Worship

I n a new online world called Second Life, users can participate in their own virtual universe — everything from seeing a favorite rock band to buying and selling land. Religious communities have also grown in Second Life. That is, participants who create virtual identities in Second Life take part in the cyber practice of religion, complete with other identities, rituals and practices. There are virtual synagogues, virtual mosques — you name it. For many, Second Life is a pivotal chance to practice their faith while creating a diversity among worshipers that might not be seen in real life.

A recent CNN.com article reported that a growing number of Christians worldwide are migrating from worshiping in the chapel to worshiping on the computer. Internet pastors and parishioners cite their 24-hour access to interactive tools and social-networking platforms in showing their online experiences are as meaningful as those that take place with face-to-face congregations. They argue that online religious services offer convenience to those who are too isolated or infirm to attend a brick-and-mortar church.

This past Sunday I was invited to attend a screening of the film ?Interrupted Lives: Catholic Sisters Under European Communism.? The film was produced by Sisters Judith Ann Zielinski, Mary Savoie and Margaret Nacke. The film?s plot revolves around the plight of sisters living behind the Iron Curtain at the end of War World II. The film highlights the sisters? struggle to practice their faith, while enduring the loss of their convents, schools and hospitals ? sometimes literally overnight.

There will be a service of public worship at La Cañada's historic Church of the Lighted Window on Feb. 25 at 10 a.m. Visitors are welcome. Pastor Skip Lindeman will lead the worship hour and deliver the sermon. Worship time, nursery care and church school commence at 10 a.m. Included in the service will the sacrament of Christian baptism. The Chancel Choir will perform "Here, O My Lord" by Donald Sebesta. The director of music is Dr. Harold Daugherty, and the church organist is Joseph Klice.

Gary Moskowitz For church organist Ladd Thomas, music and spirituality are one and the same. And music, according to Thomas, has always been an integral part of worship at First United Methodist Church. Next week, the church will celebrate 100 years of music, worship and faith during its centennial celebration. The three-day event will begin with a memories celebration Oct. 10. The celebration will culminate Oct. 11 with a live performance of an anthem commissioned by the church from James Hopkins, professor of music composition at USC. Thomas, the church's cathedral choir and a brass quartet will perform the anthem again at the 10:45 a.m. service Oct. 12. Thomas has been the church's organist since 1960.

There will be a service of public worship Jan. 28 at the historic Church of the Lighted Window. Worship time, nursery care and church school commence at 10 a.m. Pastor Skip Lindeman will conduct the worship hour and deliver the morning message. Doreen Harris will be in the narthex to greet the arriving worshippers. The Chancel Choir, accompanied by Joseph Klice on keyboards, will provide music. They will perform "Love Divine" arranged by Mark Wilberg. The church's 110th annual meeting will be held in Fellowship Hall following worship.

Verdugo Valley Baptist Church has located a church which will share its facilities for Sunday morning, Sunday School and worship services as well as Sunday evening services. First Lutheran Church, located at 1300 E. Colorado St. in Glendale, will allow its Trinity Room to be the new home for Verdugo Valley Baptist Church. Sunday School will begin at 9:30 a.m. followed by a worship service conducted by Pastor Jesse Johnson at 10:30 a.m. Children's Bible classes are also offered through the fifth grade from 9:30 a.m. to noon.

The La Cañada Presbyterian Church will have its regular three morning worship services on Sunday, Dec. 24, at 7:55, 9:25 and 10:55 as well as four Christmas Eve services. At 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m., there will be family worship services designed for the entire family, especially those with younger children. Children's Choirs and Youth Orchestra lead these services. Officiating are Dr. Chuck Osburn and Rev. Kristin Leucht. At 8 p.m., the Praise Band leads worship with Rev. Jim Milley officiating.

Gary Moskowitz GLENDALE -- The First Baptist Church at La Crescenta is going modern while staying old-fashioned. The congregation has a choice of an 8:30 a.m. traditional service and an 11 a.m. contemporary service. The former will utilize a choir, hymns and familiar choruses. The latter features songs, drama and a praise band, made up of drums, an electric bass, guitars and keyboards. "I think it's an exciting approach to worship," said Associate Pastor Dennis Mattson about the newer, contemporary style of worship.

Christians crowded into local churches Wednesday, joining their counterparts around the world to mark the start of Lent with the traditional application of ashes to the forehead. The 40-day Lenten season is regarded by Roman Catholics and others as the most sacred time of the year. It culminates with Holy Week and Easter Sunday, recognized as the day of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The ashes, applied as a sign of repentance to the forehead in the form of a cross by a priest or Eucharistic minister, traditionally come from palm fronds collected on the previous Palm Sunday and then burned.

The clergy of Temple Sinai dedicated 125 new solar panels with song and prayer Sunday morning, becoming the third house of worship in Glendale to make the leap toward solar-powered facilities. “We are all here because of the vision of one man who started us on the path of true environmental sustainability,” began Rabbi Richard Schechter. That man is Jan Freed, who 18 months ago realized that Temple Sinai was paying an annual $35,000 utility bill, so he suggested the temple install solar panels.

A recent CNN.com article reported that a growing number of Christians worldwide are migrating from worshiping in the chapel to worshiping on the computer. Internet pastors and parishioners cite their 24-hour access to interactive tools and social-networking platforms in showing their online experiences are as meaningful as those that take place with face-to-face congregations. They argue that online religious services offer convenience to those who are too isolated or infirm to attend a brick-and-mortar church.

This past Sunday I was invited to attend a screening of the film ?Interrupted Lives: Catholic Sisters Under European Communism.? The film was produced by Sisters Judith Ann Zielinski, Mary Savoie and Margaret Nacke. The film?s plot revolves around the plight of sisters living behind the Iron Curtain at the end of War World II. The film highlights the sisters? struggle to practice their faith, while enduring the loss of their convents, schools and hospitals ? sometimes literally overnight.

GLENDALE — A shooting outside a North Hollywood synagogue prompted local temples to be on high alert Thursday, fearing that the incident was a hate crime. Los Angeles Police Department alerted nearby synagogues of the shooting, which occurred just after 6 a.m. in the parking garage of the Adat Yeshurun Valley Sephardic Orthodox Synagogue in North Hollywood. A gunman reportedly approached two worshipers and shot them several times. Police said the injured men were being treated at a hospital and were in good condition.

First Congregational Church of Glendale (UCC) Mother’s Day worship service First Congregational Church of Glendale (UCC) welcomes everyone in celebrating Mother’s Day at a worship service at 10 a.m. May 10. The Covenant Players, a theatrical group out of Oxnard that has used drama to communicate the love of God since 1963, will provide vignettes throughout the worship service — including the children’s time and the sermon. A rose will be given to each woman in honor of Mother’s Day. Stay for a special reception after the service.

Twin sisters Janet Boggs and Judy Brock are known for their musically charged contributions to worship at La Cañada Presbyterian Church. “The church loves them,” Director of Music and Worship Arts Tony Chunn said. “They have a huge following.” Brock leads the Cherubs and Celebrate Singers, two choirs for children in kindergarten through second grade and third through sixth grade. She also headed the church’s youth orchestra for six years. Boggs volunteers as a mandolin player, and her children are part of Brock’s choirs.

GLENDALE — When the economy turns south, belts tighten, and for many Glendale churches that rely almost entirely on their congregants for financial support, the debilitating effects have begun. Churches receive no government funding, so what happens to the congregation happens to the institution. There are no bailouts, no interventions from City Hall to boost subsidies — just faith-driven donations from church-goers who, given recent economic events, may have seen their 401(k)