By Reilly Gaunt

Whenever the news mentioned Northern Ireland for about a thirty year period, the country was in a state of political and religious violence.

Currently, Northern Ireland is a land trying to recover from that history of violence and become a place of peace.

A Northern Irish Identity

During a period known as the Troubles, two factions fought over control of Northern Ireland, the Irish Republicans, who were mostly Catholic, and those loyal to the United Kingdom and Britain, who were mostly Protestant.

According to the 2021 Northern Ireland Census, currently 42.3% of people identify as Catholic while 37.3% identify as Protestant. In both cases. Christianity is still the biggest religion in Northern Ireland.

Many people outside the county attribute the fighting to a religious dispute, but the issue ran a lot deeper than just a difference in religion.

Rory Nellis said he remembers the violence in his country when he was a child, but now considers himself a member of a newer, more peaceful generation.

“I’m part of the generation, the first generation. I became 18, I became an adult in a peaceful place,” Nellis said. “I think we’re moving forward now. I think as a city and as a place, I think people are genuinely ready to move on from it.”

Not everybody in Northern Ireland feels as united as Nellis does.

Barbara McDade, a professor at Stranmillis University College in Belfast, said that when she was growing up, often people struggled to define themselves as Northern Irish and instead felt forced to choose a British or Irish identity.

She, like many other students in her generation, chose to leave the country to go to university abroad and away from the violence of the Troubles.

“Majority of people, probably 90, I want to say 95 to 98 percent of the population go into tertiary education, and many of them go into elite universities, either Queens here in the city, or they go across the water to Oxbridge, or to Durham, Edinburgh, St Andrews, that’s my home place, they get to go to some of the most amazing schools in the U.K.,” McDade said.

McDade returned to Northern Ireland after her time abroad, and she said she feels comfortable calling herself both British and Irish.

Other people, like Eevee Steele’s family, still fail to see themselves that way.

“I would say that I am Irish, but not everybody in Bangor would agree with that. It’s quite a Protestant area, so not everybody would feel Irish. Even within my family, there’s people who wouldn’t say that they’re Irish,” Steele said.

Steele, like Nellis, said that this political and religious hesitance is more of a generational divide.

“I can honestly say I’ve never been asked like, which I am. It’s definitely more like the older generation that would care about it. If anyone brings it up, it’s like a joke,” Steele said.

Nellis also said he does not care about the national divide.

“I’m part of a generation, and I think a lot of people of my age and younger, I don’t consider myself either thing,” Nellis said. “I am an Irish man, but I grew up in the United Kingdom. I support an English football team. I watch English TV stations and listen to English radio shows. I also watch Irish ones.”

In Northern Ireland, the younger generations are working hard to leave the turmoil and political divide behind them.

America’s Youthful Perspective

The youth in America say they see something differently happening.

While Northern Ireland seems to be healing from its political wounds from the past, young Americans see the problems as still emerging.

In Northern Ireland, religion and politics came together as two parts of one issue. In America, freedom of religion remains an important part of the country’s national identity. In a 2025 Pew Research Study, 62% of American adults describe themselves as Christian.

But some college students in America say that their country does not keep religion and politics as separate as it seems.

Ruby Kramer, a senior at Indiana Wesleyan University, said that she sees most Americans equate the Republican party as the political group most associated with Christianity. She disagrees with that idea.

“I don’t believe that the ‘Christian Party’ is a thing,” Kramer said. “My family ties religion and politics together, but we let our Christian faith and what God and the Bible teaches us inform our political choices.”

Kramer attends college with fellow senior Matthew Lacy, who shares her ideas on the bond between religion and politics.

Unlike the students in Northern Ireland, Kramer and Lacy attend a private Christian university where they have the option to pursue learning about politics and religion freely. Religion and education are strictly separate in the United Kingdom, and any religious activity cannot be school sanctioned.

“At least with the private Christian institution that we have, there is still space there for diversity of theological belief, diversity of religious practice, which is something I greatly value about my experience at Indiana Wesleyan,” Lacy said. “I’ve met many people who were outside of my specific Christian background, and that has actually allowed me to have a deeper and broader understanding of what it means to be a Christian.”

Other American students, like Shelby Yount, a student at the public University of North Texas, see their schooling directly influenced by the government.

“We’re seeing firsthand with funding cuts and pressure from higher-ups in the college on organizations that are student-led and have nothing to do with the college and pressure from professors to not be politically active or inclined or versed or anything of the sort,” Yount said.

She said that while the younger generations in Northern Ireland are trying to move away from political/religious disputes, in Texas, she sees it growing.

“It feels like Texas Christians are very intolerant of anyone who is non-Christian and they really aren’t interested in evangelizing other people,” Yount said.

In 2025, Indiana University also had massive budget cuts and programs slashed by Indiana Governor Mike Braun.

People like Eevee Steele and Rory Nellis want to take Northern Ireland to a place of peace and prosperity. Students like Kramer, Lacy and Yount say they wish America would follow Northern Ireland’s example.

In two different countries filled with political and religious tension, one appears to be moving forward while the other is just getting started.

Beyond Borders: Landscape, Art and Food

By Mya McNew

Whether the scene is green grassy fields with sheep or rows of corn with fields of cows, St. George’s Market or the James Dean Festival, trying soda bread and chips or the local BBQ joint, they all speak volumes about what defines culture.

