The leaders of a nationwide agency that...

The leaders of a nationwide agency that matches African American churchgoers with black children celebrated National Adoption Month this week by urging the city’s black community to find homes for its children.

Alberta Folk, program director for One Church, One Child, said bureaucracy and myths often are obstacles for black parents who are otherwise willing to adopt.

“Our goal is to help the system become more sensitized, and to look at a way to match African American families with children who need homes,” said Folk, a social worker for the Los Angeles County Department of Children’s Services.

The program has brought a dramatic increase in the number of black children adopted because it reaches thousands of eligible parents, Folk said.

“Our premise is to ask a church to find one family in the congregation to adopt one child,” she said. There are more than 1,000 African American churches in the Central City and South-Central Los Angeles area.

About 60% of the nearly 150 children available for adoption each month in Los Angeles County are black, Folk said, but there is often a shortage of white babies because the white community eagerly adopts them.

“The system was designed to service white families when white babies were readily available,” she said. “Now that there are fewer white babies available, there has been a push for transracial adoptions.”

Folk said changing attitudes may allow more black families to adopt. Single-parent, lower-income families no longer are rejected automatically as adoptive families because many have proven they can provide a quality family life for an adopted child.

The Rev. Marian Wright Young, secretary of the One Church, One Child board of directors, said the program is changing attitudes in the black community.

“It’s heightened the awareness of the African American community for the need for African American families to come forward and become part of the process,” she said.

OUTREACH

* The Missions Commission of Garden Grove Methodist Church will hold its alternative Christmas Giving Market from 10 a.m to 12:30 p.m. Sunday. Shoppers can buy livestock, food and clothing to be sent in the buyer’s name to an organization that helps the underprivileged overseas or in the United States. 12741 Main St., Garden Grove. (714) 638-2426.

* Rabbi Shmuel Goldin, founder of the Eve Flechner Torah Institute (for women) in New Jersey, will discuss women and learning at the Orthodox Union’s West Coast Convention and Physicians Conference Dec. 23-26. For information telephone (213) 933-9166.

* The HOPE Unit Foundation and Adat Shalom Synagogue are sponsoring a free support group for widows and widowers who have experienced a loss within the last two years. The group is led by a licensed therapist and meets from 7 to 8:30 Wednesday evenings at Adat Shalom. 3030 Westwood Blvd. (310) 475-4985.

* Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles is sponsoring a support group for people with disabilities on Tuesday nights. The facilitator has a master’s degree of in social work and is herself disabled. Fee is on a sliding scale; telephone screening is required. 6505 Wilshire Blvd. (213) 852-7723.

* The University of Judaism will hold workshops on “How to Live a More Spiritual Life,” from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Workshops include “Women’s Spirituality,” “Intimacy, Spirituality and Sexuality” and “Teaching About God to Children.” The $60 fee includes lunch and materials. 15600 Mulholland Drive, (310) 476-9777, extension 246.

* University Synagogue, a Reconstructionist synagogue in Irvine, is offering a series of adult education classes and establishing a number of havurot (small group fellowships). The schedule includes classes on Reconstructionism, Hebrew, modern Jewish thought and comparative religion. 4915 Alton Parkway. (714) 553-3535.

CHRISTMAS CONCERTS

* The First Presbyterian Church of Santa Ana will host the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus at 4 p.m. today. The choir is made up of 80 singers from the Los Angeles area, and the concert will feature a variety of holiday music. Donations are requested to support the choir’s summer tour of Russia. 600 N. Main St., Santa Ana. (714) 542-7253.

* The First Presbyterian Church of Downey will host “Christmas Through the Ages,” a free choir program presented by the Chancel, Handbell and Youth church choirs, at 6 p.m. Sunday. The concert will feature Christmas music. 10544 Downey Ave., Downey. (310) 430-5709.

* The First Baptist Church at La Crescenta will present two free performances of “Singing Christmas,” a three-screen multimedia musicale, at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sunday. The 65-voice Sanctuary Choir and Agape Orchestra will perform as pictures of Bethlehem and Jerusalem are flashed on screen. 4441 La Crescenta Ave., (818) 249-5832.

* Singer James Sterrett-Bryant will be the baritone soloist in Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Fantasia on Christmas Carols,” part of the Cambridge Singers “The Glory of Christmas” program, at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Pasadena Presbyterian Church. Admission is $15.75, $11 for seniors, $2 for children under 12 years old. 54 N. Oakland Ave., Pasadena. (818) 842-7467.

* St. Augustine By-the-Sea will host “1610 Vespers” by Claudio Monteverdi at 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Guests are asked to bring a toy or article of clothing for a needy child. Admission is $10, $5 for seniors and students. 1227 4th St., Santa Monica. (213) 662-5007.

* The Wayfarers Chapel in Palos Verdes will celebrate a special Advent service, “Carols and Candles,” at 5 p.m. Sunday. The concert will feature a cellist, organ music and singing from the church choir. 5755 Palos Verdes Drive South. (310) 377-1650.

EVENTS

* University Synagogue will host “Comedy Club Night” at 7:30 tonight. Performers have been featured at the Improv, the Comedy Store and on “The Tonight Show.” Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door. 11960 Sunset Blvd. (310) 472-1255.

* Christian Services for the Blind is hosting a Christmas party at the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood from 2 to 4 p.m. today. Blind and sighted people are welcome. 1760 Gower St. (818) 799-3935.

* Temple Etz Chaim will host a special Hanukkah service at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, the first night of Hanukkah. Rabbi Shimon Paskow will lead services and Cantor Jeffrey Cohen and the Temple Youth Chorale will sing Hanukkah songs. A band will perform, and potato pancakes, a traditional holiday food, will be served. 1080 Janss Road, Thousand Oaks. (815) 497-6891.

* Jonathan L. Reed, assistant professor of religion at the University of La Verne, and Tammi J. Schneider, assistant professor of religion at the Claremont Graduate School, will present an illustrated lecture titled “An Evening in Israel” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Claremont’s library. The professors will discuss recent archeological excavations in Israel. 831 N. Dartmouth Ave., Claremont. (909) 621-8066.

* More than 20 goldsmiths, gemologists and other artisans will participate in a holiday jewelry and ethnic craft fair at the Church in Ocean Park from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. 235 Hill St., Santa Monica. (310) 399-5823.

Notices may be sent to the Southern California File by mail c/o Religion Editor, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, Calif. 90053, or by fax to (213) 237-4712. Items must be brief and arrive at least three weeks in advance. Include a phone number, date, time and full address.