As Way Opens
At the start of December, one of my traditions is to take Howard Thurman’s book, The Mood of Christmas off my bookshelf and read through it again. I love what he writes in his prologue, “The mood of Christmas - what is it? It is a quickening of the presence of other human beings into whose lives a precious part of one’s own has been released. It is a memory of other days when into one’s path an angel appeared spreading a halo over an ordinary moment or a commonplace event. It is an iridescence of sheer delight that bathes one’s whole being with something more wonderful than words can ever tell. Of such is the mood of Christmas.”
This is the mood that I want to step into during this Christmas season. Our Vespers service last Sunday evening brought me into this place of Presence with the beautiful music and readings. I have attended our Vespers service for over 30 years and I am always deeply moved by all of us lighting individual candles that collectively bring light to our Meeting Room as we sing Silent Night together. I think about Thurman’s poem I will Light Candles this Christmas.
Candles of joy, despite all sadness,
Candles of hope where despair keeps watch.
Candles of courage for fears ever present,
Candles of peace for tempest-tossed days,
Candles of grace to ease heavy burdens,
Candles of love to inspire all my living,
Candles that will burn all the year long.
This is my prayer for all of us as we light our candles in our homes and our communities this season.
Beth
Joys & Concerns
This past Sunday we gathered to celebrate our annual Christmas Vespers and Dinner! What a beautiful night of worship as we officially begin our journey to Christmas. Thank you to all those who made the night simply fantastic.
Seasoned Friends had a great day in Wabash this week visiting the Eagles Theatre, the Honeywell Center and Charley Creek Inn. Thank you to Sara E for arranging this wonderful tour and lunch.
Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities
Notice: As you may be aware, a number of choir members and other attenders at worship have recently tested positive for COVID. All respiratory illnesses seem to be escalating in Indianapolis right now. The good news is, at First Friends we have the tools we need to stay healthy: vaccines, effective ventilation and air purification systems, and masks if we choose to use them. As we worship and celebrate the season together, please make the appropriate decisions for yourself as to attending Meeting and other activities at the Meetinghouse in person and/or wearing masks, remembering that there are others in our lives (very young, very old, and/or immuno-compromised) who need protection.
Whether we see you in person or online, we are blessed to share in worship and fellowship with you this Holiday Season! Thank you.
Seeking Friends: Due to the busy Holiday Season, Seeking Friends will be taking a hiatus until the New Year. We will return on Sunday, January 8 at 9am. Enjoy an extra hour before joining us for worship.
First Friends Financial Update: You are invited to spread holiday cheer by making a pledge to First Friends Meeting for 2023. Your pledge is extremely helpful in making a budget for the new year. Click to pledge online, or contact the office at office@indyfriends.org, 317-255-2485, for a pledge card to be mailed to you.
The Meeting also seeks support in closing out 2022, as we currently are experiencing a deficit. To donate online, visit indyfriends.org/support/#givenow, or text to give at 317-768-0303. Other means of support include automatic giving, stock gifts, estate planning, and donation of IRA Required Minimum Distributions. For assistance, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org, 317-255-2485.
Puzzle fans--a new jigsaw puzzle will be available in Fellowship Hall on Sunday, December 11. The puzzle shows used stamps from all over the world.
Puzzlers and non-puzzlers:
--Remember to bring in your own stamps, whether used or unused, to benefit Right Sharing of World Resources.
--If you'd like to help the stamp team earn money for RSWR, contact the office. It's fun and helps a good cause.
Annual Christmas Tea ~ Please join us this Sunday, December 11th immediately after worship for the annual Christmas Tea. There will be lots of cookies and punch and fellowship. If you can donate cookies, they can be dropped off on the morning of Sunday, December 12th. (Please, no cookies with peanuts or peanut products.) For more information contact Jody L. Happy holidays!
Join First Friends for Caroling! ~ EVERYONE is invited to join us for Christmas caroling this Sunday, December 11. We will meet at Marquette Manor HEALTH CENTER, 8140 Township Line Rd., no later than 3:20 p.m. At the second entrance going south on Township Line, turn right and tell the guard you will be caroling at the Health Center, which is at the back of the complex. Take the elevator to the 2nd floor and proceed to the Sun Room. We will sing at two other locations and then eat at a family friendly place afterwards. Carol Donahue will distribute details at Marquette for the remaining itinerary. Call or text Carol if you have questions.
Men’s Threshing Together ~ If you are interested in gathering with other men who mull over current issues or topics, where all points of view are heard, no decisions are made, and all in a non-threatening atmosphere over a meal, then Threshing Together is for you! Join us for our next in-person meeting on Thursday, December 15 at 7:00pm. See locations for 2022 here.
Babysitting Co-Op ~ We will have a babysitting co-op on Saturday, December 17th from 5:00 - 9:00 for any of our kids. This is a great opportunity for parents to drop their kids off and have an evening out. Dinner will be provided for the kids. They will be making cookies in a jar and soup in a jar to be sold after Meeting on December 18th along with chocolates and coffee to raise money for Mohammed’s family to move to Canada. We hope your kids will join us in the fun that night!
