The news is the cluster newsletter!

 

The last couple of years have seen the growth of an exciting new medium of communication and learning:  cluster-level newsletters.  We are always happy to see issues of these newsletters, and we recently received a VERY exciting example, that of San Francisco-San Mateo, CA (A).  It was full of data and tables, showing the number of core activities from cycle to cycle of that cluster’s intensive program of growth, as well as numbers of people who have completed the various training institute courses.  Want to know who’s on the area teaching committee or need to contact your cluster institute coordinator?—Their contact information is clearly listed right there!  So the newsletter becomes a means to facilitate learning and participation.  Here is an excerpt of one of the newsletter’s articles

Dear Friends in Cluster CA-NC 09,

We are now in the 16th cycle of our intensive program of Growth. The current cycle was launched with a cluster-wide picnic and barbecue held at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center in San Mateo, followed by our quarterly Cluster Reflection Meeting.  Approximately 50 people attended the barbecue and picnic and the Reflection Meeting.  Just prior to the Reflection Meeting, theBahá’í world received the Ridván Letter from the Universal House of Justice. . . .

What a special Ridván Letter it is!  The letter is filled with love, guidance, and encouragement.  In addition, we were all congratulated for accomplishing the goal of creating 1500 intensive programs of growth one year prior to the end of the Five Year Plan.

Throughout this year, the final year of the current Five Year Plan, we are all encouraged to read and study the letter individually and in groups as much as possible.

Throughout this newsletter you will find several passages from the Writings of the Faith, selected portions of the Ridván letter, relevant information on our current cycle of growth, cluster statistics, important dates, teaching stories, and contact information for the Area Teaching Committee and Cluster Institute Coordinators.

Please know that the Area Teaching Committee and Cluster Institute Coordinators are here to serve you.  If you have any questions regarding teaching activities going on throughout the cluster or would like to start or be involved in any one of the core activities you are welcome to contact any of the persons listed below.

With Love,

Your Area Teaching Committee

The newsletter also gives a summary of the goals from the last reflection meeting:

26 regular home visits

1 new fireside

2 new study circles

2 new devotional meetings

2 children’s classes

Expand the community of interest by 27

Teaching teams have also pledged to strengthen and deepen friendships and relationships with their community of interest by hosting social activities such as picnics and barbecues, a housewarming and tea time.  The current teams include:

East Palo Alto

San Mateo

Western Addition

Team Biosphere

Burlingame

Encouragement in action

 

It is a joy to watch one of the friends in action as they encourage and accompany the other friends in their service.  What follows is an excerpt of an email from a regional seeker response coordinator to a member of a cluster’s core team about a seeker in their cluster who had contacted the 800-22UNITE phone line.  Some interesting aspects of this message (besides its overall loving and uplifting tone!):  Asking the core team member to match the seeker with human resources in the cluster who have received the relevant training from the institute courses, encouraging the local friends to ascertain the seeker’s interests and needs so that appropriate follow-up steps can be arranged, and reminding the local friends to coordinate and share information with each other so that their response to the seeker can be as effective as possible.

Dear J,

As the seeker response coordinator for our region, I’m emailing you (and will phone you today too) as the cluster development facilitator for your cluster, to see if you might be able to find us a local experienced Bahá’í to promptly contact (by mail) this new seeker residing in __. . . .

A couple of days ago, __ left a message on the 800-22UNITE phone line and asked for Bahá’í literature to be mailed to him, which the National Teaching Office has done.  I am eager to pass on to you his information so that you might be able to arrange as promptly as possible for a local Ruhi-trained Bahá’í to write a warm note to him, mention the seeker’s 800# call, ask if he received his literature, has any questions about the Faith, would like a home visit, other literature, etc.

As he has only supplied his mailing address, and only requested literature (i.e., he did not request visitors), postal mail is currently our option for communicating with him and striving to nurture his attraction to the Faith—perhaps accompany him into core activities, if we are able to learn if his interest lies there.

Something he said in his message implied that he might already be meeting with a local Bahá’í.  If he did meet with a Bahá’í, it might mean that a door has opened for further interaction, nurturing, teaching, etc.  Therefore, I would like to ask if you could try to learn if any Bahá’ís in the area did meet with him?  If we can learn he is in contact with a local friend, you or I could talk to that person to see how it went, and then arrange appropriate follow-up through home visits, etc.

I’ll wait for your reply before sending you __’s contact information.  Please feel free to call or email me with any questions or ideas you might have about making contact with him.  We are trying to swiftly arrange for Bahá’í contact with this seeker, since we know that the sooner he experiences warm contact and conversation, the more likely his flame of interest will be sustained and assited to grow.

Empowering Local Spiritual Assemblies to empower their communities

 

What is the role of a Local Spiritual Assembly in the Five Year Plan?  This has been a key topic of learning throughout the country.  One Regional Bahá’í Council has organized a series of training workshops in which several Local Spiritual Assemblies come together to reflect on this question and learn from the experiences of other Assemblies, as well as consider certain specific steps that they can take.

A few months after the workshop the Regional Bahá’í Council followed up with the participating Local Spiritual Assemblies and asked them to share what insights they gained and how they have tried to apply this learning to their work.  What follows is a very inspiring response from one Local Assembly—you can see how their example helped encourage some of the veteran believers to participate in the institute process, which has further empowered them to serve!

