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THE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í

JANUARY 19, 2001 SULTÁN/SOVEREIGNTY MULK/DOMINION BAHÁ’Í ERA 157

VOLUME 32, NO. 1

·I·N·S·I·D·E·

TEACHING THROUGH ART PAGE 7

A CENTURY IN MILWAUKEE PAGE 13

VINEYARD OF THE LORD PAGES 28–29

YOUTH • 16 CLASSIFIED • 24–25 IN MEMORIAM • 25–26 SEEKING YOUR RESPONSE • 30 PERSIAN PAGES • 31–33 INTERNATIONAL NEWS • 34–35

THE NATIONAL FUND

Between May 1 and November 30, 2000

$15,750,000 Goal/all funds

$9,034,329 Received

Excluding Kingdom Project See page 3 for details

·E·X·C·E·R·P·T·S·

“This Cause is too evident to be obscured, and too conspicuous to be concealed. It shineth as the sun in its meridian glory.” —Bahá’u’lláh

Sharing is conference’s goal

We are delighted to share with you a response from the Universal House of Justice to a letter sent by the National Spiritual Assembly about the forthcoming conference “Building the Kingdom for Every Man, Woman, Youth and Child.” The National Spiritual Assembly informed the Supreme Body that its Ridván 2000 message highlighting the urgency to focus on our pre-youth and children, and the consultations with the Counselors and the Regional Bahá’í Councils on previous letters of the House of Justice referencing Bahá’í families, motivated the National Spiritual Assembly to sponsor a conference entitled “Building the Kingdom for Every Man, Woman, Youth, and Child.”

The purpose of the conference is to launch the Five Year Plan in an atmosphere of love and joy that provides an opportunity for the participants to learn from one another. The National Assembly noted that the format of the conference invites children, pre-youth, youth, adults, institutes and institutions to share what they are learning about all aspects of teaching, social and economic development, youth initiatives, community development, family life, institute training, seeker follow-up; in short, everything we are learning about advancing the process of entry by troops and building the Kingdom. In addition, invitations to the conference will be sent to seekers who responded to the media initiative by requesting to be involved directly with the Bahá’í community.

We asked the Supreme Institution for its prayers to help us arise as one soul and to prosecute with unrelaxing resolve the high mission with which our immediate destiny is inextricably interwoven.

On Dec. 17, 2000, the National Spiritual Assembly received the response reproduced at right.◆

Letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States dated Dec. 17, 2000

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

The Universal House of Justice read with keen interest your letter of 10 November 2000 concerning the preparations you are making to launch the Five Year Plan in your country. It has asked us to assure you of its ardent prayers in the Holy Shrines that your plans and activities may attract divine confirmations, and that your efforts to advance the progress of children, pre-youth and youth in your community may achieve outstanding success.

With loving Bahá’í greetings, Department of the Secretariat

John Joyce, Tom and Sandy Garland confer at the Oct. 21 area meeting with a National Spiritual Assembly representative in Rochester, New York. Thirty-six such historic meetings were held around the country. Photo by Glenn Egli, Rochester, NY

Report on the October and December meetings around the U.S./page 5

UN expresses ‘concern’ on Iran situation

BAHÁ’Í WORLD NEWS SERVICE

For the 15th time in 16 years, the United Nations General Assembly has expressed “concern” over human rights violations in Iran, once again specifically mentioning the “unabated pattern of persecution” against the Bahá’í community of Iran, that country’s largest religious minority, and calling for its complete emancipation.

In a resolution passed Dec. 4, 2000, the Assembly called on Iran to “eliminate all forms of discrimination based on religious grounds or against persons belonging to religious minorities” and decided to continue its examination of the human rights situation in Iran for another year.

Approved by a 67–54 vote with 46 abstentions, the resolution followed release of a UN report stating that some 11

Background information on the situation of the Bahá’ís in Iran may be found on the Web at: www.bahai.org/article-1-8-3-6.html

Letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assemblies of the Bahá’ís of Australia, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States, dated Nov. 28, 2000

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

We are assured that you share with us in admiring the services of the Bahá’ís in Iran—those who have not only withstood the inhospitable environment of persecution in the Cradle of our Faith, but have managed to organise themselves in such a manner as has raised them to a level unimagined 20 years previously. The participation of young and old in study groups of various kinds has produced wonderful servants of Bahá’u’lláh, and is a process which could be emulated all over the world. The steadfastness of these staunch followers of the Greatest Name living in Iran has been instrumental in opening new doors internationally and in bringing the Cause of God out of obscurity.

The friends in Iran are troubled by one thing which tends to undermine these achievements and to weaken their steadfastness in the face of their many deprivations; this is the encouragement which certain of their relatives and friends outside Iran repeatedly press

SEE UNITED NATIONS, PAGE 23 | SEE UNIVERSAL HOUSE, PAGE 4 [Page 2]

ALMANAC

Ayyám-i-Há

Days of giving

• Observed from sunset Feb. 25 through sunset March 1
• Work is not suspended

There are four Intercalary Days in most years, five in a leap year. They fall between the Bahá’í months of Mulk and ‘Alá and are designated for spiritual preparation for the Fast, hospitality, charity and gift-giving.

The name “Ayyám-i-Há” translates into “Days of [the letter] Há.” A note accompanying the Kitáb-i-Aqdas states that Arabic letter has “several spiritual meanings in the Holy Writings, among which is as a symbol of the Essence of God.”

“It behoveth the people of Bahá, throughout these days, to provide good cheer for themselves, their kindred and, beyond them, the poor and needy, and with joy and exultation to hail and glorify their Lord, to sing His praise and magnify His Name. ...” —Bahá’u’lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas, para. 16

Some significant dates in Bahá’í history

Late January and February

February 1894: Ibrahim Kheiralla settled in Chicago. His teaching work in the next few months led to the founding of the first Bahá’í community in the Americas.

February 1938: The Bahá’í House of Worship in ‘Ishqábád, Soviet Union, was confiscated during a wave of crackdowns on Bahá’ís. It was later turned into an art gallery, heavily damaged in a 1948 earthquake, and demolished in 1963.

Feb. 12–18, 1953: The Ten Year World Crusade was formally launched with the first Intercontinental Teaching Conference in Kampala, Uganda. Expansion of the Faith into an unprecedented number of countries came in the next decade, which culminated in the first election of the Universal House of Justice in 1963.

February 1, 1959—The National Spiritual Assembly of the United States opened the first dependency of the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois: the Bahá’í Home for the Aged.

Feb. 19, 1968: His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II of Western Samoa, the first reigning monarch to become a Bahá’í, formally accepted the Faith.

January–February 1983—The building that is the Seat of the Universal House of Justice was completed and formally occupied by the Supreme Body of the Cause of God.

Feb. 24–25, 1990: The Soviet Union’s first national Bahá’í conference in six decades was held in Moscow.

Facts in the “Some Significant Dates” section were compiled from A Basic Bahá’í Chronology.

Significant upcoming dates

• Month of fasting (‘Alá), March 2–20
• Naw-Rúz (Bahá’í New Year), March 21
• Festival of Ridván (anniversary of Declaration of Bahá’u’lláh), April 21–May 2
• Anniversary of the Declaration of the Báb, May 23
• Anniversary of the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh, May 29

EXCELLENCE IN ALL THINGS

RANA FAZLI, a Bahá’í in Allentown, Pennsylvania, was chosen to participate with a full scholarship in the prestigious Global Village for Future Leaders of Business and Industry, which brought 84 interns from 36 countries to a six-week learning experience at Lehigh University last summer. Fazli, a business graduate student who has lived in the United States only since July 1999, was accepted in the program partly on the strength of an essay about her experiences earning a degree at the Bahá’í Institute for Higher Education (Open University) in Iran. She was able to share many of those experiences in a presentation to the Global Village participants.

Rana Fazli (front row, left) poses with other members of the Global Village for Future Leaders group at Lehigh University.

ALLEN MAURICE JACKSON, a Bahá’í and eighth-grade student in Hemingway, South Carolina, was honored as outstanding art student at Chavis Middle School. An honor student and member of the National Junior Beta Club, he was chosen for the Artistic Gifted and Talented program.

KEVIN LOCKE, a Bahá’í in Aberdeen, South Dakota, recently was given a Native American Music Award for the year’s best traditional recording, for his disc The First Flute. Locke, a nationwide touring performer who presents traditional singing, flute music and hoop dancing, also serves as Auxiliary Board member for Propagation in the Dakotas and Wyoming.

LOIS NOCHMAN, a Bahá’í in Huntington Woods, Michigan, holds a number of world swimming records for her age group (75–79), with records in all six individual butterfly swimming events measured in meters and all five individual medley events measured in meters. She has been swimming competitively in the U.S. Masters Swimming organization since 1988, and defended her global standing at the world meet last summer in Munich, Germany.

ANNA DALE WAREN, a Bahá’í in Fort Smith, Arkansas, was chosen as an Academic All-Star representing Westark College by the Arkansas Association of Two Year Colleges. The biology and pre-med major also has served as a peer leader for Westark’s freshman success program, College Seminar, and is a member of two honors organizations.

Other honors:

Academic

Farzad Mashhood, II, Palos Verdes, CA; President’s Award for Academic Achievement. Noble Shore, Derwood, MD, student at Carnegie Mellon University in PA; accepted into National Society of Collegiate Scholars.

Career

Coitt Kessler, Luling, TX; Best All-Around Cadet in his class at Austin (TX) Fire Department Training Academy. Robherda Lange, Goleta, CA; mentioned as “Unsung Heroine” by Professional Women’s Association of University of California at Santa Barbara; for attitude of service as a data security administrator.

Community

Michael Fitzgerald, Winchester, VA; “Being Together” award for distinguished contributions to inter-religious dialogue; also, Marion Park Lewis Fellowship for Literature from Shenandoah Arts Council.

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: tab@usbnc.org

Editor James Humphrey

Associate Editor Tom Mennillo

Facilities Manager, Bahá’í Media Services Artis Mebane

Contributors Ramin Abrishimian, Rebecca Asai, Fredda Bartolucci, Thomas Carsey, Nate Cocco, Christine Conrad, Glenn Egli, Alloysia Haynes, Nabil Jurney, Riaz Jurney, Jeff Kraus, Alan Moll, Alice Moore, Ken Post, Jean Scales, Ruhi Vargha

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 membership@usbnc.org). 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: March 21: Deadline February 9 April 28: Deadline March 13

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

©2001 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. World rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. [Page 3]

U.S. elects Regional Bahá’í Councils

Local Spiritual Assembly members across the United States gathered in mid-November to cast votes for the four Regional Bahá’í Councils. These elections were all completed by the Day of the Covenant, Nov. 26.

As the electoral processes of our nation come under scrutiny, we must be diligent to adhere scrupulously to our sacred Bahá’í electoral process. Believers can prepare themselves throughout the year for the next election of the Regional Bahá’í Councils and for the Unit Conventions by encouraging their Local Spiritual Assemblies to host a training on the Bahá’í electoral process, by becoming well-informed of the character of believers who are eligible to be elected, and by prayerfully considering the important work to be completed by our elected representatives.

The stalwart members of these Councils are listed below.

Tellers in the election of the Regional Bahá’í Council for the Northeastern States pose during the November meeting at which ballots were counted.

Northeastern States (listed in order of votes received)	Southern States (listed in order of votes received)	Central States (listed in order of votes received)	Western States (listed in order of votes received)
Joel Nizin: 317 Nathan Rutstein: 280 Vickie Nizin: 273 Robert Harris: 260 William Smith: 253 John Joyce: 242 Nina Dini: 237 Neil McBride: 210 Chester Makoski: 39 Participating in the election were 94 of the 113 Local Spiritual Assemblies in the region. Sixty-one percent of the eligible voters cast ballots.	Karen Pritchard: 740 Carole Miller: 735 A. Jack Guillebeaux: 661 James Sturdivant: 628 Robert M. James Jr.: 581 Ahmad Mahboubi: 511 Kambiz Rafraf: 496 Mahyar Mofidi: 488 Covey Cantville: 462 Participating in the election were 260 of the 356 Local Spiritual Assemblies in the region. Sixty percent of the eligible voters cast ballots.	Lynn Wieties: 531 Richard Thomas: 457 Morris Taylor: 455 June Thomas: 453 L. Caswell Ellis: 445 Paul Jacobi: 363 Curtis J. Russell: 322 Jena Khodadad: 297 Elvora Jacobi: 217 Participating in the election were 176 of the 197 Local Spiritual Assemblies in the region. Seventy percent of the eligible voters cast ballots.	Habib Riazati: 838 Derek Cockshut: 802 Shannon Javid: 775 Charleen Maghzi: 740 Fereshteh Bethel: 718 Elahe Young: 693 Carol Brooks: 624 Shad Afsahi: 614 James F. Nelson: 537 Participating in the election were 399 of the 525 Local Spiritual Assemblies in the region. Fifty-four percent of the eligible voters cast ballots.

Enrollments

November 2000	35
December 2000	124
Since May 1, 2000	958

THE FUND

May 1—November 30, 2000
Contributions received by National Treasurer (excluding Kingdom Project)

Received since May 1, 2000: $9,034,329

Goal for entire year: $27,000,000

33.5% of year’s goal was met
58% of fiscal year has passed

April 30, 2001

Total cash-basis revenues and expenditures for Bahá’í National Fund May 1—November 30, 2000 (excluding Kingdom Project)

$13,002,107
Revenues (contributions, book sales, school fees etc.)

$15,802,498
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

Huqúqu’lláh, the Right of God, on the Web

The Board of Trustees of Huqúqu’lláh is pleased to announce the establishment of a Web site devoted to the presentation of educational materials on the Sacred Law of Huqúqu’lláh.

The site contains approved materials including complete compilations of the Law of Huqúqu’lláh, The Codification of the Law of Huqúqu’lláh, numerous educational materials, and the history of the development of the institution of Huqúqu’lláh with photographs. Publications for the education of Bahá’í children also are included. Soon, an index and details of available answers to questions regarding Huqúqu’lláh will be added to the Web site.

Preparation of the site has been the result of collaboration between the U.S. Bahá’í National Center and the Board of Trustees of Huqúqu’lláh.

Access www.usbnc.org
and click on the “Huqúqu’lláh” link

More on Huqúqu’lláh/page 22

Review policy change furthers decentralization

Local Assemblies now have main responsibility for clearing non-audiovisual special materials

Earlier this year the National Spiritual Assembly voted that review of special materials at the national level would be confined to audiovisual materials. This change affects not only artists, but also Local Spiritual Assemblies.

As before, all works produced for public distribution that mention the Faith, its Central Figures, history or teachings must be submitted for either literature or special materials review.

With the recent change the National Spiritual Assembly is responsible for review of literature, music, videos and other audiovisual materials intended for nationwide publication. Such items may be sent to the National Assembly for review in care of its Research and Literature Review Office (address below).

While review of souvenir items such as greeting cards, jewelry or posters is no longer conducted at the national level, it is still required at the local level.

Local Spiritual Assemblies are responsible for reviewing material intended for publication or distribution within their communities. Examples include pamphlets and newsletters and materials that mention the Faith such as songs, play scripts, souvenir items, greeting cards and so forth. Please note that Bahá’í groups may not review works for publication.

The Review Office is in the process of developing information for use by Local Spiritual Assemblies in carrying out this responsibility.

Anyone with questions about whether items require review, or about which institution should review them, are encouraged to contact: Research and Literature Review Office, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (phone 847-733-3548, e-mail ).

Copies of guidelines for literature review also are available upon request.

Materials on the Web

for Fund contributors and local treasurers

• General information on giving
• Stewardship and Development seminars and materials
• Automatic Contribution System (ACS) forms
• Junior youth and children’s ‎educaton education‎ on the Bahá’í Funds
• Audit, budget, reporting and other treasurers’ forms

More on the Automatic Contribution System and Planned Giving / page 22

More on Stewardship and Development / page 23 [Page 4]

UNIVERSAL HOUSE,

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

upon them, to leave Iran and seek greater comfort and better futures in materially advanced countries. The Universal House of Justice has received communications from Bahá’ís in Iran, lamenting the fact that they are under pressure from Iranian Bahá’ís abroad who urge them to leave the country where they are serving the Cause with distinction. The position of the House of Justice, as you are well aware, is that the decision on whether to leave Iran or remain there rests with each individual believer who, in the light of his or her personal circumstances and the interests of the Cause of God, should conscientiously decide the course he or she should follow. Bahá’í institutions do not encourage Iranian believers to leave Iran, but they should place no obstacle in the way of their doing so, if that is their choice.

Therefore, the House of Justice wishes that you consider how best your National Spiritual Assemblies may assist the Iranian expatriates in your countries to appreciate the importance of leaving the friends in Iran to make their own decisions, exerting no pressures on them one way or the other.

With loving Bahá’í greetings, Department of the Secretariat

National conference: a sharing of ideas

Creative ways of ‘answering the call’ sought for presentations

In an expansive effort to build a learning community through meaningful sharing and exchange, we are calling for knowledgeable, talented and experienced Bahá’ís from across the country to contribute to the program of “Building the Kingdom for ‎Every Man Woman Every Man, Woman‎, Youth & Child,” the National Bahá’í Conference to be held June 28 through July 1 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

This conference will be unlike any other in atmosphere and in addressing the main theme, “No Call Will Go Unanswered.”

We want to inspire enthusiasm about building the Kingdom of God through an atmosphere of love, joy and soul-stirring experiences.

We want to foster a learning community and integrate all aspects of life into one organic whole by sharing our experiences and knowledge about service to humanity.

And we especially want to welcome and warmly embrace seekers as they join us in our learning and sharing, providing a new model of Bahá’í activity.

Interactive, artistic sessions

Conference highlights will include several keynote addresses and an abundance of interactive workshop sessions for participants. The conference will also prominently feature music and arts that mirror program themes of spirituality, unity in diversity, service to humanity, family, love and joy.

We are calling for proposals for both workshops and artistic presentations. When outlining proposals, please include themes, topic and content, intended audience, and background information on the presenter or performer. Additionally:

• Workshop sessions will be 1–1½ hours in length. The proposal should include methodology and materials.

BUILDING THE KINGDOM

FOR EVERY MAN, WOMAN, YOUTH & CHILD

It’s time to come together, pick up new tools, new skills and new understandings — and take a closer look at the blueprint.

National Bahá’í Conference June 28 - July 1, 2001 • Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Wondering whether you’re qualified for the job? Ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I want to be more confident in the way I raise my children? The way I live my life? The way I interact with my peers?
• Am I ready to learn more about my role in building the Kingdom of God on earth?
• Am I ready to trust in God and find the gifts He has placed in my soul?
• Am I willing to love and be loved in greater ways than I knew possible?
• Would I like to experience and keep a kind of joy that the world cannot take from me, that I can freely give to others?

If your heart said “yes” to even one of the above, please join us in Milwaukee and invite your friends. More details will follow as we have them.

For more conference information, please phone us at 847-733-3590, e-mail us at kingdomconf@usbnc.org or keep checking our conference Web site at www.kingdomconference.org

CONFERENCE UPDATES

Calling all volunteers!	Conference registration will be open starting Jan. 20	What would you like to see in the program?
If you have the desire to serve, we would like to hear from you! Please contact us (phone 847-733-3590, e-mail kingdomconf@usbnc.org) and let us know your areas of experience so that we can best match your skills with open volunteer positions.	You can register online (Web site www.kingdomconference.org) starting Jan. 20. Watch for your conference invitation in the mail for further information on registering by phone, mail or fax.	What are the top five workshop topics that interest you? Who are the top five dynamic presenters you have seen in the last couple of years? Please let us know (phone 847-733-3590, e-mail kingdomconf@usbnc.org). Also, check the conference Web site for an upcoming online survey: www.kingdomconference.org

• An artistic proposal should include media type and public displays or performances, and must be accompanied by a videotape.

Please send all proposals to: Building the Kingdom Conference Planning Team, c/o Bahá’í National Center, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201. Proposals MUST be received by March 1.

If you have any questions, please contact the Planning Team (phone 847-733-3590, e-mail kingdomconf@usbnc.org). We warmly anticipate your response. ♦ [Page 5]BUILDING THE KINGDOM IT’S OUR TIME

KINGDOM PROJECT OVERVIEW

PROGRESS REPORT LATE DECEMBER 2000: DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

• Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute: Planned exterior and interior renovations have been completed.
• Bahá’í House of Worship: Concrete and plumbing work to restore parts of terrace and gardens will resume when weather allows.
• Louhelen Bahá’í School: Permits have been granted to begin construction of Unity Hall, a large gathering space.
• Green Acre Bahá’í School: Architectural design has proceeded for building of a new meeting hall and classrooms.
• Bosch Bahá’í School and Native American Bahá’í Institute: Consultations on development plans are under way.

ENSURING MATERIAL MEANS

• More than 4,000 people have pledged or contributed.
• More than $22 million in pledges or cash contributions has been committed to the Kingdom Project.

“Building the Kingdom: It’s Our Time,” or the Kingdom Project, is a five-year comprehensive development plan designed 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.”

Successful completion of this effort will ensure restoration and protection of the House of Worship, expansion of the dependencies of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, redesign of the Haẓíratu’l-Quds, creation of appropriate archives, and fundamental development of the Bahá’í-owned schools. It will also continue and expand the media initiative and other national teaching efforts, create strategic reserves to give our community the flexibility to respond promptly to opportunities for significant growth, and begin establishment of an endowment to protect Bahá’í properties across the United States.

A minimum of $60 million is required to fulfill these goals.

For more information about the Kingdom Project and how you can contribute:

Web site www.usbnc.org Phone 847-733-3521 E-mail

A celebration at the Plan’s midpoint

Nationwide series of meetings also focuses on challenges ahead

Is it possible to hold 108 meetings in 36 different locations in four days? The National Spiritual Assembly decided to find out.

In a series of unprecedented meetings Oct. 21–22 and again Dec. 2–3, representatives of the National Spiritual Assembly fanned out across the country, bringing our Bahá’í family together to celebrate the victories of our community.

Held at the midpoint of the Twelve Month Plan, the meetings allowed the community to pause and celebrate as well as to look ahead to the challenges and rewards of the upcoming Five Year Plan. A special focus of the meetings was to reconnect the Bahá’í community with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s mission for America.

Thousands of Bahá’ís

Nearly 10,000 Bahá’ís in total attended the meetings. In many areas, young Bahá’ís who had participated in a youth year of service were singled out as models of Bahá’í service, receiving enthusiastic and warm responses from the audiences.

“My soul has not been energized to the teaching service to this degree by a Bahá’í gathering,” one of the friends in the Western States said after attending a meeting, “for more than 30 years.”

A believer in the Central States was moved to enthuse, “This was truly a historic event! The heart and soul of the day was flawless; I cannot imagine a better gift for the friends. ... The effects of that day will surely spread widely, both in terms of geography and in terms of time.”

All nine members of the National Spiritual Assembly and two members of the National Teaching Committee were designated as official representatives of the National Assembly speaking on the institution’s behalf. They were joined by representatives of the Regional Bahá’í Councils at all of the meetings.

Outgoing Counselors Wilma Ellis and Jacqueline Left Hand Bull and Counselors Stephen Birkland and Eugene Andrews enriched the several meetings they attended with their loving words and wise counsel, as did the members of the Auxiliary Board who participated in all others. The close collaboration and intimate association among the institutions was evident and a source of inspiration.

Three separate meetings were held at each site:

• A general community meeting.
• A special consultative session for members of Local Spiritual Assemblies and regional training institutes.
• An open dialogue between the representative of the National Spiritual Assembly and youth.

The National Spiritual Assembly’s message focused on three core issues facing the American Bahá’í community: the national media initiative and seeker follow-up, regional training institutes, and the Kingdom Project.

The representatives spoke of the growing number of seekers contacting the Bahá’í community—more than 100,000 at the national level and 50,000–100,000 at the local level, totaling about 200,000 people who have asked for more information or direct contact with the community.

They urged the friends to ensure that “no call will go unanswered,” referring to the substantial number of calls from

SEE MEETINGS, PAGE 27

Above left: Communication was the centerpiece of the meetings between the friends and National Spiritual Assembly representatives. In Seattle, Washington, David Lewis addresses the gathering as Jamal Reimer (left), Vahid Vafaei (standing) and others listen in. Photo by Alan Moll

Above right: In Sacramento, California, Vic Salvo plays original music as a setting for morning devotionals. Photo by Alice Moore

Below left: A corps of youth worked behind the scenes in Washington, DC. Photo courtesy of Penny Trusty

THE KINGDOM PROJECT IN ACTION: GREEN ACRE BAHÁ’Í SCHOOL

An architect’s rendering shows the initial concept for a new meeting hall and classrooms to be built at Green Acre Bahá’í School. [Page 6]

NATIONAL TEACHING PLAN

Goal: Carry out the National Teaching Plan

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

One Year Plan 2000

Look at what’s on the Web!

www.usbnc.org Click on the “Media Campaign” link

Broadcast times

Two new channels for the first quarter of 2001!

• 30-second ads on a Bahá’í theme, “Children Without Prejudice,” were to air on the high-viewership MSNBC cable network, as well as continuing on the TV Guide Channel, in early January.
• Full-length 30-minute programs are now airing on cable TV’s Health Channel, in addition to the regular broadcasts on BET and resumed airings on the Odyssey channel. Programs include We Are One, The Power of Race Unity, The Power of Prayer and Family: Seeds of World Peace.

