Who is My Neighbor?

Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • October 14, 2025

What Does it Mean to Be a Good Neighbor?

What does it mean to be a good neighbor, not just in theory, but in practice? What is mercy? How—and how well—do we practice it and receive it? How does this shape our relationships near and far?


This Sunday at The Garden, we'll revisit the parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus told this story in response to a legal scholar’s question: “Who is my neighbor?” The tale challenges us to look beyond boundaries and otherness, and to behave with compassion.


We will welcome State Senator Fady Qaddoura as our guest this weekend. He will share some of his memories of growing up in Palestine and how those experiences inform his life and work in the Indiana Senate. Together, we'll consider what neighborliness could mean across cultures, borders, and political landscapes.


Together, let's explore the role of mercy in our daily lives and in our representative democracy. How can mercy heal a polarized world? By embodying the Samaritan’s courage and compassion, how can we bring more love to our communities and our world?


Whether you’re new to The Garden or a longtime member, we hope you will join us for this meaningful conversation.

By Betty Brandt October 13, 2025
Posters with Purpose: Preparing for the No Kings Rally
By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes October 6, 2025
Honoring Indigenous Peoples
By Betty Brandt October 1, 2025
MirrorIndy fills the local news gap with citizen-powered reporting. See how Documenters create public records and hold officials accountable.
By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes September 30, 2025
World Communion Sunday 2025
By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes September 24, 2025
Dear Friends, Please read these two important announcements: First: We’re excited to share that The Garden has now officially moved into our new home at 7171 North Pennsylvania Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240. This is a joyful new chapter for our community, and we’re so grateful for the ways you’ve helped us grow into it. If you give to The Garden through your bank, IRA, or BillPay service, please take a moment to update our new address with your financial institution so your gifts continue to reach us smoothly. Second: We hope you will be with us for our Annual All‑Church Meeting on Sunday, October 5, immediately following the 9 a.m. service at the church. As a United Methodist congregation, this is one of those “official business” gatherings we hold each year. It’s short and simple—we’ll share financial updates, answer questions, and take care of the necessary business of being a church family. Even in our untraditional way of doing things, this meeting is a reminder that we’re in this together—tending The Garden with love, transparency, and care. With gratitude and joy, Carolyn and The Garden Leadership Team P.S. Please reply to this email if you have any questions we can answer!
September 24, 2025
Your Voice Matters
By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes September 24, 2025
Twenty‑five years ago, sociologist Robert Putnam released his groundbreaking book Bowling Alone, in which he shed light on a troubling cultural shift from a society knit together by shared experiences to one increasingly dominated by individualism. In the decades since, isolating walls have grown taller, separating neighbors, friends, and often families. This Sunday at The Garden, we invite you to step into an informative exploration of how our faith may help us dismantle those walls and return to the heart of community. Together, we can engage with the incredible power of unity and how it nurtures love, encourages us, and draws us closer to Divine Spirit and to each other. As you may know, we chose the name "Together to Gather" as a nod to the strength and beauty of gathering with intention, with purpose. People joining together maintain their individuality while simultaneously creating something new and stronger than the sum of its parts: community. Let's explore what it means to belong deeply within a chosen family like The Garden. We’ll celebrate the joy of living in harmony, not as isolated individuals, but as a vibrant, interwoven community of faith and our shared desire to bring more love to the world. Come ready to be inspired, challenged, and renewed. We'll hear a couple of scripture passages and stories, reflect, and consider why gathering matters. Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your connections, embrace the beauty of fellowship, and step boldly into the life God calls us to live—together.
By Betty Brandt September 23, 2025
Building Access, Building Belonging 
By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes September 15, 2025
World Peace Day
By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanblan-Holmes September 8, 2025
When was the last time you set off on a treasure hunt?