As Way Opens
Painting by Bob Henry
I was really moved by Bob’s message last Sunday of his journey away from art for many years of his life and back to where art feeds his soul. The five paintings he shared in our virtual service were powerful representations of reality that takes us deep inside ourselves for contemplation and reflection.
As I have been reading Eugene Peterson’s book, Practice Resurrection A Conversation on Growing Up in Christ, I was struck by his writing on the term “inscape” which is made relevant in the Church by our inside sense of mystery, light, angle and awareness. He writes, “Often an element of surprise accompanies this experience of inscape: I never saw that before….I’ve never heard anything like that…..I’ve never been so moved….But in fact nothing that the artist brings to our attention was unheard, unseen, untouched previously. It was all there before us in the tree we walked past every morning on our way to work, in the face that we thought we knew through and through. in the whispers of wind in the willows and the lapping of waves on the beach. Why are artists so necessary? And how do they do this? A great deal of attention has been given to understanding what is involved. The stock answer is that the artist makes us aware of beauty in contrast to the dull or the ugly or the commonplace. But that is an obviously an unsatisfactory answer. For much of what the artist brings to our attention, with grateful appreciation, is not so much beauty as reality - the way things actually are, whether it is the excruciating pain portrayed in a Rouault painting of the crucifixion of Jesus or the unrelenting ordinariness of a red wheelbarrow in a poem by William Carlos Williams, neither of which is “pretty”.” (page 139-140)
We are all artists and creators with different manifestations of presenting our reality and becoming aware of our inscape. God as the ultimate Creator has gifted each of us with unique talents and gifts. I hope you spend time this week exploring all the ways you co-create with God in bringing reality into our awareness.
Beth
Joys & Concerns
The Earth Day wildflower walk led by Norma Wallman went well. Though it was windy and cold, the gorges at Holliday Park proved to be warmer and wind-free. There were seven participants so all were able to see the spring ephemerals. These are some of the first wildflowers of the season—short-lived and transitory.
“Life finds a way.” A quote from the movie Jurassic Park as walk participants note the irrepressible dandelion growing from a felled tree trunk.
The snowstorm did not seem to affect many of the specimens we sought. Norma found less common varieties of wildflowers as well as the usual suspects. The delicate blossoms dazzled us with their colors. We noticed how flowers were scattered in small bunches or stood alone as a single example of a species in this spot or another. As an avid lay botanist, Norma partially identifies species by the behaviors she has observed in them over seasons of careful inspection. Because Connections arranged the walk and asked her to bring them, she brought along copies of her beautiful book, Wildflowers of Holliday Park so people could purchase the descriptive guidebook.
We enjoyed the walk so much that, by popular demand, there may be more wildflower walks in the future as some wildflower species step down from the stage to allow time and place for other lovely actors to appear. Thank you Norma for leading us and helping improve our powers of observation—a true celebration of Earth Day.
A BIG Thank-You to our Mid-North Food Pantry Volunteers! Christie Moulton; Linda and Rik Lineback; Virginia Snell; Penny Paraskevas; Kathy and Bill Farris; David Beatty; Phil Goodchild; Mara Snyder; Carol and Jim Donahue; Barbara Oberreich; Ruth Kelly; Corrine Imboden. Thank you so much for your service to those in need!
Quaker-Affiliated Organizations
DAY OF ACTION—APRIL 29—7-9 p.m. EDT
All IN for Democracy Redistricting Coalition
This fall, the Indiana legislature will draw new district lines. The lines will determine how Indiana and our communities are represented and whether our voices will be heard. We know that when the public is involved in the redistricting process, the result is fairer maps.
April 29 offers the next opportunity for citizen action.
Join the All IN for Democracy redistricting coalition and ICRC mapping experts Ranjan Rohatgi and John Milburn to learn about the redistricting process and the newest tool for citizen action—map drawing. They will conduct a live workshop on drawing maps using the new map drawing website, DISTRICTr.org/Indiana. Julia Vaughn from Common Cause Indiana will introduce the ICRC citizen mapping competition. The competition--including the chance to win a cash prize--is open to everyone in the state, so register for the April 29 introduction to this tool!
The winning maps--those that best serve the public interest--will be submitted to the legislature to help with their map drawing. They will also be used as the standard by which we judge the legislature's redistricting proposals when they reconvene this fall. The idea is to demonstrate that we are more likely to get maps that are good for voters and communities when the legislature does not have complete control over the process. And by comparing citizen-drawn maps to those drawn by self-interested legislators, we will be able to provide a new level of scrutiny and transparency to a process that is usually opaque.
Are you interested in using this software to stand up for your community's needs and get involved in the mapmaking process? Join us for our DistrictR training on Thursday, April 29th at 7:00 pm ET. Even if you don't plan to draw districts, learning about it on April 29th and raising your voice to our legislators will help ensure your community's voice is heard. Contact Phil Goodchild (goodch713@aol.com) with any questions. Thank you.
Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities
Please help keep our woods clean! The woods committee has placed a trash can at the entrance to the woods. There is occasionally trash found in the woods so we hope this will keep the woods clean! Please do feel free to use the new trash can next time your visit.
Help Memorialize Our Departed Friends! As some of you know there was a period of time when our practice of writing memorials for deceased members fell by the wayside and many didn't get written. You may remember that for our purposes a memorial is much like an obituary but with a more personal touch and may give information about the person's connection and/or work at First Friends or in the larger Quaker world. If the writer knew the person pretty well there might be a little story or stories that illustrate something about that person.
Here is a list of memorials that are being written and need to be written. Take a who look at the list and see of there is a person that is not yet assigned a writer that you might like to write about. We might be able to help you collect information about the person if you like. If you are interested contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.
Community Garden Plots Available! Raised beds are now available for wannabe gardeners. No experience is necessary because newbies can learn from other gardeners. It is fun and good for your health. Gardeners pick up healthy bacteria from working the soil. Fresh air, sunshine, exercise, fresh produce and camaraderie are some of the benefits. Contact Samantha R or Nancy S. We would love to have you join us!
Henbit
Returning gardeners and new gardeners, now is the time to dig up those weeds before they get too big or go to seed. Remember to enrich your soil because good earth is everything when it comes to organic gardening. The more wiggle worms and the fewer slugs, meal worms and cut worms, the better. Gardeners are already planting cold weather crops and some have been growing seedlings indoors ready to transplant around Mother’s Day. Collars can be made to circle around some young plants to protect them from pest attacks. Other common defense methods to ward off hungry slugs that eat roots and tender young seedlings include using sand or washed, crumbled eggshells. Slugs do not want to crawl over these irritants. Unwashed eggshells will attract unwanted guests to your plot--such as curious canines. So be sure to wash shells before crumbling and placing in your plots.
Good luck and get going, gardeners. Our time is NOW. Let’s celebrate 2021 in style by providing a hearty welcome to Spring!
~Sam and Nancy, Community Garden Coordinators
Get a Meal, Support MSPC! Mark your calendars! On Friday, May 28th from 11am-2pm, the Maple Seeds Preschool Co-op (MSPC) will host the Black Leaf Vegan Food Truck in the First Friends parking lot. A portion of the proceeds will support the Co-op, so please consider coming that day! You can place a to-go order, or feel free to stay and make a picnic out of it! If you have any questions, contact MSPC at 317-767-3003.
Write with Friends: New Activity Beginning Monday April 19th ~ Friends are invited to a small writing group where participants may write whatever they want to write—stories, memoirs, journaling, poems, etc. 10:00 AM immediately before Monday Meditation. Two prompts to get you started will be offered, but what is offered need not be accepted.
This will be a live activity in the parlor, socially distanced and masked. Please bring writing materials and a clipboard or notebook. Open to anyone around age 12 and over.
It is not necessary to stay for the Meditation which begins at 11:15 and finishes at noon. Although we have a practice of sharing our meditational experiences afterwards. Meditation participants do not require that you stop writing. Feel free to join us 10:00 to 11:00 AM on May 3, 10, May 17, June 7, 21, 23.
Creation Care ~ Don’t know where to start with adding native plants in your home garden? The Indiana Native Plant Society is hosting this free virtual event on native plants in the home landscape. Register by April 28th! https://mailchi.mp/ea0816263e5e/beauty-and-the-beasties-landscaping-101-for-a-wildlife-friendly-garden?e=7720dfd558
This Thursday, we will be continuing to weed and tidy up the pollinator garden and prepare a planting space for native flag iris to honor the Wood’s benefactor, Marjorie Wright, who passed away many years ago. Marjorie Wright loved iris in the spring and instead of bearded iris, we are planting native flag iris that prefer a wet area in which to thrive. Bring your gardening gloves and head to the Woods at 10 AM for 90 minutes of gardening with others.
Rethink what you recycle! You can be part of the solution with the help of a handy chart on what is and is not recyclable, provided by Consumer Reports—find the link here!
Library Book Highlight! Signs of Salvation: A Biblical Meditation, by Ben Richmond
Ben Richmond is a peace worker, a past editor of Quaker Life magazine and a minister in the Friends Church. Supported by abundant quotes from the Bible, Richmond’s premises are that the Bible is inspired by God and is the authority in matters of faith, that texts should be read for what the words say, and finally Jesus Christ is the interpretive key, and in him the laws of the prophets have their fulfillment.
“God saves us from loneliness—into communities of grace and truth
God saves us from enemies—so we can live free from fear and at peace
God saves us from economic oppression—so we can afford to be generous
God forgives our sins, heals our wounds, and speaks intimately in our hearts”
(Scriptures referred to are NIV, NRSV and RSV).
