Sincerity wins the day, efforts teach reliance upon God

(US-Central, 12 June)

The following story highlights the truism that “Bahá’í teaching” comprises the rightly directed endeavor of the individual believer within the pale of God’s consummate Grace, and his consequent spiritual progress as a result of the promised confirmations from on High!

* * * * * *

“It is a bounty to be able to share the Message with those who want to hear it.”

All of us have our set of experiences that shape our view of what teaching is… We may not have seen much interest or receptivity from the people we have encountered over the years. And yet, we still want to respond to the Five Year Plan. We take on responsibilities, maybe participating in an institute course. We step up and do something we may not feel ready to do. And we find out we CAN teach directly, and that we WILL meet people who are interested. Here are the reflections of an individual believer from the Central region, recounting some of her experiences from before and during her cluster’s new intensive program of growth.

In reflecting about what I have learned in the process of getting ready for and going through our first Intensive Program of Growth, I am in awe by the amount of subtle points that I have learned.

After declaring as a Bahá’í in 1982 I was very excited to share my new Faith with all my friends and family. Unfortunately, none of them were very interested. I’ve never stopped trying to share the Message with others, but my experiences over the years made me become more cautious and less open about sharing what was in my heart. . . .

When it was announced at Ridván 2008 that we were to embark on an IPG before Ridván 2009, I thought we should be ‘ready’ to do whatever was needed. To that end, our Bahá’í Group set a goal of finishing our study of the Ruhi Books, which we did.

Back in November 2008, I received a call from our Auxiliary Board member to see if I would serve as the cluster institute coordinator. I agreed to take it on, saying that I’d probably only able to do it part time.

I started with organizing refresher courses of the Ruhi materials with the community in December and January. In February, a “test teaching weekend” was scheduled. I was nervous. I was apprehensive. I was not believing that someone (us) could visit a home and find people who would embrace the Faith based on one presentation—given my 27 years of disappointment. But I prepared, and prayed, and went. We had someone “experienced” lead the way. Our presenter was confident and open about what we were out in the field doing. She openly asked people who opened their door if they wanted to hear a presentation about the Bahá’í Faith. While we didn’t have so many takers, what it did for me was show me that it was OK to directly ask people if they wanted to hear about the Baha’i Faith. It really bolstered my courage and made it straightforward. I was heartened.

When it came time for our IPG launch, I was teamed up with our Auxiliary Board member. I thought he should be the presenter since he had more “experience,” but he said, “No, you go ahead and do it. I’ll be the prayer partner.” I thought, “Well, here goes…” When we visited the first home, a Spanish lady answered the door. I introduced who was on our team and said that we were in the neighborhood today. I also told her that I was wondering if she would like to hear the spiritual message of the Bahá’í Faith. She was busy and turned us away. We visited the next home, and were told to come back another time. Sometimes wasn’t an adult home.

Finally, we came to a house where the person who was home stated that they “had their church”. I then asked if I could share a prayer, to which she said, “Yes.” So I began saying the “Refresh and gladden my spirit” prayer. She listened intently as I prayed out loud. By the end of the prayer, she was visibly touched. She then asked, “So, what church are you with?” She didn’t have time for a long presentation, but asked us to come back another time to share more.

The same thing happened at another house too. We met a woman and shared a prayer and she was in tears at the end. She, too, wanted us to return. I’ve been going back to her house and sharing Anna’s Presentation with her, answering questions as they come up. Already we are breaking down barriers and building friendship. We are getting to know each other and our personal circumstances. Where will this lead us, God only knows. But it is a bounty to be able to go out into the field and share this healing Message with those who want to hear it.

Truly it’s the Word of God that changes hearts. With the first lady, when we were able to return and had a conversation about the Faith, she said she would pray about it. We gave her a little prayer book to which she tenaciously clung. This process is not in our hands it’s in God’s. We must be patient. We must be obedient. And we must be of service.

I’ve learned so much through this process—and it’s mostly about reliance on God.

* * * * * *

Interior view of the prison cell where Bahá’u’lláh was first confined in ‘Akká, Israel.

* * * * * *

Say: This is the Day of meritorious deeds, did ye but know it. This is the Day of the glorification of God and of the exposition of His Word, could ye but perceive it. Abandon the things current amongst men and hold fast unto that which God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting, hath enjoined upon you. The day is fast approaching when all the treasures of the earth shall be of no profit to you. Unto this beareth witness the Lord of Names, He Who proclaimeth: Verily, no God is there besides Him, the Sovereign Truth, the Knower of things unseen.

- Bahá’u'lláh, TB, p. 232

* * * * * *

 (Excerpted and adapted from the teaching blog http://teaching.bahai.us/2009/06/it-is-bounty-to-be-able-to-share.html) (Image reproduced with permission of the Bahá’í International Community, view here)

Becoming enthusiastically involved in the implementation of the Five Year Plan

The following article is adapted from an address given by Dr. Vahid Saberi to a recent conference in Victoria, Australia.

The task of transforming the human race begins with transforming ourselves.

The Four Year Plan, Twelve Month Plan and the last and the current Five Year Plans are nothing more than instruments to achieve this great goal.  The power to achieve this rests with us individuals.

Bahá’u’lláh deliberately left the assignment of transforming the human race to countless ordinary, unassuming people like us.  Look at the first disciples of Jesus; they were just fishermen, but they took on the world and changed it utterly.

We are now called upon to do the same, but on a far more momentous scale.

He has entrusted us to begin by transforming ourselves.

Consider the plight of the world; never, at any other time in history, have so many people been so materially prosperous, and at the same time, so spiritually lost.  Never has there been so much despondency, depression, dysfunction, loss of purpose and fear.  Why is this happening?

We know that the “…world’s equilibrium hath been upset through the vibrating influence of this most great, this new World Order….revolutionized through the agency of this unique, this wondrous System.”

Shoghi Effendi has told us that only Bahá’ís “….know full well whence it comes, and what it will ultimately lead to [and that] they clearly recognize its genesis, are aware of its direction, acknowledge its necessity ….”  And it is cleansing the world.  Gripped in the clutches of this tempest, humanity, even while it is bewildered, continues painfully to move towards peace and unity.

That turmoil will continue because humanity has not yet turned away from Godlessness.  That is why Shoghi Effendi told us that “…all humanity is disturbed and suffering and confused; we cannot expect to not be disturbed and not to suffer – but we don’t have to be confused.”

We know that the only panacea of the world’s ills is the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, which is why ….  “The believers must rest assured that having the Faith, they have everything”.

