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Journeys of Faith (Jan 2024)

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January 7 – 28, 2024

9:30 a.m. | Assembly Room (breakfast snacks available at 9:15 a.m.)


Everyone experiences twists and turns in life, and God accompanies us along the way.

Our tradition of intergenerational classes in the month of January returns. Middle School, High School, and Adults of all ages are invited to light breakfast with members of our community as they share stories of God’s faithfulness in their lives.

Audio recordings will be posted below each class description.

January 7 | Annalise Hume

Annalise 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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January 14 | Scott Harmon

Scott currently works in Sales for Church & Dwight and works closely with Target (or Tarzhay, as some know it). He has a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering from West Point and an MBA from Harvard. Scott held general management positions with the United States Army as the commander of a US Army Bomb Disposal company. He lives with his wife and has three grown daughters, most of whom are much happier that he now works on a computer rather than live explosives. Throughout the year, you may have seen Scott helping lead Loaves & Fishes, serving with youth at Appalachia Service Project, or starring in the recent Christmas Pageant.

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January 21 | Paula Alekson

Paula lives in Trenton with her wife Patrice (and their beloved pets) and is truly blessed to be a member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church family. She moved from New England to New Jersey 17 years ago to work in Education and then in Artistic and Community Engagement at McCarter Theatre Center. She recently shifted from the nonprofit arts to the social services sector, joining HomeFront in Lawrenceville as the Community Engagement Events and Administrative Specialist.

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January 28 | Hanna Reichel

Hanna grew up in a Lutheran family and spent their formative years in Germany, Venezuela, and Argentina. They pursued studies in theology and economics in Bonn, Beirut, and Heidelberg, culminating in a PhD dissertation on Karl Barth as a contextual theologian. Side-tracked from ordination, they taught in Heidelberg and Halle-Wittenberg before being appointed Associate Professor of Reformed Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary in 2018. In their academic work, they try to bring theological reflection together with insights from queer theory and other contemporary fields of critical inquiry. When not teaching, reading, or writing, Hanna Reichel loves to run, hike, or play boardgames. A member of Hopewell Presbyterian Church, Reichel lives with a spouse, two kids, and a dog in Hopewell.

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In Concert: Dan + Claudia Zanes

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Saturday, January 13, 2024 | 5:00 pm in the Sanctuary

We are so pleased to welcome back Dan + Claudia Zanes this January!  All ages are welcome to share in this interactive, community concert.

In lieu of tickets, we ask that each attendee please bring one of the food items listed below in support of Arm In Arm’s Valentines for Food Drive. We hope to fill the pews and pack the pantry!

About this Concert:

Grammy Award-winner Dan Zanes, and Haitian American jazz vocalist Claudia Zanes, perform a mix of old and new songs from near and far in a style that’s been called “All-Ages Social Music.” In other words, when they perform, it’s a party! The music is homespun, joyful, sophisticated and artful. Claudia is a board-certified Music Therapist. Her background has given the pair additional ways to make meaningful community connections and reach a diverse audience.


Shopping List:

  • Canned low-fructose fruit
  • Canned low-sodium vegetables
  • Canned tuna, salmon, chicken, or chili
  • Canned beans or 1 lb. bag of dried beans

No glass containers, please. Be sure to check expiration dates. Monetary donations to Arm in Arm will also be accepted.

January 2023

More videos from Dan + Claudia:

For the Long Night

So Glad I’m Here!

Long Hot Summer Nights

Ariba means up!


 

Mark Edwards at TCNJ

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Mark Edwards
Mark Edwards

Please join me in offering congratulations to Dr. Mark Edwards! This fall Mark began a full-time teaching position at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) where he has served as an adjunct for many years. Mark will be teaching ethics in the School of Engineering, working with the Honors program, and introducing freshmen to the study of philosophy and religion.

We are also grateful that Mark is continuing at Nassau in his role of Director of Youth Ministry. Though he will be reducing his time with us during the week, Mark will continue to lead the strong team of interns, teachers, and advisors that has been built through the years by God’s grace and God’s Spirit. We look forward to a robust season of Sunday morning church school, Sunday evening fellowship and choir, and confirmation class. And yes, a line-up of summer trips for 2024 is also on the ticket!!

On Thursday September 14th at 7pm, Mark and the Youth Ministry Committee will host an open meeting on Zoom to field any questions and to talk through the year. All are welcome to join us! Get the log-in details from Lauren Yeh (email, x106).

With grace and peace

David A. Davis
Pastor

2023-24 Child/Youth Registration

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Dear Parents,

Summer greetings!

We are excited about the coming program year at Nassau Presbyterian Church. This post contains registration and program information for the upcoming year.

REGISTRATION

We ask you to complete a new form each year to ensure we have accurate information on you and your child to ensure your child’s health and safety. If you have multiple children in your family, you will receive a separate registration email for each.

