Evening of Christian Music

* First Lutheran Church of Ventura will host an evening of Christian music featuring Tim Frantz and other local musicians from 7 to 10 p.m. today.

Coffee and snacks will be served and children are welcome at the free musical evening.

The church is at 78 Chrisman Ave. Call 643-5585 for information.

Church to Celebrate 100 Years * The Rev. Joe Kropff and Charles Griffin, both former pastors of Oxnard’s First Presbyterian Church, will participate in Sunday’s 100-year anniversary celebration.

A booklet on the history of the church will be available.

The multimedia department will present the story of the church during the worship service.

First Presbyterian is at 850 Ivywood Drive. Call 983-0204 for further information.

Church Plans Reception for Mural * The public is invited to a reception for the debut of a 13- by 23-foot, five-panel mural by Ojai artist Richard Amend at Ojai’s Holy Cross Lutheran Church on Sunday.

The celebration and reception, from 3 to 6 p.m., will be held in the church gardens. There will be a silent auction of artwork related to the development of the final piece.

Begun in 1997, the huge painted mural of trees and flowers, titled “And with Thy Spirit...” covers the east wall of the sanctuary.

The mural will be formally dedicated at the 10 a.m. worship service Sunday. Amend’s family has been active in the Holy Cross congregation for years. His work has been exhibited in Europe and California, and he is also involved in production design for the film industry.

The church is at 1212 Maricopa Highway. Call 646-5652 for information.

Quakers to Host Talk on Iraq * The Ojai American Friends Service Committee, known as Quakers, will sponsor a talk on Iraq by Kitty Barragato at 11:15 a.m. Sunday.

Barragato has just returned from Iraq, where she was part of a team trying to determine how the United States embargo is affecting Iraqi children.

A potluck lunch will follow the talk.

There is no charge, but reservations should be made by calling 640-0444 and leaving a message.

The Ojai Friends Worship group will also hold a meditation service at 10 a.m. that day.

For information, call 640-0444. The group meets at 506 Crestview Drive.

Vacation Bible School in Ventura * Ventura’s First United Methodist Church will hold vacation Bible school from 5:45 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday.

“Under Construction” will be the week’s theme, as the children learn about building a community and sharing gifts with others. Throughout the week, children will learn about the work of Habitat for Humanity and will get to try child-size hands-on construction projects.

An adult class will also be offered.

Each night, a free 5:45 p.m. dinner will precede the classes and activities for children and adults.

For information or to reserve a space, call the church office at 643-8621.

First United Methodist is at 1338 E. Santa Clara St.

Ojai Church Offers Bible School * Children from kindergarten through sixth grade are welcome at Ojai Valley Community Church’s Bible school Monday through Friday on the church grounds.

The school will offer crafts, songs, live exotic animals and refreshments, director Jan Worsham said.

“A special feature this year will be ‘I Witness News,’ a TV broadcast that presents the life of Jesus from birth to resurrection,” she said.

The one-week school is free. Children may purchase T-shirts for $8. To sign up, call 646-4324.

The church is at 907 El Centro St.

Day Camp Offers 2 Sessions * Camp Gan Israel, a Jewish day camp, will hold two four-week sessions this summer--from Monday through Aug. 20.

The camp, for children ages 3 to 13, is at Heschel West Day School in Agoura-Calabasas.

Instructors in drama, music, karate, sports, crafts, Jewish heritage and swimming will be on hand.

For information, call (818) 991-0991.

Temple to Hold Barbecue Dinner * Ventura’s Temple Beth Torah will hold its ninth annual “Shabbabque” at 6:30 p.m. Friday. A barbecue dinner will be hosted by the Brotherhood and Women of Reform Judaism. Reservations are $5 per adult, and are necessary.

A family service will be held at 7:30 p.m., followed by Israeli folk dancing.

The temple is at 7620 Foothill Road. Call 985-3355 for reservations.

Italian Catholic Group to Gather * Branch 380 of the Italian Catholic Federation will meet at 6:30 p.m. Friday at St. Paschal Baylon Church in Thousand Oaks to celebrate the July 4 holiday with an ice cream social.