Coming soon: A new video, Speaking of Gender, is expected ‎be to be‎ broadcast beginning in March this year. As with all videos for the media campaign, it will be made available to Bahá’ís nationwide.

Home-use videos: You can order any of these videos from the Bahá’í Distribution Service (phone 800-999-9019) for $9.95 each or $48 for a set of all six:

• We Are One
• I Am a Bahá’í
• The Power of Race Unity
• The Power of Prayer
• La Fe Bahá’í—Latinos in the Bahá’í Faith
• Family: Seeds of World Peace

Teaching project report forms:

Let us know about your success!

Plus:

• Tips on using national media campaign videos locally
• How to make the most of the 1-800-22-UNITE seeker contact system
• Training courses for seeker followup
• Materials to help your publicity and fireside development
• Editable newsletter for seekers

Two stories of transformation

The national media campaign is reaching thousands of searching souls and propelling them on a journey of transformation.

More and more, local communities are discovering that the media campaign can bring fresh recruits to the Cause when the community atmosphere is organized to be one of welcome, service and activity.

Two such new enrollees came forward at A Celebration of the South, the regional conference sponsored by the Regional Bahá’í Council for the Southern States. They told their stories through tears of joy to an equally moist-eyed audience. One discovered the Faith through a broadcast, the other through the public Web site.

Below are some excerpts from their talks.

Gloria Coleman, Nashville, TN “I work within two blocks of the Nashville Bahá’í Center. Never knew it existed until the media campaign. Twenty years I have lost. But thanks to the media campaign, I’m here with you now. We can’t let that happen to other people.

“I think we’re so afraid of overstepping boundaries that we don’t do enough, that we’re afraid to say anything to anybody about the Faith. And there are thousands of people out there just like me. They can’t come to us if they don’t know we exist. ...

More on the Southern conference/pages 17-19

“I came to the Faith in the middle of the night, alone in my own home. I had a case of insomnia and I was just channel surfing, in desperation, hoping something would put me to sleep, because I had to get up for work the next day.

“I happened onto the Odyssey channel and the special that gave Bahá’u’lláh’s great message about The Power of Race Unity. I was entranced and I called the 1-800-22-UNITE number. They put me in touch with the Nashville number. ...

“I dragged my friend Joan over to the Nashville Center. ... The Center wasn’t even open. But there were people in there painting, and they stopped their work to talk to me. Ever since then, the Spiritual Assembly of Nashville has loved me and nurtured me, so that I can now serve the Faith to the best of my ability. ...

“We’re in the vanguard of this Faith in the United States. And I know that we will reach millions of people, because we are up to the challenge and we are ready for that. I salute all the Bahá’ís who have paved the way before us. I salute all of you. This is the greatest privilege in my life, to be counted among you.”

Paul Jones, Knoxville, TN “I was a minister of a prominent denomination. But I questioned a lot of things that were going on, and last year ... I came across this Web site. ... There was a link on this Web site to the Bahá’í Faith, which talked about the oneness of God, the oneness of religion, the oneness of humanity. ... And I saw this wonderful picture showing all these people from various cultures, backgrounds.

“I wasn’t ready to think about it, so I put it in the bookmarks on my Web browser. This past June, I ... decided to click on that again and I said, ‘I need to read a little bit more about this.’ So I started reading and reading. It showed the words of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and I know it might sound strange, ... but I felt the presence of God all over the place. ...

“On July the 11th, I was just praying and saying, ‘Lord, is this ‎is really really‎ what you want me to do? Is this really where you want me to go?’ And I had a dream on July the 11th. In this dream, Jesus came to me and my mom came to me. And Jesus looked at me and said, ‘This is it.’

“So July the 12th I heard there was going to a worship service in Knoxville, Tennessee. And I got up that morning and said, ‘I’m going to go and I’m going to tell those people I want to declare. I don’t know how, but I’m going to do it.’

“I walked in, and they had a wonderful devotional. And a man ... said, ‘We’re going to have a fireside right after this meeting.’ ... Well, he was talking about the Faith, and he was talking about all the things they believe, and I thought, ‘I wish he would be quiet, because I want to tell him I want to declare.’ He [finally] said, ‘Is there anybody ready to declare,’ and I said, ‘Yes, I am. I’m ready to declare.’

“I want you folks to know, my life has never been the same since then. My life has been revolutionized, and I love what God has done in my life.” ♦

Gloria Coleman (left) and Paul Jones told their stories of embracing the Bahá’í Faith, at the Southern Regional Conference in late November. Photos by Tom Mennillo

A presence at a major U.S. book fair

The Bahá’í communities of greater Miami, Florida, sponsored a Bahá’í booth at the 17th annual Miami-Dade Book Fair, Nov 17–19. This is the largest book fair in the United States, with more than 300 exhibitors and an estimated half-million visitors. Many pamphlets and information sheets were distributed during the three days.

Photo by Thomas Carsey [Page 7]

Expressions of faith through artistic effort

Virginian creates works that help bridge divide between sighted and blind

BY KEN POST

Teaching the Bahá’í Faith through his creations has been the goal of artist Fred Bixby for 25 years. Based on themes from the tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, this Winchester, Virginia, artist has created three-dimensional pictures with a twist. Each image is to be touched and felt by the “viewer.”

The secret to the Bixby collection may lie in the fact that Fred is blind. What he designs has a unique feature. When sighted persons view his work, they come away with a similar experience to that of a blind individual. Very often, the viewer can “feel” the emotion Fred depicts.

Fred Bixby, in his studio, displays one of his works that is characterized not only by shape and color but also texture—it is meant to be touched.

A physical “irritant”

“Blindness is an irritant,” Fred says. “It should never stop you from achieving anything you want. In my case, blindness is an opportunity to put into practice the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh and the thoughts of another great man who taught me to strive for the unusual.”

Bixby was a student of the famed R. Buckminster Fuller, inventor of the geodesic dome and hundreds of innovative buildings, designs and artworks. His influence is still felt worldwide.

“He taught us technique and concepts,” Bixby says with a wistful sigh. “I remember his admonition that in many ways affects what I do today.” Bixby recalls Fuller’s exact words from a master class 30 years ago at the University of Oregon:

“Don’t ever limit yourself to known concepts. Look for alternatives, different ways. Look outside the borders of the usual.”

A close-up view of “Day Star,” a three-dimensional work by Fred Bixby. Unlike some “Assemblage” artists, he frames his work without glass.

Adding to “Assemblage”

Bixby’s work has been labeled “Assemblage” in the tradition of a pre-eminent American artist, Joseph Cornell, who would place three-dimensional objects within a frame. There were few such artists in the 1950s and there are fewer today.

Bixby has added an element beyond Cornell’s work. Cornell covered his work with glass. Fred’s art is open and exposed with good reason: It is meant to be touched and felt, designed to convey emotions through the tactile sense just as a blind person would use hands to find objects, move around a room, or caress a lover’s face.

“All art is an expression of the human experience,” said psychology trailblazer Carl Jung. Fred Bixby’s experiences as a counselor, teacher and artist shine graphically through a 34-piece collection of art that has been on display at a Winchester book gallery.

Milwaukee couple provides a meditative space with the Writings

Meditation is a common link between worship and artistic creation. And when Fahimeh Vahdat and her husband, Brian Carlson, collaborated on a large-scale artwork inspired by the Hidden Words, they designed it to extend their meditative experience to the viewer.

The result was “Mehraab: The Hidden Words (Persian),” part of a nine-artist printmaking exhibition curated by Vahdat at the Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Institute of Art and Design. It was open to the public through November. Hundreds of people viewed the piece at the opening alone, the couple reported.

A multipanel artwork titled “Mehraab: The Hidden Words (Persian)” was created to invite viewers to enter a meditative space for contemplating the Sacred Writings.

A place for meditation

“The word ‘mehraab’ means a designated place constructed for prayer or meditation. As members of the Bahá’í Faith, we have chosen to create such a place and to set forth the words from the Persian section of the Hidden Words, a Bahá’í sacred writing,” a statement accompanying the piece says in part.

The piece consists of 83 illuminated panels, each with a Hidden Word written on it in Persian and English. The panels were positioned near the floor so viewers could kneel and pick up any panel and open it like a book. A cabinet crafted to display any of the panels was at the center, and on the nearby wall were three prints with a design inspired by Persian prayer rugs.

The intention was to surround the viewer with the sacred writings in an atmosphere that encourages meditation, according to Vahdat and Carlson, both artistic professionals in Milwaukee, who conceived the work as an act of worship and a teaching vehicle.

Printmaking itself is a repetitive process and requires exacting concentration to produce a meaningful artwork from several interacting layers of paper and pigment. The artists point out that those qualities relate the art form to a spiritual search: “a voyage or quest ... through which the devotee must eventually attain to a transcendent realm, but which is often arduous and is far from direct.”

Time-honored function

Their statement adds: “The single-most time-honored function of the activities/objects we now call ‘art’ has been veneration of and communion with God. Meaning has been the object of the creative quest, and human meaning has, for the most part, been closely tied with humankind’s consciousness of its relationship with God.”

A university has already expressed interest in exhibiting the piece, Vahdat and Carlson say, and they hope to find other venues.

New edition of arts journal released

Orison VIII: “Invoking the Light/Knowing the Water,” an arts journal, is available from the Bahá’í Institute for the Arts, a special-interest section of the Association for Bahá’í Studies–North America.

This issue features a hand-crafted cover, poetry, artist statements and profiles, artwork, a review of The Saddlebag by Bahiyyih Nakhjavani, an article on an Arts Retreat, editorials and information about Bahá’í arts organizations. A special focus is on African-American contributions.

To order, send $8 plus $1 postage to Bahá’í Institute for the Arts, c/o Anne Gordon Perry,

Submissions for Orison IX should be sent by April 30, 2000 to one of the following:

• Poetry: Peter Murphy, poetry editor,

(e-mail ).

• Fiction or reviews: Bruce Filson, fiction and review editor,

(e-mail ).

• Essays, artwork, artist profiles/statements or news items: Anne Gordon Perry, general editor,

(e-mail ). [Page 8]

Vivian Wesson: ‘It gave me such joy’

This is one in an occasional series of articles on the first African-American Bahá’ís to arise to the call of Shoghi Effendi in the 1950s to pioneer and teach the Faith in Africa.

They Answered the First Call: Early African-American pioneers to Africa

Vivian Dunlap Wesson, a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh, was born March 12, 1895, and embraced the Faith as a young woman during the 1920s. She served the Cause with devotion for more than 30 years in the Chicago area before she responded to the Guardian’s call for pioneers during the Ten Year Crusade.

French Togoland in West Africa was a virgin area that the Guardian hoped to be opened before the end of Ridván 1954. Mrs. Wesson and another believer, Mavis Nymon, arose to fill this important goal. Despite a series of delays and obstacles, but with amazing and timely spiritual assistance, the two women arrived in French Togoland one-half hour before sunset on May 2, 1954, amazed and thrilled at having been given the privilege of obeying their beloved Guardian.

In her memoirs of pioneering, Mrs. Wesson states, “This beginning experience has set the pattern of my life as a pioneer and as a believer. It gave me such joy, such a serene unshakable faith that I have never been the same.”

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

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

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

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

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

INTERNATIONAL SERVICE

The Office of Pioneering is eager to assist the friends preparing for international service. For information regarding jobs and study abroad, or international traveling teaching opportunities and other events, please contact the Office of Pioneering, Bahá’í National Center, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (phone 847-733-3508, e-mail [e-mail address]).

Answers to frequent questions about serving internationally are posted on the Web (www.usbnc.org, NSA Departments).

HOMEFRONT SERVICE

Detailed information to help those who wish to travel and teach or pioneer within the 48 contiguous states is available on the Administrative Web Site (www.usbnc.org), in the Regional Bahá’í Councils section.

Northeastern States

To inquire about locating as a homefront pioneer, contact the Northeast Regional Bahá’í Council Secretary, Joel Nizin (phone [phone number], e-mail [e-mail address]).

To inquire about traveling teaching, contact the traveling teaching coordinator, Diana Rouse Kaufman (phone [phone number], e-mail [e-mail address]).

Central States

To inquire about locating as a homefront pioneer, contact the Central Regional Bahá’í Council Secretary, Lynn Wieties (phone [phone number], e-mail [e-mail address]).

To inquire about traveling teaching, contact the appropriate state traveling teaching coordinator (list is available on www.usbnc.org in the Regional Councils section) or contact Marilyn Ray (phone [phone number], e-mail [e-mail address]).

Western States

To inquire about locating as a homefront pioneer or about traveling teaching, contact the appropriate traveling teaching-homefront pioneering coordinator for each state (list available on www.usbnc.org in the Regional Councils section), or one of the regional coordinators:

Traveling teaching: Jan Saeed, (phone [phone number], e-mail [e-mail address]).

Homefront pioneering: Flor Toloui, (phone [phone number], e-mail [e-mail address]).

For information on American Indian reservations, contact the American Indian regional traveling teaching-homefront pioneering coordinator, Helen Kiely, (phone [phone number], e-mail [e-mail address]).

Southern States

To inquire about locating as a homefront pioneer, please contact regional coordinating team member Susan Crossley (phone [phone number], e-mail [e-mail address]).

To inquire about traveling teaching, please contact regional coordinating team member Kitty Schmitz (phone [phone number], e-mail [e-mail address]).

The below goals and opportunities have been designated or reviewed by agencies of the Regional Bahá’í Councils.

Southern States

The Regional Council has placed top priority for homefront pioneering on cities with populations of 50,000 or more and no Local Spiritual Assembly.

• Alabama: Dothan, Mobile
• 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, Lawton
• Tennessee: Clarksville, Jackson
• Texas: Baytown, Beaumont, Galveston, Killeen, Laredo, Longview, Mesquite, Odessa, San Angelo, Tyler
• Virginia: Danville, Lynchburg, Portsmouth, Suffolk
• West Virginia: Huntington

Please contact the Southern Regional Traveling Teaching and Homefront Pioneering Coordinators listed at right.

Western States

The Regional Council has three main criteria for Assembly goals: saving jeopardized or lapsed Assemblies; forming Assemblies in communities of seven or more believers; and saving/maintaining Assemblies on Indian reservations (marked * below).

Priority is on sites 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 include the following (complete list on www.usbnc.org).

For communities on Indian reservations (marked with *), contact the American Indian regional traveling teaching-homefront pioneering coordinator listed at right.

• Arizona: Apache Junction, Bapchule District*, Buckeye, Chino Valley, Clarkdale, Cochise Co. SW, Cottonwood, Eloy, Goodyear, Kibito Chapter*, Kingman, Surprise, Tolleson, Whiteriver; Assembly community seeking support: Houck Chapter*
• Idaho: Caldwell, Fort Hall Indian Reservation*, Kootenai Co., Meridian, Twin Falls; Assembly community seeking support: Ada County.
• Montana: Blackfeet Reservation*, Crow Agency*, Flathead Reservation*, Great Falls, Havre, Kalispell, Lewis and Clark Co., Northern Cheyenne Reservation*, St. Ignatius, Yellowstone Co.; Assembly communities seeking support: Billings, Bozeman, Butte-Silver Bow, Helena, Missoula Co., Ravalli Co.
• Nevada: Boulder City, Churchill Co., Lyon Co., Pahrump, Winchester Township
• New Mexico: Artesia, Deming, Grants, Jicarilla Apache Reservation*, Los Lunas, Lovington, Luna Co., Mountainair, Rio Arriba Co., Shiprock Chapter*, Socorro; Assembly community seeking support: Doña Ana Co. Central
• Utah: Bountiful, Centerville, Farmington, La Verkin, Layton, Midvale, Ogden, Roy, Uintah-Ouray*; Assembly community seeking support: West Valley City
• Wyoming: Casper, Cody, Laramie Co., Newcastle, Rock Springs, Weston Co., Wind River Reservation*; Assembly communities seeking support: Cheyenne, Laramie
• California: 77 goal communities, including 15 Assembly communities seeking support.
• Colorado: 16 goal communities, including 9 Assembly communities seeking support.
• Oregon: 23 goal communities, including 11 Assembly communities seeking support.
• Washington: 44 goal communities, including 16 Assembly communities seeking support. ♦

Available on the Web at www.usbnc.org: Spiritual Assembly development tools

Free for the downloading:

• Spiritual Institutions: The Unique Nature of Bahá’í Institutions
• Developing ‎Disctinctive Distinctive‎ Bahá’í Communities: Assembly reference manual
• Assembly Development Module Workshops participant handouts
• Assembly Self Assessment Tool
• Assistance for Achieving Goals
• Information on Assembly Development Representatives

Access www.usbnc.org, click on “NSA Departments” then link to “LSA Development” [Page 9]

The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting

Newly Authorized Translations

Selections of extracts and prayers from the Bahá’í Sacred Writings compiled by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice

$4.50 (IOPF)

This selection of newly authorized translations has been drawn from the vast ocean of the original writings of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. It is intended to further enhance the believers’ insight into the far-reaching significance of these two great laws. These new passages open our hearts and minds to new avenues of awareness and appreciation of the significance and bounty that surrounds Bahá’í obligatory prayer and fasting.

5½" x 8¼", 50 pp.

Bahá’í Prayers for Women

Selections from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, the Báb, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the Greatest Holy Leaf

$14.95 (BPW)

This beautiful gray leather prayer book is exquisitely produced and includes pictures of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the Greatest Holy Leaf. The prayers, supplications and meditations are categorized under such headings as Assistance, Children, Expectant Mothers, Patience, Husbands, Nourishment and Protection. The Obligatory Prayers and passages from the Kitáb-i-Aqdas regarding exemptions for women are also included.

4" x 6", 152 pp.

Lights of ‘Irfán

Papers Presented at the ‘Irfán Colloquia and Seminars

$12.00 (LI)

This work represents the latest publication, in English, of papers presented at the 1999 ‘Irfán Colloquia and Seminars for the purpose of presenting studies firmly grounded in the writings of the Bahá’í Faith. Although these 12 papers are scholarly in nature, they are written for presentation, and are therefore highly accessible and engaging. The titles include “Pilgrimage and Religious Identity in the Bahá’í Faith,” “Kitáb-i-Aqdas as Described and Glorified by Shoghi Effendi,” “Common Teachings in Chinese Culture and the Bahá’í Faith” and “ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Explanation of the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh.”

8½" x 11", 168 pp.

The Logic of the Revelation of St. John

Stephen Beebe

$7.95 (LRSJ)

While representing only 2 percent of the entire Bible, the Book of Revelation has had a disproportionately significant impact on Western culture. Beebe writes from the position that Revelation is of divine origin, that it is in great part prophetic, and that its visions represent historical events. This work helps to unravel some of the mysteries that lie hidden in the Book of Revelation and should provide insights to anyone who wishes to obtain a more thorough understanding of the Bible.

5½" x 8½", 226 pp.

The Advent of Divine Justice

Now on CD-ROM Shoghi Effendi; read by Steve Boergadine

$24.50 (ADJCD)

For those who long for more time to deepen their understanding of the Bahá’í teachings, this three-CD set allows an opportunity to listen to this historic letter from the Guardian to the Bahá’ís of North America in its entirety. Steve Boergadine’s engaging delivery has provided the signature voice of many Fortune 500 companies through a 20-year career in TV and radio.

set of 3 CDs

A Tribute to Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum

Violette Nakhjavání

$14.95 SC (TABRK)

$24.95 HC (TABRKH) limited edition

This intimate tribute to the beloved wife of Shoghi Effendi and Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum provides the world with a unique and historic perspective from Khánum’s own close friend and longtime travel companion, Violette Nakhjavání. In her prologue she writes of our beloved Khánum, “We are still too close to her to be able to understand the true value of her services to the Bahá’í world community and still too limited in our grasp of our own history to be able to evaluate the different perspectives afforded by her personality.” Divided into three parts covering her life from Mary Maxwell’s birth to Rúhíyyih Khánum’s final years, this tribute chronicles her earlier life in North America, her years of marriage to Shoghi Effendi, and her services and travels.

5½" x 8¼", 182 pp.

Bahá’í Wall Calendar

$2.95 (BWC)

This one-page calendar features a breathtaking view of the Center for the Study of the Texts on Mount Carmel. Perfect for home or office. Denotes all Holy Days and 19 Day Feasts.

11" x 17"

Bahá’í Datebook

158 B.E.

$2.95 (BDB)

This convenient pocket-size calendar, which many of us have come to rely on, helps one keep track of Bahá’í events by overlaying a Bahá’í calendar upon a Gregorian one. Includes the number and name of each Bahá’í day and month. Various nine-pointed star symbols indicate Holy Days, Festivals and Feasts.

3¾" x 6¼", 15 pp.

Bahá’í History Calendar

Dawn of the Century of Light

$7.50 (BHC)

This 14-page calendar features black-and-white photographs of early believers and a quote from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá on each page.

11" x 17", 14 pp.

Multifaith Calendar 2001

Water: The Spiritual Fountain

$10.95 (MFC2001)

20 color photographs on the theme of water include a dewdrop on a leaf, a mountain spring, a child’s tear, water gushing from the earth, fountains and children at play. Each page lists and briefly describes holidays from all major religions including the Bahá’í Faith.

12" x 18", 17 pp.

Spiritual Assemblies and Bahá’í Consultation

Compiled by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice

$5.95 (SABCON)

Focusing on National Assemblies, Local Assemblies and consultation, this compilation provides an excellent study guide and reference book for the individual or Local Spiritual Assembly.

5½" x 8½", 96 pp.

Archive

Universal Electronic Textbase of the Bahá’í Writings Stephen D. Dighton

$25.00 (ACDR)

Finally, an open-ended Bahá’í database that works either on Macintosh or (with a free download) on Windows. Includes nearly all the works of the Central Figures in English, Messages from the Universal House of Justice, Lights of Guidance, the Bible (King James version), the Qur’án, the Bhagavad-Gita and more, with other downloadable titles to follow. Allows the user to add and search new text files. [Page 10]Dreams, Nightmares and Dreams Again Angéla Szepesi $19.95 SC (DNDA)

Presented here is the amazing story of a life lived in times of great upheaval, for the world and the author, spanning World War II and formative years of the Bahá’í Faith. Written from an intensely personal perspective, this book is presented as such; it does not pretend to be an official statement about the history of the Bahá’í Faith, its institutions, or even the author’s family. It is about a personal relationship with her family, God and the Bahá’í Faith. Not a smooth pathway, but a journey worth taking and, now through this book, worth observing. 5½" x 8½", 60 pp.

Women’s Talk Florence Conway $7.50 SC (WT)

Florence Conway’s interest in the status and advancement of women spans many decades. Her experiences of living in a diverse range of cultures and her extensive travels have enabled her to closely observe the prevailing conditions and influences on the lives of women throughout the world. Her passion for these issues clearly rings through this volume as she encourages women ‎from of from‎ all walks of life to arise and, through their deeds, become a catalyst for change. 5½" x 8½", 112 pp.

Cultivating Distinction: Newly Released Modules Directed to Individuals and the Community

These modules are targeted to individual electors, rather than to Assemblies. Their objectives are to increase our appreciation of the sanctity of Bahá’í elections. Together, they cover the necessity of elections; participation in elections as a sacred responsibility; required or forbidden practices in Bahá’í elections; and spiritual principles underlying this guidance. They can be helpful to communities where participation is low, where electoral practices may not be well-understood, or where their study may enhance the spiritual atmosphere of elections. Each module is two hours long and has optional extensions.

Bahá’í Electoral Practices An Assembly Development Module Workshop $15.00 (DMPBEP) 10-pack of participant handouts $30.00 (DMFBEP) Facilitator’s Guide

Objectives include gaining a broad understanding of the process and practices of Bahá’í elections, recognizing the spiritual principles underlying these practices, and appreciating the importance of participation in elections as a sacred responsibility.

The Spiritual Nature of Bahá’í Elections An Assembly Development Module Workshop $15.00 (DMPSNBE) 10-pack of participant handouts $30.00 (DMFSNBE) Facilitator’s Guide

Objectives include exploring aspects of “a new state of mind,” identifying ways to prepare oneself throughout the year to perform one’s sacred duty, recognizing qualities to consider and ignore in deciding who to vote for, and heightening one’s appreciation of the significance of Bahá’u’lláh’s Administrative Order.

MUSIC

Beyond This World vocals by Mansoor Sobhani composed by Armen written by Niki Manavi santour by Payman Foroghi $15.00 CD (BTWCD)

Whether chanting a prayer by Bahá’u’lláh or singing a heartfelt rendition of “Dastam Begir ‘Abdu’l-Bahá,” Sobhani empowers each familiar piece with his radiant spirit. Many selections are accompanied by santour. Prayers also include “The Healing Prayer” and “Is There Any Remover of Difficulties.”

Bound for Glory Old Day Spiritual Songs—New Day Bahá’í Message Chuck Price $9.95 (BGCD)

Coming from Southern Baptist origins, Price has adapted some of the wonderful traditional spiritual songs with Bahá’í lyrics to produce an enjoyable mix that will provide joy to those who are familiar with the melodies as well as those who are hearing them for the first time. Tracks 1-6 contain vocals and music while tracks 7-12 contain music only, thereby encouraging its use at Bahá’í events and group singalongs. Lyrics included.

