Momentum builds toward a “flourishing of activity” in Quebec

2017 and 2019 mark 200 years since the Birth of the Blessed Beauty and the Birth of The Báb, respectively.  As conveyed in a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice dated 18 May 2016, “[T]hese Holy Days should be viewed as special opportunities for the friends to reach out to the widest possible cross-section of society … so that all may rejoice in the appearance, exactly two hundred years before, of One Who was to be the Bearer of a new Message for humankind.”

Inspired by similar gatherings across Canada, the Bahá’í Council of Quebec, the Auxiliary Board members serving the region and the Local Spiritual Assemblies in the province collaborated to organize two conferences to mobilize a large number of individuals in the “tremendous flourishing of activity” called for by the House of Justice in honour of the bicentenaries, to take place primarily at the local level.

Teaching conference participants in Montréal, Que. study the 18 May 2016 message written on behalf of the House of Justice regarding the upcoming bicentennial celebrations.

The first was held on 1 April in Montréal and the second on 2 April in Québec City.  The goal of these gatherings was to help participants better understand the process of transformation set in motion by Bahá’u’lláh, to share their experiences in applying His teachings to the reality of their communities, and to help one another make plans to continue these efforts.

Special effort was made to encourage participation. For example, the Assembly of one locality rented a bus for the two-hour drive to Montréal, thus enabling the attendance of some twenty friends. It was also interesting that, of the dozen participants attending from another locality, half were friends of the Faith, who seem to have greatly enjoyed the event.

A homefront pioneer living in Sept-Îles, Que. shares comments at the teaching conference in Québec City

The participants described the gatherings as enriching, inspiring and energizing. In the words of one individual, “The atmosphere was warm, the faces radiant and the discussions enthusiastic.” One of the elements that seems to have contributed to this dynamism was the emphasis placed on planning simple, yet concrete actions. Having space in the gathering to plan collectively was also stimulating, as the participants were able to assist one another if needed.

The resultant plans varied in nature. Many participants expressed interest in starting a devotional gathering with family members, friends and neighbours. Others were inspired to delve into the richness of the courses of the Ruhi Institute to develop the capacities needed to engage in conversations in preparation for this special period. Regarding this, a participant shared:

Our workshop group included a friend of the Faith who had attended deepenings and devotional meetings over the course of many years.  During a planning session in the afternoon, we read a question asking us who, among our friends or others, could benefit from being invited to study the first book of the training institute? When the contents of Book 1 were described to our friend, she immediately recognized that she would benefit from studying it.  Although the institute had been explained to her before, through seeing herself as part of the community-building process during the gathering, she understood its importance.

Children and youth share a song with participants at the teaching conference in Québec City, Que.

The gatherings seemed to kindle a spark within the friends, especially when it came to discussing the bicentenaries. A participant at the Montréal gathering said, “In the context of the bicentenary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh, the opportunity to engage oneself in the Plans that will contribute, ultimately, to one of the greatest gifts we can give Him, this ‘tremendous flourishing of activity’ described by the Universal House of Justice, gave the feeling of incredible honour and privilege.”

Overall, one effect of the conferences was that, as one individual described, they emerged with a “renewed creativity and readiness to continue their efforts to prepare … that would include the greatest possible number of friends for the bicentenary.” Another added, “[T]he friends became aware of the extent of the efforts being made in relatively small geographical areas and of the possibilities awaiting them.”

– The Bahá’í Council of Quebec