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Summer Youth Trips: Paris & Taizé Community

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Items to handle before Sunday, March 26 (Forms Day)

The chaperones are ticketed on these flights and we would prefer the entire group travel together; before you choose a different flight schedule contact Mark Edwards:

July 19, 2023: Newark Airport to Paris (Orly), French Bee #721 departs 10:55pm, arrives 12:10pm (+1 day)

July 31, 2023: Paris (Orly) to Newark Airport, French Bee #720 departs 6:50pm, arrives 9:00pm

  • Determine if you need additional trip insurance.
    • Nassau uses Faith Ventures to insure trips, you can compare their benefits and rates online here: https://www.faithventures.com/compare-plans/
    • Standard coverage is $30 per person, this fee is already calculated into the trip fee.
    • Trip cancellation/interruption insurance must be purchased at least 21 days prior to departure and is an additional 5% of the total trip cost as reported by you. Contact Lauren Yeh if you are interested in purchasing this insurance.

What to bring with you to Forms Day:

Students (15-20)

  1. Taizé Community Registration Form
  2. NPC Assumption of Risk & Release from Liability (Notarized)
  3. Taizé Community Parental Agreement (pdf)
  4. Parental Consent to Travel Internationally: NPC Travel Permission (pdf) (Notarized)
  5. Flight Itinerary including booking number.
  6. Passport valid through January 2024 (we will make a copy of the photo/signature pages)
  7. Final Payment (contact Lauren Yeh if you are unsure of the amount due)

Adults (21+)

  1. Taizé Community Registration Form
  2. NPC Assumption of Risk & Release from Liability (Notarized)
  3. Flight Itinerary including booking number.
  4. Passport valid through October 2023 (we will make a copy of the photo/signature pages)
  5. Final Payment (contact Lauren Yeh if you are unsure of the amount due)

Summer Youth Trips: Appalachia Service Project

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Warmer. Safer. Drier.

Home repair in central Appalachia has repeatedly opened our eyes, expanded our skills, helped others and done some work on us too.  Come along as God does a little fixing on us all.

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Required Forms

Student

Adults
Youth Deposit Form (pdf) due 2/4/24 Adult Deposit Form (21+) (pdf) due 2/5/24
Youth Permission Form (pdf) due 4/28/24 Adult Permission Form (pdf) due 4/28/24

Required for each participant:

  • ASP Volunteer Form (pdf) – online registration is required, see below for instructions. If you fill out this form, you will have all the information required to complete the online registration.

Also due on April 28, 2024 (Forms Day) from each participant:

  • Copy (front & back) of your medical insurance card
  • Final Payment

Questions about forms and due dates to Lauren Yeh.

Schedule and Packing List

ASP Online Volunteer Registration, due April 28, 2024:

  1. Go to: http://www.servicenetwork.com/reg/APPSERV/Join.asp
  2. Our Group Number is: 15136 (changes each year)
  3. ASP Online Registration Instructions (pdf)

ASP Covenant Text:

Each participant will sign the same document on or before departing on the trip.

As a Volunteer with Appalachia Service Project, I agree:

  • To familiarize myself with and abide by ASP’s Expectations, Rules and Regulations, Anti-Harassment Policy, and dress code. Required Reading (pdf)
  • To work safely and report to the staff any behavior or situation that I deem unsafe.
  • To be open-minded and work to build meaningful relationships with the homeowners I serve and interact appropriately with community members and other groups at my center.
  • To utilize resources in a stewardly fashion.
  • To maintain a clean facility by completing the chores assigned to my group.

As an Adult Group Leader, I further agree:

  • To be responsible for the whereabouts and well-being of my youth volunteers and to help enforce the expectations and rules set by ASP and the Staff, including quiet time and lights out.
  • To ensure that all volunteers are present for Morning Devotions, Evening Gatherings, and all other scheduled events.
  • To work with the Staff to complete the project specifically designated to my group.
  • To communicate promptly and respectfully any concerns or praises I have about our volunteer experience.

