Summer of Service
National Spiritual Assembly
nsa@bahai.org.uk
12 September 2016
6 ‘Izzat 173 B.E.
To all believers in the United Kingdom
Dearly loved Friends,
Recent months have been rightly hailed by many as a ‘summer of service’. It has been thrilling to witness the unprecedented outpouring of effort across the United Kingdom, involving people of all ages and backgrounds, with the aim of drawing waiting souls into the ‘circle of unity’. To date, some thousands of spiritual conversations have been had—particularly with youth and young adults from the wider community—about the contribution they can make to the transformation of society. Of those spoken to, a few hundred have participated in gatherings and conferences to study and reflect more deeply on their role in society; tens of these are now committing their time to engage with the training institute process, to release their potential, to walk a path of service to their communities, and especially to contribute to the development of the junior youth spiritual empowerment programme.
Perhaps the greatest fruit of the ‘summer of service’, however, was in heightening the capacity to teach—having a spiritual conversation with a soul that enables them to catch the vision of the Mission of Bahá’u’lláh and walk a path of service that contributes towards its realisation. The learning gained represents a solid foundation for the work of the months ahead.
Numerous stories, messages, photographs and videos of the efforts made have been received. The National Spiritual Assembly is delighted to now share just a token few of these with you, in the hope that they may give a flavour of this year’s amazing ‘summer of service’!
Much of the work started with systematic teaching campaigns, such as the one below in Edinburgh. In this particular campaign, there was a focused effort to deepen on the junior youth programme, and how to speak about it in conversation while making friends in the neighbourhood.
In cluster after cluster, experience was also gained in holding “special gatherings for youth”, which the House of Justice says, in its 29 December 2015 message, are often “ideal occasions for bringing an intensity to this ongoing conversation [regarding the contribution youth can make to society]” A great many youth gatherings and weekend-long youth conferences have been held. Below are photos of just a few:
Youth gathering in York following over 100 meaningful conversations over the bank holiday weekend.
Youth gathering in Fenham, North East, after a day of outreach – real excitement about the training institute was generated.
Youth gathering in Easton, Bristol
Youth gathering in London (with many new friends!)
Youth conference in Hulme, Manchester
The early fruits of these marvellous efforts are already being seen, as new friends arise “after only a brief association with the Bahá’í community”, as the House of Justice states in its 8 February 2013 letter, to “commit themselves to meaningful acts of service and quickly discover their affinity with the Faith’s community-building endeavour.” The following two accounts beautifully illustrate this:
In Hulme, Manchester, a 17-year old girl became a new tutor this summer, tutoring two book 1 study circles, and declared her faith in Bahá’u’lláh just a couple of weeks ago. While wholeheartedly participating in reaching out to junior youth in Manchester, she made friends with participants from other clusters. She had planned to go on a family holiday to Turkey, but was feeling somewhat unfulfilled at the idea of sitting on a beach when so many efforts are being made here. She spoke to her mother and cancelled the holiday so she was able to use the time booked off work to participate in a collective project. She especially wanted to assist another cluster at a different stage of growth. So she booked to go to a collective project in Edinburgh. She is extremely excited to support the cluster and has expressed how much she is learning from others there. She is also inspired to do a year of service.
In London, meanwhile, an eighteen year old youth was met during the outreach in Southwark. This youth is keen to contribute to the betterment of the neighbourhood and was strongly attracted to the acts of service, in particular the junior youth spiritual empowerment programme. Since the initial encounter he has come to the youth gatherings and conferences. About two months have now passed and he is finishing Book 1 and starting Book 5. Having been invited to an existing junior youth group to gain insight into the programme, he was inspired to start his own group. He actively invited junior youth who he knows from living in the neighbourhood and in the last few days began a group with 10 participants, with a further 6 or 7 expected to join next week. His understanding of accompaniment is particularly striking as he invites his friends to join and assist him.
The friends in Omagh in the ‘Stars of the West’ cluster in Northern Ireland, supported by travelling teachers, have been labouring systematically and with great sacrifice to firmly establish their programme of growth. The following is an account of how, in recent weeks, their efforts have been abundantly blessed.
A mother and father living in Omagh for nearly 10 years, were concerned for their daughter of 12 years. On a visit home to Malaysia during the summer, the mother was sharing with one of her old classmates her concerns. Her classmate, a Bahá’í, suggested to the mother to look at the junior youth spiritual empowerment programme for her daughter. After returning to Omagh, the mother sent a Facebook message on 21 July to one of the Bahá’í friends whom she knew, that she is interested in such a programme for her daughter. Within days the family received a home visit and three days later the parents were themselves engaged in a book 1 study circle. The parents were informed that in order to start a junior youth group for their daughter, more junior youth were needed and also some youth to train as their animators (as there were no resources in Omagh). Six weeks later, and as a result of efforts made by the mother with one of her friends, the conversation had grown to include seven families, and now there are 14 individuals involved in core activities: Five adults in Book 1, four youth in a separate book 1, and five junior youth doing ‘Breezes of Confirmation’. There is also a children’s class soon to start with four children. The activities are held in a large daycare facility owned by one of the mothers.
There are numerous similar stories from across the UK. The National Assembly would be grateful to receive any further accounts that the friends may wish to share – please do send these to nsa@bahai.org.uk.
Whilst the House of Justice has made clear that “a most responsive element of every receptive population” are the youth, what was also notable about this ‘summer of service’ was the vital support and engagement of friends of all ages. It was evident that without this support, the projects would not have yielded the fruit that they did. This sense of universal participation is heart-warming indeed!
These are but a taste of the many devoted efforts that have taken place over recent months, and we know plans are in place to extend the pattern of activity, further develop capacity and build on the progress already achieved. Our prayers are offered that all such endeavours may attract the confirmations of the Almighty.
With loving Bahá’í greetings,
Patrick O’Mara,
Secretary