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People sitting at a table, enjoying exploring spiritual themes October is a busy month for our Baha’i Community! We have been starting each month with devotions on the first Sunday of the month. However in October, we have an annual Baha’i Convention that falls on the first Sunday of October. So we have changed the date for our devotions for October to the day before, Saturday, October 3, still at 11:00 a.m. Note: Our discussions have been so engaging that we have reserve

Spending time in Nature renews our spirit and reminds us that we are part of an interconnected whole.

Hundreds of happy souls gathered at Baha'i Summer Schools in Oregon as they explored spiritual principles and the arts while building a sense of community.

Sun reflecting on a lake, with a wooden pier leading forward. After our recent gathering to discuss“A Common Endeavor,” a participant shared her thoughts with us. We would like to share some of them with you. The complete blog post is on Cathryn's website, “A Message of Hope: One Human Family.” From her post: “The Bahá’í teachings remind us: “The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.” When a hospital closes, when schools fail some children, when opportunity f

America is celebrating 250 years since its founding. How do we realize the true promise of America?

Baha'i devotional gatherings offer enrichment for the spirit. Join us on first Sundays.

Learn more about the Baha’i International Community's news service, providing stories from around the world.

Shrine of the Báb in Haifa, Israel Recently a member of the Salem-Keizer Baha'i Community submitted a photograph for the Marion County Fair photography exhibition. The photograph was taken while on pilgrimage to the Baha'i World Centre in Haifa, Israel. The image is of the shrine of the Báb, Co-Founder of the Baha'i Faith. Much to everyone's delight, the photograph won two awards: a blue ribbon in the Adult/Architecture category and a gold rosette in the People's Choice Awar

Everyone is invited to celebrate at Unity hosted by Unity of Salem with members of Native American, Buddhist, Christian, Jewish and Baha'i communities, on June 20th. The gathering will begin at 2:00 pm with Jan Michael Looking Wolf playing flute. Afterwards members of other communities will share readings and prayers on Unity. Following the program there will be time to socialize and to learn more about these communities. The program will be in the Unity Sanctuary, at 2:00

Have a wonderful day exploring cultures of Asia and the Pacific! We wanted to share this opportunity to learn about the beautiful cultures of the Asian American and Pacific Islander students at Western Oregon University and residents of Polk County. The annual celebration this year is on Saturday, May 16, from 12:00 to 5:00 pm in the Main Street Amphitheater Park in Monmouth. Come enjoy the foods, the dancing and the marketplace for crafts. Meet some new friends! Visit t

People seated around a table with heads bowed. Baha’is are frequently asked, “what is a Baha’i worship service?” Our devotional gatherings vary some from community to community but we invite everyone to join us. Our devotional gatherings are organized by members of the community as we do not have clergy. Some gatherings are held in Baha’i centers, some in public spaces or in homes. In Salem-Keizer, we have two different monthly devotionals. Both are a blend of readings, mus

As a young adult I began to ask serious life questions rather than just follow my parents. One of my first questions was “why are there so many different religions?” I grew up in a Midwest town where “different religions” meant Baptist, Methodist or maybe Jewish. After moving to St. Louis, I learned there were a lot more religions. I read Buddhist and Hindu teachings. I read the Qur’an and writings of religions that I had never heard of. Unfortunately, nothing I read that hel

When we think of "justice" we usually think of a court case with opposing lawyers, or lawmakers deadlocked over partisan agendas. In the end, the good intentions too often result in very little being accomplished. Shouldn’t justice help us organize our society and resolve conflict by bringing together differing ideas? What can we do when the conflict isn’t really resolved? Can we fight injustice without fighting each other? “The purpose of justice is the appearance of unity a

This month we examine the relationship between two firmly-established knowledge systems. Religion and science have frequently been at odds with each other. For instance, there’s a difference in how each one gathers information. Science relies on empirical evidence and investigation, while religion depends on faith, inner perception and spiritual beliefs. When these two lenses focus on the same questions, these differences become apparent: How old is the earth? How did man com

Beatrice Morrow Cannady a power for Oregon Civil Rights Family stories are important because they give us roots and help define who we are today. And if we pay attention, they can guide us forward. One story in the early 20th Century in our Oregon family history is that of a courageous young African American woman who battled the exclusionary laws and attitudes in our state. From 1912 to 1938, Beatrice Morrow Cannady worked to bring together Black and White communities in und

Is it due to a global shortage of resources or is something else going on? At present, just 1% of the world’s wealthiest people control a disproportionate amount of the world’s wealth, leaving billions of people struggling to survive. Source: BBC News "The inordinate disparity between rich and poor, a source of acute suffering, keeps the world in a state of instability, virtually on the brink of war.” The Promise of World Peace, 1985 There is also a critical shortage of housi

It’s a rough wake up call each morning when we're met with headlines of ongoing conflict and chaos everywhere. But if we persist, we can find uplifting stories beneath the rubble: heartwarming accounts of people risking their lives to help others, sharing their own scant food supplies with people they don’t know. There's still good to be found in our world. How much longer will this conflict and chaos continue? Millions of people around the world are speaking out for justic

In our next conversation, the Creative Spirit, we'll explore the often overlooked relationship between the Arts and the Community. Can creative expression help us appreciate humanity’s rich diversity and envision a peaceful future for everyone? "The true worth of artists and craftsmen should be appreciated, for they advance the affairs of mankind.” ~ Bahá’u’lláh, Prophet-Founder of the Baha’i Faith We'll look at various quotes on the Arts and talk with some creative friends