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South Kohala News
November B.E. 182
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Special Events - This Month
Feast of Qudrat (Power)
Feast of Qawl (Speech)
The Day of the Covenant
Ascension of Abdu'l-Baha
Reflection Gathering
Please refer to our calendar for details on when and where these events will be held.
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Spiritual Assembly of The Bahá’ís of South Kohala
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Contact us for any reason
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From the Spiritual Assembly
Allah’u’Abha! Dear friends,
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As we approach the Day of the Covenant and the commemoration of the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, our hearts are drawn once again to the luminous life of the Master — a perfect example of selflessness, humility, and steadfast love for all humanity.
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Born on May 23, 1844 — the very night the Báb declared His Mission — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s life became inseparably linked with the unfolding story of God’s Cause. From His early years in Tihrán, standing at His Father’s side through exile and hardship, to His later days in ‘Akká, radiating joy, wisdom, and compassion to all who came to Him, His every moment was devoted to service.
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Even in prison, He comforted others. Even when surrounded by enemies, He prayed for their well-being. And when at last He was freed, He traveled across the East and West — from the streets of Haifa to the halls of London, Paris, and New York — sharing a message of unity, peace, and the oneness of humankind.
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When asked who He was, He would simply reply:
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“I am ‘Abdu’l-Bahá — the servant of Bahá.”
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It was in this humility that His greatness shone. Through His example, we learn that true strength lies not in power, but in service; that true joy is found not in comfort, but in sacrifice for others.
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The Day of the Covenant, observed on November 25th, has its origins in the early years of the Faith’s spread to the West. Believers wished to celebrate ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s birthday, but out of reverence for the Báb — Who had declared His Mission on the same day that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was born — He asked that His birthday not be celebrated. Instead, He designated this special day near the end of November as the Day of the Covenant, a time to reflect upon the sacred bond that unites the followers of Bahá’u’lláh with the Center of His Covenant.
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Just a few days later, on November 28th, we commemorate the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, who passed peacefully from this world in 1921. His funeral in Haifa drew more than 10,000 mourners — people of every faith and background — a testament to the universal love He inspired. On that day, Bahá’ís around the world gather in reverence and gratitude, remembering His life of service and rededicating themselves to follow His shining example.
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May these holy days be a time of reflection and renewal — an opportunity to ask ourselves: how might we, in our daily lives, mirror His radiant example?
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With warmest regards and loving thoughts,
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The Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of South Kohala
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Universal House of Justice - Ridvan Message 2025
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Attached please find the Ridvan Message from the Universal House of Justice for 2025. Below is a link to an audio recording of it and a link to the PDF version.
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READ IT
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LISTEN TO IT
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December 30th Message from the Universal House of Justice
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If you haven't studied this message yet please download it here.
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Videos Released
Below are three videos that have been released. We highly recommend watching all of them.
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“An Expansive Prospect”: New film explores Bahá’í efforts toward social transformation
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Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Short film explores the journey of the construction project
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Summons to Service
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A segment of "Luminous Journey: Abdu'l-Baha in America, 1912", a 2.5-hour documentary following the travels of Abdu'l-Baha in the United States and Canada. Divided into geographical sequences, the film also includes introductory segments, flashbacks, and a segment on Abdu'l-Baha's passing.
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Children's Corner
Each month we will share something for the children in this section of the newsletter. It may be a video, a website, a project, a song, etc. We hope the children like this and get something from our newsletter as well.
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Seeds of the Future is an upbeat hip-hop style song inspired by a quote from the Bahá’í Teachings, "“Say: Nature in its essence is the embodiment of My Name, the Maker, the Creator." The lyrics are from Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program Ruhi Material's "Walking the Straight Path." A link to their website with more details can be found at: https://www.ruhi.org/en/teachers-corner/
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Music Selection
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Hip Hop & R&B Inspired Bahá’í Prayer - Blessed is the spot Experience a soulful blend of faith and music, where a classic Bahá’í prayer, revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, comes alive with a Hip Hop and R&B vibe. Sacred words meet smooth rhythm for a new kind of meditation.
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Music video generated using Google Veo 3
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News and Articles
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Here you will find the latest news from around the world.
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From the Baháʼí World News Service and other sites
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Rethinking authority in pursuit of a culture of equality
SOUTH TARAWA, Kiribati — Throughout the world, societies grapple with a persistent question: Why does meaningful social change often prove elusive, even when policies are in place and good intentions abound? In Kiribati, this question has particular urgency with respect to the equality of women and men.
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“National policies alone are insufficient,” reflected Quddus Akura Terubentau, of the Office of External Affairs of the Bahá’ís of Kiribati, in a conversation with the News Service.
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European youth consider their role in society’s renewal
BUCHAREST, Romania — In many regions of the world, young people find themselves caught between two competing visions of their future—one marked by a desire to seek opportunities elsewhere, and another that calls them to contribute to the renewal of their own communities.
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Some 500 youth from 22 countries across Eastern Europe recently gathered in Bucharest to address this very tension: What does it mean to become protagonists of positive change in the societies where they live?
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Family-led environmental initiatives foster belonging
ROCKHAMPTON, Australia — In the Queensland town of Gracemere, a neighborhood “verge” (streetside) garden started in 2016 has become a wider, collaborative effort to support local biodiversity and create spaces for service that bring families together in collective action.
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Early on, a family, inspired by Bahá’í community-building initiatives, planted vegetables on the public strip of land in front of their home. The initiative invited curiosity from passers-by, opening conversations about sustainability and shared purpose.
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Keep in touch with us
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Please stay in contact, we have many options for you to connect with us.
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