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   Meher Archive News 

Newsletter #21

3/4/2023

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​MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

On January 31, Scott Tower stepped down as our Board Chair. His three-year tenure ushered in more stability and development of MAC’s vision to collect, preserve, and share Meher Baba's treasures. Thank you, Scott! 

As a result of that change, I was asked to become the new Board Chair. Others have wondered what my vision for MAC includes. The other night I had a revealing dream in which my old, packed suitcase was carried off in a torrent of water. When I awakened I knew what the dream portended. MAC is in a cycle of change; those involved have the opportunity to grow with the organization through this dynamic time. I am assured by the diverse talent and dedication of our volunteers and staff that it is these gifts that will help us navigate forward. To that end, it is with great excitement that MAC has named its first Executive Director, John Giusto. This means that MAC is changing into an organization with a new governance structure. 

I’m also happy to welcome several new volunteers who bring ideas and talents to MAC (see articles below). For example, the first Dhuni was held on MAC’s lawn in February with the help of seven volunteers. I hope it will continue with further volunteer commitment. We are ushering in a new era of on-site events. 

As we look forward, this is the year that MAC opens its doors! It is a vision that began in 2016 with a small group of Baba lovers, followed by the purchase of an historic educational center in 2018. We have come far. MAC is becoming known as a dynamic hub for safely housing Baba's enduring legacy and some of His treasures. The opportunity to continue to expand this work will take an active, invested community. I am happy to share that each one of you can participate as a Sustainer Circle member to strengthen MAC’s future. Please read more about this new program below.   

Let us embrace our strength to work collaboratively, and to remember we are involved with MAC because Baba's love sustains us—always. Stay with us, stay connected, and bring your talents!
​
In His Embrace,
Evie
Evie.Lindemann@meherarchive.org / 203.915.8017

FUNDRAISING UPDATE MAC’s
New Sustainer Circle:
A Giving Community Where Every Donor and Dollar Counts!

I WANT TO BE A SUSTAINER
Our financial needs are defined by our “Phased Plan” so that all necessary capital/site work is completed. Propelled by the success of a recent capital campaign, we would like to take fundraising to the next level. Our vision is for EVERYONE to be able to participate. Steady donations will make a real difference by reducing our fundraising requests, and will enable us to more quickly create a space for community activities. We invite you to become a member of our Sustainer Circle, a monthly donor program. MAC’s future will be a result of your loving support! 
Here are the steps involved in MAC’s future:
  • Phase 1 – second floor, full archive move-in, library, bathroom, meeting & reflection spaces (fundraising complete, volunteers still working)
  • Phase 2 – first floor, renovations incl. rental space, bathrooms, flooring (fundraising needed)
  • Phase 3 – auditorium & its roof, kitchen, café, grounds, landscaping (fundraising needed)
Phase 1 of our $250K capital campaign was accomplished due to amazing worldwide donations. Your commitment to MAC’s mission and the future completion of all three phases is more than evident. We are encouraged by your investment in supporting and growing MAC’s vision. 

Though expected dates for Phase 2 and Phase 3 have moved closer, MAC has specific financial needs for both Phases. Our end date depends entirely upon the progress of our fundraising. Let’s get to the completion party!
We know the value of both small and large donations; every donor and dollar matters. To encourage you to join us, we have created the Sustainer Circle for monthly donors. If everyone gives something each month, it will add up! Click on the website button to join the Circle today.
I WANT TO BE A SUSTAINER
WIth love and thanks to all in Baba,
Evie Lindemann, Fundraising Chair
Jean Brunet
Christina Riley
John Dalisky
Scott Tower

MAC's NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Navigating Change by John Giusto, MD

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As I move into and help define the role of Executive Director at Meher Archive Collective, I find myself reflecting on how I got here. I trained and practiced traditional then integrative Western medicine, and received more training and practice in acupuncture and mind-body medicine.  After an environmental illness ended my prior career, I began living a new life helping at various Baba centers. Now in Asheville, I am finding Baba moving me from material construction to organizational restructuring with MAC.

