Linwood Christian Church Renewal

05/18/2026

Yesterday Pastor Frank Sermon was on 1 Peter 2:18-25 which starts out "Servants (or slaves), be submissive to your masters..." A problematic statement during any age of human history, but then it goes on to state that any mistreatment and suffering should be endured because Jesus endured suffering for us. This is a fundamental teaching in Christianity, however I still struggle with telling someone who is enslaved to endure it.

Pastor Frank took this scripture to teach us a geaneological lesson in his own family tree. He told us how his family ended up settling in Topeka, Kansas (worth listening to on the attached link to YouTube), but about his Republican father who would not vote for his New Deal (FDR) Democratic Sister, Frank's Aunt Pearl.

Anyone who has done any geaneological work knows that history is complicated. Many people find evidence of criminals, philanderers, and lots of family secrets. I would also guess that if we go back far enough you will find a slave owner or a former slave in among our ancestors. It's our history. Man's inhumanity to each other. However, the biblical question is who is responsible for the sins of our fathers?

This brings us back to Frank's story because despite his Aunt Pearl's progressive politics, she was married to Uncle Duke. After Aunt Pearl died and Frank and his brothers were cleaning out her attic they found a sword. It was obviously a ceremonial presentation sword. However, it also held the initials K*K on it. An organization that has left a stain on both US history and closer to home, the history of Irvington, here on the Eastside of Indianapolis.

History teaches us that humans are full of contradictions and this is one of the darkest. So what is the writer of 1 Peter trying to teach us, because I'm sure things were even worse during the early days of Christianity. 1 Peter is actually a letter to the Galatians and others giving them instructions on how to act to ensure they will inherit all God intends for them and to help them to live during a dangerous time. Being a follower of Jesus during this time was dangerous. He was attempting to calm them through advice, telling them to be humble and calm in their suffering until God would exhalt them, I'm sure so that Christianity could grow.

Man's inhumanity continues, but with God's help it can be overcome. That we must continue to live as Peter instructed us so that we can continue to grow God's kingdom here on earth.

Please plan to join us this week either through worship, or at the Food Pantry or Rummage Room.

Sunday Worship at 10:30 AM

Wednesday - Food Pantry
Coffee ☕ and Donuts 🍩 - 8 to 9 AM
Food Distribution 🥦🍞 - 9 - 11 AM

Rummage Room - M/T/W - 10 AM - 1 PM
Thursday - 5 - 7 PM (Subject to Change)

Chair Yoga - Saturday 10 AM
(4 weeks left)

Hope to see you this week. ❤️

Sunday Worship streamed as a service for those not ready to attend/

05/11/2026

Today was Mother’s Day and Pastor Frank Everett’s sermon was based upon 1 Peter 1:22-25. In vs 22 Peter tells us” Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart.” And went on to describe the “church” as a family reunion. I am sure that we all know that feeling when
dealing with the members of our extended family. He began his sermon by describing a mother who was trying to treat her children the same way. Anyone who has had children knows that’s nearly impossible, because every child is different and has different interests
and likes, and unless you are a dog or cat who has litters of pups and kittens, you are a different age if you have more than one child and therefore that child gets to benefit from your wisdom (you hope) as you get older. I have two sons. I was twenty-six when I had my oldest, but 42 (that still blows my mind) when I had my youngest. So, they each got two
different mothers. I am sure they will have lengthy discussions about me many years from now on how much different I was, but my point is it is this way in every family with more than one child. Think back on your own childhood, but the church is much like your extended family, and this is what Peter was trying to tell us.

If you have ever belonged to a church, even if it has not been as long as I have, you learn things about folks – just like an aunt or uncle. You see people come and go, and you lose people through death that you have become remarkably close to. Just like a family.

Just like Peter was telling us, “Sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart.” That is the purpose of the church and what leads to fellowship.

Also, since I missed last weeks recap because of being in Tennessee, I failed to welcome Beth Aubrey Meyer back among us and recognizing our Felicia Balentine on her baptism last week, so we added another family member!! Such a wonderful thing when “family” is with us which also fits with last week’s sermon in which Pastor Frank explained that the
church is not the building but in each of us, and we take the church with us.

