The American Bahá’í/Volume 8/Issue 4/Text
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Universal House of Justice publishes Writings of Báb[edit]
The Universal House of Justice has released a volume of Writings of the Báb, fulfilling one of its goals for the Five Year Plan.
Selections from the Writings of the Báb is the first comprehensive selection from the Writings of the Báb to be published in English. Previously, Shoghi Effendi translated passages from the Writings of the Báb, which are to be found in God Passes By, The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, and The Epistle to the Son of the Wolf. Two prayers were also translated previously.
Arranged in seven sections, the new book begins with tablets and addresses to “Him Who will be made manifest,” Muḥammed Sháh, the first Letter of the Living, the Sherif of Mecca, and Muslim divines. The book includes excerpts from the Persian Bayan, the Qayyúmu’l-Asmá, the Dalá’il-Sab‘ih (The Seven Proofs), the Kitáb-i-Asmá’ (The Book of Names), and other Writings. The final section of the book is devoted to prayers and meditations.
Selections from the Writings of the Báb was compiled by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice and translated by Habib Taherzadeh. The book is available from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust for $5.00.
Construction of Seat of the Universal House of Justice begins[edit]
Construction of the Seat of the Universal House of Justice on Mount Carmel is underway.
The first concrete for the foundation level was poured February 17, the World Center reported. A contract for construction of the main structure was signed by the Universal House of Justice on January 5. At that time, it was reported that shipments of Italian marble for the five-and-a-half-story building had begun to arrive in the Holy Land. Project engineers have set April 1979 as a target for completion of the main structure. The project has been called the greatest single undertaking of the Five Year Plan by the Universal House of Justice.
Left: The general building site of the Seat of the Universal House of Justice as it appeared in February, when construction began. Above: The first concrete was poured on February 17. Ḥusayn Amánat, the architect, looks on, standing fifth from right to left.
Bermuda Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds fulfills goal of Five Year Plan[edit]
A National Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds for Bermuda, purchased with assistance from the Bahá’í community of the United States, was dedicated in Hamilton February 26.
Glenford E. Mitchell, Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly, represented the United States at the dedication. Auxiliary Board member Katherine McLaughlin represented the Continental Board of Counsellors.
More than 100 people attended the public ceremony. Among the dignitaries present were Al Gutteridge, Speaker of the Bermudian legislature, and Reverend Ryan Hennessey, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church.
The one-story structure on the edge of the downtown area was purchased from the Catholic Church in June 1976. Reverend Hennessey was responsible for the decision to sell to the Bahá’ís.
In an impromptu talk at the dedication, he said he had three times visited the Bahá’í Shrines in the Holy Land and felt he would like to have the Bahá’ís as neighbors.
Members of the Bermuda Teaching Committee on the steps of the newly dedicated Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds are joined by Glenford Mitchell, Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, and Auxiliary Board member Katherine McLaughlin.
Some improvements to the building, including construction of a front porch, have been made since June. The work has been planned by a local committee and carried out by Bahá’í volunteers. Many of the interior furnishings were donated by Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum during a recent visit.
A teaching committee for Bermuda, appointed by the National Assembly, will serve as trustee for the building until the election of a National Spiritual Assembly there at the end of the Five Year Plan.
The building contains a large meeting hall, an office, a kitchen, and two bathrooms. A large front yard will be used from time to time for public meetings.
A weekly fireside and a weekly deepening program are being held in the building. The first wedding was conducted there August 31, 1976.
Bermudian Bahá’ís must form five Local Assemblies during the Plan. Two have been formed, and it is expected a third will form at Riḍván.
International teachers needed[edit]
Persian volunteers to teach in six areas named by the Universal House of Justice in a message to the special Persian Conference held in Wilmette, December 25–26, 1976, are still being sought.
The House of Justice called for twenty-four Persian believers resident in the United States to travel to Africa, Australasia, and Central and South America to teach the Faith for periods of three to six months.
Fifteen believers volunteered at the conference, but none have yet been able to begin their assignments. Many of the volunteers say they will not leave on their teaching tours because of prior obligations until 1978. Others report they are able to go at this time but lack the necessary funds.
The House of Justice has suggested that Persian youth studying in this country might volunteer for traveling teaching and receive financial assistance from their parents, if the parents can afford it.
[Page 2]
Bahá’í teachers, continued from p. 1
In a letter to all National Assemblies dated December 19, the House of Justice said, “While teaching projects of short duration, in terms of days and one or two weeks, are useful, the time has come for long-term teaching projects of three to six months and possibly more.” The letter continued, “It is hoped that those who will arise will be mostly self-supporting or supported by private deputation.”
