Filed under: Community, DIY, Love, faith | Tags: church, eastside, Indianapolis, Indy Metro, Jesus, service
As we discussed from the beginning at Indy Metro and during the 40 Days of Prayer specifically, we’ve always been a church for the whole city. Both during our 40 Days of Prayer as a pastoral team and reviewing the many responses we received from the Indy Metro community, it became clear that we are to move forward increasing our commitment to Indy’s eastside.
With great passion and a shared burden by many we are moving forward in faith! The pastoral leadership has begun to make plans towards increasing our emphasis on Indy’s east side initially focused on Community Heights, Emerson Heights, Little Flower, and Irvington.
We want to answer the very basic questions of how we currently are planning to move forward. How will Indy Metro move to expand our presence on the eastside?
The east side needs to see the church in action through SMALL acts of service with a LARGE amount of love! The people of Indy Metro committing to specific acts of service together to be visible servants of the east side’s multi-generational multi-ethnic community. Beginning January 2010, through engaging local artists, serving families and marginalized residents we will serve together as a church. We encourage everyone at Indy Metro, whether residents of the eastside or not, to consider being involved in some form. For our friends online, I certainly hope you will begin to follow us and consider how to support as well.
Establishing a Sunday evening weekly public gathering by Easter, April 4th, 2010 will be a critical component of expanding our presence on the east side. Our first Sunday evening gathering will be Sunday, January 10th with location to be determined. Initially, we will be focused on simply building our relationships together as a CityGroup through learning, playing, and serving together on the eastside.
For people who want to be involved on the eastside with Indy Metro what is your next step?
- Cultivate your spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting and meditating on Scripture. Our commitment to corporate prayer and fasting must continue as a house of prayer of the Lord. Please begin to pray for clarity on how to serve, seeking a potential weekly gathering, identifying the needed resources to prepare the way and provide the needed discipling for the team, and for the Lord to cultivate the hearts of people far from Him to be open to the Gospel.
- Identify yourself to the pastoral leadership before the end of the year. No secret servants, but instead we are establishing the initial team to prepare together. Our desire is to identify 20-25 people who will focus to Indy Metro’s eastside presence in January 2010. If you’re genuinely committed to the east side movement and want to be an intricate part of it please let me know directly. Contact me at aaron@indymetro.org to confirm your commitment or share questions you may have still as we move forward.
Regardless of your own personal involvement, perhaps you know a small business owner, resident, or someone with roots in or near the eastside communities we’re focused on who doesn’t have a church family already. Pray and consider how you might make people aware of Indy Metro’s eastside commitment in January 2010.
If you are passionate about this movement I invite you’re responsive posts. What are your thoughts?
Filed under: Community, Love, arts, faith | Tags: art, Guatemala, Indianapolis, Indy Metro
This past August, I and 10 others made the first trip for Indy Metro Church from Indianapolis to Magdelana, Guatemala. What birthed out of this exploratory trip was a 3 year commitment of Indy Metro Church to the people of this village.
One of the exciting partnerships I am personally most excited about is our commitment to a local small art school in the village which currently has 18 students for 2 hours a day. Carlos Lopez, the director of the school, started it 3 years ago to bring hope to the community and teach children the arts. In his own words he, “has been praying for God to send resources to expand.” It was humbling for me to realize such a great opportunity for our church.
As a church committed to the arts community here in Indianapolis, we believe this is a natural extension for Indy Metro. On the first trip was local Indianapolis artist and friend, Casey Jo Allies. From the paintings we returned with from the children in the art school and Casey Jo’s own photography, she pulled together the Five Days in Guatemala display in October.
Five Days in Guatemala is an extraordinary art exhibition of her journey. Casey Jo will not only be showing her photographs from the trip, but also 35 paintings created by the local children. Each painting sold will go back to help support the education and families in this village. Casey Jo’s work can also be seen this month at the Garfield Park Art Center, where she won the best in show award for the Midwest National Abstract Art Exhibition.
Although you may have missed the open house on First Friday, October 2nd, the works remain for the entire month in the ArtSpace at the Athenaeum on 401 East Michigan. The images are very powerful and may prompt you to want to join us in one of our 4 planned trips in 2010!
Filed under: Community, Leadership, faith | Tags: church planting, eastside, Indianapolis, Indy Metro Church, Jesus
This naturally led to lots of conversation over the past few months as a church family in how focused we are together. Are we focused on the hundreds of thousands of people in Indianapolis far from Jesus? What about the thousands of people seeking spiritual answers throughout Indianapolis who haven’t experienced a Gospel-centered loving and serving community of believers?