Organizational Meeting

We are planning a brief organizational meeting in Niles Chapel on Sunday, April 28, 12:15-1:30 pm.  Gather with your work team, learn about the project you’ll be working on, talk about what to pack, what to expect – get to know the other members of this year’s ASP Trip!

If you cannot make this meeting, please contact Mark Edwards (, 609-933-7599).

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Summer Youth Trips: Splash Camp

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Cool kids on a ’chool bus hitting up the coolest splash spots in NJ and PA.

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When: Monday-Thursday, July 1-4, 9am – 3:30pm
Drop-off/Pick-up: Nassau Church, except on Pool Party day.
Schedule for 2024:

  • Day 1: NJ Shore
  • Day 2: Hopewell Quarry (swim test required)
  • Day 3: Tohickon Creek, Bucks County, PA
  • Day 4: Backyard Pool Party

Weather: We will do our best to accommodate light rain and fluctuating weather. However, as indoor activities are not an alternative, in the event of severe storms a day’s events may have to be curtailed or canceled.
Parents: Want to drive yourself or tag along one day? You are welcome.

Questions about the Camp to Mark Edwards.

Required Forms

Student

Chaperone
Youth Deposit Form (pdf) due ASAP Chaperone Deposit Form (21+) (pdf) due ASAP
Information, Release and Waiver – Youth (Splash) (pdf) due 6/2/24 Information, Release and Waiver – Adults 21+ (Splash) (pdf) due 6/2/24
Hopewell Quarry Swim Club, Rules and Waiver (pdf) due 6/2/24 Hopewell Quarry Swim Club, Rules and Waiver (pdf) due 6/2/24

Also due on Sunday, June 9 from each participant:

  • Copy (front & back) of your medical insurance card
  • Final Payment

Questions about forms, balance due, and due dates to Lauren Yeh. While you are welcome to bring your forms and payments to our Forms Day on Sunday, April 28, this is not required.

Schedule and Packing List

Will be distributed to registered families in early June. Last’s years information is posted below.

Parables: Stories Jesus Told

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February 26 – April 2, 2023

9:30 a.m. | Assembly Room

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.
This Lenten Linked-in Learning theme emphasizes the accessibility of the parables, and classes will be led by laity, the people in the pews. Jesus shared simple, relatable stories to communicate complex themes, and these leaders will bring their own story, perspective, areas of experience to these Sunday morning sessions.

Audio recordings will be posted below each class description.

February 26

What is a Parable?

Dale Allison is Professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary. His academic research and publications include the historical Jesus, the Gospel of Matthew, Second Temple Judaism, and the history of the interpretation and application of biblical texts. He is the author of two dozen books. These include, on a popular level, books on George Harrison, religious experience, and death and what might lie beyond.

 

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March 5

Parable of the Friend at Midnight
(Luke 11:5-19)

Bill Creager is a member of Nassau Presbyterian Church and has been a deacon, elder, and high school Sunday School teacher. He serves on the Mission & Outreach Committee and with the team that is sponsoring and supporting a family from Afghanistan as they resettle in Princeton. By profession, he is a physicist and data scientist, and worked as a science teacher in the Peace Corps. He lives in Princeton with his wife Angela and is the father of three grown children.

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March 12

Parable of the Lost Sheep
(Luke 15:3-7)

Jade Hage has attended Nassau Church since 2017, joining a year later. Hailing from Monterey, California, Jade moved to Princeton to teach high school English. Jade is also a student at Princeton Seminary where she is in her third year as an MDiv student and currently serves as a field education student with Princeton Presbyterians.

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March 19

Parable of the Sower
(Matthew 13:1-30)

Keith Mertz is a Nassau Presbyterian member since 2000. He sings bass in the choir and is currently on Session. He’s led small groups and been involved in other activities. Keith grew up at First Memorial Presbyterian in Dover, NJ. He is the son of Elders, Deacons, the Church Secretary, Sunday School teachers, the Youth Ed Director, counters, Communion preparers, Scout Leaders, cooks, snow shovelers, and table and chair arrangers.

