Spirit & Place, IU Indianapolis

Making Room at the Table: The Story of the Philadelphia Eleven
2023-11-03 14:30 - 17:30 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis) | Newfields – The Toby, 4000 N. Michigan Rd., Indianapolis, IN, 46226, United States
ASL Upon Request.
Watch The Philadelphia Eleven, a compelling new documentary film about the first women to become Episcopal priests. Join a panel discussion with the filmmaker, two of the Eleven, and some of Indy’s trailblazing female religious leaders.
The film shows how a brave group of women shattered the stained glass ceiling on July 29, 1974, by challenging the very core of patriarchal culture to seek ordination as priests in the Episcopal Church. It is a powerful story of faith and conviction. It is a story for all of us, regardless of faith tradition.
Their story prompts questions such as what does a just and inclusive community look like in practice? How do we break down barriers with grace and remain true to ourselves in the process? How do we, as either the protagonist or as an ally, stand up to institutions that do not allow people to be who they are called to be? How do we practice radical inclusivity?
After the film screening, guests will hear from the filmmaker, Margo Guernsey, as well as two of the “Philadelphia Eleven,” Rev. Dr. Carter Heyward and Rev. Nancy Wittig. Joining them in conversation will be Bishop Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows, the first Black woman elected diocesan bishop, and Rabbi Sandy Sasso, the first woman to be ordained a rabbi by the Reconstructionist movement. These trailblazing women have each played key roles in making room at the table and in bringing women’s perspectives and leadership to provide spiritual nourishment.
Questions? Contact 317-926-1346 or ktrumancox@trinitychurchindy.org.
Event Partners: Trinity Episcopal Church, Indianapolis; St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Richmond; Christ Church Cathedral; and the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis.
Event Registration: Registration requested by noon on November 3. Walk-ins welcome.
Audience Note: Doors open at 6pm with seating beginning at 6:30pm. Entry to Newfields requires x-ray and bag screening. Please allow extra time for entry. The film screening and parking are free and fully accessible. Food is available at the museum cafe from 6-6:30pm. Please note only packaged food items from the cafe — nothing plated — may be taken into the theater.

They Stood Up: The Story of the Pendleton 2 & the Indiana Prisoner Rebellion of 1985
2023-11-07 13:00 - 15:30 | Central Library – Center for Black Literature & Culture, 40 E. St. Clair St., Indianapolis, IN, 46204, United States
View a screening of The Pendleton 2: They Stood Up, a groundbreaking new documentary that tells the story of political prisoners John “Balagoon” Cole and Christopher “Naeem” Trotter, the leaders of the 1985 Indiana prison uprising that saved a man’s life. Directed by Too Black and TheKingTrill.
Though thousands live inside prisons in Indiana, their stories rarely make it out. This event seeks to foster bonds of understanding between those inside and outside of prison by exploring the events of 1985 – which were a reaction to a lack of nourishment. Those incarcerated in Pendleton Correctional Facility were being denied food, comfort, safety, and intellectual care. Their uprising was in direct response to a multifaceted starvation of mind, body, and spirit. Learn about this little discussed moment in Indiana’s history and the continued efforts at seeking justice for Cole and Trotter.
Questions? Contact 317-274-2462 or thependleton2@gmail.com.
Event Partners: Defense Committee for the Pendleton 2 and IDOC Watch.
Event Registration: Registration requested by Nov. 7. Walk-ins welcome!

Rooted in Love, Lifted in Strength: The Pettiford-Weaver Story
2023-11-09 13:00 - 14:30 | Eastern Star Church, 5750 E. 30th Street, Indianapolis, IN, 46218, United States
Rooted in Love, Lifted in Strength is a documentary following the Pettiford-Weaver family–descendants of one of the first Black settlements in Indiana. Through faith, family, and fortitude they have nourished one another at family reunions for 100+ consecutive years and celebrated their heritage with ownership of their recently reclaimed historic land.
Fleeing slavery and persecution, Black settlers moved to Grant County, Indiana in the 1840s establishing what would become the Weaver Settlement. The settlement included schools, churches, stores, a horseracing track, and even a home for the elderly. A limited supply of farm land and higher paying city jobs drew people away from the settlement in the 1920s and 30s, but the descendants of this proud self-contained Black community have boasted an annual family reunion since 1919.
Learn more about this amazing family and their history – Indiana’s history! – by viewing a documentary and hearing from descendants of the Pettiford-Weaver family.
Doors open at 6pm for a soul reception with the documentary viewing beginning at 6:30pm. An audience discussion will follow.
Questions? 317-413-0926 or PettifordWeaverLand@gmail.com.
Event Partners: Loving Life Productions, LLC; the Pettiford-Weaver Family; and WFYI Public Media.
Event Registration: Registration requested by Nov. 9. As of 11/7/23, this event is SOLD OUT and cannot guarantee seating.

