Friend to Friend July 10, 2019

July 10, 2019

As Way Opens

On our very last evening in Philadelphia, our Quaker Affirmation youth and leaders ventured to Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting. What drew us to the meetinghouse at dusk was their James Turrell Skyspace. If you are unfamiliar with James Turrell, he is a Quaker artist who for over half a century has worked directly with light and space to create artworks that engages viewers with the limits and wonder of human perception. (jamesturrell.org)

It was James Turrell’s grandmother who gave inspiration to this installation which he titled Greet the Light after her words each week on the way to Sunday morning Quaker worship. She always would encourage young James to “go inside and greet the light.”

As we know from our own Quaker meetinghouse, most are unadorned, especially the worship space. The Chestnut Hill Quakers decided to include a James Turrell Skyspace when they planned their new meetinghouse. They stated that it was to create a peaceful place for people from all walks of life and religious backgrounds.

(Photo by R. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia)

That final night, we arrived at dusk and found just that - a variety of people gathering in the meetinghouse - some laid out on yoga mats directly on the floor while others stretched out on the meetinghouse benches. We gathered to watch something that the host said cannot be fully described but must be experienced. For the next 50 minutes, and as the sun fully set for the evening, we took in not only a contemplative respite from our busy trip, but a room filled with a variety of brilliant colors and changing light.

It was interesting listening to our youth afterwards try to explain just what had taken place. There was a definite a sense of sacredness, centeredness, and that we had worshipped together in a new and profound way. For some, it was hard to stay awake as snoring and deep breathing were heard. Overall, I think we all agreed that this was unlike anything we had ever experienced before.

If you’re interested in experiencing the art of James Turrell locally, Newfields has a piece titled Acton from his Space Division Construction series, 1976.

Grace and peace,

Bob

Joys & Concerns

Let’s give thanks to this week’s food pantry volunteers: Dan H, Susan R, Linda and Rik L, Kathy R, Mara S, Cletus T, Carol and Jim D. As always, we send thanks to our volunteers as well as those who donate food and monies for the pantry. Thank you for your generosity!

Quaker-Affiliated Organizations

Indiana Friends Committee on Legislation (IFCL) ~ Want a chance to meet with politicians who might actually listen? Come join us in the parlor at IFCL's monthly meeting on Saturday, July 13 at 10:00 a.m. at First Friends. IFCL is presenting its annual Legislators of the Year Award to Representative Carey Hamilton and Senator John Ruckelshaus. Both honorees will be present to accept, and we look forward to some discussion with them on ways we might work together on specific issues next year. Let's show our appreciation for legislators willing work across party lines for the common good. All are welcome. See Phil Goodchild (goodch713@aol.com; 317-790-9054) or Ed Morris (emorri@earthlink.net) with any questions. Thank you.

Please note that the award presentation will begin at 10am. There will be a short IFCL meeting at 9am.

Join Us for the Indianapolis Gerrymander Meander Progressive Picnic - Disappointed in the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision refusing to prohibit partisan gerrymandering? IFCL, along with its partners in the Indiana Coalition for Independent Redistricting, is hosting a picnic and short walk across a SINGLE northside Indianapolis neighborhood that has been carved up into TWO different Congressional districts and FOUR different state legislative districts. This event is designed to call attention to the need for redistricting reform -- and to show our elected officials that Hoosiers are not backing down in our fight for fair representation. We're gearing up to take the issue back to the General Assembly next session, and hope you'll join us on July 17th in the push to end gerrymandering in Indiana.

WHEN: Wednesday, July 17, 6:00-8:00 p.m.

WHERE: Starts at Arsenal Park (1400 E. 46th Street, Indianapolis) with hot dogs, hamburgers, and vegetarian options. Ends at Canterbury Park (5501 Carvel Avenue, Indianapolis) with ice cream.

To RSVP, Sign up here: http://bit.ly/2S83eCi. or contact Phil Goodchild (goodch713@aol.com; 317-790-9054) with any questions. Thank you.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Do you know where this pile of brush came from? This past weekend we found a very large pile of tree limbs and brush in our parking lot under the basketball hoop. It may have been dropped off Friday or Saturday. If anyone knows where this came from, please notify the office at office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485. Thank you.

Sunday Unprogrammed Worship Notice ~ Unprogrammed Worship on Sunday Mornings at 9:00am has been moved back to the Parlor. If you plan to join us that morning, please note the change in location! We are also asking that people coming to Meeting for Worship that morning please be respectful of those who may be worshipping and keep noise in the hallway to a minimum. Feel free to chat all you’d like in the foyer of course!

Men’s Threshing Together ~ If you are interested in gathering with other men who mull over current issues or topics, where all points of view are heard, no decisions are made, and all in a non-threatening atmosphere over a meal, then Threshing Together is for you! Due to VBS, we have rescheduled our next meeting to Tuesday, July 23 at 7:00pm. See locations here: http://bit.ly/ThreshingSpring19.

Western Yearly Meeting Annual Sessions – Registration Open! The Western Yearly Meeting Annual sessions this year will be held on Thursday-Sunday, July 25-28. Everyone is encouraged to join us for these sessions in Plainfield. This year’s theme is “Unleash the Love, Release the Power!” The reference scripture comes from II Timothy 1:7 “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” (NIV). For more information, to view the schedule, and to register, please visit https://www.westernyearlymeeting.org

New Library Books – Read them for Free! Friends, we have 25 new books in the library. You will occasionally find reviews of some of them here in Friend to Friend. This time your reviewer has chosen A Contemporary Mysticism: Support on the Spiritual Path, by Michael Resman.

Resman has written gently, modestly, thoughtfully about mystical experiences and how individuals change as a result of their deep feeling of connection to that which is beyond words to name or describe. His gratitude for the guidance God has given him is immense. A sensitive man, his book shares his spiritual path and shows how lives are enriched as he and others find their way to God.

For many years Resman has helped to edit What Canst Thou Say?, a small monthly account of Friends mystical and contemplative practices.

Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for July

House Wren: Not the Troublemaker

As I entered the woods, I heard nothing birdwise. It was not the best time of day for hearing birds, but I wanted to find something! Then I saw a small bird moving in a tree in the neighbor’s yard to the east. I started pishing (an imitation of a distress call) to bring the bird in, and when it arrived, I saw that it was a House Wren. The wren began pishing right back, and in just a moment, I heard a Cooper’s Hawk, and saw it land above the wren. It had heard all the pishing, and was looking for an easy meal. I feared for the wren’s safety, but instead the house wren started fussing at the hawk. This alarm call brought in six other species, including: cardinal, Carolina wren, tufted titmouse, downy woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker, and white-breasted nuthatch. Now the woods WAS alive with activity, but I must admit that I was the troublemaker, having stirred things up to start with. The hawk left “empty-handed.”

House wrens are present in the meetinghouse area from mid-April through mid-October, and there are usually three or more nesting pairs. ~ Brad J

SAWs Ramp Build ~ The Shalom Zone is planning another SAWS ramp build for the morning of Saturday, July 27. SAWS is an organization that builds ramps for low income folks who need a ramp to enter/exit their homes. If you would like to volunteer to help or need more information, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org. Since we need to plan the work crews from among the Shalom Zone churches, let us know as soon as you are able that you plan to assist. Volunteers must complete the volunteer form before their first build. This form can be found on the SAWS website: www.sawsramps.org.

Would you like to help the library? The library committee is currently looking for new members! Responsibilities include occasional upkeep, organization and management of our library. If you’re interested in joining the committee, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485.

Western Yearly Meeting and Friends United Meeting 2019 Projects ~ First Friends’ annual campaign to raise funds for the 2019 WYM and 2019 FUM mission projects began with the luncheon hosted by Witness & Service a few weeks ago.

The WYM project is "Education for Esther" and involves child education for girls among the Samburu and Turkana people groups in Kenya. Girls in such areas typically don’t have the funds to go to school and this project will provide scholarships to enable some girls to further their education. Each scholarship costs only $400. Find more information here: http://bit.ly/2NLfx98.

The FUM project is "Everyone Welcome" and involves raising money for physical improvements to the Ramallah Friends School so that special needs kids can fully access all areas of the school. You can read more information about the project here: http://bit.ly/2JGkTgq.

First Friends relies on both Western Yearly Meeting and Friends United Meeting to recommend mission projects each year and the folks at First Friends have always responded in a most generous manner. Please help as you are able to support these most worthy mission projects. Please indicate in the memo section of your check which project (or both projects) you would like to support. Thanks for your prayerful consideration.

Shalom Zone Garage Sale ~ On Saturday, July 27, from 8 am to noon (set up beginning at 7 am) the Shalom Zone churches will be sponsoring “garage sale’ and “craft sale” opportunities for individuals in the Cross and Crown parking lot at 79th and Allisonville Rd. You will be able to reserve a space for $10 in advance ($15 day of sale). The rest is up to you – bring your own table or use the trunk of your car. You get to keep whatever you earn. The adjoining neighborhood of Ivy Hills will have its annual garage sale the same day so there should be no shortage of folks looking for a deal. The Shalom Zone will donate the reservation fees to School on Wheels, a voluntary program which tutors homeless children throughout Marion County. For more info or to reserve a space contact the office (office@indyfriends.org)

Alice Paul and her Quaker Witness ~ Next year is the 100th anniversary of American women being granted the right to vote by the 19th Amendment, which became law in 1920. Many people have heard of Alice Paul, the Quaker woman who was instrumental in getting that Amendment enacted, but few people today know exactly what she did, and fewer still know how her Quaker faith played a strong role in her actions.

