As Way Opens
Several years ago, during one of my doctoral classes, we began a conversation on the importance of Sabbath rest. As the conversation progressed, we began to expand the idea. My professor mentioned that people aren’t the only ones who need a sabbath – churches/meetings do as well – and summer is that time.
As he continued to expand this idea, I found myself nodding in agreement. Often within our Meeting, we too need a change in our routine. Summer offers us this natural transition and affords us the opportunity to do things that we would not normally do like worship in our meditational woods, plant in our community garden, offer Vacation Bible School, and enjoy Fun Day Sunday, just to name a few. In Indiana, summer invites us to return outdoors where we can again breath in the outdoor air and reconnect to God’s creation and our natural surroundings. After a year of being contained in our homes, we need more than ever to reengage creation and nature.
We also must find time for what is restful. Sabbath at its most basic form is considered abstinence from work. This past year has been extremely taxing on people in so many ways. Work and ministry changed significantly, and it has taken a toll on all our lives. Yet, rest is not just about abstinence or retreating, rather it could be considered a redirecting of our attention to the things that fill us and provide hope and joy, once again.
This leads to our professor exclaiming that Sabbath needs to have some sense of CELEBRATION!
At First Friends, we need to be able to look back on where we have been throughout this past year and celebrate, if nothing else, our survival! Sabbath may look like coming together, just to be together again, to tell our stories, hear what all we have learned, all without the need to do anything more. This means being present with one another is a celebration of our togetherness!
As we transition into summer in the coming days, let’s remember the importance of Sabbath rest. Challenge yourself to make a change in your routine, find occasions to return outdoors, seek times for rest, and remember that being present with one another is an opportunity to CELEBRATE where we have been and where we are going!
Grace and peace,
Bob
Joys & Concerns
MANY THANKS to our Mid-North Food Pantry Volunteers: Christie M Linda and Rik L; Corrine I, Bill F; Kathy F; Ruth K; Melanie, Virginia and Derek S; Barbara O, Penny P; Brenda R; Mara S; David B; Tom F; and Carol and Jim D. We had a super crew of volunteers, including the return of Tom F, and served over 50 families. Welcome back Tom!
We sadly share with you the death of Terri Ringley, former administrative assistant and former member here at First Friends. She passed away on Wednesday, May 12. To read her obituary, which Terri wrote herself, visit https://www.stegallberheideorr.com/obituary/therese-ringley. Her memorial is planned for Saturday, June 19; we will provide more details as they become available.
A note from Beth: Thank you for the showing of love and support with my graduation last weekend with a master’s in divinity from Earlham School of Religion. I have so appreciated the notes, cards and tangible expressions of congratulations with this degree. I thank you for your care and love to me. -Beth
Quaker-Affiliated Organizations
IFCL -- Faith-Based Redistricting Event
Many of us attended one of the virtual hearings held this spring by the Indiana Citizens Redistricting Commission (ICRC) around the state. Almost 900 Hoosiers did, and they voiced their concerns. The ICRC recently sent its report to the Indiana General Assembly. It not only details what the public said is wrong with the current legislative districts, it also contains recommendations on how the legislature can draw districts to better serve the public interest, not political agendas. You can read the report here.
If you want to increase the chances that the General Assembly will follow the recommendations outlined in the ICRC report, there are two things you can do now. First, please consider sending the report to your legislators with a request that they pay attention to it and become leaders in their party for a more open, transparent, and inclusive redistricting process this fall.
And second, sign up for a free virtual event scheduled for Monday, June 7, at 12pm-1pm EST. It will be a faith-oriented session, "Prayer for Democracy: Bringing Your Faith Community into the Redistricting Conversation," with the theme everyone counts. Several speakers will address why faith communities should care about redistricting, and how to talk with your legislators about redistricting from a faith perspective. Find more information in this flyer. You can register here: https://bit.ly/PrayerForDemocracy
This is all part of an effort to build grassroots pressure for a different kind of redistricting this year: one which gives the public--not just politicians--a real say in how our districts are drawn. Please be a part of this growing movement for fair maps in Indiana.
Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities
Memorial Day In-Person Service
First Friends is happy to share that we will be holding an outdoor worship service in Meditational Woods on Sunday, May 30, weather permitting. In the event of rain, the outdoor event will be canceled. Updates will be posted to our Facebook page, or contact the office by Thursday to sign up for text alerts. If you are able to, please bring a chair. We are still requiring facemasks and social distancing. The building will be available for restroom use. Kids are welcome, as there will be a children’s message, but no children’s worship.
