Learning to reach out to everyone

The friends in Newark, NJ (B) are teaching up a storm! They are enthusiastically reaching out to all their contacts and striving to build connections so as to open up more opportunities to share the Message. Here is a collection of brief stories highlighting these efforts.

In the first, a friend shares with their contact the presentations they have learned from their participation in the Ruhi courses:

A friend and I made a home visit to one of my doctors, and we shared Anna’s presentation. Yesterday she told me she wants to participate in our community activities "unofficially". I plan to share the presentations on the life of The Báb and Bahá’u’lláh in the next few days; she is also coming with me to a devotional gathering. . . .

The next story shows the importance of reaching out to our neighbors and not assuming from the outset that they will not be interested:

One couple realized that none of the seekers they had invited to their monthly devotional were able to come. So, on the spur of the moment, they went to their next-door neighbors and invited them, explaining that they would be praying for religious freedom in Iran. While both neighbors showed interest, only one neighbor came. But he turned out to be a very receptive soul. He was moved by the prayers and music and showed a keen interest in the situation concerning Bahá’ís in Iran and in the Bahá’í Faith itself. The couple recognized the irony: They had known this neighbor for 15 years and had talked with him on many topics, but not Faith because they didn’t think he would be interested! In reality, all they had to do was to “unloose thy tongue.”

Here is an account of another devotional gathering:

Our community held our first public devotional to pray for Religious Freedom in Iran. There were guitars and drums and prayers chanted, recited and sung in various languages and many religions. It was beautiful and poignant, and served several purposes: raising awareness about the plight of the Bahá’ís in Iran and providing the several friends, neighbors and acquaintances who attended a chance to experience the uniqueness and diversity of the Bahá’í community. The process of reaching out to invite contacts to the gathering has opened some doors for future relationship-building and personal teaching. (About 65 people attended, including 16 friends from the wider community, including a reporter from our town paper.)

Later that day my family had dinner at our home with the parents of one of my daughter’s best friends. The conversation led to questions about the Bahá’í Faith and a 40-minute, genuine discussion about the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh and spirituality in general. One bit of learning: I really need to memorize more of Anna's presentation! But I think there will opportunities for that soon.

Here is a report of a devotional gathering in Spanish; you can see how the core activities help build bonds of unity and community-building:

My family hosted a Spanish language devotional with three Bahá’ís and three seekers. We all offered prayers for healing and consolation. A wide discussion about Faith in general followed, where the precepts of the Bahá’í Faith were covered as well as talking about how, through Faith, we can begin breaking down the barriers of cultural assumption that tend to divide people from different countries. It was a beautiful, hopeful and hope-filled discussion.

This last story shows how the 1-800-22UNITE phone line connects searching hearts to the Bahá’í community, and is also a reminder to never assume who will or will not be interested!

A believer hosted a "Spirituality and Mental Health Day" at her work and invited a Bahá’í psychologist to give a presentation. After the talk, a mini devotional was held using many quotes from the Hidden Words. At least four people asked for copies of those quotes. Two weeks later the teacher received an email about a woman in her cluster who had contacted the 1-800-22-UNITE phone line. She was surprised to find that the person named in the email was her coworker! This believer had spoken of the Faith to many people at her work but never thought to speak to this particular person. It was a lesson to truly be “unrestrained as the wind” when sharing the message of Bahá’u’lláh. The seeker is planning to study "Reflections on the Life of the Spirit" along with their spouse.

Exhausted and energized at the same time

Grand Junction, CO (B) is moving forward and full of energy and activity. The friends have been engaged in direct teaching, reaching out and involving new contacts in core activities (planned in such a way to support each other), using celebrations of World Religion Day and Ayyam-i-Ha as opportunities to share the Message, and reflecting on their experiences to identify receptive populations. All I can say is, WOW!

We had our first direct teaching effort yesterday morning, the Ayyam-i-Ha Party last night and devotions, children's classes and a junior youth group this morning It's been very busy—whew—and uplifting all at the same time.

For a small number of people teaching for a few hours yesterday, we feel pretty exhausted and energized all at the same time! Is that possible? 13 people were serving on 4 teaching teams, and that includes our little children. . . .

We met 14 people who wanted some information about the Faith and of those, about 6 homes requested some sort of follow-up, wanted to be involved in core activities, or asked to listen to Anna’s presentation.

The best part: one of the people visited yesterday came to devotions today with her children. A presentation on the Faith was shared with her while the kids were in the children's class, and she declared and registered all of her children! Yá-Bahá’u’l-Abhá! She will be starting Ruhi Book 1 next week, which will be held at the same time as the children’s class.

We also had 58 people attend the Ayyam-i-Ha celebration, of whom 16 were from the Community of Interest. Usually we have only about 40 at these events. That's an increase of almost 20! One of those was an individual we met during the direct teaching effort.

A college student that we had first encountered during World Religion Day and who was interested in learning more also came last night and brought a friend. They both had fun and thanked me over and over. We have 3 other members of the community of interest involved in Ruhi Book 1.

It seems that the highest receptivity has been encountered in apartment complexes and among young people and young families. The ground is definitely fertile. Please dear friends, continue your prayers and reach out to your friends, your neighbors, your co-workers and give them this most Precious Gift.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,

R

Building blocks of a new civilization

The institute process and core activities lay the foundations for a new community life and are the embryo of a new civilization. This process is occurring in every corner of the globe. A recent inspiring example of this comes from The Dalles-Wasco and Hood River Counties, OR (C). The friends have a strong outward-looking orientation here. They are reaching out to their neighbors and have established flourishing children’s classes and a junior youth group. And in the same way they have welcomed new believers into their community.