That is why we must act.  Through taking ownership of our personal suffering and spiritual development, we can learn to be more compassionate and concerned for others, until “confidence and assurance, hope and optimism are our prerogative”.

But how do we measure our efforts?

Apex of Bahá’í House of Worship, India

Shoghi Effendi clearly states that ….. “The successful carrying out of our various Plans is the greatest sign we can give of our faith and inner assurance, and the best way we can help our fellow-men out of their confusion and difficulties.”

Bahá’u’lláh Himself took on humanity’s turmoil when He was imprisoned in the “Siayh-Chal”.  In this grim place of utter darkness reserved only for the most degraded of criminals; amidst foul stench, deprived of food and drink, rest and sleep, with a huge chain galling his neck, Bahá’u’lláh experienced a moment of intense illumination which revealed His task to be the Manifestation of this unprecedented Age of Fulfilment.   In the Black Pit, God promised Bahá’u’lláh that “Ere Long shall the Lord send forth and reveal the treasures of the earth, men who shall give Thee victory by Thyself and by They name …”

So, how can we be silent?  ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’’ reminded us of this responsibility when He wrote: “Why then are ye quenched, why silent, why leaden and dull?  Ye must shine forth like the lightning, and rise up a clamouring like unto the great sea.  Like a candle must ye shed your light, and even as the soft breezes of God must ye blow across the world … know ye the value of this chance, ere it slip from your hands.”

In reality, the time we give to serve the Faith matters above all else.  As many aspects of society continue to break down and the surrounding community begins to disintegrate, Bahá’ís must respond by building a genuinely loving, compassionate and inclusive community.

Gradually, we can learn to purify our motives, live prayerfully, strive to understand and do only what is right, and work together in love and harmony.  Our victories over ourselves must be demonstrated through how we work and consult together, both with each other and with those around us.

Above all, we must enthusiastically involve ourselves in the implementation of the Five Year Plan.  We must implement the core activities, which are nothing more or less than creative opportunities to teach.

They are about opening the hearts to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s message, They are about listening intently, like ‘Abdu’l-Bahá did.  They are about using Bahá’u’lláh’s Words, rather than our own, to teach.

They are about learning to be responsive to the needs of seekers.  They are about gaining new skills and personal resources.

Above all, they are about making teaching the dominating passion of our lives.

So, my task and yours are crystal clear; take the next step whatever it is.  Those who have completed Book 1can move onto Book 2.  Those who have completed Book 7 can become tutors.  And once your cluster achieves an “intensive programme of growth”, the heartbeat of each of the core activities begins to quicken.

When starting a fire, you fan a tiny spark.  Then, carefully shielding it, you softly blow until it is ready to burst into flame.  More time and purposeful effort is needed to bring that flame to a fire and ensure it becomes a blazing inferno.  This is how the intensive programme of growth works.  It starts slowly and then organically grows and intensifies.

So, let us not neglect our task.  Let us not lose our chance.  If we neglect our role, we have no right to call ourselves Bahá’ís.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá has added: “Soon will our handful of days, our vanishing life, be gone, and we shall pass, empty handed into the hollow that is dug for those who speak no more.”  There is no need to be overwhelmed when we can: “Be confident in Bahá’u’lláh’s help.  His Spirit will help you, and will feed your soul with that spiritual sustenance whereby you will be able to overcome the obstacles which seem to so hopelessly beset your path”.

* * * * * *

Sharing the Teachings, Cidade de Bahia, Brazil

* * * * * *

The Blessed Perfection, in a clear text, hath promised us in the Book: “Verily I behold you from the Horizon of Abha and will make victorious whomsoever will arise in the service of my cause with the hosts of the Supreme Concourse and the cohorts of the favored angels!” Praise be to God! that this victory and confirmation became visible and manifest and hath shone forth from the horizon of the world like unto the sun. Therefore, O ye friends of God! Show ye forth an earnest endeavor and display ye a resolute effort, so that ye may become assisted in the adoration of the Ancient Beauty and the Manifest Light; to be the cause of spreading the light of the Sun of Truth; to infuse into the dead, antiquated body of the world a new spirit; to cast in the fields of the hearts pure seeds; to arise in the service of the Cause; to speak with eloquent tongues; to become candles of guidance in the assemblage of the world; to become shining stars in the horizon of the existent being; to become merciful birds in the rose-garden of oneness; to sing the melodies of realities and significances; to spend every breath of your lives in the most great Cause; and to devote the period of your existence to the service of this conspicuous Light; so that in the end ye may be freed from loss and failure and attain to the inexhaustible treasury of the Kingdom. For the life on man is wholly subject to danger and impermanency. A person cannot put his assurance even in one moment’s continuity. Notwithstanding this, the nations of the world, deceived by the mirage of superstition, imagine themselves secure in the heavenly way.

Alas! Alas! Former communities in bygone ages entertained the same perishing thoughts; but by one of those periodical fluctuations they were all hidden under the ground and afflicted with deprivation and loss, except those souls who had become pure evanescence and had arisen with great self-abnegation in the path of God. Such souls shine forth as brilliant stars from the Horizon of the Ancient Glory, and the results which emanated from their lives in succeeding ages and cycles are the proofs of this statement. Therefore, do ye not rest, neither day nor night; seek ye not for composure; talk ye of the mystery of servitude, and seek ye the path of thralldom; so that through the promised confirmations ye may become assisted from the Kingdom of Oneness.

- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas, 566-7

* * * * * *

(Article reprinted from “The Australian Bahá’í, March 2008”) (Image reproduced with permission of the Bahá’í International Community, view it in the gallery here)

Catching FIRE at Reflection meeting through beauty, symmetry, arts

(US – CO, 1 April)

This community has evidently found the key to creating enthusiasm for and ownership of the processes of growth which the Reflection meeting was meant to foster!

* * * * * *

“Something truly great is happening here”

There’s a certain point in a cluster’s history where a threshold is crossed. The hearts of the friends are touched in a new way, and they arise with love to serve the Cause with new levels of dedication. It is a point where the friends’ hearts, filled with both courage and love, arise to share the Message as part of an organized, collective, direct teaching effort. Here is a description of that joyful evening where this milestone was reached in Arapahoe-Douglas Counties, CO (B-stage), shared by a member of that cluster’s area teaching committee.

Dear S,

I want to recount our second Cluster Reflection Meeting since we became a “B” Cluster. It was wonderful.

