The Christian Women's Connection March Brunch is set for Monday, March 12, from 8:45 to 10:30 a.m. at the Danversport Yacht Club, 161 Elliott St. (Route 62), Danvers. The guest speaker is Susan Moody, who will share her inspiring life story with humor. Polly Vitagliano from Wherever Wigs will demonstrate what wigs can do for everyone. Brunch is $13 inclusive, all women are welcome, and free child care is available to age 5. Reservations and cancellations are required by Saturday, March 10. For more information, to make a reservation or a cancellation, or for child care, call Jan at 978-303-7873 or Laura at 978-532-2157.
Sally Lloyd-Jones, New York Times best-selling author of "The Jesus Storybook Bible," will conduct a half-day seminar on "Wow in the Age of Wii: Captivating Kids With Story" at First Presbyterian Church of Ipswich on Saturday, March 10, from 9 a.m. to noon. Jones will discuss how to use a story to talk to children in a world with many activities vying for their attention. The morning will include two sessions: "The Parent, The Child and The Story" and "A Story is Not a Sermon: Writing Up for Children, Never Down." Attendees will be able to attend both sessions, as well as a book signing. Cost is $15 for students and $20 for adults, at www.fpcnorthshore.com. Late registration (from March 1 to 9) will be $30 per person. The first 200 registrants will receive a copy of "The Jesus Storybook Bible" with paid registration. For more information, contact Jeff Spencer, children's ministries director, at jspencer@opc-ipswich.org or 978-356-7690. First Presbyterian Church is at 179 County Road (Route 1A), Ipswich.
St. Peter's Church will hold a book drive through February. Books, videos, DVDs, CDs and records can be deposited in the Got Books bin in the church's parking lot, 24 St. Peter St., Salem. For more information, call the church at 978-745-2291.
The Holy Trinity United Methodist Church, 16 Sylvan St., Danvers, is providing reusable grocery bags with the church's name written on them for anyone who would like to fill one at the grocery store for the Danvers People to People Food Pantry. Bags can be returned to the church any Sunday of the month, and a new one obtained. For more information, call the church office at 978-777-7408.
After 40 years of service to the church, the Rev. Canon Jurgen Liias, founding rector of Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church in Danvers, retired. The Rev. Tim Clayton was installed as rector of Christ the Redeemer this spring. During the interim, the Rev. Brian Barry will serve as priest-in-charge. There will be a celebration of Liias' ministry on Saturday, April 14, with a luncheon at the Danversport Yacht Club, 161 Elliott St., Danvers. Tickets may be obtained by calling the church office, 978-774-3163.
Maple Street Church at 90 Maple St. in Danvers holds a food drive collection for the Danvers food pantry on the second Sunday of each month. Members are encouraged to bring juice boxes, pasta, canned soups and vegetables, and other items and leave them in the narthex or the shopping cart in the Social Hall. For more information, call Priscilla Curda at 978-777-0793 or email phcurda@verizon.net.
First Parish Church in Beverly, Unitarian Universalist, serves a meal to the needy at 6 p.m. every Tuesday at the church, 225 Cabot St., Beverly. For more information or to volunteer, email Ron Sweet at rtsweet@comcast.net.
The Temple Beth Shalom Jewish Food Pantry needs supplies and food. Items can be dropped off in the temple foyer at 489 Lowell St., Peabody. The pantry needs paper towels, toilet paper, soap, toothpaste, shampoo, kosher soups, crackers, tomato sauce, jelly, beans, tuna, pasta, juice and nonperishable milk. For more information, call 978-535-2100.
Each month, Catholic Charities North receives more requests for food assistance than can be provided with the funding available. Providing this type of assistance has grown more difficult in recent years as the demand for food assistance has risen. To help provide food to a local family who needs it, anyone may donate a gift card from a local grocery store at Catholic Charities sites at 280 Washington St., Salem (978-740-6923), and the Family Counseling and Guidance Center, 152 Sylvan St., Danvers, on the second floor (978-774-6820). More site locations can be found at www.ccab.org/north.
