The University of Aberdeen Bahá’í society has gotten off to a great start this year. It started with a long day at the Fresher’s Fayre at the end of September, where we had an information stall and handed out lots of leaflets. About fifteen people came to a follow-up devotional we had organised that same day. The great attendance might have had something to do with the fact that we had tagged it as a ‘soul food’ event, promising food for the belly (mainly cake!) as well as food for the soul.

Since then we’ve been meeting once a week and alternating between more Bahá’í focused events, like devotionals and firesides, and fun activities, like going to Stonehaven for deep-fried Mars bars and going salsa dancing. Our meetings are still pretty well attended, with at least half of our members being non-Bahá’ís.

This is the fourth year that the Bahá’í society has been up and running at Aberdeen university. It has struggled a bit in past years, mainly due to the fact that we had been trying to meet too often and didn’t host enough fun activities to draw in the crowds. But we’ve tinkered with it over the years and seem to have been able to apply that learning from the past to get the formula right this year. If at first you don’t succeed…!

We have also started a Book 1 study circle as an off-shoot from the Society. We hosted a devotional on ‘The Life of the Spirit’ at one of the weekly society meetings, and then invited all of our members to join a study group on the topic if they were interested. Five people took us up on the offer, two of whom are seekers. It runs separate to the Society, but all members were invited to join and are given updates on it. We’re really excited about this because it’s something we’ve tried a few times over the years, but failed to get up and running. We have been greatly assisted in this by an initiative of the LSA of Aberdeen to encourage the community to close the loop between proclamation events and the core activities of the Plan, raising greater awareness that the former should be planned with the latter in mind.

So if you fancy a bit of craic come on up to Aberdeen - we’re having lots of fun finding new and creative ways to engage the Plan.

The Faith in the Media
Bahá’í Society Boom! Edinburgh University Bahá’í Society has long been one of the central spiritual societies for Edinburgh students, but now more than ever, it seems to be gaining a greater importance not only for its members, but as a spiritual society in its own right.

This academic year has marked a turning point in the running of spiritual societies at Edinburgh University. A committee consisting of the presidents of the main spiritual societies including Bahá’í Society representatives, has voluntarily formed with the principle goal of combining resources to create an official inter-faith week in March 2007.

The decision to hold a week of inter-faith and inter-society events, was made mostly in response to a generally negative attitude and distrust of the spiritual societies on campus. Student publications have been regularly publishing letters and articles with an altogether anti-religious sentiment and often overlook completely the integral and productive role spiritual societies play in student life.

Both a higher level of publicity through the creation of a temporary Website; this and poster advertising have led to a slight rise in event attendance, but perhaps more importantly, the Bahá’í Society has become much more visible and recognised on campus. The website has received 349 visitors thus far. Recent events have included an art workshop; numerous talks gratefully received from members of the Scottish community; and a film night to name but a few. Edinburgh Bahá’í Society is also being recognised by university staff by the addition of one of our members to the Chaplaincy committee.

It has been a very positive year for the Bahá’í Society all round and its office holders would like to extend their warmest gratitude to all members of the community who have worked hard to make it happen. For more information on events and contact information please visit our Website at http://bahaisociety.piczo.com.

Tutor Retreat in Edinburgh We had a wonderful tutor gathering in Edinburgh Friends came from the Highlands and Islands, from the Borders ,from the east and west coast, in a spirit of joy and excitement, meeting others and sharing our news in a warm and loving arena.

The day flowed with beautiful devotions and a very moving presentation on ‘Abdul-Bahá and the love that continuously flows from him to us.

Workshops on the role of the tutor (based on the latest guidance) were followed by a lively discussion during the feedback session, and a lovely trip through the Bahá’í Centre by the friends gathered there brought a new excitement to the hearts of the friends who admired the new it and enhanced their vision. The Training Institute Board hosted a simple lunch for the tutors and their friends.

The afternoon started with four workshops: home visits, teaching teams and the art of invitation, two diverse workshops on the ARTS – one based on story telling and creating a visual picture as a means of sharing the story, and the second based on quotations – and then groups of three went out into the heart of the city and one listened, one saw and one felt (I think ) how all around us the creative Word manifests its self .The exercise sharpened our awareness and how opportunities are always there for us to connect .

An inspiring video was shared on consecration by Mr. Ali Nakchavani on this very special quality the World Centre say is becoming manifest in the Bahai world. The day ended with the tutors being encouraged to have their own personal plans and welcoming in the Coordinators serving the Clusters in Scotland and prayers for all the tutors as they embark on this field of service