CLL Community Classes
These classes do not require a CLL membership to attend; however, they require registration and may have an additional fee.
Please visit the new CLL Registration page on Church Center to register for classes.
ONGOING CLASSES
Mindfulness Meditation
Every Monday and every Friday, 11:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. (Zoom)
Cost: Free
Sign-up through the CLL office; the Zoom link will be sent from the facilitator, Regan Burke.
Bridge Group
2nd and 4th Monday of every month, 1:00–4:00 p.m. (In-person)
Cost: Free
This group is currently full. Contact Linda Daly if you are interested in being put on the substitute list.
Let's Play Mahjong!
Tuesdays
1:00-2:00 p.m.
In person
Cost: Free
Register for Mahjong
Foreign Affairs Perspectives
2nd and 4th Tuesdays
1:00-2:00 p.m.
Zoom
Cost: Free
This is a member-led small group discussion based on articles from the magazine Foreign Affairs. Group members are required to subscribe to the magazine. For each discussion, one group member selects an article from the magazine, develops questions about the article, and moderates the discussion. Each member is expected to moderate one or two discussions during each term.
Spring Meeting Dates:
April 14 and 28
May 12 and 26
June 9 and 23
Monthly Book Group
Second Tuesday of the month,
2:30-3:30 p.m. (Zoom)
Cost: Free
All are welcome to join us for lively and thought-provoking discussions each month, led by Alan Bath.
Spring Meeting Dates
April 14 A Different Kind of Power, A Memoir by Jacinda Ardern
May 12 Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez
June 9 Desi Arnaz, The Man Who Invented Television by Tod S. Purdum
The Great Ideas Men's Group
Every other Wednesday
10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Hybrid
Cost: Free
A discussion group that provides a safe and supportive environment for men to discuss and work through challenges of current topics that are facing the world at large. Before each meeting we will read an article from “Foreign Affairs” magazine and then discuss it as a group.
Spring Meeting Dates
April 8 and 22
May 6 and 20
June 3 and 17
Midweek Meditation
Wednesdays
11:00–11:30 a.m.
In Person
Cost: Free
Join CLL Director Annette Mileski on Wednesdays for 30 minutes of mindful restoration, meditation, and gentle movement. All are welcome.
Film Series
2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month
2:00–4:00 p.m.
In Person
Cost: Free
Join us to enjoy a current film! Register to receive a list of this month’s movie selections.
Dates for Winter and Spring:
March 18 and 25
April 15 and 29
May 13 and 27
June 17 and 24
Art and Conversation
Thursdays, 11:00–12:30 p.m. In Person
Cost: Free
Art and Conversation is not a class but a celebration of fellowship and creativity. An art studio collaborative where people make art and new friends. We invite people to make new friends while indulging in lively discussions and making art. Bring a piece you are working on or start a new one! We can provide some basic materials, but you can also bring some from home.
Matters of Health
Thursdays, 11:30-12:30 p.m. (Hybrid)
Cost: Free
Our lifestyle affects our health, and our health affects our lifestyle. So, what impacts our ability to age in the best way possible for each of us? This weekly series will provide participants with resources to answer this and other questions about aging well. Each week will feature a presenter who will be discussing healthy aging in one of these categories: physical health, mental health, social health, spiritual health, or financial health.
As a participant, you register for the whole series and will receive the full list of topics and a weekly email listing the topic and presenter for that week. Then you may choose which sessions to attend. Sessions are not recorded, but any distributed materials may be sent electronically as well.
Canasta
Thursdays
1:30-3:00 p.m. (In person)
Fiber Friends
Fridays, 2:00-3:30 p.m. (In person)
Cost: Free
Interested in learning how to knit or crochet? Or do you already know how, but would love to sit and stitch with a group? Have we got a space for you! Heather Groh will be facilitating this group and all skill levels are welcome. She will be able to help you get started with some simple patterns if you are new to the craft and will provide support if you are feeling a bit stuck in your stitching.
