Concerns, Announcements and Devotional Thought

A Weekly Ministry of Indianapolis First Friends Meeting

 

As Way Opens by Ruthie Tippin

When my financial records for the year finally balanced, I jumped up and danced. It was about 10:30 in the evening, and I was so energized by the joy and freedom of the event that I kept doing small jobs for hours. I was especially aware of the feeling of freedom, for I needed to have that report out of the way to be able to do another job well. I kept thinking, “I’m free, I’m free.”

When I finally reflected on what I was doing, I realized that I am always free. No matter how involved, tragic, embarrassing, rushed, or important a matter at hand might be, in the last analysis I am free before God. If I do the best that I can – and even if I don’t – God will continue to be God, a God who will never expect more of me than I can do or be.

In a society driven by workaholism, co-dependency, inferiority complexes, and competition, I find this experience of freedom life-giving. It speaks of the reality of our limitations and of God’s blessings on them.

Our deeper source of joy and most powerful source of energy is our relationship with God, the life of God within. The passing joys and sorrows of our lives are important stepping stones that lead us from their limited offerings to the limitless treasure that is union with God. Because they are close to the human skin, they readily register their energy. In contrast, it takes perseverance and determination to stay with the climb of faith that keeps one going, even when the very nearness of God clouds or numbs all feeling. We can find freedom and courage in the life of faith.

From ‘God in Ordinary Time – Carmelite Reflections on Everyday Life’

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Monthly Meeting for Business is this Sunday following Meeting for Worship! Last Month’s Meeting Minutes are attached for your review.

Finals are coming up for our College Students! We are preparing to send out Care Packages for the 19 college students that we are connected to. Boxes will be set up in the hall for you to drop in goodies. They will mail out after Sunday, April 19th, so please bring treats by that Sunday morning! Anything will be appreciated as the students are working hard to ace those finals!!! If any of your college students have had a change in address, please let the office know.

Are you interested in Quaker Artists? There is a display set up in the Children’s Library with various Quaker artists and some information about them. It will be up through Sunday, please feel free to wander through and view the work of Quaker Artists.

If you feel led to worship God in dance, gesture, and/or movement, or would like to learn to do so, contact Amy Perry (amyperryindy@yahoo.com or 696-5074), by April 30. It is hoped this group will participate in a Meeting for Worship on a Sunday during the summer.

Commissioned by the ISO,‘Zabur’ will be performed by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Choir, and Children’s Choir, Friday, April 24, at 8:00 pm at Hilbert Circle Theatre. Dan Rains and Bill Paraskevas from our Meeting are in the Choir. A collection of Jewish, Muslim and Christian texts have been woven together to form this musical celebration. Composer Mohammed Fairouz met with leaders of these faith traditions (including Ruthie Tippin) last year, as he began the composition.    ‘Requiem’ by Faure will be paired with the premiere of ‘Zabur’ for the concert.  Tickets begin at $20, and are available at www.indychoir.org or by calling 639-4300.

This Friday Night! Join Diana Hadley at Indy Reads Books, an independent book store located at 911 Massachusetts Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46202 on April 17th from 7-9pm as she discusses the book she co-authored, "The Peace Class." Diana says, "The book came from a feeling that the instructional resources, activities, and experiences from a class about nonviolence should be shared with others. The dream of "the Peace Class" -- people how could transform the world to practice peaceful conflict resolution -- evolved from observing and absorbing the power of nonviolence from the study of successful peace initiative sand the people who have led them." Learn more at: www.facebook.com/thepeaceclass

The Co-Op is gearing up for the rummage sale on April 18th. They are in need of paper or plastic bags to put purchases in and newspaper to wrap breakables. Donations can be left on the stage or in Fellowship Hall this week. . They will also be selling baked goods, and if you’d like to donate some, drop-off will be all day Friday April 17th in the Fellowship Hall kitchen. Email ycwickes@gmail.com if you can help! If you are available on Friday, they would love to have a few extra hands to get set up from 5pm-8pm. If you are able to help, please send an email to ashli.pettibone@gmail.com.  Don’t forget to stop in on Saturday from 9am-2pm to support the sale!

Let’s do something special for Earth Day in our Woods April 18th! Time to put on your garden gloves and have the best time ever pulling weeds! With April Showers, we are making way for Spring Flowers.  Help create space for our May wildflower plantings by pulling up honeysuckle and euonymus while the soil is soft and the weeds are easier to pull.  We guarantee that you will enjoy being out in the Woods with some of the best people you know. Come join us for an hour, or the whole morning!  When we’re done, join us for pizza at 3WiseMen in Broad Ripple.   Work hours are between 9 AM to 12 noon. Scouts, see if a Woods Work day qualifies for a badge. High School students can request a certificate of service for their community service portfolio. For questions, call Mary Blackburn, 926-9226 or Mindy Sommer, 251-0821. Future 2015 workdays are as follows: May 9, September 26, and November 7.

The next Poetry Group gathering is at 2pm on Tuesday, April 21st. Linda Lee will be presenting “Poems into Songs”. Please refrain from wearing anything scented if possible, so that those with sensitivity will not be adversely affected. This includes scented shampoos, lotions, and aftershave as well as perfumes and colognes. All are welcome to join this discussion-style group.