Landscape, art and food can significantly highlight aspects of a culture. Northern Ireland and Marion, Indiana, separated by an ocean, hold similarities and differences in how they express their identity with landscape, art and food.

A View Between Villages

Northern Ireland is home to the rocky landscape known as the Giant’s Causeway that stretches four miles along the coast. According to the National Trust, Giant’s Causeway represents love, a legend and world heritage.

Giant’s Causeway still stands at almost 60 million years old, being a historical landscape that shaped the formation of Northern Ireland. Whether to hear the myth of the battle or the myth of the true love story, Giant’s Causeway receives over one million visitors a year.

Corrymeela sits in a small town known as Ballycastle, where the volunteers of Corrymeela provide a community with a safe space. Corrymeela welcomed people from different sides during the Troubles and provided them a way to meet safely, have difficult conversations and support one another.

Elizabeth McKevitt, a Corrymeela Tour Guide, spends time educating visitors on the community of Corrymeela.

“We want to create and shape a culture of generous welcome and acceptance of others. A lot of the feedback we get is the overwhelming feeling of hospitality,” McKevitt. 

Corrymeela is known for the peaceful feeling one gets when stepping foot into their community. It provides Northern Ireland communities with hope for what is to come and the sense of peace that all will be ok.

Marion, Indiana, lies in the small Grant County. Marion is home to a vast variety of farmland, along with the school, Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU). IWU provides a greenhouse to support their science courses and the Alliance Garden, which acts as the campus farm.

Jennifer Noseworthy, Indiana Wesleyan Associate Professor of Biology and Division Chair of Natural Sciences, is in charge of the greenhouse and garden, hoping to provide education on the local farmland.

“We use the greenhouse for projects, growing our crops, and starting seeds for the Alliance Garden. Students can get hands-on gardening experiences in both of those places, learning about how plants grow, agriculture, sustainability, and stewardship for the environment,” said Noseworthy.

Gardens of Matter Park, a well-known and often visited park in Grant County, covers 6.3 acres of land. The Gardens of Matter Park provides the Garden House and The Meadow to hold several events like weddings and small concerts, fostering a strong community bond and even shining a light on local artists.

A Communities Canvas

The Belfast Peace Wall continues to stand tall, as many locals believe it will never come down. The Peace Wall’s value remains, as its presence has played a major role in historical events.

The Peace Wall stretches over 21 miles and gets covered in new murals each year. The Peace Wall signifies a sense of hope and artistic freedom/opinion. The wall provides an educational experience on The Troubles for many tourists and has become embedded in the daily life of the Irish.

Dr. Barbara McDade, professor at Stranmillis University, lived through The Troubles and now teaches on the historical facts of Belfast. McDade highlighted the overarching goal for Northern Ireland as time goes on, and the issues that still occur.

“Those are signatures from thousands and thousands of international visitors each year,” McDade said.

Over time, the walls have become taller, stronger and covered in graffiti from locals to present their struggles or beliefs about issues in the city. International visitors sign their names to send signs of hope and prayers, leaving hopeful messages and even verses from the Bible.

Marion also fosters a community in which murals tell historical stories that helped shape and celebrate Marion for the city it is today. Furthermore, downtown Marion holds a place for multiple prominent art groups.

According to The City of Marion, there are nine different artistic organizations based in downtown: Community School of the Arts (CSA), CSA Civic Theater, Creative Hearts Art Studio, Fusion Arts Alliance, Hoosier Shakes, Marion Arts Commission, Marion Design Co., Orchestra Indiana and Quilter’s Hall of Fame.

Festivals and markets allow locals to express their identity through their artwork. Located in Belfast, the St. George’s Market takes place on Fridays through Sundays and occurs throughout the year.

Belfast City officials said that Saturday and Sunday are for the craft market where locals sell handmade crafts, flowers, plants, local photography, pottery, glass and metal work while listening to live music. Artists and local musicians like soloist Rory Nellis spend many weekends performing at St. George’s Market.

“I started a solo career, sort of writing and performing songs, both cover versions in bars and clubs and markets and gigs around,” said Nellis.

The James Dean Festival takes place in Fairmount, located in Grant County, and occurs the last full weekend of September. The James Dean Museum, also located in Fairmount, shows that the festival consists of a street fair, vendor booths, rides, entertainment and a car show.

The beauty of art in culture could be that it is never the same and the different art represents a special meaning to each community. Whether it’s a mural, market or festival, cultures thrive on the success of a community.

Food As Culture

Northern Ireland is known for their Guinness beer, soda bread and chips. Many restaurants in Northern Ireland also offer menus for special dietary needs.

According to the National Library of Medicine, menu labeling promotes healthy living and food choices by allowing customers to see clear facts. Covering every dietary restriction may not be easy, plus many travelers wouldn’t think twice about someone who travels with food allergies/sensitivities.

Certain restaurants do offer gluten-free buns, vegetarian options and fry chips in a separate fryer to prevent cross-contamination. In the U.S., this isn’t as common, and when narrowed in on small towns like Marion, it is not common at all to see restaurants working with visitors who have dietary issues.

