Recent Services
Winter Solstice Celebration
December 21 Service at 5:00 PM on Zoom
Rev. Carol Strecker, Interim Minister
Join Rev. Carol to virtually welcome in Yuletide of the year. It doesn’t look like it’s going to be a good idea to gather in person for this annual NSUU Church ritual but we can still gather around a fire to warm our hearts in each other’s company as we celebrate the gifts of darkness and light on this the longest night of the year.
Click HERE for the Order of Service
Click HERE to join the Solstice service.
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – The Power of Peace
December 20 Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Rev. Carol Strecker, Interim Minister
Vietnamese Buddhist Master Thich Nhat Hanh says that we can create true peace that can be a powerful force in our lives and in our world. True peace isn’t passive. Thich Nhat Hanh says, “To practice peace, to make peace alive in us, is to actively cultivate understanding, love and compassion, even in the face of misconception and conflict. Practicing peace, especially in times of war, requires courage.” How do we cultivate peace, especially in such turbulent times? And why is it so important, especially now?
Click HERE for the Order of Service
Click HERE to join the Sunday service.
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – The Gift of Music
December 13 Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Northshore UU Church Music Ministry
Helen Brandt, Music Director
This Sunday is our annual All-Music Service. The musicians of NSUU are delighted to come together to share the enduring power of music as it helps to sustain our hope during a dark time. Join us for carols led by the members of the Singing Group as well as piano music by Judy Putnam and Andrea Kaiser; vocal solos by Terri Hansen, Jennifer Revill, Helen Brandt, Gary Nelson and Rev Carol, and the Singing Group’s labor of love to blend their voices together in audio editing software.
Click HERE for the Order of Service
Click HERE to join the Sunday service.
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – Take Joy
December 6 Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Rev. Carol Strecker, Interim Minister
In the Christian tradition, Advent is a season of waiting and anticipation for something new to be born into the world and in us. During the four weeks leading up to Christmas we’re invited to explore four themes: hope, peace, joy and love as part of the process of preparing for that birth. This week we’re going to focus on joy; what it is and why it’s important in preparing for the birth of something new – especially this year, when we’re in the midst of so much uncertainty and loss.
In preparation for this service you’re invited to think about five of your most memorable moments at NSUU. Think about those events, activities and experiences that have been most meaningful for you. They don’t have to be joyful. Some may be solemn, even sad; but sharing what gives our lives meaning, can be a great source of joy. This personal history, both the facts and the feelings, are an important part of the NSUU’s story.
Click HERE for the Order of Service.
Click HERE to join the Sunday service.
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – Lamenting Our Way Into Hope
November 29 Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Ed Vaeni
Given that November 29 is the first Sunday in Advent in the Christian tradition this year, and that it comes at a time of uncertainty unlike any we have seen in quite some time, I want to reflect on what “patient anticipation” means in these times. I will use Psalm 80 as a text.
Click HERE for the Order of Service
Click HERE to join the Sunday service.
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – Thanksgiving Sunday
November 22 Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Rev. Carol Strecker, Interim Minister
Gratitude is a feeling, to be sure, but it’s so much more then something personal and private. During this season of Thanksgiving we’ll explore what an ethic of gratitude might look like; gratitude that’s more about “we” than “me.”
Click HERE for the Order of Service
Click HERE to join the Sunday service.
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – Transition
November 15 Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Rev. Carol Strecker and the Transition Team
“Effective transitions begin with a long look in the rearview mirror, keeping in mind that objects may be closer than they appear.”
Rev. David Keys
The more mindful we become of how our past impacts our present the more intentional we can be about who we choose to become. Rev. Carol and the Transition Team will present an overview of NSUU’s history, inviting you to add your memories of those moments in your life that give you a sense of who you are and who you want to be — together.
Click HERE to join the Sunday service.
This Sunday’s Service – The Longer View
November 8 Virtual Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Rev. Carol Strecker, Interim Minister
The ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu writes, “As ten thousand things rise and fall, rise and fall, just witness their return to the root.” There is wisdom in the longer view; the bigger picture that we can use as an oar to help steady turbulent waters and see our way through.
Election Day Vespers
November 3 Virtual Service at 7:00 PM on Zoom
An opportunity to gather in community to center ourselves, share hopes and fears, and reflect together on our democracy through readings, music and meditation.
