Religion Briefs

Night of Worship in Oxnard * Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village is sponsoring “The Gathering: A Night of Worship” in Oxnard beginning at 7:30 p.m. today for young adults who come together quarterly for fellowship and prayer.

Those attending should take the Ventura Freeway to the Victoria Avenue exit in Ventura, and turn off toward the beach. Then drive two miles south and look for black-and-white signs directing them to a vacant parcel surrounded by strawberry fields.

The event is free. For information, call 230-1619 or e-mail thegatheringmisistries@hotmail.com.

Car Wash and Dinner Today * All Saints Episcopal Church in Oxnard will have a week of activities beginning today with a youth group car wash in the parking lot from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and a “Bread of Life” dinner in the parish hall at 5:30 p.m.

On Sunday, there will be worship services at 8 and 11 a.m. A Spanish-language service will be held at 9:30 a.m.

At 10:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. Sunday, Father Anthony Guillon will present a program about his recent sabbatical.

There will be a communion and healing service in Our Lady of Guadalupe chapel at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

A Bible study class will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

The church is at 144 South C St. For information, call: 483-2347.

Service Blends Types of Music * Ojai Valley Adventist Church will hear the topic “Getting to a Giants Game” by Pastor David Smith during a 10:45 a.m. worship service today that blends contemporary Christian music and classic songs of faith.

Smith is a writer and producer for the international Voice of Prophecy radio program, which is produced and syndicated from Simi Valley.

The church is at 291 E. El Roblar Drive, Meiners Oaks. For information, call 955-7631.

Masses at St. Anthony’s in Oxnard * St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Oxnard will celebrate a Mass at 5:15 p.m. today. Confession will be heard from 3:30 to 5 p.m. and 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

There will be Masses at 7:30, 9 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday. Spanish-language Masses will be at noon and 1:30 p.m.

The church is at 2511 South C St. For information, call 486-7301.

Race Unity Celebration at Park * The Ventura County Race Unity Celebration, a festive gathering to build bridges of friendship and understanding, will be held from 12:30 to 4 p.m. today at Constitution Park in Camarillo.

The free event is open to the public and will feature Grammy Award winner K. C. Porter, a 50-member gospel choir, singer Walter Heath, Mexican quintet La Barca and a Polynesian dance troupe, Ports of Paradise.

Those attending should bring folding chairs, sunscreen and a picnic lunch. The event is sponsored by 14 communities of the Bahai faith in Ventura County and western Los Angeles County.

The park is at 600 Carmen Drive.

Service at Vineyard Christian * Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Thousand Oaks holds its worship service at 10:05 a.m. Sunday.

Nursery and Sunday school are provided at that time. High school and college students attend the adult service, which has a casual atmosphere, music and teaching.

The church is at 480 W. Gainsborough Road. For information, call 379-0237.

Guest Preacher for Father’s Day * United Methodist Church in Simi Valley will have services at 8 and 10 a.m. Sunday, with the Rev. Lee Truman the guest preacher.

Child care is provided for infants and preschoolers. Sunday school for all ages begins at 9 a.m.; a Spanish-language service will be held at 1:30 p.m.

The Discovery Club, an afternoon session for preschoolers through sixth grade, and youth fellowship for junior and senior high school students will not meet because of Father’s Day.

The church is at 2394 Cochran St. Its phone number is 526-6231.

Moorpark Church Adds Staff * Moorpark Presbyterian Church welcomes two new staff members.

Janet Loughry will be ordained Sunday to serve as interim associate pastor. She has been a member of the church for seven years and is a graduate of the Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena. Loughry has a master’s degree in divinity and served as resident chaplain at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard.

Laurie Loring served for eight years as children’s ministry director at Westminster Presbyterian in Westlake Village and will be lead the children’s ministry at Moorpark.

Sheri Blackman, outgoing associate pastor, is departing to head the Bible department and become chaplain at the new Oaks Christian High School in Westlake Village.

Moorpark Presbyterian is at 13590 Peach Hill Road. For information, call 529-8442 or go to the church Web site at www.moorparkpres.org.

Rabbi to Speak at Church Service * St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Oxnard will hear from guest speaker Rabbi John Sherwood during its 10:15 a.m. service Sunday.

Child care is available. The Japanese ministry at the church worships at 2 p.m.

The church is at 1800 South C St. For information, call 487-2711.

Program on Being a Father Offered * The UU Men’s Team of the Conejo Unitarian Universalist Fellowship will present a program on “Being the Father You Always Wanted to Be and What It Means to Be a Man in the New Millennium” at a service at Goebel Senior Adult Center in Thousand Oaks at 10 a.m. Sunday.

Religious education classes for children, and child care for toddlers and preschoolers will be available.

The senior center is at 1385 E. Janss Road. For information, call 492-8751.

Navajo Dancing to Be Performed * Interfaith Fellowship will watch traditional Navajo dancing by the children of Low Mountain Boarding School, a Navajo reservation in Arizona, at 10 a.m. Sunday. There will be a meditation circle at 9 a.m.

The public is invited to the church service, which is held in the ballroom of the Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd. For information, call (818) 889-6264.

Monte Vista to Feature Singers * Monte Vista Presbyterian Church of Newbury Park will feature singing by Toby and Barb Waldowski during worship services at 8:30 and 10 a.m. Sunday.

The church is at 3797 W. Lynn Road.

Group Helps Women in Transitions * A nonsectarian support group for women coping with life transitions, such as marriage, divorce, new relationship, loss of a partner, health issues, aging parents, moving into the workplace or retirement, meets from 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesdays at Jewish Family Services in Ventura.

There is a fee of $10 or less, depending on need.

The location is 1915 E. Main St. For information, call 641-6565.

4-Week Class Explores Genealogy * Reservations are being accepted for a free basic course in family history and genealogy that includes a lesson on how to get started, how to use the Internet and the resources of the family history center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ventura.

The four-week class will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Fridays beginning June 23. The class is limited to 30 students.

The church is at 3501 Loma Vista Road. To register, call 643-5607.

Lutheran Vocations Examined * Young people who belong to Region II of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America can explore a variety of church vocations at the ninth annual Invitation to Service at Cal Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks on Aug. 3-5.

Young people from high school to college age will learn about the roles of pastors, missionaries, associates in ministry, diaconal ministers, music ministers and youth ministers during the event, which will feature special music, small group interaction, recreation, devotionals and Bible study.

The cost for the program is $105. For information, call Linda LeBlanc at 493-3936.

Vacation Bible School Offered * St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church in Newbury Park is turning its church into a clubhouse for kids and is welcoming all children to attend its Vacation Bible School.

Registrations are being accepted for children ages 3 to grade six to attend Bible school from 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 7 through 11. There is a $5 fee. Lessons will focus on stories about God’s work done by children.

The church is at 1360 S. Wendy Drive. For information, call 498-6910.

Religion Briefs runs Saturdays. Please submit items at least a week in advance to Religion Briefs, Los Angeles Times, 93 S. Chestnut St., Ventura 93001. Items may be faxed to 653-7576.