Friend to Friend February 17, 2021

February 18, 2021

As Way Opens

In my class for seminary this semester we read a fascinating book called Nobody Cries When We Die - God, Community and Surviving Adulthood by Patrick Reyes, a Latinx theologian, educator and activist. He grew up in Salinas CA , part of the central valley where his community picks the crops that provides fruits and vegetables for our tables. Salinas is a violent town, a town where the railroad tracks divide the wealthy and the poor, a town where there are few opportunities to break this cycle of backbreaking labor.

The book is part memoir, part theology, and part cultural experience of his marginalized community. When he was young, he was physically abused. He watched a 12 year old girl die next to him in a drive by shooting. Many friends were killed. His family had little money so he worked various labor jobs to support his schooling. He sought God’s call for his life and determined that the call was less about vocation and more about choosing life and surviving. Certain individuals were instrumental in his journey to college, a master’s program and a PhD. He questioned many things along his path including his place- was it among his people in the fields or was it in academia a place where he did not always fit in and his Latinx voice was not honored? He continued his education and survived and made sure his voice was among other theologians to bring a different perspective to the voice of God.

He gave a beautiful analogy of the support he needed to live into his call. He shared Howard Thurman’s description of a tree in the desert that has such a deep root structure that it can journey through the barren soil to reach water and nutrients. This has been an impactful metaphor for me of our spiritual life and the importance of our inner work to sustain us against the storms and Reyes embraced it for a time. But when he went into higher education he found that other trees were taking all of the nutrients and water in their roots and there was none for him. Instead he shared the metaphor of the redwood trees in California. One would think these massive trees would have a significant root system to support the tree against the storms. However, the roots of the redwoods are pretty shallow. The way they sustain themselves is that each root of each tree is entangled with all of the other roots of the other redwoods. The community of redwoods supports all of the trees and that is how these majestic trees survive.

The community of root support is so important in our marginalized communities. But this is so important in all of our communities. How are we intertwining all of our root structures to support one another? If ever there was a time that we need this kind of support for each other it is now.

Beth

Quaker-Affiliated Organizations

Coming Soon to Your Couch: Indiana Citizens Redistricting Commission Public Meetings

We hear people say all the time, “I’m not interested in politics.” To which it can be replied, “Well, that’s really too bad, because politics are interested in you!”

In Indiana, we have a system in which elected politicians draw the legislative district maps used for state and congressional elections. Every ten years, they get together and literally place you into the groupings--districts--where they figure they are most likely to win based on voters’ Census data and voting records. By drawing made-to-order maps, your representatives are choosing you long before election day, when you are supposed to be choosing them. In this way the process called redistricting is the ultimate conflict of interest. If you sometimes doubt that your vote makes any difference, or wonder why in some elections you don’t even have a choice of candidates to vote for, our redistricting system is a big reason why.

This year is a redistricting year. It happens only once a decade. Would you like a voice in the process this time? The Indiana Citizens Redistricting Commission (ICRC) has been formed to demonstrate that redistricting done in a transparent way that encourages public participation will result in congressional and state legislative districts that are better for voters than districts drawn by incumbent representatives behind closed doors.

The ICRC is holding virtual public meetings to hear from Hoosier voters what they want in their new districts. Should districts emphasize compactness? What about competition--should maps be drawn to maximize competitive elections? Should current politicians have districts drawn around their residences, or should they be drawn “incumbent blind”? Also, what are the important communities of interest in Indiana, and should they be kept intact, or divided, in the new districts?

You are invited to this conversation. What do you think should drive redistricting where you live? There will be an ICRC public meeting for each congressional district. It is important that the ICRC hear from a broad range of Hoosiers, because the testimony from these meetings will be consolidated into a report the ICRC will give to state legislators before they begin redistricting this spring, so they will know what voters say they want their maps to look like.

Redistricting will impact federal and state elections for the next decade. It really matters that Hoosiers from all over the state are a part of this conversation. Including you.

Here is the schedule for the public meetings. Again, all virtual—you can participate from your own couch! Register in advance, either at www.allinfordemocracy.org, or by using the link following the meeting for your congressional district listed below. And feel free to share this; the invitation is open to all. Note that the meeting for the district including Indianapolis (district 7) is first, and the meeting for many Indy suburbs (district 5) is second.

Now is the time to make your voice heard! Please contact Phil Goodchild with any questions (goodch713@aol.com). Thank you.

February 24 – Congressional District 7, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. EST

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_jOCUnFlrSqqrITaeeTAKlg

March 3 – Congressional District 5, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. EST

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_bN5cRbOjRqmjk64-LT4_Qg

March 6 – Congressional District 1, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. CST

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tfTusC9tQCe72z1DDzuCxQ

March 10 – Congressional District 9, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. EST

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wnyJd97cRUuZuF_DQkzUxA

March 13 – Congressional District 3, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. EST

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Ujw84BSPStaPvW19xJc7hg

March 16 – Congressional District 6, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. EST

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_sz1D_NtNRleutD2o-ieeqQ

March 18 – Congressional District 8, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. CST

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_euCRCwNkR8Kb2V_vmXxkEQ

March 23 – Congressional District 4, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. EST

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1_Tn9F59Rj2zT5TBPXEu0Q

March 30 – Congressional District 2, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. EDT

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5VQihioMQw2Mysl3HyK6kg

Joys & Concerns

MANY thanks to our food pantry volunteers from First Friends recently: Linda and Rik L; David B; Barbara O; Ruth K; Kathy and Bill F; Virginia and Derek S; Christie M; Corinne I; Jim D; AND Penny P (our apologies she was not listed last week). Our faithful volunteers braved the cold weather to serve about 60 families. Thanks to all!

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

New Information for Birdwatch with Brad on February 20 ~ Brad Jackson is going to lead us on a birdwatching tour of our Meditational Woods and Meetinghouse grounds on Saturday, February 20 at 9 a.m.* We will meet in the courtyard. Dress for the weather and bring binoculars if possible. We will socially distance and wear masks. Be prepared to walk on fallen leaves, dirt and grass. Birdwatchers will be out for about an hour. Connections Programmed Meeting arranged this activity.

