Adventists Present Gospel Concert

* The public is invited to a gospel concert this evening by recording artists Herman and Sonnie Harp at the Ventura Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Sonnie Harp is a soloist, songwriter, arranger, producer and keyboardist whose music is performed internationally. Her husband Herman is a soloist, violinist and guitarist who began sharing Christian music more than 45 years ago. He sang 23 years with the gospel group Ponder, Harp, & Jennings.

The couple travel the country, musically sharing the story of Jesus Christ.

The church has Sabbath school for all ages each Saturday at 9:30 a.m. and Saturday worship at 10:50 a.m.

There is no charge for the 7:30 p.m. concert. The church is at 6300 Telephone Road. For information, call 642-5387.

St. Matthew’s Offers 2 Services * St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church in Newbury Park will have worship services at 8:30 and 10 a.m. Sunday with the Rev. Lynne Austin preaching about her continuing “Power of God� series. This week’s sermon will focus on Ephesians 3:14-21 and John 6:1-14.

Worship is relaxed and interactive with child care and children’s classes during the second service.

The church is at 1360 S. Wendy Drive. For information, call 498-6910.

Unity Church Plans Park Event * Unity Church in Ventura will have “Sunday in the Park� from 8 to 9 a.m. Sunday with singing and prayer.

The event will be at Peninsula Park, 3333 Peninsula Road. For information, call 658-1059.

Weekday prayers are at noon. Healing mediations are from 7 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Metaphysical Bible study class is from 9 to 9:45 a.m. Sundays. These meetings are held at the church, 2065 Sperry Ave., Unit G.

Monte Vista Holds Bible School * Monte Vista Presbyterian Church in Newbury Park presents Son Zone Discovery Center vacation Bible school from 9 a.m. until noon Monday through Aug. 4 for children 4 to 12. The cost is $18.

The church is at 3797 W. Lynn Road. For information, call 498-8213 or 499-6610.

Children to Receive Bible Lessons * First Christian Church of Ventura will have its vacation Bible school from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Aug. 4. The theme is “Road Rally 2000--On the Road with Jesus.� The school is for children age 3 to those in fifth grade.

There will be music, crafts and Bible lessons. The $15 fee will include a T-shirt and visor.

The church is at 38 Teloma Drive. For information, call 642-4146.

Services at St. Paul’s in Oxnard * A worship celebration at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Oxnard begins at 10:15 a.m. Sunday with Senior Pastor N. Adiel A De Pano preaching.

Child care is available for children up age 4. Church school is on break during the summer. The Japanese-language service worships at 2 p.m. each Sunday.

Following the worship celebration, the church’s Nurture Team is sponsoring a “Family Fun, Faith & Fellowship� puppet-making session for people of all ages.

The church is at 1800 South C St. For information, call 487-2711.

Cal Lutheran Professor to Speak * Conejo Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship will hear from guest speaker Cal Lutheran professor Sarah Forth at 10 a.m. Sunday. Her topic will be “Weaving the Web of Existence.�

The fellowship meets at the Goebel Senior Adult Center at 1385 E. Janss Road in Thousand Oaks. For information, call 492-8751.

Service at Oxnard Lutheran Church * Our Saviour’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oxnard will hear from the Rev. Mary Ann Feine during its 9:15 a.m. Sunday services. Sunday school is held at 10:45 a.m. for all ages and child care is provided.

The church is at 905 Redwood St. For information, call 486-5383.

Temple Hosts Discussion Groups * Temple Etz Chaim in Thousand Oaks will sponsor a yeshiva for the beginning of the High Holidays--Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur--with a Havdallah service at 8 p.m. Sept. 23 led by Rabbi Richard Spiegel, the temple spiritual leader, and Hazzan Jeff Cohen.

At 9:15 p.m. there will be several discussion groups, including “Singing the High Holy Day Melodies� with Cohen, who is a cantor; “The Christian Right’s Attack on Separation of Church and State� with Judge Bruce Einhorn; “Laugh a Little: Enjoy Some Good Humor� with John Keats; “Being Effective Every Day of Your Life� with Barbara Freedman; “Sounding the Shofar for Rosh Hashana� with Ronald Goldstein; “Putting on Tefillin� with Myles Sympson; “A Woman’s Perspective on the High Holidays� with Leah Shechter, and “Understanding the High Holiday Prayer Book� with Spiegel.

Participants can choose any class. The first class will end at 10:05 p.m. and all will be repeated at 10:50 p.m. There are no fees except for a crafts program. The public is invited to attend. At 10:50 p.m. the Temple Etz Chaim Sisterhood is set to present a dessert reception. At 11:30 p.m. all are invited to attend a midnight Selichot service, which marks the beginning of Jewish High Holy Days.

The Jewish New Year Rosh Hashana 5761 will begin at sunset Sept. 29. Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, begins at sunset on Oct. 8.

