Friend to Friend December 2, 2020

December 4, 2020

As Way Opens

When I was young child, I remember going with my uncle to visit his friend Skip Handy (yes, that was his name) at his clothing store across town. It was Christmas and Skip was known to have an extensive collection of very expensive German Nutcrackers on display throughout his store. I remember stepping through the front door of his shop into what looked like a winter wonderland. Then I caught a glimpse of hundreds of Nutcrackers of all sizes and shapes standing at attention to welcome the customers. I have to admit, I was in awe. Still today, I find myself lining up my Nutcracker collection on top of our entertainment center in the same way (only mine have sentimental rather than financial value).

To appreciate Nutcrackers, one has to go back in history. Even before Peter Tchaikovsky adapted an 1816 E.T.A. Hoffman Christmas story called The Nutcracker and the Mouse King for the ballet, the wooden dolls symbolized good luck in German tradition.

One popular origin myth, related by Rittenhouse, holds that a wealthy but lonely farmer who found the process of cracking nuts to be detrimental to his productivity offered a reward to whoever could come up with the best solution. Each villager drew on his own professional expertise—a carpenter advocating sawing them open, a soldier shooting the suckers. But it was the puppet-maker—a profession that seems to loom large in European tall tales —who won the day, building a strong-jawed, lever-mouthed doll.

I love that the most unlikely profession came up with a solution to crack a nut and win the day. Who thinks, “I will make a puppet that cracks nuts”? Yet, consider for a moment, how often those that think completely outside the box, have a unique perspective on life, and are faithful to their talents leave us with long-lasting gifts that keep giving and bringing us joy.

If you have ever tried to crack a nut with most Nutcrackers today (as I have tried), you will find most are simply ornamental in nature and lacking any ability to crack a nut (maybe those should have just been puppets). Yet, what if the Nutcrackers that grace our homes could be considered miniature monuments to “out of the box” thinking, making the best out of the talents that one has been given, and bringing a lasting joy to our world.

During this ongoing pandemic and this stressful holiday season, I sense we need more “puppet-makers” who are willing to think outside the box, to give us a new perspective, and to make our normal experiences just a bit more joyful. Or as Howard Thurman put it, so well,

“The movement of the Spirit of God in the hearts of men and women often calls them to act against the spirit of their times or causes them to anticipate a spirit which is yet in the making. In a moment of dedication, they are given wisdom and courage to dare a deed that challenges and to kindle a hope that inspires.

My hope is that we too, would choose to be people that “dare a deed that challenges and kindles hope that inspires” this holiday season! Just maybe, you and I will create our own “nutcracking puppets” for the world.

Grace and peace,

Bob

Joys and Concerns

Thank you to our Mid-North Food Pantry volunteers! Linda and Rik L; Kathy and Bill F; Derek and Virginia S; Ruth K; David B; Christie M; Penny P; Barbara O; Carol and Jim D. Much food was distributed to 86 families.

Congratulations to First Friends’ members Heather D and Joshua C as they were married last Wednesday, November 25 in a private ceremony at the Meetinghouse. After the ceremony, they had a surprise visit from their clearness committee outside on the front steps. Together, we hold their marriage in the Light and celebrate with Mr. and Mrs. Curry!

Congratulations! Kathy and Gary R’s granddaughter was born today at 2:28 pm! We welcome Norah to the world, weighing 8 lb 15 oz. Prayers would be appreciated: She had a little trouble breathing so they took her for chest x-rays and are going to help her clear her lungs with CPAP machine. Congratulations to Kathy and Gary and to the proud parents!

Happy Birthday, Lowell! Dr. Lowell R will be celebrating his 100th birthday on December 9th! Wow!!

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Reopening Task Force Report

At this time, the Reopening Task Force does not yet feel comfortable recommending reopening the Meetinghouse for worship, due to current trends and upcoming holidays. The issue will be revisited in the new year. Detailed reports from the Reopening Task Force are to be emailed to full membership prior to each Monthly Meeting.

In the meantime, please be reminded that Meetinghouse is currently open to small groups, with requirements for face coverings and social distancing protocol. Participants assume personal responsibility for risk of COVID-19 exposure. Several small groups offer Zoom options for those who prefer not to attend in person. To check on availability of small groups, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org, 317-255-2485.

The Holiday Season is almost here! Even during these trying times, we still look forward to having a Christmas with you full of joy, laughter, and peace. Look forward to these special virtual Christmas services coming very soon! We hope you will join us.

Order Poinsettias and Fair-Trade Goodies! ~ This year we are offering poinsettias and various fair-trade foods/gifts—virtually! You are still welcome to buy a poinsettia in honor or in memory of a loved one. We will deliver your orders to you personally before Christmas!

The fair-trade co-op relies on a lot of churches and service organizations, so their business has declined, and this is a great opportunity to purchase treats and gifts for the holiday. Some of the funds for the purchase will go towards our youth group activities. You can browse https://shop.equalexchange.coop if you would like to order different items beyond what we normally offer.

6" Poinsettia pot - $8 (Red or White)
Coffee - $10 (Love Buzz, Hazelnut Creme, Breakfast Blend, Decaf)
Tea - $ 3.50
Chocolate $3.50 (lots of types)
Olive Oil - $12
Hot Cocoa - $5

Show Your First Friends Christmas Spirit ~ First Friends has “adopted” a family to help this Christmas. While the family would like to remain anonymous, we do have a little info to share about the family. There are 5 children and a mom. The kids are ages 14 (girl), 13 (girl), 12 (boy), 9 (girl), and 9 (boy). Rather than ask folks at First Friends to purchase gifts as we have done in the past, at this time we intend to provide gift cards for the kids and mom and possibly a few smaller gifts. Please contribute as you are led to help provide a very Merry Christmas for this family. Checks can be sent to the First Friends office with a notation of “Christmas Family” in the memo section, or you can give online at https://www.indyfriends.org/support, or text Christmas to 317-768-0303. We may seek out a second family if enough monies are collected. We hope to finalize this fundraiser by the end of November so please consider making your donation at your earliest convenience. Thanks for your consideration.

First Friends Financial Update: The Meeting currently is collecting pledges for 2021 to help plan for the new year. While some aspects of First Friends activity are on hold due to the pandemic, the need for financial support continues, as major fixed expenses remain in place. Recently, a request for pledges was emailed to the meeting. If you need to have the email resent, or if you would like for a pledge card to be mailed to you, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485. Kindly return pledges by December 13.
Note: For your convenience, you may make arrangements with your bank for donations to First Friends to be made automatically. Contact the office if you have questions about this option.

The Joys and Sorrow of Zoom~ How do you feel about zoom? What are your positive experiences? What are your complaints? Are you kept away by a lack of technology? Do you loathe zoom? Perhaps by examining the nature of your discontent, improvements could be discovered. We invite you to share your thoughts and preferences about meeting via Zoom to office@indyfriends.org.

Here are some comments. Please send us yours.

"It is just nice to see people and to hear what they have to say. For our Monthly Meetings it is nice to have the ability to see and speak to one another.” -Sara E

“I can just roll out of bed and Zoom, I’m at Sunday School.” -Ed M

“I typically use Zoom at FF for meetings. Zoom is quite efficient for typical meetings, but can be frustrating for large, casual group gatherings such as Fellowship Hour. Bill Heitman has done as well as possible in facilitating. But, if one person talks very much, it distracts from the overall group. However, a large group doesn't allow for much in-depth conversation, so it's really not ideal. I have heard what some persons said, and then followed up with a personal phone call later. That has worked pretty well. Because of the limitations of Zoom for large groups, I believe that it is important to gather in person whenever we can.” -Sue M

Amy P says she likes having less driving, not having to buy gas so often, and having more time at home with her husband. In addition to Monday Meditational Worship and Fellowship time, she can also visit the Arizona Native Plant Society. Arizona desert retreats have been an important part of her spiritual journey.

SEND US YOUR PICTURES! We are looking for photos of you and your family. Let us see how you are doing, and what you’ve been up to during these times! Let us see your smiling faces. We will put these photos into future slideshows during virtual meeting for worship on Sundays. Just email your pictures to office@indyfriends.org or post them here. Thank you in advance!

Queries for the Week

(From self-led guide)

· How will you let the Divine prepare my heart this season?

· Where am I seeing Christ coming in and around my life?

· What might be the benefit of celebrating the season of Advent as the birth of a saving, healing, Truth?

Comment

Friend to Friend November 25, 2020

December 4, 2020

As Way Opens

This Sunday will be our Blue Christmas service where we will remember and reflect on family and friends that we have lost this past year. Our Circle of Care started this event a number of years ago and it’s become such a special service to share together. Circle of Care has traditionally hosted a lunch and invited those that have experienced a significant loss to gather in the parlor and break bread together and then have a time of sharing in a circle expressing their experiences and feelings. Unfortunately, we are living in a pandemic with numbers in Indiana dramatically increasing and we won’t be able to gather together for this meaningful time. But Bob did put together a beautiful virtual service that we recorded together yesterday, and I felt so emotional from participating in this and experiencing the sense of reverence and mystery that brings life and death together in a web of connectivity.

I am so thankful for our Circle of Care. This is an umbrella group started by our friend Barbara Oberreich to provide a variety of care for folks that experience illness, birth, death, loss, short term needs, and a plethora of other issues. We have had a prayer chain and a meal ministry for some time and Circle of Care expanded these important ministries to include rides to appointments, home care, computer help, and other concerns for our community. For me, the care, concern and love we feel for each other is the foundation of First Friends. This will attract and draw folks into our community as we all need to feel a sense of connection and oneness.

Asking for support is terribly hard for many of us. It was only my experience of dealing with my Jerry’s Alzheimer’s for six years that brought me to a place where accepting help was honoring the ministry of others. Asking for support is not a sign of weakness but an opportunity to connect with the community and allow others to express their love in a tangible way. Friends, we want you to let us know if there is something we can provide to support you. Please email the office (office@indyfriends.org) or myself if there is anything we can do for you in this time or in the future (beth.henricks@indyfriends.org).

The ministries under Circle of Care are also a wonderful opportunity to offer love, care and support to others. We need more folks to be part of our meal ministry, our prayer chain and our group of volunteers that can provide rides, computer assistance and other areas of support. If you would like to join any of these ministries please email the office at office@indyfriends.org.

During these difficult times we need each other more than we ever have. I am thankful for each of you and your gifts and the ways that we bring ourselves to each other. I love this quote from Richard Rohr that describes our connectedness and unity with God and each other.

"Oh, God, we are one with You. You have made us one with You. You have taught us that if we are open to one another, You dwell in us. Help us to preserve this openness and to fight for it with all our hearts. Help us to realize that there can be no understanding where there is mutual rejection. Oh God, in accepting one another wholeheartedly, fully, completely, we accept You, and we thank You, and we adore You, and we love You with our whole being, because our being is in Your being, our spirit is rooted in Your spirit. Fill us then with love, and let us be bound together with love as we go our diverse  ways, united in this one spirit which makes You present in the world, and which makes You witness to the ultimate reality that is love. Love has overcome. Love is victorious. Amen.”

Happy Thanksgiving.

Beth

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Reopening Task Force Report

6" Poinsettia pot - $8 (Red or White)
Coffee - $10 (Love Buzz, Hazelnut Creme, Breakfast Blend, Decaf)
Tea - $ 3.50
Chocolate $3.50 (lots of types)
Olive Oil - $12
Hot Cocoa - $5

Thanksgiving Prayer ~ Thanks to Nancy Scott for sharing this Thanksgiving prayer. Sometimes, as a gratitude exercise, people list blessings starting with each letter in the word Thanksgiving. I decided to borrow from that idea to make a little prayer. Try it yourself!

Thank you God, that

Humanity is created in Your image.

Animals abide with us in

Nature, a magnificent gift with which you have blessed us.

Keepers of a peaceful and loving world: our mission.

Simply living and living simply can be a goal while we are

Giving and sharing what we can.

Imagining the best that we can be, we strive to live up to Your image.

Verily, You said unto us that Your love is everlasting.

Nothing need stand between us and Your love.

Grant us the courage to accept Your gift and then, to re-gift it.

Show Your First Friends Christmas Spirit ~ First Friends has “adopted” a family to help this Christmas. While the family would like to remain anonymous, we do have a little info to share about the family. There are 5 children and a mom. The kids are ages 14 (girl), 13 (girl), 12 (boy), 9 (girl), and 9 (boy). Rather than ask folks at First Friends to purchase gifts as we have done in the past, at this time we intend to provide gift cards for the kids and mom and possibly a few smaller gifts. Please contribute as you are led to help provide a very Merry Christmas for this family. Checks can be sent to the First Friends office with a notation of “Christmas Family” in the memo section. We may seek out a second family if enough monies are collected. We hope to finalize this fundraiser by the end of November so please consider making your donation at your earliest convenience. Thanks for your consideration.

Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading would like you to join us from virtually anywhere in the world as we discuss The House of Broken Angels by Luis Alberto Urrea The definitive Mexican-American immigrant story, a sprawling and deeply felt portrait of a Mexican-American family occasioned by the impending loss of its patriarch, from one of the country's most beloved authors. Prizewinning and bestselling writer Luis Urrea has written his Mexican coming-to-America story and his masterpiece. Destined to sit alongside other classic immigrant novels, The House of Broken Angels is a sprawling and epic family saga helmed by patriarch Big Angel. The novel gathers together the entire De La Cruz clan, as they meet for the final birthday party Big Angel is throwing for himself, at home in San Diego, as he nears the end of his struggle with cancer and reflects on his long and full life. But when Big Angel's mother, Mama America, approaching one hundred, dies herself as the party nears, he must plan her funeral as well. There will be two family affairs in one weekend: a farewell double-header. Among the attendants is his half-brother and namesake, Little Angel, who comes face to face with the siblings with whom he shared a father but not, as the weekend proceeds to remind him, a life. The discussion will be via Zoom starting at 7 pm on Tuesday, December 29, 2020.

Advent Waiting: Clearing Space for New Life and Light ~ All are invited to “Advent Waiting,” a 3-session virtual gathering led by Sara Beth Terrell (leader of our current women’s gathering). This experience invites reflection on Advent themes in a year of waiting and uncertainty. Using contemplative prayer exercises, we will ask what we might learn from the dark places we’ve been as we anticipate the Light coming into our lives in new ways. The sessions will take place on December 1, 8 and 15 from 4-5:30 PM EST. The cost is $63, but scholarships are available upon request. For more information and to register, visit https://www.imaginingtheword.com/upcomingevents/advent-waiting. The Zoom link will be sent before the first session.

Here are some comments. Please send us yours.

"It is just nice to see people and to hear what they have to say. For our Monthly Meetings it is nice to have the ability to see and speak to one another.” -Sara E

“I can just roll out of bed and Zoom, I’m at Sunday School.” -Ed M

Queries for the Week

(From online service)

· Who allows me to vent my frustrations and struggles? Have I acknowledged my gratitude for their presence?

· Since gratitude is a choice, where in my life do I need to choose gratitude over becoming bitter?

· This week, how will I look for God to unveil hope in my life?

(From self-led guide)

· How am I expressing my gratitude and thanks to God in this difficult time?

· Where is gratitude transforming my openness and receptivity to people different than me?

· To whom should I send a special written note or make a phone call to this week to let them know of my gratitude for them being a fit to my life?

Comment

Friend to Friend November 18, 2020

November 19, 2020

As Way Opens

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This week, I came across a prayer of thanks I shared on social media back on November 17, 2011. Thanks to social media platforms, we can now go back and see what all was going on that very day – almost like reading a personal diary.

In November of 2011, our family was fairly new to Silverton, Oregon. On the 17th, the Christian school that was connected to our Meeting had their annual Thanksgiving Celebration. This included a “some-what” historical dramatization by the students and a following feast put on by the room mothers and fathers. Even though the stereotypes were running rampant as the mostly white students dressed as pilgrims and Native Americans filed into our gymnasium, the proud dad in me saw both of my boys with their crafty pilgrim hats and big smiles.

That day, as the pastor, I was asked by the principal to pray a Prayer of Thanksgiving for the families who had joined with their children for the Thanksgiving Feast. I prayed the prayer and later that day posted it on social media for me to find in 2020. People have always said, most prayers are universal and continue to speak to our condition. I am so glad I found this prayer again this week, as it clearly speaks to our current condition. May it help you center your gratitude and thanks this week in preparation for your Thanksgiving Feast!

To us, your children,

Mother and Father God, you have opened your hands and have shared with us the wonders of your world: sun and sky, leaf and flower, surf and shore.

In your grace, Mother and Father, you have given us one another. Into our keeping you have placed ourselves that, united in your love, we may mold your earth into a home for each and every person: where we may live in peace and share in the love that alone warms life and gives its meaning.

For this, all of these things both small and great, and for the greatness caught within the smallest of your creatures we thank you.

Mother and Father God, despite our best, our world is still weighted with sorrow: your sons and daughters still go hungry; your children take up the weapons of Cain against their brothers and sisters; we gouge the face of your world with greed and leave a wasteland where nothing, not even your children, may grow.

Keep us thankful, Mother and Father God, so that we may touch all things, and all people only with the delicacy of reverence and love. Keep us aware of the work, your work, that you have given into our hands. For only in your Spirit will your kingdom come, and that day shine when all people will see clearly that there is indeed reason for thanksgiving.

This, all of this, we ask in your Spirit, Amen.

Have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving!

Bob

Joys & Concerns

First Friends is very grateful to receive a scholarship from Western Yearly Meeting for our women’s virtual gathering. These gatherings have been very enriching, and we are thankful to receive this aid in this worthy endeavor!

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Reopening Task Force Report

Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading would like you to join us from virtually anywhere in the world as we discuss Why Religion?: A Personal Story by Elaine Pagels. Why is religion still around in the twenty-first century? Why do so many still believe? And how do various traditions still shape the way people experience everything from sexuality to politics, whether they are religious or not? In Why Religion? Elaine Pagels looks to her own life to help address these questions. These questions took on a new urgency for Pagels when dealing with unimaginable loss—the death of her young son, followed a year later by the shocking loss of her husband. Here she interweaves a personal story with the work that she loves, illuminating how, for better and worse, religious traditions have shaped how we understand ourselves; how we relate to one another; and, most importantly, how to get through the most difficult challenges we face. (goodreads) Rhonda C will be leading the discussion via Zoom starting at 7 pm on Tuesday, November 24, 2020.

Thanksgiving Fellowship hour with Friends ~ Friends, many of us are unable to gather with our families in the same way this year. Let's gather for an online fellowship hour and sharing of thanks for those that are interested and able. Please join us and bring your own pie and/or coffee. It will be Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 26 at 10:30am.

RSWR Stamp Program Newsletter ~ The stamp group here at First Friends has just released a new issue of their newsletter! If you’d like to view the newsletter, click here: https://bit.ly/StampNewsNov2020 As you may know, a group here at First Friends has been running this fundraiser program for Right Sharing of World Resources (RSWR) for some time now. If you’re interested in the stamp program, contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.

6" Poinsettia pot - $8 (Red or White)
Coffee - $10 (Love Buzz, Hazelnut Creme, Breakfast Blend, Decaf)
Tea - $ 3.50
Chocolate $3.50 (lots of types)
Olive Oil - $12
Hot Cocoa - $5

If you’re interested, you can place an order at https://forms.gle/EtGaScUVKUCgt1du8. Payment can be made by sending a check to the office at 3030 Kessler Blvd E Dr, Indianapolis IN 46220, with the notation of "poinsettias" or "fair trade purchase"; or visit https://www.indyfriends.org/support to pay electronically. Under funds choose either "Flower Order" or "Fair trade food/gift order." Please place your order by December 9th. Happy Holidays!

Help Support First Friends This Holiday Season! ~ Every holiday season, First Friends Meeting conducts a pledge drive asking for financial support, and this year is no different. Even though the Meetinghouse is mostly closed at present, our major fixed expenses – staff/administration, building and grounds maintenance, and Christian education – are still in place. To help us plan for the new year, as you are able, please prayerfully consider how you can support the Meeting by filling out a 2021 pledge form. Click here to access a form online, or contact the office, 317-255-2485, for a pledge card to be mailed to you. We ask that you kindly return your pledge by Sunday, December 13. Additionally, if you have been a financial supporter of the Meeting this year, thank you!

First Friends Meeting has been a haven of peace, hope and love for more than 150 years. With your help, we look forward to beginning a bright new year together. To borrow from Dr. Seuss’s Christmas classic, let us move forward, “heart to heart and hand in hand.”

Free Books to a Good Home ~ A Friend would like to donate a free book(s) to anyone who might be interested. They are three D. Elton Trueblood books: “Alternative to Futility “(1948), “The Recovery of Family Life” (1953) and “The Common Ventures of Life” (1949). If you are interested in any of these books for your collection, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.

Show Your First Friends Christmas Spirit ~ First Friends has “adopted” a family to help this Christmas. While the family would like to remain anonymous, we do have a little info to share about the family. There are 5 children and a mom. The kids are ages 14 (girl), 13 (girl), 12 (boy), 9 (girl), and 9 (boy). Rather than ask folks at First Friends to purchase gifts as we have done in the past, at this time we intend to provide gift cards for the kids and mom and possibly a few smaller gifts. Please contribute as you are led to help provide a very Merry Christmas for this family. Checks can be sent to the First Friends office with a notation of “Christmas Family” in the memo section. We may seek out a second family if enough monies are collected. We hope to finalize this fundraiser by the end of November so please consider making your donation at your earliest convenience. Thanks for your consideration.

Use our online directory for the holidays! This holiday season, we encourage you to use our online directory to get the most up-to-date addresses when you send out holiday cards. You can find the directory at https://mobiledirectory.lifetouch.com/318079/first-friends-church. This is the most current directory available, as addresses are kept updated according to the office’s most recent knowledge. Due to the pandemic, we will not be handing out physical copies of the directory this year, but we hope this online resource will serve you well!

Apartment available ~ North Meadow Circle of Friends presently has a one-bedroom apartment available on the second story of the Meeting House in downtown Indianapolis. They maintain an affordable housing intention. Monthly rent is $650 including heat/cool, water, electricity and WIFI access. parking may be designated. Since the apartment is accessed through public Meeting House space that often may have programmed activities, including live singing, etc., tenants must be socially prepared to co-inhabit such an environment. Alternatively, all the facilities of the Meeting House (Library, Kitchen, front and rear sitting porches, garden plot, compost toilet, etc.) are available to the tenant. Interested parties should contact David Duvall 317-260-0601 or by e-mail, dblantonduvall7811@gmail.com.

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Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for November

Sandhill Crane – The Wise Traveler

Today would have been a perfect day to listen and look up! An absolutely clear blue sky was overhead, with a cool breeze from the north. What you are listening for is a call, variously described as “ga-roo” or “hah-akkkk” or a bugle trill or a far-off soft bark of a dog. If you hear something, glance up, and what you are looking for is a flock of Sandhill Cranes, with as many as 150 or more individuals flying in and behind a loosely organized V-pattern. They will not be in a tight V like geese, or as fast, but will usually be much higher, almost out-of-sight. You may see one flock directly overhead, and at the same time have more flocks behind and off to one side. In the fall they gather by the tens of thousands at Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area in NW Indiana, and then, from late October to early December, they leave in large groups heading toward the Texas coast. In groups this large, these huge birds seem to find safety in numbers.

Sandhill Cranes stand three and one-half feet tall and are mostly gray with red on the crown. Immatures are brown. In flight one can see their outstretched necks, and feet trailing behind their tails. They should not be confused with Great Blue Herons, which nest nearby us, although some call those birds “cranes”.

Several weeks ago, as I walked in our woods, I found two Swainson’s Thrushes in the bushes above the waterfall. They were sitting silently, side-by-side, watching my movement. I wondered if these two had come together, all the way from Canada. Perhaps, instead, they met here, in the woods, and recognized each other, like two Ball State grads who just happen to pull in beside each other at a rest area in Arkansas. Either way, their migration is less conspicuous than that of the cranes.

This time of year some of us start preparing our Christmas cards. I like the ones depicting the journey of the Wise Men to visit the Christ Child. Usually in fabulous colors, those cards show three men on three camels traveling alone through the desert. But can that be? Instead of being like the two thrushes, wouldn’t it have been more like the hundreds of sandhill cranes? I believe there were three huge entourages of wise men, their servants, and hirelings, with skills in cooking, defensive safety, and animal herding: travelers all moving through possibly-foreseen dangers, together, trying to reach their destination.

~Brad J

The Joy of Zoom ~ How do you feel about zoom? What are your positive experiences? What are your complaints? Are you kept away by a lack of technology? Do you loathe zoom? Perhaps by examining the nature of your discontent, improvements could be discovered. We invite you to share your thoughts and preferences about meeting via Zoom to office@indyfriends.org. Thank you!

Queries for the Week

(From online service)

Where might I need to remove myself from the conversations, the news and social media, and even my own family members to become silent and center down?
To whom in my life do I need to be more fully present?
Who are the people in my life that make me laugh? How might I bring a little joy into someone’s life who needs the healing of humor?
In what areas of my life, might I need to take a humbler position, allowing other perspectives to be heard?

(From self-led guide)

How am I seeing the Image of God in my life and the lives of those around me?
How in this polarized world am I finding ways to bring unity and peace?
In what ways am I overwhelmed and feeling beyond my natural capacities? How might prayer and quiet meditation help me find strength and guidance?

Comment

Friend to Friend November 11, 2020

November 17, 2020

As Way Opens

Last Saturday afternoon I raked leaves and mulched my backyard and just before dark headed in with a feeling of completion and satisfaction. The lawn looked pristine and all the leaves that had been in my beds and on my driveway were gone. But before heading in I looked up above my garage and saw this tree that had a full head of hair of leaves! It was amazing to me that on November 7th after that wild windstorm we had 2 weeks ago, this tree was still hanging on to its leaves.

