The Sanctuary church currently meets at 10 AM on Sundays at the Indianapolis Art Center. When I…read morefound it through mutual friends upon their launch in fall 2023, I quickly discovered the warmth, love, and intentionality that this non-denominational Christian community offers. It's been a space that has challenged me in the ways that I've needed in my faith and consistently pointed me to Jesus. A few details if you're visiting for the first time: Services take no more than 1 hour and a half from start to finish. If you have kids, they offer safe and engaging Sunday morning childcare for kids infant age through grade 5. Parking is available out front in a small lot or on the east side of the building. Come and check it out, I'd love to see you there!

From the owner: The Sanctuary is a church in the neighborhood, for the city. Join us on Sundays at 10am at the Indy…read moreArt Center, in Broad Ripple. If you are looking for a church in Indianapolis, visit us this weekend.

Well I figured I should give my alma mater some love. I attended BCHC from 1996-2000, My experience…read morethere was very unique. My freshman year I was immediately drawn to the internally produced TV show. I got in and was mentored by a junior at the time who was a part of the original tv crew (it had just started a year or two before me). I soon took over co-producing the show and after my mentor left I was the producer and editor of the show. I also ran all of the AV for the liturgies, pep rallies and DJ'd most of the dances with my two best friends. Why am I telling you this? By the time I was a Junior I had a job working for Markey's AV. I started my career in Technology when I was 15 because the opportunities at Chatard. My story is unique for sure but the staff at Chatard supported me and helped me grow as a young man. On other notes not related to my career. I was and am not Catholic. Even though it is required to take a religion class every year I was not pressured in any way to take on their beliefs. I treated it as a history class. What was so amazing was that the Senior religion class was world religions. I always thought this was such an amazing things for them to do. And if you were a student there from the late 70's to the mid 2000's you had Mr. Powell as your teacher. I bet there are 1,000's of adults that when asked who is the one teacher that left a mark on you would say Mr. Powell. He was definitely mine. * The main reason my parents chose Chatard was their English program for kids with learning disabilities. I was diagnosed with ADD at a young age in the 80's. This program and the absolutely amazing teachers supported learning techniques for students with these issues. We were in our own small 6 student classroom for 2 periods of the day instead of being in the general English class. After 2 years of this program I was able to return back to the regular class. I will never forget how much that helped me in my learning through my entire life. Over the years I came back and volunteered time teaching students in the TV show program, photography in art class. I have donated art for the auctions and more. Why because I love this school. I could go on and on for ever about my experiences here. I will always be a Trojan!! And if any staff read this, I am always willing and able to volunteer. I have spent the past 22 years in the advanced technologies and engineering, photography and videography.

The real reason I review this place is the Monday and Wednesday night ZUMBA classes held in the…read moregym! The instructor (Jessica Daughtery who is also married to Chatard's basketball coach) is amazing! I have tried out Zumba at other locations and with other instructors but no one can stack up to her classes! She is awesome, energetic, inspiring, super friendly and the best part is she offers one of the most competitively priced clases. Five dollars a class or a 5class punch card for only $20! The schedule changes during the school year but right now her classes are being offered from 7:30pm to 8:30pm every Monday and Wednesday nights. The music is less latino and more hip hop/top 40 and is one of the reasons I love it so much. You don't have to be coordinated or know any dance steps. A few classes and you will fit right in. Age ranges from middle school kids all the way to senior citizens and even a few male participants here and there. Most are college/recent grad aged. As far as the school, Tuition here is about 8000-10000 a year per student with a discount for multiple children going at the same time. It's centrally located, has a great sports program, and has a pretty good reputation.There are about 600-700 students who attend school here. Zumba is held either in one of the gyms or the cafeteria downstairs. All are well kept and clean.

My wife and I are relatively new to the Indy area, and had searched for over a year to find a new…read moreChurch home. After visiting almost every Baptist and other denominations in our general locale, we couldn't find the right Church where the Holy Spirit wanted us to be. I prayed and prayed, and felt the LORD leading my family to Colonial Hills, and PTL we answered His call. We LOVE it here, it's so inviting, loving, and SUPER friendly. With a Church this size, we were blown away at how many people recognized that we were visitors, and were SO welcoming. It warms our hearts. We are glad that we have found a new Church home that we plan on attending from now until the LORD leads us home!

