the heels of the successful distribution of the workbook, the NAATC produced ambitious follow-up material designed to assist in deepening the Bahá’í community and created some teaching materials. A pamphlet geared toward African Americans on the subject of prayer was published, as well as the pamphlet titled Strategies for Retaining Peoples of African Descent.

A close analysis of the administrative decentralization process combined with a focus on the emerging Regional Bahá’í Councils brought to light the importance of establishing African American teaching entities specific to each region. The NAATC set a goal to merge its work into that of the Regional Bahá’í Councils. The Committee met with all four regional councils to discuss setting up regional and local African American Teaching Committees.

Through the use of workshops, the development of resource materials, consultations with key institutions, and field work, the NAATC acquainted itself with the intimate truths of the American Bahá’í community’s state of readiness for African American entry by troops. The Committee remains eager to continue to share the knowledge it gained through its expert study and to offer its strategic advice to individuals, institutions, and communities.

In looking at the priorities for the immediate future, the NAATC maintains its goal of decentralizing its work through the Regional Bahá’í Councils and remains committed to developing resources that can prove valuable to teaching efforts among peoples of African descent.

National Chinese Teaching Task Force

Guided by its mandate, the Chinese Teaching Task Force focused its attention during the Four Year Plan on four major activities. First was the fostering in the American Bahá’í community of the recognition that teaching the Chinese is one of the highest priorities of this country. Second, Chinese believers were encouraged to take a leading role in their Bahá’í [Page 30]communities, especially in the area of Chinese teaching. The third activity involved increasing Bahá’í influence on the thinking of the wider Chinese community in the United States, especially through the Chinese media. Finally, the Task Force worked to build and maintain a strong network of believers who are actively involved in the Chinese teaching work.

Efforts to help the American Bahá’í community recognize the importance of teaching the Chinese spanned a broad range. The Task Force sent letters to each Regional Bahá’í Council, all local Spiritual Assemblies, members of the Auxiliary Board for Propagation, the Unit Conventions, two hundred College Clubs, and all individuals who have lived in China regarding the importance of befriending the Chinese in the United States, offering teaching ideas, support and resources. The Task Force met with representatives of each Regional Bahá’í Council and with representatives in several target teaching communities, including Los Angeles, Pasadena and San Francisco, California; Atlanta, Georgia; New York City; and Gainesville, Florida.

The Task Force co-sponsored and supported conferences, including regional Chinese teaching conferences in San Francisco, California, and College Station, Texas, and weekend workshops on Chinese Culture and the Bahá’í Faith held in Los Angeles, in Chicago, and at the Bosch Bahá’í School. Further, the Task Force wrote articles for The American Bahá’í explaining how to befriend the Chinese, offering strategies for success in teaching them the Faith, and providing cultural education. Chinese teaching materials were made available through several channels and a related Web page was set up on the U.S. Bahá’í Administrative Web Site.

Chinese believers were assisted to take a leading role in their Bahá’í communities, especially in the area of Chinese teaching, through programs designed to implement study groups that led to teaching and service. Macau Bahá’í Institute study materials, designed for the Chinese, were used towards this end. Related programs using Macau Bahá’í Institute materials for Chinese believers were conducted in target teaching areas. Individual Chinese believers and friends were approached for consultation on matters such as conference content and format and were asked to assist in developing projects ‎and, teaching plans and teaching plans‎.

To increase Bahá’í influence on the thinking of the wider Chinese community in the United States, especially through the Chinese media, the Task Force initiated and supported a conference of Chinese writers in the Boston, Massachusetts, area to develop feature articles about the Bahá’í Faith for submission to the Chinese print media and to explore the possibilities for using Chinese-operated media and developing such contacts. Contact was made with all individuals who have lived in China to encourage their participation and leadership in befriending the Chinese in this country.

The Task Force also worked to build and maintain a strong network of believers who are actively involved in the Chinese teaching work through the development of regionally-based e-mail networks. Contact was made with all individuals who have lived in China to encourage their participation and leadership in befriending the Chinese in this country.

In considering the activities undertaken during the Four Year Plan and analyzing the current status of Chinese teaching in the American Bahá’í community, the Chinese Teaching Task Force has identified the several priorities for the immediate future.

First, many thousands of students and scholars of Chinese background reside in major university towns and cities in the United States. Much remains to be done to reach out to and befriend these receptive populations. Identifying target communities in each region using systematic plans with a focus on loving and sincere hospitality and friendship is the key to increased teaching activity. Steps have been taken to share this strategy with the Regional Bahá’í Councils as well as demographic analyses of the areas of greatest potential receptivity and growth.

Use of the Macau Bahá’í Institute study materials and the institute process for both teaching Chinese seekers and consolidating new believers is of primary importance for consistent growth and strengthening in community and resource development. The Task Force plans to begin offering training in the use of these materials and has encouraged each Regional Bahá’í Council to consider including these courses in the Regional Training Institute programs, especially in areas of high Chinese population.

The development of materials for Chinese print and video media and continued nurturance of Chinese writers, translators and reviewers for this purpose remains an important strategy. One such group in the Boston area has formed and is planning a Writers Conference in July 2000 in that area. It is likely that guidance and coordination of this development would be best carried out at the national level.

Another important priority is the continuing education of both Institutions and individuals who are in contact with Chinese friends from the People’s Republic of China who currently reside in the United States regarding the special sensitivities involved in teaching the Chinese and embracing them into the Bahá’í community.

National Latin American Teaching Task Force

The National Latin American Task Force concentrated on two primary objectives during the Four Year Plan. The first was the important need to convey to the Hispanic/Latino believers the love of the Faith and its institutions while stressing the vital importance of their own contributions to the future life and development of the national Bahá’í community. The second was to examine the reality of the Hispanic/Latino community in the United States—its demographic characteristics, language dominance, and so on—to make understandable to the Bahá’í community at large a more accurate picture of this special population. The result has been a radical reevaluation of the traditional approaches used in teaching this minority population.

The Task Force worked on these objectives in several ways. One method was regular participation in major conferences throughout the country in all four regions. The Task Force hoped to create a paradigm shift in the manner Hispanics/Latinos were perceived and understood by individuals, Bahá’í institutions, and the Bahá’í community. This was accomplished through participation in nineteen conferences throughout the U.S. that included cities with high concentrations of Hispanic people. The Latin Task Force also met with five Continental Counselors and members of the Auxiliary Boards in Dallas, Texas (1999), and made a detailed demographic presentation about the Hispanic community that recommended areas where focus should be given to advancing the process of entry by troops.

The Task Force prepared a series of documents in support of its primary objectives and to assist the process of Latin teaching. The first document, Hispanics in the U.S., which was presented to each of the Regional Bahá’í Councils in 1997, was a demographic profile of the Latinos in the U.S. organized by state and by cities of more than 50,000 inhabitants. The second document, titled Building Bridges, was presented to the Counselors and Auxiliary Board members during the meeting in Dallas and subsequently was sent to local spiritual assemblies in Florida, Texas, New York, Virginia, New Mexico, Illinois, Arizona, and California. The third was a published report titled Advancing the Process of Entry by Troops Among the Hispanic Peoples of the United States of America, prepared in April 1999. The report detailed the Latin Task Force’s vision for Latin teaching based upon its years of experience in reaching out to the Hispanic population. The fourth document, the Southern California Media Campaign: Advancing the Process of Entry by Troops, was presented in Los Angeles, California, to assist in the launching of a major media effort initiated by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Los Angeles.

The National Latin American Task Force developed and published a bilingual Bahá’í prayer book, making it available to the Bahá’í community at low cost. The Task Force also served as a consultant for the pre-publication review of a number of teaching materials and actively disseminated information on the availability of Spanish and bilingual teaching literature and audio-visual materials.

News about the American Hispanic community was presented by the Task Force regularly in The American Bahá’í page titled “Carta a los Amigos” (Letter to the Friends). The pages featured deepening materials, all four documents prepared by the Task Force, and even a census of Hispanic Bahá’ís. The data resulting from the census was shared with the National Teaching Committee.

As the National Latin American Task Force faces the beginning of the Twelve Month Plan, it does so with great expectations for the future and a profound sense of gratitude for the wondrous opportunities now unfolding. Its immediate priorities for the future include assisting the Regional Bahá’í Councils in the transitional process of decentralization already under way; assisting the Regional Training Institutes to develop strategies and courses for Latin teaching with emphasis on children and youth; and maintaining the Spanish page in The American Bahá’í.

National American Indian Teaching Committee

The role of the American Indian in implementing the Four Year Plan theme of advancing the process of entry by troops in this country was accorded significance by the National Spiritual Assembly through the appointment in October 1996 of the National American Indian Teaching Committee (NAITC). The Committee’s main mandate was to encourage and support the efforts of individual believers and communities to advance the process of entry by troops among American Indians residing in cities, rural areas and reservations.

Guided by the Four Year Plan documents from the Bahá’í World Center, and on the strength of consultation with indigenous Bahá’ís, representatives of the Continental Board of Counselors, the National Spiritual Assembly and the National Teaching Committee, an ambitious strategic plan was devised, consisting of twenty-nine goals, which were to be implemented through key strategies contained in the NAITC’s mandate.

A first effort was to apportion the vast arena of Indian teaching among fifteen American Indian Teaching Task Forces, each named after prominent indigenous Bahá’ís who have passed on to the next world. These task forces systematically began to evaluate the opportunities in their respective regions and to devise and implement plans to raise the Divine Call among Indian people in both rural and urban settings.

At the same time, the Committee worked to strengthen and consolidate the Faith in Indian communities through the development and promotion of spiritual education programs for indigenous and non-indigenous believers, including education in the fundamental verities and in the administration of the Faith. The Committee developed and produced important new media products in support of Indian teaching and consolidation, including: the “Tree of Life” Institute curriculum, designed to educate Indian believers in the teachings of the Faith through the use of indigenous paradigms, metaphors, stories and teaching/learning styles; the video entitled All My Relations, designed to serve as an introduction to the Bahá’í Faith for native people (Bahá’ís and others alike), as presented through interviews with many Indian Bahá’ís from communities across the country; translation and publication of two Bahá’í prayers in the Chinook language; and the recording of two Bahá’í songs in the Northern Plains Indian musical style. The Four Year Plan also saw the recovery, republication and systematic use of the Bahá’í writings in the Navajo Language through an intimate deepening process called the “Navajo Learning Circles.” This new development was accompanied by many other programs offered at the Native American Bahá’í Institute (NABI), one of the National Spiritual Assembly’s permanent properties and an important center of learning that was revitalized with the Committee’s assistance early in the Plan.

Along a related path of empowerment and activation at the grassroots, the NAITC worked to encourage leadership roles by American Indian believers in their communities and in assisting other Indian Bahá’ís and collaborated in international initiatives [Page 31]involving indigenous believers in traveling teaching and pioneering. The Committee encouraged Indian-to-Indian traveling teaching. In the Western States these activities were strongly supported, including the “Trail of Light” traveling teaching tour, which commenced in August 1999 from the Native American Bahá’í Institute (NABI) to the Neah Bay Council Fire in Washington state, and points in between. The Trail of Light team characterized its trip as a “trail of miracles,” returning with many exciting stories to share. One such story involved an occasion in Idaho when the team found itself in a Native American parade, attracting the interest and praise of the audience and winning second prize. NABI and the NAITC have made plans to expand such traveling teaching into Canada and Mexico in the future.

The Committee also turned its sights to the larger American Bahá’í community, working tirelessly to educate the friends about the urgent importance and special significance accorded by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the Guardian to teaching the indigenous peoples and about the essential spiritual and social principles governing effective Indian teaching. With the active support and endorsement of the National Spiritual Assembly, the Committee promoted the new training publication titled Protocols for American Indian Teaching. The NAITC led Protocols training sessions at NABI on the Navajo Reservation; in Tulsa, Oklahoma; and in Yakima, Neah Bay, and Toppenish, Washington. It also provided consultation and guidance to believers and communities in connection with a variety of Protocols trainings held in California, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico. The Committee also furnished seminars at the Four Corners Regional Bahá’í Summer School and at the Oklahoma Fall Bahá’í School, reviewed plans and materials devised for Indian teaching and guidance regarding cultural appropriateness, and served as an ongoing point of contact for the American Bahá’í community on issues related to Indian culture and cross-cultural communication.

With an eye to reinforcing and coordinating the ongoing Indian teaching efforts underway throughout the country, the Committee began work on a national network of Bahá’ís active in Indian teaching, along with a database of Indian individuals and communities. More specifically, the Committee consulted and collaborated with other key institutions of the Faith, including: meetings with each of the Regional Bahá’í Councils, along with collaborative meetings with area Bahá’ís on those occasions; co-hosting and filming, with the Regional Bahá’í Council and the Race Unity Committee of the Southern States, a video entitled A Revolutionary Change, depicting the intimate interactions occurring in a race unity dialogue held at a retreat in Nashville, Tennessee; meetings with local Bahá’í communities involved in Indian teaching; a meeting at the Native American Bahá’í Institute with International Counselor Kiser Barnes, who provided strong encouragement to the Committee’s efforts and helped illustrate the importance of Indian teaching in the worldwide unfoldment of the Bahá’í community; coordination of the attendance of more than twenty Native American Bahá’ís at the Bahá’í National Convention in May 1999; assistance with the attendance by three Native Bahá’ís at the Pioneer Training Institute held in January at Bosch Bahá’í School, in preparation for holding Pioneer Training Institutes at the Native American Bahá’í Institute and other locations for prospective pioneers to Indian communities; and participation in February 2000 at the Bosch Bahá’í School with the other national minority teaching committees and task forces, leading to the preparation of recommendations to the National Teaching Committee on the decentralization of minority teaching committee work to the four Regions.

To facilitate the movement of Bahá’í teachers to native communities in the West, the Regional Bahá’í Council of the Western States moved to appoint a Regional Coordinator for homefront pioneering and traveling teaching specifically in Indian communities. In general, Indian Bahá’ís in several communities stand ready to enter the teaching field, but resources have not been available to support a systematic program of traveling teaching.

In the coming year, the Committee’s priorities include the training, orientation and empowerment of the regional Indian teaching task forces; collaboration with and advice to the Regional Bahá’í Councils on needs and recommended teaching strategies in each region; distribution and implementation of the “Tree of Life” Institute curriculum for the spiritual education of American Indians; expanded delivery of deepening programs based on the Protocols for American Indian Teaching materials; dissemination of high-quality audio-visual media products for teaching and consolidating the Faith in Native America; and updating and utilizing the database network of American Indian individuals and communities involved in Indian teaching. Additionally, the Committee has provided spiritual support and institutional sponsorship of the “Spirit Run,” a major seventy-nine-day teaching initiative involving the carrying of the “Sacred Leaves” of Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings on foot by nine ethnically diverse youth runners across the breadth of the northern United States, accompanied by their proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh’s Message and their invitation to the indigenous peoples of the continent to fulfill their destiny in becoming “so enlightened that the whole earth will be illumined.” The run will begin in Seattle on May 28, 2000 and conclude on the Shinnecock Reserve in New York State on August 14.

While important progress was made through these and other Indian teaching activities throughout the country, the Committee nevertheless continued to be urgently concerned about the state of Indian teaching in the United States. In particular, the NAITC noted a lack of awareness and enthusiasm in a number of communities and institutions regarding the entire Indian teaching effort. In some quarters, the Committee observed disturbing evidence of continuing patterns of racism and/or indifference to the challenges of diversity in the Bahá’í community.

It is the Committee’s view that significant success in Indian teaching—as well as in reaching and teaching other “people of color”—will depend on the extent to which the American Bahá’ís more boldly distinguish themselves from the pervasive attitudes and patterns of materialism, cultural conformity and racism continuing to infect the American society at large, as well as on the friends’ willingness to undergo those personal and community transformations that will enable them to reach out in a spirit of genuine friendship and service to indigenous peoples—and to thereby attract and sustain the interest and ultimately the enlightened dedication of those peoples to the sacred teachings of the Lord of the Age.

The National American Indian Teaching Committee eagerly awaits—and continues arduously to work toward—that day prophesied by the Master when great numbers of the American Indian people will, through the divine teachings, “become so enlightened as in turn to shed light to all regions.”

NATIONAL YOUTH COMMITTEE

The National Youth Committee’s mandate during the Four Year Plan was to provide expert study and strategic advice on youth to the National Spiritual Assembly, its agencies, the Regional Bahá’í Councils, and their regional Youth Committees; to promote the active participation of youth in achieving the major aims of the Four Year Plan; to rally Bahá’í youth in support of the goals of the National Spiritual Assembly; and to develop a national architecture for youth activity that fostered united action.

Appointed at the beginning of the Four Year Plan in 1996, the National Youth Committee established a staffed office at the Bahá’í National Center. The office serves some 15,000 American Bahá’í youth between the ages of 12 and 25, their families, and institutions by gathering and disseminating information and connecting youth to resources and opportunities.

In order to assess the status of Bahá’í youth in the United States and to assist youth in envisioning and activating their role in the National Teaching Plan, the National Youth Committee consulted regularly with individuals and Bahá’í Institutions and agencies, including the National Spiritual Assembly, the Regional Bahá’í Councils, the National Teaching Committee, the National Committee for the Equality of Women and Men, the African American Teaching Committee, regional youth agencies, and local youth committees. Members also participated in youth gatherings in all four regions of the country. During the Four Year Plan the Committee conducted studies on a range of youth issues, including the overall status of Bahá’í youth activities in the U.S., the Army of Light program, the development of regional youth agencies, the role of national youth conferences, and the issue of sexuality and abuse in the Bahá’í youth community. Other efforts included a baseline survey of Bahá’í Campus Associations and a long-term study of the Bahá’í Youth Service Corps program. The Committee also developed a systematic vision for future research.

In addition to its research function, the Committee served as a clearinghouse for information on national, regional and local youth activities. The office responded to the information needs and inquiries of the Regional Bahá’í Councils, Campus Associations, Youth Workshops, Bahá’í Schools and Institutes, Youth Service Corps volunteers, local Youth Committees, individual youth, and adults across the country. The Committee received and responded to hundreds of e-mail messages, letters and phone calls each month.

Shortly after the inauguration of the Regional Bahá’í Councils, regional youth agencies were established under the auspices of the Councils—an important step in the process of decentralization. The National Youth Committee made special efforts to assist these newly-formed regional youth entities to take on their responsibilities through joint projects, training, and the sharing of information and ideas.

The Four Year Plan witnessed a reinvigoration of Bahá’í activism on campuses. The Committee supported national projects geared to fostering collective action on campuses around the country. This included working closely with the National Committee for the Equality of Women and Men on three successive One Voice campaigns for gender equality, as well as with the Office of External Affairs in support of the Bahá’í Institute for Higher Education in Iran. More than a dozen weekend sessions for Bahá’í college students were held, aimed at fostering a stronger feeling of community between the students and stimulating teaching on college campuses. In the future, these weekends will be organized by the regional youth agencies. The Committee developed a campus associations handbook, designed to underscore the critical role Bahá’í college students play in teaching the Faith on campus and to assist them in organizing effective Bahá’í activities. In addition, Fertile Field, the national newsletter for Bahá’í campus activism, was distributed regularly to hundreds of college students.

Since the establishment of the National Youth Office, the National Youth Committee has coordinated the domestic Bahá’í Youth Service Corps program. In response to a decrease in the number of youth offering years of service, the Committee strengthened its relationship with the Bahá’í Schools and Institutes, the location of the majority of youth service in the United States. The Committee attempted to promote the year of service concept in the community through intensified correspondence with youth and with local spiritual assemblies. Each year, the office connected many individuals with service opportunities and placed several dozen in posts across the country. Considerable thought also was devoted to the atmosphere and attitudes surrounding the concept of service, and ways to increase a sense of encouragement and appreciation for those youth who devote a period of service to the Faith.

Although there has been an overall decrease in the numbers of active Bahá’í Youth Workshops in the country, workshops continued to achieve victories during the Four Year Plan. The Committee supported efforts to systematize training for workshop coordinators and members, assisted in the development of a training handbook for workshops, created an e-mail forum for coordinators, and maintained a database of workshops in the United States and abroad.

A national Web site for Bahá’í youth was established to serve as a central [Page 32]location for national, regional, and local Bahá’í youth communication, news and training materials. The site’s purpose is to share information and provide inspiration while connecting Bahá’í youth with each other and with the institutions.

The Heroic Deeds of Service project was designed in response to the Universal House of Justice’s call “to perform, during the Four Year Plan, heroic deeds of service to the Cause which will astonish and inspire their fellow believers.” It received several hundred pledges of service and personal transformation and forwarded them as a gift to the Universal House of Justice in 1999.

The Committee developed other programs as well. It planned a national youth training conference, to be held in Knoxville, Tennessee, in July 1997, which had to be canceled due to low registration. It consulted with the National Education Task Force on issues related to youth training, which ultimately led to the development of the youth empowerment facilitator training program. The Committee regularly submitted material for the youth page of The American Bahá’í. It also collaborated with the Bahá’í Publishing Trust to prepare a new edition of Unrestrained as the Wind and contributed to the production of one of the National Media Campaign videos. Finally, it conducted a quiet campaign of love, sending messages to individuals to bring them comfort, happiness and joy, and to foster closer and more loving interaction between the administration and individuals.

At the end of the Four Year Plan, major developments in the communications and training infrastructure of Bahá’í youth activities, a more sophisticated research approach, and an increased level of activity as generated by the regional youth agencies are all positive signs that the Bahá’í youth in the United States are better poised than ever before for dynamic and significant contributions to the Faith.

OFFICE OF PIONEERING

The Office of Pioneering was astounded when it paused to consider the acceleration in activities and development of the Faith within the American Bahá’í community during the Four Year Plan. The steady and ever-increasing flow of believers from the United States throughout the world reflects in great part the vast spiritual energies released by the approach of the close of the twentieth century, the pending completion of the Arc, and the establishment of a wholly new institution in the U.S. Bahá’í community, the Regional Bahá’í Councils, whose development has seemingly liberated previously unrealized potentialities.

The Ridván Messages that initiated the Four Year Plan called the Bahá’ís of the world to join in a “mobilization of effort that will ensure to generations of the fast-approaching twenty-first century an abundant and lasting legacy.” The world Bahá’í community responded to the need for an “advance in the process of entry by troops” and the U.S. believers embraced these efforts in every continent of the globe through their services as pioneers, Bahá’í Youth Service Corps volunteers and traveling teachers, each one exercising “those capacities which include the ability to take initiative, to seize opportunities, to form friendships, to interact personally with others, to build relationships, to win the cooperation of others in common service to the Faith and society.”

The past four years witnessed the emerging role of the local spiritual assemblies, these “channels of divine guidance,” in the preparation of believers for international service. The need for consultation between individuals and their assemblies is essential to the success of the friends in their intended service. Through these consultations, assemblies have been strengthened in their capacity to guide the friends, to provide ways in which the friends can attain skills pertinent to their service, and to lovingly support the members of the community in the achievement of their individual goals. In addition, individuals both gained in their own personal development and benefited from the opportunity to place their reliance upon the institution of the assembly as a pillar of support in their service to the Cause of God.

In its 1996 Ridván Message to the Bahá’ís of North America, the Universal House of Justice asked that “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 on the recipients of the Tablets of the Divine Plan.” Specific populations were given direction as to where their attentions should be focused. The believers of African descent were asked to attend to the “pressing need for pioneers who will contribute to the further development of the Cause in distant areas, including the continent of Africa....” The “friends of Hispanic background have fertile fields before them throughout Latin America.” And the call was made for “the indigenous believers who are firmly rooted in the Bahá’í Teachings” to 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.” Within the context of these calls, fortified by a wellspring of spiritual energies all systematically brought into focus, the believers of this country responded with vitality, enthusiasm, desire and commitment.

With a confidence born from the triumphant fulfillment of the Three Year Plan, the National Spiritual Assembly set the goal for the Four Year Plan at 5,700 believers—1,200 pioneers and 4,500 traveling teaching trips. As of February 29, 2000, with two months yet to complete the Plan, 6,306 believers departed for service from these shores. Among these were 2,981 traveling teachers who undertook 5,113 trips; 587 trips alone were to ‎continent the continent‎ of Africa. To date, as of the end of February, 1,193 pioneers settled abroad, 176 of these being youth who offered periods of service in every continent. By Ridván 2000 the full goal of 1,200 pioneers will have been surpassed.

In addition to the spiritual benefits of all the believers leaving these shores to serve abroad, the American Bahá’í community has been blessed by the talents and capacities of many friends who have had to return to this community after years of devoted services abroad.

Ways need to be found through which the community can embrace these valiant souls and incorporate their experiences and skills in the expansion of the Faith and the development of institutes here on the homefront. The Office of Pioneering is considering how it can more systematically encompass the experiences of these intrepid servants of the Cause in the preparation of prospective pioneers.

Looking to next year and the following Five Year Plan, the Office anticipates that the development of the Regional Bahá’í Councils, the Regional Teaching Institutes, the local spiritual assemblies and local communities will bring to focus the preparation of the friends for service to the Cause of all types, including in the international arena. Thus, in the future the Office of Pioneering’s role may change. It may not continue to be the primary consultant for each individual preparing to serve abroad, a task which, given the entry of troops of believers, will far outweigh the capacity of a staff of four or five. Rather, the Office looks to a time when it will be a resource point for the Institutions and the friends on the international needs of the Faith and a source of information and analysis for the National Spiritual Assembly regarding the international movement of the friends from the American Bahá’í community.

We are encouraged at every step by the words of the beloved Guardian when, in The Advent of Divine Justice, he reminded the American Bahá’í community: “And who knows but that‎' ,‎ when this colossal task has been accomplished a greater, a still more superb mission, incomparable in its splendor, and foreordained for them by Bahá’u’lláh, may not be thrust upon them? ... Suffice it to say that out of the turmoil and tribulations of these ‘latter years’ opportunities undreamt of will be born, and circumstances unpredictable created, that will enable, nay impel, the victorious prosecutors of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Plan, to add, through the part they will play in the unrolling of the New World Order, fresh laurels to the crown of their servitude to the threshold of Bahá’u’lláh.” And assured by the words of that same Plan reminding us that: “The moment this Divine Message is carried forward by the American believers from the shores of America and is propagated through the continents of Europe, of Asia, of Africa, and of Australasia, and as far as the islands of the Pacific, this community will find itself securely established upon the throne of an everlasting dominion.”

BAHÁ’Í HOUSE OF WORSHIP ACTIVITIES OFFICE

The Bahá’í House of Worship is a gift from the Bahá’ís to the people of the world and a center for spiritual regeneration. To maximize the service of the Temple to Bahá’ís and other visitors, the Activities Office provides numerous services, both educational and devotional in nature. During the Four Year Plan the mission of the Activities Office was to explore appropriate roles for the institution of the House of Worship within the goals of the Plan. Specific projects and practices to implement those goals were developed. As a result of such analysis, endeavors included various efforts to advance the building of relationships with Bahá’ís, with communities and with the general public near and far; to increase the presence of music in the House of Worship; to offer a venue for prayer and meditation and insight into personal spiritual development; to increase community development by offering formats for skills-building for presentations and for individual teaching; to expand outreach programs; to create computerized documentation systems to record the quantity and nature of activities; to foster ambitions for service among community members; to offer substantial training for volunteers; to increase the effectiveness of multilingual and multi-cultural teaching at the House of Worship; to create an environment of welcome for all people; and to generate varied events which accommodate the needs of seekers.

The effort to build relationships with Bahá’ís, communities, and the general public has been evident in such projects as Special Visit/Spiritual Oasis Programs—a weekend of devotions, deepening and education about the House of Worship and the Bahá’í National Center, which is conducted two or three times annually for visiting Bahá’ís and their families, with invitations extended to the national Bahá’í communities of Canada and Mexico. Story Festivals and Sunday Fellowship were developed as programs for teaching and community development tools to be utilized by the friends. Weddings, memorials and other personal occasions were conducted, and memorials for non-Bahá’í families recently emerged as a needed service.

To advance the presence of music in the House of Worship, the first step taken was to create a choir in residence to perform regularly at devotional programs and special events. A choral director was engaged to train and direct singers. The Bahá’í House of Worship Choir sings weekly for Sunday devotions, at holy day observances, and at selected other occasions. The gift from a believer of a Bösendorfer Imperial Concert Grand piano for Foundation Hall was gratefully accepted and is being carefully maintained.

Devotional programs have been offered daily in an effort to maintain a long-standing venue for prayer and meditation and insight into personal spiritual development in addition to dawn programs on holy days, special programs held at the Temple, and programs conducted by special request to meet selected other needs. The upstairs auditorium is open for personal silent prayer from early morning every day until 5 p.m., and every day until 10 p.m. from May through September.

The Activities Office has offered workshops for skills-building for individual teaching and presentations, thereby fostering community development and increased resources for programs held at the Temple. Developmental activities in devotional reading, public speaking for youth and for adults, guide deepenings, and guide training on an individual basis have been offered.

To expand outreach programs, organizations sharing Bahá’í values have been collaborators in producing various events and presentations. Members of the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Reli [Page 33]gions shared in the presentation of a World Religion Day program in January of 2000. Residents of the Village of Wilmette gathered with Bahá’ís at the House of Worship to discuss in an open forum the means to address hate crimes.

Abundant time and energy have been invested in creating computerized documentation systems to record the quantity and nature of activities held at the House of Worship. A demographic study of Bahá’ís within a fifty mile radius, a volunteerism needs analysis, and a volunteer task analysis have been completed. A volunteer data base and service tracking program have been implemented, volunteer job descriptions were reviewed and revised, the tour guide and garden teaching manual was revised, and, in collaboration with the Human Resources office, policy and documentation procedures for reviewing visiting volunteer applicants have been developed. Generous gifts of software and office equipment facilitated this process and other clerical and design work as well.

Effective service by this department requires extensive endeavors to foster ambitions for service among community members. Mailings, community visits, invitations to fill specific roles, and other personal contact efforts increasingly were employed during the past two years. The format and content of the quarterly mailings have been reshaped and continue to evolve. A four-month schedule of coming events, a policy page, Book Shop news, a children’s page, volunteer news and notes, special event highlights, music department news, and comments from the Director and staff are all current features of this correspondence. Its circulation has been expanded, now reaching all Bahá’í households within two hundred miles of the House of Worship.

Current substantial training for volunteers included General Guide/Greeter Training, Tour Guide Training, and Garden Teaching Training. Data entry and other project-specific orientations have been implemented or revised. One example of outreach through such training is the annual season of “garden teaching” activity in the summer, carried out by volunteers from 10 p.m. until midnight on weekends at the House of Worship.

To increase the effectiveness of multilingual and multicultural teaching at the House of Worship, committees were established to build activities tailored to the needs of Spanish-speaking, Chinese-speaking, English-speaking, and Indian-Pakistani cultures. A monthly fireside was conducted for each of these special groups, using native languages as appropriate. An Introduction to the Bahá’í Faith class for Spanish-speaking seekers was established, and Spanish-language readings with translation became a regular part of devotional programs. Regular Sunday afternoon programs of varied format were instituted for the public. In the Book Shop, the literature selection was expanded to include a greater diversity of languages and titles to serve the needs of an increasingly diverse visitor population.

Aesthetically pleasing details have been cultivated to create an environment of welcome for all people. A high standard of beauty in floral design throughout the public areas has been maintained and live ambient music was offered whenever possible to enhance the aesthetic experience. Approximately one million visitors were received within the House of Worship during the Four Year Plan.

With the advent of the Twelve Month Plan, this office’s ambition is to escalate its readiness for entry by troops. The Activities Office has prioritized the following criteria for selecting and shaping activities and services offered at the House of Worship.

The office seeks to offer each service to visitors to the House of Worship “as a gift to a king”; to foster an ever-maturing understanding of individual spirituality and Bahá’í community life; to cultivate widespread understanding of the evolving institution of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár among the believers and to assist them to deepen their sense of relationship to it; and to broaden the base of volunteers, thereby increasing active initial teaching and opportunities for continued and interactive seeker development.

Further goals include reaching forward to enrich the quality of family life by creating forums that encourage greater unity; to host activities that are simultaneously accessible to individuals of varied cultures, ages and personal perspectives; to review and increase the efficacy of communication with communities; to initiate the creation and publication of a compilation of writings about the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár; to continue the improvement of recruiting, training and maintaining volunteer support; and to enhance visitor experience, attracting people to the Bahá’í Faith through hospitality, beauty, and expressions of spiritual generosity.

NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR THE EQUALITY OF WOMEN AND MEN

The National Committee for the Equality of Women and Men (NCEWM) was initially appointed as the National Committee for the Advancement of Women during the first year of the Four Year Plan in anticipation of the release of the statement titled Two Wings of a Bird: The Equality of Women and Men [hereafter referred to as the Statement] written by the National Spiritual Assembly. The name of the committee was later changed to its current one in order to reflect more appropriately the role of both men and women in establishing gender equality.

NCEWM established four major goals and worked to meet objectives under each area: transform attitudes, assumptions and behaviors of men and women; raise up a new generation committed to gender equality; promote the development, well-being and prosperity of women; and encourage rapid dissemination and broad discussion of the Statement within and without the Bahá’í community.

The Committee continued to communicate with the American Bahá’í community through articles in The American Bahá’í, as well as through information posted on the NCEWM Web page, under the Bahá’í National Center’s Web site (www.usbnc.org) and letters to the local spiritual assemblies, Bahá’í College Clubs and the Regional Bahá’í Councils.

NCEWM met and consulted with local communities throughout the United States, at sites including Washington, DC; Dallas, Texas; San Francisco, California; Lansing, Michigan; Nashville, Tennessee; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Los Angeles, California. In addition, NCEWM members participated in national, regional and local Bahá’í and public conferences to present the Bahá’í perspective on gender equality, to encourage dialogue with like-minded organizations, and to motivate the friends to transform their lives and thereby the society. Examples of such conferences included: Social and Economic Development, Association of Bahá’í Studies, Office of Women’s Affairs, Grand Canyon, Desert Rose, Illinois Commission on the Status of Women hearing, United Nations, “Beijing Plus Five,” Parliament of the World’s Religions, Seneca Falls, and Feminist EXPO 2000. Furthermore, various NCEWM members served as facilitators at Bahá’í school programs on gender equality at Bosch, Green Acre and Louhelen Bahá’í Schools and two were participants in the first Equality Core Curriculum training. One member traveled extensively discussing gender equality issues especially as they were presented in her published book, Do They Hear You When You Cry.

One of the specific initiatives spearheaded by NCEWM was the Regional Training Seminars on public speaking and workshop facilitation. Five were held—one at the Bahá’í National Center and one in each of the four regions in the U.S., with approximately two hundred total participants.

Another major initiative was the first Bahá’í Therapist’s conference. NCEWM convened it to examine the impact of gender inequality on the individual, the family unit and society. It resulted in a publication for local spiritual assemblies to aid them in understanding mental health issues and in dealing with community members with mental health issues who present themselves to their local spiritual assembly for guidance.

Another significant initiative was the One Voice Campaign. For three years, in partnership with the National Youth Committee, NCEWM encouraged the Bahá’í College Associations across the nation to speak with “One Voice” during the first week of the Fast, to say a designated prayer, to present the Statement to key administrators on their campuses, and to participate in gender equality activities.

One of the most important initiatives was the National Campaign for the Dissemination of the Statement to Mayors and City Councils. To date, over 231 local Bahá’í communities reported their activities. Statements were presented to more than 169 mayors, 135 City Councils, 148 women’s organizations, and 185 community organizations. There were at least 96 proclamation events, 114 firesides on equality, 53 press releases, and 17 televised presentations.

Another key initiative was the National Campaign to Present the Statement to Governors. In coordination with the Office of External Affairs, NCEWM asked the local spiritual assemblies of each capital city in the continental United States to coordinate the presentation of the Statement to its State Governor. As of February 2000, eight presentations had been completed: Maine, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Indiana, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Montana.

