Today in Together to Gather, David Bishop of Street Outreach Animal Response (SOAR), speaks about this local organization, which offers free pet care and temporary foster care for pet owners facing homelessness, domestic violence, or medical hardships.

In "The Art of Fighting", Priya Parker explains that we can’t form and grow effective relationships without a fight. She rejects the idea that conflict is abnormal or that good groups don’t fight. All groups change and evolve; indeed, it’s because people disagree that good groups flourish. Whether people disagree in the boardroom or the locker room, on a playground or in church, online or in person, conflict is a part of life, and understanding healthy conflict and how to harness its power is more important than ever.

Don Knebel's September offering focuses on our impulse to help strangers. “Anyone who thinks becoming a follower of Jesus will lead to a life of comfort and ease has misunderstood Christ’s message.” Don Knebel is a semi-retired attorney who loves to research subjects related to religion and spirituality. He offers a 1-hour slide presentation on the 3rd Wednesday of each month to the Metanoia UCC Congregation, a Shalom Zone Church. The Garden has been invited to join them. Wednesday, September 16 at noon on Zoom.

People returning to our city after being incarcerated face many challenges. Storytellers will share first-hand stories about their lives inside prison and what it’s like adjusting to life on the outside. Let these courageous stories change your perspective and motivate you to act. The Garden is one of 3 sponsoring organizations. Saturday, September 19, 11 a.m. at the Glendale branch of the Indianapolis Library, 3660 E 62nd St, Indianapolis. 

Community members are invited to drop off unwanted firearms. Guns are to be brought unloaded and placed in the trunk or cargo area of the vehicle. Upon arrival each gun donor will be directed to a station where qualified personnel will remove the firearm and inspect it to ensure that it is unloaded. The weapon will be destroyed using chop saws and grinders. Saturday, September 19 from 10 a.m.- to noon at Allisonville Christian Church, 7701 Allisonville Road, Indianapolis. 

Everyone can create.  No “artist” label required, just curiosity and a willingness to try. Explore different mediums in a relaxed, no-pressure space where play matters more than perfection.  Simple joys, new connections, a little stillness and the satisfaction of making something by hand. Six Wednesdays, September 23, 30, October 7, 14, 21 & 28, both evening and daytime options.  Go to centerforbelonging.org/art-for-all for times and to register for one or all six. All supplies provided. 

David Forsell has spent his life helping the natural world and people thrive. That passion was shaped by living with a genetic cancer condition, Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease, which has required numerous surgeries, and by a singular, extraordinary spiritual experience as a young man. His career has included executive stints with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful and Keep America Beautiful, along with lifetime achievement recognition from the Arbor Day Foundation. In Indianapolis, his leadership led to the city’s first green building, the development of scores of community-led, artful parks, the planting and care of tens of thousands of trees, and the creation of hundreds of green jobs. He and his wife, Shannon, live in the Arden neighborhood, where he’s most content tending their home’s native gardens. His memoir, On Earth As It Is in Heaven, publishes in September. 

Jan Lucas is the author of My Beautiful Leukemia, a memoir in which she shares her story of navigating cancer and divorce after 30 years of marriage. An actor, writer, and musician, she is also a dog lover and mother of three awesome sons. She can be found a couple times a week walking dogs at the humane society shelter and coming home to her own beloved pup. She recently moved from a house in the country to a small house in town and is finding a whole new way of living in community. A 3-week discussion group will follow.

A Death Café offers space to talk openly about life, death, and everything in between. It’s not a seminar or grief counseling—just a relaxed, agenda‑free gathering without judgment or religious ties. A three‑week discussion of "From Here to Eternity" by Caitlin Doughty follows, exploring funerary practices worldwide with insight and humor. Sponsored by The Garden and Joy’s House.

Can strangers become a choir in just one afternoon? Come find out in this free event for all ages! Sing the Grammy-winning K-pop hit Golden (from the award-winning film K-Pop Demon Hunters) while exploring themes of hope, belonging, and trust. Enjoy snacks and Korean food, play tradition Korean instruments, and sign your heart out. No singing experience needed! At the Atrium of Carmel, 10330 N Meridian St, Carmel.Saturday, November 7, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.