year pl a n This is a publication of the National Sp - PDF document

year pl 2001 Ð 2006 This is a publication of the National Spiritual Assemblyof the Bah‡Õ’s of the United States The Bah‡Õ’ Teachings proclaim that God has given the UnitedStates a spiritual destiny to help reshape the world. The Americannation will evolve, we are told, through purifying tests and trials tobecome a land of spiritual distinction and leadership, a championof justice and unity among all peoples and nations, and a power-ful servant of the Cause of everlasting peace.American Bah‡Õ’s have a Òparallel missionÓ to assist the comple-tion of the successive stages of the Divine Plan, which is ÔAbduÕl-Bah‡Õs grand design for the spiritual conquest of the planet. Ourmission calls for us to transform our souls and our ways of lifeand to spread the Divine Fragrance of Bah‡'u'll‡h's Tamong all people, thus inspiring a closer relationship to God. Wee asked to build institutions that will nurture the emergence ofa new kind of community life, a life that res unity, love andservice. Our aims are to banish the darkness of ignorant prdice, to help souls overcome misery and pain and to invite allpeople to a universal fellowship of service and love. Day by daywe must strive to carry out in our lives the noble ideals of ourFaith and in so doing to advance the spiritual missions of ournation and our community.Over the past five years, our rch has shown that tens ofmillions of Americans are searching for spiritual truth.eds of thousands are investigating the Bah‡Õ’ Faith andmany more will follow. They want what we want, a sense ofspiritual purpose and encouragement, a happy and joyful com-munity life, support for our families, spiritual education for ouren, and freedom from prejudice, inequality and injustice.As Shoghi Effendi explained, Òpeople crave love, not an imita-tion but the embodiment of a bright and shining ideal.Ó The purpose of the Five Year Plan is to build a system to meetthese needs and in so doing to expand our capacity as individ-ual believers, communities and institutions to love, serve, teachand embrace all souls who are searching for spiritual truth. The Bah‡Õ’ Writings promise that if we are Òtruly unitedÓ andomote the Òessential purposeÓ of our Faith with an Òall-uni-fying loveÓ that Òso great a light will shine forth from yourfaces as to reach the highest heavens, . . . your aims and pur-poses will exert their influence upon the great and mightynations . . . and ye will discover yourselves to be . . . mar-shals of the army of peace, and princes of the forces of light,and stars shining from the horizon of perfection, and brilliantlamps shedding their radiance upon men.Ó 2 FiveY 2001Ð2006 Vision MISSIONOF THEAMERICANBAHçÕêSRECEPTIVITYTO THE FAITHPURPOSEOF THEPLANUNITYKEY TOSUCCESS Some may feel this task is too great. But our Teachings confirmthat we are not alone. Bah‡ÕuÕll‡h has pledged the assistanceof divine forces if we but call upon them. Foremost amongthese are the spiritual powers of unity and love, without whichwe are paralyzed. To assure our success, every believer mustfoster Òa greater realization of the power of Bah‡ÕuÕll‡h to rce the efforts of those who serve Him, of His promise to doso, and of the impotence of all our deeds without this divineassistance.Ó Any assessment of our prospects is Òentirely mis-leading if it does not take this supreme power into considera-tion.Ó Constant reliance upon Bah‡ÕuÕll‡h will enable us to for-mulate audacious plans and carry them out with confidence nomatter how great the obstacles.The January 9, 2001 letter of the Universal House of Justicegives us the vision and framework of the Five Year Plan.Advancing the process of entry by troops through the systematicforts of individual believers, Bah‡Õ’ communities, and Bah‡Õ’institutions is the PlanÕs central aim. Racial unity and genderequality remain essential themes of our work. In preparing the Plan, the National Spiritual Assembly enjoyed thebenefit of a series of meetings with the Continental Counselors,including one with their Auxiliary Boards. We are deeply grateful fortheir wise advice and loving encouragement. We are also indebtedto the Regional Bah‡Õ’ Councils whose tireless efforts to carry outthe National Plan in the regions were indispensable to our prand learning. Their analyses of regional conditions and their rommendations for the Five Year Plan ofed new and invaluableinsights. We salute the National Teaching Committee for their tire-less labors, their expert study and strategic advice on the patterand process of religious growth throughout the United States andwithin the Bah‡Õ’ community and for their innovative thinking aboutadvancing the process of systematic growth. We are profoundly grateful for the priceless