Ojai Valley Adventist Sermon Series

* Pastor David Smith of Ojai Valley Adventist Church will continue a sermon series today, “Your Most Radical Decision.” The third installment is titled “I’m Doing Just Great, Thank You.”

Services are held at 10:45 a.m. each Saturday and include contemporary and traditional Christian music. Bible study begins at 9:30 a.m.

The church is at 291 E. El Roblar Drive. For more information, call 955-7631.

Seventh-day Adventist Service * Senior Pastor William Colburn at Ventura Seventh-day Adventist Church will continue a sermon series today on the life of Abraham. Today’s sermon is titled, “To Abraham, My Promises.”

Services are held at 10:45 a.m. each Saturday. Bible study for all ages begins at 9:30 a.m.

The church is at 6300 Telephone Road. For more information, call 642-5387.

PBS Filmmaker to Speak * Temple Beth Torah in Ventura will hold a lox and bagel Sunday brunch from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Special guest speaker will be Edward Cohen, award-winning author and PBS documentary filmmaker. Cohen will discuss his memoir, “The Peddler’s Grandson: Growing Up Jewish in Mississippi,” which was recently awarded Mississippi’s top two literary awards for nonfiction. The cost is $10.

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

7 Church Choirs to Perform * Choirs from seven Ventura County churches will join in a hymn and organ festival Sunday at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 1500 North C St., Oxnard. The event is being presented by the Ventura County Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and the Ventura County Council of Churches. The program will begin at 3:30 p.m. An offering will be collected to benefit CROP and Habitat for Humanity. A reception will follow the performance. For more information, call 497-1959.

Westminster Presbyterian Series * Pastor Tim Fearer on Sunday will continue his Romans series with “What Happened on the Cross? Part II” at Westminster Presbyterian Church.

The worship service will begin at 10 a.m. Nursery care is provided. Children from preschool age through fifth grade are dismissed to Kids’ Church. The church is at 755 Bard Road, Port Hueneme. For more information, call 483-8610.

Groups Trade Ministers for a Day * Conejo Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and United Church of Christ in Simi Valley will take part in a pulpit exchange Sunday.

In his sermon to the Conejo fellowship, the Rev. Bill Greene will outline an ecumenical proposal that asks “coalitions of people of faith and people of no faith to commit to radical social change, in dialogue and in action.” The service will begin at 10 a.m.

In her sermon to the Simi Valley congregation, the Rev. Betty Stapleford will call for forming a broad-based coalition of churches and service organizations committed to justice and peace. The service will also begin at 10 a.m.

The Conejo congregation gathers at Goebel Senior Adult Center, 1385 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks. For more information, call 492-8751.

The Simi Valley church is at 370 Royal Ave. For more information, call 526-6001.

Camarillo Community Church * Camarillo Community Church holds Sunday worship services at 8, 9, 10:10 and 11:20 a.m. This week’s message, “Why Does God Let the Innocent Die?”

Children’s programming is at 9, 10:10 and 11:20 a.m.

The church is at 1322 Las Posas Road. For more information, call 482-2657.

Methodists Begin Sermon Series * The Rev. Rob Calderhead will begin the sermon series “The Church of Jesus Christ: Its Nature and Task” Sunday at United Methodist Church of Westlake Village. The first installment, “What Exactly Is the Church?”

Worship services are at 8, 9 and 10:30 a.m.

The church is at 1049 S. Westlake Blvd. For more information, call 497-7884. Internet: https://www.umcwv.org.

Trinity Presbyterian Series * The Rev. Kent Meads of Trinity Presbyterian Church will continue a sermon series Sunday with “Give and Forgive.” The sermon is based on Matthew 6:11-12.

On Sundays, a celebration service is held at 8:30 a.m., followed by a traditional service at 10 a.m.

The church is at Las Posas Road and Antonio Avenue in Camarillo. For more information, call 484-0530.

First Presbyterian Services * Dr. Charles Griffin will deliver the sermon “Designer God” Sunday at First Presbyterian Church of Oxnard. Sunday worship services begin at 10 a.m.

Church school for adults is held at 9 a.m.; youth church school is held during the worship service.

The church is at 850 Ivywood Drive. For more information, call 983-0204.

St. Paul’s Multilingual Services * St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Oxnard holds its Sunday worship service at 10:15 a.m. Senior Pastor Adiel De Pano will deliver the message. Child care is available for children 4 and younger.

The Rev. Victor Salas will lead a Bible study session in Spanish at 12:30 p.m. The Japanese ministry worships at 2 p.m., led by the Rev. Shiro Kato.

