As Way Opens
I read Richard Rohr’s daily blog from The Center of Action and Contemplation and I was particularly moved by one of his posts this week. It spoke to my condition as we face fires, hurricanes, divisions, loneliness, unrest on the streets and deaths. I share the entire post with all of you as we navigate during these difficult times. Remember there are no dead ends.
"The genius of Jesus’ ministry is that he embraces tragedy, suffering, pain, betrayal, and death itself to bring us to God. There are no dead ends. Everything can be transmuted, and everything can be used. Everything.
It seems that everybody wants to take easy sides. It’s so consoling for the ego to have an answer; to be sure that my position is the final and only true answer. Yet, as Paul says, on the cross Jesus becomes the sin and the problem. He identifies with the wound, the pain, and the suffering (2 Corinthians 5:21). He does not stand apart from it but enters into it. What a paradox, what a mystery!
Jesus tells Peter, “Peter, you must be sifted like wheat. And once you have recovered, then you, in your turn, can strengthen your companions” (Luke 22:31–32). Until there has been a journey through suffering, I don’t believe that we have true healing authority. We don’t have the ability to lead anybody anyplace new unless we have walked it ourselves to some degree. In general, we can only lead people on the spiritual journey as far as we ourselves have gone. We simply can’t talk about it beyond that. That’s why the best thing we can do for people is to stay on the journey ourselves. We transform people to the degree we have been transformed. When we can somehow be compassion, not just talk about compassion; when we can be healed and not just talk about healing, then we are, as Henri Nouwen said so well, “wounded healers,” but not before.
It always comes through the wounding. What we do when faced with our deepest wounds determines whether there is authentic spirituality at work or not. If we seek to blame other people, accuse, attack, or even explain and make perfect, logical sense out of our wounds, there will be no further spiritual journey. But if, when the wounding happens, we find the grace and the freedom to somehow see that it’s not just a wound, but a sacred wound, then the journey progresses. Then we set out to find ourselves, to find the truth, and to find God.
It’s all about what each of us does with the wound. If we ourselves have never walked through some kind of suffering, whether betrayal, abandonment, rejection, divorce, loss of job, struggles with sexuality, we probably will give people “head” answers. We don’t touch or heal their hearts because our own have not been transformed. I don’t think it’s any accident that in most of Jesus’ healings, he physically touches people. He’s showing that healing cannot be done through the head, through explanations, theories and theologies, or quick, “logical” conclusions. It must somehow be a communication of life and love energy, held even at the cellular level."
Beth
Quaker-Affiliated Organizations
WYM and FUM 2020 Mission Projects: Each year Western Yearly Meeting (“WYM”) and Friends United Meeting (“FUM”) designate mission projects for us to consider and help. WYM is a Quaker organization of which First Friends is a member and consists of approximately 32 monthly meetings located in Indiana and Illinois. FUM is a Quaker international organization based in Richmond, Indiana and consists of a number of yearly meetings around the world. These mission projects are the primary way that folks at First Friends can assist Quakers in parts of the world that can use our help.
The WYM project for 2020 is for the benefit of the Belize Friends School. The school needs financial assistance for its operating expenses and the WYM goal is to raise $15,000. You might recall that in 2017 WYM also designated Belize as its project but monies raised at that time were designated for re-locating the school and expanded ministries including community services and the starting of a Friends meeting. Many of you knew Dale Graves, a member of Mooresville’s West Newton Friends, who poured his heart and soul into the Belize school and surrounding area and was the driving force that enabled the Belize school and Friends meeting to become what it is today. While Dale is no longer with us, there is no doubt that Dale would be very proud of the ongoing efforts to improve the Belize school and Belize Friends meeting.
The FUM project is to assist the Friends in Turkana who are celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of Turkana Friends Mission. Turkana Friends was founded in 1970 in Kalokol, Kenya. It began as a project of East Africa Yearly Meeting and FUM. Turkana Friends Mission has grown from one location to a vibrant multi-site Quaker community that, among other things, oversees six nursery schools and six primary schools. The number of meetings in Turkana Friends Mission has increased dramatically in the past few decades from seven village meetings in 2002 to twenty-five meetings in 2019.
We at First Friends Indianapolis seem far removed from our fellow Quakers around the world and FUM and WYM are organizations that help connect us through worthy projects each year. Please help these Quakers in Belize and Turkana as you are led. Checks should be made to First Friends with a notation as to whether the monies should go to (WYM) Belize, (FUM) Turkana, or split between these projects. Thank you.
Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities
Friendly Reminder about Friend to Friend Submissions! Wednesdays in the office are very busy—as some of you may know it’s our recording day for our Sunday services, as well as catching up on other office work for the entire week! As such, please be kind to the office and submit your articles for Friend to Friend by 3pm Tuesday each week. Thank you for your cooperation!
