The Baha’i’s of the Yakima Valley
We hold regular meetings and have a full range of on-going activities in an effort to help build stronger spiritual communities. These activities make up the core of Baha’i community life worldwide. There are four generally recognized core activities: devotional meetings, study circles, junior youth groups and children’s classes.
Yakima baha’i gatherings and events include the following:
Study Circles
Study circles are a series of courses designed to help individuals create a conscious basis of a life of service to humanity, and to find practical applications of spiritual principles. They are usually conducted in small groups with one individual serving as a tutor to facilitate the learning process.
The course consists of three units: Understanding the Baha’i Writings, Prayer, and Life and Death. The purpose of this course is to help the individual reflect upon and understand these important topics through direct interaction with the Word of God.
Devotionals (Prayers Meetings)
Regular devotional meetings are essential to the spiritual life of the community. They serve to both reinforce the spiritual growth of the individual and foster the dynamics of love and unity within the community. The programs are simple and free from rituals. People may gather in the local Baha’i Centre or in someone’s home. Music and candles may be used to create a meditative and reflective atmosphere. Sometimes writings may be pre-selected and focused on a specific topic. Devotional meetings are open to all and you are warmly welcomed to join us.
Children’s Classes
As children are the future of the community, their spiritual education is viewed by Baha’is as the most important and meritorious of services. In light of this, the Baha’i community offers children’s classes at Baha’i centres and other venues, so that the classes may be available to as many children as possible.
The writings of the Baha’i Faith affirm that spiritual education is at the heart of an educational process that leads to the elevation and transformation of the human spirit.
Junior Youth Groups
Junior youth classes help youth ages 11-14 develop spiritual and intellectual capacities. The classes combine learning with service, teaching youth to put spiritual principles into practice in their lives. The curriculum helps them to enhance their spiritual perception and make sound moral decisions.
The classes also help youth develop the power of expression through the arts. Classes may include singing, drama, crafts and other art forms to help teach spiritual principles. The classes are designed to be engaging for the youth while instilling in them positive values.
Holy Day Celebrations
Certain days in the Baha’i calendar are set aside to be observed as holy days; work may or may not be suspended as well. For the most part, these Holy days are celebrations and commemorations of important events in the lives of the central figures of the Baha’i Faith, such as the festival of Riḍván, which commemorates Bahá’u’lláh’s Declaration of His Mission to certain of His most trusted disciples. Certain other days, such as Naw-Rúz, have a general spiritual character but do not commemorate a specific event in history. The table below list the holy days as well as other significant observances that occur every year.
Feasts
The Nineteen Day Feasts are regular community gatherings, occurring on the first day of each month of the Bahá’í calendar (and so most often nineteen days apart from each other). Each gathering consists of a Devotional, Administrative, and Social part.
Firesides
A fireside is a term used in the Bahá’í Faith to describe an informal meeting between Bahá’ís and anyone who may be interested in learning about the Faith. Firesides aim to present on baha’i spiritual topics and answer questions, in a mature community both firesides and study circles will be taking place.
Learn more about the Baha’i Faith on
The Bahá’í Faith – The website of the worldwide Bahá’í community.