Services
Recent Services
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Share a Rose
June 15 Service at 10:30 PM in the Church and on Zoom
Rev. Caro Barschow, Minister
Join us for a joyful service celebrating Flower Communion and the enduring power of hope. Bring a flower to share as we honor beauty, diversity, and resilience. Through story, song, and reflection, we’ll explore how hope blooms in community and how love connects us all.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – In the Company of Trees
June 8 Service at 10:30 PM in the Church and on Zoom
Guest Speaker: Rumni Saha
The sermon explores the language of trees through personal experiences. What is the pull of these hallowed beings? What do they have to teach us about ourselves and each other?
Rumni is an active member of the Unitarian Church of Sharon where she has lived with her family since 2001. She is currently a Candidate for Ministry with the UUA. She considers herself to be a proud Hindu and a fierce Unitarian Universalist. Rumni has been a long-time public school educator, a newspaper columnist, and a regular contributor to the Huffington Post. She has a Master’s Degree in Education from Boston University. More recently, she received a Master of Divinity Degree from Boston University’s School of Theology. She currently serves as the Hindu as well as the Unitarian Universalist Chaplain at Wellesley College. Rumni also cherishes her time as the Interfaith Chaplain for a non-profit organization, doing community ministry, hospital chaplaincy and interfaith work.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Love At the Center
June 1 Service at 10:30 PM in the Church and on Zoom
Rev. Caro Barschow, Minister
Last year, delegates to the Unitarian Universalist Association’s General Assembly voted to reframe our shared principles into a set of shared values. These values place love at the center. What are some through lines in Unitarian Universalism about what love means theologically and collectively? This service will reflect on how love is an anchor to our new shared values, featuring the NSUU Singing Group.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – The Books That Shape Us
May 18 Service at 10:30 PM in the Church and on Zoom
Religious Services Committee
Exploring the Books That Have Guided Our Spiritual Journeys
The beloved monk and activist Thomas Merton said, “The purpose of spiritual reading is not to be informed but to be transformed.” Let’s take some time to reflect on the books that have shaped us— spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually – and to offer the titles of our “must-reads” with others. If you have any special books that you would like to pass on to others, please bring them with you that day to add to our “little free library table.” This service is offered by the Religious Services Committee.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Mission Possible
May 18 Service at 10:30 PM in the Church and on Zoom
Rev. Caro Barschow, Minister
Guest Musician: Evan Terzakis (guitarist)
What unites us as Unitarian Universalists are common values. What guides us are shared intentions that we set, though our covenants (agreements) and our mission (purpose). This year, we had a congregation-wide dialogue and action planning process around living out our mission What lessons has this process offered to us as a congregation?
May 18th is SHARE THE PLATE SUNDAY in support NORTH SHORE JUNETEENTH ASSOCIATION *Please make checks out to North Shore Juneteenth Association*
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – “Uncovering Multiplicity”
May 11 Service at 10:30 PM in the Church and on Zoom
Guest Speaker: John Newhall
We are a covenantal tradition that draws on centuries and millennia of religious and spiritual thought. What can we learn from the Christian heritage about centering multiplicity within our tradition? How can we draw inspiration from our heritage as we carve our new path forward?
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – World Without Borders
May 4 Service at 10:30 PM in the Church and on Zoom
Rev. Caro Barschow, Minister
Speaker: Alexis from Ecco
In contemporary times, a move towards nationalism has criss-crossed borders across the globe. Migration and movement of people across the land and sea is an important aspect of human history and many spiritual texts. Today’s worship service will examine themes of home, heritage, displacement while addressing immigration justice in the United States.
Alexis Valeriano-Hernandez will join us as guest speaker. Alexis (he/him) is the Racial Justice Organizer in Latinx & Immigrant Communities at ECCO, the Essex County Community Organization. NSUU is a member of this interfaith social action organization, along with 58 other North Shore Congregations.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Motorcycles, Video Games and Floating: How Exploration Taught Me about Myself and Others
April 27 Service at 10:30 AM in the Church and on Zoom
Guest Speaker and Musician: Marshunda Smith
Marshunda is a conductor, cellist and teacher whose roots are in Memphis but who now calls the North Shore home. She started cello in 6th grade and received her degree from University of Tennessee. She discovered her love of conducting while teaching high school and went on to receive her Master’s Degree in Conducting. She is the current conductor of the Lowell Symphony Orchestra and the Cherry Hill Chamber Orchestra.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Rejoice in Possibility
April 20 Service at 10:30 PM in the Church and on Zoom
Rev. Caro Barschow, Minister
Whether the Easter story or budding blossoms represent possibility to you, this service will invite reflection on seeking joy in possibilities. This service will feature songs of celebration by the NSUU Singing Group.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – The Land We Dwell Upon
April 13 Service at 10:30 PM in the Church and on Zoom
This annual Earth Day Service
Coordinated by the Green Sanctuary Committee.
