Description
Interfaith Book of Comfort and Healing
This is the GIVE-AWAY edition of this popular booklet. For the fancier GIFT EDITION click here. These beautiful booklets were designed to be given away in hospital chapels and waiting rooms, but I am sure that Baha’is will find a myriad ways to use them in their teaching work. They contain over 200 short prayers and quotations from ten different religions, with an emphasis on the six major world religions, including Baha’i. Topics center around healing, but include sections on God’s love, protection, and forgiveness, the purpose of tests, different aspects of health and healing, and the soul and afterlife. It ends with an extensive selection of prayers for serenity. There is enough here to fill ten devotional programs.
Baha’is will want to offer a stack to every hospital, doctor’s office, health clinic, nursing home, hospice, mental health center, and health-food store in your area. Anyone who reads it will be comforted, and will also be impressed by the beauty and power of the many Bahá’í quotations included. Once health-care practitioners see how helpful they are in comforting an increasingly diverse patient population, they will want to buy a case for themselves. (See some of their comments in Reviews.)
For a ready-to-go plan on how to offer these to local hospitals and senior living facilities, click the Service Project Idea tab to the left.
Interfaith Resources is a division of Special Ideas. This booklet was compiled by Justice St Rain and Lynnea Yancy Meyer, and reflects the high-quality and attention to detail that you’ve come to expect from Special Ideas.
This booklet coordinates well with our Interfaith Prayer for Healing Bookmarks
Note, we ship cases by Media Mail. If you are in a hurry, please choose Priority Mail instead of Flat Rate. Media Mail to most of the country is 7-10 days, but to AK & HI it is 30 days.
Service Project Idea
This is the description of a service project carried out by the Baha’is of Sumter County, FL, combining the gift of our Comfort and Healing booklet with online devotional meetings for residents of Senior Living Facilities.
***
COMMUNITY BUILDING SERVICE PROJECT:
Disseminate Interfaith Compilations to the residents, family, activity directors and staff of Senior Living/Assisted Living/Nursing Homes and Hospitals in the Sumter County, FL area with invitations to an Interfaith Devotional every week.
Inspired by Feast Letter from NSA on 4/7/2020 –
“Let us also pray for the mitigation of the pandemic’s severity and for the safety and health of those at greatest risk – the elderly, the infirm, the poor, and the homeless.”….let us all remember the connection between prayer and service…nothing could be more important than offering them hope, by doing all in our power to share with them the healing message of Baha’u’llah. As the beloved Master, ‘Abdu’l-Baha, advises:
O ye friends of God! True friends are even as skilled physicians, and the Teachings of God are as healing balm, a medicine for the conscience of man. They clear the head, so that man can breathe them in and delight them in and delight in their sweet fragrance. They waken those who sleep. They bring awareness to the unheeding, and a portion to the outcast, and to the hopeless, hope… Wherefore, look not on the degree of your capacity, ask not if you are worthy of the task: rest ye your hopes on the help and loving-kindness, the favors and bestowals of Baha’u’llah – may my soul be offered up for His friends! Urge on the steed of high endeavor over the field of sacrifice, and carry away from this wide arena the prize of divine grace.
Step 1:
Consulted with the Local Spiritual Assembly of Sumter County, FL and they offered their support and several members of the assembly helped to edit and construct the introduction letters to Chaplin of the local Hospital, Activity Directors and Residents of Assisted Living Homes in the Sumter county and ads produced to assist this service project.
Step 2:
Found thru Special Ideas the Interfaith Compilations available to disperse: Buying books in bulk and delivering them to the homes saved money. Also, having them in individual envelopes 6 x9, addressed as a Gift to the Residents of … & the Activity Directors picked them up outside during the pandemic.
Book of Comfort & Healing – Prayers & Inspiration from Many Faiths
Meditations on the Life to Come – Comfort & Prayers from Many Faiths
Prayer Cards for Healing and Refresh and Gladden My Spirit
The Interfaith Prayer Book – mostly used for The Hospital Clergy Staff
True Wealth For Troubled Times – A Baha’i Perspective
Step 3:
Researched the homes (Assisted/Senior Living/Independent Living/Nursing Homes) in our jurisdiction of our county. Most of them had 3 divisions. Made a list of all homes, addresses, phone numbers and then called to get the name of their Activity Director or Life Enrichment Director. Fact finding at this point.
