Religion Notes

MEDITATING ON IMAGINATION--The first in a series of Spring Meditation Festivals will be held Sunday with The Aries Festival of Easter, featuring speaker Michael Miles from Wisdom Impressions, and Tibetan-style music by Keith Bailey. The event, which includes meditating and music, is sponsored by the Los Angeles InterGroup, an organization of members from all faiths interested in “ageless wisdom and using the earth’s energy.” The first festival’s theme will be “Imagine . . . Our Common Ground,” at 7:15 p.m. at the Friendship Auditorium, 3201 Riverside Drive, Los Angeles. Suggested donation is $5. Information: (818) 341-1988.

PALM SUNDAY CONCERTS--Several musical programs to celebrate Palm Sunday will be presented Sunday. The Children’s Choir of Woodland Hills United Methodist Church will perform “I’ve Been Redeemed,” a concert of songs of the resurrection of Christ. The Chancel Choir will also perform the Easter communion cantata “Come to the Table” by Joseph M. Martin at 5 p.m. Sunday in the church sanctuary, 5650 Shoup Ave. Information: (818) 346-6528.

* Seventy voices will unite with a 40-piece symphonic orchestra as part of the Palm Sunday Concert titled “The Crucifixion,” by Sir John Stainer, at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at St. Cyril of Jerusalem Church, 15520 Ventura Blvd., Encino. Information: (818) 986-8234.

CHURCH COMMEMORATION: The 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Armenian Evangelical Church will be celebrated with a presentation of Bach’s “St. Matthew’s Passion,” sponsored by the Armenian Evangelical Union of North America and the Lark Musical Society. Under the direction of Vatsche Barsoumian, the adult and children’s choir from the Lark Musical Society will sing the story of Christ’s last days on earth. The performance will be at 5 p.m. Sunday at the First Methodist Church of Glendale, 401 E. Broadway. Tickets are $25, $15, and $10 for students. Information: (818) 500-9997.

LENTEN PERFORMANCES: Two free musical performances will be presented by musicians from The Master’s College. Handel’s “Messiah” will be performed by The Collegiate Singers and The Master’s Chorale under the direction of Paul T. Plew, as part of the 17th annual Forest Lawn Concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Hall of Crucifixion-Resurrection at Forest Lawn, 1712 S. Glendale Blvd., Glendale. Information: (805) 259-3540.

Faculty member and Santa Clarita resident Ruta Bloomfield will give a harpsichord recital featuring compositions by Handel, including Suite in E minor, and Air in E major, as well as Couperin’s “Quatrieme Ordre” and Bach’s Toccata in C minor, BMV 911, at 7:30 p.m. next Saturday at The Master’s College campus, 21726 Placerita Canyon Road, Santa Clarita. Information: (805) 259-3540.

SEDER CHAT: A lecture titled “Beyond Maxwell House: How to Have Your Best Seder Ever,” will be given by Ron Wolfson, vice president of the Whizin Institute, at a meeting of the Pacific Southwest Branch of the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism, at 9:30 a.m. Monday at the University of Judaism, 15600 Mulholland Drive, in the Sepulveda Pass. The cost is $6. Information: (310) 476-5359.

NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Laura Kaplansky of Sherman Oaks has been hired as the executive director of the 22,000-member Hadassah of Southern California. Kaplansky, who holds a master of arts in Jewish studies from Baltimore Hebrew University and a master’s in social work from the University of Maryland, is the former senior development officer of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles.

Reservations are being accepted for the 85th anniversary of the founding of Hadassah, held by the Hadassah of Southern California, Northern Area Groups. The event will include dining and dancing at 7 p.m. next Saturday at the Braemar Country Club, 4001 Reseda Blvd., Tarzana. The cost is $100. Information: (818) 783-3488.

POETIC CANTATA: The Chancel Choir of Sherman Oaks Presbyterian Church will present “Come See A Man,” a cantata with music by Ella Rose Halloran and words by Grace Noll Crowell. It features the words from Christ on the Cross as expressed in poetry by Crowell, a poet and writer who was named American Mother of the Year, Honor Poet of the Year, and was selected as one of the outstanding women of America by American Publications. Ella Rose Halloran is a well-known local composer, pianist and organist whose “Everything and Anything” has been performed by numerous choral groups, including the Roger Wagner Chorale. The performance will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the church, 4445 Noble Avenue. Information: (818) 788-3330.

LAST WORDS: Several local congregations will gather at Santa Clarita United Methodist Church to reflect on “The Seven Last Words” pronounced by Christ on the cross, which will be discussed by seven area pastors, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday at 26640 Bouquet Canyon Road, Saugus. Also at the church, a special Easter Eve Baptism service will be held at 7 p.m. next Saturday. Information: (805) 297-3783.

GUEST SOLOIST: Contemporary Christian artist Mandie Pinto will be the guest singer at Palm Sunday services at 10:30 a.m. at First Baptist Church, 18644 Sherman Way, Reseda. Pinto will also perform at all seven Easter services at the Crystal Cathedral, 12141 Lewis St., Garden Grove. Information: (818) 349-5360.