Friend to Friend May 27th, 2015

   Friend to Friend

  Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Concerns, Announcements and Devotional Thought

A Weekly Ministry of Indianapolis First Friends Meeting

As Way Opens 

Floyd arrived with an empty suitcase – one of those roller bags with a sturdy handle and wheels.  It was a little worse for wear, but it would do.  He’d made it down the steps, and was the first in line.  Sam had signed him in, Pat had given him a number, and Carol greeted him at the door.  (I was her shadow.)  A shopping cart, some plastic bags, and we were off… a roll of toilet tissue, and some personal care items.  Then canned vegetables, soups and beans, snacks, beverages.  Pasta and peanut butter came next.  Then we turned the corner.  Bill was there with another big welcome and meat; chicken, tuna… drawn out of the freezer.  Milk, yogurt, bread, baby foods, odds and ends.  Floyd could take his apportioned amount of anything he wanted.  His cart was full when we ended the line.  All the while, Jim, Kathy, Bill, and Jade, were restocking shelves, helping others shop, finding boxes for those who had driven.  Carol and I took Floyd’s suitcase, and filled it, moving the heaviest things to the ‘wheel end’ with breads, up top.  Phil was there to help Floyd move his suitcase up the stairs, and out the door.  He walked home, rolling his groceries with him.  Now, I wonder, how can we get his glasses repaired?

This was my first, but not my last visit to MidNorth Food Pantry.  This is one of many ways First Friends reaches out to our community, and it’s a powerful thing to see.  Many of our members swarmed the place with energy, care, intention, and purpose in bringing Light to those who are surrounded by darkness for much of their lives.  This is what we have… the opportunity to share God’s love in practical ways.  You do it all the time… and may not even realize it.  Smile.  Say ‘hello’.  Offer someone a seat.  Open a door for them.  Shop for a ‘friend’ each month, and donate to the food pantry.  Make greeting cards, and send them on their way.  You know what to do…  you’re filled with Light, and now, you only have to let it shine!

If you’d like to support the MidNorth Food Pantry, here are some suggestions:  plastic grocery bags, chili con carne or beef stew (a protein meal that’s easy to fix!), cereal, toiletry items or hotel sample bottles of lotion, shampoo, or soaps, simple foods – not fussy! and cash… the Pantry can often purchase food at discount prices – lower than what we could ever find in grocery stores. 

Joys & Concerns

Kathy Rhyne was a little girl when she first learned the Lord’s Prayer.  For quite a long time, she was certain God’s name was Howard.  Why? “Our Father, who art in heaven, Howard be thy name!”  Join us for more fun, and a loving sense of purpose in Women’s Ministries next quarter at Friends Women!  If you’d like to, donate to our “Love Fund” this quarter, in support of Joyce Aljhouny, Director of the Ramallah Friends School in Palestine.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Join us for the Church Picnic & Worship in the Woods on May 31st. Worship will be at the normal time, 10:15am, in the Meditational Woods. Please bring your lawn chairs! Immediately following will be the church picnic, where we will provide fried chicken, hot & veggie dogs, rolls, ice cream, and drinks. If your last name begins with A-L, please bring a side or salad to share, if M-Z, please bring a dessert to share. Come prepared for fun with Friends, and join in the kickball game! In case of rain, or soggy surroundings, we will meet for worship in the Meeting Room.

Last week to apply for available Scholarships!

·         The Friends Educational Fund Scholarship for undergraduate African American students

·         The Overman Family Scholarship, in memory of Jess and Mark Overman, for members and attenders of First Friends. High school seniors through graduate students are welcome to apply, though undergraduate students will be given first consideration.

The deadline for the ap­plications is May 31, 2015. For an application please contact the office.

Mark your calendars for June 14th-June 18th - Vacation Bible School will begin on Sunday from 11:45am to 1:45pm, and will continue Monday thru Thursday 6:30pm-8:30pm. If you are interested in being a part of this VBS adventure, we’re looking for volunteers! All children 5th grade and under are welcome! The program we will be using is Everest: Conquering Challenges with God's Mighty Power.  Parents, please register your children with Beth Henricks at beth.henricks@indyfriends.org if they are able to attend.   

An Evening of Storytelling and Music with Phil Gulley and Tim Grimm. Indiana Friends Committee on Legislation (“IFCL”) has planned an evening to remember with nationally known Quaker storyteller, Phil Gulley and rural Americana and southern Indiana’s favorite musical son, Tim Grimm on Friday, June 19 at 7 pm at First Friends Meeting, Indianapolis.  Phil’s fun and entertaining storytelling and Tim’s heartwarming music and songs will take you on a journey to small town Indiana and rural Americana that will leave you smiling, laughing, clapping hands and stomping feet in ways you had only imagined.  Tickets are $20 (advance) and $25 (at door).  To obtain tickets, call 317 255 4739 (ask for Bill) or 317 730 2268 (ask for Tom).  Phil’s books and Tim’s CDs will be available for sale and signing after the concert.  There are a limited number of tickets.  We encourage you to purchase them in advance.  Proceeds go to benefit IFCL.    

Do you know CPR? We would like to maintain a database of those that are certified. Please contact the office and let us know if you are!

Pave the way!  Be aware that our parking lot will be seal coated this coming week. Parking lines will be painted soon after.   

Are you looking for a place to live for the 2015-2016 school year near Butler? We got this note from Christine Orlowski: Hello! My friend and I are two Mental Health Counseling students at Christian Theological Seminary, right next to Butler. We are looking for a third roommate for a 3 bedroom house right by CTS. The lease would start in August, and would be for a year. We are Friends, 27-30 years old, introverts who enjoy good conversations, and value a clean/neat home! Sound like a living situation you'd like to be a part of? Please contact me if you are interested at corlowski@cts.edu. We'd love to meet you! Thanks so much, Christine Orlowski.

