CommuNIqué - Newsletter of
the Bahá'í Community in Northern Ireland
Issue 69 - 4 Jamál 159 BE - 1 May 2002 CE
COMMUNITY NEWS
It's all go in Newtownards
The community in Newtownards and the Peninsula cluster have been working and
socialising together---studying book one in their study circle and celebrating
Ayyám-i-Há in Pizza Hut, Bangor with friends from North Down and
Killinchy. They have also been studying the compilation on women, as
recommended by the Universal House of Justice, joined by friends from adjoining
communities. They now plan to hold a series of devotional meetings in
Newtownards Town Hall on one Tuesday per month:- March 26th, April 23rd, May
14th, and June 18th together with 'in-house' devotionals for friends and
contacts.
Our Local Assembly secretary, Marie Whiteside, has been invited to an
‘at home’ evening with the mayor of Ards, Mrs Margaret Craig. As part
of the St. Patrick's Day celebrations Ards Borough Council organised a One
World Festival from March14th-17th which coincided with the exhibition In
Good Faith organised by the N.I.Inter-Faith Forum. On Thursday 14th four
churches in Newtownards and the Borough Council Community Relations jointly
organised ‘A World of Faiths’ question time with speakers from the
Muslim, Hindu and Bahá'í communities, an Inter Faith Forum
representative together with Church of Ireland, Presbyterian and Catholic
clergy. We were represented by Eddie Whiteside. Each speaker spoke briefly of
his/her faith and then the panel answered questions from the audience. About
150 people, representing all strands of the community, attended the meeting and
it was a wonderful opportunity to inform a large audience of the basic
principles of the Faith. It was a verystimulating evening with very positive
comments from the audience. The evening finished with entertainment. The
Bahá'í Youth Dance Troop performed brilliantly!
Londonderry
You never know where things will lead.... The Spiritual Assembly in
Londonderry tries to respond positively to invitations received to take part in
public meetings and consultations. The value of this was brought home recently
when Joan Catterson and Elizabeth Palin attended on the Assembly's behalf a
consultation meeting on minority languages in Ulster jointly hosted by the
appropriate Irish (Gaelic) and Ulster-Scots bodies. Not only were they able to
share with the officials and participants something of the Bahá'í
views on respect for minority cultures, they were photographed and their
picture (with caption mentioning the name of the Faith) duly appeared in the
Dublin-based Irish language newspaper ‘Saol’ (‘Life’).
And again...
The Spiritual Assembly of Londonderry recently made a submission on
‘Domestic Violence’ to the City Council, which had been seeking views
as part of the public consultation process. The submission is short and was
based on the two excellent statements on the subject issued by the National
Spiritual Assembly. Anyone who is interested can obtain a copy electronically
as PDF file - e-mail ispalin@whsmithnet.co.uk The
document has, like other statements from the Derry Assembly, been placed in the
Assembly's Website at www.bahai.org.uk/londonderry
Letter from the Mariana Islands
Karen Jamshidi is on a Year of Service...
“Lucie Hanrahan and I have been on Saipan, an island in the Pacific
Ocean, for eight and a half months serving in Brilliant Star Montessori School
which was set up by a Bahá'í couple as a social and economic
project. The experiences and skills I have gained from my service here will aid
me for the rest of my life and I believe have changed my life forever. Children
are the most amazing gifts and they hold an unbelievable potential which we as
adults must nurture and grow. I have loved working with these children whose
ages range from 16 months-3 years. Nothing would bring me more joy than to have
my own children in the future and bring them up within the Bahá'í
teachings.
Lucie and I have had the opportunity to travel to Guam, Australia - where we
attended a youth conference - and Bali where we loved every minute of it! The
Bahá'í community on Saipan has enriched our spirits so much with
their knowledge, encouragement and unity. Indeed we have had the invaluable
experience of living amongst a melting pot of different cultures and
ethnicities. We will be back in June. I cannot wait to bring the spirit of
Saipan back to Ireland and share my experiences with all of you.”
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