Upland Bahá’í Community

06/07/2024

🌞🎉 Exciting Summer Camp Alert! 🎉🌞
Our Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Camp

Register here: https://www.peopleforpeaceandprosperity.org/jysec/
Join us for an 8-week adventure starting June 18th, 2024, at the Baha'i Information Center in Rancho Cucamonga! Sessions run Tues, Wed, Thu from 1pm-5pm, right behind the Law Office of Soheila Azizi & Assoc.

Our program is designed to:
🌟 Strengthen language skills and expression
🌟 Explore social issues
🌟 Investigate physical, social, and spiritual realities scientifically
🌟 Enjoy fun and creative activities with music, dance, and arts

Mentors from the University of La Verne, trained in the spiritual principles of "Releasing the Powers of Junior Youth," will guide our sessions using these inspiring books:
📚 Breezes of Confirmation
📚 Glimmerings of Hope
📚 Drawing on the Power of the Word
📚 Walking the Straight Path

Plus, join us for a special kickoff concert on June 9th! 🎶

Get ready for an unforgettable summer experience! 🌞🎨🎶

02/14/2024

The Four Kinds of Love According to Baha’i Scripture
February 12, 2014, in Articles > Baha'i Life, by Dellaram

“I Love You.” It’s a phrase that is often thrown around very loosely, and come February each year on Valentine’s Day, these three words give people around the world an excuse to pamper one another with gifts, flowers, jewels and dinner promises. Of course there is nothing wrong with showing your loved ones a token (or two) of your appreciation, but I think it is equally important for us to use this time of year (or any time of year for that matter) to re-evaluate the word “love.” Is it really only about airy-fairy, lovey-dovey sentiments, or is there a deeper meaning to this four-letter word?
There are four kinds of love

The first is the love that flows from God to man; it consists of the inexhaustible graces, the Divine effulgence and heavenly illumination. Through this love the world of being receives life. Through this love man is endowed with physical existence, until, through the breath of the Holy Spirit—this same love—he receives eternal life and becomes the image of the Living God. This love is the origin of all the love in the world of creation.

Baha’u’llah says that God “loved thy creation, hence I created thee.” 2 The reason for our existence is simple – God loves us. For our life, for our family, for our surroundings we can thank God. Everything we live and breathe has been created because of His love for us, and I think that beats all the material gifts in the world!

The second is the love that flows from man to God. This is faith, attraction to the Divine, enkindlement, progress, entrance into the Kingdom of God, receiving the Bounties of God, illumination with the lights of the Kingdom. This love is the origin of all philanthropy; this love causes the hearts of men to reflect the rays of the Sun of Reality.

Every morning and every evening when I bow down to God in humble supplication, I am expressing my love for Him. With everything I do for this Cause – whether I’m teaching a children’s class, hosting a devotional meeting or teaching the Faith – I am expressing my love to God. I can’t think of any more meaningful way for an individual to show their love for any being than contributing to the betterment of the world.

The third is the love of God towards the Self or Identity of God. This is the transfiguration of His Beauty, the reflection of Himself in the mirror of His Creation. This is the reality of love, the Ancient Love, the Eternal Love. Through one ray of this Love all other love exists.

I have always grappled with the meaning behind this kind of love and I’d love to hear your thoughts. The love of God towards His Identity? What does that look like? My (limited) understanding is that this kind of love is linked very closely to the first kind, but instead of God loving us as beings, He loves the qualities that are inherent within us. We are as mirrors, and the more we polish ourselves (by developing our spiritual qualities), the more we reflect God and his attributes and that is what He loves. These same qualities can, of course, also be seen in everything that God has created – whether human or not.

The fourth is the love of man for man. The love which exists between the hearts of believers is prompted by the ideal of the unity of spirits. This love is attained through the knowledge of God, so that men see the Divine Love reflected in the heart. Each sees in the other the Beauty of God reflected in the soul, and finding this point of similarity, they are attracted to one another in love. This love will make all men the waves of one sea, this love will make them all the stars of one heaven and the fruits of one tree. This love will bring the realization of true accord, the foundation of real unity.

“Ultimately the power to transform the world is effected by love ❤️, love originating from the relationship with the Devine, love ablaze among members of a community, love extended without restriction to every human being. . . .”

A Baha’i Message from
The Universal House of Justice

10/07/2022

Warm Greetings to all🙏🌈💙!