The clubhouse is full in Arapahoe County. 35 Adults, 7 children and 6 Junior Youth. We had 48 red and white roses next to a large photo of the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh. There was a slide on the screen of the Sea Gate in Akka. One believer told us about Bahá’u’lláh’s experience on that dark day entering the prison city while crowds threw things and called Him names. But what was happening in the spiritual realms was a different story. He heard the angels sing and was greeted by banners of light. She then sang “Soon will all that dwell on earth be enlisted under these banners.” It was beautiful. We had a prayer for the 7 friends imprisoned in Iran. . . .

Then a junior youth gave an amazing and well presented account of his teaching team experiences. He began with a prayer and guitar music. It was so wonderful. And sitting in a ring around him, very quiet and respectfully, were all the children. They really looked up to him! Next, a new believer gave a talk about her teaching team’s experience and how they now have 6 kids in their neighborhood children’s class. And how one little girl memorized a prayer of Bahá’u’lláh’s perfectly!

D was a perfect emcee. G and J gave a wonderful presentation about forming teaching teams and we broke up into discussion groups, came back together and reported our learning.

Then something wonderful happened: We formed 6 teaching teams for the cluster. Six groups of enthusiastic, excited and creative people decided their own individual paths of service and formed teaching teams! We have 6 teams and already 6 contact people. 6 different goals and focuses. And they all had children, youth or junior youth on them!

It was magic. It was wonderful and I think I actually heard the angels singing, “Soon will all that dwell on Earth be enlisted under these banners!” I am very, very happy tonight!

Something great is happening here. Something truly great. I think even when we don’t we see it, when we feel like nothing is happening, there are things occurring in the spiritual realms that are so amazing. There really are banners of light. The angels really do sing.

In His Service,

M

* * * * * *

The final place of exile of Baha’u'llah: the Mansion at Bahji, Acre, Israel

* * * * * *

It is natural for the heart and spirit to take pleasure and enjoyment in all things that show forth symmetry, harmony, and perfection. For instance: a beautiful house, a well designed garden, a symmetrical line, a graceful motion, a well written book, pleasing garments–in fact, all things that have in themselves grace or beauty are pleasing to the heart and spirit–therefore, it is most certain that a true voice causes deep pleasure. What is music? It is a combination of harmonious sounds. What is poetry? It is a symmetrical collection of words.

Therefore, they are pleasing through harmony and rhythm. Poetry is much more effective and complete than prose. It stirs more deeply, for it is of a finer composition.

A fine voice when joined to beautiful music causes a great effect, for both are desirable and pleasing. All these have in themselves an organization, and are constructed on natural law. Therefore, they correspond to the order of existence like something which would fit into a mold. A true voice fits into the mold of nature. When it is so, this affects the nerves, and they affect the heart and spirit.

In the world of existence physical things have a connection with spiritual realities. One of these things is the voice, which connects itself with the spirit; and the spirit can be uplifted by this means –for though it is a physical thing, it is one of the material, natural organizations– therefore, it is effective.

All forms when understood aright gladden the spirit. Melodies are like water. The voice is like a goblet. The pure water in a pure glass is pleasing. Therefore, it is acceptable…

– ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s words to Mrs. Mary L. Lucas, as quoted in “A Brief Account of My Visit to Acca” pp. 11-14 (quoted here)

* * * * * *

(Excerpted from the teaching blog, http://teaching.bahai.us/2009/04/something-truly-great-is-happening-here.html ) (Image reproduced with permission of the Bahá’í International Community, view it here)

Importance of realizing our individual responsibility

(US – Wilmette, 1996)

From an impassioned, inspirational talk given by then-member of the Universal House of Justice Mr. Glenford Mitchell on 5 October 1996 in Foundation Hall of the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette. (The views he expresses are of course entirely his own and do not represent those of any Bahá’í institution.)

* * * * * *

Now, the teaching of the Cause is of course with the individual primarily, as you know, because Bahá’u'lláh has given that duty to individuals. He has prescribed it for individuals. And He has promised certain support to the individuals, certain blessings. And I don’t have to read all of that to you, you know about it. But the House of Justice went into some detail in explaining why the individual is unique. It says,

“The individual alone can exercise those capacities which include the ability to take initiative, to seize opportunities, to form friendships, to interact personally with others, to build relationships, to win the cooperation of others in common service to the Faith and society, and to convert into action the decisions made by consultative bodies.”

I think perhaps we are forgetting that the Guardian made it very clear to us that the institutions, what? They have authority. The mass of the believers have what? The power to execute them. And that power resides in initiative and ability. Individual initiative and ability. We must understand this clearly. So, when the plan of the National Assembly comes out, or the plan of the Local Assembly, how is it going to be done? Because it’s going to be done this way. I am going to go home and think: “What am I supposed to do with myself now? How am I going to do this or am going to do that?” And I, privately, in the privacy of my own heart and my own mind, will decide exactly what I’m going to do and do it.

The Shrine of Bab

And remember in The Advent of Divine Justice the Guardian told the friends not to wait to hear from institutions in order to carry out this vital duty of teaching. Why should you wait to hear from anybody at all? You have heard from Bahá’u'lláh. Do it. You don’t have to wait on anybody. I don’t believe that we need any plans to teach. We don’t need it at all. The plans are supposed to help us, to give us a system to our activities, to give us a means of measuring our progress, because we need to be encouraged that we are doing something. That’s what the plans are for. The plans do not take the place of individual initiative and individual action and individual decision on teaching. My God, you want to tell me if the House of Justice didn’t write to us for the next twenty years, the Bahá’ís would stop teaching the Faith? You see? The responsibility is too great. It transcends, it goes beyond the House of Justice. It goes beyond any institution on earth. It has to do with the duty given to us by the Manifestation of God Himself. The consequences of not carrying on as we should are rather grave, I think, you know. Because when you think that now in this day, what Bahá’u'lláh has done to us all, He tells us that in this day every created thing is endowed with all the potentialities it can bear. Now, friends, I put it to you, if this power can be demonstrated in sand, such as what goes into microchips, what do you suppose God has done to us as individuals, as the ’supreme talisman’? [Do] you think there’s any limit to the powers that you can exert morally and spiritually? There isn’t. This confusion is in our mind, believe me.

