McHenry County notes on religion
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McHenry County Jewish Congregation: As part of its "Bread and Torah" adult education series on Tuesday, March 31, McHenry County Jewish Congregation will host a Passover Workshop. The series pairs the preparation of food with learning, and at this workshop, speakers will offer tips on making tasty Passover desserts along with ideas for livening up Passover seders. The session is free and open to all.
The Passover holiday observance begins Wednesday, April 8. MCJC will hold a Festival Service at 9 a.m. Thursday, April 9, and a Community Seder at 6:30 p.m. that night. Reservations are required for the Seder, and details can be obtained by calling MCJC at (815) 455-1810 or visiting mcjc-online.org.
In observance of Yom HaShoah, the Holocaust Memorial Day, MCJC will hold a service at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 21. The MCJC Book Club will also be meeting that evening to discuss "The Book Thief," by Marcus Zusak, a novel set in Nazi Germany during the Holocaust.
MCJC will be welcoming Beatrice Muchman, a Chicago-based author and hidden child of the Holocaust, from 11 a.m. to noon Sunday, April 26. Her talk is free and open to all.
MCJC Religious School meets each Wednesday from 4:30 to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m. to noon. Twice-a-week instruction is offered to second- to seventh-grade students, and Sunday-only instruction is offered for the parent-tot, pre-K and kindergarten to first grade classes, and those in eighth grade through high school.
Adult education is also offered at noon Sundays and Wednesdays.
Shabbat services are at 6:30 p.m. Fridays, and 9 a.m. Saturdays at the synagogue, 8617 Ridgefield Road in Crystal Lake. Shabbat services are led by Rabbi Maralee Gordon and are free and open to everyone. This is the only Conservative Jewish congregation in McHenry County. Interfaith families are welcome. It also operates a gift shop offering a range of Judaica items. It is located on Ridgefield Road in unincorporated Crystal Lake, accessible from Route 14. For information, call (815) 455-1810 or visit mcjc-online.org.
First Congregational: On Sunday, March 29, the Rev. Michelle McNamara's sermon will be "Nothing to Lose," based on John 12:20-33 and Jeremiah 31:31-34, at the 9 and 10:30 a.m. services at the First Congregational Church, 11628 E. Main St. in Huntley. The Harmony 8ths will play in both services.
The Sunday school children, after attending the first part of the 9 a.m. service, will continue their journey called "Following in the Footsteps of Jesus" by "traveling" to Bethany to witness Jesus raising a man from the dead.
On Saturday, March 28, the weekly contemporary worship will be a small-group Bible study at 5 p.m. in the sanctuary. Everyone is welcome to attend. Larry Crimson will be the guest speaker and John Kern will make crepes for everyone to enjoy. At 5 p.m., the weekly contemporary worship service will be a "Worship Experience through Mission."
The Mission of the Month for March will be the Grafton Township Food Pantry, concentrating on Easter basket dinners for needy families. Items needed are canned vegetables, boxed macaroni and cheese, boxed potatoes and monetary donations.
On Wednesday, Clickin Sticks, the knit/crochet group, will meet at 1 p.m., the Crusader Bells will practice at 4:15 p.m., and the Chancel Choir will practice at 7 p.m. On Thursday, the Genesis Bells will practice at 6 p.m. and the Whitechapel Bells will practice at 7 p.m.
At 5 p.m. Saturday, March 28, the weekly contemporary worship service will be a service project outing. Everyone is welcome.
For details, call the church at (847) 669-3691 or visit www.firsthuntley.org.
St. John Lutheran: This weekend, the Rev. William Stroup will deliver the message, "Have a Seat, But Don't Get Comfortable", based upon Mark 10:32-34, 35-45, at 5:30 p.m. Saturday and 8 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday at St. John Lutheran Church, 300 Jefferson St., Algonquin. Sunday school will not meet on March 29. A supervised nursery is offered at the 10:30 a.m. service. The Lenten Season continues with a Lenten supper at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays followed by the Lenten service at 7 p.m. The theme this year is "King of Kings" and the message this evening will be "Herod: The King Who Couldn't Kill Jesus," based on Matthew 2:13-20.