Indianapolis First Friends Meeting

Compassionate v Christian v Quaker

3030 Kessler Blvd. E. Dr.

Indianapolis, IN   46220

317-255-2485  office@indyfriends.org

Friend to Friend - May 20

    Friend to Friend

  Wednesday, May 20 2015

Concerns, Announcements and Devotional Thought

A Weekly Ministry of Indianapolis First Friends Meeting

As Way Opens by Beth Henricks

     What a blessing to have Noah Baker Merrill join us this past weekend.  We were able to bring Noah to Indianapolis as part of our Affirmation grant and program.  I knew when we developed the curriculum a year ago that I wanted to invite him to share his ministry and voice with our youth and the entire Meeting.  The time Noah spent with our Affirmation class was meaningful and insightful.  He shared a story about the children of Reading, England in the 1670’s when the persecution of Quakers was at its peak.  The authorities came in to the Meeting in Reading and arrested all of the men and took them away to jail.  The women carried on with the Meeting and the authorities came and arrested all of the women and took them to jail.  The children scattered, afraid for their lives. But they came back together and determined that it was up to them to keep the Meeting together.  For one year, they took care of each other and kept Meeting for Worship.  Noah challenged us to imagine that the adults were no longer at First Friends and it was up to them to keep the Meeting going.  What would they keep and what would they get rid of?  The list was quite fascinating.  They want to keep our style of worship, the music, the community service we do, the education we offer, the focus on the Inner Light, the Bible, shared leadership, no dress code, the Meditational Woods, Vacation Bible School and other fun educational opportunities, and the connections.  They would get rid of rules or rigidity in belief, any forms that blocked experiencing the Inner Light, positions of power, and they really want to change the pews in the Meeting Room to be in a semi-circle to create more connections during worship.  This is what our youth would do if we were not here - something to think about!

We also reviewed the difference in knowledge of Quakerism by the youth when they started Affirmation and where they are today.  We used a pre-assessment and post-assessment tool.  The difference was significant.  Many of them wrote that they learned so much more about the breadth of Quakerism and the impact it has had on their life.  I am so thankful that our Meeting supported this project and our youth in this journey.  God has been our Teacher and our Light through this amazing experience.    

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Join us this Memorial Day Sunday for Worship in ‘The Big Oval’!  We will gather in Fellowship Hall for our Indy 500 experience of worship, with music, a message for our children, a time of quiet reflection, a message from our pastor, and much, much more.  Start your engines, and come!!!

Do you know CPR? We would like to maintain a database of those that are certified. Please contact the office and let us know if you are!

Friends Women! You are invited to join us this Thursday, May 21st from 6-8pm for a summer salad and dessert meal. Kathy Rhyne will share her journey with God in her life. Did you know that we’re a part of Friends Women who gather around the world every year?  The United Society of Friends Women cares for women and children in Palestine, Kenya, Cuba, Jamaica, the USA, and many more places.  We’ll be collecting an offering to benefit one of the four project funds of USFWI for 2015. The fund for this quarter is the ‘Love Fund’, which will go to Ramallah Friends School.  Please join us for a nice evening with great people. We’ll see you Thursday night!

Financial Summary - For the 4 months ending April 30, expenses EXCEEDED income by $9,372.  Although expenses were slightly better than budget, income was short by over $13,000.  We appreciate your continued financial support of First Friends!

The Quaker Haven camp registration early bird 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.

Join us for the Church Picnic & Worship in the Woods on May 31st. Worship will be at the normal time, 10:15am, in the Meditational Woods. Please bring your lawn chairs! Immediately following will be the church picnic, where we will provide fried chicken, hot & veggie dogs, rolls, ice cream, and drinks. If your last name begins with A-L, please bring a side or salad to share, if M-Z, please bring a dessert to share. Come prepared for fun with Friends, and join in the kickball game!

Are you looking for a place to live for the 2015-2016 school year near Butler? We got this note from Christine Orlowski: Hello! My friend and I are two Mental Health Counseling students at Christian Theological Seminary, right next to Butler. We are looking for a third roommate for a 3 bedroom house right by CTS. The lease would start in August, and would be for a year. We are Friends, 27-30 years old, introverts who enjoy good conversations, and value a clean/neat home! Sound like a living situation you'd like to be a part of? Please contact me if you are interested at corlowski@cts.edu. We'd love to meet you! Thanks so much, Christine Orlowski.

Ladies!  Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading will be discussing Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight Behavior on Tuesday, May the 26th, 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. The Princess Bride, by William Goldman is our upcoming book for June 30th.

Available Scholarships:

·         The Friends Educational Fund Scholarship for undergraduate African American students

·         The Overman Family Scholarship, in memory of Jess and Mark Overman, for members and attenders of First Friends. High school seniors through graduate students are welcome to apply, though undergraduate students will be given first consideration.

The deadline for the ap­plications is May 31, 2015. For an application please contact the office.

Mark your calendars for June 14th-June 18th - Vacation Bible School will begin on Sunday from 11:45am to 1:45pm, and will continue Monday thru Thursday 6:30pm-8:30pm. If you are interested in being a part of this VBS adventure, we’re looking for volunteers! All children 5th grade and under are welcome! The program we will be using is Everest: Conquering Challenges with God's Mighty Power.  Contact Beth Henricks at beth.henricks@indyfriends.org to register or for more information.

An Evening of Storytelling and Music with Phil Gulley and Tim Grimm. Indiana Friends Committee on Legislation (“IFCL”) has planned an evening to remember with nationally known Quaker storyteller, Phil Gulley and rural Americana and southern Indiana’s favorite musical son, Tim Grimm on Friday, June 19 at 7 pm at First Friends Meeting, Indianapolis.  Phil’s fun and entertaining storytelling and Tim’s heartwarming music and songs will take you on a journey to small town Indiana and rural Americana that will leave you smiling, laughing, clapping hands and stomping feet in ways you had only imagined.  Tickets are $20 (advance) and $25 (at door).  To obtain tickets, call 317 255 4739 (ask for Bill) or 317 730 2268 (ask for Tom).  Phil’s books and Tim’s CDs will be available for sale and signing after the concert.  There are a limited number of tickets.  We encourage you to purchase them in advance.  Proceeds go to benefit IFCL.    

