Town of Vienna Newsletter August-October 2009

Tuesday, August 25th at 8 PM: Next meeting of the Local Spiritual Assembly at the Ferdowsi home.

Saturday, August 29 – 12:30pm – 3:30pm, Smithsonian National Museum of American History - located on 14th Street and Constitution Avenue,NW, Washington, D.C.

Destiny of America Education - National Museum of American History Highlight Tour and the Jamestown, Quebec, Santa Fe -Three North Americas Exhibition

The group will convene in Flag Hall at 12:30pm for the guided Highlight Tour at 1:00pm. The tour will include the new exhibition on the emergence of America as a global maritime power. In addition, the restored Star Spangled Banner flag from the historic battle of 1812 against the British at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland will be viewed during the tour.

The Jamestown/Quebec/Sante Fe – Three Americas Exhibition will give visitors a deeper perspective of the role of the United States in the formation of North America. The exhibition provides a historical framework for understanding the central role of diverse European cultures, economic systems, legal institutions and Judeo-Christian religions in the development of the United States, Canada and Mexico. In this context, the tour will increase our knowledge of the conflicts and cooperation between Europeans, Native Indian populations and Africans that together built the United States, North America and the Western Hemisphere.

The visits are for Baha’i’ and non – Baha’i’ adults and junior youth (13 years and older) in the Capitol region. Registration and reservations for the visits and tours are on a first come first served basis. The groups are restricted to 20 people, and will not include children. The museum is free and open to the public. The Smithsonian National Museum for American History can be reached directly on the Blue and Orange Metro lines.

If you would like to register for the upcoming visit to the Jamestown/Quebec/Sante Fe – Three Americas Exhibition, and highlight tour of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History on Saturday, August 29h at 12:30pm, please contact Reba Carruth at 301 598-2035 or RCarru3@aol.com.

Sunday, August 30th, 3 to 6 PM, Northern Virginia Baha’i Center: Dr. Shapour Rassekh, sociologist , former university professor, consultant to UNESCO, and member of the Continental Board of Counselors, poet, and author speaking in Persian on “The Baha’i Community: Facing the International Crisis and the Crisis in Iran.”

September 4th – 6th (Labor Day Weekend) Shenandoah Bahá'í School at the Massanetta Springs Conference Center in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley near Harrisonburg, Virginia.

This year, the school’s focus is on helping each Bahá'í find a special part to play in sharing the healing message of Bahá'u'lláh to help address the spiritual crisis facing the human family in this day. The “lead workshop” – which all adults and youth are encouraged to attend – will provide an overview of the Institute process and the activities in our region, and increase each participant’s knowledge and skills for pursuing his or her individual path of service. A special session will be offered in Persian to enable those less fluent in English to make their own special contributions to the teaching work in their adopted homeland. Other workshops will share experience and help friends develop new skills in activities that especially interest them – i.e., tutoring study circles, holding devotions, and animating junior youth, or conducting children’s classes (emphasized this year through a special double-session workshop).

For more than 30 years, the annual summer school at Massanetta Springs has educated, inspired, and deepened the friends in the Bahá'í Faith, and fostered welcoming fellowship for new and long-time believers and their guests. Our school this year is expanding fellowship activities to bring us together as one family. We’re restoring the evening bonfire and sing-along by the lake, and adding square dancing, on Friday evening. We’re integrating more music into the program with special programs for the children; performances by the D.C. Bahá'í Chorale, Cowboy Hay, the Reisetters, and other Bahá'í musicians; and a workshop on integrating music in Bahá'í activities. Finally, we’ve enhanced our “culinary program” with a Saturday picnic by the lake (burgers and hot dogs), a sandwich and sub bar on Sunday, and a special all-course Persian feast on Saturday evening.

The friends without Internet access should have received a brochure including a form to enable them to register by mail. Those with Internet access can obtain detailed information about the school and register on-line at www.shenandoahbss.org

Monday, September 7th, 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM : Unity Feast and Potluck Dinner for Izzat (Might). Held at the home of the Scruggs family.

Thursday, September 10th, 8 PM: Inter-Faith Devotional at the Ferdowsi home.

Saturday September 12th, 7 PM, George Washington University Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st Street, NW, Washington, D.C.— “An Evening in Support of the Baha’is in Iran” (a moving and dignified evening of the arts, multimedia, and presentations. Speakers include:

Ms. Shohreh Aghdashloo--Academy Award Nominee for House of Sand and Fog, The Stoning of Soraya M.

Ms. Afsar Nafisi—Johns Hopkins University Visiting Professor and New York Times Best-selling author of Reading Lolita in Tehran.

Dr. Dwight Bashir—Associate Director of Policy, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom

Monday, September 14th, 8 PM TOV Baha’i Invocation at the Town Council Meeting

Sunday, September 20th, 6 PM Reception/7:30 PM Program at Carnegie Institute of Washington, D.C., 1530 P Street, N.W., Washington 20005: Tahirih Justice Center 12th Anniversary Fundraising Benefit (Tickets; $250 per person or more). Speakers include:

Sam Waterston—TV Star of Law and Order (Pillar of Justice Award)
Congressman Jim Moran—Remarks
Tahirih Client Speaker: Isha Kargbo

Sunday, September 27th, 8 PM: Feast of Mashiyyat (Will) at the home of the Roshanian family.

Saturday, October 3rd, 9 AM to 12 noon, Northern Virginia Baha’i Center: Unit 21 District Convention. Pizza will be provided/potluck contributions are welcome.