The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Beverly is now offering Wednesday testimonial meetings at 7:30 p.m. in the church edifice at 19 Hale St., 978-922-0262, except on the first Wednesday of each month, when they are offered at the Christian Science Reading Room, 279 Cabot St., 978-921-4449, also at 7:30 p.m. For more information and to interact with a community of spiritual seekers, visit www.spirituality.com.
Calvary Episcopal Church in Danvers will celebrate 150 years of service today and tomorrow with a series of events. These include a 6:30 p.m. dinner at Angelica's in Middleton on Saturday, for $40 per person. Tickets may be purchased at the parish office at 46 Cherry St., or 978-774-1150. Rev. Thea Keith-Lucas will preside over a Festive Eucharist, with Lessons and Songs, tomorrow at 10 a.m. The Calvary bell will be tolled and a memorial dedicated to David T. Symmes, devoted parishioner and volunteer.
An Alpha course, a 10-week video-based discussion investigating Jesus, is being offered by Pastor Glenn Prescott. Each evening includes a free meal, video segment and open group discussion. Attendants may join one or all of the sessions. The first session will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 23, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Oak Hill Apartments, 35 Central St., Ipswich. For more information or to register, contact Pastor Glenn Prescott at Immanuel Baptist Church, 45 Central St., Ipswich, MA 01938 or call 978-356-2010.
The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults will begin Sept. 28 at St. Mary Star of the Sea in Beverly, 253 Cabot St. The Rite is open to all adults 18 and older seeking Baptism. Also invited are those baptized in another faith who seek to become Roman Catholic. Baptized Catholics who have not received First Eucharist and/or Confirmation are also welcome to come in preparation for receiving these sacraments. For more information, contact Neil Yetts at St. Mary's RCIA office at 978-922-0133.
The First Baptist Church of Beverly is sponsoring a retreat on "The Inter-relatedness of Healing and Spirituality," to be held Friday to Sunday, Oct. 24 to 26, at Craigville Conference Center in Craigville, Cape Cod. It is open to all adults of any faith tradition, and will explore, and practice, various ancient and contemporary forms of healing. Cost is $189 per person. Register at 978-922-3295.
"Divine Light Photography," work by Danvers-based artist Lisa Pelonzi, is on exhibit at Northshore Unitarian Universalist Church in the church meeting room through September. Her latest work focuses on light and shadow, depicting images of flora and architecture of the Southwest. The church is at 323 Locust St. (Route 35), Danvers. The exhibit may be seen before and immediately after 10:30 a.m. Sunday services, or by appointment at 978-774-7582.
A crafts fair will be held by the First Universalist Society of Salem on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 211 Bridge St. in Salem. In addition to many types of gifts, there will be food, music, face painting, and raffles.
A food drive for Bootstraps will be held at First Parish Church in Beverly, U.U., to help alleviate rising food costs. Collection will continue through Oct. 5. Food items most needed are: kid-friendly cereal, canned chicken/tuna/meat, peanut butter, tomato sauce, canned soup, pork and beans, canned fruit, boxed rice, and canned tomato products. No glass, please. The church is at 225 Cabot St., Beverly, and may be reached at 978-922-3968.
The First Congregational Church needs help with the 2008 Christmas Fair, on the committee, on the day of the event, with advertising and publicity, and with contributions for gift baskets, the book table and more. Proceeds go to support missionaries. Anyone interested in helping with the event should call Sallyann King at 978-432-1716. The church is at 4 Georgetown Road, Boxford.
The Second Congregational Church in West Boxford is looking for local crafters to participate in its fifth annual Christmas Boutique, in conjunction with the fourth annual West Boxford Winter Festival, which will be on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The cost for a table is $40. Applications can be obtained by calling Marge Hildebrand at 978-556-5352.
Crafters are needed for the Annual Holiday Craft Fair and Luncheon at Calvary Episcopal Church, Danvers, to be held Saturday, Nov. 22. For space information, call church office at 978-774-1150 or Barbara French at 978-887-2830 or pbfrench@verizon.net.
Dinner is served every Sunday at 6 p.m. at St. Peter Episcopal Church, 4 Ocean St., Beverly, for those in need. For more information, to volunteer or to make a donation, call Dena Lisle at 978-922-3291.
Sermon Conversations are held Sunday evenings at First Parish Church in Beverly, Unitarian Universalist, 225 Cabot St., to discuss the morning's sermon topic. Locations are announced following Sunday worship. For more information, call Eric Hacker at 978-921-5278.
The First Baptist Church in Beverly is looking for members of the church who have reached 80. Let them know by calling the church office or speaking to one of the ministers. Sign up in the Narthex before and after worship or call the church office at 978-922-3295.
Inner Awakening Eleventh Step Meditation Meeting meets at the White Whale, 221 Cabot St., Beverly, on Friday nights from 7 to 8 p.m. The sessions will have opening prayer, reading from 12-step literature, a 20-minute period of silent meditation, a speaker and sharing. For members of all 12-step programs and any visitors. For more information, e-mail beverly11thstep@gmail.com.
Artists who would like to display their work for a month at the First Parish Church in Beverly, Unitarian Universalist, 225 Cabot St., should contact Paula Stephens in the church office at 978-922-3968.