Friend to Friend - May 13

Concerns, Announcements and Devotional Thought

A Weekly Ministry of Indianapolis First Friends Meeting 

As Way Opens by Ruthie Tippin

     “Will this meeting please come to order?”  If you’ve ever been to any civic or business gathering, you’ve probably heard the person in charge call that question out. Not so among Friends/Quakers.  Our order of business is quite different… we function under gospel order.  As we move toward our Monthly Meeting for Worship to Conduct Business this Sunday, it’s good to remember just what ‘gospel order’ means.  It doesn’t pertain to our practice of business alone, but to all of life – to the integrity in which we practice our daily life, in community and in particular.

     George Fox used the phrase ‘gospel order’ when he described the early Friends practice of worship, decision making, and daily living in Friends meetings.  God was leading these Friends into new patterns of life.  Friend Sandra Cronk describes it in this way: ‘”Gospel” does not refer primarily to the intellectual content of faith or a religious message.  It is the actual life, power, and reality of the relationship with God… The word “order” reverberates with Friends multifaceted experience of God’s inbreaking order in their lives…  the term “order” refers to the characteristics of daily living which flow from God’s life and power and which allow the community to maintain and deepen its relationship with Christ.’  For Fox, this relationship meant covenant… not a contract or an agreement, but a relationship of abiding trust and fidelity with God.  Fox based the founding of Friends on this covenant – not only with God, but with one another.  ‘God’s new order, gospel order, was present when people lived out of the fullness of their living relationship with Christ.  Truth is not found by professing correct beliefs and correct actions while actually living outside the life and power of Christ.  Only this life and power makes a church-community part of the true church.  Only when the sap of the vine flows through the branches are they living branches.’ [Cronk] 

     When we gather for Monthly Meeting, we gather with Christ.  He is seated with us.  He leans into our conversation.  He listens to our business concerns.  If we are gathered in gospel order, we speak through the life and power of God in our lives, immersed in the Holy Spirit.  We do not seek our own way, but rather, God’s way forward.  Do we approach our gathering as a covenant with God?  As a covenant with one another?  Are we willing to trust God and one another?  Are we willing to hold a sense of fidelity (faithfulness) to one another and to God to see our concerns through?  Are we willing to wait with each other until we sense God’s life and power inbreaking through us?  Do we take seriously the joy and meaning of practicing our life in this way?  Will this Meeting come to Gospel Order?     

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

The Steinway & Organ Concert is this Friday, May 15th at 7 p.m. Randall Frieling and Martin Ellis will be performing a wide variety of concert pieces on our Steinway piano and Casavant organ.  It is a privilege to host these gifted musicians at First Friends Meeting, in a concert for all ages.  Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for those under 18 years and will be available at the table in the foyer the night of the concert. ‘Will-Call’ tickets will be waiting for those who have ordered tickets ahead.  Consider inviting friends or family to join you and make an evening of it!

Join us for a Conversation on the Future of Friends, this Saturday, May 16th at 7:00 p.m. Noah Baker Merrill will be here to talk about the future of Friends 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/.  Noah will speak in Meeting for Worship on Sunday, May 17th.

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

The Summer Music Sign-Up sheet is on the bulletin board; be sure and add your name to share your music with the Meeting! Tyler Rodino will be singing this coming Sunday in Meeting.

Do you know CPR? We would like to maintain a database of those that are certified. Please contact the office and let us know if you are!

This Sunday, we’ll add fragrance free products to the chocolate and coffee already being sold for the benefit of Right Sharing of World Resources. The new products come through the cooperation of Good Earth Natural Food Co. and include shampoo, conditioner, Herban Cowboy deodorant, sunscreen and a few other products. Be sure and take a look at the table in Fellowship Hall this Sunday!

How Can I Help?  Each year, our Meeting comes alive with the anticipation of new ministry and people to serve God in carrying out the work of Friends.  If you are curious or interested in serving on any of our committees, please take a look at the attached document, describing what they are and do.  The Nominating Committee will meet Monday, May 18th.  We would welcome your contact with Clerk Kim Heusel by that time. Kim can be reached at kheusel@sbcglobal.net or 289-8723.

Mark your calendars for June 14th-June 18th - Vacation Bible School will begin on Sunday from 11:45am to 1:45pm, and will continue Monday thru Thursday 6:30pm-8:30pm. If you are interested in being a part of this VBS adventure, we’re looking for volunteers! All children 5th grade and under are welcome! The program we will be using is Everest: Conquering Challenges with God's Mighty Power.  Contact Beth Henricks at beth.henricks@indyfriends.org to register or for more information.

The Poetry Group will conclude the season with a meeting on Tuesday, May 19 at 2:00p.m.in the Parlor. Linda Lee will introduce Shari Wagner, who will share some of her poetry including “The Farm Wife Ruminates on Cows.” Please bring ideas on programs for next year.

Friends Women! You are invited to join us on Thursday, May 21st from 6-8pm for a summer salad and dessert meal. Kathy Rhyne will share her journey with God in her life. Don’t miss this!  Did you know that we’re a part of Friends Women who gather around the world every year?  The United Society of Friends Women cares for women and children in Palestine, Kenya, Cuba, Jamaica, the USA, and many more places.  We’ll be collecting an offering to benefit one of the four project funds of USFWI for 2015. The fund for this quarter is the ‘Love Fund’, which will go to Ramallah Friends School.  Please join us for a nice evening with great people.  (Our next meeting is set for September 19th at Rita’s Backyard Garden Center and Tea Room!)

The Quaker Haven camp registration early bird 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.

Ladies!  Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading will be discussing Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight Behavior on Tuesday, May the 19th, 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. The Princess Bride, by William Goldman is our upcoming book for June 30th.

Join us for the Church Picnic & Worship in the Woods on May 31st. Worship will be at the normal time, 10:15am, in the Meditational Woods. Please bring your lawn chairs! Immediately following will be the church picnic, where we will provide fried chicken, hot & veggie dogs, rolls, ice cream, and drinks. If your last name begins with A-L, please bring a side or salad to share, if M-Z, please bring a dessert to share. Come prepared for fun with Friends, and join in the kickball game!