Consider this analogy: Imagine how silly it sounds if a father were to spend hours every week teaching his son how to drive, taking his son to get his license, picking out the perfect car, gassing it up and then parking it in the driveway and throwing away the keys.
That is what happens if we spend countless hours equipping you and then not taking steps for us a church to “leave the drive way.” Unfortunately, that has been dubbed as “normal” for many followers of Jesus and church. Being on mission with God to love our neighbors and point people towards Jesus often get lost in our beliefs of who and what God is.
This past Sunday, I announced our commitment to enter into a 40 days of prayer and fasting as a community beginning September 1st focused on starting a second weekly public gathering for Indy Metro Church on the eastside of Indy (Catch the podcast at Indymetro.org). The neighborhoods of Irvington, Emerson Heights, Community Heights, and Little Flower are among the most densely populated in the city and together represent a multi-generational, multi-ethnic, socioeconomically urban community with great opportunity for the Gospel.
Whether you’re close or far and you would like to receive our follow up mailer on this 40 Days of Prayer please send your snail-mail address to: Carrie@indymetro.org.
The only thing we are committing to “do” is pray together to see if a shared burden and vision emerge among our community. As a pastor, it is an odd-mix of both excitement and anxiety as we attempt to gain clarity together. Appreciate your prayers as we start this journey!
Filed under: Community, arts | Tags: artist, Indianapolis, Inspiring Places, local art
Athenaeum ArtSpace Call for Artists
The Athenaeum ArtSpace, Indy’s newest art venue, is seeking local, family-friendly, emerging and unknown artists for commission-free exhibitions. Each exhibition opens on IDADA First Friday and continues approximately three weeks. Artists of all media are encouraged to submit work for these juried exhibitions.
- Artist should reside in Marion or one of the seven surrounding counties.
- Artist should be capable of demonstrating the completion of two semesters of formal art studies or be capable of demonstrating at least three years of art production.
- Artist has not displayed artwork in the IDADA downtown art districts unless the display was part of a special event like “Visual Fringe” or other one-time special displays (less than 30 days).
- Artist will demonstrate an enrollment with ACI (Arts Council of Indianapolis) within 10 days prior to any display. (this is a no cost enrollment).
In addition to the ongoing First Friday exhibits, we are currently looking for submissions to be included in a November exhibit with the theme “Inspiring Places” to be part of the Spirit & Place Festival (this will be art involving the theme Inspiring Places in Indianapolis).
Submissions should include the following information and should be received by September 23 at 5:00pm:
- Name
- Address
- Phone
- Biography/Resume
- Cd containing 10-20 images, image size at no less than 300dpi, 600×800
- Accompanying Title List with cd, numbered accordingly and including title, medium, dimensions, and year.
- Do not include name on title list. All submissions are juried.
Send submissions
c/o Kevin Gierman,
The Athenaeum ArtSpace
401 East Michigan St, Indianapolis, IN 46204
or contact Kevin Gierman at
317.655.2755 ext152
kevingierman@athenaeumfoundation.com
The Athenaeum ArtSpace’s mission is to introduce the public to work they’ve never seen before by displaying, commission-free, the work of emerging and local unknown artists, in an effort to support the “Sound Mind and Sound Body” concepts that are central to the creation and the history of the Athenaeum.
We are working diligently on improving the ArtSpace for artists by raising funds for a hanging system and lighting . The Athenaeum ArtSpace is a partnership between the Athenaeum Foundation and Indy Metro Church.
Filed under: Community, DIY, Leadership, faith | Tags: Christianity, faith, Howard Dean, Jesus, Johnny Cash, risk
Sunday am at Indy Metro I shared some concluding thoughts on our 4 month Nehemiah study that focused on a community of people so broken and weeping for a city they committed to doing whatever it took to see the restoration of a community bringing Glory to God. Throughout the entire book, we see Nehemiah to be a man who responded to the opportunities God brought to Him.
As I shared though having the opportunity isn’t enough- It requires us to take action, move, step forward, speak, respond, engage, love, to change…. It requires seizing opportunities that God brings to your door and being willing to live out the faith required to follow through.
So many Christians today have faith… but nothing about their lives require God to show up. No daily faith required in their conversations, schedule, finances, personal health, or with our children. There is so little risk in daily living for most American Christ followers… that you walk around really not knowing most of the time if God showed up or not. All the while asking isn’t there more?
And in my short journey with Christ I’ve experienced that one fully devoted humble, committed follower of Jesus Christ can have on the lives of people around them, their city, their neighbor, their office, their children, their generation, their classmates, their spouse, and their communities.
