By george wesley dannells on Jan 22, 2007 in Baha'i Views | comments(0)
Only Baha’is can contribute to the Baha’i Fund. Mistress Redpen writes, ” I’m non-Baha’i myself, but I certainly appreciate and support that faith. :)” While Mistress Redpen, or Elissa, is not a Baha’i, her mother is. According to Elissa her mother contributed financially to the recent restoration of the Baha’i House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois. It took more than 40 years to complete the initial construction of the temple, beginning in 1912 when ‘Abdu’l-Baha visited North America. One of the reasons it took so long was because of the fewness of Baha’is during those years who could contribute the necessary funds. There are many times more Baha’is today than then. It’s still the case that the amount of a personal contribution is not considered significant, but universal participation and sacrificial giving is. Mistress Redpen is proud of her mom. -gw
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This morning, the Treasurer for the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’i faith came to visit my mother and deliver something to her. Mom, being the terribly modest (unnecessarily modest, in my opinion) woman she is, thought that perhaps he was hand delivering a receipt.
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A receipt! *amused eyeroll*
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Needless to say, Mark and I dismissed that. Humble and accessible people that these Baha’i are, you still don’t have folks in positions like that hand delivering receipts. Receipts get mailed. This was going to be something special, but Mom had no idea what it could be, despite the fact that she’s contributed significantly to her faith in many ways. (Mom is a natural go-getter to begin with, and further “thanks” to Grandma, she feels she can never do enough, or that what she does is never “good enough.” *sigh* But don’t get me started on Grandma.)
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Anyway: Mark and I were right. What he was hand delivering was a special framed photo/lithograph that was also a plaque, recognizing Mom for her contributions toward the the restoration of the Wilmette (IL) House of Worship. (Although Mom is technically correct that her contributions were a “drop in the bucket” compared to how much the entire thing costed, they were still rather significantly large. I’m not going to quote figures publicly, though.)
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Mom read what was printed on it, and was happily overwhelmed. It brought tears to her eyes. As of right now, that picture is now hanging on the wall behind her chair, in a blank space that I’m glad we hadn’t filled yet.
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{Re-posted with permission}
By george wesley dannells on Jan 18, 2007 in Baha'i Views | comments(1)
Last night (Tuesday 16th January) I finally did the thing that has probably been in me all my life, I recognised my true faith, and became a Baha’i’. This doesn’t mean any great changes to my life, as I have already been practicing as a Baha’i for at least 6 months, it is now with a new year upon me that I felt it was time to make that step and make things official!
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A picture of this momentus occasion for you all:
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Welcome, Kenny, welcome. -gw
By george wesley dannells on Jan 18, 2007 in Baha'i Views | comments(1)
Word to Baha’i bloggers from David via justportillo on the effort that has the support of the Baha’i International Teaching Centre to establish a Baha’i Blog Portal. -gw
Go over to bahainine.com to vote on your favorite look for the website, but more importantly if you have a blog take a minute to register it, and pass this [message] on to any Baha’i bloggers you know.
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By george wesley dannells on Jan 17, 2007 in Baha'i Views | comments(2)
Rick explains why reading blogs of other Baha’is matters to him. -gw
Not only is the Baha’i content interesting for other Baha’is, the information he gives about where he lives helps me to gain a broader outlook on issues that affect people in other parts of the world. I believe that helps me be a better person.
Rick, “Another Baha’i Blogger,” Not Buggin’s Here
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“Stillness,”Uploaded on January 11, 2006 by shapeshift on flickr
Here are the first two paragraphs of a remarkable paper entitled “Baha’i Participation on the Internet” that was made available at the recent Orlando Baha’i SED conference. -gw
The Internet is one of this age’s most revolutionary and transformative technological developments. New terms, such as wikis, RSS, podcasting, blogs, FOAF, VoIP, and folksonomies, while virtually unknown a few years ago, are rapidly becoming common currency among millions of Internet users. These new forms of communication technology represent major social trends that offer new ways of sharing Bahá’í perspectives, precepts, and experiences.
As existing institutions and social practices disintegrate around us, the Bahá’í teachings indicate that there is a parallel process at work of creating new structures and tools that enable unifying patterns of collective life to emerge. The Internet appears to be playing a catalytic role in breaking down longstanding geographic, cultural and institutional barriers while facilitating the formation of new communities of interaction that are increasingly global in nature.
