Bahá’í Faith in England

Dear All,

Amongst all the stories we are gathering from the cluster and news of 2 souls opening their precious hearts to Baha’u'llah, we would like to share the following:

Magical moments and meetings
One friend of a teaching team said.
‘I met a friend who I hadn’t put on my prayer list. Our toddlers attend the same dance group. I was so surprised when she asked me out of the blue, “What Faith do you practice?” I thought that this is the magic of the intensive period in a cycle - people come to you…. I responded calmly, “The Baha’i Faith”. She asked question after question after question. It was a wonderful conversation and she asked for material to read. Now I think her child and her best friends child will be joining our children’s class.’

Turning to prayer
A friend had this experience which she recounted.
‘One of our friends was receptive and although she had her reservations, she loved all the Baha’i activities. When I first approached her about sending her daughter to children’s classes, she was so excited saying, “I have no faith of my own to teach her’, she said, ” so I would love for her to learn something spiritual because I want her to practice a Faith but I have nothing to give her myself”. I home visited my friend and shared a prayer with her- “O guide me, protect me….”. When I read this prayer, my friend cried saying that it was so beautiful to think that her daughter would be guided and protected by a loving Creator. This is the prayer that I now say with the children at the beginning of our children’s class.

One day recently after the children’s class, my friend asked if we could say that prayer for Madeleine, the child who is missing in Portugal. It turned out that it wasn’t possible during the class but after everyone had left, she and I together with our children read some prayers and the children recited that prayer too. Again, she was moved. What I find so wonderful is that people who don’t necessarily consider themselves as religious are indeed so spiritual, and when they’re touched by the Baha’i Faith, they are moved because because it nourishes them in a way that finds buy cheap cialis some peace in what is sometimes a very scary world. So when it comes to it and they don’t find a way, they turn to prayer.’

Teaching with confidence
Another friend said,
‘ I’ve been learning Anna’s presentation because I thought it would help me with my confidence. I met up with someone and introduced the themes to her….I hadn’t learnt all the presentation but it went so well that I’ve asked her if I could introduce the next part to her at our devotional on Friday”.

We hope to share more stories with you soon…

….11 days to go…

Much Love…

If you wish to receive a copy of the message please contact us. Below is a description of the content of the message.

Read the rest of this entry »

To receive a copy of the message please contact us. Below is a summary of the content of the message.

The opening section of this message provides a summary of the learning gained about advancing the process of entry by troops since the start of the Five Year Plan in 2001. It looks at the categorisation and prioritisation of clusters. It then examines the experience of the friends progressing through the sequence of courses and the consequent rise in individual initiative: “[f]or the most part th[e] proliferation of community activities was the expression of individual initiative by believers who translated into action what they had internalized from their training institute courses.”
Clarification is given about the correct attitude of the friends towards the training process.

The second section details the strategies that can be used by clusters to advance from one stage of development to the next. The main way forward for each kind of cluster is to focus on establishing an ever-stronger institute process. The other measures for the progress of each kind of cluster, such as the multiplication of core activities, are elaborated on, including the requirements for accelerated growth.

The third section emphasises the importance of institutions at every level - the local, cluster, regional and national - to learn how to achieve and sustain intensive growth effectively. The Teaching Centre makes it clear that this demands of institutions “a variety of capabilities and new approaches” and requires members of institutions to “have had first-hand experience with the dynamics of cluster development and the processes that contribute to growth.”

The fourth section expands on the “change in the culture” taking place in the Baha’i community. This comprises four aspects. First, the development of an attitude of learning on the part of the friends and a shift in planning to the grassroots, both witnessed at reflection meetings.
Second, the maintaining of focus by the friends - that is, a focus on the Supreme Body’s “explicit framework for… action” for advancing the process of entry by troops, together with a systematic approach to growth. Third, the empowerment of the rank and file of the believers through the training institute, leading to active participation
in the core activities, thereby increasing the numbers of those involved in “meaningful and vital serviceto the Cause”. Fourth, the development of an “outward-looking orientation” among Baha’is which involves an exerted effort to reach out, achieved through the reordering of their lives to expand their social circles and friendships.

The concluding section gives us a clear sense of our actions: that underlying our teaching work should be the premis that “all humanity is moving toward Baha’u'llah” and that “[a]dopting an attitude of openness and inclusion will help diminish the sharp line that believers have sometimes tended to draw between themselves and the public at large.” “Above all”, we are told, “the friends should be encouraged to remember Baha’u'llah’s call ‘This is the day in which to speak’”.