H.E.L.P.S. Ministry offering Thanksgiving dinner

H.E.L.P.S. Ministry is inviting the community to dinner on Thanksgiving, Nov. 27.

The doors will open at noon and dinner will be served at 3 p.m. at the H.E.L.P.S. Community Center at Courier and Tuscola avenues in the Valley View area of St. Charles Township (from Route 25, go west on Courier Avenue.)

"We don't want anyone to be alone on Thanksgiving," said Norina Valdes of H.E.L.P.S. "Or, if anyone doesn't want to cook, they are welcome to join us. We will have enough food for 150 people."

Valdes said the guests can bring a dish to share but it isn't necessary. Dinner will be served family style. In addition to dining, guests will be able to shoot baskets, play in the game room or use the computers. And guests can watch football on a big-screen television.

Valdes says that H.E.L.P.S. stands for hope, encouragement, love and prayer that leads to salvation.

"We serve whoever needs help," Valdes said. "We work with the drug court, the homeless in Elgin; we have a clothes closet and a food pantry."

For information, call the center at (847) 741-3526.

Music of the season: Local churches are planning special Christmas musical events and inviting the community.

• The choirs of Immanuel Lutheran Church will present "Come, Ye Faithful," a service of familiar carols, at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, in the Family Life Center, 950 Hart Road in Batavia.

The concert will be given by a mass choir including members of the church's Christus, Third Voice and Tongues of Fire groups. The choirs are directed by Sharon Dalpini. The arranger is Hal H. Hopson.

Strings, directed by Charlotte Bogda, and a harpist will accompany the choir.

For information, call the church at (630) 879-7163.

• Hosanna! Lutheran Church will be presenting "The Living Light" from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7. Hosanna! is at 36W925 Red Gate Road (entrance just east of Randall Road) in St. Charles.

The event celebrates the birth of Jesus through drama and music. The Hosanna! Festival Choir, featuring instrumentalists and actors, will bring the miraculous events of the first Christmas to life. Admission is free.

For information, call the church at (630) 584-6434 or visit HosannaChurch.com.

At Aurora University: Sacred, classical and popular holiday selections, including Antonio Vivaldi's "Gloria," will be performed in "Joy to the World!", a holiday concert by the Aurora University chorale, women's ensemble and the Music by the Lake Singers and festival orchestra.

The free concert is at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7 in Aurora University's Crimi Auditorium in the Institute for Collaboration at 407 S. Calumet Ave. in Aurora.

Reservations are required. Call (630) 844-4924 or e-mail artsandideas@aurora.edu.