It’s sad though because I’ve observed so many churches completely tamed and neutralized what it means to be a fully committed follower of Christ. Our culture and many churches might as well have Jesus driving a mini-van, wearing his seatbelt focused on babysitting the kids in the car already. While the most accurate picture is prolly us in the back sitting on a milk crate holding on for dear life while Jesus drives a 350 HP 67 SS Chevelle with a bad paint job and an exhaust leak from launching train tracks chasing Satan hanging out the window yelling like Howard Dean.
Following Jesus has been turned into this safe, calculated, predictable and boring exercise. And inside most of us as Christ followers know something is missing don’t we? Maybe that is most the reason why most churches have always been absent of men? For men the image of following a neutered boring Jesus doesn’t exactly offer much appeal. A travesty too because I’m pretty certain American Christianity isn’t quite what the Scriptures describe.
For most Christians and seekers alike following Jesus can be summarized by the first song in this Johnny Cash movie clip. Puke! So my questions from the Sunday chat applies here too- What are you doing right now that if God for sure doesn’t show up you will be humiliated, embarrassed, ridiculed, exiled, or rejected?
Filed under: Community, DIY, Leadership, Serve, Uncategorized | Tags: Christian, creation, green, Spirit & Place
Doing some live blogging over at smallerindiana.com for our Spirit & Place festival event Imagining Creation. As part of the 13th annual Spirit & Place Festival, this has turned out to be quite a amazing experiential event!
Here are a couple live pics… visit smallerindiana.com to track it live.
Filed under: Community, DIY, Serve | Tags: creation care, green, Indianapolis, Indy Metro Church
I am super excited about this Sunday am!
On Sunday morning November 9th at the American Cabaret Theatre at 10:30 am, we welcome guest speaker Matt Krick. We will encounter the topic of caring for creation as God’s original plan for every believer. Matt is the Director of Theology at Mars Hill Church in Michigan and is an expert on the Biblical mandate for creation care!
And on Sunday evening, a spirited discussion with powerful thinkers from around the country gathering at the American Cabaret Theatre from 6 to 9 p.m. on Sunday, November 9, 2008 for a spontaneous, on-stage dialogue on the theme titled, Imagining Creation: Exploring the Spiritual Mandate for Creation Care.
We are part of the thirteenth annual Spirit & Place Festival, this multi-media event will feature an interdisciplinary panel of nationally known voices in the arts, humanities and religion and provide audiences the chance to creatively explore the fundamental question: “Is there a moral obligation to care for the environment?” This event is FREE and the more the merrier!
If you are in the area and would like to join in the discussion the American Cabaret Theatre is located in the historic Athenaeum Building – 401 E. Michigan St., Indianapolis.
Filed under: Community, Serve, faith | Tags: God, green, Indy, Mars Hill, spirituality
Coming up in November, Indy Metro Metro is hosting a couple of rad gatherings. On November 9th, during our weekly public gathering at the Cabaret downtown, Matt Krick from Mars Hill Church is visiting with us to spark the dialogue on the topic of the Biblical evidence for creation care.
Not only am I looking forward to seeing how this impacts our community of faith but personally will be on the edge of my seat listening with anticipation. After talking with Matt a couple weeks ago I am looking forward to gleaning from his Biblical wisdom about our responsibility in caring for creation.
Expecting to grow a great deal from his teachings and hopefully spark greater awareness for all Christ followers to increase personal stewardship of creation.
Filed under: Community, Leadership, Serve, faith | Tags: God, Indy, IndyFringe, Jesus, Love, politics, rejects
One of most random performances I was able to see during IndyFringe was the Rude Mechanical Orchestra.This “Orchestra” was traveling from New York City to the Twin Cities. What was the quest? To protest the Republican National Convention of course! A 30 piece orchestra piled traveling in one old school bus painted up in layers of green paint pulled up….and out walked onto Mass. Ave what was a clearly one of the most unique bands I have ever seen. Uniquely outfitted in gear that Mass. Ave won’t soon forget. The only thing that could have topped it off for me is if Spike Lee himself would have led the band off the bus straight out from the Burroughs. The opening song was Push It by Salt N Pepa. Classic little diddy from my teen years (I had the tape of course), but I was expecting something more like Dead Milkmen by the looks of the performers.
It was boys’ night out; I was chillin with my crew on the Ave. What that means these days to those of you unfamiliar to Practically Speaking is that I was spending time with my three little boys. As I looked around it hit me that I was a clear minority on a lot of fronts; married, married to a woman, married to a woman that shaves her underarms, fairly conservative lifestyle (not in the hyper political sense), active follower of Christ, and though everyone was friendly it was evident I was on the fringe.
