Current Programs
September 3-6, 2010 (Labor Day Weekend, Friday-Monday)
The Face of God Among Us: How The Creator Educates Humanity
John S. Hatcher
Based on Professor Hatcher’s latest book, The Face of God Among Us, this course will examine how God employs intermediaries—the Manifestations of God—to train humankind collectively and individually. This course will focus on four aspects of these specialized Beings: the Purpose, the Nature, the Powers, and the Methodology of the Prophets of God.
This is a Family Program: Children’s Classes for those aged 3 – 14 will be available.
September 24-26, 2010 (Friday-Sunday) — Two program offerings:
1) College Student Weekend: Science, Religion, and Social TransformationMichael Karlberg
In this program centered on the core Bahá'í principle of the harmony of science and religion, Michael Karlberg will provide an enlightening perspective on human nature and social change. Dr. Karlberg will examine the meaning of the Guardian’s statement that the Bahá'í Faith is “scientific in method,” focusing on the statement’s practical implications in accordance with guidance from the Universal House of Justice relating to the culture of learning.
2) Learnings About Junior Youth Groups (BY INVITATION ONLY)
Melissa Smith-Venters
The Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program seeks to endow young people between the ages of 12 and 15 with the capability to effectively use the Creative Word in the transformation of themselves and the society they live in. This workshop will acquaint participants with ways in which they can support the establishment of Junior Youth groups in their communities, and will foster an understanding of the role these groups can play in cluster development.
October 2, 2010 (Saturday)
Latin American Fall Retreat
Bill Stover
This dynamic one-day program will explore the basic teachings and history of the Bahá'í Faith, including a study of the Central Figures and an explanation of Bahá'í laws. Geared specifically for Spanish-speaking seekers and newly-enrolled believers, the course will be presented in an energetic learning environment, with music and activities serving as core facets of the program.
This is a Family Program: Children’s Classes for those aged 3 – 14 will be available.
October 8-10, 2010 (Friday-Sunday)
Evidences of the Power of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation in Society
Erica Toussaint-Brock
As a wife and mother who also serves as a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, Erica Toussaint-Brock understands the challenges we face in our busy lives. In her usual down-to-earth and practical style, Erica will facilitate a lively, story-filled session during which the participants will gain a deeper understanding of how to translate the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh into the reality of their lives and the lives of their communities.
October 15-17, 2010 (Friday-Sunday)
A Path of Justice: How Building Communities Creates Social Justice
Holly Hanson
What does it mean to build communities that have the capacity to transform societies? How do the core activities allow us to create that kind of community? This interactive course will use discussion, analysis, and a small amount of creative dramatics to develop our understanding of what a religious community can be if we free ourselves from the constraints of our society’s understanding of religion.
October 22-24, 2010 (Friday-Sunday)
Spiritual and Material Prosperity
Grant Kvalheim
The economic wellbeing of mankind is typically discussed in the context of the social and political dimensions of prosperity, with little or no understanding or appreciation of the spiritual forces at work. At the same time, the dynamics of material and spiritual progress are widely seen as being at odds with each other. Mr. Grant Kvalheim, a retired investment banker and a current member of the International Board of Trustees of Huququ’lláh, will address this conflict in society’s perceptions of material and spiritual prosperity.
October 29-31 (Friday-Sunday) - Three program offerings:
1) Building a Secure World: A Call to Action
Sovaida Ma'ani Ewing & Charles Doleac
Taking to heart Bahá'u'lláh's exhortation that we "be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age [we] live in and center our deliberations on its exigencies and requirements," it behooves us to exercise our creativity and intellect to craft effective solutions to seemingly intractable global problems. This stimulating, thought-provoking session will arm participants with new tools to discuss problems ranging from nuclear proliferation to genocide to reform of the United Nations and the inequitable distribution of critical energy resources.
This is a Family Program: Children’s Classes for those aged 3 – 14 will be available.
2) Pioneer Orientation
Office of International Pioneering
The Pioneer Orientation Program is an inspiring course that aims to prepare Bahá'ís from all walks of life for service in the field of international pioneering. Participants will learn about the nature of pioneering through a study of the Writings, and will gain an understanding of how to teach the core activities at a pioneering post. This practical, service-oriented program will also include a panel discussion in which veteran pioneers share their experiences.
3) Love Lift Me Higher: Finding True Happiness in Bahá'í Teachings
Dorothy Marcic
The Master, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, often greeted the friends with a simple question: "Are you happy?” He stressed that we should always be happy, regardless of our circumstances. Using the Bahá'í Writings as a compass, this program will guide participants to an understanding of the virtues that bring true happiness, and an appreciation for how these virtues are in harmony with the scientific dimension of happiness.
This is a Family Program: Children’s Classes for those aged 3 – 14 will be available.
