U N I T Y P O R T M O O D Y
"The Earth is but One Country and Mankind its Citizens." ~ Bahá’u’lláh
Baha'i Community of Port Moody
Newsletter
Month of Raḥmat/Mercy 176 BE June 24 – July 12, 2019 Vol. 13, No. 6
Inside this issue:
The third word we have recorded on the third leaf of Paradise is this: "O son of man! If thine eyes be turned towards mercy, forsake the things that profit thee, and cleave unto that which will profit mankind. And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy neighbor that which thou choosest for thyself."
Bahá'u'lláh
Feast Information
Feast of Mercy
Date: Monday, June 24, 2019
Time: 7:30 pm
Venue: Old Mill Boathouse
Message From Your Local Spiritual Assembly
A Study of the Institution of Mashriqu'l-Adhkar
Dear friends,
In an effort to encourage the community to study the recent compilation released by the World Centre on the Institution of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, three separate deepening spaces have been organized for the Port Moody friends to come together and study the document together .
The details of each space are provided below, and community members are free to attend whichever location may suit them best. Please respond to yasha.khatamian@gmail.com with your choice of location such that the hosts can have an approximate idea of how many people to expect.
A limited number of copies of the compilation will be available at the meetings, though they can also be bought at the Vancouver Baha'i Store for $8. A digital copy is available at this link from which hard copies can be made if needed.
Location - Mitra and Bahram (Gustaspis')
Start Date: Sunday, February 10th
Time: 1 PM - 3:30 PM
Frequency: Weekly if needed
Address: 260 New Port Drive, Unit 211 (Buzzer 111)
Location - Parviz and Simin (Rahmanys')
Start Date: Thursday, February 21st
Time: 7:30 PM
Frequency: Weekly
Address: 301 Capilano Rd, Unit 1607 (Buzzer 188)
Location - Pezhman and Anusha (Samimis')
Start Date: Saturday, March 2nd
Time: 7:30 PM
Frequency: Monthly
Address: 641 Thurston Close
Study on the Life of the Báb
Dear Friends,
In honour of the historic nature of the bicentennial of the birth of the Báb, we joyfully invite you to a monthly study session on the life of the beloved Herald of our Faith.
Details are in this short video. The sessions will be once a month on selected Thursdays.
The next session will be on:
Date: June 20, 2019
Time: 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Venue: 1 Wilkes Creek Drive, Port Moody. B.C.
Hosted by: Sean, Rae & Shirin
Please email or call to confirm attendance (contact info in this short video).
Study material and refreshment will be provided.
Thank you and we look forward to seeing your radiant faces at the study session.
With much love,
The Segran Family
Home Visits
If a home visit… is defined in the courses as an opportunity to enter into a deep conversation on spiritual matters, then it should not be reduced to a mere social call in which the Faith may not even be mentioned. (Universal House of Justice – Turning Point 42.34)
Believers must learn to draw on each other’s love for strength and consolation in time of need. The Cause of God is endowed with tremendous powers, mighty forces of love and strength and harmony. (Shoghi Effendi, Living the Life, p. 8)
A visit to a home should be seen as one element of a coherent pattern of action that seeks to enable specific populations to contribute to the construction of the society envisioned by Bahá’u’lláh. (Universal House of Justice, letter to a National Spiritual Assembly, 28 December 2008)
Dear Friends;
With the above guidance in mind, the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Port Moody is wishing to embark on a renewed campaign of Home Visits with the following specific goals and objectives in mind:
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Strengthening bonds of friendship;
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Enhancing devotional character of the community; and
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Encouraging active participation in Baha’i community life, including Feasts, Holy Days and Funds of the Faith.
Please expect a call from a member of the Port Moody Assembly to schedule a home visit with you over the next few weeks.
