Hope Grows Here

Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes and Beth Young • October 2, 2024

Our 2025 Stewardship Campaign Has Begun

Dear Gardeners,


This is the time of year when we ask you to make a financial pledge to The Garden. We prayerfully hope that you will do so by joining our 2025 "Hope Grows Here" pledge campaign. As you may recall, we chose "hope" as our community focus in January 2024. With that focus, we have indeed seen that hope is growing and does not disappoint!


We have great reason for hope as we look forward to the future, as The Garden continues to grow and transform the world with the love of God. Hope is growing in The Garden through increased attendance, enhanced programming, and outreach. We continue to see hope come to fruition in our existing, firmly planted programs like our Big and Little Gives, Faith and Action, and participation in efforts like Soups’ On and Shalom Zone. 


This year, we brought on Betty Brandt as our Program Director. With just a few seeds, she has planted programming that has taken root and continues to grow with Together in 111 and the Art Gallery. In addition to those efforts, our Faith in Action team continues to grow, and The Garden has joined a team of churches on the north side committed to peace and unity.


Our worship continues to bring hope to Gardeners in-house and online. Our numbers are increasing on-site, and we have Gardeners watching from Montana to Delaware. Together, we all share in the spiritual connection of Shalom, Salaam, Namaste, and Peace. Doran Nash, our Music Director, continues to bring a variety of music and musicians that make Garden services deeply meaningful.


I give God thanks that Hope Grows Here in The Garden, and I believe that we are positioned perfectly to continue to grow wherever hope is planted in 2025. The Garden continues to be a dynamic, vibrant community that is committed to transforming the world with the love of God.


Please consider planting hope with a first-time pledge or planting more seeds by increasing your pledge in 2025. We hope to reach our goal of 70 family units pledging a total of $175,000. Last year we had 62 family units at $154,000. Will you please submit your pledge by Sunday, November 24? That way, we can include you in a special blessing. You will find all the information you need about pledging on the back of this letter. 


Thank you for believing that Hope Grows Here!


Peace,


Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes, Lead Pastor and Beth Young, Leadership Team Chair

Stop, Drop, Enroll

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • January 20, 2026
In elementary school, we learn the life-saving phrase “stop, drop, and roll.” It’s a simple yet powerful reminder that can literally save lives. This phrase resonates with me when I reflect on Jesus’ call to his first disciples. He calls these fishermen right in the midst of their daily routines to stop everything and embark on a mission that would transform their lives forever. This Sunday, let’s take a moment to pause and consider what could happen if we were to stop, drop our distractions, and enroll in the invitation to live our best lives. Join us as we explore how answering this call can ignite a profound change within us!

Beloved Community

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • January 13, 2026
When the civil rights movement gained momentum in the 1950s, it found a powerful champion in Martin Luther King Jr., who drew inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi and Henry David Thoreau. Ghandi successfully used nonviolent resistance to free India from British colonial rule, and Henry David Thoreau coined the phrase "Civil Disobedience," arguing that individuals have a moral duty to refuse cooperation with unjust laws. King advocated for nonviolent resistance as a transformative force for justice and equality. His philosophy centered on love, moral courage, and disrupting unjust systems—not through hatred or violence, but through the redemptive power of unearned suffering.  King's approach was far from passive. Through boycotts, marches, and civil disobedience, he actively resisted evil while refusing to humiliate opponents. His goal was to defeat injustice itself, not the people perpetuating it, and to awaken understanding that could convert adversaries into allies. This courageous method aimed to create what King called the "Beloved Community"—a society built on reconciliation and mutual respect. On Sunday, we will remember MLK's legacy and consider how we can continue building beloved community through our own peaceful revolution.

Let's Get Started

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • January 6, 2026
Join us this Sunday for a hope‑filled gathering as we pause to celebrate where The Garden has been and dream boldly about where God is leading us next. It’s a moment to breathe, to remember, and to imagine—together. We’ll look back on our first season in our new home at FCIndy, celebrating the programs, services, and community partnerships that have helped us take root and flourish. We’ll revisit the seeds planted during our 2025 Greenhouse Challenge and share a special announcement you won't want to miss: a new initiative designed to spark creativity, deepen connection, and nurture growth in the year ahead. Through shared visioning and prayer, let's listen for God’s whisper and step into the future with courage, curiosity, and mindful, determined joy. Come be part of this uplifting service "Let's Get Started" for the journey still unfolding.

Finding Our Way

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • December 29, 2025
Today, with GPS at our fingertips, most of us rarely unfold a map—let alone look up to the stars. We navigate by screens that pull our attention downward, keeping our focus just a few inches from our faces. This Sunday, we’ll take a step back in time to when travelers—like the Magi—lifted their eyes to the night sky for direction and inspiration. As we enter the season of Epiphany, we’ll explore what it means to look up again, to notice the light around us, and to follow the kinds of “stars” that guide us toward meaning, connection, and the places that feel most sacred in our lives. Join us Sunday for “Finding Our Way.”
A hand writes in a notebook with a pencil. A window in the background shows an orange sunset.

My One Word

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • December 22, 2025
A New Page, A New Dawn

Christmas Eve 2025

December 22, 2025
This Christmas Eve, First Congregational Church of Indy and The Garden come together to celebrate the joy and wonder of Jesus’ birth in this shared service. We are delighted to join voices and hearts for this special evening. The service will weave together gifts of both congregations—music, prayer, readings, and storytelling—in a spirit of unity and welcome. Whether you are part of FCIndy or The Garden, or simply seeking a place to experience the wonder of Christmas, we welcome you as we celebrate the light that shines in the darkness and the hope that brings us together.

Do You Feel What I Feel?

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • December 15, 2025
This Sunday is the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year. On this Longest Night, we pause to remember that God is with us through it all. From moments of awe and beauty to times of sickness and grief, we are never alone. This season brings with it all kinds of feelings. Sometimes it helps to acknowledge that the twinkling lights and merry songs of Christmas can also deepen the shadows for those coping with grief, pain, fear, or loss. It is not always easy to hear “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas!” and other cheerful tunes when we may be personally struggling. On Sunday, we will conclude our Advent journey with the theme “Do You Feel What I Feel?” Together, we’ll recognize that we each come to this season with different emotions and experiences. Let’s pause and explore how we can support and care for one another, knowing that we all arrive here from different places and with different stories. Join us for “Do You Feel What I Feel?”

Do You See Who I See?

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • December 9, 2025
Join us this Advent season for a thought-provoking sermon titled "Do You See Who I See?" as we explore the profound theme of immigration through the lens of faith. Together, we'll revisit the story of Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem, noting parallels to the experiences of immigrants today. We will consider the importance of seeing beyond borders and recognizing the dignity and humanity in every individual. Prepare to open your hearts and minds as we embrace the spirit of compassion and understanding this Advent, celebrating the sacred diversity of God's creation. In reflecting on these timeless truths, we will be challenged to live out our faith in ways that welcome the stranger and extend hospitality to all. May this gathering remind us that the Advent story is not only about waiting, but also about acting with courage and love in our communities. Don't miss this opportunity to deepen our faith and engage with the world around us.

Do You Hear What I Hear?

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • December 1, 2025
Listening for God’s song in the season

Do You See What I See?

By Rev. Richard Brendan • November 26, 2025
Light in Unexpected Places