Local Bahai Leader Lends Another Voice to Reflect on Faith Issues

November 6, 2006

Author: ISSAC J. BAILEY

Source: Sun News, The

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/myrtlebeachonline/news/local/15942391.htm

In such an overwhelmingly "Christian" area such as the Grand Strand, it is easy to forget that there are other voices of faith. I'm hoping to bring more of them to this space in coming weeks.

I recently spoke with Margene Willis, a Bahai.

Willis was once head of the Community Coalition of Horry County, has helped lead race relations initiatives and now works at as a K-12 mentoring specialist with Horry County Schools and Coastal Carolina University.

I wanted to get her thoughts on some of the most widely-discussed faith issues while also giving unfamiliar readers a little background on the Bahais.

"There are no clergy in the Bahai Faith, but we have elected and appointed institutions which carry out those roles," Willis said. "I'm currently the Secretary of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahais of Conway, which is elected annually, and also serve as an Assistant to the Auxiliary Board Members for South Carolina. The [following answers] are from me."