Coffee ☕ and Donuts 🍩 8 to 9 AM
Food Distribution 9 to 11 AM

Rummage Room M/T/W 10 AM to 1 PM
Thursday from 5.to 7 PM

This week we will also be having Bible Study (First and Third Thursday of the Month)

Sunday School 9:20 to 9:55 AM
Sunday Worship 10:30 AM

https://www.youtube.com/live/edJIXuvzG0M?feature=shared

Last week's
https://www.youtube.com/live/9qxboREcE7s?feature=shared

We would love to welcome you. Won’t you join us some Sunday morning for worship or Wednesday morning for Food Pantry. We would love to have you.

Sunday Worship streamed as a service for those not ready to attend/

04/27/2026

Today Pastor Frank Everett's sermon was based upon 1 Peter 2:19-25 which is Peter telling us in Vs. 19 “For this finds favor if for the sake of conscience toward God a man (or woman) bears up under the sorrows when suffering unjustly.” Pastor Frank also entitled his sermon
as “Life Isn’t Fair.” I am sure everyone reading will agree with that statement because we have all had experiences in our life when something was not fair. Vs. 20 goes on to say….” when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it; this finds favor with God.” Vs. 21 “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.”

Many years ago, I read a book called “In His Steps,” written by Charles M. Sheldon, which was first published in 1896. It tells of a group of people in a small town that made decisions in their life based on how they thought Jesus would respond. I remember one character, a singer, who chose not to pursue a career in secular music, because she felt that Christ was
leading her to sing only religious music. I am sure this book lead in part to the saying “What Would Jesus Do” (WWJD), however, Pastor Frank was using this passage to tell us that Jesus’ life was unfair and that He suffered for doing good. He also reminded us that bad
things do happen to good people and how that is not part of God’s plan.
This afternoon I attended the Celebration of Life for our dear Barbara Johnson, a Volunteer at our Linwood Food Pantry. Barb had stopped volunteering before Christmas when she began to have health concerns. I happened to run into her at the store in March, while she
was resting on a bench. I could tell she was not feeling well at all, but as we hugged, she was still cheerful, asking about food pantry and wishing she could be there. Within weeks she received a devastating diagnosis and was gone a few weeks later. However, listening to
the tributes given by those who knew her this afternoon, her love for others, her leadership obtaining grants for to purchase proper cribs for families who had lost a baby to SIDS, and to help families in need of a crib, was so wonderful. She also volunteered with Big Red Box Project and the Downey Avenue Food Pantry, as well as Linwood’s Food Pantry. Barb gave her all to so many important works, that even though her illness took her too soon, she was
a true example of following “In His Steps.”

Good news, Beth Aubrey Meyer is planning on being back with us next week, but the bad news is that we had to say goodbye to Susan Raccoli, our guest pianist. It was lovely to have her with us for two weeks. We will definitely keep her on speed dial, but it will be good to have Beth back with us.

Please plan on joining us at Linwood Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Wednesday morning for Food Pantry and Sunday morning for Worship.

Wednesday
Coffee ☕ and Donuts 🍩 8 to 9 AM
Food Distribution 9 to 11 AM

Rummage Room M/T/W 10 AM - 1 PM
👖👞 Thursday from 5 to 7 PM

Sunday School 9:20;to 9:55 AM
Sunday Worship 10:30 AM

Please plan on joining us at Linwood Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Wednesday morning for Food Pantry and Sunday morning for Worship.

Wednesday
Coffee ☕ and Donuts 🍩 8 to 9 AM
Food Distribution 9 to 11 AM

Rummage Room M/T/W 10 AM - 1 PM
👖👞 Thursday from 5 to 7 PM

Sunday School 9:20;to 9:55 AM
Sunday Worship 10:30 AM

❤️

Linwood Christian Church - Online Live Stream

04/19/2026

Today Pastor Frank Everett’s sermon was based upon Luke 24-28-35 which tells us how Jesus revealed Himself to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, after the breaking of the bread and then he vanished. Leaving them to wonder what had just happened. Hadn’t their heart burned within them as He explained the Scriptures? They returned to Jerusalem to share the news with the other disciples and the other followers.

Pastor Frank then explained how the Celebration of the Lord’s Supper, a weekly tradition within the Disciples of Christ denomination and the Catholic Church, has led to much division between the denominations of the church. Primarily because of the differences between Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation. To give a brief explanation of both. In the Catholic church they believe in Transubstantiation – that the bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus Christ and therefore a “Sacrament”, and the Protestant church believes in the Consubstantiation – that the bread and wine is a “reminder” of the gift Jesus gave us by dying on the cross for our sins and therefore an “Ordinance”. I am sure there are better explanations and I would encourage you to seek those out.

