Sunrise Services and Other Events to Celebrate Easter

Easter, the joyous commemoration of Christ’s resurrection, will be celebrated this weekend throughout the Southland with services featuring dramatic performances, choirs, art displays, multidenominational sermons and the release of doves of peace.

The traditional sunrise service at the Hollywood Bowl will feature more than 650 participants, including an adult choir with members from six churches and community groups, the Jubilation Boys Choir, the International Peace Choir, the Spirit of L.A. Bell Ringers and a living cross composed of the Los Angeles Citywide Children’s Christian Choir. Clergy from six denominations will deliver Easter messages. Hundreds of doves will be released after the service, which is scheduled from 5:30 to 7 a.m. Doors open at 4 a.m. The Bowl is at 2301 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood. (213) 876-1700.

* Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale will sponsor a sunrise service at 6 a.m. in the Hall of the Crucifixion-Resurrection, 1712 S. Glendale Ave. The service will feature a new presentation of Robert Clark’s “The Resurrection,” narrated entirely in Spanish. The United Choir and Small Orchestra of the Hispanic Baptist Churches of the American Southwest will perform. The keynote speaker will be the Rev. Jose Ricardo Hernandez, pastor of the Barrington Avenue Hispanic Baptist Church of West Los Angeles. (323) 340-4744.

* At Forest Lawn-Covina Hills, sunrise services will begin at 6 a.m. and feature a keynote address on “Teaching Birds to Fly” by Philip Amerson, president of the Claremont School of Theology. The Citrus Singers will perform. The park is at 21300 Via Verde Drive, Covina Hills. (323) 340-4744.

* The South Coast Ecumenical Council will sponsor sunrise services at 6 a.m. at Forest Lawn Long Beach, 1500 E. San Antonio Drive, and Green Hills Memorial Park, 27501 S. Western Ave., Rancho Palos Verdes. In Long Beach, the Rev. Ron Hafer of Biola University will preach and the Bethany Christian Reformed Sanctuary Choir will perform. In Rancho Palos Verdes, Bishop Joseph Sartoris of the Los Angeles Archdiocese’s San Pedro Pastoral Region will preach and the Hope Chapel Singers of San Pedro will perform. (562) 595-0268.

* Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, the Roman Catholic archbishop of Los Angeles, will celebrate Easter at three locations today and Sunday. He will celebrate the Easter Vigil Mass at 7 p.m. today at St. John Chrysostom Church, 546 E. Florence Ave., Inglewood.

He will say the Mass of the Resurrection at 9 a.m. Sunday at St. John Fisher Church, 5448 Crest Road, Rancho Palos Verdes. He will also celebrate the Resurrection Mass in Spanish at 11:30 a.m. Sunday at St. Rose of Lima Church, 4450 E. 60th St., Maywood.

* Calvary Community Church will conduct Easter services at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. today and at 8 a.m., 9:45 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. Sunday. Senior pastor Larry DeWitt will speak on “The Day That Changed the World.” At 6:07 p.m., the church will present “Passion Mosaic,” a visual and performance art event interpreting the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The church is at 5495 Via Rocas, Westlake Village. (818) 991-8040.

* Lake Avenue Church will conduct a service at 6 p.m. today featuring music from the Worship Team, the Celebration Choir and the Master Ringers bell choir. Sunday services begin at 9:15 a.m. and 11 a.m. featuring music by the Sanctuary Choir, the Master’s Chorale, the Master’s Ringers, the Chamber Orchestra and the Bass Choir. Contemporary services will be held at 5 and 7 p.m. Sunday. (626) 795-7221.

* A French-language Mass will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. Sunday at St. John Mary Vianney’s Chapel, 229 S. Detroit Ave., Los Angeles. The Mass is organized by Aumonerie Catholique Francophone de Los Angeles. (310) 842-6078.

EVENTS

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The Southern California Sikh community will celebrate Baisakhi Day with a parade of floats and procession of thousands of the faithful at 3 p.m. Sunday from the Los Angeles Convention Center. The event commemorates the 302nd anniversary of the Khalsa Panth, or the faith’s formalized symbols and practices, established by Gobind Singh, the 10th and final guru. In the convention center’s Concourse Hall, Sikh devotional music and singing will be performed from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. At 1:30 p.m., Yogi Bhajan, the chief religious minister for Sikh Dharma of the Western Hemisphere, will speak. Free Indian vegetarian food will be offered. (562) 802-9720 for information on the parade. (310) 273-7794 for information on the cultural events.

* The Sufi Psychology Assn. will present “Heart and Soul,” a daylong seminar on Sufism and healing, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. next Saturday at USC’s Hoffman Hall. Topics will include a Sufi approach to depression, meditation and healing, religion and spirituality and the effectiveness of prayer. Sufism, which inspired the poetry of the 13th century Sufi master Rumi, is often described as the mystical dimension of Islam. (310) 472-9325.

* The Lifeways Expo of Psychic & Healing Arts will offer more than 50 presentations on palmistry, prophecy, crystals, natural medicine and other topics Friday through April 22 at the Pasadena Masonic Temple, 200 S. Euclid Ave., Pasadena. Admission is $10 for the weekend. The expo runs from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. next Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 22. Alan Schwartz, technical advisor to the film “Ghost,” will lead a seance at 6 p.m. next Saturday. Admission is $25, with limited seating. (541) 482-3722.

* “The Noble Heart: A Sacred Journey to Spiritual Wholeness” will be presented at 7 p.m. Monday at the University of Tustin campus, 14402 S. Prospect Ave., Tustin. The program will feature the Rev. Lois Ryan, Roberta Davis Lewis and the Holy Spirit Prayer and Healing Ministry. (714) 730-3486.

Notices may be mailed for consideration to Southern California File, c/o Religion Editor, Los Angeles Times, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012; faxed to Southern California File at (213) 237-2358; or e-mailed to religion@latimes.com. Items should arrive two to three weeks before the event and include pertinent details about the people and organizations with address, phone number, date and time. Because of the volume of submissions, we cannot guarantee publication.