Empowering college youth, advancing clusters

College and university campuses are places with immense potential for sharing the Message. How can that potential most effectively be utilized, both in the context of the specific campus and the cluster in which it is located? A challenging question, around which much learning is taking place! Over the past year, a lot of insights have been gained about teaching the Faith on college and university campuses. Here is a report from the Northwest region that summarizes some of the progress made over the past year. We share it because it depicts clearly a wonderful process of transformation in several Bahá’í Campus Associations (BCAs) as they strive to focus their activities to implement the main elements of the Plan. It is also heartening to see the loving encouragement and support given to the youth by the Regional Bahá’í Council and other institutions of the Faith.

So, to begin: In Autumn of 2008, two events were organized by the Regional Bahá’í Council for the Northwestern states, bringing together youth from several colleges and universities from 3 different states in the region. The purpose of these gatherings was clear:

To broaden our common vision of the Five Year Plan, to share experiences, to prepare campus action plans aligned with local cluster efforts, and to empower youth to take their place at the forefront . . .

The main elements of the retreats were as follows:

During the retreat, participants had an opportunity to review the major elements of the Five Year Plan, study recent guidance, reflect on personal goals, consult together and develop a campus action plan. Devotions, art, music and drama were incorporated throughout the weekend.

Over and over again, we heard from the youth that they felt excited and empowered by the retreat. They gained a much better understanding of the Five Year Plan and the specific role they can play. Another common sentiment was that youth on campus are a fertile ground. They are open to new ideas, have time available and not as many barriers as they may have later in life . . .

Consultation during these gatherings enabled participants to reflect on the experiences of their past efforts. For example, it was concluded that certain types of large-scale proclamation events involved substantial resources but relatively small results.

Campus plans of action were made, in which specific activities were identified, as well as the timeline and resources. Here are some of the commitments made for two of the participating universities:

Start a children’s class in an apartment complex in the cluster.

Start an interfaith devotional with other faith groups on campus.

Continue planning monthly firesides.

Start a children’s class in the housing complex for married students.

Start a Ruhi Book 1 study circle on campus.

Start monthly devotions on campus.

The impact of these gatherings on the youth was substantial, as illustrated by some of the comments about their experiences:

I liked seeing the different institutions, each with a different role, all working together.

I liked making solid plans. Sometimes, we are just wandering through our campus existence not doing what we should. Now, our BCA has a plan.

I wish I had done this while I was in college!

I like how we were so supported by the different institutions.

We are leaving here with concrete action plans and we all know what to do.

I liked how this weekend really helped us to organize and plan—not just talk, but action.

I’m so happy to see this. It’s amazing! We all had this passion, but we just needed a catalyst to get us going. I’m so excited to see what the future holds.

Even more exciting is to see how the campus plans of action unfolded. A member of the Regional Bahá’í Council states:

We have recently learned that the Ruhi study circle, the campus interfaith devotional gathering and the Bahá’í children’s classes in married student housing—all begun as a direct result of the “campus advance” gathering last fall—are growing in strength. That’s 3 out of 4 core activities initiated by our youth!

The events also inspired about 20 young people to attend the Regional Bahá’í Conference in Portland in December. These youth then returned home to spearhead teaching efforts in their cluster, helping it to advance to the A stage in February!

Two similar events are now planned to take place in August and September 2009. Stay tuned!

"They voted Baha'u'llah's prayer onto their program"

Here is a beautiful story from Montevideo, MN (C), which shows a small, dedicated group of believers putting into practice Bahá’u’lláh’s exhortation to “consort with the followers of all religions”, aka an “outward looking orientation”. And look--Bahá’í songs and prayers are incorporated not only into a church’s children’s class but also another important event (read on). One sees yet another example of the receptivity and openness that are present in communities of all types in every corner of the country.

We live in a town of 5000 people in western Minnesota. Approximately 99% of the people here are Christian, and of those, about 80% are Lutheran. There are 6 Bahá’ís in our town and 5 of them are in my immediate family. We have lived here for four years. We have been invited to read prayers at inter faith services at a few of the area churches and have been asked to give presentations about the Bahá’í Faith to two churches. . . .

