Velma Sherril visits to Durango 1972

 In January 1972 the Spiritual Assembly of Durango received news that Auxiliary Board member Mrs. Velma Sherrill would be visiting our community.  None of us had met her before, and we were eager to host her and to learn from her. 

 I was asked to pick her up at the Durango airport when she arrived.  We had not informed Mrs. Sherrill who to look for at the airport, nor did I know who to look for, but I reached the airport early and waited for the arriving passengers to come from their gate into the lobby.  There were only a few women deboarding the plane.  One woman, elegantly dressed, casually looked around and then stood by a wall near where I was standing holding myself up with my crutches. The woman had white skin and black hair.  She was stately dressed, and her bright red lipstick really stood out.  She had placed her suitcase on the floor next to her and held a large purse, as I remember it. 

 We were both looking around and when our eyes met, I asked her if she was Velma Sherrill.  She answered with a most delightful smile and asked my name. We shared a few words and were about to start walking to my car that was parked close by when a man approached Velma and asked her if he could assist to take her luggage to my car. She cordially accepted his offer and as we walked to my car, Velma reached into her purse and pulled out a small Bahá’í flyer.  I opened the car trunk, and the stranger carefully placed the suitcase in the trunk and closed it. He said something to the effect that he hoped our time in area would be pleasant. Velma then thanked him for his kindness and gently offered him the Bahá’i pamphlet with a few gentle words of appreciation.  He graciously accepted the pamphlet and went on his way.  Once in my car and starting on our way to Durango, Velma Sherrill explained to me her approach to teaching, briefly explained here as I remember what she shared with me:

 “I sit in a quiet place and meditate and pray until I sense the presence of Bahá’u’lláh. When I feel His closeness, I make an agreement with Him that I will teach the Faith to whoever He sends to me.  Then I proceed confidently knowing that if I keep my part of the agreement, Bahá’u’lláh will send me receptive souls to teach.  However, the only way I know if the soul I meet is a soul Bahá’u’lláh has put in my path is to share the Faith with everyone I meet, like the man who helped me with my suitcase at the airport.  For someone who shows a deep interest to learn, I stay in close contact with that person, and if the person’s accepts the Faith, I keep the relationship going to nurture that one to be an independent teacher of the Faith and a fellow believer.” (Referring to Shoghi Effendi’s advice in The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 52):

"...Let him refrain, at the outset, from insisting on such laws and observances as might impose too severe a strain on the seeker's newly awakened faith, and endeavor to nurse him, patiently, tactfully, and yet determinedly, into full maturity, and aid him to proclaim his unqualified acceptance of whatever has been ordained by Bahá'u'lláh. Let him, as soon as that stage has been attained, introduce him to the body of his fellow-believers, and seek, through constant fellowship and active participation in the local activities of his community, to enable him to contribute his share to the enrichment of its life, the furtherance of its tasks, the consolidations of its interests, and the coordination of its activities with those of its sister communities. Let him not be content until he has infused into his spiritual child so deep a longing as to impel him to arise independently, in his turn, and devote his energies to the quickening of other souls, and the upholding of the laws and principles laid down by his newly adopted Faith...." (Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 52)

One evening during her Durango stay, Doug and Belinda Boren invited Velma out for dinner.  She was relaying stories over dinner, when suddenly a man who had been watching from the other side of the restaurant came to their table and humbly asked what they were talking about, as he was drawn to them.  A spiritual conversation ensued, and Velma, with the man’s permission, took his address to continue the conversation through correspondence.  I believe he lived somewhere in the eastern United States. Of course, Doug and Belinda Boren were amazed at what they had just witnessed.  Velma knew the man was being sent to her from Bahá’u’lláh, and therefore she taught with confidence.  On her next visit to the Durango area, Velma updated us about the man she had met in the restaurant.  He had accepted the Faith and Velma had connected him with the Bahá’í community where he lived. 

Another personal teaching method she told me about was to occasionally host an “open house” in her home and invite people she thought might be receptive to the Faith, for light refreshments. In preparation for their visit, in addition to making her living room attractive with flowers or art, Velma would have two or three Bahá’i items visible to visitors: such as a photo of the Master carefully placed to be seen by guests, a Bahá’í book opened at eye level on a shelf, or a photo of the Shrine of the Báb. She would specifically have only two to three Bahá’i items out.  During the open house as guests enjoyed refreshments and light conversation, Velma would watch if any of her guests paused by one of the Bahá’í items and, if so, approach them.  If they inquired about the photo or open book, or appeared intent on the item, she would let them know that she and her husband hold a weekly, informal meeting to share about the Bahá’i teachings. This method seemed to draw a soul or two to study the Faith in a welcoming, intimate way.