The guest speaker will be Dr. Claudia Fox Tree, who serves on the board of the Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness (MCNAA) and as the Massachusetts liaison for the United Confederation of Taino People (UCTP). She will speak about Tribal Land Acknowledgements, and will offer guidance to both our church and its individual members on what we can do to support native peoples in the here and now. This annual Earth Day Service is being coordinated by the Green Sanctuary Committee.
More info on MCNAA can be found HERE
*Fellowship Hour with refreshments will follow Sunday service along with a Talk Back with our guest Dr. Claudia Fox Tree
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Tending to the Ineffable
April 6 Service at 10:30 PM in the Church and on Zoom
Rev. Caro Barschow, Minister
Human beings have always developed stories about how we came to be, how we find meaning in life, and where we are going. Some develop and rely upon relationships with God, Allah, or the Spirit of Life. Whatever you call that which ties us together, we may find meaning in the ineffable connections among life on earth and the planet itself.
*An artist reception will follow the church service on Sun 4/6 to meet & greet George Hudson & to hear about his photography
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – “Women Who Educate and Inspire”
March 30 Service at 10:30 PM in the Church and on Zoom
As National Women’s History month comes to a close, the Marj Lynn Memorial Fund Committee is pleased to welcome
two special guests to honor Marj’s legacy of inclusion and empowering women.
Nicole McClain is a wife, mother, activist and veteran, with two deployments to Iraq with the Army National Guard. A community advocate and educator, Nicole is the Founder and President of the North Shore Juneteenth Association. Nicole has a Master’s degree from Boston College and is currently working at LEAP (Learn, Explore, Aspire, Pursue) for Education as their Career and Education Pathways Coordinator. Nicole will share her thoughts on women who have inspired her throughout her life and how inspiration and collective work among women have shaped our present.
Our guest pianist, Jacqueline Schwab, has been delighting audiences in churches, coffee houses, concert halls and on the soundtracks of Ken Burns’ films including Civil War, Baseball, Mark Twain and The National Parks. She has performed at the White House for President Clinton, and she recently collaborated with the American Pops Orchestra for the 2022 American Roots PBS special. We are pleased to welcome Jacqueline back to NSUU to share the music of women composers.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Covenants Among Us
March 23 Service at 10:30 PM in the Church and on Zoom
Rev. Caro Barschow, Minister
Featuring CMCB Bassoon Orchestra, Guest Artists
The word “covenant” is an important one for Unitarian Universalists, describing the agreements made between members and congregations. In this service, learn about the origins of this concept with the early Unitarians. We will reflect on how covenants continue to serve us as multi-religious Unitarian Universalists in the 21st century. This service marks the beginning of NSUU’s pledge drive.
The Community Music Center of Boston’s Bassoon Orchestra will be our guest musicians
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Kinds of Power
March 16 Service at 10:30 PM in the Church and on Zoom
Rev. Caro Barschow, Minister
Featuring Jo-Me’ Jr Group
Description: A dancer in motion possesses a certain kind of power to move, to inspire and to create beauty. What kinds of power do each of us possess to make moves and create in the world? We are proud to welcome back Jo-Me’ Dance as our guest artist, as part of our Diversity and Inclusion in the Arts series.
The teen performing company of Jo-Me’ Dance Arts was founded in 2012 and highlights the advanced dancers ages 12 to 18. These dedicated students are hungry to train and perform contemporary dance. The Jr. Company performs in Boston and has toured in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Philadelphia and North Carolina.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Risks
March 9 Service at 10:30 PM in the Church and on Zoom
Rev. Caro Barschow, Minister
Do you enjoy taking risks? Our inclinations towards risk and safety relate to our understanding and experience of trust. We’ll explore practical perspectives and spiritual practices that can help us repair and expand a sense of trust.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Trust in Art
March 2 Service at 10:30 PM in the Church and on Zoom
Religious Services Committee
At this service we will celebrate the artist in all of us, and reflect on how art connects and blesses us with goodness and with new ways to understand the truth of our human experience. Surrounded by the creative energy of the NSUU member art show currently on display in the sanctuary, we will hear from some of the artists about their process and inspiration.
Reminder: There will be a collection for the Danvers Food Pantry at this service. Your generosity will be appreciated.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Fighting Hate
February 23 Service at 10:30 PM in the Church and on Zoom
Guest speaker: Turner Bridgforth, Candidate for Ministry in the UUA
What does it mean to be a Welcoming Congregation and a faith- and belief-based community that values the worth and dignity of every person in a world troubled by white supremacism and hate? How do we as a supportive community on the side of Love combat the forces that encourage apathy and otherization? What do we need to prepare ourselves for fighting hate?
