The American Bahá’í/Volume 9/October Special/Text
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National Assembly Meets and Teaches in Rochester[edit]
Firesides were the order of the day Friday, October 13, in Rochester, New York, during the National Spiritual Assembly meeting that weekend. Visiting the homes of believers in Rochester and nearby communities, each of the Assembly members attending participated in firesides to assist local teaching efforts on Friday night. Many inquirers attended, as it had been announced earlier that Bahá’ís attending should bring non-Bahá’í guests.
Dr. Daniel Jordan (center), Chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly, shares a happy moment at a fireside in Webster, New York.
Mr. Richard Betts (right center), member of the National Spiritual Assembly, was the guest speaker at a fireside in East Bloomfield, New York.
The National Spiritual Assembly included in its agenda for Saturday meetings with the Regional and District Teaching Committees, the two special project committees in Westchester and Monroe Counties, and a general meeting that afternoon to which all Bahá’ís in the state were invited.
The National Spiritual Assembly felt rewarded by the spirit and dedication of the friends and was reassured about the progress of the state toward reaching its goals.
The teaching projects utilize a booklet to help teachers present the Faith in an organized, systematic way, beginning with Progressive Revelation and ending with the social principles. In most localities in receptive areas in other parts of the world, more than ninety-five per cent of the individuals taught in this manner hold strongly to the Faith.
The National Teaching Committee expects that the teaching booklet will be available to the friends within a few weeks together with a cassette message advising on the way the booklet can be used and how the two-week projects are organized.
Second Interim Goal Set: 1,200 Assemblies by November 12[edit]
More than 1,108 Assemblies were established in the United States by October 1, thus achieving the interim goal of 1,100 Assemblies by that date set by the National Teaching Committee in August of this year. The response on the part of the American Bahá’í community toward achieving this interim goal is very encouraging to the National Teaching Committee. While it was hoped that we would be able to reach the goal of 1,400 Assemblies by November 12, the National Teaching Committee feels that is not likely to
Counsellor to Aid U.S. Teaching Work[edit]
With the encouragement and approval of the Universal House of Justice, Dr. Hidáyatu’lláh Aḥmadíyyih, member of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Central America from Belize, is currently in the United States for eight weeks to assist in winning our teaching goals. Dr. Aḥmadíyyih met with the National Spiritual Assembly in Rochester, New York, October 14 and was introduced at a general meeting open to all the friends during the afternoon. So enthused were the friends about the teaching program he introduced that over forty believers met at the Bahá’í Information Center in Rochester the next morning for an orientation program so they can quickly start their team teaching activities.
Dr. Aḥmadíyyih also met with the National Teaching Committee in Rochester where plans were made for his visit to the Southern states. On Monday night, October 16, Dr. Aḥmadíyyih met in Atlanta, Georgia, with over seventy-five Bahá’ís from several Districts who felt the projects were particularly geared to their area. He had earlier assisted Regional and District Teaching Committees in California organize six two-week projects, each designed to raise a new Assembly.
Remembering the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh[edit]
On November 12 the Bahá’í world will be celebrating the anniversary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh. In honor of this occasion, the National Spiritual Assembly is urging every believer to give a special gift to Bahá’u’lláh.
During His lifetime, Bahá’u’lláh gave mankind its greatest gift — a new Revelation from God and a method for building God’s Kingdom on Earth. His gift was not warmly received; instead, a heedless world inflicted many hardships upon Bahá’u’lláh and His family.
Brownsville Texas[edit]
Teaching during a teacher training institute in Brownsville, Texas resulted in four declarations, two of whom were enrolled, and another sixteen interest cards as the South Texas district launched its teaching campaign to win its assigned Assembly goal. More than eighty per cent of the believers who attended District Convention attended the institute to learn the principles of effective team teaching and consolidation.
Within the heart of every Bahá’í there undoubtedly lies the wish that we could have been alive during Bahá’u’lláh’s lifetime so that we might have had the privilege of easing His suffering. But even now we can demonstrate to Bahá’u’lláh how much we love Him!
The Five Year Plan is HIS Plan, and when we give it our material support we are presenting that contribution as a gift to Bahá’u’lláh. What better time to give a special gift to Bahá’u’lláh, over and above our regular contribution, than on His Birthday? Through this extra measure of support for the National Bahá’í Fund, we can demonstrate our love for Bahá’u’lláh and our appreciation for the priceless gift He has given to all mankind.
Spirited District Conventions Yield Commitments for Remainder of Five Year[edit]
Nearly every District Teaching Committee has reported that the spirit was high at their October 1 District Convention and that commitments to aid the teaching work during the remainder of the Five Year Plan were made by many. The District Conventions, it is reported, helped the American believers focus their attention on meeting the needs of the present hour — teaching.
