Welcome to Abundant Harvest, a ministry of First Presbyterian Church of Hastings, NE. Our church is blessed with robust adult Christian education offerings led by our two pastors, our Scholar in Residence, and many guests. On this site we share a diverse array of free adult education resources tailored for individual study, adult education classes, and congregations alike. We offer this “Abundant Harvest” of resources for any church, bible study, Sunday School class, or individual that would like to use them.
Our context is a mainline Protestant church in a rural city of 25,000 in the heart of the Midwestern United States that has a strong relationship with Hastings College. We hope that this site can be a hub of adult education offerings for all churches, with a particular desire to provide resources to smaller churches in and around the Midwest.
Dive into our weekly bible study podcast “First Thoughts,” explore our adult education classes called “Forums,” engage with our various book studies, and more! All of these resources are designed to deepen our understanding of scripture and to grow in faith. We invite churches, bible studies, classes, and individuals everywhere to explore and utilize our offerings. We value your feedback and invite you to connect with us to share your experiences and insights through our Contact page. Thank you for joining us on this enriching journey and helping us to build a beloved community of faith beyond our walls.
Below you can find bios of our primary content creators:
Reverend Greg Allen-Pickett
Senior Pastor
Greg has been the senior pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Hastings since 2017. Prior to that he served as the general manager of Presbyterian World Mission. Greg studied Political Science/International Relations and worked in international development prior to attending seminary, so he has a particular interest in the intersection of politics and faith with a big heart for mission and service. He is grateful to be serving the vibrant community at First Presbyterian Church of Hastings and strives to lead the congregation as they grow in their faith, thrive in their fellowship, and shine the love and light of Christ into their community and the world.
Reverend Damen Jensen-Heitmann
Associate Pastor
Damen has served as the Associate Pastor at first Presbyterian Church since 2017 as well. Prior to his time with First Presbyterian, Damen was the Chaplain at Hastings College and served as the pastor for a congregation in Little Falls, MN. Damen approaches scripture and the life of the church with a deep reverence and slightly off-kilter and humorous point of view. He frequently offers unique and innovative perspectives which can open discussion in fresh and illuminating ways. Damen is pleased to be a part of First Presbyterian Church and Abundant Harvest.
Dr. Daniel Deffenbaugh
Scholar in Residence
Dr. Deffenbaugh received his Ph.D. in Constructive Theology from Vanderbilt University. He also holds a Master of Divinity degree from Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. Dan was Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Hastings College for eighteen years before moving to his current role as Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences at Central Community College. Dan currently serves as Scholar in Residence at First Presbyterian Church, a position he has held since 2019. This role affords him the opportunity to teach a variety of Adult Education classes on the Bible, Christian theology, and world religions. He also leads the Harrington Book Study group, which meets every Wednesday afternoon to discuss a recently published text on the historical Jesus, biblical interpretation, or social justice.