Chime Notes - April 2025

Chime Notes news & updates

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April 2025 | Issue 124

Upcoming Events

Sunday Worship this month

April 6-13-20-27

Patriot's Day Holiday

April 21, 2025

In addition to our in-person worship, we will continue to use ZOOM to broadcast the 10 AM Sunday Worship Service, which is also streamed to Facebook Live.

Coffee hour is after worship, in Clarke Hall, with fans moving the air.

Great thanks to our team of ushers and coffee hour hosts.

Coffee and Conversations is run by lay leaders, and is a time of discussion and reflection about the day's scripture. We meet at 9:10 on non-Communion Sundays, and finish by 9:55.

Meeting dates for April are:

April 13 - 20 - 27

Do you enjoy singing?

Have you ever

considered singing in

the First Church Choir?

Join us on Thursday evenings at 7:30 PM as we prepare for

Sunday morning services!

Palm Sunday

April 13 @ 10 AM

Maundy Thursday/Dinner

April 17

Good Friday

April 18 @ 7:30 PM

Easter Sunday

Sunrise Service

April 20 @ 6:30 AM

Full church service

April 20 @ 10 AM

Easter Offering

This year the Missions Team has identified

World Central Kitchen

(click for more information)

as the recipient for

the Easter Offering, which will be collected and accepted on Easter Sunday through May 4th.

World Central Kitchen is first to the frontlines, providing fresh meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises.

International Food Fair for Habitat for Humanity

The excitement and energy for the International Food Fair for Habitat for Humanity in Clarke Hall on Saturday, March 8th was wonderful!!

There were over 100 items on the Silent Auction Tables, yummy foods from Haiti, Scandinavia, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Syria, Dixie Diner, and a fabulous array of Desserts!

A special thanks to Debbie Nutter, Chairperson for the 2025 Food Fair!

Also, special thanks to the Silent Auction Team:

Dianne Cadigan, Wendy Mayer and Lizete Alcalai!

This International Food Fair and Silent Auction gathered close to $8,000 for donation to Habitat for Humanity's International and local Habitat affiliates for use to build homes and restore hope!

The "winners"…

Best Main Dish: TIE Peanut Stew (Burkina Faso)

and Japanese Curry (Youth Group)

Best Side Dish: Haitian Mac - n - Cheese

Best Soup: Portuguese Kale Soup

Best Dessert: Norwegian Pancakes & Strawberries

Most Decorative Display: Norway

A special thanks to Representative Jenny Armini

for the difficult work of 'judging'!!

And, thanks to the multitude of volunteers who helped set up and break down the tables and who cleaned up at the conclusion of the event!

We hope to see you at next year's event on

March 14, 2026, for the 38th year!!

Youth Activities

Our youth programming is growing!!

Seaside Youth Club is a Friday afternoon gathering of conversation and fun activities for Middle Schoolers, led by Sarah and Harry! There are 17 or so children each week!

North Shore Youth Ministry - Youth (grades 9-12) from several churches in Swampscott and Marblehead gather to discuss life's challenges, being a teen, faith, to engage in community activities, and so much more! This is led by Jess Easter.

Sunday School is available each Sunday for children from age 4 years to 4th grade. There are about 14 or so children who participate on any given Sunday! This is taught by Sobhan MacDonald and her team of teacher helpers.

Crib Care is available each Sunday morning for our youngest children, ages 1.5 to 3 years. There are between 3 and 5 children who come to Crib Care each week.

If you are interested in helping out with Crib Care, please be in touch with Siobhan MacDonald.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Many of you may know Betty McNeil as the official welcomer at First Church on Sunday mornings!

Betty McNeil is the mother of three daughters

(Susan, Kelley and Kathy), the grandmother of 4

and the great grandmother of 2!

After having been a congregant at the Washington Street Baptist Church in Lynn for more than 25 years,

Betty was looking for a new church home in 2017.

Betty drove by the church for many years and then made the decision to visit First Church on a Communion Sunday in a snowstorm(!) in March of 2017.

She has been a regular presence at First Church ever since.

What kept her coming back was how welcoming the women in Sunday morning Bible Study were. As a caregiver for her husband, Don, it was sometimes challenging to find time to engage in activities. However, the Sunday morning Bible Study meeting time allowed her the opportunity to join the study and services each week. Betty said it was a "perfect fit!"

Betty has been a member of the Church Council since 2023

and is the leader of the Welcoming Team.

Betty notes that she enjoys Pastor Ian's Sunday sermon message and can relate to what he shares each week.

She loves that First Church is active and involved in connecting with the wider community and that church is a weeklong experience, not just on Sunday mornings!

A special thanks to Betty and her daughters who put on a lovely Coffee Hour each month!