Sunday School and Nursery Care

Our nursery is open for children three months to 4ish years, starting at 9:50am. Sunday school for kids aged four through 12 begins partway through the church service, following the "Moments with Children" during worship.

This week in Sunday School we'll be discussing perseverance—and how we can keep going even when things are tough. We'll look at examples of people in the Bible who persevered, see how things persevere in nature, and do a couple (tasty!) feats of perseverance ourselves. Rev Lindsay and James Horgan will be leading.

Holy Week Worship Schedule

Sunday, March 24 - Palm Sunday

Services at 8 and 10am

Thursday, March 28 - Maundy Thursday

Service of Tenebrae at 8pm

Sunday, March 31 - Easter Sunday

Sunrise Worship at 6:15am at Old Burial Hill

Services at 9 and 11am in the Sanctuary

Spring Ahead, Fall Back

Its daylight savings time this weekend. We'll all be moving our clocks ahead one hour. We'll either lose an hour of sleep or wake up late for the morning schedule. It's said that statistically, heart attacks and car accidents tick up in the days that follow the clock change. The lack of sleep or the shifting of the light coming into our daily routines throws off something internally. These days, most of the clocks that remind me of my calendar are tied to the internet and they update their time automatically. We have a few others in the house which are battery operated. I won't have to change too many of those since I didn't last fall and they've been an hour off till this weekend. I will be changing the clocks on the thermostats, I prefer waking up to a reasonable warm house. 

We have an interesting relationship to time. Some folks are constantly checking their clocks, watches, smart phones and schedules to be sure they aren't missing something. Some folks can't remember where they left their watches. Some folks have their days booked in 15 minute intervals (or 15 second) Some have nothing planned for afternoon (or week). Some are perpetually late for things. Some are perpetually early. Time doesn't seem to care.  

I've always suspected that God is less concerned with how we measure time as with how we are unfolding within each moment of time. That is what Lent is all about. Stepping a little outside of our normal sense of time, resetting our clocks, and creating time to see how God is unfolding in our lives. 

We're half way through Lent and I wonder how you are noticing ways that God is unfolding in your lives. And I hope you make to worship on time this week.   

-- Rev. Don Remick

Easter Lilies

We have placed envelopes in the pews for those who wish to order lilies for the March 31 Easter services. Please return your envelopes by Sunday, March 17 for orders to be placed. Easter Lilies are $25 this year and if paying by check, please make it out to Old North Church and write "Easter plants" on the memo line. Plants may be dedicated in honor or memory of someone and may be picked up following the 11:00 am service on Easter morning. You may place your flower envelope in the offertory or orders can be mailed or dropped off at the church office at 8 Stacey St. Thank you!

Lenten Meditation - this Sunday March 10 at 4pm

Back in Advent we offered a couple of opportunities to learn about and experience a form of meditation. We wove together insights on the forms and impact of mediation from neuroscience and spiritual traditions. We'll explore this again in Lent Join us this Sunday, March 10th, at 4pm in the Sanctuary. The meditation will last about 1 hour.  

Lent Devotions on Social Media

Sometimes it is nice to have a short reflection during the Lenten Season to guide our journey. We are offering a variety of these during this holy season. One of those opportunities will be on our Social Media Pages:

Facebook: Friends of Old North Church Marblehead

Instagram: oncinmhd

While on hikes in a town forest near my home I have done a series of short video reflections. We'll be posting these to our Facebook page a couple times each week. Look for them on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  

-- Rev. Don Remick

Joining the Church

Are you interested in joining Old North as a member? We're a congregational church, which means that any big decisions are made democratically, with each member having a vote. Being a member of the church also means that you're committing to us, and we're committing to you; we're claiming each other, and also making a statement that--in a world that is increasingly individualistic and fractured--we need each other. 

This spring, we'll be officially receiving new members into the church during our worship service on Sunday, April 14. Please contact Rev. Don or Rev. Lindsay if you're interested in joining but that date doesn’t work for you.

Scrabble Group

The Scrabble group continues to meet weekly in the Great Room in the Stacey Street office on Wednesdays from 2-4pm. It’s great fun and can be quite competitive. Join us!