I lead music for the preschool children at the neighborhood church and have taught them the “Hawaiian Unity Song”, “Blessed is the Spot”, and “O God Educate These Children.” We have also held interfaith dialogue gatherings at the local library and in our home, as well as study circles and devotional gatherings, with the help and support of the other believer in town, who teaches at the high school, and friends from the Minneapolis area.

About a month ago one of the seniors, who has come to many of our dialogues, and even led a few of them, asked if I would give him a recording of “Blessed is the Spot.” He wanted to see if the senior class would sing it at their high school Baccalaureate Ceremony. In Montevideo, the Baccalaureate takes place about one week before the official school graduation, and is filled with readings from the Bible and songs of worship from various hymn books from local churches. A minister delivers a homily and a few of the seniors give reflections on their spiritual journey. There is a student committee that is in charge of the ceremony and a minister from one of the Lutheran Churches is their spiritual advisor.

__, who is the senior who approached me, told me that this year he wanted the ceremony to include more than one faith tradition. He felt it was important to recognize the diversity of religion in the world. So we made a recording of the prayer set to music. I wrote out the notes and on the piece of music wrote, “Prayer revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, music by __, arranged by __.”

Last night I was asked if I was singing or reading at the Baccalaureate and I said “No, why?” and this person told me that a Bahá’í prayer was in the program. So I called __ and he told me that the senior class had loved the prayer and they had all learned it, had added a piano part and turned it into a round and that they had voted it onto the program. (They had to vote on the songs to include, and they chose “Blessed is the Spot”!)

So off we went to the Baccalaureate.

In the middle of the program the students stood up, and on a big screen for the whole audience to see, was written: “Blessed is the Spot. Prayer revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, music by __, arranged by __.”—as well as the complete text of the prayer, which the audience was invited to sing. The group sang it three times.

Then __ stood up to give his message. He said, “Friends, when you go out into the world and leave this place, you will meet people of different faith traditions. It is very important that you look for the common themes in all the religions. It is important to learn about your own faith, too. Then he quoted Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama and read a passage from the Bible, and then said, “Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í Faith, was imprisoned His whole life for His beliefs. Bahá’u’lláh said, ‘Consort with the followers of all religions in the spirit of utmost unity and fellowship.’”

Then, another senior, in his closing remarks said, “Let us pray for the people who are imprisoned and persecuted because of their faith.” There were approximately 500 people in the audience tonight, singing and reading the words revealed to us by Bahá’u’lláh. Because of one student, who asked for our help, one-tenth of this town had now heard the words of Bahá’u’lláh and spoken them, too. And they voted Bahá’u’lláh’s prayer onto their program! God is great!

E

Study circle at a church continues to connect hearts

We continue to receive inspiring updates from Sebring, FL (C). Here, an individual believer has taken to heart Bahá’u’lláh’s command to “consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship.” She has visited a local church, made many friends, and even started a Ruhi Book 4 study circle with some of the church members. This persistence and openness is yielding amazing results, and the study circle participants are each beginning to connect with the Faith in their own way. Here are a couple of excerpts from her story:

__ says that when they first read the Writings, they could recognize “something holy” about them. __ says that they love the teachings, believes that Bahá’u’lláh is a Messenger from God and that all the Prophets are Messengers and equal. I expressed that this is what we believe, that we are not to draw distinctions between God’s Messengers.

And __ explained today that they had been approaching the Bahá’í Faith with skepticism and was just studying it with their friends. But hearing Rainn Wilson’s interview with Oprah Winfrey has now further sparked their interest, because Rainn Wilson emphasized that the arts are a way to worship God, and __ is very interested in the arts. So this has made a big difference.

L

We've got questions! (And you've got the answers.)

Okay everyone, we want your comments!

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the two most recent stories, and I’m wondering what y’all are thinking as well. So I’m throwing out a couple of questions, that you can reply via the “comments” link.

In terms of South Bay: “In your experience, what is the most important change that occurred in your cluster right before it advanced to the A stage?”

In terms of Southern Nevada, the last part was a vivid reminder to “not judge a book by its cover”. So here’s a pair of questions: “What has been your most surprising teaching experience?” AND “Of all the comments made by seekers with whom you have been sharing the Faith, which has had the biggest effect on how you now teach the Faith?”

Looking forward to everyone’s thoughts!

