About the Bahá’í Faith

The Bahá’í Faith is organized into local, national and international administrative bodies. Local communities are typically established along municipal boundaries and this is the case with Los Angeles. In terms of area and population, the City of Los Angeles stands at the core of one of the largest, most populous urban areas in the country and has a correspondingly large and growing Bahá'í population.

To serve the needs of this community, the Bahá’í have a main “Center” located on Rodeo Road in the Baldwin Hills area of L.A. (Just east of Culver City) and a Bahá’í Community Center in Encino in the San Fernando Valley. The L. A. Bahá’í Center features a large auditorium, numerous classrooms, offices and meeting rooms, a bookstore, a kitchen and comfortable public areas. The Bahá’í Center operates seven days a week.

BBI

The bookstore at the L.A. Bahá’í Centyer, Bahá'í Booksource International, is open Monday-Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. It is closed on Saturday. The bookstore offers a large selection of Bahá’í and Bahá’í related materials and is open to the public.

SUNDAY DEVOTIONAL PROGRAM

A devotional service is held every Sunday at 12:00 p.m. at the L.A. Bahá’í Center and is open to people of all faiths. No donations are solicited or accepted. The program often features the renowned Jeffrey Barnes Bahá’í Choir, as well as a variety of guest speakers and artists.

NEIGHBORHOOD DEVOTIONAL PROGRAMS

The Bahá'í teachings prescribe daily prayer and intimate communion with God as the foundation for a life devoted to spiritual advancement and service to humanity. In addition to practicing private prayer and meditation and communal religious programs, Bahá’ís gather together in the neighborhoods where they live for collective worship. Readings are taken from the Bahá'í writings as well as the Scriptures of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism and Buddhism. These gatherings often offer prayers for healing or assistance to those in need. Since Bahá’ís come from a variety of cultures and styles, musical selections are diverse. No donations are solicited or accepted. Light refreshments are often served.

CHILDREN’S CLASSES

In any community children are always the most precious resource. Much like a young tree, children will grow and develop in whatever way they are trained and according to the influences they experience. Bahá’í children’s classes are intended to nurture spiritually vibrant and healthy young people to grow up without prejudice and with a strong foundation for service to humanity. The Bahá’í Teachings form the basis of these classes and affirm that spiritual education is at the heart of an educational process that leads to the elevation and transformation of the human spirit. Bahá’í children’s classes are open to all children and available in neighborhoods all over the City of Los Angeles. For the location nearest you please e-mail: negar.sapir@gmail.com

STUDY CIRCLES

Study Circles are regular gatherings of people interested in an in-depth and systematic study of the Bahá'í Writings. The purpose of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of the Holy Word, begin to comprehend the spiritual principles involved and then find ways to apply them to our lives through spiritual transformation and service to humanity. The frequency and duration of each study circle is set by the group and a facilitator serves to maintain the focus and pace. Every participant in a study circle makes a commitment to action or service.

JUNIOR YOUTH PROGRAMS

The Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program is a global initiative aimed at endowing youth from 12 to 14 years old with the ability to recognize the spiritual significance of their actions and words. Junior youth work together to develop the skills and attitudes necessary to become agents of change, building on a growing understanding that they have the ability to transform their own lives. Participants work with group leaders to identify service opportunities in their own communities, allowing them the chance to continue to increase their capacity for service to others and strengthen their bonds with each other and the community in which they live.

UNITY CENTER

Located adjacent to the Los Angeles Bahá’í Center is the Unity Center, home to various non-profit enterprises dedicated to the needs of youth. The two-story complex houses a charter school which gives young people in the area access to a quality educational institution. In addition to the school, the non-profit institution MONA (Multicultural Organization for Neighborhood Arts) also makes use of the Dizzy Gillespie Theatre located inside, named in honor of the famed jazz composer/musician. Other groups which have operated in the Unity Center in the past include the American Red Cross, Cornerstone Theatre and Crystal Stairs.

THE NEW SPOT

The New Spot follows in the tracks of the famed Crimson Spot which operated on a weekly basis for years at the L.A. Bahá’í Center. Like The Crimson Spot, The New Spot offers artists a free venue to present their art, hone their performing skills and practice their technique. Singers, poets, musicians, comics and entertainers of every description have made good use of The Crimson Spot and now The New Spot (relocated to the Bahá’í Community Center in Encino) has become Your Spot for Friday nights! Whether you're a student seeking safe harbor from finals, a poet or musician looking for a place to perform or just a coffee-lover looking for that late night killer cup of coffee. Open 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. every Friday evening, March-November.

BAHÁ’Í COMMUNITY CENTER

Bahá’í administration limits any given locality to only one Bahá’í Center, however, there can be any number of Bahá’í Community Centers! L.A.’s Bahá’í Community Center is located at 4830 Genesta Avenue in Encino (near Balboa and Ventura Blvd.) and offers a variety of programming of interest to Bahá’ís as well as to the community at large. Please check the calender section of this website for a listing of current events.