Crystal Lake church to host 'rigorous' Sunday school

A coalition of McHenry County faith communities has developed a two-year lay certification program in interfaith studies to respond to these and other questions.

Described as "more rigorous than a simple Sunday school approach but less demanding than a university program," "Faith to Faith, Face to Face" will bring representatives of Chicago's faith traditions to McHenry County for reflection and dialogue. Classes will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. on the first and third Thursdays of each month beginning Jan. 15, at the First Congregational Church, 461 Pierson St. in Crystal Lake. (Transportation to and from the Metra station can be arranged for no charge.)

Dates will change occasionally to accommodate the holy days and festivals of each faith, or major secular holidays. There will be nine or 10 class meetings each semester. The registration fee is $145 per person per semester.

Using a model developed by the London Inter Faith Centre, "Faith To Faith, Face to Face" draws on expertise and leadership from Chicago's universities and diverse religious communities. Classes are designed for people from all faith communities. A diverse class membership will make for a richer experience for all. There are no academic prerequisites.

A "Certificate of Interfaith Studies" will be awarded by FaithBridge upon the successful completion of the four semesters. Participants will learn about the beliefs, practices, history and texts of various world faith traditions. They will become acquainted with the diversity within each faith tradition considered. They will reflect upon the positive and negative contributions of religion to contemporary global, national and local conflicts, and develop skills in multicultural communications. The program is supported by a generous grant from the McHenry County Community Foundation.

Presentations for the first semester will be offered by the Rev. Fred Rajan, vice president for mission and spiritual care, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital; Ed, Young Man Afraid of His Horse Lakota (Ogalala), spiritual leader, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation; Rabbi Maralee Gordon, McHenry County Jewish Congregation; Promila Kumar, teacher of language and culture, Hindu Temple at Lake County; Asayo Horibe, president, Buddhist Council of the Midwest; Cathy Benton, professor of Asian religions, Lake Forest College; Rabbi Laurence Edwards, Congregation Or Chadash, Chicago; Ron Miller, co-director, Common Ground, religion department chair, Lake Forest College; Ayse Arslan Cinar, community projects director, Niagara Foundation of Chicago; and Jim Kenney, co-editor, Interreligious Insight, co-director, Common Ground. Future sessions will include presentations by representatives from these and other faith traditions in the Chicago area.

To obtain details or to register, call Gilbert Friend-Jones at (815) 459-6010, ext. 11; The Blue Lotus Buddhist Temple, Woodstock, (815) 444-8915; First Congregational Church, (815) 459-6010; Islamic Center of McHenry County, (847) 604-4818; McHenry County Jewish Congregation, (815) 455-1810; and the Mission and Spiritual Care Department of Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, (847) 381-9600.