A recently published essay titled "Alice Paul and her Quaker witness" provides an in-depth examination of Alice Paul's life and work from a Quaker perspective. Most Friends who have read the essay find it fascinating. The Bethesda Friends Meeting of Maryland has recently approved a minute recommending that all Friends read this essay. The essay can be found online on that Meeting's web page at the following address: http://www.bethesdafriends.org/Alice-Paul-and-her-Quaker-witness-2019.pdf. All are encouraged to share this essay and the awareness of Alice Paul as much as possible, in preparation of the 100th anniversary next year!

Registration Open! First Friends Women’s Retreat ~ All women are invited to join us for our Women’s Retreat on September 20th - 22nd 2019. The retreat will be held at the Benedict Inn Retreat and Conference Center in Beech Grove. We will begin at 5:00 p.m. on Friday with dinner and gathering to learn about the Enneagram personality types. On Saturday we will continue our exploration of the Enneagram personality types, explore our types and what that means in our lives. We will work together on creating t-shirt shopping bags for the Mid North Food Pantry, have a nature walk in the Center’s peace garden led by two of the Sisters and watch a movie together. We will share meals and snacks together all day. On Sunday we will worship together in the center’s chapel and then head home.

The retreat will be facilitated by Beth Booram. Beth is the co-founder and director of Fall Creek Abbey, an urban retreat center in Indianapolis, where she co-facilitates The School of Spiritual Direction and offers individual and group spiritual direction. Prior to this vocation, Beth was a contract consultant with the Center for Congregations. She describes herself as a “deep feeler who loves to think; an extrovert with a penchant for solitude; an artist who sees the hand of God in even the smallest encounters with creation.” Beth has authored several books including When Faith Becomes Sight (with her husband, David) and Starting Something New. She also co-authored Awaken Your Senses with Quaker author, J. Brent Bill.

We are asking attendees to read The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile before the retreat if possible. If you would like us to get the book for you ($14), please contact the office.

The cost of the retreat per person ranges from $103-$184 depending on the type of room and bath. To reserve your spot for the retreat, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org. Payment is not due until August.

Scholarships are available—please contact the office to inquire about scholarships.

Shalom Zone 5th Tuesday Presentation ~ The Shalom Zone invites you to their 5th Tuesday Presentation: “Strengthening your relationship with God.” This will be an evening of relaxation and imagination. The facilitator will be Father Jim Farrell. It is being held Tuesday, July 30, 7:00-8:30pm at Our Lady of Fatima Retreat House, 5353 E 56th St (east of Emerson on 56th St. – next driveway east of Cathedral). All are welcome! For more information, please contact Mary Gault at maryhgault@gmail.com.

Calling all ice cream lovers! First Friends will be working at the Dairy Bar at the Indiana State Fair on Saturday, August 10th all day. This is a major fundraiser for our youth programming. We still need volunteers from 3:30-10:30pm. It is fast paced but lots of fun! Volunteers will receive a free ticket to the State Fair for that day, as well as unlimited ice cream, shakes and cheese sandwiches. Please let the office (office@indyfriends.org) know if you’re interested in volunteering!

This Week’s Queries

How is my Quaker faith being lived out, today?

Where do I need to speak up?

Where am I neglecting my neighbors?

Comment

Friend to Friend July 3, 2019

July 3, 2019

As Way Opens

Friends, we returned from our Quaker Affirmation trip to Philadelphia Monday evening exhilarated and exhausted from our adventure together. Ten of us made the long drive to Philly last Thursday and spent Friday, Saturday and Sunday visiting all kind of sites like William Penn’s home, Independence Hall, Arch Street Meeting, Museum of American Revolution, Eastern State Penitentiary and the James Turrell art installation at Chestnut Hill Friends. We worshipped at Central Philadelphia Meeting on Sunday at the Friends Center in downtown Philly. We all loved staying at Pendle Hill and everyone (except me) enjoyed the large Art Center in our building. We played Catch Phrase and Pictionary Friday night and the adults commented that they hadn’t laughed that hard in ages.

A trip like this bonds everyone together in ways that showing up here on Sunday just can’t do. We learned a lot about each other and had opportunities to have conversations about all kinds of things. We also learned much about our country’s history that I never knew and was never taught in history class in school. I always thought that early settlers here were seeking independence and freedom from Great Britain but that was not the case at all. Early settlers were British citizens and wanted it that way and fought with the British against the French in the Seven Year's War. The decision to start the American Revolution was less about taxation without representation and more about preserving the system of laws and courts established here.

This trip also showed the huge influence that Quakers had on the ideals of our country. William Penn promoted his new territory as a place to come and live with religious tolerance for all and the foundation for Pennsylvania was a framework for our great American experiment. Yet there were lots of contradictions right from the start just as we continue to be conflicted about many things today. While Penn promoted equality and that of God in each person, he owned slaves and talked about freeing them but never did. Quakers were also conflicted about the Revolution itself being against war of any form and many of them did not support either side in this conflict. That would have been a very hard decision to make at the time and I wonder if our country could have gained its independence without war? Quakers have always talked about a third way and I wonder if there could have been a different path to freedom and how that would have impacted our country to this day? This trip has me reflecting on my principles as a Quaker and wondering about my contradictions and how am I living out my values and standing up for my beliefs. May we all take time on the Fourth of July to consider these questions in our lives.

Beth

Photos courtesy of Bob Henry. See more photos from our trip at www.facebook.com/IndyFriends

Joys & Concerns

Tom and Noell K will soon be moving to Washington. We will miss them very much and we deeply appreciate everything they’ve done to contribute to our Meeting. Please come Sunday morning, July 21st to help us say goodbye to our dear Friends.

Quaker-Affiliated Organizations

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Sunday Unprogrammed Worship Notice ~ Unprogrammed Worship on Sunday Mornings at 9:00am is moving back to the Parlor. If you plan to join us that morning, please note the change in location! We are also asking that people coming to Meeting for Worship that morning please be respectful of those who may be worshipping and keep noise in the hallway to a minimum. Feel free to chat all you’d like in the foyer of course!

Rise Up Sing Along! ~ Save the date for singing with Jim and Jesse. Jesse has been showing up on Sundays and in the garden. He and Jim gave us a high energy, highly enjoyable evening in June. Join the Sing Alongers in the Parlor on Friday July 19th for another evening of free fun. Mark you calendars!

Garden Update and Tips

The first Community Garden harvest for Mid-North Food Pantry goes out this week. Carol and Nancy selected a variety of greens including claytonia, Swiss chard, red-streaked mizuna, collards and mustard. The plants were grown in the designated pantry plot, #2, and in an individual’s plot. Remember gardeners, you can donate your extra produce to the Pantry rather than letting it rot!

Japanese beetles are starting to appear in the garden. Watch for them on beans, corn, rhubarb and other crops. An overpopulation can kill plants fast. They will feed on tops of leaves between veins. Handpicking in early morning when they are tired and less likely to fly away is a great defense. You may shake plants and have a catching sheet underneath. You may use a hand vacuum to collect them. Dispose of beetles in soapy water or dump them into a plastic bag and kill by freezing overnight. You may also use neem. Insecticidal soap and pyrethrums ( from chrysanthemums) may be used as a last resort. You must spray the bugs directly. We have a large spraying device in the garage. Teamwork is required to rid a community garden of pests. Everyone start handpicking!

Sam was seen planting and watering some of the free marigolds available beside the water tank.

Linda and Ed’s tomatoes are displaying some red! Hurrah!

Naomi is ready to help out gardeners who need it and has great intentions for taming the pantry plot’s tomatoes.

John was curious and made a field trip to the garden to see what was coming up.

The first colored zinnia blooms have appeared in the Hope plot next to the voluminous yarrow and its pollinators. Exciting times in the great outdoors!

Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading’s pick for the month of July is The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah! The discussion will be led by Kathy Rhyne on Tuesday July 30th at 7 pm in the Parlor. New York Times Review: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/01/books/review-great-alone-kristin-hannah.html Click on this link to follow event information on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/449605392540583/ Contact the office at office@indyfriends.org if you’d like to receive email updates.

Scholarships are available—please contact the office to inquire about scholarships.

Calling all ice cream lovers! First Friends will be working at the Dairy Bar at the Indiana State Fair on Saturday, August 10th all day. This is a major fundraiser for our youth programming. We plan to have two shifts, 9:00am-3:30pm, and 3:30-10:30pm. It is fast paced but lots of fun! Volunteers will receive a free ticket to the State Fair for that day, as well as unlimited ice cream, shakes and cheese sandwiches. Please let the office (office@indyfriends.org) know if you’re interested in volunteering!

This Week’s Queries

Does it feel like Jesus is my friend?

How do I live out his command to love one another?

Comment

Friend to Friend June 26, 2019

June 27, 2019

As Way Opens

New black socks are the best. The first time you put them on they conform to your feet. They seem to make your shoes fit better. They have a softness that somehow gets washed out over time.

I think the sock industry has a secret weapon...extra fuzzies. Like the crunchy fried pieces that come along with fish and chips (neither fish nor potato), socks have their own extra goodness.

How do I know…because when I take a shower after wearing my new black socks for the first time, I find the tub floor covered with wet black fuzzies. Sometimes so many fuzzies that it seems the socks have given away part of themselves – as if they are involved in some sacrificial first wearing ceremony.

