Second's Impact

Second Presbyterian Church is a welcoming community of faith where Jesus Christ transforms lives.

Second's mission is to be a church for the city of Indianapolis and a charging station for all God's people.

View the 2025 Impact Report

Each month, we'll share stories of how our community is living out its faith.

Stories from Second: Three Days Open, Six Days of Service

Behind three days of shopping are six days of service — and nearly 90 volunteers who make it possible each week

Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday, the doors of The Don & Karen Lake Buttrey Northside Food Pantry open, and neighbors begin filling their carts with fresh produce, milk, meat, bread, and pantry staples.

Behind those three open days are three more days most people never see.

Six days a week, the work of the Northside Food Pantry is happening: picking up donations, receiving deliveries, purchasing food from Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana and other sources, sorting and weighing donations, dating and rotating inventory, restocking shelves, cleaning the pantry, maintaining records, and writing donor thank-you notes.

The work also includes ordering diapers from the Indiana Diaper Bank for approximately 300 families who receive them alongside their groceries each month.

"We are open three days a week, but it takes six days a week to operate the pantry and do all the necessary behind-the-scenes work to serve our neighbors," said Karen Johnson, Coordinator of Northside Mission Ministries.

The scale is significant. In an average month, the pantry serves approximately 900 families representing 3,700 individuals — an increase of about 10% over 2025. To do that work effectively, the pantry needs nearly 90 volunteers every week.

Johnson begins each week by emailing approximately 790 current and former volunteers with the pantry's most urgent needs. She reviews the SignUpGenius schedule daily to ensure that essential roles are filled. When a shift remains short, she sends follow-up messages, texts individual volunteers, or reaches out to Second staff and the Mission Team.

It is a ministry that requires both careful organization and constant adaptability. Johnson is quick to credit the pantry's part-time staff and Mission Team, who help manage the daily operations.

Who Volunteers?

"I learned a long time ago that if one is to belong, one needs to be involved," said Ruth Twenty. "There is no better place to give back than to help those in need."

The pantry's volunteer community ranges from middle school students to people in their early 90s. Some are Second members, some come from the wider community, and some first encountered the pantry as clients themselves.

What they share, Johnson said, is a common purpose. "We are spreading the love of Jesus by helping those in need," said Johnson.

People sometimes assume that pantry volunteering requires physical strength or specialized experience. Some roles do involve lifting, but many others require only organizational skills, patience, or a willingness to be present. Most roles can be learned immediately, while positions such as shift leader, data entry, and intake include additional training.

Meg Shanley remembers feeling overwhelmed during her first few shifts, but she encourages new volunteers to give themselves time. "Don't be afraid to ask questions," she said. "The staff and other volunteers are always happy to help."

Schedules can be flexible, too. Some people volunteer once; others return every week. Some travel south for the winter and resume volunteering in the spring. Students often serve during the school year while completing community service hours.

"You can volunteer once or every week," Johnson said. "We have so many jobs available. If you don't feel comfortable serving as a client liaison and working directly with our neighbors, that's OK. You can come during the week to stock shelves or pick up donations. Other people love talking with our neighbors and hearing their stories."

Doug Leithauser's own service has included picking up donations, making home deliveries, assembling carts, stocking shelves, creating delivery maps, and assisting shoppers. "There is always a way to work beside other great volunteers to serve the hungry," he said. "Keep trying the multitude of opportunities. You will certainly find something to fit your interest and schedule."

What It Means

When shifts are short, every part of the experience becomes more difficult. Shelves still need to be restocked, new shoppers still need to be registered, and neighbors may wait longer to move through the pantry. Ultimately, fewer people can be served within the available shopping hours.

Recently, pantry shifts have gone understaffed, leaving too few volunteers to adequately serve as many as 80 families during a single pantry day. Johnson has been able to piece together enough help to make it work, but she is clear that continually operating that way is not sustainable.

The need extends beyond groceries. Pantry volunteers help connect neighbors with benefits, utility and rental assistance, Christmas support, coats, and other resources available through Second and its community partners.

