The House of Worship staff was busy lately answering questions from students working on reports for world religion, sociology and architecture classes as well as from journalism students from nearby Northwestern University.

November 2008 update: Restoration continues at House of Worship

The Visitors Center and main entrance to the House of Worship are currently closed due to the restoration work and visitors are using the east entrance (facing Sheridan Road) to access the gardens and auditorium.

Some of the new stairs to the main entrance on Linden Avenue have been laid, as can be seen in the photograph on this page. 

Gwen Clayborne, a Baha'i from Glencoe, Ill., was featured recently on the Chicago-based public television program, "30 Good Minutes."

Award-winning artist Roger Bansemer and his wife, Sarah, are currently travelling across the U.S. working on a TV series called "Painting on Location with Roger Bansemer."

The next holy day event at the Baha'i House of Worship will be held at 1 a.m. Friday, Nov. 28, with a special devotional program commemorating the Ascension of Abdu'l-Baha, who died at his home in Haifa, Israel, at approximately 1 a.m. on Nov. 29, 1921, at age 77.   

Baha'is in the area surrounding the House of Worship came together last night for a special devotional program to celebrate the Day of the Covenant, which commemorates Baha’u’llah’s appointment of His eldest son, Abdu’l-Baha, as the protector of the Covenant of Baha’u’llah.  

The Baha'i House of Worship in Wilmette, Ill., is one of 80 Chicago-area landmarks displayed in miniature at the Wonderland Express at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, Ill. On display Nov. 28 through Jan. 4, the 10,000-square-foot exhibit features miniature trains that wend their way around landmarks and waterfalls by way of bridges and trestles.

All the miniature landmarks are individually crafted from natural materials. The replica of the Baha'i temple took three weeks to create and is made entirely of plant materials including lichen and banana stems; the dome is made of a calabash gourd. 

Do you sing like a songbird and enjoy performing with other talented singers? Then you should know that the Baha'i House of Worship Choir is looking for a few good voices.

Prayer services at the Baha'i House of Worship seem to be simple affairs: a series of readers stepping up to the lectern to recite, chant or sing prayers.

To enable further restoration of the Baha'i House of Worship and begin construction of the new Visitors Center, the lower level of the temple, which currently houses the Visitors Center, bookstore and restrooms, is closed to the public for approximately one year, from May 19, 2008, to May 2009. We regret that no other bathroom facilities are available at this time.