This Sunday’s Service – All Souls’ Sunday
November 1 Virtual Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Rev. Carol Strecker, Interim Minister
As we watch the leaves don their finery, let go and fall to earth we’re reminded that death is part of the cycles and seasons of life. Death and decay are the source of new life and the cycle continues. This is true for the loved ones we’ve lost and the gifts they pass on to us as well. When we remember them, honor them and celebrate their gifts, we lift up their legacy and the cycles and seasons continue.
NOTE: You are invited to bring to the service a photo and/or a story of loved one who has died. Time for sharing will be part of the service.
This Sunday’s Service – Vote Love, Defeat Hate; Organizing for the Long Haul
October 25 Virtual Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
National UU the Vote Team
In the midst of global pandemic, rising authoritarianism, and uprising, lives hang in the balance and the future of democracy is on the line. In response, Unitarian Universalists are answering the call of our faith, building powerful partnerships to mobilize our communities to #VoteLove and #DefeatHate in the 2020 elections. Join UUA President Susan Frederick-Gray, the UU the Vote team, and a lineup of powerful, prophetic UU voices as we explore the intersections of faith, justice, and democracy in this collective virtual service.
Coffee hour following the service will give us all an opportunity to share our reflections of this inspiring and timely service.
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – The Trials of Susan B. Anthony
October 18 Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Beth Blanchard and Peter VanDeBogert
One hundred years ago Congress passed the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote. Susan B. Anthony was one of the most, if not the most, influential crusader and political activist in the fight for women’s suffrage. “The Trials of Susan B. Anthony” is a staged reading about her life and times. In addition to Susan B. Anthony, we will also meet abolitionist Frederick Douglass and Judge Ward Hunt who sentenced her for illegal voting.With the death of supreme court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the political and social unrest in this election year, a retelling of her story seems particularly timely and relevant.
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – Looking at History with New Eyes
October 11 Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Rev. Carol Strecker, Interim Minister
The second Monday of October has been observed as Columbus Day since it became a federal holiday in 1937. But some cities and states have begun observing Indigenous Peoples’ Day over concerns Columbus helped launched centuries of genocide against indigenous populations. We’re learning that the history most of us learned in school presents one side of the story. Much of what we’re taught perpetuates systems of oppression woven into the very fabric of our country. Learning more about these stories from Indigenous People can help us reorient ourselves towards truth, equity and justice.
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – Betwixt and Between
October 4 Service at 1:30 AM on Zoom
Rev. Carol Strecker, Interim Minister
Change brings with it an inevitable feeling of being “betwixt and between”; having left where you were but not having arrived at where you’re going. It’s hard to let go of the past, allowing ourselves to fall into this place of unknowing. It can be downright scary. But that place of unknowing is precisely where the seeds of possibility can begin to grow. We’re experiencing so many change these days it can be especially hard to let go and embrace the unknown. The temptation is to race to return to “normal”. In doing so we may miss opportunities for something new to emerge, possibilities for transformation.
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – Turning Toward Forgiveness
September 27 Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Rev. Carol Strecker, Interim Minister
There are times when we turn away from each other. In the Jewish tradition Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement (at-one-ment). Forgiveness is a healing practice for both the giver and receiver that allows us to turn towards one another, returning to our place in the larger family of things.
Music: Bonnie Anderson has recorded three pieces of music for us to enjoy this morning. How wonderful to be able to continue this very special tradition.
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – Getting to Know You
September 20 Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Rev. Carol Strecker, Interim Minister
New relationships are exciting and fun. They can also be a little challenging at times, requiring us to be open-minded and open-hearted in new ways. One of the gifts of Interim Ministry is the opportunity to explore what it means to be welcoming, especially in the midst of uncertainty and change. Rev. Carol will share her experience as a “newbie” in the context of her role as an Interim Minister.
Music: Our music this morning focuses on the theme of togetherness and welcoming. We will gather to Brian Tate’s rousing anthem We Are One followed by singing together the familiar Come, Come Whoever You Are. Our meditation will include some music new to our ears. As always Judy will add her piano, Singing Group will reappear to welcome Rev. Carol, and we will finish together with Getting to Know You.
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – Ingathering and Water Ceremony
September 13 Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Rev. Carol Strecker, Interim Minister
The Land is parched and so are our souls. We’re reminded once again that water is life and that the well-being of one is dependent on the well-being of all. We need each other. What better time to renew and celebrate the connections with the Earth and with each other that sustain us?
Music: This morning we’ll be introduced to Rev. Carol’s recorder trio playing J.S. Bach. In addition we’ll hear the haunting I Want to Go as a River, enjoy Judy’s piano calling us back together in community, and then sing together Somos El Barco, led by Helen and her guitar.