The point Pastor Frank was trying to show was that even though Jesus gave communion to us to help bring us together, unfortunately it continues to divide us. Last week Pastor Frank spoke about John 20:19-29, which was about Thomas, also known as “Doubting Thomas” and even though I did not write up a separate recap, this week’s sermon reminded me to something Pastor Frank said how Thomas had crashed hard after Jesus’ death on the cross. How he had become disillusioned and that many would respond the same way. However, I feel that celebrating communion each week gives us a chance to remind us exactly what Jesus did for us. Communion is intended to bring us together and should be celebrated especially now.

It was lovely to have Susan Raccoli, our Substitute Pianist with us today, and until our precious Beth Aubrey Meyer can be back with us. We also appreciate Jan Gorton Sharp and Kathleen Shickles subbing for us these past few weeks!

Won't you plan on joining us at Linwood Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Wednesday morning for Food Pantry, shop in our Rummage Room and join us for Worship on Sunday morning

Wednesday
Coffee ☕and Donuts 🍩 8 to 9 AM
Food Distribution 9 to 11 AM

Rummage Room 👔👖🥾M/T/W 10 AM - 1 PM, Thursday 5 to 7 PM

Sunday School 📚 9:20 - 9:55 AM
Sunday Worship ⛪10:30 AM

Linwood Christian Church - Online Live Stream

04/07/2026

I am reposting this after getting permission from our head of Personnel, John Jones:

I am writing on behalf of my Christian Church Disciples of Christ (Linwood Christian Church) based in Indianapolis Indiana. I am seeking help locating a temporary pianist to play for worship service on Sunday. Our pianist was in the hospital and is now in rehab and not expected to accompany us for several weeks. Our congregation is about 40 members of an inner city church located at 4424 East Michigan Street in Indianapolis. We sing traditional disciples hymns from the Disciples Chalice Hymnal. I am looking for any local resource for us to explore securing such a person? We hope to find someone in the next week. You can contact me via instant message or contact the church at [email protected]

04/07/2026

Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

I hope everyone has had a blessed Easter Sunday; we certainly did at the Martin
Household.

Even though I didn't attend the Sunrise Service, I wanted to include it here as well because it contained a very meaningful ceremony and the teachings of John 20:1-18, where Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping and as she looked into the tomb and beheld two angels and then she beheld Jesus. At first she did not recognize him, but he called her name and she immediately recognized him and encouraged her not to cling onto him, because he had not ascended to the Father. Instead he encouraged her to go and tell the disciples that she had seen the Lord. The ceremony of "nailing" to the cross any sins or anything that separated you from God and then catching them on fire and allowing them to burn into a black rose. Despite the smoke, I found it very meaningful, even though I wasn't there to participate.

I was at our worship service on Easter morning and Pastor Frank Everett's sermon this Easter Morning was entitled “Running on Empty” and based upon Matthew 28:1-10 which tells of Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (who
was his mother). They went to the tomb expecting to find Jesus and were met with an earthquake, an angel and then Jesus! They were also met with the empty tomb. Pastor Frank told of a couple of amusing stories from his life when he would gamble, not with money but with letting his gas tank run dangerously close to E, as in empty. However, this was to illustrate just how important the empty tomb was and how the church is constantly running on empty and what a blessing that is. It probably doesn't sound like that would be a blessing, but when you are faced with a void, or a need, the empty tomb can remind you of ways to help fill that need. This is the true meaning of living a Christian or Christ like life, and we find at Linwood Christian Church doing just that to be a bright spot in the struggles of our church neighborhood.

Won't you plan on joining us at Linwood Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to help Wednesday morning for Food Pantry and/or join us Sunday morning for worship?

We'd love to have you ❤️

Wednesday (Volunteers 7:30 AM)
Coffee ☕ and Donuts 🍩 - 8 to 9 AM
Food Distribution 🛒🛍️ - 9 to 11 AM

Rummage Room M/T/W 10 AM - 1 PM
Thursday from 5 to 7 PM

Sunday 💒

Sunday School 9:20 - 9:55 AM
Sunday Worship 10:30 A

Youtube

Sunrise Service

https://www.youtube.com/live/50Yq5eJSouw?feature=shared

Easter Sunday

https://www.youtube.com/live/232M4rIHRJ0?feature=shared

Sunday Worship streamed as a service for those not ready to attend/

03/30/2026

Yesterday was Palm Sunday and Pastor Frank Everett's sermon was on Matthew 21:1-11, when Jesus made his Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem. He explained that it was probably a much smaller, if you blinked you'd miss it event, and probably why he entitled his sermon "Who Is This?" and because in Vs 10 the multitudes asked just that.

