PASSOVER: About 230 Jewish earthquake victims will...

PASSOVER: About 230 Jewish earthquake victims will attend community Seders today at temples and synagogues throughout the San Fernando Valley to mark the beginning of Passover. The Seders are funded by the Jewish Federal Council of Greater Los Angeles. Temple Solael of West Hills, with about 60 earthquake victims, will have the largest number of people participating in these community services.

At the Los Angeles Jewish Home for the Aging in Reseda, Rabbi William Gordon will be leading the residents in two Seders, each emphasizing different traditions, over the weekend. On Saturday evening, the Seder will celebrate the customs of the Ashkenzic Jews, those who came to this country from Europe. On Sunday, the practices of the Sephardic Jews, who have their roots in Spain and countries along the Mediterranean, will be observed.

PRESBYTERY DEBATE: A resolution decrying the participation of Presbyterians in a controversial women’s conference last November in Minneapolis will be discussed at a special meeting next month of the San Fernando Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A).

At the regular meeting of the regional body Tuesday in Encino, delegates voted 65 to 39 to excuse the late submission of the resolution to the regional body and set a special meeting to consider it for 7 p.m. April 19 at the Kirk o’ the Valley Presbyterian Church in Reseda.

The resolution, which charged that prayers were “offered to the ‘God/Goddess Sophia”’ during a ritual of milk and honey at an ecumenical “Re-imagining 1993” conference, was sponsored by Bethany Presbyterian Church of Burbank, Canoga Park Presbyterian Church, Glendale Presbyterian Church and Palmdale Presbyterian Church.

ANIMAL BLESSING: Weather permitting, a “blessing of the animals” service will be held 10 a.m. today at Shadow Hills Presbyterian Church, 10158 Johanna Ave., Sunland.

Millicent Wood-Harris of Wildlife on Wheels will be the guest speaker.

The church, in an area where many homeowners keep horses on their properties, has held the rites for about 10 years.

EASTER TRILOGY: Felix Mendelssohn’s “Hear My Prayer” will be performed during the 10:50 a.m. service today at Glendale City Seventh-day Adventist Church, featuring the choirs from El Camino College, the congregation’s choir and orchestra under the direction of John T. Dennison.

On Thursday, the singers and musicians will perform “The Seven Last Words of Christ” by Theodore Dubois in a 7:30 p.m. service at the church, 610 E. California Ave. The trilogy will conclude with a traditional Adventist service with brass 10 a.m. April 2. For more information, call (818) 244-7241.

BOSNIA LECTURE: The historical causes of the civil war in Bosnia-Herzegovina will be discussed in a lecture at 7 p.m. Sunday at St. Stephen Presbyterian Church in Chatsworth by Ivan T. Berend, director of the UCLA Center for European and Russian Studies.

A historian of international repute, Berend was president of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences from 1985 until 1990 when he joined the UCLA faculty.

St. Stephen Presbyterian Church is at 20121 Devonshire St.

PALM SUNDAY: Dramatic musical presentations recounting New Testament accounts of Jesus’ last week will be featured in at least three Valley churches on Palm Sunday.

The Easter cantata, “With Christ Arising,” by John Purifoy and Deborah Craig-Claar, will be sung by the Chancel Choir at Woodland Hills United Methodist Church, 5650 Shoup Ave., at 4 p.m., with a potluck dinner to follow. Call (818) 346-6528.

“That We Might Know,” written and directed by Jesse McCallum and featuring songs from three choirs, will be presented at 7 p.m. at Sherman Oaks Presbyterian Church, 4445 Noble Ave.

“The Victor,” a musical under the direction of Glen Hecox, will be performed at 7:30 p.m. by the combined choirs of Bethel Lutheran Church, 17500 Burbank Blvd., Encino. Child care will be provided.

FOREST LAWN CONCERT: The 120-member Collegiate Singers and Orchestra from The Master’s College in Newhall will perform John Rutter’s “Requiem” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Hall of the Crucifixion-Resurrection at Forest Lawn Memorial-Park in Glendale.

The musical program, which will conclude with the “Hallelujah” chorus from George Frederick Handel’s “Messiah,” will be integrated with the presentation using the 195-foot-by-45-foot painting by Jan Styka, “The Crucifixion.” The musical program will be under the direction of Anthony Plew.

Admission to the 800-seat hall is free but advance tickets may be obtained by calling The Master’s College at (805) 367-6193. Parking at the cemetery, 1712 S. Glendale Ave., is also free.

‘AGAPE SUPPER’: Congregational Church of the Chimes in Sherman Oaks will hold its annual “agape supper” at 6:45 p.m. Thursday, followed by a silent procession at 8 p.m. to the sanctuary for a Communion service highlighted with dramatic readings by candlelight.

The supper cost is $5. For more information, call the church, which is at 14115 Magnolia Blvd., at (818) 789-7124.

BISHOP OCHOA: Catholic Bishop Armando X. Ochoa, who heads the 48-parish San Fernando Pastoral Region of the Los Angeles Archdiocese, will lead Good Friday noontime rites in Spanish at Holy Family Catholic Church, 209 E. Lomita Ave., Glendale. For information, call the church at (818) 247-2222.

NEW PASTOR: The 10-year-old Agoura Hills Congregational Church, formed from the assets of the defunct Hollywood Congregational Church on Hollywood Boulevard, has installed the Rev. David Clack as pastor.

Clack was an industrial engineer in South Africa before entering the ministry and coming to Southern California in January. The 125-member congregation holds its services at Willow Elementary School at the corner of Kanan Road and Laro Drive.

MEDITATION GROUP: The first of three spring meditation festivals organized by the Los Angeles InterGroup will be held at 7:45 p.m. today at “The Onion,” the familiar name for the Sepulveda Unitarian Universalist facility at 9550 Haskell Ave., North Hills.

Caroline Rolens will be the speaker for the Aries Easter Meditation followed by group meditation. For information, call (818) 353-9535.

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