Concerns, Announcements and Devotional Thought
A Weekly Ministry of Indianapolis First Friends Meeting
As Way Opens by Beth Henricks
As many of you know, we are renovating our basement as part of our Quaker Affirmation project. Leslie Kartholl and Amanda Cordray are taking the lead on this project and the planning and selection of colors, carpet squares, furniture and furnishings is underway. We are very excited to take this beautiful space that has been underutilized and turn it into a place for our young people (and others). If you have never been down to the basement, I encourage you to walk down there so you can see a "before renovation" view of this interesting room.
When you go down there, please look outside and see an amazing mosaic of Jesus on the retaining wall. Our own Dan Mitchell led a group of our highschool students in the late 1990's in creating this mosaic in the image of Georges Rouault’s painting of Jesus. The kids took pictures of our members and attenders from the directory and cut them and placed them on the wall to create this image. What a beautiful concept that we are in and of Christ. Dan shared with me last week that during the completion of this art project, our beloved Sid Crane (long time member and husband of Ann Kendall who passed away several years ago) who lived nearby at the Brockton Apartments, walked over to the Meeting every day and circled the building praying for these young people and this project. Sid's faith and his deep compassion and care for others was so evident in his life. And what a beautiful testimony to be praying for our young people and for a lasting legacy that remains on our wall and continues to deeply touch our Spirit.
Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities
Please note that there will be no Community Soup this Friday, and the office will be closed in observance of Independence Day. We hope you all have a wonderful and safe 4th of July. Community Soup will resume on August 1st, the first Friday of the month, as usual.
Got a dirty car? Bring it to our Youth Car Wash on Sunday, July 13th, when the kids of the Meeting will be washing cars after Meeting for Worship. They will be accepting freewill donations to benefit the Youth Quaker Affirmation Class.
Come and Sing in a Summer Women’s Chorus! All women are welcome to join Ruthie in preparing music to be shared in Meeting for Worship on Sunday, July 13th. We will rehearse next Thursday night, July 10th at 7:00. Pat Price will accompany us, Ruthie will direct, and we’ll have a great time making beautiful music together! No experience necessary! See you in rehearsal on July 10th!
A reception will be held for this years’ Friends Education Fund Scholars on Sunday, June 13th. The fund was created in the mid-1940’s by several members of First Friends Meeting wh were the surviving governing board of the only orphanage for African American children in the state of Indiana. We will hear more about this treasured ministry in Meeting for Worship that day. Please join us!
Ladies! Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading will be discussing Broken For You by Stephanie Kallos on the third Tuesday of July, the 15th, at 7 pm in the Parlor. If you would like to be on the email list or need a copy of the book list for 2014, please contact Kathy Rhyne at kathyrichelle@yahoo.com. The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak is our upcoming book for August.
Save the Date for Wilderness Escape, our Vacation Bible School program which will begin on Sunday, July 27th at 11:30 a.m. and will include lunch. It will continue Monday, July 28th through Thursday, July 31st at 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Our Fellowship Hall will be transformed into Cam Israel with a variety of tents and tribes! Kids up to fifth grade are welcome and volunteers are needed! We will be transforming Fellowship Hall into the Israelite Camp in the desert. We need the following to help with our decorating: 2 EZ Up Tents/Canopies, Ethnic looking rugs and blankets for the tents, Large baskets. We will need these items by July 20th and will return them August 3rd. We are also looking for "tribe leaders" that will lead a small group of children throughout all of the stations each evening throughout VBS. Please let Beth Henricks know if you have any of these items or can help be a tribe leader.
Western Yearly Meeting Sessions, July 17-20 in Plainfield “To turn all we possess into the channel of universal love becomes the business of our lives.” -John Woolman. Don’t miss the excellent speakers, along with all the other important events happening during Yearly Meeting this year. Eden Grace will bring devotions each day, in addition to speaking in Meeting on Sunday morning. She has just joined the FUM staff as Global Ministries Director after serving in Kenya with FUM for nine years. Eden is a member of New England Yearly Meeting. On Sunday, July 20th, we encourage everyone to attend Meeting for Worship at the Yearly Meetinghouse in Plainfield at 10:30am. Shawn Porter and Eric Baker will minister in music at 9:30 that morn. For information and to register for the sessions events, please visit www.westernym.net.
Western Yearly Meeting Sessions Request – AFSC fundraiser – From Ann Panah: I have volunteered to host the Friday session lunch on July 18th at the Yearly Meetinghouse in Plainfield. This will be a fundraiser for our local AFSC Indiana Peacebuilding Program, led by Erin Polley. I would like to start planning this meal and I’m looking for volunteers to cook/serve/clean-up. AFSC (American Friends Service Committee) hosts local events such as the ‘Windows and Mirrors’ exhibit and works towards promoting programs to bring about peace and justice in the world. For information on AFSC please visit http://afsc.org/. Please contact me at a_panah@yahoo.com or 317-250-4161 if you are interested in helping plan and/or serve.
You are invited to enjoy art, gourmet food, and ‘Music for the Heart’ at Nancy Noel’s restaurant and art studio called ‘The Sanctuary’ in Zionsville. Guess who are the musicians are? Helena Riley and Sylvia Noble, who play chamber music from 12:30 to 3:00 every 2nd and 4th Saturday throughout this summer. Come and enjoy lunch, music and art! Located at 75 N Main St, Zionsville, IN 46077.
Energizing Indiana is a program funded by utility rates (no cost to you) that can raise your home’s performance, lower energy consumption, improve in-home air quality and increase your home’s value. Sign up and schedule an appointment. After your home energy assessment is completed, First Friends will receive $25 from Energizing Indiana for each assessed home. Both you and First Friends will benefit!!! More info concerning this program is on the table in the hall.
Would you like to receive a copy of each First Day’s sermon? Simply sign-up for Wednesday Word by sending an email request to office@indyfriends.org or call the Meeting Office at 317-255-2485.