Our Journey of Faith
Dr. Jim and Debby Riley
To Founding the mission of Circle City Dinner Church
Our journey of faith that God has led us to serve in the inner city of Indianapolis began over twenty years ago when Debby chose to teach in the Indianapolis Public Schools. She sought to care for those students who face the many issues living in the city environment. Her involvement with elementary students, who have to deal with hunger, violence and drugs, helped us both to see vividly the extreme needs of those who live amidst poverty and crime.
As an Associate Pastor of Discipleship at Second Presbyterian Church from 1994 to 2019 Jim has been supportive of the longtime joint mission that the congregation had with Westminster Presbyterian Church in the inner city. Several years ago, the Second Presbyterian congregation raised the funds to build the new community center located on East New York Street in order to provide an excellent facility to carry out the mission of Westminster Neighborhood Services.
Since 1996 Jim has served as the Community Spiritual Director of the Indianapolis Great Banquet ministry, which gave him the opportunity to minister to people from a wide diversity of backgrounds, churches and races. Both Debby and Jim have seen the transforming power of the Christ in the Great Banquet weekends that draw together men and women in God’s love and break down the barriers of race and socioeconomic divisions.
In 2016 Jim became involved with Operation Find and Feed, a mission to homeless men that was begun by several members of the Great Banquet Community. This has led him to serve on their advisory board and become closely connected with the Director Corey Lowery, who has been a great mentor for understanding the issues of racism, homelessness and poverty.
Jim’s service on the Salvation Army Advisory Board that began in 2009 has given him an opportunity to be involved with the various missions in our city and to serve on the advisory boards of the Adult Recovery Center and the Fountain Square Community Center.
Jim’s attendance over many years at the annual Presbyterian USA conferences on discipleship and new church development enabled him to learn about the Presbyterian denomination’s initiative to create new mission-oriented congregations. Through discussions with pastors involved in this initiative called “1001 New Worshiping Communities”, Jim sensed the call from God to explore how he could form a new worshiping community in Indianapolis and could seek to have this ministry located at the Westminster Community Center. After attending workshops on the Dinner Church movement begun by Verlon and Melodee Fosner he has sought to form this type of congregation at the Westminster Community Center. Corey Lowery, who attended a Dinner Church workshop with Jim, is committed to working together to establish a dinner church in our city.
After retiring from Second Presbyterian Church in February 2019, Jim, along with Debby, began volunteering at the Westminster Community Center in the food pantry. They became involved with knowing the neighbors who come for groceries and meals that are provided for two mornings each week. Their involvement has given them the opportunity to work together with the Westminster staff and to learn more about the community through interacting with neighbors about their concerns and prayer needs.
In May 2019, we formed an advisory team made up of a diverse people who have been involved with the leadership of the Indianapolis Great Banquet ministry. The advisory team reflects the racial and denominational diversity of the Indianapolis Great Banquet and offers the insights for working across the barriers of cultural, economic and racial lines. We are planning to form various volunteer groups to work in the areas of food preparation, serving meals, set up and clean up, and worship music. We have chosen the name “Circle City Dinner Church.” Our hope is to have a weekly dinner church on Wednesday evenings, and hold the first dinner church on November 6th.