Zionsville Christian Church sits at 120 N. 9th Street in Zionsville, Indiana, its western wall facing the town's Big-4 Rail Trail. A 4,339-square-foot mural wraps that side of the building, greeting runners, cyclists, and walkers who pass between the town's parks and pathways. For more than 180 years, this congregation has gathered in the heart of Boone County under the name Zionsville Christian Church, and today it describes itself as a continually evolving community of faith that encourages its members to “be you, be loved, belong, become.”
A 180-Year Walk on the Big-4 Rail Trail
The congregation traces its roots back more than 180 years. Through generations of change in Zionsville, the church has stayed at the center of town, treating its building as more than a place to hold services. The members see it as a community asset, and the mural along the rail trail is one expression of that conviction. The work was painted by Zionsville native Eli Archer during the summer of 2024 and was dedicated on August 23 of that year, after weeks of priming, fundraising, and painting that included a portrait session for congregants and a handprint Sunday in worship.
Passersby on the trail can stop at a small rest area by the church to take a drink of water and look up at the mural. The project was featured on the front page of the Current in Zionsville and has become a familiar landmark for people who use the five-mile paved path that connects Zionsville's parks.
Where “All” Means All
The congregation's welcome statement is unusually direct. It extends a special welcome to those who are single, married, divorced, LGBTQ, filthy rich, dirt poor, “yo no habla Ingles.” It welcomes crying newborns and those who could afford to lose a few pounds, those who can sing like Andrea Bocelli and those who, like a former pastor, couldn't carry a tune in a bucket. It welcomes tourists, seekers, doubters, bleeding hearts, and anyone who got lost in traffic and wound up at the door by mistake.
That tone of radical inclusion shapes the rest of the church's life. The congregation's stated core values begin with radical inclusivity: the intentional inclusion of every person in the community of faith, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, or race. Other values include courageous compassion, unrelenting love, an open and curious faith that welcomes fearless dialogue, and a commitment to put mission first. The members describe themselves as “a diverse, inclusive, and innovative gathering of people who are seeking conversations about faith, Scripture, and how we can engage in God's mission,” and they emphasize that the communion table is open to all, every week.
Sunday Worship at Ten
Worship services are held at 10:00 am on Sundays and last about an hour. The hour includes contemplative time, singing, prayers, an inspirational message, and weekly communion. The church's description of itself is honest about its breadth: members hold a wide range of beliefs, and participation in the community is based on a common trust in God rather than on agreement with any particular doctrine.
Services are livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel and Facebook page, and recordings of previous services are available on YouTube for anyone who wants to catch up or revisit a service. Those who prefer to gather in the sanctuary are always welcome.
Children and Youth at Every Age
The church welcomes “crying babies, fidgeting toddlers, questioning teens, and everything in between.” During Sunday worship, nursery care is available for children aged 0-2. Children in preschool through second grade join the first part of the worship service with their families and are then dismissed partway through to participate in Worship Our Way, or WOW, a Sunday school program that combines Christian education with playtime. Children in third grade and up are invited to stay with their families throughout the service.
A separate ZCC Youth Group serves young people in fifth through ninth grade. The group is led by Senior Minister Rev. Tyler Thompson and brings youth and their families together for events rooted in friendship, faith, and fun, including an annual kickoff day that has included a trip to a ballpark with the Thompson family. Rev. Tyler and his wife Amanda have two young children of their own, Whittaker and Evvie, and they are a visible part of the church's family life.
Adult Ministries: Study, Prayer, and Justice
For adults, Zionsville Christian Church offers a range of regular gatherings that can be attended in person or, in several cases, online.
- Thursday Morning Bible Study meets at 9:00 am every Thursday in a hybrid format, in person at ZCC and via Zoom. The group focuses on conversation and study of biblical texts and themes.
- Bible Geeks & Nerds is a discussion-based group that explores scripture and spirituality in historical and cultural context, welcoming many viewpoints and aiming to develop a rich spirituality that enables Jesus Christ to live in each participant.
- Disciples Women is the transgenerational women's ministry of the church. It conducts ministry and fellowship opportunities locally and worldwide, with no membership or conditions, and is committed to the justice-seeking, compassion-focused mission of Jesus Christ.
- Ruth Circle, an umbrella group of Disciples Women, is a Bible study that meets on the first Wednesday of every month at 9:00 am at ZCC. All women are welcome.
- Wednesday Prayer Time gathers via Zoom for prayer on behalf of individuals, the community, and the world. Anyone who would like prayer can also submit a confidential request that goes directly to the clergy.
- Social Justice Ministry meets regularly to discuss the intersection of faith and standing up for a just world, sharing concerns and offering support.
Music and the Sunday Hour
Brenna Green, an Indianapolis native who lives in Brownsburg, serves as Music Director. She holds a BA in piano performance from Anderson University, where she also studied organ, and an MM in piano pedagogy from Butler University. Beyond her work at ZCC, she composes music, performs with a Balinese gamelan ensemble, hikes, and spends time with a large collection of houseplants. Her role shapes the musical texture of worship each week.
The “Who Is My Neighbor?” Speaker Series
One of the church's signature offerings is its Speaker Series, built around the question, “Who is my neighbor?” The series features speakers who foster thought and action on equity, diversity, human rights, access to essential resources and opportunities, participation in decision-making, and environmental issues. Speakers share their cultural and spiritual backgrounds, why they immigrated to the United States, the assimilation issues they have encountered, and ideas for bridging cultural and societal divisions. All events are free and open to the public.
