CRUSADE FIGURES: The San Fernando Valley crusade...

CRUSADE FIGURES: The San Fernando Valley crusade by Luis Palau, which ended Sunday, saw 1,442 people make “decisions for Christ,” either recommitments of faith or first-time professions, during five rallies that drew 45,100 people to the Birmingham High School football field in Van Nuys.

Crusade officials also said that $403,000 in donations was raised to meet the budget established by the local organizing committee of business leaders and pastors.

The crowd totals and number of decisions slightly exceeded those at Palau’s previous major U.S. crusade, held in 1993 in Fort Worth. But the Valley totals were below results in Phoenix and San Antonio the two previous years.

Nevertheless, crusade leaders said the number of volunteers from Valley-area churches exceeded the turnout in the other three cities, although the quantity of supporting congregations was higher in Fort Worth, Phoenix and San Antonio.

Counting auxiliary events--including a Latino rally, two luncheons and a children’s rally--the total attendance was 54,025, with 2,175 decisions, spokesmen said.

CATHOLIC AWARD: The National Catholic Register, a weekly newspaper edited in Encino, won first place in the general excellence category for national Catholic newspapers at the recent Catholic Press Assn. meeting in Tampa, Fla.

The Register, whose editor is Joop Koopman, beat out Our Sunday Visitor (second place), Catholic New Times, Toronto (third place) and the National Catholic Reporter (honorable mention).

AWARDS LUNCHEON: The Rev. Louis B. Gebhardt, a former senior pastor at First Congregational Church of Los Angeles who currently serves a church in Fresno, will speak at the Clergy Network awards luncheon Thursday at the Marriott Hotel in Woodland Hills.

Gebhardt is chairman of the executive committee of the National Assn. of Congregational Christian Churches.

The noon luncheon will honor Los Angeles County Sheriff Sherman Block, publisher-philanthropist Jane Boeckmann, Mother Rosa Broadous of Pacoima’s Calvary Baptist Church and the Rev. Karl Kniseley, president of UniHealth America Foundation.

For information, call (800) 707-2224.

SENIOR JOBS: Unemployed and underemployed San Fernando Valley residents 50 and older are being invited to sign up for training programs, counseling services and job placement resources at an opportunities fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in Van Nuys.

“One in every five people over age 50 live close to poverty . . . but many lack the skills to compete in today’s job market,” said Sally James, executive director of Career Encores.

The fair at the church, 15520 Sherman Way, is one of three sponsored by a grant from Food for All, a nonprofit organization.

There is no charge, but space is limited, sponsors said. Call Career Encores at (818) 842-7507 for reservations and information.

BROADWAY MUSIC: Songs from “The Sound of Music,” “Oliver” and “Showboat” will be featured in concert at 7 p.m. Sunday at Northridge United Methodist Church, 9650 Reseda Blvd.

Admission is $8 for adults and $4 for children to benefit the church’s music ministry.

KLEZMER BAND: The five-member Ellis Island Klezmer Band will perform 4 p.m. Sunday at Valley Beth Israel, 13060 Roscoe Blvd., Sun Valley, as a part of the Jewish Cultural Series sponsored by three San Fernando Valley synagogues.

Tickets, available at the door, range from $10 for adults to $3.50 for children.

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