You’re invited to bring a little water from a source that’s meaningful to you to NSUU on Saturday morning, September 12th from 10am -12noon. Rev. Carol will be there to greet you and collect your water as you drive by, pouring it into a common vessel. A video recording of this gathering of the waters will be part of our ingathering service on Sunday. Please wear a mask and be mindful of social distancing.
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – My Experiences with Racism as a Friend, Wife, and Mother
August 30 Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Jean Koulack Young
“I’m amazed. Your words had me transfixed,” Peter VandeBogart commented after reading Jean’s sermon. Jean, a 40-year member of NSUU married an African-American man in 1965. Together they had three children. In her talk, Jean tells about the racism she has experienced and how she is becoming more aware of how her “bubble of white privilege” has kept her from being aware of the subtleties of racism her family and friends have endured.
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – About Genealogy
August 9 Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Speaker: Roberta Nicoll
Roberta Nicoll will inspire you with her search for her ancestors. You will hear of their arrivals In the US from afar and the many cultural references you will recognize in their lives. Music with be provided by Helen Brandt, Teri Hansen and Judy Putnam
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – HAVE YOU SEEN THE ULTIMATE?
August 2 Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Jennifer Revill
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – Summer Reading
July 19 Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Edith Fenton
Here is a place to go when you can’t go anywhere. Lose yourself in a great book. Take yourself on a mental vacation with a great read. Our service will gather as many ideas for summer reading as our participants can share.
Please email Edith Fenton ecarterf@gmail.com with names of books you would like to have mentioned.
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – Can We Talk? Conversations across the Political Divide
July 12 Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Helen Brandt, Lay Leader
Are you feeling hopeless about our inability to talk to each other as we hunker down into our chosen positions on one side or the other of the political divide? Are you feeling hopeless about our ability to move forward in our country? Are family dinners uncomfortable? Do you find your blood pressure rising when you log on to Facebook? Does this all feel somehow deeply wrong to you? Let’s join together to think about how we can begin to communicate again as fellow human beings.
In this time of physical distance it’s more important than ever to stay connected. Please send Cares and Celebrations to helenbrandt17@comcast.net.
Join us for Coffee Hour
On the following Sundays, there will be no service. But we still want to be together – so join us for coffee hour at 11:30. You’ll get an invitation to the Zoom gathering.
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – “BEYOND THE WATER’S EDGE,” GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2020
June 28 Service at 10:00 AM
This link will take you to the Sunday Service at the UUA General Convention
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – Seeds, Roots and Blooms
June 21 Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Edith Fenton
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – The Relearning of Optimism through Difficult Times
June 14 Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Rev. Ed Lynn, Minister Emeritus
Ed plans to share his experience of kidney cancer and the lessons he learned. He will discuss how some of these lessons also apply to the current pandemic.
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – My Cup Runneth Over
May 31 Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Rev. Jeanne Nieuwejaar
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – Pandemic Reflections
May 24 Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Ed Vaeni
Ed’s talk is called “Pandemic Reflections”. He will attempt to address the reality that in spite of all the grief, trauma, and chaos COVID is causing, we also need to be thinking about what kind of a world we want to re-enter when it is finally safe to do so. He will be using an ancient folktale as a starting point for reflections on a new future.
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – The Principles of Islam
May 17 Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Imam Abdessamab Quesmi
Muslims are the second largest religious group in the world, yet their principles and practices are largely misunderstood in America.
Please join us as we come together in community to hear the thoughtful words of Imam Abdessamab Quesmi, spiritual leader of the American Muslim Society of Danvers. Imam Abdessamab is currently the President of the American Muslim Society of Danvers as well as President of the Islamic Council of New England. He was the founder and ex-President of the Islamic Society of Haverhill. He holds a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Islamic Studies.
Cares and Celebrations: Please send your cares and celebrations to bobferris1949@gmail.com so that they can be shared with the congregation and a candle lit in the sanctuary.
Zoom Notes:
Please make sure you are on mute throughout the service. Background noises are greatly amplified and distracting.
If you wish to make a comment during the service at any time, or send along a care/celebration that you didn’t send in in advance, you can use the chat icon at the bottom of your screen. When you click on it, it will open a chat bar at the side of your screen. Click on the message area, type in your message and hit “return”.
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – Readings from My Memoir: Escaping the Pteradarktyl
May 10 Service at 10:30 on Zoom
Peter VanDeBogert
A Pteradarktyl is the big ugly dinosaur bird and a metaphor for my depression. But this service’s readings will only be about ten percent Pteradarkyl. Instead I will cover such scenes as: propping up the corners my mouth in prep school, water dropping from my kitchen ceiling and how that led to Elaine’s and my wedding, our bizarre introduction to this church, my later attempts at explaining to my father what NSUU is all about, and the secret divulged to my fifteen-year-old daughter Erin before bedding down for the night in an Arizona campground.
