As Way Opens
I know as Quakers, we don’t emphasize rituals that many other denominations honor and hold sacred. In principle, I can embrace the idea that often rituals of creeds, processes and actions hold too much power and can become empty vessels without life and Spirit.
But there are many rituals in our life that are needed for our journey of healing and wholeness. I participated in such a ritual yesterday as several of us gathered at Ed Morris’s home to break bread and share stories about his beloved Linda Lee whom we lost last summer. I think we were all remembering the impact that Linda had on us and how she had this ultra-sensitivity to many things including where each of us was in our journey. and where was Spirit in our lives. These stories led into deep sharing of things happening in our own journeys that brought us together in mutual love and support. Ed had lovingly and carefully laid out Linda’s clothes throughout his home and offered us to take things that we loved and would fit. What was left was bagged and we all took several bags to deliver to Thrifty Threads, Dress for Success and several other places so that the gift of Linda will live on in others that we don’t know.
I felt like this was a gathering similar to many that occurred in the very early church. Gathering in a home, breaking bread, sharing stories, becoming vulnerable to each other in our sharing and supporting one of the members of the group to help with his grieving process. It was a visceral experience to touch the clothes that Linda wore and honor the beauty of things she picked out and liked.
There are many rituals that we need to ground us and bring us into the presence of God. I embrace the idea of rituals that bring joy and fullness of being. Let us not be afraid of embracing some rituals as Quakers.
Beth
Quaker-Affiliated Organizations
FCNL Legislative Priorities ~ Friends Committee on National Legislation (“FCNL”) is, again this year, requesting that Friends’ Meetings submit national legislative priorities to FCNL for the coming two years. Your input and wisdom are needed to determine the legislative priorities that are important to First Friends Indianapolis. Please visit our survey at https://forms.gle/Za3t1r3yZpVkAT4c9 and list the 5 most important issues that you would like FCNL to address as it determines its priorities for the next two years. If you’d prefer to turn in a paper copy, they will be available during Meeting for Worship this upcoming Sunday. The 7 most popular issues will be brought to Monthly Meeting in March for consideration to be submitted to FCNL. Thank you for your thoughtful responses.
Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Meeting for Worship Update ~ Welcome back! We have resumed worship together at the Meeting House. Beginning this Sunday refreshments will be served at Fellowship Hour. Also, Children’s Worship is resuming, so children will go up for the Children’s Message and then leave for Children’s Worship after. Thank you for helping us keep everyone in the Meeting safe and healthy!
New Sermon Series ~ This Sunday (02/27/22) we continue our new sermon series "To Be Thriving & Progressive Quakers in 2022". This Sunday Pastor Bob will share part 2 titled, "Allowing Ourselves to Question.” Join us at 10:15am in-person or virtually on YouTube.
As well, he has put together the following supplemental reading list for those who are interested in reading more on the subjects and ideas covered:
Supplemental Reading List for “To Be Thriving & Progressive Quakers in 2022” Sermon Series (throughout the series additional books may be added):
· Living the Quaker Way – Phil Gulley
· Face to Face: Early Quaker Encounters with the Bible – T. Vail Palmer Jr.
· A Long Road: How Quakers Made Sense of the God and the Bible – T. Vail Palmer Jr.
· Grounded: Finding God in the World – Diana Butler Bass
· Speaking Christian: Why Christian Words Have Lost Their Meaning and Power and How They Can Be Restored – Marcus Borg
· Faith Unraveled (formerly Evolving in Monkey Town) – Rachel Held Evans
· Jesus and the Disinherited – Howard Thurman
· The Galapagos Islands: A Spiritual Guide – Brian McLaren
· Church of the Wild – Victoria Loorz
· Our Only World: Ten Essays – Wendell Berry
· Saving Grace: Speak Your Truth, Stay Centered, and Learn to
· Coexist with People Who Drive You Nuts – Kristen Powers
· The Rebirthing of God – John Philip Newell
· Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life – Karen Armstrong
· A Bigger Table, Expanded Edition with Study Guide: Building Messy, Authentic, and Hopeful Spiritual Community – John Pavlovitz
· A Testament of Devotion - Thomas R. Kelly
Quaker Haven Camp ~ It’s time to think about your kids attending Quaker Haven Camp in Syracuse, IN. If you are not familiar with Quaker Haven, check out their website (www.quakerhaven.com). Our kids have been going there for many years and have enjoyed it. First Friends will pay for half of the cost of camp – ask the meeting office for a code you can use at checkout for 50% off. If you need additional assistance, please contact the office. Here are the dates:
· June 5th - 10th Senior high camp (9th - 12)
· June 12th - 17th Junior high camp (7th - 8th grade)
· June 17th - 19th Beginner’s camp (kindergarten - 2nd grade with an adult)
· June 19th - 24th Adventure camp (5th - 6th grade)
· June 26th - July 1st Senior high camp (9th - 12th grade)
· July 10th - 13th Little Friends camp (2nd - 4th grade)
· July 17th - 21st Pioneer camp (3rd - 5th grade)
You’re invited to MSPC’s Silent Auction! You’re invited to Maple Seeds Preschool Coop’s annual fundraising event. The online-only auction begins Friday, March 4 at noon and ends Saturday, March 5, 2022 at 10pm. The funds raised from the silent auction allow the school to offer scholarships to participants, as well as to purchase new equipment for their classrooms. This year they have over 100 auction items to bid on! Find the auction page at https://www.32auctions.com/mapleseedsauction2022. For more info, visit MSPC’s website at https://www.mapleseeds.org/.
