Well, it's that time of the... Plan?
Here we are, on the cusp of a new series of Plans, and the Universal House of Justice is, once again, giving us the guidance for where we are heading. It is so refreshing and encouraging. Now, if you have been reading my blog for a number of years, you know that I love to explore the new messages as soon as me out. I really enjoy diving deep into them and seeing what nuances we can find.
This time, however, I am doing something a little different. Instead of just diving right in, all on my own, I'm asking for your help, dear Reader. What I want to do is compile a series of questions, based on paragraph numbers, that will help us learn how to apply the lessons and guidance in this message to our daily life within our own community setting. In this post, I will not be posting answers we have found, but rather just questions that we can ask within our own communities.
And so, if you have questions that have arisen from this message that you think will help others, please leave it in the comments or message me, and I'll add them in. For now, what I have put below is just a cursory beginning.
Thanks.
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Part 1 - Introduction: Paragraphs 1 - 4
Paragraph 1
1. How do you see the relationship between learning, growing, and the capacity to serve humanity in your community?
Paragraph 2
1. What have we learned about what it means to be an "outward looking" community?
2. What have we been learning about how to apply the teaching to our "social reality"?
3. How do we help people feel welcome to "labour alongside" us in our work?
4. How are we adjusting our style of discourse to more effectively "influence the direction" of change in our community?
Paragraph 3
1. What is the "single aim" of this current series of Plans? And what was the singular aim of the previous series? How are they related?
2. We know that we need to further strengthen the "dynamic relationship" between the individual believer, the local community, and the institutions of the Faith. How can we more effectively do this?
3. How can we further enhance "the qualities of cooperation and mutual assistance"?
4. What does it mean that this principle "endows the body of the Cause with moral vigour and spiritual health"?
Paragraph 4
1. Why do you think the Universal House of Justice calls to our attention the qualities of "trustworthiness, cooperation, and forbearance" at this time?
2. What can we do to help stabilize the social order in our community? And what does this look like?
3. What does it mean to "champion rationality and science as essential for human progress"? And how does this inform our conversations with our friends?
4. As we engage in sharing our beliefs, what does it look like to be "respectful of the freedom of conscience of every soul"?
5. What do you feel we "still need to learn" in this process?
Part 2 - The Movement of Clusters: Paragraphs 5 - 10
Paragraph 5
1. What are some of the "measurable outcomes" of the work we are doing?
2. How does the recognition of the spiritual nature of this undertaking effect the "measurable outcomes" of the work?
3. Does your community, or neighbourhood, have an established intensive program of growth? If not, what elements can you help put into place to more effectively establish it?
Paragraph 6
1. What defines a "cluster"?
Paragraph 7
1. What are the first three milestones along the path of development for a cluster?
2. Where is your cluster, or neighbourhood, on this path?
3. What can be done to effectively help your cluster move to the next milestone?
Paragraph 8
1. Has your cluster passed the third milestone?
2. If yes, how can you help assist other clusters near you to advance?
3. If no, which cluster near you has? What assistance would be useful to help your cluster advance?
Paragraph 9
1. Which spiritual themes are of the most concern in your cluster?
2. Are you comfortable raising these themes in conversations with your friends and acquaintances in your community? If not, what effective steps can be taken to help raise the comfort level?
3. What does it mean to you that an individual's declaration of faith is but "a singular moment in a person's spiritual development"?
4. Are you comfortable encouraging "those who stand at the threshold" to join the Baha'i community? If not, what is it that makes you feel uncomfortable? What would make you feel more comfortable in extending that invitation?
5. Describe the mindset you feel is needed to allow "families, groups of friends, and even clusters of households" to feel comfortable embracing the Faith, as distinct from individuals declaring on their own. It is, of course, important to recognize that both are necessary, and both will occur in the future.
Paragraph 10
1. What effective ways have you found to teach the Faith in your community?
2. What methods or words and phrases have you found that are not effective? It is worth remembering that we can learn from negative examples, too.
3. How is your community recording and sharing what is most effective in your community?