opportunity to meet inplenum with all of these distinguished institutions and agencies, tolisten and learn from each other, strengthen our unity and incrour capacity to bring Bah‡ÕuÕll‡hÕs Healing Message to millions whoe searching for spiritual truth.The Five Year Plan calls for us to begin a process of goal setting,action, evaluation and learning. The goals set should be evaluat-ed at least once every six months in consultations of LocalSpiritual Assemblies with the believers in their communities.Such practice will help us learn from our efforts and continuous-ly refine them. In areas without Local Assemblies, the friendsshould follow the same pattern in consultation with one another.In areas where clusters of inter-community partnerships areworking on growth programs, arrangements should be made forevaluation no less than once every six months. Auxiliary Boardmembers and their assistants are eager to assist Assemblies andoups in carrying out the rements of the Plan. We encour-age you to call upon them. 4 3 B A H ç Õ U Õ L L ç H Õ SA S S U R A N C E S Our Spitual Mn in The Five Year P ¥ Advancing the process of entry by tra. Collaboration of the institutions in systematic programs of grb. Carrying out the National Teaching Plan including:i. Maturation of training institutesii. Formation of clusters by local communitiesiii. Initiation of area growth programs where conditionse favorablec. Enhancing seeker follow-upd. Doubling the core of active believers¥ Integrate and nurture children in the life of the Causea. Advance education and training for Bah‡Õ’ children, junioryouth, and youthb. Engage children, junior youth, and youth in consultationwith their Assemblies about their cares, hopes, and plansc. Enhance the range and quality of activities for children andd. Register Bah‡Õ’ children on the National Membership Rolls¥ Cultivate individual initiativea. Promote home front and international pioneering and travel-ing teachingb. Include the arts in community activitiesc. Train institutions in nurturing individual initiative d. Encourage universal participation in the Bah‡Õ’ Fundse. Complete the goals of the Kingdom promote the spiritual transformation of individual believers,Bah‡Õ’ communities, and Bah‡Õ’ institutionsa. Hold devotional gatheringsb. Enhance the spiritual and social vitality of the Nineteen Day Feastc. Encourage daily prayer and daily study of the Bah‡Õ’ Wand regular service to the Caused. Strive to achieve compliance with Bah‡Õ’ standards of conducte. Refine the art of consultation¥ Influence the course of human afa. Expand local community external affairs efb. Promote racial unity and gender equalityc. Establish projects of social and economic developmentd. Pursue promotion of social justiceÒIf ye will follow earnestly the teachings of Bah‡ÕuÕll‡h,ye shall indeed becomethe light of the wthe soul of the body of the wthe comfort and helpfor humanity,and the sources of salvation for the whole univA marked increase in the activity and development of the PlanÕsee participantsÑthe individual believer, the Bah‡Õ’ community,and its institutionsÑis needed for the Plan to succeed. 6 5 ral Fes ofThe Five Year P Sp ¥Pray every dayn about Bah‡ÕuÕll‡h, the B‡b, ÔAbduÕl-Bah‡ and theirTeachings ¥Be a friend to all people and help theme the Bah‡Õ’ Teachings with others¥Contribute to the Bah‡Õ’ Funds and the Kingdom Pr¥Pray daily and read at least one verse of the Bah‡Õ’ Wevery dayn the importance of the Bah‡Õ’ Obligatory Prayers and Fasting¥Commit to memory at least one of the Obligatory¥Be of service to your families, your communities, your peers and others¥Help children see themselves as noble beings and become strong and confident and happye the Bah‡Õ’ Teachings ¥Contribute to the Bah‡Õ’ Funds and the Kingdom PrYou have reached the age of spiritual maturity and now must striveto become leaders and sources of strength to your families and yourcommunities. Many of those now investigating the Faith are youngpeople whom you must embrace and teach. Bearing these things inmind, we ask you to:¥ Develop a plan, in consultation with your family, for your spiritual and social growth based on a careful assessment ofyour spirit and character and your aims in life and the needsof the Faith, including provisions for:engthening the disciplines of daily prayer and study ofthe Sacred Writings, especially the Life and Station ofBah‡ÕuÕll‡h and His Covenant~Cultivating the habit of service to all peoplening how to share effectively the Bah‡Õ’ Twith others~Planning for your education, career development and ayear of service~Developing moral and spiritual discipline¥ Join in a study circle and consider being trained as a studycle facilitator¥ Participate in teaching and service pr¥ Mentor children and junior youth and