BAHA'I COUNCILS AND TRAINING INSTITUTES

 

Bahá’í Council for England

 

Following recent changes, the membership of the Bahá’í Council for England is now:

 

            Dr Naghme Adab     

Miss Arezoo Farahzad

            Dr Nazila Ghanea-Hercock

Dr Isatou Hyde-Forster (Treasurer)            

Dr Babak Javid        

Mr Inder Manocha    

Mrs Mitra Murray (Chairman)          

Dr Tiffani Razavi (Secretary)          

Mr Adam Thorne (Vice Chairman)

 

We would also like to announce that Mrs Guitty Bonner is now working for the Council as its administrative aide. In line with the establishment of this post, the Council’s official contact details are as supplied below. A new e-mail address will be announced in due course, but for the time being: STRazavi@compuserve.com is still in use. The Council Secretary can be contacted in the evenings, Tel: 01962 844997.

 

Bahá’í Council for England, Briar House, Town Farm Great Whittington, Northumberland NE19 2HA Tel/fax: 01434 672193 (& answerphone) e-mail: strazavi@compuserve.com The office is open 9.00-12.30 weekdays.

 

Training Institute for Scotland

 

Doing the groundwork and planting the seeds

 

Dearest friends,

 

Loving guidance flows to us continuously from the World Centre of our Faith. This guidance is presently inspiring the nations of the world to develop and organise training institute programmes, and lovingly encouraging as many of the friends as possible to aid their progress through attending, supporting and learning at them.

 

The benefits to the present community are great, but it must be understood that the Training Institutes are very young, are experimenting with their first steps, and that everyone involved is engaged in a learning experience. The benefits to the future generations of communities are even greater. It is imperative that we join together, now, at this early stage in the development of training institutes, in working towards the future, setting in place a "learning matrix" that will have the capacity of leading new souls through all the stages of understanding and action between their early interest in the Bahá’í Faith and their full participation in vigorously functioning communities.

 

The training institute process is seen as the machinery that can achieve this, throughout the country, responsive to every local circumstance, accommodating the richness of Scotland’s diverse population, from the islands to the cities. This is a tall order! We are now at the stage of foundation-building and everyone has a vital part to play.

 

What are the study circles?

 

The guidance which is coming to us from the Universal House of Justice is that study circles are a recommended way to build this training institute process in the communities. Study circles have several important elements. Most importantly they are local, meeting frequently and regularly over a long term, with the same unchanging membership. Members therefore must feel a commitment to attend regularly. The bounties flowing from this are immense. They will find themselves part of a loving, united group of people, who after a short time will understand each other, support each other and care about each other.

 

Studying the Writings is the seed of inspiration for the group, but its activities do not end there. Religion and spirituality are not mere adjuncts to the rest of our lives, but permeate our entire being. Our spiritual life is our "real" life, and the members of the study circle will enjoy many activities together. The spiritual inspiration they receive in the circle will lead them into the enjoyment of all sorts of social activities and service projects that are appropriate and worthwhile to this group of people. The Writings are the "seed" but the great variety and wealth of local activity is the "tree". The local Bahá’í community, and the wider community, will be drawn into the spirit of enjoyment, of using the arts, of fun, of cultural and friendly activity, and the study circle may well find itself the "core" of the local community. Friendship, teaching and spiritual nurturing will follow almost inevitably.

 

Bahá’í Council for Scotland

 

Progressing the Faith in Scotland

 

"Treasuring the Islands"

 

The Council sends you its love and greetings. During the last few months it has spent much time consulting about the progress of the Faith on the Scottish islands. in particular revisiting this famous quotation from the Universal House of Justice to an Individual believer in 1987:

 

"The Beloved Guardian laid very great stress on the establishment of the Cause in the islands of the North Sea and even assured the friends that an outpouring of pioneers and treasures in those island would result in a very great expansion of the Cause in the whole of the British Isles."

