Former Hostage Weir, Wife to Attend Service

First Presbyterian Church of Santa Ana will present the Rev. Benjamin Weir and his wife, Carol, at a special worship service at 8 p.m. Friday in the church sanctuary, 601 N. Sycamore St.

Weir, who was taken hostage in Beirut in May of 1984 and released in September, 1985, will speak about his capture and the current situation in the Middle East. Both the Weirs were serving as missionaries in Lebanon when Benjamin Weir was taken as a hostage.

Also featured during the worship service will be a combined choir from several area Presbyterian Churches and liturgical dance troupe. Child care will be provided. For more information, call (714) 542-7253.

Temple Isaiah of Newport Beach will hold its 12th annual community Seder at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at 2401 Irvine Ave. Rabbi Steven Schatz will officiate at the event, which will feature a kosher dinner and special songs and acts traditional during the Passover holiday. Fee for the celebration dinner is $25 for adults, $10 for children ages 7-12 and $7 for children ages 1-7. Reservations are required. For more information, call (714) 548-6900.

Communion will be celebrated at 9 and 10:30 a.m. services Sunday at the Laguna Presbyterian Church, 415 Forest Ave., Laguna Beach. Congregants are urged to bring canned goods to help restock Bell Gardens’ Kitchen Cupboard for the indigent. The communion message will be given by the Rev. Jerry Tankersley. Nursery care will be provided during both services. For more information, call (714) 494-7555.

“Power in Parenting: The Adolescent,” a new film by James Dobson, will be shown at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the Irvine Community Church, 14804 Sand Canyon Ave., Irvine. The film, which is part three of the series, “Turn Your Heart Towards Home,” will cover parent-children relationships and the importance of allowing teen-agers individuality. For moreinformation call (714) 559-1701.

The Rev. David Sandberg will continue his series of sermons, “Conversations With God,” during 10 a.m. worship services Sunday at Shepherd of the Hills United Church of Christ, 30121 Niguel Road, Laguna Niguel. The title of this week’s sermon is, “God Can Take It--And Dish It Out.” For more information call (714) 495-1310.

The Orange County Buddhist Church will celebrate Hanamatsuri, the birthday of Gautama Buddha, with a special carnival from 2 to 9 p.m. today and from 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday at 909 S. Dale St. in Anaheim. The carnival will also feature Japanese cultural exhibits of handmade dolls, Japanese flower arrangement, a Japanese tea ceremony, bonsai and handiwork of children in the church’s Sunday School. There will also be stage demonstrations of Japanese classical dance and music. There is no admission charge. For more information, call (714) 527-9186.

St. Irenaeus Church will host a major Eastertide concert featuring the church choir and a 21-piece chamber orchestra beginning at 7 p.m. Sunday at 5201 Evergreen Ave., Cypress. Produced and directed by Edward Zeliff, the con-cert of Faure’s original “Requiem” will also feature additional hymns and instrumental pieces. For more information, call (714) 995-6161.

Temple Beth Emet invites the community to attend its traditional second night Passover Seder beginning at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at 1770 W. Cerritos Ave., Anaheim. Rabbi George Schlesinger and cantor Charles Segelbaum will conduct the service commemorating the exodus of the Jews from Egypt. A catered, kosher Seder dinner will also be served. Fee is $26 per person, with reduced fees for seniors and children under 13. Reservations are required. For more information, call (714) 772-4720.

Housing in Orange County will be the Adult Forum topic of discussion at 9:15 a.m. Sunday at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, 3233 Pacific View Drive, Corona del Mar. Maya Dunne, head of the Orange County Fair Housing Council and an authority on urban planning, will outline some of the problems caused by a lack of affordable housing in the county. Child care will be provided. Regular worship services will also be held at 8 and 10:30 a.m. For more information, call (714) 644-0463.

Laguna Beach United Methodist Women will hold a luncheon at noon today at the church fellowship center, 21632 Wesley Drive, South Laguna. Dee Leis, co-founder of the South Orange County Community Services Council, will speak on “Volunteering Made Easy.” Fee is $5 per person. For more information, call (714) 831-0938.

