Jazz Sunday - This Sunday, May 14



JAZZ SUNDAY will take place this Sunday, May 14. (Mother's Day) Please mark your calendars and plan to attend the 10am service for our annual celebration of worship through music. The senior choir and soloists will perform with jazz pianist Mark Shilansky, Dave Clark, bass, and Doug Olsen, trumpet. Please join us in person to experience this joyful "Music Sunday" together!  



We welcome our guest artists Doug Olsen, Dave Clark and Mark Shilansky back to our sanctuary with great enthusiasm. Each one is preeminent in his field with accolades too numerous to even begin to list. Please take a moment to look up biographical information online - they are the real deal. We are delighted and honored that these extraordinary musicians are available to join us for our seventh annual Jazz Sunday, and hope you will arrive early to enjoy some spectacular prelude music! The entire service is devoted to worship through music, so plan to come and sing many of your favorite gospel hymns lead by our amazing soloists, enthusiastic and gifted choir - and accompanied by these three incomparable artists. 

Mark: https://markshilansky.com/

Doug: http://www.douglasolsen.net/bio-encore/

Dave: https://college.berklee.edu/people/david-clark 

Keep It Ringing Capital Campaign

We are thrilled that the Old North Church Keep It Ringing Capital Campaign is off to a terrific start and the momentum is building. To date, we have raised more than $675,000 from 71 donors. We want to sincerely thank everyone who has returned their pledge card so far.

Community outreach has started with articles in our local press and posts to our social media accounts. As a result, we have received donations from non-members who feel an affinity with our church, its history and its mission. If you have a Facebook or Next Door account, you can help us to get our message trending by liking or commenting on our posts. A link to the Next Door post is found here.

Our goal is to raise $1 million to restore the bell tower and make other much needed property repairs including fixing our leaky roof. We want to restore the splendor of our beautiful meeting house in time for its 200th birthday in 2025. Also, 10% of the amount we raise will go towards Youth and Mission programs.

By now, you should have received a mailing with the details about the Capital Campaign and a second mailing with your pledge card. Please contact the church office at office@onchurch.org or 781-631-1244 if you did not receive your mailed package. You can also access the campaign materials and make an online pledge from our website by clicking here.

Pledge cards will continue to be collected during worship services through May 14th. Please remember to bring your completed pledge card or pick up an extra at church this Sunday. The pledges will be blessed at our Celebration Sunday on May 21st when we'll be having a special reception after the 10am service. Plan to join us!

Children in Church

Children are an integral part of our faith community–with all their wonderings, wiggles, and ways of learning how to participate in worship. People of all ages show us who God is. 

Child Care for infants to 4 years olds is provided in "The First Meeting House” room on the second floor, and is available during our 10:00 service, from 9:50 and anytime during the service. Children’s Church is for children 5 years old and up and gathers in the upstairs classroom. Karen Kilty, our Director of Children's Ministries or other assigned adults are in the narthex to help welcome and direct families to child care, as well as share the plan for the morning in Children’s Church.

Children are welcome to stay in the Sanctuary with their families, feel free to move about as needed. There are activities, such as worksheets, markers, finger puppets, and other items to engage in the Narthex. If at any time your child would like to join the children in Children’s Church you will find the classrooms on the second floor, turn right as you leave the sanctuary, go through the doors past the restrooms and elevator and go up the stairs. If your kids need a break from worship, you will also find space in our Parish Hall (where we offer coffee hour); again, go to the right as you leave the Sanctuary, go through the doors past the restrooms and elevator and go down the stairs.



We are glad that you are here! Thank you for bringing your children to church! 

Children's Faith Formation

May 14 - Jazz Sunday, Family Worship No Children’s Church 

This is a wonderful service for People of God of all ages to experience the joy of how music and the Spirit moves us.

Child Care at the 10:00 service upstairs in the First Meeting House room beginning at 9:50 and anytime during the service.

Summer Worship at Chandler Hovey Park

Begins June 4th at 8am



Mark your calendar! Again this year we are looking forward to our annual summer tradition of worshiping together at Chandler Hovey Park. There is something unique and spiritual about gathering in worship where ocean waters meet solid rock and the light shines to guide people safely. Our first Lighthouse service will be on June 4th, weather permitting, and continue through Labor Day. As in past years, the Lighthouse service will begin at 8 am. Remember to bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on. As in the past, if it is raining at 8 am, the service will be moved to the Sanctuary. Look for the sandwich board sign at the Devereaux Beach entrance: if green, go to the Lighthouse; if red, the service will be held in the Sanctuary.

