Your faith

Adult education

Jeff Cavins, renowned Catholic author and biblical scholar is coming to Holy Family Catholic Community, 2515 W. Palatine Road, Inverness. Join in from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. today, as Cavins talks about the tools for a lifetime of enriching Bible study and devotional reading.

Call the Holy Family Catholic Community church office to register at (847) 359-0042. Tickets are $45 and includes seminar materials and lunch.

Children, teens

Christ The King, Evangelical Lutheran Church, 100 W. Michigan Ave., Palatine, will offer "Me and You" -- a parent/child program at the Christ The King Preschool. The "Me and You" class is for 2-year-olds, and 3-year-olds not yet in preschool. The children will have time to interact with their parent or caregiver and classmates as they hear Bible stories, participate in music and movement, enjoy an appropriate art experience and play. A parent or caregiver needs to be present for the class. Class will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Tuesdays beginning this week. There is a $50 fee for each five-week session. For more information or to register, call (847) 358-0230.

Family

A "Best of the Bears" Tailgate Party and Potluck will be held at 11:30 a.m. Sunday after Barrington United Methodist Church's 10:30 a.m. worship service. Wear your Bears finery to enjoy brats, hot dogs and popcorn, watch tapes of Bears games and peruse Bears memorabilia. There will be a $5 charge per family.

All are welcome. Barrington United Methodist Church is located at 98 Algonquin Road (at Route 59) in Barrington. For information, call (847) 836-5540.

Fundraisers

The women of the Presbyterian Church of Barrington will hold their annual Christmas Benefit and Luncheon at 10 a.m. Nov. 29 to raise money for various mission projects. "Comfort and Joy" will include holiday music presented by the Barrington High Madrigal Singers under the direction of Nancie Tobison. A silent auction, drawing, bake sale and luncheon will follow the choral program. The church is at 6 Brinker Road, Barrington. For more information, call (847) 381-0975.

Lectures, seminars

Special guest speaker Brian Stiltner, Ph.D. will present "Faith and Force, A Christian Debate About War" at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Holy Family Parish, 2515 W. Palatine Road, Inverness.

How does Catholic tradition reconcile its support for the principles of "just war," with Jesus' promise, "blessed are the peacemakers?"

Professor Stiltner will be drawing on his new book, "Faith and Force: A Christian Debate About War."

All are welcome. For more information, call the parish office at (847) 359-0042 or (847) 907-3441.

The public is invited to a presentation on practical ways to live a life of conservation -- for individuals, households and organizations, to be given from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Nov. 10 at Countryside Church in Palatine.

This will appeal especially to those who are concerned about and are interested in our environment, and want information on energy audits/alternatives for their homes, offices and buildings. Specific and practical ways to reduce environmental impact will be presented and there will be a question-and-answer period. A suggested donation of $10 will be collected, with those younger than 18 admitted at no charge.

Gina Blus, a sustainability consultant in the San Francisco area, will be the presenter. A graduate of Dartmouth and Duke Law School, Blus worked as an in-house consultant for Sun Microsystems' business units before becoming an environmental action adviser to businesses and governmental entities.

Countryside Unitarian Universalist Church is located at 1025 N. Smith Road in Palatine. Directions may be found at www.ccuu.org or by calling (847) 359-8440.

Holy Family Catholic Community will offer the Loyola University New Orleans dynamic Specialized Certificate in Catechetical Leadership program from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Nov. 10.

The program provides adult participants with a unique opportunity to learn about the ministry of catechesis and to develop essential and emerging catechetical skills, strategies and methods.

This certificate program leads toward continuing education credit hours of specialized or-upper-level ministry studies. Successful completion of 12 continuing education credit hours in this program results in the student's reception of the profession ministry credential called the Specialized Certificate in Catechetical Leadership from the Loyola Pastoral Life Center of Loyola University New Orleans.

Six two-day sessions are held over a two-year period. The first course is Foundations of Catechetical Ministry offered Nov. 9-10 at Holy Family Catholic Community, 2515 W. Palatine Road, Inverness. To register or for more information, call (847) 359-0042 or visit www.holyfamilyparish.org.

Reclaim the joy of the gift that is Christ today at Barrington United Methodist Church, 98 Algonquin Road (at Route 59) in Barrington. From 9 a.m. to noon, children will enjoy programs just for them while adults attend a special "Unplug the Christmas Machine" workshop. Children from preschool through third grade will have a fun-filled morning with crafts, games, music and stories leading up to a "Happy Birthday Jesus" party, compete with birthday cake.

Children in grades four through six will spend the morning as party planners, using the Christmas story and carols as their guide in creating skits, songs, games and cake decorating. Nursery care will available for children under age 3. All are welcome. Call (847) 836-5540 for more information. Visit www.barringtonumc.com.

