FAITH CALENDAR

SPITZ TALK

Rabbi Elie Kaplan Spitz, a spiritual leader at Congregation B’nai

Israel in Tustin, will talk about Jewish views of the afterlife at the

Festival of Books, which will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Jewish

Community Center, 250 E. Baker St., Costa Mesa. Tickets are available at

the center. (714) 755-0340.

GUEST LECTURE

Rabbi Steven Z. Leder, author of “The Extraordinary Things of Ordinary

Things,” will be the guest speaker at Temple Bat Yahm at 7 p.m. Sunday as

part of the Temple Bat Yahm University Jewish Literary Arts Series. The

synagogue is at 1011 Camelback Drive, Newport Beach. (949) 644-1999.

CHRISTMAS MUSIC

Annual Christmas concerts will be held at St. Andrews Presbyterian

Church, 600 St. Andrews Road, Newport Beach, at 4 and 7 p.m. Sunday and

Dec. 17. The concert will feature carols by Alfred Burt, a congregation

sing-along and other Christmas selections. $8. (949) 574-2231.

SCROOGE REVISED

Newport Christian School will perform its Christmas play, “6th Grade

Scrooge,” at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Free. The school, a ministry of Liberty

Baptist Church, is at 1000 Bison Ave., Newport Beach. (949) 760-5444.

HOLIDAY DRAMA

Liberty Baptist Church will perform its Christmas production, “Have

You Any Room,” at 7 p.m. Friday and Dec. 17 at 1000 Bison Ave., Newport

Beach. (949) 760-5444.

HANUKKAH CELEBRATION

Chabad of Irvine will hold a Grand Hanukkah celebration at 4 p.m. Dec.

21 at Fashion Island in Newport Beach in the Bloomingdales courtyard, 905

Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. (949) 786-5000.

POTLUCK AND SHABBAT

Temple Isaiah of Newport Beach will celebrate the Festival of Hanukkah

with a potluck dinner and candlelight ceremony at 6 p.m. Dec. 22 at 2401

Irvine Ave., Newport Beach. A Shabbat service will follow at 8 p.m.

Donations are $10 per family, $5 per person. (949) 548-6900.

FESTIVE SONGS

“Christmas at the Keyboard” will be held at 4 p.m. Dec. 24 at Liberty

Baptist Church, 1000 Bison Ave., Newport Beach. Listen to Christmas

music, both sung and played on the piano. Free. (949) 760-5444.

WORKSHOPS

CAREER HELP

Fairview Community Church and Spirit of Hope Christian Fellowship will

present a career guidance workshop at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 6 at Fairview

Community Church, 2525 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa. $20-$25. (714)

545-4610.

MEDITATION LESSONS

A “lectio divina” meditation group will be held weekly beginning at

7:15 a.m. Thursdays at Our Lady Angels Parish Center, 2046 Mar Vista

Drive, Newport Beach. Lectio is a style of meditation that includes using

Scripture or a special reading as a stimulus. Free. The Christian

Meditation Group meets on the first and third Wednesdays of each month

from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the center. The format incudes two periods of

meditation with some instruction on how to meditate, a talk and a

discussion. (949) 219-1408.

WEEKLY EVENTS

NETWORKING

The monthly Career Networking Resource meeting sponsored by St.

Andrew’s Presbyterian Church for those who are unemployed will be held

from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday in the Stewart Lounge, 600 St. Andrews Road,

Newport Beach. This month’s meeting will be led by Bill Simons and Duane

Munson. (949) 631-2880.

RELATIONSHIPS

“The Relationship Seminar” series concludes at 7:30 p.m. Thursday with

a program on “Relationships -- How Close, How Soon?” at St. Andrew’s

Presbyterian Church, 600 St. Andrews Road, Newport Beach. All singles are

welcome. A $5 donation will be requested at the door. No reservations

required. (949) 574-2214.

ILLNESS SUPPORT GROUP

Jewish Family Service of Orange County sponsors an ongoing Jewish

healing support group for people experiencing chronic illness. The group

will meet at 7 p.m. Thursdays at Jewish Family Service, 250 E. Baker St.,

Suite G, Costa Mesa. Free. Preregistration required. (714) 445-4950.

ABUSE SUPPORT GROUP

St. Mark Presbyterian Church hosts a faith-based, nonsectarian abuse

support group from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Mondays at the church, 2100 Mar Vista

Ave., Newport Beach. $5 or donations. (949) 721-8079.

‘JESUS IN BLUE JEANS’

The Rev. Gail Miller holds a class based on Laurie Beth Jones’ book

“Jesus in Blue Jeans” from 5 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays. The class will consider

the ways Jesus would deal with practical, everyday challenges. The class

meets at New Thought Community Church, 1929 Tustin Ave., Costa Mesa.

Prices and information: (949) 646-3199.

MEN’S FELLOWSHIP

The Men’s Fellowship Breakfast Group meets from 7 to 8 a.m. Wednesdays

at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. The group meets in the church’s

Dierenfield Hall, 600 St. Andrews Road, Newport Beach. Free. (949)

574-2239.

MEN’S FELLOWSHIP GROUP

Presbyterian Church of the Covenant’s men’s fellowship group meets

from 8 to 9 a.m. Wednesdays at the Village Farmer restaurant, across from

South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. (714) 557-3340.

DESIGN OF UNIVERSE?

Christ Lutheran Church is holding an eight-week series of discussions

on “Signs of Intelligent Design” in the universe. The meetings are from 6

to 7 p.m. Wednesdays at the church, 760 Victoria St., Room 112, Costa

Mesa. Free. (949) 645-8381.

THE END TIMES

The Presbyterian Church of the Covenant’s 12-week women’s Bible study

continues at 7 p.m. Wednesdays. The Fisherman Bible Study is called “The

End Times.” The church is at 2850 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa. (714)

557-3340.

AT A CROSSROADS

Presbyterian Church of the Covenant hosts “Crossroads” for sixth-,

seventh- and eighth-graders from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays at 2850

Fairview Road, Costa Mesa. The program includes dinner, games and Bible

study. $2 donation is suggested. (714) 557-3340.

HELP WITH HEALING

Jewish Family Services of Orange County sponsors an ongoing Jewish

healing support group at 7 p.m. Thursdays for people who suffer from

chronic illness. The group’s purpose is to provide participants with

emotional and spiritual support to help manage the effects illnesses have

on people’s lives. Meetings are at 250 E. Baker St., Suite G., Costa

Mesa. Free. Preregistration required. (714) 445-4950.

WEEKLY KIDS PROGRAM

Presbyterian Church of the Covenant presents “Children of Our Lord,” a

weekly Thursday evening program for first- through fifth-graders. Games,

a speaker and dinner are included for a $2 donation. The church is at

2850 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa. (714) 557-3340.

* Is your church or place of worship planning a special event? If so,

send the typed information at least two weeks before the event to the

Daily Pilot, 330 W. Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627, attention: Jennifer

Mahal, religion editor; fax to (949) 646-4170 or e-mail to o7

[email protected] .