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March 26

Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
(Matthew 20:1-15)

Thais Carter serves as the Director for Strategic Initiatives at Princeton Theological Seminary, guiding initiatives that extend the Seminary’s reach and engagement with a broader public. She also directs Iron Sharpening Iron, an executive education program for women clergy. She’s been a member at Nassau since March 2020 and is currently serving on Session. More often than not, you’ll find her with her nose in a book, around a table with friends, or watching something Marvel-related with her family, which includes her husband, Heath; four sons—Isaiah, Bree, Sam, and James—and their Golden Retriever, Douglass.

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April 2

Parable of the Tenant Farmers
(Matthew 21:33-46)

Corrie Berg Corrie Berg has been blessed to serve as the Director of Children’s and Family Ministry and then Director of Educational Ministries at Nassau Presbyterian Church for the past 12 years. She delights in telling the stories of our faith, even the tough ones, to the children and grown-ups of our church and community. She has one husband, three sons, one soon-to-be daughter-in-law, and one bearded dragon.

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Westminster Conservatory Recital – March 16, 2023

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Westminster Conservatory Noontime Recitals
Present Music for Oboe, Horn, and Piano on March 16

On Thursday, March 16 at 12:00 p.m. Westminster Conservatory at Nassau will present a recital performed by Conservatory faculty members Melissa Bohl, oboe; Craig Levesque, horn; and Phyllis Lehrer, piano. Atypically, the recital will take place in the church sanctuary and will begin at noon, fifteen minutes earlier than the regular time. The recital is open to the public free of charge; masking is optional.

The program on March 16 comprises Incantation and Dance for oboe and piano by William Grant Still, the Trio, opus 88 by Carl Reinecke, and a new work by Dr. Levesque.

Westminster Conservatory at Nassau recitals will continue on April 20 with a recital for solo piano by Clipper Erickson.

Lent 2023 Small Groups

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If you have never been part of a Small Group, why not try it out? If you are a perennial participant, welcome back! Space may be limited for many groups, so sign up soon! Whether you opt for in-person or virtual groups, the promise that the Holy Spirit is present when two or more are gathered in God’s name remains a constant.

Click on the Small Group Name to read more.

Start
Time

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU
12 p.m. Parables
1:30 p.m. Parables
4 p.m. Parables
(gr. 4-8)
6 p.m. Parables
7 p.m.  Movies Art of
Faithfulness:
CreatioDivina		 Parables
7:30 p.m. Adventures
in Barth		 Art of
Faithfulness:
Photography
8 p.m. Immigrant
Experience
on Film

Parables: Stories Jesus Told

Linked In Learning Series

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. Read together, they teach, through concrete examples, about forgiveness, redemption, sacrifice, and faith.

This Lenten Linked-in Learning theme emphasizes the accessibility of the parables, and most Adult Education classes will be led by laity, the people in the pews. Jesus shared simple, relatable stories to communicate complex themes, and these leaders will bring their own story, perspective, areas of experience to these Sunday morning sessions. Small Groups will join in the theme. All are invited to add their own story and perspective to the discussions. Finally, Sunday sermons in Lent, including Youth Sunday will also focus on parables.

Sundays, February 19 – March 26, 6:00-7:00 PM
Virtual on Zoom

Register Here

Mani Pulimood has been worshiping at NPC for a long time, with his wife, Monisha, and two sons, Nikhil and Philip. He enjoys participating in and leading small groups at Nassau. He is also the author of the book, Spiritual Dimensions – Musings on Life and Faith. One of his favorite ministries is online evangelism (https://twitter.com/ManiPulimood). He also enjoys biking and hiking.

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Mondays, February 20 – March 27, 12:00-1:30 PM
In-person at the home of Corrie Berg in Princeton, NJ.

light lunch (soup & bread) provided
This group is full

Corrie Berg, is the Director of Educational Ministries and always delighted to talk about Bible stories, whether it’s with grown ups or with children. She finds that she often learns the most by discussing the stories of our faith with the people of our church.

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Mondays, February 20 – March 27, 1:30-3:00 PM
In-person at the home of Carol Wehrheim in Skillman, NJ

This group is full

Carol Wehrheim, a writer and Christian Education consultant, finds that Lenten small groups deepen her own prayer life and her connection to her church community.

