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Bahá'í Councils & Training Institutes

Bahá'í Council for England

Centenary book

At the beginning of the Centenary period, a very special bound cuttings book was donated to the Bahá'í community in England. This book, which is approximately two inches thick and is in A4 format is currently being filled, but we are in desperate need of more items to put in it. These items can include programmes, flyers or press cuttings. It is important that the book has a real feel of what took place in the community over the Centenary period across the country.

Please send copies of your community's programmes, flyers, press clippings, photographs etc, from activities and events of the Centenary to the Centenary book compiler, Mrs Marion Weinberg, 5 Rhodaus Close, Canterbury, CT1 2RE. Tel: 01227 768458.

Training Institute for England

Your voice in God's Kingdom

"We feel that there is a pressing need for the training of delegates elected at (Unit) Conventions in how to carry out their sacred obligations before and during National Convention. Indeed, the need for training in the Bahá'í electoral process extends to the whole community." (Letter from the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United Kingdom, 18th June 1998, to the Training Institutes)

The Training Institutes for England and Wales collaborated to put together not just one, but two courses that deal with Bahá'í elections. The first was aimed specifically at the needs of delegates to National Convention, the second is a course that is suitable for use at local level for larger communities or for units.

During the weekend of 6th-7th March five different day-long courses were run in London (twice), Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester. Auxiliary Board members for Protection facilitated the courses which were attended by 41 out of 75 delegates residing in England. Amongst these were National Spiritual Assembly members, new delegates and those who had been elected as delegate many many times before. Both new and veteran delegates felt that they had either learned something new or had been reminded of things they had long forgotten. A number of delegates commented on how easy it was to get locked into one way of doing something without questioning whether it was the Bahá'í way.

One of the highlights of the course, for many delegates, was an exercise that helped them focus on what they should and shouldn't be looking for in those that they elect to the National Spiritual Assembly and what is irrelevant to the process.

The training of delegates is an ongoing process. This year's course will be modified taking into consideration comments from delegates and other needs that have been identified during this year's National Convention.

"The House of Justice indicates that there is an imperative need for Bahá'í institutions to ' ...improve their performance, through a closer identification with the fundamental verities of the Faith, through greater conformity to the spirit and form of Bahá'í administration and through a keener reliance on the on the beneficial effects of proper consultation, so that the communities they guide will reflect a pattern of life that will offer hope to the disillusioned members of society.'" (Promoting Entry by Troops, p10)

Any community that would like to run the second course should contact the Training Institute's co-ordinator, Joyce Spath.

Training Institute for England, Training Coordinator: Joyce Spath, 7 Barnfield, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 7BN Tel: 01483 274979 e-mail: Joyce@jespa.netlineuk.net

Training institute for England booth at National Convention

Training Institute for England booth at National Convention. Michael Melville stopped by to gather information from Erica Leith.

Picture of training delegates

Delegates at a training session in London on Saturday 6th March. The facilitator and photographer was Auxiliary Board member Mike Gammage.

Bahá'í Council for Wales

Recognition and innovative activity

The Council for Wales is now gaining recognition nationally, as demonstrated when a representitive was asked to the Service for the Inauguration of the Welsh Assembly. Both the Queen and Prince of Wales were present. The Council will continue to develop its work in the area of external affairs which is a new field of activity for the Council.

At National Convention the Council for Wales announced that the "Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh" is now available in Welsh through the Bahá'í Publishing Trust at £1 per copy. A children's prayer book will soon be available as well. One of the goals of the Four Year Plan is to translate the Writings into many different languages and there is a lack of material in Welsh to assist the teaching work.

Wales has the great bounty of a proliferation of activities during the year. During the summer these reach a peak. This summer is no exception -

Camp Dynamite: 2nd - 4th July for youth The National Religious Education Conference, University of Bangor: 3rd July

Women - Catalysts for Peace weekend: 23rd - 25th July

Youth Teaching event in North Wales: 20th - 24th July

Youth Can Move the World '99 camp: 27th - 30th August

The Council hopes for a good attendance at these summer events. For more details please contact the Secretary of the Council.

Steve Wagg who served as Treasurer from the inception of the Committee for Wales and then the Regional Bahá'í Council for Wales, resigned earlier this year. He was the longest serving Council member and heart felt thanks go to Steve and his family for all his service on the Council.

Bahá'í Council for Wales - Secretary: Mrs C Abbas, 15 Parrot Row, Blaina, Gwent NP3 3AH Tel: 01495 291 784 e-mail: rabbas4280@aol.com

Baha'i Council for Northern Ireland

Northern Irish delegates at National Convention

What a happy crowd. The Northern Ireland friends gathered in front of the Council's exhibition booth at this year's National Convention to have their photo taken. The only person looking worried is Tony Sherwani - maybe that's because someone else has hold of his camera!

Bahá'í Council for Northern Ireland - Secretary: Mrs Viny Robinson, 8 Kensington Manor, Coleraine BT52 1WD Tel: 01265 58435 e-mail: s.robinson@ulst.ac.uk