Many of you may follow Brad’s bird column in Friend to Friend. He creates the pictures of each bird and has learned much about our feathered friends during his many years of following them as a hobby. He will answer questions and help us explore the fascinating and sometimes hidden world beyond our building. He can identify birds as well as their calls and songs. Come join the fun and be a birdwatcher with Brad!

*Watch Facebook for any changes in schedule due to weather. We will meet in snow and low temperatures though if it is stinging, biting cold we may shorten the walk. A firepit may be available. If it is sprinkling we can meet, but if rain is harder birds will hunker down and we cannot hear their calls so we will postpone the walk. If wind is 20 -25 mph or more we will not meet because birds will be hidden away. If you cannot tell, according to these guidelines, if we are meeting, look at Facebook.

Guest Speaker February 21! Tune into First Friends’ Meeting for Worship on Sunday, February 21 to hear guest speaker Jaimie Mudd! Jaimie and Bob are switching pulpits that day—Bob will be preaching for Greensboro First Friends in North Carolina. We hope you will join us in welcoming Jaimie that day. Jaimie has been serving Friends Meetings and churches since 1996. Currently serving Greensboro First Friends as Pastor for Congregational Ministries Jaimie has calling for fostering healthy communities. She leads retreats, workshops on discernment, and Friends Meeting/Church Revitalization. She has led workshops with Friends Meetings in Arizona, Inter Mountain Yearly Meeting, and Western Yearly Meeting. Over the past eight years Jaimie and her husband Dan have led Experiment with Light, and, Friends Couple Enrichment retreats. She provides coaching for pastors and retreats for faith communities that want to deepen their spiritual connections and community vitality.

Youth Group RESCHEDULED ~ Due to technical issues, Youth Group has been rescheduled to this Sunday, February 21st from 1:00 - 2:30pm with Aaron and Michelle via Zoom. Any youth (6th - 12th grade) that want to join us, please contact Beth at beth.henricks@indyfriends.org for the Zoom link.

Reopening Task Force Report ~ The Reopening Task Force’s most recent statement is available here, with a new statement to be shared at the next Monthly Meeting. Currently, the Meetinghouse is open to small groups, with requirements for face coverings and social distancing protocol. Participants assume responsibility for risk of COVID-19 exposure. To check on availability of small groups, including Zoom options, contact the office at office@indyfriends.org, 317-255-2485. Additionally, the Ministry and Counsel Committee is working on plans for outdoors Meeting for Worship to take place Easter Sunday, April 4.

Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading would like you to join us from virtually anywhere in the world as we discuss Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson ~ The Pulitzer Prize–winning, bestselling author of The Warmth of Other Suns examines the unspoken caste system that has shaped America and shows how our lives today are still defined by a hierarchy of human divisions. “As we go about our daily lives, caste is the wordless usher in a darkened theater, flashlight cast down in the aisles, guiding us to our assigned seats for a performance. The hierarchy of caste is not about feelings or morality. It is about power—which groups have it and which do not.” In this brilliant book, Isabel Wilkerson gives us a masterful portrait of an unseen phenomenon in America as she explores, through an immersive, deeply researched narrative and stories about real people, how America today and throughout its history has been shaped by a hidden caste system, a rigid hierarchy of human rankings.

We will gather via Zoom starting at 7 pm EST on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 led by Cindy Kitchel.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/381157585?pwd=Zkg5eDFQeVk0a2ZlbS9OZ1E2Z25CUT09
Meeting ID: 381 157 585
Password: 3030

What’s in the Woods? ~ Native woodland sedges offer food for ground feeding birds and insects. For years, I used to weed them out of the garden, not knowing that they are part of the native ecosystem. You can tell the difference between grasses and sedges, because “sedges have edges!” The caterpillars of the butterflies Satyrodes Appalachia (Appalachian Brown) and Satyrodes eurydice (Eyed Brown) feed on their foliage. It’s amazing what small changes in ground plants can have on our environment. Have you started thinking about how you can contribute to the backyard national park? https://homegrownnationalpark.org

https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/grasses/plants/cm_wdsedge.htm

Join Brad J on Saturday February 20 at 9 AM for an hour of bird watching in the Woods.

From our friends at Carmel Green

Catch Up on Climate Related Bills at the Statehouse

Even though it’s a little dated already, this IndyStar article provides a great summary of environmental bills introduced this session. To get the latest updates, check out these upcoming opportunities:

Sustainable Energy Forum Join the Hoosier Environmental Council for an online panel discussion on leading sustainable energy issues, including rooftop solar, utility-scale renewable energy, coal plant retirement planning, and electric vehicles! Thurs. Feb.18, 5:30 p.m.

Mid-Session Legislative Update Join us for a webinar on key environmental, energy and climate bills as they crossover between House and Senate and learn what you can do to make a positive difference in the second half of the session. Thurs. Feb. 25, 6:30 p.m.

IU Environmental Resilience Institute

Agriculture & Climate Change Learn about agriculture practices that may mitigate the climate change impacts on crops and reduce its footprint.

Fri. Feb. 19, Noon

Is Carbon Pricing Enough? Hear Severin Borenstein discuss whether a suite of policies can efficiently address climate change while also improving equity.

Fri. Feb. 19, 3:30 p.m.

Science, Economics & Politics at the EPA Hear authors discuss the book “Fifty Years at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Progress, Retrenchment, and Opportunities. Wed. Feb. 24, Noon

From our friends at Hoosier Interfaith Power & Light: Upcoming Events

Environmental Peacebuilding Webinar Series

February 18th and 25th

Care for Creation as a Common Denominator: Interfaith Approaches to Environmental Peacebuilding (A Road to Geneva Event)

An interfaith dialogue around the environment will kick-off a three-part series exploring the role of faith communities in environmental peacebuilding. Information about the sessions is available at the links below.

