As Way Opens
By the time I write here again next week, our country will have a new President. Barring a contested election, recounts or struggles with the outcome, we will have chosen a new person to serve in our highest office of government. It’s been a long time in coming… most of us will be relieved to have it done.
This past week, my husband and I visited family in Seattle. While there, we saw campaign signs all over the place. One stood out from all the rest – “Jesus for King”. It made me laugh! And then it made me think – a lot. What if Jesus were running for President? What would his platform be? That’s pretty easy to figure out… it would be the same one his Jewish forerunners had built for generations…
‘The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
Because the Lord has anointed me;
He has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
To bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And release to the prisoners,
To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’
(Isaiah 61:1/Luke 4:18-19)
Imagine it… Christ would spend three years campaigning, and many people would be convinced that he was the right choice. Still, he would lose his election to a man named Barabbas, only to go on to victory another day.
Jesus never ran for President. And Christ doesn’t put up campaign signs for his Kingship. In fact, one of the things he taught us was that his kingdom is ‘at hand’ – with us, present, in us, all the time. Regardless of who now serves, or who will serve as President of the United States, Christ Jesus is King, and his Kingdom is within us. He calls us to live out of that centered place, that unchangeable place, that blessed place.
Dear Friends, in the stillness and silence of the Power of the Almighty dwell, which never varies, alters, nor changes, but preserves over, out of, and above all the changeable worships, religions, ministers, churches, teachings, principalities, and powers… to the Kingdom of Christ… in which there is no changing, who is King of kings, Lord of lords, all Power in heaven and earth… given to him…
So in that live… the unchangeable Life, the unchangeable Mind, the unchangeable Spirit and Wisdom and the unchangeable worship and Church of which Christ is the unchangeable head… the same yesterday, today, and forever…
Ruthie
Joys & Concerns
What a blessing! A HUGE thank-you to all who donated to help send the Belize kids to the pool! All together we raised $730, which should be plenty to send them to their favorite swimming spot! Thanks to Dan R for following God’s leading.
Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities
Community Soup! We will have Community Soup this upcoming Friday, November 4th, from 5:30 – 7 p.m. Soups, rather than salads, will be featured. Everyone is welcome to bring a soup and/or dessert. We hope to see you there!
We need your blood! We are having a blood drive this Sunday, November 6th from 9am-1pm in the Bloodmobile, which will be parked in our parking lot. The Blood Mobile will be everything necessary including cookies and juice so please save your blood donations until November 6th. Please bring a picture ID for your donation. Every pint you donate can potentially help 3 people! To register ahead of time, use this link: https://www.donorpoint.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/108217
Free choral concert by VOCE (Carolyn T is a member) at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church Sunday, Nov 6, 2016 at 3PM. VOCE is a 16-member choral ensemble dedicated to beautiful music that moves people and enriches their life. VOCE will be performing John Rutter’s Requiem at St. Joan of Arc, located at 4217 Central Avenue, Indianapolis.
GREETERS NEEDED! Jim K is putting together a schedule for Friends willing to serve as Greeters on Sunday mornings. Please contact the office if you are interested in serving the meeting in this way.
Join Us at Area Meeting Gathering for Central and West Central Areas on Sunday, Nov 6th. Two areas will join together at 3:30 pm. at Valley Mills Friends Meeting. Representatives and Friends from Amo, Fairfield, Hadley, Mooresville, Plainfield, West Union, First Friends, Second Friends, Valley Mills, and West Newton will all have a chance to do business together, hear Dale Graves speak, and do a Christmas Card project for Belize School students. And… we’ll enjoy a pitch-in supper together. What used to be set aside for an entire weekend is something we’ll enjoy together in just a few hours… don’t miss it! Our hosts? Marilee Gabriel and Della Stanley Green.
Thanksgiving with Mid North Food Pantry ~ Witness & Service is sponsoring a food awareness drive at First Friends during the month of November. The Meridian Street Preschool Co-op is also partnering with First Friends to bring in donations of food and money to the Mid-North Food Pantry. Krishan Coffman is working on one of his scout requirements and will head-up this food pantry drive on behalf of Witness & Service. As was done last year, W&S is soliciting cash contributions rather than food items from adults since Mid North is able to purchase from Gleaners Food Bank more than 10 times the amount of food that an individual is able to purchase, for the same amount of money, at a grocery store. We think it is beneficial for the children at First Friends to continue to contribute food items. MSPC will have a box labeled ‘Mid North Food Pantry’ that will be available in the hallway by the classrooms until November 11th. Additional boxes for food are in the children’s classrooms. We hope that everyone at First Friends will work together to share their blessings during the month of November. Checks should be written to First Friends with a notation for Mid North. Thanks for your help.
