Tri-Cities religion notes

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Christian rock

• Downhere will perform a concert at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at Ginger Creek Community Church, 2850 Ginger Woods Parkway, Aurora. Tickets cost $10 and are available at itickets.com/events/227027.html. The concert is sponsored by Batavia United Methodist Church and Ginger Creek Community Church. Proceeds benefit Mooseheart Child City and School.

Classical

• St. Gall Catholic Church in Elburn will host a flute and guitar concert at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 3. The concert, which is free to the public, will take place in the church, located at the corner of Shannon Street and Route 47 in downtown Elbun. The event will feature artists Kristin Paxinos and Ben Westfall. Their repertoire will encompass a wide range of styles, including works by Piazolla, Faure, Revel, and Pujol. Flutist Kristin Paxinos received a bachelor's degree in flute performance from Indiana University, and a masters in flute performance from DePaul University. She has played with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and has performed at Symphony Center, Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center. She has also performed on WFMT radio, and appeared as concerto soloist with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Sinfonia Toronto, and the Dallas Chamber Orchestra. Guitarist Ben Westfall received a bachelors in classical guitar performance for the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. He has performed live on WAIF 88.3 Cincinnati Public Radio, appeared as a featured artist at the 2008 Mills Brothers Scholarishp fundraising concert, and can be heard on New York based singer-songwriter Todd Almond's album, Mexico City. For information, call the St. Gall church office at (630) 365-6030.

• Come sample a joyful collection of chamber music composed and performed by flutist Susan Conant with pianist Lynn McCanne, soprano Cynthia Spiegel and violinist Elena Spiegel at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 6 at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva, 102 S. Second St. The music, which utilizes both classical and traditional flutes including C flute, alto flute, Irish whistle and Native American flute, is a dynamic, lyrical fusion of Celtic, folk, classical and jazz idioms. "Fresh Leaves" refers to Conant's newest compositions which will be featured on this concert. The group will also perform selections from her CD, "A New Leaf," from 2007.

"Suite for Flute Alone", four contrasting movements, blends bits of Celtic, Latin and jazz alternating between washes of color and flashy rhythms. Geneva High School's Elena Spiegel will join Conant on "Dialogue II", a duet for flute and violin that layers a soaring melody line against a driving fiddle-like ostinato. "The Tide" based on poetry of Longfellow and Sandburg, showcases the outstanding lyric soprano voice of St Charles Singers member, Cynthia Speigel. Conant has recently relocated to Charleston, S.C. from St. Charles. A longtime favorite of the Tri-Cities, Conant has played in a diverse collection of local classical and folk chamber ensembles and was one of the music directors at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva. She is also known as the landscape architect for RiverPark in Geneva and for her work with the Fox Valley Park District. Conant has received a warm welcome in her newly adopted city where she has been engaged to perform this program at the Piccolo Spoletto Festival in late May. Admission, $12 or $8 for seniors and students, will be collected at the door.

Catholic

• On Sunday, May 12, to honor Our Lady of Fatima, St. Patrick Catholic Church, 408 Cedar St. in St. Charles, will have Rosary at 6:45 p.m. followed by Procession, May Crowning and Holy Mass at 7:15 p.m. Everyone is invited to walk in the procession as the children spread flowers to honor Our Lady of Fatima. Baskets and flowers will be provided if needed.

First Communion children are encouraged to wear their First Communion clothing. Boys may spread flowers, carry a crucifix or a rosary. Refreshments served after Mass. For details, call (630) 584-0092 or visit stpatrickparish.org.

Fundraisers

• Sugar Grove United Methodist's annual spaghetti benefit lunch will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday, May 3, at the Sugar Grove Community House.

This benefit seeks to generate funds to repair flood damaged houses in Oakville, Iowa. For details, call (630) 466-4501. All voluntary contributions should be made payable to Sugar Grove United Methodist Church, designated for Iowa Disaster Relief.