I usually consider the fall a time of release, of emptying myself, of letting go of all the things that I cling to. I am reminded every fall that the trees freely give away their leaves to nourish the ground and provide the cover for winter and the sustenance for the birth that will happen next spring. But here was this tree stubbornly clinging to its leaves. And I reflected on the idea that sometimes we need to just hang on. Even when we don’t know outcomes, have become discouraged and impatient, we just need to hang on and ask God to give us strength to do just that. This certainly speaks to my condition of a pandemic that continues to expand, uncertainties in the election process and fear about our current political situation. I have decided I am going to hang onto my leaves and be patient, be strong and unwavering and know that as Julian of Norwich has said “All will be well”.

I pray that you may also hang on this week and the upcoming weeks. Of course, at some point we all have to let go of our leaves and that has started to happen in my backyard. Here are some pictures this morning of my yard full of leaves everywhere. The work goes on!

Beth

Joys & Concerns

Thank you to our Mid-North Food Pantry volunteers last week: Virginia and Derek S, Bill and Kathy F, Linda and Rik L, Ruth K, Barbara O, David B, Penny P, Christie M, Phil G, and Carol and Jim D. In addition to the regular First Friends volunteer days on the first and third Weds. of each month, several of the First Friends volunteers are now volunteering on Monday mornings to assemble bags of food for distribution. Thanks to all the First Friends volunteers. 85 families were served on Weds. last week. A special thanks to Derek Snell for lending his mechanical skills to the assembly of an outdoor tower heater for the pantry in anticipation of the upcoming cold weather. If you are interested in helping at the pantry, contact Jim D.

Thanks to the Weed Wrangling team, we wrestled out huge honeysuckle shrubs that were woven together with grapevines, as well as several garbage bags of ivy that crowded out all of the native wildflowers. While we love native plants, we do discriminate against native poison ivy and greenbriar, so they also went into the trash heap.

Our next-door neighbor approved of the removal of the honeysuckle just over the property line and the addition of two blackhaw viburnums instead.

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We received a nice thank you note from the executive director of the Hoosier Environmental Council. Our contribution came from the proceeds of the Howard Taylor fund and is supporting folks like Paula Brooks and others on tangible work for economic justice issues. Such as working to block a polluting factory from being sited in an African American neighborhood with a childcare center and a school blocks away. What a legacy to Howard that this fund supports worthy not-for-profits working for real change in our communities.

Tailgate Party Goes Into Overtime

Last Saturday’s Tailgate Party, planned by Connections, continued for an hour overtime. People were not ready to end the pleasant evening of clear skies and perfect temperatures. Friends played hoops, corn hole and a marshmallow toss game. Leeann and Jackie wowed everyone with their basketball prowess. Aaron put up a volleyball net and we had a badminton set. Frisbees and a dodge ball were available. Prizes were given for superior performance—well, that’s sort of the story.* The real story is we had a lot of fun while wearing masks and staying socially distanced.

In the beginning a sleeping baby arrived, a curious husky with ice blue eyes surveyed the scene and men roasted brats because a man’s meal means more that roasting hot dogs. OK, getting carried away but I was inspired by the attenders. People brought their own sack meals and Amy pitched in s’more kits which we were not expecting. There were snacks and bottles of water.

Jesse sang Dylan’s “Knock, Knock, Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” with his soft, smooth voice. He accompanied himself with Jim’s traveling guitar. (I had never heard of one either. It is small with a long neck.) A speaker system and playlist provided by Jim entertained the crowd. Jerry Henricks’ spirit was among us as we feasted our eyes on his photography and took home some original Jerry postcards.

The living and the remembered gathered together in spirit and in person to enjoy a rare, treasured November day—a respite from times of isolation in one tremendously baffling year. Thank you everyone who helped and all those who partook in the pleasures of the party.

*Prizes: Linda, first adventurer to roast wieners; Jackie, 3 hoops at basketball; Leeann, marshmallow and basketball baskets; Mike, marshmallow baskets; Robin, corn hole bags pocketed (he spreads out beans evenly for a better shot); Bob, name that tune; Amy, name that tune; Jan, best form of transportation to event (bike); Carrie, name that tune; Nancy, name that tune; Mindy and Paul, unsolicited volunteers for clean-up (or were they stealing benches ;)?) and Mary and David for last to arrive and a trivia question.

Prayer: God thank you for blessings of laughter and good times. Thank you for work, play and beautiful days. Thank you for the changing of the seasons and all of the transitions to which we adapt. Thank you for being with us and for us. Thank you that there is always more to learn and thank you for Your patience in teaching us through Your love. Amen. ~Nancy

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Small Groups and Building Use. As a reminder to the First Friends community, as of Oct. 1 the Meetinghouse has been open to small groups, with requirements for face coverings and social distancing protocol. Participants assume personal responsibility for risk of COVID-19 exposure. Several small groups offer Zoom options for those who prefer not to attend in person. To check on availability of small groups, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org, 317-255-2485.

Free Green Team Training ~ The singing frog was wrong - it IS easy being green! Hoosier Interfaith Power and Light invites you on November 11th at 6:00pm for a fun and informative workshop to find out how to create or expand a green team in your congregation. There will be much work to do in the next four years regardless of the outcome of the elections. All people of faith need to act together now with a sense of urgency. Learn about the faith bases of creation care and the supporting science and messaging. Discuss the typical challenges faced when starting or developing a green team, and ways to turn them into opportunities. It's free and easy to sign up, to find out more and register visit https://hoosieripl.salsalabs.org/greenteamtrainingnovember112020/index.html?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=33a22090-85ad-412d-8de1-3705e86998c4

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Are these yours? Nancy had some hot dog skewers at the Tailgate Party that someone may have mistaken for theirs. The missing pair have rectangular block handles. Please contact Nancy to arrange an exchange.

Show Your First Friends Christmas Spirit ~ First Friends has “adopted” a family to help this Christmas. While the family would like to remain anonymous, we do have a little info to share about the family. There are 5 children and a mom. The kids are ages 14 (girl), 13 (girl), 12 (boy), 9 (girl), and 9 (boy). Rather than ask folks at First Friends to purchase gifts as we have done in the past, at this time we intend to provide gift cards for the kids and mom and possibly a few smaller gifts. Please contribute as you are led to help provide a very Merry Christmas for this family. Checks can be sent to the First Friends office with a notation of “Christmas Family” in the memo section. We may seek out a second family if enough monies are collected. We hope to finalize this fundraiser by the end of November so please consider making your donation at your earliest convenience. Thanks for your consideration.

To Zoom or Not to Zoom or The Zooming Experience ~ How do you feel about zoom? What are your positive experiences? What are your complaints? Are you kept away by a lack of technology? Do you loathe zoom? Perhaps by examining the nature of your discontent, improvements could be discovered. We invite you to share your thoughts and preferences about meeting via Zoom to office@indyfriends.org. Thank you!

Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for November

Sandhill Crane – The Wise Traveler

Sandhill Cranes stand three and one-half feet tall, and are mostly gray with red on the crown. Immatures are brown. In flight one can see their outstretched necks, and feet trailing behind their tails. They should not be confused with Great Blue Herons, which nest nearby us, although some call those birds “cranes”.

Several weeks ago as I walked in our woods, I found two Swainson’s Thrushes in the bushes above the waterfall. They were sitting silently, side-by-side, watching my movement. I wondered if these two had come together, all the way from Canada. Perhaps, instead, they met here, in the woods, and recognized each other, like two Ball State grads who just happen to pull in beside each other at a rest area in Arkansas. Either way, their migration is less conspicuous than that of the cranes.

Queries for the Week

(From online service)

· How might I see the struggles and sufferings in my life as a vehicle for bringing resurrection (new life)?

· What relationships do I need to nurture so that I can experience the Divine more fully in my life?

· What concerns, convicts, and is calling me to love wastefully in the present moment?

(From self-led guide)

· Do you automatically rush to sort things out and fix them?

· Are you learning instead to listen and wait?

· Are you desirous of “good powerlessness?”

Comment

Friend to Friend November 4, 2020

November 5, 2020

As Way Opens

Last Thursday, I took both a needed and long-anticipated day-long spiritual retreat. Because my current schedule does not afford a longer retreat, I knew I would have to make the most of my day. Since nature is an important way for me to connect to the Divine, I anticipated most of my day outside. Yet when I awoke on Thursday, my spirit was a bit dashed as I heard heavy rain hitting the side of our home. Immediately, I knew I would need to be flexible.

Grabbing the essentials; one book, a mask, my rain coat, a hat, and hiking shoes, I was determined to not let the rain deter my day. My first stop would be the walking trails at Minnetrista, a gathering place in Muncie, Indiana, dedicated to the legacy of the Ball family. The hiking trails at Minnetrista wind along the river and allow one to find their own pace.

Where I began there was a big rock just off the path that marked this area as the traditional site of the Wah-Pe-Kah-Me-Kunk, the Muncie clan of the Delaware Indians. I paused to pay respect to those who were removed from this land and center myself as their ancestors did years ago on this very spot. Immediately, I sensed a deeper connection to the nature around me - the trees giving up their brightly colored leaves, the frost tipped roses frozen in time, the deep roar of the river, and the black squirrels gathering nuts for the winter frolicking along my path. I was now ready to receive what the Spirit would reveal to me on this day retreat.

I knew I needed to remove myself from the noise and clutter of daily life and escape to a transcendent place where I could experience the Divine. Interestingly enough, during my entire time at Minnetrista, I only had one other person cross my path, the rain subsided, and I found the silence speaking to my soul. The Still Small Voice I had spoken of in a recent sermon was quietly whispering and asking me to simply breath in and find my peace. As I concluded my hike and arrived back at my car, the rain returned and I sat for a moment listening to it hitting my windshield, feeling as though it was a sign that I was cleansed, for now, of the weight I was carrying.

My afternoon plan was to continue my retreat at Mounds State Park, but the rain did not let up and the ranger at the gate said the paths were saturated. Instead, I headed to a more familiar place, Falls Park in Pendleton. At this point the rain had returned with a vengeance and the wind had picked up. I pulled my car into a parking spot under a tree that faced the fast-moving falls. The tree made a nice canopy over my car allowing me to open the windows and experience the sounds. I sat and read for quite some time as the Falls provided “white noise” to drown out the clatter of the world around me. Usually, I would need my headphones and music to help bring this focus. This day, I found creation itself provided the soundtrack – the rain on my windshield, the crunching of leaves beneath my feet, and the steady roar of the falls all provided beautiful music.

Finally, I needed to find a warmer spot and headed to a coffee shop in Pendleton to warm up with a cup of coffee. Even though I had been concerned that the rain would deter me from experiencing the Divine, I realized as I sipped my coffee that being flexible and willing to embrace the unexpected was the best lesson I could glean for my current condition. A lesson I must be reminded of each and every day during this pandemic and these challenging times.

As I concluded my day-long retreat, I spent time reading from the Gospel of Thomas – a gospel text I have not spent enough time with. These words of Jesus almost jumped off the page and summarized my day’s experience,

“Recognize what is before your eyes, and the mysteries will be revealed to you.”

May we all recognize what is before our eyes this week, so the mysteries of the Divine may be revealed to us!

Grace and peace,

Bob

Joys & Concerns

Thank you to our volunteers who helped First Friends on election day! These volunteers made sure everything went smoothly, and everyone stayed safe! Thank you to Carol & Jim D, Kevin F, Deb & Phil G, Beth H, Bob H, Ed M, Susan R, and Nancy S!

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

TAILGATE PARTY! Hey, Friends, the Connections Team will be hosting a COVID-safe tailgate party in the meeting house parking lot on Saturday, November 7, 4-6 pm. What a good chance to connect with folks from the meeting face to face. Bring your own chair, food and drinks...and masks, please. We will have fire pits for hot dogs and s'mores. The weather forecast looks good for Saturday. Hope you can make it!

Free Green Team Training ~ The singing frog was wrong - it IS easy being green! Hoosier Interfaith Power and Light invites you on November 11th for a fun and informative workshop to find out how to create or expand a green team in your congregation. There will be much work to do in the next four years regardless of the outcome of the elections. All people of faith need to act together now with a sense of urgency. Learn about the faith bases of creation care and the supporting science and messaging. Discuss the typical challenges faced when starting or developing a green team, and ways to turn them into opportunities. It's free and easy to sign up, to find out more and register visit https://hoosieripl.salsalabs.org/greenteamtrainingnovember112020/index.html?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=33a22090-85ad-412d-8de1-3705e86998c4

Shhh! (The Garden Sleeps)

Aside from some cold weather crops the Community Garden is bedded down for the season. We all need to sleep so we have energy to begin a rebirth. A garden is no different. For your enjoyment I am employing a philosophical outlook in this issue. Thank you in advance to the poets and writers.

And all at once, summer collapsed into fall. –Oscar Wilde

Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall. –F. Scott Fitzgerald

Autumn Fires

In the other gardens

And all up the vale,

From the autumn bonfires

See the smoke trail!

Pleasant summer over

And all the summer flowers,

The red fire blazes,

The grey smoke towers.

Sing a song of seasons!

Something bright in all!

Flowers in the summer,

Fires in the fall!

--Robert Louis Stevenson

Be like a tree and let the dead leaves drop. –Rumi

I would rather sit on a pumpkin, and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion.—Henry David Thoreau

November

There is no wind at all tonight

To dash the drops against the pane;

No sound abroad, nor any light;

And softly falls the autumn rain.

