On the 1400 block of West Main Street in Carmel, Indiana, just east of the Clay Terrace shopping center, a brick sanctuary with a rose window stands as the spiritual home of St. Christopher's Episcopal Church. The parish describes itself in the simplest of terms: "a reverently prayerful and playful community inviting all to embrace God's expansive love." With more than 250 households and a steady calendar of formation, fellowship, and service, St. Christopher's has built a reputation across Hamilton County for pairing traditional Episcopal worship with a warmly approachable welcome, an ambitious children's program, and a serious commitment to its neighbors - including the adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have moved into apartments just five minutes up the road.
Two Sunday Services, One Table
Worship is at the center of life at St. Christopher's. The parish celebrates Holy Communion at both of its Sunday morning services and follows The Book of Common Prayer, the historic liturgical book used across the Episcopal Church.
The 8:00 a.m. service is the Holy Eucharist, Rite I, a contemplative gathering that uses traditional language and a little music. It runs about 45 minutes and tends to draw those who prefer a quieter, more reflective start to Sunday.
The 10:00 a.m. service is the Holy Eucharist, Rite II, using contemporary language and drawing the larger crowd. During the program year, the 10:00 a.m. service features the parish choir and organ music, and it typically lasts about an hour. Children in pre-kindergarten through second grade are invited at the beginning of the service to process out to Children's Chapel, an age-appropriate worship experience in the upstairs chapel with Bible stories, prayer, and a craft. They rejoin their families in the sanctuary at the Peace, in time for communion. Nursery care for infants through age three is offered in a dedicated space just down the hall from the sanctuary.
For families who want a bit more space during worship, a library listening room just outside the sanctuary is stocked with children's books and toys and carries the audio of the service. Fidget toys and children's bulletins are available on the bookshelves outside the sanctuary, and children in third grade and above are encouraged to take on real roles in worship as acolytes, lectors, and greeters.
The altar, the parish insists, is God's table, and all are welcome. Visitors and children may receive communion, ask for a blessing by crossing their hands over their heart, or remain in the pew. "Be comfortable and come as you are," the parish advises first-time guests. "If this means flip flops and shorts during the summer or if suit jackets and formal dress are more your style, we welcome you."
Most of the service is printed in a bulletin, so newcomers do not need to know the liturgy ahead of time. With a few visits, the rhythm of standing, sitting, kneeling, and the prayers of the people becomes familiar, and the parish notes that people approach those rhythms differently - some kneel at the Prayers of the People, others stand.
Sunday worship is livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel, where an archive of past services stretches back many pages and is updated weekly. Recent sermons have been preached by the rector, the Rev. Cara Spaccarelli, and by the associate rector, the Rev. Spencer Ruark.
Music at the Heart of Worship
Music holds a central place in the Episcopal tradition, and St. Christopher's leans into that heritage. The St. Christopher's Choir sings for the 10:00 a.m. service each Sunday from September through May, leading hymns and choral offerings that complement the liturgy. Choir rehearsals are held on Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday mornings, and new singers are always welcome.
The music program is led by Robert Richter, the parish's Director of Music and Organist. Richter holds degrees in organ performance from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and Arizona State University, and he also works as a freelance collaborative pianist and piano teacher. As a composer and arranger, his work focuses on music for liturgical use, especially choral works, mass settings, and congregational hymn arrangements with brass and organ. His composition "O Señor, Vivifícanos" (SSA) won first place in the 2023 Annual Composition Contest - Liturgy Alive, sponsored by the Notre Dame Magnificat Choir, and was premiered at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the Notre Dame campus in April 2023.
Formation for Children and Youth
Children and youth are not sidelined at St. Christopher's; they are woven into the full life of the parish. Heather Monger, a longtime Carmel resident and former early-education teacher with a degree from Indiana University, oversees programming for the nursery, the youth, and everyone in between as the parish's Children and Youth Minister.
For the youngest, nursery care is available from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Sundays for infants through age three, in a space described as "just a hallway away from the sanctuary." Pre-kindergarten through second grade have their own chapel during the 10:00 a.m. service, with storytelling, prayer, songs, and craft activities. Children's Chapel takes a break during the month of July, when families worship together in the main service.
