Am Hayam to Hold Home Services

Congregation Am Hayam in Oxnard will hold Tishah B’Av services today and Sunday in members’ homes.

On Aug. 8, the synagogue’s second annual dessert social and art auction will begin at 7:30 p.m. The cost is $18 per person.

Regular Shabbat services, conducted by Rabbi Gerald Hanig during August, will be held at the Oxnard Monday Club, 1401 W. Gonzales Road. Friday evening services begin at 8 p.m.; Saturday services are at 10 a.m.

For details about services, High Holy Day tickets, activities or Hebrew school, call 656-6634.

Temple to Recognize Tishah B’Av

* Thousand Oaks’ Temple Etz Chaim will hold a special service today to commemorate Tishah B’Av, the ninth day of the Hebrew calendar month of Av.

This remembrance of the destruction of two temples, one by Babylonians in the year 586 BC, and the other by the Roman army in the year AD 70 , will include a day of fasting and refraining from festivities for many Jews.

Rabbi Shimon Paskow and Hazzan Jeff Cohen will conduct the 8 p.m. service, which will feature the traditional Mincha service, followed by Maariv and the chanting of the lamentations.

In addition, the temple will host open houses at 11 a.m. Aug. 16, Aug. 30 and Sept. 13. Prospective members are invited for a tour of the temple and the opportunity to meet with Paskow and Cohen.

The temple is at 1080 Janss Road. For information, call the temple office at 497-6891.

Church to Host Guest Minister

* The Rev. Lorraine Wilson will be the Unity Center Church’s guest minister at its 10 a.m. meeting Sunday at the Holiday Inn in Thousand Oaks. Conejo Valley soloist Lyn Olson will sing at the service.

“The Lame Shall Walk” will be the sermon title at the Unity Center Church in Thousand Oaks Aug. 9. Cheryl Squiers will be the day’s soloist, and the Rev. Irma Oestmann will teach five steps to achieving personal peace.

At 7 p.m. Aug. 14, a workshop titled “Nutrition and the Mind” will be presented by the church at the Westlake Community Room, 4373 Park Terrace Drive. Nutritionist William Stanley will focus on the latest research on brain chemistry, showing how diet, exercise and meditation can regenerate the mind.

Unity is an interfaith, nondenominational church and invites all faiths to worship at its 10 a.m. service. The church meets at the Holiday Inn, 495 N. Ventu Road in Thousand Oaks. For information, call 496-6901.

Health Ministry Marks 1 Year

* Camarillo United Methodist Church’s health ministry will celebrate its first year of offering health screenings and related information to the congregation from 9 to 11 a.m. Sunday.

The health ministry was established at Camarillo United Methodist in conjunction with the Camarillo Health Care District to augment community outreach. The first Sunday of every month has been deemed Wellness Sunday.

The health ministry has screened 252 people for blood pressure and blood sugar to date. Those screenings will be offered at the Sunday celebration, along with extensive information on health topics.

Camarillo United Methodist is at 291 Anacapa Drive. For church information, call 482-4312.

Church Has Building Anniversary

* Mary Star of the Sea Church in Oxnard will celebrate the first full year in its new building during its Sunday Masses.

“We’ll have coffee and doughnuts following each Mass that day,” said member Harry Bergstrand. The theme is “bring a friend,” he said.

Masses are at 7:30, 9 (Spanish) and 10:30 a.m.; noon; and 1:30 (Spanish), 5:30 and 7 p.m. (Spanish). The original church was established on the site in 1963.

For information, call church secretary Terry White at 486-6133.

Family Barbecues Planned Weekly

* St. Paschal Baylon Catholic Church of Thousand Oaks will hold a summer outreach dinner and fund-raiser called “Friday Family Gourmet Barbecue” on several Friday evenings on the church grounds. Everyone is welcome.

The barbecue will offer a variety of entrees and side dishes, available to take out or eat on the premises. The barbecue will be from 5 to 7:30 p.m. weekly through Sept. 11.

Steaks, fish and chicken dinners, hot dogs and beverages will be on the menu.

The barbecue team works in tandem with the charitable group People to People, which has served thousands of meals to local needy and homeless people.

“We hope this will encourage a return to the family meal and help raise money for, and community consciousness of, some of the outreach programs to the needy in which St. Paschal Baylon participates,” said Msgr. Joseph George, pastor.

St. Paschal Baylon is at 155 E. Janss Road. For information, call 496-0222.

Congregation Sets ‘Sha-ba-b-cue’

* Congregation B’Nai Emet Reform Temple and preschool of Simi Valley will hold a”Sha-ba-b-cue” Friday at the preschool at 3050 Kadota Ave. The cost is $6 for adults and $3 for children. Call 581-3723 for information.

The Aug. 14 service will feature guest speaker Dona Phares, media relations director for the Israeli Consulate. The service begins at 8 p.m. at 4645 Industrial St., Room 2-C.

The preschool and kindergarten are accepting students for the fall session. Call 522-2214 for information.

Temple Offers Kids’ Services

* Temple Beth Torah in Ventura will continue to offer opportunities for worship geared toward families during August.

The congregation’s monthly family Sabbath service is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday. The slightly abbreviated service, oriented toward children, will be highlighted by music and refreshments.

Families with preschool children are welcome to participate in a tot Shabbat service at 7 p.m. Aug. 14. This short service for very young children will include songs, a story and refreshments.

The regular Friday night service will follow at 8 p.m., led by Rabbi Lisa Hochberg-Miller and new Cantor Michael Anatole.

Temple Beth Torah is at 7620 Foothill Road. For information, call 647-4181.

Busy Month at St. Paul Baptist

* A special week of activities at Oxnard’s St. Paul Baptist Church will feature a cottage prayer service at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 18 at Hueneme Beach Park.

Three nights of the Young People’s Revival kick off Aug. 19, when the children’s ministry will preside at 7 p.m. On Aug. 20, the youth ministry will direct the 7 p.m. revival, and on Aug. 21, the young adult ministry will lead the revival, also at 7 p.m.

An Aug. 22 praise festival with the inspirational choir is set for 11 a.m. in the church parking lot.

At the Youth and Young Adult Day on Aug. 23, Trina Winfrey will be the guest speaker at the 8 a.m. service. Winfrey is youth president of the Progressive National Baptist Convention.

St. Paul’s finance committee reminds members that its current goal is for 200 members to donate $28 each between now and the Aug. 23 service. For information, call 487-1555. The church is at 1354 South C St.

Vacation Bible School for All Ages

* Oxnard’s First Presbyterian Church is taking reservations for vacation Bible school for children, teens and adults. The sessions will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 20-23.

For further details, call 983-0204. First Presbyterian is at 850 Ivywood.

*

Religion Briefs runs each Saturday. Please submit items at least a week in advance to Religion Briefs, Los Angeles Times, 93 S. Chestnut St., Ventura 93001. Items, which must have a publishable telephone number, may be faxed to 653-7576.