Message From Your Area Teaching Committee
Dear Friends,
As you are aware, bicentenary of Birth of the Báb is now just a few months away. In collaboration with the Auxiliary Board member and Local Spiritual Assemblies of the Tri-Cities Cluster, the Area Teaching Committee has arranged for a cluster-wide Teaching Conference to prepare the community to celebrate this special Holy Day and to “let the same all-consuming, all-surpassing love that spurred the Báb’s disciples to the diffusion of the divine light” inspire us to great deeds. May example of the lives of "the Báb’s intrepid followers, heroines and heroes whose faith was expressed in matchless, sacrificial acts that forever adorn the annals of the Cause" give courage to the entire community of the faithful to consecrate to the priceless opportunities and inescapable obligations this special period of potency offers.
Date: Sunday, June 9th, 2019
Time: Doors open and registration starts at 9:00 am - Program: 9:30 am - 4:30 pm
Venue: Executive Plaza Hotel
405 North Rd.
Coquitlam, BC V3K 3V9
Friends are encouraged to use the following link to register as soon as possible to allow enough time for the organizers to arrange for logistics of the event based on the number of attendees:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1dbMTBlqRe5edTnAhQ60sfa9IziLng8FE2r0Bwa--P7E
Deadline for registration is May 31st. We eagerly look forward to seeing you all at this conference!
With loving Bahá’í greetings,
The Area Teaching Committee of the Tri-Cities Cluster
Dear Friends,
As you are aware, the much-anticipated Teaching Conference is happening this Sunday, June 9th. We would like to bring the following matters to your attention:
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We still accept registrations for the conference. You may use the following link to register before-hand or register at the door on the day of the conference https://drive.google.com/open?id=1dbMTBlqRe5edTnAhQ60sfa9IziLng8FE2r0Bwa--P7E
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Registration starts at 8:30am and conference starts at 9:30am sharp. So far 250 friends from across the Tri-Cities cluster and our neighboring cluster, Golden Ears, have registered. To allow enough time for the registrars to process your registration, please arrange to come at least ½ hour earlier.
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The hotel offers plenty of free underground parking for conference participants. You are required to provide our registration desk with your license plate number upon your arrival.
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Lastly, if you have registered for the conference but your plans have changed and you cannot attend, please let us know as soon as possible by emailing us.
The Area Teaching Committee is eagerly waiting to welcome every single one of you at this very special conference. Please email the ATC at tricities.atc@gmail.com or call 778-994-9569 for further information.
Venue: Executive Plaza Hotel, 405 North Rd. Coquitlam, BC V3K 3V9
With loving Bahá’í greetings,
The Area Teaching Committee of the Tri-Cities Cluster
Message From Your National Spiritual Assembly
Message to the Bahá’ís of Canada, June 2019
Dear Bahá’í Friends,
We are very happy to attach a message to the Bahá’ís of Canada on the occasion of the Feast of Mercy and thank you most warmly for your assistance in distributing it as widely as possible to the friends.
To facilitate your own planning, we thought it would be helpful for you to know the schedule and rhythm of messages that the National Spiritual Assembly plans to send until the bicentenary of the Birth of the Báb. We expect to address the friends on the occasion of the Feast of Perfection, 1 August; the Feast of Might, 8 September; the Feast of Will, 27 September, and the Feast of Knowledge, 16 October. The timing of letters around the time of the bicentenary celebrations may be adjusted, in light of the intention of the Universal House of Justice to itself address a special letter to mark the two-hundred-year anniversary.
With loving Bahá’í greetings,
NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY
OF THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF CANADA
Karen McKye, Secretary
Launch of "The Bahá’í World" Website
Dear Bahá’í Friends,
We are pleased to share with you the attached letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to all National Spiritual Assemblies dated 23 May 2019 regarding the launch of the website “The Bahá’í World”.
With loving Bahá’í greetings,
Karen McKye, Secretary
ISGP 2019
Dear Bahá’í Friends,
The National Spiritual Assembly is delighted to announce that the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity (ISGP) is now accepting applications for first-year participants in its 2019 seminar for Bahá’í undergraduate students from the above regions, to be held at Brentwood College on Vancouver Island, British Columbia from 15 to 25 August 2019. This seminar serves students from the provinces and territories noted above, as another will be held from 3 to 13 May at Louhelen Bahá’í School in Davison, Michigan, U.S. for students from the Atlantic Provinces, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Nunavut.
