Lake County religion notes

To have your information included, e-mail it each week by noon Tuesday to faith@dailyherald.com, fax it to (847) 680-0189 or mail it to Religion listings, 1795 N. Butterfield Road, Suite 100, Libertyville, IL 60048.

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago invites those who have experienced the loss of a loved one to suicide to participate in its Loving Outreach to Survivors of Suicide Program from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14, at Holy Family Church Counseling Center, 2515 Palatine Road, Inverness, and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18, at Carmel High School, 1 Carmel Parkway, Mundelein.

Council of Catholic Nurses of Lake County: An Advent Preparation Program will be presented Saturday, Dec. 6, in the chapel at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary, Route 176, Mundelein. Arrival time is 8:15 a.m., be seated in chapel by 8:30 a.m. for prayer. Mass is at 9 a.m., followed by brunch. Cost for members is $20, nonmembers, $25. Call Marian at (847) 548-1309 for reservations by Saturday, Nov. 22. All nurses welcome.

Federated Church of Wauconda: A Christmas Bazaar will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at the church, 200 S. Barrington Road, (Route 176 and Barrington Road) Wauconda. Crafts, ornaments, handmade Christmas cards, home-baked goods, egg art, quilts, designer scarves and Grandma's attic (gently used treasures). Lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Luncheon tickets cost $8 for adults, $3 for children ages 3 to 12 and free for kids younger than 3. For details, call (847) 526-8471. Same day as Wauconda's Main Street Christmas Walk.

First Presbyterian Church of Libertyville: Join the congregation at First Presbyterian of Libertyville for its annual Thanksgiving Breakfast fundraiser and Worship Service on Thursday, Nov. 27. The senior high students will serve breakfast in Fellowship Hall from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. with the worship service to follow at 10 a.m.in the sanctuary. The pancake breakfast will be $5 per person, $15 per family of four with $3 per additional family member. All proceeds will benefit the 2009 Senior High Mission Trip. The church is at 219 W. Maple Ave. in Libertyville on the corner of Douglas and Maple. (847) 362- 2174.

Gentle Hands Healing Rooms: Gentle Hands Healing Rooms, formerly Crystal Spring Healing Rooms, in Libertyville is available for healing prayer every Saturday morning from 9:30 to 11:30. Prayer is free and confidential. Interdenominational, trained, Christian teams are ready to pray for you. Location: 1117 S. Milwaukee Ave., Suite A-14.

Grace Lutheran Church: For Thanksgiving, a Wednesday evening worship service will be at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 26. Following worship the church will hold its annual Thanksgiving Eve Pie Social. On Sunday, Nov. 30, there will be only one worship service at 10 a.m. Grace Lutheran Church is at 501 Valley Park Drive, Libertyville. (847) 367-7050 or www.aboutgracelutheran.org.

• The 5th Annual Grace Cookie Walk will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, at the church, 501 Valley Park Drive in Libertyville. Cookies are home baked by church volunteers and sold by the container. Shoppers can mix and match their favorites, or try delectable new tastes. This is the perfect opportunity to stock up for holiday entertaining and gifts. www.aboutgracelutheran.org or (847) 367-7050.

Holy Cross Lutheran Church: Holy Cross Lutheran Church is coordinating an effort of more than 1,100 community members of all ages to package 300,000 lifesaving meals for starving children around the world during an event Dec. 6-7 at Maine Plastics, Inc. in Zion, Ill.

Through a partnership among Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Maine Plastics and the Minnesota-based Feed My Starving Children (FMSC), volunteers will prepare specially designed meals that provide the key nutrients a starving child needs to survive and thrive.

Packing sessions will take place at the following times: Saturday, Dec. 6: 8-10 a.m., 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 1-3 p.m., 3:30-5:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 7: 1-3 p.m., 3:30-5:30 p.m.

