The nature and aims of the core activities on which we are engaged:
From the message of the Universal House of Justice, Ridvan 2010 CE
Friends gathered at the Sveen Vallets Cluster Relfection Meeting
Eighteen friends from the cluster gathered on 8 August "... in the agency of the reflection meeting, for those engaged in activities at the cluster level to assemble from time to time in order to reach consensus on the current status of their situation, in light of experience and guidance from the institutions, and to determine their immediate steps forward." (Paragraph 21, Ridván 2010 message)
This reflection meeting was a further advance in the spiritual atmosphere of previous reflection meetings and all present seemed happy, fully engaged and responsive. The atmosphere was set by a lovely devotional on the theme of "Justice" including a guitar backing by one of the youth. The active participation of three new friends greatly exhilarated everyone. As always there was an overview of the activities and accomplishments of the last cycle.
The Spiritual Assembly of Coleraine, in consultation with the Area Teaching Committee, prepared a workshop to consult and reflect on the guidance in paragraph 20 of the Ridván 2010 message: "In relationships among the friends, then, this development in culturefinds expression in the quality of their interactions. Learning as a mode ofoperation requires that all assume a posture of humility, a condition in which one becomes forgetful of self, placing complete trust in God, reliant on His all-sustaining power and confident in His unfailing assistance, knowing that He, and He alone, can change the gnat into an eagle, the drop into a boundless sea. And in such a state souls labour together ceaselessly, delighting not so much in their own accomplishments but in the progress and services of others. So it is that their thoughts are centred at all times on helping one another scale the heights of service to His Cause and soar in the heaven of His knowledge. This is what we see in the present pattern of activity unfolding across the globe, propagated by young and old, by veteran and newly enrolled, working side by side."
Current ongoing community building activities in the cluster are six devotional gatherings open to all, two children’s classes open to all, one junior youth group open to all and three Ruhi Institute study circles open to all. The introduction of the following questions, suggested to the friends assembled, allowed for more focused consultation and reflection. 1) What was the impact of the Plan on you personally? 2) Has anything changed your view or approach as a result of this Plan? 3) Has the experience changed the way you teach? 4) Can this approach/view be matched to the Bahá’í writings and the guidance of the Universal House of Justice?
This was excellent. The friends from Coleraine shared their plans for two ‘teaching days’ during the expansion phase. The friends from Antrim and Castlerock shared their plans and thoughts for the expansion phase particularly with regard to outreach and starting a junior youth group. The friends appeared to feel a fair degree of ownership of the plan proposed by the Area Teaching Committee (ATC). The expansion phase runs from 13-29th August. The ATC has prepared and made available helpful tips for coordinators of ‘teaching day’ programmes.
(A ‘teaching day’ is a day when the friends who participate gather for a full morning session of spiritual preparation, including readings and prayers seeking Divine assistance, study of guidance, eventual role play on how they plan to present themselves during outreach on the day, and general consultation on what they plan to do in the afternoon to reach out to new souls and how they propose to do it. For further guidance and thoughts see Ruhi Institute Book 6: Teaching the Cause, Unit 3, Sections 25-35. )
Learning from one of the friends in the cluster: "I learned that when I make space in my life to serve Bahá’u’lláh and I make the teaching the Faith and supporting other Bahá'ís as priorities then the opportunities to teach the Faith arises and the confirmations of Bahá’u’lláh shower upon me."
The latest Northern Lights Cluster Reflection Meeting also took place on 8 August. Recent experiences from a teaching team were shared.
" Following a consultation on how to create a community of interest, the Local Spiritual Assembly decided to hold a ‘teaching day’ on the first Monday of each month. During the expansion phases this is quadrupled, being held on Mondays and Fridays. We first meet for prayers and then to into town or Kiltonga Park usually in pairs and try to engage in conversation with people.
"One interesting encounter came when we stopped to speak to a volunteer who was helping with the Garden of Reflection for Cancer Support. The lady told me that she liked to pray there and found it very peaceful and I was able to tell her about my sister-in-law who died from cancer. This led on easily to talking about life after death and other spiritual matters. I told her I was a Bahá'í and she was interested to know more. On leaving I gave her my telephone number and said that we have devotional meetings open to all and she would be very welcome to come. However we have not heard from her and have not seen her again at Kiltonga on subsequent visits there. We also had a long conversation with a gentleman who had just recently been bereaved.
"The learning for us is in being patient and consistent, things don't happen quickly. Parks where people have time to sit are more fruitful than towns or coffee shops where people are usually busy with other agendas. It is better to go in pairs as too many in a group is intimidating to people. Finally always carry some pamphlets with a contact number. "
"My family has already been interacting with cross community projects and multi-faith projects and this is where I got in contact with the Bahá'í community. Before this my knowledge of the Faith was almost none existent, so being invited to a devotional was a bit daunting. However I found everyone there very welcoming and inviting, and as I returned to subsequent devotionals I befriended many of the people and got to know them very well. After discussing my personal beliefs of agnosticism with someone, they lent me The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys. I began borrowing lots of books on the Bahá'í Faith and soon found that my own thoughts and feelings connected with the Writings, something I had never felt before. Soon I adopted some of the lifestyle changes associated with Bahá'ís including daily prayers and abstinence from alcohol, in some ways I had always been a Bahá'í, but as the pieces were made to fit, everything slotted in. I was apprehensive to declare myself a Bahá'í for the pure and simple reason that it seemed too good to be true. Now I know I have made right decision. "
Sunday 7 November 2010
Sunday 14 November 2010 Sunday 13 February 2011
Study Circles: Susie Agahi Junior Youth: Darragh Grahan Children's Classes: Marion Khosravi
Study Circles: Michelle O'Mahony Barr Children's Classes: Elizabeth Palin
Study Circles: Kevin Proudman Children's Classes: Elizabeth Palin
Study Circles: James Holmlund Junior Youth: Colin Rodgers Children's Classes: Patricia Jamshidi
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