New Private High School in San Juan Capistrano Will Be Roman Catholic

Roman Catholic Bishop Tod D. Brown and Timothy R. Busch, chairman of Junipero Serra High School at Rancho Capistrano, have agreed to make Serra a Roman Catholic school.

Serra, scheduled to open in September 2002, will be operated by a lay board subject to diocesan oversight.

“We’ve been patiently awaiting this day and are thrilled that Serra is now officially deemed a private Roman Catholic school,” Busch said. “While students of all faiths and backgrounds will be welcome, schools teaching in the Roman Catholic tradition have a proven record of success and excellence. This is a good day for J. Serra and is a great day for our community.”

Serra was founded by a group of south Orange County parents, who plan to build the 1,800-student school on 35 acres in north San Juan Capistrano.

The Serra campus will consist of 240,000 square feet of Tuscan-inspired buildings. Serra initially will serve ninth- and 10th-graders.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Mary Jean Niklas of St. Angela Merici Parish in Brea was named Catholic volunteer woman of the year at a recent benefit luncheon sponsored by Catholic Charities Auxiliary. The event, which drew more than 800 people, honored 50 Catholic women from the Diocese of Orange. Niklas serves as Eucharistic minister in her parish, taking communion to the sick in a convalescent home. She’s also involved in the church’s bereavement committee. Outside her parish, she does volunteer work on the diocese’s social justice and political action committees and at the Women’s Center in La Habra.

* Dick Duncan, field director for O.C. International in Brazil, will be at the pulpit Sunday at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Tustin. He heads an international team of American and Brazilian missionaries that focuses on developing church leadership through pastor conferences, training events and published material. He and his wife, Janice, have served in Brazil since 1986 and have five children. The church is at 17th Street and Prospect Avenue. (714) 544-7850.

* The American Jewish Committee will present the fourth annual summer learning series, “Jews in the 21st Century.” The series includes three sessions led by Rabbi Shelton Donnell of Temple Beth Sholom in Tustin. The first session, “Community and Identity,” will be Tuesday. On July 17, the topic will be “Prayer and Ritual: What Will Prayer Be Like in the Future?” On Aug. 21, Shelton will discuss “Israel and the Diaspora.” Cost for the series is $18. All sessions will be from 7 to 9 p.m. at 2222 Martin St., Suite 150, Irvine. (949) 660-8525.

* Resurrection Beach Metropolitan Community Church will celebrate its fifth anniversary with a service at 7 p.m. Sunday. The Rev. Troy Perry will officiate. Perry is founder of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, an affirming ministry to gays and lesbians and their friends and families. Music will be provided by Duane Moret and the Good Samaritan Choir. The church is at 1259 Victoria St., Costa Mesa. (714) 539-7727.

* Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman will be at Congregation B’nai Israel of Tustin to conduct workshops on prayer and help lead services throughout the weekend for a scholar-in-residence program. Kelman is the founding rabbi of Kol Hanishama Synagogue, the leading non-Orthodox synagogue in Israel. Kelman is a graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary and has lived in Israel for more than 20 years. This weekend will be dedicated to enriching the understanding of Jewish prayer through song, meditation and discussion. A Saturday morning service will be followed by a luncheon and discussion. Cost is $25 per person. The congregation is at 2111 Bryan Ave. (714) 730-9693.

* Temple Beth David in Westminster will honor the Western Service Workers Assn. during Friday’s Shabbat services. Rabbi Michael Mayersohn will speak about the workers and “the ways in which all of us can help provide health and social benefits to the lowest-paid service and domestic workers.” The association runs a self-help benefits program seven days a week, and volunteers provide emergency and supplemental food, clothing, legal assistance and job-referral services. There will be a table with literature and a workers’ representative to answer questions after services, which begin at 8 p.m. Temple Beth David is at 6100 Hefley St. (714) 892-6623.

* D. James Kennedy will speak at services Sunday at South Shores Church in Monarch Beach. Kennedy is senior minister at 10,000-member Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Florida and founder of Center for Reclaiming America, a nonprofit group that gives grass-roots members in all states the tools for “positively affecting the culture and renewing the vision of our Founding Fathers.” The services will be at 9 and 10:45 a.m. The church is at 32712 Crown Valley Parkway. (949) 496-9331.

* “Tuesdays in the Word,” a summer family series, will take place at Trinity United Presbyterian Church from June 26 to Aug. 21. The “outrageous humor and whimsical playfulness” of Jesus will be studied in the parables of the Gospel. The program is free and care for children through junior high will be provided. Each program will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The church is at 17th St. and Prospect Ave. in Tustin. (714) 544-7850.

* The Orange County Buddhist Church will observe Obon--a religious custom that honors the dead--with services, dancing and a bazaar-carnival at the annual Obon Festival on July 14 and 15. A special English service will be held at 1:30 p.m. July 8. The temple’s hondo, or sanctuary, will be open to all, and hosts will be available as guides. The church is at 909 S. Dale Ave. in Anaheim.

MUSIC

Christian bands interested in sharing their music can play Friday nights in July at the First United Methodist Church of Seal Beach. Those interested should contact the church’s music director, Barbara Arnold, for an audition. The church is at 10th and Central streets, one block from downtown Seal Beach. (562) 431-0494.

* Choir members from Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Los Alamitos and two Los Angeles County Lutheran churches will perform in a joint choir festival at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at the church. The musical theme for the third annual event is spirituals and gospels. Admission is free. The church is at 3352 Katella Ave.

* Search of Orange County will present “Search Aid 2001,” a benefit concert, at 6 p.m. June 23 at Living Spring Christian Fellowship in Garden Grove. Performers include local Christian artists Bob Bennett, Sarah Laughing and Ruach. There also will be a raffle and refreshments. Search has been active in the Diocese of Orange for more than 25 years, providing retreats, weekly fellowship and social activities for young adults in the Orange County Catholic community. Tickets are $10. The church is at 9851 Bixby Ave., Garden Grove. (949) 753-3533.

* Rock Harbor Church in Costa Mesa will present its seventh community-wide “Stirring,” a night for churches to worship God together. The free event will take place at 7:30 p.m. June 23 at the Orange Coast College football stadium. Worship leaders from across Orange County will take part. The college is at 2701 Fairview Road in Costa Mesa. (949) 548-2600, Ext. 325.

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Religious event notices of countywide interest 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.