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SATURDAY DECEMBER 25 CHRISTMAS DAY | SUNDAY DECEMBER 26 2021
HAPPY
SUNDAY BREAKFAST
NORTH SHORE FOODIE
Northfield pastor Josh Parsons encourages all to embrace the true meaning of Christmas P18
'Tis the season for Brandied Fruit & Nut Bars P14 FOLLOW US:
NO. 480 | A JWC MEDIA PUBLICATION
NOW
HIRING
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS MORE THAN THREE DECADES AFTER ITS RELEASE, WINNETKA’S HOME ALONE HOUSE CONTINUES TO FASCINATE. THANKS TO AIRBNB, FOUR LUCKY PEOPLE GOT TO SPEND THE NIGHT IN THIS PIECE OF MOVIE HISTORY ON DECEMBER 12, JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
COUNSELORS • AQUATICS SPORTS • OFFICE STAFF COMPETITIVE PAY
JUNE 13 - AUGUST 12 SCHEDULE YOUR VIRTUAL INTERVIEW
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Tourists continue to make visits to the Home Alone house in Winnetka, more than 30 years after the movie premiered.
847.295.4900 BANNERDAYCAMP.COM
BY MITCH HURST THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
By chance or not, sometimes the setting for a film develops into a character all its own, as much as the human actors who inhabit it. One is hard-pressed to forget the Stanley Hotel in in Estes Park, Colorado—renamed the Overlook Hotel—in Steven King’s book and subsequent movie, The Shining. “Redrum,” anyone? Or the hallways of the old Maine North High School in Des Plaines that the writer/producer John Hughes deftly used to capture teenage angst in The Breakfast
Club. Or the old house that was the backdrop for the movie The Big Chill, ostensibly set in Michigan, but is actually located where the film was shot, in Beaufort, South Carolina. But movie sets for films with a holiday theme somehow stay with us. Home is for the holidays. There’s the Parker family home in Cleveland, Ohio, now a museum, that served as the setting for A Christmas Story, where Peter Billingsley’s character, Ralphie, did indeed almost shoot his eye out with his Red Ryder BB Gun. And who can forget Nakatomi Plaza, setting aside the ongoing, occasionally hostile, debate about whether Die Hard is really, really a Christmas movie?
So, it was with great fanfare earlier this month that Airbnb listed the iconic Home Alone house, 671 Lincoln Avenue, Winnetka, to be precise, available for one night only to four lucky Home Alone fanatics at the irresistibly reasonable price of $25. While the names of those who spent the night there were not disclosed by Airbnb, the home was aptly listed by Buzz McCallister, the abandoned Kevin McCallister’s prickly older brother. Surrealism at its finest. “You may not remember me as particularly accommodating,” Buzz wrote in the listing. “But I’ve grown up, and I’d be happy to share Continued on PG 10
make your next move with CORY ALBIANI LD
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Giving Thanks and Gratitude! Wishing you a Healthy and Happy New Year!
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312.286.7065 coryalbiani@atproperties.com OVER $20M TRANSACTIONS IN 2021** $170M CAREER SALES *** NORTH SHORE EXPERT * Represented Buyer **MRED LLC, all buy and list side transactions 01/01/21 - 12/17/21, ***MRED LLC, all buy and list side transactions 01/01/04 - Present.
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| SATURDAY DECEMBER 25 CHRISTMAS DAY | SUNDAY DECEMBER 26 2021
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
170 HOMES SOLD IN 2021!
*
TheotokosPanagia
TheotokosPanagia
CONNIE@CONNIEDORNAN.COM 847.208.1397 *MRED Source LLC All Residential Sales 1/1/2021-12/15/2021
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
SATURDAY DECEMBER 25 CHRISTMAS DAY | SUNDAY DECEMBER 26 2021 |
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Happy Holidays thank you for a wonderful 2021
BETH WEXLER
Broker and Co-Team Lead
highland park @properties office 2021 *
LIZ SALINAS
Broker and Managing Partner
JOEY GAULT
Broker and Co-Team Lead
*MRED, LLC #1 Team @properties Highland Park office - Closed Sales Volume, Residential properties 01/01/21 – 12/03/21 †MRED,LLC Total Sales Volume, Wexler Gault Group 01/01/21-12/20/21
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| SATURDAY DECEMBER 25 CHRISTMAS DAY | SUNDAY DECEMBER 26 2021
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
OP EN T HE D OOR
NEW CONSTRUCTION 490 CHERRY STREET, WINNETKA
7 BED, 8.2 BATH | OFFERED AT $5,275,000
CUSTOM BUILD WITH N E WGA R D I N 2 0 2 2
TO NEW
possibilities NEW CONSTRUCTION 484 MADISON AVE, GLENCOE
5 BED, 6.2 BATH | OFFERED AT $3,695,000
YO U R H O M E . E N J OY T H E P RO C E S S .
