The Northern Ireland Training Pyramid, January 2006
Things have been a bit quiet over the Christmas period. With the new year I am sure we will all give a big push in helping Charles Dunning become an A cluster and thus start engaging in Intensive Programs of Growth. There are already signs of people eager to complete the sequence of courses, with a Book 4, two Book 6s and a Book 7 to begin in January with the outlook of the collaborators being one of completing the sequence in an intensive manner.
We also had a meeting (consisting of those who have completed up to and including Book 6) on 4 January about starting another intensive period of teaching for a two week period (to begin end of January through to the first week of February).
To put into practice the lessons learned from the previous intensive period of teaching (12 – 26 November) will no doubt allow all those who take part an increased understanding of expansion and consolidation.
At the moment:
If you are keen on completing the sequence of courses and thus help Charles Dunning achieve its target of 40 before Ridvan then please let me know.
Counsellor Viv Craig (left) with Auxiliary Board Member Denis Coyle and members of the Charles Dunning Cluster Coordinating Committee
Report by Area Coordinator Mahan Hashemi-zadeh
Cluster 2 held a spirited Reflection Meeting in late November. With the presence of Lights of Unity, an exciting consultation took place on how best to use this opportunity to progress the three core activities. The consultation focused on the questions: How can this valuable resource best be used in our cluster to serve the needs of the Plan? How can souls attracted to the performances be guided to one or other of the core activities? The consultation was followed by an energetic dance by the Lights of Unity cast. Remarkably they did their performance in Shahla Gushtasbi’s front living room! This was undoubtedly the most exciting Reflection Meeting in the cluster and was encouraging for all who participated. A Book 2 is due to start in early January which will bring a further group of friends on through the sequence of courses.
Report by Area Coordinator Paddy O’Mara
This cluster continues to focus on Book 7. However there has been a great upsurge in local children's classes since early October. There are now three classes covering three different age groups taking place.The cluster was working diligently to increase the number of its trained tutors to a total of nine by 12 November, the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh.
And still in Cluster 3:
The Tranquility Zone held during the 'Uplift Festival' in Portadown on 16 and 17 December was very special and demonstrated the confirmations that come, when we put our trust in Baha'u'llah and use the opportunities that come our way. We did not get the room we had booked, but ended up with a beautiful room that was bigger and had a better location. Mahvash Graham provided white lilies and freesias which lent simplicity, elegance and scent to the Zone. A borrowed vase from the florist next door and a Persian carpet added the finishing touches.
Numbers at the festival were sparse on the Friday and only one of the five devotionals was held. However, great contact was made with other stall holders in particular. Lights of Unity gave out invites and good conversations about the Faith were held and pamphlets taken. People soon discovered that we were the only ones that had tea and coffee (decaffeinated at the request of the organizers) on tap. On Saturday there was a significant increase in attendance. We entertained about 20 or more to tea and coffee around lunch time; more chats about the Faith and people lifted pamphlets. Three devotionals were held that afternoon. Again we had great support from Lights of Unity. We had one visitor to each of the first two devotionals and three to the final one. Lights of Unity got an opportunity to perform a dance towards the close of the festival and invite those present to attend the final devotional. One of the visitors said that the music was beautiful and the readings profound.
Report by Dorothy Riordan and Michael McMullan
Book 3 training took place in Omagh over the weekend of 9—11 December. The training was arranged quite urgently as there has been a request in the Fermanagh area for a children's class for children from the community of interest. The collaborator was very happy to give the time required to complete the training for the class to start in January. It is wonderful to see that one isolated believer is taking this vital step to bring the teachings of Baha'u'llah to the children of the area. Please remember this class in your prayers.
Report by Rosemary Jamshidi
Since November 2005, a Bahá’í children’s class has taken place in Omagh, with two non-Bahá’í children—aged three and seven years—attending. Their committed parents bring the children a short distance, from near an outlying village. We enjoy delivering the course and the children and parents seem to benefit from the learning process. The class—it is for 1½ hours and takes place once every two weeks—is the outcome of a ‘Tranquillity Zone’, held in Omagh some time ago. One of the parents was present and was very touched by the readings. Through subsequent contact with the family, the class was suggested.
Report by Rosemary Jamshidi and Vida Lake
Area Coordinator Lesley Taherzadeh O’Mara
A warm and friendly Reflection Meeting took place in in Limavady on 15 November. There was a lovely spirit and a lot of excitement about the process. Consultation took place on all the core activities. Three Books are in progress in the Cluster at present. Adrian Temple offered to start a Book 1 with Mrs Temple and Mr Catterson who have just become believers, with the possibility of two people from the Community of Interest joining also. The Cluster already has three children’s classes running, and two of the teachers would like to do Book 5 to enhance their skills. Devotionals were emphasized and there was a lot of consultation around this. Nooshin Proudman is planning to start a Tranquility Zone soon.
