From the Table of the National Spiritual Assembly
GC-33731
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Contents
- The Five Year Plan
- The flow of Funds
- Riḍván message 2019
- Intellectual life of the community
- The Master’s apartment in Bristol
- Other topics
- The Bahá’í World publication launches online
- From the new compilation, Prayer and Devotional Life
To all believers in the United Kingdom
Dearly loved Friends,
The National Spiritual Assembly is pleased to share with you some of the subjects about which it has been consulting during its most recent meetings:
The Five Year Plan
As we have mentioned before, the National Assembly consults regularly with Counsellor Shirin Fozdar-Foroudi on the progress and requirements of the Five Year Plan. New insights have been garnered from the recent visit of the Counsellor – along with the Auxiliary Board members and some other friends from the Greater London cluster – to Sydney, Australia. From the accounts given, the National Assembly understood that the impressive progress that has happened there could be achieved in London and other cities throughout the United Kingdom. Much was learned in Sydney about the movement of a population towards Bahá’u’lláh and raising the capacities of many hundreds of individuals to serve their communities. One of the key insights shared was the role that intensive training campaigns of up to eight weeks’ duration during holiday periods has played in advancing the community building processes. In light of this, efforts are now being made in some areas of the United Kingdom to learn about such campaigns.
The flow of Funds
The National Assembly has been considering with the Counsellor whether the management of, and attitudes towards, the Funds of the Faith are conducive to nurturing large-scale growth. Institutions need to be careful and wise in the use of funds, encouraging universal participation, including contributions in kind. But the Funds – the lifeblood of the Cause – must flow freely and without hesitation to where it is needed. Finding the right balance between care and generosity is something that the National Assembly is striving to learn about.
Educating the friends of all ages about the spiritual nature of contributing, and the confirmations that flow from sacrificial giving, is a priority for the National Assembly.
Riḍván message 2019
The National Assembly was thrilled to study the Riḍván message of the Universal House of Justice, in session with the Counsellor. It was observed how the letter describes the capacities that have been built in the Bahá’í world and demonstrates how all of the diverse elements of the Plan have come together. Through the letter’s description of the importance of fostering the devotional character of our community, the National Assembly understood that the House of Justice is helping us to understand the characteristics of the kind of community we want to create.
Intellectual life of the community
Over many meetings, the National Assembly has been considering how to cultivate further the intellectual life of the community. This consultation has been informed by guidance given by the House of Justice. Around the UK in the past year, small special interest groups have made a start at bringing together friends from different professions to develop insights into the application of the Teachings to their fields of interest. The National Assembly has now decided to re-establish the Association of Bahá’í Studies, initially to serve as a coordinating body for these groups and to progress further the engagement of the friends with areas of intellectual enquiry and the application of the Teachings to a range of human activity.
The Master’s apartment in Bristol
With the example of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá being increasingly presented before us, our community now has the particular blessing of owning His apartment in Bristol where He gave a number of talks. This connects the friends with His life and His historic visits here. The National Assembly has been consulting upon the kind of experience it would like visitors to the apartment to have once restoration is completed. To honour the desire of the Master for this to become a place of peace and rest is influencing decisions for the design, character and use of the apartment.
Other topics
Here are a few of the other topics that you may be interested to know the National Assembly has given time to:
- Contributing to the Fund for the building of the Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
- The purchase of a residential training property and Temple land in the UK
- The effective functioning of the Regional Bahá’í Councils
- The provision of subsidies for events
- The production of a leaflet on parental consent for Bahá’í marriages
- Procedures for the registration of youth turning 15
- The consideration of recommendations received from National and Unit Conventions
- The call for pioneers to the Balkan region
- Publication of the new compilation, Prayer and Devotional Life
- The restoration of the chair of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá at 27 Rutland Gate
The National Assembly continues to pray at each of its monthly meetings 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