​My roles with MAC range from organizational design, and facilitating group processes, to coordinating individual efforts, all in a period of intense transition for MAC. We are shifting from a hands-on working board model to a governing board with an Executive Director. This work reflects MAC's mission of sharing Meher Baba’s Divine legacy in all manners and forms inspired by Him. And this is important work for all who choose to be involved with MAC in one way or another.

Because of its supreme importance for the true and final well-being of humanity, spiritual work has a natural and imperative claim on all who love humanity.  [S]piritual workers have to redeem the world from the throes of imagined duality by bringing home to it the truth of the unity of all life. (1)

This work is not easy. It involves facing oneself and facing others. It involves active listening. From Listen, Humanity:

Honest differences between workers laboring in a common cause are signs of the vitality of the work. But a spirit of discipline is also essential in all creative activities of life. How can people work jointly without discipline, and on the other hand, where would there be scope for self-control and discipline if there were no differences between workers? (2)  

As is so often the case in Baba’s books, we get an answer a little later on.

… [D]ifferences must be properly harmonized and fairly adjusted with the aid of discipline, which is more to be lived sincerely within oneself than enforced upon others. But neither differences nor discipline should ever be raised above love and truth. (3)
​

My aspirations for my role with MAC are to aid in this work without losing sight of these higher purposes, remembering that:
​
[Meher Baba] wants his lovers and workers, who are spreading his message of love to others, to share his love among themselves and to uphold the spirit of harmony and understanding in his name. He wants them to be less aggressive toward others and less tolerant toward themselves; and above all he wants them to love him wholeheartedly for He is the Ancient One who loves them more than they can ever love themselves. (4)

John.Giusto@meherarchive.org
_______________
  1. “The Task for Spiritual Workers” in Discourses, 6th edition pp. 105-111.
  2. Listen Humanity Chapter 5, pp. 70-75.
  3. Ibid
  4. Point 7 from “Meher Baba’s Last Warning and His Response to a Rift,” Lord Meher Online Revised  pp. 5338-39.


ARCHIVE CORNER
History Detective:
The importance of provenance and investigating your treasures

by Claire Barrett MLIS, Archives Manager

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Jack Mormon’s recent gift of “The Final Continuation of My Last War, Peace and Manifestation Message” letter signed by Meher Baba yielded a surprise! Read Claire Barrett’s story of a  special discovery.
The story behind your treasures probably seems like old news to you. After all, you were there for it! But for other loved ones, friends, and future researchers the story is worth more than gold. In the archiving world those stories are called provenance, and having provenance can elevate any item tenfold. In prior archive corners we've touched on the subject, but provenance can be much more in depth than simply writing down how you got an item. Sometimes it requires playing detective. 

For example, MAC was fortunate to be gifted a letter signed by Meher Baba from Jack Mormon. That, on its own, is a fantastic addition to our growing archive collections. But we didn't know just how fantastic, until we took the letter out of its frame. Tucked away inside were two notes penned by Jack Mormon talking about the history of the letter and how it came into his possession in 1975. What a treat! And to think they could have gone undiscovered had we not decided to remove the letter from its frame. 
​
Approaching your Baba treasures with fresh eyes can lead to all sorts of wonderful discoveries like this one. So when you next take a moment with one of your treasures, try playing detective. What small details can you find that reveal information you might not have known? You never know what hidden gems you might come across. Happy investigating friends, we at MAC can't wait to see what you uncover. 
​Claire.Barrett@meherarchive.org

BUILDING RENOVATION PROGRESS
​Excitement is Palpable as Phase 1 Nears Completion 
By Hugh Huntington - MAC’s Building Committee Chair & Board Secretary

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North Entry Doorway (left) prepared for finishing. Framework (above) installed for Guruprasad doors. Photos by Hugh Huntington and Jeanne Felknor.

