Community Church Community Church recently experienced the passing of two of the congregation’s great men, Howard Okamoto and Bob Merchant.

As part of honoring and celebrating their lives, the church will hold memorial services for Okamoto on July 23 and Bob Merchant on July 30.

The church can provide full memorial service packages receptions or other gatherings. Contact the church office at 431-2503 for details.

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Pastor Roe will continue a new member class, from 11 a.m.-noon on July 28 in the Fireside Room. The remaining topic to be explored will be “Community Church and its Ministry of Hope.” Class members will be received into membership Sunday, July 31, at the 9:50 a.m. worship celebration.

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Pastor Roe will continue the summer book study, “Spirituality and the 12 Steps,” from 10:30 a.m.-noon on July 26 in the Fireside Room.

It’s based on the book “Breathing Underwater” by Richard Rohr. The class will meet on Tuesdays through Sept. 7.

The book is available for $10 at the church office.

The 12-step study is open to everyone. The group can be joined anytime during the series.

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On Sunday, July 24, Pastor Roe will preach a sermon, “Searching for Satisfaction.”

The Scripture reference is Deuteronomy 4:25-31.

The lay liturgist will be Kelly Frankiewicz. Guest organist will be Evie Oglesbee.

Worship services begin at 9:50 a.m., followed by a coffee hour.

First Christian

First Christian Church will show the film “God’s Not Dead 2” at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 22 and at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 23, both in the chapel.

It is a sequel to the 2014 film, “God’s Not Dead.”

Bible study begins at 9 a.m. Sunday, with Jack Frost teaching from the book of Acts. The hospitality room will open at 9:30 a.m. for fellowship and light refreshments.

Worship service is held at 10:15 a.m. with Pastor Bruce Humes, followed by Margaret Humes leading the congregation in hymns of worship.

Communion meditation and service with Pastor Humes will follow. All are invited to participate.

Pianist Rhonda Sandberg will play “Make Me A Servant” during the offertory.

Jeanne Morris will read Mark 10:6-9, followed by Anita Ragole singing, “This is the Time I Must Sing.”

Pastor Gene Cherryholmes will present his message for the day “God of Possibilities.”

Prayer and verse-by-verse Bible studies during the week are held on Tuesdays with Pastor Humes and on Thursdays with Pastor Cherryholmes, both at 9:30 a.m.

For the Wednesday home study class in Leisure World, call Sue Dougherty at 430-5170.

The Calvary Chapel Bible study meets in the chapel at 6 p.m. on Thursdays with Pastor Phil O’Malley.

Call the church office at 431-8810 on Mondays or Fridays between 9-11 a.m. for information or leave a message.

Buddha Circle

All residents are invited when the Buddha Circle meets from 9:30-11 a.m. on Saturday, July 23, in Clubhouse 4.

Members will explore another lesson in Buddhism from Ven. Kusala Bhikshu, an American born monk ordained in the Zen tradition.

Presenting Buddhism in a simple way, he will explore how to suffer less and become happier.

Those who attend are encouraged to ask questions.

The Buddhist Path is the personal experience of achieving happiness and eliminating negative emotions and suffering.

All are welcome to attend.

There is no membership in the Buddha Circle.

For more information, check LWSB.com under Religion, Buddha Circle.

Ven Kusula donated books on Buddhism to the Friends of the Library, where they can be found in the in the Religion section.

Non-residents who plan to attend on July 23 should call Lynn R. Heath at 296-5588 so she can leave their names at the Main Gate.

Donations are welcome to support Ven. Kusala’s teachings.

For more information, call Heath or email her at lynnRheath@gmail.com.

Redeemer Lutheran

Pastor Gil Moore of Redeemer Lutheran Church has selected Genesis 18:20-32 as his text for this Sunday’s sermon.

He titles his message “The Few for the Many.” The reader will be Jerry Brady, and prayer leader will be Nancy Luebben.

Altar flowers will be provided by May Kay Bishop in memory of her mother, Irene Hansen.