• Curves of Geneva and their clients donated more than 4,000 pounds of food to the St. Peter Community Food Pantry. Curves' clients literally doubled the amount of food donated this year over last year. Curves of Geneva owner Steffanie Barringer said the food drive was a contest between the Curves in Elgin and the Curves in Geneva. The losing manager promised to wear purple hair for a day. Barringer and Elgin Manager Stephanie Ross agreed their members did so well, they each wore purple hair for a day. The ministry currently provides food and hygiene items to 275 families twice a month. For details about the pantry or about hosting a food drive, call (630) 232-0124, ext. 444.

• Calvary Episcopal Church will have a Fay's BBQ from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, May 2. Proceeds from the event will fund both Calvary's outreach ministries, including many local agencies, as well as the Calvary Youth Group.

This perennial favorite throughout northern Illinois allows diners to choose from chicken, pork chop or combination dinner with all the fixings for just $10 per person. Drive-up orders will be taken, but advance ticket purchase is encouraged to avoid disappointment. To reserve your dinners, contact Calvary at 630-879-3378 or download an order form from its Web site: calvary-episcopal.org

Calvary is at 222 S. Batavia Ave. at the corner of Route 31 and Main Street. Both advance and drive-up orders will be filled through a drive-through pickup in the church's east parking lot, which can be entered from Main Street.

• All ladies are invited to the first Mad Hatter Tea Party at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 9 at Calvary Episcopal Church, 222 S. Batavia Ave., Batavia. The day will include elegant Tea Party refreshments, served by the men of the parish, who will also entertain us with a one-of-a-kind show you don't want to miss! Prizes for the best hats in a variety of categories will also be part of the fun.

Proceeds from the event will help fund Calvary's outreach to Mutual Ground, a local shelter for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. A suggested donation of $10 per person for the event is requested, and advance reservations are required. A reservation form may be found at Calvary's Web site: calvary-episcopal.org/events.html.

Space will be limited, so please make your reservation as soon as possible. To make a reservation, visit the Web site or call the church office at (630) 879-3378.

• Fox Valley Unity Church, 230 Webster St. in Batavia, will be participating in the Batavia citywide garage sale on Friday, May 8 and Saturday, May 9. Hundreds of items will be for sale in the parking lot behind the church. For information, call Fox Valley Unity at (630) 879-1115 or visit foxvalleyunity.org.

• The Knights of Columbus St. Charles Council 12497 will host a spaghetti dinner from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, May 9, in the Father Dempsey Hall at the Crane Road Church in St. Charles. Admission is $8 or $6 for children, age 2 to 12, with a family maximum of $25. Advance ticket purchases or reservations are recommended, walk-ins are of course welcome. Any club member will be able to sell advance tickets or contact Fred Karl at (847) 373-2922 or e -mail ftkarl@sbcglobal.net to make arrangements.

Special events

• Everyone is talking about William Young's inspiring and provocative best-selling novel, "The Shack." On Saturday, May 2, one local church will hold events featuring a theologian and a Christian psychologist from Bethel University in St. Paul, Minn., to explore issues raised by The Shack. These events are free and open to the public.

From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., join the program at First Baptist Church of Geneva - West Campus, 3435 Keslinger Road, Geneva. This event is free, but reservations are required. Contact Bethel's Office of Alumni and Parent Services at (800) 255-8706, ext. 6462, or e-mail alumni@bethel.edu.

• "Surviving Tough Times" is the theme of the upcoming Celebrating God through the Arts event to be held in Big Rock from 1 to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 2. Workshops cover dance, Manga drawing, sculpture/montage, photography, creating symbols, tough times solutions, unleashing creativity and the arts in worship. This event is designed to allow participants to experience what a Christian arts conference is like, while being strengthen their creative skills and encouraged in their faith.

Cost is $10 per person. The event takes place at the Cyrus Ministries International facilities on Route 30 in Big Rock.

Karitos Christian Arts, Cyrus Ministries International and PromiseGarden.com have joined together to present the mini-conference. For more information, visit www.karitos.com or call PromiseGarden.com at (630) 393-6516.

• Many artists define their art as divinely inspired, and have discovered that prayer and a deeper sense of God bring them freedom and a broader sense of purpose. International speaker, Kari Mashos, says, "God's love for us is expressed in many ways, it's the healing art of divine Soul."

