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Friends,
Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! I hope this issue of the Buzz finds you in the afterglow of Easter celebrations and ready for the Easter season we find ourselves in.
For today's insights, I want to bring your awareness to this day in United States history. April 3 marks the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech. It's not as famous as his "I Have a Dream" speech, but in my opinion, it deserves even more attention. It is filled with Biblical references as well as practical advice to his audience. You can find a full recording of the speech online, but his hauntingly hopeful conclusion is quoted and clipped below.
"Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!"
This was the last time King would speak in public as he was assassinated the next day. May his words bless and haunt us as we continue the work of calling out the evils of racism, poverty and militarism in our society. As an Easter people, we will continue in the work of making all things new.
Peace,
Isaac
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Joys:
- We are awestruck by the blossoms and signs of Spring.
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We are grateful for all who attended the Holy Week Services.
- We celebrate Fred Knox's successful surgery and continue to pray for his recovery.
- We delight in the gifts of music
- We have gratitude for a moving Easter service and the many celebrations of the Risen Christ.
Concerns:
- We hold Christy Keltner and her family in prayer at the death of her Uncle Jack.
- We pray for the families of those affected by the collapse of the Baltimore bridge.
- We continue to pray for a lasting peace and a just response to the atrocities in Israel, Palestine, Ukraine, the Sudan and anywhere else that violence continues.
- We also continue our prayers for Paige Cox, Vernon Scott, Christy Keltner, Cora King, Davis and Bev Goforth, Sandy Zimmerman, Alex Hofer, Lori Corken-Young and David Cartwright.
We pray for all who are grieving. We pray for a meaningful and lasting end to gun violence in our city and around the world.
We continue to pray for our work and all work to be an anti-racist church and people.
Our Global Ministries Prayer Partner this week is Greece.
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Office Closed for Eclipse | |
The church office will be closed on Monday, April 8 for the total solar eclipse . Be careful and enjoy the celestial dance! | |
Nominations for Council Officers | |
It is time for nominations of Council Officers, Elders and Deacons. Self-nominations are welcome! Cindy Coble is again chairing this process and would welcome your thoughts by email at [email protected] | |
Calling all crafters: Our crafting group will gather this Saturday, April 6, from 9:00 AM to noon at the church. This is a wonderful opportunity to bring along whatever project you're currently working on and immerse yourself in a morning filled with creativity and fellowship. Everyone is welcome to join, share their craft and bask in the collective creative spirit. | |
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Are you good at getting rid of stuff? Do you take a special joy in clearing out a space? Maybe you just like helping out?
Mark your calendar for April 27 at 9:00 AM to join us at church to clear out and clean up our building.
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We will have a brief congregational meeting at 10:30 AM on May 5th in the sanctuary. The purpose is to review and approve those nominated as officers, elders, and deacons for next year. Please plan to linger for a few minutes after first service or arrive a bit early for second service that day. We will NOT be having Coffee Café that morning because of the congregational meeting. | |
Worship Inclusiveness Survey | |
At ACC we emphasize God's inclusive love and recognizes existing barriers that hinder full participation in worship and community life. As many of you know, we received a grant from the Calvin Institute for Christian Worship to address the needs of neurodivergent and disabled individuals. An essential part of this initiative involves collecting feedback from these communities through a brief survey. Please share this same survey with your family, friends, and co-workers who are disabled, neurodivergent, or have family members who are. Our goal is to hear from as many perspectives as possible so that we can identify common themes and patterns. | |
We are in need of scripture readers and are scheduling for May, June and July. This is a meaningful way to contribute to our worship experience, and we invite more members to consider participating. Please contact John Quick (317-294-2709, [email protected]) to sign up. | |
Bible Study with Beau Resumes May 16 | |
Our weekly look at scripture starts again at both 9 am (in person) and 7 pm (via Zoom). We'll dig back into Genesis, but newcomers are welcome. There's no homework involved or prior knowledge required. The goal of our study time is understanding the biblical story - and how it connects to our stories - better. | |
Please join the Indiana Region as we send our Associate Regional Minister Carolyn Casey Reed off to a wonderfully deserved retirement, we are planning a reception on May 18th at Geist Christian Church Promise Road Church from 2-4 pm. | |
Youth Group Spring Retreat | |
The Spring Retreat for our youth ministry will take place May 3-5 here at the church. Register now for a time of rest, fun, and faith formation with some adventures here and there! The cost is $25 per youth but funds are available if cost is an issue. Please use the button below to register. | |
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Church Camp registration has officially opened for the summer! Josh sent out an email with all of the details about each camp and how to register. ACC will cover half the cost of camp for each camper, additional support is also available if needed. Click the button below to access all the different camp registrations! If you are interested in counseling any camp, please reach out to Josh and he will talk with you about making that happen.
