Discussion of Social Change to Mark King’s Birthday

An interfaith prayer breakfast marking the birthday of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. will be held Wednesday at 8 a.m. at Holman United Methodist Church, 3320 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles. Speakers include the Revs. Aidsand and Betty Wright-Riggins, who will discuss the responsibilities of religious institutions in social change. The breakfast is co-sponsored by the National Conference for Community and Justice (formerly known as the National Conference of Christians and Jews) and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Reservations are required. $15. Call (213) 250-8787.

A tour of the African American Museum at Exposition Park is being sponsored at 11 a.m. Sunday by Congregation Kol Ami of West Hollywood in honor of the birthday of King. Adults $2, children $1. Call (310) 248-6320.

EVENTS

The Jewish Studies Institute in conjunction with Loyola Law School and the Orthodox Union will present two perspectives on privacy, the public’s need to know and the Kenneth Starr report on President Clinton. Titled “Hear Evil, See Evil, Speak Evil,” the discussion will include Laurie Levenson, associate dean of academic affairs at Loyola Law School, and Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein, director of the Jewish Studies Institute at the Yeshiva of Los Angeles. The program will be held at the Museum of Tolerance’s Peltz Theater, 9786 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, Monday at 8 p.m. Admission $10. JSI students $7.

* “How Hollywood Interprets the Bible” will be the subject of a series of four discussions sponsored by the University of Judaism under the sponsorship of the Simmons Family Charitable Foundation. The series: Monday, “Cecil B. DeMille: A Guide to Resources and References”; Jan. 25, “Jesus in the Movies”; Feb. 1, “Out of the Garden and Into the Mall”; and Feb. 8, “The Exodus According to Dreamworks.” All programs will begin at 8 p.m. at the university’s campus, 15600 Mulholland Drive, Bel-Air, just off the 405 Freeway. Tickets for the series are $50, or $15 for individual lectures. Call (310) 476-9777, Ext. 246.

* A marriage enrichment retreat, “The Incredible Power of Two,” will be sponsored by Trinity United Presbyterian Church of Santa Ana. The retreat will feature Gary Brainerd, a clinical psychologist and founder of the Couple’s Garden and author of Basic Marriage Communication Training. For couples considering marriage or divorce, the seminar covers communication skills, healing old wounds and building a strong marriage. Jan. 16 and 17. Cost is $180. Call the church for location and further details, (714) 505-6254 or (714) 544-7850.

* Women of all faith traditions are invited to a gathering to deepen their spirituality and offer mutual support at the Holy Spirit Retreat Center, Monday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Tuesday from 10 a.m. to noon. The center is at 4316 Lanai Road, Encino. Call (818) 784-4515.

* Nancey Murphy, professor of Christian philosophy at Fuller Theological Seminary, will speak on “Christianity and Relativism: A Radical-Reformation Perspective,” on Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Fuller’s Travis Auditorium in the Psychology Building, 180 N. Oakland Ave., Pasadena. Free.

DRAMA

A play about Christian relationships, including various sexual issues, by the New Faith Players will be held at 7 tonight at Faithful Central Missionary Baptist Church, Level D, 400 West Florence Ave., Inglewood. The play is written and directed by Phaedra Alitalia Harris. Free. Call (213) 934-5144.

MUSIC

Pianist Paul Romero, who has appeared at the Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center and performed with the National Symphony, will be featured at a free concert at Pasadena Presbyterian Church at Colorado Boulevard and Madison Avenue. After the concert, listeners are invited to eat their brown-bag lunch on the church’s patio, or purchase a sandwich buffet for $3. Wednesday, 12:15 p.m. Call (626) 568-2608.

* Schubert’s “Quintet in C Major” and Boccherini’s “Quintet in C Major” will be performed Friday at 8 p.m. at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 1031 Bienveneda Ave., Pacific Palisades. Instrumentalists from the St. Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra include Lisa Gregory and Nancy Bremner, violin; Marda Todd, viola; Hans Brightbill and Robin Guyett-Neenan, cello. Call (310) 573-7787. Freewill offering.

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Notices may be mailed for consideration to Southern California File, c/o Religion Editor, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053, or by fax to Southern California File at (213) 237-4712, or by e-mail to religion@latimes.com. Items should arrive two to three weeks before the event and should include pertinent details about the people and organizations with address, phone number, date and time.