Created a standard letter with the help and approval of LSA to go to 8-10 facilities Activity Directors or Life Enrichment Directors (see sample in the attachments)
Step 4:
Created a flyer: WELCOME TO INTERFAITH DEVOTIONS ON ZOOM
Every Saturday at 10:00 am – (see sample in the attachments) this allows residents and their family to attend and even staff of the homes.
In addition, we created devotions from the compilations by chapters in this book to allow the residents or friends follow along and that way made it easy to participate in offering a prayer of their choice. We welcomed anything someone wanted to share and leave time to socialize too.
UHJ – In Devotional gatherings: Feelings of fellowship and common cause are generated, particularly in spiritually heightened conversations that naturally occur at such times and through which the “city of the human heart” may be opened. NSA, Feast of Qawl Letter, 11/21/20
Step 5:
Learned thru Zoom.com (easy) – how to host Zoom meetings. Signed up for a year subscription to be able to host the meetings for up to 100 people with no time restraints. Important to learn how to schedule a meeting and how to share a screen to view the readings for the devotion.
Step 6:
Created an individual packet with a label on front – Gifts to the resident of Name of Resident Facility. Packet included:
2 Interfaith Compilations
Book of Comfort & Healing – each at bulk rate of 1.30 for (150 copies) normally 3.95 each.
Meditations on the Life to Come each at bulk rate 1.25 each for 120 books (normally 3.95 each)
Letter of introduction to the Residents of the Home
One Prayer Card for Refresh and Gladden My Spirit (used like a book mark in compilation.
Note: All material had a label on it, giving local contact information. This label was printed on a personal printer.
NOTE:
IN CALLING THE ACTIVITY DIRECTORS OR CHAPLAINS AT HOSPITALS
Simply, say a prayer or remover of difficulties and follow your heart with introducing yourself and the reason you are calling them.
I used this example in speaking to the Activities Director: As an individual I wanted to create a Community Development Project and because of the uncertain times we are living in, I wanted to reach out to all of the Assisted Living facilities in our county and offer these free compilations of Comfort and Healing Prayers and Inspirations from 10 different Faith Traditions. So far, this has been very well received by other senior resident facilities. I was hoping to mail you a sample of these compilations to review. Then you could let me know after you receive this, how many you may want to have for your residents. To be safe, all of the books can be individually packaged in an envelope addressed as a Gift to the residents. Because of the Pandemic, family and friends cannot always visit the residents so I created a weekly Interfaith devotion that all are welcome to attend for fellowship and writings and prayers that can help ease the cares, comfort the hearts and united the hearts in a sacred acknowledgement of the mysteries of life and the values held in common. By the way how many residents do you have? Do any of them use Zoom? Maybe your staff may also want to have these or some extra for the family of the residents?
Note:
1.) Some facilities wanted only 3 copies for their lending libraries.
2.) Many wanted to give every resident with a packet with 2 compilations and copy of the Interfaith Devotion flyer and Letter to the Resident. So far we have passed out over 400 packets to residents.
3.) Only a few could not accept the compilations because of the corporate rules due the pandemic. One activity director said, she was so impressed with the material and as soon as the rules are lifted she wanted 82 copies for every one of their residents.
4.) One other activity director wanted 120 packets and was going to hold a special meeting to pass it out to their residents. She said this material is so moving and important.
***
Update Note:
Having reached all the Senior Living facilities in our County, we will continue to check in with them if they need more gift packets. Plan to help neighboring Baha’i Groups in other Counties to help reach their Senior Living Facilities, & Hospital Chaplains in the same way. Currently, reaching out to my neighbors, friends, family and the Baha’i Community to give this healing words of comfort to anyone needing it. Have been sending the same type of letter and packet with invitations to the Devotional on Saturdays to continue the spirit of Community Building and again the response has been warmly received. So powerful to share the healing Word of God!
****
For a sample of the cover letter they used, click on the other tab.
Sample Cover Letter
Name of Activity Director
Name of Senior Living Facility
Address City, State, Zip
RE: To the friends of _______________
In the spirit of service to humanity, the Baha’i Community of [your community] would like to donate these three Interfaith Compilations, which include words of comfort, and prayers from many faith traditions, to the residents of your facility. We hope that you will disseminate these to individuals that will find comfort in the content, especially during these uncertain times.
“The troubles of this world pass, and what we have left is what we have made of our souls; so it is to this we must look – to becoming more spiritual, drawing nearer to God, no matter what our human minds and bodies go through.”
