Christian

Jim Wallis, founder of the progressive Christian magazine Sojourner and author of "God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It," called on Christian leaders at a recent conference on politics and spirituality in Pasadena to join him in a national movement for "good religion." Wallis believes the Christian right's preoccupation with abortion and same-sex unions misrepresents their faith. "How did the faith of Jesus come to be known as pro-rich, pro-war, and only pro-American?"

LOLITA HARPER It was comforting to see that the KOCE drama was finally over when a judge ruled that the station's sale by the Coast Community College District to the KOCE Foundation was, in fact, OK. Well, it was comforting until the next paragraph, in which Daystar officials -- those who run a very large, national Christian broadcast company -- "vowed to appeal." Something about "Christians" fighting tooth and nail for a small, public station simply does not sit well with me. So, I contacted the officials at Daystar.

Newport Harbor High senior middle blocker Kevin Rakestraw has verbally committed to the Stanford men's volleyball program, his club team, Balboa Bay Volleyball Club, posted on its Facebook page Monday. Rakestraw, who is 6-foot-11, earned Daily Pilot Newport-Mesa Dream Team, first-team All-Sunset League and fourth-team All-Orange County honors last season. He totaled 359 kills as a junior. - From staff reports * McLaren, Papa, Kapana headed down under Newport Harbor High alumna Maddy McLaren, Corona del Mar senior Cassidy Papa and Newport Harbor sophomore Carlee Kapana have been selected for the U.S. women's youth national water polo team for an upcoming tournament in Australia.

June Casagrande If you're going to sweat, you're going to need some inspiration. And for that, the women of Body and Soul go straight to the source. Body and Soul Ministries is a program of aerobics and strength training to contemporary Christian music that some find nothing short of heavenly. "There's a joy in doing it. It's such a blessing to work with these women," said Rosa Cermak, who led about a dozen of her students in a 45-minute aerobics demonstration at the fair on Friday.

Young Chang Being a Christian doesn't have to mean planting yourself in a church pew and singing age-old hymns. These four college students -- they're hip and have the look of a boy band -- are as funny as stand-ups and passionate like pastors. Jeff Hanson, 20, wants to one day minister to youth. Shawn York, 23, is a music major and hopes to direct high school choirs. Brandon Tyra, 20, wants a career in cinematography. Tim Larson, 19, is headed for acting.

Young Chang For those who like to plant seeds and watch life grow, Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa might metaphorically qualify as one of the largest plants ever. What began as a little church with 25 members on Church Street in Costa Mesa is now a 30,000 member congregation with a chapel on the border of Costa Mesa and Santa Ana and thousands of branch churches in almost every state in the nation and overseas. Calvary Chapel of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is one of the fastest-growing churches in the country and Calvary Chapel of Albuquerque, is the largest in that city.

Regarding the issue of gay-straight alliance clubs, especially in light of the Dec. 9 letter from Elizabeth Richards of Concerned Women for America, Corona del Mar ("Gay-straight clubs are wrong," Dec. 9): How embarrassing to the majority of Christians who desire to spread the accepting love of Jesus that the most vocal opposition to gay-straight alliance clubs comes from self-identified Christian voices? These often are the ones who worked to get campuses open to religious clubs; now they want to prevent the free-exercise rights of other good citizens.

As newspapers are generally secular animals, the words I push together in this column have purposely never contemplated matters of spiritual faith in our fair twin cities. That's because in a nation where the freedom of religion is revered, the nuances of different faiths, I think, are best wrestled with in the home and in the chapel. In the mosque, the synagogue and the temple. And, certainly, within the private sanctuary of the individual. But some days ago, following a lengthy phone chat with Aviva Goelman -- the vivacious executive director of the Costa Mesa Senior Center -- it occurred to me that an exception might be in order.

A couple of days ago I received a question from Christian in Newport Beach that I think summarizes how a lot of homeowners might be feeling right now. Christian writes, “I want to get rid of my lawn completely; I’m tired of watering, fertilizing and mowing it. Also, I know that we are going into a drought and I don’t want to just have a brown lawn if water restrictions go into effect. My problem is, what do I replace it with, so that all my neighbors don’t complain about my yard not fitting in to the look of the neighborhood.

In response to questions about part-time Newport-Mesa resident and pro golfer Tiger Woods, who recently admitted to having extramarital affairs, Fox News commentator Brit Hume had this to say: “He’s said to be a Buddhist; I don’t think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith. So my message to Tiger would be, ‘Tiger, turn to the Christian faith and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world.