On Friday April 24, Carmel Friends Church is hosting the Watoto Children's Choir on tour from Uganda, presenting at two concerts in our church. The first is at 1:30pm, and then the main concert is at 7pm. You can see their promo on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com. There is no cost but an offering will be taken, and there will be African crafts and other merchandise available for sale. All money goes to the mission in Uganda. Carmel Friends is located at 651 West Main Street, Carmel, IN 46032.

Money Smart Week – April 18-25 is Money Smart Week! Stop by a free seminar sponsored by financial institutions, businesses, government agencies, schools libraries and lots of others who are joining together to promote personal financial education. Classes are held at various locations and cover topics ranging from budgeting to homebuying to estate planning. Visit www.moneysmartweek.org for more information!

Discovering God in a Changing World. Dr. Dan Moseley will be right here at First Friends in a little more than a week! On April 25th-26th Dan will focus on generosity, and creating space to be generous in spirit, just the way spring makes room for growth after winter. This session will consist of a Saturday retreat from 9-1pm, Meeting for Worship on Sunday at 10:15am followed by a luncheon and then a Q&A with Dan. There is no fee, but you are encouraged to pre-register with Amanda Bow in the office at office@indyfriends.org.  Copies of Dan’s book, Lose Love Live: The Spiritual Gifts of Loss and Change are available in our office for $10 each.

Ladies!  Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading will be discussing Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods on Tuesday April, the 28th, at 7 pm in the Parlor. If you would like to be on the email list or need a copy of the book list for 2015, please contact Kathy Rhyne at kathyrichelle@yahoo.com. Flight Behavior, by Barbara Kingsolver is our upcoming book for May 26th.

The Quaker Haven camp registration deadline is May 23rd - if you are interested in having your children/young people attend Quaker Haven, the Meeting will provide for 50% of the cost if you register by May 23rd.  Please send in your application to Quaker Haven with the required deposit and let the office know that your young person will attend. The application and information about the camp is available at http://quakerhaven.com/?cat=3.

Steinway & Organ Concert on May 15th 7 p.m. Buy your tickets now for our May Steinway and Organ Concert! This is a concert for all ages and includes: Leroy Anderson Concertoin C, Variations on He's Got the Whole World in His Hands by Joel Raney, and Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. Pianist Randall Frieling has performed throughout the United States, Canada and Europe as a soloist, accompanist and chamber musician.  A few highlights of his career include accompanying the Association of Disciple Musicians, Long Island Choral Festival and Institute, and National Youth Choir at Carnegie Hall. Organist Martin Ellis appears frequently with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and was the featured organist to play the premier concerts of Saint-Saens’ “Organ” Symphony No. 3 on the newly installed pipe organ in ISO’s Hilbert Circle Theatre. Martin has been a featured artist at conventions of The American Guild of Organists, The Organ Historical Society, and The American Theatre Organ Society. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for those under 18 years. Consider inviting friends or family to join you and make an evening of it! Please call the office at 317-255-2485 or purchase tickets on Sunday mornings at the table in the hall.

Join us for a Conversation on the Future of Quakerism, May 16th at 7:00 p.m. Noah Baker Merrill will be here to talk about the future of Quakerism and projects like Quaker Voluntary Service. All ages are welcome as we share in song with Jim and Leslie Kartholl, listen for the Spirit, and discuss the future. Noah is a founder of Quaker Voluntary Service and in 2009, Utne Reader magazine recognized him as one of “50 Visionaries Who Are Changing Your World.” In 2012, Noah offered the plenary worship address on behalf of North American Friends at the Sixth World Conference of Friends in Kenya. We are very excited to have him here to discuss the future. Please join us. If you would like to learn more about Noah, you can visit his website at http://anendlesslife.org/.

On Pentecost weekend – May 22-25, 2015 – Friends United Meeting invites Friends to gather in Cincinnati, Ohio for a retreat experience entitled ‘Stoking the Fire’. We will follow a lightly-scheduled program of extended worship, prayer, plenary speakers, home groups, topical workshops and attention to the movement of the Holy Spirit. To begin preparing hearts and minds, the planning committee members are writing a 10-week devotional series. Look for the weekly series on FUM’s website. The gathering will begin on Friday, May 22nd at 3pm and go through Monday, May 25th at 1:30pm, held at the Jesuit Spiritual Center at Milford, located at 5361 South Milford Road, Milford, OH 45150. Visit http://fum.org/stoking-the-fire for more information.

The Friends Educational Fund Scholarship for undergraduate African American students is available again this year. The deadline for ap­plication is May 31, 2015. For an application please contact the office at 255-2485 or office@indyfriends.org.

The Overman Family Scholarship, in memory of Jess and Mark Overman, is available again this year. High school seniors through graduate students are welcome to apply.  Undergraduate students will be given first consideration. The scholarship fund is designated to support the members and at­tenders of Indianapolis First Friends Meeting. Scholarship funds may be applied to any school related expense, i.e. books, supplies, tuition, housing, computer, etc. The deadline for ap­plication is May 31, 2015. For an application please contact the office at 255-2485 or office@indyfriends.org.

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