Rain or shine, we will offer our usual online worship through the First Friends YouTube channel at 10:15. Please note that Zoom Fellowship Hour will be held starting at 11:30 that day, and at 11:30 from now on! This is to allow for our in-person worship to conclude.
In-person Sunday Services to resume June 6! Monthly meeting has approved the resumption of in-person Sunday services in the Meetingroom, beginning on Sunday, June 6, with the following precautions in place:
• Face masks must be worn by everyone including children ages 2 and up
• Social distancing indoors and while waiting to enter
• No congregational singing (but there will be musical performances)
• One person at a time allowed in each restroom
• There will be no food service
• No formal Fellowship Hour
• Supervised play for children will be available outdoors, weather permitting, or in Fellowship Hall with fans running and windows opened. Children may also remain with families if preferred.
• A standing microphone at the front of the Meeting Room may be used for announcements or those who feel led to speak during waiting worship
• Bulletins will be in the foyer for attendees to pick up as they enter the Meeting Room
• Collection baskets will be in the foyer for attendees to drop in contributions
Ventilation
- The four ventilation fans in the ceiling must be turned on.
- The four opening windows must be opened.
Services will start at the usual time at 10:15am. For more information on the reopening plan, read the Reopening Committee update later in this newsletter.
Your Talent is Needed! ~ As we look to reopen our Sunday Meeting for Worship starting in June, we are looking for vocalists or instrumentalists who would like to perform over the summer. Simply pick a Sunday in June-August and let the office know which day you would like to perform. Eric is available for accompaniment and help you with whatever your performance needs are. If you’re interested, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485 with the date you had in mind. We look forward to hearing from you!
Office Hours are Back! Beginning Tuesday, June 1 the Meeting office will be open from Monday-Thursday from 10am-3pm (or by appointment). Please note, Beth will be in the office on Mondays, Rebecca will be in on Tuesdays, Bob will be in on Thursdays, and all three will be in on Wednesdays. So if there’s someone specific you’d like to see, be sure to stop in on their day in the office!
The Overman Family Scholarship, in memory of Jess and Mark Overman, is available again this year. High school seniors through graduate students are welcome to apply. Undergraduate students will be given first consideration. The scholarship fund is designated to support the members and attenders of Indianapolis First Friends Meeting. Scholarship funds may be applied to any school related expense, i.e. books, supplies, tuition, housing, computer, etc. The deadline for application will be June 15, 2021. Find the application here. Please send the completed application and related material to the office at office@indyfriends.org.
JUNE JUBILEE - The Connections Team would like to invite you to a fun outdoor gathering on SATURDAY, JUNE 19, from 4pm to 7pm, in the north parking lot of the Meeting House. Let's celebrate our reopening this month with campfires, hot dogs, s'mores, cornhole, volleyball, basketball, and other surprises. Bring your own food and drinks, and masks as we follow social distancing protocol. If the weather is nasty, check your email or the First Friends Facebook page for an announcement about postponement. Hope to see you there!
Monday Meditation will no longer be on Zoom, in accordance with Quaker Simplicity. Our regular attenders have all been vaccinated and are comfortable meeting in person. Others are welcome to join us. Amy Perry will anchor Monday Meditation on May 24th but not on Memorial Day. The 10 AM writing group followed by Meditation will resume on June 7th.
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.
Friends have been busy in the Woods planting more native plants to enhance the dining options for our pollinator friends. Look for wood hyacinth in our wildflower patch south of the meditational circle. We planted 3 trays of seedlings south of the SE bridge of big-leaved asters and blue stemmed goldenrod that Mary grew from seeds.
Big Leaf Aster (Aster macrophyllus) is perfect for shady areas with less than perfect soil. Drought tolerant, it thrives in both dry sand and heavy clay soils that possess a modicum of organic matter. Big Leaf Aster is often planted for its large, heart-shaped basal foliage which forms a nice ground cover. Upright stems emerge from the base in late summer, bearing clusters of delicate, bluish-white rayed flowers, from August thru September. Great for stabilizing shaded hillsides and slopes, it spreads by rhizomes to form a ground cover. Aster macrophyllus is a host plant for the Pearl Crescent Butterfly.
Blue Stemmed Goldenrod does not spread as aggressively as some goldenrods. This Wisconsin endangered plant features graceful arching stems covered with hundreds of small yellow flowers. The distinct stems are purplish in color. Native to rich woodlands in the Eastern half of the U.S. it prefers light shade, but will tolerate full sun. A mature clump has great presence and texture – brightening any semi-shade garden late in the season.
