Our regular policy is to maintain six months of Adult Education class recordings. During the pandemic we have extended this time period. Below you will find content going back to January 2020 in reverse chronological order. Contact the church office for earlier classes.
February 4 & 11, 2024 | Assembly Room
Arm In Arm & Nassau Church: Better Together for 44 Years
January 7-28, 2024 | Assembly Room
Journeys of Faith: All Ages Classes
November 26 – December 17, 2023 | Assembly Room
Sights & Sounds of Advent
October 22 – November 19, 2023 | Assembly Room
Ways to Pray
October 1-15, 2023 | Assembly Room
Good Neighbors in Practice
September 10-24, 2023 | Assembly Room
Good Neighbors: Disability, Justice & the Church
This three-part series will focus on engaging in ministry with and alongside people with disabilities. Come and learn about how disability theologies help us expand the shape of our community, how laypeople can engage in the work of disability ministry, and how people with disabilities are transformed by the Spirit as leaders.
July 9-30, 2023 | Assembly Room
Justice and Journeys
This summer, join us in looking back at the fall session of the Supreme Court. Congregational favorite Larry Stratton returns on July 9 at 9:00 am to guide us through the key rulings that took place.
On the following three Sundays, Nassau members will lead tours of the Princeton area – Princeton Cemetery, local landmarks, and the remarkable sculpture collection that resides on Princeton University’s campus. Each tour begins in the Assembly Room, at 11:15 am. Water bottles and granola bars will be available for all participants.
Adult Education classes will take a summer sabbatical in August and return in the fall on September 10.
June 4-18, 2023 | Assembly Room, 9:00 a.m.
Life After Incarceration:
Bending the Moral Arc Toward Justice in the Season of Juneteenth
In our second Juneteenth series, formerly incarcerated persons will share the paths they have followed after incarceration, and we will learn about programs that support returning citizens as entrepreneurs, job trainers, educators and advocates.
May 7 & 14, 2023 | Assembly Room, 9:30 a.m.
May 21, 2023 | Assembly Room, 9:00 a.m.
Theology & Art: A Presbyterian Potpourri
April 9-23, 2023 | Assembly Room, 9:30 a.m.
The State of the Garden State
The reconstruction and preservation of the New Jersey Statehouse is freshly completed and a new State Legislative election season is upon us. three esteemed experts – a political columnist, an elected office holder, and an economist – will describe for us the current political landscape of the Garden State.
February 26 – April 2, 2023 | Assembly Room, 9:30 a.m.
Parables: Stories Jesus Told
Readable, accessible, and perpetually relevant, we never tire of hearing a parable. Like every well-told story, repeat readings bring fresh insights and deeper appreciation. This Lent, come sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to his stories one more time. Some are familiar and could be recited from memory. Others may be heard for the first time. Each brings a word of comfort and a word of challenge.
February 5 – 19, 2023 | Assembly Room, 9:30 a.m.
Peace Building in the Holy Land
We are delighted to welcome our long-term mission partner, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), to Adult Education in February. Leaders from CMEP’s headquarters in Washington DC, CMEP partners from the Holy Land, and Nassau member Lina Genovesi, originally from Lebanon, will guide us through the history of the long-standing, complicated conflict in the land, multi-faith perspectives on peace building, and the biblical foundations for advocacy.
January 8 – 29, 2023 | Assembly Room, 9:30 a.m.
Signs of Grace: Live Stories
All lives have twists and turns. All lives have ups and downs. All lives see signs of grace.
Our tradition of intergenerational classes in the month of January returns. Middle School, High School, and Adults of all ages are invited to breakfast with members of our community as they share stories of God’s surprising faithfulness in their lives.
November 27 – December 18, 2022 | Assembly Room, 9:30 a.m.
Images and Sounds of Advent
The images and sounds of Advent are unmistakable and deeply familiar. Pictures of the Nativity, hymns that have been sung for generations, and stories we know from memory all prepare us for the coming of our Lord at Christmas. This season, come learn how what we see, hear, create and sing combines into a rich theology of the incarnation.
October 23 – November 20, 2022 | Assembly Room, 9:30 a.m.
The End of the (Main)Line? The Surprising Past & Uncertain Future of an American Protestant Powerhouse
As Presbyterians, we are part of a much wider stream within American Protestant life, often called the Mainline. This tradition was long a powerhouse, which wielded vast influence across all sectors of society. But in recent years most of the headlines it has garnered have centered on its decline. In this series we will revisit the Mainline’s surprising past, paying especially close attention to how this unwieldy Protestant coalition navigated the fierce challenges of the 20th-century public square. Along the way we will also wrestle with the uncertainties of the Mainline’s present and future. In this moment of flux and crisis, where might God be leading us?
September 11 – October 16, 2022 | Assembly Room, 9:30 a.m.
Hearing from All Corners of our Community
We are blessed to live in a global community filled with faithful scholars and individuals doing excellent work near and far. Come meet new faces, hear current voices, and expand your world this Fall.