For more information, call 497-3275. St. Paschal is at Janss and Moorpark roads.

Member of Jews for Jesus to Speak * Tunya Zaretsky of Jews for Jesus will share a message about Messiah Jesus at the South Coast Fellowship in Ventura at 7 p.m. July 7.

The fellowship is at 4050 Market St. Call 658-7646 for more information.

Workshop on Gospel Music * The Evangelistic Missionary Baptist Church of Port Hueneme will hold a gospel music workshop and retreat July 8-10.

Rehearsals will be at the church and at the Marriott Residence Inn in Oxnard. The worship mass choir will perform at 7 p.m. July 10.

Professional voice teachers will instruct. The cost is $15 until July 1 and $20 after July 1. Lunch will be provided on Saturday, and child care is available.

Call the church at 986-1922 for information. It is located at 125 E. Pearl St.

Future King of Ghana to Speak * Members of more than 25 Ventura County churches will meet at Oxnard’s African Methodist Episcopal Church on July 12 to welcome guest speaker Kingsley Fletcher.

Fletcher, author of many books on prayer and fasting, is known for his miracles in his home continent of Africa. His ministry also includes healings and prophecy.

The son of the king of Ghana, Fletcher will be crowned as the next king of that nation in August.

The African Methodist Episcopal Church is at 855 South F St. For information on the event, which will be held at 7 p.m., call 646-2833.

Bible School to Begin July 19 * Vacation Bible school at Oxnard’s All Saints Episcopal Church will run July 19-23 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Activities, crafts and music for children of all ages will be available. The children will present a “Creation” play at week’s end.

Call All Saints at 483-8547 for more information. The church is at 144 South C St.

Simi Church to Mark Anniversary * Trinity Lutheran Church of Simi Valley will celebrate its 40th anniversary July 25.

Early services were held in a dance studio, and a few members who attended the first service are still active in the church.

Trinity plans special events throughout July.

On July 4, Simi Valley Councilman Paul Miller will speak to the congregation. On July 25, Loren Kramer, president of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, Pacific Southwest District, will preach at the worship service.

A congregation picnic at Rancho Tapo Community Park will follow Kramer’s service.

The church will begin a new summer worship schedule the first weekend in July.

A Saturday 5 p.m. praise service has been added. Sunday’s schedule includes a 9 a.m. contemporary service in the biblical garden and a 10:30 a.m. service in the church with a liturgy, following the Lutheran hymnal. A children’s message will be included in this service.

Sunday school will begin at 9 a.m. throughout the summer. Communion will be offered on the first and third Saturdays and Sundays of the month at the 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. services, and on the second and fourth Sundays at 10:30 a.m.

The church is at 2949 Alamo St. Call 526-2429 for more information.

Bible School in Newbury Park * Vacation Bible school at St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church of Newbury Park will be held Aug. 2-6. The cost per child is $5. All children ages 3-12 are eligible.

The summer’s theme is “Good News at Gospel Rock.” Bible lessons, games, crafts, playtime and snacks are offered daily.

For information, call the church office at 498-6910. It is at 1360 S. Wendy Drive.

CLU to Hold Vocation Program * Young people interested in a vocation within the Lutheran Church can explore a variety of options at the eighth annual Invitation to Service at Cal Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks on Aug. 5 to 7.

Students from late high school through college age will have a chance to explore the roles of pastor, missionary, associate in ministry, and music and youth ministries, said the Rev. Reg Schultz-Akerson of CLU, who is coordinating the event.

Young adults of Region II of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America are invited to attend the $95 event. For information, call Linda LeBlanc at 493-3936.

Thousand Oaks Temple to Expand * Temple Etz Chaim of Thousand Oaks will break ground for a 22,000-square-foot expansion on Aug. 29, said Rick Newberger of the synagogue.

The addition will include classrooms, offices, library and meeting rooms.

The temple is at 1080 Janss Road. Call 497-6891 for more information.

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Ventura County Religion