STEVE AISEN & VICTORIA BIROV
773.505.2556 // NEWGARDHOMES.COM NEW CONSTRUCTION |
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
R E N O V AT I O N
SATURDAY DECEMBER 25 CHRISTMAS DAY | SUNDAY DECEMBER 26 2021 |
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The holidays are a time to reflect and be thankful~ Everyone associated with The GGL Group would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation for our wonderful clients and a community that has helped support our business for so many years. It is an honor to be among a small group of legacy firms who have successfully operated in Lake Forest and Lake Bluff for more than 100 years! One of the main tenets of our business philosophy is service. It is a commitment we make to both our clients and the communities we serve. And, we do our best to support many local charities and service organizations that help enrich the lives of so many in need. We would like to recognize some of the incredible organizations we have supported or sponsored in the past year.
The History Center of Lake Forest / Lake Bluff Lake Bluff 125th Anniversary Celebration Lake Forest / Lake Bluff Lions Clubs Lake Bluff 4th of July Parade Lake Bluff Women’s Club NSBAR Cares Lake Forest / Lake Bluff Rotary Club College of Lake County Foundation Lake Bluff Block Party Sponsor Lake Bluff History Museum Deerpath Art League Lake Bluff Ribfest Beef 4 Hunger
We are very thankful for the many dedicated volunteers and staff people who manage and promote these worthy organizations.
The GGL Group 280 E Deerpath Rd Lake Forest, IL 60045 8 E Scranton Ave Lake Bluff, IL 60044 847.234.0485 | thegglgroup.com The GGL Group is a team of Real Estate agents affiliated with Compass. Compass is a licensed Real Estate broker with a principal office in Chicago, IL and abides by all applicable Equal Housing Opportunity laws.
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| SATURDAY DECEMBER 25 CHRISTMAS DAY | SUNDAY DECEMBER 26 2021
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
700 N Mayflower Rd
Lake Forest
25771 N Saint Marys Rd
$4,800,000
7 BD | 7.3 BA
$3,500,000
4 BD | 6.3 BA
$2,375,000
6 BD | 5.1 BA
Marina Carney Andy Mrowiec
847.274.5566 847.308.2589
Elizabeth Wieneke
847.732.4039
Marina Carney Andy Mrowiec
847.274.5566 847.308.2589
1380 Elm Tree Rd $1,799,000 Brady Andersen
131 W Blodgett Ave
Lake Forest 4 BD | 4.2 BA 847.732.9790
Lake Bluff
Mettawa
225 E Onwentsia Rd
Lake Forest
612 Spruce Ave
Lake Forest
861 Gloucester Crossing
Lake Forest
$1,099,000
5 BD | 3.1 BA
$929,000
4 BD | 3.1 BA
Marina Carney Andy Mrowiec
847.274.5566 847.308.2589
Nancy Adelman
847.338.5068
130 Sunset Pl
$534,000
4 BD | 2.1 BA
$469,000
Kristen Esplin
847.502.4633
Marina Carney Andy Mrowiec
Lake Bluff 3 BD | 2 BA 847.274.5566 847.308.2589
1044 Chestnut St $380,000 Nancy Adelman
Deerfield 3 BD | 2 BA 847.338.5068
Compass is a licensed Real Estate broker with a principal office in Chicago, IL and abides by all applicable Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only, is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, and changes without notice. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of Real Estate brokerage.
