Assemblies in Action! (big communities version)

Local Spiritual Assemblies are undertaking a range of activities in support of the plans of their clusters, the examples of which can be a fertile source of ideas for other Assemblies across the country. This story, from an Assembly in the South, highlights many of the lessons that larger Assemblies in advanced clusters are learning, such as how to foster effective communicating with cluster-level institutions, structure community activities to support cycles of growth, and foster the accelerated multiplication of core activities and teaching efforts. Particularly notable are the concrete actions given within definite time periods (crucial for almost any effective plans, regardless of community/cluster size) and the personal involvement and leadership shown by the Assembly members. (A list of many useful and actionable ideas for Assemblies can be found at http://www.usbnc.org/dept/ntc.asp).

On [date] this Assembly hosted an Inter-Institutional Meeting for the purpose of creating a collective action plan with elements of individual, institutional, and joint collaborative effort. We were joined by members of the Area Teaching Committee, the Cluster Institute Coordinators, and the Auxiliary Board in developing plans to be activated over the course of the next 6 months.

In keeping with the counsel of the National Spiritual Assembly, the Spiritual Assembly of — has adopted plans for leadership in these areas:

Personal Involvement – each Local Assembly Member has either finished the sequence of courses or is committed to completing the sequence in the near future. Further, each individual member is committed to joining or activating a teaching team.

Encouragement – the Assembly is committed to accompanying Friends in the community to complete home visits during the next intensive cycle of growth immediately after the reflection gathering to be held on —.

Collaboration – the Assembly will plan and coordinate a series of neighborhood meetings over the next 6 months in which the Auxiliary Board Member will provide deepening on the current Guidance, with the support of the Area Teaching Committee and the Cluster Institute Coordinators.

Learning Oriented Attitude – the Assembly is creating a plan (to be implemented within the next 6 months) that will more effectively communicate local learning and encourage participation in specific localized efforts, using Newsletter, Web site, and Feast communication outlets.

As we continue our efforts, this Assembly humbly requests your prayers and those of the National Spiritual Assembly, so that these plans will assist us in moving forward with the teaching work entrusted to us.