Now, about individuals. Look at how `Abdu’l-Bahá puts it. I was in St. Peter’s Basilica, that’s why this comes into my mind recently. He talks about Peter, who was the first apostle of Jesus Christ. Listen to what `Abdu’l-Bahá says. He says, “Peter, according to the history of the Church, was also incapable of keeping count of the days of the week. Whenever he decided to go fishing he would tie up his weekly food into seven parcels. And everyday he would eat one of them. And when he had reach the seventh, he would know that the Sabbath had arrived. And thereupon would observe it.” That’s what the Master says. Then Shoghi Effendi comments. He says, “If the Son of Man,” you know who the Son of Man is, Jesus;

“If the Son of Man was capable of infusing into apparently so crude and helpless an instrument with such potency as to cause in the words of Bahá’u'lláh the mysteries of wisdom and of utterance to flow out of his mouth, and to exalt him above the rest of His disciples and render him fit to become His successor and the founder of His Church, how much more can the Father, who is Bahá’u'lláh, empower the most puny and insignificant among His followers to achieve for the execution of His purpose such wonders as would dwarf the mightiest achievements of even the first apostle of Jesus Christ.”

Listen to this, friends, this is serious. He’s telling us that you, individually, He’s talking to you, can achieve more than this Peter, who was a great man, who was a tremendous character. But he wasn’t all that bright. But the Manifestation of God was able to infuse such power in him that he did the things that Bahá’u'lláh said. And if you go to Rome you’ll see the tremendous basilica they built up for him, the memorial. An incredible building. Friends, you have nothing to worry about but your own fear and doubt. And, so far as I’m concerned, fears and doubts are luxuries we cannot afford. These are luxuries, really luxuries. When you think of what’s happening to the children in Birundi [referring to the genocidal war at the time], to the children in, what’s this country in Europe that is gone crazy? Bosnia. What’s happening all over the world? What’s happened to the children in our cities? Come on, what are we afraid of? We have the thing in hand. We have powers we can call on. We have forces behind us. We have a powerful history behind us of success. Great development. Can you imagine that we are putting up on Mount Carmel, in the heart of that mountain, these enormous structures? How is it possible that such a thing could happen? That even now the people are recognizing that the Shrine of the Báb is actually at the exact point that it should be in the city, it’s the actual point of the whole city. Architects are praising this and wondering what happened that Bahá’u'lláh, they give talks, non-Bahá’ís, about what Bahá’u'lláh has done on that mountain. Imagine when the Tablet of Carmel was revealed, that mountain was an empty, scruffy place. You go there now and they’re talking about what? “The most important green lung in Israel”? Why? Because we have faith. Because we did the impossible.

Look at this building that we are in. Imagine that our Bahá’í brothers and sisters before us who were far fewer in number and who also were led by women, decided to do this thing and to put up this building, and had the blessing of `Abdu’l-Bahá to do it. They didn’t know how they would go about it. They didn’t have the technology in place to put this building up when it was designed. But aren’t you sitting in it now? And the Bahá’ís had the temerity to start this building in the Depression. Can you imagine what that means? I remember as a kid in Jamaica that the Bahá’ís had little cans that they had tin smiths to make that the people would put pennies in to send to the Temple in Wilmette, to build this Temple. What do you suppose did this? It was the power of God Almighty. It had nothing to do with economics. It had nothing to do with the theories flowing down from Marx and Hegel and all these characters. You see? We can do it, friends. We are so many now. You know? `Abdu’l-Bahá says one of us is good for a thousand. Well, come on, let’s behave as if we are a thousand people…

Read the whole talk here.

* * * * * *

Ceiling of the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois, U.S.A.

* * * * * *

The heroic steadfastness of the Bahá’ís in the Cradle of the Faith has released mighty spiritual forces into the world. It has, too, evoked the highest admiration of the believers across the globe, whose yearning to alleviate the tribulations of their Bahá’í sisters and brothers in Irán is deeply felt and lovingly acknowledged by the House of Justice. What all must realize is that this longing may best be expressed through single-minded dedication to the prosecution of the Five Year Plan.

May every follower of the Blessed Beauty seize the opportunities that present themselves for the advancement of the Cause, confident that the victories won will bring abiding joy to the members of the long-suffering, renowned community in His native land.

– Letter from the Secretariat of the Universal House of Justice of 6 March 2009 to all National Spiritual Assemblies (read it here)

* * * * * *

(Images reproduced with permission of the Bahá’í International Community, view here and here)

House Message 28 Dec.: Nature of direct teaching methods

(Haifa, 28 December)

Following is a clarifying letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to a National Assembly, which contains reflects on the recent global learning about direct teaching methods and how this approach to teaching is being successfully integrated into a healthy pattern of growth in clusters throughout the world.

Its contents can be broken down into the following points (letter in full below; emphasis added):

• As a community we should apply a range of approaches and methods in sharing Bahá’u’lláh’s message, in keeping with the receptivity of our respective listeners
• In order for the listener’s heart to be touched when being presented the Faith directly using “Anna’s presentation”, it is essential that the teacher should not reduce it merely to a series of points of information enumerated for the listener, but rather should understand the logic underlying the presentation and be prepared to offer it in its fullness
• The hard-earned habit of engaging friends and acquaintances in conversations on matters of spiritual import should now be extended to interactions with strangers
• A visit to a home should not be seen as an isolated act, but as one element of a coherent pattern of action
• Individual actions should take place in this context
• At the heart of the matter is how a campaign of teaching the Faith by visiting homes relates to the other activities being undertaken in a neighbourhood that enable people to advance on equal footing and explore the application of teachings to their individual and collective lives
• In this context, we should visit homes and explain the nature of the core activities, and invite them or their children to take part
• In this context, visiting a resident to see whether they are interested in learning about the Faith is often highly fruitful
• We should remain ever conscious of the nature of the worldwide learning mode that the Bahá’ís are presently engaged in
• We should be careful that we do not prevent our fellow believers from engaging in activities through which they can learn how to approach people directly and offer them the message
• We should do all we can to foster strong bonds which unite the friends

____________________________

The Universal House of Justice

28 December 2008

The National Spiritual Assembly
of the Bahá’ís of . . .

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

The Universal House of Justice was pleased to receive your letter dated 6 August 2008 in which you report on the success of initial attempts in your community to undertake a collective teaching campaign. That the receptivity found in . . . society has prompted you to reflect on the nature of direct teaching methods has brought the House of Justice joy indeed. We have been requested to reply to you as follows.

You have inquired about experience elsewhere of teaching the Faith directly, particularly in societies like . . ., which are perceived to be secular in nature. You are especially interested in knowing whether the approach to teaching the Faith in neighbourhoods from door to door could be applicable to your situation. As mentioned in the Ridván message this year, the friends everywhere are learning how best to apply a range of approaches and methods in sharing Bahá’u’lláh’s message, in keeping with the receptivity of their listeners. In this context the House of Justice has been pleased to see that there are two developments occurring in all parts of the globe, irrespective of the nature of the society in question.

