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Lenten Small Groups 2024

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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

SAT
March 2
9 a.m. Murals in Motion
10 a.m. Who Is My Neighbor
12 p.m. Who Is My Neighbor
1:30 p.m. Who Is My Neighbor
7 p.m.  Movies Contemporary Novels Who Is My Neighbor
7 p.m. Creatio Divina
7:30 p.m. Sacred Art of Photography

Who Is My Neighbor?

Linked In Learning Series

But wanting to vindicate himself, [an expert in the law] asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29 NRSV)

Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan invites us to imagine what it looks like to be a good neighbor. What does it mean for us to “go and do likewise” (v. 37) as individuals and a congregation? We will explore stories from Luke & Acts about how Jesus and the early church engaged with their neighbors. We will consider what neighboring looks like for us today in our own communities.

Get Linked-In for Lent as our education, small groups, and preaching life at Nassau will all focus on these stories. Join us on Sunday mornings in the Assembly Room as Eric Barreto, Weyerhaeuser Associate Professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary, leads adult education. Ned Walthall will lead the class on March 3 in connection with his Conference Room exhibit “Who is My Neighbor?” featuring portraits from Grand Central Terminal.

Download the Study Guide:

Mondays, February 12 – March 18, 1:30-3:00 PM
In-person at the home of Carol Wehrheim in Skillman, NJ

This group is full
Carol Wehrheim is Clerk of Session. She finds small groups a necessary part of her life with Nassau Church and enjoys playing cornhole.

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Wednesdays, February 14 – March 20, 10:00-11:00 AM
Virtual on Zoom

This group is full
Dave Davis has been pastor and head-of-staff at Nassau since the fall of 2000. His PhD in Homiletics from Princeton Theological Seminary focused on preaching as a corporate act and the active role of the listener in the preaching event. He has published two sermon collections A Kingdom You Can Taste and Lord and Teach Us to Pray.

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Thursdays, February 15 – March 21, 12:00-1:30 9M
Virtual on Zoom (last class in person)

Register Here
Len Scales serves as the Associate Pastor for Faith Formation, Mission, and Outreach. She also serves part-time as the Executive Co-Director of the Westminster Foundation and Presbyterian Chaplain at Princeton University.

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Thursdays, February 15 – March 21, 7:00-8:30 PM
Davis/Heaps Home in Princeton, NJ

Register Here
Steve Heaps has been a member of Nassau Presbyterian Church since October 2022. He is retired from the Federal government where he spent his career with the National Archives as an archivist, project manager and supervisor. Steve has enjoyed participating in previous small groups and looks forward to leading a group during this Lenten season. He lives in Princeton with his wife and Nassau member Wendy Davis.

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Additional Small Group Options

Exploring “Who Is My Neighbor?” with Black Filmmakers

Sundays, February 11 – March 17, 7:00-8:20 PM
Virtual on Zoom

Register Here
Jesus answered the question, “Who is my neighbor?” by telling a parable. We will explore the question with black filmmakers in front of and/or behind the camera lens as they tell their stories. We will watch the movies during the week and discuss them together when we meet. Movies in the six-week small group series: Selma, Black Panther, Fences, Do the Right Thing, Just Mercy and Moonlight. Find where to stream these movies on Just Watch (https://www.justwatch.com/).
Roz Anderson Flood is a deacon, a ruling elder, a member of the Worship and Arts Committee and sings second alto in the Adult Choir. She is a former member of the Adult Education Committee. She has led workshops in poetry and participated in many small groups at Nassau.
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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Transformative Love in Three Contemporary Novels

Mondays, February 12 – March 18, 7:00 – 8:30 PM
Wehrheim Home in Skillman, NJ

Register Here
God loves us, this we know. That love transforms us, makes us new, and it is that grace, that love, that enables us to love one another, a process that is also transformative. This group will explore the complex ways in which love transforms the lives of characters in three contemporary novels, Ann Napolitano’s Hello Beautiful, Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteridge, and Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead.
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. Additionally, his street photography in Grand Central Terminal after the Covid pandemic has been featured in the online journal Lenscratch. His work can be seen at nedwalthall.com and he can be followed on Instagram at @walthallphotography.
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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The Art of Faithfulness
CreatioDivina

