Annual Ministry Report 2004 - ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry

Annual Ministry Report 2004

ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry

​GBC REPORT 2004

Take a Peek Around the World:

➢ Brisbane started the Spiritual Achievers Club, which incorporates the Siksa-Program of recognition and encouragement (in ISKCON Laws since 1993)

➢ Houston also started the Siksa Program

➢ 50 devotees took different levels

➢ Houston has now 8 groups (2 Bhakti-vrikshas & 6 Outreach) groups)

➢ San Jose, California, has now 4 Bhakti-vriksha groups and one Krsna Children Club.

➢ Growth reported in Africa & South America.

In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, three systems coexist and complement each other:

➢ Bhakti-vriksha, Counselor Groups & Nama-hatta

➢ Grihastha Vision Team starts training in North America

➢ Grihastha Vision Team presents new course: “Strengthening the Bonds that Free Us”

➢ Grihastha Vision Team also trains Mentor Couples

➢ The Spiritual Strategic Planning Team, USA, focuses on many congregation-related areas such as…

➢ Temple Hospitality

➢ Sunday Schools

➢ Youth Programs

➢ Counseling

➢ Nama-hatta

➢ Sunday Feast

➢ Retreats

➢ Introductory Coursework

➢ Grihastha Initiatives

➢ “Weekend Warriors” and more

“Mathuradesa” most developed Bhakti-vriksha Program:

➢ 1 Yatra Leader

➢ 11 Maha-cakrapatis

➢ 14 Cakrapatis

➢ 30 Upacakrapatis

➢ 97 Bhakti-vrikshas

➢ 24 Nama-hattas

➢ 2005 goal: to double the Bhakti-vrikshas

Pune, India, reported:

➢ 14 Counselor Groups

➢ 45 Bhakti-vrikshas

➢ 1440 educational programs

China:

➢ “Free to Preach” translated and printed in Chinese.

➢ Every devotee in China gets a free copy.

Russia:

➢ Russia: although Moscow Temple closed, the congregation maintains and expands.

Siberia:

➢ In parts of Siberia, far from temples, major towns have congregational yatras, with 10-20 Bhakti-vriksha groups each.

Australasia:

➢ Australasia: New approaches emerging in cultivation of contacts through email-newsletters, web sites and mobile phones.

Congregation building should come before and along with Temple building:

So, if you go on simply opening centers, if there is no knowledge then it will again become a closed church someday. So, don’t do that. Before opening a center, you must have perfect worshiper, perfect devotees. Not perfect, at least those who are willing to become. Then open.

Lecture, 23 July, 1975

Srila Prabhupada’s 108 Anniversary:

Goal:

➢ to inspire and train as many temples and yatras as possible to strategically plan for their systematic congregational growth.

Strategic Planning training done in:

➢ Melbourne-Australia, New Govardhana-Australia, New Santipur-Poland, Penang-Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur-Malaysia, Croatia, Russia, India-RGB/ICC, Mayapur-MAC, Damodar Desa-Middle East, Balaram Desa-Middle East, Atlanta-USA, Lima-Peru, Guayaquil-Ecuador, Santiago-Chile, Cochabamba-Bolivia, Continental Festival at Nova Gokula-Brazil Farm, Colombia, Durban-South Africa, Johannesburg-South Africa, Bangalore-India, Mathuradesa-Middle East, Bhaktivedanta Manor-UK, Soho Street, London-UK, Copenhagen-Denmark, Malmoe-Sweden, India (West Bengal, Assam & Orissa Nama-hatta preachers, Chennai, Tirupati, and Hosur) and a number of other places at different festivals.

ANTARDVIPA, Sri Jagannatha Mandir, Kuala Lumpur:

Reporting & Scores:

➢ Other organizations are much more careful in keeping track.

➢ The Jehovah Witnesses, for instance, can tell you the total hours of preaching for every country and how many hours it takes to make a convert in different places.

 Home Programs 2005: 47,468

➢ 5030 Sraddha-kutirs reported.

➢ 3236 people attended educational programs monthly

VISION:

The bridge between present and future.

➢ There are ISKCON congregations in every town and village of the world, firmly connected with existing temples or, where there are no temples, functioning self-sufficiently under GBC guidance.

➢ All congregational devotees are active in groups, they are cared for, they receive ongoing education and they are empowered to preach and become spiritual reference points for others.

➢ Temples provide a welcoming and conducive atmosphere; exemplary temple residents.

➢ Contacts are systematically nurtured and cultivated; congregational preaching follows as the natural sequence to book distribution, festivals, etc.

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