JUF Book Buddies: Learn about Hanukkah through art projects, storytime and songs with other young area families. This event, for families with children up to age 5, takes place from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 14, at the following Barnes & Noble locations: 720 Hawthorne Center, Vernon Hills and 590 E. Golf Road, Schaumburg. To RSVP, contact Abby Halper at (312) 444-2844 or e-mail bookbuddies@juf.org. This free event is sponsored by Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.

Messiah Lutheran Church: A living Nativity walk will be presented at 3 and 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, at 25225 W. Ivanhoe Road, Wauconda. The walk will be narrated and start outside and then proceed indoors for the duration of the story. Afterward, there will be cookies and hot chocolate. There is no cost to attend.

North Suburban Mennonite Church: An International Handicrafts Bazaar, featuring Fairly Traded handicrafts from around the world, will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, at Libertyville Civic Center, 135 W. Church St., Libertyville. The fair will include Nativities, ornaments, home décor, jewelry, baskets, toys and other unique holiday gift items. It also will feature Tierra Neuva Honduran Coffee and other fair trade coffees. The bazaar is presented by North Suburban Mennonite Church. For details, visit www.northsuburban.org or call (847) 986-3585.

St. Andrew Lutheran Church: The Beginnings Drama Team of St. Andrew Lutheran Church, 10 S. Lake St., Mundelein, debuts its first show, "A Christmas Carol," Friday and Saturday, Dec. 12 and 13, transforming the church's sanctuary into a theater for the production. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 12-13, and 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for children and seniors. Proceeds will benefit church programming. Please bring canned goods for a food drive to benefit COOL Food Pantry and Transitional Housing, Waukegan, during all performances. Call (847) 548-2760 for advance tickets and additional information, or visit www.standrewmundelein.org.

St Joseph: Men are invited to join a pilgrimage to Italy. Eight places are open for a pilgrimage to Italy Feb. 2-11, 2009. The cost is $3,108 per person, based on double occupancy, and includes travel in Rome, Assisi, Siena and Florence. This package includes nine nights of accommodations, round-trip airfare, daily Mass, breakfast and seven dinners, all entrance fees to the sights and shrines, plus all taxes, surcharges and transfers. There is a $250 deposit required and the deadline for joining this pilgrimage is Saturday, Nov. 1. For details, contact Catherine Sims at (847) 990-1238 or csims@stjoseph-libertyville.org.

St. Matthew Lutheran Church: Two Services of "Thanks and Praise" will be offered at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 26, and at 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 27, at the church, 24500 N. Old McHenry Road, Hawthorn Woods. Call (847) 438-7709.

• The Sunday school service will be presented at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 14, in the sanctuary, 24500 N. Old McHenry Road, Hawthorn Woods. An "Old English Christmas" will be presented by St. Matthew Sunday school students. The public is welcome to join families and friends as an "Old English Christmas and carols" tell the Christmas story.

• Advent services will be Sunday, Nov. 30; Thursday, Dec. 4; Saturday, Dec. 6; Sunday, Dec. 7; Thursday, Dec. 11 (St. Matthew Day School Christmas Program); Saturday, Dec. 13; Sunday, Dec. 14 (Choral Advent/Christmas Cantata 8 and 10:45 a.m. - Sunday school Program 9:30 a.m.); Saturday, Dec. 20; Sunday, Dec. 21. Service Times: Thursday at 7 p.m.; Saturday, 5:30 p.m.; Sunday, 8, 9:30 and 10:45 a.m., Dec. 14, 9:20 a.m. in Main Church. No worship service Thursday, Dec. 18. St. Matthew Day School Christmas Program will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 11.

Thanksgiving meal: Combined local churches (including Harvest Bible Chapel, Peace Lutheran Church, Alpine Chapel, St. Francis de Sales and Northwest Family Church) along with Culver's in Lake Zurich have teamed up to feed the hungry on Thanksgiving Day. A traditional Thanksgiving feast will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 27, at Culver's, 645 N. Rand Road, Lake Zurich.The Anglican Chapel of the Holy Cross: A service of traditional Thanksgiving hymns and a celebration of the Holy Eucharist will be offered at 7 p.m. on the Eve of Thanksgiving, Wednesday, Nov. 26, at 500 Park Ave., Unit 102, Lake Villa. All services follow the liturgy of the Episcopal Church. The chapel is associated with the Anglican Communion Network. For details, visit holycross-anglican.org or call (847) 543-7371.

