Beyond Positivity and Kindness
SUMMER SCHEDULE: One service only at 10:00 AM
Today’s Topic:
While positivity and kindness are foundational expressions of our shared faith and humanity, they can also serve as tools that mask inequity, reinforce unjust power dynamics, and delay transformative action. Pardeep Singh Kaleka will share his journey as a first-generation immigrant in America and how his path of healing from hate compelled him to move beyond surface-level conversations around kindness, compassion, and optimism. This service will invite reflection on what it means to pursue justice with empathy and why authentic healing demands both courageous truth-telling and sustained action.
Pardeep Singh Kaleka is a senior anti-hate advocate and the co-author of The Gift of Our Wounds. In 2012, following the death of his father in the hate killings at the Oak Creek Sikh Temple, he helped inspire community resilience and healing. Formerly with the US Department of Justice-CRS, Pardeep has spent more than 25 years in law enforcement, education, mental health, and assisting hate crime survivors across the United States with recovery. He is also the former director of the Interfaith Conference and has worked on numerous coalition-building efforts across ethnic, racial and religious differences. Specializing in addressing the impact of communal trauma, he has helped to develop cross-sector policies and practices for public health professionals, law enforcement, and educators develop community orientated strategies to address conflict, hate, and the rise of targeted violence.
Worship Team:
Pardeep Singh Kaleka
Alissa Rhode, Lead Music Director
Jeremy Koenen, Worship Associate
Livestream at 10:00 am:
Join us for the complete service live on our YouTube site at 10:00 am. Find a recording of the service at our YouTube site anytime after 10:00 am.
Social Hour: Join us for coffee or tea in the Leenhouts Common Room after service to meet friends, old and new.
We offer religious education for children of all ages on Sundays. To learn more, please see our Religious Education Web Pages and sign up to receive our RE Weekly Update.
Parking: Our church has no parking lot. Lincoln School for the Arts lot: The entrance is located 1 short block west of First Church, on Marshall, just south of Ogden. Jewish Family Services lot: JFS welcomes us to use their parking lot on Sundays. It is located 3 blocks west of the church, on Van Buren near Knapp St. We also rely on street parking in our neighborhood. Here is a map with details.
First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee is a progressive church for spiritual community, social justice, and intellectual freedom. Visitors to First Church are always welcome!
