Our Latest News and Activities |
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Sunday, November 28, 2021
First Sunday of Advent
Please join us for worship at 8am or 10am in the Sanctuary
Scripture Lessons:
Jeremiah 33:14-16 (The Inclusive Bible) and
Thess 3:9-13 (New Revised Standard Version)
The Rev. Lindsay Popperson's Sermon:
" Hope In Hard Times"
Recordings of the day's worship service will be posted on Sunday afternoons on YouTube and Facebook
Please click here to view.
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Covid-19 Protocols at Old North Church
Masking Required - Vaccination Expected
- Old North Church requires that masks be worn by everyone while inside Church buildings, regardless of vaccination status. Your mask must cover your mouth and nose.
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All members of the Old North Church clergy, staff and choir have been vaccinated against Covid-19. We urge you to be vaccinated as well. For information on the vaccine or how to be vaccinated, please go to www.mass.gov/covid-19
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We urge you to continue to observe physical distancing between households, particularly if you or a member of your household is unvaccinated.
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Hand sanitizer and disposable face masks are available in the narthex.
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Singing is permitted and encouraged while wearing a face mask.
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Worship Service Information
We are delighted to be able to worship once again in the sanctuary at Old North Church. We are mindful that the recent surge in COVID cases in and around Marblehead requires our sustained vigilance and willingness to follow the recommendations and protocols from public health officials.
We are now meeting in-person for worship at 8 am and at 10 am in the Sanctuary. Since the health and safety of all our members and friends is of paramount importance, we are requiring face masks and social distancing for those attending. We encourage that those who are unvaccinated continue to worship with us online rather than in person.
The 10am service includes music provided by our soloists and senior choir. The sanctuary windows will be open (weather permitting) and fans will be assisting with ventilation. Children of all ages are welcome to attend our worship services with their families, but must be masked if 2 years old or above.
Please note that no nursery care is being provided during our services.
We will continue to post videos of our weekly worship services on our YouTube channel (Old North Church Marblehead) and on Facebook (Friends of Old North Church, Marblehead). The videos will be posted on Sunday afternoons.
We look forward to seeing you in church, however you feel most comfortable joining us!
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Stewardship Update
Our stewardship campaign is well underway. Thus far we have received 134 pledges totaling $278,116, which gets us roughly halfway to our goal for 2022. We hope to complete the pledge portion of the campaign by mid-December so we can begin our capital fund drive after the first of the year. If you have not done so already, please return your completed pledge card to the church office, place it in the offertory plate on Sunday, or pledge online at our website, www.onchurch.org/pledge. Follow-up phone calls will begin this weekend. Thank you in advance for your financial support of Old North Church!
~ The Prudential Ministries Board
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Bible Study on Paul Will Meet this Sunday at 11:15
You are welcome to join our Bible study on Paul each Sunday at 11:15--whether you've come to previous sessions or not.
Paul wrote most of the New Testament, but many of us have little familiarity with his life and teachings. Join together for a Bible study on Paul where we will read a book about Paul: “Paul: A Very Short Introduction” by E. P. Sanders, alongside biblical passages he wrote.
We will meet in the Great Room at 8 Stacey Street (our church offices).
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HAWC's Holiday Program
Adopt a Family
An organization that Old North has funded for years, HAWC ( Healing Abuse, Working for Change) which works to protect survivors of domestic violence, has a new initiative for the holidays: an "Adopt a Family" model-see below. We hope this program will interest some of our Parishioners!
-The Outreach Ministry Board
Help Survivors and their children have a bright holiday season. Reach out to HAWC at giving@hawcdv.org to be assigned a family to shop for. Put a smile on the faces of children in our community!
** Gift cards (Visa preferred) are always needed.
Wrapping paper donations also accepted
All donations are requested by December 8
Contact HAWC to schedule your drop off time:
978.744.2299 ext. 114 giving@hawcdv.org
Drop off Location: 27 Congress Street, Suite 204
Salem, MA 01970
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Pastor Parish Relations Committee
The Pastor Parish Relations Committee for each of our ministers exists to maintain an open relationship between Pastors and the congregation. We invite you to share ideas, expectations, hopes and concerns with the committee members listed below in an atmosphere of confidentiality.
For Dennis: Susan Stone, Bob Gorman, Lynda Hare, Holly Jannell
For Lindsay: Frank Arren, Else Wiersma, Mimi Gardner
Contact information for committee members is available in the updated ONC Directory.