By george wesley dannells on Jan 16, 2007 in Baha'i Views | comments(0)
mt830 left Samoa after serving the Baha’i Faith there and visited Auckland, New Zealand, sharing her impressions on her blog. -gw
When I first arrived, I unsurprisingly did a good deal of white-person-staring. There are so few white people in Samoa, I’ve gotten in the habit of being surprised when I see one, but here there are white people everywhere. As I was driving into the city, I stared at the huge highway, the neat suburban lawns, the perfectly spaced houses. I keep thinking somehow they looked empty. I guess after six months in Samoa, everything looks different.
mt830, “Back to Civilization…..Brrrrr!,” LiveJournal
By george wesley dannells on Jan 16, 2007 in Baha'i Views | comments(3)
Blogging since at least early 2004, Lacey is a premiere Baha’i blogger. -gw
“Laycita,” Uploaded on March 15, 2006 by toastforbrekkie on flickr
Myk and I are being integrated into the Baha’i community at warpspeed now. He’s been appointed to something and I’ve been appointed to something else. No more “stealth mode” for us, I guess. That’s okay, we’re really happy to be serving again.
Lacey, “Mostly good news,” lay-c.com is in houston: No really, I’m not kidding.
By george wesley dannells on Jan 16, 2007 in Baha'i Views | comments(0)
The blogger of Barryland, musician Barry Richman, offers a detailed tribute to the music of Seals and Crofts for his “daily” blog entry. -gw
The lyrics were literate, and often referred to the Baha’i Faith. A line (from East of Ginger Trees) that quoted from their scripture is never far from my mind: “Be lions roaring in the forest of knowledge, whales swimming in the oceans of life.” That struck me, because they seemed to be such masters at everything they touched. Listening to them, I wanted to be remarkable. That very song ends with an insistent, simple rhythm that has threaded its way through my own compositions; I use it whenever I want to symbolize God’s calling of us to a new place.
barrybrake, “don’t fly away,” Barryland
By george wesley dannells on Jan 15, 2007 in Baha'i Views | comments(0)
TravelBlog is a one-stop site for travel journals. What a great idea! Martij5 posts on attending a Baha’i devotional in South Africa. -gw 
Yesterday we went to a Baha’i devotional and were finally able to spend some time with local residences. Usually devotionals in the states or the ones I have been to last about 15 minutes to a 1/2 hour max. The one we went to here was about an hour long and there was alot of singing. there were about a dozen of us but it felt like a lot more because we were in a very small hot flat. I enjoyed it a great deal and it was strange to feel at home so far away
By george wesley dannells on Jan 15, 2007 in Baha'i Views | comments(0)
Another blog has popped up in India to tell the story of one community’s Intensive Program of Growth. -gw
Last Staruday we had Fireside at Baha’i Center Parmar chambers. The total nuber of participants were 10 to 15 in number The fire started off with a devotional meeting, prayers were chanted both in Hindi and English by Nava and Hoda. Immediately after the devotional we formed English and Hindi/Marathi groups where particiapants were brifed about the Bahai Faith in the form of presentation. We had one seeker who declared his Faith in Blessed Beauty.+
“ganesh_intersection.” uploaded on January 14, 2007 by mhizzle on flickr
By george wesley dannells on Jan 14, 2007 in Baha'i Views | comments(0)
I am loving Nate’s blog. Ruhi is clearly big in his life, if his profile and posts are any indication. -gw
Ruhi in Vegas
The Ruhi Institute is changing Baha’i Culture- and its amazing to see it happen.
But it couldn’t have been a more fun lunch and we were made to feel like part of the family.
never in his life had he seen a group of youth and adults Running to morning prayers.
SO I have been invited to attend a Bible Study.
The Baha’i I visited became a Baha’i this past month. He is in his Eighties.
What we have done is put the quotes on CD. We have employed a studio to make a great recording- I had two super readers knock it out
Our Chior couldn’t be any better if were we composed of highly trained professional Gondoleers… Because that is pretty much what we are.
I love the Baha’is- And I can’t imagine how even by looking at the Choir— seeing that we represented all the backgrounds and collors- some measure of interest could not be raised.
I want to describe to you the care and attention our hosts showed us. When we came in- everyone came up- greeted us- told us how much that they were glad we could come.
