Fox Valley notes on religion

Notes on religion To include your church in the free listings, e-mail to foxvalley@dailyherald.com, fax to (847) 608-0849, or mail to 385 Airport Road, Suite A, Elgin IL 60123.

Good Shepherd: Good Shepherd Lutheran School will celebrate Lutheran Schools Week March 3-7 with several activities. The week is a celebration of all Lutheran faith-based education systems.

On Feb. 28 the school hosted their annual "Basketball Follies" to kick off the fun. Teachers and staff will challenge the varsity basketball team to a tough dual of basketball skills. There will be a raffle during the game and half-time contests. A video presentation will be shown Sunday during the 9:30 a.m. service at the Nesler Road and Route 20 Christian Life Center, with a coffee hour to follow.

In kindergarten through eighth grades, activities include all-school devotions, reading scripture to each other, an assembly on substance abuse prevention titled "It's a Jungle Out There," and fun dress days of sports jerseys and blue/white school colors.

In the preschool, the eighth-graders will come celebrate reading on Monday, and other activities include a Bubble Assembly, community helper day, and Friendship Pizza and Fruit Salad on Friday to celebrate being healthy with friends.

Good Shepherd Lutheran School is accepting applications for the 2008-09 school year for preschool through eighth grade. Preschool and kindergarten offer full-day options, and both locations offer after-school care. An information session regarding the preschool is at 7 p.m. Monday at 195 Nesler Road in Elgin.

Good Shepherd houses kindergarten through eighth grade at 1111 Van St., and the preschool is at the Nesler Road site and holds classes for both 3- and 4-year-olds Monday through Friday.

Services are held at 5:30 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. Sunday at the 1111 Van St. location. On Sunday, the 9:30 a.m. contemporary family service with children's sermon and Sunday school, and the 11 a.m. a traditional worship service will be at the Nesler Road and Route 20 location.

For details, visit www.good shepherd-elgin.org or call the church office, (847) 741-7788.

Kneseth Israel: Congregation Kneseth Israel provides a full range of religious and community programs. A youth program is available for sixth grade to high school. In addition, interest groups meet regularly for men, women, seniors, and others. Consult the monthly newsletter which is available at www.ckielgin.org.

Religious school is offered for pre-kindergarten to high school. For details, call the congregation office.

This week's Torah portion is Va'Yakhel. The service is led by Rabbi Jonathan Kohn in prayer and study. Shabbat services are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the synagogue, 330 Division St. in 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. For details, call (847) 741-5656 or visit www.ckielgin.org.

Shirat Shalom: Congregation Shirat Shalom, 30W509 Shoe Factory Road in Elgin, offers friendly, participatory Shabbat services, led by Cantor Sarah Alexander, at 9:45 a.m. Saturdays and followed by a community kiddush luncheon. Services include a spirited Torah discussion, focusing on the "parsha of the week."

On Friday, the congregation will be part of "Shabbat Across America." Join them for participatory services, followed by a communal Shabbat dinner. RSVPs are requested.

Guests are welcome. For details, call (847) 695-6246, e-mail hazzansarah@gmail.com, or visit www.CongregationShirat Shalom.org.

Immanuel Lutheran: This weekend, the Rev. Phillip Baerwolf will be sharing the message, "Born Blind," based on John 9, at the 8 and 10:45 a.m. services at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 310 E. Main St. in East Dundee. Holy Communion will be celebrated at the Saturday evening and the Sunday 8 a.m. services, which are traditional with organ, hymns and liturgy.

The Sunday 10:45 a.m. service is a contemporary service of worship and praise featuring worship leaders and a worship ensemble. "Faith Factory" for children and Acts 2 Bible Fellowship for adults are offered at 9:20 a.m.

Immanuel will hold its Lenten midweek worship at 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesdays. For the midweek services throughout Lent, the Rev. William Yonker is sharing the messages with a sermon series, "Deep Breaths," leading you in a quieter worship where you listen for God's voice and breathe in His promises. Fellowship lunches will be offered after each morning service in Lent and soup and sandwich suppers, sponsored by the youth ministry at Immanuel, will be served before the evening worship.

