Eastern Colorado Baha’i Winter School:  Beacon of Hope & Spiritual Refuge

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Community members of all ages gathered as beacons of hope for all who seek a better world at the Eastern Colorado Baháʼí School in Estes Park, Colorado, on January 2-4, 2026.
 

Attendees gather for a group photo at Eastern Colorado's Baháʼí Winter School in Estes Park, Colorado, on January 3, 2026.

 

Friends from Utah, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Texas joined Colorado Baháʼís with hearts and minds dedicated to building spaces of spiritual refuge for all. At the same time, members of the Continental Boards of Counselors gathered in Haifa, Israel, to consult on “how communities learn to translate spiritual principles into forms” of coherent and collective action that resonates with local realities.[1]

As the newest member of the Brilliant Star magazine team, I was humbled and awed by the vibrant, spirited atmosphere of the Colorado school. Study sessions facilitated by youth were imbued with creativity expressed through the arts, including a study of the Universal House of Justice’s December 31, 2025, letter to the Continental Counselors. My goal was to learn how Brilliant Star can help empower neighborhood children’s class teachers, animators, parents, and community members at the grassroots in their community-building efforts.

Fire Tablet word search activity (Vol. 50, No. 6) fosters meaningful community conversations for all ages.

Lynn Ferdowsian (top right), a Colorado school committee member and member of the Castle Rock Baháʼí community, shared with me that she’s used Brilliant Star’s stories for years to support meaningful conversations in the community. In a recent gathering, she shared “Bahá’u’lláh’s Life: Mission of Peace, The Fire Tablet,” which offers a glimpse of the suffering Baháʼu'lláh endured due to injustice. All ages attending the gathering appreciated the piece, which included a word search activity inviting everyone to find 19 words from the Fire Tablet that nurture courage and resilience, qualities that empower us to overcome hardship. Lynn also plans to encourage children’s class teachers and animators to refer to Brilliant Star for crafts and activities at future seasonal school sessions.

The Eastern Colorado Baháʼí School began in the early 1970s and has served generations for over 50 years. As a testament to perseverance, steadfast faith, and love-filled service, this year’s school set a record for attendance: 188, with nearly half of the participants being children, junior youth, and youth, and over 10% friends of the Faith.

Baháʼí seasonal schools like this one cultivate an atmosphere of “close association and fellowship, both social and spiritual, among attendants," while sharing the history, principles, and teachings of the Faith, and the application to one’s life of concepts such as the oneness of humanity, equality of women and men, and the elimination of all prejudice.[2]

 

Dynamic learning sessions were organized and facilitated by youth throughout the weekend.

 

The approach to intergenerational capacity building integrated the arts, where youth prepared and facilitated study themes for all ages, including cultivating hope in distressing times, and strengthening concepts, skills, attitudes, and abilities that nurture personal and social transformation.

 

Youth facilitate and guide collective learning throughout the weekend.

 

 

An especially vibrant and dynamic space cultivated by youth facilitators, their tutors, and junior youth were the sessions that focused on strengthening spiritual and intellectual powers. It was a joy to see their learning and friendship building. I also enjoyed hearing new ideas about how Brilliant Star can continue to inspire their creative community building efforts.

Junior youth creating button pins at Eastern Colorado Baháʼí Winter School.

One junior youth said he would like to see more opportunities for junior youth and youth to communicate with each other about their learning and service. When asked if anyone had new art activity ideas, one youth shared that she’d love to see dot-to-dot art that she could create during meditation.

I also shared a button-making project with the group. One junior youth decided to draw a beach scene, which was his spiritual refuge, and coincidentally, mine also (besides our home, of course).

Button pin with the beach as a spiritual refuge created by a junior youth

The conditions of development in each person’s community varied widely—regardless, the overarching theme of the weekend was to reflect on the reality that “we are building spaces of spiritual refuge for our fellow citizens…whether in a children’s class, a junior youth group, a devotional gathering, a study circle, or any other”. And to ensure that “all are distinguished for their spiritual atmosphere, sense of loving inclusion, and spirit of service” as communities are sustained and multiplied.[4] 

For the second year in a row, youth and collaborators spent the week before the session studying Ruhi books intensively, tutored by community members. My friend Michael Espinoza, a Fort Collins Baháʼí, reflected on his experience before tutoring youth, as he adapted to circumstances beyond his control:
 

Fort Collins Baháʼí and Baháʼí School committee member, Michael Espinoza inspired by the language of faith, love and friendship.