How do you get to IPG? South Bay shows the way!

South Bay, CA (A) has recently launched its first intensive teaching effort. This report, conveying comments of a couple of believers, is interesting because it gives a snapshot of everything that was happening in the weeks leading up to that historic point. Here are some of the key accomplishments that helped bring the friends to their first IPG! Note the importance of the youth and Local Spiritual Assemblies, a strong emphasis on teaching teams, and focused (and sometimes quite creative) action.

We have finally been able to engage our youth. It was helpful to find a young adult who is very dynamic and thus able to relate with them and keep them excited. The youth meet once a week for a research seminar where they learn to investigate the Writings to find answers to their questions and questions raised by their friends. Simultaneously, they’re being trained as animators of junior youth groups, by starting with the study of “The Spirit of Faith” followed by Book 5. They have found venues to socialize as well, such as getting together to break the Fast. . . .

Two separate meetings of the Auxiliary Board member with three Local Spiritual Assemblies each took place during the past month to study the guidance on intensive programs of growth and the roles of Local Spiritual Assemblies, as well as to consult about the ongoing regular teaching activities such as large firesides and deepening sessions. These meetings proved very helpful in increasing the understanding of the friends and engaging their participation in the formation of teaching teams. The participation of Core Team members enriched the consultation.

An orientation for teaching teams took place with the participation of the Core Team. This provided the friends with the opportunity to study the guidance from the World Centre and utilize a suggested planning sheet resulting in the formation of at least 5 teams who will begin to work in identified neighborhoods and with the community of interest starting now and continuing throughout the first IPG cycle.

We have learned that having focused meetings with specific purposes (such as a Book 3 refresher or a teaching team orientation/Book 6 refresher) is an effective approach to mobilize the friends. We will also have an intensive-format study of Ruhi Book 5 (“Releasing the Powers of Junior Youth”) for the youth.

And here are some of the key elements of their first intensive teaching phase:

We plan to explore a new predominantly English-speaking neighborhood in a central location in the cluster before the launch of the expansion phase.

We will continue teaching in the predominantly Spanish-speaking neighborhood that we have been previously visiting, as well as begin teaching efforts in an adjacent neighborhood where 3 of our 4 most recent declarations have taken place. It is also mainly Spanish-speaking.

We will try to have a Spanish-speaking person on each teaching team. If this is not possible, we will have a resource person “on call” by cell-phone during the teaching in these neighborhoods, to assist as needed.

Our goal is to accomplish the formation of 10 teaching teams who commit to a plan of action for the 3 month cycle, either in the above-mentioned neighborhoods or with their own community of interest.

"Baha'u'llah is for everyone, not just for those we think look like a Baha'i"

Southern Nevada (A) recently launched another cycle of its intensive program of growth. There were many joyful results: 10 individuals declared their belief in the Cause, and numerous study circles, devotional meetings and children’s classes were established. Of the many inspiring teaching stories received from this cluster, we are sharing two here for the important lessons they convey.

The first is basic common sense, but something definitely worth reflecting on because it is easy to forget:

We were able to engage many people while walking through the neighborhood simply by saying “Hi” to everyone and by making eye contact. If we hadn’t taken this initiative we would have missed the chance to meet and talk with __, who then declared their belief in Bahá’u’lláh. . . .

The second is a reminder to not make assumptions on people’s interest and receptivity based on their looks or outfit.

Today we had two new people on our teaching team. It was their first time going out direct teaching and they were so excited. Having that amazing energy with us today helped us to have great success. After we visited all our assigned buildings with little more than a half presentation and a couple of follow ups. We were walking to our car to return to the Bahá’í Center. A group of young men was standing out in front of the apartment, and as we walked by, one of them called out to us. He looked to us like the least likely person to be interested in the Faith based on how he was dressed. But he asked us what we were doing, so we started sharing Anna’s conversation with him. At the end of it he declared and said that he wanted to tell his good friend about everything that he had just learned. We learned the true meaning of “don’t judge a book by its cover.” Bahá’u’lláh is for everyone, not just for those we think look like a Bahá’í. The best part is that our two new teachers were so excited and cannot wait for next weekend’s direct teaching effort.

