Notes on Religion

Faith and worship in DuPage County

• To submit your listings, e-mail M.J. Porter at mporter@dailyherald.com or fax items to (630) 955-0895.

• St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Carol Stream has welcomed the Rev. Young Ok Park as a new pastor.

Today

• Grace Church of DuPage will hold a men's flag football league for players high school age and older at 9 a.m. Saturdays starting today through Nov. 17 at the church, 27W344 Galusha Ave., Warrenville. The fee is $20 per team. For details, call Dick Russell at (630) 902-1928 or (630) 393-7344, ext. 212.

• Cornerstone Christian Church will hold a Halloween Bash from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the church, 312 Geneva Road, Glen Ellyn. The costume contest begins at 6 p.m. with the best creative costume winning a new iPod. Categories will be by age groups and include adults and families. The event includes games, dinner items and popcorn. For details, visit www.cccge.com or call (630) 469-3536.

• Community Congregational Church will hold its Pumpkin Patch from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday through Oct. 31 at the church, 410 S. Cornell Ave., Villa Park. Pumpkins are 50 cents and up. Storytellers will be there from 3 to 4 p.m. today. For details, call (630) 834-8352.

• St. Mark's Episcopal Church will hold a pumpkin patch to benefit DuPage Public Action to Deliver Shelter for homeless families in DuPage County from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today, 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays through Wednesday at the church, 393 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn. For details, visit stmarksglenellyn.org or call Martice or Alexis at (773) 277-4447.

Sunday

• The St. Thomas More Society of DuPage County, an association of Catholic lawyers, will hold its fourth annual Red Mass with Bishop Sartain at noon Sunday at St. Michael Church, 315 W. Illinois St., Wheaton. The event will be followed by a brunch. Tickets for the brunch are $30 per person, $230 for a table of eight, and must be purchased in advance. For details, call Eddie Wollenberg at (630) 668-2415.

• First Presbyterian Church will begin a new term of five-week adult education classes Sunday. The classes will be at 9:45 a.m. Sundays through Nov. 25, at the church, 550 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn. Topics include Islam, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Sharing in Christ's Caring Ministry through Prayer. For details, visit www.firstpresge.org or call (630) 469-2007.

• First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton will begin a series of classes this week. Classes meet from 9:55 to 10:50 a.m. Sunday through Nov. 18, at the church, 715 N. Carlton Ave., Wheaton. Classes are "Living in a Culture of Perfection," "Countering the World with Covenant" and "The Greatest of These." For details, visit www.firstpreswheaton.org or call (630) 668-5147.

• Tickets go on sale Sunday for Water's Edge Bible Church's eighth annual Christmas tea, "Linger Awhile," Dec. 5 and 6 at St. Andrews Golf Club, Route 59 north of North Avenue, West Chicago. The event features radio host Mary Whelchel and her "Ordinary Women - Extraordinary Grace - Women in the Lineage of Jesus Christ." Tickets are $12 and will be sold through Nov. 11. For details, call (630) 231-1210.

• Grace Lutheran Church will celebrate the Lutheran Reformation at 10 a.m. Sunday at the church, 493 Forest Ave., Glen Ellyn. The service includes J.S. Bach's Cantata No. 80. For details, call (630) 469-1555.

• The Rev. Mike Weber, the new senior pastor, leads services at 9 and 10:45 a.m. Sunday at Wheaton Evangelical Free Church, 520 E. Roosevelt Road, Wheaton. His four-part sermon series through October will be "How Great Is Our God." For details, call (630) 668-6490.

• St. Thomas United Methodist Church will lead a four-week study at 9 a.m. Sundays in October at the church, 2S511 Route 53, Glen Ellyn. The series is "What does it take to be a Methodist?" For details, call (630) 469-1214.

• St. Barnabas Episcopal Church continues its five-week series, "Meeting Jesus in Pop Culture," led by author Rodney Clapp from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. Sunday at the church, 22W415 Butterfield Road, Glen Ellyn. The series continues through October. For details, visit www.stbarnabas-episcopal.com or call (630) 469-1394.

• St. Paul Lutheran Church will welcome biblical scholar the Rev. Edgar Krentz, emeritus professor of New Testament at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, discussing the Gospel of John during the adult forum at 9:45 a.m. Sunday at the church, 515 S. Wheaton Ave., Wheaton. For details, call (630) 668-5953.

