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Abstract:
Practical guidelines for LSAs to organize and teach more effectively.
Notes:
Mirrored from messagesbahaiworldcentre.blogspot.com.
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Friday, May 15, 2009 (Rev. Feb 06) Role of the Local Assembly in Cluster Growth, Compilation A compilation of letters from of the Universal House of Justice, the International Teaching Centre and the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States on this important subject.
The survey indicated that the most significant initial contribution of Local Assemblies to the processes of growth was providing encouragement to the believers. This was particularly effective when an expansion of vision had resulted from the participation of Assembly members in the institute process as well as the study of Five Year Plan documents. Interactions with the cluster agencies were also identified as enabling Assemblies to make effective contributions. Such interactions often occur at the cluster level in the context particular plans of action. Another effective approach to building unity of vision and action has been the convening of conferences for Local Assembly members. This approach has been employed in Canada where such gatherings held at the regional or cluster level by Regional Bahá'í Councils have done much to assist Local Assemblies to realign their administrative processes and priorities. Beyond these considerations, the leadership role of the Spiritual Assemblies -- be they national or local -- is of profound importance. It has been observed in many clusters that the processes of growth are greatly enhanced where this leadership role is exercised through the Assemblies' constant effort to maintain the vision of growth before the believers, allowing for the two essential movements to impact priorities, avoiding unnecessary distractions, providing the necessary resources, and reinforcing the plans and initiatives at the cluster level. Further, the dynamic force of individual example as the members of Assemblies themselves become personally involved in the cluster activities, actively supporting the efforts of the cluster agencies, is imperative. (International Teaching Centre, Impact of Growth on Administration, July 2005)
What has brought us particular joy is to see that the process of growth unfolding around the world is gathering momentum in urban centres as well as rural areas. An important step taken in many large cities early in the current Plan was to divide them into sectors. This proved crucial to planning for sustained growth. (The Universal House of Justice, 27 Dec 05 - Next Five Year Plan)
(The Universal House of Justice, The Institution of the Counsellors, p. 14)
(Letters of The Universal House of Justice, 17 January 2003 UHJ)
Universal House of Justice, letter of 22 August 2002
• facilitator of individual planning Expanding and intensifying lines of action in well-developed clusters require a shift in thinking on the part of many national communities, such as Canada, where well-functioning Local Spiritual Assemblies have traditionally focused on implementing one highly successful children's class, devotional gathering, and study circle, for its community or in cooperation with neighboring communities. Multiplying these lines of action so that their number grows in relation to the number of believers arising to serve and desiring to offer these services is a new concept and may meet with some resistance. The idea of having several study circles, children's classes, and devotional gatherings in one cluster, or even one community, challenges customary approaches to planning, placing individual initiative at the heart of the process with the Local Assembly acting as facilitator of that process. This change in mindset may be a greater challenge than producing the needed human resources for these tasks and will require your constant encouragement and support. (24 Sept 2001, International Teaching Centre to Counsellors D. Smith and A.Ghadirian)
• mobilize resources Rigid criteria are obviously counterproductive, but a well-defined scheme to carry out evaluation is essential. Two criteria seem especially important: the strength of the human resources raised up by the training institute for the expansion and consolidation of the Faith in the cluster, and the ability of the institutions to mobilize these resources in the field of service. (Letters of The Universal House of Justice, 17 January 2003 UHJ)
What does our Assembly need to learn about how to do this effectively and how can we learn to do it - what is the next step we need to take? Do we have a strong line of communication with the institute personnel serving our area? The National Spiritual Assembly is confident that with an attitude of learning and proper consultation, every Spiritual Assembly will be able to address these questions and will find itself a growing force for progress in the Plan. You are at a new stage of functioning that requires you to think in terms of steady and sustained growth, not just of assisting those currently in your community, arranging community events, and doing occasional proclamation or external affairs activities, important as these continue to be. We have not been this far into the process of entry by troops ever before, we have never seen what we are now seeing, so it is understandable if many of us find we do not quite know what the Assembly's role now is. By focusing sharply on fostering support for the institute process and utilizing the human resources emerging from institute courses, you will discover, step by step, a universe of new possibilities for diffusing "the spirit of union throughout the world". Your consultation with the Auxiliary Board members and their assistants on these questions will be most helpful. (National Spiritual Assembly to All Local Assemblies & Regional Councils, 31 July 2003)
... in a locality where the Local Spiritual Assembly is functioning, it would collaborate with the national institute or its branch in supporting the work of the study circles, while pursuing its own plans for the expansion and consolidation of the Cause. Personal teaching requires stimulation from the institutions; it must be fostered by National and Local Spiritual Assemblies, on the one hand, and the Counsellors and their auxiliaries, on the other. The institutions should also nurture and support the members of study circles and other individuals in the community in acts of service that come about through personal initiative. (February 2000 "Training Institutes and Systematic Growth")
