Community Locations for the 2024-2025 academic year
For the academic year 2024- 2025 we will be holding classes via Zoom.
For more information about the 2024-2025 academic year classes, please contact community manager Joan Grace at joangrace511@optimum.net
2024-2025 SEMESTER
Road to Service Track
NJ Zoom Community
On-line 5-session classes - Thursdays, 7:00‑10:00 pm
Culture Diversity/Anti racism – Course starts September 12, 2024
Instructor: Dr. Diane Brown is Convener of the NJ Synod's Racial Justice Mission Team and the lead facilitator of our Transforming White Privilege program. She has a BS in Elementary Education, MA in Administration & Supervision for the Educator/Trainer.
Purpose: Participants will discover their own biases and those of the institutions of which they are a part, why those biases exist, and how to confront and overcome them.
Church History - Course starts October 24, 2024
Instructor: Rev. Jill Collict is pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Hillsborough, NJ. She participated in the Diakonia Program as both a student and instructor.
Purpose: In this course we will go “back to the future” to attempt to better understand who we are as the Church, how we got here, and where we might be heading, as well as our part in shaping its future.
Healthy Congregational Dynamics – Course starts December 5, 2024
Instructor: Rev. Chelsea Scholl is pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Somerville, NJ. She graduated from Susquehanna University with a major in Religion and minors in Women’s Studies and Biblical Greek and a Master of Divinity degree at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg.
Purpose: To learn how to develop and maintain a healthy congregation through the application of family systems theory.
Religions of the World – Course starts January 30, 2025
Instructor: Rev. Dr. Daniel Gunn serves at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, New Providence, NJ He has a Master of Sacred Theology, Master of Arts, and Master of Divinity and completed doctoral studies in American Religious History at Drew University. He has also served as an adjunct professor of Philosophy, Ethics, World Religions, and Biblical Studies.
Purpose: To understand the religions amidst which we exist and to appreciate their role in, and contributions to, the world in which we live.
Christian Caregiving – Course starts March 13, 2025
Instructor: Deacon Jamie Dungey serves as a Deacon at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Somerville, NJ. Her responsibilities include caring ministries and Christian education for all ages. After graduating Diakonia in 2002, she attended the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, received a Master of Arts in Ministerial Studies. Jamie was consecrated as a Diaconal Minister (now titled Deacon) in 2008.
Purpose: To help participants develop skills in caring ministry, including visitation, eucharistic ministry, and providing support to those suffering or experiencing grief, dying, and death.
Christian Ethics - Course starts April 24, 2025
Instructor: Not yet assigned.
Purpose: To gain an understanding of the complexity of ethical issues from a Christian perspective. In particular, attention will be paid to the ELCA social statements regarding ethical issues in contemporary culture.