For details, call (847) 428-4477, or visit immanuel-ed.org.

First UMC-West Dundee: On Sunday, the Rev. Steven Mindrup presents this week's theme is "Who Is Blind? Who Can See?" at 10 a.m. at First United Methodist Church, 318 W. Main St., West Dundee. The Scripture lessons are Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 23; Ephesians 5:8-14 and John 9:1-41.

Sunday school is held for pre-kindergarten through high school at 10 a.m. A nursery is also provided.

Fleece donations of two yards long are welcome in the Fireside box. The fleece is for comfort pillows.

This year's Lenten Organ recitals are: Thursday at St. Catherine of Siena in West Dundee featuring Maurice Martin; March 13 at St. James Episcopal Church in West Dundee featuring the Rev. Richard Gilbert and Phyllis Connelly. These Lenten recitals are at 12:10 p.m.

Sunday afternoon recitals are: Sunday at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Elgin featuring Steve Smith and Phyllis Connelly; March 9 at Barrington United Methodist Church featuring Jeff Neufeld. The Sunday recitals are at 3 p.m. March 16 will feature a Palm Sunday Festival Concert at St. Catherine in West Dundee at 4 p.m.

During Lent, the Missions Committee is sponsoring a food collection for FISH Food Pantry in Carpentersville. Boxes are available in the narthex and Fireside Room.

Recycle your cell phone by dropping it off in the Fireside Room. Also FISH Food Pantry donations are welcome as are Campbell's Soup UPC codes. For details, call (847) 426-2113 or visit www.firstumcdundee.net.

First UMC-Elgin: On Sunday, the Rev. Mona Walker will give the sermon "Risk-Taking Mission and Service," using Scripture from John, chapter 9, at 10 a.m. at First United Methodist Church, 216 E. Highland Ave., downtown Elgin. Christian education for children, youth and adults begins at 8:50 a.m. The youth group meets at the church at 11:15 a.m.

Special music will be provided by the adult Cathedral Choir under the direction of John Slawson.

On Easter Sunday, there will be a sunrise service at 6:49 a.m., conducted by the youth group. A pancake breakfast will be served starting at 8 a.m.

For details, call (847) 741-0038, ext. 102 or visit www.fumcelgin.org.

St. John: On the Fourth Sunday in Lent, the Rev. Howard Gleason will preach the sermon, "A Sight to See," based on John 9:1-41, at 8 and 10:30 a.m. at St. John Lutheran Church, 13N535 French Road in Burlington.

Fellowship will be at 9 a.m. and Sunday school and Bible study at 9:15 a.m.

The Lenten midweek services continue with supper at 5 p.m. and worship at 7 p.m. They will use a rotating pulpit again this year and Lenten theme is "The Body of Christ."

Holy Week services include Maundy Thursday worship at 7 p.m. with Holy Communion and the stripping of the altar. Good Friday worship is at 3 and 7 p.m. The Easter Celebration includes Sonrise worship at 6:30 a.m. followed by an Easter breakfast and then a second Easter Celebration at 9 a.m.

The choirs practice Wednesdays with the voice choir at 6:30 p.m. and bell choir at 7:30 p.m.

TOPS meets at 6 p.m. Mondays. Weight Watchers meet at 7 p.m. each Wednesday. The pinochle club meets the last Friday of each month at 7 p.m. The monthly men's breakfast Bible study is the first Saturday of the month at 7 a.m. For details, call (847) 683-2338 or visit www.stjohnburlington.com.

First Congregational: On the Fourth Sunday in Lent, the Rev. Paris Donehoo will speak on "Spiritual Amnesia" at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 256 E. Chicago St., Elgin. The chapel service is at 8:15 and the 10:15 a.m. worship is in the sanctuary. Sunday school starts at 10:15 a.m. with the children in the sanctuary then leaving for class after the children's sermon.

The sermon is titled "Overcoming Inertia." The chancel choir will assist in worship with the anthem, "Draw Us in the Spirit's Tether" by Harold Friedell. Holy Communion will be served, and the table is open to anyone.

Each Sunday at 9:15 a.m., an in-depth Bible study meets to study the gospel of Mark.

