MISSION PROGRESS: The Episcopal Mission Church of...

MISSION PROGRESS: The Episcopal Mission Church of the Epiphany got good news this week: Construction was resumed after a year on its site in Oak Park and a new priest, the Rev. Glen (Hank) Mitchel, will preach his first sermon 10 a.m. Sunday at the congregation’s temporary meeting place at the Westlake Community Center.

Work was resumed Wednesday at the mission church’s construction site at the corner of Kanan Road and Churchwood Street in Oak Park, which is north of Agoura Hills. The buildings are scheduled to open in January.

Mitchel, a former sales and marketing businessman, served as associate rector and school chaplain for the last three years at St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church and School in Canoga Park.

JEWISH & GAY: A daylong seminar described as the first of its kind will examine “issues challenging Jewish gays and lesbians today” on Oct. 9 at Valley Beth Shalom in Encino.

Robin Tyler, community activist and comedian, will be the keynote speaker in the program. The organizer is Response, a group of gays, lesbians and their families that is based at the synagogue under the direction of Rabbi Jerry Danzig.

“This is the first formal program by a Conservative synagogue for Jewish gays and lesbians and the general community,” Danzig said. The seminar is partly funded by the Council on Jewish Life of the Jewish Federation Council of Greater Los Angeles.

Topics include “coming out,” “considering parenting,” “trying temple again” and long-term relationships.

Registration is $35. For information, call Rita Federico at the synagogue, (818) 788-6000.

PARISH’S 75TH: Los Angeles Cardinal Roger M. Mahony will celebrate a special 75th anniversary Mass at 2 p.m. Sunday at St. Elisabeth Church in Van Nuys, one of the oldest Catholic parishes in the San Fernando Valley.

Originally a mission of what is now St. Robert Bellarmine Church in Burbank, St. Elisabeth was officially founded in 1918 but did not receive its first priest until 1919.

Former parishioners and school alumni have been invited to a noon Mass today at the church, 6628 Cedros Ave., with a reception to follow.

TEMPLE SPEAKER: Marcia Cayne of Woodland Hills, national president of the Assn. of Reform Zionists of America, will speak at 8:15 p.m. Friday at Temple Solael, 6601 Valley Circle Blvd., on “Peace and Pluralism: Is There a Connection?”

For information, call (818) 348-3885.

ROSARY MARCH: A rosary march for world peace organized by a traditionalist Catholic parish unaligned with the Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese will begin shortly after 11 a.m. today at 24151 San Fernando Road in Newhall at the entrance to William S. Hart Park. For information, call Queen of Angels Catholic Church at (805) 255-9849.