In reply to your letter of 4 July asking guidance as to what
is a functioning Local Spiritual Assembly, we offer you the following comments:
Local Spiritual Assemblies are at the present newly born institutions, struggling for the most part to establish themselves both in the Baha'i community and in the world. They are as yet only embryos of the majestic institutions ordained by Baha'u'llah in His Writings. This is also true of National Spiritual Assemblies. In the following passage written by the Secretary of the Guardian on his behalf this point is elucidated:
Among the more salient objectives to be attained by the Local Spiritual Assembly in its process of development to full maturity are to act as a loving shepherd to the Baha'i flock, promote unity and concord among the friends, direct the teaching work, protect the Cause of God, arrange for Feasts, anniversaries and regular meetings of the community, familiarize the Baha'is with its plans, invite the community to offer its recommendations, promote the welfare of youth and children, and participate, as circumstances permit, in humanitarian activities. In its relationship to the individual believer, the Assembly should continuously invite and encourage him to study the Faith, to deliver its glorious message, to live in accordance with its teachings, to contribute freely and regularly to the Fund, to participate in community activities, and to seek refuge in the Assembly for advice and help, when needed.
Local Spiritual Assemblies are at the present newly born institutions, struggling for the most part to establish themselves both in the Baha'i community and in the world. They are as yet only embryos of the majestic institutions ordained by Baha'u'llah in His Writings. This is also true of National Spiritual Assemblies. In the following passage written by the Secretary of the Guardian on his behalf this point is elucidated:
“The Baha'i Administration is only the first shaping of what
in future will come to be the social life and laws of community living. As yet
the believers are only just beginning to grasp and practice it properly. So we
must have patience if at times it seems a little self-conscious and rigid in
its workings. It is because we are learning something very difficult but very
wonderful -- how to live together as a community of Baha'is, according to the
glorious teachings.” (From letter dated 14 October 1941 to two believers)
What we find expounded in the writings of our Faith is the
lofty station Local Spiritual Assemblies must attain in their gradual and at
times painful development. In
encouraging these Assemblies to attain this aim, there is no harm in the
National Spiritual Assembly mentioning certain minimum requirements from time
to time, provided it is clear that non-attainment of such standards, which by
their very nature must be continuously revised with changing conditions, do not
justify the withdrawal of recognition from any weak Assemblies. It would not be profitable therefore for the
Universal House of Justice to lay down universal minimum standards for properly
functioning Local Spiritual Assemblies, as these must necessarily differ from
country to country, and even from district to district within the same country,
in the process of the evolution of these Assemblies into Houses of Justice, as
envisaged by Baha'u'llah.
Among the more salient objectives to be attained by the Local Spiritual Assembly in its process of development to full maturity are to act as a loving shepherd to the Baha'i flock, promote unity and concord among the friends, direct the teaching work, protect the Cause of God, arrange for Feasts, anniversaries and regular meetings of the community, familiarize the Baha'is with its plans, invite the community to offer its recommendations, promote the welfare of youth and children, and participate, as circumstances permit, in humanitarian activities. In its relationship to the individual believer, the Assembly should continuously invite and encourage him to study the Faith, to deliver its glorious message, to live in accordance with its teachings, to contribute freely and regularly to the Fund, to participate in community activities, and to seek refuge in the Assembly for advice and help, when needed.
In its own meetings it must endeavour to develop skill in
the difficult but highly rewarding art of Baha'i consultation, a process which
will require great self-discipline on the part of all members and complete
reliance on the power of Baha'u'llah. It
should hold regular meetings and ensure that all its members are currently
informed of the activities of the Assembly, that its secretary carries out his
duties, and its treasurer holds and disburses the funds of the Faith to its
satisfaction, keeping proper accounts and issuing receipts for all
contributions. Many Assemblies find that
some of their activities such as teaching, observance of Feasts and
anniversaries, solution of personal problems, and other duties are best dealt
with by committees appointed by the Assembly and responsible to it.
In all cases submitted for its consideration the Assembly
must uphold the standard of justice in delivering its verdict, and in all its
dealings with the community and the outside world it must strive to evince the
qualities of leadership. The following quotation from a letter of the Guardian
summarizes in simple terms the immediate goal every Assembly should set for
itself in its efforts to pursue the exalted standard of perfection inculcated
in our writings:
“The first quality for leadership, both among individuals
and Assemblies is the capacity to use the energy and competence that exists in
the rank and file of its followers.
Otherwise the more competent members of the group will go at a tangent
and try to find elsewhere a field of work where they could use their energy.
Shoghi Effendi hopes that the Assemblies will do their
utmost in planning such teaching activities that every single soul will be kept
busy. (From letter dated 30 August 1930 written on behalf of the Guardian to
the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada)
In the compilation of texts we sent to all National
Spiritual Assemblies in August 1970, and in the By-Laws of a Local Spiritual
Assembly, you will find all the objectives Local Spiritual Assemblies must aim
at achieving in their process of growth and development. We recommend that you
restudy these documents carefully and discuss this highly important problem
with the Counsellors of your zone, who will be only too glad to help you
encourage the development of Local Spiritual Assemblies in your country.
With loving Baha'i greetings,
The Universal House of Justice
(‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986’)