The Baha’i Writings
The three compilations include:
Book of Comfort & Healing, Interfaith Resources: Prayers & Inspirations from Many Faiths: If right now you are in need of comfort & healing this book offers a source to feel more connected with the Creator, and help to ease the cares of your heart, and will light your way forward.
The Interfaith Prayer Book: It shares prayers from a variety of faith traditions which has special potential that can unite the hearts in sacred acknowledgment of the mysteries of life and the sacred values held in common.
Meditations on the Life to Come, Interfaith resources: It is comforting to know that every major religion around the world and throughout time has promised that there is more to life than this physical plane and they all express confidence that the next world will be a place of joy. This compilation is meant to ease the fears, comfort the hearts, gives life meaning, and prepares us for the moment the soul separates from the body and continues its eternal journey towards its Maker.
In addition, in this time of social distancing, it is always important to remember that physical distance does not mean emotional distance. If residents and/or their family members wish to attend Interfaith Devotions Weekly on Zoom (See flyer attached) for upliftment and hope, via zoom, by phone, computer, or tablet we invite them to join us. We can be contacted at [# or e-mail] or, for more information go to our local website: https://[your local page] or our National Baha’i website: www.bahai.us
If you would like to receive more compilations for your residents or reach the coordinator of Devotions to attend them, please contact ___ at [# or e-mail].
With sincere regards,
The Baha’is of Sumter County
Sample Invitation to Devotions
WELCOME TO INTERFAITH DEVOTIONS ON ZOOM
We hold Interfaith Devotions every Saturday morning at 10:00 am, where people of all faiths and all paths can come together in a spirit of harmony, worship together, have meaningful conversations, and discuss spiritual ideas. To receive an invitation to join a zoom meeting contact [e-mail & phone] Join the meeting by tablet, computer, or phone. Info: https://bahaisofsumtercounty
Acts of devotion are inherent to religious life. Through them, individuals and communities continually reinforce the unique bond that exists between God and humanity. This bond vitalizes the relationships that sustain society – between individuals and among the various elements of the community.
Nothing reveals the heart of a people more than prayer. And sharing prayers from a variety of faith traditions has special potential. It can unite hearts in sacred acknowledgement of the mysteries of life and sacred values held in common.
“Gather ye together with the utmost joy and fellowship and recite the verses revealed by the merciful Lord. By so doing the doors to true knowledge will be opened to your inner beings and ye will then feel your souls endowed with steadfastness and your hearts filled with radiant joy.” – The Baha’i Writings
Free Copies of Interfaith Resources Compilations are provided by the Baha’i Community of ____ and available at your location to receive and perhaps select a reading to share for the devotional.
virtue99 –
05/04/2011, 01:09 PM
“Every day I visit men, women, and children who are in need of comfort and healing. The title of this interfaith piece, “Book of Comfort & Healing,” is readily accepted by the patients and families I attend to as a chaplain. The prayers and inspiration from several faiths enhance my ministry and enable me to bring comfort and healing to others here at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center/Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach. “This is just what I was looking for,” and ” This will help me a great deal,” are just a couple of comments I have heard from some patients. Thank you.”
– Rev. Joe Holguin, MDiv
virtue99 –
08/20/2014, 03:20 PM
“I have suffered from a genetic illness since my birth 55 years ago. I have beaten countless odds and made liars of many people who predicted my passing, including members of the medical profession.
But clearly God has a plan for me and I keep bouncing back. Recently I was guided to your booklet of prayers and inspirations from many faiths. It has become one more of the bounties and bestowals God showers on me. I have been reading it, sometimes with joy and laughter and sometimes with tears and a breaking heart but always I am comforted and inspired. And renewed, strengthened in my faith. Magnified in my love of God. Lead, encouraged and confirmed on my path and in His plan.
Thank you. For helping me to keep lifting my eyes, turning my face towards God, singing His Glories and for being among the ranks of those with whom He assists.”
– Nora
virtue99 (verified owner) –
This came in by e-mail during the Covid-19 outbreak:
Words are insufficient to express how grateful we are for the interfaith book of Comfort and Healing!
We at the hospital now have a designated prayer space in our cafeteria and people are sitting and praying alone and together- using your book as a guide!
God bless !
Rev Cindy Wilcox
Chaplain
(prayer areas with booklets were set 6 ft apart)