As Way Opens
Mark 10:13-16- People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.
I have always loved the image this passage of scripture creates. These people knew there was something really special about Jesus and they just wanted their children to be touched by him. Kind of like how people bring their children to the Pope to lay hands on them. Yet Jesus own disciples are authoritatively telling them to keep their kids away from Jesus. And Jesus admonishes them by saying that the only way into the kingdom of God is to receive this kingdom as a child. What is Jesus talking about? Obviously the disciples were still not clear about what Jesus was teaching about God. Could it be that the characteristics of children are the characteristics we need to go back to in our own lives with God? Children aren’t worried about being productive, they don’t look for status by owning things and having power. They haven’t yet learned to be distrustful, cautious, and fearful. They give and receive love with an openness and honesty. Maybe that is just the sort of kingdom of God that we are called to establish.
It was a joy to see our beloved children return to Sunday School last Sunday. May we all step into these childlike qualities that bring us closer to God and each other.
Beth
Joys & Concerns
Great thanks to our volunteers! 47 lbs. of food. We were very busy...119 families were served. Thanks to all for helping during this busy time!
A big thank you to the Christian Education and Fellowship Committee for a wonderful breakfast last Sunday to help fuel us for the re-start of Sunday School. A few folks dressed in their pajamas and there were 69 kids and adults that went to a variety of different classes. We hope you will continue to come for this special time of connection each Sunday as available.
Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities
‘Streams of Living Water’ theme for this Sunday will be Holiness – Discovering the Virtuous Life. Ann will lead the Sunday School Class in Coffee Circle and Ruthie will speak about this in Meeting for Worship. “Holiness is goodness on fire.” Walter Rauschenbusch - a key figure in the Social Gospel movement that flourished in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
SPONSOR A STUDENT! Participate in our "Sponsor a College Student" project! Just select a college student off the board set up in the meetinghouse and send them notes, cards, treats, etc throughout the school year so they hear from someone at the Meeting and feel connected.
3B: Body · Brain · Belief ~ Our neighboring church, the Northminster Presbyterian Church, is offering a new exercise program for anyone 55 years old and over. The program is called 3B, which stands for: Body – balance and flexibility; Brain – challenge and build new cells; Belief – nurturing one’s faith. This is free and everyone is welcome! The Church is located at 1660 Kessler Blvd E Dr. Sessions are Mondays & Thursdays at 1:30 P.M. in the boardroom. The program is on-going. If you have any questions, you can contact Denise at 317-251-9489.
Who shops at MidNorth Food Pantry? Lots of people!
Where is MidNorth Food Pantry? 3333 North Meridian Street. Who serves at MidNorth Food Pantry from First Friends? A team of 6-8 people.
When do they go? The 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month. Why do they do this? Because Christ asks us to… ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:37-40 If you can serve, and would like to join the team, please contact the Office. Thanks!
SHALOM ZONE ELECTRONICS RECYCLING EVENT IS SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 24th at ST. PIUS!
7200 Sarto Drive, Indianapolis from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
If an item runs (or used to run) with a plug or a battery you can recycle it! This includes (but is not limited to) appliances, TVs, DVD/VCRs, gaming consoles, fax machines, Christmas tree lights, calculators, toner cartridges, hair dryers, and more! You can also bring the items to St. Pius on the day of the event. A $10 donation is requested fir CRT type monitors/TVs; a $20 donation is requested for appliances containing freon (fridges, freezers, A/C units, etc).If you’re unable to attend, you can drop off items at First Friends no later than September 23rd (contact the First Friends office to do this). You can also bring the items to St. Pius on the day of the event!
Friendly Visitors Luncheon ~ Save the date for the Friendly Visitors Luncheon on Sunday, September 25! The Visiting Ministry of First Friends has long been a valued part of our outreach. The Circle of Care Committee wants to thank those who have been visiting folk from our Meeting who are homebound, lonely, or otherwise distanced from us. We also hope to welcome those who might be interested in joining this ministry of visitation. More details coming soon.
