“Let your vision be world embracing…” — Bahá’u’lláh

Devotional meetings 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.

Bahá’ís see the young as the most precious treasure a community can possess. In them are the promise and guarantee of the future. Yet, in order for this promise to be realised, children need to receive spiritual nourishment. In a world where the joy and innocence of childhood can be so easily overwhelmed by the aggressive pursuit of materialistic ends, the moral and spiritual education of children assumes vital importance.

Baha’i communities all over the world love to create, sponsor and encourage grassroots, neighborhood- and school-based junior youth groups. Designed to help young adolescents between the ages of 11-15 develop into focused, happy and productive teenagers and young adults, junior youth groups teach the crucial moral, spiritual and ethical skills society often fails to transmit to this important age group.

To build a better world requires an ever-growing pool of people capable of contributing to the accomplishment of the myriad tasks at hand. Study Circles are designed to explore the Baha'i Writings in a way the develops knowledge, skills and insight that prepares us to serve our community.