“I can never fully relax when I’m constantly rehearsing what to say and how not to come off rude or inconsiderate in a culture I don’t completely understand,” said Delanie Mark, a college junior who traveled to Northern Ireland while dealing with food sensitivity.

A culture is molded by the food served within. Northern Ireland not only molds their culture with unique foods but also offers more diet-friendly options.

Marion is known for their BBQ, local pizza joints and Midwest foods. Many locals wouldn’t think twice about someone with food allergies/sensitivities, leaving restaurants in the position to not prevent cross-contamination.

The Fine Line

Landscape, art, and food all sit at the top of the pedestal in culture. People travel the world for the food, the beautiful landscapes, and the art.

The fine line intertwined within each is what truly shapes culture. The world still tilts on one axis while the sky captures the beauty of it all.

Communication Between Cultures, a Personal Travel Essay

By Emily Bontrager

This trip was sold to me as the “perfect first international experience” for a number of reasons. One reason in particular was the fact that Northern Ireland is a primarily English-speaking country where the language barrier is basically a non-issue. But one important aspect of communication that I learned from this experience is that understanding one another is more than just speaking the same language. Northern Ireland is an entirely new culture, where language, subtext, and even slang has developed in an entirely different way. The differences go further than just a different accent, and they hold more significance than an alternative spelling of words. People may talk in similar ways, but it is those same people who shape and change a language, allowing it to evolve and grow as the times change. In the same way older books are written in a different way than modern books that are being published today, language changes in response to culture. Seeing as this is, by definition, a cross-cultural experience, the differences between Americans and people from Northern Ireland go much deeper than the slight differences we can easily pick up on. Two people may say the same thing with different accents, but they could mean two entirely different things. Slight differences should not be written off as insignificant. There is a reason that they are there. 

Some of the differences in language in Northern Ireland are simple ones. For example, trash cans are called “rubbish bins” and according to our travel agent, to-go or take out is commonly called “takeaway.” But some of those differences are much larger, and indicative of deeply rooted divisions among people groups. This division was particularly obvious in the town of Londonderry, alternatively called Derry by Catholic Unionists. The name Londonderry is typically used by Protestant Loyalists, and in most of the interactions we had with locals, both sides seemed very passionate about the name of the town. To give greater historical context, Derry is the second-largest city in Northern Ireland, after the capital city of Belfast. Londonderry also saw a lot of the conflict during The Troubles. To this day there are still several memorials in the area in memory of the conflict, including a memorial for murdered children. Many of the houses and apartment buildings from that time period are still intact, some with their original tenants who lived there during the conflict. For the people of Derry, the name of their home represents more than just where they are from. Londonderry is a name that aligns a person with British values and nationalism, highlighting the Ulster-Scots and British family history that is shared by many Protestants. The name Derry on the other hand, is used primarily by a person who not only has a Catholic background, but likely shares in the romantic idea of one day reuniting the Isle of Ireland under one government, despite the fact that Northern Ireland receives a large amount of monetary support from the British Government. Despite the wishful thinking, uniting Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland would likely cause a dramatic decrease in the standard of living for citizens of Northern Ireland according to Sky News correspondent David Blevins. 

While this explanation may seem a bit strange from an outsider’s perspective, we had the opportunity to talk with people on both sides of the Derry/Londonderry divide. First, before we even traveled to Derry, we spoke to Deirdre Speer-Whyte who works in the Ulster-Scots museum in Belfast. She briefly served in the military and was at one point an archeologist who uncovered several artifacts from World War II. While we knew next to nothing about Derry at that point, and could not ask proper questions about the issue, she did correct one of the other students who pointed to a map in the museum and said “look, that’s Derry!” Like many residents of Northern Ireland with an Ulster-Scots background, Speer-Whyte frequently travels to Scotland and is very proud of her Scottish heritage. She does not support a unified Ireland claiming “we’re too different,” and said she does not agree with putting former members of the IRA in government. Where others praise the Sinn Fein as a diplomatic, non-violent approach to conflict resolution in Northern Ireland, this Speer-Whyte said that those involved in this political party are murderers who are now leading in government positions. Neither perspective is necessarily inaccurate. Many members of the Sinn Fein political party were involved in the IRA to some extent, but depending on one’s perspective, religion, and political leanings, that fact could be taken in two totally different ways. 

When we did visit Derry, we stayed mostly on the Catholic and Unionist side, where the “London” in Londonderry was scratched out on most signs, and Irish flags were everywhere. In the same way using the name Derry or Londonderry says a lot about a person’s beliefs, displaying an Irish flag or Union Jack also clearly illustrates what “side” a person is on. It is here that we met our tour guide for our walking tour of Derry, a man who believes that he will live to see a united Ireland. Although he said he was nonreligious, his background was Catholic, like most in that area. To use reporter James Gould’s wording, when someone claims to be atheist, the next question they are usually asked is “are you a Catholic atheist or a Protestant atheist?” One distinct feature of Northern Ireland as a whole and Derry specifically is that people are very segregated by their beliefs. This happened primarily because of The Troubles, and the violence between neighbors that came with it. People began to move away from each other and closer to “their kind” to avoid attacks from the opposing side. Today, while those with different views are moving closer together again, there are still very distinct Catholic or Protestant areas. 

