Baháʼís
The Baháʼís of the North Vancouver District are part of the life of the North Shore. We gather for worship in homes across the District, teach children, support our junior youth and youth, and work alongside neighbours through efforts like English Corner. We see ourselves not as a group apart, but as friends learning, alongside our neighbours, how to build a stronger and more united community.
The Baháʼí community on the North Shore has deep roots in the wider Vancouver area, where the Faith first arrived through visiting friends more than a century ago. The Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of the North Vancouver District was formed in 1961. Much of the earlier story belongs to the City of Vancouver community from which ours grew.
The earliest Bahá’í activity in the region was a visit from Howard MacNutt in 1913 to the City of Vancouver.
This was followed by an extensive visit from Marion Jack and Laura Luther in 1920.
Marion arranged for Abu’l-Faḍl-i-Gulpáygání, a Persian Bahá’í scholar, to visit Vancouver in January and February 1921. Four people embraced the Bahá’í Faith on the last day of his February visit, one of whom was Rhoda Harvey, who began holding informal meetings known as firesides in her home. In 1921, Christina Moore pioneered to Vancouver from Seattle and assisted Rhoda with Bahá’í activities enabling four more people to also join the small Bahá’í community in 1922. These small sparks of faith were the beginnings of a long list of events that followed.
In 1912, ʻAbdu’l-Bahá, son of the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, travelled across North America speaking about peace and the oneness of humanity, including a visit to Montreal.
O Thou kind Lord! Unite all. Let the religions agree and make the nations one, so that they may see each other as one family and the whole earth as one home. May they all live together in perfect harmony.
O God! Raise aloft the banner of the oneness of mankind.
O God! Establish the Most Great Peace.
Cement Thou, O God, the hearts together.
O Thou kind Father, God! Gladden our hearts through the fragrance of Thy love. Brighten our eyes through the Light of Thy Guidance. Delight our ears with the melody of Thy Word, and shelter us all in the Stronghold of Thy Providence.
Thou art the Mighty and Powerful, Thou art the Forgiving and Thou art the One Who overlooketh the shortcomings of all mankind.
ʻAbdu’l-Bahá
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