Corona del Mar High senior linebacker James Christian's high school football career ended after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the second game of the season, but his playing days don't appear to be over. Christian has been asked to be a walk-on player at UCLA, CdM Coach Scott Meyer said Wednesday. Christian injured his left knee on the third defensive play of the game against Western. Meyer had big plans for Christian, a 6-foot-3, 190-pounder who was playing football for the first time since he was a freshman.

One of the things I love most about the church I serve is its openness to other religions. Some people think that being Christian is about closing everything else out and walking a very narrow path. We hear many Christians espouse that the only way to salvation is through Jesus Christ and his atoning death. However, that's not the only Christian perspective. Unfortunately, it is the one with the loudest voice. And perhaps with good reason. If you believe that those who don't believe in Jesus Christ as the only Lord and savior are going to hell, then of course you'd do everything in your power to save your friends, your family and everyone you meet!

After a quarter of a century, employees at Mariners Christian School had to pause to think about what's changed since the school opened in 1987. "Usually people change and come and go, but it's easier to answer what has not changed," said Kathy Hilts, who helped form the private Costa Mesa institution and still works in the office. Mariners is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Thursday, Hilts and Susan Nielson, who have been with the school since its inception, reminisced about the beginning.

COSTA MESA - The Vanguard University baseball team saved its best for last Saturday, but that still wasn't enough to avert a sweep by visiting Arizona Christian in a Golden State Athletic Conference doubleheader. The Lions (14-19, 7-13 in conference), who came in hoping for at least a split to help their battle to climb back into the upper half of the seven-team conference standings, scored four runs on five hits in the ninth inning of an 8-5 opening-game loss. In Game 2, the hosts entered their seventh and final at-bat with just two hits, but strung together three singles to bring the potential tying run to the plate, before succumbing, 4-0. "We showed a lot of heart and we keep grinding and keep trying to get it done, so you have to applaud [the players]

Newport Harbor High senior Carly Christian earned Player of the Year laurels in the Sunset League for the recently completed girls' water polo season. Christian is joined on the first team by fellow seniors Elissia Schilling and Avery Peterson, as well as junior goalie Cleo Harrington. Bill Barnett was voted the league's Coach of the Year. Christian, an attacker bound for UC Santa Barbara, scored a team-high 73 goals for Newport Harbor, adding 19 assists and a team-best 56 steals.

LAGUNA BEACH - The day before a big nonleague match against Laguna Beach High, Newport Harbor senior girls' water polo player Carolyn Smith wanted to talk to Coach Bill Barnett. Smith asked for more playing time. Barnett listened. "Throughout the season I've only been playing two quarters, and I've been trying really hard in practice," Smith said. "I wanted to know why I wasn't playing and he didn't really have an answer. He was like, 'OK, we'll try it out.'" Both player and coach looked smart after the Sailors beat the Breakers on Friday afternoon at Laguna Beach High.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL Vanguard 114, Arizona Christian 54 COSTA MESA - Esther Timmermans had 32 points and 10 rebounds and Chelsea Alfafara had 31 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for the Lions in the Golden State Athletic Conference game Saturday. Nicole Ballestero added 15 assists to go with 12 points for Vanguard (12-1, 3-1 in conference), ranked No. 1 in the NAIA. Alison Drennan had 13 points and eight rebounds and Samantha Doucette recorded 10 points and nine rebounds for the Lions.

Carly Christian got to experience winning a CIF Southern Section Division 1 title a year early. Like many prep water polo players, Christian thought that her senior year would be her best shot at the title. But she helped the upstart Newport Harbor High girls' water polo team win CIF last February as a junior, coming from behind for a thrilling 8-7 victory over rival Corona del Mar. The trip through the season was thrilling for Newport Harbor, which had lost three of four previous meetings to CdM and had started the year ranked just No. 5 in Division 1. "Last year we weren't expecting to win," Christian said.

The weather forecast was cloudy, with a chance of golf balls - and it didn't disappoint. About 2,000 golf balls rained down on Mariners Christian School's athletic field just after noon Friday. "I thought it was pretty awesome and really cool," said third-grader Gabriella Creamer, 9. The Costa Mesa private school hosted its inaugural Helicopter Golf Ball Drop to raise money for student scholarships. Students sold more 2,000 balls at $10 each to raise about $20,000 for Mariners families in need of support, said Carolyn Johnson, advancement specialist.