S. African Will Speak at St. Mary’s

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 428 Park Ave. in Newport Beach, will feature guest speaker Vanessa Mackenzie at the 10 a.m. Eucharist Sunday. Mackenzie is the youth coordinator from the Diocese of Johannesburg, South Africa, and has been appointed by Bishop Desmond Tutu to oversee an interracial program aimed at facilitating the reconciliation and healing process of youth from that country. Mackenzie’s discussion, entitled “To Be Black and Christian in South Africa,” will focus on the role of the church in the struggle in South Africa and its challenge to be instrumental in the reconciliation between blacks and whites.

Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal St. in Orange, will present the National Youth Choir of Great Britain at a 6 p.m. evensong Wednesday. The 90-member choir is on a North American tour that will conclude at Expo ’86 in Vancouver, Canada. Following the evensong, a dinner will be held to welcome the church’s new curate, the Rev. Thomas Shaver. Reservations for dinner can be made by calling (714) 637-1390. Midsummer Communion will be administered at the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services Sunday at Geneva Presbyterian Church, 24301 El Toro Road in Laguna Hills. The Rev. Robert Warren will be the guest preacher.

First United Methodist Church of Orange will hold weekly Bible study from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesdays in the church library. Marie Cline will lead the study, which will hold its first meeting July 29. The church is located at 161 S. Orange St. in Orange.

Obon, a Buddhist holiday to remember the dead, will be celebrated today and Sunday at the Orange County Buddhist Church, 909 S. Dale St. in Anaheim. A bazaar will be held form 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. today and from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. Traditional Obon dances will be performed at 7 p.m. both days. Originating in Japanese villages, the dances depict scenes from the lives of fishermen, farmers and other villagers. There is no admission charge.

The first of a three-part seminar entitled “Being a Methodist” will be held at 10:45 a.m. Sunday at Newport Center United Methodist Church, 1601 Marguerite Ave. in Corona del Mar. The free series will be held in the Fireside Room and will meet the same time the following two Sundays.

Sisters Philip Marie Burle and Sharon Ann Plankerhorn will conduct a weekend seminar entitled “You Will Receive Power” at St. Philip Benizi Catholic Church Aug. 2 and 3. The seminar will open Friday evening with registration at 7 and a Mass immediately after. Activities Aug. 3 will begin at 9:30 a.m. and close that evening with a Mass at 8. The conference will continue the next day at 12:30 p.m. and conclude at 4:30 p.m. with a family Eucharist. There is no charge for the seminar. For more information, call (714) 871-6747.

The African Children’s Choir will continue a tour of Orange County churches with a 10:35 a.m. concert Sunday at Fullerton Baptist Church, 212 E. Wilshire Ave. in Fullerton. The choir is trying to raise money to develop children’s homes in Uganda through collections taken at concerts. There is no admission charge to the concert, but an offering will be taken.

Laguna Beach United Methodist Church has started a drop-in center for older persons from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays. “Thursday Time for Thoughts” will be open for those interested in getting acquainted with others in the community. For more information on the program, call (714) 499-3088.

The Rev. Leslie Scott Harrold will speak on “How to Start and How to Keep Going” at 11 a.m. Sunday at the Capistrano Valley Church of Religious Science. The church meets in San Juan Plaza, 32261 Camino Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano. Infant care is provided, and a youth church is held for school-age children.