As Way Opens
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. We don’t get bombarded with promotions for decorations, costumes or gifts months before the holiday. It is primarily focused on food (which is cause for celebration alone) and spending time with family and friends. There isn’t the pressure of Christmas searching for the perfect gifts, the perfect decorations, the perfect celebrations and having the whole month of December filled up with activities. Thanksgiving Day stands alone and provides us the opportunity to stop our normal lives and be grateful for many things. The abundance in our lives, the opportunities to serve, the bounty of family and friends to consider, and the grace we are given by God.
I was so moved by the entire service at First Friends this past Sunday focused on gratitude. My heart has been full and I am thankful for so many people and for the blessings I feel at this phase of life.
I received this message from my brother-in-law yesterday and it reminded me how Jesus lives through each one of us and how important our words and actions are in living out our spiritual transformation in gratitude.
"Tell people how good they are, highlight their acts of love, mention how they made a difference to you, let them feel appreciated, loved and special, allow them to fall in love with themselves, make their day brighter with good words, because at the end of the day we are all struggling, we are all fighting things we don't say even to ourselves, we are all running from our own demons, so be gentle, be kind, because one good word from you could change someone's mood and the opposite is true, leave a good trace in someone's heart it might be his savior."
Yasmine Lasheen
I pray that we all take these words to heart not just this week but every day throughout the year. May you have a Thanksgiving full of gratitude.
Beth
Joys & Concerns
Stamps are fun! Several families had fun completing this jigsaw puzzle of Love stamps. You can interact with stamps and do some good at the same time by helping trim or sort stamps for the Stamping for Dollars team. The team receives stamps, sells them, and gives the proceeds to Right Sharing of World Resources, an independent Quaker nonprofit organization. RSWR partners with women in Kenya, India, Sierra Leone, and Guatemala by granting seed money to help them start businesses that benefit the entire community. Here's their website: Home | Right Sharing of World Resources. To learn more or to help the team, contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.
Barbara Oberreich had successful knee replacement surgery and sends the following thanks:
I would like to tell everyone how grateful I am to the F/friends who supported me through the first helpless weeks after my knee surgery. I never had to ask; they just knew what would help. They are: Judy D, Taha G, Beth H, Paula K, Ed M, Amy P, Kathy R, and Damian W. When I put on my new hiking boots, I will think of you!
-Barbara O.
Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities
Order Poinsettias Now! It’s that time of year! At this time of year, we take orders for red and white poinsettias which you can buy in memory of a passed loved one or in honor of someone special in your life. We use these poinsettias to decorate the Meetingroom during the month of December, then on Christmas Eve we invite you to take your flowers home with you after the service to enjoy at home for the holidays! (Of course, you may take them home earlier if you will not be here on the 24th.) If you’d like to order flowers, they are $8.00 each for a 6” potted red or white poinsettia plant. Simply email or call the office at office@indyfrineds.org or 317-255-2485 and let us know how many flowers and what color(s) you’d like to order, and if those flowers are in memory or honor of someone. Please have your orders in by Saturday, December 3rd. Payment can be mailed to the meeting, dropped in the offering plate on a Sunday with the memo “flowers” or paid online at https://www.indyfriends.org/support - under the fund, choose “flower order.” We invite you to take part in this annual holiday First Friends tradition!
If you missed the Shalom Zone’s Ecumenical Thanksgiving service this week, you can still watch it! A recorded version is available online at https://youtu.be/TjTyC8-SWCE. It features our own Bob Henry as one of the speakers! Feel free to watch anytime and share with friends. The total offering and donations for Brightlane Learning (formerly School on Wheels) for 2022 will total almost $1,260!
College Care packages - It is time to send care packages to our college students as they prepare for their exams at school. We are asking that everyone help fill the boxes with goodies like candy, cookies, cards, and other treats. Please bring enough for all 10 of our college students. Don’t have time to shop? We will gladly accept monetary donations! Just leave your check in the offering plate on Sunday with the notation “college packages” or donate online at www.indyfriends.org/support and choose “College care packages”. Please make sure all donations are in by Monday, November 28. Thank you for your support!
First Friends Financial Update: You are invited to spread holiday cheer by making a pledge to First Friends Meeting for 2023. Your pledge is extremely helpful in making a budget for the new year. Click to pledge online, or contact the office at office@indyfriends.org, 317-255-2485, for a pledge card to be mailed to you.
The Meeting also seeks support in closing out 2022, as we currently are experiencing a deficit. To donate online, visit indyfriends.org/support/#givenow, or text to give at 317-768-0303. Other means of support include automatic giving, stock gifts, estate planning, and donation of IRA Required Minimum Distributions. For assistance, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org, 317-255-2485.
