The TV dramatic series “Christy”--energetically promoted by...

The TV dramatic series “Christy”--energetically promoted by executive producer Ken Wales in evangelical, mainline Protestant and Catholic circles during its on-and-off run for more than a year--will end its current eight-week stretch on CBS at 8 p.m. Wednesday.

The series about a young teacher in Appalachia has become, for the religious community, something of a test case for television’s willingness to present family fare. But Wales said it may fall victim after this week to advertisers’ desires for comedy shows.

“Family shows are going to disappear because of a cave-in to the sitcom craze,” said Wales, adding that 60 situation comedies are scheduled by major networks for the fall season. Commercial time on sitcoms tends to sell for more than it does on family shows, producing more revenue for the networks, Wales said.

Not an overtly religious program, “Christy” nevertheless has won support from religious groups that were impressed with its faith-in-action characterizations and subtle spiritual themes.

The show stars Tyne Daly, LaVar Burton and Kellie Martin, who plays “Christy,” a character based on the mother of author Catherine Marshall. The 25-year-old book of the same name had sold 8 million copies before the series premiered. Reprints have since sold another million, Wales said.

Wales, a member of Pacific Palisades United Methodist Church, saw his longtime dream to bring “Christy” to the little screen come true on Easter Sunday last year, when it was first seen in an estimated 18 million households. It continued to run for six weeks after Easter.

Initially, the program wasn’t in CBS’s plans. But affiliate stations meeting in Los Angeles objected, Wales said, and consequently, CBS ordered 13 more shows, including a two-hour special that was shown last Thanksgiving. The holiday special ran “a solid second place” against the movie “Home Alone,” Wales said.

Wales is heartened by the fact that new CBS Entertainment President Leslie Moonves praised “Christy” during a major conference June 1 in Santa Monica on “Religion and Prime Time Television.” At that time, Moonves headed Warner Bros. Television.

“I am very optimistic,” Wales said, “that ‘Christy’ is going to have a [continued] life. . . . whether it is on CBS, another network or possibly cable.” The series is owned by MTM and Family Channel, a part of Pat Robertson’s operations.

CONVENTIONS

* Long Beach will host the annual General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in the summer 2000. This year’s General Assembly, meeting in Cincinnati, approved the selection. The Rev. David Tomlinson, executive of the host Los Ranchos Presbytery, said the Los Ranchos region includes 64 congregations from East Los Angeles to San Clemente--including seven Presbyterian churches in Long Beach.

* The Christian Booksellers Assn., which registered 12,000 convention-goers last week in Denver, will meet July 13-18 next year at the Anaheim Convention Center. By then, the group may have adopted a new name to reflect the increasing ratio of records, videos, gifts and other retail products aimed at evangelical Christians who once shopped mostly for books and Bibles. About 350 exhibitors filled the Colorado Convention Center. Convention officials said 80 companies are already on the waiting list for 1996 exhibit space in Anaheim.

MEMORIALS

Two recently deceased Buddhist masters are being memorialized in California, where the teachers developed deep roots. They are:

* The Venerable Hsuan Hua, the founder of Gold Mountain Monastery in San Francisco and what became the Chinese-oriented group’s base, the Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in Talmadge, Calif. He died at the age of 77 on June 7 while visiting the Gold Wheel Monastery on 6th Street in Los Angeles. A memorial service was held Tuesday at another affiliated monastery in Long Beach. A series of services were held this week at the movement’s complex at Talmadge.

* Hakuyu Maezumi Roshi, a teacher of Japanese Zen Buddhism for many Western students at the Los Angeles Zen Center. Maezumi was 64 when he died May 14 in Tokyo. A funeral service and fire ceremony will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Aug. 27 at the outdoor plaza of the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, 244 S. San Pedro St., Los Angeles. Parting words to the teacher, either brought along or mailed to the center, will be offered in the fire ceremony, a spokesman said.