Throughout each of the above initiatives, NCEWM sent letters of support and encouragement to individuals, communities and institutions hosting gender equality activities. NCEWM noted an increase in the number of workshops devoted to the role of men in achieving gender equality. In addition, NCEWM coordinated with other Bahá’í agencies, committees and institutions, such as working with the Office for External Affairs to support the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) at the grassroots level. Furthermore, NCEWM worked with the National Teaching Committee’s office on the gender equality video for the media campaign, Committee members served as part of the working group, as one of the facilitators, and as one of the participants, and coordinated with the National Education Task Force regarding the accompanying handbook. In order to explore ways to involve more children, NCEWM consulted with Brilliant Star staff and contributed to the March/April 1999 issue devoted to the equality of women and men.

One of the top priorities for the immediate future includes continued work on the strengthening of Bahá’í marriages. NCEWM appointed a Marriage Task Force in August 1999 to examine Bahá’í and other faith communities’ materials on marriage preparation and enrichment. It is anticipated that the Marriage Task Force will develop a workbook that would address some of the problems in the family stemming from gender imbalance and would offer Bahá’í perspectives to real issues facing married couples.

A second priority is to establish a greater presence in the wider community around the issue of equality. Participating in the Feminist EXPO 2000 and other networking activities has strengthened NCEWM’s relationships with like-minded organizations and it is imperative that this work be continued.

Another major priority is to gather data and conduct research to take the pulse of the Bahá’í community on gender equality, to determine what impact the release and dissemination of the Statement has had on the lives of individuals and communities, and to examine the needs and concerns facing children and youth.

It is of utmost importance for NCEWM to collaborate more with the Regional Bahá’í Councils and the Regional Committees for Equality that have been established. Furthermore, NCEWM plans to work with and support the Regional Training Institutes. In addition to encouraging individuals and communities to take advantage of existing programs like the Equality Core Curriculum and the Local Spiritual Assembly Development modules on Gender Equality, NCEWM plans to work with the Regional Teaching Institutes to provide systematic training for public speaking and workshop facilitation.

With the anticipated release of the video on gender equality, a pressing priority is the rallying of the Bahá’í community to use the video and the supporting handbook to proclaim boldly the spiritual principle of the equality of women and men to waiting souls. [Page 34]

BAHÁ’Í CHAIR FOR WORLD PEACE

The mission of the Bahá’í Chair for World Peace is to develop alternatives to the violent resolution of conflict through conflict management, global education, international development, spiritual awareness, and world trade; to share the experience of the Bahá’í world community in building a global society; and to offer the community as a model for study.

To this end the Chair engages in a wide range of activities. It conducts and publishes research, designs and teaches courses, and organizes seminars and international conferences. All its undertakings are intended to promote an awareness of the factors that create conflicts within and between nations and to assist in the search for peaceful solutions to resolve them. Its work assumes that all legitimate forms of human expression, including literature, poetry, music, and art have a role to play in producing understandings that lead to peace.

In December 1999 the Bahá’í Chair Professor was appointed an Affiliate Faculty member with the University of Maryland’s prestigious School of Public Affairs. The official letter of appointment from Dean Susan Schwab expressed confidence that the Bahá’í Chair would help “in building national and international recognition for Maryland’s great strengths in the policy arena.” This development has great significance in that it directly bolsters a core mission of the Bahá’í Chair, creating a high-caliber exchange of ideas between scholars and diverse disciplines.

NATIONAL EDUCATION AND SCHOOLS OFFICE AND NATIONAL BAHÁ’Í EDUCATION TASK FORCE

National Education and Schools Office

The National Education and Schools Office coordinates and supervises the work of the five permanent Bahá’í schools and institutes, WLGI Radio Bahá’í, the thirty-four Regional Bahá’í Schools, and the National Education Task Force. It participates in the interdepartmental Executive Board of the Wilmette Institute and the interdepartmental Task Force of the Institute for Bahá’í Studies. The office facilitates representation of the Faith with the Board of Directors of the Religious Education Association and maintains a consulting service in program development for the permanent schools. It also provides the National Spiritual Assembly with advice on educational issues.

The Education and Schools Office ensures that the work of the schools is coordinated and consistent with the National Spiritual Assembly’s educational mandates on programs and facilities. The office acts as a resource for education for individuals, institutions, and communities. Encouraging expansion and consolidation of the Regional Bahá’í Schools is also carried out by this office. In addition, it serves as a key member of the interdepartmental work on training conducted by departments at the Bahá’í National Center.

Throughout the Four Year Plan, collaboration between the Education and Schools Office and other agencies and Institutions of the Faith has increased consistently. Work with the Offices of Assembly Development and Fund Development on the creation and presentation of training programs has been designed to foster the maturation of local spiritual assemblies. Collaboration with the National Teaching Committee has resulted in the production of supplementary teaching materials for the national media campaign designed for use in local communities and Regional Training Institutes. Five sets of fireside/workshops have been produced, including The Power of Race Unity, The Power of Prayer, Family: Seeds of World Peace, and We Are One, which are distributed through the Bahá’í Distribution Service along with the corresponding videos.

Great progress has been made in the coordination and development of the Regional Bahá’í Schools. Efforts made to maintain more frequent communication and a list server created to facilitate greater interaction between the regional schools committees have been fruitful. A new Regional Schools Manual was produced and distributed. Schools committee gatherings across the country were organized which solidified the relationship between the committees and the National Education and Schools Office. The number of regional schools has increased from thirty-one to thirty-four, and those that were not functioning at the beginning of the Plan all are active and healthy now. This health is measured, in part, by a marked improvement in the numbers of schools committees that submit reports to the Bahá’í National Center, which results in more accurate tracking of progress across the country. In addition, a substantial number of regional schools hold more than one session per year, with a total of fifty-eight sessions during the past year that ranged from two to ten days.

The annual theme documents created by the Education and Schools Office each year provide a curricular framework particularly for the regional schools and have reflected the focus of the Four Year Plan. This last year, at the direction of the National Spiritual Assembly, an annual theme document titled Cultivating Distinction was produced. It is being offered to the entire community as well as to the regional and permanent schools to assist in a nationwide study of a series of writings by Shoghi Effendi. This document, along with a variety of other related resources, is being offered on the Education and Schools Office Web site and is being utilized by individuals, local communities, and Regional Training Institutes in addition to the Regional Schools to develop study programs that will foster a deeper understanding of the nature of the Administrative Order throughout the American Bahá’í community. This annual theme provides an educational foundation for the training programs and educational materials being developed in collaboration with the Office of Assembly Development and the Regional Bahá’í Council Liaison. Titled The Spiritual Nature of the Bahá’í Electoral Process, these materials will be delivered to the local communities during the last remaining months of the Four Year Plan.

An educational Web site, which was created to assist the work of the numerous Bahá’í teachers, educators, and education agencies and institutions throughout the country, is continually being expanded to better serve the needs of the friends across the country. To date, the site contains links to each of the permanent schools, the program schedules of all of the regional schools, the complete annual theme document, information on National Education programs and the National Teacher Training Center, a collection of lesson plans and activities, and the complete revised Bahá’í Scouting Program.

Brilliant Star Special Edition, historically a product of collaboration between the Education and Schools Office and the Publishing Trust, has become increasingly a project of the Education and Schools Office as its format and content are targeted more to meet the needs of teachers of children’s classes at the regional and permanent schools. This year’s Special Edition will be a completely new product designed to facilitate the instruction of children and junior youth in some of the key concepts found in the annual theme.

An assessment process, conducted by an independent assessment team to identify strengths and areas for growth in the teacher training, was begun during the Four Year Plan to determine the impact of Core Curriculum programs on the Bahá’í community. Initial results suggest very positive outcomes and indicate directions for further research. Collaboration with the National Teaching Committee has resulted in the inauguration of an in-depth research effort focused on the state of children, pre-youth and youth in their local communities throughout the country. This information will assist in guiding the development of programs and curricular materials to suit the needs of the youngest members of our communities.

Significant progress is being made at each of the schools and institutes to expand their services and improve facilities despite shortages in funding throughout the Four Year Plan. In the coming years, data collection and analysis will be used to assess the functioning of the permanent schools and long-term development plans will be created in collaboration with the Treasurer’s and Properties Offices. These plans will address the needs for increased collaboration and communication with other agencies and institutions; the clarification of the roles of the permanent and regional schools and institutes in relation to the national development of the Training Institutes; the expansion of audiences served at the permanent schools and institutes; and the further development of programs that attract families and better serve children and youth.

National Bahá’í Education Task Force

During the Four Year Plan, the National Bahá’í Education Task Force and its sister agency, the National Teacher Training Center, have designed programs and systems to raise up the human resources needed to carry out the many tasks of expansion and consolidation, including the education and training of large numbers of children, youth and adults. Through increasing collaboration with Regional Bahá’í Councils and Regional Training Institutes, these programs and systems will advance and accelerate the process of entry by troops in the upcoming Twelve Month Plan.

The efforts of the Education Task Force have dramatically reinforced the systems and resources for the spiritual education of children, junior youth and youth. These developments include the creation or revision of all seven curriculum booklets for the classroom use of teachers of children and youth; the publication of a book of carefully designed learning activities to teach children and junior youth about the life and teachings of the Báb, which accompanies the previously published learning activities book about the life and teachings of Bahá’u’lláh; and the publication of both an Individual Spiritual Education Plan and a Teacher’s Spiritual Education Plan. Both of the spiritual education planning documents assist the teacher and the learner to plan and to track their systematic completion of the curriculum units over a nine year period, as well as provide Bahá’í children with a transcript of their learning when they move from one community to another, and assist Bahá’í Institutions to assure that local or regional Bahá’í schools provide a comprehensive, formal sequence of study to raise up children and youth who will become knowledgeable, heroic champions of Bahá’u’lláh and servants to humanity.

The systematic development of teachers of children and junior youth has been enhanced by the creation of a two-year plan for the ongoing skill development of children’s class teachers as a follow-up to the Teacher Training Program. This ongoing teacher development plan assists Bahá’í teachers to become increasingly effective in their efforts to educate children and junior youth through a series of learning experiences that assist them to plan and teach effective lessons, manage unified classrooms, and adapt the lessons to the specific needs of individual learners.

The last year of the Four Year Plan saw the development of a Youth Empowerment Training Program, in concert with the National Youth Committee. This new training program raises up youth to teach the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh by strengthening their commitment to the Blessed Perfection, implementing His teachings in their lives, and practicing the skills of teaching His Faith to their peers.

Other new core curriculum training programs created during the Four Year Plan include Marriage and Family Life Training for couples; Preparation for Marriage and Family Life for youth and other singles; and the new Equality of Women and Men Training Program. During the Four Year Plan, the Parent Training Program was [Page 35]revised to include a much stronger skill-development component to assist parents to educate and train their children as Bahá’ís. In addition, both the Race Unity Training Program and the Equality Training Program were closely linked to the National Teaching Plan. All of these programs were designed to strengthen patterns of family and community life while assisting individuals and communities to reach out to teach others about these important principles. All of these training programs welcome participation by interested seekers as well as veteran and new believers.

Facilitators for these national training programs have been trained at the National Teacher Training Center to offer the programs throughout the United States as well as in some other countries. At present 255 teacher trainers, 128 parent facilitators, 165 race unity trainers, 106 marriage and family life trainers, 41 equality trainers and 45 youth empowerment trainers stand ready to offer these training programs under the direction of their Regional Training Institute or local spiritual assembly. In addition, 130 individuals from other countries around the world have been trained to offer core curriculum programs under the auspices of sister National Spiritual Assemblies.

During the Four Year Plan, the Education Task Force created and disseminated through the Bahá’í Distribution Service the Fundamental Verities Course Series, designed to directly support the teaching and consolidation work of the Plan. Part One of the series, To Serve the Covenant, assists individuals to plan and carry out the daily spiritual practices of prayer, meditation and study of the Bahá’í writings. It also helps people strive to implement Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings in their daily life, to teach His Cause, and to serve humanity. The course assists individuals to draw on their love for Bahá’u’lláh and His Covenant to begin to teach others about this Faith. Part Two of the series, Every Believer Is a Teacher, provides comprehensive training in the knowledge, spiritual qualities and skills of teaching, including such topics as building friendships; practicing listening; answering questions about the Faith based on the Bahá’í writings; planning and carrying out firesides; inviting seekers to declare their Faith; and consolidating new believers. Part Three, A New Civilization, focuses on building the Bahá’í pattern of life by raising up the embryonic World Order of Bahá’u’lláh; hosting Feasts, holy days, and devotional gatherings; participating in the Funds; and applying the principle of oneness of every aspect of community life. Part Four, Teaching Christians, builds the confidence and skills to teach Christians, using the Bible to build bridges of agreement and mutual respect.

The Education Task Force, in collaboration with the Education and Schools Office and the National Teaching Committee, has created packets of well-organized, Bahá’í writings-based interactive fireside plans to assist the friends to use the videos created for the National Teaching Plan in their individual teaching work. These fireside packets, sold with the videos through the Bahá’í Distribution Service, foster the intimate fireside gatherings that bring seekers into the loving embrace of the Faith.

The National Teacher Training Center at Louhelen Bahá’í School works closely with the Education Task Force to assist Regional Training Institutes and local communities to use all of these national training programs to achieve their specific expansion and consolidation goals. The National Teacher Training Center serves Regional Training Institutes and local centers of learning by training trainers and facilitators to offer the training programs locally or regionally; collecting feedback about the use of these programs and materials so that they can continuously improve their effectiveness; drawing upon the talents of the entire country for materials development; collecting locally- or regionally-developed courses and materials that can then be made available to Bahá’ís in other localities or regions; assisting local or regional training institutes to more effectively respond to diverse populations; and by developing a system of highly-qualified advisors to assist core curriculum trainers and facilitators to become increasingly more effective in their service.

In the upcoming Twelve Month Plan, the Education Task Force hopes to make its service to Regional Training Institutes increasingly more effective by collaborating with Regional Bahá’í Councils to implement the national training programs according to the needs of each region. In addition to further regionalizing its service, the Education Task Force plans to develop more classroom-ready materials and a Web site of lesson plans that are easy for teachers of Bahá’í children and junior youth to use in their classrooms, while at the same time increasing the use of the long-term teacher development program.

BOSCH BAHÁ’Í SCHOOL

Bosch Bahá’í School’s major goal for the Four Year Plan was to achieve “a significant advance in the process of entry by troops.” To that end the School offered programs centered on the triple themes of the Four Year Plan: Consecration of the Individual, the Flourishing of Bahá’í Communities, and the Maturation of the Institutions. Programs were offered in an environment that encouraged participants to demonstrate greater personal initiative in responding to the “requirements of the present hour.” A brief review of programs shows that courses on the theme of Consecration of the Individual included: Pioneering Institutes, Seekers’ Weekends, Bahá’í Youth Service Corps Training, Children’s Academies, Junior Youth Institutes, Youth Institutes, Summer College Institutes, College Club Symposium. In addition, children’s programs were aligned with goals from the National Education Core Curriculum. The theme of the Flourishing of Bahá’í Communities included programs that focused on The Arts and Teaching, Fundamental Verities, and Artist in Residence during the summer sessions, Choral Training, and Marriage and Family Life Trainings. The Maturation of the Institutions theme featured the launching of the Local Spiritual Assembly Development Program, which trained Assemblies in the region on consultation and trust building. More than one hundred local spiritual assemblies participated in this program. Also, training sessions were held for more than ninety assistants to the two local Auxiliary Board members for Protection and Propagation.

Bosch’s community outreach efforts during the Four Year Plan included ten Bahá’í Youth Service Corps members teaching the Faith at the University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC), involvement in an “at risk” tutoring program in Felton, California, and five hours of service per month to the Second Harvest Food Bank. The youth also offered their support to UCSC by attending college firesides and providing musical presentations. Elvia Ramirez, one of Bosch’s directors, was appointed to serve on the Board of Directors of Second Harvest Food Bank and through this appointment met key figures of the Santa Cruz community.

During the first three years of the Plan, staff hosted an Appreciation Dinner for all teachers of the local elementary schools, as well as two end-of-the-year swim parties. Bosch’s former directors, the Bedfords, served on the Bonny Doon School Foundation Board and the Rural Bonny Doon Association Executive Board.

Bosch Bahá’í School offered the local community of Bonny Doon use of its pool every Friday during the summer, which provided great opportunities to meet neighbors and give them information about the Faith and the role of Bosch as a permanent school. The school also hosted annual Labor Day picnics.

Bosch worked steadily to make the campus more diverse. The present administrators are Hispanic. The Bahá’í Youth Service Corps included youth from Canada, Chad, Congo, England, Germany, Honduras, Iran, Ireland, the Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Russia, South Africa, Tanzania, Venezuela, and from all over the United States. Bosch hosted the first Martin Luther King, Jr., Commemoration (January 2000), Latino Conferences, annual Southeast Asian Conferences, and an annual Ocean of Light Conference for Pacific Islanders.

Financial improvement during the Four Year Plan expanded sharply when sessions went from thirty-three weekends in 1996–1997 to forty-five sessions in 1999–2000, with many weekends including two or more programs running concurrently. Attendance peaked in fiscal year 1996 and, despite the expanded sessions, began a three-year, 29 percent decline from 2,800 people to 2,000 people in fiscal year 1999. At the approach of the end of the Four Year Plan, with two months remaining, attendance was projected to reach 2,700 in 2000 with a goal of over 3,000 in fiscal year 2001. Financial growth occurred in outside rentals to private businesses; such income ranged from $30,000 to $100,000. There is limited ability to expand this business option because many inquirers want to book weekend events and priority is given to Bahá’í sessions on weekends.

The Bookstore/Café made valuable contributions to the bottom line and to the enjoyment of guests. Revenues ranged from $125,000 to nearly $148,000 during the past three years and were projected to reach record levels of more than $150,000 in fiscal year 2000. During each year of the Four Year Plan, Bosch benefitted from the contributions of roughly 25,000 hours of service from Youth Service Corps and other volunteers; this is equivalent to twelve people working full time for free, or a savings of $600,000 in wages and benefits.

Special projects during the Four Year Plan included the construction of three new classroom buildings, at a final cost of under $320,000 with all but $20,000 covered by earmarked contributions. The new classrooms allowed greater flexibility and the capacity to run several programs concurrently. Bosch also collaborated with a software developer to create a customized session registration and contact management software application to track financial transactions and long-term registration of sessions. Other key capital improvement projects included major repairs to roads and parking lots; resurfacing asphalt walkways; upgrading the water system; fiberglass resurfacing of both pools; purchasing a mini van used to transport guests to and from local airports; refinishing of the wood floors in the Lodge and Yogurt Shop. Last, the renovation of two staff homes and two guest cabins were overseen from planning to finish. Moreover, a highly visible addition to the Bosch campus was the establishment of a large organic garden. Over $6,000 of earmarked contributions allowed for the construction of a large, fenced enclosure with many raised beds, plus a large greenhouse, an acre of strawberries and forty assorted fruit trees, all generating a year-round supply of fresh vegetables, fruit, and flowers.

In the next twelve months Bosch programs will be aligned with Shoghi Effendi’s infallible guidance found in Centers of Bahá’í Learning, guidance from the Universal House of Justice, the requirements of the teaching plan, and the annual study themes and recommendations provided by the National Spiritual Assembly. Bosch will continue collaboration with sister institutions and agencies to help ensure that it makes the best use of its resources in meeting the needs of the institutions, communities, and friends in the Western region. Bosch Bahá’í School will place greater emphasis on organizing courses to attract the general public; these will be promoted within the Bahá’í orbit and also through targeted marketing and advertising. Plans are in process to develop a marketing strategy to increase outside rentals by 25 percent annually. The physical plant will be expanded and improved to better house staff members with families and to accommodate a growing population of guests, especially children and pre-youth. Finally, Bosch Bahá’í School will become a leader in providing regular program content digitally to institutions, communities and individuals.

GREEN ACRE BAHÁ’Í SCHOOL

Green Acre programs focused on the fundamental goals of the Four Year Plan as well as on specific themes chosen for emphasis by the National Spiritual Assembly during the period. Among the major themes were race unity, gender equality, marriage and family life, art and literature, the education of children and youth, and skills development.

Courses related to the issue of race unity were given by some of the most [Page 36]distinguished experts in the field. Topics included the Most Challenging Issue, the Life of the Hand of the Cause of God Louis G. Gregory, and a History of Black Bahá’ís in the Diaspora. Green Acre was privileged to host the 13th and 14th annual Black Men’s Gatherings as well as the first Regional Bahá’í Council-sponsored training of Persian and African-American Race Unity facilitator teams. In 1998, a series of Race Unity Dialogues were initiated, which continue to meet regularly in the Maine/New Hampshire Seacoast area.

A series of courses on the equality of women in partnership with men was promoted during the Four Year Plan. Green Acre was chosen as the site for training sessions conducted by the National Committee on the Equality of Women and Men and for the filming of a gender equality video by the National Spiritual Assembly’s Media Services department. In addition, the school collaborated with the Sarah Farmer Women’s group on a series of commemorative events.

A variety of stimulating and practical courses for pre-youth, youth, adults and parents on marriage and family life were conducted by Bahá’í professionals in the areas of psychology and counseling. Related training was conducted for Core Curriculum-trained facilitators.

Focus on the arts promoted numerous concerts at Green Acre, by both professional and amateur musicians from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Events featuring everything from gospel choirs to South American dancers were attended by hundreds of Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís. Green Acre encouraged regular participatory singing in various languages with easy-to-learn musical orientation through the development and use of the new Green Acre Song Book. The School also produced a compact disk and an audiotape of original music titled Her Name is Green Acre, capturing the inspiring devotion and creativity of many of Green Acre’s lovers, including many notable professional musicians.

In addition to music, the school concentrated on the arts by displaying periodic art exhibitions, such as Don Camp’s moving “Dust-Shaped Hearts,” as well as an attractive historical exhibition about Green Acre first seen at the second Bahá’í World Congress, which captured the attention of the general public. Annual programs were held for Bahá’í authors to provide them an opportunity to share their creations with representatives of the Bahá’í Publishing Trust and the editors of Brilliant Star magazine. Such events stimulated authors in their work and resulted in the creation of exciting new materials for the spiritual education of children.

Green Acre systematically sought to improve the quality of its educational programs for the education of Bahá’í children, pre-youth, and youth by using Core Curriculum-trained teachers and materials and a more systematic planning and team meeting process with an increased teaching staff. More and better organized educational materials were made available and regular teacher training sessions were offered at the start of each summer.

A growing number of special institutes for special age groups was realized, such as Camp Green Acre (8–12-year-olds), Junior Youth Institutes (11–14-year-olds), and Youth Institutes (15–19-year-olds), as well as College Club sessions for older youth. The number of intergenerational activities was increased during summer and winter sessions, including occasional specially designed intergenerational courses focused on the joy of learning together as a multi-age community. Green Acre also implemented a stimulating exchange program of teachers, counselors and students with the Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute. From 1996 to 1999, there has been a phenomenal 53 percent increase in the participation of children and youth in Green Acre programs.

Another achievement during the Four Year Plan was the execution of systematic, sequential skill-building courses. Core Curriculum training programs were conducted for teachers of children as well as the Race Unity, Marriage and Family Life, and Parenting courses. Ruhi-based Training Institute programs at the basic and tutor-training levels were implemented. Green Acre also offered social and economic development training programs in collaboration with Mottahedeh Development Services and, in collaboration with the Bahá’í Business Forum of the Americas, a series of programs on the application of spiritual principles to business.

During the Four Year Plan Green Acre worked consistently to provide opportunities for people participating in the Youth Service Corps. The School increased its Year of Service staff from one member only in 1996 to five members in 2000. These youth came from the United States, Canada, Brazil, Hawaii, Alaska, England, Russia, Rumania, Bolivia and Mali. A regular program of prayers, study, deepening and skill development, including training in practical work skills, consultation, and team-based management, was devised, and the School recruited and trained about sixteen youth annually for Green Acre’s summer service program.

In addition to programming, attention was paid during the Plan to facility development and management. The extensive Ole Bull Cottage renovation project was completed and a systematic and documented facilities management program was established through which all buildings were upgraded to a notably high standard of cleanliness, safety, and extended life.

In the first three years of the Plan, Green Acre increased annual adult enrollments by 19 percent from 1,325 to 1,517 and children and youth enrollments by 53 percent from 472 to 724. Revenues increased by 39 percent, from $322,000 in 1996 to $446,000 in 1999, moving Green Acre further along toward its goal of self-sufficiency. Book sales were increased by 26 percent, from $78,600 in 1996 to $98,700 in 1999, thus contributing both to the goal of a “wider distribution of Bahá’í literature” and to revenues. It is noteworthy that the School’s systematic efforts to reduce its subsidy from the National Fund achieved a substantial decrease of 62 percent, from $143,000 in 1996 to $55,000 in 1999.

Green Acre continued to rent its facilities to like-minded organizations, hosting meetings and conferences for about twenty non-Bahá’í organizations per year. In addition to the benefit of being able to share information about the Faith with these participants, the rental program enabled the School to make greater use of its facilities during the months of September through June each year, increasing rental revenues from $6,000 per year in 1996 to $62,000 in 1999. In the 1999–2000 fiscal year, however, Green Acre had to reduce the scope of the rental program due to restrictions resulting from the recent granting of tax-exempt status to Green Acre by the town of Eliot, Maine.

Green Acre worked to improve its marketing and communications by implementing a new, more efficient computerized registration program and developing an extensive database of Green Acre participants. This resulted in the School’s first targeted mailings. Eighteen Green Acre Representatives were appointed in the Northeast and were charged with the responsibility to promote School programs in each electoral unit. A beautiful and informative Green Acre Web page was created, allowing the School to reach a significantly wider audience with information about the facility and its programs.

Green Acre Bahá’í School’s priorities for the immediate future include the further development of programs for children, pre-youth and youth. The School hopes to increase its accessibility to minority populations and to those who are unable to afford the scheduled programs. As attendance and programming increase, the School will need to give priority to planning and building new classroom facilities for adults, youth, and children and to expanding the staff to meet the needs of the greater volume of programming. And, finally, in conjunction with meeting the needs of a growing clientele, Green Acre must prepare, train and strengthen its most precious and vital human resources—its staff—in the spiritual, social and technical skills that will enable them all to serve an expanding number of guests with efficiency and love.

LOUHELEN BAHÁ’Í SCHOOL

Systematic planning, implemented in a spirit of striving and loving service to fulfill the goals of the Four Year Plan, revolved around six primary goals through which Louhelen organized its operations. These goals and their relevant results are briefly outlined here.

The first goal was to enhance and expand Bahá’í education and training programs. The total number of programs held at Louhelen annually has increased from 171 in 1996–97 to 272 in 1999–2000, representing a 63 percent increase during the Four Year Plan. This growth represents an average annual growth of 20 percent in the number of programs held in recent years. This increase reflects the growing participation of new and veteran believers in a wide variety of Bahá’í educational opportunities and increasing participation of non-Bahá’ís at the School. Further, the total number of days on which at least one program was held at Louhelen has increased from an annual total of 250 program days-in-use in 1996–97 to 270.

Within this overall picture, it is important to mention that the Core Curriculum training programs of the National Spiritual Assembly also have developed dramatically in recent years. The National Teacher Training Center, based at Louhelen, through which these training programs are continuously offered, now has a year-round training calendar that includes the following systematic training programs: Teacher Trainer Training, Race Unity Facilitator Training, Parent Facilitator Training, Marriage and Family Life Facilitator Training, Equality Facilitator Training, and Youth Facilitator Training.

Louhelen’s second goal was to foster excellence in service and in hospitality. The School consistently surveyed people who participated in its programs in an effort to understand their experience and to learn how better to serve them.

During the past two years, as one means of measuring evidence of the quality of service, Louhelen surveys asked guests to evaluate all aspects of the School’s service and programs, with all Louhelen Bahá’í programs included. A total of 9,736 guest responses rated the total Louhelen experience—including such things as communications; purpose, quality and usefulness of programs; faculty quality; spiritual atmosphere; registration; cleanliness; and food service—using the following scale: 5 = “Excellent”; 3 = “Acceptable”; 1 = “Disappointing.” ‎Over all Overall‎ survey results revealed that 91 percent of the guest responses rated School services at 4 or 5 [Excellent or Very Good] and 9 percent rated School services 3 [Acceptable] or lower. For comparison purposes, the annual studies conducted by J.D. Power and Associates—which conducts a highly respected, independent annual survey of guests using full-service hotel conference centers—typically finds that 53 percent of guest responses rate hotel services as ‘Excellent’ with 14 percent of guest responses noting significant problems with their stay.

The School’s third goal was to establish a strong rental program as an avenue of proclamation, community service, and revenue enhancement. Louhelen increasingly enjoys a respected reputation as a regional center favored by many non-Bahá’í organizations and groups seeking a beautiful, service-oriented meeting facility that is comfortable in serving diverse populations. Louhelen’s rental program attendance has increased 67 percent during the Four Year Plan, and Louhelen has developed a respected reputation for quality and service among leading community groups who hold programs at the School, including major corporations such as General Motors and EDS, major universities and colleges, and a diverse array of religious and community service groups. One of the areas of pride for those serving at Louhelen is the strong presence of predominantly African-American groups in the rental program.

A further indication of public recognition of the quality of Louhelen’s service to the wider community was the choice of Gary Schmicker, Louhelen’s Chef, as “Chef of the Year” for Genesee County. This prestigious award, for which all chefs from all restaurants and hotels in the county are considered, is based on anonymous guest recommendations as well as professional evaluation.

It is also interesting to note that, on more than one occasion, groups that have [Page 37]held programs at Louhelen have written appreciative letters, which have included significant spontaneous cash contributions. Although the School could not accept the contributions, appreciation for them has been warmly acknowledged with the request that the group apply the contribution to some public work of service that would benefit the wider community. Such letters offer important testimony to the value of Louhelen’s service in the eyes of our non-Bahá’í guests.

Louhelen’s fourth major goal during the Four Year Plan was the maintenance of an excellent physical plant and to upgrade facilities with a consistent, excellent preventive maintenance program and wisely-planned improvements. As a result of efforts toward this end, guests and program participants often comment enthusiastically about the beauty and good maintenance of Louhelen’s grounds and facilities.

During the Four Year Plan, two new houses were built to house on-campus residential staff, thus increasing the School’s capacity to adequately staff School operations as efficiently as possible. Further, three adjoining properties were donated to the School by Bahá’ís, which has augmented the School’s capacity to serve more effectively. In addition, a new large classroom building project is currently under development.

A fifth goal was to increase attendance at programs. Full-time annual attendance at Louhelen programs has increased from 12,445 in 1996 to 14,241 in 1999. Overall, since 1995, Louhelen has had a 10 percent average annual growth rate in full-time attendance. Full-time attendance refers to one person attending a program for a full day. Counting all those persons who participated in Louhelen programs, the total number of individuals who participated at the School on at least a part-time basis has risen from 16,303 in 1996 to 18,384 in 1999.

The sixth goal was to improve the financial basis of School operations. One of the most important elements in improving the financial basis of School operations was to increase the full use of facilities on a year-round basis. During the 1999–2000 program year, Louhelen facilities booked programs on 75 percent of days when it would be possible to host a Bahá’í or rental program; this compares with 58 percent of possible days in 1991. Since the School is already heavily used on all weekends and throughout the summer, the primary avenue of increasing days-in-use is through the promotion of the School’s mid-week rental program.

In response to the mandate of the National Spiritual Assembly that the permanent Bahá’í Schools strive toward ever-increasing levels of financial self-reliance, Louhelen has made some significant gains. At the end of the Four Year Plan, Louhelen meets approximately 70 percent of its annual operating expenses from self-generated revenues, compared with 39 percent in 1991. This gain has been made primarily through increased efficiencies and a focus on increasing revenues such as bookstore sales and non-Bahá’í rental fees—an approach that allows progress toward greater financial self-reliance while, at the same time, preventing increases in Bahá’í program fees, which might limit access to the friends.

Given Louhelen’s future destiny as a university, which was foreseen by the Guardian, and its currently evolving role as a center of Bahá’í higher education and training, it is interesting to compare the basis of Louhelen’s financial operations with that of colleges and universities within the wider society. Such a comparison finds that about 71 percent of Louhelen’s annual operating revenues come from tuition and fees charged for program participation, compared with 40–50 percent for the average college or university.

As Louhelen prepares for the next series of plans instituted by the Universal House of Justice, its most immediate objectives can be briefly summarized with the following goals:

• Carry forward and continue efforts to increase progress on goals of the Four Year Plan.
• Continue to foster increasing attendance and participation in School programs by the widest possible body of believers, seekers, and public community members.
• Increase collaboration with local spiritual assemblies and Regional Training Institutes to maximize the reach and effectiveness of Louhelen services to local and regional institutions.
• Continue to expand programs for the training and education of children, youth, and families.
• Build upon an excellent reputation for service and programs by further refining a distinctive example of how we serve, not just what we teach.

LOUIS G. GREGORY BAHÁ’Í INSTITUTE AND RADIO BAHÁ’Í WLGI

The Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute and Radio Bahá’í WLGI, in response to the goals of the Four Year Plan, served as resources for the training, teaching, and consolidation of Bahá’ís and of listeners to WLGI. The functions held at the Institute have served families, local spiritual assemblies, the Regional Training Institute, the Regional Bahá’í Council, individuals, groups and institutions throughout the state of South Carolina in an effort to accelerate the process of entry by troops and to prepare trainers and an active core of trained believers, including youth, junior youth and children, in a loving and spiritual atmosphere. During the Four Year Plan, Institute activities were aimed at developing communities in the local geographical area and centered upon social and economic development and human resource development. WLGI continued to stimulate inquiries about the Faith throughout the Plan by strategically and creatively airing broadcasts about the equality of men and women, the elimination of prejudice, Feasts, holy days, regular prayers, race unity, selected writings from the holy texts, and on-air firesides. Both the Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute and WLGI were dedicated to collaborative efforts with local communities and agencies and continued working toward the process of social and economic development, education and consolidation.

The lack of staffing and reduced numbers of volunteers has been and continues to be an ongoing challenge as administrative staff, support staff, education personnel and volunteer services have not been replaced when vacancies have occurred. Although programs, training, broadcasts, conferences, and regular classes were held, the urgent need for additional support and skilled personnel grew during the Four Year Plan. There is a demand for replacement staff for imminent vacancies, and Year of Service volunteers are needed to adequately manage the quality of summer and year-long programming and broadcast scheduling presently being maintained by a skeletal crew. Other challenges were related to the physical facility, which has been in need of remodeling, building, and repair throughout the Plan and has also placed the Institute in desperate need of assistance.

During the Four Year Plan the Institute conducted annual programs such as Peace Fest, a proclamation festival of the arts for the entire community with peace as its central theme; conferences for young Black males, co-hosted with the Department of Mental Health, with medical and mental health professionals; and Summer Academies for youth, junior youth, and children to develop them into spiritual warriors with the capacity for leadership and traveling teaching. Ongoing Worship Services continued weekly throughout the Plan as well as weekly Bahá’í youth and children’s classes held at the Institute for Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í participants.

Every year WLGI provided technical support and assistance to neighboring Martin Luther King, Jr., Day programs. It also provided on-air and technical training to approximately fifty youth and adult volunteers. The station emphasized Bahá’í artists during the Plan and a significant increase in Bahá’í material and music was obtained. Renovations to the new radio station building were completed and the staff moved into its new facility.

Other activities occurred at intervals during the Four Year Plan. Agricultural workshops and community development workshops were held, as were Pioneering Institutes and Youth Service ‎Corp Corps‎ training. Core Curriculum Teacher Training was conducted for staff on a quarterly basis for the teachers of youth and children’s classes, increasing the number of trained teachers on campus and in the immediate area. Three staff members and year of service volunteers conducted year-round youth and children’s classes. Volunteers conducted and acted as counselors for summer training and recreational programs. Trained core curriculum teachers visited the Institute to conduct a Junior Youth “Fundamental Verities” weekend (2000) and Junior Youth, Children’s, and Youth Academies (1999). Race Unity Dialogues were held quarterly in 1998 and 1999. Ruhi courses on ‎Reflections of the Life of the Spirit Reflections on the Life of the Spirit‎ were held in 1999 and 2000, hosted by the Regional Training Institute Board. Periodic teaching and consolidation efforts, which included staff and traveling teachers, were sponsored by the Institute for local communities. The inaugural Black Men’s Gatherings were held at the Institute, and a Bahá’í Choir, formed by children and youth in 1997, has continued to perform and acquire new songs to date.

