Faith Calendar: Christmas carols to cookie walks

• Reprints

Updated: January 10, 2012 8:08AM

Featured this week

Christmas concert: St. Rita’s Parish presents a free Christmas concert at 7 p.m. Dec. 10 at St. Rita Church, 750 Old Indian Trail, Aurora. Parish musicians and musical guests from area churches perform carols, duets, chorus, brass quintet, flute choir, and selections from Vivaldi’s “Gloria” and Handel’s “Messiah.” Chuck Wolter from the Chicago Symphony Chorus makes a guest appearance.

Cookie walk: Aurora Wesley United Methodist Women’s cookie walk is from 8 to 11 a.m. Dec. 10 at the church, 14 N. May St. Cookies are sold by the pound. Other sweets are bagged and priced separately. Proceeds support mission work for women, children and teens. 630-896-1033.

Fun with Santa: Visit with Santa from 10 a.m. to noon Dec. 10 at Genesis Community Church, 1300 S. Broadway, Montgomery. Enjoy snacks, pictures with Santa and more activities. 630-896-7773 or www.mygcchurch.com

Christmas cookie walk: The Cornerstone Community Baptist Church, 307 Banbury Road, North Aurora, will host its annual cookie walk from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 10. Sold by weight. Bring a gently used or new winter coat and receive a dozen cookies free. Proceeds will be used for their food pantry.

Cookie and candy walk: United Methodist Church’s 16th annual cookie and candy walk is from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. Dec. 10 at 219 N. Hale St., Plano. Cookies are $6.50 a pound; containers provided. 630-552-3700 or 630-552-7765.

“Do-It-Yourself” Messiah: The Fox Valley Academy of Music Performance’s FV Philharmonic Orchestra, Youth Strings and Academy Orchestra, four guest soloists and the Philharmonic Choir present a “Do-It-Yourself” Messiah and other holiday music at 3 p.m. Dec. 11 at Our Savior Lutheran Church, 420 W. Downer Place, Aurora. Open to the singing public; free, but donations accepted. Nonsingers welcome to come and listen. Contact Maryann Flock, music director, at 630-476-9072, MusicDirector@fvacademy.org or www.fvacademy.org./FVYSO_events.htm.

Cocoa, Carols, Cookies and Claus: Holiday favorites presented by the Fox Valley Festival Chorus, Mary Beth McCarthy, director, at 3 p.m. Dec. 11 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 10 N. Edgelawn Drive, Aurora. Reception after concert. Tickets at the door are $12 for adults; $10 for seniors, $8 for children 12 and younger, and $25 a family. www.foxvalleyfc.org or foxvalleyfc@gmail.com.

Organ concert series: Bethany Lutheran Church, Wilson and Lincoln streets in Batavia, presents an organ concert series focusing on their refurbished Aeolian Skinner pipe organ at 3 p.m. Dec. 11, Jan. 22, March 4 and April 15. www.bethanybatavia.org or 630-879-3444.

Second Monday Supper: A Mission table, “Warm Hands, Heads and Feet,” will collect new gloves, hats, scarves and socks at the Second Monday Community Mission Supper from 5 to 6:45 p.m. Dec. 12 at Sheridan United Methodist Church, 219 S. Bushnell St. Meatloaf and scalloped potatoes are featured. Donations are accepted. Carry out and Sheridan delivery at 815-496-2021. Call Jean 815-712-2273

Coming up

Christmas cookie sale: St. Mary’s of Maple Park annual Christmas Cookie Sale is from 9 to 11 a.m. Dec. 17 at St. Mary’s Novak Center on County Line Road in Maple Park. Cookies are $6 a pound. Choose your own. Advance orders for assorted cookies are accepted until Dec. 14. Call Anne, 815-827-3302.

Fox Valley Jewish Neighbor’s Chanukah Party: The group’s annual dinner is from 12:30 to 3 p.m. Dec. 18 at Persinger Rec Center, 3507 Kaneville Road, Geneva. A dairy/vegetarian potluck meal will be served. Email Erin at erind2323@aol.com with what food you’ll bring. Put “FVJN Chanukah Party” as the subject of your email response. FVJN provides sour cream and applesauce, as well as beverages and paper products. info@fvjn.org.

Christmas concert: Rob Orland and friends perform a Christmas concert at 12:30 p.m. Dec. 18 at Unity of Fox Valley Church, 230 Webster St., Batavia. A light luncheon before the concert. Donations accepted. 630-879-1115 or www.foxvalleyunity.org.

Cookie walk: Batavia United Methodist Church, 8 N. Batavia Ave., is hosting a cookie walk from 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 17 and 8:30 a.m. to noon Dec. 18. This year the cookie walk will be organized and staffed by the church’s youth. Proceeds will benefit a mission trip next summer. Cookies are $6 a pound. 630-879-7060.

‘Christmas Before Christmas’: The cantata, “Christmas Before Christmas,” will be presented at 7 p.m. Dec. 18 at Union Church, 405 W. State St., North Aurora. The evening includes the chancel choir, bell choir, children’s choir and other special music. Refreshments follow. 630-897-0013.

Youth

Open mic night: Genesis Church’s Master’s Mic from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11, 1300 S. Broadway, Montgomery, will be a Christmas sing-a-long with an open Mic period. Pizza, snacks and beverages will be provided. 630-897-7463.

Mission news

Suicide prevention screening: The Rev. Kent Svendsen, a retired Army Reserve chaplain who has 15 years experience providing suicide prevention training for the military, presents the free program at 7 p.m. Dec. 13 at Millbrook United Methodist Church, 8360 Fox River Road. Chaplain Svendsen, 815-786-4106.

A Morning of Spiritual Renewal: A mini-retreat to breathe some spiritual energy into an otherwise hectic daily schedule. Continental breakfast at 8:30 a.m. and retreat from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 10 at Unity of Fox Valley church, 230 Webster St., Batavia. Retreat fee is $30. 630-879-1115 or www.foxvalleyunity.org.

Two Guys and Free Spaghetti: Monthly spaghetti is from 5 to 7 p.m. Dec. 18 at St. Charles Episcopal Church, 994 N. Fifth Ave. (Route 25), St. Charles. Carryout available. Call Joe, 630-890-6586.