Fox Valley religion events
Dinner and a show: On Friday, Dec. 4, to Sunday, Dec. 6, the FCC Players and the Crystal Lake Park District Stagecrafters will present the drama, "The Boys Next Door," written by Tom Griffin and directed by Judy Sijerson. This funny yet touching play focuses on the lives of four men with disabilities who live in a communal residence under the watchful eye of a sincere, but increasingly despairing, social worker. Tickets for the performance at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4 and noon Sunday, Dec. 6, cost $12 and will include a spaghetti dinner. Tickets for Saturday's performance at 7 p.m. cost $8 and do not include a meal. The dinner and the play will take place in the fellowship hall at the First Congregational Church, Main and Church streets in Huntley. Everyone is invited. Call the church at (847) 669-3691 to make reservations.
Cookie Sale: Faith Lutheran Church, Helm Road and Navajo in Carpentersville, will host its Cookie Sale from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4 and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5. For details, call Loretta Platter (630) 213-7362 or e-mail yippy@sbcglobal.com.
Cookie Walk: First Congregational Church, 900 S. Eighth St. in West Dundee, will host its ninth annual Cookie Walk from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5. The community is invited to this event. Admission is free. Homemade holiday cookies and candies will be available in many varieties and will be sold by weight. Pick your own specialty holiday cookies from the selection; there is no need to bake this Christmas. A boutique of holiday items and handmade mittens, hats and scarves will also be on sale and the church's cookbook, "A Taste of Heaven," for $5 each. Many of the cookie recipes are included. The church provides financial support to six area organizations in the community serving children, families and singles. All proceeds from Cookie Walk 2009 will be used to fund these charities helping the hungry, the homeless and those in need. For details, call (847) 426-2161 ext. 210 or visit fccdundee.com.
Birthday party for Jesus: On Saturday, Dec. 5, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Elgin will hold a birthday party for Jesus with a special screening of the new Veggie Tales movie, "Saint Nicholas: A Story of Joyful Giving" from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Nesler Road and Route 20 Christian Life Center. This event is free and open to all families. All children attending must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, and registration is suggested by call the preschool at (847) 697-4745. Information and tours of Good Shepherd preschool at the Nesler site will be available for anyone interested. For details, visit goodshepherd-elgin.org.
Catholic author visits Huntley: St. Mary Parish, in partnership with Relevant Radio, will welcome Scott Hahn, an influential Catholic theologian and author, for three talks from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5 at the church, 10307 Dundee Road, Huntley. Registration begins at 9 a.m. The first presentation, "First Comes Love," starts at 10:30 a.m. Hahn uses the concept of family to explain Catholic thought about the Trinity. From 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., there will be a lunch break. At 1:30 p.m., Hahn will present "Why Scripture Matters," in which he will discuss what it means (and how) to read Scripture from the heart of the Church. After the break, which takes place from 2:30 to 3 p.m., Hahn will present his last talk, "Reasons to Believe" in which he will offer straightforward responses to common objections to the Catholic faith. Registration at the door is $20. To register, call Janet Marmion at (847) 669-3137, ext. 101 or e-mail jmarmionstmary@aol.com.
Christmas trees: Epworth United Methodist Church, 37W040 Highland Ave. in Elgin, will have fresh-cut Christmas trees available to take home on Saturdays and Sundays until Dec. 13. These quality trees come from local growers and come in many shapes, sizes and prices. For details, call (847) 931-5400 or visit epworthumcelgin.org.
Christmas concert: First Congregational Church, 900 S. Eighth St. in West Dundee, will host "We Wish You Christmas" at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5. The community is invited to this concert to celebrate the songs of the season. This special concert, in conjunction with Dickens in Dundee, will feature musical groups and individuals from the church singing, ringing and playing sacred and secular songs. A reception will follow with desserts and beverages. A free-will suggested offering for the concert and reception will be $10 per person. Proceeds will be used to fund charities helping the hungry, the homeless and those in need. For details, call (847) 426-2161 ext. 210 or visit fccdundee.com.
Celebrating 100 years: On Saturday, Dec. 5 and Sunday, Dec. 6, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 401 W. Main St. in West Dundee, will wrap up its 100th anniversary celebration. This year, the congregation has invited former pastors, vicars, and sons of the congregation in full-time ministry to preach at festive worship services. The church was founded in December 1909. With this final observance Bethlehem Church moves into its second century. The Rev. Bill Stroup, pastor of St. John Lutheran in Algonquin, will share the Gospel at the 5:30 p.m. Saturday, and 8 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday services. The pastor grew up at Bethlehem and heard the call to the ordained ministry later in life having served in various leadership capacities as a layman. Among Lutherans approximately 40 percent of seminarians today are second career people. Gary Lichthardt, the church's former director of music, will also return to play the organ. Lichthardt had a thriving music program at Bethlehem while he was organist from 1979-86. He and his family are currently serving at Trinity Church in Roselle. In addition to the festivities at Bethlehem, it is also Dickens in Dundee. The youth of the church will be serving sandwiches and several kinds of soups from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. The congregation will also be serving refreshments after each worship in the fellowship hall. The Rev. Steven R. Woita is the current pastor of Bethlehem. For details, call (847) 426-7311 or visit bethlehemdundee.org.