Get Together and Go Out!
Fridays, 3:30 p.m. (In-person)
Cost: Free for CLL Members and nonmembers, museum admission will be paid individually
Let’s meet up and talk informally about cultural possibilities, fun upcoming events, concerts, art exhibits, and more! Following the discussion, we will head out and explore the city!
Spring 2026 Dates:
April 10 and 24
May 8 and 22
June 12 and 26
Monthly Lunch Meet Ups
Fridays
12:00-2:00 p.m. (In person)
Each month we select a neighborhood restaurant to meet at for lunch! This is a great way to connect with others and discover what might be your new favorite restaurant. Each person is responsible for their own check. Please email Dave Dalton to be notified of the upcoming restaurants and dates.
APRIL CLASSES
Beginning Tai Chi
Tuesdays & Thursdays, April 7- May 7, 2:00-2:45pm, (In Person, 5 weeks)
Cost: $85 CLL Members; $100 Nonmembers (10 class sessions)
Tai Chi is an effective exercise for anyone seeking to enhance balance, strength, and coordination. It consists of a fluid series of postures combined with deep breathing exercises. In this class, beginning students will learn the history and fundamentals of Tai Chi Chuan and will be prepared to join the intermediate class upon completion of the beginner series.
Hau Kum Kneip studied with Chinese Tai Chi masters in Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China, and Hawaii beginning in 1978. She has taught Tai Chi Chuan at the CLL since 1995, increasing the balance, strength, and focus of her students.
Improv
Tuesdays, April 7-May 12, 1:00-2:30 pm (In-person, 6 sessions)
Cost: $55 for CLL Members, $70 for non-members
Are you looking for a way to shake up the brain cells a bit? Well, good news! We are offering an improv class that is designed to get you moving and engaging your neural pathways as you learn to let go of your self-consciousness, communicate in new ways, and create interesting characters with your classmates. No prior experience needed.
Ron Tolisano is a Chicago resident who has been involved in the improv community for the past ten years. He has a BA from Western Ill. Univ. and an MSW from Loyola University, Chicago. He has taken classes at Second City and Annoyance Theatre. He currently teaches improvisation at the Chicago Cultural Center and at the Harold Washington Library Center- Chicago Public Library.
The Supreme Court- What in the World will it do Next?
Thursdays, April 9- May 14, 10:00-11:30 a.m. (In-person)
Cost: $45 for CLL Members; $60 for non-members
Recent decisions of the Supreme Court (for instance abortion, presidential immunity) have been the subject of much criticism. And there is much concern about many cases that have not yet been decided (or will be decided between the time you read this and when the class begins).
The course will consider both the complex role of the Court under the Constitution and the arguments of both sides of these cases. The focus of these discussions will be to facilitate your prediction, not mine. (after considering both sides of the arguments) of the outcome of pending cases with significant political or social impact. In other words, each person would be deciding what they would do if a Supreme Court Justice. This is more difficult than it might seem since the arguments and logic for both sides cannot be learned from the press.
Of course, we cannot know what now-pending cases will have been decided between now and the start of the class, or what new cases will be pending--such as cases involving gun rights, state funding of religious schools, posting of the 10 Commandments in grammar schools, the rights of parents of trans children or birthright citizenship). Thus, the logic for important recently decided decisions will also be discussed.
Henry Krasnow became interested in the recent rulings of the current Supreme Court by his frustration over how the media, politicians, and opinion writers described the Court’s rulings to emphasize controversy while ignoring the logic articulated by the Court in explaining those rulings. In addition to his 55 yr. career as a Chicago business lawyer, Henry was an adjunct law professor, had a book published, and authored over 20 magazine articles on a wide range of legal subjects. He holds a B.A. (Economics) from the University of Michigan, a C.P.A. from the University of Illinois, and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.