The Sunday service begins at 10:30 a.m., followed by a coffee hour in the fellowship hall.

A Bible class led by Pastor Lynda Elmer meets in the fellowship hall on Wednesdays from 10:30-11:30 a.m. On July 27, the group will study the First Epistle of John, Chapters 4-5.

Free baker items from Sprouts are available from 7:30-9 a.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays in the front of the church.

The outreach team will meet at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, July 26, and the finance committee at 2:30 p.m. in the conference room.

 Website for the congregation is available at www.redeemerlutheransealbeach.com

The Respite Center offers adult day care on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

For more information, or to register, call 596-1209.

Faith Christian Assembly

Members of Faith Christian Assembly enjoy singing the old hymns of the church.

They will have that opportunity with a gospel sing at 5:30 p.m. celebration service on Sunday.

Pastor Gwynn Vaughn will lead the congregation in singing the long-standing songs of the church.

All are welcome to attend and bring a friend.

A health information class, taught by Ruth Berg, will be offered at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 27.

Her topic this month is “ Arthritis Revisited, Is There A Cure On The Horizon?”

Faith Christian Assembly is located at 13820 Seal Beach Blvd., outside the St. Andrews Gate.

Sunday services include: adult Bible class at 9:30 a.m., early worship at 10:30 a.m., and celebration worship at 5:30 p.m.

The Faith Fellowship Group meets at 11 a.m. on Tuesdays in the Garden Room.

Midweek Bible study meets at 7 p.m. on Wednesday in the Garden Room.

For a free newsletter and more information, call 98-9010 or visit www.FCAchurch.net

Holy Family Catholic Church

Holy Family Catholic Church will celebrate the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time this week.

The first reading is Genesis 18:20-32; the responsorial psalms are 13 8:1-2, 2-3, 6-7, 7-8; the second reading, Colossians 2:12-14; the Alleluia: Romans, 8:15 BC; and the Gospel, Luke 11:1-13.

The church celebrates Sunday Mass at 8 a.m., 10 a.m. and noon.

The Vigil Mass is 5 p.m. on Saturday; and daily Mass begins at 8:30 a.m., Monday-Saturday.

Confessions are heard Saturday and eves of Holy Days, 4 -4:45 p.m., and First Fridays 7:15 a.m.

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The Life in the Spirit seminar continues from 1-2:15 p.m. on Tuesdays through August in the church.

For more information, call Kathie Paradis at 375-0817.

Another bus has been added for the trip on Aug. 3 to the Reagan Library Vatican exhibition in Simi Valley.

Visit www.vaticansplendors.com for more information.

To register or get tickets, call the parish office Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at 430-8170 to register or get tickets.

LW Baptist

The Baptist Church will meet at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, July 27, in Clubhouse 3, Room 1, to greet missionaries Gene and Marilyn Smith.

The couple provides spiritual help to the Marines at the Marine Base in Camp Pendleton and several hours of church services on Sundays. During the week they are available for private counseling.

Church members meet for Sunday school at 8:40 a.m. this week in Clubhouse 4 and at 9:45 a.m. for worship service.

Darlene Harris and Christine Morell will provide music and the choir will sing “Getting Use to the Family of God.”

The congregation will participate in singing the hymns, “Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart, Be Still My Soul.”

Pastor Rolland Coburn’s message, “Allowed to Remain,” is from his series in Exodus 9: 1-32. All are invited to attend.

For more information, call 430-2920.

St. Theodore

The Rev. Lisa Rotchford will be the Celebrant for Holy Communion at St. Theodore Episcopal Church on July 24, the 10th Sunday after Pentecost.

Her homily topic will be “The Call of Prayer: The Our Father.”

The service will begin at 10:30 a.m. in the Clubhouse 3 lobby. A coffee hour will follow in Room 9. All are welcome.

The Service of Holy Communion will be conducted by Rev. Rotchford on Wednesday, July 27 at 11 a.m. in the Chapel, 1240 Oakmont Road, 52-B.

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At the meeting of the Bishop’s Committee on July 13, the schedule for the charitable donations to Beach Cities Interfaith Services (BCIS) was set.