First, the practice of discussing the principles and precepts of the Faith in a general way, which has resulted in a great many admirers of the Cause but few enrolments, is being complemented by an increasingly direct approach to sharing Bahá’u’lláh’s message. More often than not, the friends have found the presentation of the Faith outlined in Book 6 of the Ruhi Institute most useful in this respect. It is clear, however, that those making such a presentation need to avoid the trap of reducing it merely to a series of points of information that are enumerated for the listener. Results worldwide leave little doubt that the heart of the listener is touched when the teacher understands the logic underlying the presentation and is prepared to offer it in its fullness. That so many believers who have been taught the Faith in this way have, through study of the courses of the institute, become active supporters of the Cause in their communities stands as ample testimony to the validity of the method. This development represents an important milestone, indeed, in the progress of the Faith.

Second, the habit of conversing with friends and acquaintances on matters of spiritual import, now engrained in the community, is being brought to bear increasingly on interactions with people who could otherwise be regarded as strangers. This tendency is manifesting itself in a number of ways, depending on the circumstances. Not infrequently, outreach to the wider community takes the form of a visit to a home, sometimes after prior arrangements have been made with the residents, although not always. What should be understood in this respect is that such visits are not isolated acts. A visit to a home should be seen as one element of a coherent pattern of action that seeks to enable specific populations to contribute to the construction of the society envisioned by Bahá’u’lláh. At the heart of the matter, then, is how a campaign of teaching the Faith by visiting homes relates to the other activities being undertaken in a neighbourhood—how it relates to the efforts to hold meetings that strengthen the devotional character of the wider community, to offer classes that foster the spiritual development of children, to form groups that channel the energies of junior youth, to establish circles of study, open to all, that enable people of varied backgrounds to advance on equal footing and explore the application of teachings to their individual and collective lives.

Within the above context, it would be quite appropriate, as the House of Justice has noted on earlier occasions, for Bahá’ís to visit the homes of people in a neighbourhood or village to explain the nature of the core activities of the Five Year Plan and invite them or their children to take part. In many cases, a visit to the home of someone to see whether he or she is interested in learning about the Faith would also be highly fruitful.

As you continue to reflect on this subject, you should remain ever conscious of the nature of the mode of learning that characterizes the worldwide enterprise in which the believers and their institutions are engaged. Methods of teaching cannot be governed by hard and fast rules. Clearly those who do not feel comfortable employing any specific direct teaching method should not be obliged to do so. Yet it is equally important that the inhibitions of individual believers, though rooted in the prevalent culture, and undoubtedly the result of a sincere desire to safeguard the interests of the Faith, do not prevent others from learning how to approach people directly and offer them the message for which their hearts so desperately yearn. So strong should be the bonds which unite the friends that the diversity of their temperaments and backgrounds serves to open before them new vistas for the growth of the Faith, while at the same time protecting it from extremes.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,

Department of the Secretariat

cc: International Teaching Centre

* * * * * *

Bahá’u’lláh’s room in the house of ‘Údí Khammár, where He revealed the Kitáb-i-Aqdas

* * * * * *

The friends in every continent are engaged in study of the Writings for the explicit purpose of learning to apply the teachings to the growth of the Faith… As they have persevered in the field of service to the Cause, maintaining a humble posture of learning, their courage and wisdom, zeal and acuity, fervour and circumspection, determination and trust in God have combined all the more to reinforce one another.  In their presentation of the message of Bahá’u’lláh and the exposition of its verities, they have taken to heart the words of Shoghi Effendi that they must neither “hesitate” nor “falter”, neither “overstress” nor “whittle down” the truth which they champion.  Neither are they “fanatical” nor “excessively liberal”.  Through their constancy in teaching, they have increased their ability to determine whether the receptivity of their listener requires them to be “wary” or “bold”, to “act swiftly” or to “mark time”, to be “direct” or “indirect” in the methods they employ.

– The Universal House of Justice, Ridván 2008

* * * * * *

(Image reproduced with permission of the Bahá’í International Community)

Stimulating ownership, being regular, attentively consulting

(US, AZ, 14 November)

This report from an Arizona B-stage cluster provides some central insights about how to motivate the friends in service and build trust and rapport with a target population. It also underscores the merit of immediately offering seekers and declarants consolidation activities they can contribute to.

● In order for people to commit to service, they need to feel that they “own” their role in the process. One way to achieve this is to ask them to do something specific and then report back on their experience. Keeping data is another way to help the friends take ownership of the process.

● Because we are holding study circles, children’s classes, home visits and devotional meetings at the same time every week in one neighborhood, the residents now know they can expect us to be there at that time. It has also helped the believers to participate in a collective effort based on unity of vision.

● Attentive consultation with the residents allowed us to understand that a key need of the community is an English class. So weekly afternoon English classes are being held and are well attended.

● In meeting the challenge to assist all members in the cluster to find their niche in the Five Year Plan, we have learned to focus on the guidance. This helps everyone understand that teaching can occur in a variety of venues.

The new believers and family members are quickly involved in the core activities:

★ One had been studying the Faith for several years, including online. She contacted the National Center and it has been clear sailing ever since! Both she and her husband declared and registered their children. Currently at their home there is a weekly children’s class, junior youth group, and a Book 1 study circle occurring simultaneously!

★ Another couple enthusiastically declared their Faith during Anna’s presentation after hearing of the sacrifice and suffering of the Blessed Beauty. They immediately requested study sessions to learn more of their new Faith.

★ Three other young people declared their belief in Bahá’u’lláh after hearing Anna’s presentation. Two of them immediately began studying Book 1 with their teacher. Another member of the family has been studying the Faith and always seeks us out when we are visiting the neighborhood. He is participating in a Book 1 study circle each week as well.

* * * * * *

Abdu’l-Bahá returning to his home on Haparsim Street in Haifa

* * * * * *

Thousands upon thousands, embracing the diversity of the entire human family, are engaged in systematic study of the Creative Word in an environment that is at once serious and uplifting… As they call on one another in their homes and pay visits to families, friends and acquaintances, they enter into purposeful discussion on themes of spiritual import, deepen their knowledge of the Faith, share Baha’u'llah’s message, and welcome increasing numbers to join them in a mighty spiritual enterprise. Aware of the aspirations of the children of the world and their need for spiritual education, they extend their efforts widely to involve ever-growing contingents of participants in classes that become centres of attraction for the young and strengthen the roots of the Faith in society. They assist junior youth to navigate through a crucial stage of their lives and to become empowered to direct their energies toward the advancement of civilization.