Congregational Caring

During the winter months our pastor's have led several memorial services and funerals. The love and prayers of our congregation go out to the families of Phyllis Fader, Don Gardner, Susan Funk, Nancy Wallace, Nancy Farrell and Cornelia Payne. “When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure.” (Author unknown) 

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.

Our Search Team's Update for March and an Opportunity to meet the Team

At our Annual Budget Meeting we talked about an addition to our Search Process. The Search process has been developed and fined tuned by our denomination from the experiences, challenges, triumphs and pitfalls of thousands of churches and clergy over decades. They offer it to us a gift of guidance. 

One component of that involves an addition to the process should there be an internal candidate for a church position. In the wisdom of our sibling churches and clergy our UCC recommends that an internal candidate be interviewed and discernment be completed before the profile is released nationally. If the internal candidate has the experience, skills, qualities and approach needed to partner with the congregation into its next chapter they will become the Search Team's recommended candidate and no further search will be engaged. According to our church's bylaws and our UCC's Search Process guidance, they will be presented to the congregation for a Candidating Sunday where the congregation will vote to extend a Call to them following a service of worship which they lead. 

Integral to the guidance we received from our UCC is that the Local Church Profile be completed seeking the wisdom of God for the future story of the church without bias towards any particular candidate. In our church we have spent a year in conversations exploring the fundamental values and identity of our church, and discerning God's future for the church built upon its most faithful past. We explored the kind of pastor our church will need to partner with it into that future. Our Profile Writing Team wove all of that into our Local Church Profile. Through several sessions our leadership and the members of our church have reviewed, refined and affirmed that profile. Our recent budget meeting has confirmed the fiscal foundation for that future. Our Local Church Profile has been affirmed and validated by our Conference. 

It is also integral that the Profile Writing Team and Search Team be chosen from folks who have the ability to engage the process without bias and with a heart for the heart of the congregation and a soul for the will of God. With help from the congregation, boards and Leadership our church has chosen such a team. Our Search Team has made commitments to the confidentiality of candidates, to the time needed to faithfully discern, to stay open to the wisdom of the process, and to work together with mutual caring and respect. They will keep the congregation informed about the process as it unfolds. 

You will have an opportunity After Worship on March 17 during coffee hour to meet the Search Team. They will listen to questions our church may have on the process going forward. 

And our Search Team will depend on the prayers of the congregation to support and surround them. Our partners in the Pholela Church offered us their prayers writing: "We will support you with prayers in your journey to look for your new pastor. The great Lord will be with you in ensuring that the best leadership be appointed." Please try to lift our Search Team in your prayers each day as well.  

You can find more the additions of the internal candidate process here.

You can learn more about the overall search process here https://www.ucc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/S-C-Guide-for-Congregations.pdf

Tree Removal

Last Monday all trees and tall shrubs impacting the front and right sides of the Church Sanctuary building and Parish Hall were removed to allow for the repointing of the stone facades and the repairs to the Parish Hall clapboards and trim. This work is in process and there is no plan to replace these trees and shrubs as they are significantly responsible for the moisture retention which has caused the degradation of mortar and woodwork on the front of the buildings. Also factoring into the decision is the placement of scaffolding this spring/summer and next as capital projects work is completed.

This decision to remove the trees and shrubs was made by the Prudential Board, in consultation with the Leadership Board and garden coordinator. At the February Annual Budget Meeting drawings of the front of the church in 1881 and 1981 were distributed showing the architectural beauty of our Meeting House prior to the planting of any greenery. It truly stands out as a gem in the historic district. There are copies of these drawings available in the Narthex. Please be aware that the removal of the trees has revealed some unsightly pipes and electrical conduits on the front of the Parish Hall and link buildings. Plans for covering or hiding these, to the extent we are able, are under discussion. We recognize that this change might be a bit of a shock at first look. If you feel the need to vent your rage or express your delight in this "new look" for Old North, please direct your calls to Sally Sands, Prudential Board Chair 508-843-7401.

Church Elevator Now Available for Use

The Elevator Rehab work has been completed and the elevator is now available for use again. Thank you for your patience during this improvement project

Are You Following Us on Social Media?

We have been working on improving our presence on social media. Please follow us! Invite your friends and neighbors to follow us to learn about our church.

Facebook: Friends of Old North Church Marblehead

Instagram: oncinmhd

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.