A Message to the Indian & Eskimo Bahá’ís of the Western Hemisphere Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum (MINES) 1-49 $3.95 SC 50-99 $3.50 SC 100+ $3.00 SC

Reprinted with permission from the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Canada by the Native American Bahá’í Institute in honor and loving memory of the Hand of the Cause Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum. This is a reprint of Rúhíyyih Khánum’s 1969 message to the Indians of the Western Hemisphere in which she lovingly encouraged the members of indigenous peoples to strive for full partnership in society. This publication includes pictures from the Green Light Expedition, a six-month trip that she led through the Amazon Basin, representing one of her many personal endeavors toward fulfilling her individual teaching goals. The publication’s size and format is most suitable for wide distribution at Bahá’í teaching events and other gatherings. 6" x 6", 35 pp.

‘Ahd-i A’lá Zindigáníy-I Hadrat-i Báb The Bábí Dispensation / The Life of the Báb Abu’l-Qásim Afnán $60.00 HC (PLBABH)

This major Persian work, 20 years in the making and enjoying access to original-source and previously unpublished materials, is authored by the last custodian of the House of the Báb in Shiraz. Afnán is also among a small group of people in the world who may be regarded as current experts on the life and writings of the Báb. This remarkable work includes numerous photos and facsimiles of original historic documents and Tablets of the Báb, many of which appear for the first time in this publication. Those who are fortunate enough to read Persian will most certainly relish this new and significant publication. 7" x 9¾", 672 pp.

The Saddlebag A Fable for Doubters and Seekers Bahíyyih Nakhjavání $22.00 HC (SBAGH)

“A first novel of astonishing power and originality. ... Inspired by the Holy books of the major religions of the world. ... This is both a thriller and a meditation on the ultimate goal of human existence.” —The Good Book Guide

This review reflects the sentiments of critic after critic for the exciting novel by Bahíyyih Nakhjavání. Publisher’s Weekly, the primary industry periodical for publishing, states, “The novel’s Bahá’í message is beautifully rendered in these tales of multiple paths leading to one destination. ...” Inspired by the story of a stolen saddlebag filled with divinely revealed scriptures, The Saddlebag expands the work of Bahá’í artists into the popular genre of religious/spiritual fiction. If you read one novel this year, you will want it to be The Saddlebag. 5½" x 8¼", 258 pp.

Consent of Parents John F. Skeaff $9.00 SC (COPA)

Written to increase the understanding and appreciation of the obligation for Bahá’ís to obtain parental consent before marriage, this important book not only addresses the law of consent but continues further in drawing together many quotes from the sacred Bahá’í writings as well as a wide range of insights from leaders of thought on the subject of marriage and family. A most useful tool for couples seeking parental consent, parents considering issues of consent and institutions assisting individuals. 5½" x 8½", 60 pp.

Her Eternal Crown Queen Marie of Romania and the Bahá’í Faith Della L. Marcus $24.95 SC (HEC)

“If ever the name of Bahá’u’lláh or ‘Abdu’l-Bahá comes to your attention, do not put their writings from you. Search out their Books, and let their glorious, peace-bringing, love-creating words and lessons sink into your hearts as they have into mine.” —Marie, Queen of Romania

Her Eternal Crown is the compelling story of Queen Marie and her association with the Bahá’í Faith, told through her letters and diary entries, and through the letters and articles of her teacher, Martha Root. 5½" x 8½", 324 pp. [Page 11]

A Special Opportunity for a Most Special Issue of ‘World Order’

World Order Winter 1999–2000 Available now in a limited edition and for sale as a single issue for commemorative purposes $5.00 SC single issue (WO3102)

This most special issue of World Order includes the article “The Path of Beauty: The Literary Life of Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum.” Based on personal interviews with Rúhíyyih Khánum and additional research, the author explores the literary aspect of her life, an aspect that has often been relegated to the background in light of her other extraordinary contributions to the Bahá’í Faith. Her literary legacy includes poems, scripts, literary criticism, history and biography that can be appreciated as much by those who share Amatu’l-Bahá’s faith as by those who do not. Other World Order highlights include “Religious Pluralism: A Bahá’í Perspective” by Julio Savi. 10" x 7", 48 pp. See page 30 for subscription information

Seasonal Titles From the Bahá’í Publishing Trust

Celebrate Black History Month this February with two wonderful books on the life of Louis Gregory!

Consider donating these titles to your school or community libraries

Like Pure Gold: The Story of Louis G. Gregory story by Anne Breneman illustrated by Gregory Newsom $14.95 (LPG)

In this children’s book, the life of Louis Gregory is chronicled in a manner any child can readily identify with. His hardships and triumphs and, most importantly, his example are painted as vividly as the full-color illustrations in the book. Sharing this story with your child will leave an impression they won’t soon forget. 9" x 7", 45 pp., illustrations

To Move The World Gayle Morrison $13.95 (TMW)

At the heart of the most challenging issue for the American Bahá’í community—the problem of obliterating racial prejudice—stands Louis George Gregory. A highly regarded teacher, writer and lecturer throughout the first half of the century, and the first black to serve on the national administrative body of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada, Louis Gregory is a major historical figure. To Move the World is more than a biography. It brings into focus a number of strands: the life of Louis Gregory, the social and racial forces at work in the United States during his lifetime (1874–1951), and the dynamics of the Bahá’í Faith that were shaping, often against the wishes of individual members, a community unequivocally committed to the oneness of mankind and the elimination of racial prejudice. 8" x 5", 399 pp.

FOR CHILDREN

Children’s Stories from the Dawn-Breakers story by Zoe Meyer illustrated by Winifred Barnum-Newman $19.95 SC (CSFDB)

This richly illustrated edition of 30 exciting, ageless stories tells of the amazing events surrounding the birth of the Bahá’í Faith from 1844–1850. Children of all ages will enjoy these tales of the heroes and heroines who gave their lives for what they believed in. Adapted from Nabil’s The Dawn-Breakers, the stories are perfect for reading aloud and convey a sense of the rich and dramatic spiritual heritage of all who call themselves Bahá’ís today. Includes a glossary of symbols found in the illustrations. 9" x 7", 156 pp. illustrations

Maggie Celebrates Ayyám-i-Há story by Patti Rae Tomarelli illustrated by Wendy Cowper-Thomas $9.95 SC (MCAH)

This colorful children’s book tells the simple, lyrical story of one child’s joyous, creative celebration of Ayyám-i-Há. Each day finds Maggie doing something special and wonderful all on her own, without prompting from the adults in her life. Through her actions, Maggie shows the true meaning of Ayyám-i-Há, demonstrating that children can give to their communities and be of service to others. Includes instructions for repeating Maggie’s special activities in your own home. 9" x 7", 32pp. illustrations

The Ayyám-i-Há Camel story by Cher Holt-Fortin illustrated by Rex John Irvine $9.95 (AHCS)

Celebrate Ayyám-i-Há with Leili and her friends! Set against the backdrop of Christian and Jewish holidays, Leili learns about the Bahá’í Holy Days and celebrates Ayyám-i-Há in her own unique way. Includes step-by-step instructions and illustrations for how to make a paper Ayyám-i-Há camel! Excellent resource for teaching children! 9" x 6", 45 pp., illustrations

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TRAINING INSTITUTES

Wilmette Institute EST. 1995

Distance Learning: Judaism; Rediscovering the Dawn-Breakers

Judaism for Deepening and Dialogue, Feb. 1–April 30

Registration is open for this course reviewing the history of the Jews, the history of composition of the Old Testament, the main teachings of Judaism, and points of comparison between Judaism as understood by Jews and the Bahá’í Faith. Understanding of Judaism not only can help students better understand the basics of the Bahá’í Faith, but also can help our dialogue with Jews.

Rediscovering the Dawn-Breakers: The Báb and the Bábí Faith, March 1–May 31

Using The Dawn-Breakers, God Passes By and other sources, students will learn about the mission, writings and teachings of the Báb; the people who accepted Him and attempted to create a Bábí community under adverse conditions; the depth of their persecution; and the community’s eventual acceptance of Bahá’u’lláh. The first of four courses on Bahá’í history, this will provide an excellent opportunity to study the Faith’s founding and early development systematically.

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, Jan. 15–April 15

Registration will still be open during the first month of the course as long as space is available.

Full tuition is $150 for any of these Distance Learning courses, but financial aid is available for students unable to pay the full amount.

Spiritual Foundations 2001

Applications are being accepted for this year’s Spiritual Foundations for a Global Civilization program. Home study will be conducted May 1–Sept. 30. Principal themes of the two-week summer session in Wilmette will be the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual development of the individual and marriage and family life. The topics will be supplemented by study of the mission of Bahá’u’lláh, of the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and His role as exemplar, and of Bahá’í writings on spirituality (especially the Kitáb-i-Aqdas), plus workshops on creative writing, researching and teaching the Faith.

Other courses in 2001

“The Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh,” April 1–June 30 Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh Revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, April 15–July 15 Christianity for Deepening and Dialogue, May 15–Aug. 15 The Bahá’í Faith: A Comprehensive Introduction, June 1–Aug. 31 The Secret of Divine Civilization, July 1–Sept. 30 The Kitáb-i-Aqdas, Sept. 1–Dec. 31 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Exemplar, Oct. 1–Dec. 31

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.

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 secure for accepting credit card payment of tuition.

REGIONAL TRAINING INSTITUTE CONTACTS

Southern States Regional contact: Susan Nossa • Training institutes: Aguila del Cielo Central Texas • Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum Alabama, Georgia • Crimson Ark DC, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, West Virginia • Jubilee Tennessee and Arkansas • Magdalene Carney Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi • Mathew Kaszab South Texas • North Texas • Oklahoma • Sam McClellan Kentucky • South Carolina • Supreme Talisman North Carolina • Tree of Life Houston, Texas •

Central States Regional contact: Council secretary • e-mail Training institutes: Chicago • Dorothy Baker Ohio • Gateway Missouri • Iowa • Kansas • Milwaukee Metro • Minnesota •

Western States Regional contact: Council secretary • e-mail Training institutes: Arizona • Columbine Colorado • California Northeast • California Northwest • California South • IMWW Idaho, Montana, Washington, Wyoming • Native American Bahá’í Institute • Nevada South • Oregon • Rio Grande New Mexico •

Northeastern States Regional contact: Chet Makoski • e-mail Training institutes: Doris McKay Western New York state • New York Tri State Metro NYC, Northern NJ, Long Island • Sadie Oglesby Eastern New England • Thornton Chase Connecticut River Valley • William Sears Eastern Pennsylvania •

More on regional training institutes at www.usbnc.org

BRIEFLY

Spokane, Washington

The 32nd annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service in Spokane, Washington, heard a Bahá’í message from the perspective of a personal journey as Ferris Paisano delivered the keynote speech on “The Circle of Healing.”

Temple Beth Shalom, a local Jewish congregation, was the host of the Thanksgiving weekend program, arranged by the Spokane Council of Ecumenical Ministries.

Contributions to ceremonies came from American Indian, Unity, Methodist, Episcopal, Unitarian Universalist, Buddhist, Jewish, Bahá’í and other faith traditions.

A longtime Bahá’í living in Lapwai, Idaho, Paisano told of his heritage—a mixture of Nez Perce, Hopi, Mexican-Spanish and Scots-Irish—which included a grandfather who was a Presbyterian minister.

According to Joseph Urlacher of Spokane, the Bahá’í representative to the Council of Ecumenical Ministries, Paisano was humble and soft-spoken yet passionate.

Through his spiritual journey of disillusionment, rediscovery and reconciliation, and through his 32 years’ experience as a teacher, Paisano said, he has learned the world needs more teachers and healers.

Nearly 1,000 people attended this year’s service, which was covered by a variety of local news media.

Canton, Mississippi

New teaching ground was broken for this area, as Bahá’ís for the first time received permission from the Canton city government to set up a booth on Flea Market Day, Oct. 12, in this town north of the state capital. Local and Jackson-area Bahá’ís staffed the booth, and about 75 of the event’s 1,000 attendees came forward for cookies, pamphlets and conversation about the Faith, according to co-organizer Noseratollah Ghaemmaghami.

Augusta, Maine

The Spiritual Assembly here has sponsored a Bahá’í information booth for 20 years at the Maine Organic Farmers and Growers Common Ground County Fair.

One year the community was asked to co-sponsor a morning worship celebration at the event, and the Bahá’í community was awarded a “Friends of the Fair” ribbon in 1998.

Fargo, North Dakota

When a “Festival of Faiths” was planned as part of celebrations of the 125th anniversary of the founding of Fargo and its sister city, Moorhead, Minnesota, organizers made sure the 56-year-old Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís was recognized.

During the festival July 2 at Concordia College, the Bahá’í community participated in a Procession of Faiths, and contributed prayers recited in front of a tableau of symbols of several religions, including the Bahá’í Faith.

National Education & Schools News

New on the Web at www.usbnc.org:

Updates from the National Education and Schools Office • National goals and local lines of action New materials • Wilmette Institute • Scouting awards • More!

Access the Administrative Web Site with your Bahá’í ID number, click on “Regional Councils,” then link to the Web site for the Council in your region of the country! [Page 13]

To the next century in Milwaukee

Bahá’ís celebrate 100-year presence

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has had a Bahá’í presence for a century, since Charlotte and Henry Morton moved to the city from Kenosha in November 1900.

One hundred years later, the Bahá’í community culminated its year of centennial festivities with a public dinner attended by 200 on Nov. 12, replete with joyous music, devotions and a sense of Milwaukee’s Bahá’í history.

Albin Kubala, a patriarch of three generations of Milwaukee Bahá’ís, was keynote speaker, relating stories of the community’s development over the years and sharing the podium with his son and grandson.

The program also included a short talk on the life of Bahá’u’lláh by Dorothy Ramsey, Local Spiritual Assembly member.

Music was provided by folk singer Emily Ware and a jazz group led by pianist Roland Ashby. Later the lively One Human Family Workshop choir of Milwaukee/Madison, led by Martha Banda, energetically reminded the gathering: “God is good!” drawing the response: “All the time!”

One unplanned part of the advance publicity was a substantial newspaper article on the Metro section cover, touching on the worldwide and local history of the Faith, as well as some of its teachings. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel religion editor assigned the story to a new staff member—Nahal Toosi, who happens to be a Bahá’í.

All year, the Milwaukee community had kept the centennial, and remembrance of the community’s history, in its forefront. A March 11 “Breaking the Fast” event and a May 6 “Honoring the Elders” evening, both well-attended and held at the Bahá’í Center, featured programs on the city’s Bahá’í history. Particularly remembered was Victoria Bediakan, a beloved and stalwart believer who traveled the world for the Faith.

Also for the centennial year, the community arranged for a professional, attractive booth that drew considerable attention at three community festivals: African World Festival, Mexican Fiesta and Indian Summer Fest.

One Year Plan 2000

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

Establishing New Bases for Human Happiness

Our study program for 2001

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf The Secret of Divine Civilization

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf: January through June

The Secret of Divine Civilization: July through December

www.usbnc.org Check the Administrative Web Site for materials to facilitate your study (link to NSA Departments/Education and Schools Office)

Centennial Highlights

Highlights of Milwaukee’s year of centennial activities included an “Honor Our Bahá’í Elders” event May 6 (pictured above), and a public dinner and social event on Nov. 12 (pictured at left).

Participants at the Nov. 12 centennial celebration in Milwaukee saw a list of events and accomplishments over the years in the Milwaukee community—a reminder not only of its progress but of its part in the mission of the Faith. Among highlights:

• The community received a Tablet from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in 1907.
• Milwaukeeans began teaching the Faith to American Indians in 1915. Years of effort bore fruit with the enrollment of Marian Steffes, considered the earliest American Indian Bahá’í in the U.S. and a highly active teacher.
• A Milwaukee couple was the first to be married in Foundation Hall at the Bahá’í House of Worship site in 1927.
• Antonio Roca, who embraced the Faith in 1938, later traveled to teach the Cause in Mexico, arranged for printing and translation of several books in Spanish, and introduced the Faith into Honduras.
• Inspired by an appeal by Shoghi Effendi to spread the Faith, 13 believers moved to Wauwatosa and established a Spiritual Assembly.
• A Bahá’í Peace Banquet in 1945 brought in 700 people, including the mayor, the schools superintendent, and other dignitaries; numerous races were represented. The turnout was one fruit of several years’ public race amity activity.
• In ‎reponse response‎ to the goals of the Ten Year Crusade, many Milwaukee Bahá’ís moved out to establish new Bahá’í communities abroad or in other parts of the U.S.
• The 1970s saw increased emphasis on teaching the Faith, with greater involvement in media, holding of numerous special events, and substantial increase in the community’s numbers.
• Hiring of a child education coordinator in 1997 helped invigorate whole-family community life, and underscored a commitment to be a child-development-centered community.

Rescheduled ‘Irfán Colloquium, Seminar at Bosch seek presentations

The ‘Irfán Colloquium and Seminar at Bosch Bahá’í School have been rescheduled, now to be held May 18–20, with parallel sessions in English and in Persian. The theme will be “Mysticism and the Bahá’í Faith,” and the colloquium also will deal with fundamental principles of Bahá’í belief. The seminar section of the program will be devoted to the Tablets revealed during the early ‘Akká period.

Proposals for presentations should be received by Feb. 15. For further information please contact: ‘Irfán Colloquium, Bahá’í National Center, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201-1611 (phone 847-733-3501, fax 847-733-3502, e-mail iayman@usbnc.org).

The 29th and 30th sessions of the ‘Irfán Colloquium and Seminar convened Oct. 6–9, 2000, at Louhelen Bahá’í School. The parallel sessions in English and Persian were enriched by 28 scholarly presentations on the writings of Bahá’u’lláh during the ‘Akká period and principles of the Bahá’í belief system. Participants engaged in lively and fruitful dialogues.

Presenters in these sessions, in alphabetical order, were: David Adrian, Mu’in Afnani, Iraj Ayman, Ghasem Bayat, Sateh Bayat, Theo Cope, Iskandar Ha’i, Ruhullah Khoshbin, Todd Lawson, Frank Lewis, Jack MacLean, Susan Maneck, Habib Riazati, Nader Saiedi, Parivash Samanadari-Khoshbin and Brian Wittman. Manuchehr Vahman conducted several musical performances.

Each participant’s package of materials included abstracts of all the presentations and a volume composed of the collection of selected papers presented at the ‘Irfán Colloquia in 1999.

A new series of annual ‘Irfán publication, The Lights of ‘Irfán, was launched this year. It contains the text of selected papers in English presented at the ‘Irfán Colloquia and Seminars.

‘Irfán activities are sponsored by the Haj Mehdi Arjmand Memorial Fund. ‘Irfán colloquia and seminars are held annually in cooperation with the Persian/American Affairs Office of the Bahá’í National Center and the Institute for Bahá’í Studies. [Page 14]

Module workshops: Not just for Local Assemblies

As awareness of Assembly Development Module Workshops rises around the country, and participation in them, Local Spiritual Assemblies and training institutes are discovering that many workshops can benefit a wider audience.

Because development of local institutions is impacted by individual Bahá’ís and has an effect on them, several workshops are designed with the individual believer in mind. Some can be done by a group drawn from several communities—for example, at an institute or summer school—while others are best-suited for a community to participate in together.

Bahá’í community members are intimately involved with the Local Spiritual Assembly. Those who aren’t members of an Assembly may at some point be called to this service. They also have the sacred responsibility of electing the membership of these divine institutions. And, of course, all believers are privileged to serve and obey their Spiritual Assembly. Several workshops contain material to help the friends to carry out these responsibilities.

All workshops are centered around the Bahá’í writings and use interactive techniques designed for different learning styles. The ultimate goal is to help participants gain new insights and adjust their behavior.

Institutions, institutes, schools, groups or other organizations are welcome to coordinate a workshop for believers in their area. Assembly Development representatives are available to facilitate these workshops (see box).

Many individual Bahá’ís have benefited from other Assembly development resources, including the booklets Spiritual Institutions: The Unique Nature of Spiritual Assemblies and Electing Bahá’í Assemblies. Both booklets use simple language, short quotes and beautiful images to convey the basics of the Administrative Order to those who may have limited familiarity with the unique nature of these institutions and their relationship to them.

Many believers also find the Assembly reference manual Developing Distinctive Bahá’í Communities extremely useful in providing quotes and guidance on a variety of issues confronting them in their daily lives, and in helping them apply principles to their decisions and actions.

All these materials are available from the Bahá’í Distribution Service (phone 800-999-9019). ◆

Descriptions of all workshops and a nationwide list of Assembly Development representatives to facilitate them are available on the Administrative Web Site (www.usbnc.org) or through the Office of Assembly Development (phone 847-733-3490, e-mail ).

If your community wishes to facilitate its own workshop, rather than utilizing a trained Assembly Development representative, it will need to purchase a Facilitation Guide for the particular workshop from the Bahá’í Distribution Service (phone 800-999-9019).

Who should use which workshops

General guidelines for use of Assembly Development Module Workshops:

Well-suited for use by any study group

• The Individual and the Local Spiritual Assembly
• Bahá’í Electoral Practices
• The Spiritual Nature of the Electoral Process

Particularly useful for an Assembly together with community members

• Consultation Part One: Developing the Requisites of Consultation
• Stress Management and the Bahá’í Community
• Developing a Strong, Vibrant Community
• The Equality of Women and Men Part One: A Shared Responsibility
• Celebrating the Nineteen Day Feast
• A Miracle of Governance: the Local Spiritual Assembly (video workshop)

Designed primarily for use by an Assembly

• The Spiritual Nature of the Local Assembly
• The Application of Spiritual and Administrative Principles
• Becoming an Efficient and Effective Assembly

Designed for use only by an Assembly

• Consultation Part Two: Consulting in Unity and Harmony (should only be done after the Assembly has completed Part One, either alone or with community members)
• The Equality of Women and Men Part Two: The Assembly’s Role in Fostering Partnership (should only be done after the Assembly has completed Part One, alone or with community members)
• Fostering Racial Unity

Regional studies event to focus on technology, children’s needs

A regional Bahá’í Studies conference, “Addressing the Pressing Needs of Humanity: Children, Technology and the Future,” will be presented April 6-8 at the University of California, Berkeley, by the California Regional Committee of the Association for Bahá’í Studies.

Speakers, presentation of papers, workshops, panel discussions and the arts will address a wide range of topics that affect our future, including the role of science and religion, the appropriate use of technologies, business and entrepreneurship, justice, ethics, education and scholarship, the Covenant, racism and equality of women and men—particularly as these issues affect the well-being and spiritual growth of children.

Youth sessions include an interactive youth forum, and programs for children and junior youth will be held.

For more information, contact Stephen Friberg, committee secretary, (phone , e-mail ).

Those who would like to present a paper or project (works in progress as well as completed papers) must submit a 250-word abstract or presentation description to the above address no later than March 1. Audio- or videotapes of presentations utilizing the arts are acceptable. ◆

Central California unity event boosts energy

INFORMATION FROM REBECCA ASAI

The spirit of sharing flowed and Bahá’í identities were strengthened when about 90 people from Central California gathered Oct. 14 at a Merced, California, park for a Unity Potluck Picnic.

Arranged by the Spiritual Assembly of Merced County, the picnic was conceived as an opportunity for a diverse group of Bahá’ís in the area served by Project 99—a service project for Southeast Asian youth—to gather and share in God’s bounty.

The event drew picnickers from as far north as Modesto and as far south as Fresno and ‎Ahwanee Ahwahnee‎. Honored guests included Micah Reed, who spoke of his experiences on last summer’s Spirit Run, and a group of Buddhist Taiko Drummers visiting from Stockton.

Many Southeast Asian youths at the picnic said they were very inspired with the recollections of the Spirit Run experience and what it spiritually meant to so many. The picnic also made it possible for Southeast Asian youths from several cities along the Central California valley to make contact with each other.

Members of a Buddhist Taiko drumming group perform for a Unity Potluck Picnic that drew people from a wide area of Central California.

Under sunny skies, and over the diverse gathering in the park, hung banners proclaiming the unity of God, of religion and of humanity.

A special spiritual dimension was added through the attendance of a Persian Bahá’í family who had recently left Iran and arrived in Turlock, California, just two weeks before. How special it was for them to be there, able to share openly in Bahá’í festivities without fear of reprisal!

One of the children, Nafiseh, graciously agreed to chant a prayer in Persian before the meal. And though she and her brother Danial knew no English, they did not let that deter them from playing with the other children. ◆

HELP WANTED: Pioneers

Combining to such a degree the essential qualities

• of audacity
• of consecration
• of tenacity
• of self-renunciation
• and unstinted devotion

that will prompt them to abandon their homes, and forsake their all, and scatter over the surface of the globe, and hoist in its uttermost corners the triumphant banner of Bahá’u’lláh

(qualifications from The Advent of Divine Justice)

Office of Pioneering • 1233 Central St. Evanston, IL 60202 • 847-733-3508 Fax 847-733-3509 e-mail [Page 15]Louhelen Bahá’í School 3208 S. State Road · Davison, MI 48423

810-653-5033 www.louhelen.org

Bosch Bahá’í School 500 Comstock Lane · Santa Cruz, CA 95060

831-423-3387 www.bosch.org

A stronger bond

Jason and Kristy Ross fell in love with Bahá’u’lláh at a Louhelen Bahá’í School session aimed at helping married couples fall more in love with one another.

Jason and Kristy, married in the summer of 1999, had heard about the Bahá’í Faith through a professor while they attended Northern Michigan State University at Marquette in the mid-’90s.

Rodney Clarken, a favorite professor of Kristy’s, had offered firesides in his home. She occasionally attended these gatherings because she not only enjoyed his classes, but also had heard him speak from a Bahá’í viewpoint during a couple of interfaith gatherings on campus.