Mondays, February 26 – March 25, 7:00-8:30 PM
Conference Room, Nassau Presbyterian Church or on Zoom

Register Here
CreatioDivina, hosted by BeauFolio Studio, combines the spiritual discipline of Lectio Divina with the guided practice of creating sacred visual art. We will utilize various modes of creativity to reflect on our emerging stories as we dwell on the Seven Last Words of Jesus during this Lenten small group.
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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Art of Faithfulness
Sacred Art of Photography “Who Is My Neighbor?”

Thursdays, February 15 – March 21, 7:30-9:00 PM
Virtual on Zoom

Register Here
This Spring, Sacred Art of Photography returns for six sessions, focusing on the concept of neighbor. What are the words we think of when we encounter other human beings? The range is huge, and depends on context. Sometimes it is “love” or “compassion” or “joy” or the desire to “help.” Sometimes we feel “threatened” or “irritated.” Sometimes our own response to others is “arrogance” or “fear” or “anger.” Sometimes that is precisely their response to us. Members of the group will be provided with a large list of these words. Each week they will be asked to choose one word from the list and take two photographs that are evoked by it. In doing so, we will explore the range of emotional responses that are possible when we encounter those to whom Jesus has called upon us to be neighbors.
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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Art of Faithfulness
Murals In Motion

Saturday, March 2, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Assembly Room, Nassau Presbyterian Church

Register Here
Whether you view yourself as creative or not, you are made in the image of the great Creator. Julie Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way, states, “When we open ourselves to exploring our creativity, we open ourselves to God.” The disciplines of art and dance will be joined together, creating a playful and supportive morning to explore your view of God and yourself through movement, art, creation, and conversation.
Carmelle Beaugelin 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.
Annalise Hume is a dancer who spends her time teaching, facilitating movement workshops, and offering Spiritual Direction to others with the hope of helping individuals and groups take steps towards wholeness and flourishing. She holds a BFA in Dance from Univ. of Minnesota and MDiv and MA from Princeton Theological Seminary. Her work brings together faith and movement as she invites participants to live out their own faith and purpose.

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Small Groups for Fall 2023

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This Fall brings a wonderful diversity of topics, leaders, and platforms, all designed to deepen your knowledge, faith, and community. 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
10 a.m. Ways to Pray: Davis
12 p.m. Ways to Pray: Scales
1:30 p.m. Ways to Pray: Wehrheim
4 p.m.
7 p.m.
 Prayer in Films Adventures in Barth
7:30 p.m. Ways to Pray: Vanderkam Photographing Prayer
8:00 p.m. Race Relations in Film

Ways to Pray: In the Old Testament and Today

Linked In Learning Series

Perhaps when you think of prayer and the Bible, you head straight for the prayer Jesus taught his disciples, but a wealth of examples of prayer can be found in those pages, especially in the Old Testament. The linked-in learning for this fall will focus on prayers and those who prayed them in the Old Testament. As usual, the preachers will preach on the same text that is featured in adult education that morning led by members and friends of this congregation.

Join us as you can: in worship (live or live-streaming), in education (in person or listening to the recording later in the week) and in fellowship by joining a small group. Whether joining a small group following the linkedin series this fall or an additional group, participation will enrich your faith and build friendships in the congregation.

Mondays, October 23-November 20, 1:30-3:00 p.m.
In-person at the home of Carol Wehrheim in Skillman, NJ

This group is full

Carol Wehrheim is Clerk of Session. She finds small groups a necessary part of her life with Nassau Church and enjoys playing cornhole.

