2023 Small Groups
The Riverside Church Education and Faith Formation Ministry Small Groups
We all have questions about life, faith, and our role in the world. Come explore them in a safe and caring environment where hard questions are welcome. Our Faith Formation classes offer a variety of group experiences that will allow you to study Scripture, engage in theological reflection, and deepen your faith. Registration is now open for the 2023 Semester – In Person and Online. All are welcome to attend and membership at Riverside is not required. Please reach out to education@trcnyc.org with any questions. See full course listings and registration links below.
- Open Bible Study
- Riverside Book Club
- Riverside Writing Group
- Absolute Beginners Biblical Hebrew
- Advanced Beginners Biblical Hebrew II
- The Seekers Book Study
- Intermediate-Advanced Biblical Hebrew
- TRC Israel & Jordan Recap Program
- Word @ Night
- Living and Leading in Christian Community
- The Book of James
- The Word in Our World (Coming in February 2024)
OPEN BIBLE STUDY
Every Sunday | 9:30 AM | MLK 330 & ZOOM
Participate in Open Bible Study to look at the texts that will be preached that Sunday as we pray, study scripture, and check in with one another. This class takes place each Sunday morning before worship. Contact Education at education@trcnyc.org for more information.
2nd Saturday of each month, October – June | 11:00 AM | ZOOM
All readers and thinkers are welcome to a time of fellowship and lively discussion over a monthly book selection. This year we will read books through the lens of True Religion.
RIVERSIDE WRITING GROUP
September 28, October 19, November 30 and December 7 | 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM | ZOOM
The Riverside Writing Group is open to all who are interested in writing, whether for your private enjoyment or even publication. This year we continue our journey of “Writing Justice Stories.” Spend an hour each week writing and reflecting upon your own encounters with in/justice in this world.
Click Below to Register for one or all!
“How-To See, Map, Write Health/Poverty/Gender Disparities in Your Own Community: Justice Tales from an Anthropologist”
Presenter: Dr. Vernay Mitchell-McKnight, Ph.D., Anthropology, Columbia University
“How to Write Justice Stories: Writing Girl Power. Part I.”
Presenter: Dr. Abosede George, Author of “Making Modern Girls: A History of Girlhood, Labor, and Social Development in 20th Century Colonial Lagos”
“How to Write Justice Stories: Writing Girl Power. Part II”
Presenter: Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond, novelist, Powder Necklace: A Novel
“Talking to a Plant & Goat-Herding for One Year: A Herbalist on Writing Nature As Justice Teacher”
Presenter: Maitri Butcher, Certified Herbalist & a Co-Creator of Riverside Writing Group
ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS BIBLICAL HEBREW
Sundays, Oct 1 – June 9 | 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM | 314MLK & Zoom
Biblical Hebrew is the language in which Jesus read the Scripture and prayed its Psalms. As true followers of our Lord, we also want to know the language of the Hebrew Scriptures (The Tanakh) that formed His unique rhetoric. The Riverside Church offers you a great opportunity to refine your language Hebrew speech and thought about God. We start by learning the Hebrew script, its transcription, vocabulary, grammatical rules, and basic syntax. These will be demonstrated in various verses from the Old Testament (Tanakh). The class is open for absolute beginners with no knowledge of Biblical Hebrew.
ADVANCED BEGINNERS BIBLICAL HEBREW II
Wednesdays, Oct 4 – June 12 | 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM | Zoom
Biblical Hebrew offers students an opportunity to explore the foundational language of the Bible and gain insights into the culture and history of ancient Israel. These will be demonstrated in various verses from the Book of Ruth. We start by learning the Hebrew script, its transcription, vocabulary, grammatical rules, and basic syntax. The class is open for beginners and advanced beginners. Its purpose will be to prepare you for a more advanced level that will follow next year.
INTERMEDIATE-ADVANCED BIBLICAL HEBREW
Sundays, Oct 1 – June 9 | 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM | 314MLK & Zoom
The Riverside Church presents an excellent opportunity to further develop your proficiency in Biblical Hebrew and enrich your understanding of God as portrayed in the Old Testament. Building upon the foundation of Introductory Hebrew grammar, this class will likely delve into more advanced aspects of the language, such as verb conjugations, syntax, and a deeper exploration of biblical vocabulary. The class is open for both advanced beginners and intermediate levels. Its purpose will be to prepare you for a more advanced level that will follow next year.
THE SEEKERS BOOK STUDY
Sundays, October 8 – December 17 | 9:00 AM – 10:15 AM | Hybrid
The Seeker’s Book Study explores our spiritual side via the reading of books by progressive authors. Carl Jung noted that when religious people move into the middle-age, they struggle with the image of God ‘up there’ in heaven. This class explores other metaphors for the divine which resonate better for those who have gone beyond the God image of our younger selves. Specifically, this year we will begin by exploring “Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul” by John Philip Newell. We will also go beyond what the authors write by discussing our own experience and how it relates to each week’s reading. Class meets on Sunday mornings at 9AM starting Oct. 8th. For the first class we will discuss the preface and the Introduction to “Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul.”
A summary of the book: A leading spiritual teacher reveals how Celtic spirituality—listening to the sacred around us and inside of us—can help us heal the earth, overcome our conflicts, and reconnect with ourselves. John Philip Newell shares the long, hidden tradition of Celtic Christianity, explaining how this earth-based spirituality can help us rediscover the natural rhythms of life and deepen our spiritual connection with God, with each other, and with the earth. Newell introduces some of Celtic Christianity’s leading practitioners, both saints and pioneers of faith, whose timeless wisdom is more necessary than ever.
The following Sundays there will be no class: Oct 29th, Nov 26th, Dec 24th and 31st. All our welcome.
WORD @ NIGHT
October 27 & April 12 | 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
More details to come!
LIVING AND LEADING IN CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY
Saturdays in January 2024 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
More details to come!
TRC ISRAEL & JORDAN RECAP PROGRAM
More details coming soon!
THE BOOK OF JAMES
Coming Winter 2023/24
Explore the book of James with Rev. Amanda Meisenheimer and discover the context and depth of the source of our “True Religion” theme. This 6-week course will examine the book of James from historical, theological, and personal perspectives.
THE WORD IN OUR WORLD
Coming February 2024 | 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM | ZOOM
“The Word in Our World” is an educational series on ZOOM which takes an in-depth look at current events through the lens of social justice, literature, ethics, the arts, liberation theologies, and the Christian perspective. The inaugural Fall Series examines Poverty & Homelessness.