New Nondenominational Church Offering Worship Services

The newly founded, nondenominational Joyful Celebration Church offers worship services from 10 to 11 a.m. Sundays at Arroyo Vista Elementary School. Services are contemporary in format. Child care and Sunday school are provided. The school is at 27897 Mazagon, Mission Viejo. (949) 206-6110.

The Rev. Gary Demarest will begin his series on the Gospel of John during the 8:45 and 10:30 a.m. services Sunday at Trinity United Presbyterian Church. In addition, there will be group study in members’ homes for six weeks. The church is at 13922 Prospect Ave., Santa Ana. (714) 544-7850.

Temple Beth David’s Scholar-in-Residence program will feature Joshua O. Haberman, rabbi emeritus of the Washington Hebrew Organization, next weekend beginning with Sabbath dinner at 6:30 p.m. Friday. The dinner costs $12. Haberman will speak on “Gaining Intimacy With God: Is a Personal ‘God Experience’ Possible?” at services at 8 p.m. Feb. 20 and during a brunch at 10 a.m. Feb. 21. Cost is $5 in advance and $8 the day of the event. Reservations are required. The temple is at 6100 Hefley St., Westminster. (714) 892-6623.

The Rev. Margie Clark will give the message “When Love Flows, Trouble Goes” at 10 a.m. Sunday at the Seal Beach Church of Religious Science. There will be an opportunity to renew wedding vows during the service.

A Lenten study group will meet from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursdays through March 25 in the sanctuary. Penny Stephens will conduct the series using the book “A Spiritual Philosophy for the New World” by John Randolph Price. Cost is $5. The church is at 500 Marina Drive, Seal Beach. (562) 598-3325.

Jack and Judy Balswick will speak on the “Four Dimensions of Marital Health: Covenant, Grace, Empowerment and Intimacy” during the Marriage Enrichment Evening at 5 tonight at Geneva Presbyterian Church of Laguna Hills. Child care will be available. The church is at 24301 El Toro Road, Laguna Hills. (949) 837-2323.

The Rev. Tari Lennon will focus on enlightenment during the 10 a.m. Sunday service at Neighborhood Congregational Church. There will be a Women’s Spirituality meeting at 7:15 p.m. in the church library.

The annual Ash Wednesday Soup Supper will take place at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday followed by a Lenten service. The church is at 340 St. Ann’s Drive, Laguna Beach. (949) 494-8061.

Unity Chapel by the Sea will host Practitioner Tricia Klink giving the message “Love Is the Way” at 10 a.m. Sunday. Refreshments will follow. The church is at the Women’s Club of San Juan Capistrano, 31442 El Horno St., San Juan Capistrano. (949) 496-7972.

Rabbi Arnold Rachlis will speak on “Martin Buber: Prophet of Dialogue” at the 8 p.m. Sabbath services Friday at University Synagogue. Rachlis will share excerpts from the writings, which emphasize knowing the heart. The synagogue is at 4915 Alton Parkway, Irvine. (949) 553-3535.

Anthropologist Whitney White will discuss “We Are One: The Scientific Proof That We Are All One Human Race” as part of the “Partners in Building a Spiritual Community” lecture series at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Baha’i Center of South Orange County.

There will be an introductory “Baha’i Basics” course from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. with Howard Tangler. The center is at 3316 Avenida del Presidente, San Clemente. (949) 369-9278.

The Rev. Karen Stoyanoff will give the message “Is Nothing Sacred?” during the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service at Orange Coast Unitarian Universalist Church.

Local authors Eva and Manfred Krutein will share their experiences during and following World War II in Germany, Chile and the U.S. at the “Third Friday Night Forum” from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Books may be purchased following the event. The church is at 1259 Victoria St., Costa Mesa. (949) 646-4652.

The Rev. Margaret Mohit will continue her “New Thought for a New Millennium” series with the message “Relationship as a Spiritual Path” at 9 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday at Unity Community Church. Sunday school and child care will be provided. The church is at 22911 Mill Creek Road, Laguna Hills. (949) 472-9230.

Special Services

The Rev. Jon Dobrer’s Valentine’s Day message will be “On Love--What Else Matters” at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Fullerton. Religious education for children will be provided. The church meets at Temple Beth Tikvah, 1600 N. Acacia Ave., Fullerton. (714) 871-7150.

A Lenten prayer and reflection service will be offered from 9:15 to 11 a.m. Ash Wednesday at St. Irenaeus Church. The Rev. Reynold Furrell will give the message “What Do We Say About Our Lives: Birth to Death.”

The church will offer “Stations of the Cross” services in English at 7 p.m. Fridays through March 5. Soup and bread dinners are served at 6:30 p.m. The church is at 5201 Evergreen Ave., Cypress. (714) 826-0760.

St. Columban Catholic Church will host a Scout Saturday ceremony for cub scouts and boy scouts of different faith who have earned their religious emblems. Individuals scouts, as well as Packs and Troops, will be honored. Special recognition will be given to scouts earning the “Our Lady of Guadalupe” award. The church is at 10801 Stanford Ave., Garden Grove. (714) 534-1174.