The temple is at 1080 Janss Road. For information, call 497-6891.

Simi Valley Methodists to Gather * Simi Valley United Methodist Church will have worship services at 10 a.m. Sunday.

The church is at 2394 Erringer Road. For information, call 526-6231.

Mass Schedule at St. Anthony’s * St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Oxnard will celebrate evening Mass at 5:15 p.m. today and have confessions from 3:30 to 5 p.m. and 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Sunday Mass will be celebrated at 7:30, 9 and 10:30 a.m. in English and Spanish-language Mass will be at noon and 1:30 p.m.

The church is at 2511 South C St. For information, call 486-7301.

Chabad Hosts Phone-a-Thon * Chabad of the Conejo in Agoura Hills will hold its annual Phone-a-Thon from at 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Aug. 13.

Volunteers will telephone members of the community for contributions for the Chabad’s outreach and educational programs that serve people from Calabasas to Ventura.

Such programs include scholarship assistance, drug and alcohol prevention, crisis counseling, a lending library, educational classes, summer camp, hospital visitation, emergency food assistance and services.

For most of its operating budget, Chabad is dependent upon the generosity of the community. Those who would like to phone in a pledge or sign up to be a Phone-a-Thon volunteer may call (818) 991-0991.

The temple is at 30345 Canwood Drive, Agoura Hills.

First Presbyterian to Hold Service * First Presbyterian Church of Oxnard will hold a worship service at 10 a.m. Sunday. Pastor James K. Bain Jr. will deliver the sermon.

There will be Sunday school for youth during the service. Adult Sunday school will begin at 9 a.m. Child care is available at all services. The church is at 850 Ivywood Drive. For information, call 983-0204.

Fellowship Offers Worship * Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Thousand Oaks will have its Sunday worship celebration at 10:05 a.m.

A nursery and Sunday school classes are provided, while those who are high school or college age will remain for the regular service.

The church has music, teaching and a casual atmosphere. The fellowship is at 480 W. Gainesborough Road. For information, call 379-0237.

Unity Center Holds Book Discussion * A discussion series on the book “Seat of the Soul� by Gary Zukav is scheduled at 9 a.m. Sundays at Unity Center Church in Thousand Oaks followed by services at 10 a.m. at the Old Meadows Park Community Center.

The Rev. Irma Oestmann will speak on “Bigger Believing� during Sunday’s service.

The center is at 1600 Marview Road. For information, call 496-6901.

Vineyard Fellowship Plans Services * Channel Islands Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Oxnard has services with contemporary music and casual dress at 9 and 11 a.m. Sunday.

The church is at 1851 Holser Walk, Suite 200. For information, call 485-0050.

Interfaith Fellowship to Meet * Interfaith Fellowship meets in the ballroom of Thousand Oaks Inn in Thousand Oaks at 10 a.m. Sunday.

The inn is at 75 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd. For information, call 379-9336.

Temple Presents Shabbat Services * Shabbat services are held at 8 p.m. Fridays and 10 a.m. Saturdays each week at the Temple Beth Torah in Ventura.

The temple is at 7620 Foothill Road. For information, call 647-4181.

Church to Start Wednesday Service * The Ventura County Church of Religious Science is starting a Wednesday evening service beginning at 7 p.m. Aug. 2 to be conducted by the Rev. Katherine L. Yates, a retired minister and author of the book “The Warrior Within.�

Music will be provided by Kevin Parcher and Michael Lawrence.

The church is at 101 Laurel St. in Ventura. For information, call 643-1933.

Church Offers 2 Workshops * Westlake Church of Religious Science in Westlake Village will offer two workshop series over four weeks in August.

“Mind to Mind, Heart to Heart� will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. each Monday beginning Aug. 7.

“High Mysticism� will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursdays beginning Aug. 3.

Classes cost $6 per class and will be at 2649 Townsgate Road, Suite 500. For information, call 495-0105.

Vacation Bible School Offered * St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church in Newbury Park is turning its church into a clubhouse for kids and is welcoming all children to attend its vacation Bible school.

Registrations are being accepted for children ages 3 to grade six to attend Bible school from 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 7 through 11. There is a $5 fee. Lessons will focus on stories about God’s work done by children.

The church is at 1360 S. Wendy Drive. For information, call 498-6910.

Church to Take Trip to Italy * St. Francis of Assisi Church in Fillmore will take a pilgrimage of prayer to Italy from Sept. 28 to Oct. 12.

Pastor Joseph Hernandez will celebrate daily Mass and spiritual direction. The cost for the trip will be about $3,000.

*

For information, call Michael Lara at 524-1306.

Religion Briefs runs Saturdays. Please submit items at least a week in advance to Religion Briefs, Los Angeles Times, 93 S. Chestnut St., Ventura 93001. Items may be faxed to 653-7576.