| Country | No. of Traveling Teachers | Length of Stay | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| CENTRAL AND EAST AFRICA | |||
| Zaire | 2 | 6 months | French-speaking |
| Central African Republic | 1 | 6 months | French-speaking |
| SOUTHERN AFRICA | |||
| Lesotho | 1 | 2 months | English-speaking |
| SOUTHERN AFRICA | |||
| Zambia | 1 | 2 months | English-speaking |
| Botswana | 1 | 2 months | English-speaking |
| Madagascar | 1 | 4 months | French-speaking |
| Reunion Island | 1 | 1 month | French-speaking |
| WESTERN AFRICA | |||
| Ghana | 1 | 6–8 weeks | November–April |
| Liberia | 1 | 6–8 weeks | November–April |
| Nigeria | 3 | 3 months | English-speaking |
| Cameroon | 3 | 3 months | 1 French-speaking, November–August |
| CENTRAL AMERICA | |||
| Fr. Antilles | Martinique 1 | 2 months | French-speaking |
| Guadeloupe 1 | 2 months | French-speaking | |
| St. Martin 1 | 1 month | French-speaking | |
| Haiti | 1 | 2 months | French-speaking |
| Mexico | 1 | 4 months | Spanish-speaking |
| Guatemala | 1 | 2 months | Spanish-speaking |
| SOUTH AMERICA | |||
| Guyana/Surinam | 1 | 1 month | English-speaking |
| French Guiana/N. Brazil | 1 | 2 months | French-speaking |
| Ecuador/Peru/Bolivia | 1 | 2 months | Spanish-speaking (youth) |
| Venezuela/Colombia/Paraguay | 1 | 2 months | Spanish-speaking |
| Uruguay/Chile/South Brazil | 1 | 2 months | Spanish-speaking (university teaching) |
| AUSTRALASIA | |||
| Solomons | English-speaking | ||
| New Guinea | English-speaking | ||
| New Caledonia | (no requirements indicated) | French-speaking | |
| Loyalty | French-speaking | ||
| Tahiti | French-speaking | ||
| New Hebrides | French-speaking | ||
PRIORITY AREAS TO BE VISITED FOR WHICH THERE ARE VOLUNTEERS
Central and East Africa - Tanzania
Southern Africa - Lesotho, Zambia, and Botswana
Central America - Martinique, Guadeloupe, St. Martin, Haiti, Grenada, St. Vincent, Grenadines, St. Lucia, Dominica, and Barbados
South America - Trinidad and Tobago
Australasia - Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, and Gilberts
Everyone is welcome at the Youth Conference
Communities join efforts to aid individual teaching[edit]
An intriguing new program to promote a renewed concern for individual teaching as well as to stimulate love and unity in the Bahá’í community has been carefully formulated by the National Teaching Committee and will be presented to Bahá’í communities for their consideration starting in May.
The program is called “Cluster Teaching.” According to the design, several communities within a district, generally three or four, come together once a month for an afternoon and evening which involves deepening, fellowship, and participating in teaching.
The program is repeated in a different community in the cluster on consecutive months. The host community plans the event, including a teaching activity that will attract the public. The visiting communities bring seekers from their own areas and participate fully in every aspect of the day’s program.
A campaign similar to the one being launched by the National Teaching Committee was in effect in California during
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Register for the Youth Conference by May 25th
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Los individuos no deben ponerse en contacto con personas prominentes[edit]
En vista del hecho de que algunos de los amigos no conocen esta instrucción dada a la Asamblea Espiritual Nacional por Shoghi Effendi y publicada en Bahá’í News varias veces, la Asamblea Nacional llama la atención al hecho de que los contactos con personas de prominencia nacional e internacional, sean directamente o por escrito, no deben hacerse por Bahá’ís individuales.
Esta es una función de la Asamblea Espiritual Nacional. Sin embargo, los creyentes están en libertad de hacer recomendaciones a la Asamblea Nacional de que se hagan dichos contactos. La Asamblea Nacional a su vez puede desear autorizar a algún individuo o Asamblea Local a establecer el contacto, según las circunstancias.
Conkling nuevo secretario del NTC[edit]
El NTC (Comité Nacional de Ensenanza) tiene un nuevo secretario. Es John W. Conkling, de Idaho Falls, Idaho. El Sr. Conkling, un Bahá’í desde 1952, ha servido en el NTC desde 1974. El considera la amplia expansión de la Fe y la habilidad de mantener victorias ganadas como los objetivos principales del NTC en estos tiempos.
El Sr. Conkling no es extraño en el área de Wilmette. Él es un graduado de la Northwestern University y ha sido muchas veces un delegado a la Convención Nacional, representando a Colorado, Idaho y Utah.
En sus primeros años como Bahá’í, él sirvió en el Comité Regional de Ensenanza para Colorado.
El y su esposa Eleanore fueron pioneros dentro de los E.U.A. en Provo, Utah, durante la Cruzada de Diez Años. Ellos vivieron allí desde 1955 hasta 1963.
El trabajo del Sr. Conkling luego lo llevó a él a Idaho Falls, Idaho, donde él llegó a ser miembro del State Goals Committee (Comité de Metas del Estado), el Comité Distrital de Enseñanza y el Comité Regional de Estados del Oeste.
La carrera comercial del Sr. Conkling ha sido en el campo de la comercialización y el desarrollo de una agencia de seguros. El matrimonio Conkling tiene tres hijos.
