Upcoming Sunday Services

10:30am

in-person in the Sanctuary

and on Zoom (link below)

February 25

SEARCHING FOR SPIRITUAL PEACE

Andrea Kaiser, Speaker

Sol y Canto, Guest Musicians

Brian Amador:

A Chicano/Gringo mongrel from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Brian was one of the founding members of Flor de Cana, arranging much of the band's material and co-producing two recordings. He studied classical guitar, composition and improvisation at New England Conservatory in Boston and Flamenco guitar in both Albuquerque and Madrid, Spain.

For five years, Brian was principal guitarist of the Ramon de los Reyes Spanish Dance Theatre. He was awarded an "exceptional artist" grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council for music composition and was commissioned by the Celebrity Series of Boston to compose the orchestral suite Prisma de Amores, which Sol y Canto debuted with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project in 2001. Brian's guitar style is as mixed as his heritage, combining flamenco, classical, Cuban, Latin American styles and jazz.

In February, 2009, the nation's oldest and most prestigious artist colony, the MacDowell Artist Colony named him a fellow. While at MacDowell, Brian composed Sabor y Memoria: a Musical Feast in Seven Courses for the Sol y Canto sextet and string quartet, which was debuted with Cuarteto Latin Americano in 2010. Brian is also a veteran bilingual voice-over actor.

Rosi Amador:

Rosi was born to Puerto Rican and Argentine performer parents who deeply instilled in her their love of music and the spoken word. While raising her bilingually in Both Latin and North America, they emphasized the importance of speaking, reading, writing and singing both English and Spanish with perfect annunciation and expression. After graduating from Bryn Mawr College, Rosi became a creative entrepreneur at a young age, as had her parents before her. She is a consummate musician, singer, percussionist and voice-over actor.

Rosi has been deeply influenced by popular Latin music, flamenco, jazz, North American folk, blues, and contemporary African vocal styles. In 1998, she founded her Latin music agency, Music Amador, and later she was President of the Latin Music Division of the Roots Agency. Both agencies represented Latin American music and dance ensembles in the United States and Canada. She also founded Amador Bilingual Voice-Overs in 1994. Now a family business, ABVO provides Spanish and English narration to companies like the National Geographic, the Smithsonian, Comcast, Scientific Learning, the New York Stock Exchange, the Agency for Healthcare Research, Barefoot Books and many more.

On February 14, 2024, Sol Y Canto released a new single,  "En tu orbita" the title track of their new album. which they will share with us.

To attend services via Zoom,

please go to the Northshore Church website nsuu.org

& click on "Join Service."

 Religious Services Notes

On February 4th, guest musician Akili Jamal Haynes offered original vocal/guitar compositions to accompany the service titled “On Repentance and Repair.” To learn more about his musical and artistic endeavors, please visit his website World of Chibuzo.

Church Announcements

A Day Apart,Together - Silent Retreat

Saturday, March 30, 2024 from 10:00am - 3:00pm

Would you like a chance to step away from your busy-ness and obligations, and spend a few hours in silence, rest, and restoration? Inspired by NSUU's historical silent retreats, this retreat will NOT actually be held at the church. This year, it will be hosted at the home of Jennifer Revill in Middleton.

There will be spaces designated for meditation, hands-on projects, reading/writing, and resting. If the weather is good, there will also be outdoor accommodations. A silent lunch will be served.  

Given space limitations, attendance will be limited to 8 participants. If many more are interested, this retreat may be repeated later in the year. More information will be provided once all attendees are confirmed.

Please contact Jennifer directly to reserve your space: jenrevill@aol.com or 978-335-7335.

New Date Announced!

Guest Artists Jo-Mé Dance Theatre

and Special Youth Master Class

March 3rd

Founded in 2013, by two of Boston’s leading professional black dancers, Jo-Mé Dance Theatre cultivates young dancers in the art of contemporary ballet, leading to both avocational and professional careers in contemporary dance. 

