On the Holding of Baha'i Devotional Meetings: From Coast to Coast

"Open Mic Night at the Baha'i Center: David,"
uploaded on August 2, 2006 by neda_zali on flickr

I hosted my first devotional this morning, at the Baha'i Center. It is normally Luke and Diane's week to host a devotional at the center, but since they were out of town, I put together some music and prayers and relied on serious moral support and evening prayers and morning prayers with Nick. But it went off just wonderfully, and had a nice showing.

Ashley at http://melodicharmony.livejournal.com/196204.html

Myong on Flitzy Phoebie

It's a time of firsts. Over on the East Coast dear Ashley hosted her first devotional meeting at her local Baha'i center. Bonita and I recently started our first weekly Baha'i devotional in our home on the West Coast.

We've had firesides over the years. I was DJ ("Devotional Jockey") George for a monthly devotional meeting sponsored by our community for more than seven years. But never before have we had regular devotions for friends and neighbors in our own home until Myong brought it to mind.

The holding of devotional meetings is a Baha'i "core activity", after all. We're glad to be participating in this fundamental activity along with Baha'is in a multitude of other localities across the planet, feeling at one with the world.

Uploaded on May 21, 2007 by figurita_nl on flickr

Just like days of old, when I would draw together songs for interspersing with the spontaneous devotions of participants at Wright Park, I am once again putting together a CD song list for our home devotions. Given Myong's 12 years of teaching piano in Korea, my selections of late have been a lot of solo piano pieces by the likes of Listz, Chopin, Debussy, Rachmaninoff, and Beethoven, something of a departure from the roots music, black, white and brown, offered at the community devotions. I'm growing quite fond of Listz.

I can't describe how thrilling it is to hear Myong say Baha'i prayers, whether in English or Korean. I just wish we had a piano so Myong could play the songs in between live and in person. That song she played at our First Day of Ridvan Holy Day celebration was a delightful surprise. -gw