McHenry Co. religion special events

Donations needed for mission trip: Members of Immanuel Lutheran Church in East Dundee need help gathering much needed items for their Gulf Coast mission trip to New Orleans. On Jan. 11, 20 members and friends of Immanuel are traveling to New Orleans to help rebuild homes located in New Orleans Ninth Ward. The disastrous flooding after Hurricane Katrina, followed by damaging winds during Hurricane Rita destroyed much of the City of New Orleans. The Rev. Phillip Baerwolf, Immanuel's associate pastor, said, "The magnitude of the destruction and the response for reconstruction needs our attention as brothers and sisters of Christ. We will be contributing our time, labor, and resources along with members of other area Lutheran churches to rebuild homes in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans. We are asking for the community to assist us by donating food, hygiene products and cleaning supplies that will be donated to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank." The population of Baton Rouge, Louisiana's state capitol and nearest city to New Orleans, doubled during the crisis time and continues to offer services to those in need. The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank is serving as many as 7,500 each day and are in need of the following items: dry cereal and breakfast food, canned meats, canned fruit and canned vegetables, hearty canned soups, dry beans/pasta, personal hygiene products, and cleaning supplies. People can drop off donated items today from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 6 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church. Drive-through drop-off points will be marked so that contributors need not exit their cars. On Sunday, drop-offs will be located on the east side of Immanuel's School building from 9 to 10 a.m. and again from noon to 1 p.m. Volunteers will be available to take the food donations from your car. "We are prepared to transport more than 9,000 pounds of collected items," stated Lark Sanders, member of Immanuel and Barrington firefighter. In addition to food items, Immanuel is accepting cash donations to support the mission trip. During their week in New Orleans, the mission team will live at Camp Restore on the east side of New Orleans. The camp was Prince of Peace Lutheran Church and School campus which suspended operation after most of its membership was evacuated. Upon return from the mission trip, Immanuel will host an information sharing gathering for those interested. The date for that meeting will be determined after the members return. Immanuel Lutheran Church is at 310 E. Main St. in East Dundee. For information, call the church office at (847) 428-4477. For details on the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, visit www.brfoodbank.org.

Healing service: The McHenry County Church of Religious Science will offer a monthly healing service today at Golden Harvest Health Foods & Holistic Center, 330 N. Eighth St. in West Dundee. Healing services at the church are popular for their uplifting effect with concentrated high vibrational energies revealing spiritual perfection in all areas of our life. The Rev. Anne Muelleman will deliver a short message leaving ample time for prayer, meditation and spiritual mind treatment by the pastor and the church's professional practitioners in response to your healing requests. Begin the new year with a clean bill of spiritual health and well-being. Spiritual check-ups ought to be added to our regular list of check-ups. Most people have a yearly physical, eye exam, hearing test, etc. They have their furnace/air conditioner checked, and schedule maintenance on the car. What could be more important than your spirituality? The licensed practitioners of the McHenry County Church of Religious Science are offering free spiritual check-ups in January. Call (815) 444-0942 today to set up a time for your appointment. For details, call (815) 444-0942 or www.rscgc.org/McHenry.

Epiphany program: On Sunday, the Bethany Lutheran Church Sunday school will present its Christmas/Epiphany program, "On the 13th Day of Christmas," at 3 p.m. at the church, 76 W. Crystal Lake Ave. in Crystal Lake. The program will use the taking down of the Christmas tree to explore the meaning of the Advent, Christmas and Epiphany seasons. Students, playing both the family taking down their tree and the biblical figures depicted in the ornaments, will talk about the biblical meaning of the ornaments being removed to see that the story of Jesus doesn't end with Christmas, but rather continues in our hearts throughout the year. The Sunday school students will serve as actors, singers, instrumentalists and stage crew. All are welcome. For details, call (815) 459-2690 or visit www.bethanylc.com.

Studying grace: Starting Sunday, the adult fellowship and Bible study will focus on "What's So Amazing About Grace?" from 9 to 10:15 a.m. Sundays. Award-winning author Philip Yancey explores grace at street level. What is grace? If grace is God's love for the undeserving, then what does it look like in action? Join us for compelling, true portraits of grace's life-changing power. No preparation is needed; workbooks are $12. All are welcome. Barrington United Methodist Church is at 98 Algonquin Road in Barrington. For details, call (847) 836-5540.

Seminar with Josh Young: Morning Star Church welcomes Josh Young for a special worship seminar at 7 p.m. Jan. 18 and 10 a.m. Jan. 20. Young leads worship at the North Shore Bridge Christian Fellowship and travels throughout the U.S. leading worship at conferences and worship events. In April 2005, he released his debut album, "Under Your Shadow," and in August 2006. He released his second album, "Closer." His songs have found their way into the local church and abroad. He resides in Bradford, N.H., with his wife of nine years. For details, visit www.joshyoungonline.com. There is no charge for these meetings. Morning Star Church is at 41W350 Powers Road, just north of the I-90 Route 47 exit in Huntley. For details, call Maria at (847) 669-9800, ext. 111 or visit www.morningstarwoc.org/events.