"We really try to wrap our arms around each of our neighbors so they are not just receiving food, but also other resources they may need," Johnson said. "We create a safe and welcoming place for them to come, and we become like family. Our goal is to walk alongside our neighbors so they feel empowered to make decisions for their families."

How to Get Involved

If you have wondered whether the pantry might be a place for you, Johnson would love to help you find a role that fits your abilities, interests, and schedule. She can also arrange a tour so you can see the pantry and learn about its many volunteer opportunities.

Contact Karen Johnson at kjohnson@secondchurch.org, call or text 317-432-6096, or sign up here.

Share Your Story

Know someone making a difference? Witnessed a moment of grace? We'd love to hear from you!

Please send your story ideas, ministry updates, or photos to Ayrika Gunn, Director of Communications, at AGunn@SecondChurch.org.

Please note: Submissions may be edited or adapted by the Communications team for publication across our print and digital platforms. While we can't guarantee every story will be published, we sincerely appreciate every submission. Before submitting, please ensure you have permission from anyone featured in your story or photos.

Read Previous Stories from Second:

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Clothed in Prayer, Welcomed Home

For most people, a handmade blanket is simply something that keeps you warm. For one family moving out of homelessness and into a home of their own, it will become something more — a reminder that an entire church prayed for them before they ever crossed the threshold.

At Second's Crochet & Knitting Ministry, yarn is never just yarn. Every stitch is an act of prayer, quietly offered for someone the maker may never meet.

"For many of our knitters, knitting is a contemplative practice, and they intentionally pray for the future recipient of the item," said Rev. Madison VanVeelen, who oversees the ministry. "The recipient is then 'clothed' with the prayers of the person who made it—a sacred garment that becomes a tangible source of warmth and comfort; a reminder that God's presence is just as close."

Since 2008, the ministry has created nearly 600 prayer shawls for members of Second experiencing illness, grief, or life's difficult seasons. After a quieter period during the pandemic, the group was revitalized in 2023 under the leadership of Elder Beth McKee. Today, members gather monthly in the parlor to knit, crochet, share stories, and close each meeting with Scripture and prayer.

This summer, the ministry found a new way to share that same care.

With an ample supply of prayer shawls already prepared, the group began asking where their gifts could meet another need. The answer came through Second's Streets to Home initiative, which helps individuals and families transition from homelessness into permanent housing.

Together, the knitters created their first collaborative throw blanket— a gift that will welcome a family into their new home.

"This goes beyond offering a good or service to someone in need," VanVeelen said. "It treats them as a beloved child of God, deserving not only of shelter, but of comfort, beauty, and care."

The blanket carries the fingerprints — and prayers — of an entire community.

Knitted in shades of blue, McKee's favorite color and one of Second's signature colors, it was assembled from individual panels created by members both near and far. Some gathered together each month in the parlor, while others who couldn't attend contributed from home.

"It's been fun to see the energy around this project," McKee said. "Some folks who aren't able to meet with us have reached out and are knitting panels now too, along with those who gather regularly."

For Laura Baker, who joined Second recently, the ministry became a way to find both friendship and purpose.

"Since I love to knit, this seemed like a good match. Not only have I met wonderful friends and learned new patterns, I have a sense that I am able to bring comfort to others. The collaborative blanket just fills a different need."

Ask McKee what happens while she knits, and she doesn't begin by talking about yarn or patterns. She talks about prayer.

"Knitting is very meditative — it slows my brain and my heart rate. I frequently pray for a specific person if I know who will receive a shawl, or just generally: may this bring comfort and assurance that God is with them."

Perhaps that's what makes this ministry so unique. The finished blanket is beautiful. But its greatest gift isn't found in the pattern or the stitches. It's found in the prayers woven into every row.

The Crochet & Knitting Ministry welcomes participants of every skill level and continues to create prayer shawls for members of Second while expanding its outreach through baby blankets for Children and Family Ministries, projects supporting the Don and Karen Lake Buttrey Northside Food Pantry, and collaborative blankets for families served through Streets to Home.

The first collaborative blanket is only the beginning.

As Second continues to welcome families into safe, permanent housing through the Home Campaign, ministries like the Crochet & Knitting Ministry remind us that a home is more than four walls. It is a place where comfort, dignity, and God's love are made tangible.

