Latter Day Saints

Presbyterians to hold workshop La Crescenta Presbyterian Church will be sponsoring its annual Children’s Gift Workshop from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Dec. 15. For the cost of $15 children grades one through six can make and wrap as many gifts as they want for family and friends. Sign up in the church office, call (818) 249-6137 or just show up. La Crescenta Presbyterian Church is at 2902 Montrose Ave. in La Crescenta.   Creche festival at local LDS stake Young and old alike marveled at the numerous and diverse nativity scenes from all over the world which were displayed at the Creche Festival hosted last weekend by the La Crescenta Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . The two-day event, a Christmas gift to the community, featured nativity scenes that came from almost every continent.

Thursday morning in La Crescenta, a meticulous group of women busied themselves in a church auditorium, hanging Christmas decorations, arranging holiday poinsettias and setting up more than 150 nativity scenes. The fruits of their work go on display today at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for a two-day Creche Festival, put on to kindle the holiday spirit. “It is being set up to be a Christmas gift to the community for people to come and enjoy nativity scenes from all around the world,” event chairwoman Melanie Ballard said.

On Friday night friends, family and community members joined together at the Roger Barkley Community Center to celebrate Ramadan with the La Cañada Flintridge Islamic Congregation. From Sept. 13 to Oct. 12, Muslims of the Islamic faith recognize Ramadan by fasting from sunrise to sunset. It is a time of retrospect and life renewing for the faithful, a time to look inward to reevaluate how they are helping others. It is also a time to gather with friends and celebrate their faith.

About 650 people from La Crescenta, La Cañada, Glendale and Sunland celebrated the 160th anniversary of the Mormon pioneers' arrival in Salt Lake City and at Fort Moore in what is now downtown Los Angeles. The party, with the theme "Bringing Together Cultural Pioneers through Friendships and Memories," was held on the baseball field of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Mayors' Discovery Park in La Cañada on July 24. Sponsored by the La Crescenta Stake of the Latter-day Saints, three La Cañada community leaders were recognized for their pioneering spirit of faith, courage and determination in their lives, careers and community service: Chakib "Chuck" Sambar, member of the Glendale Unified School District Board; Dr. Richard Mouw, president of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena; and Dorothy DeVore, California Mother of the Year.

On the evening of Tuesday, June 19, many La Cañada High School graduating seniors attended the first interfaith Baccalaureate service at St. Bede the Venerable Catholic Church. In the past, services were a cooperative effort between Christian churches; however, this year services included a Hebrew scripture read by Christopher Vance of St. Bede, a scripture from the New Testament read by Abraham Frandsen of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and an Islamic scripture from the Holy Koran read by Ahmad Hussain and Ammar Moheize of the Islamic Congregation of La Cañada Flintridge.

Youth of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from La Cañada, La Crescenta, Sunland and Tujunga hosted over 350 youth from around Southern California on May 6 at a prom that encouraged modesty in dress and dancing. "Night at the Museum" was held at the Natural History Museum, and featured red carpet interviews, prime rib dinner, dancing, karaoke, dessert bars and other activities. The purpose of the prom was to provide an environment where teenagers could have the experiences of a prom without freak dancing and other suggestive dancing and clothing.