WORTHY OF NOTE
Richie Furay went from rocker to pastor. He'll soon be in San Diego to tell about his journey from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to an evangelical church in Colorado.
Furay, former singer with Buffalo Springfield and Poco and now a Calvary Chapel minister, will be part of Point Loma Nazarene University's annual Writers Symposium by the Sea on Feb. 4-8. Furay will speak on campus at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 6. Tickets are $15.
Other speakers that week include Christian writer Philip Yancey and journalist/author Gay Talese. Details: www.pointloma.edu/writers.
FAITH & FORK
Shannon Tanner and her Body Temple Wellness, a Christian-based weight-loss center in Los Angeles, is going on the road to try to convince churchgoers to shed some of those ungodly pounds.
Armed with a Purdue University study showing that 65 percent of churchgoers are overweight, the “How Faith Wins at Weight Loss Tour and Church Challenge” will hold free workshops in various cities – including San Diego.
Churches are being encouraged to form teams of eight to participate in a 12-week weight loss challenge. Kind of like “The Biggest Loser” for Christians.
The San Diego session is set for 6:30 p.m. Monday at St. Stephen's Cathedral Church of God in Christ, 5825 Imperial Ave. Web site: bodytemplewellness.com.
GOD IS GREEN
When the National Pastors Convention returns to town next month, it'll be going green.
Realizing that the 3,000 attendees at the annual gathering could create an estimated 6,000 pounds of waste, organizers are stepping up efforts to trim the trash.
Among the measures: relying more on electronic registration and advertising, using silverware instead of plastic stir sticks for coffee, recycling paper products and providing participants with reusable water bottles and cloth bags.
The conference, Feb. 26-29 at Town and Country's convention center in Mission Valley, brings together ministers for such topics as preaching and reaching out to the community. Go to: NationalPastorsConvention.com.
SOUTH OF HEAVEN
You might call it a ministry with a real point to it. Dan Meyer, a 50-year-old evangelist, of sorts, lives in Alabama and swallows a 30-inch sword as part of his outreach.
“I can reach the goth kids, the bikers. I can catch their attention, and I can turn their attention to the Lord,” Meyer told a reporter recently for a Religion News Service story.
He also has been known to stick an ice pick up his nose. “Does it gross you out?” he asked the reporter. “Good. It's supposed to. Of course, I get negative reactions from the adults on that one. But the kids love it.”
Meyer wants the young people he reaches to be spiritual sword swallowers – such as swallowing their pride and learning to be humble.
Note to kids: Don't try this at home.