Every gift to the Home Campaign helps families moving out of housing insecurity experience not only the security of a home, but the warmth of a community already praying for them. To support the 2026 Home Campaign, visit SecondChurch.org/Home.

Interested in joining the Crochet & Knitting Ministry? Contact Beth McKee to learn more.
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More Than a Dock

As 164 children and 108 volunteers entered McFarland Hall each day during Vacation Bible School, they were welcomed by a massive harbor dock that transformed the room into the perfect setting for this year's Into the Waters theme. Few realized the impressive structure was far more than a stage prop. Built by members of Second serving through SAWs (Servants At Work), the dock had been designed with a second purpose already in mind.

When this year's Into the Waters theme was announced, VBS Chair Jordana Marcus knew exactly what the space needed.

"I immediately pictured a large dock in McFarland. With the help of Pete Mohr, Dorian Chrismon, and the SAWs team, my vision came to life and was even greater than I expected. It really set the stage for the week and got everyone so excited from the minute it went up," said Marcus.

While SAWs volunteers built the sturdy framework, a talented VBS decorating team led by Meghan Sibla added the backdrop and finishing details, transforming raw lumber into a bustling harbor dock. For five days, it became the centerpiece for worship, music, storytelling, and community.

"We have worship each day in McFarland, and the dock made the whole week. It was truly amazing to have the SAWs partnership available to us. I hope VBS and SAWs can have a partnership for many more years to come," Marcus said.

Rev. Audrey Thorne reflected on the collaboration behind the project.

"The dock reflects the kind of collaboration that makes Second so special—Jordana's vision, the craftsmanship of Pete Mohr, Dorian Chrismon, and the SAWs team, and the creativity of Meghan Sibla and our decorating team all came together to transform the space exactly as we'd hoped. Their work allowed us to transport the kids Into the Waters for a week of song, story, and play.”

But when VBS ended, the dock's story was just beginning.

True to the spirit of stewardship and service that defines SAWs, the dock was never meant to be discarded. It was built with its next purpose already in mind. As VBS came to a close, the SAWs team carefully deconstructed the dock, reclaiming the lumber and hardware for future mobility ramps.

The transformation happened almost immediately. According to Mohr, the wood—and even the screws—from the VBS dock had already been repurposed into two new ramps within days: one for a man in Indianapolis who uses a wheelchair and another for a woman in Elwood who relies on a walker. What served as a temporary stage where children experienced God's love during VBS has already become a source of freedom, independence, and accessibility for neighbors in need.

For SAWs, this kind of transformation is the heart of the ministry.

Through creativity, stewardship, and a shared heart for service, the dock's impact extended far beyond VBS. It is a beautiful reminder that some of the most meaningful ministry continues long after the final song is sung.

The dock that welcomed children Into the Waters of VBS now helps welcome neighbors home.

To learn more about the ministry of SAWs and the life-changing impact of its mobility ramp program, listen to SAWs Founder Rik Hagarty on a recent episode of Faithful Discourse with Chris Henry, available on Apple, Spotify, or PodBean.
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Raising Walls Together

Saturday, May 30, thirteen Second volunteers partnered with Greater Indianapolis Habitat for Humanity with one shared goal: to raise the second floor of a home that will one day welcome a family.

The team installed subflooring, assembled wall panels, and worked side by side to lift and secure the second-floor walls. By the end of the day, the framework had taken shape. What began the morning as an empty deck was now a structure clearly looking like a home.

"We are honored to be in partnership with Greater Indianapolis Habitat for Humanity and their mission to help neighbors realize homeownership," says Lisa Enright, Director of Missions. "It was a wonderful day of fellowship, meeting new friends, and a great opportunity to live into our call to walk alongside our neighbors."

This build is one of 10 Habitat homes planned for the new neighborhood, each constructed through partnerships just like ours. At Stories from Second, we believe that ministry is sometimes named in sermons and sometimes named in subfloors. This Saturday was beautifully the latter.

We are deeply grateful for the volunteers who showed up to sweat and serve, and we pray for the family who will one day call this house home.