Local Assemblies incorporated since Riḍván 1976[edit]
Mesa, Arizona
Front row, left to right: Kenneth Starling, Maureen Starling, Tabandah Calrow. Back row, left to right: Steven Calrow, Samandar Ha’í, Dorothy Ha’í, Paulina Stout. Not pictured: Siri Eastland and Maurice Kellerhouse.
Chula Vista, California
Front row, left to right: Charyl Thorpe, Ty Monji, Russell Neffew, Bijan Zayer. Back row, left to right: Keith Thorpe, Clare Deane Martin, Stephanie Dumanis, Morgan Merritt, Ron Bushey.
Concord, California
Members of the Local Spiritual Assembly: Shirrlie Burriston, Iraj Farzaneh, Kathleen Farzaneh, Guity Kiani, Mo Een Kiani, Patrick Moore, Joseph Saylor, Katherine Saylor, Tahirih Yavrom. Not pictured: Norma Vicknair.
North DeKalb County, Georgia
Front row, left to right: Phil Breitenbucher, Arthur Murphy, Carolyn Murphy, Kevin Schuler. Back row, left to right: Karen A. Kenneth, Gary McDaniel, Cher Ackerman-Fortin, Ron Fortin, Sally Brown.
Alton, New Hampshire
Front row, left to right: Joan Gustafson, Walerie Fogg, Barbara Kellar. Back row, left to right: Nella Gustafson, Shirley Recks, Dennis Fogg, Mary Vlk, Ann Young, Muriel Gurney.
Dover, New Hampshire
Members of Local Spiritual Assembly: Melinda Armstrong, Randall Armstrong, Robert Atkinson, Carmine Consalvo, Dennis Duquette, Herman Grammer, Shirley Grammer, Stephen P. Milden, Zehreh Milden.
North Marion County, Oregon
Front row, left to right: Phil, Mary Nixon Conner, Fred Bastian. Back row, left to right: Bob Hazel, Ton Gibson, Vicky Gibson, David House, Elva Morrison, Sally Bastion.
Photos not available
- Santa Clara, California
- Simi Valley, California
- Ventura County JD, California
- Rock Island, Illinois
- North Las Vegas, Nevada
- Gresham, Oregon
List current as of March 1, 1977
Teaching Briefs[edit]
A Bahá’í in Karnack, Texas, closed her store to business and opened it to the Bahá’ís to hold a fireside and deepening with music and a potluck dinner. Nearly 20 people filtered in to join the activity, the majority of whom were non-Bahá’í customers who were surprised to find the store closed but were attracted by the activity and stayed. They were invited to a picnic the following week.
An FM radio station in Eastern Pennsylvania broadcasted a program on the Bahá’í Faith. So many listeners responded positively that the Bahá’ís were asked to do a second program. The Bahá’ís have received continuous calls from inquirers, interest from seekers in goal areas, and even a call from the state of Maryland.
Wyoming has only five counties left to open. Homefront pioneers have moved into Converse and Johnson Counties recently, opening them. Rawlins and Carbon County were reopened with the declaration of a husband and wife who contacted nearby Laramie after seeing a newspaper advertisement.
Southern Minnesota reports 19 declarations in recent months; the last two declarants live in a previously unopened locality, Elk River.
Bahá’ís visited 100 households in Johnson City, Tennessee, on January 8, which resulted in 10 seekers at a fireside and one declaration. The declaration opened Unicoi County.
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Schools tailored to individual community needs[edit]
Bahá’í children’s schools are being established across the country to meet the goal of the Five Year Plan that children be included in Bahá’í community life. There is no accurate estimate of how many communities have schools. However, the National Education Office has received more than 250 requests for assistance in setting up children’s schools. More requests arrive constantly.
The design of Bahá’í schools differs according to the needs of the children in each community. No single pattern is being followed. In fact, reports received by The American Bahá’í indicate a diverse range of ideas and programs are being tried.
Children in the Stockton, California, area, for example, were not enthusiastic about attending Bahá’í school weekly, so the school format was changed to that of a weekend institute held every six to eight weeks. Now the students look forward to the Bahá’í school as a special event.
In its second year, the Brilliant Star Institute in Stockton attracts fifteen to twenty students from a sixty mile radius. Classes are held both on Saturday morning and Sunday, and the students stay overnight in the homes of Bahá’ís, away from their parents.
The three age groups — 5 to 8, 9 to 11, and 12 to 16 — attend 45 minute classes on Bahá’í subjects. Crafts and music are alternated with recreation sessions. The children practice skits and puppet shows during classes and present them on Saturday evening, which is reserved for entertainment.
Children in Fernley, Nevada, look forward to the Saturday children’s school held in the home of Jaqueline Gwathney. Eight to ten children, including her own three, attend regularly. The majority are not Bahá’ís but are from her neighborhood.
The day opens at 9 a.m. with science experiments or games designed to improve academic skills. The group then studies memory work for the remainder of the morning. After a bag lunch, the children turn to music, which includes singing, “hand-singing” to learn music notation, rhythm, composition, and instrumentation. The students learn to express themselves orally through poetry, speech-making, stories, and moral-dilemma discussions. After another break, the class learns control and grace through gymnastics or other physical movement.
