Sunday School and Nursery Care

Old North Church welcomes children of all ages on Sunday mornings! Children are welcome in the sanctuary for the the entirety of the service. Our nursery for children 3 months to 4ish opens at 9:50 but you may bring your little ones there at any point in the service. Sunday school (for kids aged four through 12) begins partway through the church service, following the "Moments with Children" during worship.



This week in church school Rev. Christine and James Horgan will lead the class in constructing an Advent wreath and exploring it's history. We'll also continue our exploration of the Bible.  

New Member Sunday on December 8

Our church will be receiving new members during worship services on December 8. If you're interested in joining the church (on that day or sometime in the future), let Pastor Lindsay know.  

Upcoming NSYM Sunday Meetings

The North Shore Youth Ministry (NSYM) meets Sundays and rotates Church host locations. Middle school age youth (6th-8th grades) will be meeting from 3:30-5:30pm and High School (9th-12th grades) from 6-8 pm.

The December schedule location is as follows:

• 12/1- Old North Church  
• 12/8- Special Group: St Nicholas Night 5-7:30 pm at Saint Andrews
• 12/15- Old North Church
• 12/22- Special Group: Christmas Pageant at Clifton
• 12/20- Friday the 20th, we will be having a Christmas Party at St. Andrews from 4-7 pm.

Jess Easter (She/Her) has started as the new youth pastor serving the “North Shore Youth Ministry” or NSYM for short. If finding a ride to any youth events is ever an issue, please reach out to Jess (marbleheadyouthcoopministry@gmail.com) as she can make connections between families to make sure our youth have the opportunity

to join!

By-Law Change Discussions

Rev. Lindsay Popperson and Betsey Halbert (Moderator) will be facilitating a few congregation sessions to discuss a potential by-law change that was proposed at the annual meeting last June concerning contributions from Old North Church to the UCC conference. The purpose of these sessions is to educate the congregation and listen to feedback in preparation for the Leadership Board to propose a bylaw change and Blair to include the dollar amount in the budget at the Annual Budget Meeting in February.

Our next session is scheduled for this Tuesday, December 3rd, in the evening from 7:30-8:30pm on Zoom, where there will be a representative from our conference (Lisa Maria Andreoli Steinberg, SNEUCC Associate Director of Philanthropy) available for questions and clarification. Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86087790292 

There will be another in person session on Wednesday, December 4th at 1 pm in the Great Room at Stacey St.

Please click here to read more information about Old North Church and the UCC.

Thank you to all who made our Old North Holiday Fair a success!

Thanks so much to everyone who helped make the Old North Fair 2024 on November 23rd such a success. The beautifully decorated Preview Party on Friday night with its delicious temptations and libations and the opportunity to get the first chance to purchase all of the unique offerings was the perfect segue to Saturday's fun filled and well attended Fair.  

It was wonderful to see so many old and new friends and lots of children reading books, writing thank-you notes and crafting. Heartfelt thanks go out to the many generous donors whose offerings filled our tables with so many appealing items.

Of course, we can't forget the food. Much appreciation to the chefs who prepared the delicious lobster and chicken rolls and, of course, the cookies. And last, but certainly not least, thanks to all the bakers who produced such mouthwatering treats.

The success of the Fair would not have been possible if so many members of the congregation had not contributed so generously in so many different ways - leading and participating in crafting sessions, organizing and working the tables on Fair day and setting up and cleaning up the church. And many thanks to Lisa Nahatis and Amanda Da Silva in the church office, without whose endless help we wouldn't have had a successful Fair.

The good news is that there is still a chance to shop at the Fair. We will have all remaining fair items available for sale in the Parish Hall following the 10am service this Sunday, December 1. 

Happy Shopping!!!

News from the Festival Chorus Committee! 