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Tuesdays, October 24-November 21, 7:30-9:00 p.m.
In-person at the home of Mary and Jim Vanderkam in Princeton, NJ.

Register Here

After retiring, Mary and Jim Vanderkam moved to the Princeton area to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Mary was an educator who taught in several contexts, in the classroom, private tutoring, and adult education. Jim was most recently a professor of Hebrew Scriptures at the University of Notre Dame, with interests in Jewish literature such as the Dead Sea Scrolls. Mary and Jim have much appreciated being members of small groups at Nassau.

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Wednesdays, October 25-November 22, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
Virtual on Zoom

Register Here

Dave Davis has been pastor and head-of-staff at Nassau since the fall of 2000. His PhD in Homiletics from Princeton Theological Seminary focused on preaching as a corporate act and the active role of the listener in the preaching event. He has published two sermon collections A Kingdom You Can Taste and Lord, Teach Us to Pray.

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Thursdays, October 26-November 16, 12:00-1:30 p.m.
Virtual on Zoom

Register Here

Len Scales, serves as the Associate Pastor for Faith Formation, Mission, and Outreach. She also serves part-time as the Executive Co-Director of the Westminster Foundation and Presbyterian Chaplain at Princeton University.

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Additional Small Group Options

Prayer in Films

Sundays, October 22-November 19, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Virtual on Zoom


Register Here
Prayer takes many forms from a simple call for help or thanks to conversation, song, debate and through the filming of a popular TV children’s show. We will look at films spanning the last fifty years in honor of Nassau Church celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Movies: Heaven Can Wait, Hoosiers, Oh Brother Where art thou?, Women Talking, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.

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 18 has worked for the State of New Jersey.

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Adventures in Barth, Season 8

Mondays, October 8 – November 13, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
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 2013. He is a lifelong Presbyterian and holds a PhD from Princeton Theological Seminary. He also teaches at Princeton University, The College of New Jersey, and Princeton Theological Seminary. Mark is married to Janine and they have two great kids, lots of animals, and a bunch of backpacks. His new book is Christ Is Time: The Gospel according to Karl Barth (and the Red Hot Chili Peppers).

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Race Relations in Film

Wednesdays, October 11 – November 15, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Virtual on Zoom

This group is full

Join us for a discussion series exploring the ways in which racial relations in America have been addressed in recent documentary and feature films. No one series could cover this topic in its entirety, but issues considered will include the impact of racial prejudice and institutional racism on artists, prisoners, immigrants, and interracial couples.

Please watch the films in advance of our meetings (streaming options listed below) and come prepared to share your thoughts.

  • Oct. 11 – I Am Not Your Negro (2017), Peacock or Amazon Prime
  • Oct. 18 – Dear White People (2014), Apple+ or Prime
  • Oct. 25 – Stranger at the Gate (2022), Amazon Prime or Youtube
  • Nov. 1 – Loving (2016), Netflix
  • Nov. 8 – The Innocence Project (2006), Netflix
  • Nov. 15 – 13th Amendment (2016), Netflix

Liz Beasley, a retired Rutgers administrator, serves on Nassau Church’s Mission and Outreach Committee, volunteers with Villages in Partnership, and chairs the activities committee for the Present Day Club.
Aruna Bhargava is a former college professor who taught Race Relations. She is the author of eight books: three on entrepreneurship for adults and five books on fantasy and adventure for children. For the last 25 years, Aruna and her husband have run a not-for-profit organization called I Create, that trains unemployed youth and disadvantaged women in India to become entrepreneurs.
Lina Genovesi, a member of Nassau Church since April 2019, is a pharmaceutical litigation attorney with a national law firm. She is currently enrolled in the Master of Fine Arts in Nonfiction program at Goucher College and is working on her memoir of growing up in Beirut, Lebanon.
Debbie Tegarden is a longtime Princeton resident and worked for many years at Princeton University Press. Raised a fourth-generation Unitarian from Marblehead, she joined Nassau Presbyterian Church in 1988.