The earth lies tacitly beneath,

As it were dead to joy or pain;

It does not move, it does not breathe;

And softly falls the autumn rain.

And all my heart is patient too.

I wait till it shall wake again;

For songs of spring shall sound anew

Though sadly falls the autumn rain.

--Celia Thaxter

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. –Albert Camus

Autumn, the year’s last, loveliest smile. –William Cullen Bryant

Delicious autumn!

My very soul is wedded to it,

And if I were a bird

I would fly about the earth,

Seeking the successive autumns.

--George Eliot

Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience. –Ralph Waldo Emerson

~Nancy

From Halloween to Happy New Year ~ When you receive cards for the upcoming holidays—Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and birthdays and anniversaries, please cut off the postage stamps with 1/4 inch of envelope around them. If you could arrange for them to be brought to First Friends, that would be wonderful. A box for them will be on the benches just inside the door, the box that used to be in Fellowship Hall. The women in RSWR projects in Kenya, India, and Sierra Leone thank you.

Tired of the news? A great way to travel to other times and places is to trim used postage stamps from excess paper. If you would like an easy (and free!) vacation from it all, contact Amy Perry and she will bring you some trimming to do at home and on your own time. You will also be doing good at the same time, for you will be helping raise money for Right Sharing of World Resources (www.RSWR.org). Contact the office at office@indyfriends.org. And have fun traveling!

Contact the office at office@indyfriends.org for the Zoom information.

Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for November

Sandhill Crane – The Wise Traveler

Join us for a Weed Wrangle! Get your frustrations out by joining Mary and Mindy on a Weed Wrangle tomorrow morning, Thursday, November 5 from 10-11:30 am. We’re pulling ivy, euonymus and cutting down some honeysuckle. We’re removing these invasive plants to make room for native plans to enhance local wildlife in the woods. We hope you’ll join us!

Queries for the Week

(From online service)

Am I listening carefully to my Inner Light as it speaks to the condition of my world during this election?
How are my political views limiting or inhibiting me in seeing God’s values and the Spirit’s work in the lives of my neighbors?
As I prepare to vote, will I first take time to pray or meditate before making my decisions?

(From self-led guide)

How might I more fully embrace the teachings and the life of Jesus to love wastefully?
Am I ready to go where Jesus might lead me?
Am I willing to have my lawn furniture turned upside down?

Comment

Friend to Friend October 28, 2020

October 29, 2020

As Way Opens

This past Sunday, our gardeners led by Nancy Scott and Sam Ryan hosted a garden harvest festival. There were over 40 folks that showed up in the back parking lot with masks, chairs and a pure sense of joy to be together. It was so good to see people face to face (or mask to mask). Jim, Jesse and Eric played music and we all had the opportunity to catch up and just be outside together. It reminded me that it's not the activities or what we are doing that feeds our soul, rather it is just the being. As I talked with most folks, the presence of being was so apparent. We crave the connections and the people that make up this faith community are really special. I know that I went home with a glad heart to have seen some people that I haven’t seen in seven months.

I think it’s important for our mental health that we find every opportunity for connection during these times that we are not gathering on Sundays for our programmed worship service. I know that zoom is not the same as being together, but it's a connection nonetheless and there are lots of opportunities at First Friends for this - book groups, unprogrammed worship, women’s workshops , Sunday School classes, fellowship hour on Sundays. We also have some small groups meeting inside the building in a socially distanced way with masks. On November 7th we will have another fellowship opportunity as a tailgate gathering in our parking lot. We continue to look for safe fellowship opportunities and I know there are a number of folks meeting within an organic small group of friends. These connections are what will help us get through this.

As Paul wrote in Romans 12:5-8 “In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we are talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or a cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much would we? We find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body. (Message version)

Thank you for the parts that each of you make to form this wonderful faith community of First Friends.

Beth

Joys & Concerns

Safe, Well-Attended Harvest Fest Celebrated at the Community Garden Site

The biggest gathering we have had since Covid shut down our building took place safely outside last weekend. The Harvest Fest featured smiles we could “see” underneath all our masks. The in-person socially-distanced interactions were welcome and needed. Children ran, played and roasted marshmallows at three fire pits that were assembled by a few and tended by many. Adults gathered standing or while sitting in chairs, excitedly talking. Some people planted milkweed for Monarch butterflies and worked in the garden plots digging, fertilizing and pulling up spent plants. Jim and Jesse sang and played guitars. Eric surprised us by coming and bringing his accordion to accompany them. As live music wafted through the air, happy Friends sang along to songs; others danced. Some people shot hoops through the new net Jim installed on the basketball hoop. Families played cornhole games on the setup Sam provided. People ate lunches they brought along or chomped down on apples that were available as snacks. Gardeners gave away items left behind as they closed down their raised beds: canna rhizomes and seeds from marigolds, zinnias, perilla, dill, mint and basil. Live greens were gifted including kale, Swiss chard and spinach. Children delighted in the small tomatoes and chilies they picked. Sweet peppers, green onions, and growing thyme and dill found new homes. Even the cats were contented when owners brought home Jackie’s fresh catnip. Dr. Andy put his stamp of approval on the gathering where we took care of one another by using safe practices, including hand sanitizer and wipes. There were even escorts to the facilities, courtesy of Beth, who made sure the building safety guidelines were followed. When it was all over and equipment and tools were put away, cooled ashes from fire pits were used to fertilize the garden. There is even leftover wood for the Connections outdoor tailgating party on November 7!

Many thanks to those who packaged giveaways; cut, piled and carted firewood and fire pits; put out fires; worked in the garden plots; supervised and played with children; played music and hauled equipment; made calls and sent emails; helped with setup and cleanup; answered questions and gave advice (esp. Dr. Andy); helped instruct, inform and announce; provided giveaways and games and those who did nothing but relax!! ~Nancy

Thank you, food pantry volunteers!! We were very busy at the food pantry on Weds. serving 92 families...a new record number during the pandemic. Volunteers that helped included: Linda and Rik Lineback; Phil Goodchild; Christie Moulton; Bill Farris; David Beatty; Penny Paraskevas; and Carol and Jim Donahue. Ruth Kelly and Kathy Farris also helped at the pantry on Monday. Thanks to all of these dedicated volunteers.

Thank you to everyone who sent in notes, cards and gifts to Bob and Beth for Pastor’s Appreciation Month. They were touched to receive such kind and thoughtful words from everyone.

A note of thanks from Becki H: Many thanks and a Hug of The Light for the many cards and expressions of condolence extended to our family on the death of my mother. They were much appreciated and warmed my heart. -Becki

Please keep Jim S in your thoughts and prayers. Jim was hit by a car as he walked across his street to get the mail. Jim went to the hospital but did not have to stay overnight. He was badly bruised and shaken but seems to be doing ok. Please keep Jim and Nancy in your prayers.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

The First Friends Women's Book Club is discussing Richard Rohr's, The Universal Christ and still welcoming new members. The group meets at 6:30 p.m. semi-monthly on Wednesdays or Thursdays, depending on the members' work schedules. Upcoming meetings via Zoom on the following dates:

• Thursday 10/29

• Wednesday 11/11

• No meeting during Thanksgiving week.

• Wednesday 12/2

Please RSVP to the office at office@indyfriends.org and you will be sent a Zoom link. Regular and sporadic attenders are welcome.

College Care packages - It is time to send care packages to our college students as they prepare for their exams at school. This time, rather than having you drop off your donations at the meetinghouse, we are asking for financial contributions. The First Friends office will use the funds to fill boxes for the students with goodies like candy, cookies, cards, and other treats. There are a number of ways to send your support—you can mail a donation to the office with the notation “college packages”; donate via our secure giving portal at https://www.indyfriends.org/support and choose the “college care packages” fund; or text COLLEGE to 317-768-0303. Thank you for your support!

Recycling Event! The Shalom Zone plans to have its yearly recycling event with Recycle Force on Saturday, October 31 from 10:00am to 2:00pm. If an item runs (or used to run) with a plug or a battery you can recycle it! This year it will be held at Epworth United Methodist Church, 6450 Allisonville Rd. A $20 donation is required for TVs and appliances containing Freon (fridges, freezers, ac units and dehumidifiers). Other monetary contributions are greatly appreciated. This is a great opportunity to clean out your basement, garage, closets, attic and responsibly recycle unwanted electronics and appliances. If you have items that are heavy and you need assistance to move them, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org and we can arrange pick up. For more information, view the flyer here: https://bit.ly/3mopbuO.

Daylight Savings Time Ends This Weekend! Don’t forget that this Sunday morning at 2:00am the clocks will move back one hour—so our 10:15 service will feel a bit later! Don’t forget to change your clocks!

Consider Supporting MSPC! Due to the pandemic, Maple Seeds Preschool Coop (MSPC) sadly had to cancel their annual fall festival fundraiser. In lieu, we are hoping you will choose to support MSPC another way—order a Christmas wreath! You can find the order form here: http://bit.ly/MSPCwreath. Orders are due by Monday, November 2nd. Please send your completed order form to the office@indyfriends.org.

Do you have a car to sell? A refugee family with legal documentation needs to buy a reliable, low-cost used car. Prefer four-door, well-maintained vehicle needing no major repairs, but will consider all options. Hard-working, goal directed single mom is in a bind because IPS has a one-location rule and won't drop off her kids at the daycare provided by her employer after school. Please spread the word to your family and friends and forward all possibilities to the office at office@indyfriends.org. Thank you so much.

To Zoom or Not to Zoom or The Zooming Experience

How do you feel about zoom? What are your positive experiences? What are your complaints? Are you kept away by a lack of technology? Do you loathe zoom? Perhaps by examining the nature of your discontent, improvements could be discovered.

When my sister passed on a Saturday night, I talked with Fellowship Hour Friends and could instantly see caring and compassion on everyone’s face. Then I heard the voices of comfort. This without needing to drive anywhere.

Another benefit is that I can see if someone is trying to get a word in and can’t break in. Sometimes I intervene and direct attention to that person. In a circle in the parlor it is harder to see everyone and to direct attention to one who asks for it in the movement of their lips, the tilt of their heads.

During these strange times the Monday Meditation group has remained small and faithful. We are nurturing to each other and are comfortable. The Bible Study participants, the majority from First Friends, some Christians with varied churches, have created a new group experience and have formed a connection with each other.

I invite you to share your experiences and preferences to office@indyfriends.org. ~Linda L

The Mid North Food Pantry is in need of help on Mondays. There are 2 shifts: (1) 8:30 am – 10:30 am to prepare bags of food to be distributed, and (2) 10 am –noon to hand out food to families (this is the same function that First Friends volunteers perform every first and third Weds. of the month). In addition, Mid North is looking for someone who would like to work part time at the pantry to replace a current employee who is to undergo medical treatment. If you are interested in any of these opportunities or need further information, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.

TAILGATE PARTY! Hey, Friends, the Connections Team will be hosting a COVID-safe tailgate party in the meeting house parking lot on Saturday, November 7, 4-6 pm. What a good chance to connect with folks from the meeting face to face. Bring your own food and drinks...and masks, please. We will have fire pits for hot dogs and s'mores. Stay tuned for more details.

Attention women of First Friends! We will be offering a virtual 4-part workshop on spiritual gifts starting Sunday November 1st from 5:00 - 6:30. The workshop will continue for the next three Sundays after that ending on November 22nd. Zoom Space is limited so please contact the office if you would like to sign up.

We will explore the gift economy of the Body of Christ and why it matters for us to gain understanding of it. We will also examine specific spiritual gifts and how they work together in a community.

Session 1 (Nov 1st) will examine the two realities we all inhabit: the Body of Christ and the world or the Kingdom (Kin-dom) of God and empire. We’ll be learning to look for Kingdom of Heaven already within and among us.
Session 2 (Nov 8th) explores the nature of a gifts economy, our God-created diversity, and celebrates our strengths as well as our weaknesses, which are important to embrace.
Session 3 l(Nov 15th) looks at ways honoring gifts and stepping into a gifts economy makes us the right size and shape for who we were created to be and for making communities run smoothly.
Session 4 (Nov 22nd) asks how we might apply these concepts in our daily lives.

Our Facilitator is Sara Beth Terrell, a recorded Friends minister with a ministry of spiritual formation. She is a spiritual director, speaker, writer, and workshop and retreat leader. Sara Beth has been a Friends pastor and campus minister. She is married with two adult children and is a member of First Friends Meeting in Greensboro, NC. She can be found at www.imaginingtheword.com.

Small Group Meetings. If you are part of a small group that would like to meet at First Friends – or are interested in joining a group – please let us know. First Friends has opened the building to small group meetings. All gatherings are limited to 10 and participants will be required to wear face coverings and follow other social distancing protocols. Many small groups who choose to meet in person will also meet via Zoom so people can still attend virtually if they prefer—ask your small group leader how they will be meeting. If you are interested in joining any of the below groups, please notify the office at: office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485.

