Your faith

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Adult education

St. Hubert Ministry Center, 729 Grand Canyon, Hoffman Estates, offers a nondenominational job and networking ministry that is free and open to all occupations. The ministry offers the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of careering and get in-depth knowledge of career topics from seminars and meetings as well as learn the process of networking. Meetings are held throughout the month at various locations. For a calendar of meetings, call Bob Podgorski at (847) 925-6005.

Holy Family Catholic Community will host a short-term Scripture Study led by Fr. Robert Schoenstene of St. Mary of the Lake. Join us and learn about the Johannine Letters from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays, Nov. 14, 21, 28 and Dec. 5.

In many ways the rise of "New Age" thinking parallels many of the patterns of Gnostic thought expressed in the apocryphal books. The course will examine the Letters of John in light of religious expression of 1st Century thought, and will look at the importance of these letters for the Church today.

Holy Family Catholic Community is at 2515 W. Palatine Road, Inverness. For information or to register, call (847) 359-0042. Check the Web site at www.holyfamilyparish.org. Cost is $40.

Children, teens

Grace Lutheran Church, 780 S. Bartlett Road, Streamwood, is offering a Parent's Day Out program from noon to 6 p.m. Nov. 17. The purpose of the program is to provide kids with a fun afternoon of cooking, drama, science and more while learning the meaning of Christmas in a safe environment while parents do their holiday shopping. The One Day Rate is $6 per child and includes the cost of dinner. Registration is required. Visit graceistheplace.net and click on the Sunday Kid's Club Link for the registration form or call (630) 289-3996, ext. 228.

Fundraisers

St. Andrew United Methodist Church, 250 N. Gary Ave, Carol Stream, will have a Christmas Faire and Live Auction at 11 a.m. Dec. 2. Enjoy brunch, Santa, cookies by the dozen, hostess items and a live auction of baskets appropriate to give as gifts. Brunch tickets are $6 and free for children 5 and under, and are to be reserved by calling (630) 510-0145 by Nov. 28.

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Elgin will host a Holiday Harvest Market from 1-4 p.m. Sunday. Enjoy foods and items grown and produced in the Midwest. In addition, browse and select handcrafted gifts and collectibles from local artisans. The church is located at 39W830 Highland Ave., three miles west of Randall Road. (847) 888-0668, www.UUCE.org.

Immanuel United Church of Christ, 1500 Old Church Road, Streamwood, will offer a holiday cookie walk from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 8. Cookies will be sold by the pound. Call (630) 837-0190 for information. www.streamwoodiucc.org

Good Shepherd United Methodist Women's 19th Annual Cookie Walk and Craft Fair will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 1 at 751 W. Army Trail Road, Bartlett. The church is located ¾ mile east of Route 59 and 2 miles west of County Farm Road. A wide variety of home-baked cookies sold by the box and handcrafted items will be featured. Proceeds support mission projects. Lots of parking, free admission and handicap accessible. For information, call Debbie France, (630) 213-0479 or Ann Townsend (630) 289-8174.

The music ministry of St. Marcelline Church will present a wine tasting at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Diemer Hall, 820 S. Springinsguth Road, Schaumburg. Tickets cost $25 at the door and $20 in advance. This event is a fundraiser for the St. Marcelline Parish and for the Sanctuary Choir's and Jubilations Ringers' choral tour to Austria, Vienna and Prague in July. Advance tickets will be available after all Masses this weekend. Call (847) 524-4429 for more information.

Prince of Peace Preschool and Kindergarten, 930 W. Higgins Road, Schaumburg, is hosting a Scholastic Book Fair Blizzard and Basket Raffle today. Join us for a day of games, crafts, a hot dog lunch and cookie sale from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call: (847) 885-7036 for more information.

Holy Family Catholic Community, 2515 W. Palatine Road in Inverness, will hold the Trim The Home Floral and Expo Show Wednesday. Expo admission is $15 when purchased in advance, and $20 at the door.

The nine exhibitors will begin at 4 p.m., with five area floral designers beginning at 7 p.m. Included are an assortment of Christmas items, personalized baskets and decorations for all occasions, ornaments, angels, vases, vintage and new jewelry, purses, as well as a beautiful selection of holiday traditions from around the world. All floral arrangements will be raffled off. Also, there will be a raffle for a half-carat pair of diamond stud earrings. Each buyer will get a pair of half-carat cubic zirconia earrings as their raffle ticket. Raffle tickets are $25.

Clemenza will be selling a box dinner. Wine and water will be sold. Don't miss this annual holiday event and a chance to win one of the many floral arrangements. For more information, call (847) 359-0042.

St. Paul United Church of Barrington will host its first Nativity Walk and Home Products Fair from 6-9 p.m. Dec. 6; 4-9 p.m. Dec. 7; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 8; and Dec. 9 after worship service at 10:30 a.m.

Start the Advent season by enjoying the wide variety of Nativity scenes on display, several of which will be available for bidding through a silent auction. Holiday shopping opportunities will include Longaberger Baskets, Tupperware, Mary Kay products and more. At the Book Sale, partnered with Anderson Book Store of Naperville, you'll find a great variety of gift books for all ages. And you'll be able to stock up on wonderful holiday treats at the Bake Sale.

