Annual Women’s Night at Plaza

* The Ventura sector of the Los Angeles Church of Christ is sponsoring a “1999 Women’s Night--When You Believe” at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza beginning at 7 p.m. today.

The annual women’s program will include keynote speaker Tracena Holland, leader of the arts, media and sports ministry of the Los Angeles Church of Christ.

Dessert and coffee will follow the program.

Registration is required. For more information, call 494-0598.

Sacrament of the Sick Offered * St. Paschal Baylon Church of Thousand Oaks will administer the sacrament of the sick after the 4:30 p.m. Mass today and on Sunday after the 10:45 a.m. Mass, the 12:15 p.m. Mass in Spanish and the 5:30 p.m. Mass.

“Catholics who are elderly or ill or facing surgery are invited to receive the sacrament,” said Msgr. Joseph George.

St. Paschal’s is at 155 E. Janss Road. For more information, call the parish center at 496-0222, Ext. 101.

Second ‘Evening of Imagination’ * Jewish Family Service of Ventura County will hold its second annual “Evening of Imagination” at 6:30 p.m. today at Temple Beth Torah.

The evening--which will include a catered gourmet dinner, entertainment that includes a magician, fortune teller and palm reader, and a silent auction--will benefit Jewish Family Service counseling programs, a free legal clinic and senior-to-senior peer counseling.

For reservations, call 641-6565. Temple Beth Torah is at 7620 Foothill Road.

Mary Baker Eddy to Be Featured * The Thousand Oaks Christian Science Reading Room will feature materials on Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered and founded the worldwide Christian Science religion, during March, which is National Women’s History Month.

Eddy also founded the Christian Science Monitor, an international daily. She was honored with the 1999 Media Award for the National Foundation for Women Legislators.

“A poll of American historians, recognizing women’s contributions in this century, found Eddy to be the most influential woman in religion in the U.S.A.,” said Marjorie Scott Eichelberger of the Thousand Oaks First Church of Christ, Scientist.

The Christian Science Reading Room is at 3729 Thousand Oaks Blvd. in the Evergreens Shopping Center. Its hours are Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. The library / bookstore is open to the public.

For more information, call 495-8202.

Installation Ceremony for Pastor * The Simi Valley Sonrise Christian Fellowship will hold a formal installation ceremony for its new senior pastor, the Rev. Joe Woodruff, Sunday at 4 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.

The fellowship is at 2350 Shasta Way. For more information, call the church at 581-1628.

Church Plans Events for Week * The Rev. Mary Ann Feine will lead Sunday’s services at Our Saviours Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oxnard at 9:15 a.m.

Sunday school for all ages begins at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday Bible study groups for adults and youths begin at 7 p.m.

On Thursday, a 5:30 p.m. supper at the church will be followed by a 7 p.m. Lenten service. On Friday, a Taize service begins at 7:30 p.m. Throughout March, a 12-step recovery group will meet Monday evenings from 7:30 to 9.

The church, at 905 Redwood St., may be reached by calling 486-5383.

Purim to Be Celebrated at Temple * The festive Jewish holiday of Purim will be celebrated at Ventura’s Temple Beth Torah with a children’s carnival Sunday beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Youths first will gather in the temple sanctuary for music and a recounting of the story of Purim.

“This is a colorful event--children parade in costumes and punctuate the reading with noisemakers,” said Annette Halpern of the temple.

The carnival that follows will include games, prizes and traditional pastries. The event is open to the public.

To acknowledge “Shabbat Across America,” the temple will host a dinner for Jews in the area on Friday night. Call 647-4181 for reservations.

The temple is at 7620 Foothill Road.

Second Part of Sermon on Suicide * The Rev. Dick Weston-Jones will continue with the second of a two-part sermon on assisted suicide at the 9:15 and 11 a.m. services Sunday at Ventura’s Unitarian-Universalist Church.

Lily Starobinets will play the piano. Religious education is available for all grade levels.

The church is at 4949 Foothill Road. Call 644-3898 for more information.

Church Hosts Speaker, Luncheon * Harry Schwartzbart, president of the San Fernando Valley chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, will speak in Simi Valley at the United Church of Christ on Sunday.

Following the service, Pastor Bill Greene will host a finger-food luncheon, at which Schwartzbart will be present for discussion.

The service will begin at 10 a.m. and is open to the public, as is the luncheon.

The church is at 370 Royal Ave. Call 498-1753 for more details.

Services Focus on Eastern Faiths * First Presbyterian Church of Oxnard will feature a Lenten service at 11:30 each Sunday morning during Lent. Charles Griffin will lead the series, titled “Our Neighbors’ Faith--the Way of the East.”

Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism and Shintoism will be studied and discussed during the services.

A new fellowship for those of college age is beginning and will meet the second Tuesday of each month.

For more details about church activities, call 983-0204. First Presbyterian is at 850 Ivywood Drive.

Worship and Classes on Sunday * Interfaith Church for Today meets at 10 a.m. Sundays at the Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd., for both its worship service and Sunday school. Nursery care is provided.

For information on church programs such as feeding the homeless, its “Conversations with God” Monday night discussion group, the course in miracles or prosperity classes, call 379-9336.

Congregation Schedules 3 Lectures * Congregation Am HaYam of Oxnard has scheduled three special lectures.

On Sunday, 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 more information or reservations, call 985-2853.

The congregation’s Shabbat services this month are on Friday and March 13, 19 and 20. Friday’s service begins at 8 p.m. Saturday morning services begin at 10. The March 19 service, a family service, will begin at 7 p.m.

On March 13, a traditional third meal, Seudah Sh’leesheet, preceded by a Torah study, will be held at a member’s home at 5:30 p.m. Call for reservations.

Services for the mornings and evenings of Passover also will be held at members’ homes, although Shabbat services will be held at the Oxnard Monday Club. Services for the first night of Passover, March 31, will begin at 6 p.m., and reservations are necessary.

12-Session Weight-Loss Program * Oxnard’s St. John’s Lutheran Church begins a 12-session “Weigh Down” seminar Tuesday afternoon.

“It helps you lose weight with a life-changing love for God,” said Dee Riddering of the church. “It puts God in control.”

A fee of $103 covers the 12 weeks of meetings, plus workbooks and several videos.

For more information, call 983-8119.

Judaism’s View on Men, Women * Chabad of Ventura will host a lecture by psychologist and author Lisa Aiken on Wednesday at the Jewish Community Center.

Aiken’s topic will be “Does Judaism Believe That Men Are From Mars and Women Are From Venus?”

Aiken’s book titles include “To Be a Jewish Woman.”

The cost of the lecture is $8. For more information, call 658-7441.

The center is at 1259 Callens Road.

‘Shabbat Across America’ Dinner * Congregation B’nai Emet in Simi Valley will host a “Shabbat Across America” dinner and service Friday.

Rabbi Michele Paskow and cantor Michael Russ will lead a special service after the dinner.

Reservations are necessary for the $12.50 dinner. Cost for children ages 7 to 12 is $7.50.

The congregation will also host three adult-education courses in the coming weeks, including “Biblical Literacy,” which begins March 15. “Passover Holiday Workshop” starts March 16 and “Jewish Literacy / Introduction to Judaism” begins April 27.

For more information or reservations, call 581-3723.

The congregation meets at 4645 Industrial St., No. 2C.