As Way Opens
Last week I joined our "seasoned friends” over a delicious lunch provided by Kathy Farris and others and heard a talk from Bill Henry, a lifelong Quaker about his spiritual journey. He mentioned that two of the most important books of his life were by Thomas Kelly - Testament of Devotion and The Eternal Promise. I have read Testament of Devotion numerous times and it’s one of my favorites. I read The Eternal Promise a number of years ago but had not revisited it for some time. I pulled out my copy this week and went through it and it is as profound as Testament of Devotion. I share a couple of paragraphs with you here:
“We are men and women of double personalities. We have slumbering demons within us. We all have also a dimly-formed Christ within us. We’ve been too ready to say that the demonic man/woman within us is the natural man/woman and that the Christ man/woman within us is the unnatural and unreal self. But the case is that our surface potentialities are for selfishness and greed, for tooth and claw. But deep within, in the whispers of the heart, is the surging call of the Eternal Christ, hidden within us all. By an inner isthmus we are connected with the mainland of the Eternal Love. Surface living has brought on the world’s tragedy. Deeper living leads us to the Eternal Christ, hidden in us all. Absolute loyalty to this inner Christ is the only hope of a new humanity. In the clamor and din of the day, the press of Eternity’s warm love still whispers in each of us, as our deepest selves, as our truest selves.
“The spring of hope is this: We simple, humble men and women can bear the seed of hope. No religious dictator will save the world; no giant figure of heroic size will stalk across the stage of history today, as a new Messiah. But in simple, humble imperfect men and women like you and me wells up the spring of hope. We have this treasure of the seed in the earthen vessels - very earthen vessels….. these demonstrations of love and goodwill are being carried on by just such earthen vessels. These tasks shine like tiny candles in the darkness - deeds done in the midst of suffering, through which shines the light of the Living Christ.”
I have been reading a lot of philosophers for my class in the past few weeks and have been contemplating who and what is God. One of them suggested that God cannot be God without
humans. The more I think about that the more it resonates with me. God needs humans to demonstrate love, grace, charity, goodwill…… to impact the world.
I pray that we will live into this seed of Christ and become God’s earthly vessels to allow God to be God in this world. I also hope we will spend time this week reflecting on the blessings of relationships and communities that support our lives.
Wishing you a blessed Thanksgiving!
Beth
Joys & Concerns
Let’s give a big thank-you to our food pantry volunteers! Linda L, Kathy R, Kathy and Bill F, Phil G, Mara S, Dan H, Beth F, Carol and Jim D. We needed all of these volunteers as we served a new record number of clients, 139. We are always looking for additional volunteers. First Friends staffs the food pantry the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month from 10 am until 1:30 pm. If you are interested in helping (even for part of the time), please contact one of the listed volunteers for information. Thank you!
Nancy S had successful knew surgery last week and is now at home recuperating. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers!
Kian was moved yesterday to inpatient rehab. He is more on a school schedule, and will actually do some academic testing next Monday. They do about 3 hours of PT, OT and ST every day. He is being seen by an ENT doc today, because his voice has not come back past a whisper.
Quaker-Affiliated Organizations
Quaker Earthcare Witness & QuakerSpeak ~ We’re excited to share Quaker Earthcare Witness' collaboration with QuakerSpeak, a project of Friends Journal. Their newest video features Shelley and Hayley (QEW staff), Beverly Ward (Southeastern Yearly Meeting’s Field Secretary for Earthcare and Representative to QEW) and Barb Adams (Baltimore Yearly Meeting’s Representative to QEW). You can watch the new video here: https://quakerspeak.com/the-work-of-quaker-earthcare/
Help Support Nikki Holland ~ Nikki Holland and her family are in Belize because of the generosity of Friends who have committed to this ministry. If you would like to help support the work of Belize Friends Ministries, please visit: https://donorbox.org/nikkiholland to make a safe and secure online donation. You can read Nikki’s testimony at: https://www.friendsunitedmeeting.org/journal/ministering-as-a-young-mother.
Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities
Serenity Now December 5 Meeting Reminder ~ Serenity Now, the First Friends support group for those experiencing family and relationship challenges, will meet from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the parlor on the first Thursday of each month. We will discuss chapters 3 and 4 of The Mastery of Love by Don Miguel Ruiz and share our personal experiences. If you would like to try out the group without buying the book, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org and Jan will arrange to get you a copy of the reading. Sharing is confidential and all are welcome.
Youth Christmas Party! ~ All our youth (6th - 12th grade) are invited to our annual Youth Christmas Party on Friday, December 6th from 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. We will have a gift exchange, great Mexican food, and games. If you are interested in signing up your youth, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.
Used Toys Needed ~ Linwood Christian Church, a lower income church on the eastside of Indianapolis, is in need of used toys/books for their Christmas sale for their families. Any used toys/books that you have would be appreciated. Please put them in the box at the meetinghouse.
More info about Linwood Christian Church: Linwood Christian on East Michigan has a small, older congregation. Their food pantry is open to individuals living in the area from Washington St to 21st and Emerson to Rural and once a week serves about 120 people. They also have a Rummage Room open 4 mornings a week. Proceeds go to a Benevolence Fund for special needs. At Christmas time they focus on getting age-appropriate gifts for the children of the Food Pantry clients, gently used toys, books, games, etc.
Babysitting Co-Op ~ Our babysitting co-op is happening on Saturday December 14, 5:30 - 9:30. Dinner will be provided for the kids. Please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org if you would like to have your kids join in the fun that evening!
Indy Winds Flute Choir will have their winter concert on Sunday, December 15th at 3:00 at Roberts Park United Methodist Church and we encourage folks to attend. Carl B and Lynda S are both members of the flute choir.
Christmas Sing Along with Jim, Jesse and Luke! We will be singing familiar Christmas Carols on December 20th, third Friday in the Parlor. Jim and the band will lead us in a selection of traditional carols, plus others Jim has chosen, as well as opportunity for requests. We will be using the burgundy hymnals, since that one has the most familiar words. 7:00 to 8:30 PM.
New in our Library~ Conversation with Christ: Quaker Meditations on the Gospel of John by Douglas Gwyn
Douglas Gwyn has published at least seven books of his own and more in collaboration. He shares many insights about how early Quakers interpreted the Gospel of John and they behaved as they did. I quote from Stephanie Ford, Earlham School of Religion:
“Doug Qwyn takes a novel, creative approach to key conversations….Using guided meditation, Gwyn invites the reader to engage in her or his own conversation with the living Christ. Insights from biblical scholarship, Gwyn’s own meditation and early Quaker seekers provide a rich backdrop for the reader’s own journey.” ~Linda L
Please Help Us with Memorials! Memorials are articles written for our Memorial Book about a passed away member of the Meeting and are often written by members or attenders of the meeting. A memorial is like an obituary, but more personal and is signed by the writer. it should contain some information about the person’s roles or participation within the meeting (committees served on, member of the choir, care of grounds, etc.) Recently we have had a number of people pass away that we do not have memorials for—see below for a list of names. We need help catching up on these. Please review these names and see if there is one you would like to volunteer to write a memorial for. Below you will find a link that will give you a general idea of what a memorial would look like. If you are willing to do one, let the office know at office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485. Thank you for helping to honor our departed Friends!
People needing memorials: Alice Thatcher, Janet Stimson, Bonnie Hollingsworth, Mark Kishego, Bob Davis, Duffy Fankboner, Ed Thomas, Hugh Grimes, Bob Coffin. Example: http://bit.ly/34RqLg4.
Directory Feedback Requested! We are asking all members and attenders of the meeting to fill out a short survey regarding the First Friends pictorial directory. Whether you participated in the photoshoots or not, we are hoping you will take a couple of moments to answer a few questions. This will greatly help the office in future directory endeavors, as well as give you a chance to voice your thoughts! Find the survey here: https://forms.gle/brcxacSzhA7RwNp76. Thank you for your time!
Queries for the Week
Am I looking for that of God in those around the Thanksgiving table?
Where do I need to “lay aside the immaturity and seek to walk in the way of insight” this Thanksgiving?
How am I being extravagantly generous and loving this Thanksgiving?