Notes on Religion

To have your information included, e-mail it each week by noon Tuesday to faith@dailyherald.com, fax it to (847) 680-0189 or mail it to Religion listings, 1795 N. Butterfield Road, Suite 100, Libertyville, IL 60048.

Anshe Tikvah: A wine and cheese reception will be offered at 6 p.m. Friday, followed by a Shabbat Family Service at 6:30 p.m. at 103 Shelter Road, Lincolnshire.

• A Purim Celebration with the residents of Brentwood North Health Care in Deerfield will be held at 10 a.m. March 16. Call for information. (847) 917-7726. For details, visit www.anshetikvah.org.

Community Christian Church (Disciples of Christ): The church at 1970 Riverwoods Road, Lincolnshire, will offer an Easter egg hunt and carnival from 2 to 4 p.m. March 22. All students in fifth grade and under are welcome to attend. For details, call (847) 945-8824 or visit www.ccclincolnshire.org.

Congregation Or Shalom: On March 15, adults can try a progressive rummy game called Pisha Paysha. Starting at 7:30 p.m., it will be held at a private home and reservations will be required. It promises to be a free, fun evening.

Congregation Or Shalom is at 21 Hawthorn Parkway in Vernon Hills. For information on Congregation Or Shalom and upcoming events, call (847) 362-1948 or visit www.orshalomlc.org.

• A Purim Carnival will be held from 10:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. March 16, followed by a Purim service starting at 7 p.m. March 20.

• Cooking with the Rabbi, continues, taking place from 10 to 11:15 a.m. Thursday and April 3 and 17, The only prerequisites for this course are an $18 fee and a desire to have fun cooking.

• The synagogue-based book club will resume on April 6 from 9 to 10:15 a.m., and from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Hawthorn Lakes. The book being discussed will be "Suite Francaise" by Irene Nemirovsky.

• On April 12, Rabbi Scott Looper, who has been the spiritual leader of Or Shalom since 1995, will be feted at a special event at the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort. The evening will feature dinner, dancing and a silent auction.

• On April 13, a field trip will offer a chance to explore the South Side of Chicago with Dr. Irving Cutler. A fee of $25 covers the entire trip, including the bus ride.

For additional information regarding any of these programs or other upcoming events, call Congregation Or Shalom at (847) 362-1948 or visit the synagogue's Web site, www.orshalomlc.org.

The First Presbyterian Church of Libertyville: The church is holding its eighth annual Triple Treasure Auction from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. March 15 at the church and Monopoly is the theme for the night. Both silent and live auctions will be held. Appetizers, refreshments and dinner will be served. The church is located at 219 Maple in Libertyville. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children, who attend their own separate program. Tickets are available by calling (847) 362-2174. After Sunday, adult tickets are $25 and children's tickets will no longer be available. All proceeds benefit the church's many charitable missions.

Grace Lutheran Church: The church invites everyone each Wednesday in Lent for LIQUID, a Lenten Experience, midweek study series. Each week the study will look at one of the brief stories from this series that illustrates God's word in the language of today's culture. The evening will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a soup supper, and then the Lenten study. Grace Lutheran Church is on 501 Valley Park Drive, Libertyville. For more information, visit the Web site at www.aboutgracelutheran.org or call (847) 367-7050.

• Grace Lutheran Church's "Growing with Grace" Children's program is accepting applications for their "Terrific Two's" and their new "Tremendous Three's" programs. The Terrific Two's Program is for children turning 2 years old by Sept. 1. For more information on this program, contact Beth Zupkus at (847) 367-7050, terrifictwos@earthlink.net or visit www.aboutgracelutheran.org.

Grace Lutheran Church introduces its Growing with Grace "Tremendous Three's" program, a new non-denominational preschool program for the 2008-2009 school year. This program is for children turning 3 years old by Sept. 1. For more information, contact Sarah McAuliffe at (847) 367-7050, tremendousthrees@earthlink.net or visit www.aboutgracelutheran.org.

Holy Cross Lutheran Church: The 2008-2009 registration for Mom's Morning Out has begun. Mom's Morning Out is a special preschool program designed for 2-year-olds. Registration forms may be obtained in the church office. For details, call Lisa Valentine at (847) 367-4060.