The Mission Resale Shop, located on Washington Street, is open on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Gifts and good quality used clothing, and small household items can be purchased at reasonable prices. Donations are gratefully appreciated, and proceeds benefit mission work locally and afar. Call (847) 658-9300 or visit www.stjohnsalgonquin.org.
St. John's Lutheran School offers a day school program for first to eighth grade; all-day kindergarten and morning and afternoon preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds. Church membership is not required. To register or schedule a school tour, call Principal Ralph Peterson at (847) 658-9311.
Shepherd of the Prairie: On Sundays, the Rev. Mark Boster will preach at both services at Shepherd of the Prairie Lutheran Church. The 9 a.m. traditional and 10:30 a.m. contemporary services are held at the Cosman Cultural Center, 12051 Mill St., Huntley. Holy Communion will be celebrated at each service. Nursery care is available at both services. Sunday school is at 9 a.m. Lenten services continue each Wednesday with a soup supper at 6 p.m. and worship at 7 p.m. in the Cosman Center cafeteria. The theme will be relationships with God, Christ and each other. The Prayer Hour meets at 1 p.m. Fridays. Easter and spring craft and bake sales will be before and after services March 29 with proceeds to the building fund. Grafton Food Pantry food collection is April 5.
Construction continues on the new church building at the corner of Main and Manhattan. The church office is in Citizens First National Bank, 12101 Regency Square, Huntley. Call (847) 515-3711 or visit www.sotp.org.
Faith Community: On Sunday, March 29, the Rev. Bruce Cole will lead worship at 9 and 10:30 a.m. at Faith Community Church, 10547 Faiths Way in Huntley. Holy Communion will be celebrated. Nursery for children up to age 3 is available at both services as well as Sunday school for children from age 4 through middle school. Holy Communion will be celebrated at both services.
Alcoholics Anonymous holds a weekly closed meeting at noon Sundays and 7:30 p.m. Mondays. On Tuesdays, TOPS meets at 11:30 a.m. The church will host "Family Night" each Wednesday during Lent starting with a family dinner at 6 p.m. and worship at 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Want to learn more about membership at Faith? Join "Faith v. 1" at 11:45 a.m. Sunday, April 5 in the Worship Center. Talk with the pastor, meet the staff and learn the mission, vision and core values. Call (224) 569-6501 or visit www.fccwired.tv. Open enrollment for preschool has begun. To schedule an appointment call Director Michelle Sullivan at (224) 569-6512.
Unitarian church: On Sunday, March 26, the Congregational Unitarian Church, 221 Dean St. in Woodstock, discusses hope for the future at the 10:45 a.m. service. In "Hoping For the Best," the Rev. Dan Larsen will summarize the last several messages which altogether give you hope for the future. There will be special music by Tom Steffens. The adult choir, under the direction of Tom Steffens, will perform.
Sue McCowin will have the "Story for All Ages" before the kids go to their religious education classes. For information, call the church at (815) 338-0731, e-mail office@cucw.org, or visit www.cucw.org.
First Congregational: On Sunday, March 29, First Congregational Church, 461 Pierson St., Crystal Lake, continues its Sunday Lenten schedule with a half-hour Holy Communion service at 7:45 a.m. in the chapel. Services will follow at 9 and 10:45 a.m. in the sanctuary. The Rev. Bette Zattau will preach. Each Sunday at 9 and 10:45 a.m., all children, age 2 through seventh grade, will begin worship with their families. They will be excused to their appropriate Sunday school class early in the service. Nursery care and Toddler Time is provided for infants, and toddlers at each service.
