Devotional Gatherings
Devotionals, or prayer gatherings, are taking place around the world where the importance of the spiritual dimension of human existence is being appreciated. These gatherings provide an opportunity for people of all faiths and backgrounds to come together in the spirit of love and fellowship, to meditate and share prayers in an informal yet respectful atmosphere. 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. Participants are encouraged to bring prayer from other faiths as well as spiritual poems or passages from various Scriptures to share.
To learn about the devotional gatherings happening in Markham, please contact us.
Children's Classes
Education of children is essential for developing qualities that will lead to their moral and spiritual growth. Through learning moral qualities such as truthfulness, justice, love and unity, children learn to think and reflect on their lives and allow those qualities to guide their choices as they grow up. In addition, children learn about the lives of humanity’s spiritual teachers such as Krishna, Zoroaster, Moses, Buddha, Christ, Muhammad, the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh.
Eduction is given through various means such as music, stories, art, games, drama, and community service. The role of education is to “mine the gem”- to bring the best out of each student’s character. Even though Baha’is believe that humans are noble and spiritual beings in essence, they also believe that education is necessary to bring the best of human qualities to life.
There is currently a weekly program for children aged 1-12 in Markham. Please contact us if you are interested to have a class of your own or to participate in one of the programs available.
Junior Youth Groups
The Junior Youth Program is suited for junior youth (age 12 to 14) and is meant to allow young people to express their ideas, develop their moral capacities, and provide service to community. The belief system in junior youth program is that youth are capable of independently thinking and reflecting about the world and their place within it. The youth gatherings provide an appropriate environment that is necessary to give youth support, confidence, and encouragement, allowing them to become empowered to direct their energy towards service to humanity and to make positive contributions to their communities. In junior youth classes, young people meet regularly with an animator to study, discuss, and reflect on lessons usually through artistic, extracurricular, and community service initiatives.
There are currently some programs for junior youth in Markham community. Please contact us to learn more.
Study Circles
A study circle or training institute comprises of a group of individuals who meet on a regular basis to deepen their understanding of the Bahá’í teachings, and to gain the spiritual and moral insights and practical skills to apply the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh in their lives and communities, and ultimately to the advancement of civilization. Led by a facilitator- who does not hold a special status- a study circle utilizes a participatory method of learning and encourages participants to be active agents of their own learning, and to equally express their opinions and engage in open dialogues. The materials that are most frequently used are known as the Ruhi courses and cover topics such as the history of the Baha’i faith, the power of prayer, service to humanity, the nature of the soul and life after death.
If you are interested to join a study circle in Markham please feel free to contact us.