St. Peter’s Episcopal Church will serve a traditional turkey dinner on Thursday, Nov. 22, starting at noon at 4 Ocean St., Beverly. The dinner will be prepared and served by members of the church along with volunteers from the community. The dinner is free, and all are welcome to enjoy the meal, especially those who might otherwise be alone on the holiday. Also, three shifts of volunteers are needed: Nov. 21, 5 to 9 p.m., setup and food preparation; Nov. 22, 9 a.m. to noon, dinner preparation; Nov. 22, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., serving and cleanup. Volunteers should contact Dena Lisle at the church office, 978-922-3438, or email dena@stpetersbeverly.org. Donations of fully cooked turkeys and turkey breasts, nonperishable food items, and pies and other desserts may be dropped off on Nov. 22 after 9 a.m. Nonperishable food items will also be accepted on Sunday, and desserts on Wednesday night between 6 and 9. Cash donations will also be accepted to help with the cost of the meal.
Local Beverly Pastor Timothy Clayton of Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church in Danvers has released his first book, “Exploring Advent With Luke,” which is designed to be used on a weekly basis and during the 12 days of Christmas. The book includes meditations and practical exercises to help the reader resolve personal issues that can hinder the meaning of the season. Clayton’s publication comes a year after his daughter, Morgan Clayton, published a book she wrote and fully illustrated, “Susan: A Slightly Naughty Cat.” Morgan was 15 when her book was published.
The First Spiritualist Church of Salem will host an animal communication workshop led by Janet Kennedy, an animal communicator and psychic medium, on Sunday, Nov. 18, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the church, 34 Warren St., Salem. Admission is $25 per person. For more information, visit www.firstspiritualistchurchsalem.org. Also, the church’s healing center will be open today from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The healing center is free and open to all.
Chabad North Shore’s annual Run-A-Latke, a family 5K run and Hanukkah party, will be held Sunday, Dec. 9, at 10 a.m. at Chabad Community Shul, 44 Burrill St., Swampscott. Hanukkah programming will be available for kids while adults run. Attendees can race, eat latkes and doughnuts, and help build a huge Lego menorah. Register at the door or online at www.nsjewish.com or raceit.com.
During November and December, St. Adelaide Church, 708 Lowell St., Peabody, will collect unwanted books in support of the North Shore Moving Market. Proceeds from the sale of donated books help provide free monthly grocery deliveries to the North Shore’s housebound elderly and handicapped residents. Books should be in new or good readable condition; no children’s books will be accepted. Books may be dropped off before Masses or in the Church Hall on Sundays from 8 a.m. to noon or Mondays and Tuesdays from 3 to 6 p.m., through the end of December. For more information, call North Shore Moving Market at 978-744-2532.
Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church will hold the following additional services: Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2 p.m., Thanksgiving potluck, and evening prayer at 7 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 30, 7 p.m., St. Andrew’s Eucharist. The church is at 188 Elliott St., Route 62, Danvers. For more information, visit www.ctr-anglican.org or call 978-927-4280.
Temple Beth Shalom will host free “Mommy & Me Classes” on Thursdays from 10 to 11 a.m., beginning Nov. 29 at 489 Lowell St., Peabody. During the six-week session, infants and toddlers will learn to play. New families are invited to participate and meet other new mothers. For more information, contact Dawn Sundenfield at dsudenfield@templebethshalom.org or 978-535-2100.
The Women’s Council of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary will present its annual Advent program and luncheon on Thursday, Dec. 6, at 10:30 a.m. The program, titled “A Christmas Meditation,” will be held on the campus in the Kaiser Chapel, followed by a luncheon in Alumni Hall, 130 Essex St., Hamilton. The cost for the program and luncheon is $12.75 per person. Those interested in attending should mail their payment by Monday, Nov. 26, to Women’s Council of Gordon-Conwell, 130 Essex St., Hamilton, MA 01982. For more information, contact Erica at 978-646-4027 or EricaG@gcts.edu.