July 2022
Pop-Up Small Group
Join us, on July 10, 17, & 24, in the Assembly Room at 9:00 a.m. for a 45-minute, pre-service, pop-up small group, facilitated by Adult Education Committee member Louise Yang. Each week, we will gather to discuss the sermon text for that Sunday using questions provided by the Sunday preacher. Bagels, juice, coffee and tea provided. No registration necessary. All are welcome.
These adult education classes will not be recorded.
June 2022
After Incarceration: Bending the Moral Arc Toward Justice in the season of Juneteenth
In the season of Juneteenth this year we will hear from survivors who are now thrivers. As they work to bring justice to a system in need of reform three speakers will share their stories and, to round out the series, those taking part in the Bending the Moral Arc series will provide an update on their progress. Through activism, education, trauma treatment and community involvement our teachers this month will show us ways we can respond to mass incarceration through action in our communities.
Note: Classes will be held in the Assembly Room at 11:15 a.m. (after the one service of worship at 10:00 a.m.), except on June 12 when the class will meet at 9:00 a.m. to hold space for our All-Church Celebration after worship.
May 15 & 22, 2022
Rev. Thomas Bayes: Presbyterian Theologian for a Pandemic-time
Rev. Thomas Bayes (1701-1761) has been described as a theologian who dabbled in mathematics. Following the “rediscovery” of his work in the 1950s, Bayes is now recognized as a leading mathematical thinker. Join us in reclaiming Bayes as one of the most influential Presbyterian theologians in the last three centuries.
Read more and watch a video overview:
Note: While both classes will be held in the Assembly Room, the May 15 class will meet at 9:30 a.m. and the May 22 class will meet at 11:15 a.m. (after the one service of worship at 10:00 a.m.).
April 24, May 1 & 8, 2022
Faith ‘n Technology
From phones to drones; cars to Mars, technology is reshaping and remaking the worlds we live in. But what can our ancient and analog faith offer such brave new futures?
These all-ages classes will plug into the big questions about belief in the digital age. Gather around as we ask, “Should we have faith in technology?”
Lent 2022 Classes
Reading Luke Backwards
February 2022 Classes
Engaging Islam
Welcome back from our January “pause” to in-person Adult Education classes and a new series exploring the tenets and teachings of Islam. Come hear four excellent community leaders and scholars share their experiences of and expertise in this dynamic and rich tradition. Join us as we strive to be good neighbors to those in our community and conscientious citizens of the world.
Advent 2021 (Nov. 28 – Dec. 19)
Advent in…
From the Annunciation to the Alleluias, Advent is a season of Anticipation. In music, art, movement and speech, we look forward to the birth of Christ. Come, Lord Jesus!
Fall 2021 Linked In Learning (Oct 17 – Nov 21)
Together Again: Biblical Stories of Reunion and Reconciliation
As we slowly return to cooperate worship and gatherings within our own community, come explore how earlier generations of believers have learned from and experienced reunion. Listen to familiar stories of redemption and reconciliation as well as ones where reunion is stalled, avoided, or only anticipated.
October 2021 Classes
Emerging Leaders of the Church
Come meet the next generation of leaders for the church and academy. We are excited to introduce three seminary students on three distinct educational paths. Learn how they are combining their unique skills and background with their training at Princeton Theological Seminary to become our pastors, professors, and Christian leaders.
September 2021 Classes
September 12 & 19, 2021 | Keri Day
Azusa Reimagined: What this revival teaches us today.
July & August 2021
The Adult Education Committee is offering us all a sabbatical for the balance of the summer. We’ll meet again, hopefully in person, in September.
June 2021 Classes
June 6 & 13, 2021 | Cam Stout with Len Scales
The Symbiosis of Mental Health, Faith, and Self-Care
Join Cam Stout and Len Scales for a two-part discussion on the powerful opportunity faith communities have to support mental health and attack stigma.
June 20 & 27, 2021 | Rubén Arjona
Erik Erikson’s Life Cycle Theory
The German-American psychologist Erik H. Erikson is well-know for his psychosocial theory of human development. Erikson posited that in addition to paying attention to the psychological and physiological dimensions, caregivers ought to also consider the social processes of a person’s life. Erikson is also famous for his formulation of the life stages of human life. At Princeton Theological Seminary, Professor Donald Capps dedicated many years to reflect on the significance of Erikson’s theory for pastoral care.
These two classes offer an overview of Erikson’s theory and its relevance for personal and collective self-reflection.
On Life’s Journey
May 9, 16 & 23, 2021 | Princeton Presbyterians
Princeton Presbyterians of the Westminster Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to the faithful discipleship of undergraduate and graduate students in Princeton. Andrew & Len Scales have been serving as the Presbyterian Chaplains at Princeton University and Executive Co-Directors of the Westminster Foundation for the last five years. In their role, they also serve as adjunct pastors at Nassau Presbyterian. Nassau is a long-term partner of the Westminster Foundation and continues to make the ministry of Princeton Presbyterians possible.
Over three weeks in May, hear from current students and young alumni about their connections with Princeton Presbyterians and the impact of faith on their vocational paths. We travel together “On Life’s Journey.”
