The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States has called for an accelerated growth pattern. Current meetings and gatherings seek to develop new capacities that promote continuous and sustainable outreach at the grassroots level and beyond, based on the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh. Developing the confidence to act more urgently and vigorously with an ongoing effort is key.
Regardless of the form your conference or gathering takes, you are encouraged to include a broad cross-section of humanity. The National Spiritual Assembly calls for these conferences in their letter dated September 30, 2024, which states, “Our own spiritual development is far from complete, but further progress now requires us to join hands with many others.” They also remind us, “We… see an increasing thirst for a vision capable of transcending divisions and a source of truth upon which people can anchor their hearts and their efforts. There are undoubtedly multitudes of well-meaning, high-minded people in this country who sincerely desire a just and peaceful society.” Everyone has a role to play in advancing the Baha’i Cause beyond its current stage of development.
Reactions among friends so far have been diverse, with many gatherings involving small groups coming together to discuss themes from Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation as they apply to their own circumstances: for example, gatherings of women seeking solidarity and a vision for their personal growth, groups with shared interests or activities (e.g., rock climbing) who expanded a regular meeting by transforming it into an opportunity for conversations about spiritual themes; and gatherings of friends from specific ethnic backgrounds, such as people with Native American heritage, who engage in dialogue on related themes. Additional examples include gatherings of neighbors to initiate conversations about the prosperity of their community and discuss spiritual themes such as the relationship between collective progress, unity, and oneness; and a plan to host a retreat for married couples to learn about consultation together and start a process of mutual support regarding the growth and progress of their relationships.
While there is no formula for the shape and size of the conferences in each cluster, reaching the many “high-minded people in this country” is a key objective of this effort, and we, as a body of believers, are encouraged not to lose sight of this goal. We cannot grow beyond our current capacity without “joining hands with many others,” there is a “thirst for a vision capable of transcending divisions and a source of truth upon which people can anchor their hearts and efforts” among our fellow Americans. The spirit with which we respond to this call and our understanding of the needs and urgency of the present moment must propel us forward in our endeavor to reach as many people as possible. We must be bold, courageous, and trust in Bahá’u’lláh’s confirmations. Smaller efforts must collectively contribute to a larger initiative in each area to reach a multitude. The significance of larger gatherings must be acknowledged, where considerable time (perhaps more than one day) is dedicated to the depth of this mission. Recall the journeys of learning we undertook at the launch of the nine-year plan and the capacity building that many of our clusters garnered to now host a large gathering. Refer again to the launch conference materials the House of Justice provided.
The Regional Council of the Baha’is of the Midwest States encourages you to share ideas and avenues of success here (google form) for other communities to adapt and apply.