(UK, 30 April 2012)

The newly elected National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United Kingdom write in a spirited report to the Baha’is of the UK after their National Convention:–

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At the Convention, the National Spiritual Assembly shared some reflections that emerged from its consultation at its first meeting, held together with Counsellor Shirin Fozdar-Foroudi… The Assembly conveyed its heartfelt wish that the efforts of each and every believer exerted towards the growth and development of the Faith is recognised, cherished and valued.  In their 28 December 2010 message, the Universal House of Justice give a very clear description of how “to generate a movement” of a population “towards the goal of a New World Order”.  They envisaged this movement as a “continuum” which starts with a simple conversation with someone about the Faith with the object of creating within that soul a desire to serve Bahá’u’lláh and humanity and to build their capacity to do so. This continuum eventually leads to a more complex “programme of growth”.  It is a beautiful and profound path that begins with a meaningful conversation.  We are all striving to walk the path of service as described by the Universal House of Justice.  Our unique circumstances bring us to this path in different ways and reflection on our personal circumstances and our actions – alone and with others – enables us to progress along this path towards the stupendous vision before us. In this effort we, the Bahá’ís, need to love each other, support each other, cherish and value each other, as much as we do our community of interest.

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Counsellor Shirin Fozdar-Foroudi continued this theme in her subsequent address…  She reminded us that the process of growth needed simple steps and that we need to ask ourselves: “How do we link the steps we are taking to enable those that we are working with to connect to the process of spiritual transformation?”  It is Bahá’u’lláh who is the Divine Physician, the Counsellor reflected, and it is He Who has “His finger on the pulse of mankind. He perceiveth the disease, and prescribeth, in His unerring wisdom, the remedy.”  Each of us, in whatever situation we find ourselves, can reflect on how we can offer the Divine remedy in light of the guidance of the Universal House of Justice in their 28 December message.  In doing so, we should turn to the institutions of the Faith for help; likewise, the institutions of the Faith need to ask for the help of the friends.  Both sides need to learn to reach out. This is a demonstration of love.

In concluding, the Counsellor left us with these beautiful words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Master, whose spirit imbued the entire proceedings of Convention given the special Centenary period we are celebrating:

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Know thou of a certainty that Love is the secret of God’s holy Dispensation, the manifestation of the All-Merciful, the fountain of spiritual outpourings.

Love is heaven’s kindly light, the Holy Spirit’s eternal breath that vivifieth the human soul.

Love is the cause of God’s revelation unto man, the vital bond inherent, in accordance with the divine creation, in the realities of things.

Love is the one means that ensureth true felicity both in this world and the next.

Love is the light that guideth in darkness, the living link that uniteth God with man, that assureth the progress of every illumined soul.

Love is the most great law that ruleth this mighty and heavenly cycle, the unique power that bindeth together the divers elements of this material world, the supreme magnetic force that directeth the movements of the spheres in the celestial realms.

Love revealeth with unfailing and limitless power the mysteries latent in the universe.

Love is the spirit of life unto the adorned body of mankind, the establisher of true civilization in this mortal world, and the shedder of imperishable glory upon every high-aiming race and nation.

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– ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, SWA 27-28

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(Emphasis has been added.)