Report by Area Coordinator Lesley Taherzadeh O’Mara
Patricia Jamshidi, Children's Classes Coordinator met with the Spiritual Assembly of Londonderry on 8 November to discuss the development of local children's classes and build on the success they have been having in the Derry area.
John Twiname was so keen to complete Books 6 and 7 in the sequence that he decided to travel further afield. He writes:
“There are fast track ways to do the books and I found intensive courses for Books 6 and 7 in November and December respectively suited me very well. I can recommend it to anyone who wants to move through the sequence. The intensive training helps focus on the subject without distraction and this I found very productive. The facilities are good and less than a hundred pounds for a week's intensive course including food and accommodation was good. That also included being picked up and dropped off at Bristol airport, which both easyJet and BMI travel to, and if you book in time the costs are not too high. I really appreciated the opportunity offered by Cranmore.”
John is already honing his newly acquired skills. He has begun a Book 1 study circle with this wife Carmen and daughter Beatrice and has plans to start another Book 1 in the near future with the Cecil family, possibly in Bushmills. Anyone who is interested in joining the Bushmills Book 1 please contact the acting Area Coordinator for the Seven Valleys Cluster, Edwina Agahi or register online.
Acting Area Coordinator Edwina Agahi
This wonderful service to the community of Northern Ireland is gradually growing due to the dedicated work of those souls who have arisen to take on children’s classes open to all. Omagh,despite having no young children in their community now have two children’s classes with children from the integrated college and from their community of interest. They are also doing all they can to help Catherine Meehan start a children’s class in Fermanagh. Yet more news comes from Ballymena when Collette and Colin Rodgers, after praying in the Shrines on pilgrimage, came home determined to start their own class. This they have just done, registering three children that they enrolled after a unique and audacious advertising campaign. When we look at the possible inheritance this small part of Ireland has to pass on to the next generation then read the words of Abdu'l-Bahá when He stated:
“It is extremely difficult to teach the individual and refine his character once puberty is passed. By then, as experience hath shown, even if every effort be exerted to modify some tendency of his, it all availeth nothing. He may, perhaps, improve somewhat today: but let a few days pass and he forgetteth, and turneth backward to his habitual condition and accustomed ways. Therefore it is in early childhood that a firm foundation must be laid. While the branch is green and tender it can easily be made straight.”
Bahá’í Education page 24
There can be few in the world more in need of the life-giving message of the Faith than the children born into the trouble torn community of Northern Ireland. The power of the words of Bahá’u’lláh to transform can be illustrated by the action of an eight year old child in a class in Bangor who,finding an adult who was not Bahá’í and was many years her senior, in distress brought her into her own home and taught her the healing power of Bahá’í prayers.
Children’s Class Coordinator Pat Jamshidi
Exciting news first of all -
There are some interesting developments going on between the Training Institute and Lights of Unity to engage more Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í junior youth in the courses provided. I’ll let you know soon what the outcome is, probably when you read next month’s update.
Moving on to the two courses already running in the Short Strand community centre in East Belfast:
After a three month steep learning curve with joyous difficulties the animators are now cruising along beautifully. The junior youth keep coming back each week and they’re embracing more and more the activities that have been planned. For the community centre’s Christmas celebrations, the two groups did a skit for the Short Strand community. I heard it went well.
We are becoming quite friendly with the women’s group and some of the officers there – we might just offer them some study circles and regular devotionals—we’ll see!
The two current junior youth courses in the Short Strand community centre are continuing. There’s a lot of learning taking place and its great to see the young people coming back each week – they clearly like the animators. Who said the youth were the spearhead?
No new courses to report dear friends as of yet, but as you can imagine the Training Institute is doing a lot of work behind the scenes and not to mention the Concourse on High. Therefore in the next issue of Momentum there might be 20 junior youth courses happening!
Report by Junior Youth CoordinatorAfnan Hashemi-zadeh
The next in the sequence of joint Devotionals and Discovery Zones is to take place on Sunday 15 January at 3 pm in Moat House Donegore and is entitled ‘Man is a Talisman’. The Discovery Zone revisits readings used in the Tranquillity Zone Devotionals on the subject two weeks prior to this, held at the Rezvanis’ house in Coleraine, and will focus on man’s unique capacity and spiritual qualities. Everyone is welcome: please bring your friends. The Discovery Zone is an excellent pre-cursor to the study circle experience owing to its artistic and experiential nature. And food is great!
Discovery Zone, November 2005
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