From the Table of the National Spiritual Assembly
11 February 2020
5 Mulk 176 B.E.
GC-34598
Download as PDF
Contents
– Striving to work in a mode of learning
– ISGP – Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity
– Spiritual health of the community
– Intellectual life of the community
Dearly loved Friends,
Striving to work in a mode of learning
In its recent meetings, the National Spiritual Assembly has been continuing to systematise its efforts, and operate more consciously in learning mode. This has allowed for the processes of the Five Year Plan to be followed more closely, and for learning to be more clearly captured.
The desire to learn, has also found expression in a more direct and immediate sense. At its January meeting, Assembly members dedicated an afternoon to making visits in small teams to the neighbourhoods of Bermondsey, Kilburn and Woodberry in London. Reflecting afterwards, Assembly members recalled the sacrificial efforts of the many friends who have served in these neighbourhoods over several years. Insights gained from home visits were shared, alongside accounts of some direct teaching opportunities that arose, as well as uplifting conversations with children and youth. This opportunity to spend time in the neighbourhoods together was an invaluable experience that greatly enriched the Assembly’s consultations.
The National Assembly has also been learning about some of its diverse areas of work in more depth.
ISGP – Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity
Knowing that releasing the potential of youth is of vital importance – and ISGP is one area where this is receiving attention – the Assembly met with the ISGP coordinating team at its last meeting. A fruitful consultation took place on how to nurture participants’ ongoing learning between the yearly seminars. The Assembly learned that the seminars not only prepare youth to participate in the prevalent discourses of society, but can also offer a greater understanding of the work of expansion and consolidation. In addition, it was noted that the seminars provide a supportive environment for youth, as they navigate the many challenging societal forces present in their universities and colleges. The National Assembly will be consulting further with the ISGP coordination team, in its goal to encourage increasing numbers of youth to participate.
Spiritual health of the community
In consultation with Counsellor Shirin Fozdar-Foroudi, the National Assembly continues to analyse the various obstacles to unity faced by different communities, and is gaining a greater understanding of the types of challenges and distressing social forces that can be detrimental to spiritual health. The Assembly has been reflecting deeply on how to nurture confidence in the view that one of the main instruments for fostering the spiritual health of the community are the courses of the institute and, thus, the importance of strengthening the educational programmes for children and youth, of enhancing the quality of tutoring institute courses, and of fostering the devotional character of the community.
Intellectual life of the community
One area of learning for the National Assembly is the fostering of the intellectual life of the community, and within this, the participation in the prevalent discourses of society. In recent years, the National Assembly has been learning about discourse work through its Office of Public Affairs which is, in turn, closely accompanied by the Office of Public Discourse at the Bahá’í World Centre.
Recently, the Association of Bahá’í Studies was relaunched, and its newly appointed committee has been reflecting closely with the National Assembly on its next steps. The Assembly has requested that the Association of Bahá’í Studies, amongst its other responsibilities, explores ways to support discourse work. The committee has been consulting on how to enable friends from all walks of life and backgrounds to contribute to the various discourses or conversations that surround their specific fields of study or profession. The Assembly was pleased to hear reflections from an initial meeting that was held in December at the National Ḥazíratu’l-Quds, to discuss the formation of Special Interest Groups. It is through these groups that friends might begin to consider together how they might contribute insights or concepts from the Bahá’í Writings, to current discourses in different fields.
It is hoped that an environment can be cultivated in the UK that will encourage all of them in their noble endeavours, such that every encounter organised to stimulate intellectual life increases their longing to immerse themselves more deeply in the ocean of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation, discover yet more of the pearls that lie hid in its depths, and humbly share their findings for the sake of advancing the pursuit of knowledge.
Universal House of Justice, 9 October 2018
With loving Bahá’í greetings,
Patrick O’Mara,
Secretary