Free Printer Cartridge ~ Carolyn H has an Epson 78 ink cartridge pack available if anyone would like it (for free). Please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.
Send us your pictures! Because we still can’t be together in person, we are asking people and their families to dress in their favorite sports apparel, take a photo, and send your photos to the office so we can include them in the Sunday service on September 20th, which will be our Sunday School kickoff. Please submit to office@indyfriends.org. Today is the last day to submit! We can’t wait to see you and your family!
Civic Health in the Midst of a Public Health Crisis ~ The Indianapolis Peace and Justice Center invites you to a free Zoom virtual event featuring guest speaker Bill Moreau. Bill Moreau is president of the Indiana Citizen Education Foundation Inc., a non-partisan, non-profit platform dedicated to increasing the number of informed, engaged voters in Indiana. ICEF is a nonpartisan, non-profit platform dedicated to increasing the number of informed, engaged Hoosier voters. We are operated by the Indiana Citizen Education Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) public charity. In Bill Moreau’s words: “We are working to increase the number of engaged, informed Hoosiers so Indiana can get out of the bottom of states for registration, turnout and civic literacy.” The event is being held via Zoom tonight, September 16 at 7:00pm. If you’re interested in joining, the Zoom link is https://butleru.zoom.us/j/99214902454, Meeting ID 992 1490 2454. If you have any questions, please contact indypeaceandjusticectr@gmail.com. Please consider joining us tonight!
Men’s Threshing Together ~ Hey Men! Join us for a Zoom Happy Hour with Men's Threshing Together on Thursday, September 17 at 7:00pm. Bring your favorite beverage and connect with us on Zoom and let's check-in and see how everyone is doing during this pandemic! Pastor Bob will be hosting this event. See you at Happy Hour (our normal time - 7pm just on Zoom!) To join, contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.
We are excited to begin offering Sunday School again this year—this time, virtually! Sunday School will officially kick off this Sunday, September 20. Please join us for these offerings!
Sunday School class (younger kids) – Sundays at 9:00am
Sunday School class (older kids) – Sundays at 12:00pm
Meeting ID: 850 7241 6861; password: 3030Seeking Friends – Sundays at 9:00am
Unprogrammed Worship – Sundays at 9:00am
All are invited to Fellowship Hour and Meeting for Business ~ After virtual worship this Sunday, we hope you will join us at 11:00am on Zoom for combined Fellowship Hour and Monthly Meeting for Business. You can join through computer or phone! To join please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.
Participate in our "Sponsor a College Student" project! Just select a college student and send them notes, cards, treats, etc throughout the school year so they hear from someone at the Meeting and feel connected. Our college students this year are Ellie A, Sam H, Eli S, Chelsea T, and Kendal T. If you’d like to participate, please email the office at office@indyfriends.org with the name of the student you’d like to sponsor, and we’ll give you their mailing address so you can send your support. Please consider connecting with our students this year!
Illuminate: Acts ~ Curious how the book of Acts might relate to you? Then join the First Friends Zoom Bible Study on Thursday evenings at 7:30. They have just begun the Illuminate Series’ study of Acts (available here: http://www.barclaypressbookstore.com/ILLUMINATE/Illuminate-Acts.html). This series is recommended by Bob Henry. The group has a broad range of theological perspectives. Open to all regardless of religious or spiritual affiliation. Contact the office to sign up: office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485.
Join the Women’s Book Group! First Friends women's book group is still welcoming new members. The group is reading the Universal Christ by Richard Rohr, which explores the distinction between and unity of the historical Jesus and the ever-present and everlasting Christ described in the gospel of John. The first two chapters have led to some lively discussions of Jesus as God's avatar, a brother, as the Christ Within; the meaning of grace and salvation; and the concept of a personal God, among many other ideas. The group meets semi-monthly, but once a month attenders and those who don't have time to read the chapter are welcome. Starting in October, the group will shift its meetings to the first and third Thursdays of the month. The next meeting is Thursday, September 24 at 6:30 p.m. For further information or to RSVP, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.
USFW’s Annual Fall Conference ~ All women are invited to the Western Yearly Meeting’s women's group (USFW) annual Fall Conference meeting. It is happening Tuesday, September 22 at 9:00am EST. You are invited to come even if you haven't participated in USFW or if your Meeting doesn't have a women's group. Opening remarks will take place from 9:20 - 9:30 or so. Betty Heshelman, from Mooresville Meeting, will share about her trip to Ramallah in 2019 from 9:30 - 10:30. Then we will hear from Crystal Vance, a noted devotional speaker from Plainfield, who will be sharing encouraging words for challenging times. If you’d like to join, contact the office for the Zoom link.
Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for September:
Blackburnian Warbler – A Fancy Hat
At end of August I had already selected Blackburnian Warbler to be the featured bird for September. Although I had never yet seen the species on any of my spring visits as it came through on its way up north, I did see it in late September of last year, while on its way south to winter somewhere from Panama to Venezuela. I birded the Meditational Woods several times in the past couple of weeks to try for migrating warblers, and wouldn’t you know, there it was again! A favorite tree for this species seems to be the silver maple that is just beyond the north fence near the northwest corner of the woods. Getting a good look is a challenge, as the many layers of branches and leaves provide a series of only brief glances. The bird is usually up high, searching for small caterpillars and spiders on or in the bark.
Framed in black, the bright colors of orange and yellow on the head remind me of the brightly colored hats worn to church by women on Easter and Mother’s Day in years past, though perhaps not in Quaker meetings. However, here in the bird world, it is the males who show the brightly colored garb. But by the time you read these words, this gentleman, pictured here as in spring, will have exchanged the orange for a duller yellow, and the black patterns, while still present, will be subdued. That is how I saw it last week. For those of you who like to look at bird pictures in books or on the internet, other warblers present that day were Bay-breasted Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, and Black-throated Green Warbler. ~Brad J
Community Gardeners Plan Harvest Festival for 2021; Fall Recipes Offered
Community gardeners are planning for a Harvest Festival in 2021. We are still enjoying and sharing produce. We thank all volunteers who have helped keep up the communal spaces by planting, fertilizing, mowing, weeding and educating. We continue to invite people to pick and take home some of the colorful zinnias from the Hope plot and now from the food pantry plot to the west of it. Thank you to those who helped harvest and deliver to the Mid-North Food Pantry. Thank you to our high school project volunteers, Lena and Elena.
Some gardeners are planting autumn plots. Those who are not are getting ready to clean out their plots in preparation for next season. Remember that fall leaves dug into plots can help replenish the soil.
Since Labor Day has come and gone and our Festival is postponed I have more family recipes. I am thinking of apples, persimmons and nuts—not exactly veggie crops, but for old time’s sake I offer these recipes anyway. One veggie recipe is included-- especially for Penny P. Enjoy!
¼ cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 beaten eggs
1 1/3 cups flour
1 cup butter milk
1 teas. soda
1 teas. vanilla
½ teas. salt
2 cups persimmon pulp
Great Aunt Nira’s Persimmon Pudding
Method
Cream butter and sugar. Add beaten eggs. Dissolve soda in butter milk. Add salt and vanilla—add alternately with flour, beating well. Bake at 350 degrees in a greased and floured pan—25 or 30 minutes or until it is done to touch. Remove—let cool before serving. Pudding will settle after removing from oven. Serve with whipped cream or lemon sauce, as desired.
Great Aunt Eva’s Cider Apple Butter
Red apples not peeled but cored and quartered. Cook and rub through colander.
4 quarts apples
4 cups sugar
Boil 1 gallon of cider until consistency of thin syrup, and add to apples and sugar.
Place in un-covered large sauce pan on roaster and set in oven. Cook to desired consistency and stir once in a while—
Seal while hot. [As a special treat for the children, Aunt Eva would melt candy red hots into the recipe until the apple butter turned pink, or even red depending on the amount of candy added!]
Great Aunt Eva’s Hickory Nut Cake
1 cup butter or oleo
2 cups sugar
3 cups sifted flour
2 teaspn cream of tartar
1 teaspn soda
1 teaspn vanilla
½ teaspn salt
1 cup sweet milk [white milk]
Yolks of 2 eggs
Whites of 7 eggs
1 pint hickory nuts, finely chopped
Instructions:
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add 2 well-beaten egg yolks. Add all sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk and vanilla. Fold in stiffly beaten whites of 7 eggs. Lastly add chopped hickory nuts which have been dredged with 1 teaspoon flour. Bake in oven at 350 degrees about 20 minutes. Makes 3 large layers.
Icing for outside:
2 egg yolks beaten stiff
1 whole egg
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
Boil until forms soft ball. Spread on top and sides. Also, a good icing is made of boiled heavy cream and sugar.
Filling:
1 pint milk
½ cup sugar
1 tablspn sugar
2 whole eggs
Cook and cool—then add 1 cup finely chopped hickory nuts. This to be used between layers.
Cousin Beth’s Corn Relish [Here is one veggie recipe]
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon instant minced onion
1 teaspoon celery seed
¼ cup vinegar
¼ cup water
1 12 oz. can (1 ½ cups) whole kernel corn
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons finely chopped green pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped pimiento [pimento or cherry pepper]
Combine first 8 ingredients in saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils. Stir in green pepper and pimiento. Chill. Makes 1 ¾ cups.
