Two Baha'i friends and neighbors in Columbia, S.C., have been throwing a weekly "spiritual party" whose success surprises even them.

Jason "Oak" Ritchie" (center) and J.B. Frush-Marple (directly behind) host a weekly Bahai
"spiritual party" in Columbia, S.C., with (from left) regular participants Alexa Skander,
Emily Crawford, and Steven Lail."When the Tuesday evening prayer gathering started about a year ago, all our friends just came out of the woodwork," says James Benson “J.B.” Frush-Marple, who with his friend Jason "Oak" Ritchie, 28, hosts the meetings at Mr. Ritchie's house.

"People who I never would have thought would be receptive to prayer were energized by it," says Mr. Frush-Marple, 33, who has been a Baha'i for just under a year.

Three people came to the first gathering, and regular attendance now numbers about 15. Once 25 people showed up. Some are neighbors, some are friends, some are friends of friends.

Mr. Frush-Marple and Mr. Ritchie, who became a Baha'i a little more than eight years ago, usually are the only Baha'is at the prayer gathering. The other participants are Christian (both Protestant and Catholic), those who don't declare a religion and those who call themselves non-believers.

The gatherings begin with a simple dinner prepared by the two friends and are followed by devotions. Mr. Ritchie, a professional musician, usually starts by singing a Baha'i prayer. Sometimes other participants join in.

Then others say prayers, either reading verses from Baha'i prayer books available at the gathering, saying prayers from their own religious tradition or praying in their own words.

Lloyce Nelson, a Christian participant from the beginning, says she feels like she has known Mr. Ritchie and Mr. Frush-Marple forever. She says she loves the fact that "they are open to people of all religions to come, pray, talk and examine their lives.”

When Ms. Nelson isn't there, Justin H. Williams finds he's the sole Christian. But "it's still okay," he says. "This is one of the only times that praying with a group has brought me closer to its members. At a Baha'i Faith devotional you are going to be closer to people because it is more intimate and you get to know each other on another level - a spiritual level."

Mr. Frush-Marple attributes the closeness to "our souls communing together." By the end of the meeting, he says, "you can see a serenity in people. You just know they are at peace. It's a new kind of comfort, the type people have when they've been through a lot of tests and trials together."

One young participant, Ms. Nelson says, declares that “no matter what is going on in his life -- and there is a lot going on -- he always feels better leaving the meeting than he did when he went in."

Adapted from Baha'i World News Service.