U.S. Supplement/Issue 84/Text

[Page 1]

Special Prayers Called for

During the Nineteen Day Fast /4 flom 0/“ Zfla

The National Spiritual Assembly hereby calls upon all believers throughout the United States to join in prayer during the Nineteen Day Fast as part of the allout effort in which every one must be constantly engaged for the victory of the Nine Year Plan.

“Glory be to Thee, 0 Lord my God! These are the days whereon Thou has bidden all men to observe the fast, that through it they may purify their souls and rid themselves of all attachment totany one but Thee, and that out of their hearts may ascend that which will be worthy of the court of Thy majesty and may well beseem the seat of the revelation of Thy oneness. Grant, O my Lord, that this fast may yield the virtue wherewith thou has endowed it. . . .” (P & M, p. 79)

“. . . Thou has endowed every hour of these days with a special virtue, inscrutable to all except Thee, whose knowledge embraceth all created things. . . .” (P & M, H p. 143) OF THE DIVINE PLAN

“Magnified be Thy name, O my God! Now that Thou has caused me to apprehend this truth, I beseech Thee

by Thy Name which no scroll can bear, which no heart . can imagine and no tongue can utter . . . to unfurl, Ann°uncemen+° ere the present year draw to a close, the ensigns of Thine undisputed ascendancy and triumph, that the A NATlON'WlDE whole creation may be exalted through the ennobling influence of Thy transcendent sovereignty, and that all may arise and promote Thy Cause.” (P & M, p. 94) ON THE UNlQUE $PlRl'l-UAL l‘lERlTAGE

OF THE AMERICAN BAHA'l COMMUNITY

Saturday - Sunday NSA Amends Articles and By-Laws March 5. 7, 1955 l.SA’S t0 Take Similar ACtloll An Eng-iehingl Deepening Meefing Upon the instructions of the Universal House of Jus- To Learn More About

tice, the National Spiritual Assembly, at its meeting of November 20, 1964, amended its Articles and By- America's God_Given Mission laws to incorporate the name and authority of the Universal House of Justice, supreme administrative body . of the Faith. With the election of the Universal House Bring your copies. of The Tablets of the Divine Plan. of Justice on April 21, 1963, the essential administrative Bring a Bahá’í with you to increase attendance structure of the Faith has been completed, and neces- _ _ _ _ _ Sary legal actions must be taken at every level of the 150 local. spiritual assemblies will conduct this community organization. All incorporated local spirit- CDC Instituteualassemblies have been asked. to alter their articles Information regarding location‘ time and day win of incorporation to 'conform with_the now complete be through local Spiritual assemblies, bulletins World Order of Baha u llah. A revised set of local as- and state service RepreSentatiVeS_

sembly By-Laws has been submitted for immediate and

official adoption by each incorporated assembly.

[Page 2]Youth Projects: Summer 1965

The Bahá’í summer youth projects will be expanded in 1965. Many more youth will find rewards of service and teaching in a wider variety of programs. Committees have been named for the eastern U.S. and for the western states. Mrs. Nancy Larson, Atlanta, has been appointed secretary of the Eastern Bahá’í Youth Summer Projects Committee. The western secretary is to be appointed. Eight day intensive training sessions will be held at Davison and Geyserville Bahá’í Schools in Michigan and California June 14-21, prior to assignments. In general, youth below eighteen will be assigned projects at home, youth eighteen and over will go to distant programs.

Bahá’í youth are urged to plan now for their attendance at the training sessions for at-home and awayfrom-home projects. Each type of program will be for a maximum of 8 weeks following the training session. Costs are kept to a bare minimum through every economy; the youth themselves, their parents. interested adults and local assemblies must provide for the principal expenses.

Local Spiritual Assemblies are invited immediately to consider and submit project proposals. The secretaries of the two committees will supply detailed information to LSA’s on project demands and disciplines, rewards and bounties of the spirit. Please refer to Bahá’í News for October and November for reports of the 1964 pilot projects, which have provided guidance and direction for 1965.

National Convention Information

The Committee on Convention Arrangements will be happy to lend assistance to whatever extent is possible to the delegates and visitors planning to attend the Annual Convention which will be held in Foundation Hall of the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois April 29 to May 2.

Arrangements are being made for the supervision of children who are old enough to take care of themselves, but parents will be responsible for younger children and those requiring special attention. This supervision will be provided only during the daytime convention hours. Parents will be responsible at all other times. This means that children may not assemble in rooms during the evening sessions as the noise interferes with activities in Foundation Hall.

Serving hours in the dining room will be as follows: 8:30 to 10:30 A.M.,- 11:30 A.M. to 2:00 P.M., 5:00 to 7:30 P.M.

In order to permit the election of the National Spiritual Assembly to proceeed in an atmosphere of prayer and meditation there will be no serving of dinner on election day until after the election is completed.

All Bahá’ís planning to attend the Convention must present a current identification card on registration. Only enrolled Bahá’ís, adult and youth, may attend.

The March issue of the U.S. SUPPLEMENT will carry a list of hotels and motels. All are expected to make their own reservations.

FEBRUARY ‘1965

Central States Youth Conference To Be Held February 26-28

The University of Wisconsin Bahá’í Club announces a Central States Youth Conference to be held in Madison, Wisconsin, February 26-28. The Conference theme is: “Dawnbreakers of a New Age.” Centering around the Nine Year Plan, the topics will include: The Significance of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation; Training of Youth for Mature Participation in the Nine Year Plan; and The Bahá’í Moral Code. Speakers will be: Douglas Martin, Jane McCants, and Daniel Jordan.

