The Women's Council of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary will hold a spring program and luncheon on Thursday, April 12, at 10:30 a.m. at Gordon-Conwell, 130 Essex St., Hamilton. The cost for the program and luncheon is $12. For more information or to make a reservation, contact Erica Giovanniello at 978-646-4027 or EricaG@gcts.edu.
A Different Christian Voice, a new progressive spiritual community at 189 N. Main St., Middleton, is offering the following hourlong conversation experiences, open to everyone: "Why Did I Survive? Questions From Natural Disasters," Sunday, April 1, 4:30 p.m.; "To Heaven and Back (Is Heaven for Real?)," Friday, April 6, 7:30 p.m.; "Living Online: Is Google Making Us Stupid?" Sunday, April 15, 4:30 p.m.; "Overcoming Worry: Practical Help & Simple Solutions," Sunday, April 22, 4:30 p.m.; and "The Aliens are Coming: What if it's True?" Sunday, April 29, 4:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.adifferentchristianvoice.org or call 978-973-2466.
The Christian Women's Connection April brunch will be held Monday, April 9, from 8:45 to 10:30 a.m. at the Danversport Yacht Club, 161 Elliott St. (Route 62), Danvers. A jewelry fashion show will be presented by Naomi Moca of Premier Designs. The speaker will be Angela Ditmar, who once felt "why am I here anyway?" but found direction and meaning for her life. Brunch is $13 inclusive, all women are welcome, and free child care is available to age 5. Reservations and cancellations are required by April 7. For more information, call Jan at 978-303-7873 or Laura at 978-532-2157.
A kite festival will follow the 9:30 a.m. Palm Sunday worship service at the Congregational Church of Topsfield on Sunday, April 1. The festival will be held in Proctor Field, behind Town Hall, at 11 a.m. Participants may bring a kite or learn to make a simple kite with Archie Stewart from Kite Education of Chestnut Hill. Kites can be purchased for $5. The event is rain or shine. If rainy, meet in the Emerson Center across the common from the Meetinghouse to make simple kites to fly later, and watch a demonstration of indoor kite flying. The church is at Main Street and Washington Street, Route 97, at the Topsfield Common. The Emerson Center is across the common at 9 E. Common St., Topsfield. For more information, contact Carolyn Nenart at kitefestival@topsfieldchurch.org.
The Orthodox Church of St. John the Russian in Ipswich will host Pysanky Easter Egg decorating classes on Wednesday, March 28, from 7 to 9 p.m. at 34 Lafayette Road, Ipswich. The egg-decorating craft has been handed down through generations and is enjoyed during the Easter season. Limited space is available, and tools and special dyes will be provided; attendees should bring three to four uncooked white eggs, a pencil, a plumber's-style candle in a holder, and an old, soft dish towel to work on. Further details will be provided upon phone registration. Interested adults can reserve a space for either date by calling 978-380-6499.
During Sunday morning services during the Lenten season at Tabernacle Congregational UCC Church at 50 Washington St. in Salem, the Artists in Worship program will take place in the balcony of the church. Artists of all levels and interests are encouraged to participate, including painting, pastels, charcoal, knitting, quilting, etc. Some supplies will be supplied, but artists may bring their own. A Lenten Bible Study will be held on Monday, March 26, at 7:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. For more information, contact Tabernacle Church at 978-744-3164 or www.tabernaclechurch.org.
The sanctuary of St. Peter Church in Beverly will host an interactive, 2,000-square-foot art experience that invites attendees not to simply look at paintings, but to walk through them to discover their "way of salvation." Called "The Way of Salvation," the exhibit, created by Gay Cox of Amesbury, is an invitation to walk into faith as the church approaches Easter. "The Way of Salvation" will be on display at St. Peter's at 4 Ocean St. through Friday, March 30. For more information, call 978-922-3438.
The Christian Education Committee of Holy Trinity United Methodist Church, 16 Sylvan St., Danvers, will sponsor Lenten All Church Family Dinners in the Fellowship Hall on Wednesday nights from 5:30 to 7 p.m. through March 28. There will be an opportunity for fellowship and Lenten activities for the entire family. For more information, contact the church office at 978-777-7408.
Chabad of Peabody will host its Invest in Futures Raffle Fundraiser on Friday, April 13. Three hundred raffle tickets will be sold for items that include a trip to Israel, diamond pendant necklace, BMW bike, Patriots tickets and a technology package. Ticket proceeds support the Chabad of Peabody and its ongoing programs and activities. Tickets are $100 for one entry, $180 for two, $260 for three, $400 for five, $770 for 10 and $1,800 for 25 entries. To purchase raffle tickets, visit www.JewishPeabody.com/Raffle or mail entries and a check to P.O. Box 2154, Peabody, MA 01960. For more information, call 978-977-9111 or email info@jewishpeabody.com.
A comedy night will be held on Sunday, April 1, at 4 p.m., at Temple Shalom, 287 Lafayette St., Salem, featuring award-winning magician Ed Gardner, Las Vegas comedian John Pizzi, comedian/ventriloquist Bob Carroll and local comic Gordon Ulen. Tickets cost $36 and include an all-you-can-eat deli buffet. There will be a cash wine/beer bar. For tickets, call Temple Shalom at 978-741-4880 or visit www.shalomsalem.org.
This year's Walk for Haiti, which will be dedicated to the memory of Mrs. Ruth Leach Barber, will be held on Good Friday, April 6, starting at 9 a.m. on the track adjacent to the Torigian Life Center on Central Street. Money goes to aid blind, deaf and handicapped children, to provide medical, surgical and educational supplies, and to assist in the rebuilding of homes and institutions devastated by the recent earthquake and floods. Those interested in sponsoring a walker or participating in the walk may contact Gail Bowlds at 978-535-1431 or Karen Smith at 978-618-4992. Checks, payable to Faith and Concern Inc., should be sent to 6 Wildwood Drive, Peabody, MA 01960.
St. Peter's/San Pedro Episcopal Church, 24 St. Peter St., Salem, will hold services on Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. during Lent. The following is the schedule of services: March 28, Compline; and April 4, Taize Prayer and Meditation Service. Services are conducted by the new priest-in-charge, Father Silvestre Romero. All Wednesday night services will be held in the chapel at the rear of the church. For more information, call the church at 978-745-2291.
The First Spiritualist Church of Salem will present gallery readings and dinner at 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 21, at 34 Warren St., Salem. The event includes popular gallery readings at 6:30 p.m., a 50-50 raffle and dinner. Gallery readings mediums are Patricia Cizewski, Joyce DeFazio, Sirry Berndsen, Jason McCuish and Mark Bettano. Seating is limited to 40, and reservations are required at www.firstspiritualistsalem.org/index.html. The cost is $20 per person. All proceeds will benefit the church's building fund.
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.
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.
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.
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.
