Morning Devotional Events
Date: Daily for entire school
Time: 8:40 to 9:00 am;
1:00 to 1:10 pm (start of Adult Program);
7:15 to 7:25 pm (start of Arts Program)
Devotional programs are planned for each day and will occur at the beginning of the school day, after lunch break to begin the afternoon adult program, and again after dinner to begin the evening arts program. Only the morning devotions require that you log into a Zoom space for devotions, a separate link. The afternoon and evening devotions are part of the afternoon and evening programs. Each day devotions will be centred around a virtues theme.
Themes:
Friday: Sacrifice
Saturday: Service
Sunday: Love
Monday: Joy
Tuesday: Humility
Wednesday: Sacrifice
Evening Arts Events
ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’s Teachings on Music – Exemplified
Date: Friday, July 24 2020
Time: 7:15 – 8:45 pm
Presenters: Anne-Marie and Peter Brimacombe
ʻAbdu’l-Bahá provided significant guidance and illumination on the power of music, and how it can and should be utilized. In this live, interactive, and inspiring session, we review His quotes on this heartfelt topic, with examples using audio recordings, video clips and including live discourse. Read more
Exploring Creativity
Date: Saturday, July 25 2020
Time: 7:15 – 9:00 pm
Presenter: Laura Lee
Whether you want to create a work of art, achieve your goals, or transform your community, ʻAbdu’l-Bahá has provided the formula to bring any project from vision to reality. Join us as we explore the simple but profound steps that will guide us through the creative process! Read more
Introduction to The Virtues Project™: Bringing Virtues to Life
Date: Sunday, July 26 2020
Time: 7:15 – 9:00 pm
Presenter: Shidan Toloui-Wallace
In this one-hour introductory workshop we will be exploring what makes virtues special, how they are different from values and how we can practice the virtues through the 5 strategies of the Virtues Project™. Read more
The Art of Invitation
Date: Monday, July 27 2020
Time: 7:15 – 9:00 pm
Presenter: Anisa Skuce-Newell
Are you trying to learn about inviting friends to join you in learning how to construct a new civilization?
In this workshop we will work together to creatively visualize and plan some avenues to invitation as we explore a day in ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’s neighbourhood. You will need: A large sheet of paper (like a poster board) some small sheets, scissors, pencil, water colours or other colouring media. Read more
Creativity of the Soul
Date: Tuesday, July 28 2020
Time: 7:15 – 9:00 pm
Presenter: Michèle Jubilee Davey
How can creativity serve the advancement of discourse, society and collective spiritual well being? In this workshop we will examine creativity as a faculty of the soul that every human being can manifest. Understanding creativity as a spiritual attribute can help us live more consciously, can shape our relationships and our approach to service and work. Read more
Verse and Vision: Connecting Deeply through Word and Image
Date: Wednesday, July 29, 2020
Time: 7:15 – 9:00 pm
Presenters: Edward Epp, Leanne Boschman
There are three parts to this workshop. In the first shorter segment, there will be a slide presentation of mixed media works that combine sacred text and visual imagery, as well as some that merge both poetry and visual imagery. In the second part of the workshop, participants will be invited to choose a short excerpt from the Baha’i Writings they find inspiring then choose key words that they will then utilize to create a short poem. From there, they will write their poem on paper or canvas and be guided to choose colour, texture, line, and illustration for the background. Each part of this sequence is intended to create a deeper, inspired connection with sacred language and the unique gift of creativity inherent in all. Read more
Children’s Program
Dates: Saturday, July 25 – Wednesday, July 29, 2020
Time: 10:15 – 11:00 am
This dynamic class is planned around the Summer School’s theme of “Following in the Footsteps of ʻAbdu’l-Bahá for children ages 5-10. Each day there will be a story about the Master and a quote from the Baháʼí Writings. Additional activities include a daily prayer, an art lesson on learning to draw animals, a movement break, learning a song, and short videos connected to the theme of the day. Included are opportunities for the children to interact with their teachers. Our goal is to help the children develop a deep love for ʻAbdu’l-Bahá and a desire to follow in His footsteps.
We are grateful for the participation of children, youth, and their families from all over BC in helping to create the videos for the lessons.
Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program – Ages 11 – 12
Younger Junior Youth – Ages 11 – 12
Dates: Saturday July 25 – Wednesday July 29 2020
Time: 9:15 am – 10:15 am
Presenters:
Carmel Mehrabkhani, Liz Archer, Sabbah Moffedi, Nasrin Kamali
Each session the junior youth will learn, share and reflect about one moral virtue; the content of the lessons and stories will be centered around the life of ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’ and will be intended to help the junior youth connect and make positive decisions by exploring concepts such as humility, kindness, justice, and honesty.
