Services to mark Holy Week

Lutheran

• Rejoice Lutheran Church, 0N377 N. Mill Creek Drive in Geneva, welcomes the community to its worship services during Holy Week. The Good Friday service April 10 will be at 7 p.m. Easter Sunday services will be at 8, 9 and 10:30 a.m. April 12. The high school youth group will host a breakfast Easter morning from 8:30 a.m.-noon. The breakfast will include pancakes, eggs, sausage, fruit, coffee and orange juice. All proceeds from a freewill offering will go toward the high school mission trip this summer. Rejoice Lutheran Church is in the Mill Creek subdivision in southwest Geneva. For information, call (630) 262-0596 or visit www.rejoiceinthemission.org.

• Holy Week services at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 950 Hart Road in Batavia, are scheduled through Easter Sunday, April 12. Good Friday services will be at 3:45 and 7:15 p.m. in the sanctuary. Easter Eve worship will be at 5:30 p.m. in the sanctuary. Easter worship will include a sunrise service at 6:30 a.m.; traditional worship at 9 a.m. and contemporary worship at 11 a.m. All services will be in the Family Life Center. For details, call (630) 879-7163 or visit immanuelbatavia.org.

• Matthew Boll of Crystal Lake has been hired to lead the praise worship service at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in St. Charles. St. Mark's offers Sunday traditional services at 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., as well as Saturday night services at 5:30 p.m. All services are led by the Rev. Timothy Silber.

Easter Eve worship will be at 5:30 p.m. in the sanctuary. Easter worship will include a sunrise service at 6:30 a.m., traditional worship at 9 a.m. and contemporary worship at 11 a.m. All services will be in the Family Life Center.

St. Mark's celebrated its 100th anniversary as a St. Charles church in 2007.

Matt Boll is a graduate of Greenville College in Greenville, Ill., where he earned his bachelor of science in music with an emphasis in audio engineering after first attending Judson University in Elgin. Boll is a singer, guitarist, composer and keyboard player who performs professionally in two bands, Jadiid and The Hudson Branch, based in the Chicago area.

Boll has led contemporary worship services as a volunteer and professionally. His experience includes study at the Contemporary Music Center at Martha's Vineyard, where the focus was on performance studio training. He also served as director of music at the Willow Creek Community Church/Camp Paradise, leading community worship sessions and serving as staff counselor. Boll has traveled the world with his music, including Teen Mania Ministries in Jamaica; Youth with a Mission in Kona, Hawaii, India and Thailand; the Vina Association in Soloa, Guatemala; Solomon's Porch Ministry at Panajachel, Guatemala; and served in the College Chapel Band at Greenville College.

Boll will be inheriting an innovative and successful ministry established and directed for 10 years by St. Mark's Lutheran Church members Bob and Beckie Untiedt. Approximately 30 percent of the congregation now attends the 11 a.m. weekly praise services at St. Mark's.

"We are pleased to have a person with a background like Matt Boll leading our Praise worship," said Jody Wendt, a vocalist with the St. Mark's Praise Team. "He brings an exciting skill set with his singing, playing and leadership talents. We support his interest in taking our Praise ministry in creative, Christ-focused directions as we have since its inception." For information, contact St. Mark's Lutheran Church at (630) 584-8638.

Unity

• Fox Valley Unity Church will be celebrating its traditional Good Friday Candlelight Taizé Service at 7 p.m. Friday, April 10, at the church, 230 Webster St., Batavia. The Taizé service engages all of the senses through music, prayer, chant, Scripture readings, and a period of silent contemplation. It is a form of worship using simple chants and readings to attain a state of deep contemplative prayer and awareness. All are invited to this candlelight ceremony celebrating the light that is not overcome by darkness. For information, call Fox Valley Unity at (630) 879-1115 or visit foxvalleyunity.org.