Hearing the message from the National Spiritual Assembly which in part stated, “The time is so short, our goals so many that not a single effort can be left unmade, nor can a single soul remain uninvolved in the vital tasks to be done. All we can venture to expect now is that no one will return home from these gatherings until he or she has made a definite commitment to the Plan, a commitment that will be translated into enduring action,” believers in all parts of the nation arose at their District Conventions offering time, energy, and financial support toward a successful completion of the Five Year Plan and winning the goals yet to be achieved in their Districts.
Iowa’s District Convention inspired twenty believers to work with the goal Groups and unopened localities. In New Jersey, approximately 100 people offered to teach in goal areas. In California Central #2, seven offered to home front pioneer to help form Assemblies and open up new localities; twenty volunteered time on the upcoming teaching project. Thirty-two offered to work on Assembly and locality goals in Northern Florida. A cumulative total of ninety days of full-time teaching was offered by fourteen believers in Utah in an effort to raise Logan to Assembly status. The Convention in Southern California #1 generated sixty commitments for two weeks of full-time teaching on an upcoming teaching project and sixty to teach in and/or move to a goal locality. In Eastern New York, four believers offered to home...
Assemblies Will Function on Varying Levels[edit]
In recent months, there has been a rapid increase in the number of Assemblies being formed throughout the nation. Over 100 Assemblies were formed from Riḍván to October 1 and another 100 are expected to form in the six-week period of October 1 to November 12. With this increase, largely due to the mass teaching/consolidation projects in progress in many parts of the United States, there has also developed a greater awareness that new Assemblies may function in ways different from some that are long-standing. The National Teaching Committee recognizes that the development of administrative skills and functioning ability will vary with each Assembly and is progressive in nature. This is particularly true on a regional
Council Draws 85 Native American Believers[edit]
October 6-8 were the dates of the first North American Bahá’í Native Council. Eighty-five Native American believers representing some thirty different tribes from Alaska, Canada, the United States, and Greenland attended the Council. The Council was held on the Yakima Indian Reservation at White Swan, Washington. The event was sponsored by the Continental Indigenous Council which is a body appointed by the North American National Spiritual Assemblies.
In attendance at the Council were Hand of the Cause John Robarts, Continental Board of Counsellor Angus Cowan, representatives of the three National Assemblies, and members of the Auxiliary Board.
Be sure to look for details of the Council in a future edition of The American Bahá’í.
Enrollment Policy Announced[edit]
At its meeting in Rochester, New York, October 13-15, the National Spiritual Assembly acted to facilitate the enrollment of new believers during the busy last days of the Five Year Plan by announcing the following decision:
Any person who declares his belief in Bahá’u’lláh and is found to fulfill the requirements of Bahá’í membership can be enrolled by any authorized enrolling agency (Local Assembly, District Teaching Committee, etc.) or its appointees at any place, anytime. This means, for example, that enrollment need not be delayed for anyone on the grounds that he is not present in his home community at the moment of declaration of belief in Bahá’u’lláh or that he resides in an extension teaching goal of a Local Spiritual Assembly.
In view of this decision, Local Assemblies and District Teaching Committees are urged to take all necessary actions to make the enrollment process as simple and flexible as possible, without violating the essential requirements.
Wilson County Tennessee[edit]
Since the beginning of the Five Year Plan, the Western Tennessee Bahá’ís have been struggling to form an Assembly. This victory was finally achieved on September 10 with the formation of the first Spiritual Assembly of Wilson County. The Assembly was formed after the launching of a “heart-to-heart” direct teaching campaign. Although response to the teaching efforts from the general public was very low, the believers still attracted divine confirmations as several home front pioneers moved to Wilson County. This new Spiritual Assembly has, in cooperation with the District Teaching Committee, initiated another “heart-to-heart” campaign to raise an Assembly in neighboring Rutherford County.
First Spiritual Assembly of Wilson County, Tennessee.
Goal Groups to Receive Assembly Formation Papers[edit]
The National Teaching Committee will be addressing the more than 400 Bahá’í Groups of five or more adults encouraging them to form their Assemblies as soon as their community membership reaches nine adults. Each Group will be asked to set a goal date for the formation of its Assembly and then endeavor, through teaching activities and finding home front pioneers, to meet that goal and form the Assembly. Included in the letter to these Groups will be the necessary Assembly formation papers and officer election report forms.
The National Teaching Committee explained that during a campaign such as the one in which the country is currently involved, the necessity of having fifteen days’ notice and completion of the “Pre-election Seminar” prior to the formation of an Assembly will not be required. However, a deepening on the purpose and functioning of Local Spiritual Assemblies should be undertaken by the new Assembly soon after formation, if not completed before its formation. “As long as all the believers are notified of the election meeting,” said John Conkling, Secretary of the National Teaching Committee, “the Assembly can go ahead and form.” It is with this guidance in mind that the National Teaching Committee is requesting the immediate formation of the Assembly as soon as sufficient numbers are reached.