Available Scholarships:

·         The Friends Educational Fund Scholarship for undergraduate African American students

·         The Overman Family Scholarship, in memory of Jess and Mark Overman, for members and attenders of First Friends. High school seniors through graduate students are welcome to apply, though undergraduate students will be given first consideration.

The deadline for the ap­plications is May 31, 2015. For an application please contact the office.

 Get your tickets now for an evening of storytelling and music with Phil Gulley and Tim Grimm on Friday, June 19th at 7pm here at First Friends! You can pre-purchase tickets for $20 by contacting Bill Chapman at drchapman@earthlink.net or by calling 255-4739. Tickets will also be available at the door for $25. Proceeds will benefit the Indiana Friends Committee on Legislation (IFCL), which attempts to relate our Faith and Quaker Testimonies to the shaping of responsible policy making by our Indiana government legislators. 

Friend to Friend - May 6

Concerns, Announcements and Devotional Thought

A Weekly Ministry of Indianapolis First Friends Meeting

As Way Opens by Beth Henricks

This past Sunday we completed the ninth lesson of our Quaker Affirmation class.  We ended our nine months of class with “What are Quakers Doing in the World Today?”  Jim Donahue and Bill Chapman joined us during lunch to talk about our outreach ministries at First Friends.    We then studied some of the Quaker organizations like AFSC, FCNL, Right Sharing of World Resources and Quaker Earthcare Witness that are making a Quaker impact in the world today.

I felt a sense of melancholy during our class as this was our last class in our curriculum.  What an amazing experience to share our Quaker identity with this group of young people.  I am so appreciative of the parents who made a commitment to have their young folks gather together twice a month for this experience.  We have reviewed our history, our theology, our testi monies, our process for discernment, Meeting for Business, how we relate to other religions, how we express our Quaker experience and what are we doing now.  We have consistently had 9-11 kids for every lesson and every activity.  I have loved each gathering as it’s been an opportunity to connect with our kids and have them step into their identity as a Quaker, as a person of faith and what that all means.

We still have Noah Baker Merrill coming to speak with our youth (and us) on May 17th.  Our young people will present their “final project” in Meeting for Worship on June 28th and will receive an Affirmation certificate for completing this program.  And many of these young people will join us on our trip to Philadelphia July 9th - 13th. 

This Affirmation journey started almost 2 years ago - the opportunity to apply for the Lily grant, receive the financial support of our faith community, engage Vicki Wertz to write the curriculum, and have 12 kids participate has been a wonderful journey.  In particular, I want to thank Deb Hejl and Ruthie Tippin for teaching the class several times through this nine months. 

What a blessing and gift to step into this opportunity.  As I meet other Quakers from around the country and tell them about Affirmation, they are interested in learning more and thinking about something like this in their Meeting.  God has been at work through Affirmation and First Friends!

Joys & Concerns

We hold in love and care the people of Nepal as they grieve the loss of loved ones, care for the injured, and struggle in the work of clearing away debris and making room for newness in the midst of so much destruction.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Each year, our Meeting comes alive with the anticipation of new ministry and people to serve God in carrying out the work of Friends.  If you are curious or interested in serving on any of our committees, please take a look at the attached document, describing what they are and do.  The Nominating Committee will meet Monday, May 18th.  We would welcome your contact with Clerk Kim Heusel by that time. Kim can be reached at kheusel@sbcglobal.net or 289-8723.

Mark your calendars for June 14th-June 18th - Vacation Bible School will begin on Sunday from 11:45am to 1:45pm, and will continue Monday thru Thursday 6:30pm-8:30pm. If you are interested in being a part of this VBS adventure, we’re looking for volunteers! All children 5th grade and under are welcome! The program we will be using is Everest: Conquering Challenges with God's Mighty Power.  Contact Beth Henricks at beth.henricks@indyfriends.org to register or for more information.

Come join us in the Woods this Saturday, May 9th from 9am-12 noon!  We will be planting woodland natives in several areas, as well as continuing our work to remove winter creeper and honeysuckle.  We even need a volunteer to apply some special fertilizer to our azaleas. We always have a good time making our Woods a more beautiful and wildlife friendly place.  The more, the merrier!

Norma Wallman will lead a wildflower hike this Saturday, May 9th starting at 10:00 at Holliday Park (6363 Spring Mill Road). Please call the park to register (327-7180). See what follows those early white ephemerals.

Seasoned Friends – You are invited to a Luncheon for retirement age or older. The Luncheon will be Wednesday, May 13th at 11:30am. Kathy and Bill Farris will be providing different tuna salads and a soup, please bring a side or dessert to share. Come for food, fun, and friends.

The Summer Music Sign-Up sheet is on the bulletin board, be sure and add your name to share your music with the Meeting!

Steinway & Organ Concert on May 15th 7 p.m. Do you recognize these men?  They are accomplished musicians who are coming to First Friends in May. The man on the left is Randall Frieling - a pianist who has performed in Europe, Canada and the USA.  The man on the right is Martin Ellis. He has served as the organist at North United Methodist and 2nd Presbyterian Churches, and plays often with the ISO.  We are excited to host them at First Friends Meeting. Buy your tickets now for our Steinway Piano and Casavant Organ Concert! This is a concert for all ages.  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.

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.

Join us for a Conversation on the Future of Friends, May 16th at 7:00 p.m. Noah Baker Merrill will be here to talk about the future of Friends 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/.  Noah will speak in Meeting for Worship on Sunday, May 17th.

The Poetry Group will conclude the season with a meeting on Tuesday, May 19 at 2:00p.m. in the Parlor. Linda Lee will introduce Shari Wagner, who will share some of her poetry including “The Farm Wife Ruminates on Cows.” Please bring ideas on programs for next year.

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. 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.

