St. Rita's Christmas concert highlights creativity
Three unique musical talents will be in the spotlight on Christmas Eve at St. Rita Church when the Sierra Madre community holds its annual Christmas music concert.
Preceding Christmas Eve Mass at 10 p.m. is "Rejoice! This Holy Night" which features the chamber orchestra and church choir performing customary carols that are anything but conventional.
The traditional tunes will have original "takes" provided by local arrangers: Len Hundshamer, LAPD North Hollywood Division captain, along with Jennifer and Robert Bowen who are music professors at local colleges.
A saxophone player, Hundshamer studied orchestration with Hollywood composer Alf Clausen; he also honed his skills at the Film Scoring Program at UCLA. In contrast, Jennifer Bowen has a degree in Harpsichord from the University of Michigan and favors "old music," while husband Robert is interested in modern music, particularly jazz piano.
"We are blessed by the professional gifts of these musicians," says Steve Gunther, music ministry director. "The idea for this Christmas Eve service developed three years ago out of a desire to create a unique and glorious celebration worthy of this holy night, and to have it musically shaped from within the church membership makes it all the more meaningful."
The free concert takes place at the church, 318 N. Baldwin Ave., Sierra Madre. For information, call (626) 355-1292.
Community leaders observe World AIDS Day
More than 300 community members recently attended the annual World AIDS Day observance, Noche De Las Memorias, at the site of the AIDS Monument in Lincoln Park
Hosted by The Wall Las Memorias Project, the event featured 3,000 luminaries around the park lake as well as reflections from faith and civic leaders, musical presentations and personal testimonies.
Laura Diaz, KCBS news anchor, presided over the ceremonies that included musical performances by the Mary Immaculate Church Choir of Pacoima and program speaker Claretian Father Richard Estrada, associate pastor at Our Lady Queen of Angels Church, Los Angeles.
The overall message of the program was to encourage activism and leadership in fighting the fear and stigma that surrounds this disease.
Interfaith prayer service set in Claremont
Uniting Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim and other faith traditions is an interfaith prayer service taking place Dec. 27 at 6:30 p.m. at Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Claremont. At "Pathways to Peace," participants will pray for peace in the world and reflect on ways personal faith can encourage peace among all people.
The prayer service is sponsored by Pax Christi Pomona Valley and endorsed by Pax Christi Southern California and Pax Christi L.A. Our Lady of the Assumption is located at 435 Berkeley Ave., Claremont. For information, call (909) 626-3596.
St. Denis youth make holiday brighter
Three dozen needy families were beneficiaries of Thanksgiving baskets made possible in part by donations from generous parishioners at St. Denis Church, Diamond Bar. The outreach also received the support of the Diamond Bar High Girls League and Girl Scout troops from three Diamond Bar elementary schools.
For the past two decades, St. Denis has also been active in the Adopt-A-Family program that assists families in need at Christmas, and has supported families from its sister parish, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Rosehill, and other areas with 300 Christmas gift baskets. The parish works with the Catholic Charities' Brother Miguel Center in Pomona to locate deserving families.
St. Vincent de Paul Conferences seek Christmas help
This Christmas, various Society of St. Vincent de Paul Conferences at parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Los Angeles are seeking the public's assistance with various programs to help make the holiday season memorable for thousands of disadvantaged and homeless children and families.
The SVDP Conferences seeking donations include St. Bernard, Our Mother of Good Counsel, Mother of Sorrows and St. Agatha, Los Angeles; St. Philomena, Carson; St. Madeleine and St. Joseph, Pomona; Holy Name of Mary, San Dimas; St. Mel, Woodland Hills; and Mission Santa Ines, Solvang.
For more information about the Society of St. Vincent de Paul's local Conferences or outreach programs, call (323) 224-6298 or visit www.svdpla.org. |