In the 9th of January 2001 letter from the Universal House of Justice to the Counsellors they stated:
‘One of the first steps in the implementing the programme may well be a survey to determine the condition of each locality in the area.Among the initial goals for every community should be the establishment of study circles, children's classes, and devotional meetings, open to all the inhabitants of the locality.The observance of the Nineteen Day Feast has to be given due weight, and consistent effort should be made to strengthen the Local Spiritual Assemblies.’ [Paragraph 16]
This paragraph alone gives clear guidelines to every group and Local Spiritual Assembly on the focus of their teaching and consolidation plans for the future.
Individual initiative can be fostered at the level of the cluster in reflection meetings however the duty of groups and Assemblies to develop their own plan remains and should complement individual initiative.This important message from the Universal House of Justice ends by saying;
‘In their own plans of action the institutions of the Faith must seek to gain insight into the operation of these great forces, explore the potentialities of the people they serve, measure the resources and strengths of the communities, and take practical steps to enlist the unreserved participation of the believers.’
The way the friends in Northern Ireland have responded to the call of the Universal House of Justice in this message is truly heart warming. Patterns and habits of Bahá'í life are changing out of love and obedience to the Covenant.The world may tilt on its axis, chaos may sweep into every previously secure structure in our lives. We may be left stripped bare of anything but our Faith.One clarion voice crying out was Amatu'l-Baha Rúhíyyih Khanum in her poem 'This is Faith': she wrote:
To say: God, I believe when others deny, I hear when there is no answer, I see though naught is seen - This is faith..
We must remember that with faith we can move mountains, with faith we can understand as individuals what Baháu'lláh wants of us, with faith our local Spiritual Assemblies and groups can begin to experiment with plans along the lines of action given to us by the Universal House of Justice to carry the Word of Bahá'u'lláh to a suffering humanity.We only need to have faith.
With warmest Bahá'í greetings, BAHÁ'Í COUNCIL FOR NORTHERN IRELAND
A historic meeting took place on Sunday 8th December 2002 between the National Spiritual Assembly of the Republic of Ireland and the Bahá'í Council for Northern Ireland in the refurbished National Centre at 24 Burlington Road Dublin.
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