Our Next Service – Belonging: A Roots Service
Due to the forecast of Inclement Weather, this service will be
ON-LINE ONLY
February 16 Service at 10:30 PM on Zoom
Rev. Caro Barschow, Minister
Bob Ferris, Roberta Nicholl, Berta Riddle, Amy Tedford, Speakers
In this “roots service” members of the congregation will reflect on aspects of their spiritual journey that led them to feel a sense of belonging and inclusion at Northshore UU Church.
Our Next Service – Democracy Means All
Due to the forecast of Inclement Weather, this service will be
ON-LINE ONLY
The planned performance of the Boston Music Center Bassoon Band will be rescheduled.
February 9 Service at 10:30 AM on Zoom
Rev. Caro Barschow, Minister
Democracy has been called a great experiment when applied to a nation as large and diverse as the United States. What do Unitarian Universalist values have to teach us about democracy in this moment?
Multi-Platform Service – Gender Diversity
February 2 Service at 10:30 PM in the Church and on Zoom
Candice Waldron, Guest Speaker
Transgender people—especially trans youth—are being ruthlessly targeted by many wishing to gain political points. Gender dysphoria is a unique condition since it’s children themselves who diagnose the problem, putting parents on the frontlines of a battle they didn’t choose as they work to protect their children. Candace will discuss the importance of understanding gender diversity and having a heart of compassion in creating acceptance and safety for trans people in today’s climate of misunderstanding and fear.
About the Speaker
Candace Waldron is a mother, a writer, a feminist and a crone with a theological degree and forty years of experience working to end sexual assault, domestic violence and elder abuse. As a cisgender white woman married to a Trinidadian man with two racially mixed children, she continues to learn about the multi-layered impacts of racism, heterosexism, and transphobia. Whether writing about how friends and family can support LGBTQ people, exploring the need to own our racist history so we can build an equitable future, or honoring nature and urging action on climate change, she embraces the values her mother taught: treat others the way you would like to be treated.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Hope is an Action
January 26 Service at 10:30 PM in the Church and on Zoom
Rev. Caro Barschow, Minister
Let’s investigate hope as a practice that grounds us simultaneously and powerfully to reality and possibility. We will draw wisdom from community organizers Mariame Kaba and Kelly Hayes, authors of Let This Book Radicalize You.
Today’s Diversity, Arts and Inclusion guest musician is Rising Star pianist Shriya Bhushan. She will perform selections including Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven and Chopin’s Fantasie Impromptu.
Shriya, age 15, is a high school student in Sharon. She started playing the piano at age four and currently studies at the Wellesley PianoStudio. She has entered and won a cash prize for best performance in her age group at the Crescendo International Competition and in January of 2025 will participate in the Steinway Society of Massachusetts Competition.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – MLK Sunday
January 19 Service at 10:30 PM in the Church and on Zoom
Rev. Caro Barschow, Minister
The birthday of civil rights leader Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was established as a federal holiday in 1983. About 110 years prior the Civil War had ended. Black children born into slavery were freed and some were able to seek education. Public support for higher education for black students was tenuous. In Tennessee, Fisk University student singers decided to fundraise in support of their college by going on a concert tour. The influence of their decision will inspire you to take action for justice, equity and freedom in our times.

Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Communities of Care
January 12 Service at 10:30 PM in the Church and on Zoom
Rev. Caro Barschow, Minister
Caring relationships are at the heart of our mission at NSUU. Our world is ever in need of more care. What stories do we tell about the meaning of caring? Let’s consider our role in creating communities of care that begin within and spread far and wide.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Making Each Day Count
January 5 Service at 10:30 AM in the Church and on Zoom
Rev. Dr, Rand Peabody, Speaker
The early days of a New Year offer a great time to take stock of our current doings, and to reflect on the changes or choices we’d like to make going forward. This year, impending developments in our world invite such appraisal to an even greater degree. Guest minister Rev. Dr. Rand Peabody will guide us through a unique way of constructing such considerations.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – The Precious Present
December 29 Service at 10:30 AM in the Church and on Zoom
Edith Fenton, Speaker
We stand at the beginning of a brand new year. The past is behind us, the future ahead is unknown. Experiencing the joy of the present is more important than ever. We must trust that as Martin Luther King Jr. said “The long arc of the moral universe still bends toward justice. The weight of the work helps it bend.” We can work together to contribute to that bending. Each of us will have time to reflect upon and write about our hopes for 2025. Your messages will be saved in the church office and returned to you at the end of 2025. For those on Zoom, please have paper and pencil for your thoughts.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – O Glory
December 24 Service at 6:30 PM in the Church and on Zoom
Rev. Caro Barschow, Minister
This service will invite reflection on notions of glory as we tell the Christmas story with Scripture, poetry and song. The NSUU Singing Group will lead Carols, including a candle-lit “Silent Night” featuring the NSUU Handbell Choir, under the direction of Judy Putnam, Music Director Emerita.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Honor the Winter Solstice
December 22 Service at 6:30 PM in the Church and on Zoom
Rev. Caro Barschow, Minister
Featuring : The Essex Harmony
A contemplative evening service to honor the Winter Solstice.