Available Scholarships:

·         The Friends Educational Fund Scholarship for undergraduate African American students

·         The Overman Family Scholarship, in memory of Jess and Mark Overman, for members and attenders of First Friends. High school seniors through graduate students are welcome to apply, though undergraduate students will be given first consideration.

The deadline for the ap­plications is May 31, 2015. For an application please contact the office.

Friend to Friend - April 29

   Concerns, Announcements and Devotional Thought

A Weekly Ministry of Indianapolis First Friends Meeting

As Way Opens by Ruthie Tippin

Have you ever been in an earthquake?  My husband Jon grew up in Whittier, CA and remembers many times when the earth shook there.  His mother had her china cabinet bolted to the wall.  In October 1987, an earthquake hit at 5.9 magnitude, leaving 8 people dead, 9,000 people displaced and 10,000 structures damaged or destroyed.  The Whittier fault had shifted, leaving damage all along its course.  John Beede’s son Paul has sent this to us from the Red Cross about the terrifying scene in Nepal:

·         On April 25, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck 48 miles NW of Kathmandu, Nepal at 11:56 a.m. local time.  Initial reports indicate that the earthquake affected up to 8 million people, resulted in more than 3,300 deaths and injured at least 6,800 people.  The earthquake also affected surrounding countries, resulting in deaths and damage in parts of Bangladesh, China and India.  Casualty figures are expected to rise as additional assessment information becomes available.

·         The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) predicts that the area will continue to experience frequent felt aftershocks—greater than magnitude 3—in the coming weeks, with a 54 percent chance of an additional aftershock greater than magnitude 6 in the coming week. Meteorologists predict that parts of Nepal will experience heavy precipitation in the coming days, which may impact the humanitarian response and increase the risk of landslides.

No one can predict when an earthquake will happen in our lives.  Scientists do their best – and are getting better at it – but still cannot say with certainty when our world will shake us to the core.  People in our Meeting are experiencing this just now… one family has lost three people to death in less than nine months.  Each one of us has experienced earth shattering, ground shaking times in our lives.  The aftershocks continue to come.  It is impossible to bolt all the breakables in our lives to the walls.  How do we live in such a tenuous world? 

The choice I have made is to live into an unchanging relationship with God, who does not change.  I change… things in my life change… people in my life change… the world around me changes… God does not change.  God will always be.  God will always endure.  The fault lines shift around, under, through me, but God does not.  I am learning more and more to live fully into who I am, and into who God is in me.  It isn’t easy.  I love the psalmist who sometimes sings joyfully, sometimes laments, sometimes proclaims… she’s just like me.  And, we sing to the same God.  The God who is the same – yesterday, today, and forever.  And for that, I’m thankful.   

http://www.redcross.org/news/article/Red-Cross-Responding-to-78-Magnitude-Earthquake-in-Nepal

Joys & Concerns

We hold in love and care the people of Nepal as they grieve the loss of loved ones, care for the injured, and struggle in the work of clearing away debris and making room for newness in the midst of so much destruction.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Please join us for Community Soup this Friday, May 1st, anytime between 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.  Now that it’s getting warmer we are switching from soups to salads. Enjoy salads, bread, and dessert in a relaxed atmosphere.  No cooking, no dishwashing, and no charge.

Nepal Earthquake Relief: Jeff Rasley, a member of our Meeting, will offer a short talk, video and photos with discussion, and then accept any offered donations to the Basa Village Foundation this Sunday during our Fellowship Hour.  The village of Basa was hit by the devastating earthquake last Saturday in Nepal, and is one that has been supported through Jeff’s work and travels there by folks in our Meeting. A GoFundMe campaign has been started to support the Foundation, and you can find more information here:   http://www.gofundme.com/te642kg  The Foundation will make a meaningful assessment of needs of the village, and will be guided by their friends in Nepal to determine how best to help Basa.

From the Gardening Group: A hoe and a weed puller are needed by our gardeners. The hoe we had last year has vanished, along with the weedwrench. We are hoping they will re-appear or perhaps someone has a hoe or two they no longer use and would like to donate. Please return them if you have them, or donate yours if you no longer need them. Thank you!

Goodbye to the Gathering Group. Many lovely memories have been created over many years, but unfortunately, attendance has dwindled and the time has come to cancel future meetings. The Meeting would like to thank Shirley Proctor, Helen Davenport and Joyce Bowman for their many years of guiding this group.

What are your interests?  Our Nominating Committee will soon be gathering to consider persons who might want to serve on our various committees for the coming year (July 1 through June 30).  Perhaps you’re just the right person for one of the ministries in our Meeting.  Please take a look at our website, www.indyfriends.org [For Guests/What We Do/Committees], and see if there’s a ‘match’!  Maybe you have a new idea for ministry!  Wonderful!  Please share it with Ruthie… you never know what God is up to at First Friends Meeting!

Mark your calendars for June 14th-June 18th - Vacation Bible School will begin on Sunday from 11:45am to 1:45pm, and will continue Monday thru Thursday 6:30pm-8:30pm. All children 5th grade and under are welcome! The program we will be using is Everest: Conquering Challenges with God's Mighty Power. If you are interested in being a part of this VBS adventure, we’re looking for volunteers! Contact Beth Henricks at beth.henricks@indyfriends.org to register or for more information.

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 this Sunday. Both men and women are welcome! It is hoped this group will participate in a Meeting for Worship on a Sunday during the summer.

Catherine Swanson's new book, A Map in the Wind, has been published by Finishing Line Press. It can be ordered at:  www.finishinglinepress.com   or by sending a check to: Finishing Line Press, P O Box 1626, Georgetown, KY 40324. ($12.49 + 2.99 shipping)

Speakers coming to Bloomingdale – Sunday, May 3rd at 3 pm speaker: Professor Lonnie Valentine Chair of Peace & Justice Studies at Earlham School of Religion will speak about Quaker John Woolman and his part in the abolition movement in the US. We will pull in some local history of the Quakers moving here from North Carolina. Sunday, May 17th at 3 pm Professor Michael Birkel of Earlham College who has written a book about John Woolman and his life and thought will be speaking. Both sessions will be held at Bloomingdale Friends Church. There is no charge.