An informational meeting about a planned trip to Israel will be hosted by the senior pastor, and his wife, Penny, at 6 p.m. Sunday in the fellowship hall. Details of the June 12-22 trip will be discussed, photos will be shared, questions will be answered, and Middle-Eastern cuisine will be sampled. Anyone interested in the trip of a lifetime is encouraged to attend.

At noon Friday, Phyllis Connelly will present a 30-minute organ recital, the fifth in the Jane Hampton Chipman Lenten series. Connelly is interim director of music and organist at St. Barnabas Lutheran Church in Cary. She has served various area churches in that capacity and is chairwoman of the Dundee and Elgin area Lenten Recital Series and Festival Palm Sunday Concert which includes 11 churches, a massed choir, and instrumentalists. She is an Algonquin resident.

For kindergartners through sixth grade, the last FROG Friday of the year will be held at 6 p.m. beginning with a pizza supper, then a sing-a-long, a story, games, and crafts. Junior high and high school youth serve as leaders and will stay for laser tag.

On March 9, Stepping Stones, a mental health support group, will meet from 9:15 to 10 a.m. They will view "Families Coping with Mental Illness." In the video, family members discuss having a relative with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Family members of those with mental illness, as well as mental health professionals, will find this tape helpful and informative. Friends from the community are welcome to join Stepping Stones in the library on the second Sunday of the month.

For details, call the church at (847) 741-4045 or visit www.fcc-elgin.org.

Church of the Brethren: On Sunday, Andrew Murray, director of the Baker Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa., will be guest speaker at the 9:30 a.m. worship at the Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren, 783 W. Highland Ave., Elgin.

His sermon title will be "Hat Off (to the) Brethren." During the church school hour Murray and his wife Terry will do a music workshop with the children to prepare them for the afternoon concert.

Murray and his wife, Terry, will appear in concert. Terry has for many years been composing and performing songs about personalities from Church of the Brethren history. They will present a concert at 3 p.m. in the church sanctuary in celebration of the 300th anniversary of the founding of the Church of the Brethren. The public is invited.

An adult elective series will begin during the church school hour called "Piecing Together the Brethren Way," exploring critical themes in the denomination's history. The first session will feature a slide presentation by Nevin Dulabaum on the Brethren beginnings in Europe.

The church is at 783 W. Highland Ave., Elgin. For details, call (847) 741-5124 or visit www.hacob.org.

Second Baptist: On Sunday, the Rev. Nathaniel L. Edmond will bring the message for the 8 and 10:30 a.m. services at Second Baptist Church, 1280 Summit St. in Elgin.

The sermon title is "The Favor of Benjamin," inspired by Genesis 43:29-34. March kicks off Family Life Series for Second Baptist.

The Male Chorus will render the music for the 8 a.m. service and the Choral Ensemble will sing at the 10:30 a.m. service.

Throughout the month the sermons and Bible study will focus on family and family life. Holy Communion will be observed during both services while baptisms will take place at 10:30 a.m. service.

The Couples Ministry will meet at 4:30 p.m. March 15. The topic for discussion will be "Developing a Positive Response to Anger." All couples are invited and encouraged to attend.

On Wednesday, Bible study will begin at noon followed by Wonderful Wednesday starting at 7 p.m. Wonderful Wednesday will include a teaching session on the Watts hymns. Isaac Watts was an English minister born in 1674. He became known as the "father of English hymnody." At a very young age, he felt the Psalms sung during service were "rusty." He approached his father with an idea of singing the Psalms with a better melody/tempo. This was the beginning of Watts penning more than 500 hymns, which have remained popular in the African-American churches and are still sung in the melody penned by Watts. Watts most noticeable hymns include "Joy to the World," "We're Marching to Zion" (Penned as "Come We that Love the Lord"), and "Come Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove."

Sunday school begins at 9:30 a.m. Bus and childcare services are available. Second Baptist is at 1280 Summit St. in Elgin. For details, call (847) 695-7757 or visit www.SBCElginIl.org.

First Congregational: On the Fourth Sunday in Lent, the Rev. Donald Longbottom, interim senior pastor, presents the theme, "Mission in Matthew," at First Congregational Church, 900 S. Eighth St. in West Dundee. Sunday services are at 8 and 10:15 a.m. Holy Communion will be celebrated.

