NOTABLE QUOTABLES

“I’m impressed because it was done on schedule and it came out so

beautiful. It’s maintained the tradition of a warm feel that the former

church had.”

-- Ron Speers, Newport Beach resident and 25-year attender of St.

James Church, on the opening Nov. 4 of the church’s new two-story

sanctuary. The new church was 10 years in the planning.

“Coming from abuse and neglect, these children didn’t have a voice. We

want to hear their concerns, and they respond very well to that.”

-- Terence Flannigan, program manager at one of South Coast Children’s

Society’s residential houses, on the Costa Mesa-based center’s relational

approach.

“Cannot be a Muslim in the eyes of God if you are not acting like a

Muslim. Evildoers do not belong to any religion. Their ideology is pure

evil.”

-- Sayed Moustafa Al-Qazwini, imam of the mosque at the Islamic

Educational Center, stressing that the destruction of life is in no way a

part of Islam. The Costa Mesa mosque held an open house Nov. 3.

“I learned that I don’t like being an immigrant. I’m just glad that I

didn’t have to do the real thing. This is hard enough.”

-- Scott Gordinier, a fifth-grader at Lincoln Elementary School, on

going through Immigrant Day, during which the school attempts to make the

Ellis Island experience come to life.

“I’d like to ask them how they rebound and regroup. It’s OK to talk

about strategy and tactics, but how do you face the aftermath of

something so big? How do you muster your troops, carry on, then return to

normalcy and maintain your level of service to the community?”

-- Jim Ellis, Costa Mesa’s fire chief, on what he’d like to learn from

New York City firefighters. Ellis left for New York Wednesday to hand

deliver a check for $7,500 to benefit the families of Sept. 11 victims.

“Just the idea that we can stand and talk to each other freely -- we

owe that to the men and women in the armed services.”

-- Jim Smith, a former Navy pilot, talking Thursday with fifth-graders

from Harbor View Elementary School at the Orange County Walk of Honor in

Santa Ana. The Walk honors the eight Orange County heroes who have earned

the highest military award, the Congressional Medal of Honor.

“It is the soldier who serves the flag and whose coffin lays under the

flag that allows the protester to burn the flag.”

-- Mary McMenamin, vice principal of St. John the Baptist Catholic

School in Costa Mesa, during an event Friday to honor veterans.