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Not every church has a Larry. It's hard to find someone with a PhD in physics who can relate well to kids and is passionate about their faith. But, Larry is that guy! So, I realized we needed to make sure these science lessons were offered to other kids who might enjoy learning from Larry as well.
Thus, we're going to try out a monthly "Science Lessons with Larry" that's aimed at kids ages 4-8 (or so). The plan will be to eat lunch with our youth group at noon on a Sunday and then begin the lesson about 12:30 with the intention of wrapping up at 1 PM. Parents are welcome to join in both the eating and the learning.
Our second installment of Science with Larry will be on April 7th to talk about the eclipse happening the next day.
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Our first Pizza and Playground of 2024 is here! It will be on April 14 at noon. I'm optimistic the weather will be warm enough by then, but if it is cold we will just hang out inside again. Know anyone who might want a free pizza lunch with some of the coolest parents in Indy? Let them know about this! If you have any questions, please let me know. | |
Young Adult Ministry at Newfields | |
Our next gathering of young adults will be a trip to Newfields, the AMAZING art museum here in Indy! It is FREE admission the first Thursday of each month, so we will head to Newfields on Thursday, April 4 (tomorrow). We'll meet at the front entrance of the museum at 6:00pm. If you would like to carpool and not deal with driving there, meet at the church at 5:30pm to carpool. | |
It's that time again. During church on April 7 we will have the opportunity to donate blood to save lives. To sign up, you can call the office and talk to Isaac or find Curtis on Sunday. You'll recognize him by his white beard and clipboard! The next ACC blood drive will be July 14. | |
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In April, we will collect for the Linwood Food Pantry on the second Sunday, April 14. Here are some items to consider donating:
- Diapers size NB, 1, 2, 3, 4
- Sanitary Pads
- Toilet Paper
- Peanut Butter
- Canned Fruit
- Canned Corn
- Individually wrapped snacks for kids
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National Faith & Climate Summit at ACC | |
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If you believe in the moral responsibility to care for creation for the sake of our faith, our congregations, our families, communities, and future generations, join the National Faith + Climate Forum on Tuesday, April 16, 2024 from 12 PM noon to 5:15 PM Eastern!
Changes in our climate are increasingly impacting congregations, and clergy and lay leaders, like you, are searching for ways to be part of the solution. Deepen your understanding on how to engage your congregation in creation care, work toward just and equitable solutions, and connect with other faith leaders locally and nationally.
ACC is one of the host locations, and we getting close to our registration goal of 15 people! Pastor Sarah will be facilitating in-between sessions, and there will be refreshments provided.
For more information, including a draft agenda, and to register for FREE, please visit https://nationalfaithandclimateforum.org/ and be sure to select that you are attending in-person at a host location (Allisonville Christian Church), or if you are unable to join in-person at the church, you can live-stream the forum.
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Our next Allisonville Forum will be on April 24 at 7:00 PM.
Sylvia Thomas is an internationally recognized poet and activist from Indianapolis, IN. Her writing centers Queer theory, Gender theory, and their relationship with the Midwest. She has self-published three works: DIVINE (2018), Twirl: A Collection of Poetry by a Queer and Transgender Hoosier (2021) and VIGIL (2023). In her artist practice she uses music and performance to capture compelling storytelling. She is working with Step-Up Inc. to provide the first Transgender led Syringe Exchange with Step-Up Inc and Aspire Indiana at their Willowbrook Parkway Location She is also working on a project funded by the Herbert and Simon Family Foundation where she is creating poetry and works of art about the lives of LGBTQ+ Hoosiers.
