What is a planning party?
    
       Everyone in the cluster of Ottawa is still learning about planning parties, however they generally appear after the Cluster and Sector Reflection meetings as a way for people with similar goals to get together and collectively find practical ways to fulfill their pledges.

     At the planning party, typically a list of the names of everyone’s friends is created and partially shared, along with the corresponding NSA category (Friends who could be invited to 1. Attend a Bahá'í occasion, 2. Study the Faith deeply, or 3. Become a Bahá'í). The Bahá'í events that are taking place in their area are brought up to see if they will accommodate the needs of their invitee list; otherwise new events are planned.

     Planning parties have taken place in relaxed, un-pressured environments flooded with intense individual initiative and loving encouragement from the institutions. A planning party is a ‘planning party.’

Example from: Sector 9 Youth Planning Party: April 2, 2005

     This planning party for youth and junior youth was initiated by the Management Team of Sector 9, the Teaching Committee of Ottawa and assistants to the Auxiliary Board members. There were 30 people in attendance: 21 youth and junior youth, 1 Teaching Committee member, 3 assistants to the Auxiliary Board, 2 junior youth animators, 1 adult collaborating with the SMT, and 2 SMT members.
Everyone was given an introduction by an SMT member, followed by encouragement from an Assistant, and a PowerPoint presentation by a Teaching Committee Member. A few questions were taken and answered. The youth then brainstormed for maybe 15 minutes and listed the names of all of their friends, neighbors, and classmates. When this was complete, they then assigned a number (1, 2, or 3) to each one based on the NSA categories of how interested their friends are in the Bahá'í Faith. The large group was then broken into three groups based on geographic location and other social and logistical factors.

     In our group we then each shared the names of a friend or two in each category. We then went around and shared the events that we had been to that we felt comfortable inviting our friends to—not the ones that we felt we ‘should’ invite our friends to, but the ones we truly felt comfortable inviting them to. The two events that beat out even the junior youth study circles were movie devotionals (with the Jr. youth study circle crowd) and the Howden fireside. Since there was a Jr. youth animator in attendance, a movie devotional was planned with his Drawing on the Power of the Word group in 3 weeks. We shared a few more ideas and then explored the second term in the phrase ‘planning party’ by eating 10 pizzas that had been freshly delivered. Socialization followed amidst raised spirits and high enthusiasm.
 

Sector 1 Planning Party: March 22, 2005

    A few of us met in what was to be Sector 1’s first planning party. We mentioned a few of the friends we had categorized (1, 2, or 3) and pledged to invite by the end of the Teaching Campaign. Most of them were neighbors and co-workers. After consultation the group seemed to embrace the idea of a meet-and-greet with neighbors. This would be followed a few weeks later with a multi-cultural dinner in one of our large basements in which everyone would be invited. The whole experience was relaxed yet there was a strong thrust of individual initiative. In sharing our plans we were encouraged to fulfill them.

Can I arrange a Planning Party?

     Of course! All that is required is to gather some Bahá'ís in your area for the purpose of realizing the goals set at your last Reflection Meeting. Be sure to inform others, such as the Local Spiritual Assembly or Cluster Growth Team so that they can offer support and track your successes!