Price for the weekend, including meals and sleeping facilities, is: $7.50 per person. Those wishing to attend the Conference should send a deposit of $2.00 per person by February 19 to: Miss Diane Yamamoto, 2101 Chamberlain, Madison, Wisconsin. Anyone desiring more information about the Conference may also contact Miss Yamamoto at the same address.

In Memoriam

Mrs. Genevieve Dunlavy Fort Worth, Texas November 30, 1964

Edwin H. Eardley Detroit, Michigan November 27, 1964

Frank Wagner Batavia, Illinois November 29, 1964

Otis J. Whitefoot Royal Oak, Michigan November 19, 1964

Thomas H. Williamson La Grande, Oregon November 10, 1964'

Mrs. Helen Barkur Wilson Seattle, Wash. November 19, 1964

B. Emmanuel Johnson Chicago, Illinois May 1963

Mrs. Olive Releford Atlanta, Georgia December 8, 1964

Mrs. Virginia Seibert Buffalo, New York November 16, 1964

BAHA'I DIRECTORY CHANGES ASSEMBLY SECRETARIES

Northern Illinois Berwyn: (new secretary to be announced) New Mexico Clovis: (new secretary to be announced) Ohio Youngstown: (new secretary to be announced) Texas University Park: Mrs. Polly Dawes. 3432 Amherst, Dallas Utah Salt Lake City: Mr. Lynn Barker. 1077 South 7th East, Salt Lake City 84105 Salt Lake County: Mr. Arthur L. Krummel. 1535 E. 3350 S., Salt Lake City 84106 Western Washington Everett: Mrs. Myra B. DeLaunay, 3621 Lombard

ADDITIONS TO COMMITTEES

U.S. United Nations Mr. Weston Hustable American Indian Service Mr. James Wonders III

[Page 3]U.S. SUPPLEMENT

Special Gifts Swell Fund in Recent Months Upward Trend of Regular Giving Must Continue

As the chart so dramatically shows, the National Fund has enjoyed a sensational change in the last two months of 1964. From being perilously close to disaster, with a deficit of more than $113,000 and a virtual exhaustion of liquid assets at the end of October, the Fund has been nourished by a gratifying series of large, nonrecurring gifts, by some very substantial bequests, and by a steady and encouraging increase in regular contributions to the point where once more it occupies a relatively comfortable position, and we can move forward to achieve our Nine Year Plan goals with some degree of confidence.

The cumulative figure for the period May 1-Dec. 31:

Regular contributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..$304,503.25 Special Contributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110,790.92

415,294.17 From Estates and Trusts . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 82,902.22

498,196.39 Pro-Rata Budget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 516,664.00 Deficit to Dec. 31, 1964 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..$ 18,467.61

NATIONAL BAHA'I FUND Monthly Income: ‘1964-‘1965

Thousand

80

Monthly Budget

60*

40 20-’

8 o

JUNE JULY AUG SEPT NOV DEC

JAN FEB MAR APR

Regular contributions

III I MAY

Special contributions & Miscellaneous

A rom Estates & Trusts

Though the situation is much improved, there is no cause for complacency. The steady increase in the number of regular contributions, reflected not only in the total amount received, but also in the number of assemblies, groups and individuals giving each month is most encouraging, but the amounts received from this source still fall very far short of the monthly budget. We are still largely dependent upon special gifts and bequests, which at best are most uncertain and irregular.

The bountiful receipts of special gifts in November and December has served primarily to reduce the pressure of the immediate crisis and bring the deficit down to manageable proportions. It is vital that the improving trend of month-by-month regular giving continue, both in breadth and amount. Otherwise the deficit will again build up to dangerous proportions.

Let us be grateful for the response which relieved the crisis, but also resolve never again to permitour National Fund to be placed in such grievous jeopardy.

—NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY

Local Assemblies Contributing Each Month

350

300

E

200

MAY JUNE JULY

AUG SEPT

OCT.

NOV

DEC

JAN

FEB MAR APR

[Page 4]4 FEBRUARY 1965

An Open Letter to the “Champion Builders of the World Order

of Bahá’u’lláh" from Community Development Committee

DISPERSAL CALL
 To all Local Spiritual Assemblies—Experienced

~/‘ff K: and Fledgling—Large or Small: ‘ .'.l-ll”_' _ ‘L

  To all C-}roups—Striving to become an institution

- i l ‘ ' " - I I

fr: *.   ‘LN ordained by Baháulláh;

9--. To Each and Every Believer—the Apostles of

i  . .  Bahá’u’lláh.

May the words of our beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, emphasize this national call to act in this first year of the Nine Year Plan:

The field is indeed so immense, the period so critical, the Cause so great, the workers so few, the time so short, the privilege so priceless, that no follower of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh, worthy to bear His name, can afford a moment’s hesitation.

—Advent of Divine Justice, p. 39

These Are Immediate Goals of Action:

DISPERSAL

You can help a group become a local spiritual assembly!

You can save an assembly in jeopardy!

PRAYER and STUDY

Pray and study that you may have the bounty of fulfilling a goal in the Nine Year Plan.

Plan to act in one-two-three-or eight years. Pray and Plan.

CONTRIBUTION TO THE FUND

Contributing to the Fund will meet the material needs, and all will receive the spiritual bounty. It matters not

how much—universal participation is the goal.

PARTICIPATION

Through service you will develop. Become an active part of Bahá’í life and enjoy the bounties of service.

ACTION: Contact your local spiritual assembly or write the National Spiritual Assembly. 536 Sheridan Rd.. Wilmette. Illinois.