While people in Northern Ireland are very welcoming, there are still a few word choices and phrases that hold historical significance tourists may not be aware of. Even for reporters, the differences in names can pose a unique challenge. David Blevins said that he will switch between saying Derry and Londonderry in his reporting in an attempt to remain objective as a journalist whenever he is reporting in the area. In every culture we assign meanings to words, and a lot of the time what we say has a bigger impact than we may realize. Just because we speak the same language does not necessarily mean we can understand each other. The first step to truly understanding a new culture is to acknowledge that just because you did the pre-departure reading does not mean you know everything. The first step to understanding is to listen, and to listen to all sides. 

Political Parallels

By Andrew Scalf

Division

Healing from their past, some people in Northern Ireland, still feel political division and seek justice. Marching forward, the U.S. faces its own growing political division with people on both sides fearing the actions of the other. 

Drawing similarities, some in Northern Ireland said lessons can be learned.

“We’ve learned many things over the years and we’ve learned to be friendly, to be dignified and to engage. This is what we do,” John Kelly said.

Kelly, a former guide of the Museum of Free Derry, lived through The Troubles of Northern Ireland and saw the violence firsthand.

The Years Post-Troubles

Londonderry, a Northern Irish city with a deep history of oppression, lives in constant reminder of what those in power have done. 

Murals line the Bogside, the marshland outside the inner city, picturing the violence and prominent figures that arose from the years of its growing division. One event shown is Bloody Sunday.

A mural in the Bogside of Londonderry depicts a scene from Bloody Sunday. Catholic Priest, Father Edward Daly, is seen waving a white handkerchief to try to stop the firing as a group of men try to bring the wounded John Duddy, aged 17, to safety. Duddy died shortly after.

“My younger brother, Michael Kelly, who was just 17 years old, was murdered that day. And I was there on Bloody Sunday. And I’ve been involved in the Bloody Sunday issue from that day, more or less, due to the fact all our people were innocent,” Kelly said.

Bloody Sunday was the result of British soldiers firing upon and chasing marchers protesting internment. Fourteen men and boys died and 12 were injured. None of the soldiers responsible faced penalties for their actions. 

“A lot of these peaceful marches were attacked,” Kelly said.

Some still resorted to violence, joining the terror group of the Irish Republican Army, to fight against British rule and members of the Ulster Volunteer Force, a loyalist terror group. 

The division can be traced back hundreds of years to the invasion of the British and influx of Scottish settlers. London-Derry itself was subject to suppression and gerrymandering since the 19th century. 

“There was mass discrimination here, and people lived through that discrimination led to day by day, especially in this city here.This is a majority national city, Catholic city, and was totally discriminated against in every respect,” Kelly said.

Londonderry was just one city where people felt division 

“My dad grew up in a really rough estate up in Colerain, and they were kind of the only family that didn’t agree with what was going on there. And my dad and his siblings, like, grew up seeing some really horrible stuff,” Evie Steele said.

Steele, born Generation Z, grew up in the time after the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 brought the era of The Troubles to an end. 

Hillsboro Castle is where numerous negotiations and deals were made, leading to and including the Good Friday Agreement.

Growing up, Steele said she saw how division is still prevalent through older generations and holidays like the 12th of July. 

“You’ll see, kind of in more extreme cases, people burning the Irish flag,” Steele said.

During the near 30 year span of The Troubles, over 3,500 people were killed. 

In the 27 years since, the main terror groups have maintained the agreement with minimal violence. 

While many are still divided by political opinion, many hold hope for the future of Northern Ireland 

The Growing Troubles

Following the 2nd inauguration of Donald Trump, people have spoken out against both the actions of his administration as well as the president himself. 

In June, marches took place across the Los Angeles area to protest deportations and raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Trump, responding to the marches, called in the National Guard to maintain the marchers where soldiers fired upon them with rubber bullets. Soldiers also fired upon and detained members of the press reporting on the marches.  

Facing moral and legal criticism, the use of force at these marches is one manifestation of growing division in the U.S.

Texas gerrymandering is a recent development, pushed by republican governor Greg Abbot last month, following Trump’s claim that Republicans deserve five more seats.

Following attempts to redraw districts in Texas, Governor Mike Braun of Indiana announced Vice President JD Vance would visit Indiana to promote further gerrymandering. 

In response, democrats are attempting to halt the redrawing of districts and threaten to redraw their own maps.

“I just think people can’t get along. I think people can sometimes get too stuck in their ways or be too focused on one thing that they can’t see the bigger picture,” Keyton Tipple, an IWU sophomore said. 

When asked in an independent study if violence or uprising was likely in response to growing tensions, 69.5% of Gen Z said violence is certain. Of those, 62.5% said that violence is coming sooner rather than later.

Data taken from a survey completed August 8. Ninety-five percent of participants were from Generation-Z.

“I would not be surprised if we were to see the same level of violence we saw in the early 2020s in the next three to five years,” Tipple said.

A survey done by YouGov in June of this year found that a majority of U.S. adults said a civil war in the next decade is at least somewhat likely. 

“Unfortunately, I do fear that (civil war) is probably going to happen,” Alexa Myers said.

Myers, a recent Oak Hill graduate, said she feels there’s too much emphasis on emotion over logic, leading to violence.

