This Week at Old North!

Old North Church is an inclusive Christian Community called to bring to life God's love and grace by sharing the gospel for this time and place; extending the hospitality Christ showed; embodying God's love and compassion to those in need; and growing together in our understanding and experience of the Holy Spirit at work in our midst.

Children's Church News

I had the great joy of attending the Lifelong Faith Formation Symposium in Avon CT last week. The focus was on the future of faith formation with children and youth, reimagining lifelong faith formation with families, and with the intergenerational faith community. The intergenerational piece was a highlight for me as I see this as ONC greatest gift to your/our children, not just multigenerational, but weaving and being woven together in an intergenerational community and I see this in action often and it warms my heart each time.

Some of the topics we explored were:

Promoting Maturing in Faith from Childhood through Adolescence

Exploring the Changing Context of Faith Formation with Children &Youth

Latest Trends in Children/Youth Education and Engagement

Designing Immersive Environments for Faith Formation: intergenerational faith community, family, age group, community/world, and online

Strategies and Ideas for 21st Century Faith Formation with Children and Adolescents

Integrating the Ideas into a Seamless and Holistic Approach to Faith Formation from 0-19.

They were full days of learning and opportunities of collaboration with folks from all over country. I was thrilled to represent Old North and share the rich history of Christian formation, and the desire to look ahead to the future of and what it can look like in the 21st Century. Feeling quite blessed! Karen

Remaining classes for the fall months are: Oct 15, 22 & 29; Nov 5, 19 & 26; Dec 3, 10 & 17.

Here is a link to our registration form.

Volunteer Skills Survey

As part of our visioning and leadership restructuring, we are working on developing a database on how you might like to use your gifts, skills, interests and passions to serve our church.

We have developed a Volunteer Skills Survey for you to fill out to let us know what are your interests and skills. Please, take a moment to download the form here, fill it out, and email it back to [email protected], drop it off in the basket in the narthex, or mail it to the church office at 8 Stacey Street. Please note that the form is two pages.

We would love to hear from as many people as possible as soon as possible!

Coffee with Karla

I would love to have coffee with you! Starting this Fall, I will have "coffee" office hours. Please come and join me for a chat, to share a concern, or just enjoy good conversation.

This is the schedule:

1st and 3rd Wednesdays, 3:30-5:30 pm at Starbucks

2nd and 4th Fridays, 9:30-11:30 am at Haley's.

Come and meet me on Wednesday, October 18 at 3:30pm at Haley's. See you then! Karla

Confirmation Program for 7th & 8th Graders

We are offering Old North teens the opportunity to be confirmed as members of the UCC community faith at the end of this new church year, 2017-8. For this to happen, Dee Burgett and Rhod Sharp are happy to offer a Sunday class once again. Everyone in Grade 7 and 8 (including especially those who were in our Grade 7 class last year) is warmly invited to a series in which we try to develop our spiritual awareness. Once again we'll try to work our way into it through meditation and looking at the bible in a way that gives us something to talk about.

Class is not meeting on October 15. We will resume on Sunday, October 22 at 5:00pm in the Great Room.

Click here for a confirmation registration form.

Career Transition Meets on Sundays

The group now meets on Sundays at 11:30 in the Beals Room at the Stacey Street office building. Anyone in job transition (whether re-entering the workforce, seeking employment after a layoff or just looking for a different job) is welcome to attend. Participants will share job search strategies, network, work on resumes, enjoy spiritual support and more. There is no cost to participate. We look forward to serving those who need support while looking for work. For more information email Michael Perez, [email protected].

The topic for this week's session is: Marketing yourself, maximizing your online presence

Trunk or Treat! Animal Blessing!

Join us for our second annual Old North Church Trunk or Treat on October 28, after worship! This year we are adding an animal blessing to the fun, just to make things more "spooktacular!" Dress up your car in a "costume"~~themes are great. Last year, Roy and Heather Martin created a "haunted house" out of the back of their Mini-Cooper! Bring treats(candy, pencils, etc.) to hand out to all the children who will be "trunk or treating". Bring your pet, either a picture or in real life or even a stuffy, and Karla and Dennis will offer blessings. (You can even dress up your pet, if they will have it.). Last year was a blast-so tell your neighbors and friends! Questions? Contact Karla

Are You Interested in Membership?