Deepening on the Covenant: A primary theme that Velma focused on during her visits was the importance of being strong in the Covenant.  That theme was particularly important for young believers to study in the Four Corners area, as there were a small but active number of Covenant-breakers in the New Mexico/Colorado region.  Through these deepenings with Velma our faith was strengthened, and we gained deeper appreciation, not only of the Central Figures of the Faith, but also for Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice. 

Teaching topics: Velma told us that when she was a young believer, not many churches and social groups spoke about race unity, world peace, equality of women and men, or similar social themes.  That put the Bahá’ís in the forefront of talking about progressive ideas.  Several decades later many church and social groups had begun to uphold these same social values, and they no longer were unique to Baha’i’s.  Velma said more and more we need to share the Source of these noble themes, Bahá’u’lláh. The question to ask seekers to investigate as time moves forward, Velma emphasized, will be “Is Bahá’u’lláh Who He says He is?” 

‘Abdu’l-Bahá:  One day Velma was sharing with a couple of us that the station of the Master was so far above any human being, that there was no one, not even the most spiritual and intelligent among the believers, who could fully understand the Master’s Station, nor grasp what He could grasp. Toward the end of His life there were indications that He was fatigued and weary of this world. Aside from Shoghi Effendi, who was away at Oxford, and the Master’s sister, the Greatest Holy Leaf, Bahiyyih Khanum, no one existed who could be on the level of thought and understanding as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. How difficult it would be to live in a such world with no one to truly talk with on the deepest levels.  

Race Unity:  Growing up, Velma lived in racially divided cities, where the white population lived segregated usually by choice from the black population.  Even with the noble teachings of the Faith on the most challenging issue of race, Velma said it was difficult for most white believers to go into neighborhoods where people of color lived.  She made efforts to get beyond any hesitancies in herself to venture into neighborhoods where mostly black people lived to interact with people, make friends and share the Bahá’í Teachings with receptive souls. She indicated that these efforts for race unity often resulted in lasting friendships. 

The Ten-Year Crusade: Velma spoke about the Ten-Year Crusade (1953-1963) that was initiated by the Guardian. Velma had become a Bahá’í in 1935 at the age of 24, and by the advent of the Ten-Year Crusade, she was already actively serving the Faith mainly in the Central United States.  Toward the latter years of the Plan, she said that the United States Bahá’i Community was lagging in winning the goals assigned to it.  Velma was serving as an Auxiliary Board member at the time, and she was appointed to the National Teaching Committee as secretary to help accelerate the progress of the Plan in the United States.  She said that the first thing she had the NTC do was to answer any communication it received from Bahá’í communities and individuals within one day, as this created a more intimate working relationship between the NTC and all protagonists of the Plan; individuals, groups, and Assemblies. The NTC intensified its efforts through movement of teaching, continual communication, and encouragement.  The goals of the Crusade were won.

Eunice Braun, former Auxiliary Board member, who served under Velma’s direction wrote about her: “Among Velma’s many superior qualities was an ability to discern the capacity of others. She admired the gifts of others and did much to inspire and guide them into recognizing and utilizing their talents in productive and creative ways for the Cause. Velma had an ability to make you feel good about your efforts in a way that freed you to stretch a little harder. There are many souls, here and in the Abhá Kingdom, who were nurtured by her confidence in their ability to become far more productive teachers and administrators of the Cause than at first seemed possible.” https://bahai.works/In_Memoriam_1992-1997/Velma_L._Sherrill

Those of us young believers in the Durango area certainly grew spiritually and administratively through a couple visits from Velma.  Her emphasis on firmness in the Covenant helped us build a strong core of believers to serve the Faith. 

A year after her visits to Durango, in 1973, she was appointed to the Continental Board of Counsellors.  I remember a visit she made to western Colorado as a Counsellor. Her love for the friends was greater than ever.  Margaret Gallagher was the Auxiliary Board member and several of her assistants were invited to meet with Counsellor Velma Sherrill at her hotel suite. We sat in one room adjacent to her room, which also served as her office, as she was occupied with her work for the Board of Counsellors. We could hear her talking on the phone in the next room. “Now, Glen,” she would patiently say followed by a suggestion or some advice and another “Glen”. Her tone of voice was loving, but firm. When she concluded the call, she came to join us and took a seat. “That was Glenford Mitchell (the Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States).”  She explained that the Board of Counsellors was urging the US NSA to focus on some aspect of the Plan of that time. She told us that sometimes the Counsellors have a different perspective on the needs of the Plan from NSAs, and they have to work together.  

I also received her insights and love after I started working as a social worker in La Plata County and my job dealt with “clashes” between disability rights issues and government positions. I was often concerned about the seemingly thin line between human rights we should support and divisive politics that we should avoid.  Velma guided me to have the balance to uphold efforts in disability rights as part of my job description.

Chris Cholas, June 2, 2022