Priscilla Phelps, right, greets Carolyn Cleland during an open house in 2019 celebrating the renovation of Beech Church. The structure, refurbished after once being named to Indiana Landmarks’ 10 Most Endangered list, is a reminder of Indiana’s first community of free Black settlers. Phelps, a descendant of the Beech Settlement, lived on Sixth Street in Greenfield for part of her childhood and attended first grade at Riley School. This year’s annual homecoming service remembering the settlement will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at Walnut Ridge Friends Church in Carthage.
Beech Homecoming will be at Walnut Ridge
CARTHAGE — A reunion for Beech Settlement descendants and others in the community is set for 3 p.m. Sunday.
This year the service will not be at the restored 1800s church building, Beech Church. The service will be at Walnut Ridge Friends Church, 8956 W. County Road 800N. Everyone is welcome.
The Beech Settlement was a group of free Black people who settled in the Carthage area in the 1920s. It’s believed that such groups often settled near Quaker communities, because Quaker settlers were known to be welcoming.
Harvest of Talents to raise money for feeding programs
FORTVILLE — The sixth annual Harvest of Talents fundraiser is set for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 10 at Fortville Christian Church, 9450 N. County Road 200W.
The event raises money for International Disaster Emergency Service feeding programs in Haiti, India, Kenya, Kosovo, Myanmar and Tanzania.
Decor, furniture and other items will be for sale. A silent auction will feature gift cards from area businesses.
A live auction takes place at 2:30 p.m. under a tent outside.
Breakfast will be available at 9 a.m. and lunch at 11:30 a.m.
Car show registration runs from 9 a.m. to noon, with awards given at 3 p.m. Entry fee is $20.
Humana will have a truck at the car show with information about Medicare options.
Information: 317-485-4934; www.fortvillechristian.com
Read-aloud features Galatians, Ephesians
CUMBERLAND — The monthly community Bible read-aloud series continues next week at Heather Hills Baptist Church with the books of Galatians and Ephesians, both among the letters the Apostle Paul wrote to churches. It takes about 20 minutes to read Galatians and 19 minutes to read Ephesians.
The church says anyone is welcome to come join in the reading, or simply listen. The choice of reading times is noon Monday or 7 p.m. Wednesday in the student center at the church, 1421 N. German Church Road, Indianapolis.
Information: heatherhills.org, 317-894-7474
Restoration Conference continues today
GREENFIELD — The Restoration Conference started Friday and continues Saturday (Aug. 27) at Apostolic Pentecostal Church, 1202 E. Fifth St.
Dana Elsey of Indianapolis will speak in a service at 11:30 a.m.
Evangelist Kendal Weeks of O’Fallon, Illlinois, will speak in a service at 4:30 p.m.
Willow Branch dinner to return
WILLOW BRANCH — Willow Branch United Methodist Church is bringing back its annual Fall Dinner after two years of a scaled-back, drive-through version.
The $15 dinner includes a choice of swiss steak or chicken and noodles, mashed potatoes, choice of two vegetables, salad and homemade dessert. The event is 4 to 7 p.m. Sept. 24 at the church, 6244 N. Thomas St., Willow Branch. The fundraiser benefits community projects.
Lord’s Acre Festival seeks vendors
McCORDSVILLE — McCordsville United Methodist Church seeks vendors for its 70th annual Lord’s Acre Festival.
The event is Sept. 16-17 at the church, 6247 W. Broadway. For details, visit mccordsvilleumc.org or email [email protected].
Sermon to take cues from one given in 1776
GREENFIELD — Sunday’s sermon will have a historic feel at Curry’s Chapel Church.
Rich Bailey, the church’s pastor, will give a sermon in the style of John Witherspoon, president of the College of New Jersey. On May 17, 1776, he preached a sermon titled “The Dominion of Providence over the Passions of Men.” Some have seen it as the sermon that helped launch the American Revolution.
Bailey will present the sermon in the first person of John Witherspoon while dressed in the style of the Black Robed Regiment. Similar in style to the topic of the original sermon, “this will focus on taking back ground and standing firm against those who today wish to destroy this country,” Bailey wrote in an email.
The service begins at 10:30 a.m. at the church, 3488 N. County Road 375E, Greenfield.
‘Back 2 Church’ congregations invite worshipers
GREENFIELD — Brown’s Chapel Wesleyan Church would like to invite everyone in the community to National Back 2 Church Sunday on Sept. 18.
Back 2 Church Sunday started in 2009 as a call to action and invitation – action for the church, and invitation for the world.
“Each year since then, the third Sunday in September has been designated as a day to encourage everyone to attend a Bible-based church in their area, and for church leaders to create a welcoming, inviting environment for their visitors,” the church said in a release. “The Brown’s Chapel Wesleyan Church family stands ready to welcome everyone, just as they are, and invites them to come to experience our community of faith.”
Services begin at 10:30 a.m. at 994 N. County Road 600E, Greenfield, at the intersection of 100 North and 600 East. Childcare for birth-preschool and a children’s worship service will be available as well. For more information, call the church at 317-462-4910.
Other area churches have indicated on the backtochurch.com site that they are welcoming worshipers back as well: Greenfield First Church of the Nazarene and Walnut Ridge Friends Meeting in Carthage. Other congregations who want to add their church to the map can find a link on that site.