The following lists our current progress:
  • The lift (elevator) doors arrived in mid-February and are ready for installation. 
  • ​Interior painting of the 2nd Floor begins soon. Just in time for warm spring weather!
  • Extensive electrical wiring is nearly complete for interior and exterior lighting, the result being that the first floor wiring (Phase 2) will be completed earlier than expected.
  • ​Framework has been built to contain the donated Guruprasad doors on the 2nd Floor. 
  • The north entry doorway on the 1st Floor has been prepared for the installation of glass panels and door locks.
  • ​Peter Nordeen (MAC’s onsite manager) is working in India for 6 weeks. During that time two of Peter's trusted long-time helpers, Tino and Terril, will be helping MAC move forward with painting and installation of bathroom tile. Jamie and Connor will continue to assist with the work.

PROGRAMS & ACTIVITIES
MAC’s Inaugural Dhuni: A Heartfelt Gathering!

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Meher Archive Collective hosted its first Dhuni event on the lawn of the MAC building on February 19th. Nearly 30 members of the community attended, sharing music, poetry, and their love for Baba. His presence was felt with humor and sincerity.
Would you like this to be a recurring program? We need your participation in planning future Dhuni events. It’s your talents and interests that will grow our on-site programs. Please contact Evie.Lindemann@meherarchive.org

​VOLUNTEERS CORNER

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John Dalisky - MAC’s New IT Team & Fundraising Committee Member
​

John will be supporting both our IT needs and working on the fundraising committee. He says “I see the great potential and future of MAC.”

John worked with Evie Lindemann in the 1970s at a teen counseling facility in California, and it was then he was introduced to Meher Baba. At that time, John was working on his MA in Counseling and Education, completing the degree in 1978. However, due to better financial prospects, John decided to begin a career in the developing IT field.

A couple of years later, John took six months off to explore other career opportunities and travel internationally. He spent over a month in India during 1981, which included a stay at Meherabad. John was particularly impressed by the genuineness of Baba’s followers.

John retired after a career of 37 years in IT.  He brings a depth of experience to MAC’s IT team, as well as an understanding of how nonprofits are managed and successfully run. He is a founding member of three non-profits, most recently holding the office of president for seven years at Reaching Your Dream Foundation.

John is enjoying his retirement which includes motorcycling, bicycling, pickleball, and quantum physics as it relates to human spirituality and capability. John.Dalisky@meherarchive.org

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Scott O’Neil – MAC’s New Treasurer​

Scott brings years of experience as a businessman, and also as a former board director of several non-profits including the Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum in Myrtle Beach. He and his wife, Olga, live in Asheville.

Scott was 13 years old when he saw Meher Baba’s picture. In 1973, at the age of 17, he attended his first Baba meeting. Within months, he began a cross-continental pilgrimage to Meherabad. 

During Scott’s travels, he felt an urge to visit the Topkapi Palace Museum in Turkey and see the sacred relics of Mohammed, most importantly, the hair from Mohammed’s beard over which wars were purportedly fought. This began Scott’s awareness of the importance of all treasures associated with the Avatar. 

Baba’s sister Mani encouraged Scott in his efforts to responsibly collect Baba’s treasures and gave him items for this purpose. Scott shared:

“Over the years I have been entrusted with many Baba treasures, so I have a strong interest in the success of MAC. My concern for Baba treasures is in the long-term care, sharing, and availability of these items. MAC was formed with archiving as the primary purpose and is naturally oriented to preservation and sharing. 

Importantly, MAC is located in a geographically stable area, and there is a large and growing Baba community in the Asheville area. Another key factor is that the organization has a path for ongoing succession.  

MAC is a valuable resource to other Baba centers doing archival work. Baba stressed harmony in His work. MAC complements and does not compete with other centers. Now is the time for this important focus on Baba treasures and information, and we’re the ones being called to act. I am very happy to join the MAC team in these efforts.” 
​Scott.Oneil@meherarchive.org


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​Christina Riley — MAC’s New Fundraising Committee Member
& Newsletter Editor


MAC’s Fundraising Committee continues to grow, with the addition of Christina, who joins us remotely from Wilmington, NC. Christina has a lifetime with Meher Baba, and with fundraising, both professionally and for various Baba groups. She has participated in a full range of successful fundraising activities, always with a mind and heart to engaging and including. 