New programs were developed and aired by WLGI during the Four Year Plan, including “Sister to Sister,” a program for and by women, featuring interviews with women from many occupations, health tips, nutrition, and poetry; a program called “51%”, also for women; and a regular program about the weather, the environment, science, and astronomy. More than 2,500 health, events and service announcements were broadcast for local schools, colleges, churches, community organizations, and agencies. In 1997, a professional audience survey revealed that WLGI was reaching 25 percent of households within its listening area; 75 percent of them knew that Bahá’ís believe in God, the oneness of mankind, race unity, and service. More Bahá’í artists have been featured over the years, along with an increased emphasis on music that reflects Bahá’í principles, racial harmony, prayer, and reliance on God. A fifteenth anniversary open house celebration for WLGI was held in December 1999, which was attended by former and present staff and the community. The event acknowledged the station’s long standing and distinguished service to the community. WLGI maintained its status as the largest and widest-reaching teaching instrument in the state of South Carolina and continued its excellent quality of service.

The Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute’s future goals involve the National Spiritual Assembly’s decision for the Institute’s transition to a community center focused on social and economic development and community development centered around its local community. Additional permanent staff currently are being sought; it is anticipated that new administrative and support staff will unveil and orchestrate the Institute’s new direction and mandate. This new direction will require staff development, training, and ongoing collaboration with Mottahedeh Development Services. Collaboration will continue with the Regional Bahá’í Council of the Southern States, the Regional Training Institute Board, and the Institution of the Learned. Renovations, refurbishing and improvements to the physical facility—namely the dorms, auditorium, men’s cottage, and the entire kitchen—are scheduled to begin in Spring 2000.

NATIVE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í INSTITUTE

As we approach the conclusion of the Four Year Plan, the Board of Directors of the Native American Bahá’í Institute (NABI) is greatly encouraged by recent progress in the maturation of this unique and significant outpost of the Faith in Navajoland. Under the guidance and inspiration of the National Spiritual Assembly and the Regional Bahá’í Council for the Western States, as well as in intimate consultation with members of the Continental Board of Counselors and its Auxiliary Board, NABI has taken on its designation as a Regional Training Institute (RTI) with enthusiastic, yet focused energy. Being organized as a Board of Directors, with the co-administrators as members of this Board, has streamlined communications and galvanized initiative.

The NABI Board is unified in thought, spirit, and action. The NABI campus has renewed its character as a haven of peace, [Page 38]welcome and unity, and training programs have evolved as the result of the dynamic process of planning, action, and reflection. At the same time, the Institute has provided support and strategic leadership in the teaching field and has begun to establish new partnerships, both within and outside the Faith.

Among the most significant victories during the past four years has been the establishment of a systematic delivery of courses aimed at the development of human resources in a manner consistent with the cultural richness of our target population. The curriculum includes courses addressed to the individual institutions and the community. Training programs include the Ruhi sequence, Navajo Learning Circles, teacher training, traveling teacher training, personal skills development, the Core Curriculum sequence of Local Spiritual Assembly Development modules, the social and economic development sequence, and the National American Indian Teaching Committee Protocols training.

A significant aspect of human resources development is in delivering training in the remote areas of our vast region, as well as on the Institute campus. About half of the training is delivered at the local level. Another signal victory is the delivery of the fundamental verities in a culturally relevant manner, using Navajo-language translations of prayers, Hidden Words, Ruhi training materials and selected sacred writings in learning circle environments within the home. These often simple programs have been intended to reconnect the hearts to Bahá’u’lláh.

The Ruhi Study Circles follow the same pattern; they incorporate and reinforce Bahá’í principles reflected in the guidance and symbols of the traditional culture. At the suggestion of Counselor Barnes during his recent visit to NABI, more local materials are being developed. In addition, the stories of the early believers and pioneers in our region are being collected and published in writing and on cassette tapes.

In collaboration with the local spiritual assemblies and groups in this area, community programs training has been designed to engage individuals and institutions in service to the community. The initiatives include support of local Council Fires, traditional Beauty Way ceremonies, Learning Circles, Trail of Light Traveling Teaching projects, Family Camps, Children’s Tutoring Assistance, Summer School, and Regional Youth Programs. Programs to educate children and attract youth have become well established and have stimulated numerous local initiatives and classes within the region. These have led to local teaching victories and heightened attention to Bahá’í service.

As a measure of progress towards the development of human resources, NABI programs served nearly 10,000 individuals during the past year alone! Of this total, nearly 2,000 received formal training, 6,000 participated in informal community development programs, and 2,000 attended traveling teaching programs.

Equally significant, during the past year we trained: 29 Core Curriculum Teachers; five Core Curriculum Trainers; 18 SED Trainers; two Youth Empowerment Trainers; 15 traveling teachers, and three Pioneer Trainers. Six indigenous believers were prepared for volunteer service at the Bahá’í World Center or for traveling teaching trips to Russia and Siberia. NABI provided materials and leadership support to tutors in organizing local programs in a systematic manner, and also enlisted nearby faculty resources, including five Master LSA Trainers, a master Ruhi trainer, and a Stewardship trainer.

As a Bahá’í Center of Learning, NABI’s priorities for the immediate future include continuing the systematic delivery of established training programs through collaboration with sister institutions; doubling the number of trained tutors and the number of tutors delivering local training, perhaps by using mobile classrooms or resource centers; making culturally relevant materials and methods more fully operational; delivering children’s education and youth service programs to a larger segment of the public; and relevant campus improvements to accommodate heightened activity, including reliable telephone and e-mail systems.

This organizational, programmatic, and service growth has renewed the region’s optimism and emboldened the Board’s thinking and planning about NABI’s further evolution in the coming months and years. As the spirit of the work has been revived, and as the quality, diversity, and responsiveness of programs and services have matured, the Board’s attention is now drawn back to the beautiful campus that serves as the Institute’s physical, social, and educational, and administrative center.

The beauty of the Navajo landscape and the simple elegance of the Institute’s early buildings have combined to make NABI a place of inspiration and renewal for the Navajo friends and for people of many backgrounds from near and far. It is also the place from which the Master’s guidance for our times is realized in the hearts of individual indigenous believers, who, as they receive education and obtain guidance, “will become so enlightened as in turn to shed light to all regions.”

WILMETTE INSTITUTE

The Wilmette Institute was established in 1995 to offer courses and other educational services. It seeks to raise up diverse, knowledgeable, articulate teachers and administrators of the Bahá’í Faith by imparting knowledge; developing various skills, particularly teaching skills; and fostering Bahá’í identity. It receives no direct financial support from the Bahá’í National Fund but funds its programs through tuition fees and donations.

When the Four Year Plan began, the Institute was just a year old and had not completed its first four-year program. During the Plan it accomplished the following:

Spiritual Foundations for a Global Civilization Program

The four-year Spiritual Foundations program held all four of its summer sessions during the Plan, with an average annual attendance of thirty. Every year the students studied all major aspects of the Bahá’í teachings, history, and scripture; attended workshops on public speaking, creative writing, conflict resolution, and public relations; and participated in seminars on teaching the Faith. The majority of students reported a great increase in their self-confidence, in their efforts to teach the Faith and lead deepening classes, and in the number of seekers who have enrolled as a result of their participation (about one hundred over the four years that they attribute to the Institute). Much experience has been gained over the last four years, and the next four-year cycle, which begins in May 2000, will feature a shorter summer session, fewer months of home study, more focused classes, and the option of taking distance-learning courses in subjects of special interest to the student.

Distance-learning courses

The Internet and World Wide Web have revolutionized delivery of courses to students scattered across the United States and around the world. The Wilmette Institute launched its first distance-learning course in January 1998 and subsequently has offered courses on sixteen distinct subjects—six surveying the writings of Bahá’u’lláh historically and one each on the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, the Kitáb-i-Íqán, The Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh, The Advent of Divine Justice, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Chinese Religions, and Zoroastrianism. Each course features a list server for student and faculty discussion; conference calls that allow students and faculty to talk together; firesides, deepenings, or institute courses developed by students as part of each course’s requirements; and written exercises chosen by the students. Approximately three hundred students enrolled in Wilmette Institute courses during the Four Year Plan. A survey of the students is not complete, but many have recounted numerous teaching opportunities as a result of Wilmette Institute courses; many describe heightened enthusiasm and confidence in teaching; and about ten enrollments attributable to efforts related to Wilmette Institute courses were reported.

Publicity and marketing

The Institute has had to develop a systematic and ongoing effort to raise the Bahá’í community’s awareness of the Institute, its purposes, and its offerings. Over the last four years it has developed a publicity plan consisting of annual publicity mailings, regular press releases to The American Bahá’í and other news organs, mailing of “ambassador kits” to many of its students before unit conventions, and a regular presence at the Grand Canyon, Desert Rose, Rabbani Trust, Green Lake, and Association for Bahá’í Studies conferences, as well as the National Convention. The selection of a logo and creation of stationery, a banner, and other “identity materials” have given the Institute a consistent “look.” A Web site that is now one of the most popular Bahá’í sites has heightened the Institute’s visibility. A toll-free number (877-WILMETTE), newly acquired in early 2000, will make the Institute and its far-flung staff easier to reach. Its quarterly newsletter, The Lamp, is now mailed to about nine hundred people in ten countries. Its list server of current and former students and friends has some five hundred subscribers and provides a means for rapid dissemination of news. An annual catalog has been developed and regularly updated and a faculty handbook released.

Administrative developments

All the above activities were accomplished by an institution with no permanent full-time staff. Youth year of service assistance, periodic full- or part-time support, and help by volunteers has kept the administrative work going. Because some part-time work has been off site, telephone and Internet communication has been vital to maintaining efficient coordination.

Financial developments

The Afsharian Endowment and the Orlando Nunez Endowment, which provide financial aid to needy students, give limited support to the work of the Institute. Semiannual fund raising efforts have begun to build up the Institute’s modest endowment, but a continuing and increasing flow of grants and donations is required if the Institute is to have a firm financial base.

International outreach

The Institute has provided study materials or advice to national, regional, or local training institutes in Alaska, Australia, France, the Gulf States, India, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom. In late 1999, the National Spiritual Assembly of New Zealand recognized a Wilmette Institute representative, who coordinates publicity for Wilmette Institute courses, registers local students, and collects tuition in the local currency for the Institute under the Assembly’s supervision.

The Wilmette Institute has begun to develop a Twelve Month Plan and a Five Year Plan. Among their features are the following:

In response to the National Spiritual Assembly’s priorities for study, the Institute has created courses on The Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh, The Advent of Divine Justice, and The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh to be given in 2000. In 2001 the Institute will offer courses on The Secret of Divine Civilization and Epistle to the Son of the Wolf.

The Institute is utilizing the pool of study materials developed for the Spiritual Foundations for a Global Civilization program to develop new distance-learning courses. Over the next four years (2000–2003) the Institute hopes to be able to launch thirty-nine new distance-learning courses in such diverse areas as the life of Bahá’u’lláh; the life, writings, and talks of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá; the life and writings of Shoghi Effendi; Bahá’í history; Bahá’í theology and philosophy; individual development; marriage and family life; development of the Bahá’í community; the Bahá’í teachings on global issues; and teaching the Faith.

With the creation of a Bahá’í satellite broadcasting system, the Institute will explore ways it can create courses using that medium.

The Institute plans to collaborate with the national youth desk in creating an introductory course on the Faith that college students could take for credit toward their degrees, and it has also discussed with the National Teaching Committee creating courses suitable for the growing pool of seekers. [Page 39]

PROPERTIES

HOUSE OF WORSHIP CONSERVATION

Conservation work during the Four Year Plan was characterized by transition for the Temple Conservation Team. It saw the culmination of the stabilization of the House of Worship and the initiation of a conservation and continuous care program for the Temple that will insure the preservation of the Mother Temple of the West for the next one thousand years.

During the Plan the Temple Restoration Project was completed. The project corrected considerable deterioration that had occurred over long years and enhanced the building’s structural integrity. The restoration work was based on a long-term perspective, employing the best conservation techniques available and assuring that the completed improvements would significantly extend the life of the affected building components.

A significant result of the project was that it received high honors and awards for the outstanding innovations used and for its advancement of the state of the art in quality, craftsmanship, engineering and construction technology. These successes have established the patterns for the future of the conservation program.

The adoption of a permanent, comprehensive program of conservation for the House of Worship ushered in a new phase of responsibilities. Actions taken thus far under this program revolved around refining initial plans, establishing a team of skilled staff members, expanding resources, and managing activities that impact the facility. Principles, policies and an operational structure were established that include ongoing inspection, needs assessments, thorough documentation, testing, and finally, the implementation of preventative and corrective measures. A detailed training and safety program was put in place to ‎facilitates facilitate‎ staff development through extensive instruction and research. Testing and research have continued in an effort to sustain the evolution of the Temple’s care. Patience and dedication to detail led to discoveries of historical information, uncovering original details of the construction process.

Engineering and planning have proceeded in preparation for the next phase of repairs to renew materials that are now forty-five to fifty years old. Upcoming work will focus attention on restoration of the gardens, repairs to the fountains, and replacement of the monumental stairs and terrace of the House of Worship.

In passing the milestone of moving from a mode of reacting to crisis to one of planning and ongoing care, the Temple Conservation Team has identified the House of Worship’s long-term needs. The necessary preparations for such work already have begun. Although implementation will begin during the next twelve months, the work will require several years to complete.

Major projects include replacing: (1) all monumental stairs and landings, (2) the ornamental pavers in the terrace at the bottom of the monumental stairs and adding proper drainage, (3) the ornamental concrete caps on the top of the first story pylons, (4) all of the garden fountains’ plumbing, concrete, tile, and ornamental coping stones, and (5) the gardens’ sprinkler system, lighting, aged trees and shrubs. Some limited deterioration of the ornamental concrete on the first story cornice also must be repaired.

In the coming year the Team will fortify training and expand in-house seminars for properties staff, enhance its safety program, and advance concrete research, testing and development. Research on the weathering and deterioration of the temple’s ornamental concrete and the development of repair methods for thin surface restoration will be a critical aspect of this work.

The systematic care of the holiest House of Worship will continue with inspections and investigation of existing conditions. Analysis of this information will enable the Team to project measured rates of deterioration and to plan preventive maintenance better. This work, coupled with dedication to the highest standards of workmanship, can only improve the Team’s effectiveness as it faces the inevitable challenges of preserving the Temple.

BAHÁ’Í PROPERTIES OFFICE

During the Four Year Plan, the Bahá’í Properties Department (Properties) supported the teaching efforts of all departments of the National Spiritual Assembly by insuring that their immediate work environments and support facilities were maintained in a pristine condition. The Properties Department works diligently to insure that physical conditions do not hamper the ability of fellow employees to provide support services to and for the National Spiritual Assembly and its agencies, Bahá’í and other visitors, and organizations that are guests of the National Spiritual Assembly.

To this end Properties has maintained the Bahá’í House of Worship, the National Center administration building, the Hazíratu’l-Quds, the Prayer Garden, the Publishing Trust, the Bahá’í Home, the Properties buildings, and two residences in Wilmette. It provided management assistance for eighteen other properties in the United States, including the three permanent schools, the Wilhelm Properties, and the Louis G. Gregory and Native American Bahá’í Institutes. Inspections and consultation with local property administration and facility managers helped to assure consistent standards for maintenance, repair, additions, and new construction at all properties and facilities owned by the National Spiritual Assembly. All of these functions and operations will continue throughout the coming Twelve Month and Five Year Plans.

The scope of management and maintenance included the sale of some gift properties; cleaning, repair, and construction tasks; designing replacement parts and material; grounds maintenance; and so on. Each property is, and is treated as, a spiritual trust that must be maintained with the highest standards of quality workmanship, maintenance, repair, and expansion in a manner that is befitting of property owned by the National Spiritual Assembly and used for the progress of the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh.

Other accomplishments during the Four Year Plan were the establishment of a contract to purchase and install generators at three properties, including the Bahá’í National Center; the installation of a new fire alarm system at the House of Worship; modernization of the north elevator at the Bahá’í National Center; and contracts to purchase and install a new air conditioning chiller and boiler at the Bahá’í National Center. Properties also managed contracts for the installation of a new carpeting, new kitchen counter tops and new window shades at the Hazíratu’l-Quds as well as the contracts for the installation of a new roof at the 121 Linden residence and maintenance of the roof of the Hazíratu’l-Quds. Some of the aforementioned contracts and services will continue into the Twelve Month Plan.

The Properties Department will continue in all subsequent plans to provide the highest quality level of service to maintain all facilities and grounds for the National Spiritual Assembly in its desire to demonstrate that Bahá’í Institutions are setting an example for others to follow.

PUBLISHING

BAHÁ’Í PUBLICATIONS

Bahá’í Publications is a coordinated group of operations providing publishing and communication services to the Bahá’í community on behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. During the Four Year Plan each operation has undergone major reorganization and expansion, further developed essential core competencies, produced a wide array of information-based products, and established critical collaborative ties with other key agencies such as the National Teaching Office and the Office of Education and Schools to advance the process of entry by troops. Most notable among the group’s accomplishments over the past four years are the expansion of new titles offered by the Bahá’í Publishing Trust; the initiation of a new book imprint for the purpose of making Bahá’í literature available to the general public through trade bookstores and libraries; the expansion of the Bahá’í Distribution Service and its relocation from Chattanooga to the Atlanta area; the massive increase in the production capability of Bahá’í Media Services, due in part to the conversion from analog to digital editing technology; and the redesign of the periodicals The American Bahá’í and Brilliant Star to enhance their readability and attractiveness.

The Bahá’í Publishing Trust honed core competencies in the acquisition, development, design, and production of books. With only four staff members, the operation published sixty new titles and/or new editions while completing an additional seventy reprints and/or composition and design projects. While ensuring the availability of the sacred and authoritative texts, the Publishing Trust supported the National Teaching Plan by developing new titles focusing on themes such as the equality of women and men, race unity, the power of prayer, and the family; and by expanding its range of titles to reach a broader audience. Some of the most notable works published during the Four Year Plan include Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963–1986; Two Wings of A Bird: The Equality of Women and Men, a statement by the National Spiritual Assembly; Advancement of Women: A Bahá’í Perspective, by Janet Khan and Peter Khan; The Light of Unity, a series of booklets developed to support the national media campaign by highlighting Bahá’í teachings on the subjects of race unity, prayer, equality of the sexes, and family; self-help and deepening materials such as Assisting the Traumatized Soul; Healing the Wounded Talisman, Helping Joe Strong, The Seeker Interaction Model, The Ocean of His Words: A Reader’s Guide to the Art of Bahá’u’lláh; Love, Power and Justice: The Dynamics of Authentic Morality, and The Station and Claims of Bahá’u’lláh; and a colorful range of children’s titles including Pure Gold: The Story of Louis G. Gregory, A Prayer for Fluffy, Maggie Celebrates Ayyám-i-Há; Children’s Stories from The Dawn-Breakers, and Ali’s Dream.

The publishing organization also began reorganizing itself to establish a presence for Bahá’í literature in general trade bookstores and public libraries. It was acknowledged that this undertaking will require several years of development and investment to make a positive impression on the competitive and expensive commercial book trade. The new imprint, Bahá’í Publishing, will offer its first list of books to the trade in fall 2001. This long-awaited expansion is an integral element of the National Teaching Plan and is occurring in close collaboration with the National Teaching Committee.

The Bahá’í Distribution Service is responsible for delivering the products produced by Bahá’í Publications and those produced by the many other publishers and producers of Bahá’í material around the world. An increasing emphasis is being placed on marketing. Close ties were established with major Internet retailers such as amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com to ensure that Bahá’í literature is available through these outlets. The forthcoming BDS Web site, bahai-booksandmusic.com, is being developed and will soon be accessible. Other marketing efforts to provide the Bahá’í [Page 40]community with information on available Bahá’í materials include the Bahá’í Reader, periodic postcards, new product announcements, and a quarterly price list. Greater collaboration with National Assembly-owned retail sales outlets at the permanent schools and the Bahá’í House of Worship was also established. The relocation of the Distribution Service from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Fulton County, Georgia, allows for expansion of stock and staff as needed and conveniently positions the facility near an overnight shipping hub and Atlanta’s Hartsfield International Airport.

From the beginning of the Plan, the Bahá’í Distribution Service saw the need to reorganize in preparation for the acceleration of the process of entry by troops. As BDS realigned functions and responsibilities, they kept two mandates in mind: (1) disseminate publications at the lowest possible cost and (2) function as a self-sustaining business. Other agencies of the National Spiritual Assembly also created teaching and training materials during the course of the Four Year Plan. The prices of some of the most popular teaching and deepening publications were reduced, while new low-cost teaching materials were brought out and deeper discounts for communities were introduced. The results have been both a triumph and a challenge. The popularity of the less-expensive items increased by 21 percent the total number of units shipped by BDS; however, incoming revenue was reduced by 9 percent. Other vital steps in Bahá’í Distribution Service activity during the Four Year Plan were the integration of the subscriber services function with BDS customer service; the expanded role of local publications coordinators so they could become a more effective community resource; the inauguration of a special events program, making it easier to have book-stores at conferences and other large Bahá’í gatherings; and the extension of customer service hours at the Distribution Service.

Bahá’í Media Services developed its process of content creation by undertaking a multi-year growth plan which included migrating its technology from analog to digital video production; recruiting and developing individuals with specialized media skills; and integrating the print, video, and new media work flow into a single organization. Media Services supported the National Teaching Plan with the production of two thirty-minute outreach videos: Family: Seeds of World Peace and Speaking of Gender. The Bahá’í News-reel was also produced three times a year during every year of the Four Year Plan. In addition to providing critical audio-visual support services to the House of Worship, to every Bahá’í National Convention, and to numerous special events during the Four Year Plan, Media Services staged a historic live satellite broadcast to over fifty remote sites, enabling Bahá’ís across the United States to view the proceedings of the 1997 National Convention. Several special documentary video projects were produced at the request of the Universal House of Justice: a video on the election of the Universal House of Justice and a video of the funeral services of the late Hand of the Cause of God ‘Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum.

The periodical publications of the National Spiritual Assembly also saw significant change and reorganization during the Four Year Plan. With the convergence of digital technologies, the sounds, words, and images of the Bahá’í experience can now be captured and processed digitally. This change made possible the integration of The American Bahá’í and Brilliant Star into the Media Services organization to facilitate the better sharing of information and resources. These periodicals have been redesigned to reflect a greater use of color and graphics. World Order magazine is also undergoing many changes with the appointment of a new editorial board, which has developed a comprehensive three-year acquisitions and marketing plan defining the contents and direction of future issues so that theme-based issues reflect the goals of the Universal House of Justice and the National Spiritual Assembly. The next steps will be redesigning the quarterly to update its appearance and appeal. The Internet is being used to encourage a wider range of contributors.

Priorities for Bahá’í Publications in the coming year include supporting the National Teaching Plan through the publication of teaching materials, outreach videos, and books of interest to the general seeker and ensuring the effective flow of information to the friends so they will feel an even greater closeness to their beloved Faith. Specifically, the Bahá’í Publishing Trust will develop its first list of books for a general trade audience under its general trade imprint; the Bahá’í Distribution Service will launch its new Web site and improve its marketing communications; Media Services will prepare to document the growth of the Faith, to develop a digital archival and retrieval system better utilize work already produced, and cover the commemorative ceremonies planned for the official opening of the Arc and Terraces at the Bahá’í World Center; and the periodicals will ensure quality coverage and timely delivery of essential information and themes to the Bahá’í community.

NATIONAL BAHÁ’Í ARCHIVES

As one of the service agencies of the National Spiritual Assembly, much of the work of the National Bahá’í Archives remains constant from Plan to Plan. The Archives’ constantly expanding holdings of the sacred writings and relics, the records of the National Spiritual Assembly, and other archival collections must be protected, while the Archives staff also conducts its important work of providing reference and research services. However, there have also been some new developments during the Four Year Plan in how the Archives is used by scholars and about progress in working with non-textual collections.

A primary responsibility of the Archives is to provide research services to the National Spiritual Assembly and its agencies, particularly the supplying of historical and biographical information and photographs about individuals and communities and the retrieval of files from National Center record series. The four largest users of the Archives were the Secretariat (26 percent of requests), the Encyclopedia Office, the Bahá’í Publishing Trust, and Media Services. In order to provide more efficient access to records, 106 linear feet of files were added to house processed National Center record series.

The Archives has been primarily responsible for maintaining and expanding the National Bahá’í Library, which has proven to be an important reference source for the Bahá’í National Center staff. Staff use of the library has been steadily increasing; this past year there was a 52 percent increase in the number of items checked out over the previous year.

The Archives has noticed a growing number of local spiritual assemblies are celebrating anniversaries or researching their local history. The Archives provided historical information or photographs to sixteen local spiritual assemblies. The Archives also revised its set of biographical sketches of prominent Bahá’í from minority backgrounds and added a chronology of interracial unity activities in the United States. The sets continue to be popular with local communities with sixty-four sets being supplied. Finally, the Archives assisted local spiritual assemblies in managing their local archives by providing information to seventy local communities in ‎twenty nine twenty-nine‎ states.

On the international level, the Archives provided information and copies of documents to the Bahá’í World Center and other National Assemblies. Archival advice was given to the National Bahá’í Archives of Alaska, the Bahamas, Germany, Indonesia and Spain. A new development was the close collaboration that has been developed with the archivist of the Canadian National Bahá’í Archives, who made a visit to Wilmette to consult on matters of common concern.

The Archives contributes to developing human resources through the use of its collections by scholars. Besides the traditional research for biographies of famous Bahá’ís, such as Leroy Ioas, the Archives has now seen archival collections being used in artistic endeavors. Archival research was used to produce dramatic pieces by three Northwestern University students and by two Bahá’í playwrights writing plays on Thornton Chase and on Juliet Thompson. The Archives continues to be a mecca for Robert Hayden scholars. Eight researchers used the Robert Hayden Papers, including professors from the University of Chicago, the University of Illinois/Chicago, the University of Michigan and Iowa State University. Seven books and five articles in scholarly journals were published that used either research or photographs from the Archives, including Leroy Ioas by Anita Ioas Chapman and Planning Progress by June Thomas.

To support scholarly research, an active program of acquiring and processing collections of personal papers was pursued. During the past four years the Archives acquired fifty new collections and eighty additions to existing collections and processed sixty-seven collections of personal papers. The processed collections enlarged the holdings relating to international pioneering, with the Marion Little Papers, Phillip Marangella Papers, Olive McDonald Papers, Valerie Wilson Papers and Kay Zinky Papers; and homefront teaching, with the Magdalene Carney Papers and Winston Evans Papers. The Archives also has been creating a number of computer indexes to its processed collections, as well as specialized indexes for the membership of various Bahá’í institutions.

A new display area for the sacred relics was finished at the beginning of the Four Year Plan. The Archives had long needed a more fitting and dignified area to display these precious relics. The display area also has had a significant impact on the numbers of Bahá’í who have been able to view the displays; the attendance figure increased 104 percent over the previous four years.

During the Four Year Plan the National Bahá’í Archives started to address the challenges of its non-textual collections. Computer indexes were created for the Audio Tape Collection (4,690 reels), Video Tape Collection (470 reels) and Motion Picture Collection (60 titles). The Archives staff researched the new technology and developed a proposal to transfer the contents of deteriorating audiotapes to longer lasting compact disks. The Archives also received a significant donation to the Works of Art Collection—a sand painting of the Greatest Name by David Villasenor. The Works of Art Collection now contains over one hundred items, including significant collections of works by Mishkin Qalam, Mark Tobey and Marion Jack.

As the Twelve Month Plan approaches, the Archives has two main priorities. The first is to continue to provide prompt and well-researched responses to all reference and research requests, which have increased 19 percent over the previous four years, as well as maintaining the current levels of processing of archival collections and record series to enhance access to historical and administrative information.

The second task is to implement several new projects utilizing new technology. The Archives will be acquiring new library computer software to automate cataloging and circulation functions in the National Bahá’í Library. New equipment is on order that will allow the transfer of the contents of audiotapes to compact disks and can scan photographs to create digital copies upon request. [Page 41]

HUMAN RESOURCES

During the Four Year Plan, the Office of Human Resources was fortunate to attract many outstanding applicants and devoted individuals to serve the National Spiritual Assembly at the Bahá’í National Center and its outside agencies. More than 250 individuals joined the staff during the Plan, an average of five to six per month. Hundreds of applicants and thousands of telephone inquiries also were processed during the period. Recruitment of new staff has been maintained at a high level and it is anticipated that this trend will continue into the future.

Among those who have come to serve the National Assembly are youth and young adults who served in the various offices and, in particular, the Conservation Project. The young staff members provided invaluable service to the Conservation Project at an extremely affordable cost to the National Assembly, while also acquiring skills that will serve them well for a lifetime. In addition to the services of the young, there have been a number of retired individuals who served in various capacities at the National Center.

Human Resources implemented a data tracking system to enable the office to more readily access potential staff for both paid and volunteer positions. A plan has been put into place to add individual information to the database, which will provide the Human Resources office with the capability to call upon believers with various expertise from whom the National Center may seek advice.

During the years of the Plan the office was able to negotiate many thousands of dollars in savings to the National Fund through shrewd management of the employee medical plan without sacrificing the benefits afforded those who serve the National Assembly. Human Resources also initiated orientation and staff training programs taught both by current staff and by invited professional trainers and speakers who donated their services to the National Center. Projects such as newsletters, telephone directories and advertisements have all been produced in-house within the Human Resources office.

In the immediate future the office’s goals are to continue to attract highly skilled and devoted individuals who are willing and able to serve the Faith, young workers, and also more seasoned professionals who may choose to take sabbaticals from their careers for a given period of time.

INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT

The Information Services Department (IS) used the Four Year Plan to reinvent the support services it provided to the National Spiritual Assembly and its agencies, to the Regional Bahá’í Councils, and to the American Bahá’í community. In the last year of the Plan, the department’s goal was to realize a significant change to the infrastructure that could sustain impending substantial growth. Work to achieve this goal also will be carried out during the coming Twelve Month Plan.

Many accomplishments towards this goal already have been achieved. One of the most significant was the establishment of a national Wide Area Network (WAN), which links the Bahá’í Distribution Service office in Atlanta, Georgia; the Office of External Affairs in Washington, DC; the Green Acre Bahá’í School in Maine; the Louhelen Bahá’í School in Michigan; the Bosch Bahá’í School in California; and the Bahá’í National Center in Evanston, Illinois. This WAN provides faster, more reliable communication between these sites and with the Internet, and easier administration of the networks at each of these sites from the National Center.

IS continued to remove and replace network servers that had become old and problematic. A change to NT as the network operating system was completed. Servers were added to increase capacity and many steps were taken to increase “up time” by spreading network functions, applications, and data across several servers and by improving back-up procedures, software, and equipment. A microwave wireless system was installed at the Bahá’í National Center campus, bringing the House of Worship, the Hazíratu’l-Quds, the Bahá’í Home for the Aged, and the Bahá’í Publishing Trust into the national network.

The National Spiritual Assembly’s Y2K issues were very minor, due mainly to plenty of work done in advance to prevent any problems. IS rewrote code and replaced non-compliant equipment and software prior to the beginning of the year 2000.

Major changes to the electronic and telecommunications areas have been planned in anticipation of future growth. Partially driven by the Y2K issues with certain computer applications, cc:Mail was replaced at all sites by Microsoft Outlook. The telephone system at both the National Center and at the House of Worship is outdated; a new system has been identified and should be implemented during the Twelve Month Plan.

As the Internet continued to grow at an ever-increasing rate and, during the last year of the Plan, IS staff expanded from one part-time to two full-time positions to manage work in this area and further expansion will be needed soon. The Bahá’í National Center outgrew its Internet connection and obtained a better connection (full T1), which gives three times the throughput.

There was a dramatic increase in “hits” on our Web sites. In mid-winter 2000, the popular House of Worship “Cam” received more than ten thousand hits in under two weeks after being named a “Top Ten WebCam site” by Earthcam.com. The U.S. Bahá’í Administrative Web site (www.usbnc.org) was rebuilt from the ground up. Refinements were made to the public Web site (www.us.bahai.org) and such work will continue into the next plan. An e-commerce site (www.bahaibooksandmusic.com) was developed in conjunction with the Bahá’í Distribution Service and will be launched later in 2000. IS will continue to bring the Web sites of offices or agencies of the National Spiritual Assembly in house since there is now the server capacity to do so. The department also started to host other countries’ Web sites.

The Application Development area of Information Services was very busy planning the complete rewrite of all databases in use at the Bahá’í National Center. The current applications are in an older database program. As part of a plan to build the infrastructure for large-scale growth, IS will use new technology that can scale easily.

In the last year of the Plan IS undertook a project to replace the old Image processing system by which all correspondence received at the National Center was scanned and made available through computer technology. The project has been completed and the old technology retired. During the coming year, IS plans to expand this system and make it more closely integrated with other internal information systems.

Another significant accomplishment was the writing of the seekers-tracking system in support of the National Teaching Campaign using the media. This software application tracks contacts either from calls to 800-22UNITE or the requests for more information that come through the public Web site. The system underwent continuous revisions as the 800-22UNITE project developed and its needs grew.

The Membership and Records offices within the department continued to be busy areas due to the establishment of the new image processing system. All documents received at the National Center are scanned and filed on a CD-ROM jukebox, making them available electronically to the appropriate staff. This system has reduced significantly the need for storage space; consequently, staff have moved to a smaller area. The Membership office processes more than 30,000 address changes per year, in addition to name changes, local spiritual assembly officer elections, and transfers in and out of the American Bahá’í community.

The LSAI project—Local Spiritual Assembly Integration—went to beta testing in March 2000. The current configuration of LSAI consists of an Outlook-like Web interface and includes current community membership lists and an agency directory. This will take the place of the semiannual membership list. Every assembly that participates in LSAI will have up-to-the-minute information for its community. LSAI will allow assembly secretaries to make membership changes that in the past have been done on Membership Data Report Forms. LSAI also includes visibility to the 800-22UNITE seeker database for the communities that are participating in both programs. The next version will allow communities to enter information regarding follow-up on the seekers they received from the 800-22UNITE seeker program. That also will allow the National Spiritual Assembly, through the National Teaching Committee, to assess the response to the media campaign and to analyze the results.

As a component of LSAI, e-mail addresses will be available for all local spiritual assemblies that will be consistent from year to year, in much the same way some assemblies use post office boxes. The addressing system also will provide a standard naming convention for all local spiritual assemblies, for example: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Local spiritual assembly e-mail using this system would originate from the e-mail server at the Bahá’í National Center, resolving concerns on matters of the authenticity of electronic communications. Having the local spiritual assembly e-mail accounts on the Bahá’í National Center’s in-house mail system will simplify automation for the rapid distribution of communications to local assemblies from the National Spiritual Assembly.

The IS Department continues to keep in mind the growing need for decentralization of functions. It plans to assist in the accomplishment of such goals by standardizing the systems it uses, which will greatly benefit the U.S. Bahá’í community in the coming Twelve Month and Five Year Plans.

MEETING PLANNING AND TRAVEL SERVICES

During the Four Year Plan, the Meetings and Travel Office provided the National Spiritual Assembly and its committees and task forces, the Bahá’í National Center departments, and the four Regional Bahá’í Councils with meeting planning services, hospitality and travel services. Such services, consistently undertaken in a loving and caring way, were accomplished efficiently and kept in mind cost-effectiveness in consideration of the funds of the Faith.

To improve services, departmental procedures for the handling of travel requests and guidelines for on-site meetings were redesigned, resulting in increased efficiency and cost savings. An agreement with United Airlines for a 5 percent corporate volume discount and travel agency agreement saved $13,196 in 1999. Efforts were made regularly to arrange air tickets so that more than twenty-one days of lead time insured maximum savings on air travel.