Presented by Young Evangelicals for Climate Action, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion at the University of Notre Dame, and Environmental Peacebuilding Association

o Webinar 1 - Panel on faith-based approaches to environmental peacebuilding! https://www.environmentalpeacebuilding.org/.../EventItem...

o Webinar 2 - February 18th at 11 am EST: Decolonizing the Land: Christian Grassroots Approaches to Environmental Peacebuilding

o Webinar 3 - February 25th at 11 am EST: Practicing what we Preach: Dialogue and Futurism in Environmental Peacebuilding

Statewide Call - February 17, 2021

5:00 - 6:00 pm EST

Join our next Statewide Call to engage with others about creation care, energy efficiency, advocacy, and other news!

Advocacy Call - February 24, 2021

5:00 - 6:00 pm EST

We will be connecting to discuss our experiences at the Renewable Energy Lobby Day, and upcoming advocacy initiatives. Join us to learn how you can get involved!

Virtual Tour - The 'Greenest Building on Earth'

February 25, 2021

7:30 - 9:00 pm

Our Evansville affiliate Tri-State Creation Care will be hosting a virtual Zoom tour of the Phipps Conservatory's Center for Sustainable Landscapes, the first building to meet five of the highest green certifications. It is free and open to all!

Find out More!

Congregation Energy Conservation Webinar

Join us on March 24th from 5 - 7:30 pm for an informative webinar by our panel of energy experts! Learn all about reducing energy consumption in your buildings, including how to take advantage of an energy audit, find and work with a great HVAC contractor, and more!

Find out MORE!

Changing Footprints Is Still Active! We are still collecting all types of gently used footwear for Changing Footprints. If you are not able to drop off shoes at First Friends on a Wednesday, you can go to changingfootprints.org, where there is a listing of our many community collection sites (Shoe Drops). Thanks for helping us to provide footwear to those who need it!

From the Friendly Library ~ During Black History Month you may want to read Stamped From the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, by Ibram X Kendi, a National Book Award winner.

“My definition of a racist idea is a simple one: it is any concept that regards one racial group as inferior or superior to another racial group in any way.” He realized he himself also harbored racist ideas along with W E B Dubois, Booker T Washington, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and many more famous people both black and white.

Racism doesn’t always occur purposely. It is often subtle and unintentionally treating African-Americans (American-Africans) as superior in sport and music, inferior in intellect, for example. Kendi writes that slavery began in ancient times in many countries. He gives multitudinous examples from early US history to present time.

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates is another National Book Award winner.

Writing a letter to his adolescent son, Coates weaves together personal history with national history from the earliest settlers up to our current crisis. “What is it like to live in a black body?” Coates tells us with passion, insight and skill. He writes his struggle not to introduce his own fears to his son, not wanting to rein him in even while fearing for that son’s safety.

Both of these books contain sorrow, pain, and hope. Both are likely to evoke compassion, regret, and desire for a truly equal society where people are viewed as an individual.

Contact the office if you would like to borrow one of these or any other book from our collection. Books can be mailed, picked up on a Wednesday or delivered by a volunteer.

Benediction ~ Friends, here is the Benediction from last Sunday’s Meeting for Worship.

Your Love - Author Unknown

Bless us with Love, O Merciful God;

That we may Love as you Love!

That we may show patience, tolerance,

Kindness, caring and love to all!

Give me knowledge; O giver of Knowledge,

That I may be one with my Universe and Mother Earth!

O Compassionate One, grant compassion unto us;

That we may help all fellow souls in need!

Bless us with your Love O God.

Bless us with your Love. Amen.

Queries for the Week

(From virtual worship)

· How has love impacted my spiritual awakening?

· Who do I struggle to love and share the love of God with? How might I show love to them, today?

· Would others say my essential identity is love? If not, what could I do about that?

(From self-led guide)

· How am I awakening to the oneness of love?

· What do I need to do to “clean the lens” or “wipe the mirror” to observe my own patterns to my ego out of the way of love?

· Do I believe I have a “vocation” of love?

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Friend to Friend February 10, 2021

February 11, 2021

As Way Opens

Have you ever heard of William Edouard Scott?

Neither had I, until last week when my son, Sam, asked if we could go to the Indianapolis Art Museum to check out an artist he was discussing in his First Year Scholars Class, Paris Noir. I have been fascinated by talking to Sam about this class which focuses on African American visual, literary, and performing artists who journeyed to Paris to find what they could not in the United States due to America’s systemic racism. In sharing with his professor that we lived in Indianapolis, she recommended that Sam look into Indianapolis native, William Edouard Scott.

Scott was born in Indianapolis in 1884. He attended Elementary School #23 and graduated from Emmerich Manual Training High School (Shortridge High School, today) in 1903, and studied under Indianapolis impressionist artist Otto Stark, who is known as one of the five Hoosier Group Artists along with T.C. Steele, Richard Gruelle, William Foresyth, and J. Ottis Adams. Under Otto Stark, Scott was invited to assist him in teaching freshmen drawing instruction making Scott the first Black person to teach in a public school in Indianapolis. He went on to study at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago where he became a well-known muralist. Scott painted many murals in schools both in Chicago and in Indianapolis.

Last Friday, Sam and I went in search of the one painting, Rainy Night, Estaples (1912) by Wm. Edouard Scott on display at the IMA. In the back of the American Art section flanked by a T.C. Steele painting on the left and a John Singer Sargent on the right, we found Scott’s painting. Almost hidden in plain sight, this black Hoosier still seemed struggling to be seen among the many white artists of his day.

As an artist of the Negro Renaissance, Scott was aptly characterized in a 1970 exhibition catalogue as:

“A painter who came out of the American tradition of Eakins and Homer, Scott nevertheless often devoted his skills to express his pride and dignity as a Negro. His pride and self-identification were as great as that of any contemporary Black absorbed into the mainstream and might have built a personal reputation; he chose however, to commit himself to the establishment of pride, dignity and self-realization for all Negroes. He strove to stir the Black community from resignation to awareness.”

My hope is that we at First Friends will continue William Edouard Scott’s legacy and commitment to creating awareness of the accomplishments of the Black community - not just during Black History Month, but throughout the year. We must remember that the impact African Americans have made on our city and country is part of our collective consciousness, and contemplating Black history draws us, from all of our diverse backgrounds, into the greater story that God is writing with our lives. And as we learn this truth, we will begin to see racial and ethnic diversity as a true expression of God’s manifold beauty.