On Sunday, March 29, members of the Adult Work Tours will collect aluminum cans to raise money for their summer work trips to South Dakota and the Appalachian region. Junior Fellowship for middle school youth meets at 4 p.m. in the Youth Room. Pilgrim Fellowship high school youth meets at 6:30 p.m. in the Youth Room. On March 30, the Monday Book Group meets at 11 a.m. in the Banner Library.
On Wednesday, April 1, Seasons of the Spirit Bible study is held at 10:15 a.m. in the Banner Library. The Lenten Soup Supper will be at 5:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall; Lenten Study at 7:15 p.m. in the chapel.
On Thursday, April 2, Women's Fellowship Luncheon and Program will be at noon in the fellowship hall.
Living the Questions will meet at 7 p.m. April 2 in the youth room with the class repeated at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 4. On Saturday, April 4, a writing workshop will be held at 9 a.m. in the multipurpose room. For details, call (815) 459-6010 or visit fcc-cl.org.
McHenry County Church of Religious Science: How you handle changes in your life and around you means more than the changes themselves. The theme for March at the Center for Spiritual Evolution, a Religious Science community, is "Change." On Sunday, March 29, the Rev. Anne S. Muelleman's topic, "Questions and Answers," will be built from your questions at the Center for Spiritual Evolution, a Religious Science community. Special music will be by Joyful Noise. Everyone is welcome to attend the 10 a.m. Sunday Celebration Service at 204 Spring St., lower level in Cary. There is a children's program and toddler care. If you arrive early, there is a meditation at 9:45 a.m. The children's Science of Mind curriculum is "Castles of Creation." There is a Tuesday morning mediation with Bhanta Sujatha at 10 a.m. for a $10 donation. For details, call (847) 516-1950 or visit www.newthoughtmchenry.org.
Congregational Church of Algonquin: On Sunday, March 29, the Rev. Brian Cope will preach at the 10 a.m. service at the Congregational Church of Algonquin, 109 Washington St. The message is "The Call to Our Dark and Hidden Self," based on Jeremiah 31:31-34 and John 12:20-33. Music will be provided by the Senior Choir. After the service, there will be a soup and discussion on "Immigration."
On Tuesdays at 7 p.m., there is a Bible Study with the pastor. On Thursdays, the Yarn Works group gets together to crochet shawls for the Shawl Ministry at 10 a.m.
"Shepherd University," children's Sunday school for preschool through sixth grades meets at 8:45 a.m. Sundays. During March, the children will spend three weeks learning about refugees and will end March with a study in Palm Sunday and building up to Easter.
The Mission Ministry is supporting a series of seminars on immigration, religious faith and society at 11:15 a.m. Sundays, through April 5. The seminars will include the biblical imperatives of welcoming strangers and the present social, economical and faith values, and include how you can participate in healing and renewing your societal brokenness. They will engage in their own backgrounds and how they have shaped their lives. They will study scriptures, watch DVDs, study the effects of federal laws and NAFTA. They will hear from Olgha Sandman who has participated as a representative of Illinois Conference and the National Church in immigration work. Soup and bread will be served for a light lunch following worship, in the fellowship hall.
Did you know that the creator of "Gilligan's Island" said he based the seven castaways on the Seven Deadly Sins? Did you know there are also Seven Holy Virtues? To find out the answers join them from 8:45 to 9:45 a.m. Sundays for an interesting study and great discussion. The Holy Week schedule will be Palm Sunday at 10 a.m. April 5, Seder Meal at 6 p.m. April 9, Tenebrae worship at 7:30 p.m. April 9; Good Friday service at 7:30 p.m. April 10; and Easter Sunday worship at 8:30 and 10 a.m. There will be a Family Easter egg Hunt at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 4. Enjoy egg hunting, egg dying, crafts and snacks.
Shop at the Heavenly Attic Resale Shop, 307 S. Main St. in Algonquin. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. The church is handicap accessible at the rear entrance. For details, call (847) 658-5308.