Small Groups at CHR
It’s a great time to try a small group.
Christians have always gathered in small groups for prayer, fellowship, and study. Today, our groups meet online or in person on various topics for 4-6 weeks. You can read all of the offerings below—and sign up!
Together, we’ll learn, grow, reflect, deepen our faith—and meet new people. Everyone is welcome.
Sign up for a group below (all times are listed in EST) and email Lucas Thorpe for more information or questions!
Winter and Spring 2024 Small Groups Online
April Small Group - Bearing Witness
Join this video-based study program led by Charlotte Cece that shares the stories of people living in Palestine and Israel and the remarkable ministries of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem that bring hope and healing in this volatile part of the world. Starting Monday, April 8th, 6:00 pm. 5 Sessions long. A diverse group of Palestinians and Israelis share their stories to help us understand the realities of life in the Holy Land and the conditions that create the urgent need for the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem’s schools, hospitals, and rehabilitation centers. Bearing Witness is developed by the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem (AFEDJ). AFEDJ provides ongoing support for churches and faith-based organizations in their implementation of the program. Register Here.
Sacred Ground at Heavenly Rest, Led by Carolyn Crouch - Sessions start Wednesday, Feb 7th, from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm and continue through June 19, 2024
Starting Wednesday, February 7th, you are invited to walk with fellow CHR parishioners through chapters of our country’s history of race and racism, while weaving in threads of family story, economic class, and political and regional identity. Join in the Sacred Ground journey, the Episcopal Church’s long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation, and justice in our personal lives, ministries, and society. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry has described Sacred Ground as a spiritual practice. Over the course of 11 sessions, participants have the opportunity to peel away the layers that have contributed to the challenges and divides of the present day – all while grounded in our call to faith, hope, and love. The documentary films and readings that comprise the Sacred Ground curriculum focus on Indigenous, Black, Latino, and Asian/Pacific American histories as they intersect with European American histories. Our stories. Learn more about and hear how Bishop Curry describes Sacred Ground here.
The facilitator for this session is Carolyn Crouch, a CHR online parishioner based in Washington, D.C. She has co-led two Sacred Ground groups in 2020 and 2021, which inspired her to participate in Heavenly Rest’s May 2022 racial justice pilgrimage to Georgia and Alabama. Over the summer, she led the CHR small group that read the book Let Heartbreak Be Your Guide. She currently mentors an Education for Ministry group comprised of members from Washington, D.C., and New York City. - Limited to 12 participants
For more information or to register, please email - Lucas Thorpe
Participants should have access to an Internet connection robust enough to connect to the Sacred Ground website, where the documentary films can be viewed, and articles and essays downloaded. Each participant will need to purchase two books: Waking Up White And Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debby Irving and Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman. All who join this Sacred Ground circle need to have access to Zoom technology that allows for being on camera every session. Working video on one’s device is essential.
Book Group - Faith and Sexuality: Understanding Queerness and Religion with From Sin to Grace: Discovering the Queer Christ By The Rev. Dr. Patrick Cheng - Led by Hannah Nolen and Heath Beveridge. Six Sessions Meeting on Wednesday at 7:00 pm, starting Feb 14th.
LGBTQ+ folks and allies are invited to join us as we dive into The Rev. Dr. Patrick Cheng’s book From Sin to Grace: Discovering the Queer Christ. Through the journey of this book, we will explore queer theology, break the traditional understanding of sin, and work to build a more inclusive community for all folks. - Limited to 12 participants
We will meet on Zoom Wednesday nights at 7:00 pm starting February 7th. The facilitators are Hannah Nolen (she/her) and Heath Beveridge (he/they), two CHR staff members. This small group is a safe space, and we invite people to come as they are -- holy and made in God’s image - For more information or to register, please email - Lucas Thorpe
Book Group - Finding God's Justice in Fiction: a study of James McBride’s latest book, The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store - Led by Cynthia Pease - Seven Sessions Meeting on Monday at 11:00 am, starting Feb 12th.
The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store explores both racism and antisemitism in a divided town in Pennsylvania in the 1920s and 1930s. At the center of the story is Chona, the compassionate Jewish woman who maintains the Heaven and Earth Grocery Store and who is hiding the young, deaf Dodo, a Black orphan whom authorities want to place in an asylum - For more information or to register, please email - Lucas Thorpe
Discussion Group - Exploring the "Kingdom of Heaven" - Led by The Rev. Dr. Meredith Hawkins - Six Sessions Meeting on Wednesday at 5:30 pm, starting Feb 14th.