The Membership Committee invites anyone who might be interested in learning about becoming a member of Old North Church to attend New Member Information Sessions on Sunday, November 5th and Sunday November 12 at 11:15 in the Great Room at Stacey Street. Rev. Dennis Calhoun and Rev. Karla Miller will conduct the consecutive meetings providing history of Old North Church, our association with UCC, the meaning of becoming a member, activities that are available for participation etc. New Member Sunday will be November 19th when those who have attended the sessions and have decided to join Old North will be welcomed into the congregation. For further information please contact Linda Davis at 781-639-0405 or pldavis. [email protected].

Lifebridge Fundraising
Event: A Night to Remember

A whimsical evening of live music, magic, card readings, photo booth fun

Friday, October 20, 2017 - 7:00 pm

Tedesco Country Club

154 Tedesco Street, Marblehead, MA 01945

$60/person & $100/couple

Live and Silent Auction Items * Heavy Appetizers * Cash Bar

Join us to recognize Neiland and Priscilla Douglas for their continued dedication to help the homeless. Purchase tickets online at www.lifebridgesalem.org. For more information/questions, please contact Melissa Lynch - [email protected], 978-744-0500. Lifebridge and River House serve the homeless through intensive case management and supportive services for personal development and stability in physical and mental health. Proceeds benefit daily services including emergency beds, community meals, and programming.

Men's Service Center for the Winter Wonderland Fair

An integral part of the Winter Wonderland Fair is the Men's Service Center run by the ONC Men's Fellowship Group. This is the 7th year the Men's Group will offer services for purchase by fair attendees with all revenue going directly to the ONC general fund. See the Fact Sheet below for details and consider what service you may be able to provide at this years fair. It doesn't have to be work...it could be something that you enjoy doing that someone else would welcome receiving. Give it some thought.

Please click here for a Fact Sheet and here for a sign-up form!

Note New Updates!

W inter Wonderland Fair

November 17-19

We are all getting really excited about Old North's Winter Wonderland Fair, which is scheduled for November 17-19. The plans for our biggest fundraiser are taking shape, but we are still in need of more volunteers and donations to make the fair a big success.

A JEWELRY DESIGNER and several more ARTISTS who might be willing to donate an item to the silent auction.

Volunteers to put up flyers on November 1st or 2nd.

Volunteers to set up the fair displays - November 15-17.

Volunteers to clean up after 3:00 PM on November 18.

Volunteers to clean up after church on November 19.

A PHOTOGRAPHER willing to take holiday photos of children and families.

If you are interested in helping in any of these areas, please contact Debby Stockdale at [email protected].

Calling all bakers! We are seeking baked goods for sale at the church fair. Pies are most in demand, but we love all types of breads, cookies and family favorites. The fair is on Saturday Nov 18 and the drop-off time for baked goods is 3 to 5 on Friday Nov 17.

A tisket, a tasket, we're looking for gift baskets! If you would like to put together a themed basket for the fair, please contact Marsha Christensen at 781-631-7828.

The Home and Garden section of the fair is looking for items of gift-giving quality (not "white elephant") such as pottery or ceramic pieces, pillows, table linens, vases, flower pots, candles, children's toys and other good-as-new items that would appeal to all age groups. We are also hoping to entice all crafters to donate a couple of your creations so we might have some beautiful locally hand-made items to offer. You may leave your donations in the Narthex in the marked basket or on the stage in the Parish Hall. Please contact Linda Duvel 781-631-1703 or [email protected] with any questions.

Falalalala...'tis the season again to be collecting items for the Winter Wonderland Christmas table. Last year a very generous donor donated her beautiful Christmas village, one of the many lovely donations that we were able to sell. As you prepare for the holiday season and bring down those big boxes from the attic, please keep in mind that we are, once again, looking for tasteful pieces for the Christmas table. No plastic or shiny metal please! The Parish Hall stage is now available for storage, so you may either drop your donations off there or call Lynda Hare (781 639 0107) if you would like them to be picked up.