Children in second through fifth grade participate in a monthly formation that runs from 11:00 a.m. to noon on most Sundays. They build community, engage Scripture, and reflect on faith and self. Third through fifth graders also worship with the congregation, with fidget toys and bulletins to help them engage, and gather once or twice a month at 11:00 a.m. for additional connection and learning.
Middle-school youth - sixth through ninth grade - meet most Sundays from August through May in the youth lounge at 11:00 a.m. for donuts, games, a brief lesson, and conversation. Lessons range from Bible studies to stories of saints to justice issues. A new offering in the 2026-2027 program year gathers tenth through twelfth graders at 9:00 a.m. before the service for their own time of connection and discussion. Confirmation preparation is offered every other year for ninth through twelfth graders, with the next round scheduled for January-February 2027.
Through the Diocese of Indianapolis, youth have access to summer camp and an annual diocesan mission trip. Children and youth serve alongside their parents on parish "packing Sundays," where the congregation assembles food and supply packages for area nonprofits, and they volunteer in the parish's vegetable garden.
Adult Formation, Small Groups, and Study
Adult formation at St. Christopher's is shaped around what the parish calls "the spiritual capacities of authenticity, curiosity, discernment, compassion, connection, and resilience." The rhythm begins with Sunday worship and extends into a wide variety of small groups, many of them open to newcomers year-round.
Weekly and monthly offerings include:
- Tuesday Bible Study - meets weekly at 3:30 p.m. to study a book of the Bible or explore a theme over several months.
- Friendship Bible Study - an ongoing Tuesday group from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. that opens at any time to new participants.
- Women's Book Study - meets Wednesdays from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m., combining book discussion with personal sharing.
- Men's Book Study - meets Thursdays at 8:00 a.m. via Zoom, focused on a short reading with practical life application.
- Discipleship Group - a twenty-week guided conversation on following Jesus in daily life, with alums continuing occasional multi-week reflection sessions.
- Armchair Theologians - weekly Wednesday evenings in seasonal sessions (most recently in September and again in winter), with introspective conversation on a theologian's book.
- Becoming Beloved Community - a group committed to anti-racist education and action.
- Episcopal Education - a spring Sunday-morning class on Episcopal theology, offered each year in April and May and designed to prepare participants for confirmation or reception in the Episcopal Church.
- Reflection Days and Workshops - several times a year, a Saturday lecture or day-long retreat.
- Daughters of the King - a women's order dedicated to prayer, service, and evangelism.
Social small groups fill out the calendar. The 4C's Men's Group gathers on the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at Upland Brewing in Clay Terrace for casual conversation. LIFT, the women's counterpart, meets on the third Monday at the same place and time. Mahjong meetups run on a seasonal basis. A Young Families group gathers periodically for connection and support.
Weekly Wednesday evenings in September bring the parish together outdoors: Campfire Compline runs from 8:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the fire pit in the natural playground, a simple and peaceful prayer at the close of the day.
Pastoral Care and Pastoral Conversations
St. Christopher's clergy are open to meeting one-on-one with parishioners and visitors who want to talk through questions of discernment or struggle. "While most of our congregational life happens in community, there are times when individual conversation and reflection with a pastor can help," the parish explains, drawing on the theologian Paula D'Arcy's line that "God comes to us disguised as our life." For ongoing needs, the clergy refer people to local pastoral counselors and spiritual directors.
The parish prayer list is published weekly in the service bulletin, with names spoken aloud during Sunday services. Names are not posted online or in the weekly newsletter and remain on the list for one month at a time, with an option to resubmit.
The North End Neighbors
One of the most distinctive ministries at St. Christopher's is its partnership with the residents of the North End, a housing development that opened near the church in 2023 with forty apartments for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) living independently. North End Neighbors is the parish's framework for showing up as good neighbors: hosting social events, providing weekly rides to work and school through Merici Rides, assisting in culinary classes, and staffing two weekly gatherings at Indie Coffee Roasters North End, 525 N End Drive, just a few minutes from the church.
