Food, music and dance will usher in new year for the Bahá’í faith

Neighbors in Religion wishes members of the Bahá’í faith in Miami-Dade and around the world a Happy New Year as they celebrate their New Year’s Day — “Naw-Ruz” at 5 p.m. Sunday.

The celebration will be at the North Shore Open Park at Collins Avenue and 81st Street in Miami Beach, and will include food, music and dance and the traditional “Haft-seen” or “Seven Ss” table, where seven items starting with the letter “s” are displayed for good luck.

Naw-Ruz, which means “New Day,” begins year 174 in the Bahá’í calendar, which began in 1844, according to Gayle Metz, a district representative for Bahá’í. Metz said many ancient cultures, including Sumer and Babylon, begin their new year at or near the spring equinox. In Persia, the event has been known as Naw-Ruz since the Sasanian Empire of the third century CE.

Naw-Ruz also marks the completion of the 19-day fast, in which no food or drink is consumed from sunrise to sunset. The fast is an important tenet of the Bahá’í faith, along with prayer.

Thomas Carsey, of the Bahá’í Center of Miami-Dade said, “The event will replace our usual monthly fireside meeting.”

The celebration at the park will also include a musical devotional at 6:30 p.m., and a BBQ and potluck dinner at 7:31 p.m.(sunset). The free event is open to all.

For more information call 305-978-4423 or go to, MiamiBahai.org.

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Our country and local communities need a spiritual healing. At 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, at Temple Judea, 5500 Granada Blvd. in Coral Gables, Cantor Jodi Rozental will lead a healing service that is open to the public. Rozental, who plays the guitar, will be joined by several other musicians and another vocalist.

The service is free and you are invited to attend if you need healing for the loss of a spouse, a child, a loved one or any other reason. There is no need to RSVP. Call 305-667-5657 for more information.

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A Mass of Anointing and Healing will be at 7 p.m. March 23 at Holy Rosary — St. Richard Church, 7500 SW 152nd St. in Palmetto Bay.

The Mass is open to all and is part of the Lenten season of prayer and preparation.

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In last week’s column, I forgot to tell you what day that international speaker Leide Lessa would speak on the topic, “Making the right decisions — Does prayer make a difference?”

She will lecture in English at 2 p.m. and in Spanish at 4 p.m. on March 19 at First Church of Christ, Scientist, 410 Andalusia Ave., Coral Gables in the large auditorium.

For more information, call Liegh Marion at 305-569-9188.

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The congregation at Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church at 16900 SW 100th Ave. in Perrine distributes food from Farm Share to people in the neighborhood.

The event takes place from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. every Wednesday at the church.

Said Kathy Price, a member of the church: “It would be great if others knew of this service .… that’s why I am writing to you to help spread the word.”

There you have it; word is out.

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It is a sad time when a house of God has to close its doors. Even so, it happens every now and then. And now it is happening to the First United Methodist Church of South Miami, 5921 Ponce De Leon Blvd.

The church will close in May and will have a Closing Estate Sale on March 25. If you need more information call Ketsia Julmeus a member of the church, at 305-726-5159.

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Warm congratulations to the 12 extraordinary women who are winners of the 2017 In The Company of Women awards.

Among the winners are:

▪ Carol Kruse, the first female director of Zoo Miami, who received the Mayor’s Pioneer Award for the great strides she has made at the largest zoo in Florida.

▪ Dr. Emma Lew, who was honored in .the category of Government and Law (non-elected) for being Miami-Dade County’s first female Medical Examiner.

▪ Dr. Yesim Darici, Director of FIU Center for Women’s and Gender Studies, who was honored in the category of Science and Technology for being the first female physics professor in Florida.

▪ Journalist Julie Kay of the Daily Business Review, who was honored posthumously.

The other outstanding honorees are:

▪ Arts & Entertainment — Nannette Zapata, COO and art curator, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

▪ Business & Economics — Patricia Nelson, Regional Head of Strategic Accounts, AvMed

▪ Education and Research — Dr. Lenore Rodicio, Executive Vice President and Provost, Miami-Dade College

▪ Government and Law (Elected Official) — Honorable Nushin Sayfie, Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court Judge, Criminal Division; and Honorable Angelica Zayas, Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court Judge, Juvenile Division

▪ Health and Human Services — Annie Neasman, MS, RN, President and CEO, Jessie Trice Community Health Center, Inc.

▪ Sports and Athletics — Leslie Nixon, J.D., Ed. D., Director of Government and Community Affairs, Miami Dolphins LTD/Miami Dolphins Foundation

▪ Community Spirit — Maria Mas Blet, Chair of the Women’s Leadership Council, United Way Worldwide/United Way of Miami-Dade

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The Leome Scavella Culmer 19th Annual Women's History Luncheon will be at noon Monday at Moore Park, 7645 NW 36th St.

Presented by the Lemon City Cemetery Community Corporation, the program will feature "Voices From the Graves of the Miami City Cemetery", and will honor late pioneers Vera Parks Albury, Etta Mae Taylor and Elry Taylor Sands.

Tickets are $30 per person. Call Enid Pinkney, chairwoman of the event, at 305-638-5800 for tickets and more information.

This story was originally published March 14, 2017 at 2:33 PM with the headline "Food, music and dance will usher in new year for the Bahá’í faith."