“America has been divided multiple times in the past, history has proven that. And I feel like we haven’t really had a great example of our country at times,” Myers said, “There’s been times history has remade itself and violence tends to be the number one seam that gets repeated.”

Tipple said he could see military involvement and riots in larger urban areas, just not in Grant County.

“From my time of living in Grant County, I haven’t seen much. I don’t think we’re going to see it in small towns or cities like Muncie, Marion, or Gas City,” Tipple said. 

Myers disagrees.

“I look at Grant County and I see a very private, close-knit community, but then I also see us as a community where there are a lot of opinionated people. Say we were to have a civil war in our country, I think we would also have a smaller, mini war, in our own county,” Myers said.

Holding various political beliefs and predictions, the commonality of Generation Z is the uncertainty in the future of the U.S.

Outside Perspective

Many from Northern Ireland follow American politics and news, pointing out similarities and offering criticism. 

Paul Clark, a news reporter for UTV Live, said media literacy is a major issue in the U.S.

“There’s a blurred line between the journalists and the commentator in America, you know, and we have that here, too,” Clark said.

Clark criticizes leaders of both nations, and said they do not help differentiate between journalism and commentary.

“So you get the basic details, but you also get somebody with an authoritative voice saying their opinion, as if it’s fact,” Clark said.

Others point to lessons from history to better handle the future.

“Well, it’s important, because people must learn from our story, and hopefully it will never happen again. The brutality of the day (Bloody Sunday), the brutality of the following years, right through the conflict, and the fact of what people were actually striving to achieve during those years,” Kelly said.

Military equipment used during the Troubles is displayed at the Museum of Free Derry. Rubber bullets and tear gas were commonly used alongside other weaponry.

The Free Derry Museum builds on Kelly’s words, pointing to where they deem lessons need applied. Currently above the main exhibit, a second exhibit for Palestinian is in place.

“We are prepared to face any sort of injustice that comes our way, and that’s why we will support different campaigns and what’s happening around the world where injustice seems to be instructed on people,” Kelly said. 

Deidre Speer-Whyte, of the Ulster-Scots museum, said she believes it’s possible for division to exist with peace. 

“I’m not saying that the people who would regard themselves as the other side to me are evil, but we have different ways of looking at the story,” Speer-Whyte said.

Younger generations of Northern Ireland said avoiding identity in opposing sides is better to help move forward.

“We were kind of just in the middle of just, kind of like, you just exist. And we didn’t really get like, either side. But now that I’m older and I’m not living at home as much of the time, like, I find that I’m kind of getting more into that and, like, appreciating it a lot more,” Steele said.

Young and old, the Northern Irish continue offering their outside perspective to the world to try and prevent pain and history from repeating.

 Each year, different antique vehicles like planes, cars, tractors and more are displayed for visitors and Marion residents to see.

Ray Johnson, the founder of the event, said he did not expect the event to take off.

“It all started in 1991, and we had an idea,” Johnson said. “We did not dream that here, 34 years later, that we would still be doing it.”

Johnson said the event originally started as a fundraiser for the Marion High School band. This year, the Grant County Rescue Mission fundraised the event through their all you can eat pancake breakfast.

Brad Terhune, the executive director of the Grant County Rescue Mission, said he was happy that the event still takes place so the rescue mission can still be beneficiaries.

“We get a lot of support from people who come out and eat,” Terhune said. “We also have people that come up to volunteer, so we’ll utilize up to maybe 200 volunteers to serve breakfast.”

Johnson said the beauty of the event is that it is an all-out community event. Many people from all over the country come to display their vehicles.

“This year we are showcasing a 1942 Curtis P-40N Warhawk,” Johnson said. “We are also showing a 1962 Beech Bonanza, a vantage airplane that flew around the world.”

Adrian Eichhorn, the owner of the Beech Bonanza, said he heard about the event through Johnson and originally planned to attend last year but had some scheduling conflicts.

“I fly for a living and was in Europe at the same time last year,” Eichhorn said. “I got back the night of, and there were pretty bad thunderstorms, so I decided not to come last year.”

Eichhorn shared that he bought and restored his Beech Bonanza back in 1990 and has taken it all over.

“2015 was the first time I flew it around the world,” Eichhorn said. “The most memorable flight for me was flying over Omaha Beach where over 10,000 soldiers lost their lives, because I’m a veteran and remember that time.”

Eichhorn said the best part about the event was getting to meet others who are passionate about their vehicles and being back in the Midwest.

Phil Martin, the co-owner of the Life Star Pulse Owners Group, has been attending the event with his wife for 20 years.

Martin said that his group attends the event as part of their national rally to show support.

“We love to come out and participate in the silent display to help support Ray Johnson, who I have been friends with for 20 years,” Martin said.

With the Fly-in Cruise-in having a big turn out this year, Johnson said that he hopes the event will continue to grow and help support the community in the future.

While Lakeview’s foyer and worship center undergo renovations, the congregation will meet at The River North Campus, located on Ninth Street. Leaders expect Lakeview, now called The River South Campus, to be open for worship services by fall 2026.

 “This is a good opportunity for all of us to be reminded that the name that’s over the church isn’t what defines the church,” Chris Williams, Lakeview’s lead pastor, said. 