In addition, Christina joins as MAC’s next Newsletter editor. “I’m really thrilled to work with the Communications team; there’s so much dedication and skill. Thanks to Jana (current editor) who remains on our Communications Committee. I hope to hear from those who wish to be involved and help communicate MAC’s value and purpose.” 
​
Christina has a history of professional publication editorship, both for Meher Baba groups and in the general non-profit and profit sectors. About both her roles, she says, "MAC has a mission that I think clearly distinguishes it from other Baba groups. MAC provides a fresh pathway for a sustainable and relevant future of sharing Baba's legacy with those yet unborn—an ongoing future of remembering and loving Avatar Meher Baba. It is my top priority for offering my full commitment. To me, MAC is about sharing and caring, ever-growing toward this future vision."


BOARD NEWS 
​Departing Board Members Staying Engaged with MAC

From Dr. Ron Kantor . . . 

Jai Baba my friends!

After 18 months of service, I am leaving MAC’s board, but still hope to contribute my time with this worthwhile organization.
First, it’s been a wonderful opportunity to get to know the talented people who willingly give of their time, energy, and financial resources to support MAC’s mission. Through the Board members’ collaborative efforts, we identified and defined various policies and procedures for MAC that will nurture and grow a nascent organization, while at the same time support the ambitious restoration of MAC’s building. 

My dream, when I joined the Board, was to help build a secure Meher Baba Archive, and slowly begin using the building’s facilities to support Meher Baba educational and social programs to benefit the local Baba community, and ultimately bring Baba’s message and Universal work to the world at large. This is a BIG undertaking and one that will take time to unfold. I know it will be with love, patience, and financial support.

I see my departure as stepping away, but not stepping down. I want to actively support the evolving PEP (Programs – Events – Projects) at MAC’s building: Plays, concerts, educational programs, as well as outreach efforts to assist the less fortunate in both the Baba and local communities. As our Baba family ages, I’d like to help develop and be involved with programs that focus on older adult needs.

Let us remember that Meher Baba is with us. A better guide and coach you could never find elsewhere! Listen to the internal voice that is Baba. Follow the direction and move forward. That’s what I’m trying to do. In His Love.
______________

From Laurent Weichberger . . . 

I joined MAC’s Board in 2022, after working with its directors as a Nonviolent Communication consultant. In my experience, Meher Baba has explained that even more important than what we do to serve Him, is how we serve. If we serve with love and compassion towards one another, we please Him. 

I was initially attracted to MAC by the sheer scale of the project. When visiting the building and grounds, I could see the vast potential for Baba’s work to be accomplished for generations. It had a Noah’s Ark, big hairy audacious goal aspect to it, and I wanted to put my shoulder to the wheel and offer my talents. 

During my tenure, I shared my fundraising experience and ideas, as well incorporated the Agile Project Management method, a focused process to speed up the building renovation. I also organized a volunteer onboarding process to streamline volunteer activity.

I envision MAC living up to its potential by reaching people who know nothing about the Avatar of the Age, and by becoming a first-class organization for the preservation of beloved Baba’s life work, and the items used by Him and His disciples and followers. I see the Baba community thriving through organized programs at the building and property, such as the recent Dhuni.
​
I intend to remain involved and am open to how that unfolds. One idea is to offer free seminars on Forgiveness, and Surrender, as well as Nonviolent Communication. In the future, I may rent an office at the building for the ongoing Baba work I do. May Baba bless the work of MAC.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Evie Lindemann, President: Evie.Lindemann@meherarchive.org
Hugh Huntington, Secretary: Hugh.Huntington@meherarchive.org
Anne Barker, Director: Anne.Barker@meherarchive.org
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