Pinellas Reflection Gathering - July 21, 2018: - Notes of Reflection, Review, and Consultation

Brief PowerPoint slides showing passages from the messages of the Universal House of Justice: The concept of cluster, broad scope of teaching activities, and what constitutes core activities. Bullet points from a passage in Ridvan 2013 message of the universal House of Justice on reflection gatherings.

• Consultation on each bullet point – Questions prompted discussion (eg. “How can we imbue the cluster with love?”) Examples: ATC send thank you notes to those who attended RG; participants singing Allah’u’Abha in a circle, holding hands; have fun; expressing kindly acts to our neighbors; loving actions.
• Examples of to “take joy and encouragement from every instance of progress”: Oldsmar increased membership; Junior-youth activities at Palm Harbor; St. Pete Beach resumed monthly devotional gatherings.
• Suggestions for this Expansion phase: firesides; sharing stories from “The Dawn Breakers”; special prayers by everyone; more teaching activities.
• Suggestions for goals during next cycle: Focus on prayer and reliance on spiritual forces in our lives; 500 times Remover of Difficulties prayer; Sepideh s; recitation of “Yá Alláhu’l-Mustagháth” [this is an invocation revealed by the Báb. He prescribed it for recitation by His followers in times of trouble and difficulty. Shoghi Effendi has translated the word “Mustagháth” as “He Who is invoked for help”.]
• Universal participation occurred in response the the bullet point:“To welcome “earnest and uplifting deliberation” in “community's efforts, in their entirety”” The question was asked: “What does it mean to have ‘uplifting deliberation’? A suggestion was made to go around the room and have everyone say something positive that was occurring in the cluster. Comment was made that reflection at an RG (and Feast consultation) is to identify learning and adjustments that can be made, leading to improvements.
• The group decided to have each person say something positive/”uplifting” and also something that needs improvement.
• Among “positives were Pinellas Voice newsletter is a good source of info; Seeing each other; New and younger members on St. Pete LSA; Ruhi book 10.
• Need more focus on children’s classes & devotional gatherings
• Use “teams” (Pasco-Hernando cluster did this effectively)
• More reflection spaces for people engaged in specific activities (eg. children’s classes) (Use the next RG to have breakout groups as a way of initiating this process)
• Need to put specific plans into action
• A detailed agenda at RG’s so participants know what is happening
• Communicating with those who are not online. Non-digital communication
• Increase RG participation by holding them in homes
• It helps when we KNOW the other people in the RG/meetings
• Many of the friends are too busy to attend an RG.
• Make the RG more appealing.
• Not enough on building of capacity
• Need more communication with the Regional Council
• Next: What was learned during last cycle?: -- Reflection should encourage one another beyond reporting facts. A believer in St. Pete hands out Notes about the Faith to people she encounters on the street.  Very effective teaching tool.
• Suggestion: Immediately after an RG can have a service project set up = action; or a Devotional gathering in a home to attend = encourages RG participation
• “Meet Up” groups  are effective.  Tarpon does this.
• Tarpon Springs has been doing Facebook ads for one year.  This generated one contact.
• Also, “Nextdoor.com” is great place to network.
• The New Seeker Response Representative would like to meet with the Area Teaching Committee to discuss improving responses throughout the cluster.

The Reflection Gathering ended with all the participants standing in a circle, holding hands, and singing “Allah’u’Abha”.