Derry community has regular deepenings which are well attended. The latest, on 27 April, was especially good in that it was presented by a family. Steve Robinson and Natasha Robinson gave a talk on “The Tablet of Ahmad” giving well researched detail on the history and complexity of this special prayer. Viny Robinson read the story of Ahmad from Mr Faizi to give more detail. The talk was enjoyed by Bahá'ís from Coleraine, Portrush, and Letterkenny as well as local Friends and a number of inquirers. Those present shared many stories of how this prayer has helped them at difficult times of their life.
NP
- these happy couples on their marriage: Will Lewis and She She Oza (14 April 2007 in Rostrevor) Darrin Lynn and Audrey Noelene (5 May 2007 in Holywood) Damien Basketfield and Najla Loughlin (11 May 2007 in Tandragee).
It was two separate marriage ceremonies, held in two different jurisdictions, on two separate days with a bride and groom from two different religions. The wedding of Darrin Lynn and Audrey Noelen on 5 and 6 May demonstrated, perhaps more than any other, how the new marriage legislation, introduced in 2003, provides a framework for marriage that is flexible, can secure the necessary legal recognition and can also meet the needs of differing situations.
Darrin and Audrey wanted to have a ceremony that gave recognition to Audrey's Catholic faith as well as Darrin's Bahá'í beliefs. Their solution was a Bahá'í ceremony in the Culloden Hotel on 5May, followed by a Catholic ceremony in St Oliver Plunkett's Church, Blackrock, near Dundalk on the following day.
Where there are two separate ceremonies, one has to be identified as the legal ceremony. The second is referred to as a “blessing” ceremony, since it is essentially blessing the marriage that has already happened. Darrin and Audrey decided that they wanted the Bahá'í ceremony to be the legal one. However they also ensured that the Catholic ceremony was a meaningful and dignified celebration of their marriage.
The St Oliver Plunkett church was filled with guests, many of whom were Bahá'ís. At the start the priest invited Denis Coyle to say a few words to explain some important features of marriage from a Bahá'í perspective. The service followed the normal form of a Catholic marriage ceremony, but it also included many prayers and readings from the Báb, Bahá'u'lláh and Abdu'l-Bahá. The Bahá'í readings were incorporated seamlessly into the order of service and there was live music throughout. The Northern Ireland Bahá'í Choir performed for the first time in a church. Later in the day, at the reception, Audrey's father praised the musicians and choir saying how much he liked to hear choirs singing in church.
EG
Friends who recently completed a Book 6 Study Circle (“Hard work, but we enjoyed every minute of it!”) in Derry.
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