Teaching Conference Offers Guidance[edit]
On Wednesday, October 1, approximately thirty-five teachers and project coordinators from Illinois gathered at the Bahá’í National Center to participate in a daylong conference on the topic of teaching. The meeting was sponsored by the Illinois Regional Teaching Committee in conjunction with the National Teaching Committee.
Some of the major items discussed included teaching skills and methods, the necessity of bringing our efforts to a conclusion, and gaining enrollments. Through the sharing of ideas, the participants gained a renewed understanding of how to conduct a teacher training institute and of the importance of these direct teaching projects.
Highlighting the conference was role-playing using teaching techniques currently being used in Southern Illinois. The methods demonstrated three kinds of reactions which are usually received after mentioning the Faith to someone on the street. They are outright rejection with intense negativity, cool indifference, and, finally, some level of positive receptivity. In each case, there is a simple way to handle the situation so that maximum results are achieved. In all cases, the dignity of the Faith is upheld and, in varying degrees, the Message of Bahá’u’lláh is given.
In general, the method used is one where the teacher approaches an individual, introduces himself as a Bahá’í and asks if he might take a few minutes to tell him about Bahá’u’lláh and the Bahá’í Faith. Assuming there is a positive response, the teacher proceeds to tell the individual about the Faith using the teaching pamphlet “To Be a Bahá’í.” Periodically, the teacher asks the individual how he feels about this Message and whether or not he accepts the principles.
Miss Magdalene Carney (standing), Assistant Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly, urges the conference participants to teach all strata of society.
At the end of the presentation, the teacher asks his listener if he accepts Bahá’u’lláh as the Messenger of God for this day and invites him to become a Bahá’í. Depending on the response to the invitation and the question asked, the teacher will assist the hearer to become more familiar
1,200 ASSEMBLIES[edit]
continued from page 1
occur. But reaching in excess of 1,108 Assemblies from the initial 822 at the start of the Five Year Plan, with more than 100 formed since Riḍván, is highly significant progress. So encouraging has the response been that the National Teaching Committee set a second interim goal of reaching 1,200 Assemblies in the country by the anniversary of Bahá’u’lláh’s birthday, November 12, 1978.
“While this will require the formation of nearly 100 Assemblies in just over a month’s time,” said John Conkling, Secretary of the National Teaching Committee, “we are confident that the American Bahá’í community will arise to meet this new challenge.”
Attaining this goal of 1,200 Assemblies by November 12 will leave the country with the task of raising up yet another 200 Assemblies in just over five months to fully achieve the goal assigned by the Universal House of Justice of 1,400 Assemblies.
Combining Teaching Methods[edit]
Coupling the elements of mass teaching/mass consolidation with those of fireside teaching has proved to be most successful in the teaching field. In most cases, mass teaching provides many new seekers to bring to the home fireside where the teaching work can continue. One such successful example comes from Jefferson Davis County, Mississippi.
Mrs. Irene Ross (left) enjoys a moment of rest with a friend.
TEACHING CONFERENCE[edit]
continued from page 5
with the Faith, dealing with any objections he may have and lovingly inviting him to join the Faith. In the end, whatever decision is made by the individual, the teacher supports that wholeheartedly.
It was pointed out that the teacher must remember that he is dealing with an individual, a soul, and that it is truly a “heart-to-heart” situation. At all times, it was clearly stated, the teacher must think of the purity of his motives and not merely of adding to the number of cards signed.
Further consultation at the conference explored fear and how to deal with rejection. It was commented that the teachers must look closely at what they are doing and their motives for doing it. Through prayer, deepening, and practice, the individual teacher learns there is nothing fearful about sharing the Faith with those he meets or making friends with people with whom he can immediately share the Message of Bahá’u’lláh.
Every afternoon, Mrs. Irene Ross of Jefferson Davis County goes out into the streets in the County area for the purpose of telling people about Bahá’u’lláh and inviting them to her weekly fireside. During the last few months, this effort has resulted in the enrollment of four new believers and in gaining the interest of many others. Mrs. Ross was formally enrolled in February at a meeting with the District Teaching Committee. Present at that meeting were twenty seekers, all friends and family of Mrs. Ross, whom she had told of the Faith even before becoming a Bahá’í. Since that time, she has held regular firesides with as many as twenty-seven people attending. The most wonderful fruit of her fireside and other teaching efforts, coupled with the assistance from the District Teaching Committee and other believers in Mississippi, is that it is expected that an Assembly will be formed in Jefferson Davis County before the end of October.
