As Way Opens
We have experienced a lot of loss since the beginning of 2020. Parents, siblings, in-laws, grandparents, spouses, friends. Some of these losses were expected after a long illness. Other of these losses were shocking and knocked us to our knees. No matter the circumstances, the holes in our hearts are big and we are still processing the idea that these beloved folks are physically gone from our space. Our world seems a bit off kilter and we still find ourselves starting to dial the number or text a message to our beloved. Just this week I received an email that said it was from my brother (it was actually my sister-in-law’s account but it came through with my brother’s name) and it stopped me in my tracks. We know the spirit of these beloved friends and family members live on in our memories and in others, but the sense of loss is visceral and we feel an emptiness and a sadness that we won’t be able to create any new memories with our loved one.
I think about my favorite verse in the New Testament, John 11:35 - Jesus wept. As a kid, we used to ask people if they knew what the shortest verse in the Bible was? Jesus wept. Two words that have so much meaning to me now. Jesus shows up at Mary and Martha’s house at their request as they mourn the death of their brother Lazarus. Jesus sees the depth of despair of this loss and weeps with this family. What a comfort to know that Jesus weeps with each of us. Jesus bears our pain and loss and stands with us in our suffering. We experience the transcendent Christ in the human Jesus that comforts us and loves us in our time of need.
I see the hand of Jesus in all of you providing comfort and care to each other. May we weep with those experiencing loss and surround them with our love and care.
Beth
Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities
Men’s Threshing Together ~ If you are interested in gathering with other men who mull over current issues or topics, where all points of view are heard, no decisions are made, and all in a non-threatening atmosphere over a meal, then Threshing Together is for you! Join us for our next meeting on Thursday, February 20 at 7:00pm. See Winter/Spring 2020 locations here: http://bit.ly/ThreshingSpr2020.
Jim and the Band on the Third Friday ~ Singing Friday will be showing up on the calendar on the 21st of February. Jim, and probably Jesse and Luke will also be with us again. If we have as good a time as last month, everyone will have an enjoyable, relaxing evening. You may learn a new song or a few. Gather in the parlor from 7-8:30 or so.
Proper Tree Planting and Maintenance Techniques ~ All are invited to this event sponsored by Indiana Native Plant Society Central Chapter. Planting and caring for a tree is not simple if you want it to survive and thrive into maturity. The focus will be on different types of planting stock, choosing good stock at the nursery, and then describing or demonstrating how to dig the hole and then plant the three primary types: stock balled and burlapped, containerized, and bare root trees. Participants will also learn how much water it takes for a new tree, types of mulch, how to mulch, fertilization do’s and don’ts, and even a bit about post planting care. Participants will know how to plan for planting and the right way to plant at the end of this lecture. Program will be held on Sunday, Feb 23rd at the Pike Branch Library, 6525 Zionsville Rd. Indianapolis 46268. Starts at 2pm. Open to members and non-members.
FCNL Legislative Priorities ~ Friends Committee on National Legislation (“FCNL”) is, again this year, requesting that Friends’ Meetings submit national legislative priorities to FCNL for the coming two years. Your input and wisdom are needed to determine the legislative priorities that are important to First Friends Indianapolis. Please visit our survey at https://forms.gle/9XRjbBBuqEn8wcL38 and list the 5 most important issues that you would like FCNL to address as it determines its priorities for the next two years. (No need to resubmit if you have already turned in a paper copy.) The 7 most popular issues will be brought to Monthly Meeting in March for consideration to be submitted to FCNL. Thank you for your thoughtful responses.
Have a Room to Rent? A Friend is looking for living space to rent. Just a room is needed, with bathroom access. If you have a room available to rent, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org with details and price. Thank you!
FWCC Sustainability: An Online Conference with Friends Worldwide ~ All are invited to join Quakers around the world to gather the Quaker voice on sustainability. It is being held online on Saturday, February 22, 2020; there will be an online conference spanning 11 hours. You will be able to join one of three start times, for a duration of 3 hours. These start times include 9:00am and 11:00am EST. Each start time will have 45 minutes of videos with 5 speakers. The speakers will come from each of the four FWCC sections and represent diversity of Quaker traditions, ages, and gender in order to represent the fullness of who we are across the world. After hearing from the speakers, there will be two hours for worship sharing. For more information and to register, please visit http://fwcc.world/sustainability/conference2020.