Chabad of Irvine Jewish Center will sponsor a Passover matzo bakery beginning Wednesday at 4872 Royce Road, Irvine. Matzo, or unleavened bread, is traditionally part of the Passover season celebration because it was eaten by the Jews as they fled Egypt. The hands-on bakery demonstration allowing community members to help bake the matzo will run through May 1. The tour of the bakery will also include a 20-minute film. For more information, call (714) 786-5000.

Our Lady of Loretto, Catholic Daughters of the Americas, will celebrate its 32nd anniversary today at the Holiday Inn in Anaheim. Msgr. John F. Sammon will officiate at 2 p.m. Mass, to be followed by a late luncheon at 3 p.m. For more information, call (714) 832-0234.

Canyon Hills United Presbyterian Church will hold a champagne brunch at 11:15 a.m. Sunday at Giorgio’s Italian Ristorante in Anaheim Hills. The benefit affair will feature an Italian buffet and live entertainment. Ten percent of the proceeds will go to the Deacon’s Fund, which is used to give support to needy community residents in the Santa Ana Canyon area. Fee is $9.95 for adults, with children admitted for half price. For more information, call (714) 637-7660.

The Master Chorale of Orange County will present a Lutheran Baroque concert with an Easter theme at 6 p.m. Sunday at the Crystal Cathedral, 12141 Lewis St., Garden Grove. Taking the form of a Lutheran Vespers service, the Chorale will perform cantatas by Bach, including excerpts from Bach’s “Mass in B Minor.” The congregation will be able to join in the singing of traditional Lutheran chorales. Nursery care will be provided. For more information, call (714) 971-4000.

A new Conservative Jewish temple is now forming in the Yorba Linda-Anaheim Hills area of North Orange County. A community meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Mercury Savings Bank, located on La Palma Avenue and Imperial Highway in Anaheim Hills. For more information, call Walt Bruckner at (714) 779-7139 or Joan Serot at (714) 921-2420.

Handel’s “Messiah,” Parts I, II and III, will be presented at 10:45 a.m. Sunday at the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Ana, located at the corner of Santa Ana Boulevard and Sycamore Street. Performed by the Chancel Choir and soloists, the production will also include a professional chamber orchestra, directed by Christopher Lindbloom. Child care will be provided. For more information, call (714) 542-7253.

Enid Rose Fourie of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa will be guest speaker at a luncheon at noon Sunday hosted by the Newport Center United Methodist Church. Fourie’s presentation will explore the role of the church in seeking reconciliation in South Africa. Fee is $3. The church is located at 1601 Marguerite Ave., Corona del Mar. For more information and reservations, call (714) 644-0745.

A four-day Prophecy Conference, “Prophecy and the Jew,” will be held Sunday through Wednesday at the Capistrano Valley Church, 32032 Del Obispo Road, San Juan Capistrano. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, director of Ariel Ministries, a Jewish-Christian organization, will be guest speaker. Lectures will be held at 8 and 10:45 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday, followed by a series of nightly lectures at 7 p.m. For more information, call (714) 661-4991.

Temple Beth Sholom will hold its third annual second night Passover Seder at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the Temple social hall, located at the corner of Tustin and Fairhaven avenues in Santa Ana. The evening will include a catered dinner, reading of the Haggadah and songs led by a professional singer. Fee is $19 for adults and $11 for children ages 4-11. Reservations are required. For more information, call (714) 998-0908.

The sisters of the Society Devoted to the Sacred Heart will hold their 7th annual Family Festival and Raffle today and Sunday at 2927 S. Greenville St., Santa Ana. The festival will include games, handcrafted items, food booths, a magic show, collector’s corner, beauty salon, bingo and live entertainment. Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and Sunday. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Heart of Jesus Retreat Center in Santa Ana. For more information, call (714) 557-4538.