To complete your registration, please:

  • print the registration form that was emailed to you,
  • make changes/additions using the fields on page two,
  • with or without changes, please sign and date page one of the form, and
  • return these two pages to the church office as soon as possible – by Tuesday, September 5 or earlier – to make sure your child’s name appears correctly on our attendance lists.

If you are new to our church – Welcome! – or have an additional child to register, blank forms are available here and in the literature rack outside the church office:

Registration Form(pdf)

START UP DATES

This attachment lists the regular schedule and the start up dates for our program year long (Sept-May) activities:

Start Up Dates (pdf)

Please be in touch if you have any questions. With anticipation for the coming year!

Mark Edwards (x109)

Director of Youth Ministries

Ingrid Ladendorf (x105)

Director, Choirs for Children & Youth

Elizabeth Steel (x108)

Director of Children’s & Family Ministries

#MissionMonday – Johnsonburg Camp & Retreat Center

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Celebrating and ensuring the indelible mark of Johnsonburg on the future

Over the past six weeks you’ve heard from friends and members of the Nassau community as they recounted their memories of Camp JBurg and their hopes for its future. We invite you to join the Cook Davis, Mackichan Walker, Olsen, and Wood Yeh families (among many more in our community) in supporting the “Marked for the Future” campaign.

Learn More & Donate

Camp Johnsonburg – Summer Camp Registering Now!

Johnsonburg is a place where all may gather, and all are welcomed in God’s beautiful creation…and we are registering for SUMMER CAMP!

As New Jersey’s only Presbyterian summer camp, we have been the highlight of summer for thousands of kids across our 63 years.
We’ve got six 1-week overnight sessions for kids in rising 1st-12th grades from June to August. We have tons of activities, and our camp counselors are carefully hired, screened, and trained to be great role models for campers. Summer camp has been shown to increase social and emotional wellness in children and youth, as well as teaching them to be more independent and helping them to make friends. Compliment the faith building you are doing in church and at home with what will be your child’s favorite week of the summer. For more information, visit campjburg.org/summer-camp


Learn More (Summer Camp)

Signs of Grace: Live Stories

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January 8 – 29, 2023

9:30 a.m. | Assembly Room (9:15 a.m. for breakfast snacks)

All lives have twists and turns. All lives have ups and downs. All lives see signs of grace.

Our tradition of intergenerational classes in the month of January returns.  Middle School, High School, and Adults of all ages are invited to breakfast with members of our community as they share stories of God’s surprising faithfulness in their lives.

Audio recordings will be posted below each class description.

January 8

John Parker

Associate Director of Medical Writing, Bracco 

John is a spouse, parent of three grown children, teacher, writer, and child of God (not necessarily in that order). At Nassau, he has been an Elder, Deacon, youth leader, and church school teacher. By profession, he is a director of medical writing for a Milan-based pharma company. He is grateful for the sustaining witness to the gospel provided by Nassau Church.


Download Slides (PPT)

January 15

Theresa Thames

Associate Dean of Religious Life and the Chapel, Princeton University

An ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church, Theresa is a graduate of Howard University, Duke University Divinity School, and Wesley Theological Seminary. She is passionate about the intersections of theology, gender, organizational development, and social justice. She is a challenging preacher, thoughtful theologian, certified yoga teacher, wife, dog mom, and devoted friend. Dean Thames is a lover of life and a music connoisseur who prioritizes self-care and believes that freedom is not optional, rest is her strength, and radical joy is her resistance. She is involved with the Princeton community through student engagement, pastoral care, overseeing religious programs, and regularly preaching at the University Chapel.

January 22

Hannah Davis Millson

Project Coordinator, Employment and Business Services at AHRC, New York City

At AHRC (Advocacy, Humanity, Re-imagination, Change) NYC, a large nonprofit organization serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the New York area, Hannah focuses on projects spanning employment, education, and faith and spirituality. She has also developed the Partnership for Inclusive Internships in collaboration with NYC City government to facilitate a pathway to employment for people with disabilities in civil service roles. Prior to joining AHRC NYC, Hannah taught for 5 years as a special education teacher, specializing in adaptive and vocational skills.

Listen to the PCUSA podcast that Hannah mentions in her talk: A Matter of Faith (link).

January 29

Michele Minter

Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity, Princeton University

In this role, Michele oversees the University’s initiatives focused on diversity, inclusion and access for all campus populations and serves as chief compliance officer for Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity, Title IX and the Americans with Disabilities Act. From 2008 to 2011, she served as vice president for development at the College Board, where she led fundraising and strategic initiatives focused on educational policy. She is an ordained elder and deacon at the Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church, a trustee of the Princeton Theological Seminary and the Westminster Foundation/Princeton Presbyterians, a director of the New Covenant Trust Company, and a former trustee of the Presbyterian Foundation.

Morning of Mission 2023

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Come and participate in hands-on projects when we act on our Christian commitment to human flourishing in all places. All hands are needed and welcome.