Both Jo-Mé Dance Theatre and Jo-Me Dance 2 companies will perform pieces from their repertoire, including co-director Joe González’s choreography, during the Sunday service on the theme of “love in motion,” led by Rev. Caro Barschow. A reception will take place following the service.

Following the service and reception, Jo-Mé dancers will conduct master classes from 1 to 2:30 pm. Both the service and master classes are open to the public. Young dancers ages 8-18 interested in participating in the classes need only submit their names, age and dance level in order to be assigned a group. Adults are welcome to watch the master classes.

NSUU thanks the Danvers Arts Council who awarded a grant to support these special guest artists to be part of the Sunday service and host the youth master classes.

Can you help get the word out about this fantastic event? Please invite your friends and neighbors to the service! If you'd like to help out ahead with publicity, or volunteer on the day of the event to support the young dancers, workshop, please contact Hal Morse of the Outreach Team.

To register a dancer, please email the office at nsuu@verizon.net.

Office Announcements

Front Door Schedule

For your convenience, the front door has been programmed to stay unlocked during certain weekly events. This schedule includes Sunday services and Wednesday choir practices ONLY.

On Sundays: the door will be unlocked from 9:00am to 12:00pm.

On Wednesdays: the door will be unlocked from 10:30am to 12:30pm.

Please contact the administrator with any questions and concerns at

(978) 774-7582 or nsuu@verizon.net

Lost and Found

Please pay a visit to the Lost and Found (located in the Fellowship Hall) if you feel that you or someone you know may have any missing or misplaced items. Checking the lost and found regularly is greatly appreciated, as we aim to keep our space neat and tidy for all church goers.

-Thank you, Jeff

New Office Mail Box

We have a new mailbox outside the office! Please put any checks, pledges or other important envelopes in the mailbox rather than in any of file folders.

-Thank you, Ariana

From the Board of Directors

Update from the Board:

Respiratory Illnesses

The Board is monitoring the rates of respiratory infections which include COVID, RSV and seasonal flu. According to statistics available on the Mass.gov website, the North Shore is currently experiencing a “ high” rate of these infections, though not the highest rate currently.

During the Winter months when doors and windows are closed, it is particularly important that we protect ourselves and others as we gather together on Sundays. It is possible to be unknowingly infectious with Covid prior to testing positive. Many of us have friends or family members who have had Covid or other respiratory illnesses in recent days.

While we are not moving to a mask mandate for church attendance currently, we strongly urge everyone to wear a mask if you have been in large social gatherings. Some of us have begun to wear masks again when going out as a general precaution.

Wearing a mask in church is a small inconvenience compared to being sick or unknowingly infecting a fellow church member. We ask that you consider this measure as a way of caring for each other.

The Board will continue to monitor rates of infection, and will update our guidance as necessary, as we move through the Winter months.

The NSUU Board of Directors

Minutes from February 14, 2024

Board of Directors Meeting -

click link below

From the Social Action Committee

On Repentance and Repair - Next Steps

Ten church members and friends joined in the book discussion about On Repentance and Repair by Danya Ruttenberg, these past two Sundays. Rev. Caro preached about the book at the February 4th service. The message that we takeaway is that apology is not the same as repair. The book’s author, Rabbi Ruttenberg, proposed a process to take responsibility for repair. The 5 steps are based on the teachings of 12th century Jewish philosopher Maimonides. Here are the steps:

1. Own the harm of the actions
2. Start to change - through self-reflection and asking for help
3. Accept the consequences
4. Apologize (if and when it doesn’t lead to further harm)
5. When faced with a similar choice, make a different choice

To further explore this topic, you might like to view an interview with Rabbi Ruttenberg. She spoke with Unitarian Universalists with the Church of the Larger Fellowship in September 2023. 

Many thanks to Reverend Caro for sponsoring the recent book discussion on the common read, “On Repentance and Repair”.  Thanks to Julie O’Meara for setting up and overseeing the lunch provided.

Danvers Food Pantry and Operation Troop Support



We continue to collect items for these important causes. Place your donations in the baskets located in the Fellowship Hall. Thanks for your on-going support.