The stories and lessons will help them develop their powers of expression, critical thinking skills, and comprehension skills. Each session with start with small opening prayer, check-in/question of the day, followed by a lesson and storytelling/story reading about the life of ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’. The lessons will be interactive and allow the junior youth to participate and share their thoughts and ideas. The end of the lesson may include virtual interactive games/activities. Read more
Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program – Ages 13 – 15
Older Junior Youth – Ages 13 – 15
Date: Saturday July 25 – Wednesday July 29 2020
Time: 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Presenters: Carmel Mehrabkhani, Liz Archer, Sabbah Moffedi, Nasrin Kamali
While the general content of the younger and older junior youth is the same, the older junior youth will dig a little deeper as they learn, share and reflect each day about one moral virtue. The content of the lessons and stories will be centered around the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and will be intended to help the junior youth connect and make positive decisions by exploring concepts such as humility, kindness, justice, and honesty.
The stories and lessons will help them develop their powers of expression, critical thinking skills, and comprehension skills. Each session with start with an opening prayer, check in/question of the day, followed by a lesson and story about the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. The lessons will be interactive and allow the junior youth to participate and share their thoughts and ideas. The end of the lesson may include virtual interactive games/activities. Read more
Adults
Service to the Cause and Humanity in Trying Times
Dates: July 25, 2020; July 26, 2020; July 27, 2020
Time: 1:00 – 3:15 pm
Joan and Albert Lincoln address this theme in three 45-minute keynote presentations, each followed by a one-hour breakout session during which participants will study and discuss materials related to the subject of the presentation. Read more.
Following in the Footsteps of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Tackling Climate Change
Date: July 25, 2020
Time: 3:30 – 5:30 pm
Kim Sutherland and Cheryl Vinchoff will review the science of climate change and the principles in the Bahá’í Faith that are the healing medicine for this illness. Read more.
Out of the Ashes Rises the Phoenix: Precedents and Prospects of Bahá’í Artists
Date: July 26, 2020
Time: 3:30 – 5:30 pm
Farshid Samandari considers definitive directions for “Bahá’í artists” through the Writings that include both general directions and specific instructions of Central Figures to their contemporary artists. Read more.
Investigating the Kingdoms of Existence
Date: July 27, 2020
Time: 3:30 – 5:30 pm
Charlotte Wenninger will explore the premise that investigating the kingdoms of existence provides us with meaning and purpose, and helps us to understand our created world and the mysteries of the higher levels, like the Manifestations and the Unknowable God. Read more.
The Master’s Methods: Lessons for Inter-faith & Inter-belief Engagement
Dates: July 28, 2020; July 29, 2020
Time: 1:00 – 3:15 pm
Harold Rosen discusses what we can learn from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s general approach to engagement and teaching in diverse settings and continue to deepen our study of the Master’s methods. Read more.
Moving Beyond Our Culture of Contest
Date: July 28, 2020
Time: 3:30 – 5:30 pm
Jeanne Zayac will lead us in exploring ideas from Michael Karlberg’s book “Beyond the Culture of Contest”. We will also look at the example given to us by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá during His travels in America in 1912. Read more.
Stories about ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Date: July 28, 2020
Time: 3:30 – 4:15 pm
Anne Shuster-Sargent shares stories about ‘Abdu’l-Bahá that particularly resonate with her – lessons continually being learned from them. Told from memory. Read more.
“Look at me, follow me, be as I am”
Date: July 28, 2020
Time: 4:30 – 5:30 pm
As words encourage, support, inform and uplift, this workshop with Michelle Andruskievicz will be an exploration of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s words, “look at me, follow me, be as I am” to develop a deeper appreciation of what he demonstrated, to then connect that exploration to one’s own life. Read more.
Aspects of Ḥuqúqu’lláh
Date: July 29, 2020
Time: 3:30 – 5:00 pm
Representatives from the Institution of Ḥuqúqu’lláh across BC will present key aspects of this Law, followed by time for questions around observance of it. Virtual breakout rooms will allow time for reflecting together. Read more.
Feedback Session
Date: July 29, 2020
Time: 5:00 – 5:30 pm
Tim Mock, of the Regional Schools Coordinating Committee, will lead a Feedback Session of our Virtual School. We hope you can join us so we can gather insights and learning from this, our first virtual event.
Virtual Dinner Visits = Chicken Soup for the Soul
Dates: July 25, 2020 to July 29, 2020
Time: 6:00 – 7:00 pm
Virtual dinner visits has been created as an opportunity to catch up with old friends and new alike. You can decide ahead of time to meet up with friends in one of the Zoom rooms provided, or simply ask the Zoom Host to place you into one. Read more