Beyond the Headlines: Understanding Today’s News
Thursdays, 1:00-2:00 p.m. (Hybrid)
Cost: $40 for CLL Members, $60 for Non-CLL Members
Sally Sachar will dig deep into public policy and current events and how they are being covered in today’s media landscape. This fascinating class is sure to produce conversation. Sally spent nearly 30 years in Washington, DC working in public policy and leading nonprofits in education and health. After moving to Chicago, she founded the Ibis Collaborative, which leads public policy and current events discussions with older adults locally and nationally. A former presidential appointee, she held senior roles at the U.S. Department of Labor, including Deputy Chief of Staff and Associate Assistant Secretary for Policy. She also runs a consulting firm focused on strengthening nonprofits and small businesses.
Spring 2026 Dates:
April 9 and 23
May 21 and 28
June 4 and 25
Art of Renaissance Rome with Jeff Nigro
Mondays, April 13- May 4, 2:00-3:00 (Hybrid)
Cost: $25 for CLL Members and $50 for non-members
Rome in the years around 1500 saw a flourishing of the visual arts that represented the culmination of the Renaissance ideals of humanism and classical beauty, despite the corruption of the papal court. A succession of popes–as both political and spiritual rulers of Rome–and others patronized geniuses like Michelangelo and Raphael, as well as their rivals and followers.
Jeffrey Nigro has had a professional relationship with the Art Institute of Chicago for over 30 years, including serving as Director of Adult Programs in the Department of Museum Education from 2003 to 2010. Jeff is currently a Research Associate in the Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium and an Adjunct Lecturer in the Department of Interpretation at the Art Institute. Jeff also teaches Adult Education Seminars at the Newberry Library. He is a frequent speaker for the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) and he is a former Regional Coordinator of the Greater Chicago region of JASNA. His essay “Georgian Fangirls: Women and Castrati in Eighteenth-Century London” appears in Women and Music in the Age of Austen, edited by Linda Zionkowski and Miriam Hart (Bucknell University Press, 2023).
MAY CLASSES
CLL Student Art Show Opening
Friday, May 1
Learn to Play Canasta
Tuesdays, May 5- May 26, 2:30-4:00 (In-person)
Cost: Free for CLL Members and non-members
CPR Training
Wednesday, May 6, 2:00-4:30 (In-person)
Cost: Free for CLL Members and non-members
This hands-on training, taught by Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) in partnership with the Safe Chicago Program, empowers everyday people to act with confidence in a crisis. You don’t need to be a medical professional to save a life—you just need the knowledge and the courage to be the help before help arrives. Learning CPR and AED saves lives—because in a cardiac emergency, seconds matter. When someone collapses, the actions taken before first responders arrive can mean the difference between life and death. Immediate CPR keeps blood flowing to the brain and heart, and early use of an AED can restore a lifesaving heartbeat.
Learn to Play Marvelous Mahjong
Mondays, May 11-June 22, 1:30-3:00 (In-person)
Cost: Free for CLL Members and non-members
Join us to learn to play this version of Mahjong that is a different experience from American and Chinese gameplay.
Explorations with Jane Hunt
Wednesdays, May 13- May 27, 10:30-11:30 (Hybrid)
Cost: Free for CLL Members, $25 for non-members
Description: TBD
Jane Hunt is a retired College of DuPage English and humanities instructor and has been teaching at the CLL since 1990. She is a graduate of DePauw University and Indiana University, and she enjoys formulating questions on diverse topics and then looking for answers with her classes.
Western Religions with Susan Quaintance
Wednesdays, May 13-May 27, 1:30-2:30 p.m. (Hybrid)
Cost: $20 for CLL Members, $40 for nonmembers
Description: TBD
Susan Quaintance, OSB, has cherished being a part of the Center for Life and Learning community —whether as Program Coordinator, Director, or friend — since 2014. Still keenly interested in issues affecting older adults, she is currently Director of Heart to Heart Ministry, a program designed to help seniors remain independent in their homes, at St. Gertrude Catholic Parish in Edgewater. She also serves as subprioress for her religious community, the Benedictine Sisters of Chicago. For twenty-three years she taught English and Theology at St. Scholastica Academy in Rogers Park, and she has facilitated retreats, days of reflection, and discernment processes for adults all over the country.
