A Sacred Overlap: Ramadan and Lent Together

Betty Brandt • March 7, 2026

A Sacred Overlap:
Ramadan and Lent Together


The religious world is experiencing something that happens only every 30–33 years: the Holy Month of Ramadan for Muslims and the 40 days of Lent for Christians are overlapping. This overlap occurs because Muslims follow a lunar calendar while Christians follow the solar‑based Gregorian calendar. This rare alignment offers Muslims and Christians a special opportunity to come together for prayer and community building.


For Muslims, Ramadan is a time of fasting from sunup to sundown, reading the Qur’an from beginning to end, offering special prayers, practicing charity, and living intentionally in community.


Muslims generously invite their Christian brothers and sisters to the Iftar—the meal that breaks the fast at sundown. Members of The Garden were welcomed by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community for their Iftar on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. The Ahmadiyya community recently moved into their new home at 3520 Washington Blvd., and they enthusiastically shared both their space and information about their sect, its history, values, and mission. Those who attended enjoyed participating in evening prayers, sharing a wonderful meal, engaging in warm conversation, and even receiving a goodie bag at the door.


The Garden is invited to another Iftar on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at 6:45 p.m., hosted by the Niagara Foundation/Turkish Muslim Community at 7435 N. Keystone Ave., Indianapolis. Dave and Patrice Bradley plan to attend and would love for you to join them. This is a meaningful opportunity to let our Muslim brothers and sisters know that we stand with them in troubled times. Please register here.

Walking Toward a Deeper Spirit

By Betty Brandt • March 7, 2026
Discover the spiritual practice of labyrinth walking during Lent and join upcoming community walks that invite reflection, prayer, and renewed presence.

Reach Out and Touch Somebody's Hand

By Matthew Vire • March 5, 2026
Is the "ripple effect" real? Explore how faith, Diana Ross, and peer-reviewed research prove that your smallest acts of kindness can change the world.

Be You

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • March 4, 2026
Living Waters

Be Here. Be You. Belong.

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • February 23, 2026
Join us this Sunday as we embark on a transformative journey during Lent—our season of reflection, repentance, and renewal. This year, our theme is "Be Here. Be You. Belong." Our world is filled with distractions pulling us in every direction, so we often miss the profound significance of simply being present. This week, we will explore what it means to Be Here Now, to pause and embrace the moment as we deepen our connection with God. Together, we will delve into the wisdom of Brother Lawrence, whose insights on practicing the presence of God turned everyday tasks into sacred experiences. Let’s rediscover the holiness in the mundane and learn how to cultivate a spirit of mindfulness in our lives. Don’t miss this opportunity to reflect, grow, and engage more deeply with your faith. Join us as we journey together towards Easter, finding our place in God’s presence. See you Sunday!

The Beauty

By Matthew Vire • February 23, 2026
As we continue our journey through Paths to Belonging, David Wilcox’s "The Beautiful" offers a tender companion for times we feel overwhelmed and weary. David opens the song in a museum, an unexpected refuge where beauty offers a kind of shelter from a world that feels tragic and too heavy to hold. He names a truth many of us carry: that in the “ocean deep,” when the waves of sorrow or fear rise, our most dearly-held hopes and even our faith can feel thin. And he reminds us that beauty–quiet, ordinary, human beauty–can help steady us. A smile from a stranger, a moment of kindness, a glimpse of light and shadow can warm the heart enough to keep going. We invite you to listen and spend a few moments reflecting on the feelings, images, and memories the song evokes in you. Remember you are not alone and that belonging reveals itself in simple, grace-filled moments of human connection and Divine presence.

Surviving the Desert

By Matthew Vire • February 17, 2026
The Garden welcomes Josh Riddick for a message on justice, faith, and how Jesus’ desert journey offers courage and clarity for our moment.

A Sacred Romance

By Rev. Richard Brendan • February 9, 2026
To Be Known, Chosen, and Loved

Never Again

February 3, 2026
A powerful call to action from a local vigil: “Never Again” is now. Stand up for dignity, justice, and immigrant rights in Indianapolis.

Revisioning Christianity: A Universal Christ?

February 2, 2026
With The Universal Christ , Richard Rohr presents a vision of Christ not as a figure confined to Jesus alone or to Christianity, but as the eternal, cosmic presence of God permeating all creation from the beginning. Rohr distinguishes between Jesus (the historical person) and Christ (the divine reality revealed through Jesus). He argues that Jesus is the “first incarnation,” present in every person, place, and particle of the universe. Drawing on Scripture—especially John 1, Colossians 1, and Paul—along with early Christian mystics and contemporary science, Rohr reframes salvation. Rather than describing it as rescue from a fallen world, he presents salvation as awakening to the divine presence already within and among us. This universal, incarnational vision invites a way of life grounded in compassion, solidarity with suffering, and participation in the healing and transformation of the whole world. Rohr’s approach also offers a theological grounding that aligns with The Garden’s emphasis on finding the sacred in the ordinary and celebrating a universal spiritual nature. Come explore this with us Sunday at The Garden.

Lift Every Voice and Sing

By Betty Brandt • February 2, 2026
A stirring reflection on the Black National Anthem’s enduring message of hope, unity, and the pursuit of freedom—honoring Black History Month through song and story.