Activities

All programs and events hosted by the Bahá’í’s are aimed at fostering a spirit of fellowship with all people. The public is always welcomed and no donations are accepted.

Devotional/Prayer Gathering

Readings and prayers are shared from Holy Writings of Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Bahá’í Faith, Zoroastrian Faith and other religions.

The YouTube video to the right gives a live description of the Bahá’í Devotional Gatherings:

Children’s Classes (ages 3-11)

Education holds a very significant place in the Bahá’í Faith and Bahá’ís are to take the education of the young seriously.

Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom.

-Bahá’u’lláh

In this New Cycle, education and training are recorded in the Book of God as obligatory and not voluntary. That is, it is enjoined upon the father and mother, as a duty, to strive with all effort to train the daughter and the son, to nurse them from the breast of knowledge and to rear them in the bosom of sciences and arts.

-Abdu’l-Bahá

…Bahá’u’lláh considered education as one of the most fundamental factors of a true civilization. This education, however, in order to be adequate and fruitful, should be comprehensive in nature and should take into consideration not only the physical and the intellectual side of man but also his spiritual and ethical aspects.

-From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi

Classes for children are open to all. They teach spiritual attitudes and behavior based on Bahá’í principles. They nurture spiritually vibrant and healthy young people who will grow up without prejudice and with a powerful sense of their purpose and their role in serving humanity.

During the school year we hold children’s classes at Madison Elementary School in collaboration with the Department of Parks and Recreation. The class occurs on Tuesdays from 3:30 to 4:30. A second class for younger children (2-4) is held in a private home on Sundays.

Junior Youth Empowerment Classes (ages 12-15)

Among the most important tasks of any endeavor which seeks to build a future of strong, unified communities is to look towards the education of children and young teens, especially those between the ages of 12-15, also known as “junior youth”.

The primary purpose of a junior youth group is to serve as an environment of mutual support, one in which the spiritual perception, patterns of thought and behavior, as well as the necessary language can be developed so as to enable these youth to become builders of unity and champions of justice in their own neighborhoods and communities.

Each group centers around the study of materials which have been developed, piloted and adopted in junior youth groups around the globe. Their relevance goes beyond cultural or religious boundaries, and they seek to help junior youth develop an intellectual and spiritual framework with which to approach their path in life. In addition to study, Junior Youth Groups also focus on the arts and service to the wider community.

Junior Youth in Pasadena

The Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program is gaining increasing momentum as members of the community from all backgrounds begin to recognize the necessity of attending to the special needs and immense potential of this energetic age group.

Junior youth are currently participating in groups held at Washington STEAM Magnet Academy, Villa Parke Community Center, Jackie Robinson Center, Harambee Preparatory Middle School, local parks, and neighborhood homes.

The Pasadena Bahá’í community also offers training and mentoring for those who wish to become facilitators of a junior youth group. Training is open to all interested individuals.

The YouTube video to the right gives a live description of how the JY program works:

Adult Study Circles

Bahá’í Study Circles provide participants with knowledge, spiritual enlightenment and practical skills to help enhance one’s capacity to contribute to the betterment of society. The study material frequently used is a formalized course based on Bahá’í writings and religious beliefs. There are currently ten courses available for study, with the guidance of an experienced Bahá’í Tutor. The role of the tutor is to facilitate learning and discussion in the group.

The titles of these courses are:

Reflections on the Life of the Spirit

This course has touched the hearts of many from the most remote villages to the most populated cities! It is designed to enhance spiritual identity, offer skills in study of Sacred Texts, enrich prayer life and offer insights on the meaning of life and death. Participants learn that true life is the life of the spirit. Skills learned include those needed to hold devotional meetings in your home and neighborhood.

Arising to Serve

This course shares principles and teachings that frame Bahá’í community life. These principles include the Oneness of Humanity, the Equality of Women and Men, Universal Education and Justice. Through the example of sharing concepts with new Bahá’ís, this course helps the participant to understand the joy of sharing the Bahá’í teachings, and trains participants with practical skills to do so with interested individuals. The course also offers training in how to introduce spiritual principles into our daily conversations with others.

Teaching Children’s Classes

This course is of benefit to all, as we all have interactions with the children in our lives. These children are the most precious treasure a community can possess. The course offers skills in spiritual parenting, understanding the nature of children and in conducting classes for children with love, understanding and the discipline necessary to create a proper learning environment. Participants are trained to offer children’s classes in their home and neighborhood.

Twin Manifestations

This course addresses the lives of the Twin Manifestations – the Herald of the Bahá’í Faith, the Báb, and the Author of the Bahá’í Revelation, Bahá’u’lláh. Through it participants gain spiritual insights into the potency of the short and dramatic Ministry of the Báb, the magnitude and significance of the spiritual forces released by Bahá’u’lláh in this Day and the promise this new Revelation holds for humanity.

Releasing the Power of Junior Youth

According to the Bahá’í teachings, an individual reaches the age of maturity at 15, when spiritual and moral obligations become binding. The years immediately before this age, then, take on special significance. This is the time when fundamental concepts about individual and collective life are formulated in the mind of an adolescent struggling to leave behind the habits of childhood. Youth between the ages of 12 to 15 have much to say, and whoever treats them as children misses the opportunity to help them form a proper identity.

Teaching the Cause

People from every walk of life are welcome to explore the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh and learn how they can apply them to better their lives. All Bahá’ís, then, share liberally and unconditionally the teachings and precepts of their Faith. Although the propagation of Bahá’u’lláh’s message is one of the most essential services to be rendered, teaching is also a state of being—a state of being in which one is constantly sharing with others that which one has been so bountifully blessed. This concept is explored in the first unit of Book 6, “The Spiritual Nature of Teaching”. The next two units, “The Qualities and Attitudes of the Teacher” and “The Act of Teaching”, examine various notions about the nature of teaching in light of the Bahá’í writings and how it should be approached, emphasizing the importance of adopting a posture of learning. Of particular significance is the example offered in the third unit of how to introduce the Faith to a seeker through the story of Anna and Emilia.

Walking Together on a Path of Service

This course prepares individuals to become tutors of these study circles, an act of service crucial to the community.

The Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh

This course introduces the concept of the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh in three units, the first dealing with the period following the ascension of Bahá’u’lláh, describes the station of Abdu’l-Bahá, His Chosen Successor and the Interpreter of His teachings. The second, follows the progress of the Cause from the time of the passing of Abdu’l-Bahá up to the election of the House of Justice, guiding the reader through the ministry of Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Faith. Finally, the third unit explores some of the major developments that have occurred in the Faith under the guidance of the Universal House of Justice and briefly examines the nature of the Bahá’í community as it is today.

Gaining an Historical Perspective

The first unit explores the concept of the Eternal Covenant of God as described in the Bahá’í Writings. The second unit, entitled “Passage to Maturity”, will examine the mission of the Faith in light of this historical moment, while the third unit will focus on the unfoldment of the Divine Plan and the activities associated with it.

Building Vibrant Communities

Unit 1- Accompanying One Another on the Path of Service, expresses the collective learning of the Bahá’í world community during the past few years regarding accompaniment.

Unit 2- Consultation. The deliberations on the topic of consultation in this unit will make it clear just how essential the principle of consultation is to steady progress in all areas of our collective life and how this paramount principle finds expression in the work of a consultative body.

Firesides

Firesides are informal meetings where those interested can examine and explore the teachings of the Bahá’í Faith. These meetings encourage questions and open-minded discussion about various aspects of the Faith. Everyone is welcome.

Firesides in Pasadena

Currently there are three regular firesides in Pasadena.