Friend to Friend
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Concerns, Announcements and Devotional Thought
A Weekly Ministry of Indianapolis First Friends Meeting
As Way Opens
A Report on the Marriage Equality Discernment Process
Greetings Friends! At the time of this report I am the Interim Clerk of Ministry and Counsel. Watch Friend to Friend for more information about changes on M&C for the coming year.
In January we completed a Communication process within the Meeting concerning Same Sex Marriage or Marriage Equality. During this process it became apparent that many people were not well informed about Quaker Process, including some of us who thought we were fairly savvy. We, Ministry and Counsel, feel that before we enter a process of discernment about Marriage Equality (or any other weighty issue for that matter) at Monthly Meeting, it is imperative that we all have a good understanding of how Quaker Process works. To that end we will be having some sermons from Ruthie and perhaps some “Coffee Conversations” about the subject. As a guideline we will be using the book Quaker Process: for Friends on the Benches by Mathilda Navias. (Thanks to Bill Chapman for that reference during the last Monthly Meeting.) M&C will be reading the book and we encourage others to do the same. We encourage Friends to be present for Ruthie's sermons and the upcoming Coffee Conversations.
We will move forward with our discernment process once this part of the process is complete. While this may seem glacially slow to some people remember that it took Quakers almost a hundred years to sort out the slavery issue among themselves. We will not take that long!
Ed Morris
Joys & Concerns
Nancy Scott’s sister, Susan Ann Scott will be remembered this Saturday morning, with a Calling at 9:30 and a Memorial Mass at 10:30 at Christ the King. Please remember Nancy and her family.
The Indiana Council of Preschool Cooperatives met at First Friends this past week, and sent us this note, with $100 in gratitude: “Thank you so much for your continued partnership with MSPC and allowing us to use the wonderful classroom and meeting space last night for our ICPC training meeting. It was a great event! Kind Regards, Susan Paz; MSPC President”
Dear Friends,
On behalf of the Truck Crew at the Mid-North Food Pantry, I would like to sincerely thank you for the donation of funds made by your meeting for the purchase of a hand-jack that has greatly made the movement of food from the parking lot to the downstairs pantry a much more effieicnt process. As the pantry considers extended hours and more times per month that our guests may pick up food, certainly any added efficiency to the unloading process is going to make a huge difference moving forward. Bill Chapman and your Wednesday volunteers are a blessing, making a true difference in the lives of many of the neighborhood residents. May God bless you and keep you now and forever.
Ross McKenna
Truck Crew Coordinator
Member-Trinity Espiscopal Church
MidNorth Food Pantry News: Volunteers for the food pantry last week included: Kathy and Bill Farris; Bill Chapman; Ed Morris; Sam Ryan; Phil Kitchel; Ruth Kelly; Carol and Jim Donahue. Approximately 130 families were served on Monday, June 1. This was the largest number of families that First Friends has ever served since it has been working at Mid North. Thank you for your donations.
IPS School #43: Barbara Oberreich is a tutor at James Whitcomb Riley School, and has reached out and in to First Friends with the possibility of becoming Community Partners there. As we explore this, Daud Abdur-Rahman, Beth Henricks, Bill Heitman, Ruthie Tippin joined Barbara Monday afternoon with the students, honoring their achievements and perfect attendance. These kids are not used to being honored in such a way. The big surprise was our gift of ice cream sandwiches for the entire student body! Here you see Principal Bennett shaking hands with a young boy who has received his certificate of honor.
An Iowa Invasion this Sunday! 12 youth and 4 adults will be staying Saturday night at FFM, and will join us for Meeting for Worship this Sunday. Jenny Seylar, pastor of Lovely Lane United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids, IA (and a friend of Ruthie’s), will be bringing their youth group, journeying to the Henderson Settlement in Kentucky – a United Methodist social agency, serving the Appalachian people.
Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities
VBS Lunch this Sunday! Everyone is Welcome! Come for Lunch and Stay for VBS! Our Christian Education Committee is hosting a luncheon for the Meeting at the rise of worship. And then… Vacation Bible School will begin on Sunday from 11:45am to 1:45pm, and will continue Monday thru Thursday 6:30pm-8:30pm. All children 5th grade and under are welcome! The program we will be using is Everest: Conquering Challenges with God's Mighty Power. Parents, please register your children with Beth Henricks at beth.henricks@indyfriends.org if they are able to attend. We need 2 Christmas trees and white sheets for this program. If you have some we could use, please let us know.
