Not Your Average Bible Study By Women’s March AP Speaker
Tuesday Nights In The Park Group to focus on Unity & Community
This week marked the fourth year a group of Jersey Shore residents have been meeting Tuesday nights throughout the summer in Library Square Park.
They hail from Bradley Beach to Red Bank and Lakewood, spread their blankets, set up portable chairs, distribute snacks and water and snacks before getting down to fellowship.
Led by Rev. Nicolle Harris, the summer in the park bible
study was the brainchild of the young pastor most known for saying, “You will have to love the hell out some people during the next four years,” during her address to a crowd of 60,000 at the Women’s March AP event in March.
“I wanted to create a bible study outside of a church,” the Asbury Park native said. The hope was to make it open and welcoming people of all faiths and creeds. Her mother, Emily suggested the park.
Today the Bible in the Park group has an established 
planning committee that includes O’Shelia Wallace, Cheron Whittaker, Emily Harris, Rev. Nicolle Harris, and Kareen Delice-Kircher.
On Tuesday night, a group of 18 gathered with bibles in hand, be it physical or via a handheld device.
“Jesus came to introduce a new way of community,” Harris said as she opened the meeting. “This summer our challenge is to study Jesus’ idea of community.”
After asking the group to identify communities, be it Hip-Hop, LGBTQ, Asbury Park, Hispanic, Music, Gang, Jewish, or Christian; smaller groups were then formed to find the commonalities within the suggested groups.
In the end, Harris gave one directive – “Ask yourself the question who is my neighbor. Add to this challenge, learn who your neighbors are this week, to the best that you can. If you’ve seen someone on a regular basis for the past year and you still don’t know their name that might be your neighbor.”
Bible Study in The Park is held 6 p.m. Tuesdays through August 22 at in Library Square Park at the corner of Grand and First avenues. In case of inclement weather, the meetings are held inside the Asbury Park Library across the street. For more information, visit their Facebook page.
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