Well there was a Reflection Meeting on Sun 19December which was very enjoyable. At the beginning of the day the Council and the Training Institute gave us some excellent news. We are now a ‘B’ Cluster!
This set the exciting mood of the day which contained story telling, singing, a percussion circle, looking at how far we had come in the past year, consulting about setting up children’s classes in our cluster and as always excellent food and dessert. All this created a great spirit and atmosphere which can only help but enthuse us. People also made pledges about what they were going to do between now and the next meeting, but remember pledges don’t just have to be made at a Reflection Meeting. What a difference there is now in Reflection Meetings compared to a year ago and it is going to continue improving, and hopefully we can all play our part.
As usual the period of Christmas was quiet, so there is not much to report regarding the core activities during this month, but here are the current stats anyhow.
Carrickfergus: Book 2 Castlereagh: 0 Belfast: Book 2, Book 2, Book 6, One person doing book 7 North Down: Book 2 Newtownabbey: Book 1 Lisburn: One person doing Book 6
Report by Area Coordinator Mahan Hashemi-zadeh
"The Spirit of Light" study circle for Book 2 in Belcoo in Fermanagh has just recently been completed. This was a small study circle number wise but not in any other way. There was much laughter, fellowship and many deep meaningful discussions. All involved in this training came away inspired and with a positive feeling, not only for themselves, but also for this beautiful part of Fermanagh where the future of the Faith and the introduction of the three core activities will un-doubtedly flourish. Please remember Belcoo in your prayers.
Report by SC Tutor Rosemary Jamshidi
This Book 2 study circle consists of two gentlemen with over 70 years Bahá’í life (and a lot of administrative experience) between them, two ladies with less than 10 years between them and an OAP who says she can’t remember things very well so she’s doing a revision course. It’s a very interesting mix with lots of discussion, explanation of historical background and loads of laughter.
We have also discovered acting talent in unexpected places! Members of the group who take it in turn to prepare devotionals have used some interesting ideas, including one who produced an interesting musical (on CD, not live) one, using Handel’s "Messiah", a sung excerpt from Bahá'í scripture and Carly Simon (“New Jerusalem”). Other music used has included pieces of the Tablet of Ridvan from the Oratorio set to music for the millennium.
Report by SC Tutor Elisabeth Palin
There are currently three study circles under way. These are two Books 1s and one Book 3 with a total of seven friends of Bahá’ís involved. There are also currently several devotional meetings and firesides being held across the cluster, which help to practice an ‘outward looking orientation’, bringing friends of Bahá’ís into participation in the core activities. One of the Book 1 study circles within Seven Valleys, “Friends”, will be hosting a devotional meeting in the Templepatrick area as their service project.
Report by Area Coordinator: Navid Agahi.
“In reaching out to all inhabitants of a locality we are inspired by the words of Bahá’u’lláh: “This Day a door is open wider than both heaven and earth.” [quoted by Shoghi Effendi in The Advent of Divine Justice] Making a concerted effort to open the portals of our community life to the outside world requires both courage and imagination…
Beyond opening the doors of the Bahá’í community to the outside world, the believers are also exerting themselves to reach out. Bahá’ís are striving to expand their social circles and ultimately their friendships, as friendship is the surest foundation for touching the hearts. To pursue these aims, individuals have begun to examine their priorities, including the services they are rendering the Faith, and to reorder their lives so as to allow themselves more time for interaction with their relatives, friends, and coworkers. Ultimately, what is the point of striving to become more effective teachers if we are not meeting people to teach?”
The Universal House of Justice, “Building Momentum” document
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