Any questions: Please call Barbara at 978-729-5422.

 SHARE THE PLATE

The Social Action Committee will be re-instituting the Share the Plate program. If you have ideas about non-profits (prefer local ones) that can benefit by the program, please fill out a Share the plate form found on the Social Action table in the fellowship hall and give to a committee member. Thank you.

UU Mass Action - Advocacy Day

Join UU Mass Action for our annual Virtual UU Advocacy Day to live out our values by taking action together on Tues, March 26^th. At this annual event, we come together as UUs from across the state to build power for our movements. Participants will meet with legislators about our key areas of Immigrant Justice, Climate & Environmental Justice, Economic & Housing Justice, Indigenous Justice and Decarceration & Ending Solitary Confinement. As we near the end of the 2023-34 legislative session, this will be a critical moment to show up together as UUs, grounded in our faith, to let our legislators know which bills - out of the thousands that are filed - we care the most about.  

RSVP here by March 12!

From the Green Sanctuary

Danvers Styrofoam Ban - One Step Closer

The Danvers Select Board has voted 5-0 in support of a ban on the use of styrofoam for restaurant take-out cartons. The Town Manager, Steve Bartha, will prepare a warrant on the styrofoam ban to put before theTown Meeting this spring for a vote.

The Select Board heard a compelling presentation by Bob Gamer and Linda Leonard, members of the UU Church environmental action group, Green Sanctuary. Bob and Linda had canvassed the Danvers eateries last summer, going door to door, polling them on the use of styrofoam takeout cartons. They found that most don’t use styrofoam any more, or would be happy to change to combustible cartons. Bob and Linda documented the results of their survey and gave them to the Select Board members in advance of the meeting. 

The presentation to the Select Board highlighted the health risks of the use of styrofoam and the damages to the environment. This Danvers Select Board vote has to be seen as a big victory for environmentalists who are acting in the interests of health and the protection of our habitat.

Read more about the decision in the Danvers Patch article here

From the Art Committee

Lynnfield Art Guild Showcase of Local Talent

Event Date: February 25 at noon

The Lynnfield Art Guild, a vibrant and diverse community of artists, artisans and art explorers, is hosting an exhibit at the North Shore Unitarian Universalist Church in Danvers for the months of February and March. The exhibit features 40 pieces of fine art and photography by 13 Guild members, representing a variety of styles, mediums and themes.

The exhibit is open to the public on Sundays when the church is open for services. There will be an artists reception on Sun Feb 25th from 12 to 2 pm - the public is welcome to attend. The church is located at 323 Locust St., Danvers. Admission is free, and all artwork is available for purchase.

The Lynnfield Art Guild was founded in 1964, and has been providing opportunities for local artists to network, learn, display and sell their work ever since. The Guild also offers monthly art demonstrations, scholarships for graduating seniors from Lynnfield High School, and exhibits at local banks and libraries.

The Northshore Unitarian Universalist Church is a welcoming and inclusive congregation that values diversity, social justice and environmental stewardship. The church hosts various events and activities throughout the year, such as concerts, lectures, workshops and fundraisers.

The exhibit is a collaboration between the Lynnfield Art Guild and the Northshore Unitarian Universalist Church, and a celebration of the creative spirit and the local community.

Northshore Unitarian Universalist Church is located in Danvers at 323 Locust St. (Rte 35). For more information, contact the church at 978-774-7582, or visit www.nsuu.org

Artist Exhibit - Feb/Mar 2024

Winter Birch by Kendall Inglese (above) and Tranquility by Anne Bowen (below)

The Lynnfield Art Guild, a vibrant and diverse community of artists, artisans and art explorers, is exhibiting during the months of Feb & March. The exhibit features 40 pieces of fine art and photography by 13 Guild members, representing a variety of styles, mediums and themes.



An artists’ reception is planned for Sun Feb 25th from 12-2 pm after the service. All church members and the public are welcome to attend.

