Teaching goals met in Harrisburg/Lancaster

On February 13th the Harrisburg/Lancaster cluster brought to a close a ten day period of heightened activity designed to accelerate the process of growth in the cluster.

There were three goals that animated this effort:

1) We sought to extend the reach of the Cause by sharing elements of "Anna's Presentation" with a greater number of our neighbors, co-workers and friends who had not yet heard of the Faith.

2) We sought to expand the "community of interest" by inviting a greater number of our neighbors, co-workers and friends to participate with us in the core activities of the Five Year Plan (devotional gatherings, children's classes, study circles and youth animator training).

3) And we sought to invite those most receptive from the first two groups described above to enter the Faith and to join us in service to it.

The recent report sent by the cluster development facilitator suggests that all three of these goals have been met. The number of neighbors, co-workers and friends who have received home visits and Anna's presentation has increased; the number of our friends who are now attending core activities has grown; and in the ten days during which we undertook this period of intensification the number of believers in the cluster has increased by one. The new believer is a young man who had been participating in core activities since the summer.

As we enter this next stage we wish to suggest that each member of the cluster consider two goals:

1) In order to insure that we continue to build momentum, it is important that the total number of our core activities with seekers attending increase and is held at a higher number than before. What this means is that if you have been holding a devotional gathering once a month, you might consider increasing its frequency to twice a month or once a week.

2) As we draw closer to our neighbors and friends, let us also nurture our confidence in inviting them into the Faith. In this way we hope that our rate of growth can continue to climb over the next several weeks.

If you are inclined to intensify the spiritual forces animating this campaign let nothing prevent you from contributing whatever share you may be inspired to offer -- for example, an increase in the number of firesides with seekers attending and which include an invitation to join the Faith would be a special contribution.

When we enter the period of Fasting we may wish to undertake another cluster-wide period of intensification that is appropriate for the special nature of that sacred time.