14-15 April 2007
Camphill Community Centre, Ulster-American Folk Park, Omagh.
Dear Friends,
It is time again for all our tutors to get together in order to share learning, help sharpen focus, receive inspiration from each other, and advance our understanding of the Institute Process. It is also an excellent occasion to receive up-to-date news of current learning from around the world, and of course experience and participate in arts activities.
Last year an enjoyable and fruitful time was had by those tutors who attended. We performed a survey at the end of the weekend involving 32 Tutors. Below is a summary of what the Tutors thought:
Aspect and Score out of 100 (0=hoepless, 100=excellent)
Was there enough time for covering the content? 74% Did you have enough time for discussion and consultation? 78% Did you have enough time for socialisation and breaks? 89% How relevant was the content to our current stage of growth? 91% Was the material able to draw out new insights? 85% Was the material able to engage your interest and keep focus? 89% Was there enough artistic content in the programme? 77% Suitability and quality of venue? 90% How well the event was organised? 94%
Tutors from Northern Ireland have just returned from a highly inspiring UK-wide tutor conference held in Coventry on 18—19 February. Some 250 tutors from all over the UK attended with visitors from other countries. They experienced an intense and joyous day and a half, sharing the ever-growing body of learning taking place here and throughout the world. Participants were thrilled to witness how the dynamic nature of the institute process in this land is gathering ever-greater momentum, and the how the integration of the four core activities is becoming ever clearer in hearts and minds. All present left highly galvanised, enriched and resolved to immediately apply this learning to their tutoring work in the field at cluster level as this Five Year Plan moves towards its second year.
This experience promises to add special excitement to the forthcoming tutor encounter to be held on 14/15 April. On that occasion tutors from Northern Ireland will come together to share learning and apply it to the context of efforts to advance the process of entry by troops among our fellow-citizens in Northern Ireland.
Report by Jim Holmlund
Northern Lights cluster now finds itself in the consolidation phase of its third cycle of growth, with the expansion phase having completed on 28 January. Some great news came about during the expansion in that one person declared their faith in Bahá'u'lláh.
As always it is an important exercise to get the stories of how the teaching teams got on and this was achieved by an enjoyable teaching teams meeting on Sunday 11 February. It was interesting to hear how people had approached their teaching opportunities, whether it be by making home visits, engaging in spiritual conversations with people, inviting people to a core activity and/or simply recognizing that there are people just waiting to be asked to join the Bahá'í community.
Another important aspect that came up was that during this third cycle some people started to notice that their contacts who they we looking to reach out to were starting to be exhausted and that there was a need to find new people with whom they could share the message of Bahá'u'lláh.
Northern Lights Study Circle Statistics
Current number of study circles are nine, containing five members of the community of interest and 16 Bahá'ís The number who have completed the sequence stands at 31, and the expectation is that this will increase by six more people before this Ridvan.
Report by Cluster Coordinator Mahan Hashemi-zadeh
This poem was written by a collaborator for their arts aspect of a Ruhi Book 1 Study Circle conducted over Christmas:
Ode to a Prayer
O Thou, which art balm to my soul, Kindling for the fire in my heart, Inspiration to the thoughts in my head, Enlightenment to my whole;
Thy sublime words succour me, Enable me to praise my God; Satisfy my need,H elp my soul to feed on thy spiritual food.
If music be the food of love, Let me hear thy melody, O my God above, And draw me nearer unto Thee, ‘til naught is left of that which was Me.
Report by Cluster Coordinator Anne Munro
Burnlaw Farm, Northumberland—well known as a centre of activities—held its second successful intensive training campaign over the New Year holiday. Book 6 and Book 3 courses were attended by Bahá’ís and seekers from as far a field as Brighton and Scotland.
Many delightful moments were had sharing what they had learned during the day when the groups got together in the evening,
Singing beautiful prayers in the morning to start the day was also a highlight. One Bahá’í participant shares his experience: “Book 6 simply evoked my soul … we painted, played games, went on walks, sang songs, drew pictures … the course flowed as a mountain stream and yet was exciting and spontaneous as white-water rapids.”
(From ‘O Wayfarer!’ newsletter)
Cluster 1 (Northern Lights): Mahan Hashemi-zadeh
Cluster 2 (Stars of the West): Vida Lake
Cluster 3 (Hainsworth): Anne Munro
Cluster 4 (Seven Valleys): Sina Rezvani
Junior Youth Coordinator for Northern Ireland: Edwina Agahi
Children’s Class Coordinator for Northern Ireland: Pat Jamshidi
Regional Coordinator for Northern Ireland: Arjang Agahi
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