Once a month, the class takes a field trip which relates to their current unit topic. Most recently, they visited the Embryology Department of the University of Nevada in Reno. This complemented the children’s study of the Dual Nature of Man, which had begun with the study of the process of physical development.
Many communities have cooperated with each other to found children’s schools. One school which has resulted from intercommunity cooperation is the Bahá’í School of the North Shore, in Evanston, Illinois.
Each Sunday morning, children from 16 different Bahá’í communities arrive at the doors of Kendall College for an hour and forty minutes of instruction. One family drives 100 miles to attend the weekly school. Ten children are on the waiting list for enrollment in the school, which is operating at its capacity, 90 children.
The school began in October 1976 after four months of preparation. The primary goal at its opening was to create a learning environment so enjoyable that the children would want to attend every Sunday. The teachers strive to promote the oneness of mankind by introducing the children to people of diverse racial and cultural backgrounds, as well as impart to the children important information about the Faith and its teachings.
Over a long period of time, it is hoped that the children will develop a sense of Bahá’í identity through weekly association with other Bahá’ís their age, and that their experience in children’s school will influence their decisions to declare when they reach the age of 15.
The family is an important part of the Bahá’í School of the North Shore. Each week, before the classes begin, the adults and children meet together for prayers and songs. The parents attend weekly adult classes, which allow them to be a part of their child’s Sunday morning experience. Periodically, the Sunday morning session is a time of games and refreshments for the entire family.
Above: The “learning center” concept of education is the basis for the weekly children’s classes in Dallas, Texas. A group of three-to-five-year-olds work at the arts and crafts center. Right, top to bottom: Children in Fernley, Nevada, participate in small group consultation on judging fact or opinion; children’s activities were planned for the Marriage and Parenting Institute held in Mentor, Ohio; Bahá’í education class on a Navajo Reservation,
The selection of teachers is based on character, capability, sensitivity, and creativity with children. Before the school opened, the teachers attended training sessions where they learned the objectives of the school and how to create the best environment for the children.
During classes, the children are challenged to think about the teachings of the Faith and to memorize the Writings. In the pre-school age group, sharing, cooperation, and other aspects of good character are taught with crafts, stories, and games. The 8 to 11 year olds learn to understand the Faith and become devoted Bahá’ís. Older children are pointed toward social and teaching activities outside the school.
An important aspect in the success of the school is the support of the Local Assemblies involved. Another is the willingness of the parents to reinforce at home what the child learns at school. The children themselves have contributed to the success of the school. Since classes began in October, many strong friendships have developed among the children, carrying over to the rest of the week.
Education consultants assist children’s classes development[edit]
The National Education Office has trained 129 Bahá’í educators as consultants to meet with communities around the country who are interested in beginning Bahá’í children’s schools or upgrading existing programs. The consultants meet with Local Spiritual Assemblies and Groups on a continuing basis to assess the needs of the community, suggest goals for a school program, and present a choice of teaching methods.
As of January, over 250 communities had requested the services of the National Education Office consultants. Many communities are asking for the consultants for a second time, feeling the need for more training after 6 months to a year’s involvement in the children’s school. The consultants are willing to design specialty workshops on subjects such as creative dramatics, as well as provide “basic training.”
The average American Bahá’í community has from three to five children. Part of the consultant’s task is to alert the communities to the fact that the education of children is ongoing: if the community is not fostering child education, it is hindering it. Those Bahá’ís who do not have children should be as supportive of the children’s education as the parents are. Community support can be accomplished in many ways. Older Bahá’ís may act as surrogate grandparents; others may furnish refreshments or transportation to Bahá’í school; a young adult could adopt a child for the day, especially if the child is from a single-parent family.
Another job of the consultants is to show teachers how to prepare for classes; lack of preparation is 99 percent of the reason that teachers fail. The teachers are reminded of the spiritual bounty that comes from association with children, and the spiritual growth which follows. Bahá’í men are encouraged to become teachers at the children’s school, and youth are sometimes asked to serve as teacher’s aids.
National Education Office consultants are not yet available in the Northeast but will be by late summer.
Why I like Bahá’í School[edit]
Dear Friends:
I like Bahá’í classes. Bahá’í classes help kids and adults learn more about the Faith. Bahá’í classes teach about unity. At Bahá’í classes we meet friends of all races. It is fun. We play games that teach about the Bahá’í principles.
I wish that there were Bahá’í classes all over the world. And some day there will be.
Tom Matz
age 10
Dear Friends:
I like Bahá’í School because we learn things sometimes by playing games. Then sometimes we’d watch people over the week and come back and tell the nice things that the people did and the class would guess the virtues that you saw. Then maybe we’d have a Feast after that.
Bradley Bullock
age 11
Dear Friends:
I think Bahá’í School is educational and fun together. One of my favorite projects was making a bunny from the book The Gift—boy was it fun!