• First Presbyterian Church of Itasca will hold its Trunk-or-Treat from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the church, 207 Center St., Itasca. Guests are welcome in costume for food, games and prizes. For details, call (630) 773-9606.

• The Glen Ellyn Evangelical Covenant Church is canceling its regular Sunday service to volunteer in the neighborhood. Members of the community are invited to join in the event. For details, visit www.gecovenant.org.

Monday

• Author Gary Wills will sign and discuss his new book, "Head and Heart: American Christianities," at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Borders Books and Music, 101 Rice Lake Square, Wheaton. For details, call (630) 871-9595.

• Grace Lutheran Church will be the site of a nondenominational prayer ministry of the West Suburban Healing Rooms of Chicago from 7 to 9 p.m. the first and third Mondays of the month at the church, 950 S. York Road, Bensenville. Appointments are not necessary; first come, first served. For details, call Carolyn Aiello at (630) 860-0566 or (630) 766-3030.

• The Ministry of New Beginnings St. Hubert Church will meet at 7:30 p.m. Mondays at Trinity Lutheran Church, 405 Rush St., Roselle. The group is a 30-year-old Catholic-oriented, nondenominational support group for singles. Donation is $3 per meeting. The group also plans outings and activities during the week. Upcoming topics include a Halloween party Oct. 29. For details, call Carol Galat at (847) 524-1397 or Steve Siegel at (773) 761-7381.

Tuesday

• St. Luke Lutheran Church in Itasca will hold a support group for people who have been diagnosed with cancer beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesdays at the church, 410 S. Rush St., Itasca. The group will meet the first and third Tuesdays of each month. For details, call the Rev. Alex Duff at (630) 773-0396.

Wednesday

• Village Green Baptist Church will hold a Fun Fair for children and their families from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the church, 200 S. Lambert Road, Glen Ellyn. The theme for the 14th annual event is "Under the Sea" and offers carnival games, crafts, cakewalk, puppets and a hot dog supper for $1. For details, call (630) 469-4400.

• Bloomingdale Church will hold a Trunk-or-Treat from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the church, 264 Glen Ellyn Road, Bloomingdale. Children are invited to come in costume and trick-or-treat for candy from adults from their decorated cars in the church parking lot. There also will be games and entertainment in the church. For details, visit www.bloomingdalechurch.org or call (630) 894-0090.

Thursday

• Wheaton Franciscan Services and Ministries will hold its 11th annual Generous Gourmet event to benefit Our Kids Matter from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the Abbington, Route 53 and Butterfield Road, Glen Ellyn. Top chefs will prepare a food sampling. Proceeds will benefit local low-income families and seniors. Tickets are $75 per person. For details or tickets, call (630) 909-6928.

• Southminster Presbyterian Church will hold its All Saints' Day service at 7 p.m. Thursday at the church, 680 S. Park Blvd., Glen Ellyn. For details, call (630) 469-9149.

• River Valley Community Church's Singles FOCUS, Fellowship of Christians United in Spirit, meets at 7 p.m. Thursdays with a light meal at 6:30 p.m. at River Valley Community Church, 1655 Bowman Drive, Aurora.

• The group is planning a trip to "Scrooge the Comedy" Nov. 23 at the White Pines Dinner Theater. The show is audience participation with a dinner buffet. Tickets are $50 and include tax, tip and transportation. The trip departs from the church at 4:30 p.m. and returns at 11 p.m. For details, contact Jim Canada at (630) 968-3015.

• Church services are at 10 a.m. Sundays. For details, visit www.rivervalleycommunity.org or call (630) 907-2992.

• Grace Lutheran Church will be open as a Praying Place at noon Thursdays and after Bible study at 7:20 p.m. Thursdays at the church, 493 Forest Ave., Glen Ellyn. For details, call (630) 469-1555.

Friday

• Illinois Citizens for Life will hold its 35th annual benefit dinner and silent auction beginning at 6 p.m. Friday at the Carlisle, 435 E. Butterfield Road, Lombard. The event will feature Bishop J. Peter Sartrain of the Joliet Diocese. Tickets are $60 per person, $35 for clergy or students, $70 at the door. For details, call (630) 852-5448.

• Our Savior Preschool will hold its fourth annual Ladies Night Out from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday at the church, 1244 W. Army Trail Road, Carol Stream. The event offers food, beverages, a silent auction, crafters and vendors. Tickets are $5 in advance, $10 at the door. For details, call Barb Goetzke at (630) 736-1430.