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The Sacred Art of Photography

Thursdays, October 12 – November 16, 7:30-9:00 p.m.
Virtual on Zoom

This group is full

Sacred Art of Photography returns to Nassau this Fall with a small group devoted to photography and prayer. Members will share, during each of the six sessions, two photographs and a prayer of less than 200 words. Members are expected to compose their own prayers and create their own photographs during the week prior to the session.

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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Nassau Book Group 2023-24

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Meeting Dates:

Third Sunday of the Month (mostly) at 12:15 p.m. in the Conference Room. Bring a sack lunch. Coffee and tea are provided. All are welcome.

September 17

October 15

November 19

January 21

February 18

March 17

April 14

May 19, 11:15 a.m.

June 16, 11:15 a.m.

Contact Ginger August (email)


Sunday, October 15, 12:15 am, Conference Room

Join a discussion of China Court by Rumer Godden. A family’s loves, pains, triumphs, and scandals are laid bare, forming an intricate tapestry of heart-wrenching humanity, in a remarkable work of fiction from one of the most acclaimed British novelists of the twentieth century.

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Sunday, September 17, 12:15 am, Conference Room

This season’s first book to discuss is Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West by historian Stephen E. Ambrose. In 1803 President Thomas Jefferson selected his personal secretary, Capt. Meriwether Lewis, to lead a voyage up the Missouri River to the Rockies, over the mountains, down the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean, and back. Lewis’ partner in this adventure was Capt. William Clark: together they created the first map of the trans-Mississippi West.

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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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Contemplative Prayer Group this Advent

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Gathering at 7:00 p.m. in Niles Chapel on the following Thursday evenings: December 1st, 8th, 15th, and 22nd.

There is something in every one of you that waits and listens for the sound of the genuine in yourself. It is the only true guide you will ever have. ~Howard Thurman

Join us this Advent for a series of explorations on contemplative prayer. As a season of anticipation and hope, Advent is an ideal time to delve into the longings of our hearts through the inward journey of contemplation.

Over the course of four weeks, we will explore a simple method of contemplative prayer or meditation practiced among early Christians and preserved in various Christian communities around the world. Along the way, we will discover that contemplation draws us into deeper relationship with God, others, and ourselves − and that the discipline of contemplative prayer empowers us to respond to Jesus’ call to follow him and serve the world.

Each short exploration will be followed by a time for contemplative prayer. New and experienced meditators alike are welcome. No registration necessary.

For more information, contact Lauren McFeaters or Chris Renshaw.

Small Groups for Fall 2022

Posted on by

This Fall brings a wonderful diversity of topics, leaders, and platforms, all designed to deepen your knowledge, faith, and community. 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
10 a.m. (Main)Line Davis
12 p.m. (Main)Line Berg
1:30 p.m. (Main)Line Wehrheim
4 p.m. (Main)Line
(grades 4-8)
7 p.m.
 Movies Adventures in Barth (Main)Line Vanderkam
  Art of Faithfulness
  Spiritual Practices
7:30 p.m. Sacred Photography

The End of the (Main)Line? The Surprising Past & Uncertain Future of an America Protestant Powerhouse

Linked In Learning Series

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?

Weekly small groups will read Martin Luther King, Jr. Letter from Birmingham Jail, Henry Emerson Fosdicks’ Shall The Fundamentalists Win? as well as recent articles and studies highlighting pivotal moments, remarkable leaders and upcoming challenges of our Protestant tradition.

Join us Sunday mornings at 9:30 AM in the Assembly Room as Heath Carter, Associate Professor of American Christianity at Princeton Theological Seminary, will talk through the wider societal context and continuing impact of the selected readings. Carter specializes in the intersection of Christianity and American public life in the 20th century. Pastor Dave Davis will address these same themes and challenges in his Sunday sermon adding stories of the early church from the Book of Acts as reference and inspiration.