Lectio Divina
April 25 & May 2, 2021 | Bo Karen Lee
St. Benedict introduced the church to a rich form of Scripture meditation called lectio divina, but Ignatius of Loyola in the 16th C. added imaginative depth to the practice, which we would like to share with you. Come join us for guided meditations around various passages that invite you to see, hear, taste, touch and smell the sights and sounds of Scripture.
April 2021 Classes
Descriptions below.
April 18, 2021 | Villages in Partnership
Transformational Travel: Lessons from Malawi
Hear Nassau Church’s own Stephanie and Maddie Patterson, Carla Tuan, and Bob Wells reflect on experiencing life together with our brothers and sisters living in the materially impoverished but spiritually rich villages of Malawi, Africa, in a panel discussion moderated by Aaron Shaver from Nassau’s Mission Partner, Villages in Partnership (VIP).
April 11 | Arm In Arm
This is Home
ArminArm has modeled resilience and an unwavering commitment to the community it serves this past year. Last month, they created a compelling video celebration lifting up the volunteers and mission of their organization titled, This Is Home, A Celebration of Home and a Triumph of Community. Learn about the adaptive and innovative methods employed to strengthen their support of at-risk families and individuals. The clip includes an interview with Dr. Matthew Desmond, Pulitzer Prize winning author of “Evicted.”
April 4 | Jason Oosting
The Art of Easter
Jason Oosting returns for a special Easter Sunday Adult Education offering! Learn about works of art that help us consider the theology, meaning and significance of the resurrection of our Lord in a new way. Jason specializes in examining unconventional depictions of an ancient story and reflecting on what these works can teach about our life of faith.
February 21-March 28
Presence in Absence: The Departed Jesus Who Remains
A striking feature of the Gospel of John is how frequently Jesus announces his impending departure from “this world.” These statements bewilder the crowds and worry his disciples. In his lengthy conversation with his disciples on the eve of his arrest, however, Jesus makes the seemingly contradictory claim that his departure ensures his ongoing presence among them. Join us for our Lenten study on this provocative, fascinating, and ultimately encouraging message Jesus delivers to his disciples in John 13-17.
January 10 & 17, February 7 & 14 2021
On Life’s Journey
The January inter-generational all ages sessions continue with a twist. Instead of featuring content geared towards youth, this year’s content is our youth. For four Sundays, listen to former Nassau youth (now young adults) talk about how their years and experiences with Nassau Presbyterian Church helped direct them on the journey of life.
January 24 & 31 2021
Focus on Mass Incarceration
Teaching on the Inside: Lessons from the New Testament and Sing Sing Prison
Drawing on his experience of teaching in the Ossining Correctional Facility, also known as Sing Sing Prison, Efrain Agosto shares his experience of teaching the Christian Bible to the diverse population of a correctional facility. Themes of empire, justice, forgiveness, reconciliation, and community take on new meaning. He will also share insights gained regarding what life is like for the incarcerated.
Thinking Outside the Cell: Peril and Possibilities in the World of Mass Incarceration
The United States incarcerates more people per capita (and in volume) than any other country. Join us for a brief overview of the mass incarceration system in our country. The history and statistics are sobering. But we will also discuss one promising trend that seeks to address this crisis, the “Higher Education in Prison” initiative, and look at encouraging examples of this initiative at work.
January 3 | Holley & Eric Barreto
Food & Faith
How does understanding the connection between ethnic identity, food, and faith help us understand our place in the story of Scripture? Food is central to who we are as people. The act of eating is a daily, communal, formational experience. Eating together teaches us who and whose we are.
Advent 2020
The Art of Advent
In this four part series, Jason Oosting will lead us in an exploration of works of art that will help us consider not only who and what we’re waiting for this Advent, but also how we’re waiting. Looking at paintings such as Breugel’s “Census at Bethlehem,” Leonardo’s “The Annunciation,” and Friedrich’s “Abbey in the Oak Forest,” we’ll investigate the people God chooses to work through and how we respond to God’s call, imagine how the moments leading up to the birth of Christ speak to our current context, and reflect on the symbolic meaning of many of the objects that we see both in paintings and all around us this time of year.
October 18-November 22, 2020
The Psalms and the Life of Faith in 2020: Praise, Sorrow, Curse
John Calvin called the Psalms an anatomy of all parts of the soul. Martin Luther called the Psalms the Little Bible. This six-week series will discuss the Psalms and their role in the life of faith—ancient Israel’s and our own. Hymns of praise, psalms of lament, thanksgiving songs, and cursing psalms will be treated as a detailed anatomy of the soul and as an entry point from the little Bible to the big one.
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February 2020
Incarceration, Race, and Restoration
As Christians, we are called to be a part of God’s transformative work of peace, justice, and reconciliation in the world, yet we live in a country with the highest incarceration rate in the world: despite making up close to 5% of the global population, the U.S. has nearly 25% of the world’s prison population. Join us to learn more about crime and punishment in our time, as we consider how we might be part of God’s transformative work.
January 2020
Trees of the Bible
The Bible is a forest, but we don’t need to feel lost. This January, our All Ages Class (middle school to adults) will return as we spend four weeks finding our way by looking at classic stories of “Trees of the Bible.” From Genesis to Revelation we will see how God’s redemptive plan for the world is rooted in these stories, one tree at a time.