Sermons

As we celebrate Samhain (pronounced saa-wn) and Dia de Los Muertos, join Kiki Wiley for Pagan rituals and Pastor Joshua for a trip around the globe to explore how different cultures honor their dead.

November 9th is the anniversary of Kristallnacht, a German state-coordinated series of violent attacks against Jews. The lessons of that history, including the normalization of hatred and the danger of inaction, resonate profoundly today. Pastor Joshua will look to his secular and religious Jewish roots seeking inspiration to fight fascism today.

Similar to the liturgical year, life too follows the seasons. As time progresses, and we pass through
periods of decay, we inevitable also pass through periods of renewal. Pastor Joshua will remind us of
this and consider how we might quicken and extend times of peace and grace.

Kusala Bhikshu is an American-born monk ordained in the Zen Buddhist Tradition of Vietnam. He lives and works at the International Buddhist Meditation Center in the Korea town section of Los Angeles. Rev. Kusala is a member of the Buddhist-Roman Catholic Dialogue of Los Angeles and ‘MID’ Monastic Inter-religious Dialogue, a Benedictine Confederation to promote and support dialogue between Christian monastic men and women and followers of other religions. He has been active as a community volunteer for two decades, with volunteer work at the California State Prison for Men, the Los Angeles Central Juvenile Hall, the Garden Grove Police Department and 10 years as Buddhist Chaplain for the University Religious Conference at U.C.L.A. His book ‘Urban Dharma” was published in 2024. More on the book at http://urbandharma.org/UDbook.html