Mondays, October 17-November 14, 12:00-1:15 p.m.
In-person and outdoors 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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End of the (Main) Line? – just for Kids (4th-8th graders)

Mondays, October 17-November 14, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
In-person and outdoors at the home of Corrie Berg in Princeton, NJ.

This group is full

Corrie Berg is the Director of Educational Ministries and counts small groups as one of the great joys of her job. They offer precious opportunities to build relationships and deepen faith with her church family.

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Mondays, October 17-November 14,  1:30-3:00 p.m.
In-person at the home of Carol Wehrheim in Skillman, NJ

This group is full

Carol Wehrheim is Clerk of Session. She finds small groups a necessary part of her life with Nassau Church, and enjoys playing cornhole.

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Tuesdays, October 18-November 15, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
In-person at the home of Mary and Jim Vanderkam in Princeton, NJ.

Register Here
After retiring, Mary and Jim Vanderkam moved to the Princeton area to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Mary was an educator who taught in several contexts, in the classroom, private tutoring, and adult education. Jim was most recently a professor of Hebrew Scriptures at the University of Notre Dame, with interests in Jewish literature such as the Dead Sea Scrolls. Mary and Jim have much appreciated being members of small groups at Nassau.

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Wednesdays, October 19-November 16, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
Virtual on Zoom

Register Here
Dave Davis has been pastor and head-of-staff at Nassau since the fall of 2000. His PhD in Homiletics from Princeton Theological Seminary focused on preaching as a corporate act and the active role of the listener in the preaching event. He has published two sermon collections A Kingdom You Can Taste and Lord, Teach Us to Pray.

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Additional Small Group Options

Art of Faithfulness: Musica Divina

Mondays, October 17-November 7, 7:15-8:45PM
Hybrid: In-person (Niles Chapel, Nassau Church) AND on Zoom

Register Here
The Art of Faithfulness continues this year and begins with exploring the connection between music and faith. We will use the practice of Musica Divina, supported by our art of listening, reflection, journaling and discussion to explore music and it’s power to lift our faith to new heights. Musica Divina is a practice that we will cultivate and every week we will use music selected for the group and by the group, anticipating meaningful experiences and conversations as a result. Bring an open heart and mind, your faith and a desire to grow in faith and your love of music, which we all share. And, watch for more Art of Faithfulness opportunities, to be communicated soon!

Kim Kleasen is a long time member of Nassau and the Adult Choir, is currently a Deacon and has gratefully worked on our Forward in Faith Together initiatives while on Session. During the pandemic, Kim completed a course in Spiritual Direction at General Theological Seminary and using those experiences partnered with Noel Werner to lead small groups in the Art of Faithfulness, evolving to more opportunities to use creative arts as a pathway to faith. At General Seminary, Kim worked with faculty and classes to develop and lead Musica Divina,  which she now joyfully brings to Nassau Church.

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Practices for Spiritual Growth

Mondays (bi-weekly), October 17 & 31, November 14 & 28, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Virtual on Zoom

Register Here

Join us for a series on practices for spiritual growth, based on Sue Monk Kidd’s When the Heart Waits. Blending her own life experience with an intimate grasp of spirituality, Sue Monk Kidd relates the spiritual crisis that led her to a soul-saving discipline of “active waiting.” We will discuss Kidd’s insights and practices and how they may inform our own spiritual journeys. Aruna Bhargava, Lina Genovesi, Pat Costigan, and Liz Beasley will share leadership and facilitate discussions.

Liz Beasley retired from Rutgers in 2019 to spend as much time as possible with her grandchildren. She also takes classes in fiction-writing, co-chairs the activities committee for the Present Day Club, volunteers with Villages in Partnership, and serves as a deacon at Nassau Church.

Aruna Bhargava is a former college professor and an author of 8 books – fantasy/adventure for children and entrepreneurship/entrepreneur stories for adults. Aruna and her husband run a non-profit to help unemployed youth and underprivileged women in India to become entrepreneurs.

