Walk on Water with The Garden

Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • October 16, 2023

Soon, Outreach will start our annual collection of supplies in laundry baskets for Fletcher Place. As I helped deliver them last year, a woman came to me and said, “Oh, I love this time of year. That basket is one of my favorite Christmas presents. Thank you so very much!” Public assistance does not cover hygiene and laundry supplies, but through your generosity, over seventy families received these essential supplies many of us take for granted. Please know that this faith community never takes YOU for granted! It is only through your generosity, dedication, and support that we will, in grateful service, continue nurturing and growing The Garden in 2024. 


When I asked us this summer to consider “wading in the water,” I had no idea what God had in store. I noted ways we must consider “getting out of the boat” in faith, and, among other considerations, I talked about The Garden’s expected shortfall at the end of this year. Then, through Kimberly Morgan’s thrilling rendition of the song “Wade in the Water,” the Spirit took our breath away. After the service, a Gardener who watched online texted me during a meeting. He said, “I want to ‘Wade in the Water’ and help The Garden with this deficit.” I shared that text with the team, and by the end of the meeting, they put together an unprecedented summertime plan to raise money with a goal of 60 donors and $30,000 in 60 days. We knew it was ambitious, but we had faith. Within a few weeks, we hit those marks, and by the end of the campaign, we surpassed them, raising 149% of our goal! 


With autumn’s arrival, we have entered the season of our annual stewardship campaign, when we ask you to pledge financial support for The Garden in the coming year. Continuing the Wade in the Water campaign’s theme of miracles through faith, we have adopted “Walk on Water” as our 2024 Stewardship Campaign theme. 


Through last year’s stewardship campaign plus the Wade initiative, over 90 Gardeners pledged and donated nearly $200,000 to support The Garden in 2023. As we step toward the coming year, we ask you to help us match that support and reach our goal of $200,000 in pledges for 2024. This will ensure funding for our weekly services, missions, and outreach programs, Big Give grants, music ministry, Sunday morning refreshments, audio-visual technologies, facilities... everything that allows us to continue our work serving and uplifting our community.


In the coming weeks, we will reflect on this year and consider our aspirations as we move forward. In 2023, we waded into the water. With your continuing commitment and generous pledge, we will, with faith, “Walk on Water” into 2024.


Thank you for your kindness and generosity. YOU make The Garden possible!


Carolyn


Pledge Now (thank you!)

2023 Highlights



You nurtured “The Garden’s Garden” to grow & donate tons of fresh produce to the Crooked Creek Food Pantry.


You helped provide, prepare, & serve hundreds of meals for the hungry in partnership with Soups’ On at Roberts Park.


You supported these local service organizations through our 

Big Give Grants:

• Morning Dove Therapeutic Riding

• Visually Impaired Preschool Services

• Camptown, Inc. 

• Joy’s House

You donated 70+ laundry baskets 

of supplies to families through Fletcher Place 


You engaged in these partnerships 

with Union Chapel:

• Lift Up Pantry

• Blessing Bags

• Angel Tree

• Family Promise of Greater Indiana


Your Faith in Action Team led Gardeners to write 128 letters to state legislatures urging more support for the hungry 


You supported our continued Stepping Stones children’s programming

You attended book discussion groups and a Lenten Journey program


You joined us for Euchre games


You embraced Conversations 

with Carolyn


You welcomed new musical talents


Your support helped us launch multiple website enhancements and audio/visual technology improvements

 

You welcomed new members 


You enjoyed Sunday refreshments including:

 • Approx 1,900 donuts

 • Over 600 bagels

   ...and lots of coffee!

The Power of the Pen

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • May 12, 2026
On Sunday we will participate in our annual Bread for the World letter campaign and be reminded of “the Power of the Pen.” It is a time each year when we acknowledge we live in a world where there is more than enough for all to eat. We acknowledge Hunger is a policy choice, not an inevitability. In a season of division in our country followers of Jesus are called to put pen to paper to live to feed the hungry. It is a season when we are reminded Jesus commands us, not just to "pray for the poor," but to be God's hands and feet, taking action to ensure the needy are fed. In a democratic society, the "pen"—our letters, emails, and phone calls to legislators—is a tangible, effective tool for justice, turning compassion into public policy. Join us Sunday as we welcome representatives from Bread for the World and share in The Power of the Pen.

Welcome to Mothering Sunday

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • May 5, 2026
This weekend, we invite you to return to your mother church, The Garden, as we celebrate the beautiful tradition of Mothering Sunday! Originating in England on the fourth Sunday of Lent, this special day has deep roots stretching back to the 16th century when families would gather at their "mother church" for a communal service. Over the years, it blossomed into a joyous occasion where children express their love through gifts, flowers, and heartfelt cards for their mothers. Today, Mothering Sunday reminds us not only to honor our mothers and mother figures but also to cherish the nurturing spirit within our community. Let us come together to acknowledge the love, support, and guidance that shapes our lives.  Join us as we celebrate the vital role of mothering in our journeys and how each of us is called to nurture one another. Don’t miss this heartfelt service filled with reflection, love, and connection!

