I would not recommend this school based on its high turnover and student records never being…read moreaccurate.

Let me put it like this, if the Graduate Theological Union played the Chicago Association of…read moreTheological Schools in Football the GTU would so kick their butts, with the love of God, of course ;-) Oh wait a minute, we would have to leave the library to play . . . no dice. The GTU has a great mix of theological schools: Christian, Unitarian, Jewish and give folks an opportunity to experience a breadth of thought and discourse. Plus they turn out fantastically thoughtful, smart, hip, sassy and wise graduates/yahoos like me ;-)

A truly lovely Church with warm and welcoming members. Also being around the Priest Father Edward…read moreeven briefly you can feel his sincerity. There are many non-Russians who feel right at home here, embraced by the Russian community's hospitality and beauty of their culture. If you're seeking to experience ancient, authentic Christianity, this is the place to be.

This was my first Orthodox Church experience. Although I was a lil nervous about not knowing the…read morecustoms, they welcomed me warmly. It's like a little glimpse of heaven in there, the choir were like angels and the icons told the greatest story ever told. Rev. Edward Henderson's patristic spirit is refreshing and I thank God for him and his church!

It's difficult for me to write this review because I grew up at CFC--nay, attended it even before I…read morewas born, while still inside my mommy's womb! So, as with anything that has been dealt with for almost all of one's life, being at CFC has not been without its shares of ups and downs. Some of my happiest and most precious memories were while I was here, as well as some of the most painful and depressing. In spite of it all, CFC still remains dear to me and I will probably always consider it my home church. The church is medium-sized and most of its staff are bilingual, with an English congregation and a Chinese congregation. I was a part of the English congregation so I'll only write about what I know concerning this side of CFC. Being located so close to UC Berkeley, it attracts a lot of college students and as expected, has a great college ministry and fellowship group, known as Crossroads. There is a youth group called Agape (for junior high and high school kids), and a young adult group called Livingstones. Since most of the older attendees are on the Chinese side, there is a fellowship group for families (the Chinese group also has fellowships for all ages, I just forget their names). Even though each congregation has its own head pastor and a youth pastor, the congregation also elects a group of deacons every couple of years to help lead the church. Theologically, it is considered a nondenominational Evangelical Protestant church. Pastor Ken is a closet Arminianist and Dispensationalist--and I say 'closet' because he doesn't parade this viewpoint and because when I attended Crossroads, an overwhelming number of us were Reformed. The youth pastor (who has since moved on to becoming a pastor in Walnut Creek) when I attended Agape started out as a Dispensationalist, I think, but then became Reformed. Or it might have been the other way around. Regardless of these slight theological differences, the teaching here is Biblically sound. The leaders of CFC take the Word very seriously. Most people are encouraged to read the NASB version because its translation is closest to the original syntactical structure. There is great spiritual teaching here that will appeal to the intellectually inclined (no surprise, given its location in an academic mecca), with Sunday school classes offered every semester (sort of like a mini-seminary school!), and Bible studies emphasizing exegesis. The sermons reflect this attitude as well, so those who are looking to hear fiery, heart-stirring messages each and every Sunday may be disappointed with the focus on intellectual and spiritual understanding. You'll find that other Berkeley churches focus more on outreach ministry and social justice, so if that is a direction God is leading you towards, I recommend checking out First Presbyterian. CFC is more of a place that is looking to equip and train future church leaders in a church setting. Several people have gone onto seminary school and have either planted new churches, or are serving as pastors at other places. If you are looking to develop your skills in apologetics and would feel more comfortable in an English-Chinese church, CFC would be worth checking out.

I came to the English worship service here last week since I was visiting my parents who attend the…read moreMandarin speaking worship service. With this being the summer and also with a guest speaker (Pastor Eddie Cheng -- who used to be youth pastor here, I think), I am not sure if the Sunday I visited is representative of what most Sundays are like here. I felt like this was one of the few instances over the past year where I have felt like I could truly worship God even though the worship team and powerpoint slides seemed quite simple compared to other churches I've visited in the last year -- sometimes simpler is easier to focus. The sermon (delivered by a guest speaker) also gave me new insight into the book of Ruth that I didn't have before -- although I found the application itself to be a little weak. Overall the congregation itself did not seem the most welcoming but one or two individuals did introduce themselves to me, but maybe this is normal for churches in this part of the US compared to churches in Texas. If I were to ever move to the East Bay area, I would consider coming here again -- and not just because my parents attend the Mandarin speaking side.