HANDS-ON PROJECTS

Monday, January 16, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, Assembly Room

We will be making pet blankets for orphaned animals, putting together sack lunches for the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK), assembling Creativity Kits for HomeFront, collecting personal care products for Arm in Arm clients and making calendars for ABC Literacy. Donation items are listed below.
Contact Corrie Berg (email)

Creativity Kits for HomeFront

  • pkgs. of crayons (24–48 ct.)
  • pkgs. of colored pencils (24–28 ct.)
  • pkgs. of markers (10–12 ct.)
  • coloring books
  • coloring pads/sketch pads
  • individual packages of stickers

Personal Care Products for Arm in Arm

  • toothbrushes and toothpaste
  • shampoo and conditioner
  • razors and shaving cream
  • soaps and lotion
  • feminine products

COMMUNITY CLEAN-UP

Monday, January 16, 1:00-3:00 pm, Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve

We will work to remove invasive species within riparian restoration project areas, as well as install deer-exclusion caging to protect young tree saplings.

Registration Required with Friends of Princeton Open Space (link)

Contact Mark Edwards (email)

Summer Trips 2023

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Registration is OPEN!

Download the registration form:Summer 2023 (pdf)

  • “Rising Grades” are as of September 2023
  • Registration deadlines are listed for each trip

Taizé Community & Paris, France

Registration Deadline: December 1, 2022

July 19-31 (12 nights) | age 15+

Nassau returns to France to join the church universal for a week of community, prayer, song, and framping (French camping).

  • Lodging: camping (Taizé) & hostel (Paris)
  • Transportation: TGV & bus (to/from Taizé); Metro/cabs in Paris
  • Cost: $850/pp (see flyer for more details)


Taize 2023 (pdf)

Middle School Splash Camp

Registration Deadline: February 5, 2023

July 4-7 (Tue-Fri) | Rising 6th to 9th Grade

A cool bus full of kids, day trips to the best swim and splash spots, and a ton of sun ’n fun.  It’ll be a summer week done right.

  • Lodging: your home
  • Location: Greater Princeton Area
  • Transportation: Bus, pick-up/drop-off at Nassau Church
  • Cost: $100/pp (bus, snacks), Bring Your Own Lunch

Appalachia Service Project

Registration Deadline: February 5, 2023

July 9-15 (Sun-Sat) | Rising 9th Grade and up

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

  • Lodging: cots/air mattresses in school auditorium/gym
  • Transportation: 15-passenger vans
  • Cost: $450/pp (transportation, lodging & meals on site)

Lenten Devotions 2023 – Call for Writers

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Ash Wednesday, 3/2/22 – Easter Sunday, 4/17/22

Would you consider writing a meditation for our 2022 Lenten daily devotional series? We are always hoping to encourage new writers to join us. These messages of faith and encouragement have become a meaningful tradition for our community, and for many beyond the Nassau congregation. We will share these messages through a daily email, and later, when the season is complete, as a PDF that can be downloaded from our website.

Participating easy — here’s how:

“God’s Hands and the Holy Spirit,” from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. Original source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/basta-cosi/1547659026/ – Jean Bean.

Each writer will be provided a choice of scriptures and guidelines for writing. Choose one or two verses meaningful to you, write a short reflection on them, and include a sentence prayer to close your reflection. It can be in any literary form: Prose, poem, haiku, dialogue, etc. Examples of our recent devotionals can be found on our website here (link).

It need not be complicated; simply from your heart. We have resources and helpers to guide you through the process. Please join us.

If you have any questions about the process or if you’re ready to sign up, please email Karen Barrows.

 

 

ASP 2022

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Warmer. Safer. Drier.

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

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Required Forms

Student

Chaperone
Youth Deposit Form (pdf) due 1/30/22 Chaperone Deposit Form (21+) (pdf) due 1/30/22
Youth Permission Form (pdf) due 6/5/22 Chaperone Permission Form (pdf) due 6/5/22

Also due on June 5 (Forms Day) from each participant:

Questions about forms and due dates to Lauren Yeh.

Schedule and Packing List

ASP Online Volunteer Registration:

All the information you need to complete the online registration is on the ASP Volunteer Form.

  1. Go to: http://www.servicenetwork.com/reg/APPSERV/Join.asp
  2. Our Group Number is: 11515 (changes each year)
  3. ASP Online Registration Instructions (pdf)

ASP Covenant Text:

Each participant will sign the same document on or before June 5, 2022.

As a Volunteer with Appalachia Service Project, I agree:

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

As an Adult Group Leader, I further agree:

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

Sunday, May 15 – Organizational Meeting

On Sunday, May 15, we will meet at 10:20 a.m. for a brief organizational meeting in Niles Chapel.  Gather with your work team, learn about the project you’ll be working on, talk about what to pack, what to expect – get to know the other members of this year’s ASP Trip!

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

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