The Office contracted for a new site for the 91st Bahá’í National Convention. The new site featured improved services and general on-site conveniences for less cost.

During the Twelve Month Plan the Office hopes to improve further the way guests are welcomed and to provide for the meeting and travel needs of those whom it serves with even greater logistical and financial effectiveness.

PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICE

The Public Safety Department is responsible for safety and security at the Bahá’í National Center. It serves the National Spiritual Assembly, its staff, volunteers, visitors, and special guests by providing for the security of all properties, including the Bahá’í House of Worship, the National Center Offices, the Publishing Trust, the Bahá’í Home, the Hazíratu’l-Quds, and other properties that must be maintained.

The safety and security of the House of Worship is maintained by regular patrols of both the interior and exterior of the building every day. Approximately 16,800 such patrols occur yearly. Patrol officers often greet and serve all late night visitors to the House of Worship; in the past year 8,005 late night visitors were welcomed. Officers answered their questions about the building and the Faith and invited [Page 42]them to return during normal House of Worship visiting hours. Constant vehicular patrols and foot rounds also were conducted at all of the remaining properties, adding another 7,500 vehicular/foot rounds during the past year to the Bahá’í properties.

Providing service to the staff, volunteers and visitors is accomplished in many different ways. For example, last year the department responded to approximately 2,500 calls for service, including transportation of staff and/or materials, lockout of autos, traffic direction, personal injury accidents, and so on. Public Safety monitors and maintains the access control to buildings, alarm and video systems for all Bahá’í properties, and provides for the safety and security for all special events and meetings held on Bahá’í properties. These activities include assisting in setting up events, traffic direction on the parking lots and streets, guiding visitors to appropriate parking, and escorting physically challenged individuals into the events. The Public Safety Department also has the distinct honor of serving the members of the National Spiritual Assembly and the Continental Board of Counselors by planning and providing their transportation while they are in the vicinity of the National Center.

Public Safety faces the challenge of providing a safe and secure environment for everyone at the Bahá’í National Center while coexisting with a society that has crime, accidents, injuries, and special community events or needs. Officers respond to and investigate all incidents, accidents, injuries, alarms, suspicious situations, and unusual circumstances that occur on Bahá’í Properties twenty-four hours daily. The department interacts regularly with local Police, Fire, and other community agencies and constantly trains its officers to ensure they are able to meet any situation.

The Public Safety Department is confident that it will be able to provide the necessary services for the safety and security of the ever-increasing numbers of Bahá’ís and other visitors who will come to the National Center during the next year. ♦

HEALTH FOR HUMANITY

During the Four Year Plan, Health for Humanity (HH) continued to grow and evolve. It increased support and networking capacity from 800 members and supporters in 36 countries to 1,533 members and supporters in 56 countries. The number of U.S.-based regional HH Networks doubled from four to eight, two of which have hired administrative support to expand their capacity. The central office strengthened its capability by expanding office space, increasing staff from one full-time volunteer and one full-time employee to two full- and one part-time employees, and one regular part-time volunteer, and by adding three new computers, additional telephones and other office equipment. The HH News was published regularly throughout the Plan and for the last two years handsome annual reports were sent to all members and supporters.

HH collaborated and/or formed partnerships with a growing number of other social and economic development agencies and national and international organizations to support other health-related projects. New projects were established, focusing on literacy, the eradication of River Blindness (by request of the World Health Organization via the Bahá’í International Community), smoking cessation, the strengthening of marriage and family life, promoting healthy cross-racial relationships between health care providers and patients, and the adoption of a youth mentoring project for under-served inner-city youth. Through further collaborative efforts, representatives went to and participated in Office of Social and Economic Development (OSED), United Nations, World Health Organization and other international conferences focused on development and/or health.

Increased institutional capacity allowed for several new developments, including increased fund raising capacity through the tracking and soliciting of annual membership donations and by attracting a vast increase of donations from $13,000 at its second annual fund raiser in 1995 to $60,000 at its sixth fund raiser in 1999.

Confidence was expressed by numerous donor agencies by HH receiving and successfully administering grants. Among the major foundations are the Soros Foundations’ Open Society Institute, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the A. Montgomery Ward Foundation, the Harris Foundation, the Saul and Devorah Sherman Foundation and the Mary Jane McMillen Crowe Foundation.

Towards the later part of the Four Year Plan, and in accordance with guidance in messages from and approved by the Universal House of Justice regarding social and economic development, the HH Board of Directors and staff held a retreat with network liaisons and other individuals. The retreat resulted in a systematic plan of decentralization to draw out new leadership and to benefit from the unique talents of more participants across the country. Subsequently, the following steps have been taken: (1) the continued periodic study of social and economic development guidelines from the World Center; (2) the clarification of HH’s vision and mission statements so that, as the organization evolves, it strives to comply more fully with the guidance received; and (3) the creation of four national committees as a foundation preparing HH for the exciting opportunities envisioned for the future.

In compliance with the Day of the Covenant letter from the Universal House of Justice, Health for Humanity has embarked on a “twelve month effort aimed at concentrating the forces, the capacities and the insights that have so strongly emerged” during its life. In order to pursue its mission into the future, Health for Humanity is undertaking a comprehensive reorganization to carry it forward over the next stage of its evolution. A key focus will be to consolidate and expand HH membership, programs, office functioning, communications and marketing, networks, interorganizational relationships, grant writing, and fund raising.

The concepts of social and economic development as received from the World Center, which agencies throughout the world are gradually adopting, will be increasingly shared with our membership and volunteers in training sessions, enabling more effective contributions from all who support HH programs.

In order to carry its work successfully into the future, Health for Humanity will strive to enhance the opportunities for youth involvement. Efforts will be made, especially through mentoring activities, to expand the opportunities for young people to experience the joy and personal growth benefits of health development work.

A particular area of international program focus for HH is China. A number of efforts have been sponsored over the past few years, and signs are very promising that these nascent collaborations will expand dramatically in the near future.

As a matter of policy, HH will continue to respond, insofar as it is able within the constraints of its mission and finances, to requests received from institutions of the Faith for assistance.

As the international stature of the Faith and the global order evolves, Health for Humanity will advance its understanding of the social and economic development possibilities inherent within the Bahá’í teachings. A vital initiative is documentation of program outcomes through case studies. Using a process of consultation, action and reflection, Health for Humanity will strive to refine our undertakings to conform with the science of releasing human potential that is so central to the gift that Bahá’u’lláh’s system has bestowed on humanity.

MOTTAHEDEH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

In November of 1997 the Board of Mottahedeh Development Services (MDS) submitted a two-year plan that concludes with the end of this year. That plan stated that MDS’s mission was “To promote Bahá’í social and economic development and to stimulate action in the spirit of service to humankind. The vision of Mottahedeh Development Services is a Bahá’í community in which active service to the larger community is an immediate and organic expression of Faith leading to the strengthening and expansion of the Bahá’í community.” The plan further stated that, “Over the next two years, Mottahedeh Development Services plans to focus its efforts in the following areas: training and education, material development, skill development and technical support to social and economic development projects, enhanced communication and recognition, funding assistance, and youth training.”

For the past two years MDS has focused on the mission to increase institutional and human capacity within the Bahá’í Community to engage in social and economic development. The following are specific actions over the past year.

Social and Economic Development (SED) Training

MDS has conducted numerous workshops to train project facilitators using the Developing Patterns of Community Life book. To date, 210 individuals from 34 states have participated in SED training. The introductory course, SED 1, has been offered at all permanent Bahá’í Schools—Green Acre, Louhelen, and Bosch—and at the Native American Bahá’í Institute. It also was offered at the Family Unity Institute in Atlanta, Georgia, and at Brighton Creek in Washington State. The SED 2 course has been conducted at Green Acre, Louhelen and the Family Unity Institute. In addition, SED facilitators have provided basic SED training at the Blue Ridge weekend retreats in North Carolina. A third and possibly fourth course are planned that will focus on specific skills such as facilitation, project management, grant writing, and so on.

Cooperation with Rabbani Charitable Trust

This year, as in prior years, MDS supported the Rabbani conference by assisting in recruiting participants and in facilitating sessions. The Business Forum once again assisted in the development of sessions concerning business and economics.

Consultation with Communities

Members of several communities have visited the Family Unity Institute and consulted with Carole Miller, MDS’s domestic program director, about how to establish similar projects in their communities. In addition, thirty MDS-trained facilitators have consulted with local communities or conducted deepenings on social and economic development. MDS Board Members also consulted with numerous projects, such as the Táhirih Peace Institute, the Táhirih Justice Center, Voicemail for the Homeless, and the Cleveland Community Garden in Ohio.

Resource Bank Development

MDS is creating a resource bank. This is a survey of individual facilitators who possess specific skills and are willing to consult with communities or projects in those areas. For example, the resource bank includes individuals who are competent in grant writing, fund raising, project management, project evaluation, and forming non-profit organizations.

Materials Development

MDS believes it can assist in the development of human and institutional capacity by developing user-friendly training and learning materials. During the past year MDS published and distributed approximately 1,200 copies of its basic SED introductory workbook, Developing Patterns of Community Life. MDS also authorized Nur University to translate the workbook into Spanish and to distribute it.

Development has begun on a skills training workbook, tentatively titled The Skills of Servant Leadership. The first related module, “Facilitation Skills,” is now available for download from the MDS Web page; the download includes Power- [Page 43]...point overhead presentations that support this module as well as the entire introductory manual.

Communications

Part of MDS’s responsibility is to serve as a vehicle for knowledge sharing and networking. A revised Web site (www.mdssed.org) has been launched ‎share to share‎ knowledge, cases, and resources with those interested in social and economic development. The Web site contains project case studies, MDS News, educational resources, and links to other helpful sites.

Bahá’í Business Forum of the Americas

This year Mottahedeh Development Services appointed a new Board for the Bahá’í Business Forum of the Americas (BBFA). The following are some of the activities of BBFA.

A Curriculum Development Team was appointed and is working with the Directors of the Green Acre Bahá’í School to develop a continuing professional-level set of courses about management and leadership for Bahá’í business persons, Bahá’í administrators and, eventually, the general public. Members of this team already have presented several courses at Green Acre and Louhelen. Two members of the BBFA board are researching and working toward the development of a youth training curriculum in entrepreneurship that would incorporate Bahá’í principles.

The Bahá’í Business Forum of the Americas has initiated Local Enterprise Networks, which are monthly meetings held in local communities at which Bahá’í business persons gather to deepen on the Bahá’í writings. The Networks also provide opportunities for like-minded individuals to meet and to consult about business challenges. BBFA also maintains an Internet Business Forum, a discussion forum for those interested in business and economics. Its Web page can be found in the MDS Web site, and contains articles that can be downloaded, stored discussion threads, and links to useful business resources.

In the near future, MDS will focus on a few key areas.

First, with regard to training and education, MDS is developing a network of coordinators and facilitators to parallel the development of the Regional Bahá’í Councils and the Regional Training Institutes. MDS has assigned or is in the process of seeking a regional coordinator for each of the regions to serve as a primary social and economic development resource to the Regional Bahá’í Councils and to coordinate the efforts of the SED facilitators in each region.

MDS also will work to identify MDS-trained facilitators who are competent to deliver weekend courses for training institutes in each region. This training would follow the material presented in Developing Patterns of Community Life rather than having each Training Institute develop its own SED course, since MDS already has done the development work. By providing materials and trainers, MDS hopes to speed the work of the Institutes. Such assistance to the Institutes will supplement, not replace, offerings of courses at the permanent schools.

A second area of focus will be to develop training for youth. MDS will be working to create an SED curriculum geared toward young people to help them establish the pattern of service in their lives.

Work will continue on developing the resource bank and providing technical assistance. A continued effort will identify individuals with specific skills to assist communities and projects.

MDS also will continue to develop training modules on specific skills to assist the development of social and economic development projects. Currently planned are modules on motivation, project management and grant writing.

Further work will be done to enable the MDS Web site to be a primary vehicle for communication. Other communications will include biannual production of MDS News to publicize SED efforts and articles in The American Bahá’í.

Finally, the BBFA soon will consider a proposal to directly fund a start-up company that would be owned by Mottahedeh Development Services. The intent of this business would be both to develop a revenue stream to assure the sustainability of MDS efforts and to serve the Bahá’í community through the business activities. BBFA also will continue all of its initiatives currently under way.

ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE REGIONAL BAHÁ’Í COUNCILS

REGIONAL BAHÁ’Í COUNCIL OF THE CENTRAL STATES

The Regional Bahá’í Council of the Central States first met on December 5, 1997, and began working to better understand its function and purpose through a consultative meeting with the National Spiritual Assembly and the Continental Board of Counselors. This process was enhanced by further meetings with these institutions and by the Council’s study of a variety of Bahá’í writings, including the Tablets of the Divine Plan and documents from the Universal House of Justice. According to the House of Justice, “The main task of a Regional Bahá’í Council is to devise and execute expansion and consolidation plans in close collaboration with the Local Spiritual Assemblies and the believers within its area of jurisdiction. Its goal is to create strong Local Spiritual Assemblies....” These plans were to harmonize with the National Spiritual Assembly’s strategic plan for large-scale growth in the United States.

In obedience to the Universal House of Justice, and after consultation with Counselor Stephen Birkland and a number of local spiritual assemblies and believers in the central states, the Regional Bahá’í Council developed and released in August 1998 a regional plan for the concluding years of the Four Year Plan. The Council called upon the believers and institutions of the twelve central states to adopt the following summarized goals:

• Generate new expansion and consolidation projects, or refine or enlarge such projects already in motion.
• Enhance the teaching effort among special racial and ethnic populations and youth.
• Strengthen and support participation in the national race unity campaign and the media campaign, and promote racial unity and the equality of men and women.
• Promote an increase in contributions to the Fund and develop regional economic resources.
• Encourage spiritual assemblies, groups, task forces, and individuals to develop teaching plans and to become directly linked with regional training institute programs where accessible.

In an effort to form warm and loving relationships and collaborate with the local spiritual assemblies and believers, as well as to advance the goals of the regional plan, the Council arranged to meet in various locations throughout the region. By the end of the Four Year Plan, the Council had met at least once in every central state, meeting with numerous communities, individual believers, and nearly half of the local spiritual assemblies in the region. Further, the Council communicated with the institutions and believers through letters, phone calls, the national Bahá’í administrative Web site, e-mail, community gatherings, conferences, special programs, and summer and winter schools.

The Council realized the importance of developing a close collaborative relationship with the institution of the Learned; it was imperative to optimal functioning. To this end the Council has met and consulted with Counselors Stephen Birkland and Jacqueline Left Hand Bull. The Council invited the Auxiliary Board members to attend and participate in institutional meetings throughout the region, as well as in two collaborative meetings with the regional training institutes and the Auxiliary Board.

The Council was blessed to meet and consult alone twice with the National Spiritual Assembly. These meetings were tremendously supportive and helped to guide the Council’s work. The Council also participated in several joint meetings that included the National Spiritual Assembly and all four Regional Councils. The Council has also met with the National Teaching Committee, the National American Indian Teaching Committee, the National Latin American Teaching Task Force, and the Chinese Teaching Task Force.

In meetings with local spiritual assemblies and communities the Council stressed the significance of the Tablets of the Divine Plan, the guidance of the Universal House of Justice during the Four Year Plan, the regional plan, and the importance of developing and implementing local expansion and consolidation plans to direct the teaching work, further community development, promote a goal-directed process, and allow for evaluation and continued advancement of the teaching work. A focus on using media and developing systems at the local level to respond to and track seeker activity was a feature of these gatherings. The observance of the eightieth anniversary of the unveiling of the Tablets of the Divine Plan, held at the Bahá’í House of Worship, offered another opportunity to consider the role of the central states in advancing the process of entry by troops.

A cornerstone to all of the Council’s efforts was the establishment of the regional training institutes. The Universal House of Justice stressed the importance and role of these institutes. “To effect the possibilities of expansion and consolidation implied by entry by troops, a determined, worldwide effort to develop human resources must be made... it is therefore of paramount importance that systematic attention be given to devising methods for educating large numbers of believers in the fundamental verities of the faith....” At present, five nationally designated regional training institutes have been established in the central states. These include, the Dorothy Baker Regional Training Institute in Ohio, the Milwaukee Metro Regional Training Institute in Wisconsin, the Chicago Regional Training Institute in Illinois, the Minnesota Regional Training Institute in Minnesota, and the Gateway Regional Training Institute in Missouri. The Council or its representatives met with all of the regional training institutes and hosted a meeting at Louhelen Bahá’í School with Counselor Birkland and members of the Auxiliary Board and the regional training institute boards. The Council also hosted a second meeting that included those already mentioned as well as the members of the Council’s committees.

The Council specifically encouraged local spiritual assemblies in areas served by the regional training institutes to develop expansion and consolidation plans. The planning workbook created by the Regional Bahá’í Council of the Western States was provided as a resource where the institutes did not have planning curriculum in place. Through this process the Council hoped to stress the importance of the link between teaching projects and training activities.

During the Four Year Plan, the Council encouraged communities to initiate, refine, or enlarge expansion and consolidation projects, incorporating the elements of promoting entry by troops. For this purpose a project was defined as a combination of coordinated expansion and consolidation activities performed by the believers and institutions and addressed to a selected target population identified as receptive to the Faith.

In an effort related to advancing this goal, the Council established projects using the media in collaboration with the National Teaching Committee, Auxiliary Board members, local spiritual assemblies, regional training institutes, and communities in the greater Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Columbus, Ohio, areas. The opportunities created by the media are to be maximized by incorporating the dimensions contained in the compilation Promoting Entry by Troops as the standards for the planning and execution of the media project and further community development. These projects will be advanced through skill-based courses provided by the regional training institute and will rely on intercommunity collaboration, fostered by the establishment of a media task force that functions under the direction of an area assembly.

In support of local teaching plans and efforts, a network of traveling teaching coordinators—one for each state— [Page 44]has been established with two regional traveling teaching coordinators to facilitate the process. Complementary to this process, a homefront pioneer coordinator was appointed to identify and promote strategic goals in the region. The homefront pioneer coordinator is preparing specific goals for the Twelve Month Plan to raise groups to assembly status.

For generations the American Bahá’í community has sought to enhance the diversity of its membership to reflect that of the world at large. According to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, "This diversity, this difference is like the naturally created dissimilarity and variety of the limbs and organs of the human body, for each one contributeth to the beauty, efficiency and perfection of the whole" (The Power of Unity, p. 52). To ensure that all limbs and organs are present and contributing to the whole, it becomes necessary to ensure that the community embraces and enfolds all the peoples of America, allowing none to feel woefully outnumbered or marginalized. The National Spiritual Assembly called special attention to the need to promote the teaching work among Latin American, American Indian, Chinese, and African-American peoples. The Council called upon the friends in the heartland of America to elevate the diversity of their numbers and to develop loving friendships with members of the above minority groups in particular, and to teach and welcome them into the Faith. Regional teaching committees were appointed for African American, Chinese, and Latin American populations to provide resources to local spiritual assemblies and facilitate teaching work in this area.

Since the Faith's inception, youth have played an essential role in advancing the Cause of God, particularly because of their energy, enthusiasm, and optimism about the future. The Council encouraged youth to take up the banner of the Cause, while assemblies, communities, and individuals were asked to pay special attention to the needs and potential of their youth and to help increase their numbers in our communities. The Council began a practice of holding a special meeting for area youth in every community in which it conducts its Council meetings. This has helped the Council to learn of the concerns, opportunities, and needs unique to the youth. Four regional youth committees have been appointed and are assigned to the respective areas of (1) Ohio and Michigan, (2) Illinois and Indiana, (3) Minnesota, Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, North Dakota and South Dakota, and (4) Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri. These committees have been asked to identify and implement strategies to support the youth to become administrators, teachers, and fully participating members of the Bahá’í community. Two regional youth conferences were held to reflect the spirit of the Conference of Badasht some 150 years ago.

The Universal House of Justice indicated that connecting the Faith with social and humanitarian issues of the times is an essential ingredient of the process of entry by troops. The social issues that the national community placed special emphasis upon during the Four Year Plan were racial unity and the equality of men and women. A Regional Committee for the Equality of Women and Men was appointed to identify resources and strategies to address this issue regionally.

The Council fully endorsed and supported the national media campaign to promote Bahá’í solutions to social and spiritual issues that have been and will continue to be addressed in videos and public broadcasts. The 800-22-UNITE call system provided the opportunity to establish a systematic response to calls either not responded to at the local level or those calls from seekers made in areas not connected to the process. All communities have been encouraged to connect to this system. To support areas not connected to the call system, the Council identified individuals to manage these seeker calls at the state level to ensure that seekers were contacted. The Council also provided information on using the media and responding to seekers through mailings, telephone calls, and presentations in the communities of the central states, as well as making known the resources and findings of the National Teaching Committee. A systematic approach to seeker follow-up and tracking was suggested and the model established by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Marquette, Michigan, was offered for consideration.

To further develop and enhance the unit conventions, the Council asked for the support of the Auxiliary Board members and their assistants to provide insight into the sacred nature of the election of delegates to the National Convention. The Council also selected four electoral units to study and evaluate. The process of evaluation was extended to all electoral units following the unit conventions. The information gleaned is shared with the host assembly the following year to allow for implementation of suggestions. The Unit Convention Planning Manual has been revised twice, giving focus to developing a spiritual atmosphere and the process of consultation during the convention. A unit convention coordinator has been appointed to work with the host assemblies and planning committees in support of efforts to advance the understanding of the role of the unit convention, increase participation, and provide an atmosphere in which the sacred obligation of the Bahá’í electoral process takes place.

The Councils were given the responsibility to organize the electoral process of the election of the Regional Bahá’í Council. Several mailings to local spiritual assemblies focused on the spirit and sacred nature of the electoral process and on the specific details of the system of balloting. Support materials are being designed to provide additional information about this process.

The activities of the of the Council since Ridván 1999 were directed toward advancing the goals of the regional plan and included the establishment of the Chicago Regional Training Institute; the community development projects facilitated by the media in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Columbus, Ohio, areas; the appointment of the homefront pioneer coordinator; the appointment of the unit convention coordinator; further development of the Regional Latin American, Chinese, and African-American Teaching Committees; and the appointment of the Committee for the Equality of Women and Men. The Council hosted the second annual youth conference at the House of Worship; consulted with the four regional youth committees and activated their work in the region; appointed twelve media representatives to manage default calls for each state in support of the media efforts; assumed institutional responsibility for the Green Lake Conference Committee; continued to foster relationships with local spiritual assemblies and believers in the region; and furthered collaborative relationships with all institutions. Recognition of individual community projects was supported by letters from the Council. Office space was rented to expand the Council office, and the decision was made to add a part-time administrative assistant.

In mid-February 2000, the National Spiritual Assembly called a meeting for members of the Continental Board of Counselors and its Auxiliary Board, the Regional Councils, and the National Teaching Committee to consult on the elements of the Twelve Month Plan. The consultation included the role of the Regional Training Institutes, children, pre-youth, youth, and the media plan.

In early March, the Council met with Counselor Birkland to consult on initial thoughts for a twelve-month plan for the region. The consultation also included consideration of the following extract from the Ridván 156 message from the Universal House of Justice:

"Where there is close interaction between a Council and a training institute, the stage is set for a galvanic coherence of the processes effecting expansion and consolidation in a region, and for the practical matching of the training services of institutes to the developmental needs of local communities. Moreover, the operational guidelines whereby the Continental Counsellors and the Regional Councils have direct access to each other give rise to a further institutional relationship which, along with that connecting the Councils to the National and Local Spiritual Assemblies, effectuates a dynamic integration of functions at the regional level."

An immediate priority of the Regional Bahá’í Council for the Central States will be fostering "a close interaction" between the regional training institutes and this institution.

Other priorities for the immediate future include identifying strategies to work intimately with all institutions; fostering close relationships with the regional training institutes, expanding their regions of service, and establishing additional institutes; and appointing a Regional American Indian Teaching Committee. The Council also will consider ways, means, and resources to promote the education of children and opportunities for service for pre-youth and youth; promote the sacred nature of the Bahá’í electoral process, as it applies to unit conventions and to the election of the Regional Bahá’í Council; and develop a twelve month plan that reflects the National Spiritual Assembly's goals and is suited to the central states. The Regional Council anticipates the eventful Twelve Month Plan as a preparation for unprecedented progress in the Five Year Plan.

It is the Council's hope that love for Bahá’u’lláh will animate the lives of each believer in the Central States, fulfilling ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's prayer that each may become "a brilliant lamp, a shining star and a blessed tree, adorned with fruit, its branches overshadowing all these regions."

REGIONAL BAHÁ’Í COUNCIL OF THE NORTHEASTERN STATES

"The Four Year Plan aims at one major accomplishment: a significant advance in the process of entry by troops.... [S]uch an advance is to be achieved through marked progress in the activity and development of the individual believer, of the institutions, and of the local community."

Several methods can be employed to ascertain the regional effects of this far-reaching worldwide plan. One criterion is purely subjective: Have there been any signs of spiritual growth in this center of a dominantly capitalist culture? The answer is a resounding yes. The Council has observed the changes by traveling extensively throughout the region, attending Nineteen Day Feasts, firesides, devotional meetings, and community teaching activities, finding love and fellowship evident everywhere.

Other criteria for measuring our success are more objective. Can we measure the challenge issued four years ago to the individual by the Universal House of Justice? The individual alone can exercise those capacities which include the ability to take initiative, to seize opportunities, to form friendships, to interact personally with others, to build relationships, to win the cooperation of others in common service to the Faith and society, and to convert into action the decisions made by consultative bodies.

More than two hundred (3 percent) of the adults in the Northeast are working directly with the Regional Bahá’í Council on its task forces, regional committees, and boards of directors. Approximately 1,050 (16 percent) serve on local spiritual assemblies. Nearly one hundred serve as members of the institution of the Learned as assistants to Auxiliary Board members. Hundreds have been trained by the five regional training institutes; many have been trained to act as facilitators for courses offered by the regional training institutes; some have arisen to serve as pioneers on distant shores and on the homefront; others participated themselves or enabled a youth to participate in a year of service or some other mode of service.

Other measures of our success deal with the workings of the community and the institutions: the establishment and functioning of the Regional Bahá’í Council in November 1997; the establishment of the five regional training institutes (1998 and 1999), which are now offering training in [Page 45]the fundamental verities of the Faith and using the Ruhi method; the use of the arts in teaching, proclamation, and consolidation efforts; the wide mobilization of youth, particularly through the “Make your Mark” campaign; decentralization; more effective use of Green Acre Bahá’í School; numerous intercommunity media efforts; the many new social and economic development projects; and the use of print and electronic media to bring believers in the region closer together. In 1998, when the Iranian Bahá’ís’ Open University was closed, nearly 50 percent of the local spiritual assemblies and groups in the region contacted educators to share the distressing news and solicit their assistance.

Several initiatives during the Four Year Plan are novel and deserve further explanation. The Regional Arts Task Force, for the first time, identified all types of artists in the region and started a “95 Arts” fireside campaign to be completed by Ridván 2000. A major success of this project has been the guidance offered to artists and to hosting communities to foster a greater appreciation and understanding of one another’s skills and needs. The Regional Media Committee has helped diverse communities to pool their resources in support of the national media campaign. Statewide committees and unit convention-sized committees now help to raise funds, buy media feeds, interact with seekers, and assist with teaching and consolidation efforts. These local and regional efforts significantly augmented the number of seeker calls on the 800-22-UNITE phone system. The Regional Committee for Equality of Women and Men is organizing a conference at the Green Acre Bahá’í School for the purpose of fostering a more spiritual understanding of gender relations personally, locally, nationally, and globally. The regional training institute coordinators are hosting a second conference at Green Acre Bahá’í School that includes the five boards of directors, Auxiliary Board members, the Regional Youth Committee and the Regional Bahá’í Council. The cross-fertilization of ideas and sharing of effective practices has helped our training institutes grow rapidly with a common vision. The Regional Youth Task Force will hold its second Conference of Badasht at Green Acre (Summer 2000) to train the youth as spiritual descendants of the dawn-breakers and to familiarize them with their religious heritage. This will be followed by a month of summer teaching opportunities. A group of Persian-American and African-American believers have received special training to prepare them for traveling teaching together in teams. This is the first of several sets of teams that will be trained and engage in the traveling teaching arena. The Regional Bahá’í Council and the Auxiliary Board members have established nine working groups to facilitate discussion on a wide range of topics including parenting, the Nineteen Day Feast, individual teaching, spiritual assembly development, and race unity. The result of these intimate gatherings will be specific lines of action that the Regional Bahá’í Council may choose to incorporate in its future plans.

The Northeast has been enriched by many social and economic development projects, including Lights of Learning in Maine; United Endeavors in New York City; the Haman Development Center in Buffalo, New York; the Tahirih Peace Institute in Boston, Massachusetts; the Bahá’í Chinese Friendship Association, also in Boston; Milagro House in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; the Race Unity Dialogue in Sodus Point, New York, and many others. A regional communication network has been established and strengthened through wide use of the Internet and a newsletter titled North Star.

Plans for the immediate future will build on the victories already achieved. Our goal is to connect the hearts of the believers in the Northeast to Bahá’u’lláh; to improve the spiritual nature of Bahá’í elections; to assist in the development of the Nineteen Day Feasts; to raise and nurture in Bahá’í children a strong Bahá’í identity and spiritual attributes; and to provide a model of Bahá’í culture within the family unit and community.

Plans for race unity endeavors will deal with how to address the most vital and challenging issue; create loving environments in our homes and in the world; demonstrate the value of diversity; initiate and sustain activities and dialogues to build ‎self esteem self-esteem‎; understand our checkered history; provide opportunities for building unity; learn respect; and teach children and adults to be champions of race unity.

Plans to encourage and stimulate individual teaching will be addressed by both a pamphlet and the assistance of the institution of the Learned to help create within individuals a burning desire and an unwavering commitment to teaching, using daily action and continual self-assessment.

Plans for institutions and communities will focus on the decentralization of minority teaching task forces from the national to the regional level; the creation of a Local Spiritual Assembly Training and Development Office; closer collaboration with and training of the local spiritual assemblies; concentration of regional resources on specific sites to create new local spiritual assemblies; and improvement in the quality of courses offered, teaching opportunities, and participation by the graduates of the regional training institutes.

Key to all of our plans and visions are the close, loving collaboration of the institutions of the Rulers and the Learned, a perpetual focus on spiritual development, and the development of human resources through training. As these plans and lines of action bear fruit, each individual in the region will have the opportunity to make his or her own mark in a brief span of time charged with potentialities and hope for all humanity.

REGIONAL BAHÁ’Í COUNCIL OF THE SOUTHERN STATES

After its election in December 1997, at the midpoint of the Four Year Plan, the Regional Bahá’í Council of the Southern States spent its first year organizing its affairs, creating an infrastructure to serve sixteen states, and establishing a relationship of mutual trust and affection with both the National Spiritual Assembly and the Continental Board of Counselors. The Council also set about identifying and confirming the regional challenges of growth, both quantitative and qualitative, and, having received the resounding confirmation of so many Spiritual Assemblies in the region, began developing a systematic means to address the challenges. This early first step helped shape both the Council’s Mission and Vision statements, later published in the Southern Regional Plan for the final year of the Four Year Plan.

The mission of the Regional Bahá’í Council is to advance the process of entry by troops in the South.

The Council’s vision for the southern states is the development of a new state of mind, of a regional community linked more closely to Bahá’u’lláh, and of a clear sense of mission. The Southern region will be fully engaged in growth, in teaching with increased confidence and courage, and in acquiring effective teaching skills. It is a regional community that celebrates and embraces diversity and fosters a loving and accepting environment. And finally, it is a region that promotes an intimate relationship between the two arms of the Bahá’í Administrative Order.

After carefully considering the Master’s guidance, in the Tablets of the Divine Plan, concerning the unique qualities of the southern states, the Council sought to increase momentum and to foster a sense of regional identity focusing on the potential for systematic, sustainable growth. Deeply inspired by these Tablets and recognizing the abundance of talent and potential latent in the region, the Council dedicated its early months of service to building unity, developing a relationship with local institutions, and engaging the talents and resources of the friends to meet the increasing needs of a growing South.

During the final year of the Four Year Plan, the Council saw a significant increase in activity in the region. The brightest stars on the southern horizon are summarized below.

The regional teaching plan, “Date with Destiny,” was widely and enthusiastically embraced. The goals of the plan focus on growth, training, and social and economic development initiatives, calling for individual and team teaching, for the establishment of activities that attract the hearts of seekers, and for a 100 percent rate of follow-up with seekers responding to the national media campaign. Measurable success has been achieved. The goal of holding 163 devotional gatherings was not only achieved but exceeded by 63 percent. The goal of deploying 760 traveling teachers was also not only achieved but exceeded by 52 percent. The goal of holding 350 regularly scheduled firesides was 39 percent fulfilled. The goal of sending forth 365 teaching teams was 37 percent fulfilled. The goal of deploying 89 homefront pioneers was 59 percent fulfilled. The goal of getting 1,618 individuals to participate in regional training institute courses was 32 percent fulfilled. The goal of starting twelve new social and economic development projects was 24 percent fulfilled.

A Southern Regional Teaching Office was established in Durham, North Carolina, to monitor progress of the regional plan and to help the community respond to the goals. The office contributed significantly to the success of the regional plan by stimulating a grassroots response through its telephone contact with spiritual assemblies and by providing the Council and the community with biweekly e-mail updates on the plan’s progress. The office also created a database of all assemblies and registered groups and consulted with individuals and institutions on a variety of teaching-related matters. The Regional Teaching Office is joyfully and capably managed by Ms. Corinne Mills, who supervises a cadre of enthusiastic and spirited volunteers.

The network of regional training institutes (RTIs) in the South was expanded. Eleven of them now blanket the region, opening the way for the friends to gain the knowledge, spiritual insight, and skills vital to success in capturing and sustaining large-scale growth.

The RTIs of the South have distinguished themselves in offering a variety of courses throughout the region. The Council has held three annual conferences for RTI boards of directors to help them grasp their assignment and formulate a regional vision of training. A comprehensive orientation manual was developed and updated to include more current guidance. The Council worked closely with each newly formed RTI to orient it to its mandate, matching newly formed RTIs with well-established ones in a mentoring relationship, thus ensuring that little delay in offering courses of study occurs. The Council itself has undertaken a study of the course “Reflections in the Life of the Spirit” to better understand the institute process and to further secure its unity. The Southern Council is particularly grateful for the services of Ms. Susan Nossa, who devotedly serves as the southern RTI coordinator.

The Southern Regional Youth Coordinating Team focused on mobilizing greater numbers of Bahá’í youth in the region. Charged by the Council to bring about an increased Bahá’í youth movement, the team identified and appointed a number of “lieutenants,” who serve as conduits for communication to and from the grassroots level and the team itself. Working in close collaboration with the National Youth Committee, the team has reinforced the network of Bahá’í college clubs in the South, encouraging their support of various teaching and proclamation initiatives. Two college club conferences were held the past year; a training conference for the lieutenants initiated them in their roles as servants of the youth movement. The Youth Team, whose talented volunteer coordinator is Ms. Donna Evertz, was very effective in engaging the enthusiasm of the youth in the South. The Council anticipates that youth leadership will bring many teaching [Page 46]victories in the summer months ahead.

The Southern Regional Traveling Teaching and Homefront Pioneering Coordination Team saw increased movement of traveling teachers and the placement of homefront pioneers in goal areas. It recorded the movement of more than 760 traveling teachers and helped to place some 89 homefront pioneers in the last year. This mobilization reinforced grassroots efforts in both expansion and consolidation, most notably in northeastern Oklahoma, where fresh enrollments were welcomed. The team has worked with state teaching committees to establish a cadre of state-based coordinators, thus channeling teachers to goal areas. The Council is grateful to Phyllis and Gene Unterschuetz, who have served tirelessly as itinerant teachers in the region for the past two years, as well as to countless youth who have served full-time and over their vacations in service as traveling teachers.