Greetings from the Festival Chorus Committee! Our fast-approaching and popular Festival Chorus Holiday Concerts will feature a truly magnificent selection of choral works with full orchestra – guaranteed to delight you and the entire family! Please help support this extraordinary holiday tradition at Old North, now in its 44^th season – by purchasing tickets, by becoming a Friend of the Festival Chorus with a contribution, or by advertising in our Festival Chorus program book! You may submit your ticket order or contribution any number of ways:

• online by using the QR code on the appended Festival Chorus FLYER
• by filling out the attached CONTRIBUTION & TICKET ORDER FORM
• by visiting the Old North Church website at https://www.onchurch.org/festivalchorus
• by visiting the Old North Festival Chorus website at https://www.oldnorthfestivalchorus.org/

Tickets will also be on sale after church on Sunday mornings – in the Parish Hall – or you may purchase them in advance at Crosby’s Marketplace, Arnould Gallery, or Maria’s Gourmet.

Our program books are read by 1,000 enthusiastic fans, and advertisers are consistently amazed by the business generated from an ad in the Festival Chorus Program Book. For advertising rates and details, please download our Advertising Rate Sheet at https://www.oldnorthfestivalchorus.org/

The deadline for submitting ads has been extended to Friday, November 22, so don’t delay! Thank you for your support! 

Advent Group - Wednesdays at 7pm

Join other churches in Marblehead throughout Advent to reflect on the songs and scriptures of this season. We'll gather each Wednesday night in Advent (Dec 4, Dec 11, and Dec 18) at 7pm for an hour; we'll eat some desserts, learn the stories behind some favorite hymns, and discuss scripture and poetry about Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. Come take a moment to refocus on the spiritual meaning of these seasons. On Dec 4, we’ll gather at Old North Church (in the Great Room at 8 Stacey St); other Wednesdays will be at other churches. No prep is needed, but let Lindsay know if you’re interested!

Faith Formation

Intergenerational Longest Night Dinner and Service Dec 20th 5pm – All ages are welcome for a pasta dinner at 5pm on December 20th. We're hoping to build community across the generations. Children will make lanterns and have a short service outside (weather permitting) with music, a (brief) story, and candles. All are welcome at this child-centered event. Please RSVP to Rev. Christine.

Bring your Creches! – We would love to display your nativity scene in the Parish Hall during December 15th and 22nd! You may leave them in Rev. Christine's office on Stacey Street anytime or drop them on the tables in the Parish Hall starting December 9th.

Looking for Volunteer Adults for Youth Group

The North Shore Youth Ministry (the joint youth ministry we have with Clifton Lutheran, St Andrews Episcopal, and First Church Swampscott) is going strong! We have an excellent youth minister (Jess Easter) who plans and leads the weekly events, but each event needs a second adult (to comply with Safe Church policies). Could you be that adult?

Every Sunday, middle school age youth (6th-8th grades) meets from 3:30-5:30pm and High School (9th-12th grades) from 6-8 pm; there are occasional Friday evening events as well. If you'd be open to helping for one youth group once a month, that would be great! Email Betsey at halbertbam@gmail.com to get connected (we will need to run a CORI check on you!) 

Stewardship

Last Sunday, we were delighted to recognize all of the wonderful staff, officers, ministry board members, and all of the volunteers who work tirelessly to keep Old North Church a beacon of help and hope to our local community and beyond.

We are midway through our Stewardship campaign now, which will help to determine our budget for the 2025 fiscal year. It is our hope to have all pledges in by December 6 in order to make informed decisions for our budget for the next year.

As of Tuesday, November 26, we have received 71 pledges, amounting to $179,500 in pledge dollars for 2025. Our campaign goal is $500,000. We would appreciate if you could fill out and return your pledges as soon as possible. Pledge cards are available in the pew racks, or you may print out a pledge card here. Your pledges may be placed in the offertory plate on Sundays or returned to the church office at 8 Stacey St. We also encourage filling out your pledges online at www.onchurch.org/pledge.

Your Stewardship Committee: Rick Settelmeyer, Betsey Halbert, Scott Fillenworth, Ginny vonRueden and Stow Walker

Securities Based Donation

Making a securities based donation to Old North Church this year or in 2025 might be a very reasonable and prudent idea. The process is very straight forward and can be facilitated with minimal effort. Your broker or investment advisor can help select a security, frequently a highly appreciated equity and can also provide you with supportive knowledge and the necessary form. Please contact Blair Lord, our treasurer, who has the details necessary to get started. blord@edu.edu

The Stewardship Committee

Lifebridge Meals Teams Need Volunteers!

