ADULT CLASSES

For more information on our Christian Formation offerings, please email hannahhutchens@christchurchnewbern.com.

SUNDAY MORNING CLASSES

LECTIONARY CLASS

Sundays, 9:45 to 10:50 am, Pelletier Room

Lectionary Class is currently on break for the summer. In this 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.

WEEKDAY OPPORTUNITIES

RECTOR'S BIBLE STUDY

Wednesdays from 11am to noon, Pelletier Room

Leader: The Rev. H. Paul Canady III

The Rector’s Bible Study resumes on Wednesday, January 14th at 11:00am. We will spend the next couple of months looking at Paul’s letter to the Romans. Romans is Paul’s longest letter, and probably his most well-formed theological arguments for Jesus as the Messiah of God. It is a complex work, but we are going to break it down chapter by chapter, theme by theme, so we can all learn more! You can bring your own Bible or use one of ours. No prior Bible wisdom or knowledge needed! We’d love to have you there!

Questions? Reach out to the Rev. Paul Canady (paulcanady@christchurchnewbern.com or 252.361.5223 – office) for more information. You can also join the Realm group https://tinyurl.com/CCNB-RBS to receive communications about the weekly gatherings.

WOMEN'S BOOK STUDY

Tuesdays from 10 to 11am, Second Floor Living Room

The Women’s Book Study is reading Acedia & Me by Kathleen Norris. Copies of the book are available for purchase at the reception desk ($10.00).

Norris is a poet and essayist whose work focuses on the intersection of religious practices and the spiritual journey. In Acedia & Me, Norris explores all aspects of acedia, with the particular purpose of drawing a distinction between it and depression. Acedia, coined the “noonday demon” by the early monastics, is a type of spiritual apathy, and is often described as a weariness of soul. Though it is not readily a part of the modern scientific lexicon, acedia, in today’s culture, is generally lumped in with depression and the sin of sloth, one of the supposed seven deadly sins. We treat it with medication, just like everything else. But, as Norris continually illuminates, acedia possesses spiritual roots, and, thus, can ultimately only be treated with spiritual attention and resolve.

Join us Tuesdays from 10:00-11:00 in the 2nd Floor Living Room. 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. You can join the group at any time.

This book study is led by Phyllis Fox and Heather McCloud Huff.

CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER GROUP - Returns in February 2026

Mondays at 11:30 am, Pelletier Room (Zoom option available)

Leader: Rev. Barbara Bornemann

When: 11:30 AM – 12:45 PM on Mondays

Meets In Person & On Zoom: In person: Pelletier Room, upstairs at Christ Church

Leader: Rev. Barbara Bornemann

Two Study Books: Surrender to Love: Discovering the Heart of Christian Spirituality and The Gift of Being Yourself: The Sacred Call to Self-Discovery. Both books are by David G. Benner.

In our self-reliant era, most of us recoil from the concept of surrender to a power or authority outside ourselves. But surrender need not be seen as threatening, especially when the Divine One to whom we surrender is the epitome of goodness and love. The next session of the Contemplative Prayer Group will explore two small books that focus on the theme: “Letting Go: The Path to Spiritual Surrender.” During the first weeks, the group will study David S. Benner’s book, Surrender to Love: Discovering the Heart of Christian Spirituality. During the last weeks, we will explore the topic of surrendering to self-love as we study Benner’s second book, The Gift of Being Yourself: The Sacred Call to Self-Discovery. Thomas Merton, Trappist monk and mystic, speaks to the spirituality of self-discovery: “There is only one problem on which all my existence, my peace, and my happiness depend: to discover myself in discovering God. If I find God, I will find myself and if I find my true self I will find God.” Come and join the Contemplative Prayer Group as we support one another on our path of surrendering to Divine love and self-love.

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.

ADULT CLASSES

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