The church is at 29700 N. St. Mary's Road in Libertyville. For more information, visit www.holycrosschurch.org.

• Brent Allan will bring his "Wacky and Wild Comedy Magic Show" March 15 to Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Libertyville. The show is being presented by the church's Early Childhood Ministries to benefit its Playground Update Project. Reduced-cost advance tickets and family passes are available. For details, call Mindy Doss at (847) 367-4367.

• "Taste Worship," led by Peder Eide, a national Christian singer/songwriter and speaker, will be offered from 6 to 8:30 p.m. March 16 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church. Taste Worship invites youth in fourth grade through high school accompanied by a parent, and adults. (847) 367-4060.

• CrossWays Preschool's open registration is in progress. Crossways Preschool serves children who are 3 and 4 years old by Sept. 1. Traditional classes are held from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings and Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Additional options for 4-year olds include Lunch Bunch and Science Sensation. Lunch Bunch extends the school day until 1 p.m. on Wednesdays, and provides additional large motor activity, socialization and planned activities. Science Sensation is an enrichment program that provides in-depth, age-appropriate and an exciting science and math experience one morning a week. For more information, call Mindy Doss at (847) 367-4060.

• Lenten worship services will be at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday with a soup supper at 6:30 p.m. There will be a worship service at 7:30 p.m. Maundy Thursday, March 20, and Good Friday, March 21.

New Life Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lake Zurich: After more than six years of planning and preparation, New Life Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lake Zurich, 910 S. Old Rand Road, will break ground at 9 a.m. March 16, for phase I of a two-phase building addition.

This phase includes site work and a 4,000-square-foot educational complex at a cost of about $1 million. Architect Allen Belli of Belli and Belli, Wheeling, developed a master plan for the property and designed both phases of the building addition. The contractor for Phase I is Efraim Carlson & Son General Contractors of Libertyville, Illinois.

The congregation expects that the addition, scheduled to be completed by September, will allow more space for Sunday School, Bible classes and meetings. The new addition will provide a ground-level entryway into the facility. The Tree of Life Lutheran Preschool, which began in 2001, will relocate from the lower level of the existing building into a permanent classroom in the complex, and there are plans for an all-day kindergarten with before- and after-school care.

New Life is a member of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. They hope to begin phase II of the addition, a large multipurpose room/gymnasium as soon as their financial obligations for phase I are satisfied.

All are welcome to attend the groundbreaking service, which will be held regardless of the weather. Come early for coffee, hot chocolate and pastries, served in the church's lower level from 8:30 to 9 a.m. Immediately following the 9 a.m. groundbreaking service, New Life's Palm Sunday worship service will be held in the sanctuary at 9:30 a.m.

For more information, contact Pastor Andrew Bauer at (847) 438-5018 or www.newlife-wels.org.

St. Andrew Lutheran Church: The church has begun a study on Paul's Letter to the Romans. The Rev. Mark Selbo is leading the group, which meets on Wednesdays from 10 to 11 a.m. All are welcome to attend. The church is located at 10 S. Lake St., Mundelein.

• Lenten worship services are offered each Wednesday evening beginning with a soup supper at 6 p.m. Please bring a "soup" to share.

• St. Andrew Quilters continue to meet each Thursday morning from 9:30 a.m.-noon. The quilts are made for Lutheran World Relief and sent to all parts of the world where their warmth and love are needed. Helping hands and/or material is welcomed.

St. Francis de Sales Parish: The church at 135 S. Buesching in Lake Zurich will hold the second of its Family Reconciliation Services at 7 p.m. Thursday. For more information, call (847) 726-4850 or e-mail KBradyMurfin@stfrancislz.org.

St. Ignatius Episcopal Church: Father Tim Squier will be installed as the new priest of St. Ignatius Episcopal church in Antioch at 3 p.m. April 12 Squier, 37, is married to Chris, and has two children. He originally was from Iowa but now comes from Evanston where he served as assistant at St. Mark's. The newly elected bishop will oversee the Mass. A dinner will follow.

St. John's Lutheran Church & School: The church, at 501 W. Park Ave., Libertyville, invites the community to its Lenten Services: at 4 and 7 p.m. Wednesday and at 7 p.m. March 20-21. For more information: www.stjohnslib.com.

