As Way Opens
Last Saturday, our family attended the Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead) Celebration at the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis. With roots going back thousands of years to Indigenous traditions in Mexico, this holiday is a time to gather to remember and celebrate friends and relatives who have passed on. We loved experiencing the community, colors, music, dancing, parades, Catrinas with elaborate skull face paint and costumes, and wonderful mercado. The stunning community-created altars, or ofrendas (Spanish for offering), left us in tears.
If you have never encountered an ofrenda, they can be quite large and elaborate, and are usually created by the family members of a person who has died. They are prepared a few days before the 1st and 2nd of November, the dates when it is believed that the dead return to visit their friends and relatives.
Ironically, while we were viewing the community ofrendas, I received a text from Friend Nancy Scott, informing me that her brother, Sam, had passed away. We happened to be at the ofrenda where participants were invited to put a photo or note in remembrance of a departed loved one. I wrote a short note on one of the goldenrod pieces of paper in honor of Sam’s passing and placed it on the altar for Nancy.
We have so much to learn from our siblings in other cultures and religions. I encourage you to take some time exploring more about Día de Muertos and the people who celebrate this festive holiday. It may even help you find ways to remember, honor, and celebrate those who have died in your family and life.
Grace and peace,
Bob
Joys & Concerns
This past Sunday we enjoyed seeing the children in their Halloween costumes as we “advocated for witches” in the Spirit of Quaker Thomas Maule! What fun! (Thank you to Kathy R for the photos.)
Offering of Letters 2022 - Thank you to everyone who wrote letters to Senator Braun to encourage him to support the Global Food Security Reauthorization Act. Over forty letters were written on Sunday at First Friends, joining 40 other congregations in Indiana’s Bread for the World goal of feeding all hungry people. If you are interested in reading more about hunger issues, you might find these books helpful:
The Last Hunger Season: A Year in an African Farm Community on the Brink of Change by Roger Thurow (2013)
The First 1,000 Days by Roger Thurow (2017)
Exodus from Hunger by David Beckmann (2010)
Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger by Ronald Sider (2015)
Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World by Anand Giridharadas (2018)
Bill K is in the hospital at Community North and will be having surgery on Friday. Please hold him in the Light during this time.
Please pray for Nancy S and her family as they mourn the death of Nancy’s brother, Sam S. A memorial service will be held here at First Friends on Saturday, January 14th at 11:00am.
Quaker Affiliated Organizations
IFCL -- Election Day Volunteers Needed
Common Cause Indiana, with whom IFCL frequently partners, directs the field program for the Election Protection Project in Indiana. EPP is a national effort to provide assistance to vulnerable voters to avoid disenfranchisement. The program is not affiliated with any political party. They are looking for nonpartisan volunteers in Marion County to work as voter advocates on Election Day, November 8th. Training is available, and you need not be a Marion County resident to volunteer. For additional information, check out this flyer or EPP online at https://protectthevote.net/. Every eligible voter deserves to have their vote counted! Thank you.
Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities
The Earlham College Choir will be performing at First Friends this Saturday November 5th at 2:00 p.m. If you have attended one of their choir performances in the past, you know we are all in for a delightful time of music and song. Please also invite your family and friends to this free concert. We hope to see you this Saturday!
You’re Invited to a Singalong! Join us for a Singalong on Friday, November 4th, at 7 PM in the parlor at First Friends. Jim and Jesse will lead you in singing a variety of awesome songs!
Be careful around sweetgums! It’s that time of year. Please be careful around the East door to the Meeting. The sweetgums are falling and they can be easy to trip on. We try to keep the area clean but they are constantly falling, so please watch your step!
Prayer Vigil for Detained Immigrants - On Saturday, November 5 at 10am, Shalom Mennonite Church is going to be leading a prayer vigil for immigrants who are detained in the state of Indiana. This will be held outside of the Clay County jail at 611 E Jackson St, Brazil, IN, which is where most immigrants are detained after being arrested in our state. Please consider joining us in this appeal to God for intervention, which also serves as a symbol of solidarity for those in jail and a witness to the injustices committed at that facility for the larger Indiana community. For more information, contact Pastor Brian Bither at brian@shalommennonite.com.
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!
Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for November:
Yellow-rumped Warbler and Its Magic Food
Approximately 30 different species of warblers come through the meeting property each spring and fall. During the former, the males are brightly colored; not so much in the latter. The eBird app on my phone gives me a list of expected species for any site on any given day. Both the number of warbler species and that of individuals peak in mid-September, and from then on until the end of October the number drops. Fifteen species are listed for one week, then ten the next, then five, and by the beginning of November there remains only one: the Yellow-rumped Warbler. It may stay through December even, as long as food is available. Their diagnostic chip can be heard while they search for a meal. With live insects no longer available, and many insects and spider eggs already found and gobbled up, what sustains them during the change to colder weather? The answer is BERRIES. Yes, some examples are hackberries, wild grapes, and some berries of ornamental plants. It may surprise the reader to know that one of the favorites of Yellow-rumps (and many other late migrants) is the POISON IVY berry. The clusters of white berries can be seen during the autumn, and several times I found large numbers of migrants chattering away at a grove of trees, the branches of which are covered by orange, red, and purple poison ivy leaves and white berries. Today I was out along a fencerow with fourth graders, and was able to show them a few small clusters that still remain.
I have included two photos of yellow-rumped warblers. One shows the typical fall plumage, but the yellow rump is easily seen. It is the patch on the upper side between the back and the tail. A second view shows one of this species eating poison ivy berries.
~Text and photos by Brad J
Looking for volunteer drivers ~ The mother of the Afghan family that First Friend sponsors is in need of occasional rides. Due to religious/cultural reasons, she cannot go alone with a male driver, so the volunteer must be female. If you’re interested, please contact the office (office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485) to sign up to be on an email list to be notified when she is in need of a ride. Thank you for considering this volunteer opportunity!
Help a family this Thanksgiving ~ We are collecting monetary donations for 3 families in need to celebrate Thanksgiving this year. We received the information from Easter Seals and we will also be sponsoring these families at Christmas time. If you would like to make a donation, you can either give your money to Jody L at Sunday service or you can give your donation to the office. If you want to write a check, please put “Thanksgiving family” in the memo line. Thank you for your donation.
Jeff Rasley has a new book! Our own Jeff Rasley is proud to unveil his latest book, 72 Wisdoms. The book includes 72 short pieces, which cover 72 concerns all thinking people care about. The wisdoms come from sources as diverse as Old Testament proverbs, ancient Greek and Roman aphorisms, Quaker values, a Beatles song, neuroscience, astrophysics, and memorable lines from classic flicks and TV shows. The topics range from ordinary concerns to the deepest philosophical questions. If you are interested, you can check out a description of the book and review the 72 topics covered in the Table of Contents on the book’s Amazon page at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJYGHZCM.
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.
You’re Invited to Turkey Fest! Connections Committee would like to invite you to meet at Sullivan’s Hardware on 71st and Keystone Saturday, November 12th at noon for Turkey Fest. This has been a free event in the past but waiting on final details for this year. There’s indoor and outdoor space to explore, beautiful decorations and lots of yummy food to try. Contact the office if you’d like to attend so we can look for you. We’ll meet at the entrance to Sullivan’s at noon.
Quaker Affirmation Muslim Guest Speaker ~ The Quaker Affirmation class will be hosting Dr. Salah Saharti from Alhuda Mosque in Fishers on Sunday November 13th. He will bring several young people from the Mosque to talk about the Muslim faith. They will be in the parlor from 11:30 - 12:15 as part of our Affirmation lesson on comparative religions. We invite everyone from the Meeting to join us for this interesting discussion about the Muslim faith.
Shalom Zone Creation Care Meeting ~ All are invited to a Shalom Zone Creation Care meeting on Thursday, November 10th at 7 p.m. at Cross and Crown (5233 E 79th St, Indianapolis, IN 46250). Indy Green Congregations is a satellite organization of Hooiser Interfaith Power and Light which has since joined forces with a bigger group called Faith in Place which includes Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Rev. Brian Sauder, the Executive Director of Faith in Place, and David Johnson, Faith in Place Board Chairman, are visiting Indianapolis to meet with faith groups. They are coming to Indy to listen and explore how we can partner together for environmental programming and advocacy to further our efforts together. We hope to see you there!
In Paradisum: 500 Years of the Requiem Vocal Concert ~ VOCE (with which First Friend’s Carolyn T sings) presents “In Paradisum: 500 Years of the Requiem” on Sunday November 13 at 4PM at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, 1402 W. Main St, Carmel IN 46032. Beautiful live choral music, accompanied by organ, piano and cello. For more information, visit www.voceindy.org.
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.
This Week’s Queries
· Am I aware of someone of another faith community that is being mistreated, neglected, or simply not heard?
· How might I advocate for them?
· What rhetoric might I need to change or stop using altogether, so that ALL people will benefit?