– The Universal House of Justice, Ridván 2008

* * * * * *

(Excerpted and adapted from the teaching blog, report from an individual believer in West Valley, AZ (B) http://teaching.bahai.us/2008/11/building-trust-in-west-valley.html ) (Image reproduced with permission of the Bahá’í International Community)

Intelligent leadership, collective action make potent combination

(US, CA, 5 December)

From this short report may be gleaned virtually all the key concepts and methods that our beloved Supreme Body is directing us to learn about in the current stage of the unfoldment of the Divine Plan of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Let us make befitting use of these precious lessons, which serve to draw us nearer to our hearts’ Desire!

This story from Coachella Valley, CA (C-stage cluster) is full of gems. A group of believers, small in number but totally committed to teaching, accompanied by their friends from neighboring clusters, rose up to engage in a collective teaching effort. They tasted the joy of teaching and are steadily gaining in knowledge and experience. They are learning how to present the Message directly and respectfully. One particularly thought-provoking insight is highlighted in red below.

I am so pleased to report success in our mini teaching effort. We had approximately 12 people from our cluster participating, and joined by the cluster institute coordinator, Auxiliary Board member, and two members of the area teaching committee…

We have gained a lot of insights from our experiences. Here are some:

Our purpose in collective teaching is to find receptive, waiting souls and invite them to recognize Bahá’u’lláh as the Manifestation of God for this Day.

Wisdom requires refraining from trying to convince, arguing about philosophical points or dogma, and avoiding engaging in contention or dispute.

As we work together as teaching teams, our skills and capacities improve markedly with each new interaction.

When we are presenting the Bahá’í Faith to someone, we need to encourage them to see themselves as having the capacities to help build the unity of the human family, and empower them to arise and serve.

As we invite people to join the Faith, we have the opportunity to encourage them to participate in the processes of growth by entering the institute process and engaging in the core activities. We need to be committed to accompany them in this process.

So now, our own cluster’s collective understanding has grown:

We realize that there are pure souls waiting for us. Visiting a receptive neighborhood is a very effective way to find them.

We can gain people’s confidence through our own sincerity and purity of motive, and speaking to them from the heart in a respectful and dignified way.

“Careful” teaching does not mean slowly over a long period of time! Anna’s presentation IS a careful, well-thought-out, effective approach!

We must not lose sight of the institute process when we get engaged in exciting and fruitful teaching efforts. In other words, we need everyone to continue moving through the Ruhi courses, so we have more resources to carry out the work. An integral part of the institute process is the practice and service components.

* * * * * *

Fountain and benches in the Ridván Garden, ‘Akká

* * * * * *

Behold the portals which Bahá’u’lláh hath opened before you! Consider how exalted and lofty is the station you are destined to attain; how unique the favors with which you have been endowed. Should we become intoxicated with this cup, the sovereignty of this globe of earth will become lower in our estimation than children’s play. Should they place in the arena the crown of the government of the whole world, and invite each one of us to accept it, undoubtedly we shall not condescend, and shall refuse to accept it.

To attain to this supreme station is, however, dependent on the realization of certain conditions:

The first condition is firmness in the Covenant of God …

The second condition: Fellowship and love amongst the believers…

The third condition: Teachers must continually travel to all parts of the continent, nay, rather, to all parts of the world, but they must travel like ‘Abdu’l-Bahá…

The aim is this: The intention of the teacher must be pure, his heart independent, his spirit attracted, his thought at peace, his resolution firm, his magnanimity exalted and in the love of God a shining torch. Should he become as such, his sanctified breath will even affect the rock; otherwise there will be no result whatsoever. As long as a soul is not perfected, how can he efface the defects of others? Unless he is detached from aught else save God, how can he teach severance to others?

In short, O ye believers of God! Endeavor ye, so that you may take hold of every means in the promulgation of the religion of God and the diffusion of the fragrances of God.

- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets of the Divine Plan, p. 50-54

* * * * * *

(Excerpted and adapted from the teaching blog http://teaching.bahai.us/2008/12/learning-from-each-new-interaction.html) (Image reproduced with permission of the Bahá’í International Community)

Passing of Counselor Rebequa Murphy: A tribute to her fervor for teaching

(Haifa, 27 November 2008)

From the Universal House of Justice:

We were deeply grieved to learn of the untimely passing of cherished handmaiden of the Blessed Beauty Rebequa Murphy. Her long years of sacrificial, devoted labor for the Cause of God were distinguished by tireless efforts to protect and propagate the Faith as a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors for the Americas, preceded by her membership on the National Spiritual Assembly of Alaska, her service as a pioneer in West Africa, and her work as a representative of the Faith to the United Nations in New York. With abiding admiration we pay tribute to her fervor for teaching, her close and caring relationship with youth, her capacity for showing genuine love and affection to individuals from all strata of society, and her ability to enkindle in the hearts of the friends the desire to serve. We ardently supplicate at the Sacred Threshold for the progress of her luminous soul throughout the heavenly realms and extend our heartfelt sympathy to her family and friends.

.

We call for memorial services to be held in her honor in the Houses of Worship in Wilmette and Panama City and for commemorative gatherings to take place in communities throughout the Americas and in her native Ethiopia.

Here are two excerpts to inspire us from stories in the news quoting her:

“Providing spiritual education for children is a fundamental part of social development,” said Counselor Rebequa Murphy at the 2006 Baha’i Conference on Social and Economic Development. Her comments came in a talk titled “The Preservation of Human Honor,” explaining how human progress will organically spring from core activities. The primary development task of Baha’is today is to “strive to safeguard the sanctity of the human spirit.”"Baha’u'llah says, ‘The well being of mankind, its peace and security are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established’,” said Ms. Murphy. “So nothing we do, no amount of money, no amount of research is going to guarantee the security of mankind unless its unity is firmly established. So that’s what our job is – to lay the foundation [for development], which is the unity of the world.”

http://news.bahai.org/story/500

And in 2003 at the Southern Regional Baha’i Conference together with Counselor Eugene Andrews:

[Mr.] Andrews told the participants that the Faith is not a church, and its members should not conduct themselves in a way where leadership comes from an individual or individuals presumed to be qualified for the purpose.”Where does our spiritual vitality come from? It comes from you all,” he said.

Rebequa Murphy…used an urban analogy to illustrate her point that the institute process (which includes study circles, children’s classes and other community activities) was aimed at raising a community of teachers of the Faith.

“In New York City you learn [to] only hail cabs that have their light on, because if their light’s not on they’re not open for business,” Ms. Murphy said.

