Four Churches Unite in ‘The Stirring’ at Fairgrounds

Four Orange County churches are planning a joint service March 12 at the Orange County Fairgrounds.

“The Stirring” will bring together members and clergy of Rock Harbor Church of Costa Mesa, Newsong Community Church of Irvine, St. Andrews Presbyterian Church of Newport Beach and University Praise of Fullerton. The event will begin at 8 p.m. in Building No. 12 at the fairgrounds in Costa Mesa.

It’s the third such gathering, Rock Harbor officials said. “ ‘The Stirring’ has been a great opportunity for people to be exposed to different styles and approaches to worship,” said Rock Harbor worship pastor Todd Proctor.

The free event is open to members of any church. Food will be for sale. Parking is free but no child care is available. Information: (949) 548-2600 Ext. 302.

Architect Hired for La Purisma Expansion

Organizers of a campaign to expand La Purisma Catholic Church in Orange have hired an architect and raised more than half of the expected $2.3 million cost of the project.

Plans call for an expansion that will preserve the church’s mission character yet allow more room for services. The church, which serves English-, Spanish- and Vietnamese-speaking parishioners, holds its five yearly trilingual masses outdoors to serve all its parishioners.

Planning for the expansion has been underway since 1995, and $1.6 million has been raised so far, officials said. Construction is set to begin next year.

Chapman’s Meyer to Speak

The chairman of Chapman University’s religion department will speak Wednesday at a lunch meeting of the Newport Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council.

Marvin Meyer will speak on “New Insights on Jesus, Including Insights from Islam” at the meeting, which begins at 11:45 a.m. at Presbyterian Church of the Covenant, 2850 Fairview Rd., Costa Mesa.

The event is open to the public. Reservations for $7.50 lunch must be made by Monday: (949) 660-8665, Ext. 3.

Events

* Congregational Church of Fullerton, United Church of Christ will have its Ash Wednesday service, “The Place of Humanity in the Universe,” at 7 p.m. The congregation is an open and affirming church with a 43-year history of service and social change. The church is at 845 N. Euclid St. (714) 526-2662.

* Project Gracias and the Men’s Club, both of St. Bonaventure Church, will sponsor Lenten fish-fry dinners from 4 to 8 p.m. Fridays through April 7. Cost is $6 for adults and $3 for children. Proceeds will benefit the sister parish in Honduras. The church is at 16400 Springdale St., Huntington Beach. (714) 846-3359.

* Mount Calvary Lutheran Church will offer midweek Lenten services at 7:30 p.m. beginning Ash Wednesday and continuing through April 12. Beginning March 15, a soup-and-sandwich supper will precede services from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. The church is at 5895 Ball Road, Cypress. (714) 527-6311.

* St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church will offer a “Growing Through Divorce” workshop from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursdays through April 13. Cost is $25 if paid by Tuesday, otherwise $30. The church is at 600 St. Andrews Road, Newport Beach. (949) 631-2880.

* The Evangelism Committee of St. Matthew’s Anglican Catholic Church will have a Shrove Tuesday pancake supper at 6 p.m. Evening prayer will take place at 5:30. Ash Wednesday services will be offered at noon and 7 p.m. The church is at 1723 Westcliff Drive, Newport Beach. (949) 646-1152.

* Santa Ana/Tustin Christian Women’s Club will host “The Great Cookie Caper” luncheon from 11:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Friday at the Tustin Ranch Golf Clubhouse. Reidon Gesswein will speak. The clubhouse is at 12442 Tustin Ranch Road, Tustin. Cost is $15 and reservations are required: (714) 734-9964.

* Morningside Presbyterian Church will present a “Grand Recital” at 4 p.m. Sunday. Proceeds from a free-will offering will go toward the purchase of a grand piano for the sanctuary. The church is at 1201 E. Dorothy Lane, Fullerton. (714) 871-7072.

* A pancake supper will be offered at 6 p.m. Shrove Tuesday at Emmanuel Episcopal Church. A Eucharist will take place at 7 p.m. Ash Wednesday services will begin at 7 and 10 a.m. and at 10 p.m. The church is at 1145 W. Valencia Mesa Drive, Fullerton. (714) 879-8070.

* Robert H. Gundry will lead a lecture series on “Understanding the Bible’s Teaching on End Times” Sunday through Tuesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church. Gundry will also lead services at 8:30 and 10:15 a.m. Sunday. The church is at 11600 Los Alamitos Blvd., Los Alamitos. (562) 493-2553.

* St. Polycarp Catholic Church will host a parish mission today through Friday. Conferences will take place from 7:15 to 8:30 p.m. in Vietnamese, English and Spanish. Meetings will be preceded by dinner from 6 to 7 p.m. The church is at 8100 Chapman Ave., Stanton. (714) 897-6306.

* Boy Scout Troop No. 296, sponsored by United Methodist Church of Garden Grove, will host a Shrove Tuesday fried-chicken dinner from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Cost is $5 per person or $15 for four or more. The church is at 12741 Main St., Garden Grove. (714) 534-1070.

* Father Sean Condon will lead a “Re-Membering” service for inactive Catholics at 6:15 p.m. Sunday at Our Lady Queen of Angels Parish Church. Those who have been away from the church, feel spiritually empty or just have questions are encouraged to attend. The center is at 2046 Mar Vista Drive, Newport Beach. (949) 644-0200.

* Calvary Church will host its annual mission conference Friday through March 19. Some of the featured speakers will be Paul-Gordon Chandler, president and CEO of Partners International; F. Michael Johnson, area director for Pioneers for Europe and CIS; and Samy Tanagho, director for Good Shepher Word Evangelism Ministry to Muslims. The church is at 1010 N. Tustin Ave., Santa Ana. (714) 973-2056.

* St. Andrew Independent Anglican Church will host a Shrove Tuesday pancake supper from 5 to 7 p.m. Cost is $3 per person or $10 per family. Ash Wednesday services will take place at 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. The church is at 4050 Katella Ave., Suite 101, Los Alamitos. (562) 594-8706.

* Christian Life Center will host pianist Adlan Cruz as guest worship leader at 10 a.m. Sunday. Child care will be provided. Christian Life Center is at 404 Wilshire Ave., Fullerton. (714) 526-7722.