“A community is a comprehensive unit of civilization composed of individuals, families and institutions that are originators and encouragers of systems, agencies and organizations working together with a common purpose for the welfare of people both within and beyond its own borders; it is a composition of diverse, interacting participants that are achieving unity in an unremitting quest for spiritual and social progress.” UHJ (Ridvan 153)
Bahai’s in their initial steps towards community building focus on four mutually inter-related activities involving children, junior youth, youth and adults. These activities aim to address the spiritual, material, physical and intellectual needs of a community and provide a model for engagement in an inclusive life of society.
Devotional gatherings spring up naturally in a community where a conversation about the spiritual dimension of human existence is growing. In diverse settings, Bahá’ís and their friends and families unite with one another in prayer. There are no rituals; no one individual has any special role. Meetings consist largely of reading prayers and passages from the Bahá’í sacred texts in an informal yet respectful atmosphere. A spirit of communal worship is generated by these simple gatherings, and this spirit begins to permeate the community’s collective endeavours. Today thousands upon thousands of such regular devotional meetings are held in localities throughout the world—in Vancouver, there are hundreds of such gatherings held in small settings in almost every neighbourhood.
Study groups are informal or semi-formal study groups, usually centered around existing social groups (such as families, groups of friends, neighbours, co-workers, etc.), which gather regularly with some common aim or goal in mind. Participating in a study circle, one commences a journey through a series of booklets concerned with different aspects of the life of an individual, how best to serve ones family, ones community and the society at large. The first booklet, “Reflections on the Life of the Spirit” engages the group in studying three important spiritual aspects: understanding the Baha’i writings; prayer; and life after death. You’ll explore mystical, beautiful and powerful Baha’i writings like this one:
“Know thou that the soul of man is exalted above, and is independent of all infirmities of body or mind. That a sick person showeth signs of weakness is due to the hindrances that interpose themselves between his soul and his body, for the soul itself remaineth unaffected by any bodily ailments. Consider the light of the lamp. Though an external object may interfere with its radiance, the light itself continueth to shine with undiminished power. In like manner, every malady afflicting the body of man is an impediment that preventeth the soul from manifesting its inherent might and power. When it leaveth the body, however, it will evince such ascendancy, and reveal such influence as no force on earth can equal. Every pure, every refined and sanctified soul will be endowed with tremendous power, and shall rejoice with exceeding gladness. – Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, pp. 153-154.”
The family unit is the nucleus of human society. It provides a vital setting for the development of praiseworthy qualities and capacities. Through its harmonious functioning and the development and maintenance of the bonds of love that join together its members, it gives constant expression to the truth that the well-being of the individual is inextricably bound to the progress and well-being of others.
Those aged 12 to 15 represent a transition from childhood to youth. These young adolescents —referred to as “junior youth”—experience rapid physical, intellectual, and emotional changes. Their spiritual powers expand. A new level of awareness fosters in them an increased interest in profound questions and in their talents and abilities. During this short and critical three-year period, ideas about the individual and society that may very well shape the rest of their lives are formed. However, delight at these new powers is often combined with feelings of worry, discomfort, and doubt that may produce contradictions in behaviour. Directing their new abilities towards selfless service to humanity is therefore needed at this age.
The Junior Youth Empowerment program engages participants in a wide range of activities that include study, healthy recreation, arts, and service to the wider community. Group discussions are enhanced by a sequence of books designed to develop language skills and enhance their powers of expression.
The Bahá’ís of Vancouver come from all backgrounds and walks of life. We are united by the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, the Founder of the Bahá’í Faith: that there is one God, one human race, and one evolving religion.
Bahá’ís see humanity as a single people who live in a shared world and a one common destiny; “the earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.”