• Stimulate personal initiative One of the primary forces that propels growth is teaching undertaken by the friends on their own initiative. To properly flourish, however, personal teaching requires stimulation from the institutions; it must be fostered by National and Local Spiritual Assemblies, on the one hand, and the Counsellors and their auxiliaries, on the other. The friends everywhere need encouragement. Regular gatherings, at various levels, need to be held to maintain and heighten their enthusiasm for teaching. Opportunities have to be created for them to share stories of the successes they have achieved and the methods they have used, so that they can learn from one another. Literature and teaching materials must be made available to them in abundance. Without concerted efforts of this kind, it is difficult to increase continually the number of believers arising to discharge their sacred duty to teach. (April 1998 Training Institutes, International Teaching Centre)
• design and execute plans using the talents of the friends Working in close collaboration with the Counsellors, you will need to consider how you can consistently increase the number of Local Spiritual Assemblies that can design and execute plans which utilize the diverse talents of the friends, thus multiplying their powers as they unite in collective action. (April 1998 Training Institutes International Teaching Centre)
• execute teaching plans The tasks before the Counsellors and the National Spiritual Assemblies are multiple and urgent. On the one hand, they will continue to strengthen the institutes and ensure that an increasing number of believers benefit from their programmes. On the other, they will support and encourage the friends in their individual teaching endeavours, assist Local Spiritual Assemblies in executing teaching plans, and establish long-term teaching projects in region after region. All the necessary elements are in place. The stage is set. There is every reason to believe that the combined effect of all these efforts will lead to the fulfilment of the major thrust of the Four Year Plan. (April 1998 Training Institutes ITC)
• formulate plans of expansion and consolidation
Institute participants, as well as other local believers, will take part in area-wide seminars and conferences, regional teaching campaigns, and small socio-economic development projects. Gradually, local collective endeavors will emerge, area committees and Local Spiritual Assemblies will formulate their own plans for (Feb 2000 Training Institutes and Systematic Growth)
• are preoccupied with personal initiative, not administration of cluster It would be preferable that the friends and Assemblies not become preoccupied with the question of administrative arrangements for the cluster before their real work has even begun. We believe you would be wise to gently but insistently focus them on what they need to do to promote growth: increasing personal initiative in teaching, and making systematic progress with establishing study circles, devotional gatherings and children's classes in more and more areas of each cluster as the human resources become available to do so. (National Spiritual Assembly, 21 December 2001, Aspects of the Five Year Plan)
• coordinate children's classes • encourage children's class teachers to attend institute courses • mobilize and co-ordinate the service of the believers Children's education is the concern primarily of the Local Spiritual Assemblies who will be co-ordinating children's classes and encouraging children's class teachers to participate in training institute courses. It is our understanding that in countries where Local Assemblies are not functioning at a level where children's classes are taking place under their auspices, the training institute, as an interim measure, can arrange programs for the children themselves. In countries such as Canada most Assemblies have developed the capacity to arrange such classes. The institute's role, then, should focus on training an ever increasing number of children's class teachers at least up to Book 3 of the Ruhi courses, so that Assemblies, with the collaborative help of the Auxiliary Board members and their assistants, can mobilize and co-ordinate these believers' service. (National Spiritual Assembly, 21 December 2001, Aspects of the Five Year Plan)
• guide the endeavours of the friends In the increased capacity of individuals to teach the Faith, as shown in the thrust of individual initiatives; in the improved ability of Spiritual Assemblies, Councils and committees to guide the endeavours of the friends; in the introduction of new patterns of thought and action which influenced the collective behaviour of the local community - in all such respects the system of training institutes demonstrated its indispensability as an engine of the process of entry by troops.... Concurrent with these kinds of developments, the members of our worldwide community also gave more attention to drawing on the power of prayer, to meditating on the sacred Word, and to deriving the spiritual benefits of participation in devotional gatherings. It is through the workings of these elements of an intensified individual and collective transformation that the size of the community is increasing. Although the number of new believers has as yet only slightly surpassed those of recent years, it is immensely gratifying to see that this increase is now geographically widespread, is engaging ever-larger segments of the community, and is successful in integrating new declarants into the life of the Cause.... The use of the arts became an important feature in the proclamation, teaching, deepening and devotional activities of the worldwide community. (Ridvan 2000, from the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá'ís of the World)
Local Assemblies – • welcome, encourage and accommodate the initiatives of individual responsible for increasing number of lines of action Fundamental to any effective response to the immediate challenges facing the community are these requisites which are especially addressed to the individual and the Local Spiritual Assembly: On the one hand is the initiative that it is the duty and privilege of the individual to take in teaching the Cause and in obtaining a deeper understanding of the purpose and requirements of the Faith. Parallel with the exercise of such initiative is the necessity of the individual's participation in collective endeavours, such as community functions and projects. On the other hand is the role of the Local Spiritual Assembly to welcome, encourage and accommodate the initiatives of the individual believers to the maximum extent possible; and there is, too, the responsibility of the Assembly to devise or promote plans that will employ the talents and abilities of the individual members of its community, and that will involve individuals in collective action... The effects of conscientious attempts at realizing these inseparable requisites will be to expand and consolidate the community and to foster a climate of unified action. (Ridvan Messages of the Universal House of Justice, Ridvan 152, 1995, p. 2 ) |
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