Religion Briefs

Congregation Plans Winter Social * Congregation Am HaYam in Oxnard will hold its second annual winter social, featuring a dance to the music of Buster, a silent auction, and kosher barbecue and dessert buffet today.

Tickets are $15 per person. The festivities will run from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Mobile Home Estates clubhouse at 5th Street and Mandalay Beach Road, Oxnard.

For reservations or information, call Frieda Harary at 985-1574.

An Introduction to Christian Faith

* The Conejo Valley Congregational Church in Thousand Oaks begins a 10-week introduction to the Christian faith starting Sunday evening.

Each program will be directed at non-churchgoers, recent converts or those renewing their faith, Pastor David Clack said.

Weekly discussion topics include “Who Is Jesus?” “Why Did He Die?” “How Do I Read the Bible?” Clack said.

Each session will run from 5 to 7:30 p.m. and include a meal at the church.

The church operates an Alpha Kids’ Club on-site for youngsters while parents participate in the sessions.

The church is at 750 Erbes Road. For details, call 381-0484.

Oxnard Church Offers Services

* Northside Church of Christ in Oxnard holds Sunday worship services at 10:45 a.m. Bible study begins at 9:45 a.m., and the Sunday evening service begins at 6.

A Spanish service, also Sunday, begins at 2 p.m.

Northside is at 880 E. Collins St. For information, call 485-4443.

‘Highly Flavored People’ Is Topic

* “Highly Flavored People” will be the title of the Rev. Alan Gorsline’s Sunday sermon at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Oxnard, beginning at 10 a.m.

Church school for youths and adults begins at 9 a.m.

As always, Spanish-language worship is held at 6. This Sunday only, the Japanese-language ministry will worship with the English-speaking ministry.

St. Paul’s is at 1800 South C St. Call 487-2711 for information.

New Oxnard Pastor to Be Installed

* Brian Elster, recently a pastor in the state of Washington, has begun serving as pastor at Oxnard’s Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer.

At 3 p.m. Sunday, Bishop Paul Egertson will preside at Elster’s installation, which is a service of Holy Communion. The community is invited, and a meal will follow the service.

The church recently celebrated its 50th anniversary.

For information on its midweek youth programs, music ministry and community social service, call 983-0612. The church is at 721 Doris Ave.

Unity Center Church to Relocate

* Unity Center Church is moving to Old Meadows Center in Thousand Oaks.

Services are at 10 a.m. at the new location, 1600 Marview Drive, which is on a Conejo Parks and Recreation District site.

Unity is a nondenominational church welcoming people of all beliefs, the Rev. Irma Oestmann said.

For information, call 496-6901.

Fellowship Has Support Programs

* The Sonrise Christian Fellowship of Simi Valley offers numerous ongoing support and educational programs.

Its February calendar includes Bondage Breakers, Domestic Violence Support Group, Overcomers Outreach, F.R.E.E.D. (Freedom, Recovery and Encouragement from the Effects of Drugs), Women’s Life, MOMS, Divorce Recovery, Men’s Anger Management, Women’s Anger Management, Peace from Depression, Co-dependency Support Group, Grief and Loss, Chronic Pain and Illness, Survivors of Sexual Abuse and Overcomers Outreach.

Most workshops meet weekly, both day and night, and are ongoing. All are free, and child care is available.

For information on any of these programs, call 581-1628. Groups meet at the fellowship, 2350 Shasta Way.

Study for Lenten Season Offered

* First Presbyterian Church of Oxnard begins a new study for the Lenten season titled “The Jesus I Never Knew” at 7 p.m. Monday. The same study series will begin at 9 a.m. Feb. 21 for those who prefer morning hours.

All adults are welcome, and child care is available. Call the office at 983-0204 to arrange for child care.

On Feb. 16, a pancake dinner, prepared by the church’s youth groups, will kick off Lent. The $3.50-per-person charge will benefit the youth camp scholarship fund.

The church is at 850 Ivywood Drive.

Jewish Community Finds Home

* The Ojai Jewish Community K’hilat HaAloneem has acquired the former Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Meiners Oaks for its permanent home. Its first Sabbath service will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday, with a formal dedication and celebration planned for March. Rabbi Baruch Cohon will lead services.

The facility has a larger sanctuary, separate classrooms and room for a weekly homeless shelter, said David Feigin, member of its board of directors.

Calvary Missionary Baptist Church has often shared its grounds and building with the Ojai Jewish Community over the years. Calvary Baptist congregants will meet in a new location.

The new temple and community center are at 530 W. El Roblar Drive. For information, call 646-9898.

Professor to Lecture at Congress

* Maricarmen Ohara, a Spanish professor at Ventura College and author of several bilingual books, will present two lectures at the 1999 Religious Education Congress in Anaheim’s Convention Center on Feb. 11-14.

Sponsored by the Los Angeles Archdiocese Office of Religious Education, it is the nation’s largest gathering of Roman Catholics. Ohara will lecture on the importance of Hispanic culture in catechism instruction and how parents can be a positive influence in the lives of their children.

