Cancellation of Royal Falcon School 2012 session

Posted on November 12, 2011 by the Team

Participants of Royal Falcon Bahá’í School in 2011

Dearly loved Friends,

Royal Falcon Bahá’í School, held in January 2011, was a wonderful success on so many levels, creating an exciting learning environment, exploring themes of spiritual transformation that many will long remember and cherish!

Unfortunately, it has not been possible to form a committee to plan and carry out the Royal Falcon Bahá’í School for 2012. This winter school, tentatively scheduled for January 27-29 at Pensacola Beach, Florida, has been cancelled.

Several of you responded to the e-mail survey of 2011 school attendees, sent by our Office in August – we received a number of glowing testimonials of how much the school meant to individuals. Unfortunately, few respondents were able to volunteer to serve on a planning committee; there was not enough support for planning and putting on the school in 2012, especially with so few months left to do so. We know that the number of friends in this region, serving the Cause diligently, wearing many hats, and using their many talents and capacities, is limited. As the Faith grows, so too will our human resources!

A planning committee for the Royal Falcon Bahá’í School is ideally appointed by the National Spiritual Assembly in May of each year. Seven to eight months typically goes into preparing such a multi-faceted event. At this time, the Office of Education and Schools is happy to hear from volunteers interested in planning the January 2013 session of this school. (If you offered to serve in response to the August e-mail survey be assured your name will be considered as a candidate for the committee planning the 2013 winter school.) SchoolCommittees@usbnc.org

It is always sad to cancel something which brings so much joy and inspiration, but we look forward to Royal Falcon’s resurgence soon!

With loving appreciation,

Karen Darling
School Committees Coordinator
Office of Education and Schools

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Photo re-cap of Royal Falcon 2011

Posted on November 12, 2011 by the Team

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What to expect: Friday welcome festivities

Posted on January 28, 2011 by the Team

A special school kick-off program awaits early arrivals on Friday evening at the Hampton Inn!!

Beginning 7:30 p.m., center stage of the Hampton Inn’s DeLuna Hall, our musical guest Gustaff Besungu will treat school registrants, invited guests and drop-in visitors to a rhythm ice-breaker game, followed by adult-friendly creative arts and concluding with an African sing-along! (Children will also have an arts activity table while their parents are coloring, cutting with wacky scissors, tracing stencils and gluing their artwork together.)

Come with a full belly, an open heart and a copy of the 28 December 2010 message from the Universal House of Justice. See below the text of an email sent to Royal Falcon School registrants this morning:

Dear friends,
Our excitement for this weekend is exceeded only by our eagerness to discover the unique, valuable contributions each of you will bring to enrich the Royal Falcon experience.
The school kicks off Friday evening with a joyful, musical, artistic celebration that includes creative ways to study the recent message of the Universal House of Justice, dated 28 December 2010.
In our effort to save paper and ink, we ask the friends who have already printed copies of the above message to please bring that with you. If you would like a copy to print to study in advance , a pdf version with numbered paragraphs is included for you. We will be able to print a limited number of copies at the school site for a small charge.
Many of you may wish to bring your eReaders, laptops and such to use in studying school materials. The committee will waive the usual school policy against electronic devices and we encourage the friends to bring such study tools. However, if the excessive use of these devices for purposes other than participating in the school sessions becomes a disturbance or distraction, the committee reserves the right to ask individuals to kindly discontinue use. The friends should safeguard all their belongings at all times, as the committee is not responsible for personal items.
For more information about what to expect this weekend, please check the website periodically at http://royalfalconschool.org/.
With loving Bahá’í greetings,
The Royal Falcon Bahá’í School Committee
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Weekend weather for Royal Falcon

Posted on January 27, 2011 by the Team

Not a bad forecast, Pensacola Beach, FL!
The sun will be shining on Royal Falcon Bahá’í School 2011!

If you want to check the weather forecast updates, click here.

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Meet one of our vendors: Baha’i Prayer Beads

Posted on January 24, 2011 by the Team

We hope that the Royal Falcon Baha’i School will be a rich experience for all attendees. There will be something for everyone, including those who like to peruse Baha’i artists’ latest creations!

One feature of the Royal Falcon Bookstore will be a special section for local and regional craftspeople, artists and authors.

If you have been looking for prayer beads or want to know how to make your own, check out the website of one of our vendors: Baha’i Prayer Beads

www.bahai-prayer-beads.com

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One week to go!

Posted on January 22, 2011 by the Team

Hi there, registrants!