I'm not sure who Heather is but from what I see she is a made up person that made something up…read more That review should be erased. Colonial is a great church with a great pastor.

So much love at this church! Radiate Church is held in the mini auditorium in Broad Ripple High…read moreSchool. The pastor, Justin Bender, is incredibly kind, interesting, funny, and informative. I have learned so much here and always take notes because I want to remember everything I learn. The people are great and there are frequently bonding days and days in which the church helps the community. Mission: "Our church exists to radiate hope to EVERYONE in our city. We believe that no matter who you are...There is hope. You are never too far to find hope." Check them out! There are comment cards at every chair that you can fill out for more info or if you want to get involved in a Life Group. The pastoral staff prays over these cards every week!

I'm writing an update to reflect the fact that The Garden no longer worships at Beef & Boards. They…read morenow share space with Union Chapel United Methodist Church, 2720 East 86th Street. The Garden Community Church started in 1994 as an offshoot of sorts from parent organization/church St. Luke's United Methodist Church. Under the leadership of Dr. Linda McCoy, the church met for services at Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre on Indy's northwestside. In 2016, The Garden became an independent church and is currently pastored by Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes. The church was officially charted in 2017 as The Garden Community UMC. In 2021, The Garden moved out of Beef & Boards and began sharing space at Union Chapel. With core values of Social Justice, Outreach, Spirituality, Love, Inclusiveness, and Celebration, The Garden is an open and affirming community though it is certainly important to recognize that the United Methodist denomination continues to wrestle with LGBTQ issues largely due to the denomination's large African influence where being open and affirming is often illegal and can carry great risks. Per their own website, "The Garden is a leader of a forward-thinking movement, which encourages people to experience the holy in all of life, not just through the traditional format known as "church." The Garden is a Reconciling Ministry of the United Methodist Church. In terms of accessibility, the move to Union Chapel has created a much easier participation in terms of both attendance and participation. While Beef & Boards was technically accessible, to participate there was a steep ramp going into the theatre and seating was challenging unless you wanted to stay on the top row of what is actually a dinner theatre. Union Chapel, on the other hand, clearly values accessibility and now The Garden benefits. I've been a guest speaker at The Garden multiple times and it was always challenging - now, it will be much easier. The Sunday Service runs almost exactly 45 minutes. There's a definite creativity present within the services and strong music led by creative director Rhonda Baker. The band is known as the Good Earth Band. They also do live broadcast their services and the website includes an archive of messages. You will periodically find fairly "known" musicians in the band including members of John Mellencamp's band. The vocalists here are very strong. Rev. Carolyn's messages tend to be rather down-to-earth and yet grounded in a progressive theology and spirited empowerment. Rev. Carolyn also serves on the executive committee of the local seminary Christian Theological Seminary. For those who approach Christianity from a more progressive, inclusive theology The Garden is a forward-thinking, energized, and empowering congregation with a strong thread of creativity throughout it. The services are positive, the emphasis on community service is strong, and there's a passionate commitment to social justice.

From the owner: Those who experience The Garden find connections through common values more than through common…read morebeliefs. The Garden is: spiritual, not religious; accepting, not judgmental; seeking, not certain; inclusive, not exclusive; up-to-date, not limited by the past; and succeeds in blurring the lines between the sacred and secular. Those who are connected with The Garden are empowered and encouraged to think for themselves and to be wherever they are in their own life/spiritual journey without any expectation of a pre-determined or set destination.