Solidago caesia is an interesting goldenrod for a variety of garden styles: open woodland garden, border, cottage or butterfly garden. As with all goldenrods, it is a desirable source of late-season pollen. Other common names include Wreath Goldenrod.In mid to late August, you may find Brown Hooded Owlet Moth (Cucullia convexipennis) caterpillars feeding on the foliage. (From PraireNursery.com)
Wild Hyacinth, also called Atlantic Camas, is the only eastern species of its genus, which is in the Lily family and characterized by squat bulbs, similar to those of small tulips in size and shape. Its pale blue-violet flowers begin to bloom from the bottom, progressing toward the top of the spike-like raceme at the end of the plant’s central stalk. It will thrive in full sun, but also open shade such as a woodland edge. It likes rich, acidic soils, but can tolerate clay soils with adequate moisture, especially when it is in flower. The bulbs are edible and were a major food source for some Native American tribes and early European Settlers, but they are very hard to distinguish from Zigadenus elegans bulbs which are deadly poisonous
Attractive to a number of insects seeking nectar and pollen, Camassia scilloides re-seeds itself and, though slow to establish, is fairly long-lived. By mid-summer, the basal leaves turn yellow and wither away and the plant remains dormant for the rest of the year (from PrarieMoonNursery.com)
The woods is approaching a naturalized state, so will not appear like a botanical garden. It’s been delightful to watch the preschool children have their school pictures taken in the meditational circle and families from the neighborhood come to learn about trees and plants. They like finding some of the trees from the Woods map that Krishan Coffman created.
Come spend some time in the Woods, listen for the birds and see what’s blooming right now.
Bread for The World (“BFTW”), an organization that promotes letter-writing to federal representatives to provide federal funding for food for poor countries, is asking for our help. BFTW is requesting that folks send letters in the next 2 weeks to their Senators and House Reps. Please see the following info for a sample letter and other info concerning BFTW. Find an email template at bread.org/go. If you’d like to send a letter, find a fully updated sample letter here.
First Friends Financial Update: The Meeting seeks your support in moving toward a vibrant new phase. As we begin to resume in-person worship and other activities, our expenses rise, yet our donations remain at a low level, strained by the difficulties of 2020.
Please give prayerful consideration to how you could help. While we were able to manage last year’s financial loss, we will need to increase donations in order to stem further losses. To assist, please click on indyfriends.org/support/#givenow and scroll down to the Give Now section.
Additionally, First Friends is able to accept stock and planned gifts directly at any time of year. For more information, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.orgor 317-255-2485.
Jeff Rasley’s New Book! Jeff Rasley has released a new book, America’s Existential Crisis: Our Inherited Obligation to Native Nations. The book is a historical journey and a road trip. It starts with two ancestors of Jeff’s. One was an Indian fighter, who was at Wounded Knee and died from a wound received in a related action. The other was such a good friend of the Potawatomi he received a valuable gift, which Jeff inherited. Their stories take us back to the 1830 Indian Removal Act, which led to the Plains Indian Wars and the creation of the reservation system. One result of the brutal enforcement of the reservation system was the Potawatomi Trail of Death. Another was the massacre of Sioux at Wounded Knee Creek. The book transitions from history into an argument that the US has an obligation to help in the culturally sensitive development of Native communities. For now, the book is exclusively sold at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0951DF2HZ.
Reopening Task Force Report. First Friends is scheduled to resume indoors meeting for worship on June 6, the first Sunday in June. The reopening plan, approved at Monthly Meeting on May 16, addresses specifics including social distancing, mask-wearing, ventilation and accommodations for children.
The plan also details outdoors meeting for worship and future Monthly Meetings.
Click here for the re-entry plan.
Note:
· The re-entry plan includes a mask-wearing requirement, despite recent new directive of the CDC. The issue of mask-wearing can be revisited as appropriate in the near future, mindful of children’s ability to be fully vaccinated. Extra face masks will be provided for those who need them.
· Virtual worship services will continue to be offered each Sunday at 10:15 a.m. Online worship is to continue as a permanent alternative to in-person worship to ensure availability of worship options.
Currently, the Meetinghouse is open to small groups, with requirements for face coverings and social distancing protocol. A recent development is that, for groups of 10 or fewer, participants may remove face coverings if all have been fully vaccinated. 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.
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.
Queries for the Week
(From virtual worship)
· Am I satisfied by my work?
· Where do my views of good work need to change?
· How can our Meeting effect change in the idea of work in our community?