Our current available meetings:

· Unprogrammed worship - Mondays at 11:15am

· Unprogrammed worship - Wednesdays at 6:45pm

· Unprogrammed worship - Sundays at 9:00am

· Men’s book group (John Woolman’s Journal)

· Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading

· Men’s book club

· Serenity Now

· Women’s book club

· Men’s Threshing Together

· Seeking Friends book class

· Kids Pre-k through 1st grade Sunday School class

· 2nd - 5th grade Sunday School class

· Youth Group

Circle of Care needs more volunteers! The Circle of Care ministry is such an important way to love and care for each other as a faith community. The volunteer network is made up of folks that can occasionally give a ride to a doctor’s appointment, help with technology, rake leaves or other support services that might arise for a person. It works like this: The Circle of Care receives the request and sends it out to the network of volunteers. If someone is available they will respond to the Circle of Care coordinator and the connection will be made for with the person asking for assistance. Could we add your email to this list? Please let the office know if you would be willing to join this important ministry— office@indyfriends.org.

Please join us in welcoming Aaron Thornburg to First Friends staff, taking over Dan Mitchell’s position as he recently retired. If you have any building concerns, small fixes, or other problems that you would have reported to Dan, please email your concerns to Aaron at AaronThornburg@indyfriends.org (not case sensitive).

Queries for the Week

(From online service)

Do I believe I am loved by God?

(From self-led guide)

What seems to be the biggest anxiety producers effecting my daily life, my spiritual life?
What particular issues or problems have I found myself honed-in on during this pandemic?
What areas may I need to give over to God through prayer?

Comment

Friend to Friend October 21, 2020

October 26, 2020

As Way Opens

A couple weeks ago I shared my love as a child for the Space Program in this column. In thinking about that era, I was reminded of my grade school science teacher, and, hands down, one of the best teachers I have been honored to have, Mr. Kramer.

Mr. Kramer was a unique and incredibly dedicated teacher. To me, he was Bill Nye the Science Guy in real time. From his belief in the importance of teaching Macintosh computer programming starting in second grade (yes, 1980), to challenging me and a friend to build a model of the entire school for an upcoming construction project just to teach us about architecture, to those wacky science experiments that had me and my class rivetted and loving science, he did it all in his own laid back but inviting way.

Mr. Kramer also lived along the path in town, where I rode my bike to my grandparent’s house. I would see him out working in his garden, or on a project and stop for hours to talk and glean some new trade or experience from him. One day he asked if I would be willing to help him on Saturday mornings at our church. He was also the church organist and needed help tuning the organ. That intrigued me, so I said yes.

I would ride my bike to the church on Saturday mornings and meet Mr. Kramer, who proudly wore a band t-shirt from a concert the night before. To help supplement his teacher salary, he would be part of the lighting and setup crew for local concerts at the Memorial Coliseum on the weekends. Science teacher by day, rock band roadie on Fridays, and organist on Sundays – like I said, he was unique. There he would be sitting at the organ in his crisp new Van Halen or Megadeath t-shirt ready to work.

Since I had taken several years of piano lessons and often played the trumpet for special church services, Mr. Kramer was well aware of my musical abilities. So, I would sit at the organ, as he scurried like a mouse back into the recesses of the pipe rooms. I would listen for him to yell out a specific note to play and press it when prompted. We would spend a couple hours tuning, but I couldn’t wait until he would replace me at the organ, let all the stops out, and play something based on the notes we had tuned. Whether Saturday or Sunday morning, there was a pride in knowing that I helped make that organ sound like a true instrument, not just a ballpark novelty.

Who would have known that later in college I would live on a floor of accomplished organ students, several have actually become renowned for their work. I would even spend a summer rooming with one of these gifted organists. Actually, he was already writing his own music and giving concerts on arrival at our school. I heard recently that in 2017, he was a semi-finalist for the American Prize in Composition. Often my floormates and I would join him at the chapel on our campus and just listen to him or one of the others play. Their artistry and passion to make the organ come alive was like none I have ever heard. They pulled stops and played notes that seemed to transcend this world and speak to our souls. Recently my former roommate and I reconnected through our Meeting’s website and we are looking at him possibly coming to give an organ concert after the pandemic is over.

Looking back, I am extremely thankful for people like Mr. Kramer who inspire and encourage us through their willingness to spend time investing in people. Mr. Kramer not only helped lay a foundation in my life, he built in me appreciations that have assisted me through college and into my career as a pastor. May we find some time this week to invest in those around us.

Grace and peace,

Bob

Quaker-Affiliated Organizations

We are coming near the end of our fundraising efforts for the WYM and FUM 2020 fundraisers but have had very few contributions. Please give these causes your prayerful thought and, if you are so led, make your contribution this week to assist our brethren in Belize and Turkana, Kenya. Thank you for your consideration.

The WYM project for 2020 is for the benefit of the Belize Friends School. The school needs financial assistance for its operating expenses and the WYM goal is to raise $15,000. You might recall that in 2017 WYM also designated Belize as its project but monies raised at that time were designated for re-locating the school and expanded ministries including community services and the starting of a Friends meeting. Many of you knew Dale Graves, a member of Mooresville’s West Newton Friends, who poured his heart and soul into the Belize school and surrounding area and was the driving force that enabled the Belize school and Friends meeting to become what it is today. While Dale is no longer with us, there is no doubt that Dale would be very proud of the ongoing efforts to improve the Belize school and Belize Friends meeting.

The FUM project is to assist the Friends in Turkana who are celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of Turkana Friends Mission. Turkana Friends was founded in 1970 in Kalokol, Kenya. It began as a project of East Africa Yearly Meeting and FUM. Turkana Friends Mission has grown from one location to a vibrant multi-site Quaker community that, among other things, oversees six nursery schools and six primary schools. The number of meetings in Turkana Friends Mission has increased dramatically in the past few decades from seven village meetings in 2002 to twenty-five meetings in 2019.

We at First Friends Indianapolis seem far removed from our fellow Quakers around the world and FUM and WYM are organizations that help connect us through worthy projects each year. Please help these Quakers in Belize and Turkana as you are led. Checks should be made to First Friends with a notation as to whether the monies should go to (WYM) Belize, (FUM) Turkana, or split between these projects. Thank you.

Joys & Concerns

Thank You So Much! To our Mid-North Food Pantry volunteers, we THANK YOU for continuing to offer support to those in need during these trying times! A great group of First Friends volunteers showed up to help at the food pantry last Wednesday: Christie M; Linda and Rik L; Kathy and Bill F; Phil G; David B; Terry T; Tony Myers; Melanie, Virginia and Derek S; and Carol and Jim D. We kept busy serving 87 families..

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! Our next meeting will be held in-person on Thursday, October 22 at 7:00pm. See current locations here: http://bit.ly/ThreshingFall2020.

Don't you miss the First Friends Friday Night Sing-Along? Jim and Jesse have created a sing-along video which will premiere Friday, October 23, 7pm. Tune in at that time to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B26OWPhn0M to watch it along with us. We hope you will join us in singing at home!

From your Friendly Creation Care Team ~ If you live in Marion County, you are invited to give feedback on a new proposed ordinance on Benchmarking and Transparency Ordinance to help improve energy and water efficiency of Indianapolis buildings. Essentially, if you don’t know how much energy your building is using without a benchmark, how can you improve? Currently buildings contribute to 66% of community-wide greenhouse gas emissions. With a benchmarking ordinance in place, businesses can reduce energy use by 2.3% just by understanding energy use in a building. Little changes can add up to money saved. Here’s the link: https://indy.civicomment.org/

Outdoor Harvest Festival Open to All this Sunday!

Live music, courtesy of Jim K and Jesse S will float through the air at the Community Garden work day/play day harvest celebration this Sunday, October 25 at 11:30 a.m. This is an outdoor in-person, socially-distanced event open to the entire Meeting. There will be firepits and a cornhole game. We will gather in the garden area north of the Meetinghouse.

Bring: mask, bagged food and service for yourself, a chair, and garden tools if you plan to help close down the garden for the season. You may want to bring marshmallows or hot dogs to roast over the fire. Extra chairs will be provided for those who cannot readily supply their own. There may be some canna rhizomes or herbs available if you would like to bring your own bags or containers. You are not required to help in the garden and your presence will bless us whether you join in the work or just relax.

Check the Meeting’s Facebook or the gardeners’ Marco Polo to see if the Fest is cancelled because of the weather. Rain date is Sunday, November 1 at 11:30. Daylight saving time ends and we will fall back an hour so be aware of the time change.

This is intended to be a safe gathering. Each person should bring a mask to wear to protect others when not socially-distanced and to protect Friends from unintended sneezes and coughs that cause droplets and aerosols to travel further than six feet. Hand sanitizer and masks for those who have none will be available.

Come and join us so we can thrive and enjoy one another beyond the world of Zoom.

~ Sam and Nancy

Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading would like you to join us from virtually anywhere in the world as we discuss The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore The Curies' newly discovered element of radium makes gleaming headlines across the nation as the fresh face of beauty, and wonder drug of the medical community. From body lotion to tonic water, the popular new element shines bright in the otherwise dark years of the First World War. Meanwhile, hundreds of girls toil amidst the glowing dust of the radium-dial factories. The glittering chemical covers their bodies from head to toe; they light up the night like industrious fireflies. With such a coveted job, these "shining girls" are the luckiest alive ~ until they begin to fall mysteriously ill. (goodreads.com) Carolyn T will be leading the discussion in via Zoom starting at 7 pm on Tuesday, October 27, 2020.

Recycling Event! The Shalom Zone plans to have its yearly recycling event with Recycle Force on Saturday, October 31 from 10:00am to 2:00pm. If an item runs (or used to run) with a plug or a battery you can recycle it! This year it will be held at Epworth United Methodist Church, 6450 Allisonville Rd. A $20 donation is required for televisions and appliances containing Freon (fridges, freezers, ac units and dehumidifiers). Other monetary contributions are greatly appreciated. This is a great opportunity to clean out your basement, garage, closets, attic and responsibly recycle unwanted electronics and appliances. If you have items that are heavy and you need assistance to move them, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org and we can arrange to have the items picked up. For more information, view the flyer here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1w6uaIgilMNlIk8Hw9URMPgNHcNE8_1BE/view?usp=sharing

• Wednesday 10/14

• Thursday 10/29

• Wednesday 11/11

• No meeting during Thanksgiving week.

• Wednesday 12/2

Please RSVP to the office at office@indyfriends.org and you will be sent a Zoom link. Regular and sporadic attenders are welcome.

We will explore the gift economy of the Body of Christ and why it matters for us to gain understanding of it. We will also examine specific spiritual gifts and how they work together in a community.

Session 1 (Nov 1st) will examine the two realities we all inhabit: the Body of Christ and the world or the Kingdom (Kin-dom) of God and empire. We’ll be learning to look for Kingdom of Heaven already within and among us.
Session 2 (Nov 8th) explores the nature of a gifts economy, our God-created diversity, and celebrates our strengths as well as our weaknesses, which are important to embrace.
Session 3 l(Nov 15th) looks at ways honoring gifts and stepping into a gifts economy makes us the right size and shape for who we were created to be and for making communities run smoothly.
Session 4 (Nov 22nd) asks how we might apply these concepts in our daily lives.

Our current available meetings:

· Unprogrammed worship - Mondays at 11:15am

· Unprogrammed worship - Wednesdays at 6:45pm

· Unprogrammed worship - Sundays at 9:00am

· Men’s book group (John Woolman’s Journal)

· Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading

· Men’s book club

· Serenity Now

· Women’s book club

· Men’s Threshing Together

· Seeking Friends book class

· Kids Pre-k through 1st grade Sunday School class

· 2nd - 5th grade Sunday School class

· Youth Group

How to Vote Green! This recent email blast from the Carmel Green Initiative (www.carmelgreen.org) is filled with useful information—from how to “Vote Green” to tips on planting trees! View the email blast here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-DZnJe2APF2lkqul4okSzvGbpzH6_0CX/view?usp=sharing

Queries for the Week

(From self-led guide)

If you have a relationship with indigenous people, is it all that it could be? What would help to strengthen it?
If you don’t have a relationship with indigenous people, where might you begin to develop such a relationship?

Comment

Friend to Friend October 14, 2020

October 15, 2020

As Way Opens

I went on an individual spiritual retreat at Fatima Retreat Center for a few days last week. It was a glorious couple of days. The weather was perfect and the trees at Fatima were in splendid color (if you haven’t been to Fatima and seen their grounds and trails it is something everyone should do). I knew I needed this time to slow down, spend time reading (I finished Richard Rohr’s book The Universal Christ) walk the labyrinth, engage in prayer and meditation and listen for what Christ was saying to me. When I got there on Thursday, I walked the trail but did so slowly to observe and see things I normally miss. I will never forget our women’s retreat many years ago at Fatima where Norma Wallman took us on a wildflower walk. I saw so many flowers that spring that I had walked on past without ever noticing. Last week I noticed so many things on the trail. While examining a fall flower I heard something in front of me and there face to face with me were two huge deer. I think we both scared each other to death. But then I thought, isn’t that life. We just don’t know what is ahead of us and we can all act in fear of each other.

God had a lot of things to say to me on this retreat. I have been spending far too much time on my tv, my phone, my computer and not moving around enough (so much time on zoom sitting in my office chair). I need to spend more time in meditation and prayer each day. I need to move my body more. And I need to be focused less on doing and more on being.