While Kristy and Jason both liked what they heard about the Bahá’í message, graduating and starting their careers took precedence for a while. Still, they corresponded regularly with Clarken, who always passed along encouragement and more reading material about the Faith.

Early last year, Jason’s employer held a conference—renting the meeting space at Louhelen Bahá’í School.

Jason was surprised and excited. Coming home from the meeting, he asked Kristy, “Guess where I was today?” He showed her the two books he bought at the Louhelen bookstore, Christ and Bahá’u’lláh and Thief in the Night.

A few days later, the couple visited Louhelen on their own. They looked at upcoming sessions in the school brochure and signed up for the Institute for Married Couples, held in February.

“We figured if it was uncomfortable in any way for us,” Jason recalled, “we could always leave.”

They didn’t. The diversity of people at the session and among those working at Louhelen impressed them. The devotions resonated with both, particularly catching Kristy’s attention.

“I had a dream only a few months earlier, and the dream had a song in it,” she said. “A woman sang a prayer during evening prayers that had the exact rhythm and melody of the one that was in my dream.”

Furthermore, the combination of participatory activities and practical advice steeped in Bahá’í scripture that permeated the conference created a rarefied atmosphere that benefited the couple’s already-strong marriage.

“Jason and I became aware of the spiritual bond between us. We were able to pray together for the first time because our views of God became united,” Kristy said.

In addition, the pair had been awakened to the depth and truth of the Bahá’í message. The night they went home, they began an intense study of Christ and Bahá’u’lláh, and devoted much of their spare time to it over several weeks—comparing what they read in that book and in Thief in the Night with the Bible. They felt they had found the Truth for the world today, and made the decision to become Bahá’ís.

They began their new lives in the Bahá’í New Year, enrolling at the East Lansing home of Jeanne Gazel during Naw-Rúz. They recently moved to a home near East Lansing, and now serve on the Spiritual Assembly of Meridian Township.

The rarefied atmosphere that can enhance a marriage is again being provided. The next “Celebrating Marriage” session at Louhelen is scheduled for Feb. 9–11.

Kristy and Jason Ross of Michigan found their shared spiritual journey led through Louhelen Bahá’í School.

Other upcoming sessions “Islam and the Bahá’í Faith,” Feb. 23–25 Naw-Rúz Family Weekend, March 23–25

Complete list of upcoming Louhelen sessions on Calendar, back page

Devoting time to service

• “My time here so far has been full of joy and spiritual rapture. Many tests have come but I praise the Almighty for bestowing upon me the gift of challenge. In facing these tests I’ve grown day by day.”
• “I’ve found such a deep trust in Bahá’u’lláh like I have never had before. I hope I never lose it.”
• “My first service was with a workshop in Croatia. I was inspired by how my services helped others and I knew a month wasn’t enough for me.”

These testimonials come from youth volunteers who, as part of the Bahá’í Youth Service Corps program, have devoted up to a year of their lives to serve the Faith at Bosch Bahá’í School.

The Bahá’í Youth Service Corps program places youth from the U.S. and around the world at service posts in all regions of the United States, and at numerous locations in countries abroad.

At Bosch, a typical day for youth volunteers may include keeping the grounds maintained, the cabins cleaned, and the food hot and plentiful, ensuring the smooth operation of the school.

Beyond that, however, are the gifts of spirit they bring to the campus—enthusiasm, energy, joy and smiles, qualities much loved by the Blessed Beauty.

The service of youth volunteers extends to the greater community as well, involving teaching activities and tutoring at a local elementary school.

Youth also attend weekly deepening classes that emphasize firmness in the Covenant and gaining a clearer sense of purpose in terms of future education and career orientation.

This is a powerful experience for many. One youth commented:

“Who could ask for more than to know that you are rendering service each day? We know that even though a service may seem small, ultimately it contributes to the transformation of souls, the spreading of the all glorious Cause, and ultimately, the building of the Kingdom of God on earth.”

Any youth interested in the possibility of service at any permanent Bahá’í school or institute first completes a volunteer form that helps in placement at a post suited to their interests and the character and needs at each campus.

You may ask for a youth volunteer form from Bosch or any of the schools and institutes, or from the Office of Youth Affairs (phone 847-733-3499, e-mail ).

Complete list of upcoming Bosch sessions on Calendar, back page

Equality exploration

The 16 participants in the second Men’s Seminar sponsored by the National Spiritual Assembly’s Office of Women’s Affairs pose at Bosch Bahá’í School in November. The seminar was aimed at exploring issues surrounding equality of women and men through the viewpoint of men of a variety of cultures. [Page 16]

Census of college clubs: A snapshot of who we are

The first known census of Bahá’í college club activities was undertaken in spring 2000, bringing to the surface several interesting statistics:

• Bahá’í clubs are fairly diverse, with mixed percentages of members of European, Persian, African, Asian and multiracial descent. However, the clubs have few American Indian and Hispanic members.
• 44% meet at least once a week, while 20% do not meet at all.
• 76% have not developed a formal teaching plan for their club.
• Just 10% of Bahá’í college clubs meet with their sponsoring Local Spiritual Assemblies at least once a semester.
• 56% of Bahá’í college clubs sponsored activities related to the theme of race unity in the last year.
• 44% sponsored activities related to gender equality.
• 28% of clubs reported having declarations on their campus in the last year. These findings were the result of a joint research project conducted by the former National Youth Committee and the National Teaching Committee.

Bahá’ís on 160 campuses were asked to complete the survey; 50 responded. The results of these surveys provide a snapshot of current activity in Bahá’í clubs.

This data helps inform the Office of Youth Affairs, Regional Bahá’í Councils, regional youth committees and individual clubs, allowing them to strategically improve Bahá’í activities at colleges.

To continue the assessment process, Bahá’ís on each campus in the United States will be asked to complete a short Internet-based survey near the end of each semester this year.

The survey is part of a larger research effort by the Office of Youth Affairs. This office, which at Riḍván 2000 assumed some of the responsibilities of the former National Youth Committee, is mandated to conduct expert study on issues related to youth. The new knowledge and insights are shared with various institutions and individuals within the Bahá’í community on the regular basis to systematically refine and improve areas of Bahá’í life pertinent to youth.

For more information on these research initiatives, contact the Office of Youth Affairs (e-mail ).

WWW.BAHAIYOUTH.COM

The national Office of Youth Affairs now has responsibility for the No. 1 Web site for Bahá’í youth!

• Messages from other youths
• Online discussions
• Bahá’í Youth Workshops
• Bahá’í Campus Associations
• Information from Regional Youth Committees
• Art, photos, poetry, essays by young people
• And more!

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

What else does the Office do?

• Research initiatives
• Publishing Fertile Field, a newsletter for Bahá’ís studying, working and teaching at America’s colleges and universities

We’ve expanded! The Office of Youth Affairs now has two members! Mojan Sami, 23, joins Eric Horton, 25, at the Bahá’í National Center!

TRUE WEALTH

Bahá’í Funds Quiz by the Office of the Treasurer

What do you know about the Bahá’í Funds? (following a format we all know and many of us love, we give you the answer—you supply the question!)

Category: Spiritual principles of giving 1. (100 points) Giving to the Funds is a way to show this kind of attribute of God. 2. (200 points) Regular and sacrificial giving causes this kind of growth. 3. (300 points) This spiritual quality is a prime requisite for a treasurer. 4. (400 points) This is what it is called when every believer supports the Funds. 5. (500 points) These individuals are the only people who can give to the Bahá’í Funds.

(Solutions on page 35.)

Summer employment opportunity!

Want to spend a summer at the Bahá’í House of Worship?

The Temple Conservation Team is seeking youths 18 and older. Summer technicians take part in cleaning the dome, replacing sidewalks, building and landscape maintenance, detailed inspections, photo documentation and other tasks. Must have considerable self-discipline and maturity, but no specific preservation experience is required. For additional information and to receive an application packet, contact the Conservation Team (phone 847-853-2331, e-mail ).

Applications due by March 15

For other summer service opportunities, contact the Office of Youth Affairs (phone 847-733-3499, e-mail ) or the Office of Pioneering (phone 847-733-3508, e-mail ).

REGIONAL UPDATES

Central States

• About 65 youths gathered in Shawnee, Kansas, in late November for an intensive one-day conference, the first major event planned by the Regional Youth Committee serving Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri. Participants attended workshops on three main themes: advancing the process of entry by troops, contributing to the establishment of a distinctly Bahá’í life, and accelerating the transformation of society. The committee sees the conference as the first component in a renewed effort to galvanize the youth of their area, allowing them to develop their capacities as teachers, administrators and full members of the Bahá’í community.
• A record-breaking 50 college students representing 17 campuses attended October’s annual Fall Campus Association Weekend at Louhelen Bahá’í School in Davison, Michigan. The Regional Youth Committees serving Michigan/Ohio and Illinois/Indiana facilitated an intense and fun weekend that included deepening in the role of Bahá’í college students and tips on strategic planning.
• The Regional Youth Committee serving Illinois and Indiana recently initiated a quarterly newsletter, Champions of the Cause, sent free to all youth in these two states.

Contact the Regional Youth Committees in the Central States by writing the Regional Bahá’í Council for the Central States (e-mail ).

Southern States

• Youth played an important and vibrant role in the “Celebration of the South” regional conference held in Nashville, Tennessee, over Thanksgiving weekend. Many youths volunteered much of their time to ensure the experience was a smooth and uplifting one for all. Several emcees and speakers in main sessions were youths, and the Southern Regional Youth Coordinating Team organized youth sessions that were challenging, diverse and focused. The youth team also enacted a skit in the main session on the final morning, sharing a humorous—but insightful and challenging—vision of a future Bahá’í community.
• An e-mail list for youth in the South has been established. Send your name, e-mail address, Bahá’í ID number and city/state of residence to sby- to connect with other youth in the South!

Contact the Southern Regional Youth Coordinating Team at

Western States

• More than 100 college students attended an eventful college club weekend in late October at Bosch Bahá’í School, Santa Cruz, California. Discussions and presentations were all based on the most vital and challenging issue facing the American Bahá’í community—race unity. The event is sponsored annually by the Regional College Club Desk, one of several desks mandated to help the youth of the Western Region arise in service to the Cause.

Contact the Youth Office for the Western States at

Northeastern States

• NEBYFest 2001! “Intoning the Verses of God” will be the theme of the first annual Northeast Bahá’í Youth Festival, scheduled for Feb. 16–19 in Teaneck, New Jersey.
• A Campus Association Weekend is to be held at Camp Onas in southern Pennsylvania Jan. 19–21, complementing the Fall Campus Association Weekend at Green Acre Bahá’í School, Eliot, Maine. Both were sponsored by the Northeast Regional Youth Committee.
• Make plans now for two exciting summer projects! The annual Badasht Academy for intensive study of the Faith will be held July 6–12 at Green Acre Bahá’í School. An audacious teaching project will follow July 13–23.
• An e-mail list for youth in the Northeast has been established. Send your name, e-mail address, Bahá’í ID number and city/state of residence to neby- to connect with other youth in the Northeast!

Contact the Northeast Regional Youth Committee at [Page 17]

An unforgettable ‘Celebration’

BY TOM MENNILLO

Folks won’t remember everything they experienced at A Celebration of the South.

But how it made them feel will surely dwell in their hearts forever and animate their efforts to advance the process of entry by troops.

These 2,700-plus friends—of all backgrounds, ages, and lengths of service to the Faith—already shared a sense of history and mission before they traveled to Nashville, Tennessee, for the Southern Regional Bahá’í Council-sponsored conference on Thanksgiving weekend.

After all, they live each day amidst the fruits of sacrifice by those who came before them: Louis G. Gregory, Magdalene Carney, Sarah Pereira, Joseph Hannen, Casey Walton, Sam McClellan and the like.

So their goal—alongside the opportunity to renew and make friendships—for ‎weekend the weekend‎ was to sharpen the tools they use to nurture and harvest those fruits throughout these 16 “temperate zone” states so loved by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

Photos by Nate Cocco and Jeff Kraus

Left: Ashlynd Johnson (front) and others in an 11- to 12-year-old class during the conference play a memory game.

Above: Evander Gilmer and exuberant members of the Voices of Bahá choir raise their voices in praise.

Photos by Tom Mennillo

Left: Roohullah Mahmoodzadeh plays santour as family members of Iranian martyrs bear roses in their loved ones’ memory. A special tribute to Bahá’ís who have been martyred in Iran since the mid-1970s, held during the conference’s final evening, culminated in a listing of the martyrs’ names projected on a large screen.

A series of challenges

No challenge would be too large, and they tackled many, as enumerated in a letter of joy addressed to the Universal House of Justice:

• Linking our hearts to Bahá’u’lláh.
• Nurturing our children, junior youth and youth.
• Lifting our community to higher levels of love and unity.
• Further systematizing our teaching efforts.
• Understanding training institutes, the engine of the process of entry by troops.
• Intensifying our efforts to attract all minority and indigenous populations to the Faith and to foster their full participation.
• Realizing the urgency of confirming to the Cause the increasing number of seekers responding to our National Spiritual Assembly’s far-reaching media campaign.

A series of workshops allowed the attendees to study and reflect on these challenges.

Titles of the well-attended sessions included: “Teaching Using Multi-Media Tools,” “Serving Our Youth,” “Teaching the Latino Population,” “Huqúqu’lláh,” “What Are Training Institutes,” “Assembly Development Modules,” “Spiritual Parenting Skills,” “Race Unity: A Revolutionary Change,” “Becoming a Butterfly: The Plight of Pre-Youth,” “Chinese Connection,” “Magnetic Devotional Gatherings,” and “The Spiritual Responsibilities of Persian Bahá’í Friends in the USA.”

A separate seminar for members of Local Spiritual Assemblies featured small-group discussion of how individuals and institutions can connect to Bahá’u’lláh and where this could lead.

Between sessions, the friends stopped at booths.

Some were staffed by representatives of projects such as the Bahá’í Community Center being constructed south of Nashville and the Louis G. Gregory Museum being created in the renovated Charleston, South Carolina, boyhood home of the late Hand of the Cause of God.

Other booths provided information on Assembly Development modules, the national media campaign, race unity, regional training institutes, youth service opportunities and regional teaching.

Late-night programs afforded night owls an opportunity to interact. Students and young professionals came together, as well as attendees of African, Chinese, Asian, Latino, American Indian and Persian descent, to explore their distinctive roles in the Cause.

Brilliance of the arts

But the evening sessions for all and the concurrent plenary sessions for adults, children and youth will likely echo the farthest as the friends return home.

On hand to raise and keep spirits aloft was a cadre of artists expressing their faith in forms that ranged from music to dance, poetry, drama, photography, and videography.

Some of the performances came in a special Day of the Covenant observance conducted by the Nashville Spiritual Assembly. “Pupils of the eye,” believers of African descent, movingly presented in words, song and movement the glorious destiny of American Bahá’ís of all cultures.

Later that evening, a gala arts extravaganza featured such well-known artists as Dan Seals, the Voices of Bahá, Avá, the One Human Family Choir, Los Nice Guys, and saxophonist Marvin “Doc” Holladay, along with Chinese dancers, South American singers, a choir of Marshallese Islanders now living in SEE CELEBRATION, PAGE 18 [Page 18]

CELEBRATION, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

Arkansas, and others.

Other performances punctuated the plenary sessions. There were dramatic readings; a video on the race amity conferences of the 1920s; a poignant scene from the lives of Louis and Louisa Gregory; and more music.

Also in the plenaries, a tribute to the martyrs in the cradle of the Faith moved nearly everyone to tears. A skit by members of the Southern Youth Coordinating Team elicited rueful laughs and maybe tears as they honestly assessed Bahá’í community life today. Two new believers introduced to the Faith through the National Media Campaign told of their spiritual journey. Three stalwarts of the mass teaching efforts in the 1960s and ’70s told inspiring stories of their humble service. Members of the Regional Bahá’í Council and the National Spiritual Assembly answered questions from the audience.

Key Addresses

And such Bahá’ís as Counselors Tod Ewing and David Smith and National Spiritual Assembly members Robert C. Henderson and Erica Toussaint shared, at key moments, their insights—particularly on race unity and on children—and their fervent love for the friends.

Ewing, a native Minnesotan but longtime South Carolina resident, completed his service as a member of the Continental Board of Counselors while at the conference. On the final morning, he was honored in tributes by Henderson and Toussaint and given a token of appreciation by the Regional Council.

It was a fitting way for attendees to be sent on their way.

But first a battle cry, as adopted from the national media campaign: “Let no call go unanswered.”

Or, as expanded on by Toussaint: “No call of a child, no call of a youth, no call of a parent, no call of an Assembly, no call of a seeker will go unanswered.” ◆

WORDS FROM THE CONFERENCE

Tod Ewing, member of Continental Board of Counselors for the Americas, on “Systematizing Our Teaching Efforts”:

“I want you to breathe out, breathe in. Breathe out, breathe in. That’s expansion and consolidation. ... Can you breathe out without breathing in? Can you breathe in without breathing out? They’re parts of the same process. ... And what happens when you breathe out too long without breathing in? You know, sooner or later you’re going to die. What happens in the community when we breathe out without breathing in? We die. ... This is about systematizing the work. ... Now, friends, one by one we cannot get the spirit out to all mankind in the United States. ... We need the spirit of Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings to permeate mankind before they will come in in large numbers, and we cannot do that with a hundred thousand people as Bahá’ís. So now ... this media campaign ... is causing the principles of Bahá’u’lláh to permeate mankind. And guess what? That means soon people will be ready to come in to this Faith in large numbers, because that’s a prerequisite. But on the local level, friends, is where the systematization takes place. This is where we need to figure out what to do. How do we capture these hundreds of thousands? How do we fire their imagination?”

David Smith, member of Continental Board of Counselors for the Americas, on “Serving Our Youth”:

“Never imagine that youth must await the years of their maturity before they can render invaluable services to the Cause of God. ... When [the Universal House of Justice] wrote in 1984 that youth can move the world, this was not meant simply as something of a source of encouragement. ... It was a reality, a truth. Youth can move the world. They are in a position to transform civilization. They need the encouragement and the tools and the assistance to be able to carry out their destiny. ... Let them become the noble beings they can. ... Just help your youth to honor their trust. Help your youth to do great things. Expect your youth to do great things. They are destined to be greater than you. If you believe in an advancing civilization, you will pale in ‎comparision comparison‎ to what they have been ordained by God to do. So, instead of pulling them with you, I would suggest you just walk with them and talk about life, about God, and about how they will align their lives to be pleasing to Bahá’u’lláh.” ◆ [Page 19]Photos by Nate Cocco and Jeff Kraus

RENAISSANCE HOTEL WELCOME BAHÁ’ÍS UNITING THE WORLD ONE HEART AT A TIME

Some Celebration of the South attendees start to dash across the street under a welcoming banner outside the conference hotel. Photo by Tom Mennillo

Left and above: A Day of the Covenant celebration on the theme “Pupil of the Eye” was a multigenerational presentation of sacred and other writings on African-Americans. Photos by Nate Cocco

Above: Regional Bahá’í Council members Carole Miller and Jack Guillebeaux take their turn as co-emcees for a main session of the conference.

Left: Michael and Karen Watt of Louisiana present a dramatic reading on the lives of Louis and Louisa Gregory. Photos by Nate Cocco

WORDS FROM THE CONFERENCE

Erica Toussaint, National Spiritual Assembly member, on “The Needs of Our Junior Youth and Children”:

“We don’t have a model for spiritual parenting in this culture. ... If we love our children and want to see them free of any flaws, what should we do? ... [C]riticism is not a tool that will free them of the flaws. It stunts the growth and development of the child. ... Instead, we have to use training, admonition, and praise. You know, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá says the mother must pay special attention to the child, and if she sees him do the slightest thing wrong she must punish him, even to the extent of a slight verbal chastisement. That is the big stick. The most terrible punishment would be a slight verbal chastisement. ... So how on earth do we create discipline, ‎accustomed accustom‎ children to hardships, teach them to work and strive? It’s a difficult question, but it can be done by, as the Universal House of Justice said, judging between those things which are self-correcting with the passage of time and do no particular harm, and those things which require intervention. When a child does something which you know they will outgrow, overlook it. And when a child does something which requires intervention, intervene in such a way as to train and educate, not to browbeat or criticize. Criticism won’t work, and training will work.”

Robert C. Henderson, National Spiritual Assembly secretary-general, on “Linking Our Hearts to Bahá’u’lláh”:

“It is true. We are puny. We are few. We have just a paucity of resources. And yet we have a world-changing, world-directing mission given to us by God to bring all of God’s children together. ... But we have to know Bahá’u’lláh, know what He went through, and how He responded to those challenges, in order to bring Him into our hearts and have an intimate spiritual partnership with Him to direct our lives and to change the way we think, to stamp His name on our foreheads and to receive that spirit of oneness and love and unity in our hearts and write His law in the inward tablets of our hearts. And if we do these things, we will see that we will be seized by a power that will draw all people to the Bahá’í community.” ◆ [Page 20]

Definition of Bahá’í development: Apply the teachings

Evidences of transformation at center of annual conference in Orlando

BY TOM MENNILLO

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

One YEAR PLAN 2000

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

More complete coverage of the Bahá’í Conference on Social and Economic Development will appear in the next issue of The American Bahá’í.

Michael O’Neal (right) of Savannah, Georgia, describes Parent University as facilitator Ray Rudolph writes instructions for a small-group activity. Photos by Tom Mennillo

Left: Cindy Nielsen and Allan Wunsch work together to fill out a “buddy system” sheet during a small-group activity in the Parent University workshop. Right: Canada’s Nancy Campbell Collegiate Institute youth workshop performs.

Three challenges awaited participants at the eighth annual Bahá’í Conference on Social and Economic Development for the Americas in Orlando, Florida.

They were to: equally share and learn; increase our knowledge of the consultative process; and acquire ideas and tools for creating love and unity through the arts.

Judging from the workshops, talks, performances and networking opportunities available, all three challenges were well within reach of anyone attending the Dec. 14–17 conference sponsored by the Rabbani Charitable Trust.

Bahá’í development, we were told, simply is applying Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation to the problems of humanity. It is not expansion or consolidation; rather, it is an essential complement to that process.

Through development efforts, we demonstrate the power of the teachings to transform individuals and community. Hence the conference’s theme, “Advancing the Process of Transforming the World.”

Blossoming through involvement

Michael O’Neal had no development experience before founding Parent University, a project in Savannah, Georgia, to bridge community and schools. He wasn’t even an educator; he is an electrician.

Yet Parent University in one year has “graduated” hundreds of parents from its skills enrichment courses and has attracted dozens of corporate and governmental sponsors.

The Spiritual Assembly of Danville, California, had engaged in no systematic development activities before launching the Voicemail Project six years ago. The Bahá’í community, about 15 strong, was not resource- or people-rich.

Yet the Voicemail Project now provides people in a 4,000-square-mile area—the homeless, women fleeing domestic violence, and people in recovery programs—with a vital connection to potential landlords and employers and to other support systems.

And it has involved nine other Assemblies, the Regional Bahá’í Council and the Institutions of the Learned in a capacity-building collaboration.

In conference workshops on these and other projects and topics, participants gained ideas and inspiration and project representatives received feedback vital to sustainability and growth.

Opening and closing conference plenary talks focused attendees’ attention on the guiding principles of Bahá’í development.

William E. Davis, chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly, examined current society in “Prison of Culture: How Culture Impedes Development” and presaged the promise of an emerging Bahá’í culture.

Veteran development practitioner Holly E. Hanson described current global patterns of development in “Global Dilemmas, Individual Responses: Developing Patterns of Action That Make the World Different” and traced the grassroots Bahá’í development efforts beginning to heal communities’ disorders.

Two plenary panels featured pioneering efforts to do just that.

“A New Vision for the Arts in Building Bahá’u’lláh’s World Order” focused on how the arts can take their proper place in advancing the process of transformation.

“SED and the Indian Peoples in the Americas: Needs and Opportunities” focused on the Bahá’í-influenced Northern Plains Healthy Start program, which is reducing infant mortality among American Indians in a four-state area, and a Bahá’í-initiated educational program among the indigenous in Bolivia.

Artistic threads in the weave

Some examples were: recitation of the Fire Tablet and the long healing prayer layered with singing and instrumental accompaniment; excerpts from musical dramas such as The Gathering by Laura Lee, The Unquenchable Flame by Gina and Russ Garcia, or The Seven Valleys by Wendy, Marty, and Caitlyn Quinn; rousing singing by the One Human Family Workshop Choir and the Jeffrey Barnes Bahá’í Choir; and soloists such as Farzad Khozein on violin, Mark Ochu on piano and Gwendolyn Watson on cello.

Then there was the emotional children’s performance, highlighted by songs, dances and quotations from Bahá’í and other uplifting writings by the Children’s Theatre Company of New York City.

Classes for children, junior youth and youth paralleled the adult sessions. Younger participants learned about some of the same projects their parents did, and their expressions of appreciation for development efforts included producing a conference newspaper and creating two incredible quilts that were donated to projects.

Throughout the conference, day and night, attendees networked on shared interests, such as agriculture, business, education, equality, health, multicultural unity, law and justice, the environment and Indian peoples.

Comparing notes on development

Specialized interests also were the focus of a pre-conference seminar, Dec. 12–14, for invited development practitioners.

