History

The Baha'i Faith has been in Bozeman for roughly 40 years. In the past Bozeman has had an Assembly, but is now considered an "Organized Group." In the early 1990s many of the Baha'is in the Bozeman area moved to other areas of the country. This left less than the nine members required to form an assembly.

Although an "Organized Group" does not have the same level of duties and obligations as an Assembly, the Bozeman Baha'is continue to have firesides and study classes on an informal schedule. They often collaborate with the Baha'is in Livingston. Recently women from the two groups have been meeting for a women's study group.

Interfaith Work

As of the Fall 2003 Salley Loble, a member of the Baha'i Community in Bozeman, has been serving as the Secretary of the Gallatin Valley Interfaith Association. The association includes over 20 religious organizations in Bozeman representing Mainline Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Sufi, Dances of Universal Peace, Baha'i, the Native American Sun Dance, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and The Church Universal and Triumphant.

The formal vision of the Gallatin Valley Interfaith Association reads, "...to bring together people of all faith traditions in the valley to nurture a more healthy community through efforts of compassion, peace, justice, and love." The mission statement of the GVIA includes: "-Building collegial support for people representing different faith traditions; -Providing leadership to address wider social and spiritual issues within the communities of the Gallatin Valley; -Establishing a forum to share in the life of each other's traditions."

The Baha'i Faith, along with many other religious organizations in Bozeman, was introduced to the GVIA through the Chaplains: David Simpson, a Lutheran Minister, and Mary Piper, an Episcopalian Minister at the Bozeman Deaconness Hospital Chapel. The two chaplains also played an instrumental role in creating the Gallatin Valley Interfaith Association.