Events

Temple Beth David’s observance of Sukkot, the fall harvest festival, will begin in the Sukkah at 5:30 p.m. Friday. Families may bring dinner to eat at tables on the lawn. Children will be able to make decorations to hang in the Sukkah. Cantor Nancy Linder will lead singing, then festivities will move into the sanctuary for Shabbat-Erev Sukkot services to begin at 8 p.m. Celebrating the gift of Torah will be the focus of Beth David’s Simchat Torah celebration on Erev Simchat Torah at 7:30 p.m. Simchat Torah celebrations will continue from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 21. The temple is at 6100 Hefley St., Westminster. (714) 892-6623.

The Health Ministry Partnership of St. Mark Presbyterian Church and Our Lady Queen of Angels Church will host “Spirituality in Health Care: Healing in the 21st Century” from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Oct. 14 at the Hilton hotel in Costa Mesa. The conference, which will explore the link between personal faith and human health, is designed for both health care professionals and lay people. Dr. Harold Koenig, author of “The Healing Power of Faith: Science Explores Medicine’s Last Great Frontier,” will be the keynote speaker, along with a panel of health care professionals. Prepaid registration for the conference is $20. Parking is $4. The hotel is at 3050 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. (949) 644-5440.

Congregation B’nai Tzedek is preparing for the festivals of Sukkot and Simchat Torah. Sukkah will be celebrated with a Shabbat service at 7 p.m. Friday, followed by Oneg Shabbat. A week later, on Oct. 20, the synagogue will celebrate the one-day festival of Simchat Torah, which marks the day when the weekly readings of Torah are completed for one year and begun again for the next. The synagogue is at 9669 Talbert Ave., Fountain Valley. (714) 963-4611.

Father Raphael Luevano, a Catholic priest, and the Rev. Dennis M. Laherty, a Lutheran minister, will talk on “Ecumenical Developments and the Joint Declaration on Justification by Faith” at an Interfaith Council of Central Orange County meeting at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church at noon Thursday. Lunch is $7. The church is at 800 N. Cambridge, Orange. (714) 639-9390.

The Rev. Crystal Bujol, founder of the First Woman’s Church and dean of the Inner Circle University of Spiritual Sciences, will lead an “Introduction to Ministerial Training” from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday at the Latest Thing. The training leads to a degree in spiritual arts, licensing as minister of metaphysics or licensing as a Woman’s Church minister. Cost is $75 prepaid. The Latest Thing is at 270 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa. (949) 645-6211.

Congregation Shir Ha-Ma’alot will celebrate Sukkot with an outdoor service at the Woodbridge North Lake Beach Club at 6:30 p.m. Friday. The event will be preceded by a bring-your-own dinner at 5:30 p.m. Woodbridge North Lake Beach Club is at Stonecreek, near Barranca and Yale Loop in Irvine. Congregation Shir Ha-Ma’alot is a Reform synagogue at 3652 Michelson, Irvine. (949) 857-2226.

Visiting International Peace Shaman Geeta Sacred Song will lead a prosperity ceremony from 6 to 10 p.m. today at Visions & Dreams. Cost is $25 prepaid, $35 at the door. Visions & Dreams is at 2482 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa. (949) 650-6929.

William Shane, executive director of the National Conference for Community and Justice, will speak on “New Developments in Interfaith Cooperation in Orange County” at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at Orange Coast Unitarian Universalist Church. The church is at 1259 Victoria St., Costa Mesa. (949) 646-4652.

Christ Our Redeemer AME Church will celebrate “Women in Ministry--Queens of the Pulpit: Revive! Restore! Renew! Your Spirit!” during worship services at 11 a.m. each Sunday in October. Speakers will be the Rev. Candice Cole of Faithful Central Bible Church, the Rev. Shemella Egson pastor of Allen Chapel in Riverside, the Rev. Carolyn Tyler-Guidry, presiding elder of the Los Angeles-Pasadena 5th District, and the Rev. Jeanne Beharry of First AME Church in Los Angeles. The church meets at the UC Irvine’s Social Science Plaza, 4000 Pereira Drive. (877) 4-CORAME.

Alan Loy McGinnis, founder and director of the Valley Counseling Center in Glendale, will speak on “The Rich Rewards of Friendship” at 8:30 a.m. this morning at Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church. The event will include breakfast for $5. The church is at 11600 Los Alamitos Blvd., Los Alamitos. (562) 493-2553.

The Rev. Arleen Whitney will give the message “What Do You Want?” at 5 p.m. today and at 9 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday at Geneva Presbyterian Church. The church is at 24301 El Toro Road, Laguna Hills. (949) 837-2323.

The Rev. Marcia Olson will present “Forgiveness” at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Laguna Beach. Olson will focus on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The fellowship meets at 429 Cypress Drive, Laguna Beach. (949) 497-4568.

The Rev. Margaret Mohit will begin the series “How to Know God” with the message “A Real and Useful God” at 9 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday at Unity Community Church. The church is at 22911 Mill Creek, Laguna Beach. (949) 472-9230.

Religious event notices may be sent to Gena Pasillas at The Times’ Orange County edition, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa 92626. They also may be faxed to (714) 966-7711 or sent by e-mail to gena.pasillas@latimes.com.