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
SATURDAY DECEMBER 25 CHRISTMAS DAY | SUNDAY DECEMBER 26 2021 |
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| SATURDAY DECEMBER 25 CHRISTMAS DAY | SUNDAY DECEMBER 26 2021
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
SATURDAY DECEMBER 25 CHRISTMAS DAY | SUNDAY DECEMBER 26 2021 |
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NEWS HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
From PG 1
my family home—my pizza, even—with you this holiday season. Just try not to let my tarantula, Axl, loose this time.” Reportedly, the house was retrofitted to resemble the original movie set, paint cans and all, and even a supply of Kevin’s somewhat painfully applied aftershave. There was pizza as well, and Kraft Mac and Cheese. And indeed, Axl the tarantula was present, although contained. “We may all be older and wiser now, but we’re never too old for holiday hijinks,” Buzz said. “So, this year, spend the holidays not-so-home-alone at my parents’ house.” The North Shore, and Winnetka in particular, has a storied history as a backdrop for comingof-age movies, due mostly to the late Hughes, a Lake Forest resident, who seemed to use the village as something of a muse. Along with Home Alone and The Breakfast Club, Uncle Buck, Risky Business, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off are all reflective of Hughes’s vision of adolescence. This past June, the Winnetka Historical Society held its annual gala (virtually), titled “Home Alone Together,” which featured a presentation by documentary filmmaker and Winnetkan John Newcombe on the making of Home Alone and other films set on the North Shore. Attendees heard stories from family members who lived in the Home Alone house during the shoot, viewed never-before-seen video footage taken by a neighbor, and discovered the role local actors and extras played in the making of the film
“It’s a pretty famous house and the house itself is really a character in the movie. It plays a critical role in that film, and I think that’s why so many people want to see it,” Winnetka Historical Society Executive Director Mary Trieschmann said at the time. “All of the indoor scenes were filmed in that house or in an identical replica they built on a set in Hollywood.” While the “Home Alone House” remains privately owned, it’s not uncommon to see the street in front lined with cars, especially during the holidays, to catch a glimpse of the house where Kevin McCallister foiled the inept burglars Harry Lime and Marv Murchins, played hilariously by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. Back in 2015, on the 25th Anniversary of the release of Home Alone, Stern reminisced to the Hollywood Reporter about the physical nature of playing his mostly inept burglar character. “I can take a hit. It’s like sports; it’s good soreness because you had good fun doing it, as opposed to real injuries,” Stern said. “I got a bloody nose when I had to stick my head through the doggie door. I had to pull my head out quickly and I clipped my big-ass nose on the door thing.” Over the years, the undisputed star of the film, Macauley Culkin, seems to be at peace with the skyrocket to fame that Home Alone provided him, although let’s not get caught up in the fact that he is now (gasp!) 41 years old and has moved on. In 2018, Culkin sat down with Ellen DeGeneres to promote one of his projects at the time and discussed the somewhat conflicted relationship he has with the film.
“I don’t really watch the Home Alone films all that often. It’s background radiation at Christmastime,” Culkin told DeGeneres. “I’ve had people who want to sit down and watch it with me, which is both flattering and creepy.” But icons are just that. For whatever reason— maybe they’re just good or maybe they just hit us at the right time—there are films and songs and books that get etched in our histories. And it’s not as if Home Alone needed the publicity from
Airbnb. Made for a relatively paltry budget of $18 million, it grossed nearly a half billion dollar worldwide in theaters. In the holiday spirit, Airbnb made an undisclosed donation to La Rabida Children’s Hospital, which serves people with complex illnesses and disabilities. It’s a fair guess the donation was more than the price of renting the Home Alone house, and hopefully Buzz had a hand in it to atone for his treatment of little Kevin.
