Service is Prayer: THANK YOU to all the Cast & Crew

A very special THANK YOU to the many who have helped with every aspect of the Commemoration of the Centenary of Abdul-Baha’s Visit to Philadelphia:

First to the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Philadelphia, as the sponsor and host of the event, and thoughtful guide for years of planning that have gone into the historic commemoration.

“Cast” List:

Musicians:

Eric Dozier

JB Eckl

Christopher Faizi Bogan

Ian Rafalak

Ryan Socrates

Jamie Orlando

Chibuzor Uwadione

Gregory Chingwe

Spencer Wright

Children’s Choir Director: Christopher Faizi Bogan & …

THANKS to all the children and youth in the choir!

Readers, Narrators (in order of appearance):
Ethel Henderson

Elyse Etemad

Kyle Lewis
Nicole Javier
Jocelyn Kurtze
Athena Lemon
Bayan Toloubadei
Juliet Bogan
William Davis
Susannah Beckett
Doug Kurtze
Meggan Gomez
Vernice Dannells
Bijan Etemad

Behind-the-Scenes:

Centenary Committee: Melanie Etemad, Soheila Mahboubi, Leesa Maule, Homa Sabet Tavangar

Program Task Force:  Bill George (Program Director), Susannah Beckett, Moujan Toloubadei, Don Camp, Christopher Faizi Bogan, Dennis Verhagen, Justin DeLeon, Mina Sabet Bogan

Webmaster/Blogger: Anne Bivans

Picnic Task Force: Leesa Maule, Lee Gould, Charlie Cornman

Media/Outreach: Homa Tavangar, Mina Sabet Bogan, Karen Ebbert, Almaz Kinder, Gity Etemad, Jesse Washington, Becky Alexander

Videography: Justin DeLeon, Brittany Owens Raffalak, Gil Muro

Photography: Ryan Lash

Graphic Design: Cathy Maule, Omid Mohadjeri

And many more volunteers for: Baha’i Center & gardens beautification, picnic set-up, food service, clean-up, picnic parking monitors, ushers, greeters, and many more unsung workers!

Special thanks to Deputy Mayor and Chief of Staff to Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter: Dr. Everett Gillison; Reverend Dr. Malcolm Byrd, Mayor’s Office of Faith-Based Initiatives; Abby Stamelman Hocky & staff – Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia; Temple University Performing Arts Center staff and crew; Philadelphia Electric Company (PECO) - for the special message in lights!

“All effort and exertion put forth by man from the fullness of his heart is worship, if it is prompted by the highest motives and the will to do service to humanity. This is worship: to serve mankind and to minister to the needs of the people. Service is prayer. " (Abdul-Baha)

“To be a Bahá’í simply means to love all the world; to love humanity and try to serve it; to work for universal peace and universal brotherhood." (Abdul-Baha)