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Parables – just for Kids (4th-8th graders)

Mondays, February 20 – March 27, 4:00-5:00 PM
In-person at the home of Corrie Berg in Princeton, NJ

Register Here
Corrie Berg is the Director of Educational Ministries and always delighted to talk about Bible stories, whether it’s with grown ups or with children. She finds that she often learns the most by discussing the stories of our faith with the people of our church.

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Tuesdays, February 21 – March 28, 7:00-8:30 PM
In-person or on Zoom?

Register Here
John Parker appreciates the fellowship and faith development that takes place in Nassau’s Small Groups. He is thankful for the witness of the wonderful people he has met through past small groups. John looks forward to meeting new participants — and hopefully deepening some existing relationships too — as we read the parables of Jesus together.

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Additional Small Group Options

Movies About Making Movies and Those Movies

Sundays, February 26 – April 2, 7:00-8:00 PM
Virtual on Zoom

This group is full

Making films and distributing them is challenging. A few get mired in legendary pitfalls and sometimes waterfalls. It may be years before their creators complete them and find an audience. We will look at three documentary films about the making of a specific movie. We will also watch the movie the documentary covers. Inspired by books including The Reel Truth by Reed Martin and A Guide for the Perplexed by Werner Herzog, participants in this series will discuss movie making obstacles and learn about the Herculean and even Sisyphean efforts it takes to achieve an artist’s vision. Movies: Lost in Lamancha; The Man Who Killed Don Quixote; Man on the Moon; Jim and Andy: The Great Beyond; Burden of Dreams; Fitzcarraldo

Marshall McKnight, a lifelong movie buff, has been a Nassau Church member since 2011. He is a deacon and is active on the Mass Incarceration Task Force. He also serves on the Adult Education and Membership Committees. He was a journalist for seven years and for the last 19 has worked for the State of New Jersey.

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Adventures in Barth, season 7

Mondays, March 6 – 27, 7:30-9:00 PM
Virtual on Zoom

This group is full

Get “Barth Smart” as we continue to dive into Barth’s dramatic treatment of justification and our total acquittal in Christ. First-timers and experts are welcome as we gather around this rigorous challenge to church and world. Reading is ~30 pages/week.

Mark Edwards joined Nassau as Director of Youth Ministries in September of 2013. He is a lifelong Presbyterian and holds a PhD in Philosophy and Theology from Princeton Theological Seminary. He has taught at Princeton University, The College of New Jersey, and Princeton Theological Seminary. His Christ is Time: The Gospel according to Karl Barth is forthcoming in ‘22. Mark is married to Janine, and they have two great kids, a dog, a cat, seven chickens, and a bunch of bikes.

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The Art of Faithfulness: CreatioDivina

Mondays, February 27 – March 27, 7:00-8:30 PM
Assembly Room, Nassau Presbyterian Church or on Zoom

Register Here

CreatioDivina, hosted by BeauFolio Studio, incorporates the spiritual practice of Lectio Divina alongside a guided practice of sacred art-making with the benefit of fostering ideation, collaboration, and courageous conversations. During this 5-week journey, we will utilize creativity to explore the question, “what were we created to create?” Painting is the medium, but no prior expertise is required. Supplies will be provided and will include oil pastels and cambric cloth. CreatioDivina kits for virtual participants will be made available for pick up at church prior to the series. The sessions will include reflection on our own histories, images of Jesus, community, and prayer, using the process of painting as a pathway towards a deeper connection with God and each other.

Carmelle Beaugelin (www.carmellebeaugelin.com ) is a Haitian-American visual artist based in Princeton, NJ. Her creative focus includes paintings inspired by Afro-Latin Caribbean art styles and Christian spirituality. She is the Founder and Lead Curating Artist at BeauFolio Studio. Carmelle received her Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary.