Restorative Yoga ~ Please join friend Kristyn G in a restorative yoga practice next Monday March 7th at 4:00 pm in Fellowship Hall. It will last for an hour. This gentle practice will stretch and restore you. $10 suggested donation. Hope to see you there!
Gnostic Gospel Group ~ Everyone is invited to join us on Thursday March 10th in the Parlor at 6:30pm for a group study on the non-canonical/Gnostic Gospels. If you are interested, contact the meeting office (office@indyfriends.org, 317-255-2485).
You’re Invited to First Friends Kokomo’s Community Series ~ All are invited to attend any or all of the sessions being offered during the “Six Mondays During Lent 2022” Faith and Our Community Series. The series of talks is sponsored by First Friends Meeting of Kokomo in conjunction with the Carver Community Center and The Howard County Supervision Program. All sessions are free and will be offered each Monday from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the Carver Community Center located at 1030 North Purdum St. in Kokomo, IN. The first session will begin on Monday, March 7th. For more details, view their flyer here.
We’re Famous! Out of tiny acorns, giant oaks grow. Amy Perry answered the call to help revive the Right Sharing of World Resources stamp program. Little by little, people have helped grow the program. The RSWR Board members realized that the stamp program is much like the micro-lending program, growing organically. The Stamping for Dollars program was the highlight of the most recent newsletter of RSWR. Read more here: 2022-Q1-Newsletter.pdf (rswr.org)
Free Couples Counseling ~ The Christian Theological Seminary Counseling Center is offering free online Couples Checkups in the month of February with interns trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy. One of the interns is our own Jill F! If you’d like to make an appointment, please call (317) 924-5205. For more information, click here.
Plastics: Impact & Action ~ You’re invited to a 4-week online course by Cornell University, from March 14-April 10. This 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 will apply critical thinking and systems thinking to learn about everything from the plastic lifecycle, to plastic's social and environmental impacts, to NGO efforts and government plastic policies. You will apply your knowledge by designing and implementing a locally-relevant action targeting plastic pollution. Course materials will be recorded so attenders may work the course at their own convenience. For more information and to register, please visit https://www.civicecology.org/plastics1. For questions. email CivicEcology@cornell.edu, use “Plastics” in the subject line.
Afghan Project Continues with a Second Family;
Listing of Items Needed
First Friends is partnering with Exodus Refugee to assist a second Afghan evacuee family. Friends assisted a family of five children and parents who moved to California to be with relatives. They are resettling there, creating a new life for themselves. A second family of two parents and three sons, ages 11, 17 and 19, are moving into the vacated Indianapolis home of the previous family.
First Friends Monthly Meeting for Worship and Business approved the continuation of the First Friends Afghan Project last Sunday, February 20. Seventeen vetted volunteers indicated an interest in continuing the Project. Five cleaned the apartment the day before the new family moved in. They left a scented candle on the coffee table for a homey touch. The next-door neighbor’s children helped prepare the home and their mother invited Friends over for tea. The gracious offer was declined since work was incomplete. Quakers tried to unstop the only bathroom sink with a plunger, chemical aid and snake. Later their Exodus partners came and finished that job by disassembling and then reassembling the pipes. Teamwork made the home move-in ready. The helpful neighbors are related to the new Afghan arrivals who had been living in a motel while awaiting housing. There is a shortage of affordable housing throughout the country and Indiana.
The FF Afghan Project Team collected and moved furniture into this apartment for the previous family. The first family left the furniture behind except for a few items they gave away. The Team will not need to refurnish the home although some tweaks are necessary. The Team is also providing food and rent for the family. The Project collected food staples previously and some remain. Enough monies were raised to cover some expenses such as rent, utilities, food and other necessities. Donations will also cover interpreter fees. First Friends, other churches and individuals have contributed to the Project.
Items needed: two floor lamps, a TV and an antenna (no cable available); end tables; table lamps and curtains
Thank you for supporting continuation of this Project and supporting Afghan evacuees.
Queries for the Week
• Where am I discovering “something worth seeing” in my neighbors?
• To whom do I need to have more compassion – a willingness to suffer with?
• How might I truly find joy in sharing my humanity with those around me?