Science of the Mind: Beginning Jan. 23, the McHenry County Church of Religious Science is offering a special four-week "Introduction class to Science of Mind," the philosophy of Religious Science. This class will be held at the Rev. Anne Muelleman's home in Cary on a love offering basis. The course takes place from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on four consecutive Wednesdays, Jan. 23 to Feb. 13 plus a six-hour Saturday workshop on Feb. 17. This basic class will cover the paradigm, philosophy and practical application of Religious Science in your daily life. A "SOM 300 Practitioner" class also begins in January. This class is being offered from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Mondays beginning Jan. 14. To register for this class, students must have completed SOM 1 and SOM 2 plus interview with the pastor. This "300" class is 32 weeks followed by a 7-month Practicum. The McHenry County Church of Religious Science offers its Sunday celebration service at 10 a.m. Sundays at the Country Inn and Suites, 600 Tracy Trail in Crystal Lake. For details, call (815) 444-0942 or www.rscgc.org/McHenry.

Celebration of sacred music: A celebration of sacred music by eight Barrington churches is coming to Barrington United Methodist Church, 98 Algonquin Road at 7 p.m. Jan. 27. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Participating churches include: Atonement Lutheran Church with Helen Ailabouni, director; Barrington UMC, Karen Maxwell; Presbyterian Church of Barrington, Kirsten Hedegaard; St. Anne Catholic Community, Rory Cooney; St. Mark Episcopal, Cory Thompson; St. Matthew Lutheran, Cathy Gathman; St. Michael Episcopal Church, Robert Lind; and Salem UMC, David Hartley. Featured soloists for the concert are: soprano Kimberly Albrecht of Barrington UMC; soprano Colleen Bolthouse of Atonement; baritone David Hartley of Salem UMC; and prelude music by organist Jeffrey Neufeld of Barrington UMC. The massed choir anthems will be "Old Hundredth Psalm Tune" by Vaughn-Williams; "Greater Love Hath No Man" by Ireland; "Arise, King Jesus" by Parker/Lantz; "Battle Hymn of the Republic" by Wilhousky; and "Come to the Water" by Foley. Funding for the massed choir music and other incidental expenses was made possible by a grant award from the Barrington Area Community Foundation.

Shaun Groves performs in Elgin: Continuing its yearlong 50th anniversary celebration, Westminster Presbyterian Church in Elgin will welcome host Dove Award nominee Shaun Groves in concert at 7 p.m. Jan. 26 at the church. Groves defies simple labels. An insightful songwriter, his musical peers nominated him for Songwriter of the Year solely on the strength of his 2001 debut, "Invitation to Eavesdrop." The lanky Texas native followed the critically acclaimed debut with the easy-alternative "Twilight" in 2003. It was followed in 2005 by "White Flag," which reflected his recent study of the Sermon of the Mount and the Beatitudes. In 2007, he released "One Night in Knoxville," a live CD recorded at two back-to-back performances on one night in Knoxville. The concert is free. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. A free-will offering will be taken to benefit Grove's ministry. The church is at 2700 W. Highland Avenue, a quarter mile west of Randall road. For details, call (847) 695-0311.

Faith in Action fundraiser dinner: Members of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Crystal Lake and Knights of Columbus, St. Thomas Council 3880 Father McCormick will help organize Faith in Action McHenry County's annual pasta dinner. Faith in Action celebrates 10 years of service to McHenry County with "An Evening in Italy" pasta dinner on Jan. 26 in the Community Center at St. Thomas the Apostle's Oak Street church. This dinner attracts more than 250 guests during its two seatings. Seatings are available at 5:15 p.m. and 7 p.m. The cost of the dinner is $10 for adults and $8 for children under 12. Take-out orders are available as well. The evening will include dinner as well as entertainment, and a raffle drawing will be held for a Winter Blossom Package including a two-night stay at a Chicago lakefront condominium, dinner at Trattoria No. 10 and a Winter Blossom quilt. The second prize is a handmade afghan. The cost for the raffle tickets is $1 per ticket or six tickets for $5. Tickets for the dinner and/or the raffle are available through FIAMC at (815) 455-3120, or may also be purchased in Crystal Lake at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, or New Life Parable Christian Bookstore, and in McHenry at Holy Apostle Church Book Store, McHenry Bank & Trust on Route 31 or the Chamber of Commerce office on Green Street. Faith in Action McHenry County is a nonprofit organization committed to the purpose of working with the seniors of our community who live at home, and their families in maintaining their independence, dignity, and quality of life.

Order your Super Bowl hoagie: The Chancel Choir of First Congregational Church of Dundee is offering Super Bowl Sunday hoagie sandwiches for sale as a fundraiser. The cost of each hoagie is $5. Sandwiches, made according to the Dundee Scots "secret" recipe, will be available for pickup on Feb. 2 after 10:30 a.m. Order deadline is Jan. 27. The church is at 900 S. Eighth St. (Route 31 and Angle Tarn) in West Dundee. For details or to place a sandwich order, call the church office at (847) 426-2161, ext. 210 or visit the Web site at www.dundeefcc.org.