The ingathering will be quarterly as follows: October, monetary; January, new or gently used clothing; April, monetary; and July, canned and boxed food items.

Assembly of God

Pastor John Heide will speak on the topic, “Heaven, Closer Than You Think,” at the Sunday service at Assembly of God Church.

Questions about heaven will be discussed along with what the Bible says about heaven.

Services begin at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday. The hymn sing starts at 6 p.m., both in Clubhouse 3.

“Miracles from Heaven,” a popular new film, will be shown at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 29.

For more information, or a ride to church, call 343-3655.

Biet HaLev

Beit HaLev, House of the Heart, invites congregants to the 7 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat service on Friday, July 22.

Services, led by Rabbi Galit Levy-Slater, are held in Clubhouse 6, Room B, upstairs.

The Torah reading for Friday and Saturday will be Balak, from the Book of Numbers, 22:2-25:9.

The reading will cover Balaam and his talking donkey and Balak’s plot against the Israelites.

Balak is the only reading in the last four books of the Torah that does not mention Moses.

An Oneg Shabbat will be held after the service in the hospitality suite downstairs.

Beit HaLev invites people who want to sponsor an oneg or supply challah for the Kiddush to speak to a board member or to Rabbi Levy-Slater.

Congregation members who are housebound and unable to come to services are asked to contact Rabbi Levy-Slater about hosting a service in their home.

For those who need to observe Yahrzeit for a loved one or a prayer for healing, Rabbi Levy-Slater conducts an online Ma’ariv (evening) service every Thursday from 3:45-4:45 p.m. through live streaming on the Iinternet.

Sim Shalom, the online synagogue, provides online Ma’ariv (evening) services Monday-Friday year-round with a different rabbi each day.

To access it, go to http://simshalom.com and click on “Online Services.

Services are recorded and those who cannot attend can observe them at their convenience.

For more information, contact Rabbi Levy-Slater at 715-0888 or 493-2680.

Congregation Sholom

Friday night services at Congregation Sholom will be conducted by lay leaders at 7 p.m. in the Clubhouse 3 Lobby. That will be followed by an Oneg Shabbat in Clubhouse 3, Room 9.

Saturday services will be led by Eric Dangott, a rabbinical student, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The Torah will be read.

Services will be followed by a dairy/vegetarian potluck Kiddush luncheon and Torah study/discussion.

The walking group leaves Clubhouse 3 (in front of the lobby) at 6:30 pm each Monday and Wednesday.

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The evening book club will meet at 7 on Wednesday, July 27, at the home of Willard Michlin.

For the Michlin address and additional book club information, call Carol Levine at 505-3622.

To get or give a ride to services, get a newsletter, or need information, call Jeff Sacks at 431-8050.

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A new member Shabbat is scheduled on July 29-30. Services will feature traditional melodies and English readings. An Oneg Shabbat is planned Friday night and Kiddush lunch on Saturday.

SBCSL

Rev. Joshua Reeves will continue the series on Pathways to Prospering at 9 and 11 a.m. on Sunday at the Seal Beach Center for Spiritual Living (SBCL).

His topic will be “Loose Change” and will feature musical guest Laura Oshon.

The center is located at 500 Marina Dr., Seal Beach and everyone is welcome.

Wednesday services begin at the new time of 6:30 p.m.

This week, speaker Tina Carson, RScP will speak on, “Living Out Loud, Practical Practices for Living from your Essence.”

Each week, spiritual principles and practices will be reviewed.

Ongoing activities include yoga on Mondays and Wednesdays at 8:30 a.m. with Susan Jones and “Course In Miracles” Mondays, noon-1:30 p.m. with Georgºe Moriarty.

Practitioners are available Sundays for short spiritual mind treatment.       

“Richer Living” the July book of the month, by Ernest Holmes and Raymond Charles Barker, is now available at the church bookstore.

For more information, call the church office at 598-3325.

To watch or listen to past sermons, go to www.sbcsl.org  online.