FORMATION:
Adult Education
2025 Session IV
Sunday Morning Classes
After grabbing some refreshments in the Fellowship Café, join one of our Faith Formation classes from 9:40 – 10:40. All are welcome!
The Present Word
Session House Parlor
Taught by George Evans
The Present Word is an in-depth Bible study for adults that dives deep into God’s Word, studying the Bible over a six-year period and focusing on a specific theme each quarter. The Present Word is a study of Scripture that leads to discovery of its deeper meaning and relevance for today. The winter quarter, “A King Forever and Ever,” explores the broad sweep of biblical teaching about God’s reign and connects to Jesus as the earthly exhibition of the divine Kingdom. Beginning with key moments in the history of David’s ancestors, Unit I highlights Jesus’s birth as the “Son of David.” Unit II is a four-week study of psalms that extol the reign of God, while Unit III gives a New Testament look at Jesus’s teachings on “Life in God’s Kingdom.”
Famous Last Words:
An 11-Week Exploration
of the Book of Revelation
Session House
Led by Patrick Ryan
Mysterious visions. A fiery dragon. Creatures made entirely of eyeballs. A triumphant ending. These are just a few bewildering images in the Book of Revelation. The Book of Revelation is one of the most misunderstood—and most powerful—books of the Bible. Below its surface, it is a beautiful letter of hope, a call to courage, and a story of Christ's victory over all other powers.
Come and see how the Book of Revelation isn’t about endings—it’s about new beginnings and the promise of God’s unshakable love. Join us for this 11-week study as we uncover Revelation's meaning, hope, and relevance for today.
Sunday Afternoon &
Mid-Week
Every Wednesday
from 12:00 pm–1:00 pm
Life of Prayer: The
Practice of Contemplative
Living
Owl Room and on Zoom
Led by Patrick Ryan
Led by the Rev. Patrick Ryan and guided by a seasonal book, this group journeys together along a way that Jesus taught in hopes of nurturing a greater awareness of the spiritual dimension in our lives. During Session IV we continue reading The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom in an Age of Outrage by Richard Rohr.
A summary of The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom in an Age of Outrage by Richard Rohr: How do we live compassionately in a time of violence and despair? What can we do with our private disappointments and the anger we feel in such an unjust world? In his most personal book yet, Richard Rohr turns to the writings of the Jewish prophets, revealing how some of the lesser-read books of the Bible offer us a crucial path forward today. Drawing on a century of biblical scholarship and written in the warm, pastoral voice that has endeared Rohr to millions, The Tears of Things breathes new life into ancient wisdom. It paves a path of enlightenment for anyone seeking a compassionate way of living in a hurting world.
Every Wednesday
from 5:00 pm–5:30 pm
Wednesday Evening
Contemplative Worship
Chapel (Ministry Center, 1st floor)
Led by Patrick Ryan
This worship service is an opportunity for a mid-week pause in our busy lives to ponder God’s living Word presented to us in Scripture. This half hour is sacred time to sit at God’s feet and listen for God’s still, small voice. Contact patrick@firstpresnb.org with your questions.
May 4, 11, and 18
from 9:40 am–10:40 am
New Members’ Class
Owl Room (Ministry Center, 2nd floor)
Are you interested in exploring what it would mean to be a part of the First Presbyterian Church, New Bern congregation? New Member’s classes will be held on May 4, 11, 18 in the Ministry Center Conference Room during the Faith Formation hour (9:40 am – 10:40 am). If you’d like more information, want to sign up, or are interested in joining before then, please reach out to Anna Pinckney Straight.
Third Sunday of the Month
from 4:00 pm–5:00 pm
Calvin and Hops
(Men’s Beer and Theology)
Brewery 99, 1030 Pollock St.
Calvin and Hops is an informal monthly gathering of men (not limited to Presbyterians) to discuss theology and the life of faith. Led by Ken Wilkins, we have a beer (beer-drinking not mandatory) and usually some salty snacks brought by one of the group members. We’re reading through Presbyterian theologian Shirley Guthrie’s Christian Doctrine, which has introduced thousands of Christians, seminary students, and theologians to the tenets of the Christian faith. Contact church@firstpresnb.org for more information.
Monday Evenings
from 7:00 pm–8:30 pm
Women’s Bible Study
on Zoom
Encounters, wonders, teachings, and mysteries—these are how we glimpse the life of Jesus in the four Gospels. You are invited to join the Monday Evening Women’s Bible Study as it starts up again on Monday, January 13th from 7:00 pm–8:30 pm on Zoom as we explore the book Into the Mess and Other Jesus Stories: Reflections On The Life Of Christ by Debie Thomas.
The book can be ordered from multiple online sources. For questions about the group please contact Leslie Pinkston, Marice DeBruhl, or Wendy Moeller. Call Wendy Moeller for the Zoom link.
Gatherings Once a Month
for Study and Fellowship
Presbyterian Women
The Presbyterian Women (PW) continue our study of Patricia Tull’s Let Justice Roll Down: God’s Call to Care for Neighbors and All Creation. This year’s study invites us to explore, with all our hearts, God’s call to care for our neighbors and for creation. Readers will learn about ecological systems, the challenges of creation care, and the possibilities available to address or counter the impact of human-made stress on our environment. For more information contact Janet Bryan.
Peer Support Groups
Mid-Week Opportunities
Every other Thursday beginning on
January 16 - 6:30 pm–7:30 pm
Presbyterian Men
Session House Parlor
Despite having friends, family, and co-workers around each day, most men don’t get to talk about what’s on their minds. Men often lack healthy role models to learn from. Imagine a circle of brothers that listens not only to what you say but can hear the truth beneath your words. Imagine having companions that remind you of your commitments, help clarify your vision, and provide tools for action. Imagine a circle of men that holds you in prayer and supports and challenges you in your journey toward greater Christlikeness. Presbyterian Men offers this community to all men who wish to join.
Third Monday of the Month
12:00 pm–1:00 pm
Rebuilding: Divorce
Recovery Group
Chapel, 1st Floor Ministry Center
Rebuilding: Divorce Recovery Group is just the right balance of a shoulder-to-cry-on and a kick-in-the-pants to support you as you get through this confusing and often painful process and begin putting your life back together after a separation or divorce. You need not have attended before, nor do you have to commit to attending every month. Contact Patrick Ryan (patrick@firstpresnb.org) with questions.
Second Tuesday of the Month,
12 pm–1 pm
Grief Support Group
Chapel, 1st Floor, Ministry Center
Grief certainly doesn’t work like we expect it to. In so many situations, those who have lost a loved one have to endure awkward and sometimes hurtful conversations, even with those who love them. Grief is one of those things that many who have not endured it do not know how to talk about. With readings each month, the Grief Support Group is a small group and a rare space to share our grief honestly and be heard and understood as we do so.