This year, I was partnered with a fantastic tutor, whom I was sure [I was] going to be a second tutor to, as I had not tutored a Ruhi Book 5 in many years. Unfortunately, illness and a death in his family prevented him from tutoring at Youth Camp. I had many trepidations about the upcoming gathering at this point; surely someone would step in to tutor with me. The time was short, and resources were limited. I became worried that I might not contribute much to the learning. After prayer and meditation, I realized that I was about to be tutoring many beautiful souls who had done so much in the past, and that we would make our time together spiritual and productive. Gratitude would be the attitude that I would fill my heart with for this grand adventure.

Kyler Kerr (age 5) sings a prayer while Michael Espinoza accompanies him on the djembe drum in 2013.

I first met Michael in 2012 through an introduction by one of the Fort Collins Baháʼí families. His kind and gentle spirit radiated sincere love for humanity, especially children, junior youth, and youth. It is an honor to share that I served as his first tutor in the Ruhi Institute Process—a global process of learning that empowers individuals and collectives to develop an understanding of spiritual principles and their capacity to serve humanity through study, reflection, and action. It didn’t take long for Michael to become a member of our family. My kids often asked when he would visit next and counted down to the minute until he arrived!

Community members strengthen relationships through prayer and learning.

 

When I read Michael’s insightful reflection, I felt immense gratitude and love for his commitment and dedication to serving the youth. From the moment I met him, he has dedicated his heart and mind to learning and service. His reflection resonates strongly with several of the characteristics cultivated by the Ruhi Institute process. This dynamic relationship with spiritual and intellectual knowledge was reinforced for participants during the Baháʼí school weekend. I was inspired by how Michael first turned to prayer when faced with difficulty. It allowed him to connect with love and beauty, which gave meaning to his tutoring of the youth. Second, I recognized his humble attitude toward learning as he detached himself from worry. It is beautiful to see how his spiritual capacity and service skills have strengthened over the years.

 

Group member Amin Azamian from Westminster, Colorado, shares group yard art promoting humanityʼs interconnected reality.

 

Together, prayer and humility in learning serve as catalysts not only for personal growth but also for inspiring others when exercised through accompaniment founded on love and gratitude, which helps us “apply the Revelation to the manifold dimensions of social existence”.[5]

As an institution serving the community under the guidance of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of the U.S., the Eastern Colorado Baháʼí Winter School committee provided a spiritual refuge for children, junior youth, youth, and adults to connect to the heart of community progress founded on the Ruhi Institute process. 
 

Group yard art promoting and founded on unity in diversity of humanity

 

One art-inspired activity supported the vision of creating a spiritual refuge at home: designing yard signs for neighbors to see. After each table finished their sign sharing a message of welcome or unity in diversity, participants were given Post-it notes and took part in a gallery-style walk, leaving messages of appreciation and encouragement for one another.

Joy and happiness filled hearts and minds throughout the weekend.

Throughout the weekend, activities like this one strengthened individual spiritual development, unified relationships, and provided an empowering atmosphere to pray, learn, and serve alongside each other as beacons of hope in our communities. 

It’s exciting to imagine the spaces being created that give rise to social action, meaningful conversations, and inspired learning expressed through selfless service. It was a joy to share in the love, unity, and spirit of service that unfolded in Colorado.

 

I look forward to visiting more communities in the year ahead. Here’s how you can take part in Brilliant Star’s efforts to support teachers, families, and communities: 

• Contact us if you have a seasonal school or major event coming up—we may be able to join you.

• Let us know how Brilliant Star can support your teaching and community-building efforts.

• Share stories and photos about using Brilliant Star in your classes, families, and communities.

We hope to hear from you! You can email me at jkerr@usbnc.org. 

 

References

[1] https://news.bahai.org/story/1847/bahai-world-centre-counsellors-conference-ends-reflection-spiritual-renewal 

[2] Centers of Baháʼí Learning, Extracts from the Writings of Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice, Revised 1990, Compilations of Compilations, Vol. I, pp. 25-44, 11. 

[3] Centers of Baháʼí Learning, Extracts from the Writings of Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice, Revised 1990, Compilations of Compilations, Vol. I, pp. 25-44, 7. 

[4] 30 September 2024, Letter from National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States 

[5] Ruhi Book 13, Engaging in Social Action, p. 20 

Updated on 1.27.26