BAUBLES, BANGLES & BEADS! Let's recycle & share jewelry with others! We'll be selling "gently used" jewelry at very reasonable prices. Please bring your bracelets, rings, earrings, pins and necklaces to the Narthex OR church office. Small "gift boxes" for jewelry would be greatly appreciated too. Any questions, contact Barbara Day ([email protected]).

Many thanks in advance for your generous donations. Each contribution, no matter how small, will help make this year's Winter Wonderland Fair an outstanding success.

The Youth Choirs at Old North Welcome You to Join at Any Time!

Rehearsals are held in Parish Hall on Wednesdays. Cecelia Choir, grades 1-3 meets from 3:30-4:15 and Parish Singers for grades 4-8 meets from 4:30-5:30. Each choir participates in a Sunday church service every other month and sometimes combined (Easter) for special occasions throughout the year. During preparation for the Festival Chorus concerts, the Parish Singers rehearse from 4:30-5:00pm, and if participating in the Holiday Concerts, remain until 6pm. The regularly scheduled rehearsals resume after the first weekend in December.

Festival Chorus Ads

Please consider placing an ad in this year's 37^th annual Festival Chorus Concert program book. The concerts take place during the Christmas Walk weekend and offer great visibility for your business or yourself as a sponsor. We also encourage creative, personalized ads dedicated to choristers of any age as a display of encouragement. We have an ambitious financial goal to meet this year and appreciate your generous support. The deadline for ad submissions/sponsors is Friday, November 10. Please send electronic files to [email protected].

For more information, please visit our website at: www.oldnorthfestivalchorus.org. For questions concerning any aspect of the Festival Chorus project, please don't hesitate to contact any of the members of our Festival Chorus Committee: Kathy Angle, Nicole Eicker, Kathy Fay, Clive Higgins, Naoma Homan, Claire Keyes, Jane Kraybill, Ellen Nash, Andrew Oliver, and Susan Stone.

Please click here for more detailed information about placing an ad.

Festival Youth Chorus is Still Accepting Members!

All singers in grades 4-8 are encouraged to register for the award-winning Old North Festival Youth Chorus, directed by Becca Kenneally. Singers rehearse for 8 weeks to perform a high-energy, professional-quality set as participants in the 37^th annual Festival Chorus Christmas concerts on December 2nd and 3rd. Rehearsals take place on Wednesdays from 5:00-6:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Registrants will be accepted through Wednesday, October 25, 2016. For more information, please contact Rebecca Kenneally at [email protected]

Blood Drive

Temple Emanu-El will be hosting a Blood Drive In honor of Russell and Deahn Leblang on Sunday, October 29th from 9am to 2pm at Temple Emanu-El, 393 Atlantic Avenue Marblehead. As you may know, Deahn is on the steering committee for Welcome the Stranger. Her husband Russell received numerous blood transfusions during his recent lengthy stay at Mass General Hospital. When the family was asked how we could help, their answer was decisively - Give Blood .

Here's how you can participate:

Schedule an Appointment Today at

http:bit.ly/BloodDriveatTempleEmanu-El

For more information, please call the MGH Blood Center at 617.726.8177 or the Temple Office at 781.631.9300 or [email protected]

	Flower Committee Assistance is Needed
Judy Rawding is still seeking a couple of volunteers to contact flower donors for the months of February and March. If you are able to help out, please contact Judy at 781-631-9256.

Help Wanted: Sunday Sexton

If you are entering 9th or 10th grade and are interested in serving as back up sexton for this year and sexton for the following 2-3 years, please contact Kelly Hammer at [email protected]. The sexton's hours are 7:15 to 11:30 Sunday mornings, September through June and 9:30 to 11:30, July and August. You will be trained by our current sextons, Anneliese Hammer and Maeve Hollister, and will substitute for them as needed. You will then take on the role of sexton next year. This is a paid position.

We Need Contact Info Updates!

We will be working on updating the ONC Membership Directory this Summer to have available in the Fall. If you have had any recent changes in e-mail or home addresses, phone numbers, or family information, please notify the church office ([email protected]) as soon as possible to assure that we have accurate information to distribute.

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Old North Church

35 Washington Street

Marblehead, MA 01945

Mailing Address:

8 Stacey St. Marblehead, MA 01945