INDEX
NEWS
10 socials
Holiday fundraiser supports WINGS' Safe House
LIFESTYLE & ARTS
John Conatser FOUNDER & PUBLISHER
14 north shore foodie
ADVERTISING
Jennifer Sturgeon
Add this Brandied Fruit & Nut Bars recipe to your holiday celebrations
LAST BUT NOT LEAST
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Dustin O'Regan, Kemmie Ryan, Sherry Thomas
18 sunday breakfast
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
DESIGN
Northfield pastor Josh Parsons believes the greatest gift of Christmas is the birth of Christ
Mitch Hurst, Bill McLean Linda Lewis PRODUCTION MANAGER GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Chris Geimer ADVERTISING COORDINATOR
ALL ADVERTISING INQUIRY INFO SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO 847.370.6940 & JENNIFER@JWCMEDIA.COM FIND US ONLINE: DAILYNORTHSHORE.COM LIKE US ON FACEBOOK! © 2021 THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND A PUBLICATION OF JWC MEDIA 445 SHERIDAN RD., HIGHWOOD, IL 60040
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
PHOTOGRAPHY AND ART Barry Blitt ILLUSTRATOR Monica Kass Rogers PHOTOGRAPHY Cheyanne Lencioni ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
LIFESTYLE & ARTS
Socials WINGS SWEET HOME CHICAGO Photography courtesy of Gosia Matuszewska Families gathered in December in the ballroom of the Four Seasons Chicago for a day of holiday fun. Co-chairs Katherine Banich, Meghan Norton, and Maria Shideler welcomed guests for brunch and activities including family portraits, visits with Santa, and decorating gingerbread houses. The event raised $816,000 which will directly support WINGS’ Safe House in the Northwest suburbs. wingsprogram.com
MEGHAN NORTON, MARIA SHIDELER, SHELIA KING, REBECCA DARR, KATHERINE BANICH, RACHEL PASQUINI
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THE WINNARD FAMILY
THE HOYE FAMILY
SADIE BANICH, CHLOE SULECKI
| SATURDAY DECEMBER 25 CHRISTMAS DAY | SUNDAY DECEMBER 26 2021
THE MCCONNELL FAMILY
RITA & JOHN CANNING
KATHERINE BANICH WITH DAUGHTER SADIE
THE HAIRSTON FAMILY
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
EXQUISITE CRAFTMANSHIP This custom luxury log home is anything but rustic!
8309 Crystal Springs Road , Bull Valley, IL | JUST LISTED at $799,000 | OPEN HOUSE Jan. 2, 2:30-4:00pm Situated on 3 secluded wooded acres, this 6400sf floor plan features topof-the-line finishes, 4BR/4BA, covered porch across the front of the home and profound vaulted ceilings in the great room. Skylights, 8 ceiling fans, 2 stone hearth fireplaces, an open gourmet kitchen with granite counters, 32 speaker surround sound inside & out. The upstairs loft master suite has a walk-in closet, lux bath with Kohler whirlpool tub & large walk-in double shower. The walk-out lower level family room has 2nd full kitchen, wine fridge and stone fireplace. An upper level screened porch runs across the back of the home. Hot tub, expansive deck with accent lights. 3 season gazebo and heated 4-car garage! Potential income property. Located in exclusive Bull Valley, minutes from Bull Valley Golf Club, rated as the 15th best golf course in Illinois by Golf Digest.
Contact me for a showing: KATARINA BROWN (312) 568-9238 katarina@coldwellhomes.com
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
ALGONQUIN OFFICE
777 East Algonquin Road, Algonquin IL, 60102
SATURDAY DECEMBER 25 CHRISTMAS DAY | SUNDAY DECEMBER 26 2021 |
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Christmas wishes to all our clients...past, present & future! “John Baylor is as good as it gets in the real estate industry.” - CM “John, Pam and Cricket are excellent at their trade craft and exceedingly professional. They took the time to evaluate all aspects of our home and the price point to list the property. Excellent at managing the showings. Wonderful team - highest recommendation.” - BG “John Baylor did such a phenomenal job helping us purchase our first home! He and his wife, Pam Baylor, explained everything to us every step of the way and made sure we were getting the best price possible. We knew we were in excellent hands and trusted them completely - it is refreshing to know that someone is looking out for your best interest at all times. We are so thrilled with the entire process and can’t believe we can now call ourselves homeowners!” - CK
John Baylor broker
847.502.7471 John@atproperties.com
Pam Baylor broker
847.401.4101 PamBaylor@atproperties.com
Cricket King broker
847.338.7328 Cricket@atproperties.com
Over $400 Million Sold!
*
Exceptional Experience... Exceptional Service... Exceptional Results!
*Source: MLS date: 1/2005-present, includes all brokerages
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| SATURDAY DECEMBER 25 CHRISTMAS DAY | SUNDAY DECEMBER 26 2021
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
Happy New Year! U
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Thank you to all my clients, it was an honor to work with you. I would love the opportunity to work with your friends and family in helping them find the home of their dreams.
704 SHERIDAN RD, WILMETTE
66 S HICKORY AVE, FOX LAKE
847.204.5613
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925 #3 MICHIGAN, EVANSTON
8500 SKOKIE BLVD 1A, SKOKIE
colleenmcginnis@atproperties.com
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
643 BRIER ST, KENILWORTH
It would be an honor to work with you as well. So if you’re thinking of buying or selling? Contact me!