Annunciation of Our Lady Episcopal Church: A 10 a.m. Thanksgiving worship service will be offered Thursday, Nov. 27, at the church, 5725 Stearns School Road, Gurnee. For details, call (847) 336-3730 or visit annunciationgurnee.org.

Bethel Lutheran Church: Bethel Preschool, an early childhood ministry of Bethel Lutheran Church, has openings in a new Tuesday and Thursday afternoon enrichment session. This session, Science Explorations I, is for children ages 4 to 6 and runs from 12:45 to 3:15 p.m. Nov. 4-25 a the church, 5110 Grand Ave., Gurnee. Call the preschool at (847) 244-9672 to register.

Christian Life Fellowship Church: The Summit Youth Group meets from 7 to 9 p.m. Fridays at Christian Life Fellowship Church, 41625 N. Deeplake Road, Antioch. www.summityouthgroup.com.

Church of the Holy Family: A Sunday Eucharist service is offered at 10 a.m., with refreshments and fellowship following the service. The small Episcopal congregation is in the historic stable for the Lehmann Estate, 24219 Lehmann Blvd., Lake Villa. The facility is available for rental for showers, weddings, funerals, birthday parties. The Memorial Garden is open at all times for quiet meditation or picture-taking for that special occasion. Contact Faye at (847) 693-8813 for more information. Visit the Thrift Shop, which is open from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. A $2 Bag Sale is held the last Saturday of each month. (847) 356-7222 or www.theholyfamilychurch.com.

Congregation Am Echod: The Reform Congregation, 2945 Falling Waters Blvd., Lindenhurst, offers the following Shabbat service schedule.

• Saturday, Nov. 22: 9:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service. Bar mitzvah of Bennet Hoffman

• Friday, Nov. 28: 7:30 p.m. Am Echod Express: a Shabbat service taking about 60 minutes.

• Saturday, Nov. 29: 9 a.m. Study Session with Rabbi Harari, 10 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service.

Faith Lutheran Church: Thanksgiving Services will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 26, and 9 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 27, at the church, 24300 Grass Lake Road, Antioch. For details, call (847) 293-6101 or visit faithantioch.org.

Grayslake United Protestant Church: The public is invited to pick out delicious holiday treats for gift-giving and holiday parties from among thousands of cookies at the seventh annual Cookie Walk on Saturday, Dec. 6, at the United Protestant Church, 54 S. Whitney St., Grayslake. It features beautifully decorated and delicious cookies, candies and holiday treats for sale at $7 per pound. The cookie walk will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. and is sponsored by the UPC Women's Christian Fellowship. The festive event will be held in the lower level of the church in Fellowship Hall. Call (847) 223-8131.

Millburn Congregational United Church of Christ: A Cookie Walk will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at Millburn Congregational United Church of Christ, 19073 W. Grass Lake Road, Lake Villa. Cookies and candy will be $6 per pound. For more information, contact the church office at (847) 356-5237.

Prairie Circle Unitarian Universalist Congregation: Join the Rev. Elizabeth Harding and Laura Tomsky, director of religious education, for worship services at 9:15 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 23. The sermon's topic is "Good and Gracious Gratitude." This intergenerational service will focus on what we are grateful for as we approach Thanksgiving. PCUUC meets each Sunday in the Byron Colby Barn, 1561 Jones Point Road, Grayslake, in the Prairie Crossing community. Children's liberal religious education for preschool through high school runs concurrent to the adult service. Child care for children ages 3 and younger is available during the service. For details, visit prairiecircleuuc.org or call (847) 604-1908.