“When we become communities of teachers, what happens? What the institute process does, it turns on [our] lights. So people know we’re open for business. And they come to us.

“We must never forget the purpose for which we live — to bring about the oneness of the human family.”

http://www.bahaiworldnews.org/story/267?storyid=267

At the 2007 US National Convention she demonstrated her deep and sincere attachment to the Covenant of Bahá’u'lláh and her reverence for the Supreme Body, the Center of the Covenant today, when she said, to effect, “[We want to see and hear] through the eyes and ears of the House of Justice [and not through our own eyes and ears].”

Here are the words of Bahá’u'lláh Himself:

If it be your wish, O people, to know God and to discover the greatness of His might, look, then, upon Me with Mine own eyes, and not with the eyes of any one besides Me. Ye will, otherwise, be never capable of recognizing Me, though ye ponder My Cause as long as My Kingdom endureth, and meditate upon all created things throughout the eternity of God, the Sovereign Lord of all, the Omnipotent, the Ever-Abiding, the All-Wise.

(Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, 272-3)

.

A touching anecdote about a meeting with Ms. Murphy can be found here.

Two audio files of one of her talks are available here and here.

A PowerPoint presentation she made on “The Condition of Humanity” can be downloaded from here.

* * * * * *
.                                                                                                                                                                       .

Counselor Rebequa Murphy(died 25 November 2008 in New York City, after recent travels in Florida)

God bless her radiant soul!

Delegates and observers at the yearly national convention of the Baha’is of the United States (at which Ms. Murphy frequently participated) in 2005 pictured outside the Baha’i House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois

* * * * * *

O my God, Thy Trust hath been returned unto Thee. It behooveth Thy grace and Thy bounty that have compassed Thy dominions on earth and in heaven, to vouchsafe unto Thy newly welcomed one Thy gifts and Thy bestowals, and the fruits of the tree of Thy grace! Powerful art Thou to do as Thou willest, there is none other God but Thee, the Gracious, the Most Bountiful, the Compassionate, the Bestower, the Pardoner, the Precious, the All-Knowing.

I testify, O my Lord, that Thou hast enjoined upon men to honor their guest, and he that hath ascended unto Thee hath verily reached Thee and attained Thy Presence. Deal with him then according to Thy grace and bounty! By Thy glory, I know of a certainty that Thou wilt not withhold Thyself from that which Thou hast commanded Thy servants, nor wilt Thou deprive him that hath clung to the cord of Thy bounty and hath ascended to the Dayspring of Thy wealth.

There is none other God but Thee, the One, the Single, the Powerful, the Omniscient, the Bountiful.

—Bahá’u’lláh, BP 44-45

* * * * * *

(Images reproduced with permission of the Bahá’í International Community. The second was photographed by Eric Van Zanten)

From conferences: Tremendous joy, spirit of self-sacrifice, arising directly for opportunities

(Haifa, 14 November)

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Baha’i Friends,

The first three of 41 regional conferences called for by the Universal House of Justice in its 20 October 2008 message to the Baha’is of the world have taken place amid great enthusiasm, with focused, action-oriented consultation. Reports from the conferences in Lusaka, Johannesburg, and Nakuru carry news of the tremendous joy that has animated these gatherings. Several accounts have been received of the Baha’is’ being so energized by the spirit of self-sacrifice and devotion to the Cause that they have arisen directly to seize opportunities in cluster after cluster.

The Web site “Baha’i Community News” at http://news.bahai.org/community-news/regional-conferences/ has been created to make available the reports of these regional conferences, based on information received from participants…

Please share this information with the believers in your communities. The reports will no doubt provide encouragement to the friends as they continue to pursue the aim of the Five Year Plan.

With loving Baha’i greetings,

[signed:]

For the Office of Public Information

* * * * * *

“The conference played a big role in recharging my batteries and saying to me, ‘there’s work that needs to be done.’ And I’ll do it happily.”

Tsepo Ngobeni, age 13, South Africa

* * * * * *

The Johannesburg conference, with 1,150 participants, was the largest Baha’i gathering ever held in that country.

* * * * * *

He, verily, will aid everyone that aideth Him, and will remember everyone that remembereth Him. To this beareth witness this Tablet that hath shed the splendor of the loving-kindness of your Lord, the All-Glorious, the All-Compelling.

–Bahá’u’lláh

(cited in The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 76)

* * * * * *

(Image reproduced with permission of the Bahá’í International Community)

House message: Illumine our souls with light of knowledge and faith

(Haifa, 20 October 2008)

In the House of Justice’s latest message to the Bahá’ís of the world dated 20 October, coinciding with the joyous Celebration of the Birth of the Báb, we learn that our Supreme Institution is turning their hearts “in frequent prayer to Baha’u'llah” and beseeching Him “to strengthen His followers through His unfailing grace.” We have thus each been given yet another golden opportunity to respond to the desire of our Lord! After describing the “twofold character” of “the challenge facing the friends”, and linking it to the “further decline” and “lamentable condition of the present [old world order]“, the letter continues (see the whole of it, unmarked, further down):

In such moments, we implore Him to illumine their souls with the light of knowledge and faith. Let them not underestimate the power inherent in the system they are putting in place for the propagation of His Faith, nor mistake the true purpose of the global enterprise on which they have embarked. Let them not deviate from the path of learning on which they are set, nor be distracted by the ephemeral pursuits of a bewildered society. Let them not fail to appreciate the value of the culture now taking root in the community that promotes the systematic study of the Creative Word in small groups in order to build capacity for service. Let them never forget the imperative to tend to the needs of the children of the world and offer them lessons that develop their spiritual faculties and lay the foundations of a noble and upright character. Let them come to realize the full significance of their efforts to help young people form a strong moral identity in their early adolescent years and empower them to contribute to the well-being of their communities. And let them rejoice at having learned through consistent, systematic action how to establish a rhythm of growth that pays due attention to the essential elements of expansion, consolidation, reflection and planning. May they one and all be endowed with constancy and fidelity and be granted the courage to make whatever sacrifices are needed to ensure the resounding success of the Plan. By the rectitude of their conduct, the sincerity of their love for their fellow human beings, and the ardour of their desire to serve the peoples of the world, may they vindicate the truth proclaimed by Baha’u'llah that humanity is one. May they be diligent in their efforts to establish ties of friendship that show no regard for prevalent social barriers and ceaselessly endeavour to bind hearts together in the love of God. That they may recognize the profound implications of their mission is our fervent hope. That they may not falter in accomplishing their ambitious goals, no matter how severe the crises engulfing the world around them, is our most heartfelt prayer at the Sacred Threshold.