We would appreciate your assistance in distributing the attached announcement to the entire community, and particularly to Baha’is aged 17 to 25 who are entering their first or second year of university or college, lovingly encouraging them to participate. It is our hope that all youth will be made aware of the opportunity to participate in the programme. We also hope that parents will offer encouragement to their children to take part in a process that supports students through their challenging undergraduate years and develops capacity to be agents of social change.
The fee of $590 to participate in the seminar includes food and accommodation, with the remainder of the actual costs of the seminar being subsidized by the National Assembly. If youth who wish to participate are unable to afford this amount, they are urged to write to the ISGP coordinator in British Columbia at isgp.bc@gmail.com to apply for assistance. As in past years, the National Assembly does not wish financial constraints to be an obstacle to anyone’s participation, and warmly encourages those who are not able to pay the entire amount to seek available assistance by contacting the coordinator.
As noted in the attached announcement, interested youth should complete and submit the online application at https://goo.gl/forms/ErAfS93sxa7yJtHG3 no later than 28 April 2019. Inquiries regarding the August 2019 seminar may also be addressed to isgp.bc@gmail.com. It is the National Assembly’s ardent hope that cohort after cohort of Canada’s youth will benefit from this programme, which has exerted such a powerful and transformative influence on its participants, and further, on the communities they serve.
With loving Baha’i greetings,
Karen McKye, Secretary
Group Visits to the Shrine in Montreal
Dear Bahá’í Friends,
We are delighted to advise you that the program of group visits to the Shrine in Montreal has now launched, with the first formally-registered group having visited in February from the Rundle neighbourhood in Alberta. The joy that these friends experienced and that they brought to the community in Montreal was a wonderful start to what we hope will become a regular feature of Canada’s spiritual life.
A team has been appointed to assist groups from neighbourhoods or clusters to coordinate visits to this sacred spot and become acquainted with the places that 'Abdu'l-Bahá visited during His stay in Canada. A website is under construction that will share information and offer the opportunity to register for such a group visit. For the time being, those wishing to register to visit in a group should apply by email at montrealshrinegroups@gmail.com. Of course, individuals wishing to visit the Shrine may do so without registering during the regular hours that the Shrine is open, which can be found on the Canadian Bahá'í website at https://www.bahai.ca/bahai-shrine-in-montreal/.
We take this opportunity to remind you of the wonderful news received two years ago that the Holy Places at the Bahá'í World Centre had been made more accessible to a greater number and diversity of friends. For those unable to go to the World Centre, and those who can do both, it is the National Spiritual Assembly’s hope that wave upon wave of friends might take advantage of this opportunity to visit Montreal, becoming the means whereby, in the words of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, “the melody of the Kingdom may travel to all parts of the world from that Dominion and the breaths of the Holy Spirit may spread from that center to the East and the West of America.”
With loving Bahá’í greetings,
Karen McKye, Secretary
News of Community Properties Fund
Please click here to open the National Spiritual Assembly's message.
Compilation on Prayer and Devotional Life
Dear Bahá’í Friends,
We are very happy to share with you the attached newly-released compilation on prayer and devotional life; kindly arrange for its wide distribution. It is also available in the compilation section of the Bahá’í Reference Library. A French version will be circulated as soon as one is available.
In its covering letter dated 28 February 2019, the Department of the Secretariat of the Universal House of Justice shared the following about this compilation:
“As the friends intensify their efforts to pursue the last Plan of the series of Plans that end in 2021, a year that marks the centenary of the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the inauguration of the Formative Age, signs of the enrichment of the devotional life of the community are manifest. Devotional activities are everywhere multiplying and are increasingly being integrated into the core of community life. To add further stimulus to this signal development and to help the friends take full advantage of the period of special potency during which the bicentennial anniversaries of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh and of the Báb are commemorated, the Universal House of Justice has directed us to enclose a compilation of extracts on prayer and devotional life drawn from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, the Báb, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and from the letters of the Guardian and the House of Justice.