More intimate and meaningful dialogue occurred among the friends on issues of racial harmony. The Southern Race Unity Committee launched a series of race amity conferences with the goal of holding annual gatherings in each state. A videotape on the history of these gatherings is now in production. The committee also began production of a race unity dialogue videotape titled A Revolutionary Change, which will be the centerpiece of a campaign to dramatically affect the discourse on the issue of race unity within the southern Bahá’í community. The videotape will be accompanied by related study materials. In addition, a pilot effort focusing on the role of white Bahá’ís in achieving racial unity has been launched in three areas of the region.

The Council observed promising results of the national media campaign in the southern states. To date, the region has enjoyed a 43 percent share of the national seeker calls, and the Council has called for 100 percent seeker follow-up at the local level. Efforts have been made to help the friends respond more effectively through the planning of spirited, celebratory devotional gatherings that reflect our rich cultural diversity. More than 160 newly-established, regularly scheduled gatherings have been reported by local communities. The Council has charged the state teaching committees with contacting local communities to encourage effective seeker follow-up and to ensure that all calls are readily retrieved.

The Council collaborated closely with the National Teaching Committee, sharing some dozen mutual projects designed to enhance the response of the national media campaign, including the development of new follow-up materials for seekers and the investigation of radio programming initiatives in the South. The Council has partnered with the National Teaching Committee and local spiritual assemblies in the Triangle, North Carolina, area and in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, metropolitan area on two locally based media initiatives. One campaign, based in Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, has received more seeker calls than any other part of the region; to date, more than seven hundred calls have been logged in North Carolina. The Dallas-Fort Worth area also began to attract significant results. Further, the National Teaching Committee participated in several southern regional consultations. The nature of the Council’s relationship with the National Teaching Committee has been very valuable as we worked together to develop home-study teaching materials, to decentralize minority teaching agencies, to engage the talents of friends who have distinguished themselves as experienced direct teachers, and to develop new courses of study for RTIs that will target both new believers and seekers, among other projects.

The regional plan called for the establishment of social and economic development (SED) projects in the South, and the Council worked both to survey and to educate spiritual assemblies about the nature and purpose of SED initiatives. Three members of the Council attended the annual Rabbani Social and Economic Development Conference in Florida. The Council worked closely with Mottahedeh Development Services (MDS) in SED training and strategy development. It also has been working with MDS to identify and classify existing and new projects, which now number between sixty-five to seventy in the region.

In addition to these highlighted initiatives, the Council either supervised or carried out the following activities: developed new materials for teaching through the services of a Regional Publishing Committee, including the full-color booklet Uniting the Human Family, now in its second printing; the Southern Regional Unit Conventions Planning Committee’s work related to the holding of sixty-seven unit conventions each October; held a conference focused on the need for the friends to become more skilled and confident in teaching seekers from a Christian background; appointed Ms. Jene Bellows to work with spiritual assemblies and regional training institutes to reach and teach Chinese people residing in the southern region; planned and managed the logistics of the annual Regional Council election by the members of some four hundred local spiritual assemblies; visited the majority of states in the region, thereby helping to educate the Bahá’ís about the nature of the Council, to acquaint them with the goals of the regional plan, and to stimulate the expansion and consolidation work of the Faith; posted a Council home page as part of the national administrative Web site, which included information and educational materials to stimulate the growth and development of the Faith in the region; planned a series of Persian language meetings to engage and embrace the friends from the Cradle of the Faith; assisted with planning, publicizing, and coordinating grassroots response in support of the Riverboat Tour, a performing arts traveling teaching tour that took place last summer in the region.

These activities listed above were undertaken in addition to maintaining a monthly meeting schedule, regular conference calls, and the day-to-day operations of the Council’s offices of the secretary and treasurer, including related tasks of management, correspondence, record keeping, report preparation, and data storage.

Priorities for the year ahead are detailed in the Universal House of Justice’s Day of the Covenant message dated November 26, 1999. While the Council awaits the directives of the National Spiritual Assembly before defining a specific course of action for the coming year, it anticipates that the Twelve Month Plan in the South will focus on continuing to foster the initiatives already underway. The Council also plans to launch several new key programs of emphasis, including the following: the planning of systematic, well-organized campaigns of large-scale growth in partnership with local spiritual assemblies in various parts of the region; an expanded focus on the need to create strong local spiritual assemblies; the systematic acceleration of Bahá’í youth activities by elevating the level of spiritual discourse, fostering an increased sense of discipline, providing a well-conceived historical context, and stimulating youth to address social issues relevant to the Faith and to society; a summer of teaching and service activity for Bahá’í youth, including training programs to prepare them for their year of service or for summer campaign project volunteer work; the holding of a regional conference in the fall to celebrate and reinforce a southern regional identity; assisting regional training institutes to “bring into full operation the programs and systems they have now devised”; enhancing the relationship between regional training institutes and local spiritual assemblies; connecting the work of the regional training institutes and to the teaching work; developing a regional center for the performing arts in partnership with the Spiritual Assembly of Nashville, Tennessee; decentralizing minority teaching initiatives for American Indians, Latinos, and persons of African descent; and developing programs to foster the equality of women and men.

The year ahead promises to be one of both challenge and victory in the southern states. ◆

REGIONAL BAHÁ’Í COUNCIL OF THE WESTERN STATES

As the Four Year Plan comes to a glorious conclusion, the Council wishes to appreciatively recognize the numerous friends and institutions in the Western region who have made their mark through consecrated deeds aimed at one major accomplishment: a significant advance in the process of entry by troops. Without a doubt, there has been a marked progress in the activity and development of the individual believers, of the institutions, and of the local communities comprising the Western region, a brief summary of which is offered in this annual report.

When the Four Year Plan opened in the Western region, there was limited understanding of the notion of decentralization, a process that would dramatically unfold throughout the Plan. Prior to the beginning of the Four Year Plan, selected local spiritual assemblies in the Western region were invited by the National Spiritual Assembly to participate in the development of innovative systems of electronic communications. During the first few months of the Four Year Plan, the National Spiritual Assembly appointed the first Regional Bahá’í Committees, designating the regions according to the four regions outlined by the Beloved Master in the Tablets of the Divine Plan. The seven-member committee for the Western States labored under the direction of the National Teaching Committee to begin to understand the unique needs, complexity, and opportunities for growth within the vast eleven-state region. They set into motion the process of the appointment and orientation of the first Regional Training Institutes ever known to the area, as well as established a network of traveling teaching and homefront pioneering coordinators to help foster the spread of the Faith to more remote portions of the region. Areas of high growth potential were identified and encouraged in their local initiatives.

A letter dated May 30, 1997, from the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States called for the election, on the anniversary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh, on November 12, 1997, of Regional Bahá’í Councils to replace the appointed Regional Bahá’í Committees. Along with the members of the three other sister Bahá’í Councils, the newly elected members of the Regional Bahá’í Council of the Western States were invited by the National Spiritual Assembly to Wilmette in December 1997 to begin the first term of eighteen months of service until the second election was held on the anniversary of the Declaration of the Báb, May 23, ‎1993 1999‎.

The Ridván 153 message to the Bahá’ís of North America turned the Council’s attention to the opportunities for the advancement of the process of entry by troops uniquely present in this continent, all of which were and continue to be abundantly manifest in the Western region. Endeavoring to build upon the strength of the local communities, particularly evident in the activities of its local spiritual assemblies and in the consecration of its Bahá’í youth, the positive impression of the Faith conveyed to both the generality of the public and to leaders of thought and people of influence, and the diverse composition of the region’s inhabitants including immigrants, students, and refugees from all parts of the planet‎ ,‎ the Regional Bahá’í Council crafted and launched the first Regional Victory Campaign in 1999 to support the National Teaching Plan announced a few months earlier. The Regional Victory Campaign, sent to each believer and local spiritual assembly, rallied the friends “to continue a significant advance in the process of entry by troops through a marked increase in the systematic activity of individuals, institutions and communities” and called individual believers to lovingly befriend and guide seeking souls in the neighborhoods, towns, and cities and warmly welcome them into ever-expanding, attractive, vibrant Bahá’í communities guided by mature and loving local spiritual assemblies.

This vision was implemented through [Page 47]several regional initiatives and programs, some of which were built upon efforts initiated earlier by the Regional Bahá’í Committee for the Western States, and were further enhanced by perspectives offered by the Counselors and their Auxiliary Board members. By the end of the Four Year Plan, the Council had put in place several coordinators, offices, desks, liaisons, committees, and appointees to assist with regional efforts to dispatch traveling teachers and home-front pioneers to goal communities; foster the formation and development of local spiritual assemblies, Regional Training Institutes, and area youth programs; reach peoples of specific minority populations; and make arrangements for conducting fifty-five unit conventions and the Council election. The Regional Council also made a conscious effort to meet with the friends throughout the region to listen to their cares and concerns and receive suggestions as to how the Council might best provide support for local and area expansion and consolidation efforts.

A measure of time and effort was also invested in the institutional development of the Council itself as a body through consultation with the National Spiritual Assembly and members of the Continental Board of Counselors. These consultations illuminated the Council’s understanding of its scope of authority, focus areas, and role, and helped in developing plans of its vision and action within the framework provided by the guidance of the Universal House of Justice and the National Spiritual Assembly. At the operational level, the Council’s offices of the secretary and treasurer experimented with establishing functional mechanisms to provide communication and accounting systems based on the principles of efficiency and love.

The value of the time and effort devoted during this initial period to establishing and refining the Council’s vision, scope, role, and operations became apparent in the significantly productive last year of the Plan.

The progress made in the western region during the closing year of the Four Year Plan almost defies description. Great strides have been made in the collective exertions of individuals, institutions, and communities increasingly focused on advancing the process of entry by troops in this blessed, vast, diverse region of the United States.

Contributing to this advancement has been the increasing collaboration between members of the two arms of the Administrative Order, witnessed at all levels in the region. The numerous consultations of the Regional Bahá’í Council with members of the Continental Board of Counselors and with the national and local spiritual assemblies, as well as the frequent contact between the local spiritual assemblies with the Auxiliary Board members and assistants, have marked a new stage of maturation. The institutions have increased their capacity to work harmoniously together to propagate, unify, advance, and protect the Cause of God.

Regional Victory Campaign

During the final year of the Four Year Plan, the Council recognized notable strides toward the regional vision of individual believers lovingly befriending and guiding seeking souls in their neighborhoods, towns, and cities and warmly welcoming them into ever-expanding, attractive, vibrant Bahá’í communities guided by mature and loving local spiritual assemblies.

Individuals

Increased awareness and dedication by the “friends and the maidservants of the Merciful, the chosen ones of the Kingdom” in the eleven Western states to fulfill the wish of the Beloved Master to recite the daily teaching prayer has taken place. More than 120 individuals have arisen to homefront pioneer, and over 590 traveling teaching trips have been reported. An increased number of individuals and institutions have deputized others to carry out these activities. It has been particularly heart-warming to witness those devoted lovers of Bahá’u’lláh who have focused their pioneering and traveling teaching services in the states of Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, and Nevada, and on Native American lands throughout the region.

Notable strides of individual believers to further systematize their teaching efforts have become more tangible. Hundreds of individuals made written personal commitments to hold regular firesides. Teachers, in their love of Bahá’u’lláh, have shared His healing Message with increased zeal, wisdom, and confidence. By lovingly befriending receptive seekers and holding regular firesides, teachers have brought new believers into the Cause.

Youth

Activities of the youth and junior youth have increased across the region. Youth traveling teaching teams from several states, youth workshops, college clubs, and youth firesides are among the exciting developments. Youth retreats, local and intercommunity youth organizations, youth committees and conferences, youth networking, and training courses have demonstrated the growing vibrancy of the youth and junior-youth movement. Sunday school classes and study circles have also contributed to the spiritual education of children, junior youth, and youth.

Institutions

At the institutional level, many signs of the growing maturity of local spiritual assemblies have been witnessed. The Council has seen increasing evidence of support for the national media campaign through local efforts, including participation in the 800-22-UNITE seeker response system, adoption of extension teaching goal areas to raise assemblies, and encouragement of community members to participate in training courses, to homefront pioneer, and to travel teach. Many communities have signed up for voice mail boxes, linking local teaching efforts with the national media campaign and area proclamation efforts.

Use of assembly development modules, developed by the Office of Assembly Development, reached a new high in the western states. Many assemblies participated in assembly development module sessions to further enhance their abilities to “exercise their responsibilities as channels of divine guidance, planners of the teaching work, developers of human resources, builders of communities and loving shepherds of the multitudes.”

Local spiritual assemblies throughout the region evolved their systematic teaching efforts and their capacity to guide and develop their communities. Many of the plans shared with the Council in 1999 clearly showed their close reading and practical use of the Council’s workbook, Systematic Teaching Plans, to be an effective tool in evolving the planning and implementation of teaching efforts in ‎1999 2000 1999-2000‎. Evaluations of this handbook received by the Council from the assemblies were overwhelmingly positive. Many assemblies increased their collaboration with the Auxiliary Board.

The number of local spiritual assemblies in the region rose from 456 in 1998 to 488 in 1999 due to increased teaching by resident believers, homefront pioneers, and traveling teachers. Wyoming, which had no assemblies in the previous year, regained two assemblies, and local assemblies in various Native American areas, such as Navajoland and the Makah reservation, shine ever more brightly. More than forty assemblies have reported adoption of a nearby community as an extension teaching goal with the aim of helping the community attain or retain assembly status in 157 B.E. It is anticipated that the Twelve Month Plan will be greeted in the Western states with more local assemblies.

Intercommunity efforts

Another joyous development has been the further refinement of intercommunity efforts. A working paper developed by the Regional Council and meetings of Council members with local assemblies and intercommunity task forces and committees helped foster and evolve interassembly collaboration. Numerous intercommunity cooperative partnerships evolved as a natural outcome of realizing the benefits of collaboration and pooling specialized human resources. Tucson, Arizona, and El Dorado County, California, are two areas where the local spiritual assemblies, Auxiliary Board members, the Regional Bahá’í Council, and National Teaching Committee have collaborated. These areas and several others including Chico, California, and Portland, Oregon show potential for evolution of an ongoing pattern of collective advancement projects as they press forward.

Training institutes

Presently, there are ten regional training institutes in the western region actively engaged in evolving their training services for believers and seekers. All are striving to increase their ability to train the necessary human resources required to sustain an acceleration of the expansion and consolidation of the Bahá’í community. The regional training institutes, appointed by the National Spiritual Assembly and networked and guided by the Regional Bahá’í Council, have greatly benefitted from the intimate involvement of the Auxiliary Board members. These nascent centers of Bahá’í learning have also benefitted from support from and partnership with local spiritual assemblies. The regional training institutes have been in the process of offering their initial training programs and developing their systems of delivery. Through a regional conference, Board of Directors orientations, consultative meetings, guidelines, and field services, the Regional Council and its newly established Office of Training Institutes have striven to assess and advance the evolution of systematic training efforts in the western states.

Over 4,000 believers, both adults and youth, have participated in training institute courses in the western region during the Four Year Plan. These participants have gained a deeper understanding of the basic truths of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, strengthened their Bahá’í identity, augmented their awareness of the importance of practicing the spiritual laws, gained new insights into applying the Teachings to social issues, and begun to sharpen their skills as teachers of the Cause. While only the process of organic unfoldment of the training institutes will disclose their true potential and impact, increased participation in and understanding of training courses is already evident. Experience with systematic training efforts and evolution of training approaches have begun to open new venues important to training and galvanizing the individual to arise, to serve, and to act.

Community

At the community level, reports and newsletters indicate that most Bahá’í communities in the western states have engaged in race unity and intergenerational activities. The Council has noted and encouraged special gatherings and initiatives designed to serve the rich diversity of peoples that reside in the western states, such as Project 99, serving the burgeoning Southeast Asian community in California’s central valley; the Pacific Islander Ocean of Light Teaching Group; the Spirit Run; and other innovative efforts that build on the richness and strength of this very diverse region and celebrate the oneness of humanity.

A multitude of devotional gatherings, a significant developmental milestone of Bahá’í community life, have proven not only to be a welcomed rejuvenating factor of community worship and unity, but also, when opened to the public, have attracted souls to the Cause. Also noted are the beginnings of solid efforts in gender equality and enhancing the spirit and joy of Nineteen Day Feasts and holy days with the use of music and the arts. The Council has actively promoted the arts by sponsoring a song writers conference and commissioning and distributing two musical compact disks. The Regional Council has taken joy in sharing some of these stories in the regional Victory E-newsletter it recently started to publish electronically.

A multifaceted youth development program for building stronger Bahá’í communities through nurturing and integrating Bahá’í youth into all phases of community life has moved from an initial pilot phase by the Regional Bahá’í Council to an implementation phase in more areas of the region. This approach has been built upon area partnerships that include local assemblies, Auxiliary Board members, regional training institutes, and the Regional Youth Development office. The program design endeavors to develop and sustain lifelong servants of the Cause. Additionally, several regional youth desks have been appointed. The desks, staffed by one or two individuals, foster teaching activities through college clubs, youth workshops, and junior and senior high school youth activities. Youth wishing [Page 48]to travel teach, homefront pioneer, or offer a year of service are provided with opportunities on the homefront and abroad.

Looking to the future

Just one month after the beginning of the Twelve Month Plan, friends throughout the region will gather at the first electoral meetings ever held for the election of the Regional Bahá’í Council. These special meetings will be an occasion for local spiritual assembly members to gather together and prayerfully cast their ballots for the members of the Regional Bahá’í Council and discuss the progress of the Cause in their areas. These meetings, chaired by Auxiliary Board members, will help the communities to mobilize themselves for the rapid prosecution of the Twelve Month Plan and forge deepening bonds of collaboration between the elected and appointed institutions at the grassroots level.

The Council redoubles its encouragement to all assemblies to work quickly, in close collaboration with their Auxiliary Board members, to develop and launch local teaching plans and intercommunity efforts, based on close study of the Ridván messages from the Universal House of Justice and the National Spiritual Assembly.

The growing capacity of the nascent regional training institutes combined with increasingly refined local and inter-community teaching plans will contribute significantly to the development of the vigor and abilities of individuals of all ages. Individuals will be provided with the skills for teaching by the training institutes and with opportunities to exercise those skills in systematic teaching plans.

The Bahá’í communities in the western states will continue to work towards becoming magnetic models of unity, joyously engaged in regular public devotional gatherings and acts of service to the Cause and to their communities. With the swelling numbers of active seekers calling for spiritual answers to the personal and social issues besetting humanity, the Bahá’í communities in the western states are now poised to seize the long-awaited opportunities for growth. ◆

REGIONAL BAHÁ’Í COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP

Central States	Northeastern States	Southern States	Western States
Caswell Ellis Elvora Jacobi Paul Jacobi Jena Khodadad Curtis Russell Morris Taylor June Thomas Richard Thomas Lynn Wieties	Nina Dini Robert Harris John Joyce Neal McBride Rebequa Murphy Joel Nizin Vickie Nizin Nathan Rutstein William Smith	Covey Cantville A. Jack Guillebeaux Robert James Ahmad Mahboubi Carole Miller Mahyar Mofidi Karen Pritchard Kambiz Rafraf James Sturdivant	Shad Afsahi Fereshteh Bethel Carol Brooks Derek Cockshut Shannon Javid Charleen Maghzi A. Habib Riazati Erica Toussaint Elahe Young

NATIONAL COMMITTEES AND TASK FORCES

National Committee for the Equality of Women and Men Layli Miller Bashir • Harvey McMurray • Badi Mesbah • Michael Rogell • Homa Sabet Tavangar • Cynthia R. Thomas • Stefany Lee Unda

National Bahá’í Education Task Force Saba Ayman-Nolley • Richard Beane III • Beatriz Reyna Curry • Barbara Johnson • Ray Johnson • Joannie Gholar Yuille

National Teaching Committee Kenneth Bowers • Ethel Crawford • William Geissler • Jena Khodadad • Alejandro Melendez

National African American Teaching Committee Lana Bogan • Elarryo Bolden • Robert Carpenter • Gwendolyn Etter-Lewis • Oliver Thomas

National American Indian Teaching Committee Sara Bigheart • Helen Kiely • Phil Lucas • Ina McNeil • Christian Norleen

Chinese Teaching Task Force Albert Cheung • Hong Foo • Deborah Karres • Mara Khavari • Susan Senchuk

Latin American Teaching Task Force Vera Berrio Breton • Fernando Huerta Jr. • Elvia Ramirez

National Youth Committee Vesal Dini • M. Eric Horton • Anthony Outler • Leili Towfigh • Nancy Wong

School and Institute Advisory Boards

Bosch Bahá’í School Tandis Arjmand • James Cardell • Jan Findlay • Carl Fravel • Traci Gholar • Sharon Jensen • Kambiz Petri

Green Acre Bahá’í School Allison Grover • Wandra Harmsen • Roger Harrison • Tom Hasegawa • Mara Khavari • Chester Makoski • Farhad Rassekh • Robert Rosenfeld • Keivan Towfigh

Louhelen Bahá’í School Azar Alizadeh • Solomon Atkins • Elizabeth Herth • Susan Modarai • Charles Nolley • Bonita Panahi • Patrick Patillo • Richard Yates

Native American Bahá’í Institute Alice Bathke • Jerry Bathke • Alberta Deas • Charlotte Kahn • Jeff Kiely • Michael Lindsey • Brad Rishel

Editorial Boards

Encyclopedia Editorial Board Larry Bucknell • Betty J. Fisher • Firuz Kazemzadeh • Todd Lawson • Heshmat Moayyad • Gayle Morrison • Sholeh Quinn • Robert H. Stockman • Will C. van den Hoonaard

World Order Editorial Board Arash Abizadeh • Betty J. Fisher • Monireh Kazemzadeh • Kevin A. Morrison • Robert H. Stockman • Jim Stokes

National Persian-American Task Force

Manuchehr Derakhshani • Guity Ejtemai • Sohrab Kourosh • Zabihollah Sabet-Sharghi • Guity Ghadimi Vahid

Area Persian-American Task Forces

Phoenix, Arizona Ramna Mahmoudi-Sana Sina Mowzoon Anita Rezvani Nurollah Riazati Rahmat Sana Hormoz Tadghighi Taraneh Tadghighi Davood P. Vazin Shokooh Rawhani Vazin

Los Angeles, California Manijeh Ahouraian Keyvan Geula Shokouh S. Madjzoob Farideh Shahriary Shirin Sohrab Shidan Taslimi

Orange County, California Goli Atai Flora Grouber Houshiar Haghani Mina Rassekh Mahine Shafizadeh

San Diego, California Manuchehr Haghani Simin Jalali Minou Khadem Saeed Khadem Farzaneh Mobin Arashmidos Monjazeb Shokouh Roshan

Northern California Soheila Afnani Bahia Farahi Massoud Fanaiyyan Nasrollah Maghzi Mahzad Mehr Firouz Mohtadi Kambiz Petri

Central Florida Shahram Banapour Naser Mohajer Minoo Nasseri Fahimeh Rouhani Kambiz Rouhani Behzad Shahidi Mahvash Taghavi Rouhani Forooz Naderi Soroosh Naderi

Northern Florida Pari Bauman Bahiyyih Toloui-Nadji Bahman Venus Nahid Mashhud Venus

Southern Florida Shohreh Hassan Bijan Vojdani Mahvash Vojdani

Atlanta, Georgia Evaz M. Fanaian Aghdas Mahmoudzadeh Tarazollah Manavi Khossro Motahed Iman K. Sioushansian Farhad Vojdani Jila Ahdishogh Yazdani

Chicago, Illinois Roya Ayman Ahmad Bastani Hermin Dinparvar Hoveydai Mahvash Doering Farhad Ranjbar Fariba Soheil Shadan Tofighi Fuad Ziai

Boston, Massachusetts Ramin Abrishamian Behnaz Aghdasi Hamed Eshraghian Changiz Geula Shahan Missaghi Darvish Shahruz Mohtadi

New York/New Jersey/Connecticut Mashiyyat Ashraf Foad Ghebleh Habib Hosseiny Mehr Mansouri Yafa Mavaddat Cyrus Tamaddon Enayat Vosough

Dallas, Texas Gholam Abbas Sharifi Forouzan Afsahi Homa Baher Badie Bahin-duct Hajbandeh Sohail Sobbani Parviz Yazhari

Houston, Texas Maryam Afnan Rabbani Hormoz Bastani Fereydoun Eghbali Vafa Ghaemmaghami Houshmand Tirandaz

Virginia/Maryland/Washington, DC Payman Akhavan Mona Khademi Kaveh Mehrnama Siamak Monjazeb Shidrokh Rohani Jaleh Sadeghzadeh Soheil Zebarjadi

Seattle, Washington Ata’u’llah Arjomand Nahid Eng Iraj Khadem Behnam Khoshkhoo Rouhangiz Mahanian Pasha Mohajer-Jasbi [Page 49]

Study materials illumine our unique election process

The Bahá’í electoral process has a unique role in our community life, and a booklet and two Assembly Development module workshops have been released to help the friends understand it more fully.

These new materials fit with the National Spiritual Assembly’s call for Bahá’ís to study the role of our Administrative Order in spiritual and social development.

The booklet, Spiritual Institutions: The Unique Nature of Bahá’í Institutions, uses attractive photography and quotations to explain the election, basic functioning and purpose of Bahá’í institutions and to highlight their unique character. It emphasizes the role of the individual in this process.

This booklet is designed to prepare believers for spiritual participation in all Bahá’í elections, including those of Local Spiritual Assemblies, National Convention delegates and Regional Bahá’í Councils.

The booklet will be particularly useful to new believers and youths, as well as to veteran believers who have often participated in the Bahá’í electoral process.

Both new Assembly Development module workshops target individual voters, aiming to increase their appreciation of the sanctity of Bahá’í elections. Each one is two hours long with optional extensions.

Cultivating Distinction: Bahá’í Electoral Practices

Covered are: the necessity of elections in the Administrative Order, participation in elections as a sacred responsibility, practices that are required or forbidden in Bahá’í elections and the spiritual principles underlying this guidance, and specific ways in which Bahá’í electoral practices differ from secular elections.

This module will be especially helpful to communities where participation in elections is low or where electoral practices may not be well-understood.

Cultivating Distinction: The Spiritual Nature of the Bahá’í Elections

Covered are: how electors should prepare themselves throughout the year to perform their sacred duty, qualities to consider and ignore in deciding whom to vote for, and the atmosphere that should characterize any Bahá’í election.

This module will be especially helpful to communities that want to enhance the spiritual context in which their elections are held.

Assembly Development modules are interactive, Writings-based workshops that include activities to help participants find the relevance of the Writings to their lives and make plans for changes in their behavior.

The booklet Spiritual Institutions: The Unique Nature of Bahá’í Institutions ($3 each or 10 for $30) as well as materials for any Assembly Development module workshop (10-pack of participant handouts for $15) are available from the Bahá’í Distribution Service (phone 800-999-9019).

Modules may be facilitated by a trained Assembly Development representative (see www.usbnc.org on the Web for a complete list). Or, a Facilitation Guide for any module is available from the BDS ($30, including participant handouts).

Other available Assembly Development modules are:

• A Sense of Partnership: The Individual and the Local Spiritual Assembly
• Builders of Communities: Developing a Strong, Vibrant Community
• Builders of Communities: Fostering Racial Unity
• Builders of Communities: Stress Management and the Bahá’í Community
• Builders of Communities: The Equality of Women and Men Part 1: Shared Responsibility
• Builders of Communities: The Equality of Women and Men Part 2: The Assembly’s Role in Fostering Partnership
• Channels of Divine Guidance: Consultation Part One: Developing the Requisites of Consultation
• Channels of Divine Guidance: Consultation Part Two: the Practice of Consultation
• Channels of Divine Guidance: The Spiritual Nature of the Local Assembly
• Loving Shepherds of the Multitudes: The Application of Spiritual and Administrative Principles
• Cultivating and Integrating the Arts in Our Bahá’í Community Life
• Teaching and the Spiritual Assembly
• “That The East and West May Embrace”

A description of each is available on the Administrative Web Site (www.usbnc.org).

These modules may be used by Local Spiritual Assemblies, regional training institutes, local Bahá’í schools, summer and winter schools or any other group or institution interested in training friends in their areas on the topics.

Uniting through study during the Fast

Several Bahá’ís in Pickens County, South Carolina, devoted 16 evenings during the most recent Fast to completing the Ruhi Institute Book 6 course, “Teaching the Cause.” Monday through Thursday nights and Saturday and Sunday mornings, the friends met at alternating homes for 2 to 3 hours to learn their lessons. The community applauded Ray Lewis for efficient facilitation, and several cooks for making each evening’s breaking of the Fast an anticipated group event. The Local Spiritual Assembly reports that the course immediately improved local teaching and helped create unity and energy.

‘Irfán Colloquium, Seminar to explore mysticism

“Mysticism and the Bahá’í Faith” is the main theme of the 30th session of the ‘Irfán Colloquium, Oct. 6–8 at Louhelen Bahá’í School in Davison, Michigan.

Following will be the ‘Irfán Seminar on the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh during ‘Akká period.

‘Irfán colloquia and seminars are sponsored each year at Louhelen and other locales by the Haj Mehdi Arjmand Memorial Fund. This year presentations by more than a dozen Bahá’í scholars, followed by open dialogues, will shed light on some of the most important Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh: Glad Tidings, Ornaments, Splendours, Effulgences, Words of Paradise, Waves, Clouds, Lover and Beloved, Fidelity, and She-Serpent.

Accommodations are limited, so register early with Louhelen Bahá’í School.

Distance Learning:

The World Order Letters and the Kitáb-i-Íqán

The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, July 1–Sept. 30; students accepted until Aug. 1 if space is available.

This three-month course is designed to give Bahá’ís an essential introduction to Shoghi Effendi’s letters in The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, a remarkable series of epistles sent to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada in the 1930s that stated basic Bahá’í positions on a number of important subjects and clarified Bahá’í teachings about others. Tuition: $150*

The Kitáb-i-Íqán and Related Texts, Sept. 1–Nov. 30

The course will study systematically the second-most-important work in Bahá’u’lláh’s corpus and will examine parallel texts in Some Answered Questions and other works. Tuition: $150*

* 20% discounts apply to local study groups of three or more.

The Wilmette Institute has begun to design a course on Bahá’í Theology for Nov. 1, 2000–Jan. 31, 2001. While the topic may sound over the heads of most Bahá’ís, it is not.

Primarily, it will explore the Bahá’í concept of God, a topic about which people have speculated for thousands of years and which the Bahá’í scriptures address in detail. Almost as important to Bahá’í theology are the Bahá’í concepts of the Manifestation of God, divine revelation, the nature of human beings, and the nature and purpose of physical creation.

From these concepts flow two related ideas: the Bahá’í concept of the nature and purpose of the afterlife (which relates closely to the nature and purpose of life) and the Bahá’í concept of Covenant (related to progressive revelation).

All courses include e-mail listservers for students and faculty, regular conference calls, systematic lesson plans, and a wide variety of learning projects to apply in your local community. All courses are available at an introductory, intermediate (college-level) or advanced (graduate) level. Financial aid is available for students unable to pay full tuition.

THE WILMETTE INSTITUTE 536 Sheridan Road Wilmette, IL 60091 Phone/fax: 877-WILMETTE (toll-free) E-mail: Web site: www.wilmetteinstitute.org The Web site is now secure for accepting credit card payment of tuition. [Page 50]

Bosch Bahá’í School

500 Comstock Lane • Santa Cruz, CA 95060 831-423-3387 www.bosch.org

Energy from history

This past May, Bosch Bahá’í School was the site of what may come to be considered a historic gathering of the future heroines of the Bahá’í Faith. Sixteen young women of various cultures and distinguished talents met May 19–21 to discuss the lives of many great Bahá’í women and to explore the implications of being a Bahá’í woman in a society whose standards so starkly contrast those of the Faith.

Aided by facilitator and mentor Angie Allen, these young women delved into their topics with dynamic enthusiasm. They emerged no less than scholars in their own right of the heroic lives of Lua Getsinger, Bahíyyih Khánum and Martha Root, to name but a few.

This effort is so important, Bosch Bahá’í School would like to make this a regular offering. Look for it in upcoming brochures!

Youths “making news” in media

At Bosch this summer, two unique and exciting programs will involve junior youths and youths in media production during the Aug. 19–24 session, even while Ed DiLiberto and Fred Schechter will be conducting classes for the adult session:

• Future writers and publishers ages 10–14 will work on an assignment given directly by Brilliant Star magazine. Students will be encouraged to write, conduct interviews, take photographs and prepare page layouts, all with the help of mentors, standard publishing tools and the latest technology.
• At the same time, youths 15 and older will be led by Artis Mebane, director of U.S. Bahá’í Media Services, in the preparation of a promotional video that will tell people all over the world about the Bahá’í Faith and Bosch Bahá’í School. The youths involved will learn firsthand how to tell a video story and will plan the video production, conduct interviews, and shoot footage.

After this week of media production training, we expect a rush of captured creativity in the promotion of the Cause through application of these newly learned skills.

Let this summer leave an indelible mark on your children: bring them to Bosch!

Other upcoming programs

July 29–Aug 3: Youth Institute at Bosch

July 29–Aug. 10: Youth Academy (for high school graduates)

Aug. 5–10: Junior Youth Institute

Aug. 12–17: Family Session: “Bahá’í Administration” with Robert C. Henderson

Aug. 19–24: Family Session: “Skills for Teaching” with Fred Schechter

Aug. 26–30: 26th Anniversary Reunion with Jack McCants

Sept. 1–4: Family Session: “Cultivating Distinction and Parenting” with Muin and Soheila Afnani ◆

Louhelen Bahá’í School

3208 S. State Road • Davison, MI 48423 810-653-5033 www.louhelen.org

Spirit of hospitality

“Chef Gary, could you make a house call?” —Louhelen guest

It’s true! Louhelen really would like to send its chef, Gary Schmicker, out on house calls to share Louhelen hospitality with all the friends who have not yet been able to attend a session at the school.

Hospitality and the spirit of loving welcome are key aspects of the atmosphere at Louhelen. One of the ways this is expressed and fostered is in the service of the Louhelen hospitality crew—a team of dedicated professionals and inspired volunteers, including youths from several countries.

The spiritual connections between loving hospitality, service and friendliness are “the very best advertisements of the Faith.” Perhaps that is why many friends of the Bahá’í Faith attend Louhelen sessions and find it a life-changing experience.

We know it is impractical to send Chef Gary and his hospitality crew out on house calls. However, we can share a wonderful spirit of hospitality that uplifts that heart and inspires service to others. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá illustrated how important this connection is through a story he told about one of the Hands of the Cause of God:

“Yet another Hand of the Cause was the revered Mullá ‘Alí-Akbar. ... I loved him very much, for he was delightful to converse with, and as a companion, second to none. One night, not long ago, I saw him in the world of dreams. Although his frame had always been massive, in the dream world he appeared larger and more corpulent than ever. It seemed as if he had returned from a journey. I said to him, ‘Jináb, you have grown good and stout.’ ‘Yes,’ he answered, ‘praise be to God! I have been in places where the air was fresh and sweet, and the water crystal pure; the landscapes were beautiful to look upon, the foods delectable. It all agreed with me, of course, so I am stronger than ever now, and I have recovered the zest of my early youth. The breaths of the All-Merciful blew over me and all my time was spent in telling of God. I have been setting forth His proofs, and teaching His Faith.’” —‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Memorials of the Faithful, p. 12

Since Chef Gary cannot come to your house to serve you the special meal he has in mind, we would like to invite you to be a special guest at our house—and suggest you bring along a friend who you think would love to experience the special blend of hospitality, spirituality and loving welcome at Louhelen. The food is great, but that is primarily because the “spiritual ingredients” of love and service are blended so well in our recipes of service.

