There has been a constant, but steady and regular amount of activity in this quiet
and scenic part of Scotland.
Although the community in the cluster is geographically very wide spread, there
being about 60 miles between the Bahá’í on either ends of the area, there is a great feeling
of togetherness amongst the friends and all activities are well supported by those friends
able to attend.
The community consultation at the Unit Convention went very well and one of the
outcomes was to hold a fund raising event for the new Bahá’í Centre in Edinburgh. Sally-
Ann and John Hoyne will be hosting this later on in November. Their new Website for the
Bahá’ís of Sanquhar is attracting enquirers from some interesting parts of the world.
Sacred Space
The Sacred Space meetings have restarted after the summer break and are well attended
by Bahá’ís, their friends, and seekers who notice posters or extensive publicity in the local
press.
We now have a regular community of interest who attend this core activity on a
regular basis, with one or two new faces almost every time increasing the circle of those
participating in the devotional meetings. Smaller prayer meetings held at Bahá’í homes
a few days after each sacred space gives those who are more interested to delve deeper
into some of the spiritual concepts are a welcome follow on from the Sacred space.
With several Book 1 tutors and such a community of interest, it is hoped to invite the
friends to a Study Circle on Book 1 some time in January.
In addition to the regular monthly devotional meetings, weekly deepening meetings
are held by Jackie Mehrabi, and Jeremy and Carolyn Fox Moffat hold regular discussion
meetings for their friends and neighbours.
The consultation at the area convention went very well.
Holy Day Celebration
Venus and Ken held a well-attended celebration for Bahá’u’lláh birthday at which the
Bahá’í youth: Robert Gilles, Rory Turnbull and Justin Alae-Carew, organised the program
and gave a superb presentation. We shall miss Robert and Rory when they go off to join
Wildfire in Canada in early January.
We are delighted that Nickie is doing well and pleased to see both Nickie and Vahid
when they can make it to community events.
Marlyn Groves who completed the full sequence of Ruhi course in the summer, is just
back from a Virtues training course in Acuto and plans to share some of that learning with
the local community and their friends.
The Arts
The community is also endowed with a number of wonderfully creative artists. Jim
Kentley is in a south American drumming group, Maitri is producing wonderful ceramic
pots and Robert Howard has had some of his photographs with Bahá’í quotations selected
as part of a travelling exhibition about poverty in Scotland (No picnic). Robert who is also
a talented painter, was pleasantly surprised when an anonymous buyer purchased his
portrait of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá which was on display at the local arts centre. Our resident Bahá’í
author, Jackie Mehrabi has been very busy in recent months, with her new book ‘Three
Gifts of Love’ just published by Brilliant books.
Interfaith
The Bahá’ís are also active members of the local interfaith group, which held a groundbreaking
interfaith service for the Multi Faith Week in November.
The event was held in Dalbeattie Episcopal church at the invitation of the minister.
Venus Carew spoke on behalf of the interfaith group and mentioned that in the word
of Bahá’u’lláh ‘The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His religion is
to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit
of love and fellowship amongst all people’. The program included prayers and readings
from major faiths, including part of the prayer for mankind by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, read by
Robert Howard. Justin Carew then read the Seven Candles of Unity, as the minister’s wife
lit a tea light for each candle.
This was a first for all concerned and many commented on the beauty and similarity
of the writing from the various faiths.
Ken Carew coordinates the interfaith group for the university of Glasgow in Dumfries
and is also involved in a new training program for local RE teachers.
Although numerically we are a small community, each member of the community is
fully engaged in the plan and is enthusiastically reaching out to the inhabitants of this area,
guided by the words of Bahá’u’lláh:
Be unrestrained as the wind, while carrying the Message of Him Who hath
caused the Dawn of Divine Guidance to break.
(Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 339)