Members of Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lynn’s Next Step Living will provide free home energy assessments to NSTAR and National Grid electric and gas customers. Participating homeowners can learn where they can make cost-saving updates to their homes and more information about state and federal incentive programs to reduce the cost to make those updates. Sign-ups for assessments will be held in the Parish Hall, 101 Forest Ave., Swampscott, on Sunday, Nov. 18, from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Coffee and snacks will be served. For more information, call 781-595-8836 or sign up online at nextstepliving.com/UUCGL.
Chabad of the North Shore’s Jewish Learning Institute presents “The Kabbalah of You: A Guide to Unlocking Your Hidden Potential,” the institute’s new, six-session fall 2012 course, led by Rabbi Yossi Lipsker. Sessions meet for six consecutive Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m., through Dec. 12 at Chabad Community Shul, 44 Burrill St., Swampscott. Through the examination of the entire spectrum of what it means to be human, “The Kabbalah of You” offers recipes, tips and techniques for discovering where one’s true meaning lies, and making it a part of one’s daily existence. Sessions help participants see life as the mysterious, challenging and satisfying wonder that it really is. The program is designed for people at all levels of Jewish knowledge, including those with no prior experience or background. Courses are open to the public. For more information or to register, call 781-581-3833 or visit myjli.com.
Northshore Unitarian Universalist Church’s Social Action Committee will sponsor a Fair Trade Boutique after Sunday services during coffee hour on Nov. 18 and 25 at the church, 323 Locust St., Danvers. This year’s boutique features unique and handcrafted items for everyone, including mobiles, scarves, wind chimes, jewelry, tree ornaments, baskets and more, made by artisans from 32 countries. Proceeds support low-income artisans and farmers. All items come from SERRV, a nonprofit organization with a mission to eradicate poverty by providing opportunity and support to artisans and farmers worldwide. For more information, contact the church at 978-774-7582 or visit www.nsuu.org.
The Israeli Festival of the Arts exhibit and sale at Congregation Shirat Hayam, 55 Atlantic Ave., Swampscott, features 1,500 works of art by more than 100 Israeli artists from the Safrai Gallery in Jerusalem. Artwork includes original oil paintings, watercolors, lithographs and etchings. Festival hours are today, daytime viewing only following Shabbat Cafe until 2 p.m., and again from 7 to 10:30 p.m., and tomorrow, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets cost $25 per person and include wine, cheese, music, a guided gallery tour and a coupon for $25 off a purchase of $250 to $499, or $50 off $500 or more. For more information, contact Marla Gay, director of congregational life, at 781-599-8005 or Marla@ShiratHayam.org. To purchase preview party tickets, visit www.ShiratHayam.org.
Torah Hub, a North Shore Adult Jewish Education Collaborative, is a free program that explores Judaism and Social Justice. The Monday night portion of the series, led by Temple Sinai’s Rabbi Fine, will be held at Aviv Center in Peabody on Nov. 19 and Dec. 10 at 7:30 p.m. Topics focus on “Jewish Food Ethics for the 21st Century.” The Thursday night portion of the series, led by Rabbi Margie Klein of Congregation Sha’arei Shalom, will be held at the NSJCC in Marblehead at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 29 and Dec. 6, focusing on “Transforming Ourselves, Transforming the World.” The final session, featuring a symposium led by local rabbis, is set for Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the NSJCC in Marblehead. All sessions are free. Registration is required and can be done at www.jfns.org/torahhub.aspx, or contact Alanna Cooper at acooper@jfns.org or 978-224-4096.
North Shore Players will present “Prairie Lights,” a holiday musical, on Dec. 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9, running Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. in the Hogan Regional Center Auditorium, 6 Hathorne Circle, Danvers. “Prairie Lights” tells the story of a Jewish brother and sister who journey west on an Orphan Train in 1905. Arriving with other homeless youths in a tiny Nebraskan town just before the holidays, the siblings are adopted by Wellspring’s only Jewish couple. As Christmas and Hanukkah approach, orphans and residents alike are on a quest to reunite Wellspring after being threatened by a fearful banker. For more information and directions, visit www.northshoreplayers.org.