If you’re interested in checking this book out, we can mail it to you! Simply contact the office at office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485.
Plastics: Impacts and Action ~ We are becoming more aware of the convenience of plastics in our lives, and also becoming aware of the problems of overuse. Cornell University has an online learning opportunity about plastics and how to design an action to reduce plastics pollution. The course, Plastics: Impacts and Action, is a 5-week online course open to anyone! This new course explores the multiple ways we interact with plastics, and uses plastics to investigate the complex dynamic systems shaping our planet and our lives. The course is largely asynchronous--meaning you can access the short lectures, readings, and other materials when it’s convenient for you. We also hold weekly webinars (recorded for those who can’t make it) as well as optional weekly office hours. The course will go from May 17 through June 20, 2021. If you’re interested, you can learn more and register here. Cost is $60 (strongly encouraged), though they also accept participants who are only able to pay less or who are not able to pay. Participants who complete the course are awarded a Cornell University certificate (PDF). Questions? Email CivicEcology@cornell.edu, Use “Plastics” in the subject line.
Reopening Task Force Report. Currently, the Meetinghouse is open to small groups, with requirements for face coverings and social distancing protocol. Participants assume responsibility for risk of COVID-19 exposure. To check on availability of small groups, including Zoom options, contact the office at office@indyfriends.org, 317-255-2485.
Additionally, larger groups of up to 30 people may meet in Fellowship Hall, with the same safety criteria and assumption of responsibility as smaller groups, including mask-wearing. Groups using Fellowship Hall will need to be trained to operate fans and switches, as well as shown how to open and reclose/relock the windows. Training sessions can be coordinated through the office.
The Reopening Task Force presented a report to Monthly Meeting on April 18, available by clicking here. The report included recommendations that the meeting consider plans for outdoors worship on Mothers’ Day, May 9, in Meditational Woods, and for indoors worship the following Sunday, May 16, to continue indefinitely as circumstances allow. A called Clerk’s Council meeting took place April 22 to discuss these recommendations, but consensus was not yet reached. It was agreed that the Reopening Task Force will gather additional input from the Christian Education Committee about how best to serve our children and young families, which will be used to inform an updated recommendation to Clerk’s Council later in May.
Note: For all in-person gatherings, indoors and out, members and guests will be required to maintain social distancing, wear masks and following additional CDC guidelines. Extra face masks will be provided for those who need them.
Ventilation:
· As reported in March 2021, the Trustees have shared the following messaging with the Reopening Task Force: “Trustees established fresh air ventilation is abundant in Fellowship Hall and the Meeting Room. First Friends was built without central air conditioning. Ventilation was an important consideration during construction planning. We are blessed with an excellent ventilation system in Fellowship Hall and the Meeting Room. There are fans and switches in both locations. When fans are running and windows and doors are opened, there is an abundance of fresh air available in each of those rooms. Any group requesting use of Fellowship Hall is required to use the ventilation system in place while meeting.”
· As a review, the Trustees presented a report in November 2020 on the ventilation at the First Friends building, based on assessment including: the HVAC system and filters, attic and exhaust; a 1950s report created by the First Friends Construction Committee; and measurements taken using a CO2 detector. Among the findings:
- In the Meeting Room, there are four windows that open, plus four ventilation fans in the ceiling. With windows opened, the fans can draw air through the Meeting Room to meet the CDC guidelines of six fresh air exchanges per hour.
- In Fellowship Hall, a fan on the west wall and an exhaust fan in the kitchen draw air outside. A fan near the entrance brings fresh air inside, heats and circulates it. There are 11 windows that open and two new air conditioning fans.
$tamping for Dollar$ ~ First Friends is becoming known among Quakers around the country for helping Right Sharing of World Resources by selling donated stamps and sending the proceeds to RSWR. RSWR supports women's self-help grassroots organizations in India, Kenya, and Sierra Leone. Who exactly donates the stamps? This question made the Stamping for Dollars team curious about the geographical distribution of our donors, Norma Wallman kindly attached a red dot to a United States map at every location from which we have received a stamp donation since April 2017. View the map in detail here. Thanks, Norma!
We learned that, as shown in the photograph, donors in 43 states send us stamps. Only Idaho, Nevada, Utah, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Rhode Island are without stamp donors. Notice that the eastern third of the US has more stamp-sending locations than either the central or the western third.
We also receive stamps from nine foreign countries: Canada, Costa Rica, Great Britain, France, India, Finland, Australia, Switzerland, and Norway.
We are grateful to all of our stamp donors. For more information, see www.rswr.org.
The newest edition of the $stamping for Dollar$ newsletter is out now! View it here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TtEu890xyoqAVZC8zOPUkfnJWN4VBqAU/view?usp=sharing
Queries for the Week
(From self-led guide)
· How have I forgotten the pleasure and joy of the creativity that God has given me?
· How will I use my creativity this week in my devotional practice and in worshiping God?