From the Office of the Treasurer
12 July 2019
19 Raḥmat 176 B.E.
GC-33930
Download as PDF To all believers in the United Kingdom
Dearly loved Friends,
Contributing to the Fund should constitute an integral part of the spiritual life of every Bahá’í and be regarded as the fulfilment of a fundamental spiritual obligation…We urge all the friends to give deep thought to the importance of supporting the Cause financially and to the effect that Bahá’í activities have on the condition of the entire human race.1
The Office of the Treasurer sends you its warmest love and greetings.
A number of summer projects in neighbourhoods and in every region are already underway across the United Kingdom, and the Office of the Treasurer is working closely with all the Regional Councils to identify ways to invite the friends to “…consider afresh the responsibility of all believers to support the work of the Faith through their own means and, further, to manage their financial affairs in the light of the teachings.”2
A series of meetings has already taken place with a few Local Spiritual Assemblies and presentations have been given at two cluster reflection meetings. Further consultations are planned for later in the summer with a number of Treasurers of Local Spiritual Assemblies in England.
Major projects update
Last month we shared that the capital projects budget to be met by Riḍván 2021 is £3.44m. Although each project has its own goal, the friends are asked to offer their contributions so that they may be allocated to any of these major projects as the funds are required, rather than earmarking them for specific projects.
The plans to acquire land for a House of Worship are well under way, with a task force searching for a suitable site; much of the work at the Guardian’s Resting Place has been completed, and a new phase – to landscape the area alongside the perimeter fence – is now being embarked upon; the restoration of the Master’s apartment in Bristol is progressing; and properties in Edinburgh and Belfast require structural work to ensure they can be fully utilised by the friends.
We are therefore pleased to share with you that in the first six months since the budgets were set, the contributions for these projects now stand at £221,642, which is an increase of £55,891 in the last month. But naturally, a higher level of contributions is required to reach the target by Riḍván 2021.
Donations for each project since January 2019 are detailed in the outer ring of the diagram below, along with the target in the next circle. The diagram beneath shows the total amount received. These figures will be updated at the end of August and shared again with the community.
The National Spiritual Assembly looks forward to seeing a generous and sacrificial outpouring of funds from the friends to assist in honouring our commitment to these activities.
You are also lovingly invited to pray for the Fund, and for all who will benefit from these special projects in service to the Cause.
With loving Bahá’í greetings,
Darren Smith,
Treasurer
Notes
1 Universal House of Justice, To the followers of Bahá’u’lláh in every land, 18 November 1991
2 Universal House of Justice, To the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors, 29 December 2015