Besides his widely seen “Hour of Power”...

Besides his widely seen “Hour of Power” television program from the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, the Rev. Robert H. Schuller has also achieved fame as an author, with several bestsellers among 30 books.

So when he started work on his latest one, a spiritual autobiography titled “Prayer: My Soul’s Adventure with God,” Schuller said he thought he’d take it easy and spend time after its publication reflecting on milestones such as his 40 years in the ministry and 25 years on television.

Or so he claims. Schuller, 69, admits he’s a restless goal-setter.

On Wednesday, he completed a three-week, nationwide book tour, signing about 500 books at each of three dozen autograph parties--not counting 10,000 he signed in two appearances Sept. 26 on QVC Shopping Network.

Meanwhile, Thomas Nelson Publishers’ initial printing of 205,000 copies of the book was ordered and shipped out to stores, his publicists said.

“His energy level has been wonderful,” said publicist Margaret McAllister of Planned Television Arts. “We had 100 people lined up in New York for his autograph.”

Schuller said people in those lines are really “coming for a blessing,” not for an autograph. “They want a look, a word, a touch,” said the Reformed Church in America pastor.

“I touch the top of their hands or their forehead,” he said. “I can’t get over how many people get teary-eyed. That gives me energy.”

PEOPLE

* The former chief oral scribe of Rebbe Menachem Schneerson, spiritual leader of the Chabad Lubavitch Jewish sect, will speak and sign copies of a book he edited, “Toward a Meaningful Life,” that includes 30 talks of the rebbe who died last year. Simon Jacobson, the scribe, memorized much of the rebbe’s sermons because of the Jewish prohibition against writing or tape-recording in the synagogue. Jacobson will be at the Orange County Jewish Community Center, 250 E. Baker St., Costa Mesa, Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.; Borders Books & Music, 330 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., and Barnes & Noble Bookstore, 16461 Ventura Blvd., Encino, Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

* The Rev. Carl Segerhammar and his wife Ruth will receive Cal Lutheran University’s Christus Award at the Thousand Oaks campus’ Samuelson Chapel during Founders Day ceremonies at 11 a.m. Friday. Carl Segerhammar was the Los Angeles-based bishop of the Lutheran Church in America in the 1970s and president of Cal Lutheran 1980-81. Ruth Segerhammar was one of four national vice presidents of Church Women United 1974-77 and president of the Southern California Interfaith Coalition on Aging.

CONFERENCES

* The Rev. Joan Campbell Brown, general secretary of the National Council of Churches, and evangelical author Jim Wallis, editor of Sojourners magazine, are featured speakers at a four-day convocation on urban ministries starting Thursday at the Radisson Wilshire Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles. Wallis will speak at the Thursday dinner and Brown at the Friday luncheon. Registration: (213) 749-6310.

* A joint Episcopal and Methodist charismatic conference will open three days of workshops and worship at 7 p.m. Thursday at Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church, 26001 Muirlands Blvd., Mission Viejo. The speaker will be the Rev. Charles Fulton, president of Episcopal Renewal Ministries, Atlanta, Ga. The meeting was organized by St. James Episcopal Church of Newport Beach. Reservations: (714) 675-0210.

* More than 1,500 Catholics are expected to attend Liturgy Conference ‘95, which will start Thursday night with an art festival at the conference hotel, the Omni Los Angeles. The gathering, sponsored annually by the Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese, will end next Saturday. Registration is $45. Information: (213) 251-3239.

LECTURES

* A lecture series on “The Birth and Development of Civilization in the Ancient Middle East” will begin at 8:15 p.m. Monday at the University of Judaism. Denise Schmandt-Besserat of the University of Texas will speak on the invention of writing in ancient Sumer (in modern-day Iraq). The eight-lecture series is co-sponsored by the California Museum of Ancient Art and the university, located at 15600 Mulholland Drive in the Sepulveda Pass. Cost for the series, which covers aspects of Egyptian, Hittite, Assyrian and Israelite civilizations, is $116; single lectures are $17 if space is available. Registration: (310) 476-9777, Ext. 246.

* Two lecture series marking 30 years since the end of the Second Vatican Council will begin next week in Los Angeles. At Pauline Books & Media, 3908 Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City, at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, Father Marcos Gonzalez of Camarillo will present an overview of Vatican II documents. Information: (310) 397-8676. On Saturday, Oct. 28, at Mount St. Mary’s College campus in Downtown Los Angeles, Msgr. Royale Vadakin of Westchester, former ecumenical officer for the archdiocese, will speak on the Vatican II document on non-Christian religions. Information: (213) 746-450, Ext. 2131.

THE ARTS

* “Vanished Voices,” a large-scale commemoration of the music of pre-Holocaust Eastern and Central European Jewish cultures, will premiere at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Stephen S. Wise Tempe atop the Sepulveda Pass.

Presented oratorio style, the production includes cantors Nathan Lam, Joseph D. Gole and Ira Bigeleisen of the Los Angeles area and Alberto Misrahi from Chicago.

A 250-voice choir and members of the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony will take part.

Free but reservations are required: (310) 471-3320, Ext. 777.

MEDIA

* Local publicists will take part in a national teleconference for religious spokespersons on “Crafting Your Media Image,” broadcast Tuesday from Nashville, Tenn., from 9 a.m. to noon PDT. The Southern California down-line site will be the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 10740 Ohio Ave. Local participants in the conference, organized by the Religious Public Relations Council, will meet for discussion one hour before and one hour after the national program. Information: (818) 718-6460.

* Nonprofit organizations can learn how to “make the news” at a program designed for both professionals and volunteers in religious and secular organizations. The free session, featuring Leo Wolinsky, metro editor of the Los Angeles Times, and several public relations professionals, will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday at the University of Judaism, 15600 Mulholland Dr. in the Sepulveda Pass. Information: (310) 476-9777, Ext. 241.

FINALLY

Pasadena’s Fuller Theological Seminary is co-sponsoring the Second Annual City of the Angels Film Festival, which will run Thursday through Oct. 29 at the Directors Guild of America Theatres, 7920 Sunset Blvd., and at UCLA. The other sponsor is Catholics in Media Associates.

With a theme of “the quest for reconciliation in cinema,” the festival will premiere two feature films by Krzysztof Kieslowski--”A Short Film About Killing” and “A Short Film About Love.”

Kieslowski’s lengthy movie “The Decalogue,” will be divided into two showings at UCLA’s Melnitz Theatre, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. next Saturday and on Oct. 29. The 10-part film attempted to address the oral vacuum in Warsaw after the collapse of communism, a spokesman said.

The retrospective on what Young called “quality films that raise vital religious questions” also includes “Mi Familia,” “The Mission,” “I Like It Like That,” “The Quarrel” and “Midnight Clear.”

Discussions are planned with filmmakers, among them “Mi Familia” director Gregory Nava and screenwriter Anna Thomas. Information: (818) 584-5327.

Notices may be sent by mail to Southern California File, c/o John Dart, L.A. Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth, CA 91311, or by fax to Religion Editor (213) 237-4712. Items should arrive at least three weeks in advance of event and should include pertinent details about the people and organizations with address, phone number, date and time.