Old North has eight teams that prepare and serve a meal at Lifebridge Shelter in Salem on a Tuesday night, once every two months. We start about 4pm and end by 6pm. Teams either bring prepared food or cook a simple meal on site. We don’t even have to wash dishes! We are looking for a few people to replace team members who feel it is time to have someone else take their place. Thank you to those faithful volunteers. 



So, in short, the commitment is six Tuesday evenings (4-6 pm) a year.  

We are also looking for people who would be willing to volunteer from time to time. Please contact Judy Conner, jbc2274@yahoo.com, if you are interested or have questions. 

A Thank You from Lifebridge

On Thursday, November 21, the Lifebridge staff took the time to identify volunteers who go above and beyond in their service, and Old North Church stood out for its remarkable 35 years of unwavering commitment. From providing community meals to supporting our broader programs, Old North Church has been a cornerstone of service and compassion, making a profound impact on those in need.

Old North was honored for our legacy of service and we were well represented at the event. Karen Andrews said some very kind words on the importance of the Tuesday night feeding teams and the daily Crosby's-Lifebridge produce deliveries.

With tears in her eyes, Karen Andrews presented Richard Thibedeau, representing Old North Church with a very nice clock recognizing our 35 years of effort and support.

Here, Jason Etheridge, Director of Lifebridge honors Old North's volunteer efforts with Richard Thibedeau.

ONC Reading Group

on Preserving Our Democracy and Environment

The next meeting of the ONC Reading Group on Preserving Our Democracy and Environment will be held both in person and on Zoom on December 11^th from 9:00 to 10:30 AM. The meeting will open early, by 8:45 AM, for solving seating and technical problems. To join the meeting on Zoom, just click on https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82896213028?pwd=n0feMmXa3axBgJknqu1IUD3qTwialx.1 .

To use your telephone for audio, dial +1 929 205 6099 (New York) and follow the operator’s instructions with Meeting ID: 828-9621-3028 and Passcode: 537613. The meeting is planned to be held in the Great Room of the Stacey Street Annex of the Old North Church. This will be the latest of a series of monthly meetings on this subject that have been hosted for all by the ONC Men’s Group. You are invited to participate in person or on Zoom, regardless of the amount of your preparation or whether you have attended a previous meeting. 

At our last meeting, on November 13^th, we discussed various approaches toward preserving our democracy, with consideration of the election results of November 5^th and our previous book readings. We had previously read, e.g., How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt (2018), Tyranny of the Minority also by Levitsky and Ziblatt (2023), and Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America by Heather Cox Richardson (2023). We had also had (about a year and a half ago) the benefit of a very helpful lecture by Paul Hare on states of affairs in Latin America and lessons for us in the USA. (Paul had previously served as charge d’affaires in Cuba.) 

At our upcoming meeting on December 11^th, Paul plans to present some of his latest thoughts on the dangers of authoritarianism, drawing on recent lessons from Venezuela and actions of Presidents Chavez and Maduro. 

Wishing you (and our country) the best, Duncan Cox

Scrabble Group



The Scrabble Group meets weekly on Wednesdays from 2-4pm in the Great Room at the Stacey St. office building. Newcomers are always welcome to join in the fun!

Green Tip of the Week

This week’s “Green Tip of the Week”: Save and collect all your plastic bags (bread bags, grocery bags, Amazon plastic wrap, dry cleaners bags, etc.). Periodically bring them to the social hall where members of the Green Team will pick them up to stuff in plastic bottles to make eco bricks.

The Old North Church Green Team has started a new initiative – “Green Tip of the Week”. It is especially apt as we enter the “Season of Creation Care” that some places of worship are signing on to. It’s all about sharing our piece of “creation care” in the time we are each given to walk this walk of life on earth.  

Poinsettias for Display

Envelopes for the poinsettia plants for our church display on December 15th are in the pews. Plants are $25 this year; checks may be made payable to Old North Church. Plants may be designated in memory or in honor of someone if you would like to do so. We appreciate your help in making the sanctuary beautiful for Christmas! You may also mail or drop off a check at the church office, 8 Stacey St with your requested designation. We must receive all orders no later than Sunday, December 8.

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.

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.