The Universal Christ book spoke to me in a lot of ways. I have been losing sight of the idea that I am meeting Christ in every person; those I love, those I disdain, those that I make judgements about, those that look undesirable. Each person that I see I am seeing Christ. It really gives a different perspective to my feelings and judgments when I think this way.

I love this picture of the tree that has a broken limb. That broken limb seems to be hanging by a thread. But this broken limb has not stopped the tree from being a magnificent spread of color that I wake up to every morning and fills my room with reflections of orange and red.

I pray we may all adjust our vision to see the small things that we miss in our hurriedness and this mystery of Christ in all, even those things that are broken.

Beth

Quaker-Affiliated Organizations

Joys & Concerns

Thank You So Much! To our Mid-North Food Pantry volunteers, we THANK YOU for continuing to offer support to those in need during these trying times! A great group of First Friends volunteers showed up to help at the food pantry last Wednesday: Christie M; Linda and Rik L; Kathy and Bill F; Phil G; David B; Terry T; Tony M; Melanie, Virginia and Derek S; and Carol and Jim D. We kept busy serving 87 families.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Help out First Friends this election! As you may know, First Friends will be a polling location this upcoming election, November 3rd. We are looking for volunteers to help us in the meetinghouse that day. If you are able to help, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485.

• Wednesday 10/14

• Thursday 10/29

• Wednesday 11/11

• No meeting during Thanksgiving week.

• Wednesday 12/2

Please RSVP to the office at office@indyfriends.org and you will be sent a Zoom link. Regular and sporadic attenders are welcome.

All are invited to Sugar Grove Meetinghouse in Plainfield for Unprogrammed Meeting for Worship on Sunday, October 18 at 2 PM. At a ZOOM Conversation last week on Sugar Grove (Conservative) Meetinghouse, the hope was expressed by several participants that this meetinghouse be used more frequently, particularly for worship. A handful of Friends have received HEARTY approval from the WYM Property Trustees to have an unprogrammed (in the manner of Conservative Friends) Meeting for Worship at Sugar Grove Meetinghouse on Sunday, October 18 at 2 PM. All Friends are welcome.

Please note the following if you plan to attend:

1) There are NO functioning restroom facilities or utilities at Sugar Grove Meetinghouse.

2) Please heed this friendly reminder to enter the Meeting for Worship in silence.

3) Friends need to plan to wear masks and physically distance at least six feet away from your non-household members.

4) You may want to bring a seat cushion and wear an extra layer of clothing.

The meetinghouse is located North of the roundabout at Hadley Rd (E CR 600 S) and Sugar Grove Rd. We hope you will join us.

Woods Update: On Sunday afternoon, a group of volunteers met to continue restoration work in the Woods. In the spring, we had Cardno, an ecological restoration company, treat large areas of the woods for two significant invasive plants, euonymus and amur honeysuckle. https://indiananativeplants.org/invasive-plants/. These invasives create dense shade and groundcover over the forest floor crowding out native plants that feed our native birds and insects. Cardno prepared a seed mix for our Woods that has a combination of sedges, grasses and forbs (flowering wildflowers) that thrive in the understory.

The team cleared out newly fallen leaves and remnants of euonymus patches (some vigorous pulling was required and filled 3 large garbage bags) and then sowed two areas with this specialized mix. Native plants need certain conditions to germinate. Many require freeze and thaw to allow them to emerge in the spring. The areas are marked off with caution tape to protect the planting.

Our team included the Mighty Mindy S, Amy P, Brad J, Deb G, Phil G, Terry T, Dan M, Dave B and Mary B. Trustee Phil got an inside look for some of the work required to maintain an urban wood lot. Brad used his trusty weedwhacker to tame uninvited weeds and Terry continues her artistic endeavor of a blue palette of natives near the dry bridge.

We hope to continue to clear areas and restore more of the native landscape. If you’d like to lend a hand, contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.

Don't you miss the First Friends Friday Night Sing-Along? Jim and Jesse are putting the final touches on a video which will premiere Friday, October 23, 7pm. More details to come. We'll have the link for you in next week's Friend to Friend.

A New Issue of the Stamping Newsletter Is Available! The Right Sharing of World Resources Stamping team here at First Friends has released a new issue of their newsletter, Stamping for Dollars. To view the newsletter, click here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-BuYdNjGQBJrETOYFC782SiScyQ5LJvS/view?usp=sharing

Right-Sharing of World Resources Sponsored Project Update - Keyo Friends Women Group ~ First Friends sponsored a RSWR project in Kenya in honor of Ann Panah. Here is a story about one of the beneficiaries of the RSWR grant to the Keyo Friends Women Group.

Name: Phanice Kenyorwa

Age: 69 years

Group: Keyo Friends Women Group

Status: Married, with 8 children, 4 of them are still at home. She is also helping to raise 6 grandchildren. Phanice has a husband who is older and cannot work. He used to work as a butcher, but he became diabetic and can’t work anymore.

Phanice ventured into goat rearing and selling with her RSWR loan because there is high demand for goat meat at the butchery where her husband once worked, so she has a ready market for the goats. In addition, she does some farming, growing and selling indigenous vegetables. She is helped in her business by her children who graze the goats for her. Besides feeding the many members of her family, the business has helped Phanice to renovate their house which was leaking.

Harvest Festival! All Meeting Invitation for a “3-D Celebration” Outside! ~ The Community Garden is having a work day/play day celebration of the harvest on Sunday, October 25 at 11:30 a.m. We will have live music, courtesy of Jim Kartholl and Jesse Snyder-Ehrich. We will be together in-person outdoors, socially-distanced. Each person should bring a mask to wear to protect others when not socially-distanced and to protect Friends from unintended sneezes and coughs that cause droplets and aerosols to travel further than six feet. We will gather in the garden area north of the Meetinghouse.

We are all taxed to the limit by the Covid crisis and the idea of the Festival is to be together safely. Bring: mask, bagged food and service for yourself, a chair, and garden tools if you plan to help close down the garden for the season. Some extra chairs will be provided for those who cannot readily supply their own. You are not required to help in the garden and your presence will bless us whether you join in the work or just relax.

Rain date is Sunday, November 1 at 11:30. Daylight saving time ends and we will fall back an hour so be aware of the change.

Come and join us so we can thrive and enjoy one another beyond the world of Zoom.

~ Sam and Nancy

We will explore the gift economy of the Body of Christ and why it matters for us to gain understanding of it. We will also examine specific spiritual gifts and how they work together in a community.

Session 1 (Nov 1st) will examine the two realities we all inhabit: the Body of Christ and the world or the Kingdom (Kin-dom) of God and empire. We’ll be learning to look for Kingdom of Heaven already within and among us.
Session 2 (Nov 8th) explores the nature of a gifts economy, our God-created diversity, and celebrates our strengths as well as our weaknesses, which are important to embrace.
Session 3 l(Nov 15th) looks at ways honoring gifts and stepping into a gifts economy makes us the right size and shape for who we were created to be and for making communities run smoothly.
Session 4 (Nov 22nd) asks how we might apply these concepts in our daily lives.

Participate in our "Sponsor a College Student" project! Just select a college student and send them notes, cards, treats, etc throughout the school year so they hear from someone at the Meeting and feel connected. Our college students this year are Ellie A, Ally H, Sam H, Eli S, Chelsea T, and Kendal T. If you’d like to participate, please email the office at office@indyfriends.org, and we’ll give you the mailing address of a student so you can send your support. Please consider connecting with our students this year!

Recycling Event! The Shalom Zone plans to have its yearly recycling event with Recycle Force on Saturday, October 31 from 10:00am to 2:00pm. If an item runs (or used to run) with a plug or a battery you can recycle it! This year it will be held at Epworth United Methodist Church, 6450 Allisonville Rd. A $20 donation is required for televisions and appliances containing Freon (fridges, freezers, ac units and dehumidifiers). Other monetary contributions are greatly appreciated. This is a great opportunity to clean out your basement, garage, closets, attic and responsibly recycle unwanted electronics and appliances. If you have items that are heavy and you need assistance to move them, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org and we can arrange to have the items picked up. For more information, view the flyer here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1w6uaIgilMNlIk8Hw9URMPgNHcNE8_1BE/view?usp=sharing

Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for October:

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – Sharing the Table

Recently Naomi and I have started thinking about the possibility of celebrating Thanksgiving this year with our normal gatherings of family and friends in which we “share the table.” It may look much different!

Of the seven species of woodpeckers that appear in Indiana each year, the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is the one true migrant. Nesting up north in Michigan and Canada, this bird passes through the Meditational Woods on its way southward. Unlike most other migrant bird species, the southern journey may end right here. Central Indiana is the northern edge of its wintering grounds, and so the bird can be expected in September and October, and again in March and April heading northward, BUT could be in our woods all winter long!

The unusual name comes from the bird’s habit of drilling parallel rows of holes in sap-bearing trees in order to drink. The sapsucker may extend the holes to form large patches in which the sugar water pools attract a myriad of “guests”: ants, beetles, butterflies, and even hummingbirds. During our first months of marriage, my wife and I worked at a camp in Connecticut, and I got to watch this feasting unfold at a black cherry tree. Each day, hummingbirds would come and insert their bills into the holes for the sweet liquid. By the way, both sapsuckers and hummingbirds will eat the ants and beetles that dally too long at the table. It is not likely that we will see this feeding behavior in our woods here at First Friends, as it is confined mostly to the nesting grounds.

Yellow-bellieds can always be recognized by the large white vertical wing bar. The genders are identical except for the red throat in the males, which is white in females. Immatures lack much of the red and black, but still have the white patch on the wing, and are much more spotted with grayish brown.

I have seen Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers here at our woods in late March, mid-October, and early December. ~Brad J

What Will You be Doing on Election Day? ~ One of the many challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic in an election year is that elections officials foresee a shortage of poll workers. Typically, the majority of poll workers are over the age of 61, and over a quarter of them are over 70. Because they are the most susceptible to the virus, many of these seniors have indicated they will not work the polls this November.

Where does that leave us on Election Day?

One solution is for younger Americans to step up.

Did you know that in Indiana, high school students as young as 16-18 can serve as poll workers? And that Indiana law treats this service as an excused absence from school? Requirements vary depending on what county you live in, but the non-partisan WorkElections project has gathered all the information you need to apply, wherever you live (https://www.workelections.com/). For all ages, if you want to be a poll worker, some training is required and (unless you're in high school) you must be a registered voter in your county of residence to work at one of its polling places. See the WorkElections website for specific county-by-county requirements.

At a pivotal moment in American history, when many of our most pressing problems can seem insurmountable and it's hard to know just how to help, you can act. You can enable others to perform one of the most sacred of civic duties: voting on Election Day. By serving as a poll worker, you will be doing something non-partisan, a matter of civics, not politics. And in the 2020 Elections, you can claim to have helped your neighbor--and defended democracy.

For more information, see or share a flyer here: https://bit.ly/2PCBUvs

Our current available meetings:

· Unprogrammed worship - Mondays at 11:15am

· Unprogrammed worship - Wednesdays at 6:45pm

· Unprogrammed worship - Sundays at 9:00am

· Men’s book group (John Woolman’s Journal)

· Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading

· Men’s book club

· Serenity Now

· Women’s book club

· Men’s Threshing Together

· Seeking Friends book class

· Kids Pre-k through 1st grade Sunday School class

· 2nd - 5th grade Sunday School class

· Youth Group

Queries for the Week

(From online service)

1. Where instead of embracing love, have I let go of love during these difficult days?

2. Am I feeling lonely and not deeply connected to myself, my relationships, and my community? How might I seek deeper connections?

3. When this week will I take time to explore and observe the Love Christ has for me, and transform it into love for my neighbors?

(From self-led guide)

1. During these difficult times am I practicing stress or peace more regularly? What can I do to focus more on peace?

2. How is the stress of the world draining my spirit, distracting my mind, and preventing me from focusing on what is important? What might I need to begin doing this week, to help me be less stressed?

3. How can I apply 1 John 2:17 to my life this week? (Consider reading each day this week from a different translation).

Comment

Friend to Friend October 7, 2020

October 8, 2020

As Way Opens

For some of you, if I asked you where you were the day President Kennedy was shot, you would have a very specific answer. It probably has been burned into your memory. For some, I have even heard how a song on the radio or a smell in the air takes one back to that very moment. Actually, I can relate.

For me it was not the assassination of President Kennedy, but rather the Challenger Space Shuttle disaster on January 28, 1986. This has all come back into focus for me as I have been watching the Netflix docu-series, Challenger: The Final Flight.

In 1986, I was in 7th grade at Central Lutheran School in New Haven Indiana. The day of the disaster, my social studies teacher, Mr. Mollering had asked me and my friend Chris, to go make sure Mrs. Holly, our librarian, was recording the Challenger launch for us to watch at a special assembly planned later in the day.

Chris and I were always doing fun projects for our teachers, and both of us were excited about NASA and space exploration. Mrs. Holly, Chris and I were standing in the library reading nook where the TV and VHS recorder were located. We were excited about watching the first teacher travel into space. Knowing our excitement, Mrs. Holly decided to give us passes and allowed us to watch the launch with her in the Library. I can still remember us cheering as the Challenger cleared the tower and began its journey into space.