Upcoming programs

These excellent “Friends and Family” programs are perfect for the entire family, as well as any seekers:

July 28–Aug. 2: “Bahá’u’lláh: Creator of World Order” with Dr. Robert Henderson, Louise Profeit-LeBlanc, Dr. Rick Johnson; musician Susan Engle

Aug. 4–9: “The One Year Plan: Individuals, Communities and Institutions” with Kevin Locke, Danielle Locke, Steven Gonzales, Stephanie Fielding; musician Bob Simms

Aug. 11–16: “Building Humanity’s Future” with Habib Riazati; musicians Brenda Snyder and Rick Snyder

Aug. 18–24: “Choral Music and Community Growth” with Tom Price, Evander Gilmer, Barbara Baumgartner ◆

Bahá’í summer school news

The Massanetta Springs Bahá’í School, celebrating its 20th year, has changed its name to Shenandoah Bahá’í School. For the latest information, check out the new Web site (www.shenandoahbahaischool.org).

For dates of all U.S. summer schools see the Calendar on the back page.

For information on international summer schools (including Canada), please see International Traveling Teaching Opportunities on page 63. ◆

Green Acre Bahá’í School

188 Main Street • Eliot, ME 03903 207-439-7200 www.greenacre.org

Focus on families

Late summer and fall are a great time to come to Green Acre. Space is available for some August Family Sessions, including “Packing for the Five Year Plan,” “Mystic Medicine: Religion Shaping Science,” “Hospitable to Humanity” (applying Bahá’í principles in the workplace) and “The Spirit of Children”: Third Annual Conference on Children’s Literature and Art. See the Calendar on the back page for dates.

In its Ridván 2000 letter, the Universal House of Justice stated, “Children are the most precious treasure a community can possess, for in them are the promise and guarantee of the future. They bear the seeds of the character of future society which is largely shaped by what the adults constituting the community do or fail to do with respect to children.”

Throughout the fall ‎will address we will address‎ the needs of children, junior youths, their parents and families. Here are just a few:

Upcoming programs

Oct. 6–9: “Talking and Listening: The Art of Spiritual Parenting” with family therapist Keyvan Geula This skill-building workshop, based on the Bahá’í writings and on current research, will help parents, older children and youths practice communicating across generations. Children’s classes for 3 and up.

Oct. 6–9: “A True Pattern in Action” facilitated by the Foundation for the Investigation of Reality Discover how raising the quality of our interactions can hasten the process of entry by troops. Learn to use and teach practical, spiritual exercises that help solve problems and improve relationships. Children’s classes for 3 and up.

Nov. 10–12: “Getting Real While Staying ‘Dry in the Sea’” with Pepper Oldziey (for ages 12–15) Activities will examine: How to treat others in a world of cliques and materialism; how to make personal plans for service and teaching; and how to balance your life and be an agent for unity. Enrollment is limited.

Nov. 12: “Teaching Christians More Effectively” with National Spiritual Assembly member David Young; children’s classes for 3 and up

Nov. 24–26: “Conference on Children: Functional Families and Caring Communities” with Barbara Yazdi Markert, Auxiliary Board member A variety of workshops and sessions for children and adults will focus on the spiritual needs of children and how we can strengthen unity in family. Children’s classes for 3 and up. ◆ [Page 51]

2000 Electoral Unit Conventions

Here is the latest information on Electoral Unit conventions, which will be held across the country in early October to elect delegates to the Bahá’í National Convention of April 2001.

• Electoral Units are listed by region. Boundaries of some have been adjusted since last year, partly to ensure no EUs straddle two different regions.
• If you don’t know your Electoral Unit (EU) number, it will be printed on the envelope in which you receive your ballot in a few weeks. More details may be upcoming soon on the Administrative Web Site (www.usbnc.org).
• If information here is incomplete, the contact number or the Local Spiritual Assembly hosting your Convention may be reached for details. An updated list will be published in the next issue.

For children’s programs at Unit Convention: Enhance your curriculum with the Teacher’s Toolbox, available online at www.usbnc.org by the end of summer, or by mail ($10 per copy) from the Education and Schools Office.

Northeastern States

EU001: Green Acre Bahá’í School, 188 Main St., Eliot, ME; date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA South Portland c/o Victoria Smith, (phone ).

EU002: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Concord, P.O. Box 785, Concord, NH 03302-0785 (phone 603-753-4593).

EU003: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Manchester c/o Elizabeth Corgnati, (phone ).

EU004: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Cambridge, P.O. Box 380376, Cambridge, MA 02238-0376 (phone 617-492-6691).

EU005: Site, date TBA.

EU006: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Barnstable, P.O. Box 1275, Hyannis, MA 02601-1275 (phone 508-775-6820).

EU007: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA New Haven c/o Michelle Schrag, (phone ).

EU008: Community Room at Norwalk City Hall, 125 East Ave., Norwalk, CT; Sunday, Oct. 1 (register 8 am). Mail ballots to LSA Mount Vernon c/o Ellen Wheeler, (phone ).

EU009: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA North Hempstead c/o Luann Scribani, (phone ).

EU010: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA New York-City, 53 E. 11th St., New York, NY 10003-4601 (phone 212-254-6723).

EU011: Grice Middle School, 901 Whitehorse-Hamilton Square Rd., Hamilton, NJ; Sunday, Oct. 8, 9:30 am-3:30 pm. Mail ballots to LSA Hamilton c/o Janet Richards, (phone ).

EU012: Wilhelm Bahá’í Property 130 Evergreen Pl., Teaneck, NJ; date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Clifton, P.O. Box 335, Clifton, NJ 07011-0335 (phone 973-684-5509).

EU013: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA New Paltz, P.O. Box 1158, New Paltz, NY 12561-7158 (phone 914-255-3229).

EU014: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Greece c/o Holly Ziegler, (phone ).

EU015: Mt. Nittany Middle School, 656 Brandywine Dr., State College (Boalsburg), PA; Saturday, Oct. 7, time TBA. Mail ballots to LSA State College, P.O. Box 1376, State College, PA 16804-1376 (phone 814-238-7214).

EU016: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Philadelphia c/o Franklin D. Kinder, (phone ).

EU048: SUNY at Fredonia Campus, Thompson Hall, Fredonia, NY; Sunday, Oct. 1, time TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Amherst c/o Sarah Johnson, P.O. Box 1555, Williamsville, NY 14231-1555 (phone 716-839-2181).

Southern States

EU017: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA New Castle North c/o Lynn Paul, (phone ).

EU018: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Baltimore, P.O. Box 2015, Baltimore, MD 21203-2015 (phone 410-563-2294).

EU019: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Montgomery Co. Central, P.O. Box 6536, Silver Spring, MD 20916-6536 (phone 301-962-8232).

EU020: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA College Park c/o Susan Rishworth, (phone ).

EU021: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Greater Vienna, P.O. Box 156, Dunn Loring, VA 22027-0156 (phone 703-821-3485).

EU022: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Fairfax Co. NW, P.O. Box 1662, Herndon, VA 20172-1662 (phone 703-793-9682).

EU023: Site, date TBA. (phone ).

EU024: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Virginia Beach c/o Martha Tillet, (phone ).

EU025: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Wilmington c/o Roger Hamrick, (phone ).

EU026: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Durham, P.O. Box 51116, Durham, NC 27717-1116 (phone 919-402-0538).

EU027: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Conway, P.O. Box 348, Conway, SC 29528-0348 (phone 843-248-3325).

EU028: Site, date TBA. (phone ).

EU029: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Charleston, P.O. Box 21887, Charleston, SC 29413-1887 (phone 843-406-7640).

EU030: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Lady’s Island c/o Mrs. Lynn Bryant, (phone ).

EU031: Site, date TBA. (phone ).

EU032: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Orangeburg, P.O. Box 2463, Orangeburg, SC 29116-2463 (phone 803-536-2752).

EU033: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Richland Co. N., P.O. Box 210351, Columbia, SC 29221-0351 (phone 803-798-7116).

EU034: Site, date TBA. (phone ).

EU035: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Donnelly, P.O. Box 915, Hemingway, SC 29554-0915 (phone 843-558-9289).

EU036: Site, date TBA. (phone ).

EU037: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Florence c/o Steven Bret Breneman, (phone ).

EU039: Site, date TBA. (phone ).

EU040: Site, date TBA. (phone ).

EU041: Site, date TBA. (phone ).

EU042: Site, date TBA. (phone ).

EU043: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Rock Hill c/o Helen Thomas, (phone ).

EU044: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Spartanburg, P.O. Box 2893, Spartanburg, SC 29304-2893 (phone 864-574-2800).

EU045: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Charlotte, P.O. Box 221155, Charlotte, NC 28222-1155 (phone 704-531-8708).

EU046: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Orange County c/o Gregory Samsa, (phone ).

EU047: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Staunton, P.O. Box 2682, Staunton, VA 24402-2682 (phone 540-885-6247).

EU052: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Lexington, P.O. Box 22102, Lexington, KY 40522-2102 (phone 606-263-1820).

EU053: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Johnson City c/o Kenneth Warlick, (phone ).

EU054: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Gwinnett Co. S., P.O. Box 870112, Stone Mountain, GA 30087-0003 (phone: 770-483-8242).

EU055: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA De Kalb Co. S. c/o Esther Onaro, (phone ).

EU056: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Roswell, P.O. Box 651, Roswell, GA 30077-0651 (phone 770-643-4998).

EU057: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Cobb Co. N. c/o Nancy Markovich, (phone ).

EU058: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Augusta, P.O. Box 14031, Augusta, GA 30919 (phone 706-738-3104).

EU059: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Peach Co. c/o Penelope Raeside, (phone ).

EU060: Home of Scott Duncan, 3 Mink Ct., Midland, GA; Sunday, Oct. 3, 9:30 am-noon. Mail ballots to LSA Columbus, (phone ).

EU061: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Gainesville, P.O. Box 357412, Gainesville, FL 32635-7412 (phone 352-338-4565).

EU062: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Brevard Co. c/o Ladan Delpak, (phone ).

EU063: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Lake Worth c/o Ted Brownstein, (phone ).

EU064: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Palm Beach Co. S. c/o Iris Tarafdar, (phone ).

EU065: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Sunrise c/o Susan Akhtarkhavari, (phone ).

EU066: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Dade County Central, P.O. Box 165231, Miami, FL 33116 (phone 305-598-7243).

EU067: Ramada Inn Lakeland, 3260 U.S. Hwy. 98 N. (at I-4 Exit 18); 10 am-4 pm (register 9 am). Mail ballots to LSA Polk Co. c/o John Wing, (phone ).

EU068: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Pinellas County c/o Sarah Shurcliff Bansemer, (phone ).

EU069: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Tallahassee c/o Barbara Cook, (phone ).

EU070: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Okaloosa c/o Linda Long, (phone ).

EU071: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Hamilton Co. c/o Linda Hendrickson, (phone ).

EU072: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Nashville c/o Katherine Diaz, (phone ).

EU091: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Little Rock c/o Angelic Caruthers, (phone ).

EU092: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Jackson, P.O. Box 1489, Jackson, MS 39215-1489 (phone 601-373-4107).

EU093: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Baton Rouge c/o Connie Naqvi, (phone ).

EU094: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA San Antonio c/o Margaret Leeds, (phone ).

EU095: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Bellaire c/o Elizabeth O’Dear, (phone ).

EU096: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Houston, P.O. Box 301190, Houston, TX 77230-1190 (phone ).

SEE SOUTHERN STATES, PAGE 52 [Page 52]

SOUTHERN STATES

(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 51)

EU097: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Austin c/o Bijan Ma’sumian, (phone 281-531-0975).

EU098: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Waco, P.O. Box 8995, Waco, TX 76714-8995 (phone 254-772-7951).

EU099: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Duncanville, P.O. Box 381653, Duncanville, TX 75138-1653 (phone 972-709-3877).

EU100: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Dallas c/o Rhonda Sue Palmer, (phone ).

EU101: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Flower Mound, P.O. Box 270094, Flower Mound, TX 75027-0094 (phone 817-430-1361).

EU102: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA McKinney c/o Beth Anderson, (phone ).

EU103: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Midland c/o Lisa Shaffer-Harris, (phone ).

EU104: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Tulsa, P.O. Box 251, Tulsa, OK 74101-0251 (phone 918-573-5033).

EU105: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Edmond c/o Suzette Rattenbury, (phone ).

EU201: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Hurst, P.O. Box 948, Hurst, TX 76053 (phone 817-282-4530).

Central States

EU049: Site, date TBA; Sunday, Oct. 8; 9 am–4:30 pm (register 8 am). Mail ballots to LSA Cleveland Heights c/o Melody Yates, P.O. Box 18092, Cleveland, OH 44118 (phone 216-291-2512).

EU050: Crestview High School, 1575 State Rt. 96, Ashland, OH; Sunday, Oct. 8, 10 am–4 pm (register 9 am). Mail ballots to LSA Mansfield c/o Mina R. Behi, (phone ).

EU051: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Cincinnati c/o Lia Ruhiyyih Ferrell, (phone ).

EU073: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Bloomington c/o Richard Hatch, P.O. Box 1004, Bloomington, IN 47402 (phone 812-334-2892).

EU074: Indiana Purdue U. at Fort Wayne, 2101 Coliseum Blvd. E., Fort Wayne, IN; Sunday, Oct. 8, 9 am–4 pm (register 8:30 am). Mail ballots to LSA Fort Wayne c/o Carol Butler, P.O. Box 10007, Fort Wayne, IN 46850-0007 (phone 219-456-8331).

EU075: KVCC Arcadia Commons Campus, 202 N. Rose St., Kalamazoo, MI; Sunday, Oct. 8, 12:30–5 pm (register 11 am). Mail ballots to LSA Kalamazoo c/o Dede Lucatelli, (phone ).

EU076: Detroit Bahá’í Ctr., 19711 Greenfield, Detroit, MI; Sunday, Oct. 8, 10 am–4 pm (register 9 am). Mail ballots to LSA Canton Twp. c/o Barbara Laferier, P.O. Box 87454, Canton, MI 48187-7845 (phone 734-455-7845).

EU077: Louhelen Bahá’í School, 3208 S. State Rd., Davison, MI; Sunday, Oct. 1; 10 am–4 pm (register 9 am). Mail ballots to LSA Davison Twp. c/o Daniel Lorsignol, 3208 S. State Rd., Davison, MI 48423 (phone 810-653-5033).

EU078: Sunday, Oct. 15; site, time TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Grand Rapids c/o Herbert Reynolds, P.O. Box 1112, Grand Rapids, MI 49501-1112 (phone 616-245-9781).

EU079: Wisconsin Lions Camp, 3834 County Rd. A, Rosholt, WI; Saturday, Oct. 7, 1–5pm (register 11am). Mail ballots to LSA Green Bay c/o Gwendolyn Hazen, (phone ).

EU080: Wilson Town Hall, 5933 S. Business Dr. Hwy. OK South, Sheboygan, WI; Sunday, Oct. 8; 2–6 pm (register 1 pm); Mail ballots to LSA Milwaukee c/o Helen Doxy, (phone ).

EU081: Madison Bahá’í Ctr., 324 W. Lakeside St., Madison, WI; Sunday, Oct. 8, 11 am–4 pm (register 10 am). Mail ballots to LSA Madison c/o Elvora Jacobi, (phone ).

EU082: Holiday Inn of Greater Beloit, Hwy. 51 & 75, South Beloit, IL; Sunday, Oct. 8, 10 am–4 pm (register 9 am). Mail ballots to LSA Rockford c/o Judy Hannen Moe, (phone ).

EU083: Radisson Hotel, 1725 Algonquin Rd., Schaumburg, IL; Sunday, Oct. 8, 8:30 am–1 pm (register 8 am). Mail ballots to LSA Vernon Hills c/o Regina Blum, (phone ).

EU084: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Wilmette c/o Pamela Mondschein, P.O. Box 775, Wilmette, IL 60091-0775 (phone 847-853-8372).

EU085: Illinois Institute of Technology, Herman Union Building, 3241 S. Federal St., Chicago, IL; Sunday, Oct. 1, 4–6 pm (register 3:30 pm) Mail ballots to LSA Chicago c/o Addison Bibb, Chicago Bahá’í Ctr., 3321 S. Calumet Ave., Chicago, IL 60616-3933 (phone 773-784-2304).

EU086: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Naperville c/o Ralph Chapman, P.O. Box 851, Naperville, IL 60566-0851 (phone 630-416-8189).

EU087: Northfield Inn, 3280 Northfield Dr., Springfield, IL; Sunday, Oct. 8; 9:45 am–4 pm (register 9 am). Mail ballots to LSA Springfield c/o Aden Lauchner, P.O. Box 1841, Springfield, IL 62705-1841 (phone 217-546-6895).

EU088: Ambroz Recreation Ctr., 2000 Mt. Vernon Rd S.E., Cedar Rapids, IA; Sunday, Oct. 8, 9:30 am–3:30 pm (register 8:30 am). Mail ballots to LSA Cedar Rapids c/o Janet King, P.O. Box 2298, Cedar Rapids, IA 52406-2298 (phone 319-377-0023).

EU089: Jesse Wrench Auditorium, Memorial Union UMC, Columbia, MO; Sunday, Oct. 8, 1–5pm (register noon). Mail ballots to LSA Boone Co. c/o Jennifer Pollard, P.O. Box 30757, Columbia, MO 65205-3757 (phone 573-696-0316).

EU090: Heman Community Ctr., 975 Pennsylvania, University City, MO; Sunday, Oct. 8, 10 am–3 pm (register 9 am). Mail ballots to LSA University City c/o Janet Klutho, P.O. Box 3121, University City, MO 63130-0521 (phone 314-997-5864).

EU106: Wichita State U., Rhatigan Student Ctr., Wichita, KS; Sunday, Oct. 15; time TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Wichita c/o Linda Munhall, P.O. Box 1979, Wichita, KS 67201-1079 (phone 316-636-2806).

EU107: Jack Reardon Civic Ctr., 500 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, KS; Saturday, Oct. 7, 9:30 am–3 pm (register 8:30 am). Mail ballots to LSA Overland Park c/o Omalley Abel, P.O. Box 4355, Shawnee Mission, KS 66204 (phone 913-642-5612).

EU108: Ramada Inn, 1101 W. Bond, Lincoln, NE; Sunday, Oct. 8, 10 am–4 pm (register 8:30 am). Mail ballots to LSA Lincoln c/o Brian Lepard, P.O. Box 80601, Lincoln, NE 68501-0601 (phone 402-423-8338).

EU109: U. of Minnesota, Humphrey Ctr., Minneapolis, MN; Sunday, Oct. 8, 10 am–4 pm (register 9 am). Mail ballots to LSA Minneapolis c/o David McKune Ingham, P.O. Box 580415, Minneapolis, MN 55458-0415 (phone 612-823-9074).

EU110: Best Western Maplewood Inn, 1780 E. County Rd. D (just off I-694 and White Bear Ave.), Maplewood, MN; Sunday, Oct. 8, 10 am–3:30 pm (register 9 am). Mail ballots to LSA Stillwater c/o Steve Milston, (phone ).

EU111: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Fargo c/o Pamela Ludwig, (phone ).

EU112: Treehaven, Box 407 (12 miles N of Hwy. 18 and road to Allen, SD), Kyle, SD; Sunday, Oct. 15, 11 am–3 pm (register 10 am). Mail ballots to LSA Rapid City c/o Alberta Schulte, (phone ).

Western States

EU113: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Cheyenne c/o Deborah King-Bua Chaplin, P.O. Box 20763, Cheyenne, WY 82003-7016 (phone 307-638-3635).

EU114: Metro Denver Bahá’í Ctr., 225 E. Bayaud, Denver, CO; Sunday, Oct. 8, 9 am–5 pm. Mail ballots to LSA Douglas County c/o Roberta Smith-Lange, (phone ).

EU115: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Pueblo c/o Melonie Housman, (phone ).

EU116: Ramada Inn, 2803 W. 2nd, Roswell, NM; Saturday, Oct. 7, time TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Hobbs c/o Curtis Wynne, P.O. Box 5161, Hobbs, NM 88241-5161 (phone 505-397-3092).

EU117: Albuquerque Bahá’í Ctr., 202 Harvard Dr. S.E., Albuquerque, NM, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Albuquerque c/o Manijeh Kavelin, (phone ).

EU118: Site, date TBA.

EU119: Site, date TBA.

EU120: Site, date TBA.

EU121: Phoenix Bahá’í Ctr., 944 E. Mountain View, Phoenix, AZ; Sunday, Oct. 1, 10 am. Mail ballots to LSA Phoenix c/o Marjan Halstead, P.O. Box 9961, Phoenix, AZ 85068-0961 (phone 602-942-2836).

EU122: Peoria Community Ctr., 8335 W. Jefferson, Peoria, AZ; Sunday, Oct. 1, 9:30 am–1 pm (register 9 am). Mail ballots to LSA Peoria c/o Donna Kime-Jeffers, P.O. Box 1021, Peoria, AZ 85380-1021 (phone 623-872-9347).

EU123: McDowell Mtn. Elementary School, 14825 N. Fayette Dr., Fountain Hills, AZ; Sunday, Oct. 1, time TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Fountain Hills c/o Michelle Arbab, (phone ).

EU124: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Flagstaff c/o Jacqueline Holland, P.O. Box 2533, Flagstaff, AZ 86003-2533 (phone 520-226-8707).

EU125: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Tsaile-Wheatfields c/o Jeanette Coffey, P.O. Box 84-B, Tsaile, AZ 86556-0084 (phone 520-724-3495).

EU126: Salt Air Room, U. of Utah Student Union, 200 S. Central Campus Dr., Salt Lake City, UT; Saturday, Oct. 14, 1–8 pm. Mail ballots to LSA Salt Lake City c/o Amanda Gottsegen, P.O. Box 58305, Salt Lake City, UT 84158 (phone 801-519-8040).

EU127: Site, date TBA.

EU128: Site, date TBA.

EU129: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Walla Walla c/o Patricia Parrish, P.O. Box 2016, Walla Walla, WA 99362-0948 (phone 509-522-2109).

EU130: Winnemucca Convention Ctr., 50 W. Winnemucca Blvd., Winnemucca, NV; Saturday–Sunday, Oct. 14–15, 10 am–4 pm each day. Mail ballots to LSA Reno c/o Hillary Rath, P.O. Box 6447, Reno, NV 89513-6447 (phone 775-829-7881).

EU131: Las Vegas Bahá’í Ctr., 7035 Oakley Blvd., Las Vegas, NV; Sunday, Oct. 1, time TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Las Vegas c/o Mary Pat Fathe-aazam, (phone ).

EU132: Site, date TBA.

EU133: San Diego Bahá’í Ctr., 6545 Alcala Knolls Dr., San Diego, CA; Sunday, Oct. 1, time TBA. Mail ballots to LSA San Diego c/o Susan Collins, (phone ).

EU134: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Encinitas c/o Angelina Allen, P.O. Box 230088, Encinitas, CA 92023-0088 (phone 760-944-6441).

EU135: Site, date TBA.

EU136: Site, date TBA.

EU137: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Huntington Beach c/o Dale Neuls, P.O. Box 1791, Huntington Beach, CA 92647-1791 (phone 714-840-8018).

EU138: Site, date TBA.

EU139: Cerritos Park Community Ctr., 12234 166th St., Cerritos, CA; Sunday, Oct. 1, 8 am–2 pm. Mail ballots to LSA Cerritos c/o Pejmun Motaghedi, P.O. Box 4821, Cerritos, CA 90703-4821 (phone 562-402-4870).

EU140: Veterans Memorial Bldg., 4117 Overland Ave., Culver City, CA; Sunday, Oct. 1, time TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Santa Monica c/o Sheila Banani, P.O. Box 1066, Santa Monica, CA 90406-1066 (phone 310-394-5449).

EU141: Arcadia Community Ctr., 365 Campus Dr., Arcadia, CA;

SEE WESTERN STATES, PAGE 53 [Page 53]

FORUM, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

United Nations.

Themes addressed included peace, poverty eradication, human rights, sustainable development, the challenges of globalization, and “strengthening and democratizing the United Nations.”

Co-convenor of the forum was Techeste Ahderom, the Bahá’í International Community’s principal representative to the UN.

Past NGO meetings associated with major UN conferences were confined to single themes such as population, women, human rights or poverty alleviation, rather than tackling many issues as interrelated.

“It seems to me ... that this is the first occasion when a global civil society forum has been convened to discuss the entire global agenda at the seat of the only truly global organization, the United Nations,” said Miles Stoby, UN assistant secretary-general and coordinator of preparations for the September summit.

Ahderom, in a general address opening the forum, said the conference would build on the important action plans devised at those past conferences and attempt to knit them into a coherent whole.

“One feature of the draft Millennium Forum declaration and the other documents before us is that they strive to focus on concrete actions that the world can take to achieve the long-dreamed age of peace and security, in which no one goes hungry, violence is never a recourse, and justice is the guiding principle,” Ahderom said.

His participation was historic for Bahá’ís, as the community of UN-affiliated NGOs relied on the Bahá’ís as never before for their organizational, communicative and unific skills.

On the forum’s first evening, Ahderom officiated at a commemoration to honor UN and NGO staff killed in the line of duty. Since 1992, 184 UN staff members have died in service to the world body.

The commemoration, which took place during a multicultural performance at the public lobby of the UN headquarters, was organized by Jeffery Huffines, UN representative for the National Spiritual Assembly, on behalf of the Committee of Religious NGOs at the UN.

Techeste Ahderom (left), principal UN representative for the Bahá’í International Community and co-convenor of the Millennium Forum, greets Nane Lagergren, wife of Kofi Annan, secretary-general of the United Nations, at the forum’s opening session. Photo by Veronica Shoffstall, One Country

Broad but concise

Out of the NGOs’ five days of consultations arose a broad but concise document: “We the Peoples—Millennium Forum Declaration and Agenda for Action; Strengthening the United Nations for the 21st Century.”

Religion and spirituality are given scant attention in the declaration. But it runs along several currents parallel to Bahá’í social principles and external affairs goals established by the Universal House of Justice.

The document’s vision statement is indicative:

“Our vision is of a world that is human-centered and genuinely democratic, where all human beings are full participants and determine their own destinies,” it reads.

“In our vision we are one human family, in all our diversity, living on one common homeland and sharing a just, sustainable and peaceful world, guided by universal principles of democracy, equality, inclusion, voluntarism, non-discrimination and participation by all persons.”

Challenges to that vision, the document acknowledges, include the persistence of violence—from armed conflict to domestic violence—widespread injustice, extreme poverty and emergence of new diseases including AIDS.

While globalization of the economy and technology can help share some solutions, it can also widen the gap between rich and poor and worsen the condition of people who already face discrimination.

Recommended actions

The document recommends a list of actions, more than 20 pages long, addressing the broad themes of eradication of poverty; peace, security and disarmament; equity, justice and diversity; human rights; sustainable development and the environment; and strengthening and democratizing the United Nations and international organizations.

It recommends action within each of those areas for the UN itself, for national governments and for civil society. Among other things, it calls for specific steps toward:

• Eradication of extreme poverty.
• Universal education, with special attention for girls, and shielding children from exploitation.
• Stronger international courts and regulatory bodies, both to serve the cause of peace and to ensure that conduct of business preserves human rights.
• Honoring the roles of women, protecting them from violence and working for their equal partnership with men at all levels of society.
• Bringing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 into full effect and working for universal ratification of all human rights treaties.
• Supporting sustainable farming practices and other means of livelihood.
• Creating consultative bodies that bring a variety of interests together, including groups that have been adversarial such as business and labor.
• Disarmament backed by a sophisticated international conflict-management system and, as a last resort, trained global police and peacekeeping forces.
• Respect for the various cultures and nationalities of the world, including the indigenous, even as understanding is promoted.

The complete text of the Millennium Forum Declaration and Agenda, as well as numerous reports on the Forum, can be found on the Internet (Web site www.millenniumforum.org). ♦

WESTERN STATES, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 52

Sunday, Oct. 1, time TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Monrovia c/o Joannie Yuille, P.O. Box 346, Monrovia, CA 91017-0346 (phone 818-358-8254).

EU142: Los Angeles Bahá’í Ctr., 5755 Rodeo Rd., Los Angeles, CA; Sunday, Oct. 1, time TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Los Angeles c/o Randolph Dobbs, (phone ).

EU143: Canyon Country Park, 17615 Soledad Canyon Rd., Santa Clarita, CA; date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA La Crescenta c/o Rebecca Morris, P.O. Box 615, Verdugo City, CA 91046-0615 (phone 818-248-1782).

EU144: Borchard Community Ctr., 190 Reinord, Newbury Park, CA; date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Camarillo c/o Leo Misagi, (phone ).

EU145: Nine Oaks Bahá’í Institute, 1201 Old Oak Park Rd., Arroyo Grande, CA; Sunday, Oct. 1, time TBA. Mail ballots to LSA San Luis Obispo c/o Leslie V. Nelson, P.O. Box 3333, San Luis Obispo, CA 93403-3333 (phone 805-543-6190).

EU146: Northminster Presbyterian Church, 315 Alvin Dr., Room 11, Salinas, CA; Saturday, Oct. 7, 11 am–5 pm. Mail ballots to LSA Prunedale c/o Jana Davis, (phone ).

EU147: Site, date TBA.

EU148: San Jose Regional Bahá’í Ctr., 945 Willow St., San Jose, CA; Sunday, Oct. 1, time TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Live Oak-Santa Cruz c/o Michelle Reid, P.O. Box 3068, Santa Cruz, CA 95063-3068 (phone 831-464-8086).

EU149: Bosch Bahá’í School, 500 Comstock Ln., Santa Cruz, CA; Sunday, Oct. 1, 1 pm–4 pm. Mail ballots to LSA Santa Cruz c/o Naghmeh Towfigh, P.O. Box 8264, Santa Cruz, CA 95061-8264 (phone 831-457-1962).

EU150: Burlingame Lion’s Hall, 990 Burlingame Ave., Burlingame, CA; Sunday, Oct. 1, 8:30 am. Mail ballots to LSA Burlingame c/o Diane Downing, P.O. Box 117628, Burlingame, CA 94011-7628 (phone 650-344-8619).

EU151: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Pleasanton c/o Fereshte Faustini, P.O. Box 22, Pleasanton, CA 94566 (phone 925-600-0570).

EU152: Site, date TBA.

EU153: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Modesto c/o Cynthia Christensen, P.O. Box 1893, Modesto, CA 95353 (phone 209-524-2969).

EU154: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Roseville c/o Daniel Thorpe, (phone ).

EU155: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Davis c/o Andrea Atkinson, P.O. Box 578, Davis, CA 95617-0578 (phone 530-753-9163).

EU156: Sonoma State U. Student Union, 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park, CA; date and time TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Santa Rosa c/o Sonja Rustad, P.O. Box 2744, Santa Rosa, CA 95405-0744 (phone 707-546-8695).

EU157: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Shasta County c/o Mahin-Taj Raines, P.O. Box 494057, Redding, CA 96049 (phone 530-244-7427).

EU158: Umpqua Community Ctr., 1140 College Rd., Roseburg, OR; Sunday, Oct. 1, time TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Roseburg c/o Rodney Olson, P.O. Box 2056, Roseburg, OR 97470-0442 (phone 541-672-5830).

EU159: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Benton County c/o Paula Siegel, P.O. Box 396, Philomath, OR 97370-0396 (phone 541-929-2718).

EU160: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Lake Oswego c/o Negar Meshkin, (phone ).

EU161: Portland Bahá’í Ctr., 8720 N. Ivanhoe St., Portland, OR; Sunday, Oct. 8, 9 am. Mail ballots to LSA Gresham c/o Roberta Hafenstein, P.O. Box 532, Gresham, OR 97030-0120 (phone 503-674-7904).

EU162: Duncan Law Seafood Ctr., 2021 Marina Dr., Astoria, OR; time TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Clatsop Co. c/o Carrie Bartoldus, (phone 503-325-0091).

EU163: Site, date TBA.

EU164: Woodinville High School, 19819 136th St. N.E., Woodinville, WA; date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Woodinville c/o Barbara Larson Moses, P.O. Box 768, Woodinville, WA 98072-0768 (phone 425-488-2673).

EU165: Maple Valley Community Ctr., 22010 SE 248th St., Maple Valley, WA; Saturday, Oct. 7, 9 am–5 pm. Mail ballots to LSA Kent c/o Jerome Jacobs, (phone ).

EU166: Site, date TBA.

EU167: Masonic Temple, 878 5th St., Bremerton, WA; Sunday, Oct. 8, 9:30 am–4 pm. Mail ballots to LSA Kitsap County Central c/o Caroline Sbragia, (phone ).

EU202: Site, date TBA. Mail ballots to LSA Edmonds c/o Nancy Smith, (phone ). [Page 54]

VINEYARD of the LORD

In order to provide the best, most current pictures from the Mount Carmel Projects, we are abridging the written progress report for this issue of The American Bahá’í. More detailed reports will resume in future issues.

Gardens surrounding the Shrine of the Báb, on the central Terrace and on the bridge over Hatzionut Avenue benefited from a spring replanting.

Extensive stone paving is under way, enhancing the floor and walls of the courtyard leading to the Visitors Center in the building under Terrace 11, uphill from the Shrine.

Workers make progress on the main fountain of the Entrance Plaza, at the base of Mount Carmel below the Shrine of the Báb.

PHOTOS BY RUHI VARGHA

Gardens at the Shrine of the Báb

Naw-Rúz and Ridvan celebrations provided the impetus for the Mount Carmel Projects team to work in advance to enhance the vistas on the route to the Shrine of the Báb. Newly planted grass, shrubs and flower beds on the gardens behind the Shrine completed a beautiful vista, complemented by ‎the the the‎ new ocher-colored crushed tiles and lamp fixtures on the bridge over Hatzionut Avenue.

During the Naw-Rúz celebration March 21, a large number of pilgrims, Bahá’í visitors and staff proceeded from the Concourse of the Seat of the Universal House of Justice via the bridge to the Shrine of the Báb.

Pilgrim Facilities

The Mount Carmel Projects Office has embarked on another significant project: construction of a Pilgrim Facility and Visitors’ Center at Bahjí in ‘Akká. Excavations began April 9 and pile foundations were completed in May.

This follows completed renovation of two buildings in Haifa to house pilgrims. [Page 55]Four main buildings cling to the Arc on Mount Carmel: (from left) the International Teaching Center Building, the Seat of the Universal House of Justice, the Center for the Study of the Texts and the Archives Building.

INTERNATIONAL TEACHING CENTER BUILDING IS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETED

Members of the Mount Carmel Projects team gather May 1 at the entrance of the International Teaching Center Building for a group photo to celebrate the substantial completion of the building exactly on schedule.

Above: Handrails are installed along the steps descending into a lightwell at the International Teaching Center Building. Right: The Teaching Center’s auditorium, even during finishing work, gives a hint of its future grandeur.

Landscaping guide lines mark the garden immediately in front of the International Teaching Center Building. Now that the contractor has handed the building over, interior finishing and furnishing work is proceeding rapidly with the expectation that the building will be ready for a meeting of the Continental Counselors in January 2001.

Teaching Center building handed over

More than 100 key participants from the main contractor’s team, the Mount Carmel Projects team and subcontractors of all trades, together with Giora Perez, managing director of Perez G.G. Engineers, and Fariburz Sahba, project manager, came together May 1 to celebrate the substantial completion and hand-over of the International Teaching Center ‎builiding building‎.

It was a time for emotional farewells. Sahba spoke at length in praise of all who contributed to the speed and quality of the construction. David Gitterman, construction manager of the Perez firm, recalled his initial trepidation on being invited to work with the Bahá’ís due to their reputation for exacting quality standards, but said that over the years he came to appreciate their professionalism.

The level of cooperation and understanding is reflected in the fact that no claims or additional costs were submitted with the contractor’s final bill, most unusual in the construction industry. ◆

A new pilgrim facility, in the vicinity of the Shrine of the Báb, stands ready on Hatzionut Avenue. Along with another building acquired for pilgrims’ use, it has been undergoing renovation since July 1998. [Page 56]

Kay Zinky, Knight of Bahá’u’lláh, researcher

Edith L. “Kay” Zinky, a wide-ranging Bahá’í teacher, researcher and educator, was designated a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for taking a pioneering post in 1954 in the Magdalen Islands, in Canada’s Gulf of St. Lawrence.

