On April 21, 2022, the Bahá’í Community in Arlington, Virginia celebrated 80 years since the formation of the first Local Spiritual Assembly of Arlington in 1942. It was the first Local Spiritual Assembly to be established in Virginia. The city of Alexandria was the next Virginia locale to form its Local Spiritual Assembly in 1943.
The Local Spiritual Assembly administers the affairs of the local Bahá’í community. The Assembly consists of nine members chosen in annual elections.
National Spiritual Assemblies guide, coordinate and stimulate the activities of Local Spiritual Assemblies and individual Bahá’ís with a given country.
In 1942, there were approximately 90 Spiritual Assemblies throughout the U.S. and Canada. Today there are almost 1,000 Local Spiritual Assemblies just in the U.S.