When I was little, I remember my mom looking between my toes for what she properly called “toe jam.” I knew this jam was never going to end up on my toast. She faithfully cleaned it out because, as a 4 yr. old, I could care less if it was even there. For some reason she cared – much like my grandma who always seemed concerned about holes in my underwear – what was their issue anyway? Geez!

Toe Jam and sock fuzzies are so petty compared to what Jesus was washing off his disciple’s feet before his last supper with them. The disciples were journeymen. Their feet had much more caked on them than just fuzzies. Their socks were simply a coating of sweat, dust, animal dung, human waste, and anything else thrown out on those famous Roman roads.

Talk about being concerned about “toe jam.” No wonder mothers are so anxious these days; the concern was passed down to them through a long succession of uneasy mothers wondering what their child was packing between their toes.

I can hear those fishermen-disciples talking about the stench coming from their feet. “Hey, dung feet, can you put those things away?” “Can’t you watch where you are stepping, I think you walked through the contents of the bucket John dumped out the window after last night’s Passover meal.” “I think Jesus sent those demons into your little piggies.”

This was no fun job – 12 grown men trying to pull it together for one last supper. And where was Jesus? There he was at the door, bent over, with towel at his waist, and a trough of water, ready to begin the daunting task of scrubbing these disgusting feet.

This wasn’t mom searching for toe jam before bed. This wasn’t a quick shower to release the black fuzzies from one’s toes after wearing a new pair of socks. This was a much greater ordeal.

Actually, this was servanthood – helping and caring with a humility and a love that wants to serve others unselfishly.

I imagine as Jesus moved through each of the disciples he went through several towels, the floor must have been covered with disgusting muck puddles, and the water in the trough had to have been changed frequently. It must have looked like a car wash after a Jeep Wrangler mudding event.

Jesus was probably a bit exhausted when he was done, and probably needed his own bath, as his clothing must have been covered in a myriad of guck and nastiness. Yet it was a picture for us of what the life of a Christ follower looks like.

Jesus said in Matthew 20:26, “If anyone wants to be great, he must be the servant of the rest.” That sounds nice…let me check for toe jam or fuzzies. No, that’s not the picture Jesus was painting us. Let’s get down and dirty...saturated with the excrement and dirt of this world. That takes putting aside our desires, our wanting to be great or right, and learning to serve our neighbor – even if they are planning to betray us.

Are we simply checking for toe jam or really scrubbing the feet of our neighbors?

“If anyone wants to be great, he must be the servant of the rest, and if one of you wants to be first, he must be your slave – like the Son of Man who did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life to redeem many people.” - Matthew 20:26

Grace and peace,

Bob

Joys & Concerns

We had a wonderful unprogrammed memorial service for Helen D. It was amazing sharing memories of Helen among family and Friends. What an expansive and incredible life she led. If you missed the service and would like to listen, you can download the recording from the password-protected private portal on our website. Just visit https://www.indyfriends.org/private. If you need the password, please call the office at 317-255-2485.

Saturday, June 8 was a fun day as First Friends enjoyed the Indy Pride Parade! (Photos by Bob H. To see more, visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/indyfriends!)

What a great morning we had this past Sunday celebrating our Friends Educational Fund Scholarship recipients! Congratulations! (thank you to Carl B & Bob H for photos)

Affirmation Students leave tomorrow, June 27th, for Philadelphia! Krishan C, Sam and Lewis H, Lucy K, Kwali T, and Erin T will be traveling with adult sponsors: Beth H, Bob and Sue H, and Aaron T. Please hold the group in the Light and ask for safe travels as we make the drive to Pennsylvannia. The students will tour several Quaker historic sites including Arch St. Meeting House, Freedom Hall, the Liberty Bell, William Penn’s home, among other historic sites of our country. Thank you to everyone who donated and supported our efforts, you made this trip possible!

Quaker-Affiliated Organizations

Indiana Friends Committee on Legislation (IFCL) - Want a chance to meet with politicians who might actually listen? Come join us at IFCL's monthly meeting on Saturday, July 13 at 9:00 a.m. at First Friends. IFCL is presenting its annual Legislators of the Year Award to Representative Carey Hamilton and Senator John Ruckelshaus. Both honorees will be present to accept, and we look forward to some discussion with them on ways we might work together on specific issues next year. Let's show our appreciation for legislators willing to work across party lines for the common good. All are welcome. See Phil Goodchild (goodch713@aol.com; 317-790-9054) or Ed Morris (emorri@earthlink.net) with any questions. Thank you.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Stewardship: Water Conservation! All this rain is a reminder of water flowing to our streams and rivers. This is a handy guide about the things you can be doing in your own yards to keep our water clean to drink, play, fish and swim in. http://ourwaterways.org/resources/homeownerguide/

Soup & Service ~ You are invited to join our First Friends community for our second Soup & Service event immediately after Meeting for Worship on Sunday, June 30. This informal luncheon will “kick off” First Friends’ annual campaign to raise funds for the 2019 WYM and 2019 FUM mission projects.

The WYM project is "Education for Esther" and involves child education for girls among the Samburu and Turkana people groups in Kenya. The FUM project is "Everyone Welcome" and involves raising money for physical improvements for special needs kids at the Ramallah Friends School. You can expect to learn more about these worthy projects during the luncheon from representatives of WYM and FUM. Since we are approaching summer, salads, rather than soups, will be served. You are invited to bring a dessert to share, but it is not necessary. Please plan to attend.

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 30th, 2019. For an application please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.

Sign up NOW for VBS! Registration is now open for Vacation Bible School this summer! This year’s theme is “Roar! Life is Wild, God is Good!” We will kick off on Sunday, July 14 from 12-2pm after worship and then have daily sessions the following Monday through Thursday evenings from 6:30-8:30. Registration forms can be found on the corner table in the hallway. The registration deadline is July 1st! If you have any questions, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org

Our Community Garden looks like a jewelry box with its luxurious green studded raised beds rising from a beautifully manicured lawn (thanks again to Ben’s indefatigable gift of mowing).

Fur may not always deter chipmunks given our finding of a cozy nest artfully fashioned from rabbit fur and dried grasses. It was in one of our plots and filled with baby chipmunks!!! Get out the next line of defense because the babies are growing fast. Try spraying cayenne pepper spray on your crops to ward off hungry critters. Rotten egg spray can be effective but can inadvertently attract dogs. Substances must be reapplied frequently—especially after rain. Excellent commercial organic repellents are available. Customize strategies for specific pests.

Sam found an orange and black swamp milkweed leaf beetle. It eats many types of pest bugs but seems harmless to crops since it prefers milkweed plants. Let it be.

The food pantry plot’s first donation of greens are ready to ship out to Mid-North Food Pantry. It is a delectable and tasty-looking start.

Are you able to help a student? An Earlham student is looking for a host family here in the Indianapolis area. Her name is Caitlin and she will be working on a research project at the University of Indianapolis for 7 weeks. She will need housing June 25 through August 16. She has her own transportation and will just need a place to stay. If you or anyone you know can help Caitlin, please reach out to the office at office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485.

Scholarships are available—please contact the office to inquire about scholarships.

Calling all ice cream lovers! First Friends will be working at the Dairy Bar at the Indiana State Fair on Saturday, August 10th all day. This is a major fundraiser for our youth programming. We plan to have two shifts, 9:00am-3:30pm, and 3:30-10:30pm. It is fast paced but lots of fun! Volunteers will receive a free ticket to the State Fair for that day, as well as unlimited ice cream, shakes and cheese sandwiches. Please let the office (office@indyfriends.org) know if you’re interested in volunteering!

This Week’s Queries

What am I doing to “fix” the problems around me?
Where do I need to raise my hand?
Where do I need to transform my seeing into action?

Comment

Friend to Friend June 19, 2019

June 19, 2019

As Way Opens

I have been thinking about the message that Kelly Kellum shared with us last Sunday on breathing underwater. I love the water and some of my happiest places involve water; my good friend’s beautiful pool, the beach along Lake Michigan in Holland, Grand Haven, Saugatuck, our meditational woods with cascading water over rocks, the list goes on and on. The sound of water calms me and brings me into union with creation. Taking a long hot shower is one of life’s most glorious pleasures that I am grateful to experience each morning. Water cleanses, renews, cools, and keeps us alive. But water can also be terrifying. One of the scariest moments of my life occurred in the ocean at Laguna Beach in California. As I was playing in the water, the waves picked up and a tide started pulling me under and further out into deeper water. I completely panicked and started struggling to keep my head above the water. I felt this tide pulling me down and I feared for my life. All of a sudden someone appeared and grabbed my arm and began swimming with me towards shore. I never found out the man’s name and didn’t adequately thank him for saving me and he just seemed to disappear back into the ocean.

Friends, so many things we cherish in our life can also bring us pain and terror. I think some of our panic comes from drawing into ourselves and losing our faith instead of releasing and relaxing into the flow of life and floating into the arms of God. I like the poem by Carol Bieleck Breathing Under Water:

I built my house by the sea. Not on the sands, mind you; not on the shifting sand. I built it of rock. A strong house by a strong sea.
And we got well acquainted, the sea and I. Great neighbors. Not that we spoke much. We met in silences.
Respectful, keeping our distance, but looking our thoughts across the fence of sand. Always the fence of sand our barrier, always, the sand between.
And then one day, and I still don’t know how it happened, the sea came. Without warning. Without welcome, even not sudden and swift, but shifting across the sand like wine,
Less like the flow of water than the flow of blood. Slow but coming. Slow, but flowing like an open wound.
And I thought of flight and I thought of drowning and I thought of death. And while I thought the sea crept higher, till it reached my door.
And I knew then, there was neither flight, nor death, nor drowning. That when the sea comes calling you stop being neighbors,
Well acquainted, friendly-at-a-distance, neighbors, and give your house for a coral castle,
And you learn to breathe underwater.