Come join us in the Woods on May 9th from 9am-12 noon!  We will be planting woodland natives in several areas, as well as continuing our work to remove winter creeper and honeysuckle.  We even need a volunteer to apply some special fertilizer to our azaleas. We always have a good time making our Woods a more beautiful and wildlife friendly place.  The more, the merrier!

Seasoned Friends – You are invited to a Luncheon for retirement age or older. The Luncheon will be Wednesday, May 13th at 11:30am. Kathy and Bill Farris will be providing different tuna salads and a soup, please bring a side or dessert to share. Come for food, fun, and friends.

Steinway & Organ Concert on May 15th 7 p.m. Do you recognize these men?  They are accomplished musicians who are coming to First Friends in May. The man on the left is Randall Frieling - a pianist who has performed in Europe, Canada and the USA.  The man on the right is Martin Ellis. He has served as the organist at North United Methodist and 2nd Presbyterian Churches, and plays often with the ISO.  We are excited to host them at First Friends Meeting. Buy your tickets now for our Steinway Piano and Casavant Organ Concert! This is a concert for all ages.  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.

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.

Join us for a Conversation on the Future of Friends, May 16th at 7:00 p.m. Noah Baker Merrill will be here to talk about the future of Friends 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/.  Noah will speak in Meeting for Worship on Sunday, May 17th.

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.

Friend to Friend - April 22

      Concerns, Announcements and Devotional Thought

A Weekly Ministry of Indianapolis First Friends Meeting

As Way Opens by Beth Henricks

Dietrich Bonhoeffer - Pastor, Teacher, Theologian, Writer, Diplomat, Martyr.  I am writing a paper about Bonhoeffer for my class and have become immersed in his life and standing in awe of his mind, his commitment to Christ and willingness to die for his beliefs. Bonhoeffer was born in 1906 in Germany.  He studied theology, became a teacher, joined the Social Democratic Party of Germany and started an underground seminary during the rise of Nazism.   He traveled to the US in 1939 for his safety but insisted on returning to Germany because he wanted to have an impact on the events happening within his country.  He was a pacifist but was part of a plot to assassinate Hitler.   He was arrested in 1943 and remained in prison for two years and executed in 1945 just days before the Allies took over the prison.  

At the time, Bonhoeffer was not that well known.  Why has our interest in him grown over the years?  Could it be his combination of thought and action?  Maybe the consistency and credibility of his writings and his life?   Or because he wrestled with complex themes in his theology and how to live out his Christianity?  Bonhoeffer hoped that we could come to a “religionless Christianity”.  Our emphasis would not be on religion or our human structures to explain God, rather we will be transformed by Christ and the act of salvation that moves us to take action in the world.  It does seem like many of our problems over the last 2,000 years have been wrapped up in religion and beliefs versus the experience of Christ in our lives.  I really like this quote from Bonhoeffer -    “Our having grown up forces us to realize where we stand before God.  God is teaching us to live as those who can manage without him.”  Bonhoeffer coined the phrase “cheap grace”.  The cost of discipleship is steep and not to be taken lightly.  We are not promised a life of comfort and ease as a follower of Jesus.  But God is the “Beyond in the Midst of Life”.  And there is fulfillment in responding to our call from God in this world.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Goodbye to the Gathering Group. Many lovely memories have been created over many years, but unfortunately, attendance has dwindled and the time has come to cancel future meetings. The Meeting would like to thank Shirley Proctor, Helen Davenport and Joyce Bowman for their many years of guiding this group.

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.

Catherine Swanson's new book, A Map in the Wind, has been published by Finishing Line Press. It can be ordered at:  www.finishinglinepress.com   or by sending a check to: Finishing Line Press, P O Box 1626, Georgetown, KY 40324. ($12.49 + 2.99 shipping)

Meditational Woods Update: Thanks to all the volunteers who filled 3 large trash cans and 10 bags with wintercreeper and invasive honeysuckle by hand-pulling these invasives from the Woods on Saturday.  You were a mighty crew! There is more to go, so let us know if you'd like to do an hour or two another time while the ground is damp. Our WeedWrench is missing from the First Friends garage.  If you borrowed it, please call the office and let us know that you have it and when you plan to return it.  We have a limited budget and cannot afford to  replace it. The WeedWrench is essential to our work of pulling out the larger honeysuckle bushes. The fountain pump will be replaced after 12 years of faithful service and the path will be edged in May.  Enjoy the beauty of our Woods! Best, Mary Blackburn

Commissioned by the ISO, ‘Zabur’ will be performed by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Choir, and Children’s Choir, this 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.

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. Come for breakfast at 8:30 on Saturday morning!!!  Sessions start at 9:00.

Quaker Men Work Day at Yearly Meeting Grounds - April 25, 9:30 a.m. (If you want, come for breakfast at Goodies at 7:30).  Hot Dogs! Sloppy Joes!  Come and eat while cleaning up the Yearly Meeting Grounds in Plainfield*.  We're equal opportunity workers - Men, Women, and Children welcome!  Please RSVP to Jim Wilson at wilsonj512@hotmail.com to make sure we have plenty of hot dogs and sloppy joes!  * 203 South East Street, on main highway…

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.

Seasoned Friends – You are invited to a Luncheon for retirement age or older. The Luncheon will be Wednesday, May 13th at 11:30am. Kathy and Bill Farris will be providing different tuna salads and a soup, please bring a side or dessert to share. Come for food, fun, and friends.

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.

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.

Join us for a Conversation on the Future of Friends, May 16th at 7:00 p.m. Noah Baker Merrill will be here to talk about the future of Friends 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.

Friend to Friend - April 18

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.

Friend to Friend - April 8

Concerns, Announcements and Devotional Thought

A Weekly Ministry of Indianapolis First Friends Meeting

As Way Opens by Beth Henricks

The faith for desperate days. The Bible is all about this type of faith. It’s songs are inspired by them, prophecy is concerned with them and its revelation has come through them.