Home, Sweet Home

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • April 28, 2026
Creating Space for Spirit, Connection, and Grace

Whichever Way You Turn, There is the Face of God

By Betty Brandt • April 24, 2026
Betty Brandt explores moving beyond traditional hymns toward a spirituality rooted in peace, love, and shared sacred wisdom.

We Are Family

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • April 21, 2026
Have you ever heard the phrase “blood is thicker than water”? Many people assume it comes from the Bible and refers to the strength of our biological family ties. But what if there’s more to it than we’ve been led to believe? This Sunday, we’ll explore the surprising origins of this saying and what it really invites us to consider. We’ll also welcome our Big Give recipient, Safe Families for Children , as we reflect on what it means to be family in the deepest sense. Together, we’ll take a fresh look at another timeless idea: “It takes a village.” Who makes up our village, and how do we create communities of love, comfort, and safety? Join us Sunday for "We Are Family" as we explore the meaning of belonging, connection, and the families we form along the way.

Seeds of Hope

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • April 14, 2026
This Sunday at The Garden, we celebrated creation and explore the profound connection we share with our planet. We looked at the text from Genesis where humanity is called to have dominion over creation. We considered what that means to claim this responsibility and duty to care for and protect creation. Together, let's uncover how our faith compels us to be stewards of creation.

Peace I Leave With You

April 7, 2026
What Does It Mean to Work for Peace?

Easter Sunday | Choose to Belong

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • March 31, 2026
This Sunday we conclude our Lenten series with a heartfelt message, “Choose to Belong.” We’ll celebrate Easter—both as a remembrance of the resurrection and as a celebration of new beginnings, including welcoming new Gardner members into our inclusive community. Easter's beautiful expression of love and hope represents a tradition that calls us to notice the ways love rises again in our lives, dispelling darkness. Whether you interpret the resurrection story literally or embrace it as a metaphor of love overcoming despair, there is a place for you here. This weekend we’ll explore what it means to belong, and how our faith deepens through our connections with one another and with the sacred. Come experience the joy of community and discover how we can embody the transformative love of Christ together. Join us as we celebrate this meaningful day. Let’s embrace new beginnings and growth as one community. We can’t wait to see you.

Choose to Belong

By Matthew Vire • March 25, 2026
The experience of exclusion tempts us to blame ourselves, to think that we're falling short, that we are somehow wrong, damaged, unacceptable, or unworthy. To fix these perceived shortcomings, we may seek to fit in. There's nothing inherently wrong with fitting in — it can feel great — but it may come at the cost of our authenticity. In Letter to My Daughter , Maya Angelou writes, “You only are free when you realize you belong no place — you belong every place — no place at all.” She does not mean that we are rootless, but speaks of abandoning the chase for approval so we can be free to show up authentically. We do not need to change who we are to belong. Brené Brown eloquently unpacks Angelou's profound statement in this video. May it offer you reassurance, comfort, and courage as we continue exploring what belonging means.

The Labyrinth Called Life

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • March 24, 2026
Have you noticed it? If you’ve been with us at The Garden over the past six weeks, you’ve likely walked right over it—the Labyrinth just outside the sanctuary doors. It’s easy to miss when we’re rushing in or out, but it’s there quietly inviting us to slow down, breathe, and pay attention to the path beneath our feet. As we move toward Easter, that invitation feels especially timely. This Sunday is Palm Sunday, the moment in the story when Jesus enters Jerusalem to cheers, branches waving, and a sense of possibility in the air. But that joyful procession is only the threshold of a much deeper journey. In the days that follow, Jesus moves through experiences that are profoundly human—sharing meals with friends, seeking quiet in a garden, wrestling with uncertainty, facing conflict, and ultimately walking a path that leads to the cross. The story does not shy away from suffering or loss, yet it also doesn’t end there. It moves through death into the promise of new life, renewal, and hope. Whether you connect with this story as history, metaphor, or a mirror for your own life, it offers a pattern many of us recognize: how celebration and struggle often sit side by side, how a single week can hold both joy and heaviness, and how transformation sometimes emerges from places we would never choose. As we enter this meaningful week, I invite you to consider your own path. What are you carrying right now? Where are you seeking connection, clarity, or courage? What parts of your journey are asking for attention, and what new life might be waiting just beyond what you can see? Let this be a week to walk with intention—to notice the twists and turns, the companions along the way, and the quiet hope that can rise even in uncertain places.