Cindy Hayden welcomed everyone and gave an inspiring address on the life of the Báb. Following this we were entertained by Sound Connections choir that tickled our ears with joy and then Tom Neville and Bev Finch delighted our hearts with their upbeat and soulful music.

The souls of the Bahá'ís of Parksville and their friends were delighted with joyous and spiritually uplifting melodies during the celebration of the ninth day of Ridvan at the McMillan Arts Centre. The Vancouver Island Bahá'í choir, led by Amy Stephen, had their debut performance.

Charity is pleasing and praiseworthy in the sight of God and is regarded as a prince among goodly deeds.

Baha’u’llah

Ayyám-i-Há is a special period of the year devoted to charity, hospitality, social events, and the giving of gifts. We enjoyed fellowship and collected donations for Manna Missions a local charity in Parksville.

Every Faith celebrates the birth of its founder with great joy—but the Baha’is around the world double that joy when they observe the Twin Holy Days. Baha’is celebrate the births of both the Bab and Baha’u’llah, the two prophets associated with the Baha’i revelation, in quick succession—one right after the other.

Who was the Bab? Baha’is believe that the Bab, whose title means “the gate,” opened the way for the advent of a new age of fulfillment and maturation for all humanity. The Bab’s primary mission—to herald the arrival of a divinely-inspired spiritual educator he referred to as “He Whom God shall make manifest”—would pave the way for the coming of a new messenger of God. Like John the Baptist, the Bab instructed his hopeful followers to prepare for the appearance of that new prophet. He also announced the coming of a new era in human history, one that would witness the emergence of a just, unified, peaceful world civilization. The Bab’s revelation, which lasted only six years until his execution by a fearful government, nevertheless paved the way for the coming of Baha’u’llah.

Baha’is call these Holy Days “twins” because, according to the Muslim calendar in use when the Bab and Baha’u’llah were born, their birthdays fall on successive days—the Bab’s birthday on the first day of the month of Muharram and Baha’u’llah’s birthday on the second day of that same month, respectively. These double holy days—when Baha’is gather to pray, read from the Baha’i writings, sing and dance and celebrate—hold enormous joy and meaning for Baha’is all over the world.

These Twin Holy Days signal a joyful, celebratory season in the Baha’i year, when the Baha’i community comes together to commemorate the advent of the two prophets of God, the Bab and Baha’u’llah, the twin founders of their Faith, and to hail the beginning of a new era in human unity.

Bahá'í's and friends from Vancouver Island gathered together at Rathtrevor Park to enjoy fellowship, food, music, games and great weather. It was the largest gathering held to date. From its inception in 1998, the picnic has demonstrated the conviction that we belong to one human family. This is the heart of the Bahá’í Faith. The principle of the oneness of humankind is “the pivot round which all the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh revolve”.

Acceptance of the oneness of humanity demands that prejudice—whether racial, religious, or gender related—must be totally eliminated.

“There is perfect brotherhood underlying humanity, for all are servants of one God and belong to one family under the protection of divine providence.” — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

The Post Unit Convention was held in Nanaimo. We had a wonderful report from our elected representatives Erfan Javahari and Elham Abay. They attended the Unit Convention on May 26, 2018 to cast their votes for the election of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Canada.

Every year Bahá'ís gather to commemorate the Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh on 13 Azamat according to the Badi (Bahá'í) calendar. Customarily (although this is not a requirement), at 3 in the morning, following an evening of prayer and reflection, Bahá'ís stand and face Qiblih as one from amongst them reads the Tablet of Visitation.

It was early in the morning of May 29, 1892 (five minutes past 3, to be precise) that Bahá'u'lláh passed away in the mansion of Bahji outside 'Akka (present-day northern Israel), after a brief illness. Following His death, a vast number of mourners from all walks of life and religions, grieved with Bahá'u'lláh ’s family and followers.

Bahá'u'lláh lived a life of hardship and persecution, bringing to the world teachings that were to usher in a new age of humanity and form the foundations of a new civilization.

"The Ancient Beauty hath consented to be bound with chains that mankind may be released from its bondage, and hath accepted to be made a prisoner within this most mighty Stronghold that the whole world may attain unto true liberty. He hath drained to its dregs the cup of sorrow, that all the peoples of the earth may attain unto abiding joy, and be filled with gladness. This is of the mercy of your Lord, the Compassionate, the Most Merciful. We have accepted to be abased, O believers in the Unity of God, that ye may be exalted, and have suffered manifold afflictions, that ye might prosper and flourish.

He Who hath come to build anew the whole world, behold, how they that have joined partners with God have forced Him to dwell within the most desolate of cities!" Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

We are happy to share with you the results of the election of the National Spiritual Assembly on Saturday, 26 May 2018. The following individuals were elected by the delegates at the National Convention to serve as members of the National Spiritual Assembly for the coming year: Deloria Bighorn, Karen McKye, Mehran Anvari, Ciprian Jauca, Élizabeth Wright, Gerald Filson, Hoda Farahmandpour, Judy Filson and Enayat Rawhani.