I've been weaving my way through some Indianapolis faith communities, partly out of curiosity and…read morepartly out of a genuine search for the next stop on what has been a long and diverse faith journey. I have intentionally chosen to visit communities that challenge my own personal theology in big and small ways. While I was baptized Catholic as an infant, my mother moved away from Catholicism and all I was largely left with was an authentic curiosity and an openness to learning while also recognizing that it seems like an awful lot of my true mentors in life have been of the Catholic faith. I've visited four Catholic parishes in Indy - St. Joan of Arc, St. Matthew, St. Thomas Aquinas and this church, Immaculate Heart of Mary. My first visit to Immaculate Heart occurred on a Sunday when the speaker was a guest and the parish's actual priest was not present. While I left quite impressed with the parish's atmosphere and friendliness, I had a desire to return for "Father Bob." Immaculate Heart is what could definitely be considered a "neighborhood" parish. Located at 56th & Central, the area is a predominately white area, mostly middle to slightly upper class and seemingly dominated by families and aging couples. This parish is within probably a couple miles of both St. Joan of Arc and St. Thomas Aquinas, yet the differences within the personalities of each parish are pronounced and remarkable. They all have their strengths and challenges. To be fair, I do not live in this neighborhood. In fact, regardless of how I travel I go through at least one parish to visit Immaculate Heart. Upon my first visit, I unexpectedly ran into a friend at the Mass. I knew she attended Immaculate Heart, but also knew she typically went to an earlier service. Her hospitality on my first visit made that first visit warmer and quite welcoming and got me introduced to others. I was impressed with the accessibility of the church - from a magnificent concrete ramp to automated doors to roomy aisles and even a ramp to the side allowing access to the altar area. They've clearly made an effort to be welcoming. I was also impressed with their audio system, which made hearing each speaker crystal clear despite the massive structure of the church. I'm not aware if the church offers any sort of audio adaptive aids for those in need. I returned this past week and was able to hear Father Bob, who began at Immaculate Heart in 2007 and is clearly adored by his parish. I'd heard from one friend that it was Immaculate Heart that ultimately was so welcoming that he converted to Catholicism, while multiple friends had praised Father Bob as a speaker. They were right. He's friendly, relaxed, engaging and yet quite intelligent. He speaks without notes, yet it feels fresh and vibrant and witty. I was able to meet him briefly after the service and found him similarly engaging in person. The church was just as welcoming without my previous friend present, as I'd intentionally gone to a different service (though, ironically, ran into another acquaintance). The church longs for diversity, such as is present at Thomas Aquinas, yet acknowledges the difficulty of having that in their current setting. They are humble, perhaps even a little self-deprecating, yet obviously seeking to live into their faith. I really love looking at their website that describes their wide ministry outreach and includes a page for those in some sort of crisis. It even includes the local crisis hotline phone number. Bravo. I don't know that I consider Immaculate Heart an option for a "home," especially as I do have some challenges with Catholic theology, but I am aware I loved this visit and everything about Immaculate Heart from the church to the people to the pastor and the steeple (c'mon, I had to rhyme). As a fun note, it was actually in 1981 that the church's steeple crashed to the ground in front of the church during high winds. Fortunately, no one was hurt. While I've appreciated things about each of the four parishes I've visited, I must confess that Immaculate Heart of Mary has kind of won my heart.

I've been around the world...(I'm singing the AC/DC song in my head as I type that. Some would…read morethink I should not be singing AC/DC while reviewing a church....) Been to many churches. This one is a top church. I moved from Indianapolis (far east) to Carmel, Indiana to Charlestown, MA, to West Roxbury, MA to Burlington, VT back to Carmel, IN and now to the north side of Indy. We were looking for a church based community. And, we wanted the church to be welcoming and inviting. I hear that this church has not always had this reputation, but I wasn't around it back whenever that was. What I do know is that my wife and I attended mass here in April 2014 and was treated with arms wide open. People knew we were not regulars at this church and they approached us, talked to us, were genuinely interested in what we had to say. We felt at home right away. We joined! The services are traditional. 11-14 servers. It is a great mass. The priest at this location know how to engage the congregation during the sermon. We have two small children. Sometimes they are not able to contain themselves. But, I have never felt like it an issue. Since joining, the tide has not changed. We're still very pleased with this church. There has been donut parties, Wednesday night hotdog gatherings, emails to keep people informed of what is going on. We've just signed up for Marriage-on-Tap (check the website for info - sounds grand!). I am looking forward to the fall festival on Sept 20, 2014! Additionally, I can add that the welcoming attitude goes beyond the adults. I have watched the kids that go to this church treat our kids with the same arms wide open attitude. I'm proud to be a member!

I went to the school from 4th to 8th grade. I was called a sad little girl when I was depressed my…read moreteachers never helped me to be honest they could care more about their paycheck than they could about the kids. There was so much homophobia it over poured. It's like I had to except Jesus or I would die. As a gay kid that was terrifying I did not like going there and I don't recommend it if your kid is part of the LGBTQ community. One day when we were outside playing with water the priest told us that we had left a black mark on their reputation. So that is my input on this hell.