When the current starts to take us under and we feel we are drowning, may we relax and just float for awhile until we can start swimming sideways and then to shore. May we learn to breathe under water.

Joys & Concerns

The drenching rain did not dampen the spirits of Dan’s Glandiators and other Purplestride participants walking to support pancreatic cancer research! Can you spot Dan in the photo on the left?

Quaker-Affiliated Organizations

Indiana Friends Committee on Legislation (IFCL) - Want a chance to meet with politicians who might actually listen? Come join us at IFCL's monthly meeting on Saturday, July 13 at 9:00 a.m. at First Friends. IFCL is presenting its annual Legislators of the Year Award to Representative Carey Hamilton and Senator John Ruckelshaus. Both honorees will be present to accept, and we look forward to some discussion with them on ways we might work together on specific issues next year. Let's show our appreciation for legislators willing to work across party lines for the common good. All are welcome. See Phil Goodchild (goodch713@aol.com; 317-790-9054) or Ed Morris (emorri@earthlink.net) with any questions. Thank you.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Men’s Threshing Together ~ If you are interested in gathering with other men who mull over current issues or topics, where all points of view are heard, no decisions are made, and all in a non-threatening atmosphere over a meal, then Threshing Together is for you! Join us for our next meeting tomorrow, Thursday, June 20 at 7:00pm led by Ed M. See updated locations here: http://bit.ly/ThreshingSpring19.

World Refugee Day Event Invitation ~ Everyone is welcome to join Catholic Charities Indianapolis in celebrating World Refugee Day on Thursday, June 20th from 7:30-10:30 a.m. Come enjoy Cultural villages, Breakfast, coffee & tea from around the globe, Music, Refugee artwork, Entertainment, Children's Activities, and great conversation. The event is being held at the Catholic Center, Assembly Hall 1400 North Meridian Street. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at helpcreatehope.org. We hope to see many members of First Friends at this unique event supporting our refugee neighbors.

Sing Along with Jim in June ~ Experience the joy of singing without being judged. Accept your inner singer, come let him or her out in semi-public and sing along with cheerful, relaxed Jim K and the rest of the regulars. Shake a shaker, rattle a tambourine, tap your feet, clap your hands like the trees and enjoy a free Friday event. Coming up on June 21 at 7 PM in the parlor. As almost always, it’s the third Friday.

Babysitting Co-Op ~ Our babysitting co-op is happening this June 22nd from 5:30 - 9:30, hosted by Beth H. Dinner will be provided for the kids. Please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org if you would like to have your kids join in the fun that evening!

VOCE Presents: All That Jazz! All are invited to attend All That Jazz, a performance put on by VOCE, a local singing group. Come join us for a great summer night of Vocal Jazz music in a Cabaret setting with adult beverages and snacks. Our own Carolyn T will also perform a solo! This will be held on Saturday, June 22 at 7:30 pm at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, 1402 W Main St, Carmel. Tickets are $25 and includes cabaret snacks and beverages. For more information and to buy tickets, please visit www.voceindy.org!

Please plan to join us at Meeting for Worship this Sunday, June 23. The Friends Education Fund is a special fund long ago entrusted to the Quakers of Indianapolis. (To read more about its fascinating history, please visit http://bit.ly/FEFHistory.) Our special guests that day will be our Friends Education Fund recipients and their families, whom we will recognize during worship and afterward during a special fellowship hour reception. Please join us on the 23rd at 10:15 to show them our Quaker hospitality and make First Friends a warm and welcoming place for our special guests!

Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading is this coming Tuesday night! Rik L will be leading Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann on the 25th of June at 7 pm in the Parlor. Click link for the New York Times Review: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/12/books/review-killers-of-flower-moon-david-grann.html All are welcome!

Free Piano to a good home! ~ Barbara O is offering a Cable Nelson spinet piano to anyone who would like to have it. There is no charge except to move it. It must be picked up no later than Tuesday! If you or anyone you know is interested, please contact Barbara by text at 317-457-4003 or email at boberrei@gmail.com.

Community Garden Update and Tips

The community gardeners are sneaking in between rains, when possible, to work on their raised beds. The Mid-North Food Pantry plot and the Hope plot are coming along nicely with various gardeners weeding when they stop by. This includes Amy and LeeAnne.

Slugs and snails are sliding by too to eat big holes out of the delicious greens. Deter them by scattering eggshells or sweet gum balls around your crops. Many animals hate rough surfaces. In addition, picking up those sweet gum balls from our courtyard may save someone from losing their balance and falling! Human hair and animal fur can sometimes scare away rabbits and chipmunks.

A blessing now is that none of us need to water!

Calling all ice cream lovers! First Friends will be working at the Dairy Bar at the Indiana State Fair on Saturday, August 10th all day. This is a major fundraiser for our youth programming. We plan to have two shifts, 9:00am-3:30pm, and 3:30-10:30pm. It is fast paced but lots of fun! Volunteers will receive a free ticket to the State Fair for that day, as well as unlimited ice cream, shakes and cheese sandwiches. Please let the office (office@indyfriends.org) know if you’re interested in volunteering!

Monthly Meeting Notice ~ Please note that due to holidays and events, there will be no monthly meeting for June. The next meeting will be Sunday, July 21.

Your Talent is Needed! ~ The choir is on vacation May 26 through September 1. Please see the signup sheet on the bulletin board in the hallway of the Meetinghouse to sign up for summer music! We are hoping you will come share your talent with the congregation. Be it with your voice by singing or by playing an instrument. You can even do a reading or a dance! We still need volunteers for July 7, August 4 and August 25. Sign up now for any or several of these dates. Thank you for sharing your God-given gifts!

This Week’s Queries

How have you felt the ocean encroaching on your life and home?
What does it mean for you to breathe underwater?
When have you experienced the ocean of light and love washing over you?

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Friend to Friend June 12, 2019

June 12, 2019

As Way Opens

Yesterday morning was as perfect as a morning can be in Indiana. Even though we don’t have mountains or the ocean, an Indiana morning with the clear sky, crisp air and beautiful trees and greenery is spectacular. As I arrived at the Meeting to start my day, the Meditational Woods was beckoning me, and I had to stop and take time to slowly step onto the path and appreciate the beauty of this special place. I was feeling gratitude for the people like Mindy, Mary, Amy, Sam Wilson and others for tending to this space. I was thankful for the vision that Mary Blackburn and others had 18 years ago to take flat grassland and turn it into this thriving space of trees, plants and sacred space. I felt gratitude for all of the people listed on the marker that helped make the dream of a meditational woods become a reality. Many of those people are gone now but these woods are a legacy to their life and their values. I was feeling thankful that Scott Small dedicated his Eagle Scout project to establishing a peace poll with space to sit and reflect on peace for the world.

I continued walking, observing and listening to the sounds these woods hold and share with each of us if we will only listen. I sat down on a bench given in memory of Lorton Heusel and the sun was at the perfect angle to bathe my entire being in warmth and light. I felt completely enveloped in God’s embrace and love. I sat there for quite a while not wanting to break the spell. I felt renewed and energized and all because I decided to not start my day quite so soon and followed my leading into the woods.

Later in the day I was in the parking lot of Kroger and an older woman on one of those scooters was stopped and sitting behind her car. I asked her if she was ok and she replied that the sun felt so good on her face and she just wanted to enjoy that. We had a 2-minute conversation about sun, light and sickness and once again I felt the touch of God in a very real way.

Friends, it is a beautiful day again today. Please stop your busyness for a few moments and sit under a tree, walk down a path, go to the park, ride your bike, sit on your porch and let God touch you with the beauty of creation and the stirring of the wind. Be still and know that I am God.

Beth

Joys & Concerns

Many thanks to our food pantry volunteers! Dan H, Kathy R, Kathy and Bill F, Linda and Rik L, Mara S, Carol and Jim D. We were very busy as we served 110 families. Thank you for your service!

Congratulations Tony! Tony M recently competed in the bowling event for Special Olympics in Terre Haute and won a second-place medal! Congratulations to Tony!

Helen D’s memorial service is scheduled for Sunday, June 16th at noon. There will be an hour-long unprogrammed worship service, followed by a lunch pitch-in in Fellowship Hall at 1pm. If able, please bring a side dish, salad or dessert to share (if you plan on joining us for Meeting for Worship that morning, feel free to bring it with you then). We hope you will plan to join us for this celebration of life as we remember Helen with Friends and family. If you’d like to read Helen’s obituary, you can find it here: https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/indystar/obituary.aspx?n=helen-clement-swisher-davenport&pid=193037007

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Seamstress Garage Sale ~ Kay C is moving after 17 years into a Senior living facility and can't take all her stuff with her. Friday and Saturday June 14-15 from 8am until 2pm she will be getting rid of a lifetime of things. Fabric, books, dishes, bookcases, lamps, etc. She has a lot of fabric. It will be at 11136 Easy Street, just south of 116th off of Allisonville Road in Waterford Gardens.

PurpleStride Indianapolis 2019~ As many of you may know, in December 2017 our Dan R was diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas. In honor of Dan, his stepdaughter, Hillary Hughes, has formed a team called Dan’s Glandiators to join a fundraiser for Pancan.org- a research program seeking treatment and cure for this disease. This takes place Saturday June 15 at White River State Park. Details can be found at https://secure.pancan.org/site/SPageServer/?pagename=purplestride_event_details&fr_id=1681. You can get a purple shirt! The fundraiser is a 5k walk, but you can just hang out, and of course just donate. Register after 8 am, walk at 9. Questions? Contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.