~Nancy
Small Group Meetings. If you are part of a small group that would like to meet at First Friends – or are interested in joining a group – please let us know. First Friends will potentially start opening the building to small group meetings starting in October. All gatherings will be limited in size, and participants will be required to wear face coverings and follow other social distancing protocols. If you are interested, please notify the office at: office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485.
Our current available meetings:
Unprogrammed worship - Mondays at 11:15am
Unprogrammed worship - Wednesdays at 6:45pm
Unprogrammed worship - Sundays at 9:00am
Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading
Men’s book club
Serenity Now
Women’s book club
Men’s Threshing Together
Seeking Friends book class (starting Sept 20th 9:00 a.m. on Sunday)
Kids Pre-k through 1st grade Sunday School class (starting Sept 20th at 9:00-9:30am on Sunday)
2nd - 5th grade Sunday School class (starting Sept 20th at 12:00 - 12:30pm on Sunday)
Youth Group will start on Sunday Sept 27th at 1:00 - 2:30 (future gatherings to be determined after this kick off)
What Have We Learned? How Can We Apply It? How have our nation’s recent racial and healthcare crises affected the fight to end poverty? What have they taught us about our nation and our community? And how can we use those lessons to strengthen poverty-mitigation efforts? Christian Theological Seminary (CTS) invites you to join in their Faith & Action Project Fall Event: Examining Current Crises and Poverty. Join in online as they address these and other pressing questions with national and local leaders in the drive for justice and an end to poverty.
The evening will begin with award winning journalist, documentarian, and author Soledad O’Brien in conversation with Dr. Leah Gunning Francis, dean of faculty at Christian Theological Seminary. This unique conversation will focus on Solendad’s insights on what happening in our country right now that is creating an opportunity to address poverty in a deeper way. Following this conversation, Dr. Gunning-Francis will moderate a panel of local leaders discussing Central Indiana antipoverty efforts and the barriers that must be overcome to free people trapped in poverty in our city. The event will be held Wednesday, September 30th at 12:00pm EST. If you’re interested in this event, you can register online here. For more information, visit CTS’s website at www.cts.edu.
What Will You be Doing on Election Day? ~ One of the many challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic in an election year is that elections officials foresee a shortage of poll workers. Typically, the majority of poll workers are over the age of 61, and over a quarter of them are over 70. Because they are the most susceptible to the virus, many of these seniors have indicated they will not work the polls this November.
Where does that leave us on Election Day?
One solution is for younger Americans to step up.
Did you know that in Indiana, high school students as young as 16-18 can serve as poll workers? And that Indiana law treats this service as an excused absence from school? Requirements vary depending on what county you live in, but the non-partisan WorkElections project has gathered all the information you need to apply, wherever you live (https://www.workelections.com/). For all ages, if you want to be a poll worker, some training is required and (unless you're in high school) you must be a registered voter in your county of residence to work at one of its polling places. See the WorkElections website for specific county-by-county requirements.
At a pivotal moment in American history, when many of our most pressing problems can seem insurmountable and it's hard to know just how to help, you can act. You can enable others to perform one of the most sacred of civic duties: voting on Election Day. By serving as a poll worker, you will be doing something non-partisan, a matter of civics, not politics. And in the 2020 Elections, you can claim to have helped your neighbor--and defended democracy.
For more information, see or share a flyer here: https://bit.ly/2PCBUvs
Voter Information for the General Election ~ Are you determined to vote in the general election this fall, but a little confused (or nervous!) about what the pandemic might mean for Indiana's election process? Vote.org is a reliable, easy to use, non-partisan voter information resource that can be used to check deadline dates, confirm your voter registration status, find out the location of your polling place, and/or apply for an absentee ballot if you want to vote by mail. Vote.org is national in scope, with links to individual states. Just follow the link to Indiana, which will lead you through the process on the IN.gov website for registering or for making an application to get an absentee ballot. There are strict time deadlines, and the volume of voting by mail this election is forecast to be very high, so it would be best to act soon! Thank you for voting this year.
Queries for the Week
(From online service)
What imaginative, loving expressions may I offer to make a difference in overcoming the evil in the world?
What vengeances must I forego to help end the cycle of violence, bring healing, and restore the world to wholeness and peace?
Where will I look for God’s universal and uniting truths that transcend nationalistic identities?
(From self-led guide)
When this week, will I venture outside and observe the changes taking place in creation?
How can I be more open to God’s surprises around me and more open to change?
As the leaves begin to “let go” what in my life might I need to “let go” of that binds us from spiritually growing?