Kansas Church Plans Picket at St. John's Play

Members of the Westboro Baptist Church of Kansas say they plan to picket outside Saturday night's production of "The Laramie Project" at St. John's Prep.

A Kansas-based church known for its picketing at the funerals of soldiers says it plans to come to Danvers on Saturday evening. Members of Westboro Baptist Church plan to stage a picket outside St. John's Prep on Saturday night, where "The Laramie Project" will be performed. The performance tells the story of Matthew Shepard, a gay college who was murdered in Laramie, Wy. in 1998. The church targets performances with pickets, saying that God hates the United States because of its acceptance of homosexuality. Shirley Phelps-Roper, a Westboro Church spokeswoman, said that as many as six members of the church plan to picket. "It's a propaganda piece," Phelps-Roper said in an phone interview from Kansas. She argued that Shepard was not killed …

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Get Out

Santa and Christmas Trees Both on Long Weekend Calendar

A look at local weekend events in Danvers and nearby areas of the North Shore.

Holiday activities dominate the weekend calendar for the long weekend after Thanksgiving, with Santa taking part in two of the events. And wreaths and Christmas trees are part of two other activities on the weekend calendar. Below, get the when and where for those events and others happenings in Danvers and the nearby area. Remember, each Friday Danvers Patch’s “Get Out” weekend planner brings you a quick guide to local events and activities. If you have great ideas of your own that you want to share, please feel free to add them in the comments section at the bottom.  1. WREATH MAKING EXTRAVAGANZA Where/When: Danvers Art Association; Friday, 7 p.m. Why Go: The annual event is hosted by the Essex County Horticultural Organization- bring …

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