Jesus proclaimed the coming of the "Kingdom of Heaven". In the Lord's prayer, we pray "Thy Kingdom come". Yet how do we reconcile this with the everyday reality of our lives and the chaos of the world around us? Can we live more in the Kingdom of Heaven in our present lives, and what would that look like? Does this differ from trying to build paradise on earth? To address these questions, we will explore Scripture along with some thoughtful literary and artistic reflections on the topic. Anticipate some lively discussions! - For more information or to register, please email - Lucas Thorpe
Prayer Book Group - Being Here: Prayers for Curiosity, Justice, and Love - by Pádraig Ó Tuama - Led by Lucas Thorpe - Six Sessions Meeting on Monday at 6:30 pm, starting on Feb 12th.
"What is prayer? It's not a ticket to heaven. Instead, it's a way of perceiving and existing in the present moment." Join a weekly gathering for six sessions to pray, share, and discuss Heavenly Rest's collaboration with the Poet and Theologian Pádraig Ó Tuama's latest publication, Being Here: Prayers for Curiosity, Justice, and Love. Time will be spent reflecting on the prayers, collects, and essays collected in Being Here. We will also share our prayer practices and pray together for the wider world. - For more information or to register, please email - Lucas Thorpe
Prayer Time with The Rev. Cindy Stravers - Ongoing. This small group meets weekly on Wednesday at 1:00 pm on Zoom.
Join The Rev. Cindy Stravers, Associate Rector at Heavenly Rest, online for a time to pray together. We'll remember those who have asked for our prayers, for the concerns of our hearts, and for each other. - Email Here.
Tea Time with The Rev. Cindy Stravers - Ongoing. This small group meets weekly on Thursday at 3:00 pm on Zoom.
Join The Rev. Cindy Stravers, Associate Rector at Heavenly Rest, for an afternoon tea break online! We’ll catch up and discuss whatever is on our minds and hearts, all while sipping a cup of tea (or your preferred refreshment). We hope you’ll join us! - Email Here.
Seniors in New York: Tuesday, 4:00 pm, Ongoing - Led by Gail Zimmerman. This small group meets weekly on Tuesday at 4:00 pm on Zoom.
We support each other by sharing opportunities of interest to seniors in New York. Through our sharing, we have discussed exercise classes, lectures, walking groups, museums, restaurants, the many activities at CHR, and so much more. We start each meeting with a topic suggested in the weekly email invitation and follow the lead of members, wherever it may go. When we began three years ago, we focused mostly on living through Covid. We now support each other by sharing ideas and talking about current needs. We currently meet in person twice a year. We may be able to do more of this in the future.
Our goal is to be a group of friendship and support. Sign Up Here
Heavenly Rest Women's Podcast Group: Thursday, 9:00 am, Ongoing - Led by Lucy Breidenthal. This small group meets weekly on Zoom on Thursday mornings.
Join us for Women's Podcast Group on Thursday mornings at 9:00 am. We gather to check in, provide support, and listen to a podcast or audiobook that speaks to our needs and longings. We discuss briefly and share what's on our hearts. We close in prayer. Ours is a safe space for women of all ages (we span twenties through nineties!). Join us anytime. No expectations, no heavy qualifications, just circling virtually together to hold space for each other. Sign Up Here
Email Lucy to connect further! Lucy Breidenthal
Winter and Spring 2024 Small Groups In Person
Wrapped in Prayer Knitting Group (also meets online Monday 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm).
During the pandemic, a small group began meeting virtually on Mondays to knit/crochet while encouraging one another. We are excited to announce the in-person expansion of this ministry. Please join us downstairs in the undercroft after the 11:00 am service. Whether you are a seasoned handcrafter or a complete beginner, please come to be supported as you create. Interested? Email Hannah Nolen for more information about the in-person and online gatherings. We look forward to seeing you! Sundays at 12:30 pm in the Undercroft Green Room.
Mom’s Group with Jane Daines
Join Heavenly Rest moms for in-person connection, fellowship, and fun. We’ll gather once a month for different ways to connect. Come when you can, and feel free to bring friends! Thanks to Jane Daines for hosting.
Email Hannah Nolen for more information.
Men’s Bible Study Group
Did you know? CHR has a men's Bible study group that meets every other week on Tuesdays at 9:00 am in the Undercroft for study. In the weeks between meetings at CHR, the group meets for an informal breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien. We would be very pleased to have you join us. For more information or to register, please email - Lucas Thorpe
