Journalist Strobel to Speak at Costa Mesa Breakfast

The prelude to Orange Coast Christian Outreach Week begins Thursday with nationally known Christian apologist, best-selling author and preacher Lee Strobel speaking at a prayer breakfast at the Westin South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa.

Strobel’s experience as a journalist and his personal story of salvation were weaved together in his 1998 book, “The Case for Christ: A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus.” Strobel’s now on staff at Saddleback Valley Community Church in Mission Viejo.

The breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. and costs $25. For reservations, call (714) 540-4777. The Westin is at 686 Anton Ave. in Costa Mesa.

The 37th annual Orange Coast Christian Outreach Week, which officially begins March 19, features more than 30 events designed to promote faith. Most are free, intimate gatherings in people’s home, with speakers giving a wide-range of talks, including “Faith Reborn at Death’s Door” and “Confessions of a Christian Hollywood Movie Producer.”

There is also a “Women’s Networking Luncheon” on March 23 that features keynote speaker and television personality Stephanie Edwards, who will give a talk titled “You’re Not One of Those, Are You?” A “Young Women’s Conference,” centered around the theme “Desiring a Life of Integrity,” will take place on March 24.

A list of events can be found at www.outreachweek.org. (949) 728-0924.

Conference

The Crystal Cathedral will be holding a three-day international “Care and Kindness” conference next week featuring four survivors of the Columbine High School shooting. The topics include “Identifying Mental Illness in Youth,” “Loss, Depression and Suicide” and “Parenting Difficult Children.” The seminar, which addresses issues concerning all ages, gets underway Thursday and costs $35. The cathedral is at 13280 Chapman Ave. in Garden Grove. Information: www.careministry.org or (714) 544-5679.

Lectures

Three scholars from Biola University will present a free two-day “The Bold Faith Series” seminar Friday and Saturday at Lake Hills Community Church in Laguna Hills. The program is designed to help people “defend the Christian faith in an increasingly antagonistic culture.” The professors include Craig J. Hazen, author of “The Case for Christ,” J.P. Moreland, who wrote “Loving God With All Your Mind,” and John Mark Reynolds, who published “Christianity and Culture.” The series takes place Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. The church is at 2331 Moulton Parkway in Laguna Hills. (949) 362-9973.

Rabbi Abba Perelmuter will present a two-part series exploring 2000 years of Jewish history Wednesday evening and March 21. The rabbi will talk about events from the battle between Rome and Jerusalem through World War II. The cost is $18. The event will be held at Chabad of Irvine, 4980 Barranca Parkway in Irvine. (949) 786-5000.

Concordia University will put on a free evening lecture series--”Scientific Philosophy and Theological Revelation . . . Can We Have Both?”--6 p.m. next Sunday at Abiding Savior Lutheran Church in Lake Forest. Dr. Ken Ebel, professor of biology at Concordia, will speak on the relationship between science and theology, especially in the light of creation-evolution debates. The series will continue March 25 and April 1. The church is at 23262 El Toro Road in Lake Forest. (949) 854-8002, Ext. 1845.

Gary Bauer, former presidential candidate and head of the Family Research Council, will speak about “Becoming a Courageous Christian” 7 p.m. next Sunday at Mariners Church in Irvine. (949) 854-7030.

The Hadassah Southern California, Long Beach/Orange County Area Resource Center, at 660 W. Baker Street, Suite, 223 in Costa Mesa, will be hosting a brown bag lunch Education Day on Thursday at noon with author Rabbi Elie Kaplan Spitz, who will discuss his recent book, “Does the Soul Survive? A Jewish Journey to Belief in Afterlife, Past Lives and Living with a Purpose.” Event is free. Drinks and dessert provided by Hadassah. (714) 545-7162

Retreat

The second annual “Gathering of Jewish Men” Shabbat will be conducted by Rabbi Moshe Halfon next Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Santiago Oaks Regional Park in Orange. Rabbi Halfon will use exercises, study, story, song, drama and ritual to help men explore issues related to the Torah theme: “Making Peace or Smashing the Tablets: Moshe and Aaron as Leadership Models.”

The event will include a continental breakfast and lunch. Reservations are $45 for members; $60 for others. Santiago Oaks Regional Park is at 2145 N. Windes Drive. Contact Kenny Keenan, (818) 341-4144. E-mail: kennynftb@aol.com.

Concert

Organist and choir master of Trinity Cathedral in Phoenix, Ariz., Alan DePuy will perform at 4 p.m. Sunday as part of the winter concert series of First Christian Church of Fullerton. DePuy, a performer since age 9, is an American Guild of Organists award winner with an international resume. He will perform in next summer in Beijing at the Great Hall of the People of the Forbidden City. An offering will be taken. The church is at 109 E. Wilshire Ave. (714) 525-5525.

St. Patrick’s Day

The Brothers of St. Patrick will host its 12th annual “St. Patrick’s Family Festival” Sunday morning in Midway City. A traditional Irish breakfast will be served from 9 to 11 a.m. and an open-air Mass in Gaelic will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Festival events include exhibitions of Irish dancing, a tug-of-war competition, plenty of music, and special programs for children. Admission is $10 at the gate. The event will be held on the grounds of the Brothers of St. Patrick, 7820 Bolsa Ave., Midway City. (714) 897-8181.

An “Evening of Irish Spirituality: Tales of Celtic Wisdom” expressed in song, dance, storytelling, prayer and music will be held next Saturday at the Center for Spiritual Development in Orange. There will be a benefit drawing with a grand prize of round-trip air fare for two to Ireland, plus $1,000. Early registration cost is $20, and it’s $25 at the door. The event will be 7 to 9:30 p.m. and take place at the St. Joseph Center Auditorium, 480 S. Batavia St., Orange. (714) 744-3175, Ext. 4400.

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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