A Multilingual Church Family on Seymour's Northeast Side
The Tabernacle at Sandy Creek is a multilingual Pentecostal church on the northeast side of Seymour, Indiana, known for English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole worship, expressive live music, Bible-centered preaching, and ministries spanning infants through young adults. The church shares its Sandy Creek Drive campus with Sandy Creek Christian Academy and Sandy Creek Childcare, bringing worship, Christian education, and childcare together in one family-centered setting.
Regular gatherings include the main Sunday worship service at 4:00 PM and Wednesday worship with Bible study at 7:00 PM. The church is at 5707 N Sandy Creek Dr, Seymour, IN 47274.
Your First Visit to Sandy Creek
Guests may simply arrive for any service without registration, forms, or advance notice. A visitor who wants additional assistance can plan a visit to reserve a parking spot or seat, arrange help with children's check-in, and make the first visit more personal.
- Start at the Welcome Center. Friendly volunteers greet guests, answer questions, and help newcomers become acquainted with the church. Each guest receives a small gift of appreciation.
- There is no pressure to introduce yourself. Newcomers are not asked to stand up, speak publicly, or do anything that makes them uncomfortable.
- Come as you are. The church has no expectation of a particular outfit, and guests are encouraged to wear whatever feels comfortable.
- Allow about two hours for a service. Each gathering begins with congregational worship and singing, followed by a Scripture-based message from Pastor Larry M. Arrowood.
- Children are checked in safely. Parents receive a matching security code for pickup, and volunteers direct families to the appropriate classrooms.
- Language support is available. Translation is provided for services, with Spanish and Haitian Creole specifically offered at the main gathering. Live ASL interpretation and designated seating are available for the Sunday and Wednesday main services.
Sunday Worship at Four
Sunday worship is energetic, heartfelt, and centered on Jesus Christ. The worship team leads with live music, and the congregation is encouraged to participate freely. People may lift their hands, clap, sing, pray, and respond openly. The church describes this as expressive, demonstrative worship in which participation can take whatever form feels comfortable.
The sermon is biblical and passionate, with an emphasis on clarity, conviction, and applying Scripture to everyday life. Every Sunday gathering also includes an altar-call opportunity for prayer, direction, encouragement, repentance, renewal, and a personal response to the message. Services can also be watched through the church's social channels through its watch service.
Easy Parking and Sandy Creek Coffee
Two entrances lead into the main parking area, where a parking team helps manage traffic and locate spaces. Guests who need additional assistance can ride from the parking lot to the church entrance in a complimentary golf cart. The accessible parking assistance makes the large campus easier to navigate for families, older adults, and anyone with limited mobility.
Sandy Creek Coffee opens an hour before services and serves coffee and dirty sodas. Free drip coffee is served on Sunday afternoons in the Gathering Space, creating a relaxed time to meet other congregants before the 4:00 PM service. Every member of a first-time visitor's group receives a free beverage.
English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole at the Main Service
Language is woven into the life of Sandy Creek rather than treated as an add-on. The main Sunday service includes Spanish and Haitian Creole translation, with other translation options available as well. The church also states that translation into every language is provided for its services, allowing worshipers to participate fully in singing, preaching, prayer, and church life.
The Spanish Ministry maintains its own regular rhythm. Sunday prayer begins at 10:00 AM and continues until 10:25 AM, followed by Spanish Sunday School classes from 10:25 to 11:00 AM. The Spanish-speaking congregation also gathers for Sunday worship marked by passionate praise, biblical preaching, prayer, altar ministry, and fellowship.
Pastor Rivera and Sister Rivera have led the Spanish Ministry since 2022. Throughout the week, the ministry gathers through children's cell groups on Monday evenings, a leaders' study on Tuesday evenings, and a worship and preaching service at 7:00 PM on Thursday. Friday evenings include Spanish-language cell groups and youth events. The Spanish congregation also prays together from 5:00 to 6:00 AM Monday through Friday.
Children from Nursery Through Fifth Grade
Sandy Creek has activities for children from birth through age 11 throughout the week. On Sunday, the schedule includes nursery classes for ages 1 to 3 and a class for children in Pre-K or Kindergarten. Children in first through fifth grade gather in the SC Kids Center for interactive Bible lessons, prayer, worship together, and time building friendships. The Kids Center sits just off the Common Area and offers a welcoming space for children to take part in church life.