SATURDAY DECEMBER 25 CHRISTMAS DAY | SUNDAY DECEMBER 26 2021 |
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LIFESTYLE & ARTS
NORTH SHORE FOODIE
HOLIDAY BRANDIED FRUIT & NUT BARS BY MONICA KASS ROGERS THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
My mother had a pecan tree on the grounds of her childhood home in Houston. Long after she married and moved to Chicago to raise me and my sibs, Mom’s family sent a big box of pecans each year for the holidays. How Mom beamed when she opened that box! Then, she pulled out a battered baking tin and set to work making a dark, rich, fruit, and nut spice cake. This recipe is an easy-to-make homage to that—baked in a buttered 8 x 13-inch pan with loads of toasted pecans, plus brandysoaked dried cranberries, Montmorency cherries, Thompson raisins, a smattering of plump prunes, and some candied orange bits. Buttery and chewy at the edges, and oh-so-tender in the middle, it is my favorite holiday baked treat. It’s very good with a hot cup of tea (and even better with whiskey!)
INGREDIENTS FOR THE BRANDIED FRUIT
• ½ cup brandy • ½ cup port • 1-½ cups dried Montmorency tart cherries, roughly chopped • 1-½ cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped • 1 cup plump seedless prunes, chopped small • 1 cup Thompson seedless raisins • 1/4 cup sweetened dried orange slices, chopped fine (can be found at Trader Joe’s) OR substitute good quality candied orange peel
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MONICA KASS ROGERS
FOR THE BATTER
• 1-⅛ cups (2-¼ sticks) unsalted butter, softened. You will use ¼ stick to generously butter the pan and parchment; 2 sticks in the batter • 8 ounces (2 cups) raw pecan halves • 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour • ½ tsp powdered ginger • 1 tsp ground Saigon cinnamon • ⅛ tsp ground cloves • ½ tsp ground nutmeg OR finely grate the tip of a whole nutmeg • 1 tsp salt • 2 cups light brown sugar, packed • 3 large eggs • 8 ounces raw pecan halves
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METHOD PREPARE PAN AND NUTS: Preheat oven
to 350 degrees. Lightly butter bottom and sides of baking pan. Line pan lengthwise with parchment paper, (the butter will help it stick to the bottom of the pan) leaving 2-inch parchment overhang on both ends of the pan. Line pan widthwise with more parchment paper. Copiously butter the parchment paper, sides and bottom. Set aside. Spread pecan halves on a cookie sheet and toast at 350 degrees for just under 15 minutes until nuts are fragrant and
browned. Roughly chop toasted nuts and set aside. MAKE BRANDIED FRUIT: Combine all chopped dried fruit in a medium-sized microwaveable bowl. Pour brandy and port over all. Stir. Cover bowl with plate or plastic wrap; microwave for 1 minute. Set fruit aside to soak and cool. MAKE BATTER: Sift flour, spices, and salt into a bowl. Set aside. In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat butter and brown sugar together at medi-
| SATURDAY DECEMBER 25 CHRISTMAS DAY | SUNDAY DECEMBER 26 2021
um speed until fluffy, scraping bottom and sides of mixer bowl as needed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. With mixer on low, beat in the spiced flour just until no streaks remain. Fold in the fruit mixture. Fold in the toasted chopped pecans. Scoop and evenly spread batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake until nicely browned 50 to 55 minutes. Cool pan on wire rack for 1 to 2 hours. Using the overhanging parchment, lift cake from pan and completely cool. Slice into bars with a sharp knife. THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
May You & Yours Enjoy the Best of the Season! Sold
Sold
315 Essex, Kenilworth $4,100,000
732 Bronson, Highland Park $1,925,000
Sold
Sold
Sold
1336 Elmwood, Wilmette $1,849,000
79 Woodley, Winnetka $1,699,000
Sold
960 Old Green Bay, Winnetka $1,225,000
835 Lake, Wilmette $1,189,000
Top 1% of North Shore Agents** “A particular pleasure at this stage of my career is working with the children of my friends, and the friends of my children.”
