Our delegate to the 102nd National Bahá’í Convention, Mrs. Paula Siegel, returned with an uplifting and news-filled report to share with Bahá’ís from Electoral Unit 159 (comprising Benton, Linn, Lincoln, Polk, Marion, Clatsop, Tillamook, Yamhill, Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook counties). Highlighting the report was the exciting news that all the Bahá’í expansion and consolidation goals set for April 2011 had been won a year early both in the worldwide Bahá’í Community as well as in the United States. In recognition of this remarkable accomplishment, the worldwide Bahá’í community received a lengthy communication from the World Governing Body of the Bahá’í Faith in Haifa, Israel, detailing the work ahead and the services called upon. “This year’s letter gives an overview of the progress of the Faith in the previous year and provides guidance on how best to move forward to achieve the goals set for the Baha’i community by the House of Justice. The Baha’i community is now entering the last year of a Five Year Plan aimed at the long-term development of the Faith,” as announced on the Official Website of the Bahá’í Faith in the United States.

Post-Convention Reports throughout the counties mentioned above have already begun with Corvallis hosting the first on May 12th.

One of the highlights of the Convention was the presence of the Musical Director of the Bahá’í House of Worship, Mr. Van Gilmer, directing the participants in song. See a video clip of one of these songs below.

See pictures from the Convention in the Photo Gallery here.

On Sunday, March 21st, members of the Bahá’í Faith in Corvallis held a coffee house to celebrate the first day of their New Year (Naw Ruz, or “new day” in Persian) on an afternoon bathed in sunshine. The Corvallis Bahá’ís joined millions of Bahá’ís around the world in celebrating the beginning of a new year, and the end of the annual 19 days of fasting from sunrise to sunset.

About 50 Bahá’ís and their friends gathered in the Benton County-Corvallis Library Meeting Room on Monroe and 6th Sts for brief devotions followed by coffee, tea, cake, and conversation. The organizers kept the event simple. The devotional readings consisted of one verse, known to Bahá’ís by its short-hand name, “Blessed is the Spot”, a quotation that appears on the opening page of most collections of Bahá’í prayers. The phrase is one that has been set to music in many languages and is known by heart to many Bahá’ís. This verse from the Sacred Writings of the religion was read in Mandarin Chinese, Finnish, Arabic, Hindi, and French—highlighting the central principle for Bahá’ís of the oneness of humanity. The simple printed program provided the verse in English for reference, and listed questions to serve as conversation starters. The guests spent an hour simply chatting, getting to know each other’s family histories as well as delving more deeply into thoughts about their religious paths and about their sense of the sacred. “I like this very special, low-key way to celebrate our New Year,” says Roger Blaine of Corvallis, adding “so often we neglect the simple act of just getting to know each other.”

One Bahá’í present at the celebration wrote to the organizers, “I have to admit I was skeptical about this [coffeehouse] idea. It didn’t seem like it would be a celebration to me. My daughter and I had spent a leisurely afternoon talking about our fasting experience. Today, we had a family brunch before going to the coffee house. As I sat with my friend … I realized that we were all able to learn something new about each other and engage in friendly, meaningful conversation prompted by interesting questions. The real clincher for me was when my guest told me that this [type of event] was just right for her.”

For stories from around the United States of how Bahá’ís celebrate their New Year, visit this site .

For photographs of the event click here.

Attorneys have received word that the trial of seven Bahá’ís imprisoned since the spring of 2008 has been scheduled for 12 January. Two previous dates had been announced, but the trial was postponed each time.

Attorneys associated with the Defenders of Human Rights Center in Tehran – co-founded by Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi – are representing the Bahá’ís. The lawyers themselves have been harassed, including Mrs. Ebadi, who has been forced to remain outside Iran for an extended period, and Abdolfattah Soltani, who was detained for a time in the aftermath of the June national elections.

see entire text here

“The time has come for these seven innocent people to be immediately released on bail,” said Diane Ala’i, the Baha’i International Community’s representative to the United Nations in Geneva.

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The sixth and last day ended with a family Bar-B-Q where the youth had a chance to share what they had been doing with their parents, and we all appreciated the amazing joy of the youth and the capacity-building activity that enriched their lives. Truly this was community-building at its best.

See the photo gallery by clicking here

According to Diane Ala’i, the Baha’i International Community representative to the United Nations in Geneva, following a request for postponement of the trial from Mr. Hadi Elsmaielzadeh and Ms. Mahnaz Parakand — attorneys from the Defenders of Human Rights Center who are representing the seven Baha’is — the court has decided to delay the hearing for two months.

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Further, efforts to have the accused released on bail have not succeeded. The investigation against them was concluded months ago but they remain incarcerated, without access to their legal counsel and with only the barest minimum contact with their families – contact that did not begin until some five months’ after their arrest, when they were finally taken out of solitary confinement.

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This past Saturday, our cluster marked the 4th anniversary since the launch on July 9th, 2005, of the first Cluster Reflection Meeting to quickly advance the awareness of the teachings of Bahá’u'lláh throughout Benton and Linn Counties. At this four year mark, we noted the advance of individuals through the courses of the training institute (see Study Circles) which in turn provides the impulse for the multiplication of core activities and an “increasingly direct approach to sharing Bahá’u’lláh’s Message.” We celebrated the goals won and reflected on the advances achieved during this past 3-month period. We studied guidance, discussed new goals, planned, and pledged actions for this new cycle.

The following goals were set for Cycle 17 (11 July – 9 October)

1. Establish a new children’s class in Corvallis
2. Engage 10 new people in the study of the book “Reflections on the Life of the Spirit”
3. Establish 3 new junior youth groups
4. Achieve 60 friends attending devotions during planning and expansion phases
5. Receive five new people who have accepted the Message of Bahá’u'lláh!

Additionally, individuals and teaching teams made pledges spanning a variety of endeavors that include:
· Setting home visit goals, working on ways to teach receptive coworkers, and making connections between friends we have in common
· Initiating new core activities and increasing participation in those already established
· Offers to tutor “intensive” study circles (many hours in a few days) and start a study of the book “Teaching the Bahá’í Faith” in August
· Visiting parents of junior youth group and children class participants
· Explore direct teaching in parks and presentations about the Bahá’í Faith

Everyone is invited to join in collective prayer and action during the upcoming expansion phase to support each other in the “sweetness” of sharing the message of Bahá’u'lláh with others:

· Saturday and Sunday, 18 & 19 July, 9 a.m. at the home of Nourieh and Iraj Motazedian
· Monday through Friday, 20-25 July, 7:30 a.m. at the home of Adel Faridani and Lorri Hendon
· Saturday and Sunday, 26 & 27 July, 9 a.m. at the home of Deborah Hobbs

For the photographic essay of the event, click here

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For a recent heart-warming message sent from the world governing body of the Bahá’í world to the Bahá’ís of Iran, click
here

FOR A JULY 13TH UPDATE CLICK HERE