Grow in faith & connect with people in 6 weeks
Join us for our next cycle of Small Groups! Grow in faith, build relationships, and develop your discipleship alongside a supportive group of new and old friends. You are invited.
Small Groups are done in collaboration with AdventNYC, Trinity 100th Street, & St. Luke’s - Times Square
Upcoming cycle
Fall 2026
Sign Ups Open September 20 Groups run Week of October 4-November 8
On Belonging
At Your Pace | Asynchronous (WhatsApp)
If you’ve ever experienced real belonging, you can testify, it is a holy thing. And yet, as life giving as it is, it so often feels elusive.
Explore the joy and frustration of belonging and together look for God’s fingerprints in our lives and our community. Explore questions like: What does belonging mean to you? How do we experience it? How do we cultivate it? When are we barriers to belonging and when are we catalysts? Are we able to recognize it in our midst?
This group will use WhatsApp
Fiber Arts & Faith
| Host: Pr. Alyssa Kaplan | Hybrid
An open space to create, converse, collaborate, and connect with other fiber artists! All levels (including first timers!) welcome. Supplies (yarn, hooks, needles, patterns) provided for in person participants! Start a new project or work on an existing one. Small groups will include guided conversations and spiritual reflection on the ways our hobbies intersect with our faith lives.
Roots & Faith: A Family History
| Host: Pr. Alyssa Kaplan | Zoom
Every family has a story, and every story shapes who we are. In this small group, we'll dig into our own family histories together through guided genealogy exploration and honest conversation. Along the way, we'll discern what our ancestors' journeys, struggles, and faith can teach us about our own walk with Jesus.
Scripture is full of family trees for a reason. From the genealogies of Genesis to the opening of Matthew's Gospel, God works through generations. As we uncover the names and stories in our own lineage, we'll reflect on how God has been at work in our families and how those threads connect us to the larger story of faith.
No research experience needed. Bring curiosity, whatever family records or stories you have, and a willingness to share. All are welcome
Magnificent Humanity and Emerging Technologies
Thursdays 7:00pm | Host: Jason Lillis | Zoom
Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas ("Magnificent Humanity"), On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence, was released earlier this year. It invites us to consider the profound impacts that rapid technological advancement has on human work, social relations, and the common good of all people. As a small group, we'll read through and discuss this document, share about the impacts that we see large language models / machine learning having on our own lives (for better or worse), and think about what it means to interact with these resources as a faith community at Advent.
Lutherans Who Lunch | The 400ish In-Between Years
Thursdays 1pm | Host: Rev. Danielle Miller | Zoom
What happened between the end of Malachi (450BC - 430BC) and the beginning of the Gospels (70AD)? What was the landscape of culture, religion and politics that Jesus was born into and how did we get there?
Religion in Science Fiction and Fantasy
—-, 7pm | Hosts: Andy VanderWeide | Zoom
Explore the rich belief systems of various science fiction and fantasy worlds. Explore how these views have influenced the shaping of faith and religion in our world. Which worlds’ will we focus on? That will be decided together! Bring your interests, your curiosity, and your insights!
The Prayer-Filled Life
Sundays 7pm| Pr. Arden Strausser | Zoom
We suffer from the notion that the more recent something is, the better, the more true it must be. We also suffer from the notion that a "spiritual life" is for religious professionals. These are not true. Our small group will draw on the wisdom of Christian writers from across the centuries, and we’ll reflect together on prayer and the inner life of simply loving God. Our "teachers" are Thomas Merton, Julian of Norwich, Henri Nouwen, Evelyn Underhill, and Martin Luther. Their variations are wide, but complementary. Each week will include a short reading and conversation led by Pastor Arden Strasser.
Please order this book in time for your participation. It is not expensive. Devotional Classics: Selected Readings for Individuals and Groups, edited by Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith.
A New Normal: A Gathering Around Faith & Chronic Illness/Disability
Tuesdays 6pm | Pr. Hayley | Zoom
This small group is a safe, supportive space for those navigating a new normal. A diagnosis can change everything - we have doctors who (hopefully) walk us through physical changes, but how does that diagnosis affect our day to day life, our sense of self, and our faith. No answers promised - but community, support, and exploring together is guaranteed. No matter where you are on your journey, you are welcome here.
Let’s Talk About Cults!
| Pr. Hayley | Zoom
Let’s explore together the differences between the healthy, ideal of a community that lives together as with one heart and mind and which hold things in common for the common good, vs. the toxic and dangerous nature of communities like cults or communes. Explore the questions…and there are a lot of questions…together.