And one more thing, the singing is terrific! But I think we should have conferences about the problems we have during the week and try to settle them.
Jennifer Price
age 9
Dear Friends:
I like Bahá’í School because when you go there it is like going to another family; you do not have to be afraid of people teasing you. I like Bahá’í School because there are a lot of things to do and people are very nice and I like the things we do in my class. And I think it brings you closer to God.
Becky Hughes
age 8
Over half of Local Assemblies trained[edit]
In the 18 months since its launching, 451 Local Assemblies have completed training offered by the Local Assembly Development Program. An additional 57 Assemblies are currently receiving training.
The objective of the program is to help Assemblies improve their ability to guide the growth of their communities and to organize the affairs of the Faith in their localities.
The program is administered to Assemblies by a corps of trainers assigned to different regions of the country. The training takes 30 hours to complete, and at least six members of an Assembly must participate to be counted in the total of trained Assemblies.
The National Assembly’s goal is to complete the training of up to 1,400 Assemblies before the end of the Five Year Plan. At this time, 432 of the 940 Assemblies remain to be trained. The Local Assembly Development Program handles between 60–75 Assemblies per month.
It appears to be too soon to tell when the training will affect a great change in the performance of Local Assemblies, according to the National Assembly’s Community Development Office.
Local Assemblies do report satisfaction with the training, and many of them appear now to be handling difficult community problems that before might have been avoided, that office says.
Local Assembly elected at Crow Creek Reservation[edit]
The Spiritual Assembly of Crow Creek Sioux Reservation, South Dakota, was elected for the first time on January 12. Members of the Local Assembly, from left to right, are Joanne Marian, Bill DuPuis, Grover St. John, Karen Rambo, Viola Obago, Michael Bagola, Catherine Shore, Edith DuPuis, and Virginia Tice. At the weekend celebration honoring the Assembly in January, Wayne Steffes of the American Indian Teaching Committee asked that the new Assembly work toward restoring the first all-Indian Local Assembly elected in Macy, Nebraska, in 1948. In addition to that goal, the Assembly has made the goal that 2 percent of the population of Crow Creek Reservation be Bahá’ís by Riḍván. Approximately 1 percent of the population was Bahá’í at the time the Local Assembly was formed.
Afro-American Day held[edit]
Margaret Danner, one of America’s most widely anthologized Black poets and a Bahá’í, was one of the featured talents at Afro-American Day at the House of Worship on February 26. Three hundred and fifty people attended the program, which included a dramatic reading by Adellafoit Jennings of Los Angeles, and the Sterling Glenn Contemporary Chorale of Detroit.
Youth teaching project on Indian Reservation[edit]
A National Summer Youth Teaching Project sponsored by the American Indian Teaching Committee and the National Youth Committee will be held July 6–29 at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota.
One of the purposes of the project is to help form a Local Spiritual Assembly, which will fulfill a goal of the Five Year Plan.
The project is open to a dozen to twenty youth between the ages of 15 and 25, by invitation only. Those youth who are selected must attend a training session at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation July 6–8. Costs for food and housing during the project will be $150 or less. Transportation costs to North Dakota are separate.
The group will be divided into four teams. One team will oversee children’s classes; another will help with cooking and cleaning for the group; the third will visit seekers and consolidate new believers; and the fourth will plan the evening firesides and proclamations. The teams will work on a rotating basis.
Contact the National Youth Office immediately for an application form at 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091.
Cluster teaching, continued from page two[edit]
1974. During that time, enrollments in the state increased substantially, reversing the national trend, the National Teaching Committee reports.
The National Teaching Committee feels the various elements of the program—travel teaching, intercommunity activity, fellowship, deepening, and cooperation in teaching—will work to stimulate love and unity among the Bahá’ís in every district. A successful effort of this kind can help to increase enrollments and move the community toward victory in the Five Year Plan.
District Teaching Committees will coordinate the cluster teaching efforts within each state. They will assign communities to their cluster and will be of service in making sure all works smoothly.
The National Teaching Committee and other national committees, among them the National Education Committee, the National Youth Committee, and the National Information Committee, will assist with different elements of the ongoing program.
South American teaching project[edit]
The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Guyana, Surinam, and French Guiana have extended an invitation for American Bahá’ís to assist them with a teaching project in Guyana July 9–August 28, 1977. During that period, the Fifth Annual Youth Camp will be held August 5–8. Anyone interested in participating in this project should contact the International Goals Committee immediately.
Border town needs homefront pioneer[edit]
The Bahá’ís of Douglas, Arizona, ask that their community be given consideration by prospective homefront pioneers. Douglas is located on the border of the United States and Mexico and is a vital area for teaching the Faith to Spanish-speaking people. Older married couple preferred. Please contact Joan Lozier, Box 641, Douglas, AZ 85607, or telephone 602-364-8207.
Fairhaven: now and when[edit]
1977 A.D. 134 B.E.
Wednesday evening, April 20, in the home of Ed and Ginny Wells, on a shaded street in Fairhaven, Ohio, a small group of Bahá’ís gathered. It was a special occasion for them; it marked the birth of the first Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Fairhaven.
