Church

A Lego version of a church building may not seem like a great incentive, but the Burbank First United Methodist congregation went well beyond their fundraising goal for their 125th anniversary celebration. Parish members were promised an entire church model built out of Legos if they reached their $12,500 goal for their anniversary fund. They raised $20,000. Founded in 1884, the church's 125th anniversary celebration today will culminate a year of festivities to celebrate the impact the parish has had in the community.

Rabbi Richard Flom stood on the bema — the raised platform at the front of the synagogue and proceeded with a crash course in conservative Judaism. Addressing 115 John Muir Middle School students, he explained the 12 tribes of Israel, the ark, the presence of the Israeli flag and the Torah. “You will notice unlike the books you are used to this goes from right to left,” Flom said. “Hebrew is written right to left. You will see the Hebrew on the right-hand side and the English translation on the left-hand side.

Ryan Carter Two local churches have less to rejoice after being part of a string of burglaries at houses of worship. "It's unusual to have three church burglaries in a week and a half -- very rare," Police Lt. Kevin Krafft said. Police Lt. Bill Taylor said he couldn't remember the last time a church was burglarized in the city. Usually, crimes that involve churches are connected with vandalism, not burglaries, he said. On Nov. 18, a parishioner walked into the youth worship hall at Bethany Korean Church, 2401 N. Brighton St., to find four guitars missing from a stage.

Erin Park MAGNOLIA PARK -- The Reason We Sing!, a benefit concert for the American Lutheran Church music ministry will be held at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 12 at the church, 755 N. Whitnall Highway. The concert will feature Joyful Noise, the church's pop-Christian group. Soloists are also scheduled to perform. The event will be a mix of pop and inspirational music, organizers said. Proceeds from the benefit will go to new sound equipment and instruments for musical outreach and performances in the community.

Maya Kukes BURBANK -- Instead of tithing 10%, congregants of Lighthouse Church of the Valley were given $100 on Saturday -- but there is a catch. In an effort to help raise money for their own building, fund-raising chairman Charles Valdez is bringing the New Testament "parable of the talents" to life. The tale explores the different ways three servants use money given to them by their master. The moral of the story is what Valdez hopes to communicate to his congregants.

Molly Shore HILLSIDE -- "God shapes the world by prayer. The more praying there is in the world, The better the world will be." The words were written by Confederate Army chaplain Edwin McKendree Bounds (1835-1913) after his hometown of Franklin, Tenn., was decimated on Nov. 30, 1864, in one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. Now, more than a century later, the chaplain's words will be remembered at a community-wide Concert of Prayer set for 6 p.m. Sunday at Emmanuel Evangelical Free Church of Burbank.

HILLSIDE DISTRICT -- Give a donation and save a life -- that's the concept of the Alternative Gifts International market. The market -- which will be held three Sundays in December at First United Methodist Church -- is an alternative to flea markets. Instead of buying goods, a shopper can make a donation in the name of a friend or relative to one of many nonprofit groups featured at the market. In return, the giver receives a card to send to their loved one telling them about the donation.

Ryan Carter BURBANK -- A local church's leaders are reacting with shock after its now-former youth director was arrested, accused of committing sex acts with a girl, according to police. David Shelton, a Burbank resident and recently hired youth director for American Lutheran Church in Burbank, was arrested Monday after an investigation that lasted a few weeks, Police Det. Brian Llewellyn said. Shelton, whose bail was set at $80,000, posted bond and was released Tuesday from Burbank Jail, police said.

Burbank's St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church will commemorate its centennial with a year-long celebration starting today. St. Robert is the oldest Roman Catholic parish in Burbank and the second oldest in the San Fernando Valley, said Bob Wyar, chairman of the jubilee committee. The parish was established in 1907 and was called Holy Trinity Church at the time, said Father Lawrence Signey, head pastor. In 1930, Robert Bellarmine was canonized and the church was built, he added.

CRAIG BULLOCK For more than a century, Burbank has transformed itself from rural town to thriving city. Burbank's transformation has been and continues to be shaped by the many people in our community. The actions of people in Burbank's early days created the foundation of this transformation that we continue to build upon today. Ralph O. Church, one of Burbank's earliest activists, helped lay the foundation that changed our community. Church came to Burbank from Marshalltown, Iowa, to visit his parents in Los Angeles.