 

With this quotation, and the more recent letters from the Universal House of Justice on systematic and sustainable teaching activities central to consultation, the Council decided to launch a campaign called "Treasuring the Islands". It is hoped that this will be a systematic and sustainable campaign which will pour "treasures" into the islands, be it competent travelling teachers, talented artists or financial resources.

 

The launch of the campaign took place on 4th-5th March, when each island community was visited by a member of the Council and simultaneous devotional meetings were held on the islands, of Mull, Skye, Lewis, Orkney and Shetland. The Council members consulted with the friends about their needs and identified possible areas of focus appropriate to their communities.

 

Currently there are Spiritual Assemblies on the islands of Shetland, Orkney, Lewis, Skye, and Uist. However we are in danger of losing the precious Assembly of Uist (part of the Western Isles). We NEED homefront pioneers. Housing is available on Uist but it is difficult to find and there are very few employment opportunities. This would be an ideal pioneering post for retired individuals, those with independent means or someone who could be a "remote worker" i.e. work from home via e-mail/internet.

 

There is also a need for a family to pioneer to the beautiful island of Mull, where there is already a very active family in need of other Bahá’ís to help overcome isolation.

 

Please remember Uist and the island communities in your prayers.

 

The European Bahá’í Youth Council has designated the Scottish Islands as a "focus teaching area" during 2000. To assist the EBYC and in consultation with the Island Communities, the Council for Scotland is developing several summer teaching projects. So far the following needs have been identified:

 

Youth are required for the dance workshop TRACES which will be touring the mainland and some islands during July. For information contact Vahid Mehrabi, Tel: 01387 811544 We need youth to work with children on Uist and Lewis & Harris (Children’s workshops and camps). Mature, independent youth (or adults) are required to live and perhaps get seasonal work on several islands over the summer.

 

If you are interested in any of these exciting projects please contact the Bahá’í Council for Scotland:

 

Bahá’í Council for Scotland - Secretary - Anwen Shahim, 2 Burgess Hill, Linlithgow, West Lothian EH49 6BX Tel: 01506 843343 e-mail: anwen.shahim@cwcom.net e-mail: council_for_scotland@bci.org

 

Audio Visual Librarian appointed

 

To improve communication with the beloved friends who live on the islands who find it difficult to get to major events on the mainland, the Council has appointed an Audio Visual Librarian to circulate AV material amongst the island Bahá’ís. It is hoped that from now on all Scottish gatherings, residential schools, distinguished speakers etc. will be video taped so that copies can be circulated amongst the island communities.

 

If anyone has good quality audio or video tapes of uplifting speakers (or distinguished Bahá’ís) especially on up-to-date themes could they please let the Council know.

 

External Affairs - Scottish Interfaith Council

 

Another important area of activity in recent months has been in External Affairs. In October the Bahá’ís were invited to the launch of the Scottish Interfaith Council. This group is set up to advise the Scottish Parliament on spiritual matters. We are delighted to report that Mr Alex Reid from Aberdeen Bahá’í Community is appointed as one of the nine members on the Executive of the Scottish Interfaith Council. He will be in a good position to put the Bahá’í view forward and encourage consultation and co-operation among the group members.

 

Bahá’í exhibits in Museum of Faiths, Glasgow

 

Also recently and after a suggestion from a couple of visiting friends that the Bahá’í content of the museum should be increased, the Museum of Faiths in Glasgow (St Mungo’s Museum) agreed to mount an exhibition on the Faith for about six months from April/May 2001. A working party has now been set up working in consultation with the museum director. Plans for a Peace Tree and a Tranquillity Zone are already under way. Other suggestions include - an interactive computer display about the Faith and arts based activities for children. The museum has offered to part fund the display.

 

Weekend youth gatherings

 

The weekend youth gatherings in Aberfeldy go from strength to strength. The next one is 26th-28th May. For a booking form contact Parvin Morrissey, Tel: 01259 750757.

 

Please remember that the development of the Faith in the islands of the North Sea is a National goal for all the United Kingdom Bahá’ís. We wish you all a Happy and Joyous Festival of Ridván.

 

With love from the Bahá’í Council for Scotland