American Friends Service Committee is presenting a poster exhibit titled “All of Us or None: Responses & Resistance to Militarism” at the Indiana Interchurch Center, 1100 W. 42nd Street. The exhibit runs June 2nd through June 20th, and is open weekdays 9:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m. or by appointment on weekends. Also, at 6:00 p.m. on June 17th, there will be a reception and discussion on non-violent solutions to militarism. This discussion will feature writer and radio journalist Vince Emmanuele and Dr. Terri Jett of the Butler University Political Science Department.
An Evening of Storytelling and Music with Phil Gulley and Tim Grimm. Indiana Friends Committee on Legislation (“IFCL”) has planned an evening to remember with nationally known Quaker storyteller, Phil Gulley and rural Americana and southern Indiana’s favorite musical son, Tim Grimm on Friday, June 19 at 7 pm at First Friends Meeting, Indianapolis. Phil’s fun and entertaining storytelling and Tim’s heartwarming music and songs will take you on a journey to small town Indiana and rural Americana that will leave you smiling, laughing, clapping hands and stomping feet in ways you had only imagined. Tickets are $20 (advance) and $25 (at door). To obtain tickets, call 317 255 4739 (ask for Bill) or 317 730 2268 (ask for Tom). Phil’s books and Tim’s CDs will be available for sale and signing after the concert. There are a limited number of tickets. We encourage you to purchase them in advance. Proceeds go to benefit IFCL.
The Spiritual Heart of Earthcare is a workshop led by Katherine Murray at Fairfield Meeting on Saturday, June 20, at 4:30pm. The workshop will help you connect and better understand your relationship with the earth, identify your own leadings and concerns, discern spirit-led responses, and learn a few techniques for staying spiritually grounded when you feel overwhelmed or blocked.
Jay Marshall, Dean of Earlham School of Religion, will be meeting with us for worship on Sunday, June 28th. He is happy to take folks out to lunch after Meeting, who might be interested in or have questions about the seminary experience at ESR.
Greg Keesling and Recycle Force: Mark your calendars for July 12! That's when Greg Keesling will be here to tell us about the mission of Recycle Force which combines environmental care and social ministry. Greg is a lifelong Quaker with deep roots in Indiana. He is the president and founder of Recycle Force which is a recycling company that emphasizes the recycling of electronic materials. While Recycle Force recycles most recyclable goods, they specialize in recycling computers, TVs, monitors, printers, cell phones and just about anything electronic. In addition to this environmental service, Recycle Force provides jobs for people who have formerly been incarcerated. Recycle Force helps former inmates break the cycle of the revolving prison door by providing jobs, training, and other support systems. Plan to be here on 7/12 to hear more about this amazing man's story and mission!
KIB! June 27 from 9-12. Come be part of Keep Indy Beautiful’s first partnership with IMPD to help the residents of the Near Northwest neighborhood (near 30th & MLK) with a community cleanup. Let’s pool our energies to beautify a transitional area and support neighbors who work hard to keep their streets and alleyways clean. Please make plans to join the fun! Meet at SW Corner of Udell and Rader Streets. For more information, contact Mary Blackburn: mhblackburn@sbcglobal.net
Mark your calendars for an interfaith event hosted by Fairfield Friends Meeting. On Monday, July 13th, Noor-Malika Chisti will be presenting “Stories of a resilient heart: navigating culture and religion in the pursuit of Peace.” Noor-Malika Chisti is a founding member of the Southern California Committee for the Parliament of World Religions and the Southern California Muslim-Jewish Forum. The event will take place July 13 at 6:30 p.m. at Fairfield Friends Meeting, 10441 E. County Rd. 700 S.; Camby, IN 46113.
Western Yearly Meeting, July 16-19 in Plainfield; Register Now!
‘Building Together to become God’s Dwelling’ is the theme for the sessions this year. Howard Macy will be the main speaker, and Alan Kolp will be bringing the Quaker Lecture. Workshops and worship will be offered, in addition to regular business. Consider joining in the work and witness of Western Yearly Meeting at their summer session. Register by July 1 for Early Bird Rates. http://www.westernym.net/pdf/2015WYMSessionsAdultRegistration.pdf
Take a Seat! Trustees have replaced our folding chairs, and would like to offer our old ones to those who’d like to have them. They need some tender loving care. If you could use some seating, please feel free to take the chairs you need. You will find them on the stage in Fellowship Hall – behind Mount Everest! Those not taken will be sent to Goodwill Industries.
The Indy Pride Parade will be held this Saturday, June 13th. If you’d like to participate, please contact Janis Crawford at jcrawfor@butler.edu
Indianapolis First Friends Meeting
Compassionate v Christian v Quaker
3030 Kessler Blvd. E. Dr.
Indianapolis, IN 46220