Saying Goodbye to Rev. Don Remick this Sunday, July 21

Reverend Don Remick's last day at Old North Church is this Sunday, July 21 at the 8:00 and 10:00 am church services. We are so grateful for his friendship and all he has done over the past two years to help move our church forward, and he will be greatly missed. We wish him the best as he begins his next chapter with more family time and at another church who is fortunate to have him serve there.

As part of saying goodbye, please write a note to Don or send pictures. Pictures can be church events and people, from his time with us, not just photos of Don himself. You can bring notes to the services or Ginny von Rueden will be printing any notes submitted by email and putting the photos together in a book.

Please send any notes to rvonrueden@comcast.net and get any pictures to Ginny. The deadline for letters and photos to be submitted to Ginny for the book is tomorrow, Friday, July 19.

If you have any questions about the notes and pictures, please email Ginny, or for any other questions, email Betsey Halbert at betsey.halbert@gmail.com. Thank you!

Summer Worship at Chandler Hovey Park

We have returned to our summer worship at the Lighthouse at Chandler Hovey Park each Sunday at 8 am. If the weather is inclement there will be a sign at the Devereux Beach entrance to let folks know. 

We have been so fortunate to have enjoyed pleasant summer weather for our Lighthouse worship this summer. Pictured below is a group enjoying coffee hour and the sunny weather after Lighthouse worship last Sunday, July 14.

10 am Worship Continues Through July

We've had a regular response to our 10 am service this summer and the Diaconate has decided to continue this service through the month of July.

We will continue to offer the 8 am service at the Lighthouse at Chandler Hovey State Park (which will move to the Sanctuary in inclement weather).  

This summer we will be painting the Sanctuary ceiling as part of our Capital Campaign. When that project begins we will move the 10am service to the Parish Hall. 



And another reminder: Rev. Lindsay Popperson is on a Sabbath break as she prepares to return to us on July 22nd and take on the mantle of Senior Minister. Rev. Don will be with us through July 21.

See you in church.  

Designated Term Associate Pastor Search Team Update

Our search team is up and running for our Designated Term Associate Pastor. We have been meeting to get oriented on the search process. We've met with Rev. Alex Shea Will to receive guidance and resources. We've completed the Designated Term Associate Pastor profile which has been reviewed and approved by our Leadership Board and Conference. The position has been posted nationally. Our team is reviewing profiles. We'll be holding a mock interview to get some good practice and feedback before we launch into interviews with prospective candidates. We're getting the process started while Rev. Lindsay is on her Sabbath break. She'll join the team to complete the process when she returns on July 22nd. We remain hopeful that we'll have a candidate prepared to present to the congregation in September, if not before. 

Please hold us in prayer!



Your Search Team:  Betsey Halbert, Blair Lord, James Horgan. (with guidance and support from Don and Lindsay) 

Capital Campaign Projects Update

Painting and carpentry repairs on the Parish Hall and Link building are almost complete, and replacement of the Sanctuary roof is well underway. The old roof materials have been removed and new ice & water shield and roofing shingles are being installed, with completion by next week. Once that is done, work will begin on new copper gutters and fascia boards for both sides of the Sanctuary building to replace the rotted wooden ones. Then scaffolding will be erected on the north wall of the church building for the masonry repairs. In early August we expect to have scaffolding erected in the sanctuary for the repainting of the ceiling. At that time, the space will be closed until the work is completed by the end of August.

In our two-year plan, the repairs to the bell tower and the repointing of the granite façade will not begin until next spring.



Property Projects – Eleven sections of new fencing have replaced deteriorated ones along the southern portion of the parking lot.

Coffee Hour at the Lighthouse

Please join us for coffee hour after the 8am service at the Lighthouse (or in the Parish Hall in the case of inclement weather). Don't forget to bring your travel cup so we can reduce waste and save trees.

Garden Volunteers

During the summer months we will need volunteers to weed and tidy our church properties in the Memorial Garden, front patio area and parking lot beds. The Green Team has planted a pollinator garden behind the work trucks in the parking lot which they will maintain.



If you can help for an hour or two to keep our gardens looking healthy and beautiful Please contact Ginny von Rueden: rvonrueden@comcast.net or 781-631-7898.

Search for a New Board Member of Essex County Habitat for Humanity

Old North Church’s Outreach Ministry Board (OMB) has been asked by the Essex County Habitat for Humanity to help its board identify a new board member to represent southern Essex County. Stuart Johnson, a current board member and past-president, reached out to OMB through Old North members Steve and Suzanne Quigley to request the assistance in a partnership to better address housing needs in the south of Essex County, including cities such as Lynn, Salem, Peabody, and Gloucester. The Essex County Habitat for Humanity covers 34 cities and towns throughout Essex County, providing help to qualified families to make it more affordable for them to build and improve places to call home.

The Essex County Habitat for Humanity board currently has 16 members serving 3-year renewable terms and meeting as a full board 4 times per year. Board members also serve on subcommittees that meet more often, with most members serving on at least two. These subcommittees work closely with staff in key areas such as site and family selection, marketing and advocacy, events, development, and finance. There are currently 17 homes under construction in Essex County, including a multi-family development for 10 families in Hamilton.

The board seeks candidates who are passionate about Habitat for Humanity’s mission to create affordable housing. There is a desire to balance the board composition with new members who live in southern Essex County. The ideal candidate will be someone who is well connected in the community and can relate to city and town administration, city councils and planning boards, for example. Prior experience with nonprofit boards, town/city planning, construction, finance, law, or development would be a plus.



Interested potential candidates can contact Richard von Rueden, Chair of Old North’s Outreach Ministry Board at rvonrueden@gmail.com or 617-416-5264 to obtain more information and arrange for a conversation with Stuart Johnson of Essex County Habitat for Humanity.   

Congregational Caring



The prayers and support of our congregation go out to the family of Jill Weber who passed away recently. Memorial services will be held Wednesday, July 24 at 10am at Old North Church. Obituary and details can be found here.

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.

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.