Instilling a shared vision for the Sydney Baha’i House of Worship

A spirit of unity, purpose and fellowship characterised a recent gathering held at the Sydney Baha’i House of Worship, bringing together representatives of numerous Baha’i institutions for a day of study, reflection and planning centred on the development of the institution of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkar. 

The institution of the Baha’i House of Worship, or Mashriqu’l-Adhkar, translates to ‘The Dawning Place of the Mention of God’. It was ordained by Baha’u’llah Himself and is a pivotal concept of Baha’i community life, giving concrete expression to the unity of devotion and service. 

The annual gathering marked an important milestone at a pivotal point in the Temple’s history as the House of Worship is currently being restored as part of the Dayspring of Light project – an enterprise dedicated to the restoration and beautification of the building and surrounding gardens.  

Attended by individuals serving in a wide range of capacities – from Temple guides to elected institution members, filmmakers and engineers working on the Temple restoration, it created a valuable space to reflect on how communities, neighbourhoods and clusters are continuing to build relationships with the House of Worship, and to share insights gained to date. 

Temple Director Roya Shahgholi said the gathering helped participants understand the Baha’i House of Worship not simply as a building, but a spiritual centre connected with the process of community-building. 

“For some participants (LSA members represented), this was a relatively new concept, and the gathering provided an opportunity to explore this relationship,” she said. 

The day was guided by a collective study which deepened the participants’ appreciation of the Temple as an institution in which worship and service are inseparable. “The relationship between worship and service emerged naturally throughout the day,” Roya shared. “Participants reflected not only on the spiritual purpose of the House of Worship, but also on how individuals and communities can contribute through acts of service.” 

Participants were presented with the vision of the Temple, together with lessons drawn from experience and recent visitor statistics showing that up to 27,000 people visit every year. Those gathered considered how the Temple might become more deeply woven into community life: as a sanctuary open to all, a place where people may bring their deepest reflections, prayers and aspirations, and a space from which meaningful acts of service to humanity may flow. A new film about the 1986 Peace Expo, which was held on the Temple grounds, provided an example of the role the House of Worship has played promoting peace and unity for many decades.  

An update on the Dayspring of Light project outlined the progress of the construction and restoration works. Participants learned about the delicate nature of the work, obstacles encountered, and the insights generated through this significant undertaking. The Temple grounds continue to remain open during renovations, with a temporary marquee erected for services. 

Open and honest dialogue between participants brought light into how institutions and communities can collectively celebrate and communicate the role of the House of Worship. Attention was given to using the Temple as a means of reaching one and all, welcoming neighbours, families, schools and community groups into a space of prayer, connection and service, including during the period in which the edifice itself is closed. Over the past year, many communities from across the eastern states of Australia have visited the House of Worship and in some cases held camps and gatherings including bus tours, youth devotional spaces and group visits. 

The gathering concluded with a renewed sense of purpose. As the Dayspring of Light project advances, an exciting chapter awaits, one in which the Sydney Baha’i House of Worship can play an increasingly integral role in the pattern of community life, as a spiritual home for all, a source of unity and a beacon inspiring worship and service throughout wider society. 

“Friends who had attended previous gatherings noted that, each year, their understanding goes deeper and that they could see how their own capacity, their communities’ capacity, and their connection with the House of Worship has developed,” Roya shared.