CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Patricia Jamshidi (left), Chairman of the Bahá'í Council for Northern Ireland with Counsellor Shirin Fozdar-Foroudi; Representing the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the UK, Iain Palin and Rita Bartlett; Auxiliary Board Members Anne O’Sullivan and Denis Coyle.
More than forty of the friends, representing Bahá'í institutions in Northern Ireland involved in building increasing momentum in the process, met on Sunday 10 October. The meeting was held in the prestigious and comfortable Farset Centre on Belfast’s Springfield Road.
After an excellent devotional, prepared by the Youth Committee, the Chairman of Council Patricia Jamshidi opened the conference, saying how we must sustain encouragement as we move forwards breaking new territory. Then Dr Iain Palin, on behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly gave a short address. He emphasised the word core – meaning heart in Latin. The three heart-activities must be integrated with all the other types of gatherings which make up Bahá’í life such as the Nineteen-Day Feast. Mrs Rita Bartlett also attended on behalf of the National Assembly and joined later in the morning after the delay of her plane.
Next all were delighted to have Counsellor Shirin Fozdar-Foroudi address them. She emphasised the essentials for us all at this time as given to us by the House of Justice. She illustrated this with a story about golf balls, marbles and sand. If we put less important things (the sand) into a jar there is no room for the more important and the essential. If we add the golf balls first, however, (being the essential) then the marbles, which are the important, the sand can then fill in all the space left. The new culture of the faith means we are more proactive. Things will not ‘just happen’. We must initiate and develop the challenges for growth. This new growth of human resources will test as well as develop the institutions. We must begin to see massive expansion of the Faith soon. It is critical for the human race who are waiting.
After a break we heard of the great success of the Spearhead Campaign held during the Summer when many youth completed all the books in the Ruhi Courses. This has added significantly to the projected total of 29 persons who will complete the sequence in the Charles Dunning cluster by the end of the year.
During the afternoon workshops were held on how to develop further resources in three of the clusters, Charles Dunning being the priority, and Seven Valleys and Hainsworth which are in the process of developing their resources.
After closing remarks all present were greatly moved by a devotional created by Edwina and Arjang Agahi called ‘Culture of Growth’.
The day helped to sharpen focus on the work ahead and the overall feeling was one of excitement and determination. It was felt we all need to gather the courage for the essential work which lies ahead. We were left with a vision of our community growing significantly in size in the next few years.
KM
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