In 2015, Joy of All Who Sorrow Orthodox Christian Church raised a cross on the border of Indianapolis’ Old Northside and Herron-Morton neighborhoods as a sign of our long-term commitment to each other and the community. It is our beacon: we are here for you; all are welcome.
Joy of All Who Sorrow holds a unique place in the history and contemporary life of the neighborhood and the city. Beginning in the 1970s, members of our faith community came to Indianapolis and dedicated themselves to serving those in need. Throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s, members restored dilapidated residences and later the church itself, while offering spiritual and material assistance to those in need. They also opened a popular local restaurant called Brother Juniper’s and, with willing neighbors, helped transform desperate and desolate streets into a safe and beautiful neighborhood. Much has changed for the better in forty-five years, but the original Joy community is still here and still committed to you.
We are appealing to our community for help! Joy of All Who Sorrow embarked on a $900,000 capital campaign to purchase the historic church building we have been leasing. We have raised about 75% of that and now want to push to the finish. To make a donation, contact one of the people listed below.
The Opportunity
We bring unique diversity to our neighborhood with members from more than 10 different countries. Over the past 45 years, we have helped stabilize and rebuild the neighborhood. We have been, and continue to be, good stewards of all we have been given. Now we are on the threshold of a major change in the life of our parish community. Having created a firm foundation, we are poised to open our doors, both spiritual and physical, to our many new neighbors. We need your help to step over this threshold and go forward seeking new partnerships and opportunities for service.
We love our unique building and its history
Nathaniel Alden Hyde (a close friend of artist T.C. Steele who lived across the street and loved this church) was the Pastor Emeritus of the Mayflower Congregational Church when the original church (now our Hall) was constructed in 1894. The red brick building came later, the cornerstone laid in 1901 with these prophetic words:
“This shall be a church that shall be a renewing and cleansing power in the community . . .
“This shall be a church with an open door for all people, rich or poor, homeless or desolate, who need the help of God through us.”
With these words, they set the pace for those who followed, serving both the church and the wider community.
Our church building and bookstore are both located on the border line between the Old Northside Historic District and the Herron-Morton Place Historic Neighborhood. It is important to us and to our neighbors to maintain and improve this structure for our use and the benefit of the larger community. We plan to continue to renovate the building to facilitate more use by the larger community while staying true to its historic character.
We connect to the community
We serve our congregation and community through our ongoing ministries, including:
• Christmas Families Program, which provides a holiday dinner and gifts for
children of needy families in the area.
• Providing short-term work for homeless and indigent
• St. Seraphim’s Bookstore – Indiana’s largest Orthodox bookstore
• Sunday Community Lunch open to anyone
• Adult Education
• Sunday School
• Prison Ministry
• English as a Second Language (ESL) classes
• Russian language classes
Joy of All Who Sorrow also maintains outreach efforts in the Indianapolis community through hosting programs, and our participation in community wide events:
• Neighborhood association meetings, conventions, and more
• Herron High School partnership
• Indy Folk Dancers
• Kindermusik
• An Old World Christmas Market
• Talbot Street Art Fair
• Penrod Art Fair
We have great potential
Our building is a tool for ministry. It is open to everybody and always has been. We are a stabilizing influence in the community. Owning this building will allow us to continue to grow and develop as a cornerstone of community and culture in Indianapolis. See our related video at http://joyofallwhosorrow-indy.org/capital-campaign/.
For more information, please contact one of the following:
Fr. John Miller, Campaign Co-chair
fatherjohnmiller@gmail.com
(317)771-5672
Jamie Edgar, Campaign Co-chair
jedgarlawyer@gmail.com
(317)679-7900
Juliana Miller, Campaign Coordinator
trishajuliana@gmail.com
(317) 771-9482