Incredibly beautiful Tibetan monastery up on Highland Place! So aptly named! The space for…read moremeditation is incredibly peaceful and tranquil and the rose garden is just lovely. This summer I've been flirting with the idea of taking their regular classes, especially this "Time Space and Knowledge" series which sounds absolutely fascinating, but I haven't been able to bring myself to commit to it. So far, I've only been to their Open House, Sunday meditation (5-6pm) and talks (6-7pm) that are open to the public. Drop-in Kum Nye (Tibetan yoga) on Sunday morning (10-12) might be the next thing to try. So far they're all great. Always bring more peace and clarity to my mind. I'm really grateful that this wonderful sanctuary is located in Berkeley, walking distance from where I live! I have the Tibetan lama Tarthang Tulku who brought the ancient teaching to the West in the 60s and all the committed Westerners who keep this place up and running, to thank. I first "discovered" this place when I was a wide-eyed undergrad here long time ago. Found it really exotic; nothing like the Buddhism I was immersed in back in Taiwan. That got me hooked to finding out more about the Buddhism in the West. Then I found out that I really like Americanized Buddhism, be it the transplanted Zen or Theravada or Tibetan. Wide-eyed Westerners are really intent on personal transformation, if not the total enlightenment itself. It's amazing and moving. It's funny that while some Buddhists in Taiwan tend to be a conservative bunch sticking to strict rituals and morality and conduct, Buddhism in the West - free of the cultural baggage of thousands of years of tradition - is so liberal in contrast. Westerners I've talked to (a highly-educated bunch of people) really question things, are totally obsessed with meditation and mindfulness (something tragically lacking in where I'm from), and are quite insistent on going back to figuring out the Buddha's original core teachings. It's absolutely wonderful. I found that I started to meditate in the US of A, an activity I had NEVER done seriously back in Asia (which might be why I'm so bad at it). Never mind I'm from a Buddhist family; all we did was bowing and chanting and recitation. No one told me to watch my breath. No one taught me to observe my rising and falling thoughts. Just sit there focusing on reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha, whose presence and power I'd love to believe in but honestly, remain agnostic to. It's ironic that my complaints of the Pure Land school are similar to some white people's complaints of their enforced church-going or synagogue-going. Funny how I'm now rediscovering my faith here. Also funny how Christianity in the US (at least the evangelical type, at least in this part of the US) is sometimes perceived as redneck & conservative, while in Asia many Christians are highly-educated, cosmopolitan, "progressive," well-read and well-travelled middle-class intellectuals.. real smart just like some Euro-American Buddhists here in the US. Maybe people should just stick their heads out and check out what other folks are doing elsewhere from time to time. And reflect. Part of the mindfulness practice? Anywayz, I found the Nyingma Institute up on Highland a REALLY NICE place to meditate and calm your mind down. So well-maintained and so incredibly peaceful! I don't see any Tibetans here though. this place is very "white" in both its instructors and study body. I'm not sure what to think of it yet... don't know if the practice is in any ways benefitting the Tibetans themselves (who I think badly need some "transference of merits" since they're in such a screwed-up situation). Well, I sure hope some of the $$ they make here goes to the Tibetans!

I'm a long-term meditator and yoga practitioner and I came here for a personal retreat. Tibetan…read moreBuddhism has been close to my heart since college for personal reasons and I love supporting local non-profit organizations in general. My room cost (with fees) was approximately $2,800/month. Positives - The meditation classes with Mark Henderson (6:45am-7:30am M-F "The way of the Bodhisattva") and Hugh Joswick (Intermediate meditation) were worth the trip themselves.The morning class is definitely one of the most challenging meditation practices I have encountered, which is exactly what enabled me to learn more about my own personal meditation practice obstacles. The reminder of the Six Paramitas was both timely and deeply appreciated. - Eddie deserves honorary membership in the Department of Knowing Things. Whether I needed information, directions, or help figuring something out, he was consistently helpful and funny at the same time. - Beautiful hillside location with trees, birds and wildlife. - Quiet environment well-suited for meditation and personal retreat - Convenient access to classes and programs - Short walk (~20 mins at my walking pace) to downtown Berkeley (BART etc.) Accommodation & Facility Issues - The room contains a twin-size innerspring (spring coil) mattress. I found it uncomfortable for a month-long stay and would have appreciated more detailed information about the bed in the listing - The room carpet appears not to have been deep-cleaned for an extended period (dust, extensive stains) - whether you stay for a single week or a month, laundry detergent is not provided. Laundry fees still apply. Dish detergent, sponges, hand soap, toilet paper and towels are provided. I believe that guests are expected to buy laundry detergent and wash the towels themselves. - Room vacuum cleaning and dusting is not included, even for longer stays; guests are expected to clean their own room with their own cleaning supplies. - The balcony door is my room repeatedly opened on its own during the night despite being closed before bed. This allowed for cold air into the room. There may be an issue with a stroke plate and the latch. - Information provided to guests (i.e. both AirbnB app and the room printed materials) is inaccurate. - I was shown a pantry containing shared spices but it was not clear what was free to use (e.g. cinnamon yes, oil no?) All guests are provided two boxes (1 for their dry food, 1 for refrigerated food) - coffee beans and tea are provided, coffee cream, milk etc are not - I couldn't find a tea strainer for loose tea in the kitchen; it was handed to me that day and it disappeared again. I am now only using tea bags provided by the institute. - I wasn't able to find cookware compatible with the guest kitchen induction stove one morning. All pots were located in the staff kitchen guests do not have access to that day. - I received 7-8 AirBnB messages containing photos of dirty dishes left in the shared areas though it was not clear who was responsible. As a guest, I found this approach very uncomfortable and impersonal. Overall: This may be a peaceful retreat if you are looking for unanticipated daily challenges to get in the way of your practice. The Four Noble truths still stand in 2026. There is suffering (no laundry detergent on a Sunday evening before a busy Monday) and a way out of suffering. The path sometimes requires a pilgrimage and the return carrying a full-sized jug of laundry detergent up the steep Berkeley hills.