Tracks included the Moral Leadership Program developed at Núr University in Bolivia; the fourth annual conference of the International Environment Forum; development, the Bahá’í Administrative Order, and the community; and discussion among Bahá’í composers, performers, dramatists and media producers on the role of the creative process in development.

Talks included “The Direction of Bahá’í Social and Economic Development: Prospects for the Future” by Glen Eyford of Canada; “Building Institutional Capacity” by Haleh Arbab of Colombia; and “Degrees of Complexity in Bahá’í Development Activities” by Samuel DuBois of Ecuador.

This year’s conference marked the retirement of Benjamin Levy from the Rabbani Trust after 10 years of service. He was lauded as the conference’s champion and prime mover in a reception, and later he was presented with an award and the announcement of an annual scholarship in his name. ♦ [Page 21]

Visitors view array of projects

Chinese group sends high-ranking delegation

INFORMATION FROM WIPA AND RAMIN ABRISHIMIAN, BOSTON, MA

Some of the highest-ranking women in China gained a close-up view of social and economic development projects involving Bahá’ís in four states, during a U.S. visit in October arranged through Women for International Peace and Arbitration.

The visitors are officials of the All China Women’s Federation (ACWF), which represents more than 500 million women in every part of China.

The site visits were arranged so that the visitors could observe both official and private development efforts, and could share their experiences as well.

At the Boston, Massachusetts, Bahá’í Center, the Chinese delegation observed an English-as-second-language class that is conducted weekly by the Táhirih Peace Institute. With Alexis Garcia, the institute’s board chairman, as host, the delegates also received information about other programs the institute provides for women, children and men.

The ACWF representatives expressed admiration for the number of helpers who are unpaid volunteers, and for the spiritual foundation of the Táhirih Peace Institute’s vision and programs.

The delegation met with women who are managers at Lotus Corp., also in Boston. Host was Charles Pau, who also helped facilitate the Boston activities in his capacity with the Bahá’í Chinese Friendship Association. The visitors also saw Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in an excursion arranged by Cindy and Daniel Chen.

WREN, a rural New Hampshire project that helps train women for business and fosters community development, was observed in a visit hosted by Mara Khavari.

In Southern California, the Chinese delegates visited two courts: the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Pasadena, California, with Senior Judge Dorothy Nelson as host; and the Orange County Superior Court, with Judge Pamela Iles hosting. Nelson has been a pioneer in the movement for court-sanctioned mediation of disputes, while Iles is an expert in domestic violence cases and child abuse.

In Illinois, the visitors went to the National Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse in a visit facilitated by Phyllis Medrano. An excursion to Woodlands Primary School was arranged by teacher Rick James. A visit to the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette was hosted by Caswell Ellis and Dorita Fuller-Krapf.

The Women’s Federation delegation included its national vice president, the director-general for the service center, the deputy division directors for the International Liaison Department and the General Administrative Department, the Women’s Federation presidents for Jiangsu and Jiangxi provinces, its director for Kang Bao County, and a liaison officer/translator.

Representing Women for International Peace and Arbitration at all site visits were Juana and Sam Conrad. Members of the Chinese Consulates in Chicago and Los Angeles participated in some of the events, and there was extensive television, radio and newspaper coverage. ♦

Dignitaries from the All China Women’s Federation visit the Boston Bahá’í Center recently to observe a class conducted by the Táhirih Peace Institute.

Close-up on Boston

The Táhirih Peace Institute currently serves 76 adult students and 10 children. Since its beginnings, more than 250 students have completed courses.

Central to the institute’s programs is a weekly English-as-second-language class at the Boston Bahá’í Center. Other lectures, seminars and training workshops are conducted in the areas of conflict resolution, financial independence and professional development, including computer training.

As the mission gradually branches out, men as well as women have been welcomed to participate. A children’s program with emphasis on arts is being developed, having begun as a child-care program for participating parents.

Classes and programs are offered free of charge to students and their children. So far, funds have come entirely through voluntary contributions from Bahá’ís and Bahá’í institutions in Eastern Massachusetts. The Institute plans to apply for additional funds from governmental and charitable organizations.

Local Bahá’í communities are growing in our understanding of ‘process’

BY THE DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH OFFICE

“Advancing the process of entry by troops” is a phrase that has become a permanent part of our Bahá’í vocabulary. Through continued mention and encouragement from a variety of sources, most of us are getting comfortable with talking about “process” and “processes” in our service to the Faith.

We have, perhaps, a general sense that we are supposed to focus on trends now, rather than isolated or one-time events, and we think of that as a “process” and of ourselves and our activities as being “process-oriented.” That’s an important evolution in the view of our work as Bahá’ís.

But are we equally aware of the fact that in many disciplines, the word “process” has some specific meanings?

In the literature on organizational development, for example, a focus on process has become one of the central ideas a lot of people talk about.

The definition of process in that sphere is “a defined series of steps that leads to a concrete outcome.”

If you are making a product, you start with a carefully researched idea of what your clients are looking for, then you “build backward” from the delivery point, creating a sequence of events that has to occur in order to put the desired outcome in the right place at the right time. Which departments get involved, and in what sequence? Where does the raw material come from and when does it ‎arrive to arrive arrive‎? Who does the final assembly? The packaging? The shipping?

Again, “building backward”

The same is true of service providers: They ask, “What do our clients need or expect from us, what do they value, and how can we produce that result efficiently and effectively?” Instead of thinking from the top down, as has been the history of so many endeavors, companies using this kind of analysis start with the people whose needs they want to meet and work upstream so they can do their share in meeting those needs.

A homeless family comes to the office—what happens first? What other steps happen next so the family gets food, clothing, housing, medical care etc.?

Because process management becomes a fairly exact discipline with these organizations, it is easy to spot. How do you know whether a company has identified its “core processes”?

The answer: You can ask anyone in the organization and they can tell you what the core processes are and what their individual role is in carrying out those processes. They may even have “process maps,” flow charts that give a picture of the sequence of steps in each process and who is responsible for completion of each step.

EXPERIMENTS IN COMMUNITY BUILDING

If you are interested in more information about improving community processes, Mottahedeh Development Services has an excellent draft manual on this and other subjects. To get it:

• Download it from the Web at www.mdssed.org (click on “Publications,” then on “Skills of Servant Leadership”).
• Or, write the National Center Development Office, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (e-mail ).

Just for the sake of discussion, let’s try this idea on for size in a Bahá’í context. If you ask any three local communities what their “process” is for welcoming new Bahá’ís, might you not get three (or more) different answers?

Our local processes

One community may have a kind of “hands off” approach, based on the idea of independent investigation. They might tell the new believer, “There are books about anything you want to know about, and John here is the librarian who will get you the books you want.”

The second community might meet each month with new Bahá’ís, serving tea and cake and welcoming the new folks into the community. It might hand out a calendar of events and encourage the new recruits to attend, maybe suggesting a committee to serve on.

The third community is more sophisticated. It has the librarian and the welcoming meeting, but does some other things, too. Its members realize that new believers will have all kinds of

SEE COMMUNITY, PAGE 27 [Page 22]

More notes on Huqúqu’lláh

This article is the fifth and last in a series containing excerpts from the Codification of the Law of Huqúqu’lláh. It was prepared with reference to the compilation on Huqúqu’lláh, which is available from the Bahá’í Distribution Service.

“Every deed must be performed in a spirit of joy and radiance.”

—Bahá’u’lláh

Among principles expressed in previous issues: The Huqúqu’lláh (Right of God), established in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, is to be offered joyfully and without hesitation. When offered in this spirit it will impart prosperity and protection to the friends, purify their worldly possessions, and enable them and their offspring to benefit from the fruits of their endeavors. Huqúqu’lláh is to be calculated first in a person’s lifetime as a percentage of his/her wealth, and later as the same person’s wealth (after necessary expenses) increases by specific amounts. Some categories of belongings do not need to be counted in this calculation. Each individual decides which expenses are needful, and when to make Huqúqu’lláh payments.

Some details were shared in the Nov. 4 and Dec. 12 issues of The American Bahá’í; here are more.

D. Additional notes, based on the first supplement to the Compilation 1. Whereas a believer has discretion to decide whether to treat his or her contribution to the Fund of the Faith as an expense, or make them only out of money on which Huqúqu’lláh has been paid, he or she also has the discretion to treat some contributions in one way and some in the other. 2. One believer cannot discharge the obligation of another to pay Huqúqu’lláh, nor can a payment to Huqúqu’lláh be earmarked for any purpose or be made in honor of anyone. 3. The Law of Huqúqu’lláh imposes an obligation only on individual believers, not on Bahá’í institutions or corporate bodies. 4. Although the law provides a certain leeway in the timing of the payment of Huqúqu’lláh, it should preferably be paid by a believer during the course of his or her life whenever it falls due, and the only payment to Huqúqu’lláh which should need to be provided for by will is such additional liability as may be found to exist when the believer’s affairs are reckoned up as at the date of death. 5. Each believer should learn not only how to calculate Huqúqu’lláh during the course of his or her life, but also how to provide for the payment of the balance remaining at the time of death.

Applicability of the Law of Huqúqu’lláh

For many decades the sacred law of Huqúqu’lláh had been applied only to the believers from the Middle East. The worldwide application was instituted by the Universal House of Justice as from Ridván 1992, the beginning of the Holy Year marking the 100th anniversary of the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh.

Payment of Huqúqu’lláh

The Huqúqu’lláh is normally paid to the Trustee of Huqúqu’lláh, his Deputies, or their appointed Representatives. These persons issue receipts and forward the funds to the World Center.

Management of the Huqúqu’lláh

Decisions on the necessary ordinances concerning Huqúqu’lláh, as well as on its disposition, lie within the sole jurisdiction of the Central Authority in the Cause. The Huqúqu’lláh can be employed for charitable purposes, or for other purposes useful to the Cause of God. ♦

Videotapes on Huqúqu’lláh in English and Persian are available for a reduced price of $12. Please contact Badiyan Productions, (phone ________, e-mail ________).

HUQUQU’LLÁH THE RIGHT OF GOD

Payments to Huqúqu’lláh should be made to “The Bahá’í Huqúqu’lláh Trust” (please write your Bahá’í identification number on your check) and sent to one of the Trustees:

• Amin Banani, phone ________, fax 310-394-6167, e-mail ________
• Stephen Birkland, phone ________, fax 651-490-7521, e-mail ________
• Sally Foo, phone ________, fax 609-671-0740, e-mail ________
• Daryush Haghighi, phone ________, fax 440-333-6938, e-mail ________
• Elizabeth Martin, P.O. Box 178, Winnsboro, SC 29180, phone ________, fax 803-635-9982, e-mail ________

Office of the Secretariat, Bahá’í Huqúqu’lláh Trust, (phone ________, fax 440-333-6938, e-mail ________).

Web site now accessible through www.usbnc.org

THE BAHÁ’Í FUNDS

Automatic contributions

What provides financial stability for the National Spiritual Assembly and makes it simple and easy to contribute to the National Bahá’í Fund? Answer: the Automatic Contribution System (ACS)!

The ACS plays a vital role in the National Spiritual Assembly’s efforts to build a sound financial foundation for the national and international work of the Cause. Many people who give this way set their monthly amount at the minimum they would like to give, and then they send an additional amount if they wish when more funds are available.

Using the Automatic Contribution System saves the fund thousands of dollars each year in postage, as well as in human resources required to process contribution checks.

The ACS is available not only for individuals, but also for Local Spiritual Assemblies and registered groups. Withdrawals from bank accounts are automatically made between the 18th and the 20th of each Gregorian month. A voided check must be enclosed with the form to activate this service.

For a form to participate in the ACS:

• Download one from the Administrative Web Site. Access www.usbnc.org with your Bahá’í ID number, then follow the links to “NSA Departments” and “Office of the Treasurer.”
• OR: Request an ACS form from the Office of the Treasurer (phone 847-733-3460). ♦

Charitable Gift Annuities

now offered by our National Spiritual Assembly as a gift-planning option

A charitable gift annuity is a contract between you, as the donor, and our National Spiritual Assembly—providing advantages for both.

Under a charitable gift annuity:	Benefits:	Requirements:
A donor irrevocably transfers funds to our National Spiritual Assembly, which are invested with other annuity funds. Regular quarterly payments are made to you, the donor, for your lifetime. The remainder of the annuity fund is transferred to the Bahá’í Fund after your passing.	Guaranteed fixed payments for life, a portion of which are non-taxable. A charitable income tax deduction for a portion of the gift in the year in which the annuity is established. Reduced capital gains taxes if funded with an appreciated asset. Increased support of the Bahá’í fund.	Must be at least 60 years of age to enter into an annuity agreement with our National Spiritual Assembly. Must establish the annuity with a minimum of $10,000. Must irrevocably transfer the funds. Will receive lifetime annuity payment.

Not yet licensed in Arkansas, California, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin.

Examples (based on a $10,000 annuity):

• Age 60: Charitable deduction $3,782.30; annual lifetime annuity $660
• Age 70: Charitable deduction $4,261.20; annual lifetime annuity $750
• Age 80: Charitable deduction $4,907.40; annual lifetime annuity $920

The National Spiritual Assembly’s Gift and Estate Planning Program

... has been established to help believers make a variety of financial arrangements for themselves, their families and the Bahá’í Faith:

• Providing for the Bahá’í Faith in your will
• Making a gift of securities
• Making a gift of real estate
• Making a gift through life insurance
• Receiving income from your gift:
  • Charitable Gift Annuities
  • Charitable Remainder Trusts

8-page brochure from the Office of the Treasurer

Individual copies may be requested free. Nominal charge for ordering in quantity.

The Writing of a Will

To order The Writing of a Will or to find out more about the gift and estate planning program:

• Phone 847-733-3460 / e-mail ________
• Or, fill out the form with the Bahá’í Funds envelope attached to this paper.

[Page 23]

Dissolving our common myths about money

BY THE OFFICE OF THE TREASURER

You've heard them, you've grown up the Bahá’í Fund. Stewardship and Development seminars help communities structure their thinking on a wide and finances. We hear that money is the root of all evil, or there is something inherently spiritual about not having money—or, conversely, that having money means you are not a spiritual person.

These myths about money hover just outside our consciousness. First of all, the actual quote from the Bible reads, "The love of money is the root of all evil"—very different from the common misquote above. And there is nothing fundamentally spiritual about poverty.

The Stewardship and Development program, developed by the Office of the Treasurer, helps educate Bahá’ís about an "intrinsic element of the devotional life of the individual"—contributing to treasury and the Bahá’í Funds in general, including such bold initiatives as the Kingdom Project.

The Ridván 2000 letter describes a noticeable change in the "expanded capability, methodical pattern of functioning and the consequent depth of confidence of the individual, the institutions and the local community."

One way to smooth the progress of this expanded capability is through the Stewardship and Development program. Skilled facilitators across the country are ready to offer their services to communities in the form of half-day, full-day or two-day seminars. To locate a facilitator in your area, contact Regina Blum in the Office of the Treasurer (phone 847-733-3495, e-mail

Participants get actively involved in a recent Stewardship and Development facilitator training session at the Bahá’í National Center. Photo by Alloysia Haynes

We must continue expanding our capacity in order to foster and accommodate the dramatic growth that is fast approaching. "This is the time," states the Universal House of Justice, "for which we must now prepare ourselves; this is the hour whose coming it is our task to hasten." The Stewardship and Development program can help. ♦

LETTERS FROM READERS

We welcome letters from readers on topics relating to the furtherance of the goals of the current Plan, the principles of the Writings, and response to content in The American Bahá’í.

• The purpose of Letters from Readers is to encourage an exchange of ideas and opinions, never to denigrate another's views or attack anyone—openly or subtly. • Opinions expressed are those of the writers, not necessarily of the editors. • A 250-word maximum length is suggested. Letters will be edited for style and possibly for length. Address to: Editors, The American Bahá’í, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201.

Improve sensitivity to luminous souls

To the Editor:

Recently our Local Spiritual Assembly had the privilege of visiting with a member of our community who wished to withdraw from the Faith. As our representative talked to this individual, it became apparent she was overwhelmed with shame over her inability to openly represent the Faith in this community. After reading the Writings and in The American Bahá’í again and again the push to go out and shout the name Bahá’u’lláh and to "be a soldier in the forefront of God's army"—and recognizing her own inability to be that assertive—she felt guilty. She felt she could not live up to the high standard of the Faith and so must withdraw.

That this gentle soul, who arose every morning to give her life to Bahá’u’lláh and lived each day to be of service to mankind (such that she is known as an angel at work), should feel such shame filled us with a great sadness.

We realize that a great number of believers have risen to wonderful levels of service after being inspired by some of our beloved friends in the forefront, and that they may not have arisen without some gentle nudging. That we need enthusiastic Bahá’ís to go out and teach the Faith is obvious, but is it not equally obvious that we need these gentle souls who radiate love and compassion to any one? Should we not encourage their role in the community as well?

How many gatherings have we gone to where one or two of the friends have stayed in the background, smiling and helping with small things or with hospitality, and in their own quiet way welcoming new friends? How many of these friends are thanked for their part?

Luckily a lot of these believers are self-sufficient enough in their belief in Bahá’u’lláh that they need little encouragement to continue serving. But many have simply faded away from the Faith. Yes, they should have been deepened enough to be that self-sufficient, but we believe they also needed validation of the importance of their role in the community.

We are all human. Bahá’ís need to be nurtured and to feel that connection with the undertakings of the community at large through the acts of service that we offer individually.

Please God, let us remember to honor these gentle souls.

Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Flathead County, Montana

Teaching by example cher in a church setting

To the Editor:

I work at a Methodist church in Barrington, Illinois. When I applied for the position, I made it clear that I was Bahá’í. I explained how we honor the major religions, since I was willing to accept them as they were, I hoped they would so accept me. They did.

The pastor and I have a good working relationship: among other things I proofread his sermons. When something he has written reminds me of a Bahá’í prayer or writing, I have soon unearthed it and show it to him. And he reads whatever I bring in, reads with interest.

I have also joined the choir. The church is a short drive from my home and I love to sing. Because the church is small, the choir only has 15 people; therefore I was happily accepted and really count. I've made a number of friends there and they all know of my background. It doesn't matter. When I told one lady more about the Bahá’í tenets, she replied, "I know your beliefs must be good, because you're such a nice person."

We were told the Barrington Area Ministerial Association was having a joint Thanksgiving service, and the churches would have a combined choir for the event. Since "my" church is too small, the local Catholic church was hosting. With some intervention by the Methodist pastor, I was put on the program to say a Bahá’í prayer. I chose the "Prayer for Mankind." I was the only non-Christian on the program. I got a lot of compliments on it from the choir members.

Near the end of the service, several people took turns eludicating events that occurred during various centuries. They started with the 12th century and progressed toward the end of this millennium. When they came to the 19th century, one of the events they listed was the establishment of the Bahá’í Faith. I almost fell out of my chair; this service was written before "my" pastor's request that I read a prayer! In other words, the composer(s) of the service were aware of the Faith on their own, quite apart from me!

There were probably over 100 people there; I never found out who had known of the Faith. But you can be sure I will participate again next year!

Susan Bowers, Cary, Illinois

UNITED NATIONS, CONTINUED FROM PAGE I

members of the Bahá’í community of Iran face death sentences because of their religious belief and that the community as a whole continues to experience discrimination in education, employment, travel, housing and the enjoyment of cultural activities.

That report, issued Sept. 8 by Maurice Copithorne, the special representative of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, said there have been recent reports of "situations of discrimination and persecution" against Bahá’ís, including "acts of intimidation carried out in order to prevent Bahá’ís from participating in religious gatherings or educational activities."

In its resolution, the Assembly expressed concern that Iran has failed "to comply fully with international standards in the administration of justice, the absence of guarantees of due process of law, and the absence of respect for internationally recognized legal safeguards... with respect to persons belonging to religious minorities."

"We are pleased that the United Nations' most representative body, the General Assembly, has once again taken note of the ongoing persecution of our co-religionists in Iran," said Techeste Ahderom, principal representative of the Bahá’í International Community to the United Nations.

"The Bahá’ís in Iran only wish to be allowed to practice their religion fully, in accordance with the numerous international human rights covenants that Iran is a party to," Ahderom added.

Since 1979, when the Islamic Republic of Iran was formed, more than 200 Bahá’ís have been killed or executed, hundreds have been imprisoned, and thousands of been deprived of jobs, education or property. [Page 24]

CLASSIFIED

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

If you know of anyone who has skills in the following areas, or know of people who may know others with these skills, especially for positions listed as “Urgent Needs,” please contact our Human Resources Department.

Meeting/Hospitality Assistant, Meetings and Travel Office. Will promote loving, attentive, pleasing atmosphere for meetings of the National Spiritual Assembly and the Bahá’í National Center. Involved in menu planning, meeting setup and close-down, supply purchasing, stockroom maintenance, collaboration with the Office of the Secretary and Properties Office. Will also assist with travel-related and billing tasks. Very flexible work schedule available to accommodate intermittent weekend meetings. Should have aptitude for creating an aesthetic decor, arranging flowers; must be able to work well under pressure and time constraints.

Assistant Researcher, Research Office. Responsibility and salary depend on ability to match the following skills: writing basic correspondence; organizing files/tracking many projects; organizing small scholarly gatherings and conferences; creating, maintaining, expanding databases; critiquing manuscripts and corresponding with authors about their work; interacting with, encouraging and answering questions from academics (Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í) about the Faith; carrying out basic literature and/or statistical research about the Faith and its community in answer to research questions; analyzing and responding to articles critical of the Faith in a friendly, persuasive, thorough fashion. Bachelor’s degree required; doctorate or master’s degree highly desired.

Concrete Journeyman, Conservation Office. Utilize your skills in state-of-the-art concrete repair for the historic Bahá’í House of Worship. Opportunity to manage and train concrete artisans in a unique studio environment.

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. Keeps day-to-day production process in order; researches, gathers news, writes, edits finished Newsreel stories, at times on own; helps develop network of correspondents; arranges duplication/distribution. Needs broad knowledge and experience in broadcast journalism; flexibility, organizational skills, familiarity with Bahá’í administration.

URGENT NEEDS

Bahá’í Distribution Service, Fulton County, Georgia: Business Office Manager. Will manage all aspects of Business Office activities; coordinate/communicate with BDS manager and buying office, Office of the Treasurer, other Bahá’í offices, authors, publishers, vendors and others nationally and internationally; supervise business office assistants. Minimum five years’ experience in many aspects of accounting (receivable/payable, bank reconciliation, cash receipts etc.) including a year’s management experience; varied retail background a plus; strong computer skills including QuickBooks and Excel; must be highly motivated, a problem solver, able to work independently.

Office of the Treasurer, Evanston: Fund Development Coordinator. Helps formulate strategies to increase participation, regularity and levels of contributions to the Bahá’í Funds; helps educate communities, treasurers and Assemblies on the principles underlying contributions to the Funds and helps them apply these principles; reaches the community mainly through letters, phone calls and presentations; frequent travel. Needs strong communication skills and warm, mature personality; computer proficiency, ability to coordinate many tasks. Must be grounded in fundamental verities of the Faith. Related work experience a plus.

Bahá’í Distribution Service, Fulton County, Georgia: Buyer. Helps ensure timely, economical availability of Bahá’í literature and materials; communicates with publishers and vendors; negotiates sales agreements. Two years’ experience as a buyer, including work with purchasing contracts or two years’ experience retail ordering and stocking; experience with basic office administrative support including Microsoft Word.

Persian-American Affairs Office, Evanston: Administrative Assistant. Office skills should include Microsoft Windows 98 and/or 2000, possibly Excel; typing 55 wpm, calculator by touch. Excellent verbal and written skills in both Persian and English a MUST. Should be well-versed in both cultures, able to interact with all types of people; must possess in-depth knowledge of the Bahá’í Faith and have excellent consultative abilities.

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: Executive 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.

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, NATIONAL 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.

OFFICE OF INFORMATION SERVICES

Systems Support Manager (technical manager). Must know Windows NT4/2000, have WAN experience.

Senior Applications Developer (2 positions). Provides high-level analysis, design, implementation of information systems. Familiar with a variety of technologies: VB/VBA (preferred), SQL7, Microsoft Access, Web Tools, Delphi, C++.

Applications Developer. Provides high-level analysis, design, implementation of information systems. Familiar with variety of technologies: VB/VBA (preferred), database, Web Tools.

Network Administrator/Engineer. Responsible for configuration, maintenance, security of computer network infrastructure (LAN and WAN) including servers, cabling, routers, switches, NICs. Maintains documentation of network and servers. Should know NT4/Win2K.

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 MS SQL7 using MS Access, VB or other tools.

Telephone Systems Specialist.

Report Writer. Skilled in Access, Crystal Reports; Visual Basic helpful.

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.

FOR BRILLIANT STAR MAGAZINE, WILMETTE, ILLINOIS

Associate Editor. Helps coordinate and execute all phases of content acquisition/development, proofing, and digital print production for all six issues per year of Brilliant Star in a creative, deadline-driven atmosphere; assists with other print projects within Bahá’í Media Services. Must have two years’ experience with editorial and production work in educational publishing for children (ages 6–12); familiarity with children’s activities and educational materials to suit various reading levels and learning styles in the context of Bahá’í teachings. Must have strong creative writing and editing skills. Should be detail-oriented; able to work in a consultative manner as a member of a team, as well as independently with little supervision.

