History

The first recorded Baha’is came to Emmett as a family during the 1970s. Since then, the community has remained small, and is still comprised of just one family.

The Baha’i community has felt a significant amount if discrimination from other people in the town of Emmett. There is practically no religious diversity in the town, and there are a total of 27 Mormon and Christian churches. They believe that the Baha’i faith is largely unknown in the community, and, as a result, people fear them. Further, the Baha’is feel their town is not open to interfaith services and programs, and therefore, the people are not open or willing to learn about new faiths. On a few occasions the Baha’is tried to arrange a “peace circle” with the other religious communities in Emmett, but no other communities wanted to join. The Baha’is have been discriminated against on religious grounds, and also social grounds; for example, one Baha’i woman was prohibited from joining a home schooling parent association because of her religious affiliation to the Baha’i faith.

Demographics

The Emmett Baha’i community is composed of one Caucasian family. The family includes three adults (ages 49,50 and 51) and five young adults (ages 21, 23, 23, 24, and 26).

Activities and Schedule

The Emmett Baha'i community has devotionals, or prayers, every Sunday and a study circle once a week. Every 19 days the family celebrates the 19-Day Feast and the family celebrates the 12 Holy Day holidays with the surrounding Baha’i communities in Boise, Meridian and Nampa/Caldwell. Some of the family members have attended special week and weekend Baha’i retreats in other states.

Description

All services and events are held in the home of the family. Occasionally, they meet with the Baha’i communities of Boise, Meridian and Nampa/Caldwell for special events.