St. Lawrence Episcopal Church: During the season of Lent, the Prayer Shawl Ministry of St. Lawrence Episcopal Church is supporting "afghans for Afghans" by creating community afghans. These blankets will bring comfort and warmth to Afghan women, men, and children who continue to suffer from oppression, war, hunger, poverty, and sickness.

During the season of Lent, the Prayer Shawl Ministry will meet in the sanctuary on Monday evenings from 6:30-8 p.m. and on Thursday mornings from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Fireside Room. Stitching patterns are available for inspiration -- 7- to 9-inch rectangles will be knitted, to be joined together into blankets to be sent to Afghanistan.. Anyone is welcome to knit rectangles and drop them off at the church office at 125 W. Church St. in Libertyville.

For more information, visit the Web site www.afghansforAfghans.org or call the church office at (847) 362-2110.

St. Mary of the Annunciation Catholic Church: The church in Mundelein is hosting Dr. Scott Hahn for a one-day speaking event March 29.

A former Presbyterian minister who once spoke against the Catholic faith, Hahn is now a professor of theology and Scripture at Franciscan University. He is a prolific Roman Catholic author who speaks at numerous national and international events.

Conference doors open at 9:45 am for check-in and fellowship. Hahn will present three sessions beginning at 10:30 am. The conference will conclude with a book signing around 3:30 p.m.

Tickets are $12 and are available while supplies last. Registration forms are available at www.stmaryfc.org or you may register online at www.events.org/scotthahnatsma .

The church is at 22333 W. Erhart Road, Mundelein. For more information, e-mail scotthahnatsma@yahoo.com or call Jennifer Pepping at (224) 622-5448.

St. Mary of Vernon: On Friday, the Men's Club will host an "all-you-can-eat" Fish Fry at the Vernon Hills Golf Course, 291 Evergreen Drive, Vernon Hills.

The Fish Fry is open from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The menu includes fresh baked and fried fish, macaroni and cheese, baked mostaccoli, award-winning coleslaw, fried shrimp, fresh cut chips and French fries and desserts. A cash bar is available. Prices are $32 for family; $10 for adults; $6 for children 4 to 12; and $9 for seniors 65 and over. Call (847) 816-0896 for further information.

St. Matthew Lutheran Church: A midweek service is on Thursdays at 7 p.m The service is preceded by a Lenten dinner served at 5:30 p.m. in Krueger Hall, 24500 N. Old McHenry Road, Hawthorn Woods.

The Westminster Reformed Presbyterian Church of Prairie View: The church will offer a lecture at 6 p.m. Sunday. The topic is, "Soli Deo Gloria: To the Glory of God Alone," a consideration of the Christian's life of gratitude. The speaker is Pastor Charles Brown. There is no cost, and the public is welcome. A question-and-answer session and refreshments will follow the lecture. More information is available by calling the church at (847) 634-3333 or by visiting www.westminsterrpc.org.

Anglican Chapel of the Holy Cross: The chapel has scheduled midweek worship opportunities. The Walking of the Way of the Cross begins at 7 p.m., followed by the celebration of the Holy Eucharist each Wednesday in Lent. A short time for refreshments follows and then the weekly program, centered in inductive Bible study and sharing of the Weekly Words and their application to the individual participant, allows small-group interaction. The Weekly Words come from publications of the Words of Blessing ministry available free for the asking.

• The Men's fellowship group of The Anglican Chapel of the Holy Cross will meet for breakfast and discussion at 8 a.m. today.

At 10 a.m. today, the Body Builders group also will meet. The purpose of this group is not to build muscles, but to blend the gifts of those in attendance to do the ministry of building up the Body of Christ so that it may be a more effective witness in Lake County. Program plans and outreach ventures to the surrounding neighborhood are the product of the work of this group.

• The members of Holy Cross Chapel gather each Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. for the celebration of The Holy Eucharist (Episcopal tradition), fellowship, and Bible study at 500 Park Ave, Unit 102, Lake Villa. The chapel is associated with the Anglican Communion Network. For more information please see www.holycross-anglican.org or phone (847) 543-7371.