Image Courtesy Loving Life Productions, LLC and the Pettiford-Weaver Family

Nourish: Testimonies about Food, Family, and Love (Day 1: Film Screening)
2023-11-10 11:00 - 14:00 | Broadway United Methodist Church, 609 E. 29th St., Indianapolis, IN, 46205, United States
A two-day celebration focused on the healing powers of food, community, and spirituality featuring films, food, and testimonies from Black femme creators.
The gathering will take attendees on an immersive visual, sensual, auditory, and spiritual experience in the spirit of honoring how Black femmes have nourished themselves and one another while making an indelible impact on the world.
On Friday, Nov. 10, two films – “In Our Mother’s Gardens” and “Food as Resistance” will be shown. Dinner will be served in between screenings and a discussion about the ways lineage, love, and (unjust) food systems intersect will close the night.
The following day (Nov. 11) will feature music, storytelling, and the culinary arts in a Testimony Service for all! (Think: Moth Radio Hour.) Testimony services have their roots in the Black church tradition as a time where people can take to the altar and tell a story or sing a song that illustrates a triumphant moment in their lives. Attendees will be given writing prompts for their own reflections and will hear from a selection of Black femme speakers before enjoying refreshments.
Doors open at 4pm each day for guests to congregate with each other. Programming begins at 5pm.
Audience Note: While this event is open to people from all faiths or non-faith backgrounds, Black Christian traditions as well as African ancestral practices will be honored.
Questions? Please contact317-413-1239 or TheTestimonyServiceOnline@gmail.com
Event Partners: The Testimony Service and The Center for Religion, Arts, and Culture.
Event Registration: Registration requested by Nov.3, but walk-in guests are welcome!

Image Courtesy of The Testimony Service

A Cinematic Quest for Gratitude Through Grief
2024-11-04 13:00 - 16:00 | Heartland Film, 8950 Otis Ave., Indianapolis, 46216, United States
Enjoy a screening of “The Secret Art of Human Flight” – a film offering both an absurd and poignant reflection on mourning – and then unpack the ways grief and gratitude co-mingle in a community conversation facilitated by Indianapolis Queer Grief Community. All are welcome!
In “The Secret Art of Human Flight” (a 2023 Heartland International Film Festival selection), Ben Grady goes through an extreme mourning process. He discovers a mysterious self-help book on the dark web, written by an enigmatic guru named “Mealworm” who claims to have harnessed the power to fly. The book arrives . . . and so does Mealworm, forcing Ben to navigate his family life, accusations of foul play, and the bizarre rituals laid before him by his new mentor, in the hopes of healing and ultimately achieving human flight.
After the credits roll, audience members are invited to share their thoughts in discussion on grief and gratitude facilitated by Indianapolis Queer Grief Community.
Questions?: Contact 317-464-9405 or info@heartlandfilm.org.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Heartland Film and Indianapolis Queer Grief Community.
Registration: Registration is encouraged. Use the blue button below.

Sacred Roots: FernGully and Earth’s Spiritual Stories
2025-11-12 18:00 - 21:30 | KanKan Cinema and Brasserie, 1258 Windsor St, Indianapolis, IN, 46241, United States
Limited capacity. Registration required.
Join us for a screening of FernGully: The Last Rainforest and an interfaith panel exploring how various faith traditions and spiritualist groups understand nature as sacred and interconnected. Enjoy nature-based crafts and sharing stories during an evening of film, faith, and reflection.
Questions? Contact 317-268-5300 or kevin@indycic.org.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Center for Interfaith Cooperation and Kan-Kan Cinema and Restaurant.
Registration: Click here to register.