When the person hearing of the Faith through the teacher rejects the Faith, the teacher must remember that his hearer is not rejecting the teacher but the Faith. This aids the teacher to have compassion for his hearer, leave him unto God, and pray for the guidance of his soul. “Everyone has the right to turn away,” one participant noted. “It is our job to make sure that his impression of the Faith, even though it has been rejected, is a good one. He’ll remember that and maybe the next time a Bahá’í approaches him, he’ll listen.” He stated further that this can be easily achieved by thanking the listener for being honest and for giving him his time.
A consensus was reached by the conference participants that the projects should not be concluded until the goal is reached; that is, until the Assembly is formed or the locality opened.
Vermont Pledges to Restore Lost Assemblies by November 12[edit]
At Riḍván 1978, Vermont lost all four of its Assemblies. Now, only six months later, the believers in that state joyously announce the restoration of two of these Assemblies: Brattleboro, which re-formed October 6, and Rochester, which re-formed October 14. The District Teaching Committee has also indicated that they intend to have restored each of the two other Assemblies — Burlington and Montpelier — by November 12.
Connecticut Connection[edit]
In a concentrated and united effort to win its Assembly goals for the Five Year Plan by November 12, the District Teaching Committee for Connecticut, in cooperation with all the Assemblies and believers in the state, has launched an intensive campaign with the slogan “CONNECT WITH CONNECTICUT.” In its Bulletin, the Committee urged all the Connecticut Bahá’ís to “Join the Victory Team Now.” The state needs only twenty-three more new believers and/or home front pioneers to raise up the needed ten Assemblies to bring the number of Assemblies to twenty-three.
The Connecticut Victory Team gained twenty-two additional weekend teachers from the District Convention; there are now fifty-eight members on the team. Immediately following Convention, several teachers went to the goal area of New Canaan and found six interested seekers.
Northern Arizona[edit]
One week after its District Convention, Northern Arizona launched a major teaching campaign designed to exceed the district goal of five Assembly formations by the end of the Plan.
More than $1,700 was raised at the District Convention and at the teacher training institute that inaugurated the teaching campaign.
The first goal has already been won as there are now enough believers to form an Assembly in Chandler.
The team will be going on to the goal groups of Gilbert, Winslow, Coconino County, Yavapai County, and Yuma.
Southern Illinois[edit]
The timely visit of Miss Shamsi Sedaghat, Chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of Trinidad and Tobago, is aiding the new impetus to teaching in Southern Illinois.
“Miss Sedaghat is very encouraging to the believers in that District,” said Pat Jackson, Secretary of the Illinois Regional Teaching Committee. “She has told the friends there that they must teach with audacity and not be afraid to share the Message with other people.” Miss Sedaghat indicated that the Bahá’ís should never have fear or negative thoughts when approaching the teaching work, Mrs. Jackson said.
Not only has Miss Sedaghat participated in the direct teaching activities on a daily basis during her extended visit to Southern Illinois, she has also held several interviews with the local television and radio stations and the newspapers as well. She has assisted the believers in the area to find new and more effective ways to reach and use the media so as to augment and enhance the grassroots teaching work.
Those who heard Miss Sedaghat at District Convention in Southern Illinois were inspired by the possibilities of success that lay before them; gave their wholehearted support to the team teaching plans of the District Teaching Committee and committed themselves to winning all their assigned goals, by November 12.
[Page 8]
DISTRICT CONVENTIONS
continued from page 3
front pioneer and two will teach on the St. Regis Indian Reservation every weekend. Forty commitments were made to teach on weekends from the South Dakota Convention.
Such was the spirit at many of the District Conventions around the nation. The National Teaching Committee has cautioned that gaining the commitment is only the first step. Before the American Bahá’í community now lies the task of following through on those commitments and immediately translating them into “enduring action.”
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Districts Which Have Won Assigned Assembly Goals |
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Colorado, West Illinois, South Navajo-Hopi New Mexico, North South Carolina, East #3 South Carolina, North #2 Texas, Central #1 Texas, North |
LEVEL OF FUNCTIONING
continued from page 3
basis. Some Assemblies will need assistance from the District and Regional Teaching Committees in order to maintain a functioning Assembly. Over a period of time, which may be months or even years, the Assembly should, with proper guidance, need less and less assistance, until it eventually is able to stand alone.
Children in a family grow at different rates and a wise parent will understand this and provide the necessary support for healthy growth. Similarly, Assemblies formed with many new believers in diverse cultural conditions may develop at varied rates and need varied assistance for healthy growth.
The National Teaching Committee further points out that we are still in the Formative Age of the Faith and that simply because an Assembly does not function on the level of many long-time Assemblies in the country or on a level that one might ‘expect,’ this should in no way imply that the Assembly is any less of an institution. When our National Spiritual Assembly recognizes the existence of a particular Local Spiritual Assembly, we must uphold that decision and, as the Universal House of Justice has asked, pray for its continual strengthening, progress, and development.