Ed and Ginny had moved to Fairhaven, an unopened locality, in 1973. Their goal was to form a Local Spiritual Assembly. Their persistent efforts—with the help of two other homefront pioneers, LeRoy and Rose Robinson—had paid off. Five residents of Fairhaven had enrolled in the Faith, thus giving them the nine needed to form the Assembly.
The atmosphere in the Wells’ living room was a mixture of joy and anxious anticipation as they began with prayers and readings.
“Intone, O My servant, the verses of God....” Ginny Wells looked down at the floor and thought back to the day she and her husband arrived in Fairhaven with just enough savings for two months rent, their possessions crammed into their station wagon, and without knowing a soul in town. She looked at her children, and then around the room, her gaze settling momentarily on each face. She closed her eyes and listened again to the words that filled the room.
“The Lord hath ordained that in every city a House of Justice be established wherein shall gather counsellors to the number of Bahá,...” “When the victory arriveth, every man shall profess himself as a believer and shall hasten to the shelter of God’s Faith. Happy are they who in the days of world-encompassing trials have stood fast in the Cause and refused to swerve from its truth.”
The words reverberated in her mind. “Happy are they who stood fast in the Cause and refused to swerve....” She and Ed had almost left Fairhaven when, after a year and a half, they felt they had made no progress. They had two infants who occupied all of Ginny’s time, and Ed’s salary hardly covered their needs. But they’d remained at their post, and now, looking at the joyous faces in her living room, she was glad they had.
2177 A.D. 334 B.E.
The sun had reached its zenith and shone brightly on the outdoor amphitheatre that lay on the top of a small knoll on the western outskirts of Fairhaven. The amphitheatre, a large, horseshoe-shaped arena, was rapidly filling with townspeople. The Mashriqu’l-Adhkár was visible through the open end of the amphitheatre; its dome gleaming in the sun, its landscaped gardens reaching down around the sides of the hill, etching a pattern of perfection in shades of green and white.
There were to be activities throughout the Riḍván Festival, but the high point would be the election of the House of Justice.
Earlier in the day, there had been consultation on the affairs of the community. The recommendations from each of the 81 consultative groups would be sent to the House of Justice for its consideration.
As the appointed hour approached, colorfully dressed men, women, and children streamed into the amphitheatre. The children carried bouquets of flowers in their arms. The fragrance of attar of rose pervaded the air, and expressions of joy and solemnity filled the faces.
The readings from the Sacred Text began: “The Lord hath ordained that in every city a House of Justice be established wherein shall gather counsellors to the number of Bahá,...” “Every Assembly elected in that rarefied atmosphere of selflessness and detachment is, in truth, appointed of God....”
In the silent interlude that followed, the people of Fairhaven sat in meditation, and then cast their ballots. When the ballots had been tallied, the chief teller strode to the podium. Slowly he read the names. After the last name was read, applause thundered throughout the amphitheatre, and the elected members moved with bowed heads across the grass and onto the stage.
The convenor stepped to the microphone, and the crowd fell silent. “Beloved friends, we humbly accept your praise in the only way we can—as a tribute to that small group of dedicated believers, who, while the rest of the inhabitants of this city lay wrapped in strange sleep, met two hundred years ago to form the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Fairhaven—the precursor to this august and mighty Institution. May their sacrifices be a lesson to us all.”
Summer school schedule[edit]
| School | Dates of Session | Place | Registrar or School Committee Secretary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | July 30 – August 5 | Arizona Church Conference Center Prescott, Arizona |
Mrs. Connie Kiely, Registrar R. No. 2, Box 2968 Apache Junction, Arizona 85220 602-982-1562 |
| Bosch | June 18 – Sept. 2 All sessions open to all ages except: June 18–24: ages 11–15 July 16–22: 18 and over Aug. 6–12: families Aug. 20–26: ages 15–25 |
Bosch Bahá’í School Santa Cruz, California |
Mrs. Flavia Harris, Registrar 500 Comstock Lane Santa Cruz, CA 95060 408-423-3387 |
| Southern California | July 3–9 | Camp Maranatha Idyllwild, California |
Joe Appolito, Registrar 903 Vista Grande El Cajon, California 92021 714-440-6360 |
| Carolinas | July 4–10 | Warren Wilson College Swannanoa, North Carolina |
