Friend to Friend
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Concerns, Announcements and Devotional Thought
A Weekly Ministry of Indianapolis First Friends Meeting
As Way Opens
They Met to Read the Bible
("Beneath the Cross of Jesus")
They met to read the Bible,
they gathered for a prayer,
They worshiped God and shared with friends
and welcomed strangers there.
They went to church to speak of love,
To celebrate God’s grace.
O Lord, we tremble when we hear
what happened in that place.
O God of love and justice,
we thank you for the nine.
They served in their communities
and made the world more kind.
They preached and sang and coached and taught,
And cared for children, too.
They blessed your church and blessed your world
With gifts they used for you.
We grieve a wounded culture
Where fear and terror thrive,
Where some hate others for their race
And guns are glorified.
We grieve for sons and daughters lost,
For grandmas who are gone.
O God, we cry with broken hearts:
This can’t continue on!
God, may we keep on sowing
The seeds of justice here,
Till guns are silent, people sing,
And hope replaces fear.
May seeds of understanding grow
And flourish all our days.
May justice, love and mercy be
The banner that we raise.
Tune: Frederick Charles Maker, 1881
Text: Copyright © 2015 by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. All rights reserved.
Joys & Concerns
With great sadness, we send news that Duffy Fankboner passed away this afternoon. His rapid decline has been a surprise to us all. Duffy saw the end of his earthly life as a beginning of his life with his Father God in heaven, and asked us to celebrate. We hope to do just that this coming Sunday afternoon at his Memorial Service. Please watch for announcements via email regarding times etc. To send a card to his children – Kate or Cody, the address is 12921 Dekoven Drive, Fishers, IN 46037.
Our friend Ed Thomas passed away Saturday evening, June 20th at Marquette Manor. He and his wife June were long time members of our Meeting, and we are sad to lose him. Please keep his family in your prayers. A memorial service will be held Sunday, July 12th at 4:00 at Marquette Manor in their Foundation Hall. To send a note, please contact his daughter Beth at 7316 Highbury Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46256.
Jenny Morgan’s daughter Rachel was able to find an apartment in San Diego that fits her needs perfectly! Her concern was to find housing that would be affordable and wheelchair accessible. God answered prayers. What a blessing! Rachel will soon start a one year NIH post doc fellowship with a research rheumatologist at UC San Diego.
Tricia Schug’s father, Jim Schug, passed away on Father’s Day, this past Sunday after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s. His services are to be held today at Pendleton United Methodist Church. If you’ve not yet met Tricia, she and her husband Larry Lehnerz are new attenders at First Friends. To send a card, their address is 1505 N. Leland Avenue, Indianapolis, 46219. Please keep Tricia, her mother Marjorie, and their family in your prayers. http://www.heraldbulletin.com/obituaries/james-l-schug/article_2c10d5f3-ee47-54c1-a007-f2901e11feed.html
Carolyn Tinsley’s brother in law Joe, has been hospitalized since June 12th, following a fall down some stairs. Joe remains hospitalized and hopes that he can move to a rehab facility this Monday. Please keep Joe, his wife and their eight children in your prayers.
Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities
We had a wonderful time last week at Vacation Bible School. During the week we had 33 children participate in our trek to Mt Everest and learned how God provides for us. We are deeply grateful for all of our volunteers that were crew leaders, station leaders, providers of snacks and our photographer Kathy Rhyne who took wonderful pictures all week of the kids and volunteers.
We talked about Basa Village in the Himalayans that our own Jeff Rasley is connected with and helps organize support for. We were sad about the devastation that has occurred there because of the earthquake and were glad that we could help the kids of Basa by donating money each evening. We raised over $398 for the village as they will be rebuilding their homes. The table for Basa will be in fellowship hall with the treasure box this Sunday and we welcome any additional contributions for Basa (checks should be written to Indianapolis First Friends with Basa Village in the memo line).
We appreciate folks loaning us their evergreen trees and white tablecloths and sheets - these will all be in fellowship hall this Sunday for pick up.
We delivered 265 lbs. of food to Mid North Food Pantry. Volunteers were: Sam Ryan and her mom, Meriam; Bill and Kathy Farris; Bill Champan; Phil Kitchel; Normal Wallman; Carol and Jim Donahue.
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
Join us this Sunday, June 28th for Affirmation Sunday! Our Middle School and High School Students will present projects they’ve been working on as an expression of their studies in the Affirmation Course taken during the past school year. The meeting will have an opportunity to affirm their seeking and study as Friends. Join us afterward Meeting to greet the students and see their work. Nine of them will leave for Philadelphia on Thursday, July 9th.
Jay Marshall, Dean of Earlham School of Religion, will be meeting with us for worship this 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!
Valley Mills Friends invites you to join us for a "Quaker Jamboree" with singing and instruments on Sunday, July 12, 2015, at 1:00 pm. They will provide refreshments. Bring your voices and/or acoustic instruments. We will be singing from the available hymnals and song sheets that any of you might bring. Please join us for this afternoon of visiting, fellowship, fun and music. Dress is casual, including jeans or whatever is comfortable for you. The address is 6739 W Thompson Road, Indianapolis, IN 46241. If anyone has any questions, they can call or text Pastor Marilee Gabriel at (317) 362-4517. How many are coming? If you could respond by July 7, that would be great!
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
Women’s Choir Fun! Join Ruthie and Pat for a Sunday of Song!
All women who love to sing are invited to sing in Meeting for Worship on Sunday, July 26th. Save the date for lots of fun! We will practice twice… Thursday, July 23 at 7:00 and Sunday, July 26 at 9:00. Two pieces have been chosen… warm up your warblers! We’re going to make a joyful noise!
Indianapolis First Friends Meeting
Compassionate v Christian v Quaker
3030 Kessler Blvd. E. Dr.
Indianapolis, IN 46220
317-255-2485 office@indyfriends.org