About Our Meeting

 First Friends is a monthly meeting that is a member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). We are affiliated with Friends United Meeting. Our meeting was established in 1856 and is one of the seven original churches in Indianapolis.
 

First Friends Vision Statement

The people of Indianapolis First Friends Meeting embrace a compassionate faith

 as exemplified by the life and teachings of Jesus.

 As a result of our experience of the Light of God, our Meeting expresses

the Quaker testimonies of simplicity, equality, integrity, peace and community.

 Our Meeting is a resource for encountering the immediacy of God

and we support the nurturing of families, individuals and relationships. 

We welcome all who are sincerely seeking and striving for truth in their lives.

Meeting activities intentionally foster inter-generational life, service to others,

help for those in crisis, and ongoing spiritual growth.

About our Faith

 Some unofficial statements are given below which will serve to give general understanding of the Friends (Quaker) faith.

• We emphasize that true religion involves an immediate, inward, personal encounter with God, through Jesus Christ, and that this, rather than ritual and ceremony, is the essence of Christian faith.
• We emphasize that each individual has worth, dignity, freedom and responsibility before God (John 1:9).
• We emphasize that worship is a personal and gathered community act of seeking rather than a performance; that communion is an inner spiritual experience rather than an outward observance.
• We emphasize that moral purity, integrity, honesty, simplicity and humility are essential to the Christian life.
• We emphasize Christ-like love through concern for suffering, unfortunate people; peace and equality must find expression in Christian service and social justice.
• We emphasize the Spirit of God grants us openings, insights, guidance and understanding of spiritual truth consistent with the Scriptures.

History of Friends

 "In order to understand Quakerism today, we begin by looking at the context out of which the movement emerged. Seventeenth century England was a time of political and religious upheaval. At least seven times within a century and a half, the state religion changed from Catholicism to Protestantism or vice versa.
 Then, as now, when the movement of God's Spirit is restricted or ignored, new paths are forged through which new life flows. Such was the finding of George Fox and early Friends - that there is one who speaks to the need of humanity: Christ Jesus."

-- Excerpt from "Meet the Friends, Quaker Beginnings" by Paul Anderson, distributed by Northwest Yearly Meeting through Barclay Press

For more information on the history of Quakers, see An Introduction to Friends at Friends United Meeting.

Faith and Practice

 As members of Western Yearly Meeting, First Friends follows the Faith & Practice (Book of Discipline) of Western Yearly Meeting of Friends Church. Faith & Practice details the essential truths and general doctrinal statements adhered to by the yearly meeting. It also explains business and procedures for the yearly and monthly meetings.
 
At this time, Faith & Practice is being revised. This printable document is the second draft, which is to be presented for approval at the annual business sessions of Western Yearly Meeting in July, 2005.

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