We exist to connect people to full life in Jesus. Cultivating the sort of relationship with Jesus that yields full life is rooted in community –more specifically, a community that is striving to know Jesus. Below, you can find an up-to-date list of opportunities to get connected here at PCTR.
We’ve got plenty of wonderful opportunities to grow in groups, go and serve, and worship in 2025! If you didn't receive one, grab a January/February booklet from the Welcome Center, or check out a copy of it online at pctr.org/booklet.
Kids, grab your parents, your grandparents, and your friends! We’re going to have a blast at our Family Fun Night!
Families with children in 3rd - 5th grade interested in participating in Disciples' Communion, join us after worship at 12 pm on February 23 for our Disciples' Communion information meeting.
We’ve picked out some great titles for this year’s Book Discussion Group! Bring a lunch and join us to talk over our next book, "The Little Liar", by Mitch Alborn
Guys, join us for a two-day men’s retreat at PCTR on February 28 (6:30 - 9:30 pm) and March 1 (8 am - 12 pm). We’ll share a couple of meals together. Get to know other guys - make new friends, connect with old friends. Grow in relationship with either other and with God. This event is $25/person and you can register online at pctr.org/mensretreat
Learn what it means to be a member at PCTR. At the end of this 3 part class, you’ll have the opportunity to join the church as a member. Sessions will take place on Sunday afternoons at 12 pm on the following schedule: March 2, March 9, and March 16
Join us on March 2 at 6pm when PCTR’s handbell choir will join other area choirs for a unique and fun festival of music at our 25th Annual Ecumenical Handbell Festival!
Contemplative Prayer is way to connect with God through silence and stillness. Join us on Monday, March 3 at 7 pm for our next Contemplative Prayer gathering. There will be a guided outline to help you walk through the process with intention and focus.
Ash Wednesday marks the start of the Lenten season, a time to prepare for Easter Sunday. It is a time for confession and repentance. Join us for worship on Wednesday, March 5 at either 12 pm or 7 pm.
Pull up a seat around a table this Lent for Stories and Meals. This is an unique opportunity to get to know others at PCTR through a pot-luck style dinner among 6 or more. You can volunteer to be a Host and open your home, or be a Guest and bring a portion of the meal. Sign-up now as groups will be forming soon. Gatherings will take place during Lent. Stop by the Welcome Center for more info or to register or visit pctr.org/lent.
Hey kids in K-5th grade! KidMin Tuesday is back this week! In addition to our usual activities, there will also be a chance to sing with our Kid’s Choir and learn the music we’ll be singing on Palm Sunday in worship! Join us Tuesday, March 11, at 4:45 pm.
Guys, we’re heading to Bury the Hatchet (1256 Indian Head Rd, Toms River) on March 19, 7 - 9 pm for an evening of fun and friendly competition. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a first-time ax thrower, this is a great opportunity to relax, socialize, and enjoy some fun. Register at pctr.org/ax
If you or someone in your family has served in any branch of the US Military, this one’s for you! Join us for our Veterans Breakfast on March 29, 9 am - 12 pm. Grab a postcard invite (or two or three) in the Welcome Center to share with a friend! We’ll have a great meal, an opportunity to connect with other veterans, and a chance to learn about benefits and services available to veterans. RSVP to [email protected].
It takes a lot of candy & plastic eggs to host our annual Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt - 8,000 stuffed eggs to be exact! You can help make it happen by donating candy from the list in the Welcome Center between March 9-30th. Please note, we need individually wrapped, single serving sized packages of the following candy which has been selected to avoid common allergens: Skittles, Starbursts, Double Bubble Chewing Gum, Hi-Chew, Jolly Rangers, Swedish Fish, Sour Patch Kids, Laffy Taffy.
Speaking of eggs...come help us stuff all those plastic eggs with candy after worship on March 30 (about 12 pm)! This is a great opportunity for volunteers of all ages to pitch in!
Grab your work gloves, some gardening tools, and help us spiff up the grounds at our next PCTR Clean-up Day on April 5th. We'll get started at 9 am and will wrap up by noon. There's plenty of work for everyone, no matter how green your thumb is!
The Ocean Classic Concert Series will welcome Keith Calmes, for a unique concert featuring classical guitar from a seasoned pro.
On Palm Sunday we remember the fanfare and jubilant welcome of Jesus as he rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey for Passover. Just days later he’d be arrested, tried, crucified, and buried by the same crowd. Join us for worship at our regular service times: Saturday, 5 pm (Contemporary Worship), Sunday, 9:30 am (Traditional Worship), or Sunday, 10:30 am (Contemporary Worship.)
If you'd like to donate an Easter lily ($12 per plant) in memory or celebration of a loved one, you can pick up a lily donation envelope in the Welcome Center or online at pctr.org/lily by 4/13
At this somber worship service, we remember the Last Supper and read through the scripture detailing the final days of Christ’s life from the Passover meal to his death on the cross. Join us for this unique and moving candlelight service on Thursday, April 17 at 7 pm.
Travel through the last hours of Jesus’ life and reflect on his death and sacrifice through this tactile, self-guided experience in our sanctuary. Stop by any time between 9 am and 1 pm on April 18 and take as long as you need to work your way through each prayer station.
Bring your best egg hunting basket, bucket, or bag (and your friends!) & head to the free parking lot located at 27 Irons St, Toms River any time between 12 – 3 pm on April 18 for our Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt. We’ll give you clues to help you find each egg stop in our hunt and share a bit of why Good Friday is so good! Stick around at Huddy Park after for food trucks, games, face painting, and the Easter Bunny! More info at pctr.org/egghunt
Meet us at Huddy Park on the river in downtown Toms River for this special early morning Easter service. Dress for the weather and bring a chair or blanket to sit on if you wish. This is a great opportunity to invite a friend to watch the sunrise over the river and attend worship with you.