Annunciation of Our Lady Episcopal Church: Every Wednesday evening during Lent there will be a program beginning at 6:15 p.m. and ending at 8 p.m. At 6:15 p.m. will be a soup and salad dinner followed by a 20-minute video exploring a series of topics. This will be followed by small group discussions led by the clergy and ending with Compline (a brief prayer service). The program is open to anyone who has ever been curious or interested in the Episcopal/Anglican tradition.

The church is at 5725 Stearns School Road, Gurnee. For more information, call (847) 336-3730 or visit the Web site at www.annunciationgurnee.org.

• The "Seven Last Words of Christ" will be performed at 7 p.m. March 16. This is a moving cantata with soloists singing the seven last words that Jesus said before he died on the cross. The soloists are backed by the Annunciation choir and organist. The cantata ends with a magnificent organ rendition of the earth quaking after Jesus' death.

• The church offers a level-one atrium for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, an international, Montessori-based, Christian education program, which focuses on the religious and spiritual formation of children. Because the children in the level-one atrium are between 3 and 6 years of age and are usually unable to read, the materials allow the children to ponder a particular parable of Jesus or a prayer from the church's liturgy. www.cgsusa.org.

Community Church of the Holy Spirit, Lake Villa: The church is holding a prayer service and contemporary Stations of the Cross at 7:30 p.m. every Friday through Lent.

Special services and events that continue through Lent include a traditional St. Joseph Day Table to celebrate the birth of St. Joseph March 15. Tickets to the buffet dinner that will include braided bread, spaghetti with marinara sauce and cream puffs are $5 each.

Passover Seder will be held at 7 p.m. March 19. The service is a re-enactment of the meal Jesus ate at Passover that includes a celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

Viewing of the Passion of Christ will be from 7 to 10 p.m. March 21, with the Vigil of Lights at 9 p.m. March 22.

Every Wednesday a Bible study is held at 10:30 a.m. with intercessory prayer at 7 p.m., followed by a Bible study at 7:30 p.m.

For more information about events and services, contact the church at (847) 245-3000 or visit the church Web site, www.myholyspirit.org.

A charismatic orthodox Catholic church, Community Church of the Holy Spirit, 25291 W. Lehmann Blvd., is located one block south of Route 132 (Grand Ave) on Route 59.

Congregation Am Echod (Reform): The congregation, 2945 Falling Waters Blvd., Lindenhurst, offers the following Shabbat Service Schedule.

Today: 9 a.m. Study Session with Rabbi Harari, 10 a.m. Shabbat morning service.

Friday: 7:30 p.m. "Let's Talk" Shabbat Service: a group discussion on a Jewish topic.

For details, call (847) 265-1818 or e-mail amechod@amechod.org.

Congregation Or Tikvah: JCC's "Got Shabbat?" will meet from 4 to 5:30 p.m. April 12 at Congregation Or Tikvah, 330 Barron Blvd., Grayslake. The program is filled with fun, food, Havdallah and wacky juggler Andy Head. Projects are designed for families with children 4-8, but all are welcome. Additional parking is available at the Grayslake Middle School. For details, call (847) 412-4225.

Hope Evangelical Presbyterian Church: The church is moving to its permanent home in Grayslake in March, after renting in Libertyville. It now has 10 acres at 32475 Alleghany Trail, Grayslake, just south of Belvidere/120 and the train tracks, on the east side.

The first service will be Palm Sunday on March 16. Sunday worship is at 10 a.m., Sunday School at 9 a.m.

The senior pastor, Mark Jumper, is a third-generation Presbyterian minister, and retired Navy chaplain. His next sermon series will include Paths of Purpose, and Paths of Prayer. He leads a Tuesday morning group (9:30 - 11 a.m.) studying in depth the book of Revelation. Assistant Pastor Rick Gardiner, Ph.D., teaches a Sunday class known for fascinating topics and energy. (847) 362-7444, www.hopeepc.net.

Open Arms Mission: The mission in Antioch, plans to distribute 3,000 Easter baskets to children, senior citizens, hospital patients and other food pantries in Lake County.

Baskets filled with candy, healthy treats and small gifts will be distributed to children and seniors within the Lake Villa, Antioch and Lindenhurst area who use the food pantry and to Big Brothers-Big Sisters, Nicasa Women's Shelter, The Garden Quarter Center, Staben House, Victory Lakes Nursing Home, Winchester House, Condell Hospital children's unit, Avon Township food pantry and A Safe Place.

