Stir it Up!

Rev. Richard Brendan • February 3, 2025

The Courage of a Compassionate Heart

I’ve come to see that one of the greatest challenges of being alive is to witness the injustices and deep division in our country, and not allow it to extinguish our light. It’s important to feel it all….the pain, the fear, the anger, the sadness. And in time, continue to be used as instruments of peace, being a voice for the voiceless, speaking truth to power, and taking a bold stand for freedom for all. It means having the courage to have a compassionate heart while living in this world.

Compassion and empathy are not mere virtues, they are essential lifelines that can mend the fractures that divide us. The power of compassion can heal wounds, bridge divides and foster genuine human connection. So, it’s time to stir it up! To allow our hearts to remain open and pliable and stir up the compassion that is already within each one of us. And then to share it lavishly with others who cross our path.

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"You Will Be Found"

Sung by Matthew Vire, Caroline Smith, Hannah Schwyn, and Doran Nash

Written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul for the musical Dear Evan Hansen.

"You Will Be Found" lyrics © Pick In A Pinch Music, Breathelike Music

"Hammer and A Nail"

Sung by Hannah Schwyn

Written by Emily Ann Saliers. Recorded by The Indigo Girls.

"Hammer and Nail" lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

"There’s Hope"

Sung by Caroline Smith

Written by Anthony David Harrington, Branden Burch, India Arie

"There’s Hope" lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc

Read the Bulletin

This Sunday, The Garden welcomes Rev. Richard Brendan, who has been been an ordained minister in the Indianapolis area for decades. During that time he has served as a pastor, hospice chaplain, founder and president of JourneysFire International, co-founder of The Walk the Talk speaker series, executive producer of a cd with Cathy Morris titled Sacred Romance (featuring the music of Cathy Morris and Richard giving voice to the mystic poetry of Rumi and Hafiz), and he was host and producer of a weekly talk radio show for over twenty years on 88.7fm WICR at the University of Indianapolis. The show, JourneysFire with Richard Brendan featured a full hour of conversation with leading visionaries and social change artists. He is a life member of The Dead Poet’s Society.

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Celebrating the Creative Spirit with guest Ryan Lott

July 21, 2025

This Sunday, The Garden welcomes visionary composer and musician Ryan Lott, founder of the genre-defying band Son Lux. Known for his emotionally rich soundscapes and collaborations with artists like Mitski, David Byrne, and Paul Simon, Lott has scored major films including the recent Marvel blockbuster, Thunderbolts* , and the acclaimed Everything Everywhere All at Once , earning Academy Award and BAFTA nominations. In conversation with Richard Brendan, Ryan will share insights into his creative journey as we explore the transformative power of imagination. We hope to see you at our temporary venue—740 E 86th Street, Indianapolis—at 9 a.m. for “Celebrating the Creative Spirit.” Join us for a morning of inspiration, music, and meaningful conversation.

Looking Back | The Garden Then to Now

July 21, 2025

In "Together to Gather" after our first service at our temporary new venue, we enjoyed a look back to The Garden's beginning and its evolution over the past 30 years. Joleen House, who has been with The Garden since day one, shared some memories and a clip of Rev. Linda McCoy. In the clip, Linda spoke of her inspiration to create The Garden. A slide show of photos through the years followed, with discussion. Please note that we recorded this on the spur of the moment by request and a mobile phone -- while the band was doing its necessary break-down and load-out of our equipment from the space. Because of this, the audio may be difficult to hear at times.