The lead pastors of each church said they see the merger as a win-win for the kingdom of God. 

“It’s not about one leader or one pastor. It’s not about me. This isn’t my church. This is God’s Church. He died for it, I did not,” Matthew Trexler, The River’s lead pastor, said. 

The pastors first proposed the merger to their church boards earlier this year. 

“It was a careful, careful conversation and discussion not taken lightly, and it took place over a couple months,” Bob Burchell said.

Now voted onto The River’s board, Burchell sat as the vice chairman of Lakeview’s board of administration, having also served as the assistant pastor from 2003 to 2008. 

“You know we’re coming to the end of our first five-year vision, and so in consideration for the next five years, Pastor Chris called the special board meeting to explore that with the board and shared with us that he thought the vision could be spoken into by the board instead of just him,” Burchell said. 

He said the board discussed issues Lakeview had, including maintenance costs and lower attendance numbers, which impacted the church’s ministry. 

“We looked at seven scenarios and categorically, kind of dismissed the ones that were obvious,” Burchell said. “One of the options was merge with another congregation to strengthen that congregation but also have that congregation be able to strengthen us.”

Building onto the merging scenario, Williams offered the idea of merging with The River. 

“We had several meetings to talk specifically about merging with The River and including Matthew Trexler and his wife meeting with us,” Burchell said.

The board voted to take the proposal and ultimate decision to the membership of Lakeview. 

“I don’t mind going on record saying that I waited to vote because I didn’t want my vote to be something that was self-serving,” Burchell said. 

Seeking God’s direction

Chris Williams said he first got the idea for the merger two years ago during January 2023’s 21 Days of Prayer.

“We were really focused on Matthew 6:33, ‘Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well,’” Williams said. “And I … (felt) the Lord sharing with me an idea of these two churches coming together to serve our community.”

Williams said he kept the idea private but mentioned it to Matthew Trexler.

Trexler said he felt opposed until other people in his life pushed him or became moved themselves. 

“A coaching friend of mine challenged me with the idea that there has to be another church with enough space that the two of you could hook wagons together and continue to reach the 42,000 people in this county,” he said. 

The River has added 500 attendees since 2020, with a growth of 37% over the last 12 months for an average attendance of 1,800. The church’s current building, formerly Lincoln Elementary School, no longer meets all of the congregation’s needs.

“We had outgrown the space that we’re presently in,” Trexler said. “We were looking at all kinds of different angles to figure out how to add more space, open up more seats, because more seats equals more souls that we’re trying to reach for the kingdom.”

Williams served as Lakeview’s lead pastor starting in May 2020 and immediately faced challenges resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“When we could finally bring people back into the building, we had about 115 people gathering for worship on a Sunday morning,” he said. 

Several years ago, Lakeview averaged 1,300 in attendance. The church reached an average of over 300 before the merger.

“We’ve been trying to, obviously, grow the church, reach people in our community, serve needs, you know, make a difference,” Williams said.

Handling multiple issues while trying to grow and serve presented challenges to both congregations. Working together could offer solutions.

“You’ve got to consistently figure out, if you’re going to keep growing, how do you pivot into the next season?” Trexler said.

Taking it to vote

During meetings with the congregations before they voted, pastors shared their reasons for pursuing a merger and listened to members’ concerns.

Fifty-seven members, roughly a third of Lakeview’s membership roll, voted against the merger compared to two members from The River who voted against it.

“I don’t take that lightly,” Bob Burchell said.

He also said that the members who voted against the merger need to feel supported.

Karen Hershberger, a longtime member of Lakeview, has served on the church’s missions committee and in other volunteer roles. She said she did not vote in favor of the merger. 

“I felt like before our pastor’s proposal, Lakeview was not looking to dissolve or merge with another church,” she said. 

Still, Hershberger said she understands the situation.

“I feel like there can probably be some good things that come of it, but I was just not for it personally,” she said.

Others from Lakeview, such as Janet Richardson, said the change will be hard.

 Richardson attended both Lakeview Wesleyan Church and Lakeview Christian School. Over the years, members of her family have served as leaders for both ministries. 

“I’ve been involved at Lakeview my whole life, so it’s just a shock that it’s no longer going to be Lakeview,” Richardson said.

Before deciding to attend The River, Richardson said her family needs to discuss their options  and tour the children’s facilities. 

Many issues factored into the voting process. Burchell said he considered more than Lakeview when he cast his vote. 

“When it came down to it for me, it was about stewardship of kingdom property,” Burchell said. 

Moving ahead as one

Lakeview brings property to the partnership that includes three buildings with approximately 100,000 square feet of usable space. One building houses Life Center Counseling and another Westminster Preschool’s south campus.

Lakeview Christian School, which operates independently from the church, will hold classes in its current space for the 2025-2026 school year. After the school relocates, The River will renovate that portion of the building to better serve the growing ministry.

Because of the merger, the church can better focus its resources. 

“We’ll be spending less money to run the organization, (and have) more money to do what the organization’s mission is,” Chris Williams said. 

One of these missions is to reach younger generations.

“I see a lot of team growth and development, as far as welcoming any new team members. I also see some exciting new kid spaces in the near future as well,” Mallory Retherford said.