Are we ready? One simple way to respond is to attend one of the special conferences the House has called for in each region:

We urge the believers, both those fully engaged in executing the provisions of the Plan and those whose circumstances have prevented them from fulfilling their desire to do so until now, to avail themselves of this opportunity and attend the conference to be held in their area [as much to celebrate the feats already achieved during the Plan as to deliberate on its current exigencies].

But even if we miss it, there are ever new gatherings convened by the Faith’s national, regional and cluster agencies through which we can fulfill our pledge to build the new Order of Bahá’u'lláh, one small step at a time!

An overview of the conferences with reports can be found here: http://news.bahai.org/community-news/regional-conferences/

* * * * * *

Volunteers serving at the Bahá’í World Centre in Haifa, Israel, representing a cross section of the nationalities, races, ethnic groups, and religious backgrounds around the world who have declared their belief in Bahá’u’lláh.

* * * * * *

All praise, O my God, be to Thee Who art the Source of all glory and majesty, of greatness and honor, of sovereignty and dominion, of loftiness and grace, of awe and power. Whomsoever Thou willest Thou causest to draw nigh unto the Most Great Ocean, and on whomsoever Thou desirest Thou conferrest the honor of recognizing Thy Most Ancient Name. Of all who are in heaven and on earth, none can withstand the operation of Thy sovereign Will. From all eternity Thou didst rule the entire creation, and Thou wilt continue for evermore to exercise Thy dominion over all created things. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, The Most Exalted, the All-Powerful, the All-Wise.
Illumine, O Lord, the faces of Thy servants, that they may behold Thee; and cleanse their hearts that they may turn unto the court of Thy heavenly favors, and recognize Him Who is the Manifestation of Thy Self and the Dayspring of Thine Essence. Verily, Thou art the Lord of all worlds. There is no God but Thee, the Unconstrained, the All-Subduing.

- Bahá’u'lláh, BP 120-21

* * * * * *

BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTRE

20 October 2008

To the Baha’is of the World

Dearly loved Friends,

Today, the anniversary of the Birth of the Bab, marks the midway point of
the five-year enterprise that will engage the Baha’i world until Ridvan 2011.
We bow our heads in humble gratitude to Baha’u'llah for the favours and
confirmations He has vouchsafed unto those labouring so diligently and
sacrificially in the forefront of the teaching work. Since the conclusion of
the Tenth International Baha’i Convention a few months ago, there has been
a rise in awareness of the efficacy of the framework governing the operation of
the Five Year Plan as insights gained by the delegates have been widely
diffused throughout the Baha’i community…

The challenge facing the friends in these and all clusters continues to be
twofold in character. While learning to identify receptive segments of society
and share with responsive souls the message of the Faith–an aspiration
generally not difficult to fulfil–they are striving to understand in practice
how the diverse elements of a healthy pattern of growth, particularly
the development of human resources, are to be integrated into a cohesive whole. How heartening it is to see that the moment the friends in a cluster begin to meet this dual challenge, immediate progress is achieved; the goal of launching an intensive programme of growth becomes imminently attainable.

That the continued strengthening of the community should be matched by a
further decline in the old world order comes as no surprise. Indeed, the
friends should be on their guard, lest the development of capacity in the
community not keep pace with the rise in receptivity of a disillusioned
humanity. Behold how even in the short span of time since we raised this
warning in our Ridvan message, financial structures once thought to be
impregnable have tottered and world leaders have shown their inability to
devise more than temporary solutions, a failing to which they increasingly
confess. Whatever expedient measures are adopted, confidence has been shaken and a sense of security lost. Surely such developments have caused the believers in every land to reflect on the lamentable condition of the present order and have reinforced in them the conviction that material and spiritual civilization must be advanced together.

It is with these thoughts in mind that we turn our hearts in frequent
prayer to Baha’u'llah and beseech Him to strengthen His followers through His unfailing grace. In such moments, we implore Him to illumine their souls with the light of knowledge and faith. Let them not underestimate the power
inherent in the system they are putting in place for the propagation of His

Faith, nor mistake the true purpose of the global enterprise on which they have embarked. Let them not deviate from the path of learning on which they are set, nor be distracted by the ephemeral pursuits of a bewildered society. Let them not fail to appreciate the value of the culture now taking root in the community that promotes the systematic study of the Creative Word in small groups in order to build capacity for service. Let them never forget the imperative to tend to the needs of the children of the world and offer them lessons that develop their spiritual faculties and lay the foundations of a noble and upright character. Let them come to realize the full significance of their efforts to help young people form a strong moral identity in their early adolescent years and empower them to contribute to the well-being of their communities. And let them rejoice at having learned through consistent, systematic action how to establish a rhythm of growth that pays due attention to the essential elements of expansion, consolidation, reflection and planning. May they one and all be endowed with constancy and fidelity and be granted the courage to make whatever sacrifices are needed to ensure the resounding success of the Plan. By the rectitude of their conduct, the sincerity of their love for their fellow human beings, and the ardour of their desire to serve the peoples of the world, may they vindicate the truth proclaimed by Baha’u'llah that humanity is one. May they be diligent in their efforts to establish ties of friendship that show no regard for prevalent social barriers and ceaselessly endeavour to bind hearts together in the love of God. That they may recognize the profound implications of their mission is our fervent hope. That they may not falter in accomplishing their ambitious goals, no matter how severe the crises engulfing the world around them, is our most heartfelt prayer at the Sacred Threshold.

To provide the opportunity for the friends to gather together, as much to celebrate the feats already achieved during the Plan as to deliberate on its current exigencies, we announce the convocation of a series of regional conferences, forty-one in number, to be held in the following cities between November and March: Abidjan, Accra, Almaty, Antofagasta, Atlanta, Auckland, Baku, Bangalore, Bangui, Battambang, Bologna, Bukavu, Chicago, Dallas, Frankfurt, Guadalajara, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Kiev, Kolkata, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Lae, London, Los Angeles, Lubumbashi, Lusaka, Madrid, Managua, Manila, Nakuru, New Delhi, Portland, Quito, Sao Paulo, Stamford, Sydney, Toronto, Ulaanbaatar, Vancouver, Yaounde. To each of these conferences, two members of the International Teaching Centre will be sent as our representatives… We urge the believers, both those fully engaged in
executing the provisions of the Plan and those whose circumstances have
prevented them from fulfilling their desire to do so until now, to avail
themselves of this opportunity and attend the conference to be held in their
area.

[signed: The Universal House of Justice]