Admission is $5 per adult; $2.50 for kids ages 12-18. St Paul is at 401 E. Main in Barrington. For information, call (847) 381-0460, or visit the Web site stpauluccbarrington.org.

The women of the Presbyterian Church of Barrington will hold their annual Christmas Benefit and Luncheon at 10 a.m. Nov. 29 to raise money for various mission projects. "Comfort and Joy" will include holiday music presented by the Barrington High Madrigal Singers under the direction of Nancie Tobison. A silent auction, drawing, bake sale and luncheon will follow the choral program. The church is at 6 Brinker Road, Barrington. For more information, call (847) 381-0975.

Lectures, seminars

The public is invited to a presentation on practical ways to live a life of conservation -- for individuals, households and organizations, to be given from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. today at Countryside Church in Palatine.

This will appeal especially to those who are concerned about and are interested in our environment, and want information on energy audits/alternatives for their homes, offices and buildings. Specific and practical ways to reduce environmental impact will be presented and there will be a question-and-answer period. A suggested donation of $10 will be collected, with those younger than 18 admitted at no charge.

Gina Blus, a sustainability consultant in the San Francisco area, will be the presenter. A graduate of Dartmouth and Duke Law School, Blus worked as an in-house consultant for Sun Microsystems' business units before becoming an environmental action adviser to businesses and governmental entities.

Countryside Unitarian Universalist Church is located at 1025 N. Smith Road in Palatine. Directions may be found at www.ccuu.org or by calling (847) 359-8440.

Holy Family Catholic Community will offer Scripture Study with Fr. Robert Schoenstene at 7 p.m. Wednesdays Nov. 14, 21, 28 and Dec. 5

Fr. Schoenstene, currently teaching Scripture at Mundelein Seminary, will teach the Johannine Letters. Some recent books, television programs and movies have revived a popular interest in the "other new testament," that is, apocryphal religious writings of the early centuries, which posit an "alternate Christianity."

Holy Family Catholic Community is at 2515 W. Palatine Road, Inverness. There is a $40 charge. For information or to register, call (847) 359-0042.

Great Plains Zen Center will hold an Introduction to Zen Practice Workshop at Countryside Unitarian Universalist Church, 1025 N. Smith Road, Palatine, today. Each workshop covers a brief history of Zen Buddhism, the aims of meditation practice, and basic, practical information including how to do zazen (Zen meditation), how to practice at home and throughout the day, the aims of practice, and opportunities for additional practice offered at GPZC.

The workshop will run from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., followed by an informal lunch. The cost for the workshop is $25 per person (free for repeating participants). Visit greatplainszen.org/workshops to register, or call (847) 274-4793.

Miscellaneous

Living Lord Lutheran Church will hold a community blood drive from 8 a.m. to noon. today. Heartland Blood Centers will sponsor the event. For an appointment, call Holly Gould at (847) 844-0019. Walk-ins also are welcome. Living Lord Church is at 1044 Congress Drive, just south of Stearns Road on Route 59 in Bartlett.

Beth Tikvah's Outreach group invites adults whose lives have been touched by an interfaith relationship to meet Wednesday. Outreach meets to provide a casual forum to discuss the joys and "bumps in the road" of interfaith life, give and receive suggestions from others in a similar configuration, learn new information and make new friends. The get-together will take place at Beth Tikvah Congregation in Hoffman Estates from 7 to 8 p.m. For more information, call the office at (847) 885-4545.

Our Saviour's United Methodist Church, 701 E. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg is looking for names and addresses of former friends and members of the congregation for the upcoming 50th anniversary celebration in March, 2008. Please contact Sandy Marcks at sjmarcks@ameritech.net with this information.

The community is invited to hear stories of persons who chose to do alternative service during times of war (World War I, World War II, Vietnam War) rather than take up arms against others. The stories will tell how some people chose to serve in ways that put their own lives at risk rather than to be put in positions where they would have to take the lives of others. A variety of experiences will be shared.

The program will be at 7 p.m. today at Christ Community Mennonite Church, 888 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg.

The Mennonite denomination has historically taken a stance of peace and peacemaking ministries since its 16th century beginning.

According to the 2003 Illinois Poverty Summit, "Northeastern Illinois has the greatest number of people in poverty, but also has the state's greatest wealth." People from The Chapel have embraced this need by launching a church-wide campaign toward ending hunger in the Chicago area. The Chapel will be handing out 2,000 boxes of rice, one pound for each family in their congregation, asking them to eat only the box of rice for dinner one night. No sides, no meat, no dessert, with only water to drink.

Daily e-mails and text messages will also be sent out as reminders of the real problem of hunger in our area. The Chapel is also organizing a mobile food pantry, gathering donations for local food pantries, and assembling holiday meal baskets for those in need.

The Chapel is a multi-campus church with locations in Barrington, Grayslake, The Lake County Jail, Libertyville, and Mundelein. www.chapel.org

Performances

The Spirit of Life Chorus announces the following concerts as part of its Fall Concert Series:

• Sunday, 4 p.m., St. Mary Catholic Church, 1037 Dundee Road, Huntley, (847) 669-3137.

