Riverside, Calif., February 25-27, 2000--An action and event-packed weekend at La Sierra University should mean full social and cultural agendas for everyone.

From Friday, Feb. 25, to Sunday, Feb. 27, the coming weekend offers everything from nationally prominent speakers, soaring operatic arias and Chinese egg rolls by the dozen.

"A weekend like this showcases the diversity of intellectual, artistic and social expression at La Sierra," said Jennifer Tyner, vice president for Student Life. "We just encourage everyone to take advantage of all the events."

First Service Anniversary Celebration, Friday. Since starting in February 1999, Campus Ministries' First Service has featured contemporary music and fresh worship perspectives. The popular event is celebrating its one-year anniversary tonight. A lentil feast will start at 7:30 p.m. in the Pathfinder Pavilion of the La Sierra University Church. Speakers for the 8:30 p.m. service are Sam Leonor, campus pastor, and Jackie James, assistant campus pastor. James said the theme could be "What's Next for First Service?" and a series of interviews with students will recall achievements of the first year. "God has blessed this ministry and we're looking forward to another year of growth and discovery," James said.

Paul J. Landa Lecture Series, Friday and Saturday. The Landa Lecture Series will start tonight with a colloquium discussion titled: "Adventist Higher Education in the 21st Century: Where Do We Go From Here?"

On Sabbath, the lecture series keynote address will be given by Mark Noll, author of "The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind" and a professor of Christian Though and history at Wheaton College. Noll's 3 p.m. address, titled "Putting Christ at the Center of Christian Scholarship," will be followed by a 4 p.m. panel discussion with Noll, visiting academics and La Sierra professors. The topic, "Loving God With All Our Minds," will touch on the history of anti-intellectualism in evangelical Christian circles, among other topics. All Landa Lecture events are being held in the La Sierra University Church, 4937 Sierra Vista Ave., next to the La Sierra campus.

Festival of Nations, Sunday, 5 to 8 p.m. This annual event features an international theme and celebrates the diversity of the La Sierra student body. The theme is "Celebrating 2000," with a speical emphasis on the Chinese New Year. Crowds attend this event every year for traditional foods, colorful flags, and ethnic food and dancing. This Student Life-sponsored event will be held in the Alumni Pavilion, across from the La Sierra main entrance.

Opera Scenes, Sunday, 7:30 p.m. A series of performances will feature famous opera excerpts sung by La Sierra students. Featured pieces are from "Faust," "Don Giovanni," "Lakmé" and "The Pearl Fishers." Performers include Joey Aguilar, Randy Bills, Lilybeth Evardome, Abdiel Gonzalez, Cara Loveless, Rachel OBerry, Erick Ramirez, Melissa Sajid, Grant Sample, Jenny Shipley, Kim Sogioka and Leilani Stahlnecker. This Department of Music-sponsored event will be held in the Hole Memorial Auditorium.

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