Blue Christmas Service & Luncheon ~ All are invited to our special Blue Christmas service which will be held during Meeting for Worship on Sunday, November 27. We will honor loved ones who have passed. This service recognizes the struggles that many people face during this season. After meeting for worship, we’ll meet in the parlor to share a light lunch and fellowship and have a facilitated discussion about our losses and grief. If you’d like to join us for this gathering, please RSVP to the office (office@indyfriends.org) and let us know how many people you plan to bring.
Indy Winds Flute Choir Concert ~ You’re invited to a holiday concert by the Indy Winds Flute Choir! It will be held Saturday, December 3rd at 3:00 PM at Union Chapel United Methodist Church, 2720 E 86th St. The concert will include a variety of classical and holiday music. Soloists Carl B and Lynda S will be featured on the Corelli Christmas Concerto. We hope you will attend!
Christmas Vespers Concert ~ Our annual Christmas Vespers on Sunday, December 4th at 5:30pm is always a wonderful tradition at First Friends. If you have never begun your holiday season with this event, we recommend you join us this year. Our theme is “The Journey to Christmas” where we will prepare for the season through music, readings, and queries. Plan to experience all the First Friends choirs, some special guest musicians, and a candlelit singing of Silent Night to end the night. This will be an opportunity for you and your family to renew old traditions and make new ones this season. Following Vespers, we will join in the Fellowship Hall for a wonderful dinner hosted by the Fellowship Committee - everyone is invited. If you’d like to attend, please RSVP by contacting the office at office@indyfriends.org, 317-255-2485 or using the sign-up sheet in the meeting hallway. We hope you will share with us in this annual tradition!
Seasoned Friends ~ Seasoned Friends will gather on Tuesday, December 6th for a field trip to Wabash. Friends are invited to carpool by meeting at First Friends at 9:30 or join us in Wabash at 11am. We will see the Eagles Theater, have lunch at the Honeywell building, and see the Charley Creek Inn. We welcome anyone that considers themselves a Seasoned Friend to join us. If you’re interested, please RSVP to the Meeting Office at office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485.
Read the United Society of Friends Women Newsletter ~ The November issue of the USFW newsletter is out! You can read “Forward Together” online here. This issue includes a report from the Fall Conference, updates on local and global outreach, a Pad Project update, and more!
Help Refugees in Need: The meeting for business Oct. 16 approved a proposal to help raise money for the family of Peter K’s Syrian employee Mohammad to emigrate from Turkey to Canada. The family of 6 has lived as refugees in Turkey for several years, and now are threatened with forceful repatriation. Because of Mohammad’s involvement with Peter, the family would be in great danger if they re-enter Syria. The family has approval of the Canadian government to enter as privately sponsored refugees provided that a certain amount of money will be held in a secure account to meet the family’s living expenses for the first year. The meeting will work with Ed and Paula K to raise the money by having an account into which tax-deductible donations can be held until they are submitted to Canada. To donate, mail in a check or drop it in the Sunday offering plate with the memo line “Mohammad’s family.” Or you can donate electronically online on our secure website at https://www.indyfriends.org/support, and choose “Mohammad’s family” as the fund, or text Mohammad to 317-768-0303. The K family express their gratitude to the meeting for agreeing to help facilitate this urgent need.
Overman Scholarship Fund Drive ~ The Overman Scholarship fund, in memory of Jesse & Marilyn Overman and Mark Overman, awards scholarships to members of First Friends attending higher academic or vocational/Quaker institutions. If you’d like to support this worthy cause, we encourage you to donate. For the next 4 years, the Overman family will match donations up to a certain amount! Checks can be payable to “Indianapolis Monthly Meeting of Friends Trustees.” In the memo line, note "Overman Scholarship Fund.” Or you can donate securely on our website at https://www.indyfriends.org/support. Just choose “Overman Scholarship Fund” as the fund. Or text “Overman” to 317-768-0303. Thank you for your support!
This Week’s Queries
1. Identify 3 things that you feel thankful for and appreciate about your life. These things can be based on the past, present, or future. No category or thing is too big or small to appreciate, however, being specific might be helpful.
2. Identify 3 things that you take for granted but are actually very thankful for. We all have things that we take for granted. This is the time to reflect and discover which of those you value the most.
3. Identify 3 things that you appreciate about yourself. Pick things that are meaningful. These can involve your personality, your qualities, your actions, or anything else directly related to yourself.
4. Identify 3 things that you feel grateful for about First Friends. What does First Friends mean to you and your spiritual journey.
5. Identify 3 people who had a significant and positive experience on your life. These can be coaches, mentors, professors, bosses, family members, or anyone else. Call those people to mind and think about how they made a difference in your life.