Come hear Kelly Kellum at First Friends! Kelly will be with us on Sunday, June 16th for Meeting for Worship and will give the message. The people of First Friends will greet Kelly after worship in the parlor. We look forward to welcoming Kelly to First Friends. Kelly Kellum has served as General Secretary of Friends United Meeting since July 2018. Though based out of the FUM office in Richmond, Kelly spends much of his time traveling among Friends. He sees his primary work as strengthening relationships within our global community, coordinating the overall work of FUM, and building partnerships to advance the ministry of Friends wherever we are called to serve. He’s been married to Kathleen Hartney for over 27 years. They enjoy being outside, traveling, and spending time with good friends and family. Kathy and Kelly are members of High Point Friends Meeting, High Point, NC.

Scholarships are available—please contact Beth to inquire about scholarships.

Men’s Threshing Together ~ If you are interested in gathering with other men who mull over current issues or topics, where all points of view are heard, no decisions are made, and all in a non-threatening atmosphere over a meal, then Threshing Together is for you! Join us for our next meeting on Thursday, June 20 at 7:00pm led by Ed M. See updated locations here: http://bit.ly/ThreshingSpring19.

Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for June:

Chestnut-sided Warbler: The Voice of a Long-Time Friend

The phone rings, and when you answer, you hear the voice of a long-time friend saying hello. You smile, and you can hear a smile in the voice of the friend. Although this happens but perhaps three times a year, yet it is as if you were never apart. It is only the conversation that makes you both aware of the passage of time.

In my case the friend is a Chestnut-sided Warbler, and I hope the reader will pardon the fact that one will likely NOT find this bird in the Meditational Woods in June. This warbler came through in the middle of May. By the time you read this the bird will have moved on northward. There is a June connection, however.

After my brother, Scott, introduced me to birding in early 1972, I spent that summer and the next, working at Isle Royale National Park in the hotel kitchen. In my free time I encountered many northern species new for me. On the very first morning (June 12th) a bird sang right outside my window, “Pleased, Pleased, PLEASED TO MEET-YA” (increasing in intensity and pitch). I was glad to meet him! Every morning I awakened to his greeting from that conifer. Now, each May, when I hear a Chestnut-sided singing, it takes me back to those two wonderful summers on the island in Lake Superior.

On that recent morning in May, I heard the song as I stood at the entrance to the Meditational Woods. The bird was actually over in the sweet gum tree across from the front porch of the meetinghouse. After getting a great look at him, I sat on the steps for a good long while, and let the memories come back, while listening to… the voice of a long-time friend.

~ Brad J

Please plan to join us at Meeting for Worship on Sunday, June 23. The Friends Education Fund is a special fund long ago entrusted to the Quakers of Indianapolis. (To read more about its fascinating history, please visit http://bit.ly/FEFHistory.) Our special guests that day will be our Friends Education Fund recipients and their families, whom we will recognize during worship and afterward during a special fellowship hour reception. Please join us on the 23rd at 10:15 to show them our Quaker hospitality and make First Friends a warm and welcoming place for our special guests!

Monthly Meeting Notice ~ Please note that due to holidays and events, there will be no monthly meeting for June. The next meeting will be Sunday, July 21.

This Week’s Queries

Is our table inclusive? Are there things we do to be “religious” that separate us from others? Do we share our things with each other?

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Friend to Friend June 5, 2019

June 5, 2019

As Way Opens

This week a friend sent me a link to a Ted talk from Gerald Casey (https://youtu.be/DsrxbqFo41k). Gerald is an impressive young man that has survived a difficult childhood where his mom had significant mental illness and left home when he was 13 and his father was a drug addict and in and out of prison for years and yet he went on to attend Yale (on a football scholarship) and Harvard Business School. Gerald’s grandmother was his stabilizing influence and they were at their church in East Texas the night of December 31st, 1999 prior to the potential disaster of Y2K as we all entered the 21st century with some trepidation and fear. Gerald’s grandmother attended a Baptist church that believed the Rapture would occur that evening and at 12 years old Gerald followed his grandmother’s faith and clung to her hand to be sure he would be taken in this dramatic moment. They waited with bated breath and were disappointed with the lack of God’s action.

This experience was transformational for Gerald as his blind faith and belief gave way to doubt. How could the belief of their church be so wrong? How could the Bible be interpreted in this way that gave certainty to a group of Christians that God would embrace certain believers and take them to heaven during this time?

I completely relate to Gerald’s struggle with his blind faith. I was raised in a denomination that told me time and again that God could do anything and that it was only a matter of our personal faith to believe. I was troubled by this and starting in junior high began questioning things that didn’t make sense to me. By the time I was in high school I believed that this God that I didn’t understand but embraced was ok with my doubts. I love Gerald’s term - a Gospel of Doubt. I know that God welcomes my doubts, questions and queries. I had to deconstruct my faith to build it again. I know this is scary as our foundations of faith are critical to our identity, but a blind faith does not deepen our relationship with God or make God more alive and real to me. My very first class in seminary was about the violence in the Bible. A wonderful and deeply spiritual young man saw his blind faith crumble before his eyes as we examined the texts of violence in the Bible, the context and the contradictions that brought him to his knees. My heart embraced him, but I knew that he had to experience this to begin to understand the depths of God’s love and embrace.

I pray that you can embrace a Gospel of Doubt and maybe begin to ask new questions and contemplate new ideas about faith. Our God is beyond our understanding, accepting, loving and encouraging of all our doubts and concerns.

Beth

Joys & Concerns

Community building is going on in our Community Garden. It is inspiring seeing Kathy and Sam tenderly caring for the Hope plot. It is gratifying seeing Jesse help Nancy by burying raised bed frames. It is fun watching the clever T twins mark frail seedling placements with clover heads. It is endearing to see the Frame family work excitedly while planting together. Ben is pitching in to mow and to plant in the food pantry plot. Former community gardener Mary stopped by and lent her expertise. Gardeners-at-large are volunteering to help others. Heather and Josh are making headway on their plots after the rain has thwarted so many of us along with Indiana farmers. It is a blessing to get information by email, texts and websites from Sam and Rebecca. This is just a little peek at what has been happening on the north side of our meetinghouse….

On the most perfect spring day, Sunday, June 2, we gathered outside of our Meditational Woods for worship and meditation together. Afterwards, our Fellowship Committee put on a wonderful picnic for all those in attendance. Thank you to ALL who made this a fabulous morning together! (Photos courtesy of Kim H and Bob H. To see more photos, visit us at facebook.com/Indyfriends)

Meditational Woods ~ Here’s what’s blooming today: Foxglove beard tongue (Penstemon hirsutis) is blooming beautifully today in our Meditational Woods entrance. We are adding more plants that bloom at different times through the summer. Hopefully, next year they will be better established and will support more insects, butterflies and birds. Today we saw a pair eastern bluebirds when Brad Jackson stopped by to visit with our Woods bird family. Thanks to Sam Wilson to helping us out last week with weeding and planting. ~Mindy and Mary, Woods Co-Clerks.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Monthly Meeting Notice ~ Please note that due to holidays and events, there will be no monthly meeting for June. The next meeting will be Sunday, July 21.

The Indy Pride Parade is this weekend! The parade begins at 10am along Massachusetts Avenue on Saturday, June 8 and ends with a festival in Military Park that runs from 11am until 11pm. Tickets to the festival are $5 in advance or $10 the day of the festival. If you’d like to come with First Friends, feel free to join our carpool. We will meet at the Meetinghouse at 8:45 and leave at 9:00am. Please RSVP to the office if you plan on joining the carpool at office@indyfriends.org!

Pentecost Picnic! Fall Creek Friends invites you to honor the Spirit on Sunday, June 9th in silent worship at 10:30 am and fun, fellowship, and food afterwards. Fall Creek will provide main dishes, both meat and vegetarian, and drinks. Please bring a pitch-in dish if you can. Feel free to bring a friend. RSVP if you can, or just come! 1764 West IN-38, Pendleton IN 46064. To RSVP or for more information, contact the office at office@indyfriends.org!

Sign up NOW for VBS! Registration is now open for Vacation Bible School this summer! This year’s theme is “Roar! Life is Wild, God is Good!” We will kick off on Sunday, July 14 from 12-2pm after worship and then have daily sessions the following Monday through Thursday evenings from 6:30-8:30. Registration forms can be found on the corner table in the hallway. The registration deadline is July 1st! If you have any questions, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.

Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for June:

Chestnut-sided Warbler: The Voice of a Long-Time Friend

Come hear Kelly Kellum at First Friends! Kelly will be with us on Sunday, June 16th for Meeting for Worship and will give the message. The people of First Friends will greet Kelly after worship in the parlor. We look forward to welcoming Kelly to First Friends. Kelly Kellum has served as General Secretary of Friends United Meeting since July 2018. Though based out of the FUM office in Richmond, Kelly spends much of his time traveling among Friends. He sees his primary work as strengthening relationships within our global community, coordinating the overall work of FUM, and building partnerships to advance the ministry of Friends wherever we are called to serve. He’s been married to Kathleen for over 27 years. They enjoy being outside, traveling, and spending time with good friends and family. Kathy and Kelly are members of High Point Friends Meeting, High Point, NC.