Living Nativity volunteers: Larkin Avenue Baptist Church invites you to join the Living Nativity scene from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, on North Grove Avenue in downtown Elgin as part of the Downtown Neighborhood Association's Window Wonderland. Volunteers are needed to assist with hospitality, music, acting and labor in setting up and taking down. There will be live animals at this nativity scene. Volunteers are needed for the entire six hours, or from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. or 2 to 5 p.m. Practice will be from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 5. It is helpful to participate in the practice. If you can participate, e-mail to info@labcelgin.org, call (847) 742-5014, or visit labcelgin.org and click on Holiday Plans and then Living Nativity Scene.
Festival of Light: "Sancta Lucia Pageant, A Festival of Light" will be held at 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 340 Grand Blvd., Elgin. Bethlehem's Swedish heritage comes alive in this beautiful pageant of the Christmas season. The guest soloist is Rise Jones. A Swedish buffet will be served in the church hall after program. A free-will offering will be taken with all monies going to the Elgin Interfaith Food Pantry. For details, call (847) 741-8434.
Christmas program: Chicago folk singer Anna Stange will present a family Christmas program at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, at the coffeehouse of the Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren, 783 W. Highland Ave., Elgin. Music for all ages will entertain and inspire and put everyone in the Christmas spirit. The community is invited. For details, call (847) 741-5124.
Christmas Carol Sing: St. James Episcopal Church, 516 Washington St. in West Dundee, will be host to a Christmas Carol Sing as part of the Dickens in Dundee celebration at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6. A choir made up of singers from area churches will lead the singing. The concert will include handbells, instrumental music, and brass along with organ and piano accompaniment for the carols. Traditional Christmas carols will include "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing" and "It Came upon the Midnight Clear." The St. James Handbell Choir will play "Let There Be Peace on Earth" by Sy Miller and Jill Jackson. The community choir will sing "Come and Hear the Joyful Singing," music and choral setting by Hal H. Hopson. There will be a reception after the concert in the Boynton Fellowship Hall. A free-will offering will be taken. Call (847) 515-8743 or e-mail slvrshu35@comcast.net.
Christmas concert: First Congregational Church, 461 Pierson St., Crystal Lake, presents its family Christmas concert, "Wondrous Birth" at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, featuring the 60-member adult Vestry Choir, the Jubilate Handbell Choir and the high school Alleluia Sound Choir. There will be traditional carols like "Away in a Manger" and "O Come O Come Emmanuel" as well as contemporary pieces such as "Sleigh Ride," "Christmas Nightingale" with Cynara Pierzina on flute and the comedic PDQ Bach "Throw the Yule Log On Uncle John." The Men of the Vestry Choir will present the Nigerian Christmas carol, "Betelehemu" with percussion accompaniment. The Vestry Choir will perform selected movements from "Cantata 142" attributed to J.S. Bach. FCC's Jubilate Handbell Choir will join the Vestry Choir on the "Alleluia" movement. Jubilate will also perform the "Overture" from the Nutcracker Suite as well as "Caroler's Hoedown." The Alleluia Sound Choir will sing "I Saw Three Ships" with four hand piano duo of JoAnn Black and Barbara Thorsen and the Spanish carol, "Riu Riu Chiu" featuring seniors Emily Wolfe, Taylor Dostal, Michael Ferguson and BJ Gannon. For details, call the church office at (815) 459-6010 or visit fcc-cl.org.
Advent tea: The United Methodist Women of the First United Methodist Church, 318 W. Main St. in West Dundee, are sponsoring their Advent Tea/Cookie Exchange at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6. Community women are invited to attend. Advent is the Christian season of preparation for the "coming" of the birth of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. A dulcimer/mandolin musical program will be presented by three musicians from the Rock River Dulcimers of Wisconsin. Selections will include Mountain and Christmas music. Carol singing will also be included. Bring your favorite recipe of four dozen cookies. One dozen will be shared at the Fellowship Tea after the musical program. Three dozen can be exchanged to take home. For details, call (847) 426-3298.
Christmas carols: The Presbyterian Church of Barrington, 6 Brinker Road, will present a program of carols, hymns and selections from Handel's "Messiah" at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6. Led by music director Kirsten Hedegaard, the Sanctuary Choir, Children's Choir and Bell Choir will be joined by soloists and instrumentalists in a joyful celebration of music for the season. The concert is free, but cash donations will benefit the work of the church Mission Committee. For details, call (847) 381-0975 or visit pcbarrington.org.
Cookie Walk, Mission Mart: Annual Cookie Walk and Mission Mart of First United Methodist Women will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 12 in the church small dining room at First United Methodist Church, 216 E. Highland in Elgin. Select your homemade holiday cookies then shop at the Mission Mart for homemade jams, breads, pickled beets and other treasures. Proceeds from this event is used for both home and foreign mission projects. The Mission Mart money this year is going to support a missionary, who works with the poorest of children in Cambodia.
>Christmas puppet show:
Cantata: On Sunday, Dec. 13, the youth and children choirs will present "Silent Night" cantata at both the 9 and 10:45 a.m. services at First Congregational Church, 461 Pierson St., Crystal Lake. The production will feature a 26-member cast and three youth and children's choirs. There will be a free-will offering.
Christmas sing-along: "Joy to the World," a community Christmas carol sing-along, will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19 at First Congregational Church of Elgin, 256 E. Chicago St. Admission is $5 per person. Proceeds will be divided between the church renovation fund and the Community Crisis Center. It will feature the Blue Tulip Wranglers and other musical accompanists. For details, call (847) 741-4045.