Christian

If Christianity were illegal, would there be evidence to convict you? I ask because Christianity is not a closet religion; what Christ conveys, we're obliged to champion. Evidence will be our words and actions, and we've been historically persecuted for this. Christians defend children gestating in their mother's wombs. Society says, "Kill them, they aren't really human unless they're wanted. " Jesus says "Don't murder," yet these human offspring are dissected and society applauds.

Edgar Melik-Stepanyan SYLMAR -- The Skyward Christian High football team has been in existence for only two years and so the Saints know they have a lot of growing to do on the field before they can contend for a CIF Eight-Man Small Division title. They took their first step this season as they captured the Omega League title by winning their three games by an average of 35 points. But Skyward Christian's first-round opponent, Cuyama Valley High, wasn't like any team it had faced before.

Mirjam Swanson VAN NUYS -- Tujunga Skyward Chistian barely had a chance. That the Saints even had a chance at all was good enough, as they lost to No. 3-seeded Tarzana Stoneridge, 97-38, in Wednesday's first-round CIF Division VA boys' basketball playoff game at Montclair Prep in Van Nuys, in Skyward Christian's first postseason appearance. "Just getting this far is great," said Saint Coach Rich Lowe, noting that there are no seniors on the team.

Tonight, Jan. 19, Calvary Chapel of the Foothills will host a Christian alternative rock concert for area youth. Two bands, 15 North and Dunamis, will perform beginning at 6 p.m. 15 North is a lively, energetic band from Murrieta who compare themselves to Led Zeppelin and Nirvana with a Christian message. Dunamis is a local, heavy metal band inspired by Christian bands such as Stryper and Petra. They have played with Kutless, The Kry, and T-Bone. The free concert will be held at Calvary Chapel of the Foothills, 663 1/2 Foothill Blvd.

Saro Sarkisian SYLMAR -- When the Skyward Christian football team faced Trinity Lutheran Saturday in the first Omega League game for both teams, the smartest thing Trinity Lutheran might have done was showing up with nine players at First Lutheran High School. Skyward Christian had a 36-8 lead at the break and it seemed pointless for the Mustangs to continue with players playing hurt and not having anyone to substitute, so the game was called, saving the Mustangs further embarassment.

Saro Sarkisian SANTA BARBARA -- After being blown out in its season opener -- playing without a few key starters -- the Skyward Christian football team faced Laguna Blanca on Saturday, where the Saints looked more like the 2000 defending Omega League champions. Skyward Christian shut out Laguna Blanca, 12-0, as its defense stepped up, making key plays and the offense -- which had 31 total yards of offense in the opener -- came out firing. The Saints (1-1)

Christian songwriter inspires congregation LA CRESCENTA -- Christian songwriter Mary Rice Hopkins will perform her inspirational Christian songs at the 9 and 10:45 a.m. worship services on Sunday at the La Crescenta Presbyterian Church. Rice Hopkins has produced more than 14 albums and six videos, written three children's books and performs live nationwide. Children will be invited to sing along with Hopkins. The second service will highlight the ministry of the teachers and staff of the Center for Children.

Claudia Peschiutta LA CRESCENTA -- Ralph Winter is used to working on multimillion-dollar blockbusters, films sure to draw large crowds and even bigger box-office returns. The resume of this La Crescenta producer includes such well-known movies as "X-Men," "Inspector Gadget," and three "Star Trek" films. But Winter is also willing to take a chance on a not-so-sure thing when he believes in the project. Within a few weeks, "Left Behind" -- a movie produced by Winter that is based on the popular Christian thriller of the same name -- will open in about 1,000 theaters nationwide.

Hamlet Nalbandyan GLENDALE -- o7 The following is a preview for the CIF Southern Section playoffs in boys' basketball for Skyward Christian, Delphi Academy and Renaissance Academy.f7 Pico Rivera Mesrobian at Renaissance Academy, 7 p.m.: The Rebels, who are located in La Canada Flintridge, are in their first year of competition. Coach Sid Cooke's squad did fairly well considering its situation, as Renaissance Academy finished second in the American League with a 4-2 record and 11-8 overall.

Going along with the wishes of the misguided American Civil Liberties Union, the Times Community News organization (of which the Glendale-News Press is a part) and most of the advertisers in your Dec. 15 "Holiday" Shoppers' Guide have deliberately omitted the word "Christmas" in that publication. After all, Dec. 25 is the birthday of the Christ child and, it should be pointed out, is observed as a national federal holiday. I counted 64 ads in the guide with only four of them using the word "Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings."