To celebrate compassion in Upland, many groups and well wishing individuals and organizations in Upland, inclduing UPLAND INTERFAITH COUNCIL, PEOPLE FOR PEACE AND PROSPERITY, INC., and their longtime friend and collaborator Danny Garcia the founder of Praetorian Resource, are hosting a Community event focused on acts of compassionate giving. Participating collaborators will be handing out gifts 🎁, toys 🧸, food 🍕, and most importantly information about compassionate services that are available in Upland and Neighboring Communties.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR MORE COLLABORATORS, ENTITIES, NON-PROFITS, HEALTH ORGANIZATION, SCHOOLS, BUSINESSES, CIVIC LEADERS, AND OTHERS, WHO CAN ATTEND WITH THEIR TABLES OR EASY UPS TO DISTRIBUTE PAMPHLETS, GIVE AWAY ITEMS, CANDIES, ETC.

Note that absolutely No SALE OR PURCHASE or handing out POLITICAL CAMPAIGN material can take place at this event!!!

YOU MUST REPLY PROMPTLY IF wish to have your name added to the next announcement or wish to be recognized. Please inform other friends, groups, and businesses who will commit to setting up and manning their stations.

The Pomona model of honoring compassion, with collaborators such as their local city officials, the law enforcement, first responders, schools, and many more movers and well wishers, has been one of the most successful practices of Compassion in sharing offerings of goods and services, honoring acts of compassion and kindness, meaningful expressions of love, cheers, and many more blessings to their citizens. We certainly hope you respond favorably by directly contacting the sender via reply email. Some recipient's names have been included in BLIND COPY. Please inform the sender if you wish to be removed from this CHAIN or like to have your name in the Blind Copy. This EMAIL chain can be forwarded to ONLY those who you believe wish to join this and continuing series of this type of community event in Upland.



Thank you all for your anticipated support! 🙏💙🌈

05/13/2021

June 12th 2021 at 7:30 PM PDT a dedication to Race Amity Day. The primary purpose of the documentary project, An American Story: Race Amity and The Other Tradition, is to impact the public discourse on race. To move the discourse from the “blame/grievance/rejection” cycle to a view from a different lens, the lens of “amity/collaboration/access and equity.”
Let's watch the documentary together and start a conversation on Race Amity. Comment Below or send a DM if you would like to Join in on a Zoom.

"An American Story: Race Amity and The Other Tradition" is a film about "the other tradition" in American race relations, the tradition of amity and close cr...

04/18/2021

Growing up Chinese-American in Queens
Please enjoy this footage.
https://www.raceunity.us/growing-up-chinese-american-in-queens/

06/26/2020

06/26/2020

Race Unity Action
A resource site to inspire action on the most vital and challenging issue
June 2020 NSA Statement to the American People on the Elimination of Racial Prejudice:
"The Bahá’ís of the United States join our fellow-citizens in heartfelt grief at the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many others whose lives were suddenly taken by appalling acts of violence. These heartbreaking violations against fellow human beings, due only to the color of their skin, have deepened the dismay caused by a pandemic whose consequences to the health and livelihoods of people of color have been disproportionately severe. This has come to pass against a backdrop of long standing racial injustice in virtually every aspect of American life. It is clear that racial prejudice is the most vital and challenging issue we face as a country.

Yet, amidst these tragedies, there are also signs of hope." ... (read more) https://sites.google.com/bahai.us/race-unity-action/guidance-and-faqs/june-2020-national-assembly-statement?authuser=0

06/26/2020

National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahai's of the United States has an online resource site to encourage action on "the most vital and challenging issue" of race unity, and is now available (at www.bahai.us/race-unity-action).

This Race Unity Action Resource Site brings together in one location relevant guidance from the Faith’s senior institutions, compilations of excerpts from the Bahá’í writings, and answers to frequently asked questions. It includes suggestions for ways action can be taken in the three broad areas of community building, positive social action, and contributing to public discourse and a wide array of other useful materials, including films and videos, webinars, books, blogs, and podcasts. The site invites the friends to submit both descriptions and photos or videos of their activities as well as additional resources they may develop. A selection of these submissions will be published on the site to inspire others to take action.

We hope the site will assist the friends to respond energetically and creatively to the pressing needs of the hour, and we eagerly look forward to receiving reports of your activities.

06/26/2020

We Are One
We believe it’s time for humanity to come together as one family, to create a world where everyone can thrive. To learn more about the Bahai Communities in the United States visit:

Official website of The Baha'is of the United States. It’s time for humanity to come together as one family, to create a world where everyone can thrive.