2026 Encore
Saturday, May 30
JUNE CLASSES
CSO Rehearsal
Wednesdays, June 17, 1:30-3:30 (In-person)
Anderson Japanese Gardens Trip
Wednesday, June 3, 10:00-5:00 p.m. (In-person)
Cost: $60 for CLL Members, $80 for non-members
Join us for a beautiful, guided tour of the Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford! We’ll start the day with lunch at the “Fresco Restaurant on the Gardens” with your choice of Fresco Club Sandwich, Avocado Turkey Wrap, Tuscan Chicken Sandwich or Mango Berry Summer Salad. All entrees include sides and beverage. Then a docent will lead us on a flat tour of the Gardens with time on your own at the end to explore. Anderson Gardens has been recognized as one of the highest quality Japanese gardens in North America by Sukiya Living Magazine. With the ongoing guidance of designer Hoichi Kurisu, a swampy backyard in Rockford, Illinois, has transformed over decades into a 12-acre landscape which leads guests through elements of stone, landscape, and water. Master craftsmanship and 16th century architecture are found throughout the Garden. They work to deliver the mission to “open minds to a different culture while offering guests a place of peace and tranquility where they will find healing, renewal, inspiration, and a reenergized soul.” Trip includes lunch, tour, admission, and round trip travel on a Coach bus.
The Art and Life of Juana Romani with Hugh Leeman
Thursday, May 14, 1:30-2:30 p.m. (Zoom)
Cost: $15 for CLL Members, $20 for Nonmembers
Explore the extraordinary life and art of Juana Romani (born Carolina Giovanna Carlesimo), an Italian-born painter who transformed herself from a child migrant model in Paris into one of the most celebrated artists of the Belle Époque. Romani navigated poverty, migration, and the male-dominated art world with remarkable intelligence, ambition, and technical brilliance. We will examine how she learned through studio networks, modeled for major artists, and developed a distinctive style marked by dramatic portraits, sensual color, and psychologically powerful female figures such as Salome, Judith, and Joan of Arc. Having disappeared from the spotlight and been forgotten to time we uncover the beauty of her art and life.
Hugh Leeman is an artist and lecturer teaching art history in English and Spanish. He lectures regularly at Duke University, Johns Hopkins University, and in Spanish at Colorado State University. His lectures focus on the manifestation of social power structures and the spiritual realm in pre-modern art and the future of images' ability to re-engineer social constructs. Leeman's social practice has been exhibited at the Museum of Mexico City. His first social art project focused on a five-year collaborative project with the inner city's homeless, using technology to create micro self-empowerment business platforms for homeless individuals. More recently, Leeman cofounded aetatribes.org.
Art Class with Kathleen Murphy Skolnik
Thursdays, TBD 2:30-4:00 p.m. (In person)
Cost: $40 for CLL Members and $60 for non-CLL members
TBD
Kathleen Murphy Skolnik teaches art and architectural history at Roosevelt University for classes on architecture and design of the late 19th and early 20th century at the Newberry Library. She is the co-author of The Art Deco Murals of Hildreth Meière and a contributor to Art Deco Chicago: Designing Modern America. From 2008 to 2016 she was the editor of the Chicago Art Deco Society Magazine and currently serves on the Board of the International Hildreth Meière Association and the Advisory Board of the Art Deco Society of New York.
Looking at Art
Mondays, TBD, 2:30-4:00 p.m. (In-person)
Cost: Free for CLL Members and non-members
Join CLL Volunteer Jackie O’Keefe to explore ideas, concepts, history and interpretations of paintings as seen in Realism, Impressionism, and Abstract art. By looking at paintings carefully we describe what we see, drawing an interpretation of the “story” seen in the work, and consider how line, color and shape would support an interpretation.
Please visit the new CLL Registration page on Church Center to Register for classes.
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