Tons of learning about junior youth, reflection, and justice

Much exciting learning and progress about junior youth groups is taking place in the Southwest region. We are very happy to share excerpts from a regional newsletter about this important core activity that is steadily emerging in many clusters.

First is an overview of the training institute material that prepares individuals to become animators of junior youth groups: Ruhi Book 5, “Releasing the Powers of Junior Youth”, currently available in pre-publication format.

The first unit of the book explores specific capacities and characteristics that define the period of youth: “A special point in the life of an individual.” One important capacity is developing and exercising spiritual power. Also explored in this unit is the preparation required for a life of selfless service, a sense of purpose, and the role that youth play in advancing spiritual and material progress. . . .

The second unit of Book 5 explores the immense potentialities of junior youth, the age group whose spiritual empowerment is the aim of the program. It examines the impact of the social environment on junior youth as well as the need for spiritual empowerment.

The final unit examines the types of materials used in the program, and helps animators to practically consider the concepts and elements that will be needed for a successful group.

Next are some insights gained from the collective experience of junior youth groups in the region:

Healthy exercise has been an important element for many junior youth groups in the region. Some groups go for walks before they study the materials, others play kick-ball at the end of their group, and some dance.

Complementary activities help enhance the concepts in the materials. Animators are finding that, as they become more confident with the materials, they can plan activities that are creative and meaningful.

Bonds of friendship are formed not only among the junior youth, but also with their animator. When an animator sees themselves as a part of the group and not an instructor, the junior youth feel empowered to take on more and more levels of responsibility within the group.

Groups can develop service projects that mean something to them and their community. One group cooked enchiladas for their community and presented issues that were affecting their families, offering solutions that they could work collectively towards. At a later date, this same group decided to make piñatas for the children attending a community gathering. The junior youth enhanced their artistic abilities by carrying out this act of service.

This next story depicts some of the steps taken to form a group and get it up and running.

A and B are two youth. With the help of A’s parent, they decided to start a junior youth group in a neighborhood that already had an established children’s class. It was located in an area with several housing complexes of about 50-60 homes each. It was clear that this location could potentially have a group of 10 to 20 junior youth.

The next step they took was to meet the junior youth in the neighborhood. They first met two girls who were both so excited to start the group that they eagerly introduced them to the whole neighborhood. A and B consulted with them and came up with a plan to invite more junior youth in their community. Both the animators and junior youth practiced how they were going to introduce the program. One of junior youth would say, “Hi, my name is __ and I’m 12 years old. We’d like to invite you to our junior youth group. We meet every Saturday at noon.”

A and B would then introduce the program’s concepts and shared a flyer outlining the fundamentals of the program. The team of 4 went into the neighborhood, and 14 junior youth confirmed their participation.

A and B realized it was important to be consistent and follow through on plans of action. At their first few meetings with the junior youth, A and B talked about a sense of purpose, introduced the materials and discussed the key elements of a group. It is now in its fifth week and progressing along.

As a team of two, A and B are trying to learn as much as they can each week. This process of learning is enhanced through the skills of reflection. Many animators find reflection an important part of the learning process. Some keep a journal, others email each other stories, and most take a few minutes after each meeting to consider their experiences and the group’s dynamics.

Finally, we share this account of an activity organized for one junior youth group: riding their city’s light-rail train together. This may seem like a very simple activity, but the animator turned it into a profoundly rich experience.

This was an outing about justice. The group rode the light-rail together. A lot of consideration went into the nature of the group outside its typical environment. They had to keep in mind concern for members of the group and making sure that no one got lost in the crowd. They considered the idea of what is appropriate behavior in large crowds. They were also conscious about being considerate of space and mindful of people with disabilities or the elderly and responding to their needs. The junior youth observed this without being prodded to do so.

Being aware of everything around them and observing their environment provided profound opportunities to develop their inner sight and expand their spiritual perception. The group observed posters and banners with biblical quotes and engaged in discussions on religion and issue related to justice. They noticed people that are homeless in a different light than they usually do; this prompted them to recognize the injustice around them, and they were promoted to express their thoughts around the injustice that exists in their daily interactions.

This experience transformed the group. Where in the beginning behavior could be sometimes silly, everyone shifted and transformed to be sincere and respectful. This outing, on something as simple as public transportation, provided a space to do this and to express their thoughts.