“It is the hope of the House of Justice that this compilation, prepared by the Research Department at its request, will be studied widely and will be of assistance to individuals, families, and communities as they strive to evoke the spirit of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár in the creation of occasions where any soul may inhale the divine fragrances, experience the elevating power of prayer, and be drawn together with others in fellowship and common cause.”
With loving Bahá’í greetings,
Karen McKye, Secretary
Message from the Baha'i Council of British Columbia
Harper Mountain Gathering Report
Dear Friends,
On behalf of the coordinating team of the Harper Mountain Gathering, the Bahá'í Council is delighted to forward to you the report of last year's gathering. You may wish to share it with your communities, noting that the date of this year's gathering is September 27 to 29, 2019.
With loving Baha'i greetings,
Bahá’í Council of British Columbia
Letter To All Believers: Financial Goals
Please click here to read letter.
Message From The Baha'i National Centre
Position Opening - Bahá’í Canada Assistant Editor
Dear Bahá’í Friends,
We would appreciate your assistance in making known to the friends in your communities of a recent opening for the position of Bahá’í Canada Assistant Editor at the Bahá’í National Centre.
Bahá’í Canada is a publication of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Canada. Through its website, Bahá’í Canada shares news, information and learning from across the country. Its magazine, set to be published quarterly, features analytical pieces on themes relevant to the learning objectives of the Bahá’í community. It is served by the Bahá’í Canada Committee, an agency of the National Spiritual Assembly, which sets the editorial direction and approves the content for the two publication outlets.
The Committee is currently looking for an individual to serve as an Assistant Editor for its two publications. This individual will support the work of the Managing Editor to share news, information and the experience of the Canadian Bahá’í community in a language and format that is accessible, inspiring and dignified to a diverse readership. Education and/or experience with writing and editing is essential, as is a strong knowledge of and personal experience with the framework for action of the current Five Year Plan. The Assistant Editor will have the opportunity to work with a diverse group of people and develop a range of skill sets and abilities.
For more information about the role, please find enclosed the complete job description and its requirements.
Individuals who would like to apply are asked to kindly submit a cover letter and a copy of their resume to the National Spiritual Assembly at officecoordinator@bahai.ca.
With loving Bahá’í greetings,
Office Coordinator, Bahá’í National Centre
Message from the Regional Schools Coordinating Committee
Dear friends,
We are lining up a great program for the 2019 Thompson-Nicola (Interior) Bahá’í School!
The theme of the school is “Following in the Footsteps of the Dawnbreakers” and workshops will include:
Stories for the Bi-Centenary: Making it Relevant, Workshop Presenter: Mead Simon
What is the purpose of the Baha’i revelation? Why are the stories from Babi history important? What can we learn from them? Why do we share them? And how can we act on them?
Badasht around the world: where were we in 1848? Workshop Presenter: Kim Naqvi
The workshop will explore events at the time of the Conference of Badasht and their significance in the Baha’i context, their correlation to world events and the implications for social change and spiritual awakening.
Weaving the Road to Reconciliation, Workshop Presenter: Tara Nault
Continuing this important conversation forward to positive change.
The Law of Right of God, Workshop Presenter: Right of God Representative Michael Snedden
“And when He desired to manifest grace and beneficence to men, and to set the world in order, He revealed observances and created laws”* Exploring the Law of the Right of God (Huqúqu'lláh).
More Workshops are in the works!
Plus Music, Drama, Children’s and Junior Youth Program, Youth sessions
The school runs from 6 PM Wednesday, July 10th to 1 PM Sunday, July 14th at the Dutch Lake Community Centre - 209 Dutch Lake Road, Clearwater, BC. For more information and to register go to: http://bahaischools.org/ThompsonNicola/
Don’t be left without accommodation - book it soon at a local Clearwater campsite, hotel, motel, or Bed and Breakfast found at www.wellsgray.ca or www.tripadvisor.ca
Loving Baha'i greetings,
Mary Jane (MJ) Oakes
on behalf of the Thompson Nicola Baha'i School coordinators
Vancouver Island Summer School
Dear Friends,
We write to provide an update on the Vancouver Island Summer School, taking place at beautiful Camp Barnard near Sooke, BC. The school starts with arrival and registration at 4pm on Wed. August 21, and runs to about noon on Sunday, August 25.