St. Andrew Episcopal Church: The church at 31 Park Ave., Grayslake, presents its community service project, "Elijah's Mantle for Children in Need." The church's goal is to help families with children in need by supplying free, gently-used clothing for boys and girls in sizes ranging from infant to size 16. The store is open to everyone from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. the second Saturday of each month at no cost. The next store dates are: Saturday, Nov 8; Saturday, Dec. 13; and Saturday, Jan. 10. The church welcomes fall and winter clothing donations, especially winter coats. For details, visit standrewsgrayslake.org or call (847) 223-2310.

St. Dismas: The Knights of Columbus Waukegan Council 731 will have a Memorial Mass for all the deceased members at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 25, at St. Dismas Church, 2600 Sunset Ave., Waukegan. Celebrant will be Father John Ryan, assisted by Deacon Irvin Boppart. All are invited. Cake and coffee will be served in Hunter Hall following the service.

St. Mark Lutheran Church: Thanksgiving Eve Worship Service will be offered at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 26, at the church, 1822 E. Grand Ave., Lindenhurst. Regular worship hours are traditional worship at 5:30 p.m. Saturday and at 8 a.m. Sunday, and contemporary worship at 11 a.m. Sunday. Call (847) 356-8140.

St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church: The church in Antioch will celebrate a Latin Mass at the regularly scheduled 6 p.m. Vigil Mass Saturday, Nov. 22. The Mass will be said according to the Novus Ordo. The Sunday Vigil Mass is celebrated in Latin, with the exception of the readings and homily, which will be spoken in English. Everyone is invited to attend. St. Raphael the Archangel is on Route 173, a half-mile east of Route 45, near Antioch. Weekend Masses are at 4 and 6 p.m. Saturdays and 7, 9 and 11 a.m. Sundays. For details, call (847) 395-FISH (3474).

St. Stephen and St. Ignatius: The community is invited to a Thanksgiving Eve worship service planned jointly by St. Ignatius of Antioch Episcopal Church and Saint Stephen Lutheran Church at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 26, at St. Ignatius, 500 E. Depot St., Antioch. For information, call St. Ignatius at (847) 395-0652 or St. Stephen at (847) 395-3359.

United Methodist Church of Antioch: The church at 848 Main St. houses two preschools. Tomorrow's Future Preschool and Childcare, Inc. offers full-time care to children ages 6 weeks old to elementary-school, with an after-school program. Parents Day Out offers part-time care to children ages 2 to 5. For details, call Torie Johnson at (847) 395-1362.

Christ Community Church: The Jeremiah People Theater Company will present "Christ in the Concrete City" at 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23, in the Christian Arts Auditorium at Christ Community Church, 2500 Dowie Memorial Drive, Zion. Freewill offering. (847) 746-1411.

Crosspoint Church: The church will begin the Christmas Advent Season Sunday, Nov. 30, during the morning worship service. The Rev. Chuck Vitel will present a series of messages over four Sundays with the theme of "Keeping the Savior in the Season." The church, 27430 W. Nippersink Road, Ingleside, offers a contemporary worship service at 10 a.m. Sundays. For details, call (847) 587-7722 or visit thecrosspointchurch.org.

St. Therese: Married/Divorced? Liberal, and unashamed of it? All are welcome to receive Communion at the parish of St. Therese, the Little Flower, in the First Congregational UCC building, 320 Grand Ave., Waukegan. Mass every Sunday at noon.

Touchstones: Join Touchstones, an interfaith collaboration, at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, as a new monthlong focus begins: "Celebration - From the Jewish experience." Lynn Sanders, a member of Congregation Hakafa, who has taught Jewish music at Lakeside Congregation in Highland Park, will be speaking and performing at the Schram Chapel, 1799 Patriot Blvd., Glenview. Call (847) 446-0997 or visit MYTOUCHSTONES.org for details. The conversation continues from 4 to 5:30 pm. Sundays throughout December at Caribou Coffee, 939 Waukegan Road in Glenview.