Didn't think I'd be reviewing a church on yelp, but St. Marks made me HAVE to review them…read more As many of us know, finding a place to study during dead/finals wee at Cal can be IMPOSSIBLE! I found out through a friend that St. Marks has a study hall open for Cal students. I didn't know what to expect, but I was desperate to find a place to study, so I walked down the street and checked it out. I was instantly impressed as I walked in and was greeted by a kind man who asked for my Cal ID card and then directed me upstairs to the parish hall. The whole stage was lined with a buffet of snacks, pizza, coffee, teas and water. Did I mention that there's free WiFi!!??? Best thing ever. Campus wifi sucks and even this was better! I can't imagine how/why people don't know about this. I kind of hope they don't find out either because this is such a nice study area. I've gotten so much done and am almost ready to ace my finals! I sure hope they put this on again next dead week. I'd definitely even pay to study here. The people of St. Marks are doing such a wonderful thing for us stressed out Cal students! Thank God (literally) for them and what they do. This space is very calm and quiet and it's the perfect place to study. Thank you St. Marks!!!!!!!!!

The traditional symbol of St. Mark is the Lion, and living up to the spirit of the Lion is a…read morechallenge that the St. Mark's community takes seriously.. The St. Mark's community celebrates God's inclusive love and welcomes you wherever you are on your spiritual journey. Founded in 1877, St. Mark's is built on a tradition of meaningful worship, service to others, and lively intellectual discussion about the purpose of our lives. St. Mark's is a part of the Berkeley community, and deeply involved in service to the homeless and to each other.

For more information, please visit our website at www.tccsfbayarea.org…read more The Thai Cultural Center's mission is to instill pride in Thai culture among Thai-American youth, to build self-confidence, camaraderie and leadership skills through performance and to introduce Thai performing arts and music to audiences in California. The Thai Cultural Center of the San Francisco Bay Area (TCC) is located at Wat Mongkolratanaram Thai Buddhist Temple in Berkeley, CA, and offers music and dance lessons to Thai and Southeast Asian youth. Students attend Sunday afternoon lessons and more intensive classes during the summer session. All instructors are volunteers who are either permanently settled in the Bay Area or visiting summer and year-long teachers from the Rajabhat Institute at Ban Somdej Chao Phraya in Bangkok. Though lessons have been taking place at Wat Mongkol since 1988, TCC was officially founded in 1989 by the center's current director, Plearnjai Kundhikanjana. As the Thai and Southeast Asian communities significantly grew in the 1970's, she recognized the need for more formal instruction. During the center's early years, TCC collaborated with Chulalongkorn University to host summer and yearlong instructors. In 1994, through Thailand's Ministry of Education, the center partnered with the Rajaphat Institute at Ban Somdej Chao Praya, which began sending its performing arts students and graduates as visiting instructors at TCC. The center performs for a variety of cultural shows, fundraisers, Thai Buddhist holidays, festivals, and private functions throughout the Bay Area, including events at the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco City Hall, the California Culinary Academy Greystone Campus and the Chinatown New Year's Street Festival. The center has also produced a number of Thai classical dramas; each performed in the Bay Area to benefit the Thai Temple and in Thailand to fundraise for the Crown Princess's Orphanage Foundation.