She passed away on May 10, 2000, at age 97. In the course of her life she had been a homemaker, teacher, opera singer and inventor.

Born March 25, 1903, in Rocky Ford, Colorado, she was brought up there and in Grand Island, Nebraska. She was the first of 10 children of Fred and Ada Mehring.

Months after high school graduation in Colorado Springs, she married Raymond Zinky in 1922. Even as their sons, William and Robert, were growing up, she showed great interest in the arts and music, and in 1938 she made her operatic singing debut with the Pueblo Symphony. As a solo artist and with groups, she performed in recital and concert, and sang to entertain soldiers at USO clubs and events. During a brief time living in California, she sang with the Hollywood Singers at the Hollywood Bowl and a World’s Fair.

Her needlework talent led her to patent a method for making silk stockings that would not run. However, the timing was such that she couldn’t profit from this invention; the advent of World War II halted U.S. imports of silk from Japan, and nylon stockings predominated afterward.

Kay was introduced to the Bahá’í Faith by Loulie Mathews, herself a distinguished international teacher of the Cause. Immediately on accepting the Faith in 1947, Kay studied deeply and became an active teacher, enrolling many souls.

Her first appointment was as regional teaching secretary, a capacity in which she served for many years. Among other services, Kay was manager of Temerity International Bahá’í School in Pine Valley, Colorado, for two years. She relinquished that post to pioneer in the Magdalen Islands, a virgin goal, for which Shoghi Effendi designated her a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh.

On her return to Colorado, she crisscrossed the United States as a circuit teacher for a number of years. A longtime member of the Spiritual Assembly of El Paso County West and often a delegate to the Bahá’í National Convention, she also served on the Bahá’í Reviewing Committee and the National Reverence Committee.

A tireless researcher, she prepared many compilations on numerous subjects from the Bahá’í Writings, and taught at many Bahá’í summer and winter schools in the United States including Hawaii. She also did significant teaching work on Indian reservations and in Mexico.

In 1963, her research in the British Museum Library helped uncover some 300 unknown Bahá’í Tablets. In 1964, after a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, she traveled to teach in Istanbul, Adrianople, Africa, Europe and Canada.

Zinky accumulated an extensive personal library, including many of her own compilations and research materials, and many souls came to her for training and research.

Two substantial works were compiled later in her life. One, a compilation drawn from reports in the magazine Star of the West, dealt with the visit of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to the United States. She thought this research of such importance that she traveled extensively for years throughout the United States giving weekend institutes on the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

Another compilation, Martha Root: Herald of the Kingdom, contains major correspondence to and from the Hand of the Cause Martha Root, plus a number of reports and essays drawn from her travels to teach the Faith.

Tribute to Eugene King, a northern light

BY JOHN KOLSTOE WITH LAURIE CROPLEY AND CHARLOTTE SIVERLY

Message from the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of Alaska: “The Universal House of Justice was saddened to learn of the passing of a former member of your (Alaskan) National Spiritual Assembly, Mr. Eugene King. It will supplicate at the Sacred Threshold that his soul may be blessed with the outpourings of divine grace throughout all the worlds of God. It will also pray for the solace of his family during this difficult time.”

Eugene’s regal bearing and quiet dignity made him a king in anyone’s court. With a natural grace and a self-assured manner people were inspired to act as if they were in the company of nobility, which they were.

He passed away Sept. 20, 1999, only days before his 82nd birthday.

His essence was the quote “Noble have I created Thee. ...” With pride and respect he served his people and Native believers knew his heart ached with a desire that they would see with spiritual eyes and hear the message of Bahá’u’lláh.

He was of a royal line of Tlingit Indians from Southeastern Alaska. His station was such that, at the mention of his name, traditional Tlingits would reflexively sit or stand more erect as a sign of respect.

His service as one of the first Native members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Alaska, speaking at an international conference, or voting in the Holy Land gave Native people a glimpse of what they could achieve as Bahá’ís. He confirmed that there was a place for the indigenous in the Faith. He courageously paved the way and was a strong role model.

While a young man, Eugene lost his eyesight. He later commented, “If I hadn’t lost my sight, I would never have had the insight to accept Bahá’u’lláh.” In 1954 Eugene enrolled in the Faith and in 1969 he and his wife, Melba, pioneered to Alaska. In 1970 he was elected for the first time to the Alaska National Spiritual Assembly.

He attended International Conventions in Haifa, Israel, in 1983 and 1988. Proudly wearing his ceremonial Tlingit vest, he reverently cast ballots for the members of the Universal House of Justice.

On several occasions in his later years his doctors told him to move to a warmer climate. He declined, feeling that service to his people in Alaska was more important than health or physical comfort.

His days of blindness are over. At last he can see the Shrines and Holy Places he loved and the shining faces of people all over the world to whom he brought such joy. And, maybe, now he knows how much his sightless sojourn brought new and rich visions to legions of people who did not have his brilliant insight.

Hilde McCormick was Arizona pioneer

Hilde McCormick, a greatly loved member of the Flagstaff, Arizona, community, passed on April 18, 2000. She was 85.

Born on March 27, 1915, to Bahá’í parents Heinrich and Marie Walker in Stuttgart, Germany, she was a faithful servant of the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh from age 15.

McCormick served as stenographer for the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany, as well as the Spiritual Assembly of Stuttgart, Germany. She arrived in Flagstaff in 1949 as a homefront pioneer and remained at her post until the time of her passing.

She was instrumental in establishing the Bellemont Bahá’í School and was a staunch supporter of the school for 43 years. A multitude of the friends will remember her warm and gracious hospitality.

IN MEMORIAM
Ashraf Ashouri San Diego, CA March 13, 1999	Richard E. De Greene Houston, TX October 1999	Margaret Leonard Stanley, Falkland Islands December 16, 1999	Anita P. Olsen Frederick County, MD February 6, 2000	Robert C. Taylor Detroit, MI June 1999
Victoria Burrows Charlotte, NC September 22, 1999	Timothy J. Grant Kokomo, IN April 2000	Hilde McCormick Flagstaff, AZ April 18, 2000	Vera Overeem Lombard, IL April 28, 2000	Nasroullah K. Vahedy Evanston, IL September 1999
Philip Cavanagh Midland, MI May 20, 2000	June Huang Framingham, MA December 10, 1999	Dorothy F. Miller Carmel, CA June 3, 1999	Kenneth Perkins Sr. Frankfort, KY March 1999	Leonard H. Zachery Murfreesboro, TN April 13, 2000
Shane K. Cowell Phoenix, AZ May 11, 1999	Bahieh Imani El Cajon, CA April 1, 1999	Herbert W. Miller Wood Dale, IL April 8, 2000	Elouise G. Sanders Jamestown, ND May 19, 2000	Kay Zinky Colorado Springs, CO May 10, 2000

Note of appreciation

The family of James MacDowell “Mac” Markert III, infant son of Laili Radpour Markert and Jim Markert Jr., express their gratitude to all who remembered in their prayers this child, who passed away on Jan. 15, 2000, in Birmingham, Alabama, at just under 3 months old. He was born with congenital heart problems and leukemia. Bahá’ís worldwide followed Mac’s struggle for health through e-mail reports, and enveloped his parents and extended family with love through their prayers and messages. [Page 57]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 EVANSTON, ILLINOIS

Maintenance Team Leader, Properties. Will manage facility/building maintenance and engineering staff to provide timely services at minimal costs; plan, estimate, schedule maintenance requests and projects; ensure that all equipment and buildings are efficiently and effectively maintained. Needs at least five years’ experience in all areas of building maintenance (HVAC, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, painting, cleaning etc.) with three to five years as a maintenance manager; valid driver’s license; supervisory command of English.

Staff Producer, Media Services. Full range of video/audio production tasks, especially writing/development of Bahá’í Newsreel. Will keep day-to-day production process in order; research, gather news, write and edit finished Newsreel stories, at times without assistance; help develop network of correspondents; arrange for duplication/distribution. Needs knowledge/experience in all production aspects of broadcast journalism; flexibility, organizational skills, familiarity with Bahá’í administration.

Concrete Artisan, Conservation Office. Assists Concrete/Stone Conservator in the conservation of the Bahá’í House of Worship and its surroundings. Must have competence in mixing, placing, finishing and curing concrete flatwork or architectural precast components, experience in building forms or making molds; should be familiar with pressure or acid cleaning, sandblasting, or pneumatic demolition; leadership or supervisory experience beneficial. Also essential: valid driver’s license, ability to work comfortably at heights and to wear full or half-mask respirators, good communication skills and ability to interact pleasantly with public. Organized, thorough, patient, cooperative manner desired.

Switchboard Operator/Receptionist, Office of Human Resources (part-time). Receives and routes telephone calls; greets visitors to the Bahá’í National Center in a pleasant and friendly manner; interacts with all staff and National Assembly agencies as well as the Bahá’í community at large and some international contacts. Must be flexible, effective in service as a team member in a fast-paced environment, able to promote unity within the workplace.

U.S. Bahá’í Refugee Office, Evanston: Administrative Assistant (part-time). Prepares correspondence to refugees and to Bahá’í, government and other agencies involved in refugee resettlement. Develops reports, maintains records, helps process Southeast Asian Bahá’í refugees. Helps compile and write the Southeast Asian Helpers Bulletin, articles for The American Bahá’í and other publications. Needs proven ability to work with confidential information, strong skills writing and speaking English.

OFFICE OF INFORMATION SERVICES

Applications Developer. Provides high-level analysis, design, implementation of information systems. Familiar with variety of technologies: Visual tools, database and Web tools.

Senior Applications Developer. Provides high-level analysis, design, implementation of information systems. Familiar with variety of technologies: Visual Basic, SQL7, Microsoft Access, Web tools, Delphi, C++.

Network Administrator/Engineer. Responsible for configuration, maintenance and security of all computer networking infrastructure (LAN and WAN) including servers, cabling, routers, switches and NICs. Maintains documentation of network and servers setup and structure.

SQL Database Administrator. Coordinates database development. Responsible for Enterprise SQL server including security rights, table design, normalization. Responsible for design and implementation of user and departmental applications as front ends to SQL using MS Access, VB or other tools as determined.

Help desk. Coordinates support activities for LSAI project. Provides training and support for LSAI. Handles or delegates requests for support. Develops training-related materials, assists promotion and education.

URGENT NEEDS

Bahá’í Distribution Service, Fulton County, Georgia: Manager. Will oversee general direction, policies/strategies, interdepartmental collaboration, business operations; ensure high level of service to the community, performance of financial mandates and safeguarding of employee welfare; recruit, train and develop personnel; coordinate marketing/customer service, buying, information services and fulfillment. Needs high-level skills in communication, organization, consultation, presentation, negotiation, problem-solving; expertise in business management/marketing.

Office of the Treasurer, Evanston: Assistant Coordinator/Kingdom Project. Will help Project Coordinator design and carry out an effective communication plan for the duration of the five-year Project. Needs strong grounding in fundamental verities of the Faith, exceptional written and oral communication skills and advanced computer skills, ability to coordinate tasks. Knowledge of desktop publishing a plus. Prefer bachelor’s degree in communication or related field; minimum three years’ related experience.

Bahá’í Distribution Service, Fulton County, Georgia: Customer Service Representative (2 positions). Will process phone, fax and electronic orders, respond to customer queries, maintain customer records, and handle correspondence. Should have strong communication skills, strong data entry skills, experience in telephone customer service or related work, pleasant and patient demeanor. Knowledge of Bahá’í literature is a plus.

Office of the Secretary, Evanston: Administrative Assistant. Interacts with all departments, composes responses to all correspondence, handles high volume of detailed information with frequent interruptions. Needs sound problem-solving/organizational judgment, ability to work with confidential information and to work as part of a team (with and without supervision), written and interpersonal communication skills, proficiency in word processing, driver’s license.

Office of the Treasurer, Evanston: Administrative Assistant. Coordinates administrative tasks; maintains relationships with institutions and volunteers through phone, mail and electronic correspondence; and helps in executing tasks assigned to the Office of the Treasurer by the National Spiritual Assembly.

Office of the Human Resources, Evanston: Benefits Administrator. Manages HRIS; administers medical, dental, life, AD&D, LTD and Flexible Spending plans; conducts benefit orientation; creates reports with HRIS and other special projects. Needs precision and accuracy in document/recordkeeping, skill in setting priorities and organizing files. Must be positive, service-oriented, sensitive in handling of confidential matters, able to maintain productivity amid rapidly changing priorities. Desired: Experience in ADP, Report Smith, Excel, Microsoft Office; two years’ college.

If interested, contact the Office of Human Resources, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (phone 847-733-3427, fax 847-733-3430). ♦

URGENT NEED

DIRECTOR OFFICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION NEW YORK, NY

For a complete job description with responsibilities and qualifications: Visit www.usbnc.org and click on the “Current Opportunities for Service” link in the What’s New list.

We regret that no inquiries (by phone, fax or mail) or visits to the Office of Public Information or to the Office of External Affairs can be accepted.

AT NATIVE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í INSTITUTE HOUCK, ARIZONA

Children and Youth Program Coordinator. Carries out administrative, training and social tasks to coordinate day-to-day operation of youth programs, including Youth Service Corps volunteer program; collaborates with administrators to design and run an effective service, training and community involvement program for youth volunteers; communicates with youths from around the region and the country; develops youth newsletters, periodic conferences, organized retreats and deepenings, facilitating an abundance of good times for all; completes special projects and other duties. Needs driver’s license.

Administrative Assistant. Maintains relationships with institutions, volunteers, staff, and the public through phone, mail and electronic correspondence; prepares newsletters, flyers, bulk mailings and reports; maintains financial records; coordinates Institute purchasing; other duties. Must be able to maintain confidentiality of sensitive records and materials.

If interested in either post, contact the Office of Human Resources, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (phone 847-733-3427, fax 847-733-3430).

FOR BRILLIANT STAR MAGAZINE WILMETTE, ILLINOIS

Activities Editor (10 hours per week). Will develop, acquire and compile fun and engaging activities for children and junior youths, network with contributors, help foster cultural diversity, participate in magazine and article development including research, writing, editing and on-site proofreading for all six issues each year. Must be able to stay abreast of trends and needs in Bahá’í children’s activities, participate in regular staff meetings, assist with marketing and promotional activities. Should be self-motivated, flexible with time, comfortable with a creative, deadline-driven atmosphere, and broadly familiar with Bahá’í writings and principles. Needs background in education and in children’s varied learning styles. Must be a good communicator. Experience with publishing preferred. Applicants who live within 100 miles of Evanston, IL, are preferred.

If interested in any of these Bahá’í National Offices posts, contact the Office of Human Resources, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (phone 847-733-3427, fax 847-733-3430).

INTERNATIONAL

China: Numerous openings for English teachers and professionals willing to travel for service in this rapidly developing country. For more information contact Susan Senchuk (phone 847-733-3506, fax 847-733-3509, e-mail ).

AT GREEN ACRE BAHÁ’Í SCHOOL ELIOT, MAINE

Assistant Facilities Coordinator. Helps with inspections, maintenance, exterior and interior repairs. Needs skills in housekeeping, maintenance of buildings, equipment, vehicles, grounds.

Receptionist/Office Assistant. Receives phone, e-mail and fax communications; greets visitors in a courteous, efficient manner; provides administrative support for co-administrators, registrar, program coordinator; helps bookstore manager with sales and inventory.

If interested, please contact Jim Sacco, co-administrator, Green Acre Bahá’í School, 188 Main St., Eliot, ME 03903 (phone 207-439-7200, e-mail ).

AT LOUHELEN BAHÁ’Í SCHOOL DAVISON, MICHIGAN

Properties Associate. Full range skilled maintenance and manual labor, to care for facilities and grounds year-round. Needs experience and training in carpentry, construction, plumbing, electrical, HVAC and/or grounds.

If interested, contact Rick or Barbara Johnson, Louhelen Bahá’í School, 3208 S. State Road, Davison, MI 48423 (phone 810-653-5033, e-mail ). [Page 58]

Across the Nation

Needed: Colorado Bahá’í Youth Workshop Co-coordinator: This very successful workshop, with about 25 youths dedicated to spreading the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh, needs an adult interested in working with the youths and the present coordinator. Needs strong love for the cause and ability to commit Saturday afternoons. Colorado’s economy is booming, jobs are plentiful, the weather is beautiful and it’s a great place to raise a family. Please direct inquiries to the sponsoring Spiritual Assembly of Fort Collins (phone 970-229-5962, e-mail _______________). (phone _______________, e-mail _______________).

PIONEERING / OVERSEAS

The Office of Pioneering is eager to assist the friends preparing for international service. For information regarding jobs and study abroad, please contact the Office of Pioneering, Bahá’í National Center, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (phone 847-733-3508, e-mail _______________). Some international events and traveling teaching opportunities are listed on page 63.

PIONEERING / HOMEFRONT

A change in homefront pioneering appeals

The four Regional Bahá’í Councils have taken on responsibility for coordinating U.S. homefront pioneering in the past year. Because of this, The American Bahá’í has changed the way it presents appeals for homefront pioneers. We will regularly print top-priority localities in each region for homefront pioneers, as reported to us by each Council.

“Classified ads” seeking homefront pioneers have appeared in The American Bahá’í almost from its inception in 1970. However, at this time it is preferable for local communities to turn first to the Regional Councils for this purpose.

Northeastern States

Urgent! Homefront pioneers needed to save the Local Spiritual Assembly of Altoona, Pennsylvania. This goal city of 50,000 is centrally located in beautiful rolling hills, away from the maddening crowd. Good schools, safe environment and opportunities to teach the Cause. Temporary housing available for those who wish to visit. College students welcome at the lovely Penn State Altoona Campus. Please contact Gail Alberini (phone _______________). Make your mark.

To inquire about other possible localities, contact the Northeastern Regional Bahá’í Council secretary, Joel Nizin (phone _______________, e-mail _______________).

Central States

To inquire about locating as a homefront pioneer, contact the Central Regional Bahá’í Council secretary, Lynn Wieties (phone _______________, e-mail _______________).

Western States

For more information, contact the appropriate traveling teaching-homefront pioneering coordinator for each state (list available in the Regional Councils section of the U.S. Administrative Web Site, www.usbnc.org), or the regional homefront pioneering coordinator, Flor Toloui, (phone _______________, e-mail _______________).

For information on American Indian reservations (localities listed below marked with *), contact the American Indian regional traveling teaching-homefront pioneering coordinator, Helen Kiely, (phone _______________, e-mail _______________).

The Regional Bahá’í Council has put emphasis on Assembly goals in the seven “breath of life” states designated by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the Tablets of the Divine Plan: Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. Goal localities below:

• Arizona: Apache Junction, Bapchule District*, Buckeye, Chino Valley, Goodyear, Houck Chapter*, Kingman, Surprise, Tolleson
• Idaho: Fort Hall Indian Reservation*, Meridian, Ada Co., Kootenai Co.
• Montana: Blackfeet Indian Reservation*, Crow Agency*, Havre, Kalispell, Lewis and Clark Co., Missoula, St. Ignatius
• Nevada: Boulder City, Pahrump, Winchester, Lyon Co., Churchill Co.
• New Mexico: Bernalillo Co. E., Doña Ana Co. Cent., Jicarilla Apache Reservation*, Mescalero Apache Reservation*, Rio Arriba Co., Roswell, Grants, Ruidoso, Lincoln Co., Socorro, Los Lunas, Deming, Carlsbad, Artesia, Lovington, Aztec, Luna Co., Shiprock Chapter*, Taos Co.
• Utah: West Jordan, Bountiful, Centerville, Clearfield, Farmington, La Verkin, Layton, Midvale, Murray, Roy, South Ogden, Uintah-Ouray*
• Wyoming: Laramie, Cheyenne, Casper, Gillette, Cody, Rawlins, Newcastle, Weston County, Laramie County, Rock Springs
• Colorado: Cortez, Manitou Springs, Englewood, Thornton, Fremont Co., Pagosa Springs, Southern Ute Reservation*, Canon City
• California: 83 goal communities
• Oregon: 21 goal communities
• Washington: 36 goal communities

Southern States

For more information, please contact the Southern Regional Traveling Teaching and Homefront Pioneering Coordination Team c/o Anne Jalali, secretary (phone _______________, e-mail _______________) or Connie Donley, (phone _______________, e-mail _______________).

The Regional Council has placed top priority for homefront pioneering on cities with populations of 50,000 or more and no Local Spiritual Assembly as of March 2000.

• Arkansas: Fort Smith, Pine Bluff
• Florida: Daytona Beach, Hialeah, Melbourne, Miami, Pensacola, Sarasota, West Palm Beach
• Georgia: Albany
• Kentucky: Owensboro
• Louisiana: Bossier City, Kenner, Lake Charles, Monroe
• North Carolina: Gastonia
• Oklahoma: Broken Arrow
• South Carolina: North Charleston
• Tennessee: Jackson
• Texas: Baytown, Beaumont, Galveston, Killeen, Laredo, Longview, Mesquite, Odessa, San Angelo
• Virginia: Danville, Lynchburg, Portsmouth, Suffolk
• West Virginia: Huntington

BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTER SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

Mount Carmel Bahá’í Projects

Project manager is seeking an expert stone mason and an industrial/commercial plumber to help in maintenance and, as needed, restoration at the Bahá’í World Center properties.

Insurance professionals

Bahá’ís knowledgeable in the field of insurance relating to general property, buildings, natural disasters, public third-party liability, motor-vehicle and general insurance.

Contact the Office of Human Resources at the Bahá’í National Center for an application (phone 847-733-3427, e-mail _______________).

ARCHIVES

The National Bahá’í Archives is seeking original letters written on behalf of the Guardian to the following: Gertrude Duell, Howard and Nellie Duff, Anna L. Duffy, Elizabeth L. Duffy, Dora Dunbar, Ruth Newman Dunbar, Avona C. Duncan, Allen and Anita Dunn, Kathryn Dunn and Robert Durr. 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 (phone 847-853-2359).

The National Bahá’í Archives is seeking photographs of the following Hands of the Cause to add to its photograph collection: Hermann Grossman, Jalal Khazeh, Sutherland Maxwell, Adelbert Mühlschlegel, Rahmat’u’lláh Muhájir, Enoch Olinga, Keith Ransom-Kehler, John Robarts, Tarázu’lláh Samandarí, Siegfried Schopflocher, ‘Alí Muhammad Varqá, Valiyu’lláh Varqá. Anyone having photographs they could donate is asked to send them to the National Bahá’í Archives, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201. Please identify the photographs if possible with people, date and place.

A Century of Light: Who is Writing the Future? Association for Bahá’í Studies 24th Annual Conference Aug. 31– Sept. 3 • Delta Meadowvale Resort and Conference Centre, Toronto, Canada Program Includes talks by: Dr. Bahiyyih Nakhjavani Dr. Janet Khan Jacqueline Left Hand Bull Prof. Howard Adelman Sen. Landon Pearson Prof. Suheil Bushrui A half-day session in Persian will be conducted Sept. 2, by the Association for Bahá’í Studies in Persian. To register Web site: www.bahai-studies.ca Phone: 613-233-1903 An ad and form were made available in the June 5 issue of The American Bahá’í, p. 31. Fees All conference fees are in Canadian dollars; the exchange rate may vary. Conversion is automatic if you pay by credit card. Full four-day registration ABS member: $100 on site. Non-member: $140; includes one-year membership. Child or Pre-Youth (age 5–15): $50. Discounts (no more than one discount may apply) Couple: members, $20 discount per couple; non-members, $50 discount per couple. Senior (65+), Student or Unwaged: member, $20 discount; non-member, $35 discount. One-day registration ABS member: $35 on site. Non-member: $40 on site. Child or Pre-Youth: $20. Refunds: Registration fees are refundable, less 10% administrative fees if ABS is notified by Aug. 15, and less 20% administrative fees if notified after Aug. 15. Hotel information: At the conference site, the Delta Meadowvale Resort and Conference Centre, near the Toronto International Airport, a block of rooms at the special rate of $99 Canadian (about $67 in U.S. dollars) plus taxes will be available until July 30. MAKE ROOM RESERVATIONS directly with the hotel (phone 800-422-8238); specify Association for Bahá’í Studies to receive the special rate.

The Writing of a Will

This brochure from the Office of the Treasurer contains some Bahá’í teachings and practical advice on: Importance and advantages of a will Five steps to creating a successful will Checklist for preparing a will Burial instructions Bequests to the Bahá’í Faith Individual copies may be requested free. There is a nominal charge for ordering these brochures in quantity. Phone 847-733-3466 or e-mail Or, fill out the form with the attached envelope.

[Page 59]

BAHÁ’Í SUBSCRIBER SERVICE • 800-999-9019

World Order Your window to teaching, deepening and external affairs

Winter 1999–2000 issue

• Editorial: Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum 1910–2000
• Julio Savi examines “Religious Pluralism: A Bahá’í Perspective”
• Gwendolyn Etter-Lewis, Stephen Friberg, Geoffrey Marks, Gary Morrison, Jim Stokes, Milan Voykovic and others survey significant non-Bahá’í books of the 20th century
• Sandra Hutchison examines Rúhíyyih Khánum’s written legacy
• Ahang Rabbani translates into English a 1901 plan for surveillance of Bahá’í activities in Palestine and Iran

Still Available: Fall 1999 Issue

• Editorial: “Taking Dogmatism Seriously”
• Interchange: The editors reflect on the film Magnolia
• Robert Hariman on Christian detachment in Erasmus’ Praise of Folly and Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction
• Jim Stokes on the power of Shakespearean comedy
• Duane L. Herrmann on “Turbulent Prairie: Politics, the Press, and the Bahá’í Faith in Kansas, 1897”

Subscriptions: U.S.—$19 / year, $36 / 2 years Outside U.S. surface mail—$19 / year, $36 / 2 years Outside U.S. air mail—$24 / year, $46 / 2 years Single copy: $5 + shipping/handling

Brilliant Star Bimonthly children’s magazine by the U.S. National Assembly Subscriptions: U.S.—$18 / year, $32 / 2 years Outside U.S. surface mail—$18 / year, $33 / 2 years Outside U.S. air mail—$28 / year, $52 / 2 years Single copy: $3.50 + shipping/handling See Kid’s Corner, page 8

One Country Quarterly about development by the Bahá’í International Community Subscriptions: U.S.—$12 / year, $22 / 2 years Outside U.S. surface mail—$16 / year, $30 / 2 years Outside U.S. air mail—$20 / year, $36 / 2 years Single copy: $3.50 + shipping/handling

The American Bahá’í 10 times a year; available by subscription to Bahá’ís outside the continental U.S. Outside U.S. surface mail—$24 / year, $45 / 2 years Outside U.S. air mail—$32 / year, $60 / 2 years Single copy: $3 + shipping/handling

Herald of the South Quarterly by National Assemblies of Australia and New Zealand Subscriptions: U.S.—$28 / year, $50 / 2 years Outside U.S.: Contact Herald of the South, e-mail Single copy: $8 + shipping/handling

Use a separate copy of this form for each subscription

Which publication? __________________________________________________ Send to: __________________________________________________________ Address ___________________________________________________________ City ________________________________ State, ZIP ______________________ Country _____________________ Daytime phone or e-mail __________________ Sold to (if different from recipient): _____________________________________ Address ___________________________________________________________ City ________________________________ State, ZIP ______________________ Country _____________________ Is this a gift subscription? (Circle one) Y N Home phone __________________ Fax _________________________________ Work phone __________________ E-mail _______________________________

Check/money order payment must be in U.S. dollars from U.S. bank, payable to Bahá’í Distribution Service. Do not combine subscription payments with payments for back issues or other single items. Georgia residents include applicable sales tax.

Credit card # (if applicable) ___________________________ Exp. date __________ Cardholder signature ________________________________________________

Phone orders: 800-999-9019 • E-mail orders: Mail orders: Bahá’í Subscriber Service, 4703 Fulton Industrial Blvd., Atlanta, GA 30336-2017 TAB 7/13/00

10TH ANNUAL Conference of the Friends of Persian Culture

20TH CENTURY: CENTURY OF LIGHT CHICAGO O’HARE MARRIOTT HOTEL • AUG. 31–SEPT. 3

Presentations in both Persian and English

PRESENTERS TO INCLUDE: Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh, Dr. Amin Banani, Dr. Ghassem Bayat, Dr. Franklin D. Lewis (Emory University), Naeem Nabil Akbar, Dr. Farzaneh Milani (University of Virginia) Special guests: Fariborz Sahba and Dr. Vahid Rafati from the Bahá’í World Center

Youth sessions in English on interracial issues, role of arts in promoting unity, marriage and family, pioneering/year of service, other topics

TOPICS TO INCLUDE: An Overview of the 20th Century, Scientific Developments in the 20th Century, The Iranian Bahá’í Community in the Twentieth Century, Persian Arts and Poetry in the Twentieth Century, Women’s Movement in Iran MUSICAL, THEATRICAL, FOLK DANCE PERFORMANCES

Children’s classes for ages 3–11

REGISTRATION Fees: Adult or youth (12+): $35 by Aug. 1; $40 at door. Child (3–11): $50 for whole conference or $20 per day. To register: Fill out the Multi-Purpose Form below and mail to Persian-American Affairs Office, Bahá’í National Center, 1233 Central Street, Evanston, IL 60202.

HOTEL RESERVATION Special rate: $80 per room (1–4 people) per night; call hotel directly at 773-693-4444 by Aug. 1 at latest and make your reservation for “Persian Arts Festival.” Parking and O’Hare Airport shuttle service are free.

PHONE FOR INFORMATION: Office of Persian-American Affairs, 847-733-3528 or 3531

Youths: Call ahead if... ... you want to share your artistic or poetic talent. Contact Sheedeh Mahboobipoor (phone ).

Children: Call ahead if... ... you want to perform (poetry recitation, dance, etc.). Contact the Persian-American Affairs Office; number at left.

INFORMATION ON YOUR INTERNATIONAL TEACHING TRIP

To record achievement of traveling teaching goals, the Office of Pioneering needs information on all international trips taken for the sake of promoting the interests of the Faith. Just contact the Office of Pioneering, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (phone 847-733-3508, fax 847-733-3509, e-mail ).

Use the Multipurpose Form below to respond by mail. Include the following special information (use a separate sheet as needed): Names and ID numbers of all Bahá’ís on each trip • Names of each country visited, plus the one or two main localities, and date(s) of visit(s) • Main purpose of your travel

MULTIPURPOSE FORM

CLIP OR COPY AS NEEDED

For which event or activity? ___________________________________________ Name ___________________________________________________________ Address __________________________________________________________ City ________________________________ State, ZIP _____________________ Phone _______________________________ E-mail _______________________

Special information (please include dates if reporting international teaching trip): _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ TAB 7/13/00 [Page 60]منبعی برای دریافت منظم عایدات داشته باشد، حقوق الله را از دیگر تبرعات مستقل ساخته‌ اند.

چنان می‌نماید که با اجرای این حکم، یکی از تعالیم اساسی امر مبارک یعنی تعدیل معیشت و توزیع عادلانه منابع با سهولت بیشتری قابلیت اجرا بیابد.

این حکم همانگونه که از نامش بر می‌آید حقی است که خدا بر گردن انسان دارد و بر ماهیت ارتباط دوجانبه بین انسان و آفریدگار خود تاکید می‌کند و آن را به صورت تعهدی دو سویه در می‌آورد. از یک سو آدمی حق خدا را ادا می‌کند و از سوی دیگر خدا بر بنده منت می‌نهد و ادای حقوق را سبب "نعمت و برکت و عزت و حفظ" آدمی می‌سازد. در عین حال چون حقوق الله به مرکز امر راجع می‌شود، انسان رابطه‌ای مستقیم و شخصی با آن برقرار می‌کند.

نصاب حقوق الله بر طبق حکم حضرت بهاءالله از "هر صد مثقال نوزده مثقال است چه از ذهب و چه از فضه و چه از اشیای موجوده...." اما در حال حاضر امنای حقوق متذکر داشته‌اند که به هر نحوی که احباء بر مبنای وجدان خود حقوق الله را محاسبه نمایند، مقبول خواهد بود.

حضرت بهاءالله خطاب به جناب امین فرموده‌اند: "...مطالبه حقوق ابداً جائز نبوده و نیست... اگر نفسی به کمال رضا و خوشوقتی، بلکه به اصرار بخواهد به این فیض فائز شود قبول نمایند و الا فلا." بدین ترتیب حکم حقوق بر عهده وجدان افراد و بر مبنای میزان ایمانشان است و از آنجا که کسی از چند و چون آن آگاه نخواهد شد، تنها خود فرد است که باید وجدانی آسوده داشته باشد.

دارالتحقیق بیت العدل اعظم الهی به اشاره معهد اعلی جزوه‌ای حاوی نصوص مبارکه درباره حقوق الله تهیه کرده که تا کنون چندین بار به طبع رسیده است. دوستان عزیز می‌توانند برای آشنائی بیشتر درباره حقوق الله جزوه مذکور را مطالعه فرمایند.

حقوق الله از دوستان عزیز مستدعی است تقدیمی‌های حقوق الله را در وجه Bahá’í Huququ’lláh Trust و به نشانی یکی از امنای حقوق الله که در صفحه ۲۴ این نشریه درج گردیده ارسال فرمایند. ادای حقوق بر کل واجب و نفع آن به انفس عباد راجع، و لکن قبول آن معلق است به روح و ریحان. ... حضرت بهاءالله، مجموعه حقوق الله، ص ۲ فی‌الحقیقه این عنایت است بزرگ و فضلی است عظیم از برای نفسی که الیوم مؤید شود بر خدمت امر و ادای حقوق الهی، چه که اثر و ثمرش به دوام ملک و ملکوت باقی است. حضرت بهاءالله، همان مجموعه، ص ۱۴ سبحان الله خزائن ملوک و ملکات در یوم ظهور مذکور نه و لدی الله مقبول نه، و لکن خردلی از اولیاء در ساحت اقدس اعلی مذکور و به طراز قبول مزین تعالی فضله و تعالت عظمته. حضرت بهاءالله، همان مجموعه، ص ۱۵

نشریات محفل روحانی ملی درباره سرشت روحانی انتخابات بهائی

THE SPIRITUAL NATURE OF THE BAHÁ’Í ELECTORAL PROCESS

محفل روحانی ملی اراده کرده است که برنامه‌ای برای بررسی تاثیر نظم اداری بهائی در تحول روحانی و اجتماعی تهیه شود.

برای تهیه برخی از موارد این برنامه موادی جمع آوری شده است که در جزوه‌ای تحت عنوان: Spiritual Institutions: The Unique Nature of the Bahá’í Institutions به چاپ رسیده که حاوی عکس‌های زیبا و عباراتی درباره انتخابات و هدف نظم اداری بهائی است.

جزوۀ مذکور برای آماده ساختن احباء برای شرکت در همۀ انتخابات بهائی از جمله محافل روحانی محلی و نمایندگان کانونشن ملی و شوراهای منطقه‌ای بهائی تهیه شده است.