 Retherford currently serves as The River Kids pastor and said she’s excited for joint ministry.

“I am actually someone who loves to think of the future. But recently, God’s really just been speaking to me about what’s happening right now,” she said.

After the merger, Matthew Trexler remains The River’s lead pastor while Williams becomes an executive pastor alongside Amy Biegel. Other staff members are listed on the church’s website, theriver.cc. 

“It’s exciting and kind of nerve-racking all at the same time, to see how things will go,” Bob Burchell said. “(We)’ve done this and (want it) to be effective and work. So we’re trusting that God will bless it that way.”

The River meets on Sundays at 8:30, 10, and 11:30 a.m. Starting Aug. 7, the church will run Thursday evening services, identical to the Sunday services, for people whose schedules don’t allow them to attend on the weekends. 

Local services take place at The River’s 759 S. Lenfesty Ave. location. 

At Obi’s Barbeque, house manager Malia said things may shift with students gone but they remain busy. 

“Yeah you feel it when IWU comes back but with people being out of school some of them do stay here and their parents will come to visit them. School’s out for kids, everybody’s able to get out and do more,” Malia said. 

She said that summer brings Obi’s busy catering season. 

“A lot of people tend to get married in the summertime, so we also do a lot of catering,” Malia said. 

Obi’s plans to expand this coming summer with hopes to open a new location in Hartford City by mid-June. 

Ashley’s Ice Cream is preparing for its first full summer under new ownership. Tyler Hewitt bought the business in November and said he is looking forward to what the season brings. 

“I haven’t got to experience summer yet but I have seen the couple of warm days we’ve had, we’ve been slammed and lined up out the door,” Hewitt said. 

Hewitt said that with many students gone there might be a shift, but recognizes the presence of Marion’s local community. 

“I’m sure there’ll be an effect with IWU and Taylor going home, but at the same time, I think Marion’s a big enough community where we’re still going to have a lot of people coming in,” Hewitt said. 

Hewitt said Ashley’s is planning a series of summer events, including a movie night, concert and outdoor games. 

“I think, like, sky’s the limit for the courtyard, so I’m just trying to get more ideas of stuff to have out there,” Hewitt said. 

Elevate Nutrition is preparing to celebrate its one-year anniversary. Owner Kayla Taylor said she is looking forward to the shop’s celebration in May.

“May 16 we’re gonna have a big party treated like a customer appreciation day, where there’ll be special shakes, giveaways,and lots of decor for everybody to celebrate the one year,” Taylor said.

Construction for the splash pad will start in the next few months.

“Just excited for the groundbreaking of the splash pad, which will break ground officially” Supervisor of Marketing and Community Development Layla Price-Bodkin said. “This was like the ceremony for it, and it’ll break ground in May (or) June.”

Price-Bodkin said the splash pad is one of the ways that Mayor Ronald Morrell Jr. intends to improve Marion.

“The mayor has been listening to the community on what they want to improve quality of life here, and that’s something that he can control,” Price-Bodkin said.

The project is for the benefit of younger Marion residents, both current and future.

“You’ve got to have stuff for younger kids, and when you start doing these kinds of amenities, it starts spurring traffic from people coming into town and wanting to be here” Director of Engineering Michael Graft said.

Construction will end towards the end of summer.

“I’m just excited and ready for it to be open in late August,” Graft said. 

The splash pad is intended to be an added benefit to families looking to relocate to Marion.

“I think this is an addition to our quality of life investment, and this is going to be able to attract and retain young families” Mayor Ronald Morrell said.

Another goal of the project is to improve the Mississinewa Riverwalk that runs through Marion.

“The idea is that along the entirety of our Riverwalk trail we’ll be able to have different hot zone hotspots and this will be one that is really catered to the next generation and their families” Morrell said.

The donut shop was opened by Cambodian immigrant Arron Sok in 2019 in Indianapolis. There are now nearly ten Pana locations across Indiana with the Marion location being the newest addition.  

“I got a dozen donut holes from there this week,” said Jonny Rupp, a new Pana Donuts customer. “They do a great job over there and provide a ton of different options.” 

Pana Donuts sells both cake and yeast donuts.  

“I think we are set apart from places like Jack’s or Dunkin’ because we are more authentic and sell more than one kind of donut,” said John Shi, a manager at Pana Donuts, Marion.  

The store in Marion is also selling other kinds of pastries like bear claws, apple fritters, butterflies and more.  

“Their fritters are so tasty” said, Rachel Lee, a Pana Donuts customer.  

The Marion location hopes to establish themselves as the go-to donut shop for the city.  

After their grand opening earlier this month, Pana gained a significant level of attention and publicity from the town of Marion. By offering discounts and samples during the grand opening, Shi hopes the Pana team has won over some customers that will return frequently.  

“Offering free samples and discounts is an investment that we are more than willing to make. We want customers to come back,” said Shi.  

Many vendors had connections to Fairmount Camp.

Co-owner of Little Lite Candle Co., Brian Handy, grew up attending Fairmount Camp and has been selling at the Spring Artisan Market for the past three years. His wife said she enjoys seeing the camp where her husband grew up. 

Lora Clark used to work as a church secretary and now ministers to people by selling Monat products full-time. As a seller of natural beauty products, she said, “I get the opportunity to help men and women with their hair and skin.” She enjoys the opportunity to offer people solutions and meet their goals.

