Notes on Religion

Today

York Center Church of the Brethren will hold a Blessing of the Animals at 4 p.m. today at the church, 1S071 Luther Ave., Lombard. For details, call (630) 627-7411.

Congregation Etz Chaim will hold a gala concert and benefit for Bomba Israel all-volunteer fire house in Santiago, Chile, at 7 p.m. today at 1710 S. Highland Ave., Lombard. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. The concert features Laura Fuentes and her husband, Pedro Villagra. For details, visit www.congetzchaim.org or call (630) 627-3912.

Elmhurst Epiphany Lutheran Church will hold its children's toy and equipment resale from 8 to 11 a.m. today at the church, 314 W. Vallette, Elmhurst. A half-price sale will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Proceeds benefit the Arthritis Foundation's Camp Jam. For details, e-mail epiphany.resale@comcast.net.

Stepping Stones, a Christian-based, not- for-profit organization providing transitional housing for abused women and their children, is teaming with Bridge Communities to offer mentoring classes today at First Presbyterian Church, 500 Anthony St., Glen Ellyn. For details or to volunteer, visit www. bridgecommunities.org or call Diana Eckert at (630) 235-3389.

Sunday

Good Samaritan United Methodist Church will hold a pet blessing at 3 p.m. Sunday at the church, 960 W. Army Trail Road, Addison. For details, call (630) 543-3725.

St. Petronille Parish Center will present the national touring production of "Tell All Souls about My Mercy" at 6 p.m. Sunday at the church, 420 Glenwood Ave., Glen Ellyn. The program is for all ages. For details, call Adele Lessmeister at (630) 469-0404, ext. 2107.

St. Mark's Episcopal Church will hold a Blacktop Bash and Pet Blessing from noon to 2 p.m., with the blessing at 2:30 p.m., Sunday at the church, 393 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn. The event includes food and activities for families. In case of rain, the event will be Oct. 7. For details, call (630) 858-1020.

The DuPage Center of Religious Science will hold an installation ceremony at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Royal Glen Office Complex, 1200 Roosevelt Road, Suite 140, Glen Ellyn. For details, visit www.dupagechurch.org or call (630) 495-6626.

St. Barnabas Episcopal Church continues its five-week series, "Meeting Jesus in Pop Culture," from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. Sunday at the church, 22W415 Butterfield Road, Glen Ellyn. The series continues through October and is open to the community. For details, visit www.stbarnabas-episcopal.com or call (630) 469-1394.

St. Luke Presbyterian Church will hold a Blessing of the Animals at 4 p.m. Sunday at the church, 3910 Highland Ave., Downers Grove. For details, call (630) 969-3121.

The Tandem Club will feature Road Scholar Dennis Stroughmatt and his "Fiddle Music and Tall Tales: French Creole Culture in Illinois" after lunch at 12:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at First United Methodist Church, 424 Forest Ave., Glen Ellyn. Lunch reservations are due Sunday by calling (630) 469-4075. The program is sponsored by the Illinois Humanities Council.

Monday

The Ministry of New Beginnings at St. Hubert Church will meet at 7:30 p.m. Mondays at Trinity Lutheran Church, 405 Rush St., Roselle.

The group is a 30-year-old Catholic-oriented, nondenominational support group for singles. The donation is $3 per meeting.

The group also plans outings and activities during the week. Upcoming topics include Getting Healthy Oct. 8, State of the Economy Oct. 15, Spirituality and Mental Health Oct. 22 and a Halloween party Oct. 29.

For details, call Carol Galat at (847) 524-1397 or Steve Siegel at (773) 761-7381.

Addison Aglow International hold a praise and worship titled "One Hour with Jesus" from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday at Addison Presbyterian Church, 233 N. Mill Road, Addison. The service is open to women, men and teens. Baby-sitting is not available. For details, visit www.aglow.org or call (630) 543-3016.

First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton will offer its ongoing grief recovery program, Beginning Again, at 9:30 a.m. Monday in the church's living room, 715 N. Carlton, Wheaton. The group is open to the community. For details or to register, call the Rev. Caryle Wilkie at (630) 668-5147, ext. 13.

The McCormick Theological Seminary has planned a series of speakers for Hispanic Heritage Month at the center, 5460 S. University, Chicago. Upcoming speakers are Ada Maria Isasi-Diaz at 4 p.m. Monday and Mayra Rivera at 4 p.m. Oct. 15. For details, call (773) 947-6330.

Tuesday

The touring choir of Daystar University, a Christian liberal arts college in Kenya, Africa, will present a concert of music and dance at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at First Presbyterian Church, 715 N. Carlton Ave., Wheaton.

The group is called Afrizo and the event is a 25th anniversary celebration of the school's support organization.

For details, visit www.daystarus.org or call (630) 668-5147.

First Baptist Church of Wheaton will hold a Bible study, "Believing God" by Beth Moore, from 9:15 to 11:15 a.m. Tuesday at the church, 1310 N. Main St., Wheaton. There is a $5 fee for the children's program. For details, call Cindy Heslinga at (630) 469-4580.

Coffeebreak, a women's interdenominational Bible study, meets at 9:15 a.m. Tuesdays at Evangel Baptist Church, 1900 Manchester Road, Wheaton. This year's study will focus on the book of Isaiah. Child care is provided for children ages 6 months to 5 years. For details, call (630) 462-7605.

