Lent 2023 Small Groups

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.

return to top


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.

return to top


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.

return to top


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.

return to top


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.

return to top


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.

return to top


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.

return to top


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.

return to top


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.

return to top


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.

return to top


Contemplative Prayer Group this Advent

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

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.

return to top


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.

return to top


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.

return to top


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.

return to top


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.

return to top


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.

return to top


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.

return to top


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.

return to top


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).

return to top


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

return to top


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.

return to top



Fall 2021 Small Groups

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.

return to top


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.

return to top


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.

return to top


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.

return to top


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.

return to top


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.

return to top


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.

return to top


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.

return to top


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.

return to top


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.

 

return to top



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/.

return to top


Lent 2021 – Linked-In Learning

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?

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.

Witherspoon Partnership – new group for 2021

Bending the Moral Arc:

Contemporary Conversations on Race & Justice with Friends from Witherspoon Street & Nassau

Join for courageous conversations co-led by Denyse Leslie & Karen Brown, respective elders of the Witherspoon Street & Nassau Churches. To ground the conversations, there will be homework before each gathering to read, listen to, or watch. Most of the homework will take less than an hour, and no more than 2 hours. The group will meet via zoom every other week, starting January 20 at 7PM, for 12 weeks (6 gatherings).

This group is open to 5 participants from Witherspoon & 5 from Nassau.

Advent Evening Prayer Services

Join in mid-week fellowship, share prayer concerns, join in song.

This season Nassau will gather each Tuesday and Thursday at 8:00pm for a brief service of evening prayer hosted and led by members of our church staff.

These services will be held on Zoom. A link will be sent out to the “News from Nassau (All-Church News)” email list. This is the list that receives our mid-week Nassau Generations email newsletter. If you would like to be added to this list, please visit the Newsletter page of this website.

 

Fall 2020 Small Groups

Join a small group this fall – it’s a great way to strength the bonds that hold us together as we together face the many challenges of this season. From contemporary Sci-Fi films to ancient Psalms, our small group opportunities will expand and enrich your mind, your faith, and your fellowship. All small groups will meet virtually using the Zoom platform. Sign up today!

Click on the Small Group Name to read more.

Start
Time

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

10 a.m. Psalms
11 a.m. Psalms
2 p.m. Book Group
4 p.m. Kids
(grades 4-7)
7 p.m.
Movies Adventures
in Barth
Psalms
7:30 p.m. Psalms Psalms
Intro to
Photography
Return to Photography

Linked-In Learning

The fall Linked-In Learning series focuses on the Psalms. In this is season of extreme challenges, personally and communally, no other Biblical text brings words to our many emotions quite so aptly. There are Psalms for weeping, Psalms for praising, Psalms for gratitude and even Psalms for cursing. These ancient hymns and poems direct our prayer life, support our worship, and allow for the expressions of all emotions. Join a small group and learn how these timeless texts offer unending outlets for growth, faith, and encouragement. All small groups will meet virtually using the Zoom platform.

Weekly small groups will preview the coming Sunday’s theme and text. Brent A. Strawn, a Psalms specialist and Professor of Old Testament and Professor of Law at Duke University, will lead Adult Education these weeks in series titled The Psalms and the Life of Faith in 2020: Praise, Sorrow, Curse. Each week Brent will teach on a different genre of Psalm and Pastor Dave Davis will then preach on a Psalm of that same genre.


Mondays, October 12-November 16, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

This group is FULL

Register Here
Corrie Berg, Director of Educational Ministry, counts Small Group involvement as a highlight of her work at Nassau Presbyterian. She has been a life-long lover of Psalms and is eager to journey through this book with her Monday group.

return to top


Mondays, October 12-November 16, 7:30-8:30 p.m.

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.

return to top


Tuesdays, October 13-November 17, 7:30-8:30 p.m.

This group is FULL


Kathie Sakenfeld retired from Princeton Seminary in 2013 after teaching Old Testament there for 43 years. Her special interests are the Pentateuch and stories of women throughout the OT. An ordained PCUSA clergywoman, she has participated in the life of Nassau Church since 1970 and has served the denomination at Presbytery, national, and international levels.

return to top


Wednesdays, October 14-November 18, 10:00-11:00 a.m.

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.

return to top


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

Register Here
Marshall McKnight, a Nassau Church member since 2011, serves as a deacon and is active on the Mass Incarceration Task Force and the Membership Committee. He was a journalist for seven years and for the last fourteen has worked for the State of New Jersey.

return to top


Kids’ Group on Psalms

Mondays, October 12-November 16, 4:00-5:00 p.m.

Rising 4th-7th graders

This group is FULL

Register Here
Corrie Berg, Director of Educational Ministry, loves stories (all stories). She’s looking forward to talking about Psalms, old and new.

return to top


Other Small Group Options

Nassau Book Group 2

3rd Sunday of the Month, September-May, 2:00 p.m.

Register Here
Read a good book, lately? Want to share it? Join our new book club! We will meet monthly to read and discuss novels, short stories, memoirs and nonfiction. The first gathering was Sunday, September 20, and we’ll continue to meet the 3rd Sunday of each month through May 2021.

Each participant will take a turn facilitating the monthly book discussion and choosing two books for the group’s consideration.

return to top


Science Fiction in Films

Sundays October 11-November 15, 7:00-8:00pm

Register Here
In this small group we’ll have the chance to watch and discuss some great examples of science fiction — a genre that’s been the perfect breeding ground for rich ideas (often theological) and visual creativity from the very beginning. But science fiction encompasses many sub-genres as well: spiritual epic, horror, existential thriller, anime, and even romance. Whether you want to take a closer look at the influential films we’ll be exploring or just enjoy some classics for the first time, this is the place to be!

Movies: Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Alien, Blade Runner, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Arrival.

Karl Bjorkmanjoined Nassau last year and is an M.A.(TS) student at Princeton Theological Seminary. He is also a recent graduate of St. Olaf College, where he studied both religion and film. He lives at the CRW Apartments with his wife, Eszter, who is an M.Div. candidate at PTS.

return to top


Adventures in Barth, Episode 2

This group is FULL

Tuesdays, October 13-November 17, 7:00-8:00pm


Long-haul times need long-haul texts. After a delightful summer session with Barth’s dialectics we return to Church Dogmatics for Episode II. Get “Barth Smart” as we discuss grace, freedom, time, and trinity.  Jesus may come up too. First-timers and experts are welcome as we gather around Barth’s theological challenge to the church & world. Reading is ~40 pages a week.
Mark Edwards joined Nassau as Director of Youth Ministries in September of 2013. He is a lifelong Presbyterian and holds a PhD (Philosophy and Theology, 2013) from Princeton Theological Seminary. He has been a Lecturer at Princeton University, and an adjunct professor at The College of New Jersey and Princeton Theological Seminary. Mark is married to Janine and they have two children.

return to top


The Sacred Art of Photography (Intro Session)

Tuesdays, October 13-November 17, 7:30-8:30pm

Register Here
Psalms are poems and poems are (partly) about images.  To wit:

The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul.

Participants will take photographs inspired by Psalms. No special equipment, knowledge, or skill is required. You will a need camera of some sort–a pinhole, a smart phone, and iphone, a DSLR, something–a desire to read the psalms, and some imagination.


The Sacred Art of Photography (Returning Members)

Thursdays, October 15-November 19, 7:30-8:30pm

This group is FULL


This group will continue to explore the relation of images to Biblical texts. Psalms and their expression in photographic images created by members will to be explored, but Psalms will not be the exclusive focus of this group.  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.


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/.

return to top