Jesus entered Jerusalem in this way to fulfill what the prophet states in Vs 5 "....Behold the King is coming to you, Gentle and Mounted on a Donkey, .....", but Jesus' entry was much more impromptu and afterall, riding on a Donkey was not the dignified way for a King to arrive. He also arrived during Passover and the city was already full of people, so the group around Jesus was small, but he was noticed even if it was not the way the movies portray it.

Pastor Frank explained that the event itself was full of symbolism and told from an eyewitness perspective. First of all the Palm leaf was a symbol of patriotism for the Jewish people. The Palm leaf was on a flag the Maccabees had used during their victory against the Greeks. You remember the Maccabees and the story of Hanauka and the eyewitness was none other than the donkey, and is part of the saying of being a "Christopher" because he was a barer of Christ.

During this time unfortunately the disciples were not their better selves. They were more worried about who was the greatest among them, and later one would deny and one would betray him, but the lowly donkey, not seen fit to carry a King, was seen by Jesus as best to carry Christ into Jerusalem and begin the Easter story. As they say, the rest is history. Amen

Won't you join us this week as we prepare for Easter. We have our last Lenten Supper on Wednesday, but we will still have Food Pantry on Wednesday and Rummage Room throughout the week.

Food Pantry, Wednesday - Coffee ☕ and Donuts 🍩 at 8 AM, Food Distribution from 9 to 11 AM

Lenten Supper - Meal at 6 PM with Meditation at 6:30 PM

Rummage Room - M/T/W 10 AM to 1 PM
Thursday 5 to 7 PM

Easter Sunday -

🌄 Sunrise Service/Sanctuary - 7:30 AM
🥘 Breakfast/Fellowship Hall - 8:30 AM
🚸 Sunday School - 9:20 - 9:55 AM
🛐 Worship - 10:30 AM

Remember to be Christopher this week as we prepare for Easter ❤️

Sunday Worship streamed as a service for those not ready to attend/

03/23/2026

This morning Pastor Frank Everett’s sermon was based upon John 11:38-45 which is John’s recounting of Lazarus being raised from the dead by Jesus. The story of Lazarus, according to Pastor Frank, shows Jesus’ humanity. Lazarus, along with Mary and Martha, were Jesus’ followers, but they were more than that. They were his friends.
When Jesus heard that Lazarus had died, after his sister Mary told him, Jesus himself wept (John 11:35) and in 36 they state: “Bethold how He loved him”, but some of them said “Could not this man, who opened the eyes of him who was blind, have kept this man also from dying?” (John 11:37), however, even after being warned that there was probably a stench from Lazarus being dead more than four days, Jesus went in after first thanking his Father, because Jesus explains in John 11: 40 …”Did I not say to you, if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
In the ancient world the expression of grief was a very important way to show just how much someone, who had died, meant to the persons still living, so much so that there were bottles called Lachrymators used to catch your tears. Even David refers to catching his tears in Psalm 56:8 “Thou hast taken account of my wanderings; put my tears on Thy bottle; Are they not in Thy book?”.
The raising of Lazarus was more than saving of his friend from death, the story of Lazarus reveals to us Jesus’ real purpose on earth. His purpose is to walk beside us in our everyday lives and to give us hope and renewal, through everyday opportunities. He shares with us the pain of being human.
Another purpose of the tear catching bottle was that when the last tear had evaporated, it was time to transition from sorrow and grief, to continuing on with life, and Jesus is right there beside us to remind us again and again.

Please plan on joining us at Linwood Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Wednesday morning for Food Pantry and Wednesday Evening for Lenten Suppers.
Wednesday
Coffee and Donuts 8 to 9 AM
Food Distribution 9 to 11 AM

Lenten Suppers
Food Served - 6 PM
Message Given - 6:30 PM

Rummage Room M/T/W 10 AM - 1 PM
Thursday 5 to 7 PM

Sunday School 9:20 - 9:55 AM
Sunday Worship 10:30 AM
March 26 Bible Study 1 PM or 5 PM (See Pastor Frank for Study Materials)

March 29 Palm Sunday

April 5. Easter Sunday

Hope to see you there!

