Register for a Core Group
We meet regularly outside of our Sunday services in homes around the city to share meals, pray, study the Bible, and serve our communities. These groups represent the core of our church — the primary way to be involved in community at Advent. A list of our spring semester Core Groups is provided below. Questions? Email Pastor Jeff Simpson, jsimpson@adventdc.org.
How to Choose a Group That's right for you:
Location: Choose a group that meets near your home or work.
Time: Look for a day and time that fits your schedule.
Topic: We offer a wide range of topics from Bible studies to book discussions to prayer groups.
Childcare: Note which groups are open to children, and please take advantage of Advent’s childcare reimbursement fund.
Leaders: Advent Pastors
Location: Takoma Park SDA, Choir Room
What does discipleship look like at home? How do you teach kids to pray? How can you incorporate gospel rhythms into everyday moments? We will explore these questions about spiritual practices in the home using the book, Habits of the Household: Practicing the Story of God in Everyday Rhythms by Justin Early. All are welcome to attend, parents and non parents alike. Register above if you plan to attend. Adults only. Childcare and Sunday School provided for all ages from 9-10am.
Adult Sunday School: Habits of the Household
Sunday, 9am
4/21 - 5/26
Adult Sunday School: Moral Vision of the New Testament
Sunday, 9am
1/28 - 3/24
Leaders: Advent Pastors
Location: Takoma Park SDA, Choir Room
How do we think about ethics? How do we see complex moral questions through a biblical lens? What framework does Scripture give us to think and live in our modern culture? The Advent pastors will be exploring these questions using Moral Vision of the New Testament: A Contemporary Introduction to New Testament Ethics by New Testament scholar Richard Hays. Adults only. Childcare and Sunday School provided for all ages from 9-10am.
Leaders: Tim Schultz
Location: Cheverly
Get to know the earliest Christian writings, written soon after the completion of the New Testament. We will read segments from The Apostolic Fathers and learn how this body of work shapes Anglican faith and practice today. The group will meet in Cheverly, but all are invited to participate. There will be a small amount of reading expected outside of our meetings. Adults only; please take advantage of the childcare reimbursement fund if needed.
Apostolic Fathers Reading Group
6 sessions Twice a month
Date/time TBD
Leaders: Josh and Eleanor Britton
Location: Arlington
We’re a co-ed group (married and single) that meets twice per month for fellowship, light refreshments, Compline, and a study of 1st and 2nd Timothy. Adults and infants only; please take advantage of the childcare reimbursement fund if needed.
Arlington
wednesday, 8-9:30pm
Bethesda & Upper NW
Saturday, 3pm
Leaders: Bill and Nicole Coglianese
Location: Bethesda
Our group is open to all. We get together twice a month to encourage one another, chat about a book, and spend some time in prayer. (This semester's book is TBD.) Plenty of kids are typically in attendance, and we give them a chance to have fun while the adults enjoy time in conversation. Most meetings are in Bethesda, but we have group members from an assortment of neighborhoods in the Upper Northwest and will do some hopping around over the course of the semester. Adults and children welcome.
Leaders: Daniel and Sarah Harelson
Location: Capitol Hill
We are a co-ed group, consisting of both singles and married couples. This semester, we will be going through the book of Ecclesiastes using Living Life Backward by David Gibson as a supplemental guide. We meet every other week for dinner, study, prayer, and fellowship. Adults only; please take advantage of the childcare reimbursement fund.
Capitol Hill
wednesday, 7pm
Leaders: Alex and Brianna Poulos
Location: Hyattsville
We will meet weekly for a simple dinner of spaghetti and meatballs followed by Compline. Adults and children welcome.
Hyattsville
thursday, 6-8pm
Men’s Core Group
Wednesday, 7:30PM
Leader: Mike Preston
Location: Varies
The Men's Core Group is a gathering of men in the DC area seeking male community and deep friendships. This group will meet on the first and third Wednesdays of each month to commune, study, and pray with one another and for other men in the area. The study and discussion will be focused on what male faith and fellowship look like when modeled on Jesus and his disciples. On occasional off-weeks, this group - in coordination with Men's Ministry at Advent - will host men's social events open to anyone. Adults only; please take advantage of the childcare reimbursement fund.
Leader: Jeannie Rose Barksdale
Location: Mt. Pleasant
Our group seeks to be with God together in the midst of the chaos of everyday life. We aim to create a sacred space from the ordinary, where we can help each other listen to God and pay attention to how God is at work. This year, we'll use as our guide Elizabeth Liebert's book, The Way of Discernment: Spiritual Practices for Decision Making. Whether you're wrestling with decisions of your own, or you simply want to keep a habit of listening to God in community, you are invited to join. Older children who can honor the spirit of quiet and calm are welcome to join.
Mid-Week Retreat
Wednesday, 8:30PM
Leaders: Jennifer Toth and Annie Tutor
Location: Cathedral Heights, Capitol Hill
Co-ed group (singles and married couples without kids) committed to meeting on a weekly basis in core group members' homes for Bible study and community gatherings. We will study a book of the Bible together (Old Testament in the fall, New Testament in the spring) with time set aside for group prayer. We'll pause our study one week each month for a shared meal or other event and welcome inviting friends and other members of our communities to join us these weeks. Adults only.
NW Neighbors
thursday, 7pm
Leaders: Matthew and Kim Gladney
Location: Petworth
We'll meet for a brief dinner with family members of all ages included. Then we'll separate for an adult discussion of the Sermon on the Mount (while any kids play). We'll set up the study so that there's no reading/prep required before our gathering. After the discussion, we'll set aside a little time to pray together. We plan to meet every other Sunday evening. Adults and children welcome.