WHAT WE ARE ABOUT | FOR NEWCOMERS 
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​WHAT WE ARE ABOUT
At Spirit of Joy Church, we believe that Christians are called to imitate Christ. We are interested in pursuing ongoing transformation instead of simply increasing information.  In the first book of Acts, Jesus commissions his disciples to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, in all of Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth (Acts 1:8). Spirit of Joy takes this command seriously, seeking to spread God's Word in our city, state, country, and around the world.  
​Spirit of Joy exists to Encounter God, Become more like Christ and Go serve the World.
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WHAT WE CONFESS (OUR BELIEFS)
We believe, teach, and confess the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  We believe, teach, and confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and the gospel as the power of God for the salvation of all who believe in him.
  • Jesus Christ is the Word of God incarnate, through whom everything was made and through whose life, death, and resurrection God fashions a new creation.
  • The proclamation of God's message to us as both law and gospel is the Word of God, revealing judgment and mercy in the person and work of Jesus Christ through whom God was pleased to reconcile all things to himself.
  • The canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God. Inspired by God's Spirit speaking through their authors, they record and announce God's revelation centering in Jesus Christ. Through them God's Spirit speaks to us to create and sustain Christian faith and fellowship for service in the world.  
  • We believe, teach, and accept the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the inspired Word of God and the sole authoritative source and norm of our proclamation, faith, and life.
  • We accept the Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds as true declarations of the scriptural faith we believe, teach, and confess.
  • We believe, teach, and accept the Unaltered Augsburg Confession and the Small Catechism as true witnesses to the Word of God, normative for our teaching and practice. We acknowledge that we are one in faith and doctrine with all churches that likewise accept the teachings of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession.
  • We believe, teach, and confess the other confessional writings in the Book of Concord namely, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles, the Treatise, the Large Catechism, and the Formula of Concord, as further valid expositions of the Holy Scriptures.
  • We believe, teach, and confess the gospel, recorded in the Holy Scriptures and confessed in the ecumenical creeds and Lutheran confessional writings, as the power of God to create and sustain the priesthood of all believers for God's mission in the world.
IF YOU'RE NEW TO OUR CHURCH​

Feel free to sit where you like as you practice social distancing.  We suggest that anyone not yet vaccinated for COVID-10 who gather with us feel free to wear a face covering and sanitize hands upon entering the building. Please see our Reopening Plan details on the Home Page for more details.

​Wear whatever is comfortable to you.
​We just want the chance to meet you and encounter God together. Our worship life is grounded in scripture, prayer, holy communion and music-- lots of music. We dig out musical treasures from the distant past and explore newer worship music written only recently. 

Every Sunday we gather to the sound of music, confess our sins and hear the Good News of forgiveness.
​ We pray for the Lord to reveal His presence as we continue to worship and to hear Good News proclaimed. We pray for one another and the world around us. Our worship life is participatory and multi sensory. We always share communion, the real presence of Christ, and we are then sent into the world to be the hands and feet of Jesus, to share and be Good News to others.

Our worship is rooted in the Lutheran tradition.
Some describe it as Ancient/Future; connected to the contributions of the many generations that have gone before us, but also respectful of the ongoing creativity of current artists and the community we serve in Indianapolis. Our greatest desire in this time is to encounter the presence of God.

Part of worship involves an offering.
We will place offering plates in a visible location for those who choose to donate. While we normally pass offering plates as part of our worship service, COVID-19 safe practices necessitates leaving the plates where they will not be repeatedly handled by multiple people.

Giving is an act of worship where we respond in generosity to the blessings of God and the practical desire to support the ministry that happens through our church. We believe all people were made in the image of God and God is GENEROUS. We feel that to truly be human is to reflect this generosity in every way we can imagine. This includes providing a way for those who wish to contribute to the practical support of our ministry.

Communion is offered ever Sunday and is open to any Christian who would ordinarily receive communion.
Holy Communion is a grace that we receive. As important as it is for Christians though, we must not feel compelled to come forward to take communion given the theoretical health risks that may be present during the pandemic.

Having said that, as Lutheran Christians, we are convinced that Christ is truly present in the bread and wine and we welcome all who share this belief to come forward for this sacred event. If it makes more sense for you to not receive communion, please know that you are still welcome to come forward to receive a blessing or prayer or simply remain in your seat. Grape juice is offered for those who prefer not to receive wine.

Normally, we'd love to get to know you a little better over a tasty beverage or a snack. For now, please do introduce yourself and stay for a bit (socially-distanced, of course). Just please understand that for the time being, all beverage and snack stations will remain closed.​