Sunday Worship streamed as a service for those not ready to attend/

03/15/2026

Today Pastor Frank Everett spoke on John 9:1-12 where Jesus healed the man who had been blind since birth, but the real point of his sermon was the main question of the scripture and one of Jesus' disciples asked of him "who sinned"?

This was a common belief in Judaism in the past (possibly currently) and even some Christian Denominations at the present time. Seeing any illness or deformity as a punishment, but what kind of God would punish his flock?

Unfortunately, life is full of disappointment and heartache. Everyone will lose loved ones. There is no getting around that. It is part of life. Just look at the list of Documentaries and even Animated Shorts, up for Oscars tonight. Many of them are about recent tragedies. God did not promise us a "Rose Garden" or even a "Garden of Eden".

Pastor Frank told the story of parents that lost their baby son to SIDS and decided to donate his organs. Before the funeral the dad went to get his hair cut at a friend's barber who worked him in. When he told the Barber why he was needing the hair cut right now and his recent sorrow, the Barber stopped cutting his hair and explained that the person right before him had been elated because he had just received the news that his baby granddaughter was going to receive the heart transplant that she so desperately needed.

Sometimes God has bigger plans and they are not always what we expect nor want, but we must be open to receive not his punishment, but his blessings. For his ways are not ours. Amen

Please plan on joining us at Linwood Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Wednesday morning for Food Pantry and Wednesday Evening for Lenten Suppers. The speaker this week is Pastor Darryl Taylor.

Wednesday
Coffee ☕ and Donuts 🍩 8 to 9 AM
Food Distribution 9 to 11 AM
Lenten Suppers
Food Served - 6 PM
Message Given - 6:30 PM

Rummage Room M/T/W 10 AM - 1 PM
Thursday 5 to 7 PM

Sunday School 9:20 - 9:55 AM
Sunday Worship 10:30 AM

March 26 Bible Study 1 PM or 5 PM (See Pastor Frank for Study Materials)
March 29 Palm Sunday
April 5. Easter Sunday

Hope to see you there

Sunday Worship streamed as a service for those not ready to attend/

03/08/2026

Today Pastor Frank Everett's sermon was based upon John 4:5-42 about Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well and he entitled his sermon as "Meeting Jesus", but it could have easily been entitled "Unexpected Places", the title of today's anthem.

When Jesus stopped by the well and had an interaction with her. It was while the disciples had gone ahead to buy food, so Jesus was alone when they had their encounter. If you remember the scripture he asks her at one point to go and fetch her husband, but Jesus already knew and told her, that she had been married five times and that she was not married to her current live-in companion.

This was after they had been bantering back and forth because Jesus as a Jew was asking a Samaritan woman for water and for so many reasons - gender, politics and religious reasons, that just wasn't done, but I think that was exactly Jesus' plan because after their interaction she went out and told others to come and here Jesus speak and began to question whether he was indeed the Mesiah.

The anthem "Unexpected Places" is about being in a place that we did not expect to be in -- due to circumstances beyond our control and while living life, you have an interaction with Jesus (heck we experienced that coming out of lunch - see the last picture)!

Pastor Frank also told a humorous story of an incident in Nebraska when he was an Associate Pastor (listen on the link provided below). He tells how he was approached by a young homeless guy who stopped him to ask for a drink of water, but also identified Pastor Frank as the associate minister and then told him how well he was doing, trying to minister to the youth. Of course when he asked his name he said his name was - Jesus Christ and he proceeded to help a church member with some items she had been juggling to her car. After that quick encounter he said he had much to do and was on his way.

So much can happen as we live our lives, that lead us to seeking Jesus on our schedule. When we want, but that is not the way Jesus works, and we have to be open and aware because you never know when you will meet Jesus Christ along the way.

https://www.youtube.com/live/mpXpPzEsXls?feature=shared

Sorry I took a couple of weeks off, but we've been busy at Linwood Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Rummage Room M/T/W 10 AM to 1 PM and Thursday 5 to 7 PM

Food Pantry is 9 to 11 AM with coffee ☕ and donuts 🍩 from 8 to 9 AM

Lenten Suppers are the next three Wednesday evenings (3/18, 25 and 4/1) Dinner - 6 PM, Service - 6:30 PM

Won't you join us? ❤️

Sunday Worship streamed as a service for those not ready to attend/