Louise Eichelberger Sold
Sold
334 Sheridan, Winnetka $995,000
16 Old Hunt, Northfield $975,000
Sold
Sold
1446 Scott, Winnetka $679,000
113 Regent Wood, Northfield $650,000
Sold
727 Kent, Kenilworth $845,000
Sold
107 Linden, Glencoe $524,500
2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2021 Five Star Agent 847.612.3347 | leichelberger@atproperties.com
Sold
Sold
1869 Admiral, Glenview $789,000
Sold
855 Oak, Glencoe $735,000
Sold
310 Hollywood, Wilmette $449,000
370 Winnetka, Winnetka $449,000
Sold
350 Lagoon, Northfield $729,000
Sold
1715 Northfield Sq, Northfield $249,000
*Handled Buyers & Sellers **Information available through BrokerMetrics and the NSBAR 11/14/14
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
SATURDAY DECEMBER 25 CHRISTMAS DAY | SUNDAY DECEMBER 26 2021 |
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“ LO R I WA S A TR E M E N D O U S A S S E T IN OUR SEARCH. SHE HAS TERRIFIC A R E A K N OW LE D G E , G R E AT A B I LI T Y TO A S S E S S T H E VA LU E O F H O M E S , S TRO N G WO R K I N G R E L ATI O N S H I P S W I T H O P P OS I N G AG E N TS , A N D S TRO N G N E G OTI ATI O N S K I LL S TO F I N A LIZE T H E T R A N S AC T I O N . W E W E R E
V E RY H A PPY W ITH LO R I ’ S E X PE RTI S E A N D H E LP. ” - B U Y E R , 202 1
#1 WILMETTE AGENT 2020 OVER $43 MILLION IN CLOSED SALES IN 2020 *
**
8 4 7. 2 2 6 . 5 7 9 4 | L O R I N E U S C H E L . C O M LO R I . N E U S C H E L @ AT P R O P E R T I E S . C O M *Source: Broker Metrics, #1 individual agent in Wilmette based on transactions, units and dollars, 1/1/2020-12/31/2020 **MRED Source LLC 1/1/2020-12/31/2020
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| SATURDAY DECEMBER 25 CHRISTMAS DAY | SUNDAY DECEMBER 26 2021
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
E X PER I ENCE
T H AT M O V E S Y O U
I am honored and grateful to all of my clients, business partners, friends, family for the ability to work together in 2021. From my home to yours, wishing you a prosperous, healthy and happy 2022!
8 4 7. 2 2 6 . 5 7 9 4 | L O R I N E U S C H E L . C O M LO R I . N E U S C H E L @ AT P R O P E R T I E S . C O M
2021: NAMED CHICAGO MAGAZINE TOP 20 AGENTS IN M E T R O P O L I TA N C H I C A G O / S U R R O U N D I N G S U B U R B S TOP 10 ON THE NORTH SHORE!*
F RO M E VA N S TO N TO L A K E B LU F F & BA R R I N GTO N TO G LE N V I E W
OVER $41 MILLION IN CLOSED & UNDER CONTRACT SALES IN 2021** #1 WILMETTE AGENT 2020*** *Ranked in NSBAR’s Top 10 by Residential Sales Volume **MRED Source LLC All Residential Sales 1/1/2021-12/6/2021 ***Source: Broker Metrics, #1 individual agent in Wilmette based on transactions, units and dollars, 1/1/2020-12/31/2020
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
SATURDAY DECEMBER 25 CHRISTMAS DAY | SUNDAY DECEMBER 26 2021 |
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S U N D AY B R E A K FA S T
HIS CENTRAL MESSAGE PASTOR JOSH PARSONS, OF THE ORCHARD-NORTHFIELD CAMPUS, REMINDS ALL THAT THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS CAN BE FOUND IN THE FIRST SIX LETTERS OF THE HOLIDAY. BY GREGG SHAPIRO ILLUSTRATION BY BARRY BLITT
When a mutual friend introduced Josh Parsons and his future wife, fellow Minnesotan Sarah, at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, neither Josh nor Sarah knew they had played together, sung together, and learned together, as tykes. “ Te c h n i c a l l y, you could say, we first met in preschool,” Josh recalls. “But I didn’t remember her, and she didn’t remember me. Here’s where the story gets fun. We found a photo of our class, and there’s Sarah, sitting right in front of me.” To d a y — a n d every day—Jesus Christ is front and center in their lives. Josh Parsons has been the pastor at The O rc hard-Nor thfield campus since 2016. The Evangelical Free Church exists to glorify God by multiplying God-centered, Christ-exalting, world-transforming believers through the Gospel in the greater Chicago area (the Northfield location is one of six sites in The Orchard network) and around the world. “We are committed to the authority of the Bible as being Christ’s Word and the standard of truth for life,” says the 33-yearold Parsons, who married Sarah in 2010 and moved to Illinois a year later. “We are glad to exalt the work of Jesus. The Bible is at the center of all we do. We believe Jesus is worth following and want others to find joy in following Him,
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too. We love talking about Jesus and what He said and did, and what He meant, after God’s act of love sent His Son to live among people.” Which brings us to Christmas and its true
There are grieving, desperate, discouraged people around us. But if they choose to tether their lives to the center of this holiday’s meaning—the birth of Jesus—they’d find love that’s not only substantive but also enduring. A powerful love like that that can carry people through the hardest days of their lives.