The school program is shaping up to be a great one for all ages, with a rich program for children, junior youth and youth, along with many plenary and workshop sessions. The morning plenary sessions are being facilitated by former National Spiritual Assembly member, Mr. Gordon Naylor who will be joining us from Ontario.
As well, Camp Barnard accommodates tent camping, accommodation in rustic cabins and has limited RV space, all included in the cost of registration. For those not wishing to camp, there are local Air B&Bs, along with other accommodation options nearby. There is also a beautiful lake at the camp with canoe, kayak and paddle board rentals available.
From dawn prayers to art-filled evenings, the school promises to be an amazing four days – don’t miss it!
We encourage you to register your family and friends early to avoid disappointment; we expect the school will fill up. Go to http://bahaischools.org/VancouverIsland/ to learn more and to register.
We look forward to welcoming you!
The Coordinating Team,
Vancouver Island Baha’i Summer School
Message from the Universal House of Justice
Announcements
Please See Messages Above!
The Fund
News
Core Activities in Port Moody
Children's Classes
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Grade 1 run by Parham Ebrahimi
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Saturdays at 10:30 am, rotating residences
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Grade 2 run by Anusha Ahmadi
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Sundays at 10:30 am, Anusha's home
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Junior Youth Groups
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Spirit of the Faith animated by Sahaab Moffedi and Hamed Mahdi (all JYs are from Coquitlam)
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Walking the Straight Path animated by Dana Sabeti
Study Circles
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Book 1, Amilia Noori
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Book 3, Nouran Rahmanian
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Book 4, Negin Etemadi
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Book 5, Sourna Vafadary
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Book 7, Elham Sabeti
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Book 9, Yasha Khatamian
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Book 9, Marina Seifi
Devotional Gatherings
TORONTO, ONTARIO, 13 JUNE 2019, (CBNS)
The Canadian relatives of a Yemeni Baha’i sentenced to death are calling on the Houthi authorities to release him and five other Baha’is imprisoned because of their religious beliefs.
n January 2018, Hamed bin Haydara was sentenced to death by public execution because of his beliefs as a Baha’i. Mr. Haydara’s next appeal hearing is scheduled for June 16, 2019.
Bahá'í World Centre staffing needs
Dear Bahá'í Friends,
We have been asked to share with you the following message from the Office of Personnel at the Bahá'í World Center regarding opportunities to serve there. It is hoped that you will distribute it as widely as possible.
"As the vital work of the Cause unfolds in every part of the world, the effective functioning of the Bahá'í World Centre takes on added significance. The World Centre of the Faith—described by Shoghi Effendi as the "pivot of the agencies of the New World Order"—is supported by a flow of believers from a diversity of countries and occupations who arise selflessly to offer a period of service, of varying length, in the Holy Land. The staffing needs at the World Centre are continually changing in light of the evolving demands and resources. At any given time, there are roles to be filled which require particular competencies or specialized training, and others that simply require a readiness to learn about one's specific assignment. Due to the nature of service at the World Centre, the essential requirements include an ability to offer 12 months or more and a basic proficiency of English.
"Anyone interested in learning more about the possibility of offering a period of service at the World Centre is encouraged to contact the Office of Personnel at serve@bwc.org. Offers of service can also be submitted directly at https://bahai.bwc.org/service/.
With loving Bahá'í greetings,
Joo Jong Kung, Secretary-Aide
National Secreteriat"
International News
When representatives of Christian, Muslim, and Baha’i communities first gathered at a Kinshasa juice shop in February, one question above all animated their conversation: How could they articulate to others the deep connection between religion and constructive social change?
For more international news, please visit https://news.bahai.org/
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