علاقه‌مندان می‌توانند برای سفارش جزوۀ مذکور که قیمت آن سه دلار است با مؤسسة توزیع آثار امری تماس حاصل نمایند. شماره تلفن: ۹۰۱۹-۹۹۹ (۸۰۰)

انجمن دوستداران فرهنگ ایرانی

قرن بیستم: قرن انوار موضوع اصلی دهمین کنفرانس سالانۀ انجمن دوستداران فرهنگ ایرانی است که در سال آخر قرن بیستم برگزار میشود. تاریخ کنفرانس ۳۱ آگست تا ۳ سپتامبر ۲۰۰۰ است و محل آن در هتل مریات Chicago O’Hare Marriott, 8535 West Higgins Road, Chicago, IL, 60631 می‌باشد. Tel: 773-693-4444 علاقه‌مندان لطفاً با این شماره مستقیماً با هتل تماس بگیرند. از هنرمندانی که علاقه‌مند هستند آثار هنری خود را در کنفرانس به نمایش بگذارند دعوت میشود که با انجمن با شماره‌های زیر تماس بگیرند: ۸۴۷-۷۳۳-۳۵۲۸ و ۸۴۷-۷۳۳-۳۵۳۱

یادآوری ۱- لطفاً به هزینه نام‌نویسی تا اول آگست و در محل کنفرانس توجه فرمائید: قبل از اول آگست در محل کنفرانس بزرگسالان (بالای ۱۲ سال) ۳۵ دلار ۴۰ دلار خردسالان (۳ تا ۱۲ سال) ۵۰ دلار ۵۰ دلار تور شیکاگو ۱۵ دلار در محل بفروش نمی‌رسد ۲- برای رزرو اطاق در محل کنفرانس لطفاً هرچه زودتر مستقیماً با هتل با شماره ۴۴۴۴-۶۹۳-۷۷۳ تماس بگیرید که بتوانید از نرخ مخصوص کنفرانسی (شبی ۸۰ دلار) استفاده کنید. به خاطر داشته باشید که در تماس با هتل متذکر شوید که برای شرکت در Persian Arts Conference اطاق میگیرید.

‎علاقه‌منتان علاقه‌مندان‎ به شرکت در کنفرانس لطفاً برگ زیر را به دقت مطالعه کرده و خوانا و صحیح تکمیل کرده و به نشانی انجمن ارسال فرمایند: برگ نام‌نویسی برای شرکت در دهمین کنفرانس سالانه انجمن دوستداران فرهنگ ایرانی ۳۱ آگست- ۳ سپتامبر ۲۰۰۰ نام و نام خانوادگی __________________________________________ شماره تلفن _______________________________________________ نام و نام خانوادگی همراهان _____________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ سن شما: ۳ تا ۱۱ سال (چند نفر)_______ ۱۲ سال به بالا (چند نفر)_______ ویزا ______ مستر کارت ______ چک ______ شماره کارت _______________________________________________ تاریخ انقضاء اعتبار کارت ______________________________________ مبلغ _____________________________________________________ امضاء صاحب کارت __________________________________________

برگ نام‌نویسی برای دیدار از اماکن تاریخی بهائی در شیکاگو پنجشنبه ۳۱ آگست (۱۲ تا ۵ بعد از ظهر) ------------------ یا دو شنبه ۴ سپتامبر (۹ صبح تا ۲ بعد از ظهر) -------------- (لطفاً ناهار خود را همراه بیاورید) تعداد نفرات(نفری ۱۵ دلار) ____________________________________ نام و نام خانوادگی ___________________________________________ تلفن: ____________________________________________________ نام و نام خانوادگی همراهان _____________________________________ ________________________________________________________ طریقه پرداخت: ویزا ______ مستر کارت ______ چک ______ شماره کارت _______________________________________________ تاریخ انقضاء اعتبار کارت ______________________________________ مبلغ _____________________________________________________ امضاء صاحب کارت __________________________________________

[Page 61]

نقشه یک ساله

ONE YEAR PLAN نقشه ملی تبلیغی

هدف: اجرای نقشه ملی تبلیغی

• به فعالیت درآوردن افراد و جوامع و تشکیلات
• تشویق جوانان به قیادت و اقدامات ابتکاری
• قابل استفاده ساختن مؤسسات آموزشی به نحو کامل

هدف: تقویت تحول خانواده‌ها و جوامع بهائی به صورتی که از لحاظ روحانی ممتاز و متمایز از دیگران باشند

• پرورش محبت و شادی و روحانیات
• تأمین این که کودکان و نوجوانان به فضائل اخلاق متخلق شوند و فارغ از تعصبات پرورش یابند
• پرورش روح ایمانی و حیات روحانی افراد

هدف: تقویت هر آنچه بر پختگی و کارآئی و بلوغ جامعه بهائی بیافزاید

• تحکیم فعالیت‌های مربوط به امور خارجی امر مبارک
• تشویق احباء به شرکت در Kingdom Project [برنامه ترمیم مشرق‌الاذکار و بنای ملحقات آن]
• تقویت برنامه‌های توسعه و عمران اجتماعی و اقتصادی

مدرسه بهائی گرین ایکر

GREEN ACRE BAHA’I SCHOOL

اواخر تابستان و پائیز زمان مناسبی برای شرکت در مدرسه بهائی گرین ایکر است. هنوز برای نام‌نویسی در برخی از کلاس‌های ویژه خانواده در ماه آگست جا هست. عناوین این کلاس‌ها عبارت است از: "آمادگی برای نقشه پنج‌ساله" و "طب معنوی: شکل دادن دین به علم" و "مهمان‌نوازی عالم بشری" که بحثی است درباره چگونگی اجرای اصول بهائی در محل کار و "روح کودکان" که سومین کنفرانس سالانه ادبیات و هنر اطفال است.

بیت‌العدل اعظم الهی در پیام رضوان سال ۲۰۰۰ می‌فرمایند: "در دارائی یک جامعه کودکان گرانبهاترین گنجینه‌اند، زیرا اطفال امید و ضامن آینده‌اند. کودکان حامل بذرهائی هستند که خصوصیات جامعه فردا را در بر دارد، خصوصیاتی که بیشتر در اثر رفتار بزرگ‌سالان یا در اثر قصور و کوتاهی‌های آنان شکل می‌پذیرد."

پائیز امسال بسیاری از دوره‌های مدرسه بهائی گرین ایکر راجع به نیازهای کودکان و نوجوانان و والدین آنها خواهد بود.

علاقه‌مندان می‌توانند برای دریافت اطلاعات بیشتر به صفحات انگلیسی این نشریه رجوع فرمایند.

مجمع عرفان

IRFAN COLLOQUIUM

دوره سی‌ام (۳۰) مجمع عرفان زیر عنوان "تصوف و امر بهائی" از ۶ تا ۸ اکتبر سال جاری در مدرسه بهائی لوهلن در ایالت میشیگان دائر خواهد شد.

به دنبال مجمع مذکور، سمیناری درباره "آثار حضرت بهاءالله در دوره عکا" تشکیل خواهد گردید. همانگونه که دوستان عزیز آگاهی دارند، مجامع عرفان از ممر صندوق حاج مهدی ارجمند تشکیل می‌شود. هر ساله در دوره‌ای که در مدرسه بهائی لوهلن برگزار می‌شود، موقعیتی برای احباء فراهم می‌گردد که به تزئید معلومات امری خود بپردازند و از سخنرانی‌ها و پژوهش‌های راجع به الواح حضرت بهاءالله بهره‌مند گردند.

در دوره امسال چند لوح از الواح مهم حضرت بهاءالله چون لوح بشارات و تجلیات و کلمات فردوسیه و لوح عاشق و معشوق و سورة الوفا و لوح رقشاء مورد بررسی بیش از ۱۰ فاضل بهائی قرار خواهد گرفت و سپس فرصتی برای مبادله افکار با شرکت‌کنندگان فراهم خواهد شد.

به علت محدودیت جا و امکانات از علاقه‌مندان تقاضا می‌شود برای نام‌نویسی در مجمع عرفان هر چه زودتر با مدرسه بهائی لوهلن تماس حاصل نمایند.

شماره تلفن: ۵۳۳-۵۰۳۳-۸۱۰

برنامه‌های جوانان و نوجوانان

YOUTH "MAKING NEWS" IN MEDIA

تابستان امسال دو برنامه جالب و مهیج برای جوانان و نوجوانان تهیه دیده شده است که از ۱۹ تا ۲۴ آگست سال جاری، هم‌زمان با برنامه‌های بزرگسالان به اجرا در خواهد آمد.

برنامه اول برای نونهالان ۱۰ تا ۱۴ ساله در نظر گرفته شده است. تکالیف درسی این برنامه را مجله بهائی Brilliant Star تعیین کرده است. از شاگردان مدرسه خواهند خواست که مقاله بنویسند و مصاحبه ترتیب دهند و عکس بگیرند و در تهیه صفحه‌بندی کمک کنند. همه این فعالیت‌ها با وسائل معمول در صنعت چاپ و آخرین دست‌آوردهای فنی همراه خواهد بود و در تمام این مراحل یک نفر سرپرست مسئولیت هدایت شاگردان را بر عهده خواهد داشت.

در برنامه دوم جوانان ۱۵ سال به بالا شرکت خواهند داشت. مدیر خدمات رسانه‌ای Artis Mebane ضمن تهیه یک نوار ویدیوئی تبلیغی درباره امر بهائی و مدرسه بهائی بوش صحبت خواهد کرد. جوانانی که در برنامه شرکت داشته باشند خواهند توانست مستقیماً با تهیه یک برنامه ویدیوئی آشنا شوند و سپس خود به تهیه و تولید برنامه‌ای حاوی روایت آن و ترتیب مصاحبه و فیلم‌برداری خواهند پرداخت.

انتظار می‌رود پس از یک هفته کارآموزی در زمینه فعالیت‌های مربوط به رسانه‌ها خلاقیت جوانان و نوجوانان در گسترش امر مبارک به کار افتد و بتوانند آموخته‌های خود را در عمل به کار گیرند.

دوستان می‌توانند برای آگاهی از تاریخ دوره‌های مدرسه بوش در تابستان امسال به صفحات انگلیسی رجوع فرمایند.

برنامه‌های مؤسسه ویلمت

WILMETTE INSTITUTE

برنامه‌های مؤسسه ویلمت در تابستان و پائیز سال جاری به شرح زیر است: نظم جهانی حضرت بهاءالله این برنامه از اول جولای تا ۳۰ سپتامبر ادامه خواهد داشت و شاگردان در صورت بودن جا تا اول آگست پذیرفته خواهند شد. این برنامه سه ماهه مقدمه‌ای بر توقیعات حضرت ولی امرالله خواهد بود که تحت عنوان The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh منتشر شده است. این مجموعه حاوی دستخط‌های حضرت ولی امرالله خطاب به محفل روحانی ملی بهائیان ایالات متحده و کاناداست که در سال‌های دهه ۳۰ در شرح مواضع اصلی امر بهائی از قلم مبارک صادر شده است. مبلغ نام‌نویسی ۱۵۰ دلار است.

کتاب ایقان و نصوص مربوط به آن این برنامه از اول سپتامبر تا ۳۰ نوامبر سال جاری برقرار خواهد بود. این دوره حاوی مطالعه کتاب مستطاب ایقان و به موازات آن کتاب مفاوضات و دیگر آثار مربوطه خواهد بود. مبلغ نام‌نویسی ۱۵۰ دلار.

همچنین مؤسسه ویلمت دست اندر کار طرح برنامه‌ای تحت عنوان "الهیات بهائی" است که از اول نوامبر تا ۳۱ ژانویه سال ۲۰۰۱ ادامه خواهد داشت. در این دوره موضوع‌هائی چون مفهوم خدا و مظهریت و نزول وحی و طبیعت انسانی و طبیعت و هدف خلقت مادی مورد بررسی قرار خواهد گرفت. به دنبال این ‎مواضیع مواضع‎، مفاهیمی چون بقای روح و عهد و پیمان بررسی خواهد شد. مبلغ نام‌نویسی ۱۵۰ دلار.

علاقه‌مندان می‌توانند برای دریافت اطلاعات بیشتر با دفتر مؤسسه ویلمت تماس حاصل نمایند. شماره تلفن: ۳۴۱۵-۷۳۳-۸۴۷

حقوق الله

HUQUQU’LLAH

حقوق الله حکمی عظیم و تأسیسی مقدس است که اجرایش در کتاب اقدس بر همه اهل بهاء مقرر گردیده و یکی از عوامل لازم برای تأسیس نظم بدیع حضرت بهاءالله است.

نتایج این حکم از یک سو به سعادت فرد می‌رسد و از سوی دیگر سبب تحکیم اقتدار و گسترش فعالیت‌های مرکز امر مبارک می‌گردد. به نظر می‌رسد که حضرت بهاءالله برای آنکه معهد اعلی... [Page 62]

ترجمه

پیام بیت‌العدل اعظم الهی خطاب به نمایندگان نود و یکمین کانونشن ملی مورخ ۳۰ آپریل ۲۰۰۰

APRIL 30 MESSAGE OF THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE TO THE CONVENTION

دوستان عزیز بهائی،

روح وحدت و حس انتظارات عالیه‌ای که کانونشن ملی آن عزیزان را به هیجان آورده بود، بر دل‌های این مشتاقان نیز اثر نهاد و دریافت پیام مهر نمایندگان و قیام مجدد آنان به ایفای وظائف مندرج در فرامین تبلیغی حضرت عبدالبهاء — الواحی که جامعهٔ بهائی امریکا با آن پیوند ویژه‌ای داشته است — قلوب این جمع را به حرکت آورد.

جهش‌هایی که در زمینهٔ پیشرفت در خلال نقشهٔ چهارساله از رهگذر خلاقیت و پشتکار و اعتماد به نفس آن جامعهٔ پرخوش حاصل آمده است تردیدی بر جا نمی‌گذارد که اعضای آن با شور و نشور ویژهٔ خود بر دشواری‌های بزرگ فائق خواهند شد و از فرصت‌هایی که در خلال نقشهٔ یکساله فراهم می‌آید، استفاده خواهند فرمود. کوتاهی زمان نقشه مستلزم سرعت عمل است.

امید آنکه هر یک از احبای آن سرزمین محبوب که در این مدت کوتاه به خدمت قیام نماید مشمول عنایاتی واقع شود که تنها فضل جمال ابهی افاضه تواند فرمود.

بیت‌العدل اعظم

ترجمه

پیام نمایندگان کانونشن ملی خطاب به بیت‌العدل اعظم الهی مورخ ۲۹ آپریل ۲۰۰۰

APRIL 29 MESSAGE OF THE CONVENTION TO THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

ساحت بیت‌العدل اعظم الهی،

شمایل امة‌البهاء روحیه خانم که قاب آن با رزهای زرد رنگی تزئین شده بود در سراسر جلسات نود و یکمین کانونشن ملی در برابر نمایندگان قرار داشت و آنان را به قوت و وفاداری و شهامت لازم برای تحقق نقشهٔ یکساله متذکر می‌داشت. نمایندگان "مساعی خاضعانهٔ خود را در این نقشه به خاطر نفسی وقف" می‌نمایند "که تبلیغ امر الهی برایش هدف اولیه و سبب سرور کامل در زندگی محسوب بود." همچنین این جمع از ایادی امرالله جناب علی‌اکبر فروتن و جناب علی‌محمد ورقا از دل و جان قدردانی می‌نماید و از آنان تقاضا می‌کند که در حق جامعهٔ بهائی امریکا دعا کنند. با سپاسی سرشار از مهر به حضور معهد اعلی درود می‌فرستیم و از نکات مهمی که در پیام رضوان سال ۲۰۰۰ معین شده آگاهیم.

با هدایت و ارشاد بیت‌العدل اعظم و با الهام و کمک مشاوران قاره‌ای سرکار خانم ویلما الیس و سرکار خانم جکلین لفت‌هند بول Left Hand Bull و با نیروی حاصل از نقشهٔ خلاقی که محفل روحانی ملی طرح نموده است، مانند یک روح در چند بدن آماده‌ایم که متحداً متعهد رویارویی با هر آنچه شویم که برای استقرار ملکوت الهی در گسترهٔ زمین لازم باشد. از هدیه‌ای که به صورت شوراهای ناحیه‌ای بهائی به جامعهٔ امری اهدا، فرمودید بسیار ممنونیم. این شوراها با کارآئی و نیرو و خلاقیت خود به کار جمیع موارد فعالیت‌های جمعی ما می‌آید. بسیاری از ما این احساس را دارند که امروز روزیست که در انتظار آن بوده‌ایم. صد و شصت و پنج نماینده در فضائی کم‌نظیر اعضای محفل روحانی ملی را با شرکت صد در صد انتخاب کردند. ۱۹۲ نفر شخصاً رأی دادند و ۳ نفر دیگر رأی خود را ارسال داشته بودند. رأی باطلی ‎ابدا ابداً‎ نشد و این خود از بلوغ روزافزون جامعه حکایت داشت.

همچنین از حضور امنای حقوق‌الله خانم‌ها سلی فو Sally Foo و الیزابت مارتین و جنابان امین بنانی و داریوش حقیقی، و میهمانان عزیزی چون خانم جاویددخت خادم و یونیس براون Eunice Braun بهره‌مند شدیم. علاوه بر این حضرات، فاتحان امرالله خانم شیلا و جناب امین بنانی و خانم کرول و جناب دوایت آلن Dwight Allen و گیل وولسن Gayle Woolson که خدماتشان در سراسر عمر خود زیربنای تأملات امروز ما دربارهٔ آینده است، در کانونشن ملی حضور داشتند. حاضران در محفل شور ملی از دکتر فیروز کاظم‌زاده جهت خدمات فوق‌العاده‌اش به جامعهٔ بهائی امریکا در مدتی افزون بر نیم قرن و عضویت ۳۶ ساله‌اش در محفل روحانی ملی قدردانی کردند.

شرکت‌کنندگان در کانونشن از گروه موسیقی جفری بارتز و نغمات روح‌انگیز کی سی پورتر K.C. Porter و جی بی‌ اکل J.B. Eckl و نواهای شیپورنواز حرفه‌ای دیوید یانگ محظوظ شدند. فضای روحانی کانونشن با صدای زیبای اوندر گیلمر Evander Gilmer که از نمایندگان تقاضا کرد با او همراهی کنند، روحانیت بیشتری یافت.

همانگونه که محفل روحانی ملی متذکر داشته‌اند، حال نوبت ماست. برآنیم که در جمع‌آوری ۶۰ میلیون دلاری که برای Kingdom Project بدان نیاز است... سهم خود را ایفا کنیم. همچنین عزم خود جزم کرده‌آیم که در ایجاد تقلیب روحانی جامعهٔ امری و برقراری ملکوت الهی بر بسیط زمین وظائف خود را مجری داریم.

حوادث به یادماندنی بسیاری در این کانونشن تاریخی رخ داد. امة‌البهاء روحیه خانم در یکی از سفرهای خود به امریکای شمالی یک پر مقدس عقاب دریافت کرده بودند که آن را در مجموعهٔ یادگارهای خود نگاه می‌داشتند. بعدها این پرعقاب را حضرت خانم به سرکار جکلین لفت‌هند بول اهداء کرده بودند. جکلین خانم هم پر مذکور را به مسؤول برنامه Spirit Run تقدیم کردند. در برنامهٔ مذکور ۹ جوان بهائی از نژادهای گوناگون آن پر عقاب را به نشان همراهی با روحیه خانم به سراسر ایالات متحده خواهند برد.

رویداد دیگر درخواست بااحساس بومیان امریکا (سرخپوستان) از محفل روحانی ملی بود که به اتفاق آراء نمایندگان تصویب شد. تقاضا شده بود که محفل روحانی ملی نخستین سازمان دینی باشد که حاکمیت ملی ملل سرخپوست امریکا را به رسمیت بشناسد. تصویب این تقاضا دل‌های حاضران را بهم پیوسته تر ساخت و پیوند خویشی آنان را نسبت به یکدیگر تقویت کرد.

نمایندگان دربارهٔ مؤسسات آموزشی به تفصیل مشورت کردند و به این نتیجه رسیدند که مؤسسات مذکور می‌توانند در سطوح مختلف و به اشکال گوناگون و صور متنوع وجود داشته باشند. همچنین نمایندگان آگاهند که در راه تحقق بخشیدن به اهداف نقشهٔ یکساله ناهمواری‌ها و دشواری‌هایی وجود دارد و در عین می‌دانند که به مجرد اقدام به اتمام آن اهداف فضل پنهان حضرت منان شامل حال خواهد شد. بی‌تردید تحول توفیق‌آمیز مؤسسات به انتشار نیروهای روحانی خواهد انجامید که ‎نهایه نهایتاً‎ نصرت امر مبارک را فراهم خواهد آورد. تعهد خود را برای اجرای وظائف محوله اعلان می‌کنیم.

نمایندگان نود و یکمین کانونشن ملی از بیت‌العدل اعظم الهی با فروتنی اظهار سپاسگزاری می‌کنند که معهد اعلی توجه احباء را به کودکان که خزائن پرارزش جامعه‌اند، معطوف فرموده‌اند. در نتیجه با وحدت نظر عزم خود را جزم کرده‌ایم که به آگاهی جامعهٔ بهائی امریکا برسانیم که نه تنها اطفال بهائی بلکه همهٔ اطفال را از حمایت روحانی برخوردار سازند. دربارهٔ گذشته به تأمل پرداختیم: هنگامی که والدین و اطفال احترام بیشتری به هم نشان می‌دادند و محبت و تأدیب از هم جدا نبودند و داشتن خانواده بیشتر امری مطلوب بود تا نشان دهندهٔ موقعیت اجتماعی و عشق به خدا مغناطیسی بود که همبستگی جامعه را محفوظ می‌داشت. تعهد می‌کنیم که با صراحت و شجاعت این موارد را با خواهران و برادران خود در جامعهٔ بهائی در میان نهیم.

تعهد می‌کنیم که به هر وجهی که ممکن باشد معیارهائی را که والدین برای پرورش اطفال به کار می‌برند بالاتر ببریم و موازین تربیت روحانی کودکان را اعتلا دهیم. پس از بازگشت به حوزه‌های انتخاباتی خود به عنوان نمایندگان کانونشن، از همهٔ احباء دعوت خواهیم کرد که به تأمل و بحث دربارهٔ ایجاد محیط مناسبی برای پرورش اطفال و نوجوانان پردازند. شور و شوقی که اعضای لجنهٔ ملی جوانان هنگام گزارش سالانه از خود نشان داد، حاضران را برانگیخت که به اقدام عاجل قیام نمایند.

تعهد می‌کنیم که تشکیلات امری را تقویت نمائیم که به صورت پایه‌های پلی درآیند که رسیدن به ملکوت الهی را ممکن می‌سازد. تعهد فرد فرد ما در کانونشن ملی این است که عهد محبت خود را با امر حضرت بهاءالله تجدید کنیم.

نمایندگان حاضر در نود و یکمین کانونشن ملی بهائی

[Page 63]

Shining example dissolves barriers during choir tour

INFORMATION FROM PAMELA BRODE

The affection members of the Voices of Bahá choir exhibited for each other and those around them warmed the hearts of nearly everyone they encountered during a too-short visit to Slovakia to record and perform.

Despite a few incidents of racism exhibited by people unused to seeing a mixed group, the singers and crew were able to spread Bahá’u’lláh’s message of love to wary Bratislava—whether in rehearsals, the hotel or a local Gypsy restaurant.

The trip began March 17, when director Tom Price and the 160 singers and crew from 20 nations came together in Haifa, Israel.

For three days, the choir reveled in the glory of visiting the Bahá’í Sacred Places in the Holy Land and learned songs composed by Price for his new oratorio, Carmel.

On their last day in Haifa, only a few hours before sunset and the beginning of Naw-Rúz, Price led choir members in song at the Temple site. The finale was “Prayer for the Hands of the Cause,” in honor of beloved Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum.

After a flight to Vienna and bus trip to Bratislava, the choir had reached a total number of 180 singers and 20 Bahá’í traveling teachers. It also reached its full and glorious diversity of culture, race, nationality, and age.

The contrast between the somewhat boisterous Bahá’ís, particularly those from the United States, and the seemingly stoic Slovakians, was immediately noticeable.

Another contrast was soon evident. The Bahá’ís, warned of potential racism in the city, had their fears realized. But those sisters and brothers who faced incidents of discrimination and stark prejudice exemplified a nobility, dignity, courage, and spiritual radiance that had to leave a mark on the populace.

It certainly transformed the musicians of the talented Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra. The first day they were reserved and very quiet. But as time went on they grew livelier and friendlier, allowing themselves to laugh out loud, snap fingers and clap along with upbeat numbers.

Hotel employees were also observing the mutual respect, love and affection openly displayed among diverse choir members. In time, several of the employees became genuinely open and even tried to learn English words in an attempt to engage the Bahá’ís in conversation.

Then there was the trip to Expos, a Gypsy restaurant, where the choir was serenaded by a wonderful violinist.

It was impossible for the Bahá’ís not to get into the act, and they sang along—in harmony, of course—prompting the delighted violinist to play every American song he could think of, including “Jingle Bells” and “Yankee Doodle Dandy.”

On the last night of the tour, March 25, the Voices of Bahá joined the orchestra in concert at the Radio Music Theater in Bratislava. Before an audience of about 500 Slovakians the choir members sang their hearts out, officially marking the oratorio’s public debut.

Soloists Dan Seals, Van Gilmer, Lucie Dubé, Emily Price, Rachel Price and guest singer Aaron Judisch all sang splendidly. The orchestra was superb, and the choir members, especially those who were performing for the first time with Tom Price, were in sheer ecstasy and amazement.

The tour was such a success that Voices of Bahá organizers have already begun to plan a European tour with the full Slovak Radio Symphony for the summer of 2001.

Pamela Brode has participated in several tours of the Voices of Bahá.

For more information about future tours and local concerts, and to get on the Voices of Bahá mailing list, contact Barbara Baumgartner, (phone , e-mail ).

Teaching Projects

• Poland: Preparatory Institute in Cieszyn July 15–22 (Ruhi Institute books will be available in English) followed by teaching project July 23–28 with street teaching and evening performances supported by a dance workshop from Germany. Summer school next, through Aug. 3.
• Russia: Marion Jack Project XII, through the end of summer. Small teaching teams will spend 1–2 months doing proclamation, teaching and consolidation work. Wide range of teaching skills and diversity of believers needed, including youth workshop performers.
• Central America: Second Hearts Ablaze Project through Aug. 18; youths minimum age 15. Traveling team proclaims to youth through performing arts (dance); residential teams teach and serve in one community. Project includes International Youth Congress in El Salvador in July.
• Scotland: “Traces” youth workshop teaching tour needs several, particularly male, participants ages 15–25 years of age. Tour includes several mature communities with dedicated helpers of the dance group; finishes at summer school in the Orkney islands to attend the island summer school.
• South Africa: Beyond Words youth performing arts teaching project, July 2000 to June 2001 (part-time membership possible). Performing arts have proven very effective.
• Mexico: Border teaching project Aug. 10–24, immediately after the Tucson, AZ, Teaching Project. Performance, fireside and consolidation teams (knowledge of Spanish most important for consolidation). Particularly for youths age 18 and above.

Conferences, Schools and Events

• Canada: Youth Congress in Vancouver, British Columbia, July 20–24.

Summer school information British Columbia: Aug. 5–7 (Harper Mountain, e-mail ), and Aug. 8–13 (Shawnigan Lake, e-mail ).

Alberta: Through the summer (Sylvan Lake Bahá’í Center, phone 403-887-5728, e-mail ).

Saskatchewan: Aug. 4–7 (e-mail ).

Ontario: Through the summer (Wildfire Outdoor Education Center, e-mail ).

• Dominican Republic: International Youth Congress for the Caribbean July 27–30. Proceedings in English, French and Spanish.
• Pakistan: Asian Youth Conference 2000, July 21–23 in Karachi. Honorable speakers, cultural shows, other art performances.
• Netherlands: Táhirih Youth School July 28–Aug. 4 in Arnemuiden, for age 15 and up. Sessions available in English.
• Hungary: Summer school Aug. 5–11 at Sóstógyógyfürdő (Saltlake spas).
• Ireland: Summer school Aug. 5–18 in Waterford. Theme: “The Covenant.”

Please contact the Office of Pioneering for further information about these and other opportunities for international traveling teachers. Office of Pioneering, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (phone 847-733-3508, fax 847-733-3509, e-mail ).

Proclamation in Nigeria

Bahá’ís in Sapele, Nigeria, carry out a teaching project in the areas within walking distance of their Bahá’í center. Three banners feature different Bahá’í teachings, and music cassettes attract people to the group. The project has been successful beginning with its launch in December. Bahá’í International News Service

COMMUNITY

• Bosnia-Herzegovina: The new nation’s first Naw-Rúz feast was celebrated at the Bahá’í Center in Sarajevo March 21 with 15 friends attending, including pioneers from different parts of the country and visitors from France and the Netherlands.

“Everyone present was very joyful,” according to participants, “and it is our hope that this very fact demonstrates the power of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh which brings joy to the hearts even after war and in the midst of economic difficulty.”

EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

• Réunion: The Inter-Religious Group of Réunion, representing Bahá’í, Christian, Hindu and Muslim communities, co-wrote and published a manifesto for inter-religious dialogue to mark the beginning of 2000. The statement was made public at a Jan. 3 well-publicized news conference.

“The Cause of Bahá’u’lláh was for the first time presented by the media, in association with other denominations on the island, as a religion in its own right,” the National Assembly reported.

TEACHING

• Hawaiian Islands: The National Spiritual Assembly here launched a media campaign Feb. 7 making use of the 1-800-22-UNITE phone response system. It uses the 30- and 60-second television commercials, with time bought on affiliates of four major networks.

After the U.S. 800UNITE office forwards phone messages to Hawaii’s National Bahá’í Office, the Teaching Desk staff forwards them in turn to Local Spiritual Assemblies or other local contact points.

During the first month of the campaign, more than 100 literature and/or call-back requests were received. Some communities reported contacts attending firesides, and one has ongoing “chats” on the Internet with those who have visited the official Bahá’í Web site.

• New Zealand: At least 21 local Bahá’í communities supported Race Unity Day, celebrated March 21 and established by the national Race Relations Conciliator.
• Bahá’ís in Gisborne wrote a letter to their newspaper about the day.
• Friends in Invercargill placed a display in their public library.
• Believers in North Shore sent a letter to all schools in their area promoting race unity and enclosing a copy of “Race Relations in Aotearoa/New Zealand: a Bahá’í Perspective.”
• ‎Bahá’í’s Bahá’ís‎ in rural Hurunui District decided it was beyond their resources to organize an event. However, they contacted local newspapers to arrange interviews with a newly arrived Bahá’í family, originally from Egypt. Front-page articles with photos in two newspapers resulted.

[Page 64]

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. Numbers and e-mail addresses for the permanent Bahá’í schools and institutes are: Bosch Bahá’í School, phone 831-423-3387; fax 831-423-7564; 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 843-558-5093; fax 843-558-9136; e-mail ___________. Native American Bahá’í Institute, phone 520-587-7599; fax 520-521-1063; e-mail ___________. ♦

JULY

17–21: Marian Steffes Bahá’í School, Brownsville, WI. Registrar: Lisa Riemer, ___________________ (phone ___________, e-mail ___________).

17–23: “Art and the Mystic Path” at Little Pond retreat center, Nazareth, PA (phone 610-837-2741, e-mail ___________. Web site www.littlepond.org).

19–23: Four Corners Bahá’í School, near Gallup, NM. Registrar: Bill Bright, ___________________ (phone ___________).

20–23: Great Plains Bahá’í School, Peru, NE. Registrar: Cecil Peterson, ___________________ (phone ___________, e-mail ___________).

21–26: Spiritual Empowerment Institute for Junior Youth at Louhelen.

22–26: Two sessions at Green Acre: “The Complement and Helpmeet of Each Other: Gender Equality”; Camp Green Acre for ages 8–12.

22–27: Persian/American Session at Bosch.

27–30: Dayspring Bahá’í School, Frostburg, MD. Registrar: Rob Chalmers, ___________________ (phone ___________, fax 301-725-0464, e-mail ___________).

28–Aug. 2: “Bahá’u’lláh: Creator of World Order” at Louhelen.

28–Aug. 2: “The Dynamics of Authentic Relationships” at Green Acre.

29–Aug. 3: Youth Institute (grades 10–12) at Bosch.

29–Aug. 10: Youth Academy (high school graduates) at Bosch.

30–Aug. 4: John H. Wilcott Bahá’í School, near Livingston, MT. Registrar: Sandi Marisdotter, ___________________ (phone ___________, e-mail ___________).

AUGUST

4–6: Texas Bahá’í School, Bruceville, TX. Registrar: Muhammad Mazidi (e-mail ___________). Pre-register by July 27.

4–9: “Packing for the Five Year Plan” at Green Acre.

4–9: Friends and Families session on the Twelve Month Plan, consultation/conflict resolution, at Louhelen.

5–10: Junior Youth Institute (grades 7–9) at Bosch.

11–16: “Building Humanity’s Future” at Louhelen.

11–16: Two sessions at Green Acre: “Mystic Medicine”; Core Curriculum teacher training.

11–16: Tiny Seed Bahá’í School, McKenna, WA. Registrar: Louard Crumbaugh III, ___________________ (phone ___________, e-mail ___________). Pre-register by July 21.

11–20: Solomon R.G. Hilton Bahá’í School, Poughkeepsie, NY. Registrar: The Cabots, P.O. Box 122, Norwood, NJ 07648 (e-mail ___________ or see Web site, www.bahai.homepage.com).

12–17: “Bahá’í Administration” at Bosch.

16–20: William Sears Great North Woods Bahá’í School, near Onamia, MN. Registrar: Ali Mahabadi, ___________________ (phone ___________).

18–20: United Spiritual Gathering Councilfire at Neah Bay, WA: “Renewing Spiritual Energy.” With Shannon Javid and Reggie Newkirk. Contact: Spiritual Assembly of the Makah Reservation (phone 360-645-2153, e-mail ___________, Web site www.olypen.com/jensens).

18–23: Pioneer Training Program at Louhelen; contact Office of Pioneering to register.

18–23: Two sessions at Green Acre: “Hospitable to Humanity: Bahá’í-Centered Management”; Institute for Youth: “In the Footsteps of the Master,” ages 15+.

18–24: “Choral Music and Community Growth” at Louhelen.

19–24: Two sessions at Bosch: “Skills for Teaching,” Family Session; Brilliant Star and TV Production for Pre-Youths and Youths.

25–27: Green Lake Bahá’í Conference, Green Lake Conference Center, Green Lake, WI. Contact: Lori J. Block, ___________________ (phone ___________, e-mail ___________).

25–30: Two sessions at Green Acre: “The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh”; “The Spirit of Children” conference on children’s literature and art.

26–30: 26th Anniversary Reunion at Bosch.

31–Sept. 3: Conference of the Friends of Persian Culture, Chicago, IL. Details, page 59.

SEPTEMBER

1–4: Homecoming Weekend: “Bahá’u’lláh, the Individual and Teaching” at Louhelen.

1–4: “I Dedicate Myself to Thee: The Power of Devotional Life” at Green Acre.

1–4: “Cultivating Distinction and Parenting” Family Session; Bay Area Bahá’í Social Group at Bosch.

1–4: Shenandoah (formerly Massanetta Springs) Bahá’í School, Harrisonburg, VA. Registrar: Ruth Clements (e-mail ___________).

1–4: Kentucky Bahá’í School, Faubush, KY. Registrar: Nancy Ordaz, ___________________ (phone ___________, e-mail ___________). Pre-register by Aug. 25.

1–4: Tennessee Bahá’í Institute, Monteagle, TN. Registrar: Kaihan Strain, ___________________ (information only phone ___________; please leave your e-mail address). Pre-register by mail only by August 15.

Photo Caption

Youths put together puppets for a presentation at a recent Oregon Regional Training Institute session. Youth involvement has spawned circles of learning and deepenings conducted by the young trainees. Photo courtesy of Colby Toussaint.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

To avoid unnecessary delays in receiving The American Bahá’í, send all family members’ names, new address and mailing label to: Membership Office, 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)	ID#
1.
2.
3.
4.

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
Moving Date	Phone Number | Name

F. WORK TELEPHONE NUMBER(S)
Area Code	Phone Number	Name	Area Code	Phone Number	Name

G. WE RECEIVE EXTRA COPIES BECAUSE:	H. I WOULD LIKE A COPY
[ ] 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.	[ ] 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.
[ ] 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.

BAHÁ’Í NATIONAL CENTER 112 LINDEN AVE WILMETTE, IL 60091-2849

JULY 13—AUGUST 19, 2000 KALIMÁT, KAMÁL • B.E. 157