Northminster Presbyterian Church is a member of PC-USA (progressive side of the Presbyterian…read moreDenomination). Right on the edge of what would be considered Broad Ripple proper, Northminster has been around for over 75 years and is located directly on Kessler Boulevard. This is very much a residential church set smack dab in the middle of a neighborhood. It has parking both in front of and behind the church with accessible parking spots on both sides. I entered through the back of the church and the entry had a single door that was easily accessible (I think it was an automatic door, as well). The church has two floors and does have an elevator. As I was present for an event, I did not explore the church and can't speak to full accessibility. I will note that I went to a main set of bathrooms that weren't really accessible - I could get into the bathroom, but the stalls were definitely lacking. I think there were single-user bathrooms near the sanctuary that are a bit better. Rev. Brian Shivers is senior pastor. Rev. Karen Herbst-Kim is associate pastor. PC-USA does ordain women and LGBTQ ministers, though you will find both conservative and liberal members of PC-USA congregations. I was present last evening for the last in a year-long concert series called "Sound and Spirit." It's an outreach of The Arts at Northminster and is definitely a draw for the church. The concerts are always free. This year's series included The Jeremiahs (Irish traditional), Palermo Presents (classical), Rob Dixon Trio (Jazz), Requiem in D Minor (Classical), Carolyn Craig, Organ (Classical), and Blue Highway (Bluegrass). The concerts are in the sanctuary. It's a fairly traditional sanctuary that has recently been made a bit more accessible with a couple of shortened pews offering natural wheelchair seating. They also, I learned, replaced a couple doors on the side that weren't quite accessible. I had no trouble going through them. There was a wider wheelchair that was outside the sanctuary in an area that appears to be used by parents with small children. I actually spent part of the evening there. I would probably give accessibility a 3.5 out of 5, though there's an obvious effort being made with recent improvements and an attitude of welcome that is nice. The parking spots were true ADA spots (rare for churches and not even true for my now home church of Second Presbyterian). I'd attended a couple services years ago here before a tragedy claimed the lives of the pastor and his wife. A plaque in their memory still rests on a wall in the church. Northminster has a "come as you are" approach to worship. While most dress business casual, there's not a judgmental approach to more casual folks (like me). Services are also streamed online including many of the special services. They host a variety of community activities including a preschool, yoga, music lessons, and more. While I'm happy in my church home, there's definitely something special here at Northminster with a wonderful staff, friendly congregation, progressive spirit, and a strong arts focus. For those seeking a more progressive yet traditional worship service Northminster would be a great place to explore.

This church hosts a 4-part community concert series that is spectacular! We have heard…read moreGrammy-winning bluegrass artists among others. Did I mention it is free?! They even give you free cookies and coffee at intermission. A very welcoming congregation offering a special gift of great secular music to the community - give them a listen!

This school used to live up to it's claims of meeting the child where they are, educating the whole…read morechild, fostering their individuality, etc. In the past few years I have experienced a tremendous decline in their ability to hold true to this, sadly. I give it an average star rating because these days is just a costly version of any typical, yet capable public school with the addition of arrogance in their approach.

All three of our children attended The Orchard School. We are very pleased with the education they…read morereceived and so are they. I've often tried to sift through all our years and determine what they most learned/received at Orchard and if I had to pick one attribute (and there are many), I'd pick confidence. They are all confident public speakers. For example, when my daughter was a junior in high school, she won an award that required her to speak at a dinner with over 400 people present. I tried several times to get her to practice and review her speech in advance, knowing that the previous recipient had a professional speech writer. In frustration, one evening she said, "Mom, I went to Orchard. Don't worry." She delivered a flawless speech without notes. They are all confident about their ability to learn. Orchard likes to say they help create lifelong learners and they do. Each of our children knows how to learn and they like to learn. They are all confident expressing themselves to anyone. In high school, their teachers observed that unlike many shy teens they were not afraid to ask questions and advocate for themselves or for others. And, this has continued throughout their college and post-graduate years. Orchard invites and teaches children how to respectfully approach adults. At Orchard, education is not just about science, English, history, etc. While these are important, it's also about helping develop good people and preparing them for the future.