Grace and Peace,

Bob

Quaker-Affiliated Organizations

Coming Soon to Your Couch: Indiana Citizens Redistricting Commission Public Meetings

We hear people say all the time, “I’m not interested in politics.” To which it can be replied, “Well, that’s really too bad, because politics are interested in you!”

Redistricting will impact federal and state elections for the next decade. It really matters that Hoosiers from all over the state are a part of this conversation. Including you.

Now is the time to make your voice heard! Please contact Phil Goodchild with any questions (goodch713@aol.com). Thank you.

February 24 – Congressional District 7, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. EST

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_jOCUnFlrSqqrITaeeTAKlg

March 3 – Congressional District 5, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. EST

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_bN5cRbOjRqmjk64-LT4_Qg

March 6 – Congressional District 1, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. CST

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tfTusC9tQCe72z1DDzuCxQ

March 10 – Congressional District 9, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. EST

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wnyJd97cRUuZuF_DQkzUxA

March 13 – Congressional District 3, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. EST

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Ujw84BSPStaPvW19xJc7hg

March 16 – Congressional District 6, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. EST

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_sz1D_NtNRleutD2o-ieeqQ

March 18 – Congressional District 8, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. CST

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_euCRCwNkR8Kb2V_vmXxkEQ

March 23 – Congressional District 4, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. EST

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1_Tn9F59Rj2zT5TBPXEu0Q

March 30 – Congressional District 2, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. EDT

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5VQihioMQw2Mysl3HyK6kg

Joys & Concerns

MANY thanks to our food pantry volunteers from First Friends during the week: Linda and Rik L; David B; Barbara O; Ruth K; Kathy and Bill F; Virginia and Derek S; Christie M; Corinne I; Jim D. Our faithful volunteers braved the cold weather to serve about 60 families. Thanks to all!

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

What is Love to you? Friends, we’re asking you to send in photos that we can use in our upcoming Valentine’s Day service. Please take a picture of yourself and/or your family holding up a paper with your answer to “Love is…” Then send the photo into the office at office@indyfriends.org. Or, if you’re on an Apple product, you can send an iMessage text to office@indyfriends.org. Please get these in by TODAY, Wednesday, February 10. We can’t wait to see you and your answers!

Youth Group this Sunday ~ Youth Group will be meeting this Sunday, February 14 from 1:00 - 2:30pm with Aaron and Michelle via Zoom. Any youth (6th - 12th grade) that want to join us, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org for the Zoom link.

Creation Care ~ Our Woods provides habitat not only for birds and small mammals, our trees and shrubs provide homes for important pollinators. Each week, I will highlight a native plant and some of the wildlife it supports.

This week, let’s look at our humble and happy Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia sororia). Violet leaves which have a bland taste can be used as cooked greens or in salads, containing large amounts of vitamins A& C. Its bright blue flowers attract bees, skippers, and other insects. Caterpillars of Fritillary butterflies feed on foliage Speyeria diane (Diana), Euptoieta claudia (Variegated Fritillary), Speyeria aphrodite (Aphrodite Fritillary), Boloria bellona (Meadow Fritillary), and Boloria selene myrina (Silver-Border Fritillary)

For more information, consult Illinois wildflowers and the butterfly identification website and see pictures of the caterpillars, pupae and adult butterflies.

https://www.butterflyidentification.com/meadow-fritillary.htm

Start thinking about ways to join creating national parks in your own yard.

The Homegrown National Park™ Map Goes Live!

Based on the work of Dr Doug Tallamy and developed with Michelle Alfandari, the Homegrown National Park™ is a grassroots call-to-action to restore biodiversity and ecosystem function by planting native plants, removing most invasive plants, and creating new ecological networks. The goal is 20 million acres of native plantings in the U.S. – an area that represents approximately ½ of the green lawns of privately-owned properties.

A key feature of the Homegrown National Park™ is an interactive map, a community-based visual that shows each native planting site by State, County and Zip Code. It enables individuals to see their part in the whole – creating new ecological networks, connecting habitat and restoring biodiversity. As of 20th January, 2021, the map has over 2000 individuals registered and over 13,000 acres of native plantings mapped across the US; in Indiana, there are currently 71 individuals registering just over 180 acres of native plantings. The Landscaping with Natives Team would love to encourage anyone who might be keen to register their native plantings on the map – it is free and very easy to do. We would love to see Indiana well-represented – it can help us all to see that our individual plantings really can be part of the change!

For other links to local organizations:
https://indiananativeplants.org/
https://thewhiteriveralliance.org/
https://marionswcd.org
https://www.kibi.org/

· Your Indiana Friends Committee on Legislation (IFCL) is actively tracking environmental bills during the long budget session this year. This week, we’d love to have the General Assembly start a conversation about safely moving and capping coal ash ponds that are contaminating our ground water and potential to contaminate our rivers when flooding occurs. Final day for hearings on any bills is tomorrow, February 11. If a bill doesn’t receive a hearing, it will die in committee. Call today and

· Contact Senator Mark Messmer, Chairman of the Senate Environmental Affairs Committee to urge him to “schedule a hearing on Senate Bill 367”

o Phone: 317-232-9840

o Email: s48@iga.in.gov

· Contact Representative Doug Gutwein, Chairman of the House Environmental Affairs Committee to urge him to “schedule a hearing on House Bill 1469”

o Phone: 317-234-9139

o Email: h16@iga.in.gov

Better-Than-Good Reads from Quaker Library

Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness
By Robert K. Greenleaf

Quaker Robert Greenleaf developed his theory of Servant Leadership while an executive at AT&T. He lectured at MIT, Harvard, Dartmouth, and University of Virginia. A collection of lectures and essays, chapter headings focus on Servant Leadership for Institutions, Trustees, in Business, Education, Foundations, Churches. He writes about Servant-Leaders, Servant Responsibility in a Bureaucratic Society, America and World Leadership and An Inward Journey.

Greenleaf was born in 1904, died in 1990. He read widely and deeply the literature of his time: Robert Frost, Hermann Hesse, Herman Melville for example. He was familiar with the Bible and with George Fox’s writings. The ideas he espouses are in no way dated. I am so tempted to include many quotes here, or to make pencil marks in the book, but no! You must discover for yourself what wisdom he shares.