AT BOSCH BAHÁ’Í SCHOOL, SANTA CRUZ, CA

Children’s Program Coordinator/Teacher. Looking for a dynamic, personable, energetic person with a bachelor’s degree in education or related field; must be trained in Core Curriculum; must have knowledge of curriculum building for children of all ages on a wide range of subjects; able to contact and supervise volunteer teachers. Will plan and organize children’s program as well as help with adult program. Organizational and leadership skills are a must; musical talents are a plus.

AT GREEN ACRE BAHÁ’Í SCHOOL, ELIOT, MAINE

Food Service Manager/Head Cook. Plans all meals, cooks or supervises cooking, manages dining room and kitchen, makes food purchases; supervises Assistant Cook and up to 6 volunteers. Must have at least 3 years’ experience as cook and 2 years’ experience as head cook. Must be flexible, have strong interpersonal skills, and be imbued with the spirit of service.

Assistant Cook (part-time). Helps Head Cook prepare and serve meals; occasionally oversees kitchen and dining room operations. Must have at least 2 years’ experience as a cook.

AT NATIVE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í INSTITUTE, HOUCK, ARIZONA

Cook. Urgently needed: experienced cook to prepare 3 meals a day for 45–350 people. Off season there are 11 residents. Must have at least 3 years’ experience in all-around food handling, food preparation and cooking. Prefer a licensed food handler (any county/state).

If interested in any of the above 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).

ACROSS THE NATION

The Office of Women’s Affairs of the National Spiritual Assembly is looking for interested people willing to serve as copy and formatting editors for upcoming publications. For more information, please contact Sasha Williams (e-mail swilliams@usbnc.org, phone 847-733-3469).

INTERNATIONAL

China: Numerous openings for English teachers and professionals willing to travel for service in this rapidly developing country. For information contact Susan Senchuk (phone fax 847-733-3509, e-mail ). [Page 25]

HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER

NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY’S OFFICE OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, WASHINGTON, DC

The National Spiritual Assembly is pleased to announce an exciting job opportunity in its Washington, DC office, the Office of External Affairs.

The staff of the Office of External Affairs represents the National Spiritual Assembly in its relations with the federal and state governments, and in its activities with national and international non-governmental organizations, leaders of thought and the national media. The office also coordinates the interactions of and provides policy guidance to the U.S. Bahá’í community regarding its contact with government officials, leaders of thought and national and international nongovernmental organizations.

The director is the head of staff and coordinator for the National Assembly’s four external affairs offices that include the Washington office, the U.S. United Nations Office and the Office of Public Information in New York, and the Bahá’í Refugee Office in Evanston, Illinois.

Principal Responsibilities

The human rights officer will work on various activities at the National Assembly’s Washington offices including:

• Collaboration with the director of the office in the defense of the Iranian Bahá’ís and Bahá’ís in other Muslim countries. The work includes diplomatic relations with U.S. government executive and congressional officials and contact with the national media on defense matters.
• Collaboration with nongovernmental organizations and agencies of the U.S. government on human rights, religious freedom, race issues, the U.N. World Conference Against Racism, the formation of the International Criminal Court, ratification and implementation of U.N. human rights treaties, and other relevant issues.
• Researching and drafting materials to support human rights and other related projects of the National Spiritual Assembly such as the promotion of human rights, religious freedom, and race unity.
• Assisting with communication and guidance to the U.S. Bahá’í community about the decisions and policies of the National Assembly in external affairs.
• Collaboration with the Bahá’í International Community and other National Spiritual Assemblies on external affairs issues.
• Collaboration with the three other external affairs offices as well as other offices, agencies, and committees of the National Assembly.

Qualifications

The individual who applies for the position should have demonstrated interest and experience in the application of Bahá’í principles to the current problems of society. A college degree is required. An advanced degree, such as law, political science, international relations or related field, is highly desirable. At least five years’ related work experience is preferred. The individual must write and speak excellent English. Because much of the work involves attending meetings with government officials and other national organizations, researching and drafting of letters, and telephone conversations, the individual must have highly developed communication and consultation skills.

Please send your cover letter and résumés to: Office of Human Resources, Bahá’í National Center, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201-1611 (fax 847-733-3430, e-mail ).

We regret that no inquiries (by phone, fax or e-mail) or visits to the Washington office can be accepted.

URGENT NEEDS AT THE BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTER, HAIFA, ISRAEL

Electrical Engineer • Electrician • Maintenance Supervisor

For details on positions see: www.usbnc.org

Please send your résumé to: Bahá’í National Center Office of Human Resources, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (fax 847-733-3430, e-mail ).

IN MEMORIAM

Listings for “In Memoriam” come from the Membership Office of the Bahá’í National Center. To report the passing of a member of the Bahá’í community of the United States, please contact the Membership Office, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (e-mail ).

Sally R. Anderson Everett, WA September 12, 2000	Annie C. Hamilton Lake Oswego, OR September 24, 2000	Kelli K. Peil New Richmond, WI November 16, 2000
Jack R. Barbre Mukilteo, WA January 7, 2000	Sharon L. Welborn Happroff Henderson, NV October 4, 2000	Albert H. Peinecke Andover, NJ October 18, 2000
Billie M. Brackett Monterey, CA November 18, 2000	Fern Howard Topeka, KS March 1, 1999	Rose D. Pike Adams County, CO September 16, 2000
Herbert G. Buder Bishop, TX October 6, 2000	Howard W. Huffman Concord, NH December 27, 1999	Imre I. Pinter Elizabethtown, NY August 7, 2000
Leland D. Carlson Hanford, CA October 9, 2000	Lyle James Eugene, OR March 7, 2000	Willie Rogers Davenport, IA June 1998
Robert W. Chamberlain Teller County, CO August 5, 1997	Phillip L. Jamison Pendleton, OR October 16, 2000	Robert A. Schmoll West University Place, TX July 24, 2000
Bahiyeh Danesh-Araghi Salt Lake City, UT October 8, 2000	Erma Jellum Rancho Mirage, CA October 24, 2000	Elizabeth J. Scott Chesapeake, VA November 8, 2000
Philippe C. Dean Madison, OH February 6, 1998	Theolia Kirkland Statesboro, GA March 25, 2000	Tahereh H. Shah-Mohamadlu Wichita, KS October 2000
Susan A. Delaney-Zauhar St. Petersburg, FL December 18, 1999	Robert R. La Grange Knoxville, IA October 17, 2000	Marjorie J. Thompson Kent, OH November 12, 2000
Dianne L. DeMuth Newport News, VA October 23, 2000	Lena Mitchell Aneth, UT October 15, 2000	Maria Villarreal Davenport, IA 1999
Elizabeth C. Fox Painted Post, NY July 6, 2000	Vincent Morris Syracuse, NY January 1999	Alice Wallace Evanston, IL February 18, 1999
Suzanne K. Gage Amarillo, TX March 30, 2000	Virginia L. Neasham Folsom, CA May 1997	Chauncey L. Washburn Pomeroy, WA November 21, 2000
Charles N. Gold Tigard, OR October 9, 2000	Kenneth Ormandy San Carlos, AZ October 18, 2000	Eric M. Williams Jr. Evanston, IL November 1998
Mary B. Greenblatt Grants Pass, OR July 23, 2000	Gail A. Orner San Francisco, CA October 17, 2000	Arlene R. Wools Medicine Lodge, KS May 11, 2000
Creadell Haley Washington, DC November 2, 2000	Please see obituary articles on page 26.	Hifumi Yamamoto Madison, WI October 19, 2000

AT THE BAHÁ’Í HOUSE OF WORSHIP WILMETTE, ILLINOIS

Summer Employment Opportunity: Temple Conservation Team! Seeking youth 18 and older for summer 2001. Summer technicians take part in cleaning the dome, replacing sidewalks, building and landscape maintenance, detailed inspections, photo documentation and other tasks. Must have considerable self-discipline and maturity, but no specific graduation experience is required. For additional information and to receive an application packet, contact the Conservation Team (phone 847-853-2331, e-mail ).

Applications due by March 15, 2001.

MISCELLANEOUS

Will the composer of the music for “Ponder a While” please contact

ARCHIVES

The National Bahá’í Archives is seeking original letters written on behalf of the Guardian to the following: Teresa Falcon, David Fales, Elisha N. Fales, Frances Fales, Grace Lynde Fales, John E. Falk, Shawkat Ali Farajullah and Jean T. Farrand. Anyone knowing family members or relatives who might have these Guardian’s letters is asked to contact the National Bahá’í Archives, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201-1611 (phone 847-869-9039).

The National Bahá’í Archives is seeking copies of the following books in good or excellent condition: Door of Hope by David Ruhe, The Báb by H.M. Balyuzi, Bahá’u’lláh: King of Glory by H.M. Balyuzi and Nearness to God (compilation). Anyone with copies they could donate is asked to send them to the National Bahá’í Archives, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201-1611.

PIONEERING / OVERSEAS

The Office of Pioneering is eager to assist the friends preparing for international service. For information regarding jobs and study abroad, or international traveling teaching opportunities and other events, please contact the Office of Pioneering, Bahá’í National Center, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (phone 847-733-3508, e-mail ). [Page 26]

Vedad Jurney was North Carolina pioneer

INFORMATION FROM JEAN SCALES, NABIL JURNEY, RIAZ JURNEY

Vedad Mansour Jurney, 75, died November 7, 2000, from complications after a scheduled surgery. Hers was the first Bahá’í family to settle in High Point, North Carolina, in 1966, and she stayed at that pioneering post the rest of her life.

Vedad Jurney was given her first name by the Greatest Holy Leaf, Bahíyyih Khánum.

She was born Dec. 24, 1924, in the House of ‘Abbúd in ‘Akká, Palestine (now Israel)—in the room where Bahá’u’lláh revealed the Kitáb-i-Aqdas.

Her father, Abdul-Rassul Mansour, and mother, Rafieh Shahidi Mansour, were caretakers of that sacred house. Her mother had been in the presence of Bahá’u’lláh as a child.

A fourth-generation Bahá’í, Vedad was given her name (meaning amity and love) by Bahíyyih Khánum, the Greatest Holy Leaf. In fact, as she grew up in nearby Haifa, she was immersed in the love of the family of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and of all the friends.

When she was 14, her family moved to Tehran, Iran, where she finished high school and attended business school. She later was the first Persian woman to work for the British Embassy in Tehran as the director’s executive secretary and interpreter, using the five languages she had learned as a student.

After a brief marriage that produced a daughter, but ended without her being able to keep or see her child, she left the tumult of personal and religious persecution in 1954. She and her mother embarked to the United States and settled near her sister’s family in Norfolk, Virginia. There Vedad became a registered nurse.

In 1961 she married architect David Jurney. The couple served the Faith together in Greensboro and Rocky Mount, North Carolina, finally settling in High Point, where she was a founding member of the Local Spiritual Assembly in 1971.

Her mother lived with the Jurney family for 10 years, and Vedad translated her mother’s stories at Bahá’í conferences as well as for many visitors to their home.

A U.S. citizen since 1970, Vedad was active with her children’s PTA and the Friends of the High Point Library. She supported her husband’s work with the High Point Human Relations Commission and with his book Gems of Guidance.

Throughout her life she championed the teachings of the Faith, particularly the causes of world peace, equal rights for women and racial harmony. She spoke publicly on many occasions about the Bahá’í Faith and the Middle East to a broad range of groups, including the Rotary Club, churches and schools, and on television and radio.

Her travels included cities in Europe, Asia, India, Pakistan, Bermuda, New York City and the Middle East. “Mother taught everyone the Faith in her own gentle way,” her son Nabil relates. “One day a woman who was a Jehovah’s Witness came to her door and she taught her the Bahá’í Faith. Now, years later, she is one of High Point’s most devoted Bahá’ís.”

For 21 years Vedad served as an assistant, in turn, to Auxiliary Board members Elizabeth Martin, Adrienne Reeves, William Roberts and Jean Scales.

David preceded his wife in death in 1992. The couple had brought up two sons: Nabil, a radio and voice-over artist who narrates the Bahá’í Newsweek; and Riaz Jurney, a business executive in New York City.

In 1996, Vedad was reunited with her daughter after they had not seen each other for more than 40 years: Sherry Black of Northville, Michigan, a human resources executive.

Other survivors include Vedad’s sister, Behjat Arnold of Rocky Mount, Virginia; three grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Her late brothers, Ebrahim and Badi Mansour of Tehran, Iran, were deeply dedicated to the Cause.

A letter from the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States to her family read in part:

“Vedad Jurney exemplified the spirit of service we are all called to demonstrate. Her dedication and commitment to her Lord were reflected in her untiring services as a member of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of High Point and her various good works in the community-at-large. She was truly a cornerstone of the High Point, North Carolina, Bahá’í community.”

Forough Maghzi served selflessly in Iran and U.S.

INFORMATION FROM SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF LOS ANGELES, CA

Forough Sohrab Maghzi’s heroic services for the Cause in her home city of Isfahan, Iran, included providing safe places for a significant relic of the Báb as well as for the remains of several Bahá’í martyrs.

Living her last 12 years in Los Angeles, California, she was much loved and respected for her ability to recognize the good qualities in others and to encourage them to service. She passed away August 9, 2000, in Encino, due to complications following heart surgery.

Forough was born July 29, 1929, in Isfahan, the daughter of Enayat’u’llah and Zanangis Sohrab. Her father was a distinguished Bahá’í scholar with several publications to his credit.

In August 1944, Forough married Nosrat’u’llah Maghzi, a great-grandson of Mírzá Muhammad-Husayn, the Beloved of Martyrs.

Forough Maghzi served on several Bahá’í institutions in Isfahan and, during times of crisis, performed valuable services.

After the Bahá’í World Center was informed of the existence of a box that had at one time contained the earthly remains of the Báb, an elaborate plan was devised to transfer the box to the Holy Land. Keeping the box at the Maghzi home was the final stage of this plan before it was conveyed secretly to Haifa.

She also played a crucial role when the city of Isfahan adopted a development plan that entailed demolition of a section of cemetery where three Bahá’í martyrs were buried: the Hand of the Cause of God Keith Ransom-Kehler; Mírzá Muhammad-Hasan, the King of Martyrs; and the Beloved of Martyrs. Mrs. Maghzi hid the remains of these precious souls until they could be safely reinterred at a new location.

In 1957, when religious fanaticism created a hostile environment in Iran, she organized a memorial at her home in Isfahan for the ascension of the Guardian. Twenty years later, her home was used as a meeting place for the National Spiritual Assembly of Iran, many of whom were later arrested and executed.

Forced to flee the country in 1980, Forough and her family emigrated to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. In their eight years there, Forough enjoyed organizing Bahá’í classes and meetings in her home.

In 1988, the couple moved to Los Angeles due to Mr. Maghzi’s illness.

When asked to perform some service for the Faith, Mrs. Maghzi always did her best to make sure details were handled efficiently, while maintaining that things should be beautiful as well as functional.

She is survived by four daughters, two sons, three brothers and nine grandchildren, all of whom live in Canada or California.

Kenneth Ormandy served on reservation

Kenneth Ormandy was a beloved resident of the San Carlos Indian Reservation in Arizona, a steadfast servant of humanity who accepted the Bahá’í Faith in the last few years of his long life. He passed away October 18, 2000, at age 79.

His Bahá’í community and Local Spiritual Assembly services were part of a long list of works he did for the reservation community. For example, Ormandy served on the board and as a volunteer for People Helping People, conducted Alcoholics Anonymous meetings at the San Carlos Jail, was involved in the Alcohol and Drug Assistance Program, and was generally known as a helper of those in need.

Though Ormandy was not of Apache blood, the Tribal Council gave special permission for burial in San Carlos, with the general approval of the reservation community, according to his friends Riaz and Bronwyn Castillo.

He is survived by two children.

Chauncey Washburn settled in variety of pioneering posts

Chauncey L. Washburn, a Bahá’í for more than four decades and pioneer both abroad and on the homefront, passed away November 20, 2000, in Spokane, Washington. He was 65.

In 1993, he and his wife, Mary, had fulfilled their longtime desire to pioneer abroad, settling in Ecuador until 1997. Over the years they also pioneered in close to a dozen homefront localities in Wisconsin, Idaho and Washington, finally settling in Pomeroy, Washington, where he resided at the end of his life.

“Chancy” was a native of Mosinee, Wisconsin, born with his twin brother on Dec. 28, 1934, to Gwyneth and Chauncey Washburn Sr.

A Korean War veteran, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps 1954–1956. He accepted the Bahá’í Faith in the late 1950s.

His work as a long-distance truck driver for 30 years allowed his family to open a number of localities to the Faith, including Abbotsford, Elton, Pickerell and Polar, Wisconsin, according to his wife. Other homefront posts included Mosinee, Schofield and Marathon County, Wisconsin; and Clarkston, Washington. The family also served the Faith living on two Indian reservations: Mole Lake in Wisconsin and Nez Perce in Idaho. Chauncey served on Spiritual Assemblies in Wausau, Wisconsin, and Lapwai, Idaho.

He sponsored four refugee families during the Southeast Asian influx in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

After their return from Ecuador, the Washburns settled in Pomeroy, opening Garfield County to the Faith.

Chancy enjoyed driving, reading, motorcycling, pool and bowling, until he lost his vision in 1990. He is remembered as an energetic grandfather, a willing friend to those in need, an avid horseman and an animal lover.

He is survived by Mary, his wife of 33 years; a daughter; three sons—one of whom is still pioneering in Ecuador—and five grandchildren. [Page 27]

MEETINGS,

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

seekers that have yet to be responded to at the local level.

As part of the process of welcoming new members to our family, the National Spiritual Assembly urged the friends to take part in regional training institutes, in the wake of the Universal House of Justice’s reference to such institutes as the “single greatest legacy of the Four Year Plan.”

Material needs

Finally, the representatives called attention to the material resources that are needed to realize ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s mission for America. The Kingdom Project, launched at Ridván 2000 with the blessing of the Universal House of Justice, is the first comprehensive development plan for the American Bahá’í community.

The successful completion of this effort will ensure the restoration and protection of the House of Worship, the expansion of the dependencies of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, the redesign of the Hazíratu’l-Quds and the fundamental development of the Bahá’í schools. It will also continue and expand the media initiative and other national teaching efforts, create strategic reserves to give our community the flexibility to respond promptly to opportunities for significant growth, and begin the establishment of an endowment.

The representatives called on the community to celebrate the fact that nearly $21,000,000 in pledges and cash had already been contributed toward this effort. A financial commitment of $60 million over the next five years, with pledges to be secured in the first two, 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.

Host Assemblies shine

The loving attention by the 36 host Assemblies to every detail and the care and concern for making all of the friends feel the warm embrace of the institutions of the Faith—the Continental Board of Counselors, the National Spiritual Assembly, the Regional Bahá’í Councils and the host Assemblies—resulted in a widespread feeling of joy which is our inestimable privilege to have been given and our sacred obligation to share with others.

And this was the overriding message the National Spiritual Assembly wanted to leave the friends: “‘Joy gives us wings,’ the beloved Master reminded us. ‘In times of joy our strength is more vital, our intellect keener. ...’ Share the joy,” the National Spiritual Assembly urged the community, “build the Kingdom. It’s our time.” ◆

Excerpt from the National Spiritual Assembly’s Feast letter of Dec. 30, 2000, regarding the October and December weekend meetings:

“We were particularly moved by the strong voices of Bahá’í children and youth, who compose the most distinctive generation of young Bahá’ís we have ever seen and who are eager to assume a much greater share of responsibility for the growth and development of the Bahá’í community. Their insistence to be more deeply involved in all aspects of the work is both a compliment to the way they have been nurtured and a signal that we must learn to hear their voices and employ their energies in new ways.”

David Whitman, Tina Shahidyazdani-Serrano and Navid Serrano were part of the youth session with a National Assembly representative in Rochester, NY. Photo by Glenn Egli

Breaking bread together (or pizza, in the case of the gathering in Jacksonville, Florida) was a feature of a number of the 36 weekend meetings held nationwide in October and December. Photo by Christine Conrad

“We moved through exercises that brought new shafts of light and understanding to our minds and joy and enlightenment to our hearts.” — a workshop participant

Spiritual Assemblies are working to build a new state of mind. Join them by taking one of 15 Assembly Development Module Workshops. Contact the Office of Assembly Development at 847-733-3490, e-mail [blank] or go to www.usbnc.org

COMMUNITY,

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

questions and talents, based on who they are, whether they have a family, what kind of work they do, and so on.

So this community has created ways to find out about all their new people. It has a “buddy system” to keep them company, help them start to serve, come with them to meetings, include them in dinner get-togethers, and on and on. There are sequenced classes on the history and fundamental verities of the Faith, and the Local Assembly makes sure the new believers know the schedule and the class outlines, feel welcome to attend, and have the chance to fit the classes into their personal schedules.

We could go on, but the point should be clear: The third community has asked itself what new believers will need to become active, contributing members of the community, and it has made orderly provisions and task assignments to almost every Bahá’í so that those things happen and the new believers have a great experience.

It’s an instructive way to think about things, because as growth in our ranks accelerates, we will want more efficient ways of welcoming and accommodating new Bahá’ís from all backgrounds. Making it up as we go along just won’t work!

Finding the balance

Some might say this sounds too mechanical. Consider that the Universal House of Justice urged us to administer with “efficiency and love”; that balance is so important!

Think about your last Ayyám-i-Há dinner party: you planned your time for shopping, cleaning up the house, getting the meal ready and setting the table, and everybody had a job to do. You also recalled that your cousin is vegetarian, your uncle makes a great hollandaise sauce, and your mom’s back has been bothering her lately. You love them all, so you made sure everything was just right for each one.

On the whole, we have done things pretty informally. If we think of getting the wrinkles out of our processes as an expression of courtesy and loving concern for our new believers—who may approach their new community with high expectations and more than a little awkwardness—then we probably would want to give careful thought to making arrangements that will bring happiness and comfort to everyone. ◆ [Page 28]

VINEYARD of the LORD

ALL BUILDINGS ON ARC NOW FULLY FUNCTIONAL

The International Teaching Center occupied its permanent seat on the Hill of God on Oct. 6, marking another historic landmark toward the completion of the Mount Carmel Projects. With this move, all buildings on the Arc are fully functional.

On Oct. 25 a reception was held in the new building of the International Teaching Center, to officially mark the move of that institution “which is specifically invested with the twin functions of the protection and propagation of the Cause of God,” according to the Universal House of Justice. The honored participants were the Hands of the Cause of God ‘Alí-Akbar Furútan and ‘Alí Muhammad Varqá, members of the Universal House of Justice and their spouses, Counselor members of the International Teaching Center and their spouses, and selected invitees.

The main entrance foyer of the newly finished International Teaching Center building stands in readiness for visitors.

GRACEFUL FEATURES EMERGE ON PLAZA AND TERRACE 1

Development of the Entrance Plaza and Terrace 1 at the foot of Mount Carmel is progressing rapidly, with installation of a marble cascade in between two sets of stairs leading upward from the plaza site. The overall design of 14 cascading pools is reminiscent of classical fountains, yet utilizes contemporary details and construction methods.

The type of Italian marble used, with a warm creamy tone, is named after Michelangelo, a Renaissance sculptor who used that type of marble extensively. A fountain in the retaining wall under Terrace 1 uses the same type of stone.

Work is proceeding on a pool located on a landing beneath the cascade, which will receive the overflow of water.

East of Terrace 1, demolition of a recently acquired building at the end of September has served two purposes:

• After being leveled, the area can now be part of expanded gardens and form part of the landscape of the Terraces. This enhances the view of the Shrine of the Báb and the gardens from Ben Gurion Avenue.
• It allows direct access from the Terraces to the site where Bahá’u’lláh’s tent was pitched on Mount Carmel during His visit to Haifa.

Above: A marble cascade is installed between stairways leading upward from the Entrance Plaza to Terrace 1. Right: A building at the foot of Mount Carmel is leveled, further opening the view toward the Shrine of the Báb.

The 20th century, this “Century of Light,” is rapidly coming to a close. At this beginning of a new millennium, the immediate prospects for the Bahá’ís of the world are exciting. Among them are the Counselors’ Conference in the Holy Land in January, and the official inauguration of the Terraces of the Shrine of the Báb in May. For the Mount Carmel Projects team, these weeks promise to be a time of feverish activity. We have entered that part of the race against time which requires the final massive thrust toward the finish line. More than ever before, we ardently beseech the prayers of the Universal House of Justice and our Bahá’í brethren in every part of the globe for the success of our endeavors.

Mount Carmel Projects, Office of the Project Manager [Page 29]

Gardens demand high standards of maintenance

The Terraces of the Shrine of the Báb and the gardens surrounding the new Arc buildings have added yet another dimension to the Bahá’í gardens on Mount Carmel. They provide a complex ecosystem, with several climatic zones due to change in altitude, stretching as they do from the bottom to the crest of Mount Carmel. This makes it a challenging task to maintain them.

Over the past few years, a system of maintenance has been carefully developed as each new Terrace has been completed. Personnel management plays as large a part as plant management in this system.

Sometimes the low-tech, “tried and tested” methods still work best. For example, some terrace lawns located on slopes as steep as 40 degrees are still mowed with a two-stroke rotary mower operated by three men. Experts from around the world, consulted on this matter, have yet to come up with a reliable alternative.

On the other hand, unique gardening techniques have been employed on a difficult site where the gardens rise nearly 1,000 feet over a 3,300-foot distance. In the formal central areas of the Terraces, trees, shrubs and hedges are all shaped and trimmed to harmonize with the architectural beauty of the stone work. Unique “profiles” have been designed and built, which allow trimming to correct shape, and also permit easy handling on the difficult slopes.

