Love Holds the Universe Together


The Bahá'ís of Rancho Cucamonga come from a variety of backgrounds, brought together by a common belief in the oneness of humanity and the unity of religion. We work alongside others to become a force of positive change by applying insights from the Bahá'í teachings to bring about a more just, peaceful and unified community.
In keeping with the Baha'i principle of involvement in the life of society without entanglement in partisan politics, the Baha'is of Rancho Cucamonga have strong collaborative relationships with the City of Rancho Cucamonga, notably through the Healthy RC Steering Committee and the Compassionate Committees sub-committee. We have established partnership relationships with local universities and like-minded non-profit organizations, as well.

A video Introduction to the Baha'i Faith by Rainn Wilson:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLSaDVG4yBE




The Bahá'í Faith is the youngest of the world's independent religions. Its founder, Bahá'u'lláh (1817-1892), is regarded by Bahá'ís as the most recent in the line of Messengers of God that stretches back beyond recorded time and that includes Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Krishna, Zoroaster, Christ and Muhammad.
The central theme of Bahá'u'lláh's message is that humanity is one single race and that the day has come for its unification in one global society. God, Bahá'u'lláh said, has set in motion historical forces that are breaking down traditional barriers of race, class, creed, and nation and that will, in time, give birth to a universal civilization. The principal challenge facing the peoples of the earth is to accept the fact of their oneness and to assist the processes of unification.

One of the purposes of the Bahá'í Faith is to help make such acceptance and unification happen. A worldwide community of some eight and a half million Bahá'ís, representative of most of the nations, races and cultures on earth, is working to give Bahá'u'lláh's teachings practical effect. Their experience will be a source of encouragement to all who share their vision of humanity as one global family and the earth as one homeland.


Bahá'u'lláh
The Founder of the Bahá'í Faith was Bahá'u'lláh. His name means “the Glory of God.” We recognize Bahá'u'lláh as the Messenger of God for this age and the Promised One of all ages and religions. The Bahá'í Faith is founded on His teachings. Born in Tehran in 1817, Bahá'u'lláh spent most of His life unjustly exiled and imprisoned. His message of peace, unity and justice, and His prescription for the personal and social requirements of the future global society, form the basis of the sacred texts of the Faith. He was exiled to the Holy Land in 1868 and spent the rest of His life there. He passed away in 1892 in Acre, near Haifa in what is now Israel.

The Báb
Bahá'u'lláh’s mission was heralded by the Báb (1819-1850), Whose name means “The Gate.” The Báb was an independent Messenger of God. His message urged religious and social reform and aroused great interest among tens of thousands of followers throughout Persia. The Báb was unjustly imprisoned for His teachings. In 1850 He was executed by firing squad.

'Abdu’l-Bahá
'Abdu’l-Bahá (1844-1921) was Bahá'u'lláh’s eldest son, His appointed successor, and the authorised interpreter of His teachings. He led the Bahá'í Faith after His Father’s passing. The Faith spread to Europe and North America during the time of 'Abdu’l-Bahá. He travelled widely there, explaining the teachings of the Faith to big audiences in universities, churches, synagogues and the meeting places of many progressive associations.

Shoghi Effendi
In His will and testament, 'Abdu’l-Bahá appointed His eldest grandson, Shoghi Effendi Rabbani (1897-1957), to succeed him as the head or "Guardian" of the Bahá'í Faith. Shoghi Effendi oversaw a major expansion of the Bahá'í Faith. From 35 countries in 1921, the Faith spread to more than 200 countries, territories and colonies at the time of his passing in 1957.

Universal House of Justice
After the death of Shoghi Effendi, a small group of specially appointed individuals guided the development of the international Bahá'í community until the election of the first Universal House of Justice in 1963. The Universal House of Justice is the elected, supreme governing council of the Bahá'í Faith and has its permanent Seat at the Bahá'í World Centre in Haifa, Israel. As head of the Bahá'í Faith, the Universal House of Justice directs the spiritual and administrative affairs of the Bahá'ís of the world.


