Rally to Draw Presbyterian Leaders

More than 1,000 Presbyterian Church leaders from Southern California will be attending today’s Mission and Stewardship Rally presented by the Synod of Southern California and Hawaii from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 600 St. Andrews Road in Newport Beach.

More than 40 workshops led by national, regional and local Presbyterian leaders will be offered, with an emphasis on stewardship basics and the variety of mission activities in which the church is involved. A workshop on the sanctuary movement will be led by the Rev. John Fife.

Featured speakers are William H. Wilson, moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, and the Rev. Arie Brouwer, general secretary of the National Council of Churches in the United States.

A Mission Resource Fair will be held in the church’s Fellowship Hall, based upon the interdenominational study themes “Native Peoples of North America” and “Care of the Earth,” with displays by Presbyterian missions.

David Wilkerson, author of “The Cross and the Switchblade,” will be the featured speaker at the First Assembly of God at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. services Sunday at the church, 1440 E. Santa Clara Ave., Santa Ana. There is also an evening service at 6. Wilkerson will speak about his ministry work with gangs and the formation of Teen Challenge, a rehabilitation program for drug addicts. Orange County’s Teen Challenge Center is located at 418 S. Main St. in Santa Ana.

Holy Communion will be offered at 9 and 10:30 a.m. services Sunday at Laguna Presbyterian Church, 415 Forest Ave. in Laguna Beach. Anthems will be sung by the Chancel Choir, directed by Mitzi Interlandi and accompanied by organist Ellen Wright. Following the Children’s Sermon, youngsters will be dismissed for the Little Fishermen Workshop. Sunday school for youths and adults will be held at 9 a.m., and nursery care is provided during both morning services. For information, call (714) 494-7555.

The congregation of Emanuel Lutheran Church will welcome its new pastor with a celebration at 3 p.m. Sunday at the church, 150 N. Palm St. in La Habra. All former ministers of the church have been invited and many are expected to attend, including the Revs. Willis Moerer, Stephen Kelly, Jerry Guthrie, John Willmann, Wayne Fuller and Mark Rowland. An informal reception will be held following the ceremony in Moerer Fellowship Hall. For information, call (714) 691-0656.

A new four-week series of adult classes will begin this Sunday at St. Mark Presbyterian Church, Jamboree Road and Eastbluff Drive in Newport Beach. The three classes, “Advanced Bible Study, Women and Jesus,” “Joy in Parenting” and “Dependence and Independence in Adulthood” will be held at 10:45 a.m. Sundays following worship services. For information, call (714) 644-1341.

Burston Karson, musical director of St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, will conduct an adult forum on the new hymnal at 9:15 a.m. Sunday at the church, 3233 Pacific View Drive in Corona del Mar. “Hymnal 1982” will replace “Hymnal 1940” and is closely tied to the new Book of Common Prayer. Karson will give an overview of changes and new material and will play some of the new music. Regular worship services will be held at 8 and 10:30 a.m. For information, call (714) 644-0463.

“When the Impossible Becomes the Possible” is the title of a sermon by the Rev. Lee Kliewer at 9 and 11 a.m. services at Geneva Presbyterian Church, 24301 El Toro Road in Laguna Hills. Steven Metcalf will lead the Children’s Sermon at 9 a.m., and nursery care will be provided during both services. The church is offering free handbell ringing lessons for would-be members of the Geneva Carillon handbell group. For information, call (714) 768-1307.

A special seminar series, “Combatting the Cults,” will begin at 6 p.m. this Sunday at Rose Drive Friends Church, located at the corner of Rose Drive and Bastanchury Road in Yorba Linda. Walter Martin, host of the talk show “The Bible Answer Man,” will lead the five-day series of seminars on cult groups. Later lectures will be held at 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the church. There is no admission charge, and nursery care will be provided. For information, call (714) 528-6496.

“The Greatest Is Love” is the title of the sermon by the Rev. David O. Beadles at 9 and 11 a.m. services this Sunday at United Methodist Church of Laguna Hills, 24442 Moulton Parkway. Sunday school for young children will be held at 9 a.m., and Bible classes for teen-agers and adults will be held at 10 a.m. Additionally, a meditation class is held at 9:30 a.m. every Tuesday at the church. For information, call (714) 837-3414.

The first of a film series, “The Blessings of Brokenness,” starring Joni Eareckson Tada, will be screened at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Woodbridge Community Church, 5000 Barranca Parkway in Irvine. Eareckson Tada, a paraplegic best known for her book “Joni,” will be featured in the film series, which will give a glimpse into her personal life and the ways that she has surmounted her handicaps. The film series will be shown at 7:30 p.m. each Tuesday during February at the church. There is no admission charge. For information, call (714) 552-1101.

A three-hour workshop showing how population and world resources are distributed will be held at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Crystal Cathedral, 12141 Lewis St. in Garden Grove. “Global Game,” featuring a giant map of the world, will cover the floor of the church arboretum, giving participants a chance to see first-hand how the world is put together. Admission is $10. For information, call (714) 971-4000.

“You Can’t Win Without an Offense” is the title of a sermon by the Rev. Thomas P. Warmer at 10 a.m. Sunday at the Laguna Beach United Methodist Church, 21632 Wesley Drive. To celebrate the end of the football season, Sunday’s service will feature special music by the Chancel Choir. For information, call (714) 499-3088.

“Developing Your Sense of Humor,” a self-esteem seminar for seniors, will be held at 9:30 a.m. Monday in the parish hall of St. Polycarp Church, 8100 Chapman Ave. in Stanton. Chuck Liebelt, a member of Toastmaster’s “Comedy Kitchen” club, will explore the development of humor in everyday life. Prospective participants should have humorous stories and a favorite joke. For information, call (714) 897-6306.

The Book of Revelation will be discussed during a series of four free classes at St. Callistus Church, 12921 Lewis St. in Garden Grove. Led by Benilda Desmond, the sessions will be held at the church from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Mondays during February. Emphasis will be placed on understanding Christian symbols, symbolism of numbers and mythical monsters. For information, call (714) 971-2091.

Al H. Johnson will be installed as senior pastor of Crown Valley Covenant Church during 9:30 a.m. worship services at the church, 24600 La Plata Drive in Laguna Niguel. The service will be conducted by the Rev. Clarence Winstedt, superintendent of the Pacific Southwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church. For information, call (714) 495-6071.

A noon-hour study session on the Book of Amos will begin Wednesday at Temple Bat Yahm, 1011 Camelback St. in Newport Beach. Led by Rabbi Mark Miller, the four-session seminar will be held in the temple library from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. Wednesdays during the month of February. For information, call (714) 644-1999.