A regular lecturer at regional conferences of the Religious Education Congregation, Ohara will speak in Spanish.

“It’s a great opportunity to convey how tremendously rich the Hispanic culture is in spiritual and ethical concepts that need to be preserved by our youth,” Ohara said.

For information, call (213) 637-7348 or call up a Web site at https://congress.la-archdiocese.org.

Church to Hold Swing Dance

* Fillmore’s First United Methodist Church will hold a swing dance Feb. 13. Music will be provided by the LeRoy Andrews Trio, along with the jazz vocal group Section 8.

The dance gets underway at 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome and admission is free, Pastor Abe Lara said.

First United Methodist is at 421 Sespe Ave. For information, call Lara at 524-4814 or LeRoy Andrews at 642-3288.

Bible Institute to Open at Church

* The Channel Islands Bible Institute will open its doors Feb. 15 on the grounds of Nyeland Community Church in Oxnard, said Troy S. Welch, senior pastor at the church.

“The unusual thing with this new school is that there will be no registration or tuition fees for those desiring Christian college and seminary training,” said Welch, who will serve as the institute’s first president.

The school will begin without accreditation and be open to all, regardless of age or previous education, he said.

The first session will run Feb. 15 through May 21, with six course offerings in both day and night classes: Basic Bible Doctrines, New Testament Survey, Exposition of Ephesians, Basic Piano and Hymn Playing, New Testament Greek I and an internship program.

Welch also founded the California Bible Institute in Monrovia.

For a brochure or information, call 485-7072. The institute will be at 3326 Nyeland Ave.

Course in Basic Judaism Offered

* Congregation K’hilat HaAloneem of Ojai is offering a free “crash course” in basic Judaism in five evenings, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17.

Sponsored by the National Jewish Outreach Program, the course’s topics are “Belief in God,” “Prayer,” “The Sabbath,” “Jewish Observance” and “Sexuality.”

To enroll or for details, call 646-4464, class instructor Baruch Cohon said.

Classes will be held at 530 W. El Roblar Drive.

Jewish Academy Plans Lectures

* Conejo Jewish Academy will present a four-part lecture series on the Jewish response to some of today’s moral and ethical issues, beginning Feb. 18.

Jewish medical ethics will be the first topic in the series, with Rabbi Yosef Schusterman focusing on organ transplants and euthanasia Feb. 18.

On Feb. 25, business ethics will focus on “Kosher Business in the Marketplace,” featuring Rabbi Immanuel Schochet as guest speaker.

The March 4 lecture will address Jewish social ethics, particularly “the obligations we have to one another,” Rabbi Moshe Bryski said.

Justice Norman Epstein, a state appellate judge, will speak at the March 11 session on Jewish legal ethics, joined by Rabbi David Eleizri.

Fee for the series of lectures, all of which begin at 8 p.m., is $36. The Conejo Jewish Academy is at 30345 Canwood St., Agoura Hills. Call (818) 991-0991 for information.

Solo Dramatist to Appear

* The women of Congregation B’nai Emet in Simi Valley invite adults to an evening with Roberta Randall, a solo dramatist, as she presents “A Woman of Independent Means” on Feb. 20.

Desert and coffee will be served at the 7 p.m. event. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12.50 at the door.

Call 581-3723 for reservations. B’nai Emet is at 4645 Industrial St., 2C.

Temple Hosts Musical Program

* JFC Temple Ner Ami of Camarillo will present a special program of music, songs and commentaries reflecting different stages of Jewish life in different periods of history at 7 p.m. Feb. 28.

Cantor-Rabbi Baruch Cohon will perform this “Jewish Life Through Music” program. Though now retired, Cohon was UCLA’s Hillel Foundation cantor and taught at Hebrew Union College. He is rabbi for the Ojai congregation.

The program will be held at the temple, 4098 Calle Tesoro, Suite D. Refreshments will follow the program, which is free for temple members and $5 for nonmembers.

Call 388-3824 for reservations.

Congregation Schedules 3 Lectures

* Congregation Am HaYam of Oxnard has scheduled three special lectures.

On March 7, Rabbi Elliot Dorff will speak on “Matters of Life and Death.” Dorff is rector and professor of philosophy at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles and a law school instructor.

On April 18, Alice Greenfield will talk on “The Soul of Israel.” She will discuss such issues as whether Israel will remain a democracy or turn to theocracy.

On May 23, Lillian Rosenbloom’s topic will be “Waters of Eden.” Rosenbloom is administrator of the mikvah at the University of Judaism. The mikvah is the ritual Jewish bath, symbolizing rebirth and renewal.

All of the free lectures will begin at 7 p.m. at the Oxnard Monday Club, 1401 W. Gonzales Road. Seating is limited, and attendance at the lecture series is by reservation only. For information or reservations, call 985-2853.

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