Fourteen Christian, Jewish and Baha’i congregations are...

Fourteen Christian, Jewish and Baha’i congregations are expressing their concern for children this weekend by participating in the San Fernando Valley Interfaith Council’s Adopt A Child Abuse Caseworker Program.

The congregations will acknowledge the growing problems facing children and families in worship services today and Sunday, which mark the national observance of Children’s Sabbath.

The secular part of the program, co-sponsored by the Los Angeles County Department of Children’s Services and the San Fernando Valley Child Abuse Council, “supports and assists social workers in meeting the unmet needs of children in the community who are abused, neglected or living in severe poverty,” said Barry Smedberg, the interfaith council’s executive director.

Smedberg said that 4,000 neglected and abused children are served each month by caseworkers in the Valley; between 700 and 1,000 are assessed for endangerment and face possible separation from their parent or guardian.

To help the overburdened caseworkers, who handle up to 100 cases at a time, Smedberg said, each congregation “adopts” a worker.

The worker lets congregants know what their clients need in order to provide properly for their children and be reunited with them. “Sometimes all that is required are basic necessities,” said Smedberg, “a crib, a refrigerator, sheets, blankets or a jacket--whatever it takes to get the family together in a way that the child will not continue to suffer from neglect, poverty or malnutrition.”

The congregations are also trying to raise money to buy $25,000 worth of supermarket scrip for distribution to impoverished families during the holidays. (Last year, children’s services reported receiving an all-time low in food basket donations.)

The interfaith program has been so successful in boosting the morale of social worker “adoptees” that Peter Digre, head of the county Department of Children’s Services, is committed to expanding it into the seven regions he oversees.

“Programs like this one could unleash the energy and resources to help the community’s most valiant--and loneliest--advocates, social workers, save hundreds of children and families,” he said. “I’d love to reach the point where all 1,900 of our social workers had a church or synagogue to turn to.”

For Catholic, Protestant and Jewish congregations interested in adopting caseworkers, the interfaith council has prepared organizing kits. It can also assist congregations of other faiths and civic organizations that wish to participate. For information, call Winifred Jones, project coordinator, at (818) 718-8694.

DATES

* Singer Arlo Guthrie, Miss America 1993 Leanza Cornett, Guru Ma Jaya and the Rev. Peggy Schultz-Akerson will be special guests at Hope Lutheran Church’s second annual AIDS memorial service at 10:30 a.m. Sunday. 6720 Melrose Ave., Hollywood. (213) 938-9135.

* The Rt. Rev. Lord Robert Runcie, 102nd Archbishop of Canterbury, will preside at a festal pontifical Eucharist at 9:30 a.m. Sunday at Grace Episcopal Church, 555 E. Mountain View Ave., Glendora. Runcie performed the marriages of Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, as well as Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York. (818) 335-3171.

* The Sahaja Yoga Society of Los Angeles presents a free evening of music and meditation with Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, an international lecturer and teacher on Sahaja Yoga, a method of self-realization she originated, at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Olympic Collection, 11301 Olympic Blvd., West Los Angeles. (818) 344-9642.

* Gloriae Dei Cantores, an internationally traveled ecumenical choir based in Cape Cod, will make two local appearances next week: at the 8:30, 9:30 and 11 a.m. services Sunday at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, and at 8 p.m. Wednesday at St. James Episcopal Church in Los Angeles. The cathedral is at 12141 Lewis St. Suggested donation for Wednesday’s performance is $12, $10 seniors and students. 3875 Wilshire Blvd. (213) 388-3417.

* A weeklong Native American camp meeting begins Sunday at Trinity Christian Center in Riverside. More than 10 churches are joining in the event, at which Navajo pastors will discuss the rapid development of Navajo-led churches in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. Speakers include the Revs. Kenneth Begishe, Henry Yazzie and Tony Yazzie. Navajo music, crafts and jewelry will be featured. Meetings will be held in a large tent at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily, with an additional meeting at 2 p.m. on Sundays. Infant care available. 4350 La Sierra. (714) 687-3131.

* “Status Report: Islam” is Immanuel Presbyterian Church’s first monthly forum on headline issues, to be held at 12:30 p.m. Sunday. Salam S. Al-Marayati, co-founder and director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, speaks. Preceding is a worship service at 11 a.m. 3300 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. (213) 389-3191.

* “Becoming a Whole Earth Congregation” is the title of a morning of free workshops for adults and children from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Oct. 16, at East Whittier United Methodist Church. Reservations requested by Tuesday. 10005 S. Cole Rd., Whittier. (310) 698-2241.

* AIDS Project Los Angeles’ spiritual advisory committee presents “AIDS Ministry: Giving and Receiving Spiritual Care in Our Diverse Communities” from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday. Pastors, rabbis, priests, lay people and secular care-givers are encouraged to attend. Registration is $25, but no one will be turned away. For information and registration, call the Rev. Sandy Krueger at (213) 255-8698. 1313 N. Vine St., Hollywood.

* Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple will celebrate its 90th anniversary the weekend of Oct. 15-17 with a conference, gala dinner, “Chigo” parade and commemorative service and golf tournament. For details, phone Rinban Gyoko Saito at (213) 626-4200 or the Rev. Kenjun Kawawata at (213) 268-0641.

* The “Making Marriage Work” program at the University of Judaism includes a variety of courses for engaged and married couples, including “Interfaith Seminar” and “Success in Your Second Marriage.” Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evening classes begin next week, led by trained marriage counselors and rabbis. All include one private counseling session. For registration information, call (310) 476-9777, ext. 233 or (310) 472-1196.

HONORED

Lois N. Weinsaft has been appointed director of the Council on Jewish Life of the Jewish Federation Council of Greater Los Angeles . . . Alex Grobman, author of “Rekindling the Flame,” will direct the federation’s Martyrs Memorial and Museum of the Holocaust . . . Rabbi Alexis Roberts has been named director of the Los Angeles Reconstructionist Community of Havurot.

Notices may be sent to Southern California File by mail c/o Religion Editor, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053, or by fax to (213) 237-4712. Items must arrive three weeks before the event.