This first Lighthouse service will include a Blessing Of The Fleet. This is a coastal tradition for centuries across the globe as people ask God’s blessing on sail and motor, wind and water. You’ll be invited to share the name of any boat even as we bless every boat and mooring in the harbor around us. Please share this news with other seafaring folks. 

After several years of declining attendance for the summer 10am service in the Sanctuary, this service will be suspended until the Sunday after Labor Day. We are so fortunate to have the privilege of worshiping together in a setting as inspiring as Chandler Hovey Park. Please consider inviting friends and neighbors to join us at the 8am service at the Lighthouse. Looking forward to seeing you!

ONC Hiking Group May 20th, 10 am 



Calling all hikers! The ONC Hiking Group is holding its next hike May 20th at 10 am at Bradley Palmer State Park in Ipswich. There will be a 3-mile hike and a 6+ mile hike (an extension into Willowdale State Forest) that day. Come and enjoy the fun! Please contact Marcia Bennet, marcia.bennet@verizon.net or 781 606 4564 if you’re interested and have not notified her already. 

Attention, walkers and runners!

First come, first served!



The 31st Annual Walk for HAWC takes place Sunday, June 4, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on the Salem Common, rain or shine! (Healing Abuse, Working for Change—the organization addresses domestic violence and helps shelter and protect its victims.) Through your Outreach Ministry Board, Old North has supported HAWC over the years. We have *five* free registration spots: when you fill out your registration form on June 4, simply write “Sponsor23” in the box in the upper right-hand corner and your registration is free.

This is a fun event that includes a pet parade and family fun festival! Be there! Rain or shine. For more information, email Becky Burckmyer at bburck@comcast.net or call 781-632-6505.

Prayer Shawl Ministry

Wednesday, June 7



We had a wonderful turnout for the first Prayer Shawl meeting in three years. Thank you to all who came to get supplies, patterns, bring finished shawls and knit together as a community. The next gathering will be Wednesday, June 7, 10:30-12. Refreshments will be available. Please join us!

Any questions? Contact Alexandra Garfield at 781-929-0540 or Alexandradane@me.com.

ONC Annual Meeting Wednesday June 7



SAVE THE DATE: The Old North Church Annual Meeting will be held on Wednesday June 7 in the church sanctuary. There will be an Ice Cream Social, with Don Morgan's homemade ice cream, in the Parish Hall at 6:30 pm followed by the meeting in the sanctuary at 7:00 pm. All ministry/committee reports are due to the office by May 10. All ministry/committee roster changes for 2023-2024 are due to Janet Doyle (jdoyle@doylesails.com) by May 10.

ONC Scrabble Group



The newly-formed Scrabble Group has now begun to meet weekly on Wednesdays from 1-3pm in the Great Room at Stacey St. All are welcome!

Gifts of Cheer



If you know of anyone, either here at Old North or in the wider Marblehead community who is going through a difficult time, the Community Life Board would like to reach out with a little plant and a friendly note. Please contact Lynda Hare at hares8carrots@hotmail.com or 781 639 0107 if you know someone who would appreciate a little extra cheer.

Saving Trees, Reducing Waste



Did you know that 58 billion paper coffee cups are thrown away in the U.S. every year? Or that 20 million trees are cut down to make those cups? Coffee cups are coated with plastic and can’t be recycled. However, there is a solution. Bring a reusable travel cup wherever you get your coffee. That would include Coffee Hour after church service. Make every day Earth Day!

Lectio Divina

A monastic practice of scripture, reflection and prayer dating back to the 4^th century, at Old North lectio divina has been adapted and practiced for more than ten years on every Tuesday morning from 9 to about 10:30 am. When Dennis was here, he led the practice. Since his leaving, we all take turns being the leader to select the readings. We have welcomed newcomers, some not from Old North, who seem to find soul food in the practice and the shared reflections that are part of it. We meet at 9 am both in person in the “Great Room” on Stacey St. and on Zoom.

We begin each meeting with a context-setting call to worship. Then we pair a scripture reading with a poem, chosen by the leader for the day and read aloud. We then move into 21 minutes of silent meditation, marked by chimes, and finally we share in “safe space” our responses – personal and intellectual. We end each session with prayers for healing and the Lord’s Prayer.



It is a rich time of being together in community and quite like no other. We invite you to give it a try.