Patricia Costigan has a doctorate from Rutgers University in educational psychology with a focus on reading and learning disabilities and she works with a Child Study Team as a learning consultant in a local school district.

Lina Genovesi, a member of Nassau Church since April 2019, is an intellectual property attorney with a law firm in Greenwich, Connecticut. She spends her free time working on her memoir of growing up in Beirut, Lebanon. Her passion is helping seniors maintain optimum mental and physical health and a joyful wellbeing.

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Five Came Back…and Made Great Movies!

Sundays, October 16-November 13, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Virtual on Zoom

This group is full

Led by Frank Capra, five established and well respected Hollywood filmmakers answered the U.S. Government’s call to cover World War Two by filming documentaries aimed at inspiring support. Each artist felt the brutal impact of war and returned deeply affected by what they witnessed and filmed. Inspired by the Netflix documentary and the book, Five Came Back by film journalist Mark Harris, this group will watch and discuss five classic post war films through the lens of artists grappling with atrocity induced trauma and confusing social conflict. Movies: Treasure of the Sierra Madre; My Darling Clementine; I Remember Mama; The Best Years of Our Lives; It’s a Wonderful Life

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 18 has worked for the State of New Jersey.

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Adventures in Barth, Season 6

Mondays, October 10-November 14, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
Virtual on Zoom

This group is full

Get “Barth Smart” as we dive into Barth’s rich Christology, including the provocative “The Judge Judged in Our Place.” First-timers and experts are welcome as we gather around this rigorous challenge to church and world. Reading is ~40 pages/week.

Mark Edwards joined Nassau as Director of Youth Ministries in 2013. He is a lifelong Presbyterian and holds a PhD from Princeton Theological Seminary. He also teaches at Princeton University, The College of New Jersey, and Princeton Theological Seminary. Mark is married to Janine and they have two great kids, lots of animals, and a bunch of backpacks. His new book is Christ Is Time: The Gospel according to Karl Barth (and the Red Hot Chili Peppers).

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The Sacred Art of Photography

In this session of Sacred Art, which will run for seven sessions, participants will create photographs in response to seven questions, three posed in the Old Testament, four posed by Jesus in the New Testament.

Download List (pdf)

The Sacred Art of Photography

Thursdays, October 20 & 27, November 3 & 10, December 1, 8, 15, 7:30-9:00 p.m.
Virtual on Zoom

This group is full

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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.

He and his partner, Mari Walthall, are currently at work on a photo book entitled Covid & Faith, in which they explore in some depth the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed individuals’ spiritual practice and beliefs.

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Fall 2021 Small Groups

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As we slowly emerge from this pandemic, the knowledge that there is no return to “normal” or a pre-pandemic past becomes more clear with each passing month. The last year and a half have changed us and our community in countless ways. Yet the days of extreme quarantine and isolation are behind us. Old rhythms and routines are returning in new ways, and we are deeply grateful that our community of faith is gathering again in-person to worship, pray, sing (some) and learn together. This reunion or return comes with joy, trepidation and expectation as we continue to learn how to be a faithful people of God in our context and community.

Click on the Small Group Name to read more.

Start
Time

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU
10 a.m. Together Again Together Again
11 a.m.
3 p.m.
4 p.m. Art of
Faithfulness		 Kids
(grades 4-7)
7 p.m.
 Reunion Movies Together Again Adventures
in Barth		 Reunion Writing
  Grief Encounters
7:30 p.m. Together Again Return to Photography

Together Again: Biblical Stories of Reunion & Restoration

The fall series will focus on six stories of reunion from our scriptures, some very familiar, some less so. We return to the complicated family dynamics found in the stories of Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers and the parable of the prodigal son. These are stories we know well and remember often as models of Christian redemption and reconciliation. But a close reading brings to light each of the very-human characters in these narratives and gives us a fuller understanding and maybe even a little more empathy for each of them. We will also look at stories where reunion is stalled, avoided or only anticipated. 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.