The Houses of Abraham – All are invited to this free panel hosted by the Spirit & Place Festival. This panel will highlight the major sacred “homes” of the Abrahamic religions and focus on what each place means to the faithful of that tradition. People will get to see beautiful images of each religious edifice, learn about their historical and religious origins and traditions, and hear panelists who are members of the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths discuss what their religious monuments represent. It is being held Monday, November 7, 7-9PM at the Indiana Interchurch Center, 1100 W. 42nd St., Indianapolis, IN 46208. Walk-ins are welcome, but RSVPs are requested. To RSVP, please visit https://goo.gl/forms/vxXra2AXkhUEx7Ja2.
One of Gary Rhyne’s writings of his experience in Vietnam was accepted for Writing Home: The Stories of American Veterans in Words, Dance, & Theater. There will be four performances over Veteran’s Day Weekend through the spoken word and movement performed by Dance Kaleidoscope; veterans, and actors will evoke a sense of wonder, understanding, and appreciation for all. For dates and times visit the website www.spiritandplace.org or contact the office for more info.
Mark your calendar! Friends are invited to join the Clerks Council on Saturday, November 12th at 9 am in Fellowship Hall, as we consider steps in our search for a new pastor. We will review the previous pastor's search, review the previous meeting survey, and discuss other pertinent information at that time. Suggestions and interest in the search are much appreciated! If you would like to be considered as a potential member of the Pastoral Search Committee, please submit your name to Dan Rains, Clerk of the Meeting. Clerks Council will be bringing names forward for approval for this Committee at our next Monthly Meeting on November 20th. ~ Ed M, Clerk of Ministry and Counsel & Dan R, Clerk of the Meeting
Books n’ Brunch! Fairfield Friends invites you to Books n' Brunch! The event is Saturday, November 12th from 9am-1pm. Brunch type items will be served, as well as vegetarian options. The cost is Adults $7, ages 3-18 is $3, under 3 is free. There will be crafts, a book sale, and Phil Gulley will have signed books available as well. Funds from the book sale will go to their library and other proceeds will benefit outreach/mission projects (through USFW and their Outreach Committee). Fairfield Friends is located at 10441 E. County Rd. 700 S. in Camby. Hope to see you on Nov.12th!
All are welcomed to the Parents Appreciation Banquet sponsored by Nur-Allah Islamic Center (Daud’s Mosque). This will be a dinner for all to set aside some time to honor parents and parenthood. It is being held Sunday, November 13 from 4-7pm at the Sterrett Center, 8950 Otis Ave. (One block north of 56th & Post Rd). Tickets are $40 for adults (or $75 for a couple), $35 for Seniors (62 & older) and $25 for college students & children under 13. Please contact the office if you’d like to RSVP for a ticket. For more information call 317 753-3754 or visit www.nurallah.org.
Follow the North Star! We have made a reservation for 16 to attend the Connor Prairie interactive experience called Follow the North Star on November 18th at 7:15 p.m. This is a powerful immersion experience of being a slave trying to escape. You must be at least 12 years old to attend this event. The cost is $20 (funds are available for support). We will leave from First Friends at 6:30 or meet at Conner Prairie at 7:00 p.m. Please contact the office if you would like to join us.
Do you and your children know the significance of Quakers and the North Star? The path to freedom for slaves? Check out these titles in our Children’s Library:
Follow the Drinking Gourd, by Jeanette Winter
The Drinking Gourd, by F.N. Monjo
President of the Underground Railroad – A Story About Levi Coffin, by Gwenyth Swain
IFCL Advocate - IFCL’s monthly newsletter is now available for October! This month’s articles include ISTEP (Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress-Plus) Hearings, Redistricting Reform, information on recent IFCL events, and more! You can view it here: http://www.quakerifcl.org/Advocate/IFCL_Advocate-October.pdf To sign up to receive the newsletter monthly, visit http://www.quakerifcl.org/NewsletterSubscribe.htm
It’s time to winterize your gardens! Autumn is here and the frost is on the pumpkin. If you have a plot in our community garden, please take the time to clean up the plot as soon as possible! In a community garden, each plot can affect other plots and other gardeners, and disease can spread easily. Feel free to use the large blue rolling receptacles behind the kitchen to clean up debris in your community garden. For more tips and information on winterizing your plot (either here or your own at home!) see these tips from Nancy S! https://goo.gl/hyLgmW