That was when everything went wrong. We heard the NASA technician say those two horrific words – major malfunction. Chris and I stood staring at the TV, not a word came out of our mouths. Mrs. Holly immediately burst into tears and she drew us into a big hug. I still can smell her perfume. Holding each other we just stared at the TV in utter dismay. Mrs. Holly gained her composure and went over and turned off the T.V. and recording and took out the VHS tape. She then asked us to accompany her to the principal’s office.

Only Mrs. Holly, Chris and I were aware of what had happened, because the entire school was going to watch the historic launch during a special assembly at the end of the day. Holding the tape in hand, we followed Mrs. Holly into Principal Richert’s office. He was always happy to see us, but immediately could see that something was wrong. He moved swiftly across his office to close the door behind us and ask us if we were alright. Again, Mrs. Holly began to cry. Chris and I burst out saying, “The Space Shuttle blew up.”

Today, I think things would be handled much differently, but we were allowed to go back to our room that day and share the news with our teacher and friends. A few moments after returning to our room, the principal announced the sad news over the PA system, said a prayer and asked us to take a moment of silence. I remember two 8th graders who were in charge of lowering the flag at the end of the day heading out to bring it to half-staff. To that 12-year-old me, it seemed like months before the world came back to center.

Now, I know as the pandemic began many were talking about the graduating class being born around 9/11 and graduating in a pandemic. I also know many who remember other momentous days in history as if they were yesterday and use them as life markers. Yet, lately it seems the world is in such chaos, nothing seems out of the ordinary or worthy of our pause – or maybe we simply do not take the time to pause because we expect tomorrow to bring another headline, another death, another atrocity for us to process. It seems they are coming quite rapidly in 2020.

I have been thinking a lot lately about what my boys will remember and the significance of these days. What will they tell their children? How will they frame the story? What lasting impact will they carry with them from 2020?

Also, I am starting to realize that the year 2020 is having a very similar toll to that of President Kennedy being shot or the Challenger disaster. But it is not just one event, rather a culmination of many tragedies coming to fruition all at once. We are all being changed in this time. We all will remember, tell stories, and grieve these days for years to come.

So, as we Quakers do, I want us to take good minutes of this time, even write eloquent memorials in our diaries and journals. I want us think about what we are learning and the changes taking place, and how we are growing and evolving into better human beings. As the scriptures say,

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4)

I have a feeling we are going to be fine - actually better. Let’s persevere TOGETHER through all that 2020 will bring.

Grace and peace,

Bob

Quaker-Affiliated Organizations

Joys & Concerns

Congratulations to Tim Y! Tim retired on September 15th from the Forum. We wish him congratulations for a lifetime of serving our elder population.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

How to Put Your Garden to Bed for the Winter

In the last garden article I suggested crops gardeners can plant for cold weather. The void left by pulled crops can be filled with quick-growing microgreens and salad leaves that thrive in colder temperatures. Focus watering chores on plants still maturing like greens and squash. Cut winter squashes before the first frost and let their skins harden by putting them in a sunny place. Beans produce until the first frost if picked continually. Leave potatoes above ground to dry for a few hours before storing. Store surplus root crops in a frost-free shed or garage. Stop watering tomatoes to encourage ripening of fruit. Harvest and then dry herbs. Harvest Swiss chard throughout the winter.

For those gardeners ready to shut down their plots for the winter, including our Community Gardeners, here are some suggestions. For your benefit, follow these steps before the weather is miserable and the ground is hard and difficult to dig.

1. Dig up roots of spent plants. Compost them if you have planned for it and if they are disease-free. Extinguish weeds by uprooting and throwing them out before they go to seed. You will thank yourself for your vigilance when spring arrives and your plot is not completely overwhelmed with weeds. By disposing of spent crops you may have less disease, fungi and bug pests in the spring. Community Gardeners may place waste in the dumpster to the east of the garage or in the pile of brush to the north of the garage. If crops were healthy you may prefer to chop them into small pieces to aid decomposition. Dig them into your plot as fertilizer unless you believe your plot needs to be rotated for next year’s crops and you need to replace nutrients depleted by this year’s specific crops. In rotating crops you may consider a rotation of fruiting crops following leafy crops, leafy crops replacing root crops and root crops going into former fruiting crops beds. This helps in replenishing soil nutrients and suppressing disease.

2. A fine way to refurbish the soil is to plant cover crops. They look good, keep weeds down and enhance the soil. They do not blow away and are less work. Clover, buckwheat, oats and rye are good cover crops. When killing frosts are just a few weeks away, the best cover crops are oats and rye. You may undersow cover crops around unharvested veggies. Sow seeds on soil surface around crops to form living mulch that suppresses weeds, buffers the soil from temperature and moisture extremes and helps plants such as tomatoes avoid cracking and blossom-end rot. Earthworms and helpful soil organisms will benefit. Time the cover crops so they do not compete with crops you are just sowing. If you planted cover crops ahead of planting crop seeds, turn cover crops under at least two weeks before you expect to plant veggies. FYI, the Indianapolis Public Library has seed libraries which sometimes supply cover crop seeds. The last two years they have had oats.

Another method to replenish your soil is to dig in fertilizer. Fertilizer can include disease-free crops you have chopped up for easier breakdown, organic commercial mixes or dead autumn leaves. Smooth out the soil so you don’t have big holes. If you use compost, turn the contents a couple times in the fall and move it from the edges to the center of your plot. You may want to put down weed-block fabric and stake it or weigh it down with rocks or bricks. It does disintegrate eventually. You may prefer plastic although it is not environmentally friendly and may disintegrate into messy pieces that blow everywhere or embed into your crop soil. (Plastic can be used to heat up the soil and retire a bed for a season, during hot temperatures, to sterilize soil and kill nematodes, their eggs and pathogens.) You can use cardboard, newspaper and carpet to retard weeds, but they should be weighted down. Carpet may become a moldy mess. Newspaper may blow everywhere. Cardboard will come apart eventually but is easier to clean up than newspaper. You can obtain it from boxes and cartons at grocery and appliance stores. If you use these materials, be sure to mulch over them with organic, commercial mulch or other types of organic mulch or weighted fabric that will not blow away. Remove remnants when spring arrives.

If you prefer to leave the soil bare, after cleaning up your plot, frost can penetrate and expose pests.

3. You may want to put down new soil, depending on steps you took above. Applying additional soil is a standard step for springtime but it can be done in the fall instead or at the close and opening of the planting season. Organic raised bed soil can be purchased. It may contain poultry meal, kelp meal and worm castings. Commercially produced mixes are already pH balanced for growing vegetables in a raised bed. It has large granules, drains easily and provides adequate airflow for roots. Raised bed soil does “shrink” each season since beneficial soil microbes consume earth to create nutrients for garden crops.

Remember, healthy soil is a key consideration in creating a healthier organic garden. Taking these steps now will make you breathe a sigh of relief in spring when you compare your plot to others that did not receive TLC in the fall. You will have fewer weeds. Furthermore, by working in your garden you will benefit from fresh air, sunshine and exercise. You will provide your own body with more microscopic biodiversity that helps to improve your health!

Sources used include kellogggarden.com, Find-It-Fast Answers for Your Vegetable Garden by Fern Marshall Bradley and Small Plot; Big Harvest by Lucy Halsall.

~Nancy

Help out First Friends this election! As you may know, First Friends will be a polling location this upcoming election, November 3rd. We are looking for volunteers to help us in the meetinghouse that day. If you are able to help, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485.

Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for October:

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – Sharing the Table

Recently Naomi and I have started thinking about possibility of celebrating Thanksgiving this year with our normal gatherings of family and friends in which we “share the table.” It may look much different!

I have seen Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers here at our woods in late March, mid-October, and early December. ~Brad J

CORRECTION: Serenity Now! In an earlier newsletter issue, the small group Serenity Now was inaccurately described. Please see below for more information about this group.

SERENITY NOW is a book-based discussion group supporting healthy relationships and communication through self-awareness and an understanding of how personal history influences present relationships. It meets the third Thursday of each month and is still welcoming new members. The next meeting will be Thursday , October 15, from 10 a.m. to noon in the Friends Meditational Woods, weather permitting. The group is reading Trust: Mastering the Four Essential Trusts by Iyanla Vanzant. The October meeting will focus on Part 2, Trust in God:Ch. 5 Villa NovaCh. 6 God and GravityCh. 7 Building a relationship with God. For questions, contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.

A Public Announcement from Member Terry T, Retired Physician: Please Get Your Flu (Influenza) Shot Now ~ Per the CDC today at CDC.gov: “Everyone 6 months and older should receive ‘a yearly flu vaccine’” Unless your doctor has diagnosed a moderate-to-severe recent illness (then get flu shot when better) or a history of Guillain-Barré Syndrome.

If you have questions, discuss with your doctor or read online cdc.gov or discuss with me. We still have 30,000 to 60,000 Americans die a year from influenza. If we have less flu patients sick and on ventilators the medical community can give more time and ventilators to Covid-19 patients. In over 30 years my practice gave at least 240,000 flu shots with no “major” problems but probably saw at least a hundred flu deaths.

Also keep up to date on all your other recommended vaccinations or check with your physician or a reliable medical source or me. All the CDC recommended vaccinations are safer and less costly than the diseases they cover. In college a friend died from Meningitis, my practice lost a mother to chicken pox and probably well over a hundred pneumonia deaths. As a child I knew 3 people with polio and in medical school I saw a rabies patient (not pretty). In Kenya in 2008 they had just lost a lot of children to measles and this year Syria has dealt with diphtheria. In May the WHO was worried that the world was behind on 80 million children’s vaccinations and this has grown. It is good that we are not traveling much because the world and the USA is losing its “herd immunity.” Please keep up on your preventative care visits and immunizations as you can. ~Sincerely, Teresa T, MD

FUM Job Available: Coordinator of Global Ministries ~ Friends United Meeting (Richmond) seeks a full-time, highly organized person to join our staff team as the Coordinator of Global Ministries. The Coordinator of Global Ministries will be an active member of the Global Ministries Team. This person will provide administrative support for FUM’s field-staff and global ministry partners by coordinating schedules, communications, financial activities, and overseeing assigned programs. For more information and to apply, please see the full job posting here: https://www.friendsunitedmeeting.org/news/global-ministries-coordinator

Recycling Event! The Shalom Zone plans to have its yearly recycling event with Recycle Force on Saturday, October 31 from 10:00am to 2:00pm. If an item runs (or used to run) with a plug or a battery you can recycle it! This year it will be held at Epworth United Methodist Church, 6450 Allisonville Rd. A $20 donation is required for televisions and appliances containing Freon (fridges, freezers, ac units and dehumidifiers). Other monetary contributions are greatly appreciated. This is a great opportunity to clean out your basement, garage, closets, attic and responsibly recycle unwanted electronics and appliances. If you have items that are heavy and you need assistance to move them, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org and we can arrange to have the items picked up. For more information, view the flyer here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1w6uaIgilMNlIk8Hw9URMPgNHcNE8_1BE/view?usp=sharing

Please Continue to Send in Your Stamps! The Right Sharing of World Resources stamp program continues during the pandemic. Please save used stamps and bring or mail them to the meetinghouse. Proceeds from the sale of these stamps benefit RSWR, which helps women and their communities in Africa and India. Also, ff you know someone who will be traveling out of country, ask them to pick up some foreign stamps if convenient, and bring them to you or send them to First Friends. As always, save your own used stamps!

Silent Meetings for Worship on Zoom!

We will be gathering for Meeting for Silent Worship at 9 am every Sunday
Join us for Meditation every Monday at 11:15 am
Wednesday Unprogrammed Worship meets every Wednesday at 7 pm.

Courtyard Friends: Weather permitting, join us as we meet in person simultaneously with our Zoom Friends on Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays in the courtyard (6 feet away) at the Meeting House. Wear a mask, bring a chair, and a tablet or phone if you’d like to personally sign onto the Zoom link from the courtyard. Restrooms are available.

Kent F Invites You to a New Small Group! Several months ago, Bob Henry, Beth Henricks and I were talking about the possibility of a small group for Quakers interested in two things. First was to learn more about the Quaker spirituality and traditions. Second was to develop a little group of Friends who could share their lives and insights.

Bob and Beth suggested John Woolman’s Journal. Frankly, I had never heard of it. However once I started looking into John Woolman and his Journal, it seemed to be the perfect first book. His Journal lays out his spiritual development and how he practiced it in North America between about 1740 and his death in 1772. In addition to his spiritual development, Woolman was active as an abolitionist during the years before the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The question of slavery was not something that was of interest only in the South. Slaves were a fact throughout all of the original colonies, and they remained a very contentious topic in the development of the Declaration and the Constitution.

I want to invite you to join this group at the Meeting House for this first book. We’ll meet four times, 7:00pm, alternating Mondays starting October 12 and continuing on October 26, November 9 and 23. We’ll cover about thirty pages each time.