Believers residing in this cluster have recently made huge strides in developing their Institute Process. They have made a real connection to those neighborhoods where children's classes are strong and which include mostly children from the wider community. One of the classes has been running for two years now and the home has become a focal point of neighborhood activity. The teachers of these classes are developing strong relationships with the families.

A junior youth group has recently started and which is an outgrowth of another neighborhood children's class. The animators were able to start a group with 13 junior youth from the wider society.

Several new believers have been welcomed into a loving community life. The new believers are involved in the sequence of courses and are visited regularly for the purpose of deepening.

Learning by doing in Denver

Denver, CO recently advanced to the A-stage. One of the believers gives a snapshot of the cluster’s progress. You can see how the friends are steadily building their capacity, and this is happening through two things: involvement in the training institute courses, and hands-on, on-the-ground experience in teaching.

This cluster is moving to a new level of operation through the institute process and active teaching.

Its recent devotional campaign and intensive Ruhi courses awakened the power of prayer and individual initiative. In one study circle, 3 participants enrolled in the Faith. A Book 6 refresher provided the opportunity to present the Faith to others. In a mini-teaching effort covering a two-weekend span, the friends gave presentations to their friends and acquaintances and also contacted residents of about 100 homes. 11 teaching teams have formed with 14 presentations shared. This occasion provided hands-on experience to the participants and a practical demonstration of what is possible. The atmosphere in the cluster has been taken to a new level of enthusiasm.

No matter the venue, teaching teams reach out

The friends in Westminster, CO (A) have recently launched an intensive program of growth. Their initial experiences are inspiring. One intriguing point from this brief report is that their teaching teams are leaving no stone unturned and using a variety of approaches. Some are visiting homes in neighborhoods, while others are systematically reaching out to their community of interest. In all cases, the teaching teams are finding ways to meet people and share the Faith.

This cluster advanced to the B-stage, and then quickly to the A-stage, with a high degree of ownership, enthusiasm, and an outward-looking orientation.

The cluster held a door-to-door teaching project during the B-stage to boost its community of interest. After advancing to the A-stage, the believers also decided to incorporate reaching out to friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers during the expansion phase of its newly-launched intensive program of growth. The friends began with a Book 1 refresher course. They formed 8 teaching teams with a calendar full of activities to which seekers could be brought. Teams visited homes went door-to-door in two areas and made appointments among their friends and associates to give presentations on the Faith. . . .

At one presentation to a couple, the listeners so loved the prayer that was offered during the presentation that they decided they would use it together in their morning devotions. They then critiqued the presentation, noting improvements that could be made in delivery.

Another team visited a lady who was at first hesitant because she had been ill. But she invited the friends in. When the team shared a healing prayer with her, she showed the utmost reverence. After the prayer, she seemed very relieved, exchanged contact information, and asked the team to come back and see her. The team can't wait to make its follow-up visit.

Learning and advancing

Here is a brief report from Lakewood, CO (B). It shows how, once a few dedicated souls rise up and experiment with teaching, that things start moving forward. They have carried out both teaching in neighborhoods and sharing the Message with their close contacts. They have also stayed flexible, focusing on areas where they are encountering the highest level of interest.

This cluster recently advanced to the B-stage with a relatively small Bahá’í population. It had taken on its first experimental teaching effort at the end of its time as a C-stage cluster. A few teaching teams were formed and visited an apartment complex where a local Bahá’í resides, with the intent of setting up a junior youth group. They did not encounter a lot of interest, so they switched course to a nearby complex. There was greater receptivity there and enthusiasm for teaching grew. Over the course of the weekend, the teams were able to give 4 presentations on the Faith. Over the next weekend, a follow-up meeting was held at the library, and 17 friends and family members and coworkers of Bahá’ís came out for the gathering! At the table where literature and interest cards were displayed, a signup sheet was added for a study circle on "Reflections on the Life of the Spirit." A few people signed up.

The power of optimism

One of the main goals of the recently concluded series of Regional Bahá’í Conferences was to instill optimism and confidence in the friends. The transforming power of this optimism is loud and clear in this report from Boulder, CO (A). The friends who could attend shared their enthusiasm with those who could not, and a fire of excitement was enkindled. An “Aha!” moment has occurred and the friends are now seeing that success is not just possible over there but right here at home as well. And they are acting on this “Aha”!

Boulder displays enthusiasm, love and unity, and dedication to the institute process.

Friends from this cluster traveled to the Northwest Regional Bahá’í Conference in Portland and came back home on fire. A celebratory meeting was held with short talks by friends who had attended the event and who were engaged in the core activities. The cluster was energized by this meeting because the friends began to realize what was possible right in their own area, not just in some far-away cluster. . . .

Suddenly, the reflection meetings grew to standing room only at the Lafayette Bahá’í Center in Boulder County. People began to increasingly volunteer to do things, and they started bringing their friends. The community of interest surged to 41. There were 28 people who completed the sequence recently in this cluster, with many tutors ready and willing to arise to meet any need. The community has transformed and taken on an increasingly outward-looking orientation.

A local children's class now hosts 14 children, 13 of whom are from the wider society. This is due to a recently arrived Nepalese Bahá’í family that dedicated itself to talking with as many neighbors as possible and getting the classes running. The devotional gathering at the Lafayette Center was re-started and now has seekers coming, including the parents of children in the classes. The friends are talking to people and are very excited about the prospects for accelerated growth. Soon a teaching project in an apartment complex will begin. The Area Teaching Committee is very optimistic, especially since the friends arranged themselves into 8 teaching teams at the recent reflection meeting.