Peace Is Crystal Cathedral’s Theme for Holiday

For Memorial Day, a 90-foot U.S. flag will be raised inside the Crystal Cathedral during Sunday morning services and the Rev. Robert H. Schuller will deliver a sermon, “Blessed Are the Peacemakers.” The 9:30 and 11 a.m. services will also feature U.S. Air Force Gen. Lee Butler, recipient of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s Distinguished Peace Leadership Award and a man who once had the authority to launch nuclear missiles. An honor guard will play taps in memory of U.S. veterans, and there will be 1,500 red, white and blue flowers in a U.S. flag pattern. The church is at 13280 Chapman Ave. in Garden Grove. (714) 971-4069.

* Jean Vanier, a revered Catholic leader and founder of L’Arche communities for the developmentally disabled, will speak at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Concordia University in Irvine. Vanier was chosen by the Vatican as one of the top 10 Catholics of 2000. The event is free. Vanier will be in town to lead an ecumenical retreat for young adults (ages 18 to 30) from Wednesday through Friday. For more information about the retreat and address, call (714) 751-4900.

* The American Jewish Committee will present its fourth annual Summer Learning Series, titled “Jews in the 21st Century.” The series includes three sessions led by Rabbi Shelton Donnell of Temple Beth Sholom in Tustin and will meet on Tuesdays, June 19, July 17, and Aug. 21, from 7 to 9 p.m. The topics for each session are “Community and Identity: What is a Jewish Community and Who is a Jew?”; “Prayer and Ritual: What Will Prayer Be Like in the Future and How Will We Pray?” and “Israel and the Diaspora: Will Israel be a Jewish State or a State for Jews?” (949) 660-8525.

* The fourth annual Models of Unity Awards, honoring four individuals and four organizations serving as models for the community, will be presented from 1 to 3:30 p.m. today at the Aliso Viejo Public Library. The event is hosted by the local spiritual assembly of the Bahais of Aliso Viejo.

Honorees will be William Baker, founder of Christian and Muslims for Peace in Laguna Hills; Judge Pamela Iles of Harbor Justice Center in Laguna Niguel; Genevieve Southgate, director of Children’s Education at the Bowers Museum of Cultural Art in Santa Ana; Lori Wilson, co-chairwoman of the Annual Walk for Peace in Costa Mesa; the Center for Educational Partnerships at UCI; the Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council; Students and Teachers Understanding Diversity at the Orange County High School of the Arts in Santa Ana; and the Volunteer Center of Orange County in Santa Ana.

The library address is 1 Journey. (940) 831-8212.

* Children can take a break from the heat on a “Polar Expedition” during this year’s Vacation Bible School at Mariners Church in Irvine. The event is geared toward children in kindergarten through sixth grade. Participants will enjoy crafts, Bible study, music activities, team-building games and more. Sessions run from 8:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., July 9 to July 13. Early registration is $20 through May 31, then rises to $30. The church address is 5001 Newport Coast Drive. (949) 854-7600.

* More than 200 people are expected to hear keynote speaker Peter Vidmar, former Olympic gymnastics champion, June 6 at the Cypress Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast. The interfaith event will take place from 7 to 9 a.m. at Cypress Church, 6143 Ball Road. Tickets are $10 in advance, $20 at the door. (714) 952-3001.

* The Rev. Dori Somers will present “The Gospel According to Dr. Seuss” during a family service at 10:30 a.m. June 3 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of South County. Theodor Geisel, writing as Dr. Seuss, expressed many of his religious values in his children’s books. The church address is 25801 Obrero Drive, #7, Mission Viejo. (949) 581-0245.

* “Winning at Losing: How to Help Yourself, How to Help Others,” a presentation by Barbara LesStrang, will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. June 2 at Blessed Sacrament Episcopal Church in Placentia. LesStrang is author of “AfterLoss: A Recovery Companion for Those Who are Grieving” and founder of the AfterLoss Grief Recovery Program. There will also be testimony by eight grief survivors. The church address is 1314 N. Angelina Drive. (714) 528-6044.

* “Scripture: A Source of Healing!” is the title of a healing Mass at 7:15 p.m. Monday at St. Angela Merici Catholic Church in Brea. The Rev. Alex Aclan, associate pastor at St. John of God in Norwalk, will officiate. The service is geared to those with physical, emotional or spiritual ailments. The church is at 585 S. Walnut Ave. (714) 525-1774.

Concordia University in Irvine awarded the Christus Mundo award to the Rev. Dr. Loren Kramer of Dana Point for years of pastoral leadership in the Pacific Southwest District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. He and his wife, Arlene, have three children and five grandchildren, reside in Dana Point and belong to Faith Lutheran Church of Capistrano Beach.

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.