Summer schools uplifted spirits and raised understanding
Warmest thanks to all who contributed reports and photographs in order to share their summer school experiences.
Please note that in addition to the photos in the body of the article, more photos are shown in a gallery at the end.
The 2022 summer school presentations, as well as those from earlier years, are available on the web page: Deepening talks NZ – Summer schools.
Dunedin
A small group of friends gathered at the Bahá’í Centre over two days to enjoy several of the online talks. Warm fellowship, delicious lunch, coffee, discussions, craft activities and laughter characterised the days.
Far North
In the Far North Bahá’í Centre, about 15 adults gathered each day to watch the video presentations and participate in workshops, while a small group of children were happily engaged in activities run by a parent.
The organising task force reported that the occasion definitely had a significant impact on understanding the pathway forward — including the importance of the training institute as an instrument of transformation, the need for core activities, firesides and other initiatives that create spaces for members from the wider community, of building friendships, and of elevated conversations as a means of encouraging members of the wider community into the community-building process. The participants recognised the need to increase capacity at all levels of endeavour in this mighty spiritual enterprise.
The videos were shown in 15 minute sections, interspersed with discussion and were followed by workshops. This system worked well for absorbing the content of the presentations.
Another innovation was to begin each day (after devotions), with a reflection on the meaning of the summer school theme so that an understanding of the implications of it could be built upon each day. The impact of this was clear in the final session, where the friends reflected on the summer school experience and their learning.
Hamilton
Summer school was held over one and a half days with three of the video presentations viewed. They were very well received and great discussions resulted from the workshops. During the first evening a celebration of artistic presentations enhanced the environment of love, unity and fellowship among the friends.
Hawkes Bay
Two gatherings were held at homes in Hawke’s Bay, on the first and on the third day of the summer school period. On the first day, we watched “Evolution of a New Society” in the morning and part of “Widening the Circle of Participation” in the afternoon. On Day Three we again started by viewing the day’s video, “Contributing to Social Transformation”, often pausing for discussion. In the afternoon we engaged in a craft activity, coating rounded flattish stones with glitter paint, then further enhancing them with key phrases from Bahá’í quotations. “We felt quite inspired from this day (definitely uplifted in spirit). Individually, some have tried to catch up with the other videos.”
Manaia Marae, Coromandel
The participants at this gathering created a complete summer school experience over four days, beginning with a welcome into the house “Te Kouorehua”, by the Tangata Whenua. Most of the plenary sessions and workshops included both adults and youth. Children and one junior youth attended classes together. Recreation happened at the nearby beach and river. The evenings were given to devotions and sharing times. A participant commented: “In our endeavours we have learnt a great deal in a humble posture. God willing, this process of study and experience can be refined and improved with every opportunity we have in these sacred places of the Māori people.” Approximately 10 children, 18 youth, and 26 adults attended.
Mangere north and south sectors, Auckland
Those who attended this gathering, at the Bahá’í Centre in Manurewa, Auckland, expressed a lot of joy - with children and youth thoroughly enjoying their space. There were a few friends from the community of interest who have been involved in neighbourhood activities, and the sectors are looking to a whanau day as a follow-up in late January.
Masterton, Wairarapa
The Spiritual Assembly of Masterton hosted a summer school at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori O Wairarapa, attended by 15 adults. The Bahá’í community enjoys an excellent relationship with this kura, and reflecting on this, the friends came up with the idea of perhaps hosting a sub- regional summer school next year if friends in other clusters are interested.
Masterton had visitors from the TRIUMPH cluster on two days of the summer school. A recreational activity one day was dinner with local families at Castle Point beach (pictured in the photo gallery at the foot of this page).
North Shore, Auckland
Over four days at the Bahá’í Centre in Brown's Bay, participants engaged with the summer school videos and workshops, facilitated by Bahá’í friends with accompaniment from younger friends to allow for capacity-building opportunities. Reflection sessions were offered online using Zoom. A discussion on Day 4 pulled together the themes from Days 1 to 3, integrating the main Bahá’í principles leading to social transformation. Friends connected well with this, especially where principles of society building, unity of vision, global collaboration, empowerment, and collective efforts were seen to be essential in fulfilling the social transformation capacity of the Faith.