Catholic

• Members of St. Peter Parish in Geneva will present the Living Stations of the Cross at 7 p.m. Good Friday, April 10. The tableaux-style dramatization will take place in the church, 1891 Kaneville Road, Geneva. Each station will highlight a particular character who, in monologue fashion, responds to the penetrating question, "Were You There?" The production is based on the meditation, "Journey of Decision: A Way of the Cross," by Sarah A. O'Malley, OSB; and Robert D. Eimer, OMI. Characters will move during music, but will freeze during the monologues and narrations. A prayerful, meditative spirit will set the tone of the presentation. More than 30 parishioners from St. Peter will portray the characters and will assist with music, lighting, and sound. Drew Von Ruden will play the role of Jesus, with Jennifer Sloma as Mary, Nancy Krueger as Magdalene, and Gary Uhazy as John the Apostle. Roxanne Sronkoski is directing the production. There is no charge for the one-hour presentation. For information about the Living Stations of the Cross, call the church at (630) 232-0124.

• St. Gall Catholic Church, Route 47 and Shannon St. in Elburn, will observe the Mass of the Lord's Supper at 7:30 p.m. Good Friday, April 10, with Stations of the Cross at 1 p.m., Liturgy of the Lord's Passion at 7:30 p.m. On Holy Saturday, April 11, the Blessing of Easter foods will be at 11 a.m. The Easter Vigil will take place at 7:30 on Saturday, April 11. (Because of the Vigil Mass, the usual 4:30 p.m. Saturday Mass has been canceled.) Masses on Easter Sunday, April 12, are at 8, 9:30 and 11 a.m. For information, call the parish office at (630) 365-6030.

Episcopal

• Calvary Episcopal Church announces the following schedule of special services. The public is invited to all services and special events.

Good Friday, April 10, 9:30 a.m. Morning Prayer and Reflection; noon Community Ecumenical Service hosted by Calvary; 3 p.m. traditional Stations of the Cross; 7 p.m. Solemn Liturgy of the Lord's Passion and Death.

Holy Saturday, April 11, 9:30 a.m. Morning Prayer, Reflection and Preparation of the Pascal Candle; 7:30 p.m. Great Vigil of Easter, including Salvation History and Renewal of Baptismal Vows.

Easter Sunday, April 12, 6 a.m. Sunrise Service at Logan Street Baptist Church; 8 and 10:15 a.m. Festival Holy Communion Service with Renewal of Baptismal Vows, followed by Festive Coffee Hour after each service.

Calvary is at 222 S. Batavia Ave., at the corner of Route 31 and Main Street. The Rev. Michael Rasicci, rector of Calvary, will officiate and preach at each worship service. For details, call the church at (630) 879-3378 or visit www.calvary-episcopal.org.

• St. Charles Episcopal Church, 994 N. 5th Avenue, (Route 25) St. Charles, invites the community to observe Holy Week services.

Friday, April 10 Good Friday, 9 a.m. Holy Eucharist ending the Watch; 11 a.m. Intergenerational Stations of the Cross; 7:30 p.m. Holy Eucharist from the Reserved Sacrament.

Saturday, April 11, 7:30 p.m. Easter Vigil beginning with the lighting of the Paschal Fire in the Memorial Garden, followed by a reception in Ludtke Hall.

Easter Day, April 12, Holy Eucharist with Special Music 7:30, 9 and 10:45 a.m. Easter Egg Hunt at 10 a.m.

Methodist

• On Friday April 10, Sugar Grove United Methodist Church, 176 Main St., will host a Good Friday worship for area churches, including Kaneville United Methodist and Grace United Methodist of Maple Park, at 7 p.m. The candlelight service, recalling the suffering and crucifixion of Christ, will feature live music, singing, Scripture readings and silent prayer. Come and experience this moving worship opportunity. For details, call the church office at (630) 466-4501.

Jewish

• A Shabbat service will be held at 7 p.m. the third Friday of the month at Fox Valley Jewish Neighbors, 121 S. Third St., Geneva. Services are followed by an oneg (snacks and visiting). Services are interfaith and family friendly. Guests may bring fruit or dessert to share following the service. For more information, visit the Web site at fvjn.org.