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The Immigrant Experience on Film

Wednesdays, March 1 – April 5, 8:00-9:00 p.m.
Virtual on Zoom

Register Here
We will view and discuss films made between 1950-2015 with a focus on the immigrant experience. Why do people leave their homelands? What challenges do they face in their new country? How has this experience changed over the years? We will also discuss the different approaches the filmmakers haven taken to the subject, and how their vision is influenced by their own historical and political times. Movies: Stromboli (1950), America, America (1963), The Godfather: Part II (1972), Moscow on the Hudson (1984), In America (2002), and Brooklyn (2015).

Liz Beasley, an ordained elder and deacon at Nassau Church, is active on the Mass Incarceration Task Force, volunteers with Villages in Partnership, and coordinates activities for the Present Day Club. She retired from Rutgers University-New Brunswick in 2019, and is a lifelong devotee of fiction, theater, and film.

Aruna Bhargava is a former college professor and author of 8 books – fantasy/adventure for children and entrepreneurship/entrepreneur stories for adults. Aruna and her husband run a nonprofit to help unemployed youth and underprivileged women in India to become entrepreneurs. Her passion is to help seniors maintain optimum mental and physical health and a joyful well-being.

Lina Genovesi, a member of Nassau Church for over 5 years, is active in the Mission and Outreach Committee, serves as a Commissioner with the Civil Rights Commission in Princeton, and advocates for peace and justice in the Middle East with Churches for Middle East Peace. She is a practicing attorney with a New Jersey law firm and resides in Princeton with her husband and two cats.

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Art of Faithfulness: Photographing Parables

A man scattering seed on the ground. The bandaging of a victim’s wounds. A son so impoverished he is tempted to eat what pigs eat.  A silver coin, one among ten, lost and then found. Parables aren’t just words. They are visual and meant to be seen as much as heard. Sacred Art of Photography returns during Lent with a focus on the parables. Over six weeks we will give ourselves the gift of taking a good look around and seeing parables present in our world. No technical skill or experience in photography is required, just your imagination and the means to take a digital photograph. 

Thursdays, February 23 – March 30, 7:30-8:30 p.m.
Virtual on Zoom

This group is full

Ned Walthall is a photographer based in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. He received his MFA from the Institute of Art and Design at New England College (formerly the New Hampshire Institute of Art). His work has been shown throughout the United States and abroad.

Tim Brown has led and participated in numerous small groups. He has been an amateur photographer going back to when cameras used film and lenses had to be focused by hand. For over fifty years he has been on a photographer’s journey of discovery; reveling in the light of the world.

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#MissionMonday – Homeworks Trenton Volunteer Opportunities

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Support HomeWorks

Homeworks Trenton, a mission partner of Nassau Presbyterian Church, is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to providing free after-school and residential support for marginalized high school girls in the Trenton public school system.  For more detailed information, please see its website:  www.homeworkstrenton.org.

Tutoring

Homeworks is asking for volunteers to tutor their high school scholars (9 freshmen, 1 junior and 1 senior) in high school level math (including pre-calculus), English, science, and history (particularly US history).  The tutoring is done late afternoon (3-4:30pm for 1 Junior) or the evenings (7-8:30pm for all other scholars) four      nights a week at their facility located on the main campus of Rider University in Lawrenceville, N.J.

Anyone who is interested in volunteering as a tutor at HomeWorks, please apply through its website, www.homeworkstrenton.org; go to the tab for ways to give, volunteer and click tutor.

Donating Books and Snacks    

Homeworks is also trying to build its own library to supplement and enhance the learning opportunities and environment for its scholars.  They are currently looking for used high school textbooks, study aids for collegiate entrance examinations and other standardized tests, and books by and about girls and women of color.

They are also looking for snacks for scholars to eat after school, specifically dry snacks that do not expire (cheese-its, cheetos, lays, cup noodles – chicken, sun chips, granola bars, popcorn, fruit snacks, takis, poptarts, velveeta microwavable mac and cheese, apple sauce) and drinks (ex: Caprisuns, Hawaiian Punch).

Anyone who is interested in donating any of these snacks, please go to the website, www.homeworkstrenton.org and complete the In-Kind Donation form which can be found under the ways to give, donate tabs.