You can call or email the office (317-255-2485, office@indyfriends.org) John Moorman (757-561-1024) or me, Linda Lee (317-253-0053) to request delivery or to arrange to pick up a book from our library. Pick up on Wednesday when the office is staffed or most Thursdays between 3 and 5 when Linda is in the RSWR Stamping for Dollars room.

Birdwatch with Brad on February 20 ~ Brad J is going to lead us on a birdwatching tour of our Meditational Woods and Meetinghouse grounds on Saturday, February 20 at 9 a.m.* We will meet in the courtyard. Dress for the weather and bring binoculars if possible. Be prepared to walk on fallen leaves, dirt and grass. Birdwatchers will be out for about an hour. Connections Programmed Meeting arranged this activity.

*Watch Facebook for any changes in schedule due to weather.

Reopening Task Force Report ~ The Reopening Task Force’s most recent statement is available here. Currently, the Meeting-house is open to small groups, with requirements for face coverings and social distancing protocol. Participants assume responsibility for risk of COVID-19 exposure. To check on availability of small groups, including Zoom options, contact the office at office@indyfriends.org, 317-255-2485.

Queries for the Week

(From virtual worship)

What is my current perception of the word “radical”? Do I consider myself a radical?
Am I preoccupied and taken up with the relatively shallow things of life, encouraged by the media and contemporary culture generally and hardly feeling the depth of it all?
How might I embrace “radical metanoia” this week?

(From self-led guide)

We need to nurture the Inner Light—the source of the phenomenal power of the eighteenth-century Quakers. “Quaker Power” can be as effective as “Black Power” in speeding up revolutionary changes.
We need to listen in love to the black people of America and to submit ourselves to the violence of their words and actions if we are to identify truly with their anguish and despair.
We need to understand, to encourage, and to support the thrust of black people to achieve self-identity and power by sharing in the control of institutions in the community that affect their welfare and destiny.
We must invest our resources—money and skill—to provide incentives for black people to develop and control economic, political, and social structures in the community.
We must support the passage of antipoverty legislation leading to programs that will remedy the deplorable economic and social conditions existing in urban ghettos.
We must oppose racial injustice wherever it is practiced: in the neighborhood where we live, in our places of business, and in our contacts with the wider community.

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Friend to Friend February 3, 2021

February 4, 2021

As Way Opens

What is the Church and what is its mission in our time?

I am taking a final class at Earlham School of Religion for my master’s in divinity that is a comprehensive summary of our experience and study of God, church, theology and other spiritual considerations that we explored in seminary. We are looking at this question from a personal, biblical, historical, denominational, theological and ethical perspective. This is such a significant question and one that requires we examine our beliefs, our history and our future.

We have been reading Diana Butler Bass's book, A People's History of Christianity, The Other Side of the Story where she examines Christianity from Jesus and the early community, through medieval, reformation, modern and postmodern Christianity. It is fascinating to see how the Church has adapted, adjusted, challenged, re-envisioned and sought a new vision for a more inclusive community over its history. Often, we long for the passion and energy of the early Christians that were preaching and teaching about the way of Jesus, the basis for our Christian life. These early Christians were all about community as they met in homes, shared meals and took care of each other. The church was not a building or a committee structure or a program. The church was living in community, studying, sharing, praying and living into the teachings of Jesus. Sometimes the church has strayed from this path but there were always voices calling the Church back to its core.

In her book, Butler quotes psychiatrist Dr Gordon Livingston who says, "nostalgia is the enemy of hope. It tricks people into believing their best days are gone. A more realistic view of history envisions the past as a theater of experience, some good and some bad, and opens up the possibility of growth and change. Our best days are ahead, not behind. Hope for the future." In looking at our church history there is not a period that was superior to another. Each period built on the prior period and I am hopeful for how the Church will impact our future.

What is your answer to this question? How do you live into your answer?

Beth

Quaker-Affiliated Organizations

With Joy, The Quaker Religious Education Collaborative welcomes you to their new website: quakerrecollaborative.org. They are a grassroots, cross-branch, international community of practice, collaborating to serve the needs of Quaker religious educators, parents and caregivers, Friends school teachers, and youth workers everywhere. Come into their new online house and tour their new Faith at Home page, the revised Resource Library, Quaker RE events page, and more. The entire website is accessible in English, Spanish and Kiswahili.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

SUPER BOWL TAILGATE: CANCELLED ~ Friends, please note the Super Bowl tailgate that was planned for Sunday, February 7 is being cancelled due to a forecast of frigidly cold weather that day. We look forward to scheduling another event once the weather warms up a bit. Keep an eye out until then!

Better-Than-Good Reads from Quaker Library

Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness

By Robert K. Greenleaf

You can call or email the office (317-255-2485, office@indyfriends.org) to request delivery or to arrange to pick up a book from our library. Pick up on Wednesday when the office is staffed or most Thursdays between 3 and 5 when Linda is in the RSWR Stamping for Dollars room. ~Linda L

*Watch Facebook for any changes in schedule due to weather.

We will gather via Zoom starting at 7 pm EST on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 led by Cindy K.

Queries for the Week

(From virtual worship)

· How has the darkness of this time affected me and my relationships?

· Where am I struggling to allow the darkness to teach me?

· This week, how might I begin to turn my darkness into opportunities?

(From self-led guide)

· What area(s) of my life need refreshed?

· Do I believe and trust that God is helping me get through this time?

· What am I learning about endurance and my spiritual and physical condition?

Comment

Friend to Friend January 27, 2021

January 27, 2021

As Way Opens

I was reminded this week how grateful I am for humor. Who would have ever thought that a photo of a bundled, mitten-clad, mask-wearing Senator Bernie Sanders sitting on a folding chair would captivate the world and have us all laughing? The following photo may have even ended up on our Facebook page this week to bring some Quaker laughs.

What it did do was make evident our dire need for humor during this ongoing pandemic and the continued unrest in our nation. Illustrating, once again, the words of Mark Twain,

"Humor is the great thing, the saving thing after all. The minute it crops up, all our hardnesses yield, all our irritations, and resentments flit away, and a sunny spirit takes their place."

