Prayer services at the Baha'i House of Worship seem to be simple affairs: a series of readers stepping up to the lectern to recite, chant or sing prayers.

There’s no clergy in the Baha'i Faith, so there are no sermons. There's no "congregation" because Baha'i temples are built as places of prayer and worship for everyone. No instruments or music is heard except a cappella singing or chanting. There are no introductions or talks given in the auditorium, just the sacred words of the prayers and writings from the world's great religions.


Brief devotional programs are held daily in the temple's auditorium  Nevertheless, prayer services in the Baha'i House of Worship don’t just happen. Behind the scenes, the Activities Office carefully prepares each program according to a theme such as education, family, justice, difficulties, or confidence and courage.

“When we had the ‘confidence and courage’ devotional, one reader said the selection he had been given to read applied directly to his life at that time, and he took the program home to meditate on further,” says Bridgettte Schnider, who works in the Activities Office at the House of Worship.

“It is our hope that everyone who attends, and those who serve as readers and singers, find gems among the selections that support where they are in life and that they leave with hearts uplifted,” Ms. Schnider says. It’s pretty safe to say this happens when the Baha'i House of Worship Choir sings music based on sacred writings at prayer services on the first, second and third Sunday of the month.

When Ms. Schnider joined the activities office in January, she compiled new readings for the prayer services. Thanks to her diligent research and thoughtful ideas, the office now has close to a year’s worth on file.

How does she go about putting together a prayer service? First she picks a theme, some of which emerge from discussions with friends and spiritual seekers. Others surface from the depths of her thoughts. Then she scours the prayers and sacred writings of the Baha'i Faith and other religions to find fitting prayers.

“I aim for a 60-40 ratio,” she says, “meaning 60 percent of the prayers and writing at each service are from the Baha'i Faith and 40 percent are from other revealed religions such as Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam.”

Then Ms. Schnider tries to create what she calls a “storyline” for each program by inserting phrases between the readings that explain, enhance or support the prayers. The choir’s selections also reflect the theme of the particular prayer service.

“Finding the perfect selection takes time but adds so much to the program,” she says.

So does the presence of the Baha'i House of Worship choir, which director Van Gilmer says has increased the number of visitors attending the 12:30 devotional program at the House of Worship on Sundays. (The choir sings at the 12:30 service on the first, second and third Sunday of the month.)

The a cappella choir sings three stories above the auditorium floor, out of the sight of worshippers, which bothered one worshipper who said she wanted to be able to see the choir as it sang.

“That was until she realized how special it was to be able to meditate and truly listen to the choir without concentrating on who they were or how they looked,” Mr. Gilmer says. “She said they ‘sounded like angels.’”

A brief (15-minute) prayer service is held in the auditorium at 12:30 daily. Readers for the devotional program are volunteers recruited from the Baha'i and wider community.  “We love having youth, children and families participate.” Ms. Schnider says.

Those interested in being readers should contact the Activities Office at 847-853-2332.