Illuminate Bible Study ~ Finding Purpose Together (with Christ as Present Teacher) is the new topic of the First Friends Bible study. You are cordially invited to join the Bible study. It meets by Zoom on Thursday nights from 7:30 to 8:30. We have begun this 13-week course from the Illuminate Series of Barclay Press called Christ as Present Teacher: Finding Purpose Together. The series was recommended by Bob Henry. The physical book is out of print, but the book is available for $5.00 either as an ePub book or as a pdf. To receive a copy, email Mareesa Fawver Moss at mfawver@barclaypress.com. To receive a Zoom link, email the First Friends office at office@indyfriends.org.
Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for December
Red-winged Blackbird: Boys’ Day Out Tailgating
Although I try to feature a new species each month, this bird deserves to be brought back because of the feasting and partying I witnessed in late November here at the meetinghouse. One morning there was carrying-on happening in the courtyard patio in the sweet gum tree. In late November and early December the last flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds are passing through on their way south. As I was making my way to the building, I caught a glimpse of several black birds up in the tree. There were four MALE red-winged blackbirds eating the sweet gum balls (not to be confused with sweet gumballs). The food was not the ball itself, but something inside. I picked up a few and shook out some seeds and a sawdust-like material. So it is the seeds that they are after, and the sawdust ends up covering the courtyard. Our tree serves other species, including chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, goldfinches, house finches, and of course, house sparrows, to name just a few.
Back to the gender issue: Later that same day I was birding a park several miles away, and saw a tree filled with dozens of blackbirds…all females; not a male to be seen! I recalled that on one of my first out-of-state birding experiences, in Florida, my brother showed me a cattail marsh with hundreds of red-wing blackbirds…ALL FEMALES!! The genders winter separately!! Although this idea may be of interest to humans, the reader should keep in mind that in the spring, the males return first, and set out territories, and then the females arrive, and pick their NEW mate based on who has the best territory for nesting. This is not a behavior I recommend for humans! So celebrate the holidays with family and friends, worshipping, caroling, tailgating, cooking out, dining out, shopping, and sports watching, but remember, with us, love IS the big idea! ~Story and Photos by Brad Jackson
Creation Care Team Reorganizing!
Are you interested in learning more about caring for God’s remarkable creation that is our home? Would you like to support activities that make First Friends a witness to right relationship with the earth and its inhabitants? If you’d like to learn more about Creation Care, you can sign up for more information here. We will hold an organizational meeting in January 2023.
In the meantime, here are 3 faith-based groups that may be of interest to you.
Quaker Earthcare Witness Faith in Place Evangelical Environmental Network
Soul Sisters - beginning January 8 ~ This fall’s Women’s Retreat fostered many opportunities for the women of our meeting to find connection and reflection. In the following days and weeks, we heard loud and clear that the women of our meeting are hungry for the company, connection and support we find among one another. We would like to invite all women to join us for lunch after meeting on January 8. Food and childcare will be provided. We ask only that you bring yourself and a few ideas for the formation of our new women’s group. Specifically, we would love to know:
· what days/times may be best
· how often you want to meet
· any obstacles we may need to overcome for women to be able to participate
· any particular ideas or activities you would like to see offered
If you are interested in attending, we would appreciate an RSVP to the office at office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485. We look forward to celebrating this new group of Soul Sisters, and we are excited to see what we build together.
Overman Scholarship Fund Drive ~ The Overman Scholarship fund, in memory of Jesse & Marilyn Overman and Mark Overman, awards scholarships to members of First Friends attending higher academic or vocational/Quaker institutions. If you’d like to support this worthy cause, we encourage you to donate. For the next 4 years, the Overman family will match donations up to a certain amount! Checks can be payable to “Indianapolis Monthly Meeting of Friends Trustees.” In the memo line, note "Overman Scholarship Fund.” Or you can donate securely on our website at https://www.indyfriends.org/support. Just choose “Overman Scholarship Fund” as the fund. Or text “Overman” to 317-768-0303. Thank you for your support!
Help Refugees in Need: The meeting for business Oct. 16 approved a proposal to help raise money for the family of Peter K’s Syrian employee Mohammad to emigrate from Turkey to Canada. The family of 6 has lived as refugees in Turkey for several years, and now are threatened with forceful repatriation. Because of Mohammad’s involvement with Peter, the family would be in great danger if they re-enter Syria. The family has approval of the Canadian government to enter as privately sponsored refugees provided that a certain amount of money will be held in a secure account to meet the family’s living expenses for the first year. The meeting will work with Ed and Paula K to raise the money by having an account into which tax-deductible donations can be held until they are submitted to Canada. To donate, mail in a check or drop it in the Sunday offering plate with the memo line “Mohammad’s family.” Or you can donate electronically online on our secure website at https://www.indyfriends.org/support, and choose “Mohammad’s family” as the fund, or text Mohammad to 317-768-0303. The K family express their gratitude to the meeting for agreeing to help facilitate this urgent need.
This Week’s Queries
· How will I share the important message of Mary’s Magnificat this Holiday Season?
· Who needs to hear it, today?