Sunday's Ministry of Music at 8 a.m. will be by the Tinkerbells chime choir, directed by Charlotte Norman; and Junior Choir directed by Charlotte Norman. The 10:15 a.m. worship service will feature songs by the Praise Singers: Cheri Blazek, Robert Blazek, Mark Boekenhauer, Sonja Boekenhauer, Linda Gilmore and Sara Tustin; the Youth Choir, directed by Charlotte Norman; and "Be Not Afraid" and "Carry Me Home" by the Chancel Choir, directed by Robert Blazek with Linda Gilmore, accompanist.

During the 10:15 a.m. service, new members will be welcomed into the congregation.

The first Sunday of each month is set aside for donations of non-perishable food items for FISH (Friend I Shall Help) Food Pantry and/or size 5 and 6 diapers for the Community Crisis Center.

Education for all ages takes place from 9 to 10 a.m. on Sundays. Programs offered include Sunday school for children age 3 through eighth grade and adult teaching on the book of Mark.

The adult teaching meets from 9 to 10 a.m. The study is led by Longbottom. Explore Mark and encounter the oldest Gospel witness to Jesus Christ.

Nursery care is available for infants and toddlers age 5 and under from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Children should be signed in and out.

The Hospitality Team will host coffee and fellowship time in the narthex after the services.

Children can attend the Sunday 10:15 a.m. service with their parents. After the KidsOwn Worship message, children age 3 through sixth grade may attend KidsOwn Worship, a special children's church designed especially for them. The theme will be "Jesus Tells About the Good Samaritan" based on the Bible story in Luke 10:25-37: God values compassion.

A Ministry Fair will be held at 11:30 a.m. in the narthex. Visitors can witness first-hand the total scope and breadth of First Congregational Church's programs, mission and benevolent ministries.

The Women's Bible Study meets at 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays. The study is based on the book, "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World" by Joanna Weaver. Study materials will be available. Join them in finding intimacy with God in the busyness of life.

God's Kitchen is a Lenten Family Dinner Series that continues through March 12. The meals are prepared in the church kitchen and served buffet style in the narthex. A free will offering will be taken. Come gather in God's Kitchen.

Lenten Study continues at 7 p.m. through March 12. Longbottom leads the study of "The Little Book of Letting Go" by Hugh Prather. According to Prather, letting go is the bottom-line key to happiness. In the book, he offers a simple three-step process for shedding prejudices, preconceptions and prejudgments and facing each moment with openness and enthusiasm. Nursery care is provided.

For details, call (847) 426-2161, ext. 210 or visit www.dundeefcc.org.

King of Glory: This week they will observe the fourth Sunday in Lent as they examine the topic "The Spotlight on Jesus" based on John 9:1-41.

The blended service is at 6 p.m. Saturday, traditional style worship at 8:15 a.m. Sunday with a contemporary worship at 10:45 a.m. led by the praise team singers and band.

Adult Bible classes are held every Sunday at 9:15 a.m. along with a special educational program for children called Kingdom Kids.

The church also offers various mid-week educational opportunities as well as a preschool education for 3- and 4-year-olds during the school year, and youth programs for various age groups.

The Wednesday Lenten services are at 7 p.m. through March 12.

The church is at Hopps and Randall roads, Elgin. For details, call (847) 931-1520 or visit www.kogonline.org.

Fox Valley Church: Fox Valley Church, 37W073 Huntley Road in West Dundee, recently announce the hiring of its new pastor of student ministries. The Rev. Jay Fast comes to Fox Valley with 10 years of experience. He enjoys connecting with students wherever they are in their spiritual journey, challenging them to move forward in their relationship with Jesus. Through exciting mid-week programming, special events, retreats and mission trips, he invests much in the students and their families, having lots of fun in the process.

Youth group is free to attend. The junior high program meets from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, and the senior high program meets from 7 to 9 Wednesdays. Call the church for details or to talk to the pastor.

For details, call (847) 844-1010 or visit www.foxvalleychurch.org.