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Ask Urgent Consideration Be Given
to Condition of National Bahá’í Fund
The National Spiritual Assembly requests that the friends give prayerful consideration to the present condition of the National Bahá’í Fund.
During the first four months of the current Bahá’í year, contributions to the Fund averaged less than $22,000 per month, against a requirement to meet the budget of $37,500 per month. Total contributions received during this period amounted to less than 59% of the budgetary requirement.
This budget is not a product of wishful thinking, excessive ambition, or optimism. It is a down-to-earth, realistic estimate of the costs of carrying on essential Bahá’í activities and achieving the goals specifically given to us by Shoghi Effendi in connection with the World Crusade. If the funds called for in the budget are not forthcoming, inevitably critical functions must be curtailed, and the chances of realizing our dearest objectives will be seriously compromised.
In the past, when we have incurred deficits, we have been able to make them up from estate bequests and from transfer of surplus funds. But the string has run out on that type of last-minute rescue operation. The plain fact of the matter is that no substantial estate bequests are known to be in the offing at this time, and we have no further surplus funds on hand. All of the money now on deposit is earmarked by the donors for special purposes, and we actually have a small deficit in these earmarked funds.
American Bahá’ís are known for their ability to face up to an emergency, once it is understood, and meet whatever needs exist. The National Spiritual Assembly is confident that the American Bahá’í Community will promptly respond to this critical condition, and will make sure that we do not fail in our endeavors for lack of material resources.
—NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY
NSA Explains Method of Determining Status of Inactive Believers
Twice annually the local spiritual assemblies and area teaching committees are called upon to review their Bahá’í membership lists in preparation for Bahá’í elections. Once is prior to the annual state conventions
when the National Spiritual Assembly checks the accuracy of its own records regarding the local addresses of believers for the state voting list, and the second is prior to the election of local spiritual assemblies in April.
Each time the local assembly or the area teaching committee is asked to take into account the degree of activity of its members, and this in turn necessitates investigation as to the reasons why any believer has not attended a Nineteen-Day Feast or participated in any local Bahá’í activities for several months.
It is expected that every effort will be made to communicate lovingly and sympathetically with all the inactive believers before reporting to the National Spiritual Assembly simply that a particular individual is “inactive.”
Since it is the obligation of the National Assembly to determine the actual status of every enrolled Bahá’í, frequently the National Assembly itself communicates with the inactive believer, but it is the general practice to do so only after the local spiritual assembly or the area teaching committee has exhausted all efforts to reactivate the individual or to determine his non-Bahá’í attitude.
All to often it has been found that a believer reported to be “inactive” has a valid reason for nonparticipation, such as personal illness or illness in the family requiring constant care, lack of transportation at night, a job requiring working at night, etc. Obviously, these are not sufficient grounds for removing an individual from the membership list, and the National Spiritual Assembly hopes that the local spiritual assembly or the area teaching committee, whichever is involved, will investigate fully before referring the name to the National Assembly for action.
The Local Spiritual Assembly of Cleveland, Ohio, faced with this problem of determining the degree of activity of its community members, adopted the following criteria which is applied in its survey:
1. Attendance at Feasts and Holy Day observances and anniversaries.
2. Attendance at conferences and other meetings (public or otherwise).
3. Contributions to the local fund and contributions through the local fund and designated for other Bahá’í funds.
4. Participation in Bahá’í elections.
5. Willingness to respond to various appeals from
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NOVEMBER ‘1958
the local spiritual assembly.
If an individual is conforming to at least one of these criteria, he is considered an active believer.
Believers to be found completely inactive are interviewed by a member appointed by the local spiritual assembly in order to ascertain the reasons for inactivity. Only after the failure of all attempts to communicate with or reactivate the believer, is the name of the individual referred to the National Spiritual Assembly with a report of the local assembly on its efforts and its recommendations.
The National Spiritual Assembly strongly recommends that some such plan be adopted by all local assemblies, not only that they may be currently informed of the problems and status of each of their community members, but to reduce the amount of correspondence which results from incomplete information.