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Mark Saturday, June 8 on your calendars for Indy Pride! ACC will once again participate in the parade and in the vendor village. Are you interested in being involved? Not sure if you can, but still want to help? Fill out this short Google Form to let Pastor Sarah know you're interested in helping out in one way or another - the more helpers the merrier! | |
Disciples Women's Ministries | |
Damaris Circle
Damaris Circle will meet on April 9. We will discuss Anne Lamott's Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith. We meet at 6 PM at Allisonville Christian Church inside door 1. Bring your own meal and visit until 6:30. If there isn't any DWM business, we keep on visiting. Around 7 PM we start talking about what we have read for this meeting. If you have any questions, please contact Janet Cooper.
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Sarah Circle
We will meet at Rosemary Irvin's house at 7:00 PM on Wednesday April 10. We will be discussing chapters from our Dessert First study book.
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Mary Martha Circle
The Mary Martha Circle will meet on Thursday, April 25 at 12:30PM in Room 15 at ACC. We will be discussing Chapter 3, Offering Yourself to God. We look forward to listening to each of you on this topic.. Emily Hunter will lead us. We hope you can join us!
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Our next Prime Timers' Lunch is Wed. April 10 at 11:30 AM. It will be at Olive Garden 6130 E. 82nd, Castleton. Emily Hunter and Lesley Salmon are the coordinators. Please RSVP to them if you plan to come.
Emily Hunter - 317-435-5691 [email protected]
Lesley Salmon - 317-238-9307 [email protected]
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Men's Breakfast
The next men's breakfast is this Saturday April 6 at 8:30. We meet at Metro Diner (3945 E 82nd St.) on the first Saturday of the month. Please call or text Don B (317-697-6011) by Friday if you plan to join. We must request seats in advance.
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April 18 — CTS Faith & Action Spring Conference
Thursday April 18 Christian Theological Seminary will hold their spring conference. This years theme is on Economic Disparities. Click the graphic below to learn more and register.
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When: April 23 at 7:00
Where: Room 14 and ACC's Zoom
We'll be discussing This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
Fleeing the Depression-era school for Native American children who have been taken from their parents, four orphans share a life-changing journey marked by struggling farmers, faith healers, and lost souls.
If you'd like a library copy of the book, please contact Audrey Pelsor
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After the second service on Sunday, June 2, we are planning a pitch-in at church. Mark your calendars and keep an eye for more details to come! | |
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Arts at Allisonville
CALLING ALL MUSIC AND DRAMA LOVERS! It’s time to get Arts at Allisonville rolling again. We are in the planning process for the next 12 months or so. Won’t you join us? If you love the arts, we want you. Contact Steve Caress ([email protected]), Shari Jacobs ([email protected]), or Chris Higgins ([email protected]) and let us know. We want to start meeting soon to discuss/plan some exciting events.
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Faith Formation Ministry
If you are interested in any Sunday School class or other faith formation opportunity, please reach out to Josh ([email protected]) and read more at allisonville.org/sundayschool.
Here's a brief rundown of our offerings:
- Worship and Wonder (9:30 and 11:00 in Room 12): Open to kids 3 years old through 1st grade
- Children's Sunday School (11:00 in Room 1): Open to kids in 2nd through 5th grade
- Youth Sunday School (11:00 in the Retreat House): Open to youth in 6th through 12th grade
- Adult Sunday School (11:00 Faith Class in the Fireplace Room, LIFE Class in Room 15, and Pathfinders Class in the Chalice Room)
- Middle and High School youth meet in Room 14
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April Events
April 4 6:00 PM Newfields Young Adult
April 6 8:30 AM Men’s Breakfast
April 7 Blood Drive
April 7 12:30 PM Science with Larry
April 8 Solar Eclipse - Office Closed
April 9 6:00 PM Damaris Circle
April 10 11:30 AM Prime Timers at Olive Garden
April 10 7:00 PM Sarah Circle at Rosemary Irvin’s house
April 14 Linwood Food Pantry Sunday
April 14 12:00 PM Pizza and Playground
April 16 12:00 PM National Faith + Climate Forum at ACC
April 23 7:00 PM ACC Book Club
April 24 7:00 PM Allisonville Forum
April 24 7:00 PM Outdoor Movie Night at Retreat House
April 25 1:00 PM Mary Martha Circle
April 27 9:00 AM ACC Spring Clean
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