• Nov. 18, 4 p.m., Christ The King Catholic Church, 1501 S. Main St., Lombard, (630) 629-1717.

• Nov. 25, 4:30 p.m., Lutheran Church of the Master, 580 Kuhn Road, Carol Stream, (630) 665-3384.

• Dec. 2, 4:30 p.m., St. Walter Catholic Church, 201 W. Maple Ave., Roselle, (630) 894-2461.

For more information, visit www.spiritoflifechorus.org.

Beth Tikvah Congregation, celebrating its 50th anniversary, is pleased to present nationally known Broadway performer and comedian Steve Solomon in "The Man, The Music, and the Mishuginah" at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 17. The performance will be held at the Prairie Center for the Performing Arts in Schaumburg. Tickets are $18 due to the generous underwriting of the Damlich/Splansky Memorial Fund of the Beth Tikvah Sisterhood. For tickets or more information, call (847) 885-4545.

Seniors

The next program for LAFF (Life After 55), the senior group of Beth Tikvah Congregation in Hoffman Estates, will be at Beth Tikvah at 7:30 p.m. today. New Beginnings, a performing company of singers and instrumentalists who have a wide variety of musical styles, will entertain. The free show is approximately an hour. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call Lois Braverman at (847) 301-1449.

Special services

Congregation Kneseth Israel holds Shabbat services at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and 9:30 a.m. Saturdays at the synagogue, 330 Division St., Elgin. Guests are welcome. CKI believes that each person can participate in the observance of Shabbat through the use of English, Hebrew, and age-appropriate activities.

Religious school for pre-kindergarten to high school is offered. For details, call (847) 741-5656.

Celebrate the Joys of Conservative Judaism at Congregation Shirat Shalom in Elgin. Friendly, participatory Shabbat services are led by Cantor Alexander every Saturday at 9:45 a.m., and are followed by a community kiddush luncheon. Services include a spirited Torah discussion, focusing on the "parsha of the week."

Tot Shabbat services, for children of all ages, are on the third Friday of the month.

Adult Education classes are held on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

For more information, call (847) 695-6246, e-mail hazzansarah@gmail.com, or visit www.CongregationShiratShalom.org. Congregation Shirat Shalom is at 30W509 Shoe Factory Road, Elgin.

In honor of National Hospice Month, Chaplain Nicole Sasser and intern Jason Stromstead of Vitas Hospice will lead a Quarterly Memorial Service, honoring individuals who have passed away in the last three months at 2 p.m. Nov. 23 at Victory Centre of Bartlett, 1101 W. Bartlett Road, Bartlett. Special music, a candle-lighting service and a time for sharing is included.

Our Saviour's United Methodist Church and Our Redeemer's United Methodist Church will have a combined Thanksgiving service at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 20 at Our Redeemer's United Methodist Church, 1600 W. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg.

St. Marcelline Catholic Church announces the resumption of weekly exposition and adoration of the blessed sacrament. These holy hour are held each Tuesday, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Exposition occurs when the sacred host is placed in the monstrance for viewing by the faithful. Adoration is when members of the Catholic Church unite in making continuous hours of prayer before the most blessed sacrament. Adoration of the blessed sacrament acknowledges Christ's real presence there as incarnate God. Every man, woman and child can participate by spending time in prayer before the blessed sacrament.

This holy time is held in the St. Marcelline Family Room Chapel at 820 S. Springinsguth Road, Schaumburg. Enter using the ramp at the north end of the parking lot. (847) 524-4429.

Am Chai, serving the Northwest suburbs, will hold its next Friday night service at 8 p.m. Friday at the Devonshire, 1515 Barrington Road, Hoffman Estates. Rabbi Tillman will be conducting. All are invited. For more information, call (847) 604-4060 or go to the Web site, www.amchai.org.

A prayer service for peace in the Middle East will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Lutheran Church of the Atonement, 909 Main St. in Barrington. The service includes reading from the Bible, music, and prayers for peace in the Middle East.

Following the service there will be a presentation "May we grow beyond our differences," by Emily L. Hauser, an American-Israeli Jew and a freelance writer.

For information, call (847) 381-0243 or visit www.elca.org/middleeast.

Women's programs

The Presbyterian Women's circles of the Presbyterian Church in Palatine will be meeting at various time throughout the day on Wednesday for fellowship and Bible study. Baby sitting is available. All women are invited and encouraged to attend. The church is at 800 E. Palatine Road. Call the church office at (847) 358-4650 for details.

The Women's Book Group of St. Paul United Church of Christ, Barrington, meets at 10 a.m., the second Tuesday of the month. All women in the community are welcome to come and share in these lively and insightful discussions.

On Tuesday, the book will be "The Kite Runner" by Khalel Hosseini.

There will be no meeting in December, but Jan. 11, the discussion book will be "Living Buddha, Living Christ" by Thich Nhat Hanh.

There is no fee, but please read the book before the meeting in order to fully participate. St Paul is at 401 E. Main in Barrington. For more information, call Pastor Jeanne or Pastor Jana at (847) 381-0460.