establish rwith older community members¥ Champion racial unity and the equality of women and men¥ Take a leading role in improving the spiritual and social quali-ty of Bah‡Õ’ community life¥ Contribute to the Bah‡Õ’ Funds and the Kingdom Pr 8 7 Adult Bah‡Õ’s ¥Develop a spiritual transformation plan for yourself, your marriage, your family¥Foster patterns of loving encouragement to all people and to the Bah‡Õ’ Institutions¥Study the Life and Teachings of Bah‡ÕuÕll‡h and His Covenant¥Support the development of training institutes, study cirand extension courses¥Make a personal teaching plan ¥Assist in seeker follow-up ef¥Consider homefront and/or international pioneering and traveling teaching¥Mentor and encourage children and youthease awareness of issues facing the larger communityand champion racial unity, gender equality, and social justice¥Contribute to the Bah‡Õ’ Funds and the Kingdom Pr¥ Spare no effort to bring love, joy and happiness to yourcommunity ¥ Foster the spirit of loving encouragement and supportto Bah‡Õ’ families; celebrate the efforts of childryouth, and adult Bah‡Õ’s¥ Strive to create an atmosphere of wholehearted acceptance of all members to unify the diversity of the community¥ Refine the practice of consultation in all matters¥ Strengthen the arts and music ¥ Embrace seekers and new believers and lovinglyencourage disaffected Bah‡Õ’s¥ Expand programs of service and partnership with theger community¥ Increase awareness of issues facing the larger community and champion racial unity, gender equality,and social justice 10 9 Sp Spiritual AssembliesYou are the focal centers of Bah‡Õ’ activity. More than anyother institution you face the challenge of making rthe promises of our Faith and regulating the affairs ofyour local communities. Your mission is to exercise spir-itual leadership, functioning as Òinstruments of the spir-it of the FaithÓ and Òloving shepherds of the multitudes.ÓWe ask you to:¥Assess the strengths and challenges of your commu-nity in consultation with its children, youth, andadult members¥Set goals for community development and grand evaluate them at least once every six months inconsultation with community members¥Seek the advice of Auxiliary Boards and their assistantsengthen and define clusters (interpartnerships) in collaboration with the RegionalBah‡Õ’ Council and the Auxiliary Board members.ove the spiritual and social vitality of theNineteen Day Feast¥Establish study circles in consultation with RegionalTraining Institutesomote service and social development efforts inthe larger community¥Double the active core of the Bah‡Õ’ communityomote an intimate sense of responsibility to meetthe needs of the Funds and the Kingdom Pr¥Contribute regularly to the Bah‡Õ’ Funds and theKingdom Prease awareness of issues facing the larger com-munity and champion racial unity, gender equality,and social justiceengthen unity and love among Assembly members¥Enhance the sacredness of Bah‡Õ’ electionsYour indispensable mission is to advance the process ofsystematic growth by assisting the friends in your region tocarry out the National Plan and create strong LocalSpiritual Assemblies. Your mode of operation is to workwith and through Local Spiritual Assemblies. You are alsoresponsible to oversee the operations of Regional TInstitutes. With the advice of the Continental Counselorsand under the direction of the National Spiritual Assemblyyou should:¥Assess the strengths, potentialities, and challenges of the region for programs of systematic growth, particularly through inter-community partnerships¥Facilitate and support clusters (inter-community partnerships) to advance the process of systematic 12 11 Spitual Mn for Bah‡Õ’ I ¥Devise a regional plan for systematic growth ¥Facilitate Spiritual Assembly establishment and ¥Supervise Regional Training Institutes¥ Communicate and consult with the friends about theess of the Faith in the r¥ Promote full operation of Regional Training Institutes¥ Facilitate the integration of Persian American Bah‡Õ’s ¥ Promote regional youth activities¥ Promote teaching and consolidation of special populations including those of African, AmericanIndian, Asian, Latin American and Persian descent Training institutes are the engines of systematic grThey are central to the development of the humances needed to accomplish the goals of the Plan.Your mission is to devise systematic sequences of trainingon the fundamental verities of the Bah‡Õ’ Faith and theskills of teaching and administering the Faith with efand love.¥Consult frequently with Spiritual Assemblies tomine their needs and develop training ¥Employ a wide diversity of sequenced training curricula¥Evaluate and improve the effects of your trainingove outreach to increase participation in classes D ÓWageY 13