Contact information for the ATC and Study Circle Development Team

Area Teaching Committee

•  Beverly Azizi - (727) 641-2623, Mel61930jobb@gmail.com
• Gary Hogenson - (804) 332-9941, ghogenson@gmail.com
• Maria Carlberg - (727) 637-3454, mariacarlberg9@gmail.com
• Lois Naderi - (727) 560-3251, loisn9@gmail.com
• Alex Carlberg (Secretary) - (727) 365-7485, alexcarlberg@gmail.com

Study Circle Development Team

• Sue Rishworth (Convener) - (708) 612-4493, susankrishworth@gmail.com
• Malek Yazdani - (727) 733-5717, malekyazdani@hotmail.com
• Thomas Alexander - (727)-709-5146, alexander_thomas_o@hotmail.com
• Maggie Mayers (Statistics) - (727) -858-9792, maggie.mayers@rocketmail.com
• --> Statistics – Please send all Ruhi statistical information to Maggie.

Pinellas County Cluster Cycle 7 begins with a Reflection gathering and 2 goals

Cycle 7 (Oct. 28, 2017 – Jan. 20-21, 2018) began with the Reflection gathering at the Clearwater Center on Sat. Oct. 28, with fourteen friends participating. We had lively reflection on activities during the previous cycle which included the Bicentenary, the “Gifts to the Blessed Beauty” campaign, the formation of the Study Circle Development Team, a service project by the Jr. youth and Service Learning School to collect pet food donations for the Humane Society, as well as the creation of new children’s classes and Jr. Youth groups.

Two exciting goals were set to launch the next cycle of growth:

Goal #1: 19+ Home Visits during the Expansion phase (Sat. Nov. 4 – Sun. Nov. 19). Please contact an ATC member (or email pinellasatc@gmail.com) to reflect on the outcomes of your home visits.  This reflection is essential to help us develop further community-building endeavors!  There was much consultation on this numerical goal, with some thinking 19 was too few while others thought it was better to set an achievable goal that hopefully will be surpassed!  To support this initiative, we studied a short but comprehensive compilation of extracts about home visits.  This compilation will be made available through email, the cluster website and other study opportunities.

Goal #2:  Collect Ruhi book statistics from 150 people - This represent approximately 50% of Baha’i youth and adults in the cluster. 

Home Visits – a compilation from messages of the Universal House of Justice

1. "... to organize systematic home visits to the friends who would benefit from deepening and discussions that connect them with the community" (UHJ, 29 Dec. 2015)

2. "Even an act of service as simple as visiting the home of a new believer ... reinforces ties of fellowship that bind the members of the community together. Conceived as a means for exposing believers to the fundamentals of the Faith, "home visits" are giving rise to an array of deepening efforts, both individual and collective, in which the friends are delving into the Writings and exploring their implications for their lives."

(UHJ, 27 December 2005)

3. "... acts of service, such as hosting devotional gatherings, undertaking home visits, and teaching the Faith. These are not merely activities to be multiplied but fundamental aspects of Bahá’í community life intended for all.  ... Visiting one another’s homes weaves bonds of love and union." (Dept. of the Secretariat, Jan. 5, 2015)

4. “…the spiritual and social fabric of the community is being strengthened as the friends visit one another in their homes." (UHJ, 28 Dec. 2010)