The Jewish Community Center of the North Shore is offering rooms ranging from intimate meeting rooms to larger spaces. Learn more or book your event today by contacting Sandra Ruscio at 781-631-8330, ext. 411.
Men's Bible Study is held at 6 a.m. on Friday mornings at First Church Congregational, 4 Georgetown Road, Boxford. No advance preparation is necessary. For more information, contact Pastor Michael at michaelwilliams001@gmail.com or 781-608-2309.
Temple Beth Shalom, 489 Lowell St., Peabody, offers preschool, religious school, bar and bat mitzvah instruction, and confirmation classes. It also offers Brotherhood, Sisterhood, The Chai Club and youth groups. Its Social Action and Adult Education programs are an integral component of the Temple. Call the Temple office at 978-535-2100 for more information or visit the Web site at www.templebethshalom.org.
St. Adelaide Parish brings Holy Communion to those who are ill or housebound. Anyone in this position, or who knows of anyone in this position, can call the rectory office at 978-535-1985.
The Clifton Lutheran Church, in partnership with Got Books, has a donation and reuse drop-off location where town residents can donate books, videos, CDs and DVDs. Money raised from the purple container with yellow signs at the church, at 105 Humphrey St. in Marblehead, will be used for various community charities, including youth scholarships for summer camps. The drop-off site is open to everyone, at any time.
"Twilight Zone," screenings of the classic TV show, are held Friday nights at 8 p.m. at The Vault, an independent Christian church at 217 Essex St. in Salem. Admission is $1. For more information, call 978-744-8444.
Rekindle Shabbat helps maintain Jewish traditions among the young, providing free kosher chicken dinners and a kit containing "The Family Guide to Preparing for and Celebrating the Sabbath." Rekindle Shabbat is free for Jewish, interfaith and single-parent families with children of high school age and youngster enrolled in a Jewish institution or living in the Lappin Foundation's service area. It is free for grandparents who are raising grandchildren Jewish. For others, cost is $36 per person. To register, call Andrea Katz at 978-740-4404, e-mail akatz@rilcf.org or visit www.rilcf.org.
Clothes for Ukrainian orphanages are being collected at Our Lady of Hope, 1 Pineswamp Road, Ipswich. Other items being sought are soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, wheelchairs, crutches and walkers. Donations may be left in the boxes provided, or on the Rectory porch. For more information, call 978-356-1544 or e-mail bekahsteel@verizon.net.
The Jewish Federation of the North Shore offers a Limudim curriculum on themes relating to leadership, community and philanthropy, with connections made between activism and Jewish values. The free course is offered one Monday night a month from 7 to 9 p.m. For additional information, contact Susan Feinstein at 978-564-0727 or sfeinstein@jfns.org.
First Parish Church in Beverly, Unitarian Universalist, 225 Cabot St., provides a meal to the needy at the Baptist Church in Beverly on the second Monday of every month. Members who would like to participate can contact Fran Gerrior at fmarie@comcast.net or 978-922-4854 or Beth McAvoy at elizabethmcavoy@comcast.net or 978-927-4881.
All-you-can-eat dinners are held every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. for $6 at the First Congregational Church in Boxford. Dinner is followed by classes, prayer and "Hour of Power" for youth. The church also offers the "Friday Night Hang" for young people in middle school and high school every Friday from 7:30 to 10:45 p.m.
Prayers Reaching Addicted Youth (PRAY) is an intercessory prayer group that prays for the healing of the drug-addicted youths of the North Shore. All are welcome. Meetings are the last Monday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Wesley United Methodist Church, 8 North St., Salem. For more information, call Kathy at 781-760-0163.
The Safe Havens Interfaith Partnership Against Domestic Violence is collecting used cell phones in local churches across New England. Newer cell phones will be collected at St. Stephen's United Methodist Church, Marblehead, 67 Cornell Road. Newer phones will be reprogrammed, and older phones will be sold for parts. Bring cell phones to church and place them in the box marked "cell phones" in the narthex. For more information, call 781-631-2756.
First Parish Church in Beverly, Unitarian Universalist, serves a meal to the needy at 5:30 p.m. every Tuesday night that is provided by Beverly Hospital. A Yahoo Group site has been established, for volunteers who work or would like to work at these dinners, at TuesdayNightDinners@yahoogroups.com, where the calendar may be viewed and volunteers can receive reminders. The church is at 225 Cabot St.. For more information, call Diane Bianchetta at 978-921-0895 or e-mail auraleeddb@aol.com.
A course on spiritual parenting is sponsored by the First Parish Church in Beverly, Unitarian Universalist, for parents and their children one Saturday a month from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Parents gather in the minister's study from 5 to 6 p.m. for discussion, while children play with sitters downstairs, followed by a potluck dinner. For more information, contact Sarah Shamel at sishamel@alumni.princeton.edu or 978-969-1913.
The North Shore Hebrew School is raising money by collecting empty inkjet and laser cartridges, old cell phones, laptops (with power cords), PDAs and video games. "Cartridges for Kids" will reimburse the school for each item that is brought in to the Temple Shalom office, 287 Lafayette St., Salem. Call 978-741-4880.