While Monat is not a faith-based company, many sellers are Christians.

“We have the opportunity to be the light to not yet believers” Clark said.

Handy named Little Lite Candle Co. after the song “This Little Light of Mine.” Handy said the goal of their business is not to sell the most candles, but to promote the importance of letting the light of God shine through you. 

Handy said she views their candle business as a ministry to both non-Christians and Christians. “Christians also need to be ministered to. That’s kind of where we want to step in and fill that gap and help encourage Christians” Handy said.

Holly Ford, owner of Holly’s Cozy Crochet, sold her handmade items at the market. She began crocheting as a stress-relieving activity and was encouraged by her friends to turn it into a business. 

Ford said, “I really put my faith into my business.” She spends time in solitude with God while creating each item. As she creates, she listens for God’s voice and rests in his presence. 

The case at hand was between a delivery driver Mahari Oukbu and Amazon. Oukbu sued Amazon and the property owner of the facility where the incident occurred, CF Mount Comfort.  

Oukbu was delivering a package to the Amazon facility when the signage for entrances confused him. He had to stop his car and get out on the highway to determine where to go. When Oukbu got out, he was injured by another vehicle. Seven weeks later, Harvail Dhillon, another delivery driver, got out of his car due to confusion and was struck and killed by a vehicle. 

Oukbu said he wanted Amazon to pay for damages and adjust, but Amazon argued that they are not responsible for damages that occur off their property.  

Alice Trueblood described Oukbu’s position. 

  “By placing those signs there, (Amazon) affirmatively assuming control of the behavior of the invitees who are attempting to enter their premises” Trueblood said. 

Amazon’s council said, “The concern is not so much how this affects Amazon, it’s how it affects property owners across the state, warehouse that have a condition that’s going to create a potential liability.”   

Justice Goff said this issue is not the liability as Amazon’s council is making it out to be.  

“Everybody’s worried about (liability), but it seems to me that the universe of people that this signage is directed to is really small and the conduct is really specific. Happens twice in a period of less than two months,” Goff said. 

No final decision was made during this hearing.  

Kid’s Hope is a national mentoring organization that partners with local churches to provide one-on-one mentoring for children in public schools. 

The program matches adult/college mentors with students who can benefit from extra support and encouragement. These mentors meet with their students for one hour each week during the school day. 

“It’s really about showing these kids that someone cares about them and believes in them,” Brad Allen, a Kids Hope mentor at Francis Slocum said. “Even just an hour a week can make a big difference in their confidence and happiness.” 

For some students, this is the only one-on-one time they receive with an adult outside of home or the classroom. 

“We’re here to love and be a consistent presence in their lives,” Vickie Conrad, the Kids Hope director for Frances Slocum Elementary said. “Sometimes just being around someone each week gives the kids encouragement and the strength they didn’t know they needed.” 

Teachers and school staff said that they have also noticed the difference the mentors are making. Many students who participate in Kid’s Hope show improvements in their classroom behavior, confidence, and attitude toward learning. 

“I’ve seen the students light up when they see their mentors, even on days when they aren’t feeling the best,” Hannah Lindsay, a teacher at Frances Slocum said. “It gives them something to look forward to and allows them to feel valued.” 

Kid’s Hope continues to seek new mentors from the community who are willing to invest their time and care into the next generation.

The city of Marion broke ground Tuesday morning for a new dog park after over five years of setbacks and planning. 

The park will be named Wiggly Field and will be located on Ballard Field in east central 

Marion. 

Local businessman and Rotarian Dwight Ott said he has been adamant for years about rejuvenating Ballard Park. 

“It is one small thing we can do to try and make life fun here in Marion,” Ott said. “If one of us does one thing and someone else has another idea, it will make Marion a great place to live.” 

The original plans were to rejuvenate the entire 20-acre Ballard field. But with unprecedented hurdles and COVID-19 hitting, plans were settled for just the three-acre dog park. 

President of the Parks and Recreation Board Kyle Beal said, “It’s nice to see it actually come to reality, it was kind of a dream that Dwight had. There were times I did not think it was going to happen. “ 

Ott said he got inspired while visiting a Utah dog park in 2018. He saw how it brought the community together and wanted to see Marion residents come together in the same way. 

“I think this will be a really neat project that will bring people together,” Ott said. “Folks will get to know each other in the community that they didn’t know before.” 

This is the second large investment in local dogs this year, following the improvements at Marion Animal Care and Control back in January. 

“I just want more reasons for people to live here,” Ott said. “Not just drive to town, go to work, drive out of town. We want them to live here, and we want to give them reasons. 

Local resident Scott Overman has wanted Ballard Park to be developed for many years, and what he referred to as “the bark park” Is really good for the community. 

“Anybody moving into a new community they look for the amenities,” Overman said. “They look for the walking trails, they look for the parks, they look for the schools, and this is one piece of a big puzzle.” 

Wiggly Field is a roughly $550,000 investment made possible by grants from the Marion Rotary Club, Community Foundation and the Land and Water Conservation Fund. They are still looking for approximately $30,000 from additional sponsors. 

Wiggly Field is currently set to open in early August.