Bahá'u'lláh taught that there is one God, the same Creator recognized by the great Religions of the world. He also taught that all the world’s major religions are successive stages in the ongoing revelation of the one Faith.

This is often referred to as “progressive revelation”.
We believe all the great religions come from the same Source, God, and have the same essential purpose - to guide and educate the human race. Their spiritual core is one, but they differ in their secondary aspects such as social teachings, which change in relation to humanity’s evolving requirements. The principle of the oneness of humanity is the pivot around which all the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh revolve. For this reason Bahá'ís follow laws of personal morality and behavior, as well as social laws and principles, all of which we see as promoting and establishing the oneness of humanity. We believe the purpose of life is to know and worship God, to acquire virtues and to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization. Once we die our soul progresses to the afterlife where it continues to develop spiritually.

For more information, please contact us or visit:
http://info.bahai.org



In addition to personal prayer and meditation, Bahá'í communities hold regular devotional gatherings for collective worship. These gatherings unite people in prayer and awaken their spiritual susceptibilities.

Because there are no rituals and no clergy in the Bahá'í Faith, devotional gatherings are often held in people's homes, Zooms sessions, or in public places and they are diverse in their form. Prayer and reflection upon sacred scriptures is at the heart of such programs, and music, Devotional Gathering Music singing, and poetry are often incorporated as well.

These gatherings are held in every Bahá'í community to nourish a pattern of life characterized by its devotional character. The spiritual atmosphere created within a devotional meeting imparts a sense of joy, fellowship and love that enriches the relationships among participants.

Bahá'í devotional gatherings are intended to embrace the attitude of prayer and practice of devotion that is universal to all religions, and they are open to people of all beliefs and backgrounds.

Contact us to discover more about devotional gatherings in your area.

Study circles bring groups of people together to deepen their understanding of the Bahá'í teachings through systematic study. This involves structured group discussion of passages from the Bahá'í writings that encourage reflection on one’s moral purpose and capacities for service.

Participants follow a sequence of courses that address various themes in the Bahá'í writings, such as prayer, the education of children, and the lives of central figures of the Bahá'í Faith.

Each course allows participants to develop new skills, such as organizing devotional gatherings or leading junior youth empowerment groups. As they strive to apply their new insights through a process of action, reflection and consultation, their capacity to offer service to their communities is raised to new levels.

Within a study circle everyone is encouraged to take responsibility for his/her own learning in an environment that is at once serious and uplifting. Study circles are facilitated by trained tutors, who have completed the sequence of courses and now accompany others through the same educational process.

Study circles are one of the core activities of Bahá'í community life, and they are designed to imbue participants with a feeling of personal responsibility for the advancement of their communities, nation and world. They happen in Bahá'í communities all around the country and anyone is welcome to join – regardless of religious or cultural background.

Contact us to discover more about study circles in your



Junior youth – or those between 11 and 14 years – are at a crucial stage in their lives when they are defining their identity and values. Junior youth groups offered by the Bahá'í community address the needs of these young people by helping them to develop a strong moral identity and to empower them to contribute to the well-being of their communities.

In these groups, trained animators use creative activities to engage the interests of junior youth and mold their capacities for service. A curriculum of material designed for junior youth is used in tandem with drama, story-telling, visual arts, discussion of social issues, and acts of service to their community. These groups aim to develop a cohesive identity that revolves around optimism about the future, high ideals, and a sense of purpose about life.

The animators of groups are trained in a sequence of courses that emphasizes the great potential of junior youth to understand social processes and to contribute towards building a more peaceful and just world. The training program also calls upon animators to reflect on their own moral purpose and to see leading a junior youth group as a path of service that contributes to their personal transformation.

Contact us to discover more about junior youth groups in your area.

The monthly calendar for August of the Bahai Community of Rancho Cucamonga
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