Too often, we, Friends default too easily to a serious and pious tone and have a hard time emerging from the “weight of the world” surrounding us. It was our own, Elton Trueblood, the Quaker philosopher who over 40 years ago presented the idea of humor back into the religious world by writing the book, The Humor of Christ. In the book, he reminded his readers,

“Once we realize that Christ was not always engaged in pious talk, we have made an enormous step on the road to understanding.”

As a child, one of my favorite depictions of Jesus was “The Laughing Christ” by Ellen Wallace Douglas. For some reason, those bloodied, seriously pious, or judgmental looking versions of Jesus simply turned me off. Looking again at the “The Laughing Christ” you can almost imagine a computer screen in front of him with a Bernie Sanders meme on it.

Join me this week in finding some humor and let’s allow our hardnesses, irritations, and resentments to be replaced by a sunny spirit!

LOL!

Bob

Joys & Concerns

Many thanks to our MNFP volunteers from First Friends last week: Linda and Rik L; David B; Barbara O; Ruth K; Kathy and Bill F; Virginia and Derek S; Christie M; Corinne I; Carol and Jim D. Our faithful volunteers braved the cold weather to serve about 60 families. Thanks to all.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

SUPER BOWL TAILGATE! The Connections Team will host a Covid-safe, outdoor Super Bowl party on Sunday, February 7, 3:00-5:00 pm, at the meeting house parking lot. You'll watch the game on your own later that evening but we're going to get "fired" up pre-game. Yes, once again we will have fire pits to help keep you warm.

What should I bring? - face covering, lawn chair, tailgate food (hot dogs, s’mores) and drink

What are the super bowl activities?
- wear gear supporting your favorite team even if they are not in the big game (e.g., the COLTS)
- share a special Super Bowl snack with Friends (safe, individual packaging, please)
- answer Super Bowl questions correctly and win a prize
- play our Super Bowl "Punt, Pass, and Kick" game and win a prize
- predict the score (or come close) and win a prize (awarded later)

What is Love to you? Friends, we’re asking you to send in photos of yourself to us so we can use them in our upcoming Valentine’s Day service. We want you to fill in the blank: “Love is...” Write your answer and take a photo of yourself and your answer on a piece of paper. Then send it into the office at office@indyfriends.org. We can’t wait to see you and your answers!

Message from Creation Care:

“The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.” Psalm 24:1

Now is the time to start thinking about your spring landscaping. Before you know it, spring will be here. Be sure and register for the 51st Annual Meeting of the Marion County Soil & Water Conservation District where Dr. Doug Tallamy will give a presentation on how we can create places for wildlife in our yards. He is a polished and inspiring speaker. Its free, so sign up today!

https://marionswcd.org/51st-annual-meeting-of-the-marion-county-soil-and-water-conservation-district-and-presentation-by-doug-tallamy/

Did you know that our Indiana wetlands

provide valuable service to us and our fellow creatures? This infographic from Indy Land

Stewardship helps illustrate how important wetlands are to our health and well-being. Please click here on the HEC environmental alert to understand about a bill moving through the state legislature (SB389) that would remove all protections from our remaining Hoosier wetlands.

Benediction ~ Friends, here is the Benediction from last Sunday’s Meeting for Worship.

Bennaucht (Blessing) by John O’Donohue

On the day when

the weight deadens

on your shoulders

and you stumble,

may the clay dance

to balance you.

And when your eyes

freeze behind

the grey window

and the ghost of loss

gets into you,

may a flock of colours,

indigo, red, green

and azure blue,

come to awaken in you

a meadow of delight.

When the canvas frays

in the currach of thought

and a stain of ocean

blackens beneath you,

may there come across the waters

a path of yellow moonlight

to bring you safely home.

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,

may the clarity of light be yours,

may the fluency of the ocean be yours,

may the protection of the ancestors be yours.

And so may a slow

wind work these words

of love around you,

an invisible cloak

to mind your life.

The Stamp Project Needs Your Help! Stamping for Dollars, S4$, a small group from First Friends meets weekly to process used postal stamps which will be sold and the profits used to support Right Sharing of World Resources, a Quaker woman’s self-help group. We could really use some help with the trimming of the stamps, neatly trimming the stamps to a 1/4 inch border. This is a great way to keep busy over winter. Easily done while watching TV! Plus, you’re making a contribution to a good cause. Older children can help! You will support women in Kenya, Sierra Leone, and India and learn a lot of cool stuff about postal stamps from all over the world.

You can work from home! Contact the office to be a part of this cool project: office@indyfriends.org.

MSPC Early Enrollment ~ Maple Seeds Preschool Coop is accepting new students for 2021-2022! First Friends Families are invited to apply before enrollment opens to the public at the end of the month. If you are interested in signing up your child(ren), please use this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd1XW3Qw9Q0jR1J2O93gKgV8LGXN11wx9KpjXbcdm6O0max0A/viewform Questions? Contact info@mapleseeds.org.

First Friends Pledges: If you’ve not yet had a chance to submit financial pledge information for 2021, please click here to submit your information. If you would like to have a pledge card mailed to you, contact the office at office@indyfriends.org, 317-255-2485.

Queries for the Week

(From virtual worship)

· Are we contradicting ourselves? Do we act contrary to that in which we are called by God?

· Are we truly being ourselves?

· Are we trying to do good?

· Are we being rich in helping others?

· Are we extravagantly generous?

(From self-led guide)

· Have I been able to name the tensions that are causing my anxiety in this difficult time?

· How is the Divine, “steadying the pillars,” as the “earth totters”?

· How am I practicing love and standing up to the evil of this world?

Comment

Friend to Friend January 20, 2021

January 21, 2021

As Way Opens

Exodus 20: 2-5

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God.”

You probably recognize this as the first commandment in the ten commandments. When I was younger I used to wonder why this was the first commandment. It seemed like this was a rule for ancient Israel that struggled with worshipping other gods from surrounding cultures. But I have come to realize the danger of creating idols in modern times and the power it can have over us. Even within the Christian tradition we create idols. The Bible has important teachings within it but it should not be worshipped. Those things within our various faith traditions like the Bible, the Eucharist, other rituals that point us to God are not equal with the great mystery of God. it is a danger to bow down or worship any of these elements and believe that we are worshipping God. God is a jealous God and our direct experience and revelation is the mystery and the communion with the God we worship.