What most so-called inactive Bahá’ís need is some loving attention from their fellow believers, and help in deepening their understanding of their obligations as enrolled Bahá’ís.
—NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY
Soil Conservationist Needed to Pioneer
on Navajo Reservation in New Mexico
Any Bahá’í who can qualify as Range Conservationist, Soil Scientist, Soil Conservationist or Range Conservationist Aid, and who would welcome the opportunity for pioneering on the Navajo reservation, should
WORLD CRUSADE BUDGET
Sixth Year: 1958-59 Annual Budget: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..$450,000.00 Total Requirements: May 1 to September 30 .. 187,500.00 Total Contributions: May 1 to September 30 .. 108,000.00
-—NAT10NAL SPIRITUAL ASSENEBLY
contact the American Indian Service Committee immediately. The locale is northeast of Gallup, N. Mex. Housing is furnished. Contact Nancy Phillips, secretary; 736 Encanto Drive, S.E.; Phoenix, Ariz.
Pioneers Needed in Africa
The U.S. Africa Teaching Committee has recently received another urgent plea for additional pioneers from one of the regional national spiritual assemblies of Africa. Because much of the teaching must be done in homes, family groups are particularly desired. Although job opportunities are limited in some areas, living costs are frequently low and persons on modest retirement incomes can usually maintain themselves. Foreign aid programs are developing and will provide opportunities for trained individuals. The committee can give guidance on countries especially in need of pioneers and available types of work.
Write: U.S. Africa Teaching Committee; Mrs. Sylvia Parmalee, secretary; 4700 47th St. N.W.; Washington 16, D.C.
Deprived of Bahá’í Membership
The National Spiritual Assembly has found it necessary to remove the Bahá’í membership rights of Richard Chase, whose last address was Charlotte, North Carolina, and Dean Willis Thompson whose last address was Lomita, California. Although both are carrying current Bahá’í identification cards they are now void.
The National Spiritual Assembly of Canada has been obliged to deprive Mrs. Maude Cunningham of Vancouver, British Columbia, of her Bahá’í membership because of her defense of Ahmad Sohrab. This notice is published here to inform the American believers that they are not to correspond with her.
—NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY
IAHA'| DIRECTORY CHANGES
ASSEMBLY SECRETARIES
Arizona Flagstaff: Mrs. Gisela McCormick, 2109 N. Navajo Dr.
Eastern New York New York: Miss Viola Turney, 1925—7th Ave., House #4. Apt. 5-L, New York 26
Ohio Cleveland: Mrs. Betty Lewis, 12317 Osceola Ave., Z. 8
Tennessee Nashville: Mr. Thom Thompson, 2214 Murphy Ave., Z. 5
Western Washington South King County Commissioners District: Mrs. Elizabeth Harris, 5157 S. 168th Ave., Seattle 88
ADDRESS CHANGES
Southern California Compton: Mrs. Phyllis Barrett, 1020 S. Grandee, Apt. A. Glendale: Mrs. Garnette Whitefield. 3949 Los Olivos Lane, Lacrescenta
Wyoming
Laramie: Mrs. Patricia Dumbrell. 615 Fremont Nebraska
Lincoln: Mrs. Barbara C. Tilman, 1334 S. 42nd St., Z. 6.
COMMITTEE OFFICERS
Central States Area Youth Mrs. Marita Mcclymonds, chairman Miss Margaret Vorndam, secty., 616 Adams, Quincy, Illinois
Northwestern States Area Youth Mr. Ross Lindstrom, chairman (to correct spelling of name) Miss Marilyn Nefi, secty., Box 49. Waldo Hall. Corvallis, Oregon
RESIGNATIONS FROM COMMITTEES Area Teaching Committee-—South Central States Dr. Lambert J. Case
Area Youth Committee—NOI-thwestern States Miss Lou Dene Maag
American Indian Service Mr. Alton Thomas
