Council to Oppose Ballot Measure

Alarmed at the threat to affirmative action programs, the long-dormant Southern California Ecumenical Council has approved a plan to ask its 18 affiliated denominations and church organizations to actively oppose what proponents call the “California civil rights initiative,” which will be on the state ballot in November.

The Ecumenical Council, newly headed by the Revs. Sally Welch, president, and Albert G. Cohen, executive director, had been relatively quiet on public issues in the last few years.

But the council’s board of directors took the action in light of the state’s announcement last month that the initiative’s backers had obtained enough signatures to put the controversial measure on the ballot. The initiative would rule out consideration of factors such as race and gender in hiring and promotions, government contracts and college admissions.

United Methodist seminary professor Cornish Rogers urged Ecumenical Council directors at a recent meeting to organize colleagues in mainline churches against the ballot proposition. Rogers noted that Los Angeles Cardinal Roger M. Mahony spoke out forcefully against the proposed measure late last year.

In a pastoral letter to his archdiocese’s 3.6 million Catholics, Mahony said: “It will be unacceptable to support any proposals that communicate--even implicitly--that further progress toward the elimination of racial discrimination is neither necessary or possible.”

Welch, a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) minister, said that although old-line Protestants and Catholics differ on some issues, this was one on which their respective leaders could speak with one voice.

“When we can take a stand together, the long ecumenical winter is over--we are in spring,” Welch said from the council office at Pasadena Presbyterian Church.

The Ecumenical Council’s executive committee was directed “to disseminate appropriate statements of conscience and materials to promote study and action in support of equal opportunity, affirmative action and civil rights.” Member churches will be asked to speak out against the ballot initiative.

CONGREGATIONS

In recognition of the growing Chinese-heritage population in the western San Gabriel Valley, the Alhambra First Presbyterian Church will merge late this month with the pioneering True Light Chinese Presbyterian Church, which will move from its current Lincoln Heights site. In 1876, True Light was one of the first churches founded to minister to Chinese-speaking residents. Under the Rev. Peter Lai, the 350-member True Light Church now holds worship services in English and Cantonese, and ministers to Chinese-speaking Vietnamese.

The largely Anglo Alhambra church, whose pastor is the Rev. Foster Shannon, is down to 100 members but has a large nursery, ample parking and meeting rooms. The two English-speaking congregations will meet as one in the Alhambra church and separate Chinese-language services will be held there. The merger May 26 will begin with a 10 a.m. worship service, followed by a luncheon at Lincoln Plaza Hotel in Monterey Park and a 3 p.m. dedication service at the Alhambra church at 20 W. Commonwealth Ave. (818) 289-4106.

HOLIDAY

St. Mary’s Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Los Angeles today will celebrate “Lideta,” observed in Ethiopian tradition as the birthday of Mary, the mother of Jesus, with worship and festivities. Although prayers and liturgy will begin at 5 a.m., the main ceremonies will start at 10:30 a.m., featuring Archbishop Yesehaq, the New York-based prelate for Ethiopian Orthodox Christians in North America. A free luncheon at 12:20 p.m. will be followed by cultural events. The festival will be at a rented facility--St. James Armenian Apostolic Church, 4950 W. Slauson Ave., Los Angeles. The Ethiopian congregation holds regular Sunday services at a Presbyterian church at 2908 S. Robertson Place, Los Angeles. (310) 815-0201.

MUSIC

The oratorio “Elijah” by Felix Mendelssohn will be presented in separate productions this month at Presbyterian churches in the Southland.

At Pasadena Presbyterian Church at 4 p.m. Sunday, soloist Edward Levy will portray the Hebrew prophet in the dramatic oratorio. Gregory Norton will conduct the Kirk Choir and the Claremont Chorale with full orchestra. Admission is $8, although no one will be turned away. The church is at 550 E. Colorado Blvd. (818) 793-2191.

On May 19, a fully staged and costumed version of the oratorio will feature Douglas Lawrence as Elijah at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach. Tickets and child care are by reservation for the 4 p.m. performance at the church, 600 St. Andrews Road. Admission is $6. (714) 574-2253.

* Buddha’s Light Youth Symphony Orchestra will present its spring concert at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 16750 E. Colima Road, Hacienda Heights. The free, public concert by the youth orchestra will be conducted by Xiao Niu He. For more information, cal the Hsi Lai Buddhist School at (818) 961-9697, Ext. 105.

* Vivaldi’s “Gloria” and Schubert’s Mass in G will be performed by choir and orchestra at 4 p.m. today at Glendale City Seventh-day Adventist Church, 610 E. California Ave. No admission charge. (818) 244-7241.

* Hollywood United Methodist Church’s large pipe organ will be played by seven local organists, including host music director Richard Warne, in a music festival on Sunday starting at 4 p.m. Suggested donation $10. (213) 874-2104.

* The vocal ensemble Lionheart, which specializes in Renaissance music, will perform at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at St. James Episcopal Church, 3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. Admission $27. (310) 440-1351.

DATES

A panel of professionals will answer difficult questions associated with placing an elderly loved one or an Alzheimer’s patient in a residential facility during a Pasadena workshop Friday. The free workshop, sponsored by Fuller Seminary’s Center for Aging Resources and the Alzheimer’s Assn., will be from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 3740 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Reservations. (818) 351-5427.

* A pre-Mother’s Day rally to call for alternatives to imprisonment for mothers will be held at noon Friday at the Los Angeles County Hall of Administration mall, according to Sister Suzanne Jabro of Catholic Detention Ministries. The event is part of 14 such rallies nationwide. Saying that the female prison population has tripled in the last decade, Jabro said supporters are urging alternative sentences and drug treatment. (213) 251-1639.

* French-language Catholic Masses will be celebrated on Sunday and May 19 at 9:30 a.m. at St. John Vianney Chapel, 229 S. Detroit Ave., Los Angeles. The Mass this Sunday will be followed by a discussion of deacons by Jean Paul Ledoux, a French deacon visiting the French-speaking Catholic community in Los Angeles. (310) 967-480.

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Notices may be sent by mail to Southern California File, c/o John Dart, L.A. Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth, CA 91311, or by fax to Religion Editor (213) 237-4712. Items should arrive at least three weeks before the event, except for spot news, and should include pertinent details about the people and organizations with address, phone number, date and time.