Every Tuesday afternoon, parish volunteers meet residents for a 3:30 p.m. coffee chat at Indie Coffee. That same evening, a rotating crew of volunteers leads a 6:00 p.m. book group by reading a chapter together. New volunteers are welcome and can be added to the sign-up list by emailing the parish office.
Food, Gardens, and Other Outreach
Service beyond the church walls has long been a hallmark of St. Christopher's identity. "Service is what prayer looks like when it gets up off its knees and walks around in the world," the parish quotes, and several ministries make that tangible.
St. Chris Crops, the parish vegetable garden, has grown produce for nearby food pantries for more than fifteen years. Volunteer help is welcome from May through September, primarily on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, and all ages can join in.
The Blessing Box in the church parking lot holds non-perishable food and hygiene items year-round. Parishioners are invited to bring items and add them at any time.
Through Mary Riggs Neighborhood Center (MRNC) in Indianapolis, the parish supports families with holiday totes in November, a holiday party in December, spring break bags in March, and summer camp scholarships to Waycross.
Several times a year after the 10:00 a.m. service, the congregation gathers for Packing Sundays, assembling food and supply packages for area nonprofits. All ages are welcome.
Volunteers also plan and host a booth at Carmel Pride in June, and the parish hosts blood drives three or four times a year.
The Building and Grounds
The parish campus at 1402 West Main Street is more than a sanctuary. The brick church, with its rose window and stained-glass sanctuary window, shares the property with a Parish Hall used for coffee hours, potlucks, and fellowship, an Education and Administration building, a columbarium garden for interment, a natural playground with a fire pit, and the St. Chris Crops garden.
Just outside the sanctuary sits The Andres Library, named for the Reverend Anthony Andres, the parish's fourth rector, who served St. Christopher's from 1977 until his death in 2000. Father Tony, as he was known, was remembered for seeking partnerships with area churches, community organizations, and local police, serving as president of the local Ministerial Association for eight years, and working as a special court-appointed advocate for children with a law degree. The library was dedicated on the day the new sanctuary was consecrated in June 2009.
The library holds books for adults and children on spiritual topics, and visitors are welcome to browse and check out volumes using the notebook on the table.
Photos of the building and grounds - the Blessing Box in the parking lot, the Sanctuary Interior, the Parish Hall, the Natural Playground, the Education and Administration Building, the Columbarium, and the exterior on Main Street - are documented in the church's online photo gallery, alongside images from parish life: the Carmel Pride booth, Bishop Jennifer with clergy and senior acolytes, confirmands, the parish grill-out, and the mortgage-burning party that marked a major milestone in the life of the congregation.
Rites of Passage
St. Christopher's welcomes a wide circle of people to its sacramental rites. Baptisms are typically celebrated during the 10:00 a.m. service on select Sundays each year. For parents of young children, the clergy offer an in-person class the day before the baptism or an online class the week before. For older children and adults, preparation is set in conversation with one of the priests. Sponsors or godparents must include at least one practicing Christian, but do not need to be Episcopalian, and they are encouraged to attend the class and rehearsal.
Weddings are scheduled with the clergy after a couple has attended services and decided that St. Christopher's is a good fit. The parish is glad to celebrate and bless the marriages of LGBTQ couples. A Wedding Guidebook answers many of the practical questions about getting married at the church.
The parish also walks with families through end-of-life planning, funerals, celebrations of life, and interment. A columbarium garden on the grounds holds niches for those who wish to be interred at the church.
Episcopal Identity and Beliefs
St. Christopher's is part of The Episcopal Church, a family of churches spanning the United States and beyond. Regionally, it belongs to the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis, and globally it is connected to the Anglican Communion.
The parish describes its core commitments in language that draws on Episcopal Presiding Bishop Michael Curry: "If it's not about love, it's not about God." The mission of the Episcopal Church, the parish teaches, "is to restore all people to unity with God in Christ," following Jesus into "loving, liberating, and life-giving relationships with God, with each other, and with the earth."
Common Prayer is at the heart of the parish's life. The Book of Common Prayer, used across the Episcopal Church, is praised for its beautiful use of language and as a guide to worship that has resonated for centuries. Hope in the resurrection of Jesus - the Paschal Mystery - is central to Christian identity at St. Christopher's, a sign of God's love as the last word over violence, oppression, hatred, and death. The Incarnation, the church teaches, means that God is present in the senses and in tangible connection with others.