POSTSCRIPT

Evangelist Greg Laurie drew 164,000 people to Anaheim Stadium July 13-16, and 17,658 of those came forward to register new faith commitments, said officials of the Harvest Crusade in Riverside. Totals exceeded last year’s figures at the ballpark--144,000 and 12,925 commitments--primarily because this crusade began one night earlier, running four days instead of three. The biggest single crowd--55,000--showed up not for the final Sunday night rally, as is customary, but on a music-filled Saturday night featuring the Christian rock band the Kry.

HOLIDAY

* The Jewish holiday of mourning, Tisha B’Av, which recalls Jewish tragedies, starting with the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 586 B.C., will be observed in synagogues next weekend. At least two congregations will hear poignant stories from Central and Eastern Europe told by participants of a recent tour of capital cities and former concentration camp sites.

Rabbi Arnold Rachlis of Irvine’s University Synagogue, 4915 Alton Parkway, will share his impressions from the tour during services at 8 p.m. Friday. Then, Rachlis will lead a Tisha B’Av the next night, noting that the holiday nearly coincides with the 50th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima (714 553-3535).

At Hollywood Temple Beth El, 1317 N. Crescent Heights Blvd., West Hollywood, Milton Kavanat will relate his refections on the European tour in a holiday service at 8 p.m. next Saturday (213 656-3150).

DATES

* A service marking 50 years since the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima will be held Sunday at Koyasan Buddhist Temple in Little Tokyo. Bishop Taisen Miyata will officiate at the 2 p.m. service at the temple, 342 E. 1st St., which is also the U.S. Shingon Buddhist headquarters. The temple houses the eternal Hiroshima Peace Flame, a gift to the city of Los Angeles in 1989 from the city of Hiroshima. The service is co-sponsored by the American Society of Hiroshima/Nagasaki A-Bomb Survivors (213 413-6661).

* A three-day conference for clergy and community leaders on “Ministry in the Changing Faith Community” will begin Friday night at Loyola Marymount University in Westchester. A session on Saturday will examine “Parishes Under Seige: Merge, Purge or Restructure.” The basic conference fee is $100 (310 338-2799).

* In a benefit for college scholarships and church programs, Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, 7900 S. Western Ave. in Los Angeles, will hold a concert, “Explosion ‘95,” at 4 p.m. Sunday featuring the Rev. Cheviene Jones, the congregation’s pastor. Tickets are $15 (213 750-240).

* A dialogue on cultural and religious issues facing the Iranian Jewish community in Los Angeles will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Museum of Tolerance, 9786 W. Pico Blvd. Rabbi David Shofet will introduce the program of speakers and topics organized by the Jewish Studies Institute (310 553-4478, Ext. 276).

FINALLY

* The Hollywood Congregational Church, located for 70 years about two blocks west of the Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard, closed its doors 12 years ago. A remnant of the congregation moved to the western reaches of the San Fernando Valley, meeting in rented quarters in Calabasas and Agoura Hils, currently at Willow Elementary School Auditorium.

The church grew and hired a South African transplant, Pastor Dave Clack, at the start of 1994 to head what was renamed the Agoura Hills Congregational Church.

Church leaders plan another name change as it moves out of Los Angeles County. The congregation bought an Assembly of God church in Thousand Oaks, requiring a re-christening as Conejo Valley Congregational Church when it relocates in the fall.

Once it is ensconced in its own building again, the congregation will take its Rock Cross out of storage. Formerly displayed before tourists visiting Hollywood Boulevard, the cross was distinctive for being made from single stones sent from each state in the United States.

A reminder of the congregation’s longevity, the Rock Cross contains only 48 rocks.

Notices may be sent by mail to Southern California File, c/o John Dart, L . A . Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth, CA 91311, or by fax to Religion Editor, (213) 237-4712. Items should arrive at least three weeks in advance of the event announced. Include a phone number, date, time and address.