Interfaith Celebration to Honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s Legacy

“Moving from Collisions to Coalitions” will be the theme of the eighth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Interfaith Celebration hosted by the South Coast Ecumenical Council, the Long Beach Ministerial Alliance and the Long Beach Interfaith Clergy Assn. Robert H. Schuller, founder and senior pastor of the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, will be the featured speaker. The Jordan High School International Choir and the International Children’s Choir will perform. The celebration honoring King’s legacy will take place at Gospel Memorial Church of God in Christ, 1480 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach, on Sunday at 3 p.m. Call (562) 595-0268.

The San Fernando Valley Interfaith Council will commemorate the birthday of the slain civil rights leader Monday at 7 p.m. at Mission College, 13356 Eldridge Ave., Sylmar. King, who was assassinated in 1968, would have been 70 on Jan. 15. The 11th annual Valleywide event, titled “Living the Dream,” will be hosted by Parks Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church pastor the Rev. Jordan Davis and William E. Norlund, president of Los Angeles Mission College. Call (818) 718-6460, Ext. 3001 or (818) 896-1302.

EVENTS

Bnai Zion Foundation Western Region will honor Queen Margrethe of Denmark and the Danish people for their heroic efforts in saving more than 7,000 Jews during the Holocaust.

The Humanitarian Award of the 21st Century will be accepted by the honorable Martin Kofod, consul general of the Royal Danish government, at the foundation’s annual Tributes and Awards Gala Dinner Sunday at 6 p.m. at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

The foundation also will honor Walt Disney Television, producers of the acclaimed television movie “Miracle at Midnight,” and executive producer John Davis with the Chesed Award. The movie tells the story of how the people of Denmark risked their lives in 1943 to save Jewish countrymen from the Nazis.

The Bnai Zion Foundation supports humanitarian causes in the United States and in Israel, including physically and developmentally disabled children and pediatric cancer patients. Rabbi Harold Schulweis is Tribute Committee chairman. Tickets start at $200. Call (323) 655-9128.

WORKSHOPS / CLASSES

The Garden Grove United Methodist Church will begin a new series of “Basic Beliefs” classes beginning Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Basic Bible, basic Christian beliefs and basic United Methodist beliefs are among the topics that will be covered in classes that will continue Sunday evenings until June. Classes will be led by senior pastor R. Preston Price. The church is at 12741 Main St. Call (714) 534-1070.

* The Ahavas Yisroel Synagogue, 731 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, will offer an eight-week course in Hebrew and Torah skills beginning Monday at 7:30 p.m. The program offers an opportunity for beginners to learn biblical Hebrew grammar as well as acquire textual skills. The class will meet twice weekly. The instructor is Rabbi Chaim Zev Citron. Call (323) 937-1247.

PRAYER VIGIL

The Hollywood United Methodist Church, 6817 Franklin Ave., Los Angeles, will host a prayer vigil supporting the “holy union” of two women who will share vows at a service in Sacramento today. Clergy and laity of churches and synagogues throughout the Los Angeles area will gather at the Methodist church to show support for the women, who are active lay workers in the California-Nevada Conference of the United Methodist Church. The service will begin at noon and conclude with the ringing of the church carillon at 1 p.m., marking the hour when the Sacramento service will begin. The prayer vigil will follow. Call (323) 874-2104.

LECTURE

Scholar Joyce Berkman will discuss the controversial story of Edith Stein in an informal lecture and discussion hosted by Kehillat Israel, 16019 Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades, on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Stein left Judaism at 15, became a nun and, in 1933, 11 years after her baptism and with the Nazis controlling Germany, wrote her autobiography to combat negative portrayals of Jews. She was killed in Auschwitz. Pope John Paul II made her a saint in October. Berkman has lectured and written extensively on Stein. Call (310) 459-2328.

MUSIC

First Congregational Church of Los Angeles will host more than 100 organists from across the country for a series of workshops, services and concerts. Sunday morning worship at 10:30 will feature a recital by church organist Frederick Swann and traditional liturgy by the Cathedral Choir. At 4 p.m. American organist Catharine Crozier will celebrate her 85th birthday with a recital. Admission is $11.

On Monday, the church will host a lecture, “The Organ, Organists and Music of the Basilica of Ste. Clotilde, Paris,” and concert featuring organists Audrey Jacobsen, Patricia Lamb, Philip Smith and Swann. Tickets are $7.

Tuesday will feature a midday concert at 12:10 and a Gala Concert for Organ and Voices at 7:30 p.m. featuring Paul Salamunovich and the Choir of St. Charles Borromeo Church. Tickets are $7. All events will be at the Church at 540 S. Commonwealth Ave., Los Angeles. Call (213) 385-1345.

* St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church, 4949 Alton Parkway, Irvine, will host a program of Greek, Russian and English Orthodox sacred choral music from three centuries sung by Cappella Romana, a group of singers dedicated to mastering Slavic and Byzantine repertoires in their original languages. Tickets are $15. Call (949) 733-2366.

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Notices may be mailed to Southern California File, c/o Religion Editor, Metro Section, L.A. Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, 90053 or faxed to (213) 237-4712. Items should arrive at least three weeks in advance of event and should include pertinent details about the organization, address, phone number, date and time.