For All the Saints - Celebrating 175 years of Second Presbyterian Church

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On November 19, 1838, fifteen members of the Presbyterian Church of Christ in Indianapolis amicably left to start what would be called Second Presbyterian Church.  They felt the call toward a more progressive expression of their faith in the understanding of original sin, the confessions, and the reform of individuals as well as society.  This was a part of the larger Old School vs. New School debate in the Presbyterian Church.

For 175 years, Second Presbyterian Church has been a witness to the love of God, the grace of Jesus Christ, and the movement of the Holy Spirit in Indianapolis and beyond.  The members of Second Presbyterian Church have continued to live into the call the fifteen charter members responded to long ago.  The journey has not been without its bumps, bruises, disagreements, missteps, and near splits.  However, the people of Second throughout history have been a "faithful people striving to be faithful" in word and deed to the call of Christ (Lorna Shoemaker, thank you for this important phrase).  Lives have been transformed because of the faithful response of the people of Second Presbyterian Church.

I am humbled and thankful that I have been a part of this amazing journey throughout the last 24 years.  I have been formed by the faith of the people who make up this congregation.  Thank you is not enough to express the depth of my gratitude for your witness to the Gospel and your nurture of my family and me.  I am excited to step in to the next chapter of what it means to be church together with you.

As we celebrate the first 175 years of Second Presbyterian Church, may we be reminded of our rich heritage, encouraged in our faith together, and strengthened to walk faithfully into our future with hope and promise because of the one who began the good work among us.

Thanks be to God for those who have gone before us, for those who stand alongside us, and for those who will come after us.
Thanks be to God for the expression of faith that is Second Presbyterian Church.
Thanks be to God for all the saints.

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