The following are updates on local baseball players at the minor league level. Christian Bergman (St. Francis High, 2006) starting pitcher, Tulsa Drillers: Last year's California League Pitcher of the Year, Bergman has made a fairly smooth transition to the double-A stage with Tulsa of the Texas League. Bergman, a former All-Area Baseball Player of the Year, has put up respectable numbers with the Colorado Rockies' affiliate after starring in class-A last season with the Modesto Nuts.

After falling just shy of a Pacific League championship the past three years, one could argue the Crescenta Valley High boys' basketball team would be the early favorite heading into the 2014 season. The league found itself in a wave of change this offseason, as Pasadena - the nine-time reining champion - had its coach of 18 years, Tim Tucker, step down and accept an open position at Maranatha in March. Even without the All-Area Player of the Year in Cole Currie, it appeared the Falcons were in the strongest position to not only take league but make another run in the CIF Southern Section Division I-A playoffs with a trio of key returners.

The following are updates on local baseball players at the minor league level. Christian Bergman (St. Francis High, 2006) starting pitcher, Tulsa Drillers: After being named the California League Pitcher of the Year, Bergman has shown he's eyeing more awards with the Tulsa Drillers, the Colorado Rockies double-A affiliate. Bergman threw six shutout innings Friday in his debut with the Drillers, allowing just one hit, after being promoted from the class-A advanced Modesto Nuts, where he was spent last season and was given the aforementioned accolade.

SANTA CLARITA - Faced with a difficult challenge in the first round of the Division V CIF State Basketball Championships on Wednesday, the Flintridge Prep boys' team faced the task head on. Taking on No. 4 Village Christian, the defending state champion, the Rebels showed no signs of intimidation, taking it to the Crusaders in the opening quarter. Flintridge Prep opened the game with a shooting barrage from the outside, converting seven three-pointers in the first quarter and jumping out to a surprising 10-point lead.

LA CANADA - The St. Francis High volleyball team won its first match of the young season in Friday night's home tilt with visiting Village Christian. The Golden Knights graduated five seniors from last year's squad, played without senior outside hitter Charles McCarthy in their season opener with Temple City and didn't see a balanced attack on offense against Alemany. It was in the team's home opener that everything came together in a 25-8, 21-25, 25-17, 25-16 win over the Crusaders.

The Flintridge Prep's girls' basketball team might very well be living up to its No. 4 seed and, in the process, is carrying on its phenomenal turnaround season. The Rebels passed one of their stiffest tests to date on Saturday in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division V-AA playoffs, winning a physical battle against host Desert Christian, 56-45. “Big win for us,” said first-year co-coach Kevin Kiyomura. “It was a physical, physical battle. If I say prizefight, it's probably not that far from the truth.

LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE - The Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy girls' basketball team is still trying to figure out how to solve its biggest problem of the season. The Tologs have a habit of starting slow and then hustling to make up deficits. At times, the Tologs have made up the difference and rallied to win. At others, they haven't been able to comeback. In Friday's pool-play game of the La Canada New Year's Holiday Ball Classic, the Tologs fell behind early once again. This time, they were able to come back and win. Sacred Heart surrendered 14 first-quarter points and trailed by four, but allowed just 20 points the rest of the way, defeating Village Christian, 49-34, in the final pool-play game for both teams.

BURBANK - It's possible the Glendale High boys' basketball team won't face a tougher stretch the rest of the season like it has through its first two games. How the Nitros respond from losing both games to powerhouses is what's on the mind of Glendale Coach Steve Snodgress. “We seem to have it in us when we go up against good teams,” said Snodgress, whose team suffered a 61-45 pool-play loss to Village Christian, the defending CIF Division V state champion, on Wednesday afternoon in the Burbank High Tournament.

The following are updates on local baseball players at the minor league level. Christian Bergman (St. Francis High, 2006) starting pitcher, Modesto Nuts: For the first time since 2004, the Nuts earned a trip to the California League Championship Series after they captured the league's North Division title by defeating San Jose in a best two-out-of-three series and taking down the Bakersfield Blaze in a three-out-of-five affair. Bergman, of course, had a big part to play in getting Modesto there.