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

Services at St. Matthew’s * St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church in Newbury Park will hold worship services at 8:30 and 10 a.m. Sunday. The Rev. Lynne Austin will deliver the sermon “Fools for Christ” based on 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, 1:18-31.

Worship at St. Matthew’s is relaxed and interactive, with child care and children’s classes available during the second service. The church is at 1360 S. Wendy Drive. For more information, call 498-6910.

‘Legacy of Martin Luther King’ * The Rev. Judith Cohen will deliver the message, “The Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.: Is Nonviolence Possible?” Sunday at Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura.

Services are at 9:15 and 11 a.m. Child care and religious education are available during the first service.

The church is at 4949 Foothill Road. For more information, call 644-3898.

Unity Center Church Message * The Rev. Irma Oestmann will deliver the message “Making Miracles” Sunday at Unity Center Church in Thousand Oaks. The 10 a.m. service will include music by guitarist Roger Kraft.

Children’s church is held during the service and child care is available. Also on Sunday, a continuing adult discussion series will be held at 9:15 a.m.

The church meets at Old Meadows Park’s Community Room at 1600 Marview Road. For more information, call 496-6901.

Grief Support Group to Meet * GriefShare, a recovery seminar and support group, meets Mondays at 7 p.m. at Ventura Missionary Church. The program features nationally recognized experts discussing grief and recovery topics. Sessions include “When Your Dreams Fall Apart,” “The Seasons of Grief,” “The Emotions of Grief,” “When Your Spouse Dies,” “Your Family and Grief” and “Growing Through Grief.” The sessions are free. An optional workbook is $15.

The church is at 500 High Point Drive, Ventura. For more information, call 642-0550.

Jewish Academy Offers Course * The Conejo Jewish Academy on Monday will begin the five-part course “Think Jewish.” Sessions will be held on consecutive Mondays beginning at 8 p.m. Instructors will be Rabbi Moshe Bryski, Rabbi Yitzchak Sapochkinsky, Rabbi Yisroel Levine and Rabbi Shlomo Bistritzky.

Cost for the series is $25, including materials. To register: call (818) 991-0991 or on the Web at www.jewishacademy.com.

CLU Hosts Theology Conference * The 20th annual WinterBreak Theological Conference will be held Wednesday and Thursday at Cal Lutheran University. This year’s event, themed “Theology and Ministry in the 21st Century,” will feature lectures by theologians Schubert Ogden and R. Guy Erwin, plus the Rev. Ray LeBlanc and Linda Ritterbush, associate professor of geology at CLU. For registration information, call 493-3936.

Bishops Discuss Vatican Declaration * Lutheran Bishop Paul Egertson and Roman Catholic Bishop Thomas Curry will discuss the Vatican declaration “Dominus Jesus” Tuesday at St. John’s Seminary, 5012 Seminary Road, Camarillo.

The controversial declaration was published last fall by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, headed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, which is thought by many to teach that only Roman Catholics can receive salvation. The free program will begin at 7 p.m. For more information, call 482-4697.

Emmanuel Presbyterian Courses * Emmanuel Presbyterian Church in Thousand Oaks on Wednesday evening will hold the third installment of an eight-week course designed to introduce the basics of the Christian faith. Titled “ALPHA,” the weekly sessions include dinner, a short video presentation, small group meetings and question-and-answer sessions. Courses are held each Wednesday from 6:30 to 9 p.m. The course work is designed to appeal to those who are curious to know why Jesus Christ is considered to be the Messiah.

The church is at 588 Camino Manzanas. For more information, call 498-4502.

Winter Schedule at First Baptist * First Baptist Church in Thousand Oaks offers the following winter schedule of Sunday services and programs: Bible study, all ages, 9:15 a.m.; worship service, 10:30 a.m.; children’s church, 10:30 a.m.; youth fellowship, 5:30 p.m.; children’s program, 5:30 p.m.; adult training, 5:30 p.m.; evening worship service, 6:30 p.m.

The church is at 1250 Erbes Road. For more information, call 495-2531.

Services With Music, Casual Dress * 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 more information, call 485-0050.

Thousand Oaks Fellowship * 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 remain for the regular service.

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

United Methodist Services * Simi Valley United Methodist Church will hold worship services, led by the Rev. Brandon Cho, at 8 and 10 a.m. each Sunday. Child care for infants and preschoolers is offered during both services. Sunday school for adults and children begins at 9 a.m. Mission Hispana Biblica celebrates worship in Spanish at 1:30 p.m., followed by fellowship in Witman Hall.

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