In addition, the National Assembly is pleased to convey the results of the election of its officers: Chairman — Deloria Bighorn; Vice-chairman — Ciprian Jauca; Treasurer — Mehran Anvari; Secretary — Karen McKye.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,

NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY

OF THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF CANADA

Karen McKye, Secretary

On May 24th, Baha’i communities in Canada and around the world celebrate a holy day commemorating the very beginning of the Baha’i Faith, a day known to Baha’is as the Declaration of the Báb. The Bahá’í Faith began with the mission of two divine messengers, the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh. The Báb was the Herald who prepared the way for the coming of Bahá’u’lláh.

The Bahá’í era dates from May 23, 1844 when, in the Iranian City of Shiraz, the Báb declared His mission. On that occasion He spoke these words to Mulla Husayn, the first person to recognize that mission: "Verily I say, I am the Báb, the Gate of God.... This night, this very hour will, in the days to come, be celebrated as one of the greatest and most significant of all festivals."

Bahá’u’lláh refers to the Báb as ‘My former manifestation’. Following his declaration, the Báb sent Mulla Husayn to Teheran to seek out Baha’u’llah, who instantly accepted the Bab’s message, and summoned all those around him to do the same. Thus from the earliest days of the Baha’i Faith the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh were united in spirit.

We can better understand the meaning of this Baha’i holy day, characterized as this ‘greatest and most significant of all festivals’ if we reflect on how, since that period, the world has utterly changed. Baha’is believe that the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh released a creative energy that is transforming everything about human life.

The Báb wrote, “"I am a letter out of that most mighty book and a dewdrop from that limitless ocean, and, when He shall appear, My true nature, My mysteries, riddles, and intimations will become evident, and the embryo of this religion shall develop through the grades of its being and ascent, attain to the station of 'the most comely of forms,' and become adorned with the robe of 'blessed be God, the Best of Creators.'”

Bahá’u’lláh wrote. “A new life is, in this age, stirring within all the peoples of the earth; and yet none hath discovered its cause or perceived its motive. This new life is apparent in such things as the explosion of human knowledge, in steps that reflect a growing consciousness of the oneness of the human family, the establishment of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, world-wide undertakings to improve agriculture and hygiene, and medical care, efforts to elevate international standards and laws, and a recognition of the need to advance the status of women and girls.

Beginnings are always special – a wedding, the birth of a baby, the appearance of some wonderful new invention or process. How much more special, then, is the anniversary of the Declaration of the Báb, which was the moment of birth for a new religious community. Now a community of approximately 5 million established throughout the world, Baha’is work hand in hand with other communities, well-wishers, partners and collaborators to fulfill the promises of the Bab and Baha’u’llah that will see humanity living together in peace and prosperity.

For 12 days at the end of April and beginning of May, Bahá'í communities around the world celebrate their most holy festival: Ridvan.

This annual festival marks the anniversary of the days Bahá’u’lláh spent along the River Tigris in Baghdad.

In 1863, Bahá’u’lláh stayed in a garden on the banks of the Tigris River for 12 days, during which His many admirers in the city came to bid Him farewell. Bahá’u’lláh announced to the friends gathered with Him during those days that He was God's Messenger for a new age, foretold in the world's scriptures. He called the garden they were gathered in "Ridvan," meaning "paradise."

The Ridvan period was also a time when Bahá’u’lláh proclaimed the foundational spiritual principles that lie at the heart of His teachings—signaling the arrival of a new stage in the evolution of the life of humanity, characterized by peace and an end to violence.

Every year, Bahá'í's the world over gather in their local communities on the first day of Ridvan to elect the nine members of their Local Spiritual Assembly. Every adult Bahá'í at the age of 21 is eligible to be voted for, and they have the responsibility to participate and vote for these nine members of the community who will volunteer their time to run the administrative affairs and assist in the spiritual well-being of their respective local communities for the year ahead.

Theme "Let There Be Understanding"

Panel: Philip Be'er - Jewish(Unorthodox), Rev. Dianne Burrough - Spiritualist, Arch Priestess Michele Favarger - Wiccan, Amir Haghighli - Bahá'í Faith.

Hosted by Rev. Jennifer Ferguson.

On February 10, 2018 in celebration of Interfaith Harmony Week, Jennifer Ferguson invited speakers to answer questions about their faith. Amir Haghighli opened the program with a prayer accompanied by drumming. There were three questions posed to each member of the panel to comment on the tenets of their belief and their personal journey of faith. Amir closed the program with another prayer.

A celebration of the Bicentenary of the Birth of Bahá'u'lláh was held at the McMillan Arts Centre in Parksville. The celebration included an art display by students from Kwalikum and Ballenas secondary schools, dance performances by Innovate Dance Arts in Parksville and Qualicum Beach School of Dance, music by Baha’i members and a discussion about the basics of Bahá'í faith and its founder, Baha’u’llah.

Congratulations to Julie Bachmann and Madison Poole who were the 2017 Bahá'í Bicentennial Bursary Art Award winners. Their art was displayed at the Bicentennial Celebration at the MacMillan Arts Center in Parksville on Oct. 21 and 22. Each student will receive a $500 bursary upon acceptance into a post-secondary program.