Men’s Threshing Together ~ If you are interested in gathering with other men who mull over current issues or topics, where all points of view are heard, no decisions are made, and all in a non-threatening atmosphere over a meal, then Threshing Together is for you! Join us for our next meeting on Thursday, June 20 at 7:00pm led by Ed Morris. See updated locations here: http://bit.ly/ThreshingSpring19.

World Refugee Day Event Invitation ~ Everyone is welcome to join Catholic Charities Indianapolis in celebrating World Refugee Day on Thursday, June 20th from 7:30-10:30 a.m. Come enjoy Cultural villages, Breakfast, coffee & tea from around the globe, Music, Refugee artwork, Entertainment, Children's Activities, and great conversation. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at helpcreatehope.org. We hope to see many members of First Friends at this unique event supporting our refugee neighbors.

Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading’s pick for the month of June is Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann! The discussion will be led by Rik L on Tuesday June 25th at 7 pm in the Parlor. New York Times Review: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/12/books/review-killers-of-flower-moon-david-grann.html Contact the office at office@indyfriends.org if you’d like to receive email updates.

Children’s Books for MNFP! We are now collecting used children’s books for Mid-North Food Pantry (MNFP). This is an opportunity for those who visit the pantry to also grab a book on their way out, for their children’s delight and enrichment. If you have any children’s books you’re not using anymore, please consider donating them. You can drop off your books in the crate at the donation station in Fellowship Hall. Thank you for supporting the pantry!

Your Talent is Needed! ~ The choir is on vacation May 26 through September 1. Please see the signup sheet on the bulletin board in the hallway of the Meetinghouse to sign up for summer music! We are hoping you will come share your talent with the congregation. Be it with your voice by singing or by playing an instrument. You can even do a reading or a dance! We still need volunteers for July 7, August 4 and August 25. Sign up now for any or several of these dates. Thank you for sharing your God-given gifts!

Comment

Friend to Friend May 29, 2019

May 30, 2019

As Way Opens

On Sunday, May 26th, nearly 80 people gathered in the “big oval” set up in First Friends’ Fellowship Hall for a special Meeting for Worship. Indianapolis 500 Sunday and Memorial Day Weekend are always special at Frist Friends, but this was not our typical gathering.

Eric B started us off with some singing that set the mood for a more contemplative and reflective time together. We opened with a familiar rendition of This Little Light of Mine and then transitioned into a more reflective mood as we sang the hit song, Down to the River to Pray, from the motion picture, Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?, There was a true sense of the sisters, brothers, fathers, mothers, and sinners gathering together to pray in our sacred oval.

After a wonderful children’s message by Beth H about race car drivers and all the additional support people they need to be successful, we moved into a special time of silence and reflection. I mentioned that out of the silence Dan R would, as old Quakers would say, “give testimony this morning.” Often, Quakers describe testimonies as guiding principles of conduct, yet Dan was giving testimony in the traditional “bearing witness” way as he spoke out of the silence. As I mentioned in the introduction to our gathered time, Dan has battled pancreatic cancer courageously over the last year and a half. With integrity and truth, he has been teaching us how to embrace the tensions between renewal, failure, risk-taking, and mortality.

If you were not able to be with us on Sunday, please take time to listen to the recording of Dan’s Testimony on our website (https://www.indyfriends.org/sunday-morning-messages).

After Dan finished, our time of waiting worship continued as many people spoke thanks and gave personal and encouraging words to Dan out of the silence. Many referred to our Meeting for Worship that morning as a genuine gathered meeting of Friends.

I thank Dan for his willingness to share with us as I know his energy was very low from his chemotherapy treatments during the past week. His testimony and our Meeting’s response will be a lasting memory of the grace and love of God for us all.

Grace and peace,

Bob

Joys & Concerns

Thank you for helping us reach our goal! Thanks to all of you, we reached our goal to sponsor a Right Sharing of World Resources (RSWR) project! We will be sponsoring the Keyo Friends Women Group, which is a USFW Quaker women group based at Keyo Friends Church, located in Kenya. Right now, the Keyo group is involved in beginning their project and setting up or expanding their individual businesses. To read the letter we received from RSWR in its entirety, please visit http://bit.ly/RSWRletter01. We expect to receive the next update around August or September, so keep an eye out for that. Thank you again for making this possible through your support!

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Quaker Haven Camp ~ All youth are invited to attend Quaker Haven Camp this Summer! This year’s theme is keeping Christ “in focus” (Philippians 3:15-16). The camp dates run through June and July. If you are interested in having your children/youth attend Quaker Haven, the Meeting will provide for 50% of the cost! If you’re interested, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org by May 31st! Only a few days left! For more information, please visit https://www.qhcyouthprogramming.com!

Stoking the Fire: Stirring up the Embers ~ Friends United Meeting (FUM) invites you to join us as we seek to stir up the embers of our faith, both individually and as a beloved fellowship of Friends. Speakers will include Mary Glazer, Doug Gwyn, Kelly Kellum, Richard Sitati, Katie Ubry-Terrell, and our own Bob Henry! The event will be held from June 7-10 at the Quaker Hill Conference Center in Richmond, IN. The registration deadline is May 31st so don’t delay! For more information or to register, please visit www.friendsunitedmeeting.org/connect/stoking-the-fire-2019

Interfaith Iftar Dinner ~ All are invited to an interfaith dinner hosted by the local Turkish community. It will be held on Saturday, June 1 from 8:30-10:00pm at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 100 W 86th St. This is an iftar dinner that the Turkish American Community organizes every year in Ramadan. Come and break bread with the Turkish Community and friends from St. Luke's Church. This invitation is open to all. Please RSVP the number of people to cenk@niagarafoundation.org.

Church Picnic and Worship in the Woods! All are invited to join us for our annual worship in the woods and picnic on Sunday, June 2nd. If you have any lawn chairs, please bring them for worship in the woods! For the picnic, if you are able, please bring a dish according to last name; A-L: Salads and sides; M-Z: Desserts. There will also be fried chicken, hot dogs (& veggie dogs), rolls, mac & cheese, baked beans, ice cream, and drinks all provided for free. As usual, we will have a game of kickball afterward (weather permitting). Please join us!

Also come see Beth in Fellowship Hall after worship in the woods on Sunday June 2nd where she will be selling chocolates, coffee, and olive oil. This olive oil, which we get from Equal Exchange, comes from Palestinian farmers who harvest a special oil from olive trees that have been passed down from generation to generation. This past season, the annual olive harvest in the West Bank was the smallest in over a decade. This was due to a number of factors such as climate change-induced drought and the presence of olive flies. Some farmers had yields as low as 20% of normal, causing great economic hardship. Because of the poor harvest and lower total yields in the West Bank, less olive oil hit the threshold of Extra Virgin, so there isn’t as much supply this year. And as is always the case with supply and demand, when supply is cut, prices go up. Despite these challenges, Equal Exchange was still able to pay olive farmers more during this economically tough year. When you buy this oil, you are supporting these farmers, along with First Friends! Please consider making a purchase on Sunday.

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 is to be determined. For an application please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.

Have you noticed the intensity of the weather patterns recently? As our atmosphere heats up, our weather patterns are more chaotic around the globe. Purdue Report on Indiana Climate

What can we do? Telling our legislators to support industries and utilities that want to produce power from renewable sources like wind and solar. The use of fossil fuels is one of the most significant sources of carbon in our atmosphere. In addition to heating up the atmosphere, fossil fuels have health risks, especially for children. See this resource from the Evangelical Environmental Network Make Indiana a Clean Energy State

If you live in Hamilton County, check out this resource: Solarize Hamilton County 2019. Those in Indianapolis can ask IPL to use the green option for your residence : IPL Green Power or install your own solar panels: Indianapolis Solar Co-Op

Friends World Committee on Consultation views the concern about climate and the health of God’s creation as a spiritual issue. Norma Wallman sent this link to me to share: Quakers Coming Together to Care for the Earth. It’s an 8-minute video sharing the concern Quakers around the country have about our roles in caring for our beautiful world.

We hope you are enjoying your T-shirt shopping bags. I keep 2 in my purse and they hold quite a bit. In case you missed our T-shirt Cinco de Mayo event, here’s a YouTube video that you guide you at home. https://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/diy-t-shirt-tote-bags/

The Indy Pride Parade is next month! The parade begins at 10am along Massachusetts Avenue on Saturday, June 8 and ends with a festival in Military Park that runs from 11am until 11pm. Tickets to the festival are $5 in advance or $10 the day of the festival. If you’d like to come with First Friends, feel free to join our carpool. We will meet at the Meetinghouse and leave at 9:00am. Please RSVP to the office if you plan on joining the carpool at office@indyfriends.org!

Your Talent is Needed! ~ The choir is on vacation May 26 through September 1. Please see the signup sheet on the bulletin board in the hallway of the Meetinghouse to sign up for summer music! We are hoping you will come share your talent with the congregation. Be it with your voice by singing or by playing an instrument. You can even do a reading or a dance! Sign up now for any or several of these dates. Thank you for sharing your God-given gifts!

Mark your Calendars for VBS! We can’t believe summer is already approaching, but we sure are looking forward to Vacation Bible School this year! We will kickoff on Sunday, July 14 after worship and have daily sessions the following Monday through Thursday evenings. This year’s theme is “Roar! Life is Wild, God is Good!”