Join us at the Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading book club as we discuss Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari (498 pages) on Tuesday, February 25, 2020. In Sapiens, Dr Yuval Noah Harari spans the whole of human history, from the very first humans to walk the earth to the radical – and sometimes devastating – breakthroughs of the Cognitive, Agricultural and Scientific Revolutions. Drawing on insights from biology, anthropology, paleontology and economics, he explores how the currents of history have shaped our human societies, the animals and plants around us, and even our personalities. Have we become happier as history has unfolded? Can we ever free our behaviour from the heritage of our ancestors? And what, if anything, can we do to influence the course of the centuries to come? (Goodreads) Loryne Coffin will be leading the discussion in the Parlor starting at 7 pm, if you’d like to receive the Oak Leaf email, please contact Kathy Rhyne at kathyrichelle@icloud.com
Reclaiming Our Democracy, One Dinner Table at a Time ~ The Indianapolis Peace & Justice Center (IPJC) invites you to come play politics! As social creatures, humans need to play. The IPJC has designed a game aimed at giving a conversational, problem-solving “booster shot” to help open discussion. Based on conversations around a family dinner table, each participant will play a role as we tackle some of the thorny issues we face moving into this critical election year. This event will be on Tuesday, February 25 from 7:00-8:30pm in the First Friends Fellowship Hall. The event is free and open to the public, but please RSVP at 317-288-0408 or 2.john.clark@gmail.com. For more information on how the game will be played visit http://bit.ly/IPJCatFF.
The Green Team would like to call attention to the following: Councilor John Barth has introduced Proposal 1 which, if passed on March 3, would implement the Thrive Indianapolis Plan. It would also gather info from environmental experts to advance sustainability for Indianapolis.
Check out ways that you can personally make a difference at: www.thriveindianapolis.com.
Ideas range from turning off the lights when you leave the room to driving an electric car or planting a pollinator garden to attract bees and butterflies.
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful Needs Your Help! KIB needs your help to keep Indianapolis beautiful. Even a few hours can make a big difference! Every year KIB relies on nearly 20,000 volunteers to help carry out a mission to help people and nature thrive together in our city. Whether you are interested cleaning up litter, building pocket parks, creating greenspaces, planting trees, preparing mail, or assisting with special projects, there's a way you can help. If you are interested, please visit https://www.kibi.org/projects for more information and to volunteer.
Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for February:
The “Snowbird”: Dark-eyed Junco
Some retirees in our meeting are able to escape the harshness of our Indiana winters by migrating to Florida, Texas, or some other warm spot at the first cold winds of autumn. We welcome these “snowbirds” back with the warm cloak of late spring.
In the world of nature there is a bird which has this same nickname of “snowbird.” It does not winter in Florida. In fact, the Dark-eyed Junco travels from its nesting grounds in Michigan and Canada to spend the winter with us here at First Friends Meeting. I often see flocks of from five to ten birds in the bushes and trees which flank the sidewalk entrance to the Meditational Woods. On several occasions I have been near the courtyard, when suddenly a flock drops down from overhead, to feed in the shelter of that patio. Each individual announces its presence with a rattle-like call. They are a boisterous bunch in the air, but feed quietly on the ground.
In appearance, the bird is small in size, like a sparrow, with a black head and grayish back, a white belly, and a pink bill. When in flight, the white outer-tail feathers flash, and get our attention.
As these avian winter-lovers leave in April for their northern nesting territories, we human Friends will be welcoming back our own snowbirds from their balmy sojourns. ~Brad J
Child Dedications at First Friends: On Sunday, March 1st during Meeting for Worship eight children will be brought by their parents/grandparents to be dedicated to God. Parents/Grandparents will stand with their child(ren) in front of the Meeting and make a promise to raise their child in the faith. As well, it will be an opportunity for the people of First Friends to commit to supporting, encouraging, and holding these eight children in the Light as they spiritually grow. Please join us for this special time.
Interfaith Still Beloved Worship ~ All are invited to a time of worship to celebrate and affirm those in the LGBTQ+ community, hosted by Newland Quaker Center. It is being held on Tuesday, March 3rd, 7:00 PM at the Stout Meetinghouse at Earlham College in Richmond. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/2489291998054343/ or contact Em Howard: elhoward18@earlham.edu.
The next women’s gathering will be on Friday March 6th. We’ll be going to see Ruth K’s photography on First Friday. She is the featured artist in March at Full Circle Nine Gallery, 1125 Brookside Ave Suite B21 inside the Circle City Industrial Complex. If you would like to come, please let the office know you are going— office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485. We will meet around 6:00 there - if folks want to carpool they should let the office know and we will leave at 5:30 from the Meeting. We can decide after we see the artists if we want to go to dinner afterward.
Queries for the Week
Who do I need to work on “speaking love” to this week?
Who, because of my fear, have I made a “leper” in my life?
How can First Friends become even better at speaking our native tongue – love?
