McHenry Co. religion events
Annual picnic, open house: Congregation Kneseth Israel will host its annual picnic and new member open house for prospective and current members from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Aug. 24 at the synagogue, 330 Division St., Elgin. There will be food, fun, games and entertainment for all ages. Registration for religious school classes will take place at this time. Prospective members and their families may attend the picnic for free. Come socialize, have fun and learn more about membership in the temple and enrolling your child in religious school. For details, call (847) 741-5656. CKI has been the heart of Conservative Judaism in the Fox Valley for more than 100 years.
Pig roast: Carpenter's House Community Church, 201 N. Kennedy Drive in Carpentersville, will hold its second annual pig roast from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 13. There will be live music and a motorcycle show, as wel as a petting zoo and pony rides. Carpentersville Fire Department will have one of their trucks on site. Admission is free, though donations are accepted. For details, call the church at (847) 428-0999.
Join Catholic church: The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults program at St. Mary Catholic Church of Elgin provides an opportunity for adults to learn more about the Catholic faith. Many in the program, through prayer and discernment, choose to become a fully initiated member of the Roman Catholic church at Easter. St. Mary's RCIA program begins at 10 a.m. Sept. 28 in the upper level of St. Mary's parish office, 400 Fulton St., Elgin. The classes continue each Sunday morning through next Easter, with time off for holidays. Study materials are provided and there is no fee to attend the classes. If you would like to learn more about the Catholic faith, you are invited to attend the introductory meeting on Sept. 28. Call the St. Mary Religious Education Office at (847) 888-2718 or e-mail deaconhank@stmaryelgin.com if you want to register or get details.
Register for preschool: Noah's Ark Christian Preschool and Kindergarten, 98 Algonquin Road (at Route 59) in Barrington, has limited openings for the 2008-09 school year which begins Sept. 2. Preschool hours are from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and kindergarten hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Classes are available for children age 2 to 6. For details, call (847) 844-3738 or visit www.BarringtonUMC.com.
Preschool openings: New Creations Preschool is extending their class length from 2 hours to 3 hours (9 a.m. to noon) to enhance the children's learning experience. There is so much to learn and do that they know this extra half-hour will enhance the program. Registration is beginning now. The child-to-teacher ratio is 20 to 2. Cost is $185 per month with $75 non-refundable registration fee for Monday/Wednesday/Friday class. New Creations Preschool is for anyone looking for a loving environment where a child can grow emotionally, spiritually and intellectually. For details or to schedule an appointment to visit the preschool, call the director Penny Ball at (847) 931-5088.
Healing service: The Center for Spiritual Evolution offers a 7 p.m. Wednesday healing service each week with meditation and prayer. Services are held at 204 Spring St (lower level) in Cary. Previous healing services at the McHenry County Church of Religious Science demonstrated uplifting effects including high vibrational energies revealing spiritual perfection from within participants. The service begins with participants anonymously submitting prayer request forms which are then read aloud and prayed upon. Known as Spiritual Mind Treatment, it is a spiritual practice that is also scientific. It allows emotional, mental, and physical healing to occur by one's consciousness accepting direct spiritual influence which includes new perceptions about old challenges. With practice it literally rewires patterns of thought, changing the brain's neural network to think from an affirmative perspective. The founder of Religious Science, Ernest Holmes writes, "A treatment is a conscious movement of thought. There is no hocus-pocus in mental treatment. It is definite, conscious, concrete and explicit." The Rev. Anne Muelleman will deliver a short message leaving ample time for prayer, meditation, and spiritual mind treatment by the pastor and the church's licensed practitioners in response to the healing requests. Visit the Web site at www.newthoughtmchenry.org for details or call (847) 516-1950.