Recent speakers have included Juan Padilla, an Indy transplant from Barranquilla, Colombia, who teaches at IU Indianapolis and Ivy Tech Community College and manages a photography business. Earlier programs have featured Dr. Andrew Whitehead, whose talk drew on more than a decade of research on Christian nationalism and the threats it poses to democracy and civil society, and Sheila Suess Kennedy, who explored the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution. The series has typically run with monthly evening lectures in the church sanctuary.
Walking with Boone County: Outreach Partners
The church states plainly that faith is an action verb, and it shows that conviction through long-standing partnerships with charitable organizations in Boone County and beyond.
- Shalom House works with community partners to provide meals and a sense of community in Boone County and runs a Kid's Sack Lunch program that provides lunches and breakfasts to families with children during school breaks. ZCC supports Shalom House by serving lunches, baking thousands of cookies, and delivering hundreds of meals a year.
- The Caring Center is a multiprogram nonprofit serving hundreds of families and thousands of individuals annually, working to stabilize families in crisis and move people in poverty toward self-sufficiency. ZCC operates a collection spot in its Gathering Space, delivering nonperishable food items, sanitary items, and more on a monthly basis.
- Habitat for Humanity of Boone County brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope. ZCC members have participated in Habitat faith builds, building and repairing homes in Boone County and offering meals and prayers for the work crews.
- Central Christian Church Thrift Shop in Indianapolis is staffed entirely by volunteers and offers clothing, shoes, and household items at reasonable prices, with proceeds supporting local ministries. ZCC has partnered with Central Christian for years, providing volunteers and donated items.
- Week of Compassion, the relief, refugee, and development mission fund of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), is supported each year through congregational giving.
In a separate but related effort, the church's grounds host Gingerbread House Preschool, an early-childhood program with its own enrollment. The preschool shares a commitment to serving local families and operates as a neighbor to the congregation.
Recovery Groups in the Fellowship Hall
Zionsville Christian Church is proud to provide meeting space for addiction recovery groups. The church believes that those in recovery, those still struggling, and those just walking through the door are all welcome. Recovery meetings are held on the following weekly schedule:
- Alcoholics Anonymous: Wednesdays 7:30-8:30 pm, Fridays 6:30-7:30 pm, and Saturdays 9:00-10:00 am, all in the Fellowship Hall.
- Al-Anon: Tuesdays 5:30-6:30 pm and Saturdays 9:00-10:00 am in Room 201.
- Narcotics Anonymous: Mondays 6:30-7:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall.
Beliefs, Affirmations, and Green Chalice
The congregation shares a number of things in common: gathering each Sunday morning to know God and each other, sharing weekly communion as a reminder of God's grace and of the mission to extend the invitation to all people, believing that God is revealed through the life of Jesus, holding that a life of faith is best explored without fear and shame, and affirming that each person is a child of God and worthy of God's grace and love.
ZCC also affirms important differences: that exploring differences in understanding the Bible is part of the discovery of truth, that the value of diversity extends to each person's unique spiritual journey, and that participation in a community of Christians is based on a common trust in God rather than on acceptance of a common set of beliefs.
The church is a certified Green Chalice congregation, a Disciples of Christ program that integrates Christian faith, spiritual practice, and creation consciousness into the life of the congregation to demonstrate the fullness of God's love for all creation.
Part of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Zionsville Christian Church is a congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), a movement founded in the early 1800s in the United States by people who sought to move beyond denominational disagreements and envision a united church of Jesus Christ modeled on the New Testament. The movement describes itself as “a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world,” welcoming all to the Lord's Table as God has welcomed them. The Disciples tradition shapes ZCC's practice of weekly communion and its commitment to a fully open table.
The Senior Minister and the Staff
Rev. Tyler A. Thompson has served as Senior Minister since June 2016 and is responsible for the spiritual leadership and vision-casting of the congregation. An Indiana native, he holds a BS from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth and a Master of Divinity from Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis. He believes that faith is best lived, and he encourages individuals to tell their personal stories while seeking the convergence of God's good news of redemption with each person's lived story.
The rest of the staff includes Brenna Green as Music Director, Sandy Chan as Administrative Assistant, Laura Wilmot as Communications Director, and Markus Shobe as Bookkeeper. Together they keep the church's many ministries running, from Sunday worship and the WOW program to the Speaker Series, the recovery groups, and the partnerships with organizations across Boone County.
Getting Together Beyond Sunday
The church's social life extends well beyond the Sunday morning hour. There is a book club open to men and women, free Parents' Night Out evenings that include a pizza party for children while caregivers get a break, an annual bonfire and weenie roast on the grounds, fellowship lunches hosted by Disciples Women, and a regular gathering at the Zionsville Pride Festival each summer. Pastors, staff, and members are active in the wider life of Zionsville, and the church regularly opens its doors to community events.
For anyone wanting to visit, services are held at 120 N. 9th Street in Zionsville at 10:00 am on Sundays, with nursery care and the WOW program available for young children. Visitors who would prefer to watch from home can find the livestream on the church's YouTube channel and Facebook page, and recordings of past services are archived on YouTube. Those who want to support the church's ministries can give online at any time.