St. Luke Lutheran Church in Itasca will hold a support group for people who have been diagnosed with cancer at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the church, 410 S. Rush St., Itasca. For details, call the Rev. Alex Duff at (630) 773-0396.

Water's Edge Bible Church will hold its AWANA meeting from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays at the church, Oakwood Avenue at Summit Street, West Chicago. The program is for students in preschool through eighth grade. For details, call (630) 231-1210.

Thursday

Trinity Episcopal Church will hold its annual Blessing of the Animals at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the church, 130 N. West St., Wheaton. A Picnic with Pets potluck will follow the service for household pets in Millett Hall. For details, call (630) 665-1101.

St. Luke Lutheran Church will present the 30-week study of the book of Revelation, "Apocalypsis Jesu Christus," at 7 p.m. Thursdays at the church, 410 S. Rush St., Itasca.

The course also is available on the Internet as nondenominational classes. For details, visit www.WAUonline.org or call (866) 455-6466.

For details at the church, call the Rev. Alex Duff at (630) 773-0396.

Grace Lutheran Church will be open as a Praying Place at noon Thursdays and after Bible study at 7:20 p.m. Thursdays at the church, 493 Forest Ave., Glen Ellyn. For details, call (630) 469-1555.

Friday

Outreach Community Ministries will hold its 15th annual Women's Benefit Luncheon and silent auction at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Drury Lane, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. The event will feature keynote speaker Dr. Ben Carson. Tickets are $150 per person, with $125 tax deductible for women's shelter care. For details, call Linda Miller at (630) 682-1910.

St. Barnabas Episcopal Church will hold a Julian Meetings contemplative prayer retreat from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday and 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 6, with a supper at 5 p.m. at the church, 22W415 Butterfield Road, Glen Ellyn. Donations will be accepted for lunch and supper. For details, visit www.stbarnabas-episcopal.com or call (630) 469-1394.

St. Petronille Parish Center will feature speaker Brian Rooney of the Thomas More La Center for its adult dinner and discourse at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 12 at the church, 420 Glenwood Ave., Glen Ellyn. The fee is $20 per person. Deadline for reservations is Friday by calling Adele Lessmeister at (630) 469-0404, ext. 2107.

A new Christian social group for single, divorced and widowed members in the Addison area meets at 7:30 p.m. Fridays at a local restaurant. For details, call (630) 202-0333.

Oct. 6

The Christian Church of Villa Park is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a Program of Remembrance at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 6 and services at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 7 at the church, 1336 S. Villa Ave., Villa Park. For details, call (630) 833-7262.

St. John the Baptist CCW will hold its annual Holiday Fair from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 6 and 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Oct. 7 at the church, 0S233 Church St., Winfield. The event features holiday crafts, a bake sale and handmade items. For details, call (630) 668-0918.

St. Matthew Church will hold a blood drive from 8 a.m. to noon Oct. 6 at the church, 1515 Glen Ellyn Road, Glendale Heights. For details, call (630) 469-6300.

Oct. 7

The Rev. Mike Weber will begin his duties as the new senior pastor at services at 9 and 10:45 a.m. Oct. 7 at Wheaton Evangelical Free Church, 520 E. Roosevelt Road, Wheaton. For details, call (630) 668-6490.

York Center Church of the Brethren will hold a Love Feast at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 7 at the church, 1S071 Luther Ave., Lombard. The service includes a meal and feet/hand washing. For details, call (630) 627-7411.

Grace Lutheran Church will hold services of healing and reconciliation devoted to the organ donation story of Grace member Andy Ross and his donor, Jim Coyl, at 8 and 10 a.m. Oct. 7 at the church, 493 Forest Ave., Glen Ellyn. A forum on organ donation will be at 9 a.m. For details, call (630) 469-1555.

A Life Chain Across America is planned to give silent prayer in reverence for life from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 7 at various locations in DuPage County. For details, visit www.LifeNews.net or call Mary at (630) 852-5448.

The DuPage Center of Religious Science will present the spiritual movie "The Blue Butterfly" at 12:30 p.m. Oct. 7 at Royal Glen Office Complex, 1200 Roosevelt Road, Suite 140, Glen Ellyn. Tickets are $10, with reservations suggested. For details, visit www.dupagechurch.org or call (630) 495-6626.

St. Thomas United Methodist Church will lead a four-Sunday study at 9 a.m. Sundays in October at the church, 2S511 Route 53, Glen Ellyn. The series is "What does it take to be a Methodist?" For details, call (630) 469-1214.

Gloria Dei Lutheran Church will hold a pet blessing service at 12:30 p.m. Oct. 7 at the church, 4501 Main St., Downers Grove. For details, call (630) 968-6231.

Oct. 13

Crossroads Restoration Church will offer free practical classes at the church, 245 W. Roosevelt Road, Unit 21, West Chicago. The crafting class will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Oct. 13 and Resume Writing will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Nov. 3. Registration is requested by calling (630) 221-0062.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will sponsor "Get Ready America," an emergency preparedness fair, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Oct. 13 at 1320 W. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg. Personal 72-hour kits will be available for $10 per kit. For details, call Sheri Israelsen at (847) 934-5923.

E-mail DuPageFaith@dailyherald.com or fax items to (630) 955-0895.