Our desperate days are the stepping stones in the path of light. They are God’s opportunity and human’s school of wisdom.

In every story of deliverance, the point of desperation turns us to God. The “wit’s end” of desperation is the beginning of God’s power. Stand with awe in the darkness of Gethsemane, and linger by the grave in Joseph’s garden through those terrible days. Call the witnesses of the early church, and ask the apostles the story of their desperate days.

Desperation leads us to open our heart to God. Desperation is not despair and does not have to lead to despair when we trust God. 

Faith did not make our desperate days.  Its works is to sustain us and help find our way out of our circumstances.  God speaks to us directly and whispers, do not despair!  God is with us and will sustain us through our darkest hours.       

(From Streams in the Desert Daily Devotional)

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Join us for the final show in an Eco-Film Series here at First Friends, at 7p.m. on Friday, April 10th at 7p.m. in Fellowship Hall called “The Rise of Ecology, 10 disasters that changed the World”. Ecological disasters are examined as to the shaping role in environmental awareness and change they have played. The ten worst disasters are examined and the response from the global communities. We forget these disasters at our own global peril.  (52 minutes.)

Ready for spring Wildflowers? Norma Wallman will lead a wildflower hike at Holliday Park (6363 Springmill Rd.) on Saturday April 11th from 10:00-11:30. Call 327-7180 to register.

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 missing silverware? We have found a lot of different silverware patterns in our drawers. Please be sure and take a look at the table in Fellowship Hall and take it home if any of it is yours.

‘Zabur’ is a gift! A collection of Jewish, Muslim and Christian texts have been woven together to form a musical celebration, and will be given its premiere performance Friday, April 24, at 8:00 pm at Hilbert Circle Theatre. Composer Mohammed Fairouz met with leaders of these faith traditions (including our own Ruthie Tippin) last year, as he began the composition.  Commissioned by the ISO, the work will be performed by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Choir, and Children’s Choir.  Dan Rains and Bill Paraskevas from our Meeting are in the Choir.  ‘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.

Befriending Creation: Spring is finally here in North America, and that inevitably brings ideas of possibility and hope as we begin to live outside again, gardening and visiting and hiking our favorite paths. You'll see this kind of possibility and hope reflected in the March-April issue of BeFriending Creation, as a number of Friends share hopeful developments in their lives and locales. You'll also read about the 4 Asks: Recommendations for All Friends, which first arose during the QEW meeting last October at Pendle Hill. We hope all Friends will read and reflect on the possibilities presented by the 4 Asks. Follow this link to access the full newsletter: http://www.quakerearthcare.org/bfc/volume-28-no-2.

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 still collecting items to sell, hangers, and paper grocery bags to put purchases in. Donations can be left on the stage. 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! Don’t forget to stop in on the 18th from 9am-2pm to support the sale!

Join us for the next Woods Work day, April 18th from 9 am-12 noon! We're inviting everyone to join us as we continue to care for our Meditational Woods. We are concentrating on eliminating non-native invasives like amur honeysuckle and wintercreeper ground cover. These plants take over the area and crowd out the native plants that feed our birds and insects. After removing these invasive invaders, we will be planting native species to improve our biodiversity.  All volunteers are welcome.  We welcome any volunteers who would rather make some healthy snacks instead of digging weeds.  Bring some tools and a cheerful spirit and we will have fun while we work.  Future 2015 workdays are as follows: May 9, September 26, and November 7.

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. Save the date for the third session in an exciting 4-part program series with Dr. Dan Moseley right here at First Friends! The session is April 25th-26th, where Dan will focus on generosity, and creating space to be generous in spirit, just the way spring makes room for growth after winter. It 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.

Mark your calendars for Friday, May 15th, 7pm - First Friends Meeting presents Concert Pianist Randall Frieling and Organ Virtuoso Martin Ellis. They will be showcasing our Casavant organ and newly-refurbished Steinway piano. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children under 18 years old, available by calling 317-255-2485 or at the door. 

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.

Friend to Friend - April 1st

Concerns, Announcements and Devotional Thought

A Weekly Ministry of Indianapolis First Friends Meeting

As Way Opens by Ruthie Tippin

Politics and religion… two things we’ve been taught never to discuss in ‘polite company’.  Things have been anything but polite in Indiana this week, as legislators and lobbyists have wrangled over the RFTA legislation, signed into law by the governor.  Add the national and international press corps, and it’s been a raucous and rousing conversation… as well it should be.  In a participatory democracy such as ours, we are all given a voice, and it is our responsibility to express our views. 

Jesus was one who understood the complexity of living a religious life in a highly political world.  As a Jew, he lived under Torah – the law of God.  As one living under occupation, he lived under the law of Rome.  As the Son of God, he lived under the law of love.  This did not always make for ‘polite conversation’.  He was challenged on all three fronts… and Jesus’ answer was most always given in the form of a challenge returned.  Those who knew him, who heard him, who saw him, were not given easy answers… they were asked by Jesus to discover for themselves their own motives, their own prejudices, their own integrity, and thus, their own response.  What, in careful examination, does God speak into your heart and mind regarding any challenge that comes? 

As we move through Holy Week, I am reminded of those swept up in Pilate’s courtyard, shouting “Barabbas!” They had been given a choice… in fact, they were asked twice, ‘Whom do you want me to release for you – Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”. [Matthew 27:17]   Is Barabbas truly the one they would have chosen, without lobbyists, without press corps, without prejudice? 