Of course, we see plenty of examples of idolatry that is on the earth today. Our culture almost seems to encourage the worshipping of money, power, status and success. These nouns are not bad in and of themselves; rather it is the question of what captures our heart. Who or what are we worshipping? In our troubled times we need our hearts to be pointed to God, to pray for our world, look out for our neighbor, love our enemy and live in the brilliant and consuming Light of God.

I challenge all of us to examine our heart and what might be our idol? Is the God of the Israelites that brought them out of Egypt, the God that has been an anchor through times of trouble, the God that always seeks reconciliation, is this the God we love in our hearts and our north star guiding us in all that we do?

Beth

Joys & Concerns

Thank you to all who participated in our 24-hour Prayer Vigil for Peace this past Tuesday and Wednesday. At noon on Tuesday we had 20+ people join us on Zoom to kick off the vigil leading up to the inauguration. Then, at 6:30 Tuesday night we gathered in-person and fireside in our courtyard for a short service. Many thanks to those from our meeting (and several outside our meeting across the Midwest) to pray with us as we hold our country, the presidential transition, and our leaders in the Light. May peace prevail in our nation. Thank you to Kathy R, Nancy S and Bob H for taking photos and for Mary B and Ed M for organizing the prayer vigil.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Looking for an easy project to get you through the winter? Stamping for Dollars, S4$, a small group from First Friends meets weekly to process used postal stamps which will be sold and the profits used to support Right Sharing of World Resources, a Quaker woman’s self-help group. We could really use some help with the trimming of the stamps, neatly trimming the stamps to a 1/4 inch border. Easily done while watching TV! Mindless work but a contribution to a good cause. Older children can help! You will support women in Kenya, Sierra Leone, and India and learn a lot of cool stuff about postal stamps from all over the world. You can work from home! Contact the office to be a part of this cool project. office@indyfriends.org.

Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading would like you to join us from virtually anywhere in the world as we discuss The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead ~ Winner of the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction ~ In this bravura follow-up to the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning #1 New York Times bestseller The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead brilliantly dramatizes another strand of American history through the story of two boys sentenced to a hellish reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida. When Elwood Curtis, a black boy growing up in 1960s Tallahassee, is unfairly sentenced to a juvenile reformatory called the Nickel Academy, he finds himself trapped in a grotesque chamber of horrors. Elwood’s only salvation is his friendship with fellow “delinquent” Turner, which deepens despite Turner’s conviction that Elwood is hopelessly naive, that the world is crooked, and that the only way to survive is to scheme and avoid trouble. As life at the Academy becomes ever more perilous, the tension between Elwood’s ideals and Turner’s skepticism leads to a decision whose repercussions will echo down the decades.

We will gather via Zoom starting at 7 pm EST on Tuesday, January 26, 2021. Contact us for the Zoom info— office@indyfriends.org.

What should I bring? - face covering, lawn chair, tailgate food (hot dogs, s’mores) and drink

Concerned about weather? - we will update status on Facebook, or contact the office at office@indyfriends.org for Jim K’s cell phone number to call for updates.

Creation Care Update ~ “By the streams the birds of the air have their habitation; they sing among the branches… the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.” Psalm 104:12-13

The Indiana General Assembly is in session and many bills have been introduced. I (Mary Blackburn) volunteer with the Hoosier Environmental Council, a non-partisan advocacy organization that seeks to make Indiana a healthier and more resilient state for all Hoosiers.

Many scientists believe that climate change is the most concerning crisis for the earth. It has a profound effect on weather patterns, drought, heat, and diversity of organisms. The good news is that reducing the carbon in our atmosphere can stop the rise in global temperatures.

I will post bills coming up in the IGA for your consideration and if you feel led, you can contact your legislator to advocate for your position. For more information, click here.

Items of concern:

The IGA is only allowing citizens to give testimony when they go into the Statehouse physically, not allowing remote testimony during the COVID pandemic. Please remember that the Statehouse is typically very crowded and has not mandated wearing masks. Please let your legislator know that citizens should be able to access their statehouse safely or give testimony about bills remotely.

Call your representative to oppose removing local government’s ability from prohibiting unhealthy energy resources in their community. HB 1191 is before the Utilities committee on 1/13/21.

Support Rooftop Solar. If more citizens choose to invest in solar systems, they can help reduce the need to expand fossil fuel plants by selling back any extra energy to their local utility.

Support SB 249 by Ron Alting (R), to extend net metering for another 2 years.

Learn more about why HEC is concerned about coal ash ponds.

This Thursday, January 14 at 6:30 pm Central / 7:30 pm Eastern, HEC will present the first in a series of online legislative forums, beginning with the issue of coal ash.

Coal ash is the toxic waste product of burning coal and it is a ‘forever pollutant’ that does not break down over time.

Indiana has started approving plans to leave millions of tons of coal ash in the floodplains of Lake Michigan and Indiana’s rivers where it is contaminating groundwater, threatening those waterways, and endangering communities. In the next few weeks, we have an opportunity to turn this around as the Indiana legislature discusses bills on safe coal ash disposal.

Our January 14th forum is a collaboration between HEC, Earthjustice, and Just Transition NWI.

RSVP: To learn about the coal ash bills and how you can help, please register for our forum!

You can also find the Marion Count Soil & Water Conservation District newsletter here!

Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for January:

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Named for a Least-Seen Characteristic

Birds are traditionally named for a prominent feature (Scissor-tailed Flycatcher), outstanding color (Painted Bunting), or location (Carolina Wren). In the latter family, the reason for the name is somewhat apparent: Winter Wren, Cactus Wren, Rock Wren, and even House Wren. Wait a minute!! Does the House Wren name come from the fact that it nests in a bird house or that it lives around people’s houses? Both ideas are true, but I digress. This month’s bird, the Red-bellied Woodpecker, lives in or near our Meditational Woods year-round. It may be found on any trip through the woods, but is not guaranteed. I usually hear it before I see it: “Kwir-kwir-kwir” or “chug-chug”. The male has a short powerful drum in the spring.