The Royal Falcon School crew has been so busy, we almost forgot to give you the one week warning. Wait… that’s all the time left we have to get ready!?
Maybe we’ll find the time to give you another “top ten things to look forward to” but we might just send you a preview of the schedule instead.
Until next week, please be preparing yourselves spiritually and mentally for this festive and focused weekend.
Also, please PLEASE make sure all of your friends know that we absolutely CANNOT take walk-ins. We have reached full capacity, and unfortunately cannot accommodate more registrants.
We are praying for the success of the school and hope you will, too.

Respectfully,
Royal Falcon Baha’i School Committee 2011

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Only two weeks left!

Posted on January 15, 2011 by the Team

Dear registrants,

Please review the information on the website and the forms you were sent with your registration confirmation. It will serve you well to be as prepared as possible upon arriving at the school. The number of hours we will have together will be short, sweet and very full! Come expecting a rich and carefully programmed experience.

Also, many friends have inquired about the registration waitlist. It is important that you inform the commitee if you wish to attend but did not register prior to the full capacity being reached. Your name will go on the waitlist in the order that your email or phone call is received.

Don’t forget to inform anyone you know who may be expecting to register on-site that they need to read these notices. We are looking for ways to expand or re-purpose our space, but even so, there still may be a limit to the number of attendees who can be accommodated.

Thank you for all your enthusiasm and support for the school.

Loving greetings,

The Royal Falcon Baha’i School Committee

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Note from the Bookstore manager

Posted on January 13, 2011 by the Team

The Royal Falcon Bookstore is hard at work stocking its tables with books, recordings, teaching materials and more to enrich the experience of the upcoming session. Items have been selected with the endeavors in our communities in mind.

Bookstore coordinator Dianne Bayless will have copies of the book that inspired the school’s theme, but she suggested that many participants may wish to order and read the book beforehand. Click on the image below to see how to order the book, but remember that there are only two weeks to go!!

There isn’t much time left, but if there are specific items you will be looking for at the Bookstore, please send an email to royalfalcon@nbs.usbnc.org. Your requests will be forwarded to Dianne for consideration.

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Registration is full!

Posted on January 11, 2011 by the Team

There are no more registration spots available at the adult rate. And we expect the last family rate slot to go soon.

If you are interested in putting your name on the waiting list, please e-mail royalfalcon-reg@nbs.usbnc.org.

It is important that the news that registration has closed be spread to as many people as possible. Your help telling as many friends in the area (Alabama, NW Florida, parts of Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana) is greatly needed and appreciated. It would be unfortunate for anyone to show up at the school to discover that it’s not possible to accommodate them.

There are only a couple rooms left at the hotel, so if you haven’t booked your room, please do so now. If you are able to share your rooms with a friend, this will enable many more attendees to find a place to stay.

A big thank you to everyone who is doing all they can to make this school a success!

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Sneak peak (Part II)

Posted on January 8, 2011 by the Team

Nine More Things to Look Forward to at Royal Falcon 2011

- 9 -
Grow a “learning tree”
(Come to the school to find out what it is!)

- 8 -
Friday evening’s program will be dedicated to an interactive study
of the recent December 28, 2010 and January 1, 2011 messages of the House of Justice.

Members of the Continental Boards of Counsellors - gathered on the steps of the Seat of the Universal House of Justice - with members of the Universal House of Justice and the International Teaching Centre. (Click to view high res photo on news.bahai.org)

- 7 -
The University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa) Baha’i Association is sponsoring
a training for the children and junior youth on environmental stewardship.

- 6 -
Pioneer presentations from our local Pioneer Resource Person and recently dispatched pioneers
will inspire the heart and stir the soul.
Find out about the urgent needs to meet the international pioneer goal of the current Five Year Plan.

- 5 -
The “marketplace” will include a well-stocked Bookstore and several vendors
with unique expressions of Baha’i artistry.

- 4 -
Saturday’s evening program will feature live song and dance from local musicians and visiting performers. Expect Baha’i song classics and original tunes!

- 3 -
Learn about the spiritual dimensions of the Fund through visual presentations of the principles of sacrifice, generosity, service, love, patience, true wealth and steadfastness.

- 2 -
Participate in the school’s experimentation with achieving greater coherence
in a regional Baha’i gathering.

- 1 -
Decorations and the daily devotional programs will be enriched by the graceful touch
of Wings to the Spirit.

There are only THREE WEEKS LEFT until the school begins!
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