The Essex Harmony is a Danvers-based acapella vocal ensemble that performs music of the “singing school” period of late 18th and early 19th century New England.
Because the predicted temps and wind for Sunday in Danvers at 7PM are 13 degrees with a 8-10 MPH wind = wind chill of 2 degrees, the service will be held indoors.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Spirit Draw Near
December 15 Service at 10:30 AM in the Church and on Zoom
Rev. Caro Barschow, Minister
Reflect on the presence of the spirit in our lives and in the Christian and Jewish traditions. The NSUU Singing Group and Bell Choir will offer sacred melodies.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Winter Workshop Service
December 8 Service at 10:30 AM in the Church and on Zoom
Religious Services Committee
We will celebrate the holiday season with our beloved service of Christmas carols, readings, and crafts. Make a swag with fresh winter greens, or create a scented pomander ball. There will also be a table with materials for wrapping our donations to the annual Giving Tree. Cider and festive snacks will be served.
*Fellowship Hour with refreshments will follow all Sunday services
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Expansive Ambiguity
December 1 Service at 10:30 AM in the Church and on Zoom
Gabrielle & Lil Montevecchi, Guest Speakers
Bonnie Anderson, Guest Musician
Protecting and Uplifting the Trans Community in the Framework of Unitarian Universalist Values
This service will be an investigation into how the values that we hold dear in Unitarian Universalism, specifically those of social justice and action, can be activated to protect the Transgender and gender-variant community. This talk will reflect on the teachings of past and present UU and trans thinkers, who we can look to for guidance in politically hostile and uncertain times. Guest Musician Bonnie Anderson will play selections for piano and flute.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Truth and Thankfulness
November 17 Service at 10:30 AM in the Church and on Zoom
Religious Services Committee
The traditional story of Thanksgiving that we learn as children centers on the Pilgrims. But, in fact, without the help of the indigenous people they encountered in the New World, these migrants from Europe would likely not have survived. Our service moves the focus to some indigenous traditions of giving thanks. We will gather to in preparation for the holiday with Native American-centered prayers and readings, and will conclude our service with a communion of cornbread and cider.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Unlocking the Mystery of Music
November 17 Service at 10:30 AM in the Church and on Zoom
Rev. Marie Lucca, Guest Speaker
Music has the power to increase our physical, emotional, and spiritual health in so many ways. Our guest speaker, the Reverend Marie Lucca, will remind us of how the spirit of music is threaded through our lives. Her talk will feature video interviews with a music therapist and a patient who credits music with helping in his recovery, plus a discussion of how music has affected our own lives. You’ll leave with some practical tips about how to use music to enhance your physical and emotional well-being.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Mending
November 10 Service at 10:30 AM in the Church and on Zoom
Caro Barschow, Minister
Ryan Li, Guest Musician
When a garment is torn, it is in need of mending. What about a heart? A relationship? A nation? Come together to reflect on our torn places and discover words, music and prayers for mending and repair. We will be joined by guest pianist, Ryan Li.
Rising Star Guest Artist Series
Ryan Li (Pianist)
Ryan is a senior at Dover Sherborn Regional High School and plans to major in biomedical engineering in college. In addition to music, he is a member of his high school track team. This summer he started teaching at the Wellesley Piano Studio under the guidance of Andrea Kaiser, and he has become a patient, thoughtful and engaging instructor. Ryan has been studying for 10 years.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Service of Remembrance
November 3 Service at 10:30 AM in the Church and on Zoom
Caro Barschow, Minister
This service will invite us to reflect on the lives of loved ones who are no longer living. You may wish to bring a photograph or memento of a loved one to display for a ritual of remembrance.
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Hark! Listening to the Messages of the World
October 27 Service at 10:30 AM in the Church and on Zoom
Religious Services Committee
Listening is an intentional activity. Today’s service will consider the ways we may listen mindfully, not just to other people but to the energies of music, nature, history, the words of literature or poetry, the messages of our ancestors, and other nuanced learnings from the many sources that call to our spirits. There is so much wisdom and meaning in the world around us!
Our Next Multi-Platform Service – Politics and Polarization
October 20 Service at 10:30 AM in the Church and on Zoom
Caro Barschow, Minister
When we listen to public discourse, what we hear can be meant to inform, persuade or entertain. Other times, public speech is meant to control or silence. How do we learn to attune to the meaning beneath the words on the airwaves and in publishing? As election day approaches, we will consider the role of resistance and empathy when in the current political landscape.