Mrs. Anne Respess, Registrar 4310 Romaine St. Greensboro, NC 27407 919-294-1253 |
| Colorado East | June 18–24 | Black Forest Baptist Assembly Colorado Springs, Colorado |
Donald Brayton, Registrar P.O. Box 1033 Woodland Park, Colorado 80863 303-687-3351 |
| Colorado West | For information about this school, contact the School Committee, c/o Mr. Ben Heffer, 259 Nancy, Grand Junction, Colorado 81501, 303-243-5939 | ||
| Conifer Hill | June 3–19 (work/study) June 20–26 (work/study) July 1–7 (Family Camp) |
Lyons, Colorado | Mrs. Marilyn Fisher, Secretary 437 Pine Boulder, CO 80863 303-443-6422 |
| Davison | July 31 – August 8 | MEA Conference Center Battle Creek, Michigan |
Mr. David Smith, Secretary 716 Wildes Midland, MI 48640 517-631-1654 |
| Florida South | For information about this school, contact the School Committee, Mrs. Susan Kreider, Secretary, 825 Fairway Dr., Plantation, FL 33317, 305-584-0968 | ||
| Georgia/Alabama | June 28 – July 6 | Camp John Hope Fort Valley, Georgia |
Mr. Tom Seale, Secretary 442 Seminole Ave. No. 5 Atlanta, GA 30307 404-523-2751 |
| Green Acre | July 3 – September 3 | Eliot, Maine | Mrs. Shirley Grammer, Secretary 205 Washington St. Portsmouth, NH 03801 603-431-4146 |
| Minnesota | August 1–6 | Frontenac Methodist Camp Frontenac, Minnesota |
Gary Colgrove, Registrar 215 15th Ave. NW New Brighton, MN 55112 612-636-6763 |
| Montana | August 14–20 | Lions Camp Red Lodge, Montana |
Mr. Les Pardis, Registrar R1 No. 3 Billings, Montana 59101 406-373-5821 |
| Nebraska | July 3–9 | Camp Harriet Harding Louisville, Nebraska (between Omaha and Lincoln) |
Mr. Dave Clarke, Registrar 11912 Amerada Blvd., Apt. 315 Omaha, Nebraska 68123 402-291-0275 |
| New York | July 16–31 | Oakwood School Poughkeepsie, New York |
Mrs. Evelyn Aabel, Secretary Rd. 2, North Ave. Pleasant Valley, NY 12569 914-635-8143 |
| Oklahoma/Texas | August 1–6 | Bridgeport Conference Center Bridgeport, Texas |
Mrs. Karen Kazemzadeh, Secretary 5533 Maple Ave. No. G Dallas, TX 75235 214-630-5836 |
| Oregon | Suttle Lake August 7–12 Badasht July 14–17 |
United Methodist Camp Sisters, Oregon Apserkaha Camp, near Ashland, Oregon |
Mrs. Sylvia Surratt, Registrar 8587 Wagner Creek Rd. Talent, Oregon 97540 503-535-4543 |
| Washington East | August 7–13 | YMCA Camp Whites Pass, Washington |
Mrs. Wendy Burns, Secretary 521 N. Chestnut Toppenish, WA 98948 509-865-4782 |
| Washington West | June 25 – July 1 | Seabeck Christian Camp Seabeck, Washington |
Mr. Nick Knight, Registrar 3927 Banner Rd. SE Port Orchard, WA 98335 206-871-2872 |
Youth Conference Scholarships[edit]
Bahá’í youth who wish to attend the Fourth Bahá’í National Youth Conference, June 29–July 3, and need financial assistance, should contact their Local Spiritual Assemblies now for scholarship arrangements.
Special scholarship cases may be referred to the National Youth Office, which has limited funds for that purpose.
Youth to work in Temple gardens[edit]
Applications are now being taken for a youth work project to be held July 5–8, following the Youth Conference. Twenty-five youth will be selected to work in the gardens at the House of Worship. Those who volunteer should arrange for housing before their arrival and bring work clothes and shoes (other than sandals or those with open toes).
Write to the National Youth Office, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091.
Skilled musicians invited to perform at youth gathering[edit]
The Bahá’í National Youth Committee asks that musicians who have played at community proclamations, firesides, weddings, or other Bahá’í events, and who would be interested in playing at the Fourth Bahá’í National Youth Conference as part of an orchestra, group, or as a soloist, send a cassette recording of their music to the Youth Committee.
“Education with ecstasy”
Green Acre summer theme[edit]
The Green Acre Summer School is in the process of recruiting adults to teach Bahá’í children. A teacher training weekend will be held in the spring for those who are able to attend.
Include a brief statement of your teaching experience with children, along with what age group you prefer to teach and whether or not you would be able to attend a teacher’s training weekend, to the Green Acre Children’s Task Force. Also indicate what portion of room and board you can contribute and what weeks you are available to teach, beginning July 3 and ending August 27. The address is P.O. Box 242, Hadley, Massachusetts 01035.
Volunteer positions open at Green Acre[edit]
Green Acre Bahá’í School is accepting applications for various jobs open in the summer of 1977.
Included are housekeepers, registrars, cooks, kitchen helpers, and innkeeper. Work/study positions are open in buildings, grounds, garden, food services, library, book sales, recreation, child care, housekeeping, and clerical areas.