Preserving the old gardens

The older gardens that hail from the time of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi must be preserved in design and character. But gardens are dynamic, living, growing things. It takes skill to preserve a live display, to ensure that future generations can enjoy them too.

Think of the famous circle of cypress trees behind the Shrine of the Báb, which shaded Bahá’u’lláh. They must be allowed to grow at their slow, natural pace. Fertilizers and irrigation that would speed their growth (and shorten their lives) must be kept away from them. And yet, the new surrounding gardens require additional attention to mature their growth, ahead of their official opening in May.

There are four main garden types that have to be dealt with on Mount Carmel:

• The old gardens, mostly established by the Guardian.
• The hedges, flowers and lawns of the formal, styled Arc gardens and inner terraces.
• The mass plantings and trees of the “transition zones” that edge the terraces.
• “Wildlife corridors” with native plants and animals on the boundary.

However different, these four garden types blend seamlessly into one united whole, carpeting the mountainside with a multicolored blanket of peace. Each garden type requires unique handling and care. But they are treated as one great living organism.

The key to maintaining this complex system is the skill shown by the garden staff, whose main tool is consultation. With a mixture of local residents and Bahá’í volunteers representing a wide spectrum of cultures, one may expect volatility. Instead, the gardens are cared for with skill and devotion.

Personnel management emphasizes the need for good communication and cooperation within a non-competitive system of teamwork. Most of the gardeners are laborers and unskilled volunteers, supervised by a handful of horticultural professionals. Other specialists provide training, tree care and mechanical support. The standard of the gardens testifies for these methods. ♦

STUNNING OUTDOOR LIGHTING AT SHRINE OF THE BÁB MADE EASIER TO MANAGE WITH ELECTRICAL UPGRADE

If one approaches the foot of Mount Carmel along Ben Gurion Avenue at dusk, the illuminated Shrine of the Báb presents an enchanting picture to the eyes. The Shrine appears almost surreal, but as you enter the courtyard leading toward it, there it stands before you glowing like a jewel.

Lights play an important role in enhancing the exquisite architecture of the Shrine, and in the design concepts of the Terraces surrounding it. The illumination serves as a poignant contrast to the dark nights the Báb suffered during His incarceration in prison fortresses such as Chihríq and Má-kú. This verse in the Persian Bayán reveals His anguish:

“How veiled are ye, O my creatures, ... who, without any right, have consigned Him unto a mountain [Má-kú], not one of whose inhabitants is worthy of mention ... With Him, which is with Me, there is no one except him who is one of the Letters of the Living of My Book. In His presence, which is My Presence, there is not at night even a lighted lamp!”

A major upgrade of the lighting system of the Shrine of the Báb, linking it to a computer system that controls lights for the buildings on the Arc and the Terraces, has been finished after some months’ work. A new automated dimming system controls outer floodlights, bringing them on gradually at sunset and fading them out at sunrise, creating a stunning effect. This enables the Shrine to remain lighted through the night.

Several lighting panels in rooms adjacent to the Shrine have been relocated, to minimize technical visits to the Shrine building.

A similar electrical upgrade has begun in the Monument Gardens, the lower and the upper Arc paths, including installation of floodlights for the monuments.

When this work is completed, the Shrine, the Terraces, the Arc buildings and all the Bahá’í gardens on Mount Carmel will be connected with a state-of-the-art electrical system. ♦

Recently finished gardens on the Arc on Mount Carmel help frame the new International Teaching Center building.

A close-up view of the integration of stone work and planting on one of the nine Terraces above the Shrine of the Báb.

PHOTOS BY RUHI VARGHA

Above and left: Water features and other ornaments on the Terraces above the Shrine of the Báb. [Page 30]

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Use the Multipurpose Form below to respond by mail. Include the following special information (use a separate sheet as needed):

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Phone orders: 800-999-9019 • E-mail orders: Mail orders: Bahá’í Subscriber Service, 4703 Fulton Industrial Blvd., Atlanta, GA 30336-2017 TAB 1/19/01 [Page 31]قطعه‌ای از گلستان جاوید آن شهر می‌شد. در قطعۀ مذکور جسد مقدس سه بهائی نامدار مدفون بودند: رمس ایادی امرالله سرکار کیت رنسم کلر Keith Ransom-Kehler، اولین بهائی غربی شهید در خاک ایران و نیز رمسیین جناب میرزا محمد حسین ملقب محبوب‌الشهداء و جناب میرزا محمد حسن ملقب به سلطان‌الشهداء.

فروغ خانم رمس این بزرگان را مدتی در خانۀ خود پنهان کرد. بعدها آن اجساد مبارک را در محل امنی دوباره مدفون کردند.

در سال ۱۹۵۷ در زمانی که تعصبات دینی فضای خصومت‌آمیزی ایجاد کرده بود، سرکار فروغ خانم جلسۀ تذکری به مناسبت صعود حضرت ولی‌عزیز امرالله در منزل خود برگزار کرد. بیست سال بعد از تاریخ مذکور، از خانۀ ایشان برای تشکیل جلسۀ محفل روحانی ملی استفاده شد. اکثر اعضای آن محفل مقدس بعدها دستگیر شدند و سپس به شهادت رسیدند.

در سال ۱۹۸۰ فروغ خانم و باقی اعضای خانواده مجبور به ترک ایران و عازم دوبی شدند و ۸ سال در آنجا به سر بردند. در این مدت فروغ خانم به تشکیل جلسات و کلاس‌های امری در منزل خود همت گماشت.

خانوادۀ مغزی در سال ۱۹۸۸ به علت بیماری جناب مغزی راهی ایالات متحده و مقیم لوس‌انجلس شد. در دوازده سالی که فروغ خانم در آن شهر به سر می‌برد، مورد محبت و احترام یاران بود.

خانم فروغ سهراب مغزی در ۹ آگست سال ۲۰۰۰ به علت عوارض ناشی از جراحی قلب، در اینسینو به ملکوت ابهی صعود نمود و بدین ترتیب دفتر خدمات خود را فرو بست.

چهار دختر و دو پسر و سه برادر از فروغ خانم باقی مانده است. روانش شاد باد!

مجمع عرفان

IRFAN COLLOQUIUM

قرار است مجمع عرفان از ۱۸ تا ۲۰ می سال ۲۰۰۱ در مدرسۀ بهائی بوش با برنامه‌های همزمان به زبان فارسی و انگلیسی دائر باشد. موضوع این دوره مجمع "عرفان و امر بهائی" خواهد بود و همچنین مبادی و اصول امر مبارک بررسی خواهد شد. سمینارهای مجمع به الواح مبارکه‌ای از حضرت بهاءالله اختصاص خواهد یافت که در اوایل ایام ورود مبارک به عکا نازل گردیده است.

تقاضاهای علاقه‌مندان برای ایراد سخنرانی باید تا ۱۵ فبروری سال ۲۰۰۱ به دفتر مجمع عرفان واقع در دفتر محفل ملی واصل شود.

علاقه‌مندان می‌توانند برای کسب اطلاعات بیشتر با دفتر مجمع تماس حاصل نمایند. شماره تلفن: ۳۵۰۱-۷۳۳ (۸۴۷) شماره فکس: ۳۵۰۲-۷۳۳ (۸۴۷) e-mail

سخنرانان بخش فارسی این دوره عبارت بودند از: دکتر معین افنانی، دکتر ایرج ایمن، دکتر قاسم بیات، دکتر اسکندر هانی، دکتر روح‌الله خوشبین، جناب ‎حبییت حبیب‎ ریاضی، دکتر نادر سعیدی و خانم پریوش سمندری خوشبین. جناب منوچهر وهمن عهده‌دار برنامه‌های موسیقی بود.

و ناگفته نماند که جلسات مجمع عرفان سالی یکبار با حمایت کریمانۀ صندوق حاج مهدی ارجمند و همکاری دفتر امور احبای ایرانی/آمریکایی برگزار می‌شود.

دورۀ بیست و نهم و سی‌ام مجمع عرفان

دورۀ بیست و نهم و سی‌ام (۳۰) مجمع عرفان از ۶ تا ۹ اکتبر سال ۲۰۰۰ در مدرسۀ بهائی لوهلن برگزار گردید. در دوره‌های مذکور نیز مانند گذشته برنامه‌های همزمان به زبان‌های فارسی و انگلیسی اجرا می‌شد.

در جلسات مجمع ۲۸ سخنرانی دربارۀ آثار حضرت بهاءالله در دورۀ عکا و اصول و مبادی اعتقادی امر بهائی ایراد شد. در بخش‌های مربوط به سؤال و جواب، شرکت‌کنندگان مذاکرات پرهیجان و سودمندی با هم داشتند.

به هر یک از شرکت‌کنندگان پاکتی داده بودند که حاوی مُلخص هر یک از سخنرانی‌ها بود. شرکت‌کنندگان همچنین مجموعه‌ای دریافت داشتند که حاوی گزیده‌ای از متن سخنرانی‌های مجمع عرفان در سال ۱۹۹۹ بود.

کارگاه‌های توسعۀ محافل

ASSEMBLY DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS

در زبان انگلیسی کلمۀ Workshop که معادل فارسی آن "کارگاه" است، گاهی به معنی جلسات مطالعۀ گروهی و عملی به کار می‌رود. در سراسر ایالات متحده کارگاه‌هائی برای آشنائی با چگونگی کارکرد محافل محلی تشکیل می‌شود.

این کارگاه‌ها بر مبنای نصوص امری عمل می‌کنند و به صورتی طرح شده‌اند که روش‌های گوناگون آموزشی هماهنگی دارند.

افراد جامعۀ بهائی ارتباط نزدیک با محافل محلی خود دارند. برای همۀ افراد این امکان هست که به عضویت محفل روحانی انتخاب شوند. و البته همۀ احباء موظفند که در انتخابات بهائی شرکت کنند. بدین جهت داشتن اطلاعات کافی دربارۀ آن محافل هم به افراد کمک می‌کنند و هم در کارآئی محافل تاثیر می‌گذارد.

تشکیلات بهائی و مؤسسات امری و مدارس و جمعیت‌های بهائی همگی می‌توانند از کارگاه‌های توسعۀ محافل بهره بگیرند. اما از آنجا که نیازهای هر کدام با هم تفاوت دارد، موضوع‌های مختلفی در آنها مطرح و بررسی می‌شود.

تشکیلات یا جوامع یا جمعیت‌های بهائی که مایل باشند کارگاه‌های مذکور را در محل خود تشکیل دهند یا دربارۀ آن سؤال یا احتیاج به کمک داشته باشند، می‌توانند با دفتر توسعۀ محافل تماس حاصل نمایند. شماره تلفن: ۳۴۹۰-۷۳۳ (۸۴۷)

کنفرانس نشویل

NASHVILLE CONFERENCE

در تعطیلات روز شکرگزاری (Thanksgiving) سال ۲۰۰۰ کنفرانسی در نشویل واقع در ایالت تنسی تشکیل شد که بیش از ۲۵۰۰ نفر در آن شرکت کردند.

برگزارکنندۀ کنفرانس شورای منطقه‌ای بهائی در ایالات جنوبی بود.

هدف شرکت‌کنندگان سوای تجدید عهد دوستی با همگنان خود، این بود که با استفاده از ثمرۀ خدمات احبائی که در گذشته همت کرده‌اند، حاصل بیشتری در آینده برداشت کنند. در این کنفرانس احباء با موضوع‌های گوناگونی دست و پنجه نرم کردند و خبر آن را به استحضار معهد اعلی نیز رساندند؛ این موضوع‌ها عبارت بودند از:

• پیوند دادن قلوب به مِهر حضرت بهاءالله
• تربیت کودکان و نوجوانان و جوانان بهائی
• اعلاء جامعۀ امری به مراحل بالاتری از وحدت و محبت
• نظم و ترتیب دادن به فعالیت‌های تبلیغی
• حصول درک بیشتری از مؤسسات آموزشی
• تلاش بیشتر برای جلب اقلیت‌ها و تأمین شرکت آنها در جامعه و تشکیلات امری
• درک اهمیت تبلیغ متحریان حقیقت که از طریق برنامه‌های رسانه‌ای با امر مبارک آشنا شده‌اند

کارگاه‌ها و جلسات ویژه‌ای که در طی کنفرانس دائر بود، امکان آن را فراهم ساخت که موارد بالا در آنها مطالعه و بررسی شود. همچنین جلسۀ بحث جداگانه‌ای برای اعضای محافل روحانی تشکیل شد که در آن راجع به ایجاد ارتباط با حضرت بهاءالله مذاکراتی در گروه‌های کوچک صورت گرفت.

در یکی از جلسات عمومی به شهیدان اخیر مهد امر مبارک اختصاص یافت و در آن از جانبازی‌ها و فداکاری‌های احبای ایران یاد کردند و به ستایش تلاش‌های آنان پرداختند. در این جلسه چشمی نبود که گریان نبود.

مانند دیگر کنفرانس‌های بهائی در این کنفرانس نیز برنامه‌های هنری از جمله شعرخوانی و نمایش و رقص و موسیقی و عکاسی اجرا شد.

چند تن از مشاورین قاره‌ای و دو نفر از اعضای محفل روحانی ملی ایالات متحده نیز در کنفرانس نشویل شرکت داشتند. [Page 32]• کارگاه‌ها و جلسات تبادل نظر یک ساعت تا یک ساعت و نیم ادامه خواهد داشت. پیشنهادهای یاران باید حاوی روش ادارهٔ کارگاه و مواد لازم برای آن باشد.

• در پیشنهادهای مربوط به برنامه‌های هنری باید نوع هنر و چگونگی اجراء، یا ارائهٔ آن و نیز وسائل مورد نیاز یا استفاده منظور شود. همچنین یک نوار ویدیوئی از برنامه هنری باید به همراه پیشنهاد شرکت در کنفرانس ارسال شود.

پیشنهادهای یاران باید تا اول مارچ سال ۲۰۰۱ به دفتر محفل روحانی ملی فرستاده شود.

علاقه مندان می‌توانند برای دریافت کردن اطلاعات بیشتر با هیئت برگزاری کنفرانس تماس حاصل نمایند. شماره تلفن: ۳۵۹۰-۷۳۳ (۸۴۷) e-mail:

رساله ابن ذئب این دوره از ۱۵ جنوری تا ۱۵ اپریل دائر خواهد بود. نام‌نویسی تا اواسط ماه فبروری ادامه خواهد داشت.

مبلغ نام‌نویسی برای هر یک از دوره‌های فوق ۱۵۰ دلار است. برای کسانی که قادر به پرداخت این مبلغ نباشند تسهیلاتی در نظر گرفته شده است.

دیگر مواد درسی در سال ۲۰۰۱ به شرح زیر است: • دوره حضرت بهاءالله (از اول فبروری تا ۳۰ اپریل) • آثار حضرت بهاءالله نازل بعد از کتاب اقدس (از ۱۵ اپریل تا ۱۵ جولای) • مطالعه مسیحیت برای تزیید معلومات و تبلیغ (از ۱۵ می تا ۱۵ آگست) • مقدمه مشروحی بر امر بهائی (از اول جون تا ۳۱ آگست) • کتاب مستطاب اقدس (از اول سپتمبر تا ۳۱ دیسمبر) • حضرت عبدالبهاء، مثل اعلای امر بهائی (از اول اکتوبر تا ۳۱ دیسمبر)

علاقه مندان می‌توانند برای کسب اطلاعات بیشتر با دفتر مؤسسه ویلمت تماس حاصل نمایند.

نیاز به داوطلب

به تعدادی داوطلب جهت کمک به برگزاری کنفرانس نیاز داریم. از علاقه مندان تقاضا می‌شود با هیئت برگزاری کنفرانس تماس حاصل نمایند. شماره تلفن: ۳۵۹۰-۷۳۳ (۸۴۷) e-mail:

مؤسسه ویلمت

WILMETTE INSTITUTE مؤسسه ویلمت برنامهٔ "تحصیل از راه دور" خود را به شرح زیر اعلام کرده است:

دیانت یهود در ارتباط با امر بهائی این برنامه از اول فبروری تا ۳۰ اپریل سال ۲۰۰۱ دائر خواهد بود. در برنامهٔ مذکور تاریخ یهود، تاریخ تدوین عهد عتیق و تعالیم اصلی دیانت یهود مطالعه خواهد شد و استنباط یهودیان از دیانت خود با برداشت بهائیان از آن مقایسه خواهد شد. آشنائی بیشتر احباء با دیانت یهود هم احباء را در درک عمیق‌تری از امر مبارک کمک خواهد کرد و هم تبادل نظر با یهودیان را تسهیل خواهد نمود.

حضرت باب و دیانت بابی این برنامه از اول تا ۳۱ می سال ۲۰۰۱ دائر خواهد بود. دانشجویان این دوره با استفاده از تاریخ نبیل و کتاب قرن بدیع و منابع دیگر این موضوع‌ها را مطالعه خواهند کرد: اهداف دیانت بابی و آثار و تعالیم حضرت باب؛ مؤمنین اولیه و افرادی که در تأسیس جامعه بابی دست داشتند؛ ابتلائات بابیان و ایمان اکثر آنان به حضرت بهاءالله. برنامه درسی فوق که بخش اول از چهار مادهٔ درسی تحت عنوان تاریخ امر بهائی است، فرصتی استثنائی فراهم خواهد ساخت که دورهٔ اولیّهٔ امر مبارک به نحوی منظم مطالعه شود.

حقوق الله

HUQUQU’LLAH احبای ایرانی از دیر باز با اهمیت حکم حقوق‌الله آشنا بوده و از زمان حیات عنصری حضرت بهاءالله افتخار داشته‌اند که حقوق‌الهی را ادا نمایند. اما وجوب ادای این حکم الهی از رضوان سال ۱۹۹۲ که مصادف با صدمین سال صعود حضرت بهاءالله بود، به احبای ایالات متحده ابلاغ شده است. بدین ترتیب احبای غیرایرانی اندک اندک با کلیات و جزئیات مربوط به پرداخت حقوق‌الله آشنا می‌شوند و در صدد اجرای این حکم محکم برمی‌آیند.

در مجموعهٔ احکام مربوط به حقوق‌الله نکات زیر توضیح داده شده است: ۱- هر فرد مؤمن مختار است تصمیم بگیرد که تبرعاتش به صندوقهای امری جزء مخارج محسوب شود یا از وجوهی محسوب گردد که حقوق‌الله آنها قبلاً پرداخت شده است. همچنین مختار است که بخشی از تبرعات را به صورت اول و بخشی را به صورت دوم به حساب آورد. ۲- ادای حقوق‌الله حکمی فردی است و یک فرد بهائی مجاز نیست که برای دیگری حقوق‌الله را پرداخت نماید. به بیان دیگر افراد نمی‌توانند به نیابت از جانب دیگری یا حتی به نام فرد دیگری ادای حقوق کنند. همچنین نمی‌توان معین کرد که پرداختی‌های حقوق‌الله برای خرج در امر خاصی اختصاص داده شود. ۳- حکم حقوق‌الله به افراد تخصیص دارد. بدین ترتیب تشکیلات بهائی و دیگر مؤسسات و شرکت‌ها حقوق‌الله نمی‌پردازند. ۴- هر چند استثناهائی در اجرای حکم حقوق‌الله وجود دارد، ارجح است که هر گاه فرد بهائی استطاعت داشته باشد و اموالش به حد نصاب بالغ شود، در طول حیات خود حقوق الهی را پرداخت نماید. ۵- هر فرد بهائی باید چگونگی محاسبهٔ حقوق‌الله اموال خود را در زمان حیات خود فرا گیرد و در صورتی که کل مبلغ آن را پرداخت نکرده باشد، پیش از فوت کیفیت پرداخت باقی ماندهٔ آن را در وصیت‌نامهٔ خود نیز معین نماید.

ناگفته پیداست که جزئیات فوق دربارهٔ افرادی صادق است که خود مایل به ادای حقوق‌الهی باشند و گر نه به فرمودهٔ حضرت بهاءالله "امر حقوق منوط به اقبال خود نفوس است. هر مقبلی اگر به کمال روح و ریحان به صرافت طبع خود اراده کند حقوق الهی را ادا نماید مقبول است والا فلا."

به تازگی هیئت امنای حقوق‌الله صفحه‌ای در شبکه اینترنت ایجاد کرده‌اند که حاوی اطلاعات لازم و جامعی دربارهٔ این حکم محکم الهی است. یاران می‌توانند از طریق نشانی محفل ملی در شبکه اینترنت www.usbnc.org به صفحه مخصوص حقوق‌الله دسترسی یابند.

یادی از خانم فروغ سهراب مغزی

IN MEMORIAM سرکار خانم فروغ سهراب مغزی در ۲۹ جولای سال ۱۹۲۹ در اصفهان به جهان آمد. ایشان دختر جناب عنایت‌الله سهراب و زرانگیز خانم سهراب بودند. پدر ایشان از دانشمندان امر مبارک به شمار می‌رود و آثار متعددی تألیف نموده است.

خانم فروغ سهراب در سال ۱۹۴۴ با جناب نصرت‌الله مغزی از نوادگان جناب میرزا محمد حسین محبوب‌الشهداء ازدواج کرد.

سرکار فروغ خانم در اصفهان در تشکیلات گوناگون عضویت داشت و در دوره‌های بحرانی امر مبارک به خدمات پرارزشی توفیق یافت.

هنگامی که مرکز جهانی بهائی اطلاع حاصل کرد که صندوقی که قبلاً رمُس مطهر حضرت اعلی در آن نگاهداری می‌شده، در دست است، برنامهٔ مفصلی برای فرستادن آن به ارض اقدس طرح شد. آخرین مرحلهٔ برنامهٔ مذکور نگهداری آن صندوق در مسکن حضرات مغزی بود.

هنگامی که شهرداری اصفهان برنامه‌ای برای توسعه شهر طرح کرد، اجرای آن مستلزم تخریب...

حقوق الله

از دوستان عزیز مستدعی است تقدیمی‌های حقوق الله را در وجه Bahá’í Huququ’lláh Trust و به نشانی یکی از امنای حقوق‌الله مندرج در صفحات انگلیسی این نشریه ارسال فرمایند. [Page 33]

ترجمه ابلاغیه ۲۸ نوامبر ۲۰۰۰ دارالانشاء بیت‌العدل اعظم خطاب به بعضی از محافل روحانی ملی

Persian Translation of the Message Dated November 28, 2000 from the Department of the Secretariat of the Universal House of Justice to Selected National Assemblies

یاران عزیز الهی

اطمینان داریم که در تحسین و تمجید از خدمات بهائیان ایران با این مشتاقان شریک و سهیم هستید و میدانید که احبای ایران نه تنها در محیط خصومت‌آمیز اضطهادات و تضییقات در مهد امرالله استقامت نموده اند بلکه با توفیق در ترتیب و تنظیم جریان امور توانسته‌اند به مراتبی ارتقاء یابند که بیست سال قبل قابل تصور نبود. مشارکت پیر و جوان در انواع گروه‌های مطالعاتی خادمان بسیار خوبی برای امر حضرت بهاءالله بوجود آورده و روندی را ارائه داده است که در سراسر جهان میتوان بدان تأسی نمود. استقامت پیروان دلیر اسم اعظم که در ایران زندگانی می‌کنند سبب گشوده شدن ابوابی جدید در سطح بین‌المللی گشته و امر الهی را از مرحلهٔ مجهولیت خارج ساخته است.

آنچه احبای ایران را ناراحت می‌کند و به موفقیت‌های آنان لطمه وارد می‌آورد و موجب تضعیف استقامتشان در برابر محرومیت‌های بسیاری که با آن مواجهند میگردد اصرار مکرر بعضی از خویشان و دوستانی است که در خارج از ایران زندگی می‌کنند و آنان را به ترک ایران تشویق می‌نمایند تا در کشورهایی که از نظر مادی پیشرفته هستند آیندهٔ آسوده‌تر و بهتری را جستجو نمایند. بیت‌العدل اعظم از احبای ایران اخباری دریافت کرده‌اند که حاکی از ابراز تأسف آنان از فشاری است که احبای ایرانی ساکن خارج از ایران به آنها وارد میآورند تا کشوری را که در آن با چنان موفقیت و امتیازی خدمت می‌کنند ترک گویند. همانطور که بخوبی استحضار دارید نظر بیت‌العدل اعظم آنست که تصمیم به ترک ایران یا ماندن در آن کشور منوط به نظر هر فرد مؤمن بهائی است تا با توجه به شرائط و احوال شخصی و با در نظر گرفتن مصالح امر الهی از روی وجدان خود راهی را که صلاح میداند برگزیند. مؤسسات امریه احبای ایران را تشویق به ترک وطن نمی‌کنند و چنانچه افرادی قصد ترک وطن داشته باشند نباید برای خروج آنان از ایران موانعی ایجاد نمایند.

بنابراین بیت‌العدل اعظم مایلند که آن محفل مقدس بنحوی که صلاح و مقتضی میدانند احبای ایرانی ساکن کشور خود را به اهمیت آزاد گذاردن بهائیان ساکن ایران در اخذ تصمیم متذکر سازند و به آنان از نظر ماندن در ایران یا ترک آن هیچگونه فشاری وارد نیاورند.

با تحیات ابدع ابهی دارالانشاء.

