Key (Each book consists of 4 bars): - Top bar is number of Community of Interest that are in the process of completing the book - Second bar from top is number of Bahá'ís that are in the process of completing the book - Third bar from top is number of Community of Interest that have completed the book - Bottom bar is Number of Bahá'ís that have completed the book
There are some 110 Bahá'ís in the cluster.
Report by Area Coordinator Mahan Hashemi-zadeh
The friends gathered at the Charles Dunning Cluster reflection meeting on Sunday 2 October. It was a wonderful day of reflection. You had to be there! One could hear and feel the excitement as success stories were being shared. As we’re always in learning mode, the arts have been incorporated more than ever to give a greater richness to our reflection meetings.
This priority Cluster had the privilege of Counsellor Shirin Forzdar-Foroudi and National Spiritual Assembly member Rita Bartlett in attendance. Their input is always much appreciated. We hope they come back...
To sum up as faithfully (as possible) in short what transpired at this recent reflection meeting, one recalls what Abdu'l-Bahá said in Paris Talks: ‘Oh, peoples and nations! Arise and work and be happy! Gather together under the tent of the unity of mankind!’
Report by Charles Dunning Cluster Co-ordinating Committee
The Drumlins Study Circle of Newtownards has completed Ruhi Book 1, the first Study Circle to be tutored by a local believer in the area. Though it is small in number (three 3 participants) there was a high level of enthusiasm and in-depth discussions, peppered with lots of love and laughter. Each session began with a devotional and ended with a lovely supper. Each of the participants in the Study Circle then practised their new-found skills through home visits to share a prayer of their choice with other friends. Everyone is now looking forward to continuing with Book 2, hopefully to be joined by more participants this time.
Report by Study Circle Tutor Marie Whiteside
A Book 7 Study Circle has started in the Wildfire Cluster, and it is hoped that a Book 4 will begin soon. The cluster is working diligently to increase the number of its trained tutors to a total of nine by 12 November, the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh. Once this Book 7 has been completed, the Cluster will have achieved its goal!
A Cluster reflection meeting was held on Sunday 18 September in Cookstown and was attended by some 15 people. Auxiliary Board Member Denis Coyle was present as was Eddie Whiteside representing the Bahá'í Council. Everyone was delighted to welcome Catherine Meehan who was accompanied by her friend from Belcoo.
The friends assembled decided that the name of the cluster should be “Stars of the West”. The meeting started with a very beautiful devotional during which Amber Elliot played the piano and also read a story about Bahá'u'lláh.
A chart was created and everyone present was thrilled to note the numbers of friends in the cluster who have completed books. Book 1: 12; Book 2: 10; Book 3: 5; Book 4: 5; Book 5: 3; Book 6: 5; Book 7: 2
There was an excellent atmosphere at this cluster meeting and there is some excitement now in the cluster about how things may progress.
Report by Area Coordinator Lesley Taherzadeh O’Mara
On Saturday 1 October Auxiliary Board Member Ann O'Sullivan, and her assistant Declan Devine, met with the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Londonderry to discuss what the Assembly can do to help develop the status of the Hainsworth Cluster. The Assembly has been closely involved with the Plan-related activities as up until recently the only Bahá'ís in the cluster lived in its district.
There was a wide-ranging discussion and a review of very encouraging developments, with new declarations, an increased number of Friends going through the sequence of courses, more devotional meetings, and so many children (the majority of them from non-Baha'i families) coming to children's classes that these have now outgrown the Centre and are having to be held in another venue.
Report by Iain Palin
The number of collaborators through each Study Circle Course completed in this Cluster.
There have been two recent declarations in the Coleraine area.
Report by Area Coordinator Navid Agahi
There has been the exciting development of classes in moral and spiritual development in Integrated Schools, one has started and another is in the process of being negotiated. This is a marvellous way of having classes that are truly “open to all” and may be something other communities wish to look at.
The children’s classes have risen to 14 with the possibility of more. However our challenge is to keep these classes going on a regular basis, to nurture and protect their regularity. If a teacher or Local Spiritual Assembly needs a substitute teacher for a prolonged leave of absence please contact me as it is important that the regularity of classes be maintained.
Our next challenge is to ensure all classes are indeed open to all, many already are but some work still remains to be done on this matter. If we remember that these classes are a gift to the wider community and we genuinely believe this then we may find we cannot deprive our neighbours and friends by not offering this as a gift to their children.
We are hoping to have a Fun day for all children in Northern Ireland on Saturday 1 of April 2006 so keep this day free.
Children’s Class Coordinator Pat Jamshidi
We meet again in Momentum. Last time, mention was made of four enthusiastic young people who had gone over to England for junior youth animator training. Well, they came back wanting to put in practice the training they received. With their drive and determination to start junior youth courses, they teamed up with Lights of Unity by attending one of their performances in a community centre. Having made contact with the community relations officer, they approached him and offered the courses as a service to their community. They're now animating there.
Report by Junior Youth CoordinatorAfnan Hashemi-zadeh
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