Dear Friends,

First we wish to say how grateful we are that our Regional Council provided such a wonderful experience at the training workshop.  We came away with a better understanding of the role of Local Spiritual Assemblies in the Five Year Plan, along with new energy to implement the lessons learned to the working of our own Assembly. . . .

[After studying more and consulting together] we each now have a very clear understanding of the role of the Assembly in promoting and supporting cluster growth and that it is the role of the Assembly to lead by example in this area. . . . our Assembly members stand ready to assist the friends in planning devotional gatherings, accompanying them as they begin home visits, etc.  To this end we are particularly pleased to advise that during this past year approximately nine of the Persian friends in our community began the study of the Ruhi books in a combination of Farsi and English.  With the assistance of one of the Persian members of our Assembly, these friends have now completed Books 1, 2 and 3, and will soon begin Book 4.

In addition, they have also worked on sharing Anna’s conversation together so to become more comfortable sharing the Faith in English.  Two of these friends have now become teachers for the two children’s classes that have recently begun again in our community.  Their assistants are some of the younger youth who have also completed these courses.

A long series of love, unity, care, effective follow-up and the core activities

 

Sometimes when you haven’t heard from someone for a while, checking back in with them brings a wonderful surprise.  The following story is an example of this.  Also, we said it a few days ago, and we’re saying it again:  lots of seekers are VERY interested in the training institute courses!

The seeker had originally contacted the Bahá’ís through the public Web site www.bahai.us:

My best friend is a Bahá’í.  He wanted me to learn more about his religion and I am really interested in it.  I am very busy with school and work but I do want to make time for this.  Please give me more information!  Thank you so much. . . .

Some time later, the regional seeker response coordinator followed up with this seeker by sending an interactive email with links to several Bahá’í sites on the internet, including some Bahá’í videos.

The seeker then emailed back:

Hello,

I watched the videos and they were very uplifting!  I was in Ruhi classes before but I got too busy.  I am now at a place where I would be able to participate in Ruhi classes again if at all possible.  I would really love to attend and learn about the Faith.  Is there any way I can attend a study circle?

Thank you for the videos and for your consideration.

Some time later the regional seeker response coordinator shared this news:

Dear Friends,

Today I heard the super news that this friend declared at a recent devotional!

She had been in our database for a couple of years, and had also been corresponding with her Bahá’í friend all along.  She responded to one of the emails I sent out.  Then a teaching team called on her and met with her at a coffee shop.  Then she attended a Holy Day celebration, followed by a Book 1 study circle.  Her enrollment is just one of the details in a long series of love, unity, care, effective follow-up and the core activities.  The journey continues . . .

Keep your eyes and ears open

 

At the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, IL, visitors can fill out cards to request more information on the Faith, on Bahá’í activities near them, to be put in touch with a local believer, etc.  The card also has a box that people can mark if they want more information on how to join the Faith.

When someone who visited the House of Worship from another part of the country filled out such an “interest card”, the regional seeker response coordinator for her region was notified:

Would you be willing to investigate further, either directly with __ or through your contacts at the cluster level, to determine if anyone has asked her about her interest in becoming a Bahá’í?  This is not an actual declaration, but we would also not want to avoid missing this important request of the seeker.

The regional seeker response coordinator later reported:

Thank you for prompting me.  I got a hold of __ and she said she wanted to become a Bahá’í, so I affirmed her.  A very receptive soul.

The registration was completed online.

She has seen a transformation in him

 

This is a story of a study circle in Scottsdale, AZ (A)—and what a delight!  Sometimes the transforming power of the core activities may not be immediately apparent to us, but it is very real.  And it is also a reminder:  people are watching!  And that opens the door for more opportunities to reach out and make friends.

My husband and I have been holding a Ruhi Book 1 study circle with a young couple we met a few months ago.  This morning, I received a call from the husband's mother asking about our “get-togethers”.  At first I was worried she was not happy with her son and his wife joining our study circle, as I had heard on a few occasions that our friend's mother was a very devout Christian.  But to my surprise, she called to say that she has seen a transformation in her son.  She shared a few stories with me about how he is praying more often, and that in her conversations with him, and in the way he talks about relying on God and trusting in Him she notices his faith has increased.  She mentioned that her son was happy about his new friends and she was calling to find out if she and her husband could also join the group!  I was so happy to have received this call this morning that I thought I should share it with all of you.

I will always remember my first conversation with a Baha'i

 

Here is an excerpt from an email from an individual who recently declared their belief in Bahá’u’lláh online  The regional seeker response coordinator had first called them to affirm their declaration, and then later followed up with an email that provided more information about the Faith.  What this email from a new believer makes crystal clear is the immense importance of the “conversation between two souls” emphasized by the Universal House of Justice in its Ridvan 2010 message.  Such conversations can have far-reaching and lasting influence!

Good Morning,

I want to thank you for the wonderful conversation yesterday!  I was exhilarated for quite some time afternoon, and I find it quite interesting that my friend also telephoned you!  I had not known that.  After our lovely talk I came into my home beaming and enthusiastic and I imagine I perhaps piqued the interest of the others around me.

I cannot wait to begin exploration of all the materials within your email.  Thank you again for your most loving welcome into this Faith.  I am grateful to you for your time and joy and shall ever remember my first conversation with a Bahá’í member as being as a fountain overflowing with that for which I was longing, parched, for quite some time.

Peace, friend.