Mondays, October 11-November 15, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
In-person and outdoors at the home of Corrie Berg in Princeton, NJ (Zoom if raining).

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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Mondays, October 11-November 15, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Virtual on Zoom

Register Here
Jim and Cynthia Moorhead are long-time members of the Nassau Community. Cynthia is a retired pre-school teacher but continues to show her love for children through her leadership in church school, VBS, and children’s choirs. Jim is an ordained minister and Professor of American Church History Emeritus at Princeton Theological Seminary.

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Tuesdays, October 12-November 16,  7:30-8:30 p.m.
Virtual on Zoom

Register Here
Carol Wehrheim is Clerk of Session. She finds small groups a necessary part of her life with Nassau Church, and enjoys playing cornhole.

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Wednesdays, October 13-November 17, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
Virtual on Zoom

This group is full

Dave Davis has been pastor and head-of-staff at Nassau since the fall of 2000. His PhD in Homiletics from Princeton Theological Seminary focused on preaching as a corporate act and the active role of the listener in the preaching event. He has published two sermon collections A Kingdom You Can Taste and Lord, Teach Us to Pray.

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Additional Small Group Options

Art of Faithfulness

Sundays, October 24-November 28, 4:00-5:30 p.m.
Virtual on Zoom

Register Here

To be human is to be creative. To be human is to be in community with others. As we live this time of reemergence and reunions, come and discover how your God given gifts of creativity can reflect and inform the joys, challenges, struggles, hopes and more of this time and of our faith, individually and collectively. Each week we will consider Biblical texts of reunions and reemergence and marry that with the creative talents of each group member as we lift our creativity in response to these days.

Kim Kleasen is a long-time member of Nassau, the Adult Choir and flautist. She also enjoys needlework, artistic journaling and cooking as faith filled creative endeavors. She is a Ruling Elder, currently serving on Session and is working on our Forward in Faith Together initiatives. She is concluding a course of study at General Theological Seminary in Spiritual Direction where she has put a focus on the Creative Arts and Faith / Spirituality.

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Together Again – just for Kids (4th-8th graders)

Mondays, October 11-November 15, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
In-person and outdoors at the home of Corrie Berg in Princeton, NJ (Zoom if raining).

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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Reunion Movies

Sundays October 10-November 14, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Virtual on Zoom

Register Here

There are many kinds of reunions in the movies. In the first week, movie fans will meet and have our own virtual reunion, following our summer hiatus. Each week thereafter, we will see a preselected movie and then meet virtually to talk about it. Join us to discuss these fascinating films and examine our fall theme of reunion and restoration. Movie selections include: Boyhood; Harvey; Jojo Rabbit; Spirited Away; The Visitor; Babette’s Feast.

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 17 has worked for the State of New Jersey. For the last two years, he has been an avid participant in the wonderful Nassau Church movie small groups led by film expert Karl Bjorkman who is enrolled in seminary this fall.

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GriefEncounters

Tuesdays, October 5-December 7, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
In-person at Nassau Presbyterian Church, Assembly Room

Register Here
Are you suffering from the loss of a loved one? Know that you are not alone.  GriefEncounters, Nassau’s new supportive small group, is here for you. Grief can be debilitating, isolating, and surprisingly peaceful, often all at once. It is one of life’s two most profound experiences, directly resulting from the other – love. Join co-Leaders, Lois Foley and Marcia Wood, as we share our journeys of grief, supported by God’s grace, scripture, and one another. GriefEncounters is a ministry of Nassau’s congregational care. Register by email with Marcia Wood in the link above.