A full-time director for the children’s program at Green Acre is needed for the summer session, July 2–September 3, 1977. Responsibilities include teacher supervision, parent orientation, and curriculum planning. The applicant should have teaching experience and be able to work in a team situation. Send a resume, references, and inquiries to Green Acre School Children’s Task Force, P.O. Box 242, Hadley, Massachusetts 01035. on)
Visit House of Worship on way to Youth Conference[edit]
For those individuals attending the Bahá’í National Youth Conference who wish to visit the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, a special program has been arranged to take place Tuesday evening June 28 and Wednesday morning June 29. The program will include a special devotional program on Tuesday evening and dawn prayers on Wednesday morning as well as a special presentation on the Bahá’í House of Worship and a viewing of precious objects from the Bahá’í Archives. Housing will not be provided.
The schedule is as follows:
| Tuesday, June 28 | |
| Devotional program | 7:30 p.m. |
| Archives display | 7:30 p.m. |
| Bookstore open | 7:30–10 p.m. |
| Audio-visual programs in Foundation Hall | 7:30–10 p.m. |
| Wednesday, June 29 | |
| Dawn prayers and devotional program | 7:30–8 a.m. |
| House of Worship presentation | 9–10 a.m. and 10:30–11:30 a.m. |
Special devotional programs are also planned for Sunday evening, July 3. In addition, buses have been chartered which will transport interested Bahá’ís from the House of Worship to the Conference site in Champaign/Urbana on Wednesday afternoon and return on Sunday afternoon, July 3. Bahá’ís interested in taking the bus to the conference must return the form below with $15 to the Bahá’í National Youth Conference Committee.
- Buses leave the House of Worship promptly at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 29.
- Buses leave the University of Illinois promptly at 2 p.m., Sunday, July 3.
- The attached bus seat reservation form is for one seat only. A separate form is required for each seat reserved.
- The fee is non-refundable but is transferable and must be paid in full in advance.
- The reservation form must be received on or before May 25.
Assistance sought for counselling Youth Conference[edit]
Bahá’ís with substantial experience in a trade or profession are needed to assist in counselling youth on careers at the Bahá’í National Youth Conference in Champaign-Urbana June 29–July 3.
A major emphasis of the Youth Conference will be to encourage youth to prepare themselves for the future by undertaking careers that will allow them to be of the greatest service to mankind.
Bahá’ís with professional experience in a wide range of occupations will be asked to give career information and guidance to the youth in classroom lectures, informal discussions, and individual counselling.
If you feel you are qualified to volunteer your service in this capacity, write to the Bahá’í National Youth Committee, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois, 60091.
The Committee will need a resumé or description of your work experience in order to make its selection for the program.
Special tour of House of Worship planned[edit]
Another in a series of exciting and informative special visit programs to the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois, will be held June 23–26. Enrollment is limited to 30 believers on a first-come-first-served basis. Complete the registration form and mail it soon.
The special visit program is an ongoing project of the Bahá’í House of Worship Activities Committee and is designed primarily to refresh and gladden the spirit as well as provide an insight into the functioning of the various departments at the Bahá’í National Center.
Among the speakers who will share those precious moments in the development of the American Bahá’í community and the raising of the “Mother Temple of the West” will be Continental Counsellor Edna True, whose mother, Hand of the Cause of God Corinne True, devoted her life to make the House of Worship a reality. Glenford E. Mitchell, secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly, will host a gathering of the participants at the Haziratu’l-Quds, the meeting place of the National Spiritual Assembly, and share many aspects of how the National Spiritual Assembly conducts its business. All of the offices at the National Center, including the Bahá’í Publishing Trust and the Bahá’í Home, will be visited and a special display of the National Archives will be presented.
Housing has been arranged at the Howard Johnson Motor Lodge in nearby Skokie, Illinois. Transportation from the motel to the National Center will be provided. Each participant will be responsible for his own meals.
Campsites near Youth Conference[edit]
Camping in connection with Youth Conference
For those who wish camping facilities while attending the National Youth Conference, three are listed located approximately 20–25 miles from the Conference site:
- Camper’s Ridge
- R. 3, Lake of the Woods Rds.
- Mahomet, IL 61853
- Phone: 217/586-2055
60 campsites, 35 with electric hook-ups. Toilets, showers, playgrounds, snack bar.
- Dee-N-W Lake
- Rt. 4
- Champaign, IL 61820
- Phone: 217/256-2445
40 campsites, all with electric hook-ups. Firewood, toilets, showers, dumping station, camp store.
- Tincup Camper’s Park, Inc.
- Rt. 2
- Mahomet, IL 61853
- Phone: 217/586-3011
100 campsites, all with electric hook-ups. Firewood, toilets, showers, dumping station, camp store, golf course and museum.
You must make your own arrangements directly with the camps; and suggest you do it immediately.
For more Illinois camping information, contact:
- Illinois Division of Tourism
- 222 So. College St.
- Springfield, IL 62706
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Update from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust
To order: Order through Community Librarians if possible! Personal orders: enclose full payment plus $.75 handling charge for orders under $5.00. Order from Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 415 Linden Ave., Wilmette, Ill. 60091. |
| Writings of the Báb published | House of Justice Seat construction begins | New emphasis on individual teaching |
| Page 1 | Page 1 | Page 2 |
Crates of marble for The Universal House of Justice Seat arrived in Haifa in January. The Shrine of the Báb is in the background.