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Friend to Friend May 22, 2019

May 22, 2019

As Way Opens

Last week I finished Nadia Bolz-Weber’s (Lutheran pastor, writer, teacher and national speaker) latest book Shameless - A Sexual Revolution. It is a fascinating account of the church’s discomfort around sex and the teachings that many churches have given us about how the physical realm of the world is evil and the way to a more holy and virtuous relationship with God is one that excludes anything of a physical nature. I certainly heard many teachings growing up about the depravity of man and the importance of denying ourselves of physical pleasure. I am figuring that many of you heard these messages too and they have impacted how we see ourselves and our bodies in negative ways. I never really understood this since the whole point of God’s plan with Jesus was to make him human - flesh and blood with all the human desires, experiences and factors that are wrapped up in our humanity. And Jesus exemplified the idea that God loves us as we are, in all our humanness and through all of our physical experiences. At the last supper, Jesus embraces the body by asking the disciples to eat and drink of his body and blood. The Trinity might be about the total integration of body, spirit and the Divine.

And then there is that book in the Old Testament, Song of Solomon which is a rich and sensual love poem that describes love in the earthiness of ways and completely connects the body and the soul in a communion of spirits. This is usually a book that the church shies away from because of its graphic language. I think this book is all about our human desire and experience and also a metaphor for the love that God has for humanity and our potential for love to God and each other.

I believe that we most often experience God through all of the human touch points that make us human. I love Nadia’s quote in the book that says “Everything that happens to us happens to our bodies. Every act of love, every insult, every moment of pleasure, every interaction with other humans. Every hateful thing we have said or which has been said to us has happened to our bodies. Every kindness, every sorrow. Every ounce of laughter. We carry all of it with us within our skin. We are walking embodiments of our entire story.” (page 152) Why would we try to deny this in our path to God’s fulfillment for our life?

This poem by Ted Thomas Jr is a beautiful testament to the power of our bodies to forgive and express love.

Cold wind. I help my father into the shower with his good hand he grips my arm for support. He sits like Buddha on a plastic stool and waits for me to begin.
I drench him with warm water, soap his head, his back, the flabby stomach, the private parts private no more.
I had not before seen my father’s nakedness, nor the changing contour of his being, his growing helplessness.
His brown skin glistens and I think of him as a young man on the night of my conception;
Panting, capable, shining with sweat and definition, the soft hands of my mother grasping his shoulders.
I pat him dry, he lets me dress him in the white hospital clothes, oil his hair, put him to bed and forgive him.

Beth

Joys & Concerns

A Big thank-you to all who helped last week at the pantry! Our volunteers were: Tom F, Dan H, Ray G, Beth F, Kathy and Bill F, Rik L, Kathy R, Christie M, Mara S, and Carol and Jim D. What a great group of volunteers. Thank you!

The Garden Season is in Full Swing! The gardeners have been quite busy preparing their gardens for the season! It is hard work but will prove to pay off come harvest time!

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Sunday Unprogrammed Worship Notice ~ For the time being, Unprogrammed Worship on Sunday Mornings at 9:00am will be held in the Seeking Friends room down by the classrooms. If you plan to join us that morning, please note the change in location!

Interfaith Humanitarian Event ~ The Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council, OBAT Helpers (a humanitarian organization actively working in the Kutupalong Refugee Camp (the largest refugee camp in the world with more than a million Rohingya refugees)), Muslim Alliance of Indiana, Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation and Beth-El Zedeck want to invite you to break bread with them on May 25, 2019 for an interfaith Iftar (a meal after sunset during Ramadan). The interfaith Iftar is being held to raise awareness and funds for Rohingya refugees who after having fled persecution, violence and genocide in Myanmar, are now settled in the world's largest refugee camp in Bangladesh. OBAT Helpers, an Indianapolis based nonprofit, addressed this humanitarian crisis by providing initial relief to the refugees through distribution of meals and essential items of daily living, followed by continued efforts to rebuild their lives through provision of shelters, education, empowerment opportunities and health care.

Iftar or breaking of the Ramadan fast will take place at 9:01 pm. This evening meal will be preceded by an hour-long program in which you will hear from representatives of the sponsoring organizations and learn about the impact of the Rohingya crisis. Rabbi Glickman and his wife, the keynote speakers, have both been to the camps and have established a community kitchen for the Rohingya people.

Ticket sales go directly to the OBAT Helpers and their programs to help the Rohingya people. We hope that you will join in this inspirational evening to stand with Rohingya refugees. The Iftar will take place at the Jewish Federation on May 25th, 2019. You can register for the event and find additional info here: http://bit.ly/InterfaithIftar2019

Sunday School Reminder ~ Please remember that this upcoming Sunday, May 26, there will be no adult or child 9:00am Sunday School classes throughout the summer until September. Have a wonderful summer!

Make Plans for Memorial Day Weekend! Join us on Sunday, May 26th for Worship in the Big Oval! Memorial Day Sundays are really special at First Friends Meeting – we gather in Fellowship Hall and enjoy our own ‘Indy 500’ experience in the Spirit! Bring your family and friends and join us at 10:15.

Happy Memorial Day! Memorial Day Sunday is an opportunity for us to remember those we love, especially those who have died in service to our country—whether in the military or in non-combat support and care of our troops. In observance of Memorial Day on May 27th, please note that there will be no Monday Meditational Worship as the church/office will be closed that day. We hope you have a good holiday.

Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading is this coming Tuesday night! Rhonda C will be leading Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver on the 28th of May at 7 pm in the Parlor. Click link for the New York Times Review: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/19/books/review/barbara-kingsolver-unsheltered.html All are welcome!

Come join our merry band of peaceful Weed Warriors! We are planning to meet on May 29 to enhance the beauty of our meditational woods. We will meet from 9-10:30 am to avoid the heat and damaging sun. If the Spirit moves us, we can go out for coffee or tea afterwards. We don't expect you for every one of these dates, but the more the merrier and many hands make light work! Thank you, ~Mindy S and Mary B, co-clerks

Your Talent is Needed! ~ The choir is on vacation May 26 through September 1. Please see the signup sheet on the bulletin board in the hallway to sign up for summer music! We are hoping you will come share your talent with the congregation. Be it with your voice by singing or by playing an instrument. You can even do a reading or a dance! Sign up now for any or several of these dates. Thank you for sharing your God-given gifts!

Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for May

Black-throated Blue Warbler: Changing My Mind

A person changes his mind. It happens, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. This month the “his mind” was mine, as I went through four different choices of birds for May. The first was a cute warbler left over from last May, and it re-appeared this spring. A few days later two other visitors caught my eye, one because of its color, and then another brought to my mind a good story. That being said, however, the big deal had not happened. Big deal? One must understand that in the middle of May there are more species of birds in Indiana than at any other time of the year, as many as 150 species or more! The summering species have arrived, the migrants are passing through at their peak numbers, and some of the wintering cold weather birds have not left yet. I hoped for a day when the woods would be “dripping with warblers,” as birders would put it, but it hasn’t happened as of this writing. What did happen on a morning last week was that I found exactly two warbler individuals. One was of a common species, good, but hardly of bird-of-the-month quality for May. While I was looking at it, I heard a soft, “zhree” two trees behind me. I quickly found this second individual in one of the small conifers. Then I heard the full song, “zhray, zhray, zhree,” and there it was, a Black-throated Blue Warbler in all of his God-given beauty. As one of my favorite birds, it is also one of the rarer warblers to pass through. He spent many minutes inspecting the eye-level bare branches of the conifers for insects and/or their eggs, especially around the lichens and mosses. Perhaps our conifers reminded him of his home up in the North Country. What are the chances that there would be only two migrants here at that moment, one perhaps the most common, and another so unusual? I ended up having a Big Deal Day after all, but in an unexpected way. Yes, I was patient through my changes of the mind, and I hope you will agree with my final choice. ~Brad J

Quaker Haven Camp ~ All youth are invited to attend Quaker Haven Camp this Summer! This year’s theme is keeping Christ “in focus” (Philippians 3:15-16). The camp dates run through June and July. If you are interested in having your children/youth attend Quaker Haven, the Meeting will provide for 50% of the cost! If you’re interested please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org by May 31st! For more information, please visit https://www.qhcyouthprogramming.com!

The Indy Pride Parade is next month! The parade begins at 10am along Massachusetts Avenue on Saturday, June 8 and ends with a festival in Military Park that runs from 11am until 11pm. Tickets to the festival are $5 in advance or $10 the day of the festival. If you’d like to come with First Friends, we will meet at the Meetinghouse and carpool there. Stay tuned for more info as we draw closer!

This Week’s Queries

Who are you the most grateful/thankful for, today? Why?
Who do you need to thank or share your gratitude with?

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Friend to Friend May 15, 2019

May 15, 2019

As Way Opens

This week, I was reading a post on the blog, We Get There By Walking that caught my attention. It began with these words.

I don’t know about you, but I am ready for summer.
Not for the heat and humidity which, unless I am in the pool, I can do without.
What I am ready for is that different pace
from the rest of the year which summer affords.
A bit slower.
More relaxed.
Fewer meetings.
Time away from the usual routines.
Maybe even a few moments when I feel bored.
How about you?

Yes, I am ready for summer. I am ready for vacation. I am ready for a slower, relaxed time away from the usual routines. And I believe First Friends is ready and needing this as well.

I like to look at the summer months as the Sabbath for our Meeting. We go strong for 10 months and then for two we rest, renew, and get out of our usual routines. This Sabbath time is when, as Dan Allender says,

“God delivers us from drowning in the noise and grime of our soiled days.”

This time of the year finds the life of the Meeting more empty than full, and looking for a break. Let’s be honest, we are all in need of a sabbath to replenish our energy, renew our creativity, and find fresh opportunities to connect as a community.