Buddy Bags ~ The Witness and Service Committee has partnered with Shalom Zone to put together Buddy Bags for needy students at Allisonville Elementary School for their Fall Break this year. Why? Some students face insufficient food needs, and will not be in school to receive assistance over their break. We can help them, and their families. We will need to gather very specific food for this event. If you are interested in donating food, please put it on the stage in Fellowship Hall. We need to have all the food at the meeting house by September 25th so we can put together the bags to be delivered on the following Thursday. Here is a list of what we need:
· Microwaveable Entrees 2-4oz size qty 90
· Chicken or Tuna Salad with Crackers qty 60
· Peanut Butter Box of 8 small cups or 15 oz plastic jar qty 30
· Fruit cups 4 or 6 pack qty 30
· Vegetable cups 4 or 6 pack qty 30
· Pudding cups 4 pack qty 10
· Raisins qty 180 small boxes
· Applesauce squeezable pouches or plastic cups 4 or 6 pack qty 120 pouches or 30 packs
· Oatmeal packets qty 250 packets
· Pop Tarts qty 60 foil packages
· Protein or Granola bars qty 180 bars
· Peanut butter or Cheese Crackers 4 or 6 crackers in an package qty 60 packages
· Fruit roll up or Fruit snacks 1 oz qty 60
· Saltine crackers qty 6 boxes
· Goldfish 6.6 oz qty 20
· Activity items like Coloring Books and Crayons, Puzzle Books, Flashcards, PlayDoh, or Books qty As many as we can get
There is a bulletin board outside of the parlor that also illustrates everything that’s needed. Cash donations will also be accepted and we will go shopping. Please contact the office if you have any questions.
Oak Leaf Ladies: We will be meeting in the parlor to discuss "The Elegance of a Hedgehog" by Muriel Barbery on Tuesday, September 27 at 7 pm. If you or a friend are interested in being on the mailing list for the Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading please contact the office.
Join IFCL for a conversation & new book-signing with environmentalist author Scott Russell Sanders and environmental advocate Jodi Perras! Scott Russell Sanders is the author of twenty books of fiction and nonfiction, including A Private History of Awe and A Conservationist Manifesto. He is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of English at Indiana University, where he taught from 1971 to 2009. The event is being held on Friday, September 30 at 7pm in the Parlor. For more information, contact the office.
MSPC’s Family Movie Night! MSPC invites you to bring your whole family to their movie night on Friday, September 30 at 7pm. We will be watching a movie underneath the stars outside on the playground! Admission is $10 per family. The movie showing is Happy Feet. In case of inclement weather, the event will be moved indoors. We hope to see you there!
Carmel Friends Church Invites You to hear Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum, who will be speaking about Bible Teaching from a Messianic Jewish perspective. Dr. Fruchtenbaum is the founding director of Ariel Ministries and a much respected biblical authority in evangelical and messianic circles. He shines a bright light on the life of Yeshua (Jesus) and the land of Israel, interpreting the Gospels from a Messianic Jewish view. He will be speaking on Saturday October 1, 3:00-5:00pm (“The Logos and the Rabbi” John 1 & 3; “The Baptism and Temptations of Jesus”) and Sunday, October 2, 10:30am (“The Three Messianic Miracles”) and 3pm-5pm (Q&A and “The Transfiguration of Jesus”). Carmel Friends Church is located at 651 W. Main Street, Carmel. Please email carmelfriends@aol.com if you have any questions.
Giving Voices to Ghosts - After both World Wars, American Friends Service Committee gave aidand food to starving children and pregnant women in Germany. As a ‘Thank You’, these beautiful artworks, poems, stories and letters were sent from those children back to meetings in the States. An exhibit at Marian University, including these Post WWI and II German Children's Thank You Art, Stories and Poems has been mounted. Giving Voices to Ghosts highlights some of the pieces in the collection. Here is a link to the entire collection: http://goo.gl/xzAZCa. The exhibit runs from runs from now through October 7th. This exhibit is free and open to the public daily from 9-5. If you are interested in visiting, please contact Marian University Art Gallery Director, Crystal Vicars-Pugh, 317-955-6664, cvicarspugh@marian.edu.
IFCL now has a newsletter! ~ IFCL’s very first monthly newsletter is now available! IFCL will use this means to share updates on their work lobbying as a Quaker voice at the Indiana Statehouse and to share the issues, legislation status, and events that are on their radar. This month’s articles include information about summer study committees, a recap on a conversation with Rep. Ed DeLaney, a look into what events the IFCL has planned for September, and more! To view the newsletter, you may use this link: http://goo.gl/E4RVpQ. To sign up to receive the newsletter monthly, visit http://www.quakerifcl.org/NewsletterSubscribe.htm.
SAVE THE DATE! We need your blood on November 4th. We are having a blood drive from 9:00-noon in Fellowship Hall. More details later.
Leave a green footprint! ~ The Earth is an amazing and beautiful place. All its riches will last, so long as we learn to use only what we need.
How can we use energy wisely?
Tip #1: We can turn off: games, computers, lights, TV’s, stereos, and other appliances when we’re not using them.
Tip #2: We can close doors behind us, so we don’t let out the heat in winter or air conditioning in summer.
Tip #3: We can share rides to shopping, movies, and other places to reduce gas use and pollution.
From 16 Things Kids can do to Help Care for the Earth, by Dana Kester-McCabe, 2006.