Dear Friends of the Gloucester Meetinghouse,

It’s that time of year when organizations make requests for your continued support. The Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation, nearing its tenth birthday, is no exception.

A good year? Yes. Our major accomplishment was the rejuvenation of Meetinghouse Green. This neighborhood “pocket park” now has healthy elm trees where old Norway maples were dying, along with a new lawn with underground support for parking, a sprinkler system, new lighting, and safely accessible paved walkways. We thank the Gloucester Community Preservation Act Fund and the Massachusetts Cultural Council for grants that paid most bills for this project and recognized the importance of the Meetinghouse and its public programs.

Early 2024 events included Gloucester’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. observance, our traditional Johann Sebastian Bach birthday concert that featured four harpsichords with a baroque instrument ensemble, and a deeply moving musical offering by the Essex Piano Trio, co-sponsored with Temple Ahavat Achim, to remember the Holocaust. A spring Healthcare Symposium brought together Cape Ann caregivers to explore how their roles converge. This summer we hosted the ninth season of Music on Meetinghouse Green, featuring local musical groups and benefiting a different Cape Ann non-profit via free-will donations at each event.

In October we co-sponsored a Climate Future Film Festival with Town Green and the Gloucester Stage Company. In early November we partnered with the Cape Ann Community Cinema for a packed-house evening of silent films, accompanied by world famous organist Peter Krasinski. In mid-November we hosted a symposium, “U. S. Democracy in Crisis” with author Colin Woodard leading a post-election analysis. Coming up in December is a New Year’s concert by the Cape Ann Big Band and there’s a lot more to come in 2025!

Pursuing our mission to restore the Meetinghouse to the highest historic preservation and green/clean energy standards, we are now planning the major interior renovation phase. The goal is to restore the balcony’s original columns and seating capacity, repairplaster walls and worn floors, enhance lighting and audio-visual systems, and prepare for all-electric heating and air conditioning. A Capital Campaign will be launched to approach foundations and private donors to raise money for this large undertaking. We are also pursuing individual National Historic Landmark status for the Meetinghouse, a designation that will open the door to significant, Federal-level funding opportunities. Lastly, because GMF is growing, we’re adding staff to complement what our small band of volunteers can do.

We are deeply grateful that your friendship and loyalty over the past decade have turned the GMF from a hopeful vision into a respected community force. Thank you for your continuing support, ensuring that this historic building- home of the first Universalist Church in America and a monument to religious liberty- continues to thrive for many years to come as an entertainment venue and civic hub supporting the community spirit of Gloucester.

Charles L. Nazarian, president

Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation

Charles Nazarian, President
Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation