As Way Opens
A couple of months ago Dan R. brought a book of poetry into my office called Face to Face by Julie Cadwallader-Staub. I didn’t have a chance to read this until yesterday. Julie lost her husband Warren to cancer at age 49. This book of poetry chronicles their journey through this disease. It is honest, funny, insightful, sad and hopeful. Warren’s family was from Iowa and Dan knows his sister well and his parents were good friends with the Cadwallader’s. Ruthie knows another sister of Warren and it sounds like this is quite a family of faith. Julie met Warren at Earlham and they shared a life together for 30 years and 3 kids. I was quite moved to read some of these poems as I understand the journey of losing a spouse. Below are two of her poems.
Soul
One thing Darwin can’t explain is the sound of the wind in the trees.
The trees gain no advantage when their leaves rustle and moan.
But when we listen to the wind in the trees, suddenly we are four dimensional beings
Slipping from our too tight skins, shedding time, priorities, need.
Oh to embrace what we love, who we are, who we are becoming.
Oh to lose fear, to forget its name entirely.
The future is in the tug of our hearts, the wind in the trees:
Always upward, outward, bracing and embracing.
We rise to the sound.
Hope
Hope is as insidious as infatuation.
You can try to reason it away, ignore it,
Beat it into submission, but hope takes root in the cracks between today and tomorrow,
Sends its tendrils spiraling upwards, oblivious to your best efforts, smiling.
Beth
Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities
This Sunday we are excited to hear our guest speaker, Brent Bill! Brent is a graduate of Wilmington College and Earlham School of Religion. He is an author, photographer, retreat leader, and recorded minister. He currently serves as the associate secretary of communications, publications and outreach for Friends General Conference (FGC). We invite you all to join us this Sunday for Meeting for Worship at 10:15 to hear Brent speak. Hope to see you then!
Please join us this Sunday for a special laying on of hands for Kathy R. who will be going into surgery on Tuesday, June 27. Becki H. and the Praying Friends will be joining with Kathy to pray for peace, blessing and healing before she takes this step. Please join us in the Parlor after worship, about 11:45am. All are welcome.
Brrr! Don’t leave on the A/C! A friendly reminder ~ as we approach hot summer days, please remember to turn the air conditioning off after using the building! Help us keep cooling costs down! Thank you!
Vacation Bible School is only a few weeks away! It will begin on Sunday, July 16 from 12:00-2:00pm and will continue Mon.-Thurs. from 6:00-8:00pm. Lunch will be provided for all who attend on the 16th. We welcome all our kids, grandkids and friends of our kids to participate in this fun and special time of learning that we were created by God and built for a purpose. We’re registering now! To sign up your kids, there are registration forms in the hallway! Contact the office with any questions.
Welcome Your Neighbor Signs ~ The Welcome Your Neighbor signs have arrived! Please pick one up after Meeting at the table in the corner of the hallway. Proudly display them at your home and/or place of work to provide a welcome to everyone, particularly to certain ethnic groups that some have tried to marginalize. Contributions for the signs are appreciated but not required.
We’re Hiring! First Friends Meeting is seeking a qualified applicant for the job of Music Director at the meeting. The Music Director is a part time salaried position, responsible for developing and leading the worship music, in collaboration with the pastor, in a way that is consistent with the mission, values and theology of Quakers. The applicant need not be a Quaker, but should have a knowledge of, and appreciation for, the worship experience. If you’re interested or know anyone who may be interested in this position, please visit our website at https://www.indyfriends.org/musicjob/ for more information and to apply!
Opportunity to serve! We are currently in desperate need of an usher to replace someone that has served in this role. The open spot is every second Sunday of the month but that may be able to be changed by negotiation with the other ushers. We also never filled the 2 open spots for every 5th Sunday (only 4 times a year!). This is an easy job and new members are definitely welcome! This could also be a shared position to decrease the total days of service. Please email the office for further information.
2017 Friends Mission Project For FUM - Belize ~ Friends United Meeting (“FUM”)’s Mission project for this year focuses around Belize. There are three ways you can help this project!
1. FUM operates a small school in Belize which offers a “second chance” for kids failing the high school test to further their education. The FUM vision is to raise $25,000 to expand the school, establish a Quaker meeting where there currently is none, and create a community center.
2. In addition to renovating the new facility, Oscar Mmbali, a Kenyan Friend, has accepted FUM’s call to serve as the first Friends pastor for Belize. Oscar is traveling among North American Friends raising support for his new ministry.
3. Finally, we at First Friends are honored to have one of our member families, the Thornburgs (Aaron, Michelle, Kwali, and Meshach), feeling led by God to go to Belize and help with the facility renovation and provide other assistance to the Friends school (come this Sunday for more details). The Thornburgs will need your financial assistance in order to make their Belize leading a reality.
Your prayers and financial support are needed to accomplish each part of this mission project. Your contribution can be to all or any one of the parts of this Belize Project (checks can be made out to First Friends; please designate how your contribution is to be allocated among these 3 needs). Please give prayerful consideration to how you might be led to provide support for this Project.
Join us this summer on June 22nd for the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University class! Want to learn how to better handle your money, budget, and dump debt? Then this is the class for you! Samantha R. took this class twice and it has helped her be in charge and organized with her money. It has also helped her pay off $30,000 in student loans and avoid debt forever! Click on the link to sign up https://www.daveramsey.com/fpu/classes#in-progress=0 . Also you're welcome to contact the office if you have any questions. Sam and her sister will be hosting this 9 week class at East Tenth United Methodist Church at 2327 E 10th St, Indianapolis, IN 46201.
You’re invited to the wedding! Our beloved organist and choir director Shawn P. and Dr Brett P. invite you to their celebration of marriage on Saturday July 8th with a musical prelude starting at 3:00 and ceremony at 3:30 p.m. This ceremony will be held at Indianapolis First Friends Meeting in the Meetingroom and all are welcome to gather together for this joyous occasion.
Western Yearly Meeting Annual Sessions are coming up July 27-30! You can find all of this year’s information & registration online at https://www.westernyearlymeeting.org/wymsessions/. You’ll find all the details such as menus, the preliminary program, housing, and more. There are also chances to volunteer for the Festival of Fun and Fellowship, the Indian Table and Interest Groups. In addition you can see photos and videos of last year's Annual Session. Pre-registration is due by July 13! We hope you are planning on joining us!
Church Picnic! All are invited to join us for our annual picnic that is taking place Sunday, July 23rd. Our honored guests will be our new Pastor Bob Henry and his family. If you are able, please bring a dish according to last name; A-J: Desserts ; K-Z: Sides and Salads. There will also be fried chicken, hot dogs (& veggie dogs), rolls, ice cream, and drinks all provided for free. As always, there will be kickball afterward, weather permitting. Please join us!
Save the date for the Dairy Bar! Be sure to mark your calendars. We will be working at the Dairy Bar at the Indiana State Fair on Saturday, August 12th all day. This is a major fundraiser for our youth programming. It’s fast-paced but lots of fun! If you’re interested in volunteering, please keep the day free, and look out for signup sheets next month!