"How can I help?" - Portland invites community to support first IPG launch

In a recent letter to the cluster, Portland OR celebrates its new advance to “A-stage status” as a cluster. As the cluster embarks on this historic endeavor in launching of their first cycle of Intensive Program of Growth, the Area Teaching Committee identifies the framework of their focus for their new expansion phase. The friends are invited to find out more about the exact plans, daily schedule and contacts for the various coordinators, through their dedicated IPG web site at http://www.portlandbahai.org/ipg1_expansion.htm. On the site, the friends are provided a list of ways they can join to support the effort. We can all learn from their approach . . . read on . . .

HOW CAN I HELP?

1. Pray at home daily including reading the teaching prayer for teaching for the Western States for the success of our individual and collective teaching efforts.
2. Come pray at the Portland Bahá’í Center for the success of the IPG. Teams. Sign up and/or contact the Prayer Coordinators for details.
3. Hold devotional gatherings and invite your contacts and seekers to pray.
4. Hold a personal fireside in your home. Invite your friends, neighbors, coworkers or family. Report your plans including the outcomes and any learnings to the Fireside Coordinators.
5. Form a small teaching team with a family member or friend.
6. Participate in neighborhood teaching doing door-to-door teaching or by offering help and support during this process including assembling packets, tracking statistics, and offering follow-up help.
7. Assist with the prayers, music, short introductory talk or other aspects of the evening programs at the Portland Bahá’í Center. Contact the Evening Program Coordinators.
8. Attend and support the evening programs at the Portland Bahá’í Center including inviting and accompanying your contacts.
9. Help with children’s activities during the events and programs taking place at the Portland Bahá’í Center. Contact the Children’s Activities Coordinators.
10. Help with food and refreshments needed by the teaching teams during the day and for evening programs at the Portland Bahá’í Center. Contact the Food & Refreshments Coordinators.
11. Provide hospitality for some of the travel teachers visiting us from out of town during April 5 - 13. Contact the Hospitality Coordinator.
12. Provide transportation and/or translation help to other community members needing such support.
13. Offer to do home visits with seekers and contacts we gain through this process after the expansion phase. Contact any member of the Area Teaching Committee.
14. Offer to facilitate a study circle, teach children’s classes, and animate a junior. youth group or host a devotional gathering with seekers and contacts we gain through this process. Contact your Cluster Institute Coordinator.

"O that I could travel, even though on foot and in the utmost poverty, to these regions, and, raising the call of 'Yá Bahá'u'l-Abhá' in cities, villages, mountains, deserts and oceans, promote the divine teachings! This, alas, I cannot do. How intensely I deplore it! Please God, ye may achieve it."

~Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of the Divine Plan, p. 41