November 5-7, 2010 (Friday-Sunday) - Two program offerings:
1) Junior Youth Institute: Sixth Annual Badasht Prep (for students in grades 6-8)
Joel and Vickie Nizin
Currently in its sixth year, Badasht Prep is a program for middle school students, principally from the Northeastern United States. Using excerpts from “The Dawnbreakers” and other Bahá'í Writings to bring the history of the Faith to life, the program will include artistic, devotional, dramatic, and other creative activities that relate the stories of the heroes and heroines of the Faith to modern day life.
2) Climate Change: Science, Ethics, and the Bahá'í Teachings
Christine Muller
It is no longer possible to talk about peace, justice, or the oneness of mankind without addressing climate change. In this program, participants will study excerpts from the Writings of the Bahá'í Faith and other religions to gain an understanding of the spiritual solution to the global problem of climate change, with an emphasis on the actions individuals and communities can take to help mitigate the problem.
November 12-14, 2010 (Friday-Sunday) - Two program offerings:
1) Youth Institute:
Leading Like a Bahá’í—Building Leadership Skills in High School (for students in grades 9-12)
Kamran Hakim & Dan Tennant
In its 2010 Ridván message, the Universal House of Justice speaks of “spiritual empowerment of individuals, who will come to see themselves as active agents” in achieving the goals of the Five Year Plan. Geared specifically for youth, this program will focus on Bahá’í leadership and its relationship to leadership in other forms. Through a dynamic mix of lectures, presentations, interactive group sessions, and service opportunities, the program will seek to help youth obtain a better understanding of the implications of service-based leadership, and their own roles in being active agents of change.
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2) Spirituality & Sexuality: Creating a New Social Reality
Mary K. Radpour
What does it mean to be a spiritual being with physical drives? This course will guide participants to a new way of understanding the intersection of spirituality and sexuality, using Baha’u’llah’s Teachings to advance our discourse on sexuality. The program will cut through the cultural confusion surrounding heterosexuality and homosexuality in a learning environment that avoids self-righteousness and pursues the humility essential to authentic relationships.
This is a Family Program: Children’s Classes for those aged 3 – 14 will be available.
کنفرانس ایرانی- میدان خدمت وسیع است
( نوامبر (جمعه تا یکشنبه الی ۲۱ ۱۹
جناب بخش الله میثاقی
این جلسه روحانی فرصت مغتنمی است تا یاران عزیز داستان حبس طولانی خادم برازنده و مبلغ ارجمند جناب میثاقی را از زبان خودشان بشنوند. ناطق محترم ، به علاوه داستان استقامت در زندان و شکنجه، از وظائف یاران در قبال خدمت به آئین الهی و وفای به عهد و میثاق حق صحبت خواهند فرمود این یک برنامه خانوادگی است و کلاسهای مجزا برای بچههای ۳ تا ۱۴ ساله ارائه خواهد شد
November 19-21, 2010 (Friday-Sunday)
Persian Fall Retreat: The Arena of Service is Limitless!
Mr. Bakshollah Misaghi
This deeply inspiring program will provide a priceless opportunity for the friends to hear from Mr. Bakhshollah Misaghi about his long-time imprisonment in Iran because of his status as a Bahá'í. Mr. Misaghi, an eloquent speaker and teacher of the Faith who remained steadfast despite the torture and cruelty he endured in prison, will share his stories and encourage the friends to arise to serve the Cause and to be strong in the Covenant. In addition, there will be a special workshop on the 2010 Ridvan Message.
This is a Family Program: Children’s Classes for those aged 3 – 14 will be available.
December 8-12, 2010 (Wednesday-Sunday)
National Treasurer's Forum:
The Threshold of a New Stage—The Funds and Our Responsibilities
National Treasurer's Office
This special program conducted by the National Treasurer’s Office is geared for the friends who serve as treasurers in their communities, even if they have attended the program in the past. It is an opportunity to learn about new ways to serve the community and the institution of the Fund, and to gain a deeper understanding of the technical aspects of serving as a treasurer and the all-important element of Fund education.
December 26-31, 2010 (Wednesday-Sunday)
Winter School 2010: Preparing Your Heart for Learning and Action
Robert Wilson
To be a Bahá'í is to be on an unending journey of learning – a lifelong quest to understand the Word of God as given in Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation, and to act on one’s personal understanding of the Teachings to achieve His purpose. This course will provide an appreciation for the importance of extending that learning process to the community, and for the essential nature of translating our learning into action.
This is a Family Program: Children’s Classes for those aged 3 – 14 will be available.
Green Acre Bahá’í School
938 Main Street
Eliot, ME 03903
207-439-7200
fax 207-438-9940
email: greenacre@usbnc.org