The first involves the building itself, which was built by the Methodists in 1895, one of five churches in Saratoga in that era. The others were the Congregational, on Oak Street on the site of the present elementary school; the Catholic, at Sixth Street and Big Basin Way (Lumber Street at the time); the Disciples of Christ, or Christian, on the site of the present Echo Shop on Big Basin Way; and the Episcopal, at Sixth and St. Charles streets.

The original Methodist Church building was enhanced by a picturesque spire in 1903, but I have never seen a picture of that church showing a bell in the belfry. Today, in what might charitably be called a "belfry," there is some kind of a nonfunctioning replica.

In 1924, the Methodists sold the church building to artist Theodore Wores, launching the next saga segment. At first glance, someone unfamiliar with the name might confuse it with a corruption of the Spanish "Juarez," since the pronunciation is about the same. Actually, it's Hungarian, Theodore having been the son of Joseph Wores, an immigrant from that country, and his German-born wife, Gertrude Liebke, according to a biographical summary by Janet B. Dominik in the book Plein Air Painters of California.

Wores had an interesting background. Born in San Francisco in 1859, he showed an early artistic talent and enrolled in the California School of Design at the age of 15. While still young, he studied painting in Munich, Germany, at the Royal Academy. Traveling in Europe, he met James A. McNeill Whistler, of Whistler's Mother fame, who got Wores interested in Japanese art.

The upshot of all this was that Wores went to Japan, where he stayed for over two years, painting portraits and landscapes. He later lived for a while in London, where he rented a studio, and returned to the United States in 1891, where he made his headquarters in San Francisco. Scenes in that city's Chinatown were among his specialties.

After Wores married Carolyn Bauer in 1910, they continued living in San Francisco, doing considerable traveling. He was a successful artist, exhibiting widely and selling his works and painting portraits on commission. Among his portrait subjects was Oscar Wilde, in 1882. Wilde was at the Bohemian Club, where Wores was a member.

In his extensive travels, one of the areas most attractive to him as a source of landscape subjects was the Santa Clara Valley and the region around Saratoga. Here he immortalized the orchards in bloom on canvas, and, after purchasing the Methodist Church building, created a studio there and added living quarters, which he kept until selling it in 1939 and returning to San Francisco. His last exhibition was at the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island. He died that year.

The third element of this saga is represented by the aforementioned Michael Shadnan and Mahnaz Khazen. They are Saratoga residents and planning to be married soon. Both are natives of Iran who have gained their U.S. citizenship and have been educated in this country. Shadnan came to the United States in 1978. He is a graduate of San José State University and has a master's degree in structural engineering. Mahnaz came here in 1984 and has a degree in business administration from Columbia State University.

Each operates a business. Shadnan's is Shad Engineers in San Jose; Khazen's is VAAM, the Iranian word for loan and an acronym for Versatile and Affordable Mortgages, a mortgage brokerage firm in Los Gatos. Just what will go into the old church building is not yet definite, but they're thinking in terms of a retail establishment. Something like a bridal shop, perhaps.

One thing is certain, though: they intend to preserve the structural integrity of the building as much as possible. One treasure-like aspect to be kept for sure consists of floral paintings throughout the small ceiling panels of the main room, apparently the work of Theodore Wores himself.

History lives!