MERGING CHURCHES: All Saints Day, Nov. 1,...

MERGING CHURCHES: All Saints Day, Nov. 1, will mark the merger of the congregations of St. Michael Lutheran Church in Sun Valley and Luther Memorial Lutheran Church in Burbank.

Following six months of discussion and planning, members decided in September to merge into a new congregation called All Saints Evangelical Lutheran Church. The merger comes at a time of relatively low membership for the sister congregations, located two miles apart, that both started in 1946. St. Michael Lutheran Church has 138 members and Luther Memorial has 114 members, down from a high of approximately 500 for each church during the 1960s, officials said.

Each church had been offering two morning worship Sunday services. Now, the 8 a.m. service is held at St. Michael Lutheran Church at 8040 Glenoaks Blvd. in Sun Valley and the 10:15 a.m. service is held at Luther Memorial Lutheran Church at 2832 N. Brighton St. in Burbank. Combined Sunday school classes meet at the Luther Memorial Lutheran Church site at 9:10 a.m., with the teaching staff coming from both parishes.

The Rev. Ralph Midtlyng, pastor of St. Michael Lutheran Church, has also led congregants of Luther Memorial Lutheran Church since their interim pastor, the Rev. Rueben Swanson, retired in April.

“Members have already done a good amount of mixing,” said Midtlyng. “We told them, ‘Be faithful to your time of worship, not to your church site.’ ”

Eventually, a decision will be made on which building will be kept and which will be sold.

A preschool is operated at the St. Michael Lutheran Church site. Offerings at the Luther Memorial Lutheran location include an after-school program for elementary school students, English as a Second Language classes and a monthly free meal program called the Lord’s Kitchen.

A special worship service is planned for 10:15 a.m. Nov. 1 at the Luther Memorial site. Congregants will vote at that time on whether to retain Midtlyng as their pastor.

INTERFAITH CONCERT: An interfaith concert is scheduled tonight at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Van Nuys Stake, 15555 Saticoy St. Scheduled to appear are the San Fernando Valley Interfaith Choir, Pacoima Mass Choir, Calvary Korean Presbyterian Church Choir of Granada Hills, Makrom Ohr Shalom Choir of Woodland Hills and the Children’s Choir from the Church of Latter-day Saints from the Valley Stake. KFWB-AM sportscaster Randy Kerdoon will be the master of ceremonies. Social hour is scheduled from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., with the concert planned from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. A $5 donation is suggested for admission.

GOSPEL CONCERT: Contemporary gospel singer Amy Roth will be in concert at 7 tonight at Agoura Bible Fellowship, 5564 Foothill Drive, in Agoura Hills. A $4 donation is asked of adults, $2 for children ages 6 to 13 and free for children 5 and under. Child care will be available. Roth, a Nashville resident, will also sing at the 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Sunday services.

JOINT SERVICE: Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Canoga Park will hold joint Reformation services on Sunday with Atonement Lutheran Church in Woodland Hills. The services are planned at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church at 8520 Winnetka Ave. Choirs from both churches will sing.

BISHOP VISITS: Bishop Roy I. Sano will preach at 10 a.m. Sunday at the Northridge United Methodist Church at 9650 Reseda Blvd. Sano will replace Bishop Jack Tuell in the California Pacific Annual Conference.

OPEN HOUSE: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will hold an open house from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday at churches in Chatsworth, Van Nuys, Canoga Park, North Hollywood, Granada Hills and two in the Santa Clarita Valley. For locations and information about the San Fernando Valley churches, call (818) 360-5526. For locations and information about the Santa Clarita Valley churches, call (805) 259-5935. Admission is free and no collection will be taken.

GENESIS SERIES: The department of continuing education of the University of Judaism is sponsoring a four-part lecture series on the book of Genesis by Dennis Prager, a distinguished Jewish scholar who is known for his commentaries on KABC radio. The series is scheduled from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Nov. 10, Nov. 24 and Dec. 8. Cost is $65 for the entire series or $20 for a single session. Tickets can be purchased at the door. The lectures will be held in the Gindi Auditorium at the University of Judaism, 15600 Mulholland Drive, in Los Angeles.

PARENTING CONFERENCE: A parenting conference called “Parent Power ‘92” will be offered from 6:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday and Nov. 4, Nov. 11 and Nov. 18 at Chapel of the Hills Church, 11120 Oro Vista Ave., in Sunland. Madelon Dribble, medical social worker and marriage, family and child counselor, will address the topics of building bridges in relationships, the art of communication, problem solving and preventive medicine. Planned activities for children include arts, crafts, storytelling and tutoring in English, math and computer science. Admission is free but advance registration is required. More information can be obtained by calling (818) 352-1487.

SHABBAT DINNER: The West Valley Jewish Community Center is hosting a potluck Shabbat dinner Friday for singles ages 24 to 45. The candlelight dinner will begin at 7:30 p.m. at a private residence in the San Fernando Valley. Reservations are due by Wednesday. For reservations, information on what to bring and the location, call (818) 587-3300.

SEMINAR: “Growing Strong at the Broken Places,” a two-day seminar on healing and hope amid the pressures of living in the ‘90s, will be offered from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. next Friday and from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 31 at Bel Air Presbyterian Church, 16221 Mulholland Drive, in Los Angeles. The seminar will be led by the Rev. Jim Smoke, author of seven books and radio personality. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Reservations, due by Wednesday, can be made by calling (818) 597-0713 or (818) 789-5212.

News and announcements for this column can be sent to Religion Desk, Los Angeles Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth 91311.