Join us for worship this Easter (April 20)! There are three worship services at PCTR: 8:30 am (Contemporary), 9:30 am (Traditional), and 10:30 am (Contemporary) Get more info about each at pctr.org/easter
Kids (age 3 through 5th grade) send Mom and Dad out and join us for a bunch of fun at Parents’ Night Out on May 2 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm! We’ll share a pizza dinner and tons of fun with games and crafts! Register at pctr.org/parentsnight
Lace up your walking shoes and join our team for Villages in Partnership’s Water Walk. Our team, the PCTR Water Walkers, is aiming to raise at least $2000 in support of VIP’s work in Malawi. Join our team and walk with us or donate to one of our team members. Find more info on how to participate at pctr.org/waterwalk or grab an FAQ sheet in the Welcome Center. Walk & fundraise throughout the month of April!
Compassion International is a Christian child sponsorship organization working to release children from poverty by meeting their right-now and long-term needs in partnership with the local church. Learn more in worship on May 3 & 4.
Sometimes it’s just fun to have hang out together and that’s what Fun, Faith, and Fellowship is all about. If you're a student in grades 6 - 12, join us on May 5 at 6pm!
Grab your clubs and hit the links at Bey Lea in support of The Hope Center on May 8th for their 4th Annual Golf Classic. This will be a day filled with prizes, raffles, great food and a lot of fun on the green for an amazing cause! All proceeds benefit the mission of The HOPE Center. Register to donate & play at pctr.org/golf.
Presbyterian Women is sponsoring a Women’s Health & Wellness Expo on May 10 (9 am.) Join us for breakfast and stay for a series of discussions on topics related to women’s physical, mental, and spiritual health. There will also be an opportunity for some basic health screenings, as well as a question and answer period. RSVP to [email protected]
Our Confirmation students have spent the last several months learning more about God, His promises for them, and their faith. Join us on May 18th right after worship (about 12 pm) to celebrate their journey and support them as they share their statements of faith.
Seniors, you’re invited to an ice cream social on May 18 (2:30 - 3:30 pm)! Our Elder Care team is providing the ice cream and toppings for this “Flavors of Spring” gathering. Bring a friend with you for a sweet treat and stick around for the afternoon’s Americana Choral Concert at 4 pm!
Our Ocean Classic Concert Series will wrap our current season with an Americana Choral Concert featuring music for choir and orchestra. Join us on May 18, 2025 at 4pm.
What does it mean to be a member at PCTR? Find out at our next new member gathering. At the end of this 3 part class, you’ll have the opportunity to join the church as a member. Sessions will take place on Thursdays at 6:30 pm on May 29, June 5 and June 12. Register at pctr.org/newmember
Children ages 1-5 and one of their favorite adults are invited to join us on June 5 , 9-11 am for Mustard Seeds, a morning of crafts, Bible stories, music and, of course, play time! Together we’ll learn more about God’s love for us. Contact Christi with any questions at [email protected] or call the church office at 732-349-1331.
Do you see yourself the way the Father sees you or are you falling for the lies the enemy feeds you? We have the power in Christ to shape our thinking and we're going to explore what that looks like at this year's Women's Retreat, "Shaped by Faith: A Study in Philippians." We’ll start by walking through the book of Philippians and “Get Out of Your Head” by Jennie Allen during this two-day retreat. Registration at pctr.org/womensretreat
We all have a story to tell and if you’re interested in writing yours down, join our new Christian Writers’ Group! You’ll find motivation, supportive feedback, and the opportunity to encourage others! We’ll meet the second Saturday and the Fourth Tuesday of each month, June-August. Our first meeting is June 14 at 8:45 am.
Our Special Needs Ministry Friday Night Gatherings have grown! We’re looking for more volunteers to help us welcome our friends and their families. Consider joining us this Friday (6/13) to help serve pizza, play games, and spend time with our guests. Plan to join us around 6 pm. Email [email protected] for more info.
If you’ve got an excess collection of reusable shopping bags, help us support Pop the Trunk by building up their stock of bags! Each week, Pop the Trunk, a drive-through food pantry in our parking lot on Friday mornings, gives 3-4 bags of food per household to hundreds of households. They’re in need of bags to keep up with the demand. Bring them in to the Welcome Center any time between now and June 15.
Who knew such a short book of the Bible could have so much to consider! Join us on Sunday at 10:30 am or Monday at 6:30 pm for our Sermon Discussion Groups and dig a little deeper into this week’s message. These groups meet weekly. Make one of them part of your weekly routine!
Our team is starting to plan for the 2026 Night to Shine on February 13, 2026 and we need YOUR help making sure our guests have a sensational time! Night to Shine is a prom-type event for Special Needs individuals age 14 years and up, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation and hosted at the Presbyterian Church of Toms River. We’ve got an extensive list of volunteer roles to be filled and we’re opening VOLUNTEER registration for it now. Sign-up at pctr.org/ntsvolunteer. To find a full list of roles we're looking to fill visit Night to Shine Volunteer.
Our Homework Club is getting ready to start meeting with students from Walnut Street Elementary School. If you have considered volunteering to help but have not yet done so, now is the time! Contact the church office at [email protected] or call 732-349-1331.
Keep up to date on what’s happening at Presbyterian Church of Toms River.