What does it mean to be on the fringe as a Christ follower? One of my struggles is encountering Christians, pastors, and churches, that seek to have Christianity at the “entitled” core of America. I’m certainly believe the values and fruits of Biblical Christianity make this city, state, country, and globe a more livable temporary environment. I am questioning the idea that Christianity and its values are entitled to be at the center of our country. Does God need a “Christian” political leader for His will to be done in this country? Is Christianity not meant to be first on the fringe?
The other day I was reminded by my friend Roger, of Grace & Peace Church, the place Jesus chose to give Himself up for us was at the fringe of the city.
Hebrews 13:12-14, “And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace be bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.”
The fringe of the city wasn’t considered the “place to be” but full of the city rejects, lepers, etc… and that is where following Jesus Christ takes us. He shows us the path we have as outsiders and aliens of this world and on the fringe. The implications of this passage are challenging.
1 Corinthians 4:12-13, “We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world- right up to this moment.”
Though contextually Paul is making a point otherwise to the Corinthians, it’s hard to ignore some of the obvious insinuations of how we are to operate as outsiders even as considered the fringe or “garbage of the world.” How are we supposed to act as Christ followers on the fringe? We are to bless, we are to endure, and we are to live wrapped in kindness as outsiders living in a temporary world. Living so in hopes that God will bring the city that is to come through our love and consistent acts of devotion to Him…not through entitled attitudes or political parties.
What is at the heart of Old Testament leader Nehemiah? It’s a powerful example of God getting things done without the cultural leaders being followers of God. It’s a crazy thought to imagine… but God completed His will even without a “evangelical” at the helm and Christians lived on the fringe? In the midst of a Persian empire who wanted nothing to do typically with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, He fulfilled His plans on earth. God used this devoted follower living on the fringe of his culture to build a city, increase worship to one one true God, love people well, and gain the attention of the surrounding cultural, political, and national leaders as a result. Hmmm…
Filed under: Community, Leadership, faith | Tags: emerging, Fringe, Indy, IndyFringe, Jesus, storytelling
During the month of August, Indy Metro Church hosted IndyFringe Festival. This annual Fringe Festival in heart of the arts district is fully loaded with a variety of performances. Each completely unique. Since our gallery, hosted FringeCentral the entire month I met all kinds of people and learned a great deal.
I had the opportunity to enjoy coffee and conversation with one of the young performers Croft. While here he performed a show, Stinky Flowers and the Bad Banana. The opportunity to visit with Croft was a learning opportunity for me in the art of telling stories. Because of the constant telling and retelling of stories we do at IMC, I leaped at the chance to learn from this amazing emerging storyteller.
I was veraciously journaling and interrupting him as we we’re chatting, and one of the most profound things (seemingly basic to him) was this concept of physical based comedy, acting, and performing. It’s the necessity of encountering only the immediate moment of interaction. Staying focused in the moment. Not even minutes ahead but engaging life, the situations, and relationships it brings only in the moment.
One of the performances I saw during IndyFringe was Clown at Work. It’s rare that one can sit in a room with children, young adults, and retirees and see belly laughing of the entire crowd for nearly an hour straight with clean humor. Nothing less than remarkable. What stood out to me most was an amazing example of being in the moment. His expression of physical based comedy, staying in the moment, was remarkable. For every life, face, individual response and expression were an opportunity he engaged fully, responding accordingly to only incite laughter and further response from his audience. His “performance” was fluid based on what each moment brought. He maintained openness to the “relationships” as he encountered them and wasn’t focused on maintaining his show plan or alleviating the moments. Amazing!
My mom has always said her verse for our family is Matthew 6:33-34. Not necessarily a passage I am living out well but a passage she desires our family to be known for.
Matthew 6:33-34- “But seek first his Kingdom, and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
And what is my biggest challenge in life? To live in the moment! It’s being committed to living out each day fully for Jesus Christ, and not getting lost in the plans, concerns, expectations, and dreams of tomorrow. Not insinuating Gnosticism but breathing, living, and focusing in each moment with Jesus Christ. Being in the moment as a follower of Christ allows me to encounter every relationship, opportunity, problem, and every moment with total commitment to the will of God.
When I focus on one day and seeking His plans for me in that day I remain open to being divinely used for the Most High God. Not alienating people who need encouraged, or stressed about my financial pressures of tomorrow, and even simply enjoying my children today. Staying in the moment with Jesus during every encounter, relationship, and circumstance.
I am not there yet, but found wisdom from some unsuspecting sources to spur me along.