About eighteen months ago we started a Men’s Book Group that has met regularly on alternate Thursdays come rain, shine, snow or Covid. The format is that books are suggested by members. Everybody comes prepared. We model our Quaker belief that everybody shares. My thought is that this new group will follow the same approach.

If you’re interested in more information, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org. The group will be limited to eight — seven plus me.

Where does that leave us on Election Day?

One solution is for younger Americans to step up.

For more information, see or share a flyer here: https://bit.ly/2PCBUvs

Our current available meetings:

· Unprogrammed worship - Mondays at 11:15am

· Unprogrammed worship - Wednesdays at 6:45pm

· Unprogrammed worship - Sundays at 9:00am

· Men’s book group (John Woolman’s Journal)

· Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading

· Men’s book club

· Serenity Now

· Women’s book club

· Men’s Threshing Together

· Seeking Friends book class

· Kids Pre-k through 1st grade Sunday School class

· 2nd - 5th grade Sunday School class

· Youth Group

Queries for the Week

(From self-led guide)

1. What does it mean for me to be a Quaker, today?

2. Where am I working to share my “Light” in the world?

3. Who helps to sustain the joy of the creative spirit in me?

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Friend to Friend September 30, 2020

October 1, 2020

As Way Opens

This past weekend I drove out to Fountaintown (east of New Palestine) to deliver a Sunday School resource box to one of our kids. It was a beautiful fall day and I passed an enormous field of soybeans glistening a golden yellow hue blowing in a gentle fall breeze. On the other side of State Road 52 was a large field of corn stalks ready to harvest. In the backdrop was a train heading east and I was reminded that even within our turmoil, fear and uncertainty of these times, the soybeans turn golden, the corn is ready for harvest, the trees are beginning to change their color. While there is much that is changing in our lives, there is much in our world that continues on in the cycle of life and I was comforted to feel this sense of timelessness. I know in my heart that God is not changing and I am reminded of the Psalmist writing in uncertain times a long time ago in Psalm 65:9-13 “Oh, visit the earth, ask her to join in the dance! Deck her out in spring showers, fill the God-River with living water. Paint the wheat fields golden. Creation was made for this! Drench the plowed fields, soak the dirt clods with rainfall as harrow and rake bring her to blossom and fruit. Snow-crown the peaks with splendor, scatter rose petals down your paths, all through the wild meadows, rose petals. Set the hills to dancing, dress the canyon walls with live sheep, a drape of flax across the valleys. Let them shout, and shout, and shout! Oh, oh let them sing!”

Many of you will remember my husband Jerry Henricks who passed away 4 and a half years ago. He was a photographer and a creator of posters. This was one of my favorites as he showed the beauty of Indiana calling our beloved state Oceanview Indiana. Of course there is no actual place called Oceanview and we have no ocean but the idea was to reflect on the beauty, the majesty and the spiritual nature of our Indiana land. He sold a lot of these posters to Hoosiers including our deceased Governor Frank O’Bannon. I think many of us understand the idea that nature brings us calm, a peace of mind and brings us to a magical place. This is where God lives.

I pray that we may all honor and embrace the beauty and changing nature before our eyes. Yet God is unchanging, our rock and our steadfast companion in each of our journeys. May we embrace our responsibilities to ensure our natural cycle of life will continue and thrive.

On a clear day you can see forever in Indiana!

Grace and peace,

Beth

Quaker-Affiliated Organizations

WYM and FUM 2020 Mission Projects: Each year Western Yearly Meeting (“WYM”) and Friends United Meeting (“FUM”) designate mission projects for us to consider and help. WYM is a Quaker organization of which First Friends is a member and consists of approximately 32 monthly meetings located in Indiana and Illinois. FUM is a Quaker international organization based in Richmond, Indiana and consists of a number of yearly meetings around the world. These mission projects are the primary way that folks at First Friends can assist Quakers in parts of the world that can use our help.

The WYM project for 2020 is for the benefit of the Belize Friends School. The school needs financial assistance for its operating expenses and the WYM goal is to raise $15,000. You might recall that in 2017 WYM also designated Belize as its project but monies raised at that time were designated for re-locating the school and expanded ministries including community services and the starting of a Friends meeting. Many of you knew Dale Graves, a member of Mooresville’s West Newton Friends, who poured his heart and soul into the Belize school and surrounding area and was the driving force that enabled the Belize school and Friends meeting to become what it is today. While Dale is no longer with us, there is no doubt that Dale would be very proud of the ongoing efforts to improve the Belize school and Belize Friends meeting.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

CORRECTION: Serenity Now! In an earlier newsletter issue, the small group Serenity Now was inaccurately described. Please see below for more information about this group.

SERENITY NOW is a book-based discussion group supporting healthy relationships and communication through self-awareness and an understanding of how personal history influences present relationships. It meets the third Thursday of each month and is still welcoming new members. The next meeting will be Thursday , October 15, from 10 a.m. to noon in the Friends Meditational Woods, weather permitting. Please RSVP to the office at office@indyfriends.org, for any weather-related updates. The group is reading Trust: Mastering the Four Essential Trusts by Iyanla Vanzant. The October meeting will focus on Part 2, Trust in God:
Ch. 5 Villa Nova
Ch. 6 God and Gravity
Ch. 7 Building a relationship with God
For questions, contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.

Participate in our "Sponsor a College Student" project! Just select a college student and send them notes, cards, treats, etc throughout the school year so they hear from someone at the Meeting and feel connected. Our college students this year are Ellie Arle, Ally Haymaker, Sam Henry, Eli Sample, Chelsea Tinsley, and Kendal Tinsley. If you’d like to participate, please email the office at office@indyfriends.org, and we’ll give you the mailing address of a student so you can send your support. Please consider connecting with our students this year!

Also, if you know someone who will be traveling out of country, ask them to pick up some foreign stamps if convenient, and bring them to you or send them to First Friends.

As always, save your own used stamps!

Recycling Event! The Shalom Zone plans to have its yearly recycling event with Recycle Force on Saturday, October 31 from 10:00am to 2:00pm. If an item runs (or used to run) with a plug or a battery you can recycle it! This year it will be held at Epworth United Methodist Church, 6450 Allisonville Rd. A $20 donation is required for televisions and appliances containing Freon (fridges, freezers, ac units and dehumidifiers). Other monetary contributions are greatly appreciated. This is a great opportunity to clean out your basement, garage, closets, attic and responsibly recycle unwanted electronics and appliances. If you have items that are heavy and you need assistance to move them, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org and we can arrange to have the items picked up. For more information, view the flyer here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1w6uaIgilMNlIk8Hw9URMPgNHcNE8_1BE/view?usp=sharing

The Maple Seeds Preschool Co-op (MSPC) is starting back up!! Classes will return to the Meetinghouse and are going to be meeting outside starting October 12, at one class per day. They will use the building for bathroom and emergency only. We are looking forward to having the kids back!

~Sincerely, Teresa T, MD

Sunday School Classes Now Available! Sunday School has kicked off and will be happening each Sunday on Zoom. Please join us for these offerings!

Sunday School class (younger kids) – Sundays at 9:00am
Sunday School class (older kids) – Sundays at 12:00pm
Seeking Friends – Sundays at 9:00am
Unprogrammed Worship – Sundays at 9:00am

Please give me a call if you want to discuss. If you want to join us, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org. The group will be limited to eight — seven plus me.

Voting Update~ Remember that the last day to register to vote is October 5. Please check your registration today https://indianavoters.in.gov. Don’t miss your opportunity to re-register if you were purged from the rolls.

INDIANA GENERAL ELECTION - November 3, 2020

Deadline to Request an Absentee-By-Mail Ballot by Mail, Fax, Email Or In-Person: Application Received by Thu Oct 22, 2020 11:59PM

In-Person Absentee Voting (Early Voting): Tue Oct 6, 2020 - Mon Nov 2, 2020 12:00PM

Deadline to Return Completed Absentee-By-Mail Ballot: Ballot Received by Tue Nov 3, 2020 12:00PM

Polls Open for In-Person Voting: Tue Nov 3, 2020 6:00AM - 6:00PM

Several volunteer organizations have been helping people get information and assistance to access the vote. Several members of our Meeting have been helping get accurate information to the community: Jan Hise, Barbara Oberreich, Brenda Rodeheffer and Mary Blackburn have been working with VoteRiders.org, VotebyMail, IndianaCitizen, or Indy Community Yoga Voter Squad and there are sure to be more members working quietly to help strengthen democracy in our area.

One story from this week: The Marion County Election Board is staffed to handle the “normal” election season. They have 10 fulltime staff who prepare for elections that usually involve recruiting poll workers and seasonal staff to manage the polling station logistics. In a pandemic with reduced number of traditional poll workers available, they have had to pivot by limiting polling stations. Normally they receive about 10,000 absentee ballot requests during an election. Now they are anticipating over 150,000 absentee ballots. That load involves printing ballots, instructional information, a postage paid secure ballot envelope and a postage paid mailing envelope. Everything must be sorted, placed in envelopes and voter registration checked, before the ballots can be sent out. Quite a logistical nightmare for a team that has to perform this new process in the short time between the conventions and final candidates being selected by all parties.

A volunteer group of citizens is assisting with absentee ballot preparations. Brenda Rodeheffer and Mary Blackburn have signed up to help.

1. If you are a registered voter in Marion County you can help the Marion County Election Service Center (MCESC) do this important work.

2. MCESC ONBOARDING - You must be officially onboarded by HR at the Service Center before you can do any work. This will entail a brief intro, education and signing a confidentiality agreement. This will be done on specific days by MCESC HR personnel The Center HR head has provided the following Onboarding sessions:

a. SIGN UP FOR ONBOARDING - https://signup.com/go/qKoyZnn Select one of the dates below and you will see ONBOARDING slot.

b. September 30th – 2pm- Onboarding Session

3. Sign-Up for work shifts – Please sign up for any and all shifts you can commit to. I have set up the schedule through Nov. 6th (there will be ballot processing and vote counting in the days after the election.

a. IF YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN ONBOARDED – we really need your help this week! Please sign up for as many slots as you can. We won’t have another wave of volunteers until late in the week

b. IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN ONBOARDED – Please sign up for shifts that are AFTER your scheduled on-boarding date – see above.

4. ALL VOLUNTEERS – must wear mask – must wear closed-toe shoes

NOTE: Please bear with us – we will have growing pains, we will have process challenges, we will have down time – know we are all dedicated to the same goals of ensuring every Marion County Voter that requests an absentee ballot receives one in time AND every absentee ballot cast gets counted!

Gardeners Meet the New Season

The zinnias are numerous and colorful in our garden. They are ushering us into fall with much ado about everything. People are welcome to pick zinnias from the Hope plot, marked by a stone marked “Hope” in front of it, and in the food pantry plot to the west of it.

Gardeners are gathering the last of the summer harvest and uprooting plants that are no longer productive. There are frost warnings for this week so now is a good time to clear the beds before the weather is miserable to work in and the ground becomes too hard. Some gardeners have cleared their plots and planted cold weather crops. There are many to pick from including cauliflower, brassica, spinach, cabbage, arugula, kohlrabi, collard, carrot, broccoli, turnip, beetroot, lettuce, Brussels sprout, radish, chard, potato, garlic, mustard, pea, onion, potato, fennel, leek and beetroot. The soil needs to be warm enough so they can establish roots and some growth before the cold weather arrives.

Those not planting fall plots are fertilizing to replenish nutrients. A natural method is to dig dead leaves into the soil. The reason we clear our plots is so they will be easier to plant in the spring and have fewer weeds. Also, the rotted plants will be out of the way and will not spread disease and bug eggs they may have harbored. This is especially thoughtful if a gardener may not use the same plot next year so a new gardener will have an easier job.

Thanks to all the gardeners for their attention to their plots and for all of those who have helped us have a successful season!

~Nancy and Sam

Jeff Rasley’s New Book: Now in Audio Too! Jeff Rasley’s book, Anarchist, Republican... Assassin: a political novel is available now via paperback or audiobook! A small-town football player, Jack Blair, gets radicalized and joins an anarchist cell. Jack transforms his life and becomes a pillar of the Republican establishment in Indianapolis. His family lives a wonderfully privileged life, but this perfect life is seemingly lost when Jack's anarchist past resurfaces in a psychotic episode during the pandemic lock-down. He blames Donald Trump. A young woman ACLU attorney tries to come to the rescue with her hot-pink iPhone. If you'd like to read or listen to the book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08F6CG72N, or to join Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/B08JSZ3VMP

Where does that leave us on Election Day?

One solution is for younger Americans to step up.

For more information, see or share a flyer here: https://bit.ly/2PCBUvs

Queries for the Week

(From online service)

How can I nurture the seeds of peace within myself, my community, and the world?
How can I work to eliminate hatred, injustice, and both physical and institutional violence?
How can I be more open to seeking the goodness in people who act with violence and hatred?
How can I work to settle disputes within the organization and the community with love and sensitivity for all involved?
How can I increase my understanding of nonviolence and use it in all my interactions?

(From self-led guide)

What is the impact I am having in my community? What would happen if I stopped doing what I am called to do?
What fears do I need to face, so that I too can let me light shine in this world?
What am I doing that brings life and positive change to those around me?

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