Pastor Josh Parsons
meaning. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” ( John 3:16). The meaning of Christmas, like it did for most adult Christians, dawned on Parsons gradually. Parsons, the youngster growing up in the Land of 10,000 lakes, loved all the perceptible things (10,000, at least) associated with the holiday: presents, snow, Santa Claus’s merriment, ornaments, beautiful, moving music, inhaling cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning, and more. “Fully embracing what’s at the core of Christmas happened slowly for me, kind of like water lapping across rocks, eventually eroding them and changing their shapes,” Parsons says. “I still love those noticeable elements of Christmas, and I always will. But there came a time for me when the meaning of Christmas grew weightier, heavier—understanding the significance of the birth of Christ. That God would become Man to save me, to save you, to save all of us, from sins. How wonderful is that? “It’s sometimes easy to lose sight of Jesus, to lose sight of his meaning, especially during Christmastime,” he adds. “There’s that tendency to view Him as a ‘sidecar’, nice and dandy, a part of our life, but only as a part a couple of times of year to
| SATURDAY DECEMBER 25 CHRISTMAS DAY | SUNDAY DECEMBER 26 2021
lift our spirits. But Jesus is a great Savior, and He should be viewed as such every day. He’s a reason to be hopeful and joyful.” Parsons recently spoke with someone who told him, “I’m so lonely.” People lose sight of that, too, this time of year. That there might be as many people who feel isolated as there are those who feel cheerful and celebratory. “Think about those who have lost loved ones this year,” Parsons says. “This holiday season for them is very, very hard. Just last year it was a time of joy for those same people. There are grieving, desperate, discouraged people all around us. But if they choose to tether their lives to the center of this holiday’s meaning—the birth of Jesus—they’d find love that’s not only substantive but also enduring. That’s what I said to that lonely person. “A powerful love like that,” he adds, “can carry people through the hardest days of their lives.” Josh and Sarah and their three children— Nora, 6; Quinn, 4; and Haddon, 2—moved from Deerfield to Des Plaines in May. As Christians and as parents, they seek balance, especially from the day after Thanksgiving until the glorious day that is December 25. “You’d never want your kids to lose the delight that comes with opening gifts and decorating the tree,” Parsons says. “My wife and I want Christmas to be a wonderful, joyful experience for our children every year. But we’re also aware of the importance of making it about Jesus, too, because it has to be. At this busy time of year, you want to instill a lot in your children.” The Parsons grew up south of the Twin Cities in Minnesota. The son of Bob, a corporate coach, and Pam, Josh Parson figured he’d take the career path his father took, having decided to major in Organizational Communication at UW-Eau Claire. About halfway through his junior year in college, Josh sensed a calling to another field. “I kept hearing people say to me, ‘Have you ever considered (pursuing a vocation in the church?’),” Parsons recalls. “Sarah, she’d mention gifts I have that pastors have. I also remember my dad asking, ‘Josh, why aren’t you on your way to becoming a pastor?’ “I didn’t have an answer for him.” Parsons enrolled in the Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, started attending The Orchard-Northfield campus in 2011, and was named pastor five years later. “God uses people to help us, to guide us, to enlighten us, to stir our hearts,” a grateful Parsons says. The Orchard-Northfield campus, 847-5319615, is located at 315 Waukegan Road. Visit theorchardefc.org for more information. THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
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