Mount Calvary Lutheran Church will offer an Ash Wednesday service focusing on “The Feet of Christ to Lead the Way” at 7:30 p.m. Soup and sandwich will be offered from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. The church is at 5895 Ball Road, Cypress. (714) 527-6311.

Calvary Baptist Church will host its “Breakthrough Explosion,” featuring religious leaders from around the country at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sundays, 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 11 a.m. Saturdays during February. The meetings will offer time for praying, fasting, miracles, revival, praise, worship and consecration. The church is at 1524 W. 1st St., Santa Ana. (714) 543-8211.

The Rev. Suzanne B. Dougherty will give the message “Love Is a Family Value” at 10:30 a.m. Valentine’s Day Sunday at Unitarian Universalist Church of South County. A taped lecture on “Puccini’s Tosca” will be featured at the 9:30 a.m. early bird discussion. The church is at 25801 Obrero Drive, Suite 8, Mission Viejo. (949) 581-0245.

St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church will celebrate Black History Month, with parishioner Roydee Bernard sharing about the Anglican Church in her native Liberia, during the 9 a.m. Sunday service. Parishioners and Jamaican natives Canute and Thelma McLean will share next Sunday and parishioners Marne Glass and Rita Higgens will present a discussion on the black experience in the American Episcopal church on Feb. 28. The church is at 8300 Valley View St., Buena Park. (714) 828-8950.

Pastor Dave Beckwith will speak on “Raindrops and Roses” at 9 and 10:30 a.m. Valentine’s Day Sunday at Woodbridge Community Church. Beckwith will focus on renewing the closeness and intimacy of marriage. The church is at 5000 Barranca Parkway, Irvine. (949) 552-1101.

Performances

Ash Wednesday services at Bethlehem Lutheran Church will feature the Senior Choir and the imposition of ashes at 7 p.m. Lenten services, with the drama series “The Cross and Our Witness” will continue through March 24. The church is at 3352 Katella Ave., Los Alamitos. (562) 430-3444.

A contemporary Christian music concert benefiting the Pastoral Care and Counseling Ministry of Southern California, Inc., will take place at 8 p.m. this evening at Shepherd of the Hills Church. Tickets are $7.50 or $25 for a family of 5. The church is at 30121 Niguel Road, Laguna Niguel. (714) 495-1310.

The United Methodist Church of Garden Grove’s Music Department will host a Valentine’s Day dinner-dance from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday in Acker Hall. The Madrigal Singers, soloists and guest musicians will perform. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Reservations are required.

Boy Scout Troop 296 will host a Shrove Tuesday “All You Can Eat” pancake dinner from 6 to 8 p.m. Cost is $3 for adults and $1 for children. The church is at 12741 Main St., Garden Grove. (714) 534-1070.

Other Notes

St. Matthew’s Traditional Episcopal Church will host a Shrove Tuesday pancake supper at 6 p.m. preceded by evening prayer at 5:30 p.m. Ash Wednesday services will take place at noon and 7 p.m. . The church is at 1723 Westcliff Drive, Newport Beach. (949) 646-1152.

Faith Lutheran Church will host soup suppers at 6 p.m. each Wednesday during Lent, with services following at 7 p.m. featuring the “Silent Witnesses” series. Services will also take place at 12:15 p.m. Wednesday during Lent. Sunday services at 8:30 and 11 a.m. during Lent will feature a “Biblical Pictures of Water” series. The church is at 8200 Ellis Ave., Huntington Beach. (714) 962-5571.

The Rev. Kristin Miller Huffman, of Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church in Texas, will discuss “Who Keeps the Keys to the House” at the annual Women’s Retreat from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. next Saturday at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. Cost is $20. The church is at 600 St. Andrews Road, Newport Beach. (714) 631-2880.

The men of St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church will host a Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper from 5 to 7 p.m. There will be a service with the imposition of ashes at 6 and 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Ash Wednesday. The church is at 8300 Valley View St., Buena Park. (714) 828-8950.

Calvary Church of Santa Ana, in conjunction with the Orange County Health Department, will offer a Children’s Immunization Clinic from 2 to 6 p.m. Thursday in the Fireside Room. There will also be an American Red Cross Blood Drive from 3 to 8:15 p.m. The church is at 1010 N. Tustin Ave, Tustin. (714) 973-4800.

Congregation Shir Ha-Ma’alot, in cooperation with the American Red Cross, will host its annual Brotherhood Blood Drive from 8 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Sunday. Donors are asked to bring a form of identification.

Rabbi Bernie King will lead “The Ten Sefirot” series on Jewish mystical thought from 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through March 31. Registration fee is $50. The congregation is at 3652 Michelson Drive, Irvine. (949) 857-2226.

The Philoptochos Society of St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church will present its “One Fine Day” benefit fashion show luncheon at 10:30 a.m. March 6 at the Anaheim Hilton & Towers Hotel. The silent auction features a Hawaiian vacation grand prize. An “Early Bird Special” is available if registered by Sunday. Cost is $55. The Hilton is at 777 Convention Way, Anaheim. (714) 827-0181.

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