Christian Group Plans Texas-Size Conversion

The file folder’s full, so let’s go through it. . . .

Remember the minor controversy in Orange County surrounding the “Jesus” video? Just before the holidays, the 83-minute film was mailed to every home in San Juan Capistrano in hopes of converting some people by Christmas.

Jewish and Muslim leaders wondered if there was a better way of getting out the Christian message. But according to an independent group that conducted a study of such matters, there’s not. The “Jesus” video has been ranked as the most effective tool in converting people to Christianity.

But the mass mailing of 11,000 copies to sleepy San Juan Capistrano seems puny compared with the latest news from Campus Crusade for Christ. Officials with the Florida-based evangelical organization said they will mail the video to every household in Texas by the end of the year. That’s 8.4 million homes. The cost is $21 million, paid for by churches and Christian organizations in the Lone Star State.

Give Peace a Chant

In a way, this is a reunion concert that was nearly a millennium in the making. The breakup occurred in 1054 when the Roman Catholic church went one way, and the Orthodox church another.

Tonight, the Catholic version of the Hatfields and McCoys--who are learning to become friends--are co-hosting a concert featuring mystical chants from both the Roman tradition, sung in Latin, and the Orthodox tradition, sung in Greek.

“Epiphany: Mystical Chant from Old and New Rome” will be sung by the acclaimed vocal chamber ensemble Capella Roman. The event, sponsored by St. Paul’s Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange, will be held at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s, 4949 Alton Parkway, Irvine. Tickets are $15.

The unusual union is a prelude to Christian Unity Week, which begins Jan. 22.

Churches Have a Dream

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Tustin will celebrate a “Mass for Freedom” at 10 a.m. Sunday to commemorate the life of Martin Luther King Jr. Writings of King will be read at the service, and a jazz band will accompany the hymns and music of St. Paul’s choir. Mary Watson, a gerontologist and advocate for the poor, will give the homily. The church is at 1221 Wass St.

The Cypress Evangelical Free Church will unveil its renovated facilities Jan. 21, including new classrooms and offices, remodeled worship space and improved parking. The church, founded in 1978, has grown from 24 people to a congregation of more than 1,000.

Sunday services are at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. Tours will start at noon. The church is at 6143 Ball Road. Old-timers may remember the previous occupant of that property: the hugely popular Skateway roller-skating rink.

Alive and Still Kicking

More than 250 people attended the Christian Business Men’s Committee monthly breakfast in Santa Ana to hear former San Diego Charger kicker Rolf Benirschke, author of “Alive and Still Kicking,” tell his story.

Benirschke became a Christian after Crohn’s disease, a chronic intestinal illness, almost ended his NFL career. Winding up his speech, Benirschke told the audience it’s important to maintain a sense of humor, especially in tough times.

He recalled a game when starting San Diego quarterback Dan Fouts had thrown four interceptions. The infuriated coach, Tommy Prothro, pulled him from the game with two minutes to play and his team down by 21 points.

Prothro yelled for journeyman quarterback Bobby Douglass to get into the game. Douglass ran halfway onto the field, looked up at the scoreboard and trotted back to the sidelines for a word with Prothro.

“Coach,” Douglass asked, “do you want me to win this thing or just tie it up?”

A Worldly Education

A new course on world religions will be given at the Presbyterian Church of the Master in Mission Viejo. The class will cover both Western and Eastern religions with representatives from various faiths as guest speakers. The six-week course, organized by the National Conference for Community and Justice, is free and begins Sunday at 9:30 a.m. For more information, call (949) 582-2670. The church is at 26051 Marguerite Parkway.

If you want something faster, the Newport Beach Public Library will offer “A Crash Course in Religions of the World,” a free one-night program Jan. 25. Laguna Beach resident Steven Sadleir, author of “The Spiritual Seeker’s Guide” and “Looking for God,” will conduct the class.

The library is at 1000 Avocado Ave., Newport Beach. For more information, call (949) 717-3870.

Finally, if you’re a teacher, the UC Irvine Humanities Center has put together a Feb. 8 panel discussion called “Teaching About Religion in a Religiously Diverse Classroom.” Panelists include a 1st Amendment expert, a Buddhist, a Muslim, a UCLA religion professor and a Jewish educator. The event will take place in the Humanities Instructional Building 100 on the UCI campus.