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Marblehead Food Pantry
November is the month when traditionally Old North helps stock the shelves at the Marblehead Food Pantry. Due to continuing COVID 19 precautions, we will once again follow the “new” procedures. Back in April our appeal for monetary donations was overwhelmingly successful. Thank you! That gift kept the Food Pantry well stocked for quite a while and made a huge difference to so many people. As we move into the final week of November, monetary donations this month are unfortunately down by about 75%. If you are able to, please consider writing a check to Old North Church, 8 Stacey Street, Marblehead MA 01945 and putting Marblehead Food Pantry in the memo line. Alternatively you may make an on line donation, with the same specification. Our Old North shopping team will use your kind donation to purchase the very specific needs of the Food Pantry each week. These include non-perishable goods, toiletries and personal items.
Thank you for your consideration,
Lynda Hare on behalf of the Outreach Ministry Board.
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Old North Reading and Discussion Group
Wednesday, December 8
The next meeting of the Old North Reading and Discussion Group on Preserving Our Democracy and Environment will be on Wednesday, December 8th, from 8:30 to 10:00 AM. This is the latest of a series of meetings on this subject that have been hosted for all by the ONC Men’s Group. The discussions are supported by background reading assignments. You are invited to participate regardless of the amount of your preparation or whether you have attended a previous meeting. At this meeting we will be discussing Fiona Hill’s new book, Finding Opportunity in the Twenty-First Century. We will also continue discussing the results of our individual efforts to influence points of view of people we disagree with.
The meeting will be privately hosted on Zoom. Those who have completed their maximal COVID-19 vaccinations and are willing to wear a mask will be able to attend in person in the “Great Room” of the ONC office at 8 Stacey Street. To join the Zoom meeting, just click on
(Meeting ID: 854 2108 9955; Passcode: 442971).
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The New Church Directories Are Here
Many thanks to everyone, the Community Life Ministry Board, Lisa and Donna in the church office and you, the congregation, for helping us complete our mission of updating the Old North Church Directory. The new directories will be available on the tables in the Narthex for the next three weeks (one per family, please) and after that in the office on Stacey Street. If your listing is missing or incorrect, please contact Lisa or Donna in the church office at office@onchurch.org.
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Announcements from Music at Old North
Our traditional Old North Festival Holiday Concerts will be modified this season – due to ongoing concerns about Covid-19 and our commitment to maintaining a safe and responsible environment for all. Under the direction of Maria vanKalken, Minister of Music at Old North Church – and celebrating her 33rd season as Director of the Festival Chorus – on Saturday and Sunday, December 4 and 5, 2021, audiences will be treated to a selection of seasonal works for solo voices by J.S. Bach, Purcell, Handel, and Mendelssohn, as well as favorite carols with audience participation. Festival Chorus members are enthusiastically invited to attend – seated in the audience – in order to lend their magnificent voices to the sing-along portion of the program. These two reduced-capacity, 75-minute concerts – with no intermission – will feature our superb ensemble of Festival Soloists accompanied by the Festival Orchestra, in the sanctuary of Old North Church in Marblehead. Festival Soloists include: Holly Cameron, soprano; Gabriela Fagen mezzo-soprano; Kevin Hayden, tenor; Daniel Fridley, bass; and Michael Galvin, bass. Festival Holiday Concerts will also include an appearance by the Old North Bell Choir, under the leadership of Liz Smith. Our upcoming Old North Festival Holiday Concerts promise to provide a glorious musical opening to the Christmas season which you have come to love and cherish!
Tickets: $30 (*)
Available at: Arnould Gallery • Crosby’s Marketplace
(*) all patrons are required to show proof of Covid-19 vaccination at the door, and wear properly-fitted face masks.
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The Senior Choir is gathering to participate in the 10AM worship services. New members are always welcome and encouraged. The choir is following all current safety protocols. Please contact Maria vanKalken at vankalken@gmail.com for details.
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Anti-Racism Accountability Group
A small group of Old Northers are continuing to meet to hold ourselves accountable to doing anti-racism work in our own lives. We meet on Zoom at 7pm on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month:
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Ways to Connect With Us During the Week
So that we might stay connected, we've set up several times throughout the week to gather on Zoom. You can join from a computer, iphone, or ipad using the links below, or you can call +1 929 205 6099 and enter the meeting ID (listed with each event).
Lectio Divina (Tuesdays 9am)
A time of contemplative prayer, with scripture and poetry, led by Dennis.
Breakfast Group (Fridays 8am)
A time to gather with one another, with your breakfast and coffee.
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Church Building Access and Office Hours
The church office is now open Tuesday-Friday from 9:30am-1:30pm. We ask that you wear a mask in the office building, no matter your vaccination status. We look forward to your visits. We have missed seeing you!
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Contact Us: 781-631-1244
Church Address: 35 Washington St., Marblehead, MA 01945
Mailing Address: 8 Stacey St. Marblehead, MA 01945
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