The blog continued…

What if instead of thinking about the upcoming couple of months as summer;
Or, your upcoming time away as vacation;
What if you thought about it and approached it as sabbath.
As time you intentionally carve out from the busyness and business of life as it usually is.
To live differently.
To bring a different attitude and outlook to the moment you have.
To look at your life and the time of your life as a gift.
And, then to see what happens.

And that is just it…as we wrap up the year and thank our volunteers this Sunday, as we celebrate our graduates and their accomplishments, as we conclude our Sunday School classes and small groups and take a hiatus for the summer, let’s look at the coming months at First Friends as our Meeting’s Sabbath – a time of renewal, replenishment, and rest. May God deliver us, over the coming months, from the noise and grime of your soiled days! Rest well my Friends!

Grace and peace,

Bob

Joys & Concerns

This past Saturday was our Experiment with Light retreat at First Friends led by Jaime and Dan Mudd. It was a great gathering. Thank you to all who came and participated.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Men’s Threshing Together ~ If you are interested in gathering with other men who mull over current issues or topics, where all points of view are heard, no decisions are made, and all in a non-threatening atmosphere over a meal, then Threshing Together is for you! Join us for our next meeting TOMORROW, Thursday, May 16 at 7:00pm. See locations here: http://bit.ly/2UsqmQv.

Rise Up and Sing ~ ♪ ♫ ♪ Singing in the sun, singing in the rain ♪ ♫ ♪ Sing for the joy of it, sing through the pain. ♪ ♫ ♪ ~ Join our casual, happy group this Friday, May 17, the third Friday of the month, at 7 PM in the parlor. Friends, bring your friends. Led as usual by Jim K.

Sunday School Reminder ~ Please remember that this upcoming Sunday will be our last day of Sunday School for the season. Beginning May 26, there will be no adult or children 9:00am classes throughout the summer until September. Have a wonderful summer!

Grad Sunday & Volunteer Recognition Luncheon ~ Please mark your calendars for Sunday, May 19th when we will recognize and honor our graduates and volunteers. The Christian Education & Connections Committees will put on a luncheon during Fellowship hour to celebrate the end of the school year programming and to thank everyone who’s made each Sunday here at the Meeting so wonderful this year! Please plan on joining us that day.

Quaker Haven Camp ~ All youth are invited to attend Quaker Haven Camp this Summer! This year’s theme is keeping Christ “in focus” (Philippians 3:15-16). The camp dates run through June and July—see dates to the left. If you are interested in having your children/youth attend Quaker Haven, the Meeting will provide for 50% of the cost! If you’re interested please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org by the end of May! For more information, please visit https://www.qhcyouthprogramming.com!

The Indy Winds Flute Choir is pleased to present a concert that will take you on a journey through time! Featuring music of the Renaissance through today, you’ll hear classics like the first movement of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, Tchaikovsky’s Waltz from his Fifth Symphony, and Danse Bacchanale from Saint-Saën’s Samson and Delila – with a twist! Join us for an afternoon of fun and plenty of musical surprises! It will be held this Sunday, May 19 at 3:00pm. The concert is free and open to the public. It is being held at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, 4780 E 126th St, Carmel, 46033. Carl B and Lynda S are both members of the flute choir. For more information, see the event details at https://www.facebook.com/events/440415479838274. We hope you will come!

Come join our merry band of peaceful Weed Warriors! We are planning the following times to enhance the beauty of our meditational woods: May 22 and May 29. We will meet from 9-10:30 am to avoid the heat and damaging sun. If the Spirit moves us, we can go out for coffee or tea afterwards. We don't expect you for every one of these dates, but the more the merrier and many hands make light work! Mid May we'll re-evaluate the frequency. Thank you, ~Mindy S and Mary B, co-clerks

Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for May

Black-throated Blue Warbler: Changing My Mind

~Brad J

Save the Date! First Friends Women’s Retreat ~ Please mark your calendar for our Women’s Retreat on September 20th - 22nd 2019. The retreat will be held at the Benedict Inn Retreat and Conference Center in Beech Grove and will start with dinner on Friday and end after worship on Sunday. The theme of the retreat is Know Thy Selfie - Discover More of Yourself and How you Relate to Others. We will be exploring the Enneagram personality program with lots of time for fellowship, quiet time and some fun activities. Keep an eye out for more information as we draw near!

This Week’s Queries

1. How am I demonstrating the Jesus-life and sharing in the world of the creator?

2. What is getting in my way of experiencing the deepness and wideness of God in this world? (pride, prejudice, resentment, hate, lack of forgiveness, etc.)

3. How do I/First Friends/WYM need to be “born from above” or transformed anew?

To read Bob’s sermon from this past Sunday, please visit our website at www.indyfriends.org/messages, or listen at www.indyfriends.org/sunday-morning-messages

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Friend to Friend May 8, 2019

May 9, 2019

As Way Opens

On Sunday April 28th, our Circle of Care team hosted a luncheon and a gathering for folks that have experienced some kind of loss in their life. While we traditionally have a gathering for folks that have experienced a death in the family on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, we heard from others that another gathering, one that would be open for not only the loss of a loved one, but other losses like pets, a relationship, long term illness, job loss, etc, would be appreciated. We did not know what to expect or how many would be in attendance. Jan Gildner facilitated our discussion and a wonderful group gathered together and our parlor turned into a holy place of sharing as we opened our hearts to each other. We laughed and we cried and we shared our whole selves in honesty and authenticity. While we all felt sadness, there was a sense of hope in the space of our gathering.

I like this quote from Rufus Jones - "Many times I have found my way home in the dark because my feet felt the road when my eyes could not see it. There is Something in us, deeper than hands or feet, that finds the way to the Central Reality, and when we arrive we know it." That Sunday felt like we were all travelers on the road together and feeling the road even when we couldn’t see where we were going. I am so thankful for this faith community at First Friends that keeps walking and talking and feeding and praying and listening to each other. This is truly how we make visible God’s Spirit in this world.

Beth

Joys & Concerns

We’d like to share our thanks with those who volunteered last week at the Pantry! Ray G, Bill F, Christie M, Beth F, Dan H, Mara S, Linda and Rik L, Jody L together with 3 of her fellow Delta Faucet colleagues, and Carol and Jim D. We were very busy and served 108 families.

Also, MANY thanks to all who contributed to the recent Mid North Food Pantry collection. We collected a total of $2,218.75 and a check was recently given to the pantry by the First Friends volunteers. Mid North was most appreciative of this contribution and wanted to provide a big “Thank You” to First Friends!

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Your Talent is Needed! ~ The choir is on vacation May 26 through September 1. Please see the sign up sheet on the bulletin board in the hallway to sign up for summer music! We are hoping you will come share your talent with the congregation. Be it with your voice by singing or by playing an instrument. You can even do a reading or a dance! Sing up now for any or several of these dates. Thank you for sharing your God-given gifts!

Save the Date – Volunteer Recognition & Luncheon ~ Please mark your calendars for Sunday, May 19th when we will recognize and honor our volunteers. The Christian Education & Connections Committees will put on a luncheon during Fellowship hour to celebrate the end of the school year programming and to thank everyone who’s made each Sunday here at the Meeting so wonderful this year! This event will also be a pitch-in; if you can, please plan on bringing a dish to share! Please plan on joining us that day.

Calling All Graduates! ~ As we do each year, we will be honoring our graduates on Sunday, May 19th. If you or someone in your family is graduating from high school or college, please notify the office so we may acknowledge them! office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485.

Christian Education Sunday School Survey ~ How is the Sunday School hour at 9am working for you and your family? How can it be improved? Please take a few minutes to fill out our survey to help us evaluate our Sunday school offerings and make them even better! This feedback is important to make sure our Christian Education here at First Friends is the best it can be. Find the survey at http://bit.ly/2vb98b0.

Come join our merry band of peaceful Weed Warriors! We are planning the following times to enhance the beauty of our meditational woods: May 13, May 22, and May 29. We will meet from 9-10:30 am to avoid the heat and damaging sun. If the Spirit moves us, we can go out for coffee or tea afterwards. We don't expect you for every one of these dates, but the more the merrier and many hands make light work! Mid May we'll re-evaluate the frequency. Thank you, ~Mindy S and Mary B, co-clerks

Volunteers Invited ~ The Community Garden is partnering with Mid-North Food Pantry. We invite you to participate in this endeavor in a variety of ways. You may help garden, harvest, transport, sort and wash produce, etc. Please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org. You may volunteer once or regularly! We hope our efforts can further the pantry’s efforts.

Iftar or breaking of the Ramadan fast will take place at 9:01 pm. This evening meal will be preceded by an hour long program in which you will hear from representatives of the sponsoring organizations and learn about the impact of the Rohingya crisis. Rabbi Glickman and his wife, the keynote speakers, have both been to the camps and have established a community kitchen for the Rohingya people.

Make Plans for Memorial Day Weekend! Join us on Sunday, May 26th for Worship in the Big Oval! Memorial Day Sundays are really special at First Friends Meeting – we gather in Fellowship Hall and enjoy our own ‘Indy 500’ experience in the Spirit! Bring your family and friends and join us at 10:15.

This Week’s Queries

1. What have I learned from listening to God in the earth, rocks, trees, water, and animals? How has this learning affected or changed my life?

2. In what ways does my daily life exemplify, reflect, or belie my respect for the oneness of Creation and my care for the environment?

3. What changes am I willing to make?

To read Bob’s sermon from this past Sunday, please visit our website at www.indyfriends.org/messages, or listen at www.indyfriends.org/sunday-morning-messages

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