Indiana—The Glendale Seventh-day Adventist Church had its beginning in a little group of believers who worshiped together for some months in a small church on Central Avenue before becoming, in 1888, the first organized Seventh-day Adventist Church in Indianapolis. Over the next seventy years, the congregation met in a number of different facilities and locations to accommodate its growing membership and outreach ministries. They purchased 15 acres of land in 1959 and moved into their newly-constructed church in 1961. The following year they added a ten-grade school, which became Indianapolis Junior Academy, operated by three constituent churches.

The small congregation has grown to a membership of 569, representing 30 different ethnic groups. This blend of believers is committed to sharing the good news and making their church a welcome place for all. That spirit of openness and hospitality was behind their recent renovation that amounted to a complete overhaul of the church facilities from top to bottom.

The completion of the two-year project was celebrated on Sabbath, Sept. 9, with an overflow crowd which included former members and guests; all were treated to a special hospitality dinner. Former pastor, Lou Toscano, presented "Stone Stories in the Bible," a special feature during Sabbath school. Leah Bryant presented "A Look at Glendale Memories, Mission, and Ministry" on the big screen.

"Favorite Memories of Glendale" included reflections from the early '60s by some members and former members who participated in the process of building the Glendale Church.

Special guest participants in the celebration included worship speaker Barry Black, a rear admiral in the U.S. Navy and the 62nd Chaplain of the United States Senate. Black's opening remarks expressed his delight to stand before such a diverse and unified church. He said, "Glendale is a very special church. The weekend divine worship [service] is one of the most segregated hours of the week. You can not say that about a church with 30 ethnicities. You are a model for other churches to follow.... Every time you come together Heaven smiles, because this is what Heaven is going to look like. You are to be congratulated."

Following the hospitality dinner, there was an afternoon musical concert with special guest artists: Adrian Westney, pianist with the Voice of Prophecy; Nancy Dudley, pianist and music minister with the First Seventh-day Adventist Church of Huntsville, Ala.; David Mannell, tenor soloist and director for Educational Shows for the Indianapolis Opera Company; and Angela Brown, soprano soloist with the Metropolitan Opera.

DVDs of the "Celebration of Renovation and Renewal" are available. Please contact the church office for information at 317-253-3711 or by email at contact@glendalesda.org.

"I was glad when they said to me, Let's go into the house of the Lord" (Psalm 122:1).

Gary Burns, Lake Union Conference communication director

Historical information contributed by Barbara Bryant and Clare Yelvington.