Starters and Discerners

Starters are organizers of new worshiping initiatives that have begun a new thing. These projects often start with a steering team, an experiment, and a desire to create communities that are nurturing people on their journeys of faith in a creative way.

As of December 2024, Hudson River Presbytery has 5 new worshiping initiatives. They are:

connect.faith Inc.: Where creativity, spirituality and justice meet. Primarily online, creativity labs on Wednesday nights, and midweek meditations delivered by email give people ways to be spiritually fed. We also produce a podcast, called The Courageous Voice, that introduces creatives working on justice issues in powerful ways. We continually look to inspire people who want to find new ways forward in faith, and attempt to nurture people in faith.

Transformations: This group is centered around music, meditation and healing. It is presented in an online format that also provides opportunities for people to connect. Bi-monthly gatherings make space for anyone who is interested. We also have a focus area program for helping people who are processing grief.

Finding Our Way Home: Innovative, improvisational music and writing in-person group, organized around themes such as forgiveness, hope and gratitude. We are diverse in race, age, gender, sexuality, and finances - and we are connected by a desire to let the spirit move in and through us.

Transformations Hearts of Love: Ministry established through First Presbyterian of Ossining, reaching out to LGBTQ i.a.+ population with bilingual connections and worship. Currently exploring times and schedules for gatherings!

Deep Talks: Sunday Deep Talks is an in-person gathering seeking to connect us with the parts of ourselves that are under the surface, both as individuals and in community. It is a time to intentionally create space for meaning-making in the week, and to get closer to understanding our humanity and the world more fully. We are brought together by our sense of something spiritual between us, and our desire to connect.

To find out more and connect with one of these groups, email debbiebronkema@hudrivpres.org.

Discerners are sensing a call from God to engage in ministry in some new way, and are beginning the process of considering what that way might be. They design experiments, participate in spiritual practices, and consider how they can reach out to help people’s lives be transformed by the grace and love of Jesus. We have had 15 discerners engage in the ministry of Cyclical Hudson River in some way in 2024.

We gather our starters and discerners together monthly, on zoom and/or in-person. If you want to talk about joining in contact debbiebronkema@hudrivpres.org.