Let’s talk about its plumage. The reddish-orange cap and zebra-striped back are very noticeable. Either might make a good name. However, it is a red-BELLIED woodpecker. What? Where is the red belly? Some individuals of this species show a quarter-sized pale reddish patch on the belly. But if even the bird has it, the observer might not notice it. I have drawn the male, with its full reddish-orange cap. The female has the reddish-orange on the forehead and on the back of the head, but the center of the cap is gray. If you look on the internet for pictures of this bird, also check out Red-headed Woodpecker while you are there. It has a much different plumage, but people see that name and confuse the two species.

This brings to mind the name “Quaker”. Is it our “red-bellied” misnomer? Do we really quake? Don’t get me wrong, I like seeing Quaker this or that because of the history and distinctives behind the term. However, when I arrive at a gathering for silent meeting for worship, and someone greets me with, “Hello, Friend!” that is really special. Hopefully it refers to our best-seen characteristic. ~ Brad Jackson

Queries for the Week

(From self-led guide)

· Have I been able to name the tensions that are causing my anxiety in this difficult time?

· How is the Divine, “steadying the pillars,” as the “earth totters”?

· How am I practicing love and standing up to the evil of this world?

Comment

Friend to Friend January 13, 2021

January 14, 2021

As Way Opens

The week following Christmas, I usually find myself reading a book or two, because I have not been afforded much time to read during the Holiday Season. This year was no different. I received several books for Christmas, and decided to start with Rob Bell’s new book, Everything is Spiritual: Who We Are and What We’re Doing Here.

As I cracked the book open, I found it a bit different than Rob’s previous titles. It is both memoir and spiritual thought. At one point Rob stops to ask some queries. The queries have continued to speak to me as I have been trying to process all that is going on in our world.

Rob starts having the reader consider the following.

“Think of the most obnoxious person you know. Someone who has the supernatural ability to get under your skin. Picturing them? Good. Now, imagine that they’re your teacher. That they’re here in your life to teach you something. I know it is so hard at first. It’s like a muscle, it takes a while to build it up. Let’s imagine they’re here to show you something, to teach you how to more fully participate in the wonder and mystery and vitality of your life.”

He then poses some queries:

Why do they annoy you?
What is it about them that gets under your skin? Can you name it?
Now, is that present anywhere within you? Are you completely free of it?
Or is there some fear lurking within you that you have this same whatever-it-is within you?
Is this why they have this unique ability to provoke you like they do?
Have they come to help you see what you’re terrified about, might be true about you?
Do they provoke you because they’re holding up a mirror to you, and you do not like what you see?

After posing these queries Rob says, “What a gift this person is.” Wait…What? Did he say a gift? But then he goes on and says,

“Or maybe not. Maybe it’s something awful they do and it is nowhere in you.” And then continues with some more queries:

Why do you care so much? Lots of people do awful things.
Why this person, and these things? Does this person ignite these energies within you because this is something you are here to do something about, but you aren’t doing it?
Have they been sent to wake you up to your work in the world?

Again, he says, “What a gift that person is.” Really, a gift?

Rob still poses some more queries:

Or does this person crank you up because they are free in some way you aren’t free?
You resent them, because they cut the cord and now, they fly, and you’re still tied down? Is it fear? You don’t want to disappoint someone? You might fail? People might not understand if you step into the fullness of who you are here to be?
Is this why they agitate you like they do?

Rob concludes, ”What a gift.”

As I start this new year, I am pondering who are the “gifts” in my life that are trying to teach me more about who I am and how to more fully participate in the wonder and mystery and vitality of life. I have continued to reflect on these queries and must be honest, they have had me looking at those around me in a new way as I begin 2021. Take some time this week to ponder these queries with me and hopefully you, too, will find these special “gifts” in your life this year.

Happy New Year,

Bob

Joys and Concerns

Let’s give a BIG thanks to our Mid-North Food Pantry volunteers last week: Linda and Rik L; David B; Barbara O; Ruth K; Kathy and Bill F; Phil G; Derek S; Brenda R; Christie M; Corinne I. A special thanks to Krishan Coffman who helped Bill Farris pick up food from 2nd Helpings and deliver it to the Mid North Food Pantry. Also, a special “welcome aboard” to Brenda R who helped with the Wednesday group. Our First Friends volunteers braved the cool January weather to provide food to less fortunate folks who rely on the pantry. Thanks to all!

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Adult Sunday School Notice: Friends, as a reminder, Seeking Friends Sunday School class is returning This Sunday, January 17th. To join use the same Zoom link as before. We hope you’ll join us!

Watch out for email scams! We’ve been made aware that email spam/scammers may use “First Friends Church” in their email to get your attention. Please be mindful of emails you receive. First Friends office email will either come from an “@indyfriends.org” address or from “@simplechurchcrm.com”. If you’re not sure if an email is legitimate, feel free to call our office at 317-255-2485.

Praying for Peace: Be a Light in the World

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.” Matt 5:14

During these challenging times, people of faith cry out to God seeking guidance, nurture, and safety. Join together as a Meeting as we pray for wisdom and safety for all our leaders, both nationally and locally.

Starting on January 19 at noon, we will have a live Zoom service to begin our 24-hour vigil for peace. At 6:30 PM, we will have a 30-minute outdoor service to pray as a community. Please dress accordingly. Fire pits will be lit for warmth.

Members and attenders are encouraged to sign up for a 30 or 60-minute time slot over the 24-hour period to pray. Devotional materials will be available on-line for participants to use for inspiration. Keep an eye out for an email coming soon with the Zoom and signup information.

Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Phil: 4:6

Creation Care Update ~ “By the streams the birds of the air have their habitation; they sing among the branches… the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.” Psalm 104:12-13

The Indiana General Assembly is in session and many bills have been introduced. I (Mary B) volunteer with the Hoosier Environmental Council, a non-partisan advocacy organization that seeks to make Indiana a healthier and more resilient state for all Hoosiers.