ADULT CLASSES
For more information on our Christian Formation offerings, please email christianformation@christchurchnewbern.com​.
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SUNDAY MORNING CLASSES
LECTIONARY CLASS
Sundays, 9:45 to 10:50 am, Pelletier Room
Leader: John Harper
Lectionary Class participants discuss readings from each Sunday’s services. Key questions from a study guide kick off the discussions. Typically, discussions focus on what the readings may have meant to listeners in ancient times and what they mean to us today. They also focus on how readings are connected and on the meaning of unusual names, places, and events. Study guides are available at the Reception Desk.
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​WEEKDAY OPPORTUNITIES
RECTOR'S BIBLE STUDY - You Say You Want a Revelation?
Wednesdays from 11am to noon, Pelletier Room
Leader: The Rev. H. Paul Canady III
Shrouded in mystery and intrigue, the Book of Revelation has perplexed Jesus followers (and others) for generations. And every three years, passages from the last book of the Bible are part of our Sunday readings in the season of Easter.
This Lent, the Rector’s Bible Study will explore the themes and imagery that have made this book such a focal point for so many.
Will we find out who the antichrist is? Sort of.
Will it tell us when the world will end and Jesus will return? Not even close. Don’t try.
Will we find a lot of relevance to our world today? You bet!
Like the majority of the pattern of the Rector’s Bible Study, you won’t be lost or behind if you miss a week. Come as you. Come as often as you can. Bring your own Bible, but if you don’t have one, we have plenty!
The series will run March 12 - April 16. (We will not meet on Ash Wednesday). The Rector’s Bible Study meets at 11:00am each Wednesday in the Pelletier Room. We finish by noon at the latest. Questions? Contact the Rev. Paul Canady (paulcanady@christchurchnewbern.com).
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WOMEN'S BOOK STUDY
Tuesdays from 10 to 11am, Second Floor Living Room
The Women’s Book Study is exploring Reading the Women of the Bible: A New Interpretation of Their Stories by Tikva Fryer-Kensky. A Biblical scholar, author, and professional, Frymer-Kensky was profoundly committed to Jewish-Christian dialogue. This book addresses both modern hypotheses and traditional beliefs about the Biblical texts. It explores the women of the Hewbrew Bible from a scholar perspective and also acknowledges areas where questions remain unanswered.
Join us on Tuesdays, as we discover connections between our stories and the stories of the women of the Bible. Women of all ages are invited to attend. We open our time together with prayer, followed by reading the book aloud, and discussing. No preparation is necessary, and you can join the group at any time.
Contact the Rev. Suzanne Hood (suzannehood@christchurchnewbern.com) for more information. This book study is led by Phyllis Fox and Heather McCloud Huff.
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CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER GROUP
Praying with Julian of Norwich
Mondays at 11:30 am, Pelletier Room (Zoom option available)
Leader: Rev. Barbara Bornemann
When: 11:30 AM – 12:45 PM on Mondays, 2/10/25 – 5/26/25
Sign Up: Email pastor.bornemann@gmail.com
Meets In Person & On Zoom: In person: Pelletier Room, upstairs at Christ Church
Study Book: Praying with Julian of Norwich: Companions for the Journey by Gloria Durka
Purchase Book: Used Books Available Online (Order soon. Used books have longer delivery)
Starting February 10th, the Contemplative Prayer Group will be exploring the writings of Julian of Norwich. Julian was a mystic and prophet who lived from 1342 to 1416, during the time of the dreadful bubonic plaque. She “sheltered in place” as an anchoress at St. Julian’s Church in Norwich, England. Spending much of her time in contemplative prayer and journaling, Julian wrote down several of her revelations. She is mostly known to us through her book, The Revelations of Divine Love which is widely acknowledged as one of the great classics of the spiritual life and was the first book in English by a woman. Inspired by Julian’s writings, Thomas Merton, a 20th century Trappist monk, called her a “true theologian” and “one of the most wonderful of all Christian voices.” Merton was impressed by Julian’s authenticity, originality, and faithful prayer life. In the midst of a world struggling with fear and uncertainty, Julian encourages us to never lose trust in our gracious God. This central message of trust is conveyed through her most famous quote, “All shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.” Come and join the Contemplative Prayer Group. As we explore the unique insights and wisdom of Julian’s prayer life, we will have an opportunity to grow and be blessed in our own prayer life.
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STATIONS OF THE CROSS
John Gaskill will lead Stations of the Cross on Wednesdays at 5 pm during Lent.
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LENTEN ADULT FORMATION CLASS
The Hardest Part: Hurt We Carry, Hope We Find
5:30 pm, Wednesdays during Lent in the Library
Leader: The Rev. Suzanne Hood
The Rev. Suzanne Hood will lead an adult formation class on Wednesday evenings from 5:30 to 6:30 pm in the Library entitled The Hardest Part: Hurt we Carry, Hope we Find. Life is a mix of joy and sorrow, love and loss, big wins and even bigger failures. Everything is much more fragile than we like to admit. In Lent we sit with the heaviness of that truth. For 40 days we stop pretending that things will suddenly get better and face the truth: life is fragile, and so are we. We will explore being human, the complexity that life is both terrible and beautiful, how to lament, the gift that imagination can be in the face of all of this, and the wisdom and love we can gain from it. Coming together in vulnerability we will learn how to better carry our hurts, and how to find hope in the midst.
*Curriculum written by The Everything Happens Project
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DIOCESANT LENTEN CLASS
GUIDED BY THE SPIRIT: A Lenten Class for Adults:
Meets Mondays in Lent at 7 pm via Zoom.
Join us for a transformative journey through children’s literature using Galatians 5:22-24 as our guide. Meets Mondays in Lent at 7 pm via Zoom.
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EDUCATION FOR MINISTRY (EfM)
This class covers the basics of a theological education in the Old and New Testaments, church history, liturgy, and theology - with a strong emphasis on theological reflection. EfM is a four-year program that can be taken with gaps between years. The class will prepare you for any and all ministries you will serve in at Christ Church. For more information about local groups, contact Diocesan EfM Coordinator, Lisa Richey, at piergazer@gmail.com, or visit the Diocese's EfM website.
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