Church to Give Sacraments

* St. Paschal Baylon Catholic Church in Thousand Oaks will anoint the sick today and Sunday after each Mass. All Catholics who are elderly, seriously ill or facing surgery are invited to receive the sacraments. Mass times are today at 5:30 p.m. and Sunday at 7:30, 9 and 10:45 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. A Spanish Mass will be said at 12:15 p.m.

The church is at the corner of Janss and Moorpark roads. For more information, call 496-0222.

‘Living Nativity’ Planned * The Moorpark I and Moorpark II Wards of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will present “The Living Nativity” this evening and Dec. 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the corner of Candlewood Court and Christian Barrett Road next to Peach Hill School.

The half-hour presentation will include actors portraying the birth of Christ, with live animals, scriptural narration and Christmas music.

All are invited, there is no charge and refreshments will be served. There will also be a food drive; all donated canned and packaged food items will go to the Moorpark Food Pantry.

Production to Feature Orchestra * Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village will present the 18th annual production of “Step Into Bethlehem,” highlighted by a 41-piece orchestra, this weekend.

“Step Into Bethlehem” presents events leading up to the birth of Jesus. The musical production will be held in the new 2,800-seat Celebration Center, which features state-of-the-art sound and stadium-style seating.

Show times are today at 3 and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.

Tickets are $12, with discounts available for groups of 20 or more. Tickets are available by calling (818) 575-2299, or by visiting https://www.calvarycc.org or the church ticket center.

The church is at 5495 Via Rocas.

Holiday Musical Extravaganza * Camarillo Community Church’s 14th annual holiday musical extravaganza, “Come Celebrate Christmas,” features a blend of music, drama, dancing and pageantry. The show will be presented at the church today and Sunday at 4 and 7 p.m., with a final performance Monday at 7 p.m.

Reserved seating is available for $7.50 a ticket.

The church is at 1322 Las Posas Ave. For more information, call 482-2657.

Shabbat and Hanukkah Service * JFC-Temple Ner Ami of Camarillo will hold Torah study from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. today.

Shabbat service Friday at 7:30 p.m. will be conducted by Rabbi Milhander. Refreshments will be served afterward.

The temple is at 4098 Calle Tosora, Suite D. For more information, call 338-3824.

All Invited to ‘Messiah’ * The Chancel Choir of the United Methodist Church in Simi Valley will present Handel’s “Messiah” with orchestra, chorus and soloists Sunday at 7 p.m.

The church is at 2394 Erringer Road. All are welcome.

For more information, call 526-6231.

Sermon on ‘Living in the Moment’ * St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church in Newbury Park will have worship services Sunday at 8:30 and 10 a.m. The Rev. Lynne Austin will continue her sermon series, “Living in the Moment, Devotion,” focusing on Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 and Thessalonians 5:16-24.

The church is at 1380 Wendy Drive.

Guest Pastor at Unitarian Church * The Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura welcomes the Rev. Jay Atkinson of Studio City as a guest minister Sunday for the 9:15 and 11 a.m. services. She will be drawing from Hindu and Western sources in her sermon, “The Four Pathways of Spirituality.” Child care is available at the 9:15 service.

The church is at 4949 Foothill Road. For more information, call 644-3898.

Annual Posada in Ojai * Villanova Preparatory School in Ojai will present its annual Christmas Posada on Sunday at 7 p.m. beginning in the Clark Gymnasium. The event, now in its sixth year, allows the audience to participate in the story of Mary and Joseph as they try to find a “room in the inn.” This traditional Christmas celebration is free to the public and filled with holiday carols. The procession will move across a campus decorated with thousands of lights and end up at a living Nativity.

The entire family is invited, and refreshments will be served. The school is at 12095 Ventura Ave. For more information call, 646-1464.

‘A Night of Joy’ in Ventura * The music and creative arts department of Community Presbyterian Church in Ventura will present “A Christmas Celebration: A Night of Joy” on Sunday.

The public is invited to hear the story of Christ’s birth as told by Luke and experience the joy of that night through choirs, hand bells, a brass ensemble, drama and dance during the presentation at 4 p.m. Child care is available by reservation. Call 648-2737.

The church is at 1555 Poli St.

Millennium Parade in Ojai * The Believers Millennium Day Parade, a musical, will be presented for free by 75 children at the Ojai Valley Community Church on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

The church is at 907 El Centro St. For more information, call 646-4324.

Nondenominational Service * Unity Center Church meets at Old Meadows Park in Thousand Oaks.

On Sunday, the Rev. Irma Oestmann speaks on “The Waiting Game.” The community is invited to this nondenominational service that teaches practical lessons for today’s world.

Children of all ages are encouraged to attend the Quest classes. Lisanna Cole and Richard Jones will perform spiritual music.

The park is at 1600 Marview Road. For more information, call 496-6901.

Authors to Speak on Peacemaking * Two authors will speak on peacemaking at the Ventura County Jewish Council-Temple Beth Torah Brotherhood brunch in Ventura at 9:30 a.m. Sunday.

A question-and-answer period will follow the talks by Deanna Armbruster, Southern California director of Oasis for Peace, and Joshua Hammer, Newsweek’s Los Angeles bureau chief.

Armbruster will discuss her experiences in working for Arab-Jewish reconciliation and building bridges to peace. She is the author of “Tears in the Holy Land” and is now the Southern California director for the American Friends of Neve Shalom / Wahat Al-Salam, supporting a community in Israel where Jews and Palestinians have chosen to live, work and educate their children together for more than 20 years.

Hammer will discuss his struggle to reconcile with his devout Hasidic Jewish brother as described in his new book.

Brunch admission is $7 in advance or $10 at the door, and reservations are required.

The temple is at 7620 Foothill Road. For more information, call 647-4181.

Lecture Series Focuses on Holidays * The Rev. Craig Johnson, pastor of Bethel Christian Fellowship in Agoura Hills, will present a winter lecture series as part of the Bethel Forum.

The series will address the holiday season.

On Wednesday, Johnson will discuss “Why Bethlehem? Christ and the City of the Great King.”

The final lecture, “What Child Is This? Christ: the Reason for the Season,” will be presented Dec. 22. Attendees are invited to participate in a dialogue that will follow the formal lecture and question time.

The free lecture series will run from 7 to 9 p.m. each evening, and everyone is welcome. Refreshments and free child care will be provided.

All lectures will take place at the church, 5310 Derry Ave., Suite P, Agoura Hills. For more information, call (818) 889-7215.

Kids Stage Christmas Musical * The South Coast Fellowship Now Generation Kids Choir presents “A Star Is Born,” a Christmas musical, Dec. 18 at 6 p.m. at 4050 Market St. in Ventura.

About 130 children ages 2 and up will participate.

For more information, call 658-7646.

2-Week Tour of Israel Offered * A two-week tour of Israel will be led by Rabbi Shimon Paskow and his wife, Carol, next summer. The group will leave Los Angeles on July 19.

The trip package--including breakfast and dinner every day, insurance and departure fees--costs $4,300 a person, with discounts for those under 18. Space is limited to 32 people.

Paskow, a spiritual leader at Temple Etz Chaim in Thousand Oaks, and his wife have been to Israel many times and have led more than two dozen tours. People of all religions and ethnic backgrounds are welcome.

For more information, call 497-6891.

Volunteers to Visit Shut-Ins * The Shoreline Care Center at 5225 South J St. in Oxnard is seeking people to bring holiday joy to shut-in residents.

Ministries could include worship and drama teams, children’s choirs and visiting animals.

Volunteers are asked to call Marijo Cosgrove at 644-9818 or Barbara Smalley at 499-1712.

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