Disney Assailed Despite Aid for Churches

When Walt Disney Co. executives offered this week to help Los Angeles’ First African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church rebuild its sanctuary after a fire, it wasn’t the first time that Disney officials have helped inner-city churches.

They have worked with the bigger, better-known First AME Church since 1992, setting up a $1-million loan fund for minority businesses and temporary and permanent jobs at Disney Studios and Disneyland. “More than 1,200 people have been hired in that time,” said the Rev. Mark Whitlock, executive director of the church’s FAME Renaissance program.

The good works notwithstanding, the Burbank-based entertainment company continues to get brickbats from conservative Christian organizations that are unhappy with some Disney ventures.

First, the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, an independent group based in New York, objected a week ago to ABC’s planned fall series “Nothing Sacred,” which revolves around a young Catholic priest in a big-city parish. “They’re belittling what is sacred,” said Catholic League Vice President Bernadette Brady, who said she saw the program’s pilot.

A statement by ABC, which is part of the Walt Disney Co., said that subsequent episodes will show that “the series reflects positively on the issues of faith.” The Catholic League is already on record as urging a Disney boycott because of the 1995 movie “Priest.”

Second, Concerned Women for America announced Wednesday in Washington that it would join the Southern Baptist Convention in boycotting Disney products. Paula Govers, a spokeswoman for the 500,000-member organization, said the group, in a closed-door session with Disney, failed to persuade Disney to move to a completely “family-friendly format.”

Along with Southern Baptists and the American Family Assn., Concerned Women for America complained about the openly lesbian themes of ABC’s “Ellen” sitcom, the unofficial “Gay Days” at Disney World and the company’s insurance benefits for partners of homosexual employees. In addition, Govers said her group also protested the skimpy female costumes in animation pictures such as “Pocahontas” and “The Little Mermaid.”

Noting that the Disney brand is still the largest provider of family entertainment, Disney spokesman John Dreyer said, “We feel the only intention of this [closed-door meeting] was to provide a news hook for a press conference.”

Meanwhile, back in Los Angeles, Michael D. Eisner, chief executive of Disney, promised the Rev. Windle Tucker of First AME Zion Church that the company would pay for any damage not covered by the congregation’s fire insurance. If it turns out that the church fire was deliberately set, Eisner said during an inspection of the damage Tuesday, “Whoever did it will find it will be back as it was quicker than they ever thought possible.”

CONVENTION

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Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I, the Damascus-based patriarch of the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch, will attend the annual meeting of the North American Syrian Orthodox churches next week in Los Angeles. The patriarch, who has frequently visited this country, heads a church tradition that uses Syriac, a dialect of Aramaic, in its liturgy.

The 35th annual North American convention at the Westin Bonaventure will open Thursday and conclude Aug. 3 at 11 a.m. with Ignatius Zakka I presiding at a Divine Liturgy expected to attract more than 1,500 people.

The convention will be hosted by Archbishop Mor Clemis Eugene Kaplan, 42, who was appointed last year as patriarchal vicar for the western archdiocese based at St. Ephraim Cathedral in Burbank.

QUOTE

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On the sign at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Tarzana: “All New Sermons; No Summer Reruns.”

DATES

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The St. Brigid New Generation Choir, in conjunction with the Catholic parish’s 75th anniversary in South-Central Los Angeles, will headline a multiethnic gospel concert at 4 p.m. Sunday under the direction of Alfred Lott. Other choirs performing at the church, 5214 S. Western Ave., are the Yorba Linda Gospel Ensemble, the L.A. Inner City Mass Choir, the Young Angels Choir of Radio Korea and the Hispanic Youth Resurrection Choir. The emcee will be Andrae Russell of KJLH, 102.3 FM. (213) 292-0781.

*Storyteller Vicki Juditz will perform her “Teshuvah, Return,” on Sunday at 3 p.m. in Barnsdall Art Park Gallery Theater, 4800 Hollywood Blvd. Her story tells of her journey toward Judaism, beginning with unrequited love of a musician and eventual confrontation with her family’s racism. $10. (310) 471-3979.

*The Rev. Frank Giudici, former chairman of biblical studies at the Unity School of Christianity in Unity Village, Mo., will lead a two-hour Bible seminar at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Unity Church of South Bay, 3537 Torrance Blvd., Suite 23, Torrance. The Assn. of Unity Churches, part of the metaphysical New Thought movement, is best known for its monthly magazine Daily Word. Suggested donation $25. (310) 316-4502.

*A Sephardic Arts Festival celebrating the music, dance, food and history of the 100,000 Jews in Los Angeles whose origins are traced to Spain, Greece, the Middle East and North Africa will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., near Mulholland Drive. $7 admission for the festival and museum. (310) 440-4500.

FINALLY

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Adat Shalom, a 300-family Conservative synagogue on Los Angeles’ Westside, will welcome a new rabbi and cantor at Friday night Shabbat services--both named Resnick but unrelated.

Rabbi Michael Resnick most recently was the rabbi for a synagogue in Palm Beach, Fla. He grew up in the San Fernando Valley and graduated from Cal State Northridge.

He will be joined at the 7:30 p.m. services by Cantor Ralph Resnick, who will be the new religious school director at the synagogue at 3030 Westwood Blvd. The Resnicks will be at the synagogue’s open house Aug. 3 at 11 a.m. (310) 475-4985.

Rabbi Resnick, 39, assumes the pulpit at a synagogue that has only had two rabbis in 50 years. He succeeds Rabbi Morton Wallack, who retired in June after 24 years. The founding rabbi was Meyer Mereminsky.

Notices may be mailed for consideration to Southern California File, c/o John Dart, L.A. Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth, CA 91311, or faxed to the religion desk (818) 772-3385, or e-mailed to john.dart@latimes.com Items should arrive two to three weeks before the event, except for spot news, and should include pertinent details about the people and organizations with address, phone number, date and time.

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PEOPLE

Actor Jimmy Stewart, who died July 2, was a lifelong Presbyterian who supported various entities in his denomination.

He was remembered Friday in Presbyterian News Briefs, published by the church’s headquarters in Louisville, Ky., as one who helped raise funds for the National Presbyterian Church and Center in Washington.

In the Los Angeles area, he was a supporter of Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital and was an active member of Beverly Hills Presbyterian. In the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, Stewart took part in the congregation’s annual Christmas program.

“I consider the church a very private possession of mine, and I guard it and am very proud of it, “ Stewart said in a 1989 interview. “I thank God I have it.”