The mission partners with other organizations to prepare and distribute the baskets, including Lakes Community High School, Lindenhurst Early Childhood Center, Northern Illinois Scholarship Pageant, and various other community groups and organizations.

Open Arms Mission is seeking donations of empty Easter baskets and financial donations to purchase items to fill the baskets. Donations can be made to Open Arms Mission, P.O. Box 79, Antioch, IL 60002. For more information contact the mission, (847) 395-0309.

Prairie Circle Unitarian Universalist Congregation: Join the Rev. Gary James, the minister at North Shore Unitarian Church in Deerfield, and the Prairie Circle Unitarian Universalist Congregation, for worship service at 9:15 a.m. Sunday in the Byron Colby Barn, 1561 Jones Point Road, Grayslake, in the Prairie Crossing community. James will explore how myths locate us in a context of meaning and provide us with a narrative that contains the pathos and anxiety of our lives. Mythmaking is humankind's effort to make sense of the cosmos, to stand in relationship to it, to reconcile its terrors and appropriate its beauty. Visit www.prairiecircleuuc.org or call (847) 604-1908.

St. Andrew Church: Elijah's Mantle is a community service project with a goal to help families with children in need by supplying gently-used children's clothing. The store is open to everyone from 9 to 11 a.m. the second Saturday of every month at St. Andrew Episcopal Church, Lake and Park streets, Grayslake. There is no cost. Gently-used clothing is available for boys and girls in sizes ranging from infant to size 16. The next store date is today.

Since they rely completely on donated clothing (infant to size 16), the project welcomes contributions from individuals and organizations. You may drop off clothing donations at the church on the Saturdays when the store is in operation, or arrange other dates by calling the church at (847) 223-2310.

St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church: At 7 p.m. on Fridays during Lent, the parish will offer Stations of the Cross in the church, on Route 173, a half-mile east of Route 45, Antioch.

For information on these or other programs at St. Raphael the Archangel, call the parish office at (847) 395-FISH (3474) and ask for the pastor, the Rev. Fr. John Jamnicky.

Shepherd of the Lakes Church: The Vine and Shepherd of the Lakes Church announce that the group OneTwentyTwo will perform from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at The Vine Martini and Wine Bar in downtown Grayslake.

Faith Again is a duo made up of Jenni Chase, worship team leader for Faith Baptist Church in Grayslake, and Brian Troemel, a Faith member and one of the area's most talented Christian guitarists.

The Vine Music Fellowship offers a wide variety of contemporary Christian musical styles. It is not only meant for Christians, but for music lovers in general. Admission is free. No reservations are required. The Vine is located at 101 Center St. There is no cover charge or reserved seating. For more information, call (847) 543-0900 or e-mail sotl_pr@yahoo.com.

St. Martin de Porres: The school at 515 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Waukegan, will have an open house for prospective students from 6 to 8 p.m. April 27. For more information, call (847) 244-6895, ext. 225.

St. Anastasia's: Cub Scout Pack 16 will have its annual Pancake Breakfast from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday in McCarthy Hall (church basement) at the church, 629 Glen Flora Ave., Waukegan. The breakfast features all-you-can-eat pancakes, sausage, juice, milk and coffee. Cost: $4 for adults, $2 for children under 6. Tickets are available from any Cub Scout or at the door.

St. Mary's Catholic Church: The church at 175 E. Illinois Road, Lake Forest, will be the site of the Council of Catholic Nurses of Lake County Bishop's Mass and Luncheon March 29. The Mass will begin at 11 a.m. with luncheon to follow at Country Squire Restaurant, 19133 Route 120, Grayslake. Cost for the event is $24 for members and $30 for non-members. For more information or reservations, call Marion Henderson (847) 548-1309 by March 20.

St. Paul's Lutheran Church: "Noomania -- An Extreme Excitement for Things of a Spiritual Nature," continues through Lent on Wednesday evenings. These midweek retreats offer a casual environment for worship and learning. Soup suppers are offered at 6 p.m.; program at 7 p.m.

St. Paul's Lutheran Church is at 824 N. Lewis Ave. (just north of Grand), Waukegan. For more information, call (847) 662-2535.