Contact Homeworks Trenton

If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Natalie Tung, Executive Director and founder of Homeworks, at , and Len Scales at .  Thank you for your kind generosity.

#MissionMonday – Mass Incarceration Task Force

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As a task force we are motivated by the deep conviction that each being is a beloved child of God. This extends to people who are impacted by the carceral system in New Jersey, including those whose life circumstances place them at risk of being caught up in the system. We also realize, in the words of justice advocate Bryan Stevenson, that “you can’t understand most of the important things from a distance. You have to get close.”

Please join us at our next Mass Incarceration Task Force meeting to be held via Zoom at 7 p.m. on Monday, February 6. To get on the mailing list or if you have any questions, please reach out to Anne Kuhn (email) or Patti Daley (email), the co-chairs of the Mass Incarceration Task Force.

On Sunday, January 29, Liz Beasley offered these words to the congregation:

Two of the things I like best about Nassau Church are our focus on being Jesus’ hands and feet in the world – and the opportunities the church provides for service to others, both in our own community and around the world.

The mission of the Mass Incarceration Taskforce is to educate ourselves about the causes and consequences of mass incarceration in the United States – and to find ways to put our passion and commitment to justice and equity into action. We have three areas of focus:

  • Pre-incarceration (volunteering with agencies such as LifeTies to mentor and tutor at-risk young people);
  • During incarceration (volunteer opportunities include the Pen Pal Program and tutoring through the Petey Greene Program);
  • Post-incarceration (providing tutoring, job skills, and other forms of support for people upon release from prison, in partnership with other nonprofits).

We are excited to introduce two new opportunities to get involved:

WorkWell is a nonprofit designed to equip returning citizens with job skills, dignity and hope. Their program consists of a four-week period of training and counseling, with qualified trainers and advocates to help prepare returning citizens not just for a job, but for sustained employment. Volunteers are needed to participate in two Saturday morning training sessions with these men and women in transition and to cheer them at their graduation from the program.

The second opportunity, Abolishing Prison Slavery, may require a little more explanation. This project grew out of conversations with Bending the Moral Arc, a discussion group between members of the Witherspoon and Nassau churches.

    • In the U.S. Constitution’s 13th Amendment, slavery was outlawed everywhere BUT prison. Slavery – defined as forcing people to work for free or for extremely low wages – is still allowed in some states, including New Jersey. This system acts as an incentive to incarcerate more people because it provides an ongoing source of revenue for state activities, including those unrelated to the carceral system.
    • Members of the Mass Incarceration Taskforce are working to add an amendment to the New Jersey state constitution specifically outlawing the enslavement of incarcerated people. We feel that prisoners should have opportunities for paid employment or to learn a trade – but they should be paid a fair wage for their labors.
    • There are a variety of ways to get involved – and we invite you to become part of this effort. At our November meeting, Audi Peal described five initiatives to move this agenda forward:
      • Creating a shared repository of information about similar initiatives in other states;
      • Drafting a strategy for passing this amendment;
      • Creating a Policy Paper for sharing information about this work;
      • Engaging allies/partners in this work: faith groups, community groups, community leaders, and justice reform advocates;
      • Seeking grants and other funding sources for this initiative.

Can you help? If you would like to know more about any of these volunteer opportunities, please reach out to Anne Kuhn (email) or Patti Daley (email), the co-chairs of the Mass Incarceration Task Force.

 

Peace Building in the Holy Land

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UPDATE

Thank you for the opportunity to facilitate a 3-part education series on Peacebuilding in the Holy Land. We’d like to invite folks to continue engaging in CMEP’s work by taking one or more of these next steps:

  • Give a donation to help sustain CMEP’s peacebuilding & advocacy work: DONATE
  • Sign up for CMEP’s mailing list to stay up to date on current news from the Middle East and upcoming events: SIGN UP
  • Raise your voice for peace and justice at CMEP’s upcoming Advocacy Summit in Washington D.C. April 20-21st: SPEAK UP

Contact Len Scales (email)

February 5 – 19, 2023

9:30 a.m. | Assembly Room

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.