انتخابات شوراهای منطقه‌ای بهائی

REGIONAL BAHÁ’Í COUNCIL ELECTIONS

در اواسط ماه نوامبر سال ۲۰۰۰ اعضای محافل روحانی محلی در سراسر ایالات متحده گرد هم آمدند و برای انتخاب اعضای شوراهای منطقه‌ای بهائی ادای رأی کردند. جریان انتخابات تا ۲۶ نوامبر که یوم عهد و میثاق در جامعهٔ امری آمریکاست، اکمال یافت.

در سالی که گذشت شرایط و کیفیت انتخابات رئیس جمهوری ایالات متحده توجه و دقت بسیاری را به جریان انتخابات معطوف نمود و این خود میتواند هشداری به جامعهٔ بهائی و اعضای آن باشد که مسؤولیت روحانی خود را با آگاهی و وظیفه شناسی بر عهده گیرند.

راه‌های گوناگونی وجود دارد که احباء بتوانند خود را در طی سال بیشتر با جریان انتخابات آشنا و آماده سازند؛ از جمله: ـ احباء می‌توانند از محافل روحانی محلی درخواست نمایند که جلساتی برای آموزش جریان انتخابات بهائی برایشان تشکیل دهند. ـ یاران می‌توانند خود را با شخصیت و افکار احبائی که واجد شرایط برای عضویت در تشکیلات بهائی باشند، به خوبی آشنا سازند. ـ دوستان می‌توانند با توسل به دعا و مناجات دربارهٔ اموری که نمایندگان منتخب باید اجراء نمایند، به تأمل پردازند.

نام اعضای شوراهای منطقه‌ای بهائی به ترتیب تعداد آراء در زیر درج می‌شود.

ایالات شمال شرقی

جول نیزین Joel Nizin، ۳۱۷ رأی نیتن راتستاین Nathan Rutstein، ۲۸۰ رأی ویکی نیزین Vickie Nizin، ۲۷۳ رأی رابرت هریس Robert Harris، ۲۶۰ رأی ویلیام شمیت William Smith، ۲۵۳ رأی جان جویس John Joyce، ۲۴۲ رأی نینا دینی Nina Dini، ۲۳۷ رأی نیل مک‌براید Neil McBride، ۲۱۰ رأی چستر مکاسکی Chester Makoski، ۳۹ رأی

۹۴ محفل از ۱۱۳ محفل روحانی و ۶۱ درصد منتخبین واجد شرایط ایالات شمال شرقی شرکت کردند.

ایالات جنوبی

کرن پریچرد Karen Pritchard، ۷۴۰ رأی کرول میلر Carole Miller، ۷۳۵ رأی جک گیلیبو A. Jack Guillebeaux، ۶۱۱ رأی جیمز استردیون James Sturdivant، ۶۲۸ رأی رابرت جیمز .Robert M. James Jr، ۵۸۱ رأی احمد محبوبی، ۵۱۱ رأی کامبیز رفرف، ۴۹۶ رأی مهیار مفیدی، ۴۸۸ رأی

۲۶۰ محفل از ۳۵۶ محفل روحانی و ۶۰ درصد منتخبین واجد شرایط ایالات جنوبی شرکت کردند.

ایالات مرکزی

لین ویتیز Lynn Wieties، ۵۳۱ رأی ریچارد توماس Richard Thomas، ۴۵۷ رأی موریس تیلر Morris Taylor، ۴۵۵ رأی جون توماس June Thomas، ۴۵۳ رأی کسول الیس L. Caswell Ellis، ۴۴۵ رأی پال جکوبی Paul Jacobi، ۳۶۳ رأی کرتیس راسل Curtis J. Russell، ۳۲۲ رأی ژنا خداداد، ۲۹۷ رأی الورا جکوبی Elvora Jacobi، ۲۱۷ رأی

۱۷۶ محفل از ۱۹۷ محفل روحانی و ۷۰ درصد از منتخبین واجد شرایط ایالات مرکزی شرکت کردند.

ایالات غربی

حبیب ریاضتی، ۸۳۸ رأی درک کاکشات Derek Cockshut، ۸۰۲ رأی شنن Shannon جاوید، ۷۷۵ رأی شارلین مک‌گری Charleen McGriff، ۷۴۰ رأی فرشته Bethel، ۷۱۸ رأی الهه Young، ۶۹۳ رأی کرول بروکس Carol Brooks، ۶۲۴ رأی شاد افصحی، ۶۱۴ رأی جیمز نلسن James Nelson، ۵۳۷ رأی

۳۹۹ محفل از ۵۲۵ محفل روحانی و ۵۴ درصد منتخبین واجد شرایط ایالات غربی شرکت کردند.

کنفرانس بنای ملکوت

KINGDOM CONFERENCE

محفل روحانی ملی در نظر دارد یک کنفرانس خانوادگی با عنوان "بنای ملکوت برای زن و مرد و کودک و جوان" برگزار نماید.

موضوع این کنفرانس "هیچ پرسشی بی‌پاسخ نخواهد ماند" است و هدف از تشکیل آن تبادل آراء دربارهٔ چگونگی استقرار ملکوت الهی در پهنه زمین است که در فضائی سرشار از مهر و شادی صورت خواهد گرفت. غرض آن است که جامعه‌ای ایجاد شود که هموار در صدد فراگیری است و همهٔ جوانب حیاتش با یکدیگر آمیزش و هماهنگی دارد.

کنفرانس مذکور شامل سخنرانی‌های اصلی و تعداد زیادی کارگاه و جلسات کوچک‌تر تبادل نظر خواهد بود. همچنین در این کنفرانس برنامه‌های هنری گوناگونی در نظر گرفته شده است.

از دوستان مطلع و هنرمند و افرادی که برنامه‌های مفیدی برای گنجاندن در برنامه‌های کنفرانس داشته باشند تقاضا می‌شود با هیئت برگزارکنندهٔ کنفرانس تماس حاصل نمایند. [Page 34]

500,000 glimpse Bahá’í-inspired solutions at Expo

• Hanover, Germany: An estimated 500,000 people visited the Bahá’í pavilion at the Hanover Expo 2000 from its opening in June to its closing in October.

The 1,800-square-foot Bahá’í exhibit, hosted by the Bahá’í International Community and the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany, featured development projects in Colombia, Kenya and Eastern Europe that illustrate the importance of grassroots capacity-building, the advancement of women, and moral and spiritual values in the process of social and economic development.

The pavilion was designed to resemble a lotus flower, with 10-foot-high acrylic “petals” in a semicircular arrangement around a central space for reflection and contemplation. At the edges of the space were information booths, wall displays on several development projects, and a multimedia presentation on computer screens.

Visitors could see the Bahá’í exhibit immediately on entering the “Global House,” an area designated as a forum and meeting place for organizations and policy-makers interested in sustainable development and the Agenda 21 process.

In addition to the standing exhibits, the pavilion hosted seminars on three Bahá’í-inspired development projects during the expo:

• “Stop and Act,” an interactive theater production in which actors portray a situation leading to conflict, action is stopped, and audience members are invited to consult on solutions. Shamil Fattakhov, a Russian journalist, has developed the concept into a successful television program, and it has been adapted in several countries for radio, theater and schools.

• The Kalimani and Matinyani Women’s Projects in Kenya’s semi-arid Kitui District, in which traditional women’s groups in the two villages have taken grassroots action toward efforts as varied as dam construction, a health center, a mango-drying scheme using solar energy, and a rug-weaving business. Presenter was Geraldine Robarts, a Bahá’í artist living in Kenya who has trained women of the villages in the arts. Robarts also had designed 20 sails, each up to 50 feet high, that decorated the expo’s Africa Pavilion.

• The University for Integral Development, established in Colombia by FUNDAEC, a Bahá’í-inspired agency. It provides 40,000 students in Colombia’s rural areas with education in agriculture, education, appropriate technology, economic enterprise and institutional development. The university combines practical training with an emphasis on taking charge of one’s moral and spiritual growth and on contributing to the transformation of society.

The Kenya effort and FUNDAEC were selected as “Worldwide Expo 2000 Projects.”

More information about Bahá’í participation in the Hanover Expo is available online: www.bahai-expo2000.de

A “Global House Day” on Sept. 9, organized jointly by all exhibitors in the hall, attracted 11,000 visitors to the Bahá’í pavilion alone. Ranzie Mensah, a Bahá’í artist from Ghana and a princess of the Fanti tribe, gave a stunning musical performance as part of an ongoing cultural program presented by the Bahá’ís in the Global House’s One World Café. In the evening the Bahá’í International Community hosted a reception for the commissioners of the Expo’s national pavilions and other exhibitors and dignitaries to mark the release of the German translation of “Who is Writing the Future,” a reflection on the 20th century and humanity’s prospects for the future issued by the Bahá’í International Community.

More than 250 Bahá’í volunteers from around Europe received specialized training to staff the exhibit and answer questions from the public during the Expo’s five months of operation.

TEACHING

• United Kingdom: London’s Millennium Dome hosted a “Bahá’í Day” Oct. 21, as more than 2,000 Bahá’ís from around the country came to the dome to commemorate the ‎annniversary anniversary‎ of the birth of the Báb. About 30,000 people visited the Dome throughout the day. A diverse program included juggling, clog dancing, a string quartet, singers, a Ceilidh band, dancers and a steel band. They also hosted an exhibit about the Faith just inside the main entrance, an Arts and Crafts area for children, and a Tranquillity Zone for prayer and meditation. Bahá’ís traveling to the event “brought so many flowers that the management of the Dome had to send out for more pots to put them in,” said Iain Palin of the United Kingdom Bahá’í Information Office.

• Ghana: A radio project was launched last fall in the Volta region, with the aim of introducing the history and teachings of the Bahá’í Faith to more than 1 million people in three months. Patterned after an established project in the greater Accra and Central regions, the informational broadcasts and phone-in talk shows in the Ewe language sparked positive reactions from the start in the city of Hohoe and surrounding villages, with numerous people asking for more information, said project coordinator Micah Yeahwon.

• Canada: Bahá’ís from Hay River hosted a feast Sept. 9 at K’atl’odeeche, the Hay River Dene Band Reserve, to mark the release of a compact disk with selections of Bahá’í sacred writings translated into six languages spoken by the Dene peoples in Canada’s Northwest Territories. It was the latest phase of a project launched four years ago by the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada to enable Native Canadians to listen to the Bahá’í scriptures in their own languages.

Getting a strong start

Efforts by a young Bahá’í, Jesion Meding, have helped establish the Bahá’í Faith among the Penan tribe in the Lusong Laku region of Sarawak, on the island of Borneo. The photographs show a study circle and a children’s class. Meding is also conducting literacy classes in the area.

Humor is a key ingredient in food education TV show

• Samoa: “O le Kuka Samoa,” the country’s first television series dedicated to a healthy diet, was launched in October. Well-known comedian Sumeo, alias “O le King Kuka,” stars as a master chef in the weekly Samoan-language program, produced for TV-Samoa by the Samoan Bahá’í Charitable Trust for Social and Economic Development and the Samoan Nutrition Center.

“Promoting greater use of nutritious locally grown fruits and vegetables to improve the diet of children in Samoa is the essential aim,” said a spokesman for the Bahá’í Charitable Trust, “but the key ingredient to getting the message across is the humor masterfully ladled out by Sumeo.” The show, he added, features interviews with celebrities and sportspeople.

A companion cookbook featuring recipes used in the show was released at a launching ceremony Oct. 16, World Food Day, at the residence of the New Zealand high commissioner.

Other partners in producing the program include the New Zealand High Commission in Samoa, New Zealand Official Development Assistance, the Australian Agency for International Development, the FAO Pacific Regional Office, UNICEF, the Samoan Health Department and Television Samoa Corporation.

Blended-culture artworks win praise

• Canberra, Australia: A monthlong exhibit by Robin White of New Zealand and Leba Toki of Fiji, consisting of collaborative artworks on Fijian tapa (bark cloth), has won widespread admiration for their uniqueness and harmonious blending of Western and Fijian artistic traditions.

White and Toki, both Bahá’ís, are highly regarded artists. Their collaboration was “not just a way of experiencing new forms of artistic expression,” White said, “but also a way of demonstrating the potential for people from very different cultural backgrounds to work together in harmony, in a positive and creative manner.”

The three works, each about 8 feet by 10 feet, are collectively titled “Cakacakavata (Working Together).” Incorporating English, Indian and Fijian cultural elements, the designs are based on the packaging of well-known brands of tea, milk and sugar.

“We were interested in taking the idea of having a cup of tea as a means for conveying a deeper significance ... the possibility of different cultures being able to come together harmoniously, to honor and celebrate their diversity and to share in the pleasures and benefits of this world,” White said.

The set was purchased by the National Gallery of Australia. The exhibit’s opening Oct. 20 was attended by New Zealand’s high commissioner and the counselor of the Fijian High Commission.

Leba Toki and Robin White collaborate on artwork that blends Western and Fijian traditions. [Page 35]

International News

UN Day in Uganda shows triumphs

Jinja, Uganda: The Bahá’ís of Uganda showcased their achievements and activities in education, family health, moral training for children, publishing and collaboration with other nongovernmental organizations at a national United Nations Day celebration Oct. 24 at Muguluka Primary School. The school grounds were transformed into a festive fairground, with booths and tents representing a large variety of UN, government and civil society organizations. The Bahá’ís erected a large white tent with a banner proclaiming "The earth is one country and mankind its citizens."

Throughout the day hundreds of people toured the five information tables in the Bahá’í tent, many lingering for extensive discussions and requesting follow-up contact. Chief guest for the day was Uganda's minister of information, Basoga Nsadhu, accompanied by Dauda Toure, UN resident coordinator. They were escorted through the Bahá’í exhibits by George Olinga, director of the Bahá’í Office of External Affairs.

The Uganda Bahá’í Institute for Development displayed curriculum guides and training materials for teachers and parents in health education and moral development. The Bahá’í Publishing Trust displayed a wide range of Bahá’í literature and scripture in several indigenous languages.

Another table handled nominations for a peace prize to honor individuals, groups or institutions for their contributions to a culture of peace in Uganda. The Bahá’ís are co-sponsoring the prize along with the government and several nongovernmental organizations in observance of the International Year for a Culture of Peace.

Earlier in the week, the Bahá’ís held an observance of UN Day at the Bahá’í National Center and the Bahá’í House of Worship in Kampala. ♦

Top: Dauda Toure (center), UN resident coordinator, signs the guest book at the Bahá’í booth in the national United Nations Day celebration, attended by Basoga Nsadhu, Ugandan Minister of Information (background left), and George Olinga, director of the Bahá’í Office of External Affairs (right).

Above: Visitors view the Bahá’í literature table.

Bahá’í World News Service

Development scholars call for more spiritual emphasis

• New Delhi, India: Noting the shortcoming of international development efforts to fully realize their goals of ending poverty and achieving social justice, speakers at a groundbreaking gathering of nongovernmental, academic and religious organizations called for a new model of development that would emphasize spiritual and religious values as the missing ingredients.

The Colloquium on Science, Religion and Development was held Nov. 21-24 at the India International Center, with opening ceremonies at the Bahá’í House of Worship.

"Although there has been considerable evolution in development thinking over the past several decades, serious questions remain concerning present approaches and assumptions," said Bani Dugal Gujral of the Bahá’í International Community's United Nations Office in an opening address. "The great majority of the world's peoples do not view themselves simply as material beings... but rather as social and moral beings concerned with spiritual awareness and purpose.

"True prosperity—a well-being founded on peace, cooperation, altruism, dignity, rectitude of conduct and justice—requires both the 'light' of spiritual virtues and the 'lamp' of material resources," Gujral added.

Co-sponsored by United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), International Development Research Center of Cananda, Decentralized Training for Urban Development Projects, The Department of Secondary Education and Higher Education of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, the World Health Organization (WHO) and The Textile Association (India), the colloquium was organized by the National Spiritual Assembly of India and the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity, an agency of the Bahá’í International Community.

Participants included representatives from a wide range of NGOs, academic institutions and religious groups involved in development work, mainly from India and nearby nations.

"Development practitioners have for a long time been looking for a missing link, to explain the shortcomings of the current model," said Behnam Ta’í, the South Asian regional representative of the Netherlands-based Institute for Housing and Urban Studies. "For a long time, we thought it was the environment."

Katherine Marshall of the World Bank said religious organizations have long played a special role in understanding and helping the poor. "Yet their insights and their work are too little known in many development circles," she said. ♦

Solutions to Bahá’í Funds Quiz on page 16 (Youth Page)

1. What is love? What is generosity? What is devotion? (More than one correct answer! Can you think of others?) 2. What is spiritual growth? 3. What is trustworthiness? 4. What is universal participation? 5. Who are the Bahá’ís?

Youth center battles perils of drugs, AIDS

• Russia: In response to rising rates of alcoholism, drug use and AIDS among youth in the Siberian republic of Buryatia, Bahá’ís here have created a "Youth Center for Social Initiatives" to promote a healthy lifestyle among youth and teenagers and to train teachers and other specialists to do prevention work with youth. Deaths from AIDS have increased 33-fold in Buryatia since the beginning of the year, a symptom of the general moral crisis afflicting much of the region.

"No prevention work is effective without the development of a sustainable system of moral values among the youth and offering them channels for individual growth and self-fulfillment through community service," said Oxanna Dorzhieva, director of the youth center. "Our principal tasks are the development of young people's awareness of their personal dignity and the need for spiritual independence, development of a volunteer movement for prevention work, training of teachers and other specialists in prevention education, and cultivation of a positive lifestyle among youth and teenagers."

The Youth Center is an outgrowth of a Bahá’í project for youth in Ulan-Ude known as the "Young Lions" social project, which provided alternative youth activities, training in moral leadership and popular social activities for the youth of the Ulan-Ude region.

"Many prevention projects organized by Young Lions, such as 'Youth Against Drugs,' 'Be Sober in the New Millennium,' 'Our City' and seminars on AIDS, have won serious attention from the government of Buryatia and popularity among youth in Ulan-Ude and neighboring communities," Dorzhieva said.

The administration of Ivolga, a region with the highest rates of drug use among youth and of alcohol and drug-related crime, approached the Young Lions to help organize regionwide prevention activities. ♦

Stories on the International News pages are from the Bahá’í World News Service. For more international news on the Bahá’í Faith, see the Web site: www.bahaiworldnews.org

External Affairs

• India: The president of the Republic of Iceland, Olafur Ragnar Grimmson, and his family visited the Bahá’í House of Worship in New Delhi on Oct. 29. He was the first head of state to visit the "Lotus Temple" during an official state visit.

The president was accompanied by about 30 Icelandic dignitaries, including the foreign minister, Haldor Asgrimmson, and his wife. They were met by the secretary-general of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of India, Ramnik Shah; the general manager of the House of Worship, Shahin Javid; and a member of the Continental Board of Counselors for Asia, Zena Sorabjee.

The Icelandic delegation included a Bahá’í, Vilhjalmur Gudmundsson, who is director for market development for the Trade Council of Iceland.

The president's visit began with a briefing in the library on Bahá’í social and economic development efforts in India, with an emphasis on recent efforts to contribute to a moral education curriculum for Indian schools. The delegation then visited the House of Worship's main hall for a brief prayer service. ♦ [Page 36]

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 bosch@usbnc.org. Green Acre Bahá’í School, phone 207-439-7200; fax 207-438-9940; e-mail greenacre@usbnc.org; Louhelen Bahá’í School, phone 810-653-5033; fax 810-653-7181; e-mail louhelen@usbnc.org; Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute, phone 843-558-5093; fax 843-558-9136; e-mail lggbi@usbnc.org; Native American Bahá’í Institute, phone 520-587-7599; fax 520-521-1063; e-mail nabi@usbnc.org.

FEBRUARY

2–4: Two programs at Green Acre: Youth Institute for ages 15+, “The Greatness that Might Be Theirs”; Parent/Child Weekend: “Special Days.”

2–4: Local Spiritual Assembly Team Development at Bosch.

9–11: “Celebrating Marriage” at Louhelen.

9–11: “The Most Vital and Challenging Issue” at Bosch.

9–11: Married Couples Retreat at Green Acre.

9–11: Iowa Winter School, “Bahá’u’lláh: Love Me that I May Love Thee”; Newton, IA. With Khosrow Rezai, Auxiliary Board member. Registrar: John Hanke, (319) 338-3482, e-mail jhanke@mcleodusa.net.

9–12: Core Curriculum Equality Trainer Training at Louhelen; continues May 18–20.

16–18: “The Power of Love in Our Personal, Family and Community Life” at Bosch.

16–18: “Handmaidens! Becoming Our Best Selves—A Weekend for Women” at Green Acre.

16–18: North Dakota Winter School, with Lynn and William Wieties. Information: Rosalin Chrest (phone 701-839-1015).

16–19: Core Curriculum Race Unity Trainer Training at Louhelen; continues May 18–20.

16–19: Two programs at Bosch: “Reaching People of Chinese Descent” and “Holding Successful Firesides.”

16–19: Northeast Regional Bahá’í Youth Festival, “Intoning the Verses of God”; Teaneck, NJ (for information e-mail northeast@usbnc.org).

23–25: “Islam and the Bahá’í Faith” at Louhelen.

23–25: Two programs at Bosch: “The Qur’án and the History of Islam”; “Sharing the Good News with Christians.”

23–26: Core Curriculum Marriage and Family Life Trainer Training at Louhelen; continues May 25–27.

MARCH

2–4: “Fasting and Prayers” at Bosch.

2–4: “Stories and Eyewitness Accounts from the Mountain of God,” spiritual retreat for the Fast at Green Acre.

9–11: “Fasting and Prayers” at Bosch.

20: Naw-Rúz celebration/open house at Bosch.

23–25: Two programs at Green Acre: Junior Youth Institute, “Young Women and Men as Dynamic Agents of Change”; Ruhi Book 1 training, “Reflections on the Life of the Spirit.”

23–25: Three programs at Bosch: “The Healer of All Thine Ills”; Ruhi Book 1 training, “Reflections on the Life of the Spirit”; Assembly Development Modules.

23–25: Naw-Rúz Family Weekend at Louhelen.

30–April 1: “Olya’s Story” at Bosch.

30–April 1: “Understanding the Significance of the Station of Louis Gregory” at Green Acre.

APRIL

6–8: Two programs at Louhelen: “Ethics and Spirituality in Medicine”; “Teaching Christians Through the Proofs of the Holy Books.”

6–8: Association for Bahá’í Studies Regional Conference, “Addressing the Pressing Needs of Humanity: Children, Technology and the Future,” at University of California, Berkeley. Speakers, workshops, youth, pre-youth and children’s programs; see page 14. Contact Stephen Friberg, Committee Secretary, (650) 323-2815, e-mail friberg@slac.stanford.edu.

7–9: Youth Study Weekend at Bosch.

13–15: Four programs at Bosch: “The Dawn-Breakers, Part 2”; Seekers and New Believers Weekend; Ruhi Book 2 training (Book 1 training is a prerequisite); Core Curriculum Parenting Workshop (continues April 27–29).

13–15: Two programs at Louhelen: Youth Eagle Institute; “Blueprint for the Kingdom.”

13–15: “Epistle to the Son of the Wolf” at Green Acre.

20–22: Spiritual Empowerment Institute for Junior Youth at Louhelen.

20–22: Two programs at Bosch: Mothers’ Retreat; “Managing with the Wisdom of Love.”

27–29: Three programs at Bosch: Mysticism Conference; Ruhi Tutors Course (Ruhi Book 1 training is a prerequisite). Core Curriculum Parenting training.

27–29: Two programs at Green Acre: “A True Pattern in Action”; “Created Rich: Achieving True Prosperity.”

27–29: Two programs at Louhelen: “Islam and the Bahá’í Faith”; “Young at Heart.”

PAID SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

at the Bahá’í National Offices

• BDS: Business Office Manager, Buyer
• Treasurer: Fund Development Coordinator
• IS: Developers, Administrators, Help Desk
• New York Office: Public Information Director
• Washington Office: Human Rights Officer

Also: Crucial openings at the Bahá’í World Center

(See pages 24–25)

Photo Caption

Rebecca Macina and Gisu Mohadjer talk with visitors at the Bahá’í booth in the Adams Morgan neighborhood street fair, Sept. 17 in Washington, DC. The Bahá’í community has for 15 years maintained a presence at the fair, which draws a reported 100,000 people.

Photo by Fredda Bartolucci

BAHÁ’Í NATIONAL CENTER

112 LINDEN AVE WILMETTE, IL 60091-2849

JANUARY 19–FEBRUARY 25, 2001 SULTÁN/MULK • B.E. 157

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)
1.	ID#
2.	ID#
3.	ID#
4.	ID#

B. NEW RESIDENCE ADDRESS	C. NEW MAILING ADDRESS
Street Address	Street Address
Apartment # (if applicable)	Apartment # (if applicable)
City	City
State / Zip code	State / Zip code

D. NEW COMMUNITY	E. HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER
Name of new Bahá’í Community	Area Code / Phone Number / Name
Moving Date

F. WORK TELEPHONE NUMBER(S)
Area Code / Phone Number / Name	Area Code / Phone Number / Name

G. WE RECEIVE EXTRA COPIES BECAUSE:

[ ] We do not have the same last name. We do not want extra copies, so please cancel the copy for the person(s) and ID number(s) listed above.

[ ] The last names and addresses on our address labels do not match. We have listed above the full names of family members as they should appear on the national records, their ID numbers, and the corrections so that we will receive only one copy.

H. I WOULD LIKE A COPY

[ ] Our household receives only one copy of The American Bahá’í. I wish to receive my own copy. I have listed my name, ID number and address above.