Kansas
From Bahaikipedia
Kansas is in the center of the United States. It was included by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as one of the Central states which He likened to the heart of a person.
The Bahá’í Faith reached Kansas in the summer of 1897, the second place where the Faith was taught in North America. A small community resulted, but the believers had not been taught about how to function as a community, so nothing occurred along that line and most eventually went on to other interests. A few remained connected to the Faith for the rest of their lives and through them, the Kansas Bahá’í community has continued.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote to a few people in Kansas, in one letter to a believer, describing it as "that vast and remote country." It was vast and remote from the Holy Land!
Spiritual Assemblies have been formed in two dozen cities, but not all have been able to continue in existence. The first Spiritual Assembly was formed in Topeka in 1935, but it took a decade before it was firmly established.
As with the general population, there are more Bahá’ís in the larger cities, and more toward the Eastern part of the state than the West.
Kansas has produced two members of the Universal House of Justice. Hugh Chance was born near Winfield, Kansas, though his family moved away when he was a child. He was one of those elected to the first House of Justice in 1963. Dr. David Ruhe moved to Kansas with his family in the 1950s. From there he was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States. He was elected its Secretary in 1961. In 1968 he was elected to the House of Justice.
[edit] Cities
Contents: Top - A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
[edit] A
Atichson. A resident wrote to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in 1920, but no community has yet developed there.
[edit] C
Cottonwood Falls. Ted Livingston, was Bahá’í and mayor of the town briefly before his death.
[edit] D
Dodge City. A Spiritual Assembly was formed 1978-81 and 1987-91. A small Bahá’í community has remained since then.
[edit] E
Emporia. The first Bahá’ís lived there in the 1950s. The Spiritual Assembly was formed in 1970 until 2005.
Enterprise. First Bahá’í community in Kansas (1897), second Bahá’í community west of Egypt. Two believers traveled to Chicago in 1912 to see ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
[edit] H
Hays. A Bahá’í community appeared overnight in the early 1970s and a Spiritual Assembly was formed briefly: 1973-78, 1998-99, 2002-03.
Hutchinson. The first Bahá’í lived here in the 1950s but a community did not develop until the early 1970s. The Spiritual Assembly was formed in 1973 and has been continuous since that date. It was incorporated in 1985.
[edit] K
Kansas City. The first Bahá’í to live in Kansas City, Kansas was Mary M. F. Miller in 1898. A couple years later she and her husband returned to Enterprise, Kansas where, years before, he had established the Methodist church and was its minister. It was decades before a second Bahá’í lived there. In 1958 the Spiritual Assembly was formed and has been continuous since then. It was incorporated in 1965.
[edit] L
Lawrence. In the summer of 1897 the Lawrence Journal carried news items regarding the Bahá’í classes in Enterprise but it was half a century later before the first Bahá’í lived there. The Spiritual Assembly was formed in 1964 and has remained to this day. It was incorporated in 1966. The Bahá’í club on the campus of Kansas Univerity is one of the oldest in the country.
Lenora. The smallest city in Kansas to ever have a Spiritual Assembly. With a population of just 900 a Spiritual Assembly was formed 1979-84. The City Manager was one of the Bahá’ís.
[edit] M
Manhattan. The first Bahá’í lived there in the 1950s but a community did not develop until the 1970s. A Spiritual Assembly was formed in 1974 until 2000, with a break in 1996-97. It was incorporated in 1980.
[edit] N
Newton. A Bahá’í community appeared overnight in the early 1970s, but it was not a stable one. A Spiritual Assembly was formed periodically over the years: 1971-72, 1975-78, 1984-88 and 1989-92.
[edit] O
Overland Park. A Spiritual Assembly was formed in 1975 and it has function since that date.
[edit] P
Pittsburg. A spiritual Assembly was formed 1977-80.
Prairie Village. A Spiritual Assembly was formed 1981-83 and 1986-89.
[edit] S
Salina. A Spiritual Assembly was there from 1968 to 1981 with a break in 1973-74.
[edit] T
Topeka. First resident Bahá’í arrived in 1906 and the community has been continuous since then. First administrative activity in 1920, first Spiritual Assembly elected in 1935, incorporated in 1968.
[edit] W
Wellilngton
Wichita. The first Bahá’ís lived there in 1902 and wrote to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. His reply referred to Wichita as, "the vast and remote country." Pioneers arrived from Topeka in 1935 who stayed for ten years. In 1947 the present Bahá’í community began. A Spiritual Assembly was formed in 1955 and reformed in 1960. Wichita was the first community in Kansas to have its own permanent Center in 2002.
[edit] References
"The Bahá’í Faith in Kansas, since 1897" Duane L. Herrmann, Buffalo Press, Topeka, 1994. "By Thy Strengthening Grace, the First One Hundred Years of the Bahá’í Faith in Topeka: 1906-2006, Topeka Bahá’í Assembly, 2006.
