Shining lamps: celebrating our Local Spiritual Assemblies

First, hearty congratulations are due to the Horowhenua Spiritual Assembly which has come into being at Ridván this year, and to Hastings Bahá’í community on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of their Local Spiritual Assembly this Ridván, which denotes a tremendous sustained effort by the local friends for half a century.

Another milestone that we note at Ridván this year is the 30th anniversary of many Local Spiritual Assemblies in their present jurisdictional areas, many of which were formed by combining with other adjacent communities when the locality boundaries that define most of our current local Bahá’í communities in 2020 were redrawn in 1989. A few Local Spiritual Assemblies, such as Waimakariri, established themselves for the first time 30 years ago. We have not had the opportunity yet to research a complete list, but we wish to acknowledge the devoted efforts of all the friends who have worked to uphold and develop Aotearoa's "beacons of light" over the years.

The institution of a Local Assembly is a divinely ordained entity which is unique in the history of political institutions and has “…no parallel in the annals of any of the world’s recognized religious systems.” This institution was fashioned by a perfect Architect as the basic administrative unit of an Administrative Order which, though it must grow and mature, contains the latent pattern of a New World Order which the whole of mankind is destined to embrace.

Spanning successive global Plans, the veteran Local Spiritual Assemblies of Aotearoa have continuously encouraged the unity of their communities, protected the Cause of God, and served as loving shepherds to individuals and families in their care. They will continue to be shining lamps and heavenly gardens “…from which the fragrances of holiness are diffused over all regions, and the lights of knowledge are shed abroad over all regions.”

Acknowledging these achievements, the National Spiritual Assembly knows that the friends will continue to unitedly support their local institutions, will go on building capacity to serve others, and will arise with ever greater energy to win the goals of the current Plan with the loving support and encouragement of their Local Spiritual Assemblies.