Mashos, a full-time prayer-based healer using the Christian Science system of healing, will present a talk titled, "God's Artistry," at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 3, at the Batavia Public Library, 10 S. Batavia Ave.

During her talk, Mashos references the original sourcebook on Christian healing, the Bible, along with Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, a book of universal ideas on practical spirituality. Mashos will share experiences that show how the healing art of divine Love brings creativity, worth, and a unique sense of identity. Inspired by God as Love, art brings healing and joy to the world. It was Mashos' study of the Bible and Science and Health which helped her through the feelings of abandonment by her father and the psychological effects of abuse. Mashos was an opera singer for several years and also founded her own opera company to highlight social issues before devoting herself full-time to the practice and teaching of Christian Science healing. Mashos has appeared live on radio programs in the US, UK, and Australia and was interviewed for the Oklahoma television documentary, "Chords of Memory." She is also a frequent contributor to Christian Science publications. Mashos speaks internationally as a member of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship.

Kari Mashos lives in Cape Neddick, Maine. For information on the event, call the Christian Science Reading Room, (630) 232-2868.

• Tens of thousands of prayer events are planned across the country on Thursday, May 7, to observe the 58th annual National Day of Prayer. In churches, parks and on courthouse steps, citizens will be praying for the nation and its leaders. St. Mark's Lutheran Church in St. Charles will open its doors for continuous prayer on May 7 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Prayer captains will be on hand to provide solace and support to participants. Jennifer Lambert and Kate Pefley from K-LOVE radio station (94.3 FM) will join in prayer from 4 to 6 p.m. as they continue to petition God for the nation's revival and renewal. Visit stmarksstc.org for additional details and directions. This year's theme, "Prayer - America's Hope!" is based on Psalm 33:22.

National Day of Prayer Task Force Chairman Shirley Dobson recently announced that Beth Moore, founder of Living Proof Ministries, is the 2009 Honorary Chairman. She will address the National Observance at the Cannon House Office Building, and the Pentagon celebration, both in Washington, D.C. Visit nationaldayofprayer.org to learn more.

• On Saturday, May 9, Nancy Gouch will be facilitating a retreat titled "Essence of Prosperity" from 1 to 5:30 p.m. at Fox Valley Unity Church, 230 Webster St., Batavia. Treat yourself to this half-day retreat and you will strengthen your spiritual foundation as you create your own sacred space for personal transformation. You will be anointed using specially formulated essential oil blends to facilitate spiritual attunement as you listen to the evocative music of Jana Stanfield and journal your awareness. Join with them to forgive and release stored negative emotional patterns, vividly capture your dream, uncover your highest potential, magnify your purpose, establish your goals and mastermind your success with other like-minded participants. Suggested offering is $45 in advance or $60 at the door. To register for the class, call Fox Valley Unity at (630) 879-1115. More information can be found on the Web site at www.foxvalleyunity.org.

• The public is invited to the dedication of a new open-air steel pavilion at the future site of Sugar Grove United Methodist Church, 4S633 Harter Road. The event will begin at noon Sunday, May 17. The site is part of a the church's 40-acre campus, located three-quarter mile west of Route 47 and Waubonsee Community College. The pavilion is to be dedicated to the glory of God in memory of Cathy Brouch Kroe. It will be used for weekly summer worship services, concerts, youth events, picnics, weddings, scouting, and other events for the church and the wider community. Live music and a potluck are also included. No cost. All are also invited to a " planting party" the previous day at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 16. They will be planting native flowers and grasses around the pavilion, in memory of Richard and Margaret Raymond. The plantings will also complement the church's nearby 3 acre native prairie. For information, contact Sugar Grove United Methodist at (630) 466-4501.

Support

• From 7:30 to 9 p.m. Thursdays, Fox Valley Unity church facilitates a discussion of "A Course in Miracles." This is an ongoing class - rain or shine. Each week a new topic is discussed. Everyone is welcome at any time and the class is always open to new attendees. Fox Valley Unity is at 230 Webster St., Batavia. For information, call (630) 879-1115 or visit foxvalleyunity.org.