Halloween Alternatives

The 12th Annual Mariners Church Harvest Carnival, a safe, positive alternative to Halloween, will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday. The event features prizes, pie throwing, a petting zoo, live music, food and “tons of candy.” Friendly costumes are welcome. Admission is a can of food, which will be donated to the Orange County Rescue Mission. Tickets for food, rides and activities can be purchased at the carnival. The Mariners Church Community Center is at 5001 Newport Coast Drive, Irvine. (949) 206-9921, ext. 2.

Cypress Church will have its Harvest Festival 2000 from 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday. This safe Halloween alternative celebration will feature the polar plunge, fantastic fun house, booming bungee run, food, face painting and more. Come dressed as your favorite hero. Cost is $2 per child. The church is at 6143 Ball Road, Cypress. (714) 952-3001.

Garden Grove United Methodist Church will have its Fun Halloween Party from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. There will be a jack-o’-lantern contest (bring your carved pumpkin) and a costume parade with prizes, games and more. Children can also trick-or-treat through the Sunday school rooms. Each family is asked to bring an unopened bag of treats and $1 per child. The church is at 12741 Main St., Garden Grove. (714) 534-1070.

Concerts

“Sing a Song of the Saints of God,” an afternoon retreat at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. today. The event will prepare children for the traditional celebration of All Saints Day. Children will learn through music and games. The church is at 1221 Wass St., Tustin. (714) 544-3141.

The Huntington Beach Church of Religious Science concert series will feature Joanne Juliet Lapointe in “Phenomenal Woman” from 2 to 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $15. The church is at 7641 Talbert Ave., Huntington Beach. (714) 596-0900.

Renee Bondi will appear in concert at 7 p.m. Sunday at United Methodist Church of Yorba Linda. Bondi helped form the Reeve-Irvine Spinal Cord Research Center fund-raiser with Christopher Reeve and has appeared on “Hour of Power” with the Rev. Robert H. Schuller several times. Harpist Jennifer Wehmueller will perform at 6:30 p.m. An offering will be taken. Child care provided to age 2. The church is at 19002 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda. (714) 777-2885.

A Fall HymnFest will take place at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Concordia University Center for Worship and Performing Arts. The event will feature organist John Ferguson from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. Tickets are $10. A church music workshop will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. today. Cost is $48. The university is at 1530 Concordia West, Irvine. (949) 854-8002.

Special Events

St. Irenaeus Church will offer the women’s retreat “Growing From the Inside Out” Nov. 3 through 5 at the Claretian Renewal Center in Los Angeles. Cost is $155. The church is at 5201 Evergreen Ave., Cypress. (714) 821-5531.

Presbyterian Church of the Master will offer a study on recovering from broken relationships from 7 to 8:30 Mondays through Dec. 6. The church is at 26051 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo. (949) 582-2670.

Temple Beth David invites its members and the community to take part in the Millennium Mitzvah Day, an event devoted to social action projects at the temple and throughout Orange County, at 9 a.m. Sunday. A $20 family donation is requested. The temple is at 6100 Hefley St., Westminster. (714) 892-6623.

The Rev. Karen Stoyanoff and religious education director JoAnne Weber-Baligad will lead an intergenerational service at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the Orange Coast Unitarian Universalist Church. The service, patterned after the “Day of the Dead” holiday celebrated in many cultures, will honor departed loved ones with pictures, flowers and food. The church is at 1259 Victoria St., Costa Mesa. (949) 646-4652.

Church Women United of Capistrano Valley will have its World Community Day 2000, “Standing Up With Those in Need,” at noon Friday at St. Margaret of Scotland Episcopal Church. Representatives from six local organizations will speak on programs serving those in need. Lunch will consist of a tostada buffet for $4. The church is at 31641 La Novia, San Juan Capistrano. (949) 661-0110.

“Fulfilling the Vision” will be the theme for Celebration Sunday between the morning services (8:30 and 11 a.m.) at Trinity United Presbyterian Church. The event will feature a children’s art display, music and more. The church is at 13922 N. Prospect Ave., Santa Ana. (714) 544-7850.

Lectures

Radio personality Dennis Prager will speak on the Middle East crisis at 8 p.m. Wednesday at the North County Chabad Center. The talk is the first in a series of lectures. Tickets are $20 per lecture or $36 for the series. The center is at 19045 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda. (714) 693-0770.

Austrian Consul General Werner Brandstetter will speak on “Austria and the Jewish People: Past, Present and Future” at 4 p.m. Sunday at Temple Beth Ohr. The program is one in a series dedicated to the memory of Robert L. Austin. The temple is at 15721 E. Rosecrans Ave., La Mirada. (714) 521-6765.

Mariners Church will present author David Barton speaking on “Faith, Character and the Constitution” from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday. The talk will focus on the biblical and historical role of Christians in the government. An offering will be taken. The church is at 5001 Newport Coast Drive, Irvine. (949) 854-7600.

John and Claire Yzaguirre, directors of the California Prosocial Institute in Irvine, will speak on “Pathways to Freedom” at a seminar from 9 a.m. to noon today at Laguna Presbyterian Church. The couple specialized in marital enrichment and anxiety reduction. The church is at 415 Forest Ave., Laguna Beach. (949) 494-7555.

Jeffery Clark will discuss “How to Analyze Film” at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the Unitarian Universalist Church of South County. Clark is a film and literature professor at Saddleback College. The church is at 25801 Obrero Drive, #7, Mission Viejo. (949) 581-0245.

The Center for Spiritual Development will feature Margaret Scharf presenting “The Gate of Heaven is Everywhere: All Saints Day” from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday. Cost is $20. The center is at 434 S. Batavia St., Orange. (714) 744-3175.

The Rev. Kass Kassouni will give the message “Multiplication Follows Subtraction,” based on the Book of Mark, Chapter 10, at 5 p.m. this evening and at 9 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday at Geneva Presbyterian Church of Laguna Hills. Children’s Sunday school will take place during the 9 a.m. service. Catechism and Worship training for children takes place during the 10:30 a.m. service. The church is at 24301 El Toro Road, Laguna Hills. (949) 837-2323.

The Young Business and Professionals division of the Jewish Federation of Orange County will have a panel discussion on “The Jewish Vote” at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Crowne Plaza in Irvine. The group is for ages 25 through 45. Cost is $26. The federation is at 250 E. Baker St., Suite A, Costa Mesa. (714) 755-5555. The Crowne Plaza is at 17941 Von Karman Ave., Irvine. (714) 755-5555, Ext.225.

Glenn McClellan will speak on “Getting Back on Track with Confidence Left Over” as part of “The Relationship Seminar” at 7 p.m. Thursday at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. Cost is $5. The church is at 600 St. Andrews Road, Newport Beach. (949) 631-2880.

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