Miscellaneous

Christ the King Ev. Lutheran Church, 100 W. Michigan Ave., Palatine, will host Erntedankfest, a German Harvest Festival at 4 p.m. Sunday. Join us as we celebrate the gifts of the Lord with an all-German service at 4 p.m. A wonderful German meal and "Gemütlichkeit" in the tradition of Erntedankfest will follow the service in the church fellowship hall; donation baskets for the meal will be available. For more information, call (847) 358-0230 or visit www.byfaithalone.org.

The film "Green: The New Red, White and Blue" will be shown at Countryside Unitarian Universalist Church at 7 p.m. Friday. A discussion will follow the movie, and the public is invited free-of-charge.

Countryside Unitarian Universalist Church is located at 1025 N. Smith Road in Palatine, between Northwest Highway and Dundee. Directions may be obtained at www.ccuu.org or by calling (847) 359-8440.

First United Methodist Church of Palatine, the oldest continuous church in the village, is celebrating its sesquicentennial in November.

For the past 18 months portions of the church have been renovated and reconstructed. The North Church, which was built in 1895, has been replaced with a new multipurpose facility. The new facility, The Wesley Center, is named for the founder of Methodism.

Seventeen stained-glass windows, the largest of which is 12 feet by 18 feet, from the North Church were preserved and now grace the renovated lobby of the main church.

Members are planning a Great Reunion Weekend on Nov. 16-18. A play/musical will be held Nov. 16. The original play/musical, written and produced by local writers, is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the sanctuary of the church, and is open to the public.

Fifteen current and former pastors will attend an appreciation dinner held in their honor Nov. 17. Finally, one special worship service will be held at 10 a.m. Nov. 18, followed by a time of fellowship.

First United Methodist Church is at 123 N. Plum Grove Road, Palatine. For more information, call (847) 359-1345.

Performances

The public is invited to "Working for Reconciliation: Palestinian Solidarity Sunday" from 2-4 p.m. Sunday at Grace Lutheran Church in LaGrange. The afternoon will include a choir of singers from churches throughout the Chicago area directed by Helen Ailabouni, director of worship and music at Lutheran Church of the Atonement in Barrington.

Grace Lutheran Church is at 200 N. Catherine Ave. in La Grange, three blocks west of Mannheim and two miles east of I-294 on Ogden Avenue. For more information, call (708) 352-0730.

Proceeds of this fundraiser will go toward purchasing a new lighted sign for the St. Thomas of Villanova Elementary School.

Special services

A prayer service for peace in the Middle East will be held at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 15 at Lutheran Church of the Atonement, 909 Main St. in Barrington. The service includes reading from the Bible, music, and prayers for peace in the Middle East.

Following the service there will be a presentation "May we grow beyond our differences," by Emily L. Hauser, an American-Israeli Jew and a freelance writer.

For more information, call (847) 381-0243 or visit www.elca.org/middleeast.

Marc Adams, author of the award-winning autobiography, "The Preacher's Son," and founder and executive director of HeartStrong, will be the guest speaker at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at Countryside Church Unitarian Universalist in Palatine.

HeartStrong, a non-sectarian, nonprofit organization founded in 1998, was established to provide outreach to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and other persons adversely affected by the influence of all denominations of religious educational institutions.

Countryside Unitarian Universalist Church is located at 1025 N. Smith Road in Palatine, between Northwest Highway and Dundee. Directions may be obtained at www.ccuu.org or by phoning (847) 359-8440.

Thanksgiving Day Morning Praise service (Matins) at Christ the King Lutheran Church, (Wisconsin Synod), 100 W Michigan Ave., Palatine, will be held at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 22. Call (847) 358-0230 or visit www.byfaithalone.org.

Thanksgiving Day is a wonderful day to express gratitude. First Church of Christ Scientist at 421 E. Main St. in Barrington is holding a gratitude service on Thanksgiving Day at 10 a.m.

It will be an hour with music, sacred readings and the sharing of testimonies of gratitude from the congregation. Everyone in the community is invited to come and share in this hour of thankfulness.

Christ Lutheran Church invites all to worship at 7:30 p.m. Thanksgiving Eve, Nov. 21, at 41 S. Rohlwing Road in Palatine. This service is a time to celebrate and prepare for the feast that our nation will celebrate the next day. Christ Lutheran Church has its own special Thanksgiving tradition as well -- stay after worship for pie and fellowship time.

For more information, call the church office at (847) 358-4600.

Immanuel Lutheran Church, 200 N. Plum Grove Road, Palatine, will have a Thanksgiving Day service at 10 a.m. Nov. 22.

Regular weekend worship services are at 5 p.m. Saturdays (blended); 8 a.m. (traditional), 9:15 a.m. (blended), and 10:45 a.m. (contemporary) on Sundays, with 9 am. Sunday school for preschool-eighth grade and 11 a.m. Bible study.

To submit items, e-mail faith@dailyherald.com, or send fax to (847) 427-1301.