From the Table of the National Spiritual Assembly
Contents:
- The Five Year Plan
- Permanent residential property
- Learning Desk
- The bicentenary of the Birth of the Báb
- The spiritual health of the community
- Redecoration of the National Ḥazíratu’l-Quds
- Other Topics
- The Centenary of the Battle of Haifa
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Dearly loved Friends,
The National Spiritual Assembly sends you its warmest love and greetings. Here is a taste of some of the subjects that the National Assembly has been consulting about during its recent meetings. Many of these consultations take place with our Counsellor, Dr. Shirin Fozdar-Foroudi.
The Five Year Plan
Together with Dr. Fozdar-Foroudi, the National Assembly has been studying a letter from the International Teaching Centre that shares “some practical reflections from the regions and countries where great strides are being made in the movement of clusters and from the clusters that are at the very front ranks of learning.” This letter dated 3 May 2018, proved invaluable to the National Assembly in understanding the next steps that we all need to take to move our clusters forward, which includes learning about working with larger numbers. One thing that has become clear from these consultations is that the demands of the Plan in the next five cycles require expanding the pool of dedicated friends who can give time and energy, on a scale never before experienced. This will be very significant for our community and will also have a great impact upon its financial needs.
Permanent residential property
The National Assembly has reaffirmed that there is a need for a permanent residential venue for training events, seminars, meetings and other activities. At the moment, a number of properties across the country are rented, and one has recently been purchased. These are mainly in those neighbourhoods where there is a more advanced pattern of activity. The venue now being sought will serve the whole United Kingdom, but most especially the London and Thames Valley clusters, where the need for a property is most pressing.
Learning Desk
The National Assembly has established a Learning Desk, which has the general aim of assisting it to remain fully acquainted with developments at the grassroots and what is being learned in clusters across the UK. In time, as this learning is gathered, it will be disseminated to assist other communities. The Assembly is pleased to share that Ms. Shirin Beheshti has been appointed to serve at this Desk.
The bicentenary of the Birth of the Báb
The National Assembly has also been consulting with the Counsellor about approaches to celebrating the upcoming Twin Holy Day events, as well as the bicentenary of the Birth of the Báb in 2019. The question before us is how can the community can take best advantage of this period of special potency?
Together we reflected upon the lessons that were learned from the last bicentenary and the emphasis on the locus of activity being the local level. Bearing in mind the pressing needs of the Five Year Plan at this time, the main focus in the immediate future will be to fulfil the goals. Thus engaging with the immediate work of the Plan now is felt to be the best preparation for the next bicentenary. The National Assembly members committed themselves to having conversations within their own communities, and with friends at summer schools, about such themes, and assisting the friends to reflect on the heroism and sacrifices of the Báb and the early believers.
The spiritual health of the community
In its ongoing reflections on the spiritual health of the community, the National Assembly has discussed with the Counsellor how Ruhi Book 8 is so essential in building among the friends a love, knowledge and appreciation of the Covenant. Mr. Sam Roskams has been appointed as a national coordinator to assist the training institute boards in ensuring the effective rolling out of Book 8, including raising up effective tutors.
Redecoration of the National Ḥazíratu’l-Quds
The National Ḥazíratu’l-Quds at 27 Rutland Gate is undergoing some long-overdue redecoration and restructuring of offices to improve the public and working areas, and to increase the amount of space for meetings and quiet work. The National Assembly had been considering more ambitious changes to the building to meet the growing demand for space but, in consultation with Dr. Fozdar-Foroudi, it decided to postpone these plans as it was felt that they would take energy and focus, including some of the National Assembly’s own, away from the efforts required to meet the goals of the Five Year Plan.
Other topics
Here are a few of the other topics that you may be interested to know the National Assembly has given time to:
- How to best support Bahá’í Institute for Higher Education students from Iran who come to the UK to study;
- Deciding to send National Assembly members to summer schools to introduce the film, A Widening Embrace;
- Developing an itinerary of activities for Dr. Firaydoun Javaheri, former member of the Universal House of Justice, who is coming to the UK in December to participate in the annual conference of the Bahá’í Society for Persian Arts and Letters;
- The necessity to appoint certain staff positions for periods longer than the current two-to three-year terms so that learning and experience is not lost;
- The work of the Office of Public Affairs, its engagement with the discourses in UK society, and its contribution to the development of public policy;
- The next stage in the refurbishment project at the apartment of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Bristol.
The National Assembly prays fervently at each of its monthly meetings at the National Haziratu’l-Quds for the entire Bahá’í community, and by name for those who are facing particular tests or challenges. Please also pray for the National Assembly that its efforts may be blessed by the confirmations of Bahá’u’lláh.
With our warmest love,
Patrick O’Mara,
Secretary