All ages engaged together through arts activities. The friends divided into smaller groups for the opportunity to present their thoughts on questions posed in the resource material.
Orakei, Maungakiekie, Tamaki, Owairaka sectors in Auckland
This central Auckland summer school, one of five summer schools in the Auckland cluster, took place at the Bahá’í Centre in Glen Innes, which proved to be a very suitable venue. There were about 80 people present on the first day, including a cohort of children and junior youth. Although numbers were fewer on subsequent days (photo above was taken on the third day), there was a lovely spirit of harmony and engagement each day. Different sectors took responsibility for the logistics each day. Participants enjoyed being together in a large group. Children’s classes were held and the junior youth enjoyed studying the “Health and Wellbeing” branch course of the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Programme.
Palmerston North
A local Bahá’í family hosted a summer school gathering in their home, attended by 11 adults, including two friends of the Faith. Those who attended found it very uplifting and stimulating and there was much discussion on the fourth day about extending efforts with devotional gatherings and study circles. Experimenting with the video sessions led to the group pausing the videos at times, when the group would discuss what they were learning. This made it much easier to absorb the information.
Reefton, Buller District, South Island
A small group met at the Reefton Hideaway for a joyful and fruitful time. Reflection on what line of action would be best to pursue for the Reefton community led to discussion about formation of a nucleus and ideas of engaging the wider community — such as a women's group, after school support, prayers and picnics, and the potential for children's festivals. The nucleus was happy to meet and decide on the best line of action post-summer school. The group travelled to Greymouth and Hokitika for a cultural and experiential trip.
Selwyn District, Canterbury
A local family hosted a small gathering in their home on the morning of 27 December. Following devotions, the video “Widening the Circle of Participation” was watched and a lengthy discussion followed. The friends then had a lovely lunch which was provided by the hosts and enjoyed by all.
South Waikato/Taupo cluster
A gathering brought together eight adults from the local community and seven from Taupo. The outcomes included more understanding of the importance of the institute process and stronger interest in studying the newer Ruhi Books (9-14). The friends felt they had gained a much better vision of the Nine Year Plan and how to release more of the society building powers of the Faith.
Waipa District, Waikato
All age groups found great learning opportunities in the gathering hosted at two nearby homes in Te Awamutu over three days. The adult and youth programme drew 14-18 participants. One youth worked on Book 2 with a tutor and two youth helped with the children's programme for one day. Children participated in activities such as making puppets for a puppet show about Bahá’u’lláh’s father's dream, embellishing and memorising quotations, singing, clay work, screen printing t-shirts, co-operative games, and learning ti rakau and taiaha. Participants of all ages joined in artistic activities during the afternoons. Three junior youth studied junior youth materials. In the weeks after summer school, there was good involvement in the summer orientation and out-reach, including one declaration of faith by a youth.
Whangarei-Kaipara cluster
A family hosted a gathering in their home attended by about 25 adults and youth. A report stated: “Having a locally-based summer school is enabling closer ties of loving fellowship to develop among the friends in the cluster augmenting the effects of all of the other community activities in which bonds of friendship and collaboration can develop. An enthusiasm is being unleashed in the friends that we hope can be harnessed into action over the coming cycles of activity.” It also noted: “Youth and young adults have shared that the national summer schools and youth conferences of the past provided a platform for them to interact with large numbers of young people that supported the development in them of a strong Bahá’í identity. The young adults, now parents themselves, have expressed the desire to see the establishment of similar forums that might provide such opportunities for their children and junior youth, in addition to the local summer schools.”
Children's classes were held using the Ruhi curriculum from Book 3 grade 1. Junior youth studied material from “Thinking about Numbers”.
Featured photo: members of the kitchen team at the Manaia Marae summer school.
Gallery of additional photos: In the gallery below, click on thumbnails to see the complete images.