• Church Women United of Elmhurst, Lombard and Villa Park invite women of all faiths to their annual World Community Day celebration at 1 p.m. Friday at Calvary Episcopal Church, 105 W. Maple, Lombard. The theme is "Embracing Justice under God's Tent," a worship service lifting concerns of homelessness, immigration and responses to disasters. For details, call (630) 627-0605.

• A new Christian social group for single, divorced and widowed members in the Addison area will begin meeting at 7:30 p.m. Fridays at a local restaurant. The group will plan activities. For details, call (630) 202-0333.

• Devon Hollingsworth, organist of Christ Church, will celebrate his 30th anniversary at the church and the church's Austin organ's 30th anniversary with a special concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Christ Church of Oak Brook, 31st and York Road. For details, call (630) 654-1882.

Nov. 3

• St. Pius X Council of Catholic Women will hold its Christmas Magic Craft Show from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 3 at the church, Westmore and Madison streets, Lombard. The sale features all homemade items. Applications are available by calling Carol at (630) 495-2647.

• Agape Children's Center, a ministry of Community Baptist Church, will hold its Jolly Holly craft and vendor fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 3 at Bower Elementary School, 4S241 River Road, Warrenville. Food and bake sales will be available. For details, call (630) 393-4205.

• Community Baptist Church youth will Sleep Out for the Homeless Nov. 3 at the church, 28W444 Main St. Warrenville. Those interested in sponsoring a sleeper may call (630) 393-9609.

• The United Methodist and Congregational Women of First United Methodist Church/First Congregational Church of West Chicago will hold a Holiday Bazaar and luncheon Nov. 3 at 643 E. Washington St., West Chicago. The bazaar will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. featuring handmade gifts, home decor, a bake sale, white elephant table and fair trade items by Latin American artisans. Admission is free. Lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. is $7 for adults, $3 for children ages 3 to 10, free for children under 3. For details or tickets, call (630) 231-3344.

• Crossroads Restoration Church will offer a free class on resume writing from 9 to 11 a.m. Nov. 3 at the church, 245 W. Roosevelt Road, Unit 21, West Chicago. Registration is requested by calling (630) 221-0062. Ask for location at registration.

• St. John's Lutheran Church will hold its craft show, bake sale, attic treasures from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Nov. 3 at the church, Lincoln and Maple streets, Lombard. The event includes a light lunch and homemade desserts. For details, call (630) 620-7259.

• Trinity Lutheran Church, Roosevelt and Meyers roads in Lombard, is collecting nonperishable food and hygiene items Nov. 4. Donation pickups can be scheduled by emailing trinityfooddrive@hotmail.com by Nov. 3 with the street address for pickup between 1 and 4 p.m. Nov. 4. Items can be labeled Trinity and placed on the front porch. The drive benefits the food pantry of First Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Chicago.

• Robert Pierre, 14, will present a free concert, "Inside Out Wheaton," at 7 p.m. Nov. 3 at Wheaton Academy, 900 Prince Crossing Road, West Chicago. The event includes Justin Lookadoo. For details, call (630) 588-7200.

• The Wheaton Franciscan Sisters' Collaborative Ministries will offer "Animal Spirits/Animal Guides" from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Nov. 3 at the campus, 26W171 Roosevelt Road, Wheaton. An offering will be taken. For details, call (630) 462-4936.

Nov. 4

• Good Samaritan United Methodist Church will feature missionary Janet Lahr Lewis at 10 a.m. Nov. 4 at the church, 960 W. Army Trail Road, Addison. She will describe her Mission of Peace in Palestine and Jerusalem. Donations for her work will be taken and a luncheon will follow. For details, call (630) 543-3725.

• Grace Lutheran Church will celebrate All Saints Day at 8 and 10 a.m. Nov. 4 at the church, 493 Forest Ave., Glen Ellyn. A special service is at 10 a.m. The day will remember those who have passed away and those attending may bring a photo or item for the display and light a candle for their loved one. For details, call (630) 469-1555.

• St. Paul Lutheran Church will focus on Habitat for Humanity in DuPage at 9:45 a.m. Nov. 4 at the church, 515 S. Wheaton Ave., Wheaton. For details, visit www.stpaulwheaton.org or call (630) 668-5953.