Churches Taking Leading Role in Preparing for Y2K Glitches

With seminars, pamphlets and videos, churches are taking a lead in offering advice on how to minimize disruption in the home and prepare for the year 2000 computer glitch. The common advice: “Don’t be scared. Be prepared.”

In a Y2K presentation Sunday at Unity Church of South Bay, Jerry Baum of Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc. will offer tips on safeguarding bank records, government documents, home appliances and other systems. He will also explain how the power industry, financial sector and others have prepared to deal with any computer problems.

Baum said the greatest potential problem may not be computer crashes, but a year-end panic that leads to runs on banks, grocery stores and the like. Such modest steps as taking out enough cash--a week’s worth or so--will help avoid panic, he said.

“I’m not preaching doom and gloom,” said Baum, Toyota’s Year 2000 External Compliance Manager. “There may be power brownouts and disruptions in telephone service, but I don’t anticipate a major crisis situation.”

Baum will speak at noon at Unity Church, 3537 Torrance Blvd., Torrance. The suggested donation is $10. (310) 316-4502.

EVENTS

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Human rights activists on Sunday will celebrate the 10th birthday of the Panchen Lama, regarded as the world’s youngest political prisoner and Tibetan Buddhism’s second most revered leader after the Dalai Lama. Activists say the boy, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, has been held under house arrest since May 1995 by the Chinese government. His confinement underscores the broad repression of religion in Tibet, they say. The celebration and protest will be held at 1 p.m. across from the Chinese Consulate, 442 Shatto Place in Los Angeles. (310) 315-4875.

* What do your dreams mean? That timeless question will be answered--free of charge--during the 11th annual National Dream Hotline, sponsored by the Missouri-based School of Metaphysics today and Sunday. The school’s teachers will explain dream interpretation until 10 p.m. Call (417) 345-8411.

* The 13th annual Santa Barbara Jewish Festival will offer an outdoor delicatessen, klezmer music and folk dance lessons, a used book sale, a lecture on Jewish humor and children’s crafts and amusement rides. The festival will be held Sunday from 11 a.m. at Oak Park in Santa Barbara. (805) 957-1115.

* Catholics in the San Fernando Valley will hold a fund-raiser today to build retirement funds for the Sisters of St. Joseph Carondelet, who taught generations of students in nine area parish schools. Tickets to the “Elegant Evening of Swing” are $75 and include cocktails, dinner, dancing and entertainment. A raffle and drawing for a $10,000 cash prize are also featured. The event will be held at St. Mel Activity Center, 20870 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills. (310) 889-2107.

SPEAKERS

Michael Cassidy, the visiting South African founder of an interfaith, interracial Christian ministry, will preach Sunday at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. at the Bel Air Presbyterian Church, 16221 Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles. Cassidy, who founded the African Enterprise 37 years ago, will speak on the “Five Firsts of Jesus.” (626) 357-8811.

* Wendy Hunter Roberts will speak on how to use feminist ritual to enrich your spiritual life Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Immaculate Heart College Center, 425 Shatto Place, Suite 401, Los Angeles. Roberts recently published “Celebrating Her: The Divine Feminine Awakens.” (213) 386-3116.

* Rabbi Naomi Levy, the first female Conservative rabbi to lead a congregation on the West Coast, will discuss how Judaism can offer a path toward healing and joy Wednesday from 7:30 p.m. at Temple Isaiah, 10345 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles. Levy wrote “To Begin Again: The Journey Toward Comfort, Strength and Faith in Difficult Times.” (310) 277-2772.

* Rabbi Lawrence J. Goldmark, president of the Board of Rabbis of Southern California, will be honored Friday at an 8 p.m. Sabbath celebration to mark his 20 years of service to Temple Beth Ohr, a Reform Jewish congregation. Guest speaker will be Rabbi Richard N. Levy on “The Future of Reform Judaism in the 21st Century.” The temple is at 15721 Rosecrans Ave., La Mirada. (714) 773-0361.

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