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| Saskatoon, circa 2020 |
What is the Saskatoon story?
For a year or so, it has been suggested that the News tell
the story of Saskatoon. Urgent pleas have gone out for an "on the spot”
account, but to no avail. Finally a wandering member of the Editorial Board [of
Canadian Baha’i News magazine] spent a delightful summer evening on the
spacious grounds of the Rogers [Don and Barbara] family just outside Saskatoon
at a Race Amity Youth Rally. Amid the ebbing and flowing of youth of all ages,
she managed to extract from Assembly members some of the history. The difficulty
of putting it into words soon became apparent. The growth of the community has
demanded all the energy and attention of the Assembly. Furthermore, it seems
almost impossible to describe adequately both the spiritual forces that are so
obviously present, and the feeling that is Saskatoon.
For, more than anything else, it seems to this observer,
Saskatoon is a feeling, a feeling of community — not just any community, but a
community of purpose — the community of Baha’u’llah. One feels that here is a
dynamic community made up almost entirely of believers under thirty years of
age, a community in which everyone, no matter how conformist or non-conformist
he or she may appear to be, has a sense of belonging and acceptance. As it
becomes increasingly clear that today’s youth is crying out for the experience
of community, one to really believe in, Saskatoon takes on even greater
significance.
Even the casual visitor comes away with very strong
impressions — of deep unity and joy in being together, of vitality and growth,
of flexibility, of gentleness and strength. One member mentioned how they all
felt the strength of the community flowing through them, giving them support,
even when they were teaching alone. Another expressed the wonder of
experiencing such oneness and loving concern. Through it all, one feels an
intense awareness of divine purpose, of being under the care and guidance of
Bahá’u’lláh.
How did it all come about? Some may remember an
'advertisement' in the [Canadian Baha’i] News about two years ago for pioneers
to build up the lost Assembly in Saskatoon. Later, Hand of the Cause Mr. John
Robarts visited the believers there, and one gathers that something of a
scolding took place. Why were they not using their most important resource —
the power of prayer — to build up their assembly locally? Inspiring them with
accounts of the effects of using the Remover of Difficulties and the Long
Obligatory Prayer, he assured them that inquirers would knock on their doors
and that he felt Saskatoon had a great future. This meeting proved to have a
profound influence, not only on the community of five but also in bringing
about three declarations.
Their prayers did bring results! As those original members
look back, certain events stand out as significant. The small group, united in
prayer, attended Baha'i gatherings together in Lloydminster, the Water-ton
Lakes and Fort Ou’Appelle. Together they heard Hand of the Cause Mr. Samandari
at the Qu’Appelle Institute speak of his belief that Saskatoon would be a
“spark”.
One of the newly enrolled believers was a member of a band;
all became Baha’is. On World Religion Day, three high school students came to a
meeting, stayed to a fireside and soon there were nine believers of high school
age. The excitement and momentum began to build, and more and more youth
declared their belief in Bahá’u’lláh. An interesting aspect was the diversity
of the new believers. They were not just from one segment of Saskatoon society,
thus the influence was felt in many circles. The latest surge of new
enrollments is from the university campus. There is now a strong Baha’i group,
including both faculty and students.
As can be imagined, such an influx especially of youth has
brought many challenges to the Assembly. In that first year the mobility of the
believers caused so many vacancies on the Assembly, that there had to be a
by-election at almost every Feast. This had a great deepening effect.
The Assembly feels that the present stage of the community
requires a harnessing of the forces at work. Pioneers are going out to other
areas:
one couple left recently for Inuvik; another is making plans
to fill an overseas goal. A new and larger community center is being obtained
to be used not only for teaching, deepening and proclamation, but also for
educational and cross-cultural activities for both Baha’is and the general
public. In connection with the latter, to illustrate how the community feels
under the protection of Bahá'u’lláh, one member mentioned that the response of
non-Baha'is to this undertaking was such that they felt, as he expressed it,
“umbrella forces”, at work in the city.
Let us not forget those hardy souls who established the
Assembly there in the first place when the ground was not so fertile as it is
now. Wherever they are, they must be delighted to hear the story of Saskatoon,
thus far — a vivid and exciting part of the spiritual process we are all
involved in. And like the stories of all the Baha’i communities the world over,
it is one that is "to be continued”.
(Canadian Baha’i News, no. 233, September-October 1969)