The following artists will be exhibiting with examples of their art:

Beth Aaronson - watercolor

Dan Abenaim - oil on canvas

John Abisrama - photography

Anne Bowen - watercolor, pastel, acrylic

Mary Connor - pastel

Beverly Cook - fabric

Sheila Falco - watercolor, mixed media

Catherine Grassello - photography

Kendall Inglese - acrylic with pen + ink

Mary Lynch - watercolor

Greg Pronevitz - photography, acrylic on canvas

Frank Tomasello - acrylic

Community Partner Events

ECCO Organizing Hub

Announcing Essex County Community Organization's new Organizing Hub program. The Organizing Hub will gather people from all around the North Shore on the first Tuesday of each month to learn together from seasoned coaches how to organize for change from start to finish. 

All are welcome, whether you’ve been involved with ECCO for many years or have never attended an event. For more information, email Colette Lima (colette@eccoaction.org). 

When: Tuesday, March 5th, 6-8:30pm, and the first Tuesday of each month through May

Where: First Church in Swampscott. 40 Monument Ave. Swampscott, MA 01907

What: Join us to connect, eat delicious food, and learn how to make your team bigger and more powerful. Dinner and childcare provided. Stipends available for low-income attendees!

RSVP: http://bit.ly/ecco-2-6-24 

Poor People’s Campaign - National Day of Action

March 2nd, 9a-1p

54th Regiment Memorial in Boston Common

We cannot slide quietly into the dark! That’s why Massachusetts is joining 30 states across the nation who will be holding simultaneous assemblies and marches at their state capitals. We are going to raise our voices and to make our voter demands. Our state capitals are not just symbolic; they are the policy hubs whose decisions directly impact people facing systemic poverty and the interlocking injustices. Join with us, poor people, clergy and faith leaders, and advocates in building an action that will send a message to the legislators responsible for the unrelenting policy violence against the 2,342,000 poor and low-income people in our state that we won’t be silent anymore.

RSVP and more info. 

Local Announcements

Mystic Gospel 2024

Come to see our very own Jill Aubin Updegraph sing in the gospel concert this February 23 @ 7:30pm at the Cary Hall in Lexington. She will also be singing her own solo for Something Inside So Strong in the Kingdom Choir version.

Purchase your tickets here

Come join the next "Living Room Conversation Series: Seeing and Living as White" at the Beverly Public Library on Thursday, March 21st from 6:30pm to 8:00pm. Click the link to view more information and to register.

Minister’s Schedule

Rev. Caro Barschow weekly schedule:

Sunday-Thursday and occasional Saturdays

Monday is a writing/study day

Friday is a Sabbath day 

Minister’s Office Hours:

Tuesdays and Thursdays, by appointment (in-person or Zoom) 

Please call or email Rev. Caro directly to make an appointment.

Rev. Caro’s February week off is February 20-27.



Rev. Caro works full-time 3 weeks a month and takes 1 week off, to fulfill NSUU’s 3/4 time contract. During this time, Rev. Caro is available for pastoral emergencies - please call them directly by cell phone.

How to be in touch:

Email: rev.barschow@gmail.com

Cell phone: 978-473-7980

Church Administrator’s Schedule

Ariana LaMey-Colon works in the office Tuesday through Thursday from 9am to 3pm. Please call or email to schedule a meeting beforehand as office hours can vary from time to time.

How to be in touch

Email: nsuu@verizon.net

Office phone: 978-774-7582

Online Calendar

The NSUU website features an up-to-date calendar of church activities. Follow the link to view the calendar. On the calendar page, hover your mouse over the title of the event to find out the time and location.

Good Things Are Happening

Please contribute announcements by Wednesday at noon for NSUU's weekly e-newsletter "Good Things Are Happening." You can do so by sending an email with the announcement to nsuu@verizon.net. Please put in the subject line "For Good Things Are Happening." Please indicate how long you would like the announcement to appear and a contact email or phone number for readers to get more information.

Deadline: Wednesday at noon