Temple land and residential training centre
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To all believers in the United Kingdom
Dearly loved Friends,
The National Spiritual Assembly is pleased to share with you further details of two highly significant projects that our community has embarked upon, as well as the thrilling response observed at some of the recent summer schools where this news was shared. We also offer the community a challenge for the coming four weeks during this spiritually potent period leading up to the bicentenary of the Birth of the Báb.
Residential training centre
The National Assembly is delighted to announce that in the coming days a contract will be signed for the purchase of a property in Bicester, Oxfordshire, which will serve as a residential training centre for the national community. The Assembly sees the establishment of this centre as a significant milestone in the growth of the Faith in this country.
The Faith of Bahá’u’lláh is for all the peoples of the world. Having put down roots in every corner of the planet, the worldwide Bahá’í community set out in 1996 to learn how to translate Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings into reality to create a just, peaceful, united, and prosperous world. Thus it entered the next major stage of its development, aimed at significantly advancing the process of entry by troops. Building the New World Order is not something that we will pursue on our own, for hundreds and thousands, inspired by Bahá’u’lláh’s vision, will wish to join us in this effort.
It is in this context that the residential training centre becomes essential. The training institute is described by the Universal House of Justice as “an instrument of limitless potentialities”. The availability of a premises devoted to the development of human resources will significantly strengthen the community’s capability of raising up larger numbers of individuals, who, by acquiring spiritual insights, qualities, and skill, are able to increase their capacity to contribute to the spiritual and social transformation of their communities.
The cost of the premises being acquired and its establishment will be in the region of £2.5 million.
The acquisition of land for a Mashriqu’l-Adhkár
The second major capital project is of even greater consequence – the purchase of land for the national Mashriqu’l-Adhkár for the United Kingdom. Its significance can be understood when one considers ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s description of a House of Worship “as one of the most vital institutions of the world”. Therefore, this is a project of profound importance for this country.
The Universal House of Justice speaks of this institution as being a “universal place of worship open to all the inhabitants of a locality irrespective of their religious affiliation, background, ethnicity, or gender.” And although Bahá’ís will be responsible for managing and taking care of the House of Worship when built, it will not belong to the Bahá’ís; it will belong to each and every human being. It is a gift from the Bahá’í community to the people of the United Kingdom.
While it most assuredly will be a place of prayer and contemplation, it will be far more than this. For Bahá’ís, worship is inseparable from service. To see this in action we can look to those places where a Mashriqu’l-Adhkár has already been erected and witness how it is having a powerful influence on every phase of life of the surrounding community. It is a point of unity, where hearts are illumined and a desire to serve is kindled. And through engagement in the educational activities of the Bahá’í community, capacities are consequently raised and one naturally sees the community advance spiritually, materially, and socially.
Whilst we presently have a small token piece of Temple land on the banks of the Thames, acquired in the 1950s, the time has now come to take the next step in the erection of this vital institution – the acquisition of the land upon which the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár will sit.
It is not possible to accurately estimate the cost of acquiring this land, but the National Spiritual Assembly has budgeted an amount of £2.5 million.
Summer fund raising campaign – response to the call for funds
At the end of July, the National Assembly decided to call upon the friends gathered at the four remaining summer schools to raise funds for these projects. An initial goal of £95,000 was set, but this was almost reached by the first three of the four schools, who together contributed £85,000. A further goal was set of £190,000 for the remaining school in the South of England. They responded by raising £150,000. Thus, a total of £235,000 has been contributed so far during this summer campaign. It brought particular joy to the National Assembly to learn of the large percentage of those present who donated.
Messages have been received from some of the friends who were not at these schools and who regretted not being able to join their fellow believers in contributing. In response, the National Spiritual Assembly has now set an overall goal for this summer campaign of £475,000. This particular campaign will end on 27 September, the Feast of Mashíyyat (Will). A report will appear regularly on NEWS of progress towards the goal.
It is the dearest wish of the National Spiritual Assembly that every believer will have the opportunity to make a contribution during this campaign to these important undertakings, for there is a power that is released – a spiritual power – when the friends arise universally and sacrificially to contribute to any spiritual enterprise.
What a blessing that will be—when all shall come together, even as once separate torrents, rivers and streams, running brooks and single drops, when collected together in one place will form a mighty sea. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
With loving Bahá’í greetings,
Patrick O’Mara,
Secretary
How to contribute
By post to:
National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United Kingdom, Finance Office, 27 Rutland Gate, London SW7 1PD
Or by bank transfer:
Bank Name: Nat West
Sort Code: 60 04 04
Account No: 18188443
Account Name: NSA – Fund account.
(If using this method, please also send an email to office.treasurer@bahai.org.uk providing your name, details of the amount, and the date of the transfer, and indicate what your contribution is for)
Or online at https://resources.bahai.org.uk/welcome/donations/
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