Inclusion is a defining value. People of all genders and sexual orientations serve as clergy and lay leaders in the Episcopal Church, and St. Christopher's congregation includes long-time Episcopalians and newcomers from a variety of Christian denominations, as well as people who are single, partnered, or with families, from diverse gender and sexual identities, economic, educational, and cultural backgrounds.
The parish also names itself as part of the Via Media, the "Middle Way" that has historically described the Episcopal Church's position between Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions. In practice, that phrase has come to mean an embrace of "both/and" over "either/or," drawing on Scripture, tradition, and reason together.
Leadership and Governance
The parish is led by the Rev. Cara Spaccarelli, who became St. Christopher's sixth rector in 2019. A Cincinnati native, Spaccarelli is a graduate of Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, and holds a Master of Divinity from the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. Before moving to Carmel, she served as rector of Christ Church Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. for nine years and as Canon for Youth, Young Adults, Outreach, and Adult Education at St. Mark's Cathedral in Minneapolis for four years. She and her husband Michael have two sons, and she makes a point to read fifty-two books a year.
The associate rector is the Rev. Spencer Ruark, an Indianapolis native who returned to the city in 2015 after time in Tulsa and North Dallas. He holds a Master of Arts in Theology and Mission from Northern Seminary and previously co-vicared The Table Episcopal Church, helping grow it from a church plant into a stable, growing congregation with a permanent Indianapolis location. He has also worked as a Realtor and served on the board of a non-profit serving Indianapolis youth experiencing homelessness. He and his wife Mallory have two young children.
Heather Monger oversees programming for children, youth, and nursery as the Children and Youth Minister. Robert Richter serves as Director of Music and Communications and as the parish's organist. Karla Henderson, a seminarian at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, California, is a postulant for the priesthood in the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana and contributes to the parish during her studies.
The Vestry, the parish's elected board of directors, includes Senior Warden Chris Jacobs, Junior Warden Steve Barnum, Treasurer Doug Vine, Clerk of the Vestry Dionne Habegger, and members Tom Laskey, Ben Fox, Cortney Ogrzewalla, Alison Tierney, Liz McKechnie, Kirk King, Sue Blase, and Emily Milikan. The parish office, located at 1402 West Main Street, is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with Sarah Nuxoll serving as parish administrator.
Stewardship, Giving, and Communication
Financial giving supports the parish's ministries and is offered through several channels: online giving via Realm, annual pledge cards available in the narthex, scheduled monthly gifts arranged through Realm or by mail, mailed checks to the parish office, and gifts of stock or qualified charitable distributions from an IRA. The Annual Report is published each year before the Annual Meeting of the Parish, which is held on the first Sunday of February.
The parish keeps in touch with two regular publications: The Weekly News, an email sent on Wednesday mornings with news of worship, formation, service opportunities, and upcoming events, and The Monthly Highlights, a print newsletter with a look at the calendar ahead and short features on parish life. Both are available through the church's website.
Getting Involved
With more than forty ministries across the life of the parish, St. Christopher's offers plenty of places to pitch in. In worship, parishioners serve as acolytes (fourth grade and older), altar guild members, choir members, flower guild members, greeters, lectors and chalice bearers, and ushers. In connection ministries, roles include coffee hour hosts, food-based fellowship organizers, lay Eucharistic visitors, newcomer treat-bag preparers, and the Young at Heart group for older adults. Committees tend to the campus, compassion, connection, and faith life of the parish.
Volunteers of all ages assemble food packs on packing Sundays, work in St. Chris Crops, fill the Blessing Box, shop for holiday totes at Mary Riggs Neighborhood Center, lead coffee chats and book groups with North End Neighbors, and help plan the parish's Carmel Pride booth.
For families new to the parish, the easiest entry points are Sunday worship, a coffee hour after the service, and a conversation with clergy. "There's a place for you here" is the parish's invitation, and the list of small groups, study classes, and outreach teams bears that out.