The service will not follow the usual format of a Sunday service, although it will have a meditation and cares and celebrations.
This Sunday’s Virtual Service – Pandemic as Practice: Where Do We Go From Here?
May 3 Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Rev. Shayna Appel
While the coronavirus pandemic has certainly impacted all of our lives in the moment, what are the lessons we have learned from it and will bring forward with us when it comes to pass?
Please join us as we come together in community to hear the thoughtful words of Rev. Shayna Appel. Raised Jewish, Rev. Shayna Appel found herself called to a ministry at the intersection of both Judaism and Christianity. In addition to her service to several churches across New England, Shayna serves as Chaplain to Townsend and Peterborough Fire Departments, the MA Corps of Fire Chaplains, the Granite State Critical Incident Stress Management Team and the UU Trauma Response Ministry team. She currently lives in Milford, NH, with Arlo the dog and Hidee the cat. She spends her spare time at the stable with Sunflower (Sunny) the American Standardbred horse.
Cares and Celebrations: Please send your cares and celebrations to helenbrandt17@comcast.net so that they can be shared with the congregation and a candle lit in the sanctuary.
Zoom Notes:
Please make sure you are on mute throughout the service. Background noises are greatly amplified and distracting.
If you wish to make a comment during the service at any time, or send along a care/celebration that you didn’t send in in advance, you can use the chat icon at the bottom of your screen. When you click on it, it will open a chat bar at the side of your screen. Click on the message area, type in your message and hit “return”.
Join us each Sunday at 10:30 AM for a virtual Service on Zoom. Click HERE to join us.
Click HERE for the Order of Service
Due to the Covid-19 Virus, in-person worship at the church has been replaced by on-line services. Check the postings below for our services on Zoom.
There will be a Virtual Coffee Hour on Zoom every Sunday starting at 11:30 AM.
During these unsettling times, staff and members of our Church are available to both members and the general public. Reach out to us at any time by calling 978-774-7582 or emailing nsuu@verizon.net. Our Church Administrator can answer your questions or direct your calls and emails to whomever you wish to contact.
Our minister, Rev. Carol Strecker, can be reached by email at DanversNSUUMinister@gmail.com, and by phone at 978-774-7582. The Board of Directors and various Committee Chairs and members are all available.
This moment indeed reminds us of the interconnected web of which we are all a part. Keep in touch with us and with one another.
Northshore Unitarian Universalist Church
Board of Directors
This Sunday’s Service – Roots
March 15 Service at 10:30 AM
Beth Beringer, Bob Gamer, Jan Lycette
It has been said that we live our lives forward in a blur of hectic schedules, but we understand our lives backward. Each of us has followed a unique path, encountering stumbling blocks and stepping stones to arrive here at the NSUU. Beth Beringer, Bob Gamer and Jan Lycette will share some of the memorable moments that have brought them to this beloved community.
This Sunday’s Service – The Land of Tears
March 9 Service at 10:30 AM
Rev. Jeanne Nieuwejaar
When do you cry, or feel the urge to cry? Crying is most often associated with sadness, but is actually so much larger than that. It is a fascinating human phenomenon that may have a connection to our spiritual selves. This service will explore and reflect, perhaps leaving us with more questions than answers.
This Sunday’s Service – Good Heavens
March 1 Service at 10:30 AM
Amy Shapiro-Kaznocha, M. Ed.
Astrologer Amy Shapiro-Kaznocha, M.Ed., will present her interpretation of Northshore Unitarian Universalist Church’s birth chart, which is calculated for October 29, 1967 at 3 PM. when the late Rev. Jack Mendelsohn delivered the dedication sermon. Amy will offer her insights into NSUU’s basic character and ongoing mission.
This Sunday’s Service – Perceptions of an Anxious Person
February 23 Service at 10:30 AM
Gary Nelson
My anxious life started in childhood as a result of my misinterpretation of ridicule by other children and the effects of growing up in alcoholic households. As a result of carrying these childhood traumas in adulthood, I hit an emotional bottom during my mid-twenties. On my road to recovery, I discovered one truth—the beliefs and perceptions about myself and others were the basis of my anxiety. In this talk I will discuss the work I have done to change my distorted thinking that has led to a happier and less anxious life.