Stories of progress in achieving the goals of the Plan
3 September 2015
15 Asmá’ 172 B.E.
To all believers in the United Kingdom
Dearly loved Co-workers,
Following an intense summer of activities, we are happy to share with you are few more stories of efforts up and down the country to contribute towards the goal of doubling the number of core activities during this last year of the Plan, and ensuring that each cluster advances towards its next milestone, whichever one that may be. There must be hundreds of accounts out there, but here are three.
1. A couple pioneered to a small town in a cluster that had recently reached the first milestone. Whilst considering their plans for service, they were drawn to thinking about universal participation and how they could work closely with others in the community. Given that their new home was close to another Bahá’í family, they decided to consult and reflect with them about the possibilities that could be realised around them. The family have several children and it transpired that the eldest wanted to join a junior youth group with her friends. From an initial consultation with her and her mother, plans were made to meet her friends and their parents as well as to reach out to others in the neighbourhood. With perseverance and a series of encouraging conversations, a junior youth group was established over the summer and has since been sustained.
2. The National Spiritual Assembly was delighted to receive a heartfelt communication from a group who wrote that “after consultations at the Feast of Perfection, the friends … were moved to share with you our goals for the remainder of the current plan. As we look at the 9 months ahead of us we cannot shy away from our responsibilities in doubling our activities by April 2016.”
The communication continues to outline the current activities that are taking place, and reflects on the reality and opportunities before the community that can be exploited in a monthly plan of activities. “From early September” the letter continues “we hold the hope, and the volition, to start a Book 8 that will help us reflect on the Covenant as the centre of our individual and collective lives, assured that it will impart manifold bounties to our locality, as unity is a prerequisite for success… We will invite some of the friends in (a neighbouring area) to join us in this study.”
The community also aims to continue to consistently hold its regular Saturday morning devotional gathering. Further to this, the group reports, two of the friends are planning to initiate a Children Class by mid-September with a few children from neighbouring families. This class will serve as an entry door and a catalyst for welcoming further residents in the area to the spiritual process of community building that is unfolding. Another friend will divert his attention from his own neighbourhood in order to support these initiatives.
With great conviction, the letter states that “if we put in enough effort, and God confirms those efforts” we will “bring impetus to our activities through a youth conference organised either in collaboration with other clusters or organised at a local level”
The report then finishes by saying that by “the end of November, beginning of December we will reflect on the plan and think about what follows to keep moving the community through the continuum.”
3. A Bahá’í was waiting at the bus-stop when she overheard a joyous conversation between two youth consulting about their plans for college in September. They expressed a desire to stay focussed, avoid unnecessary distractions and protect each other from the many negative forces that surround them in society. The nature of this conversation touched the heart of the Bahá’í friend who looked up and smiled at the youth who immediately thanked her for this silent encouragement. A very meaningful conversation began, resulting in the plan to meet together and study the Youth Conference materials as well as explore avenues of service that the Bahá’í community encourages so many youth to explore. Not only did they eagerly accept this invitation but suggested that this would be wonderful for so many of their friends to also know about. This was a beautiful reminder of the true aspiration of many souls to lead pure and purposeful lives.
We hope you will enjoy and be inspired by these stories!
With loving Bahá’í greetings,
Patrick O’Mara,
Secretary