Children may also sit with the congregation during the 4:00 PM service. A dedicated section near the front allows them to experience worship, preaching, and altar ministry alongside their families. Before class, parents check children in at a table outside the Kids Center. Each child receives a name badge, and the matching security code must be shown when the child is collected.
Wednesday begins with The Refuge from 5:30 to 6:30 PM, when children enjoy games, food, fellowship, and relationships with IGNITE Youth and ministry-team members. From 7:00 to 8:00 PM, Sandy Creek Kids has a dedicated class with age-appropriate teaching, worship, and prayer. These gatherings are designed as places for children to belong, build friendships, and grow in biblical understanding rather than simply occupy a classroom while adults meet.
IGNITE Youth for Ages 12 Through 18
IGNITE Youth gives middle school and high school students a weekly place to worship, learn, pray, and build Christian friendships. Sunday classes run from 3:15 to 3:45 PM in the Auxiliary Auditorium. IGNITE also has a dedicated section near the front of the sanctuary during the main worship service, allowing students to participate in preaching and altar ministry up close.
The Wednesday IGNITE service runs from 7:00 to 8:00 PM while adults gather in the main sanctuary and children attend their own classes. Worship is led by students, a student has an opportunity to speak and preach to peers, and Youth Pastor Matthew Arrowood delivers a biblical message before a time of prayer and response. Friday events at 6:00 PM include volleyball tournaments, youth rallies, prayer nights, gym nights, water wars, mall trips, and Nerf wars. Transportation can be requested through IGNITE when students need help attending.
Elevate for Young Adults
Elevate Young Adults meets every Sunday from 2:30 to 3:15 PM in the adult Sunday school area. Scripture, conversation, and fellowship are combined in a class designed to help young adults build relationships, deepen their faith, and discover ways to serve. Elevate also gathers for social events every month or two, ranging from casual hangouts and smaller activities to fall and Christmas parties.
A Wednesday Rhythm of Worship and Teaching
Wednesday evening begins with worship in the main sanctuary, creating a time to set aside distractions and refocus on Jesus. Bible study follows with clear teaching and practical application intended to strengthen people's understanding of Scripture and relationships with Christ. Once a month, the gathering changes to Split Classes, with focused lessons for different age groups and stages of life and more space for personal discussion and connection.
The evening is divided among the congregation: adults worship and study in the main sanctuary, children attend Sandy Creek Kids classes, and students participate in the IGNITE service. Giving also supports the church's ministries, families, and work of extending a helping hand to people in need through the church's giving program.
From Seymour Christian Academy to the Sandy Creek Campus
The history of The Tabernacle at Sandy Creek is closely connected to Christian education. Larry and Nancy Arrowood first served at The Tabernacle as assistant pastors from 1972 to 1975. They returned to Seymour in 1982, when Larry became the first executive vice president of Indiana Bible College and spent five years in that role. During those years he founded Seymour Christian Academy, which is now Sandy Creek Christian Academy.
The Arrowoods returned to Seymour in 1989, with Larry taking the lead pastor role. The academy moved to the Sandy Creek property in 2016, and the Tabernacle's church facilities followed in 2023. Construction of the new church facility began in 2024 and was completed in 2026. The church, academy, and Sandy Creek Childcare now operate from the same campus.
Sandy Creek Christian Academy has received accreditation through the Indiana Department of Education, the International Christian Accreditation Association, and Cognia. It was the first Apostolic UPCI school to receive ICAA accreditation. Larry Arrowood has written more than ten books, Nancy Arrowood is also an author, and their son Aaron has written youth-ministry books. The family's long involvement in ministry, school leadership, and church growth is woven into the life of the Sandy Creek campus.
Jesus at the Center
Jesus is the center of the church's beliefs as Savior, hope, and the answer the world needs. Sandy Creek holds that the Bible is absolutely true, prayer changes things, and a relationship with Jesus transforms lives. Its teaching also emphasizes loving people without partiality, treating every person with value, dignity, and respect, and allowing differences of background, skin color, language, circumstances, and story without diminishing anyone.
That conviction shapes a church where children learn in safe classes, students share a sanctuary and lead worship, young adults build friendships around Scripture, Spanish-speaking families gather in their own ministry, and families can worship in English, Spanish, or Haitian Creole. At The Tabernacle at Sandy Creek, worship, education, fellowship, and service remain centered on Jesus and on helping people belong, grow, encounter God, and discover His purpose.