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Adventures in Barth, Episode IV
Humanity and Time in Church Dogmatics III/2

Tuesdays, October 12-November 16, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
Virtual on Zoom
 

This group is full

Get “Barth Smart” as we encounter Mark’s favorite volume in the Church Dogmatics. Addressing our understanding of humanity and temporality, Barth rethinks and arguably solves the meta-question, “What is a human?”  First-timers and experts are welcome as we gather around this rigorous challenge to mind and heart, church and world. Reading is ~40 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 Give it Away: 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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Writing to Reunion

Thursdays, October 15-November 19, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Virtual on Zoom

This group was canceled

Come engage with the theme of reunion and restoration in a new and creative way. For six weeks this fall, sermons will explicate important reunions in the Bible. In this small group, participants will reflect upon these reunions, by writing about them. Then, in weekly meetings, the group will read and discuss participants’ written reflections. All writing styles are welcome and encouraged in this supportive environment. Together in the Holy Spirit, we’ll create a community of readers and writers.

Tom Quinlan is all about writing. He has studied writing from literary and psychological perspectives. In his professional life, he researches how digital technologies have transformed literacy.

 

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The Sacred Art of Photography (Returning Members)

Thursdays, October 14-November 18, 7:30-8:30 p.m.
Virtual on Zoom

This group will continue to explore the relation of images to Biblical texts, focusing this fall on the theme of reunion. You will a need camera of some sort–a pinhole, a smart phone, and iPhone, a DSLR, something–a desire to read the scripture and the explore how images evoke the spirit; and some imagination.

Interested in this group or in the possibility of an Intro Photography Group in the Spring? Click below to send an email to Ned:
Email Ned Walthall

Ned Walthall has been thinking about and taking photographs for years. He received an  MFA in Photography from The New England College Institute of Art and Design (formerly The New Hampshire Institute of Art).  His work has been exhibited at Gallery 14 in Hopewell, New Jersey; The New England School of Photography in Boston; and (currently) at the Glasgow Gallery of Photography. He is currently the editor  of the Light Has No Enemies blog, at https://lhne.tumblr.com/

His work can be seen at http://www.nedwalthall.com/ and you can follow him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/walthallphotography/.

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Lent 2021 – Linked-In Learning

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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.

Weekly small groups will discuss the coming Sunday’s adult education topic and sermon text. Shane Berg, Executive Vice President of Princeton Theological Seminary, is the Adult Education Lenten Leader. He graduated from Yale University with a doctorate in New Testament studies and is eager to return to Nassau Adult classes and discuss the relevance  of Jesus’ message in John. Pastor Dave Davis will then preach on these same texts each Sunday in Lent.

Study Guide

If you are unable to attend a small group or the adult education class, you can use this guide each week to prepare to hear the sermon in worship on Sunday or during the week on the Nassau Church website. This guide can also help in your preparation for the adult education presentations by Dr. Berg. Or read the text and discuss the questions together as a family or couple. Perhaps you didn’t sign up for a small group because the times were not convenient. At any time during Lent you can gather three or four friends on Zoom to talk about the Gospel of John using this guide.

2/20/21: Patriotism in Black and White: What does it Mean to be An American?

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WSPC Christian Education and Church Life Present a Black History Month Program

Saturday, Feb. 20, 2020 from 1–2 p.m.

Patriotism in Black and White: What does it Mean to be An American?
Dr. Mary McGriff, Professor and WSPC Member, Discussion leader

Racism and Patriotism appear at odds in the United States! The central lesson of the African-American political/social history is that the ideals and  promises of American democracy have not been fully realized for them, and there is cynicism and ambivalence about the meanings and practices of authentic patriotism. How can Black people assume the role of patriots (with pride in their country) while experiencing ongoing systemic racism?  What can we learn from the differing perspectives of historical and contemporary Black leaders?

Pre-Reading (optional)

Black Patriotism: When Love of Country Means Holding It Accountable (5 minute read): https://www.npr.org/2020/07/03/886535795/for-some-black-americans-love-of-country-means-holding-it-accountable.

Please join us for this timely and important discussion! Contact Phyllis Rich (email) for the Zoom link.