As Way Opens
Watch for God

 
This morning as I was getting ready to come into Meeting, I saw a wristband from our Vacation Bible School program from last summer sitting in my drawer.  The wristband said Watch for God. It reminded me of what Ruthie shared in her message last Sunday about God’s call to each of us.  "Our singular lives, shared in community, become ‘God made real’ for us and for others. We see God in others, and we see God in ourselves, reflected in the lives of others”.   
 
God became very real to me through so many different people in my community during the last 5 difficult days.  One of those people is a woman named Precious that has been helping to care for Jerry in the last few months.  Her mother certainly had the right name for her, as she makes God’s precious love real to people every single day.  Her tender care delivered with an infectious laugh and a song for everyone can make a difficult time seem light and full of joy.  The most unpleasant tasks are done with a smile and a gentle touch that speaks volumes.  She shared with me on Monday that she had taken her children to Family Dollar the day before and a blind woman had soiled herself in the store and was very embarrassed.  Precious took the woman and her children into the bathroom and helped her clean up and comforted her; that it was not a huge deal.  Wow - what an example to the woman, the children, to me, of God’s love made real in the most tangible way possible.  
 
Watch for God - God is at work all around us and through us.            

                    

Considering the Quote: ‘Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.’  Hebrews 4:16


Joys & Concerns

News has come that Jerry Henricks passed away in the evening of April 18th, peacefully.  Beth was with him, he was surrounded with family, and with God’s loving presence.  A memorial service is planned for Sunday, May 1st, at 4:00 pm here at First Friends with a reception to follow. Please lift Beth, Greg, Jerry’s family and all who’ve loved him into God’s loving Light, especially in these coming days.  

A big Thank You to Larry Coffman for donating and planting two apple trees and one peach tree. Happy Earth Day!

Becki Heusel recently had oral surgery and has been healing nicely. Please keep in your thoughts and prayers her continued recovery towards health and positivity.

With only a day apart from each other, both Japan and Ecuador had severe and devastating earthquakes. It is important for us to remember the people of both nations and lift them up during this time. Let us pray for one another and the thousands of people affected both directly and indirectly. 



Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities 

Sunday, April 24th, Jed Kay from our Finance Committee will give the message about generosity and giving of our resources to each other for our mutual support.  We will talk about the ways we can support each other at First Friends through many ways:  financial, prayer, time, tangible care for our needs etc.  In this spirit, we will have a Meeting pitch in next Sunday where we all bring a dish to share with each other.  Please mark your calendars.

 

Join us this Sunday, April 24th for a ‘Loaves and Fishes Pitch-In’ just after Meeting for Worship, sponsored by our Finance Committee.  Share your favorite recipe.  Bring any thing you’d like to share – soup, salad, casserole, breads, veggies, dessert… it’s pot luck!  Tableware and beverages will be provided. Join us for fun, food, and fellowship. A free-will offering will be taken to support the ongoing budget of First Friends Meeting.
  


Celebrate Earth Day on Saturday April 23 from 9AM- 12 Noon in the First Friends Meditational Woods! We are helping keep our beautiful Woods healthy by removing invasive species in the southeast corner of the Woods. You can also learn about the beautiful blooming trees and flowers on our property!  Please bring work gloves and wear a long sleeve shirt, as there may be poison ivy in some areas.  If we have enough volunteers, others can weed the Peace Pole flower beds and the Butterfly Garden. Stay for an hour or for the morning; any assistance is most welcome.  Your Woods Co-Chairs are Mindy Sommer and Mary Blackburn.

Interested in membership? Want to know how First Friends is organized? Join Ruthie this Sunday at 9:00 in the Parlor.  Whether you’d like to become a member now, or are considering joining in the future, you are welcome to come and learn more about First Friends. Those who attend will receive a booklet.  All are welcome!

 

The Meeting of Central and West Central areas will be held this Sunday, April 24, from 3-5 pm at Valley Mills Friends. Everyone is welcome to attend. Please also bring a dish to share for the pitch-in afterward.  We will convene in the worship room promptly at 3:00 so that we can complete our business in a timely manner.  With the business ahead of us, we encourage the participation of all.  If you need a ride, please contact Ruthie!  


Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading will be held Tuesday, April 26th.   Deb Hejl will be facilitating the discussion for Song of Myself; which is the first twelve poems in Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman.  There will be an early dinner at 6 pm, please feel free to text Deb at 502-0476 with the item you wish to bring: either a simple salad or dessert.   Looking ahead for next month’s book:  Still Alice by Lisa Genova led by Ruth Kelly on May 31st.  

 

This year, we had a couple members from First Friends go to the FWCC trip to Peru who came back with wonderful ideas and plans on how to make First Friends eco-friendlier. They employed us with the task of completing two sustainable projects, and we have just completed the first one! Indianapolis First Friends is now provided with 100% Green Energy from Indianapolis Power and Light. This service is even available for your own residential home. To learn more about Green Energy go to https://www.iplpower.com/GreenPower/. 


Dear First Friends,
As of the end of last month, the decision has been made to dissolve USFW at First Friends. It was not a decision taken lightly by myself or the board. However, due to lack of interest in the program from inside and outside the Meeting, we decided that it was no longer relevant to our Meeting in its current form. There are other ways now that the women of the Meeting work together as needed to share interests, plan & help with Meeting activities.  I have enjoyed being president of USFW and I will continue our bonds of friendship that I have made with the women in our Meeting.
Sincerely,
Jody Long                                    
USFW Board President
P.S Don't worry! The Christmas Tea will still happen!


Western Yearly Meeting USFW Spring Conference, Tuesday, April 26th at Fairfield Friends Meeting
10441 East County Road 700 South, Camby, IN 46113
9:30 Coffee and Registration ~ 10:00 Meeting
Pastor Jamie Lyon will present his experiences from his recent sabbatical.  During this time, Jamie combined meditation, prayer, travel to all 92 counties in Indiana and artistic study that culminated in painting and producing works in the style of Hoosier artist, Theodore Clement Steele.  He will combine narrative with some of his paintings.  A soup and salad lunch will be provided for $8.00 per person.  Pastor Ruthie will attend and is happy to take people with her.  Please RSVP to Lynn Durocher at LDØ91449@yahoo.com or 317-888-7242.


Please join us on Thursday April 28, 2016 at 7 p.m. for “Made In Indiana” an evening of music and storytelling with Phil Gulley, Scott Russell Sanders, Krista Detor and Tim Grimm at the Royal Theater in Danville, IN.  A reception and book signing will follow the concert. The book signing sales will benefit the Indiana Friends Committee on Legislation. For tickets please call (317) 370-9329 or (317) 386-3111, as well as by visiting  www.royaltheaterdanville.info. The Royal Theater is located at 59 S. Washington Street, Danville, IN 46122.


Lena Brooks-Kelly and Ruth Kelly are hosting a Bridal shower for their sister/daughter, Amanda Brooks-Kelly, on Sunday, May 15 at 3:00pm at their home. If you would like attend, please rsvp to Ruth by May 9 at rgkelly4@att.net. Amanda and her fiancé, Zachary Weiss, will be married by their rabbi, Rabbi Skydell, in Connecticut on June 19. Lena Brooks-Kelly will be serving as Maid of Honor. The couple is registered at Bed, Bath and Beyond and Bloomingdale's. 


Service Appreciation Dinner~ All are invited to share memories and stories about several of our treasured members who have admirably served First Friends over the years.  Please reserve Sunday, May-22, 5:30-8:30, for this exciting free dinner and program.  This year’s invitees include Carolyn Hiatt and Ray Guest, Linda Lee and Ed Morris, Shirley Earl, Marshall Gibson, Bob Hadley and Peg Brummit, Bonnie Hollingsworth, Nancy Pennington, and Deb and Jim Hejl.  You need to sign up to attend.  See the sign-up sheet on the table in the hallway or call the office for your reservations 317-255-2485.


Friends of Nature Kids” ~ Colors of the Rainbow~ What are the colors of the rainbow? Try to find something around you that matches each of the rainbow colors. This can also be played by having someone call our a color and seeing who can find something from outdoors in that color first! 
 From 52 Nature Activities by Lynn Gordon, Chronicle Books, San Francisco.

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