The Story of Saskatoon

For some time now the believers across the country [Canada] have heard the name “Saskatoon” appearing with increasing frequency. We hear of something like 70-80 declarations, almost all of them youth, in less than two years, of no “generation gap”, of new approaches and exciting happenings. Anyone who visits the Saskatoon community cannot help but feel that something momentous has taken place and is taking place there.

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 Bahá’í 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 Bahá’u’lláh. 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 Bahá’í] 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 Bahá’í gatherings together in Lloydminster, the Waterton Lakes and Fort Qu’Appelle. Together they heard Hand of the Cause 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 Bahá’ís. 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 Bahá’í 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 Bahá’ís 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-Bahá’ís 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 Bahá’í communities the world over, it is one that is “to be continued”.

(Canadian Bahá’í News, no. 233, September–October 1969)

Source: "The Story of Saskatoon", Canadian Bahá'í News, no. 233 (September–October 1969); via the Baha'i Stories Blog (https://bahaistories.blogspot.com/2020/03/1969-story-of-saskatoon.html).

Various. *Baha'i Stories Blog*. https://bahaistories.blogspot.com/2020/03/1969-story-of-saskatoon.html