Audio recordings will be posted below each class title.

February 5

An Introduction to Israel and Palestine Today

Kyle Christofalo

Kyle serves as the Senior Director of Advocacy and Government Relations for Churches for Middle East Peace. Kyle holds a BA in Peace and Conflict Studies from Messiah College, and a Master of Divinity Degree from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology. He was first introduced to Middle East advocacy work during a semester abroad in Cairo, Egypt. After graduating from college, Kyle spent 10 months serving with the Mennonite Central Committee in Bethlehem, Palestine, where he was seconded to work with Bethlehem Bible College. Most recently, Kyle served as the Program Assistant for Middle East Policy at the Friends Committee on Legislation where he helped coordinate lobbying work on Middle East policy and trained grassroots advocates on how to lobby their Congressional representatives.

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February 12

Multi-faith Perspectives on Peace Building from the Holy Land

Lina Genovesi, moderator

Lina is a member of Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton, New Jersey. As a child of war in Lebanon, Lina was sensitized to the importance of peace in the Middle East, having experienced first-hand the negative impact warring political factions can have on the lives of ordinary people subjected to pain and suffering they have no control over. Lina is inspired by CMEP’s message of justice and peace in the Middle East and is excited and honored to be part of CMEP’s effort. Lina is employed as an attorney and is blessed with a husband and a daughter.

Panelists:

Leora Ezrachi-Vered grew up in a Reform family in Jerusalem. She has worked in the Israeli Reform movement as an educator and leader- leading Noar Telem (Israeli Reform youth movement) and the Mechina Kdam-Tzvait (pre-army gap year). She is active in interfaith dialogue and many shared society initiatives, fighting for a more just and equal Israel.
Shireen Awwad Hilal is Director of Bethlehem Bible College Community and Development Outreach, where she was previously the Dean of Students and a lecturer in education and leadership. She is also an active leader in Musalaha’s reconciliation programming, facilitating and leading women’s groups in the Bethlehem area.
Ata Manassra is a certified tour guide in the Holy Land. He is also a farmer and the Founder of the Narjes Group which works with the Friends of Wadi Fouqin USA. While he was unable to join us for the class, we were pleased to welcome his son, Adam, a 25-year-old civil engineer, born and raised in Palestine.

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February 19

Biblical Foundations for Christian Peace Building and Advocacy

Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon

Mae Elise is the executive director of Churches for Middle East Peace and an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC). She holds an MDiv from North Park Theological Seminary, an MBA from North Park University’s School of Business and Nonprofit Management, and an MA in bioethics from Trinity International University. She received a PhD from the University of California (Davis) focusing on the history of the American Protestant church in Israel and Palestine, and a second PhD in Ministry in Spiritual Formation from Northern Theological Seminary. She is the author of several books including the award-winning Social Justice Handbook: Small Steps for a Better World and is the editor of A Land Full of God: Christian Perspectives on the Holy Land.

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Westminster Conservatory Recital – February 16, 2023

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Westminster Conservatory Noontime Recitals
Present Music for Solo Piano on February 16

On Thursday, February 16 at 12:15 p.m. Westminster Conservatory at Nassau will present Erik Allesee in a recital of music for solo piano. A member of the Westminster Conservatory piano faculty, Mr. Allesee will perform in the Niles Chapel. The recital is open to the public free of charge; masking is optional.

The program on February 16 comprises two sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti; an arrangement of “My Favorite Things” by Stephen Hough; “The Lark,” a song by Balakirev transcribed for piano by Glinka; Franz Liszt’s Concert Etude no. 2 “Gnomenreigen;” Chopin’s Nocturne in D-flat, op. 27, no. 2; and Rondo Capriccioso in A minor, opus 28 by Felix Mendelssohn.

Westminster Conservatory at Nassau recitals will continue on March 16 with a recital by Melissa Bohl, oboe; Craig Levesque, horn; and Phyllis Lehrer, piano. In a slight departure from the regular schedule this recital will begin at 12:00 noon and will take place in the sanctuary of Nassau Presbyterian Church.