We are challenged by Jesus the Messiah to think for ourselves, to consider first the law of love.  He quoted from the Torah when asked what the most essential rule of law was:  “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. [Deuteronomy 6:5]  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

One of the greatest strengths of the Quaker faith is our need, our practice, our intention, to listen.  We make this a part of our worship in a conscious way.  What are we listening for?  The voice of God, our Teacher, speaking to us individually and corporately, through the power of the Holy Spirit.   We believe that it is not only our voices that speak, but our very lives that speak. Because of this, we are careful to listen first, to listen always, for the often still, small voice of God that cuts through the confusion of politics and religion, and speaks to the heart of our faith… the indwelling present spirit of God.  May we always be good listeners. May we always speak plainly. May we always have something to say, that comes from a deep and centered place of love.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Easter is this Sunday, April 5th! Bring your family and friends as we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord together on Easter Sunday! Here is the schedule for Easter Sunday:

                  9:00 am    Sunday School for All Ages

                  10:15 am  Meeting for Worship; ‘The Power of a Resurrected Life’

                                    Egg Hunt during Children’s Worship

                  11:30 am  Easter Fellowship Brunch

Please join us for Community Soup on Friday, April 3rd, anytime between 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.  Enjoy soups, bread, and dessert in a relaxed atmosphere.  No cooking, no dishwashing, and no charge.

Gathering Group is Tuesday, April 7th at 7:00 pm. Friends gather to do all kinds of handwork: crochet, knitting, rug working, whatever you want to do. All are welcome to join in and create.

Join us for the final show in an Eco-Film Series here at First Friends, at 7p.m. on Friday, April 10th at 7p.m. called “The Rise of Ecology, 10 disasters that changed the World”. Ecological disasters are examined as to the shaping role in environmental awareness and change they have played. The ten worst disasters are examined and the response from the global communities. We forget these disasters at our own global peril.  (52 minutes.)

‘Zabur’ is a gift! A collection of Jewish, Muslim and Christian texts have been woven together to form a musical celebration, and will be given its premiere performance Friday, April 24, at 8:00 pm at Hilbert Circle Theatre. Composer Mohammed Fairouz met with leaders of these faith traditions (including our own Ruthie Tippin) last year, as he began the composition.  Commissioned by the ISO, the work will be performed by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Choir, and Children’s Choir.  Dan Rains and Bill Paraskevas from our Meeting are in the Choir.  ‘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.

Are you in need of any Home Comfort Care? Anxious Farukayi comes highly recommended by a member of First Friends. She provides Certified Nursing Assistance, including overnight stays if needed, house cleaning and/or driving you around for errands. She is looking for more people who need her assistance. Her contact information is 317-654-7897 or afarukayi@hotmail.com. If you would like a personal reference, please contact the office.

Welcome to the Garden: We have labeled plots requested by former gardeners and now there are some raised beds and some open spaces available for others who want space. With our new cistern, we ought to have a much easier time watering. We are still asking if anyone feels led to plant and care for extra tomatoes or other crops to share with the whole meeting or possibly with the food pantry. Contact Linda Lee at 317-465-0628 or email parapluie@ameritech.net with requests and desires. Maybe we can get this going without having a meeting for worship for gardening. May God bless the seeds we sow!

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 with preparations for the rummage sale on April 18th. Here is a list of things that are needed: 

1.    Baked goods - Please consider donating the following: Cookies, Bars, cakes, pies, etc...Homemade and store bought are great! Drop-off for these items will be all day Friday April 17th in the Fellowship Hall kitchen. Email ycwickes@gmail.com if you can help!

2.    Paper Grocery Bags - These will be used the day of the sale and we would appreciate as many as we can get.  Please drop these off on the table in the Spring Sale room.

3.    Hangers, Hangers, Hangers - Please bring your old children's hangers, your wire dry cleaning hangers, any extra hangers! They are needed to hang up clothing to make shopping easier and more organized.

4.    Your STUFF! The more that we have to sell, the more our sale will make. Please bring items to the Fellowship Hall stage.  There is one more furniture/large item pickup on April 11th, from 11am to 1pm. Email Ashli at ashli.pettibone@gmail.com for pickup!

Join us for the next Woods Work day, April 18th from 9 am-12 noon! We're inviting everyone to join us as we continue to care for our Meditational Woods. We are concentrating on eliminating non-native invasives like amur honeysuckle and wintercreeper ground cover. These plants take over the area and crowd out the native plants that feed our birds and insects. After removing these invasive invaders, we will be planting native species to improve our biodiversity.  All volunteers are welcome.  We welcome any volunteers who would rather make some healthy snacks instead of digging weeds.  Bring some tools and a cheerful spirit and we will have fun while we work.  Future 2015 workdays are as follows: May 9, September 26, and November 7.

Discovering God in a Changing World. Save the date for the third session in an exciting 4-part program series with Dr. Dan Moseley right here at First Friends! The session is April 25th-26th, where Dan will focus on generosity, and creating space to be generous in spirit, just the way spring makes room for growth after winter. It 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 is available in our office for $10 each.

Mark your calendars for Friday, May 15th, 7pm - First Friends Meeting presents Concert Pianist Randall Frieling and Organ Virtuoso Martin Ellis. They will be showcasing our Casavant organ and newly-refurbished Steinway piano. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children under 18 years old, available by calling 317-255-2485 or at the door.

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.

Friend to Friend - March 25th

Concerns, Announcements and Devotional Thought

A Weekly Ministry of Indianapolis First Friends Meeting

As Way Opens  by Beth Henricks

Last Sunday, at the start of Meeting for Worship, I was standing in the back of our Meeting Room, observing a beautiful sight of Friends worshipping together across faith traditions and ethnic backgrounds.  What a joy to have Daud Abdur-Rahman share the message of his journey to becoming a Muslim, his journey to our Meeting and his desire to bring communities and faith traditions together.  It was a special moment in the history of our Meeting as we opened our hearts to each other and found our connection to the source of all life and creation - the Divine.  It was a holy time and the Spirit was present.

Even more inspiring for me was the two hours our Affirmation class spent with the youth from the Muslim community that attended on Sunday.  We had close to 30 young people together in the basement; breaking bread together, experiencing an abbreviated Muslim service, learning about the Muslim faith and asking probing questions about each others’ faith.  There was a great exchange of experiences with the youth and some of the parents.  But the most inspiring moment during our time together was watching about five different clusters of kids gather from both of our communities eating, talking, asking questions and sharing stories.  This all happened in a spontaneous way and it showed me how very much alike we are within, even though we look different and practice different rituals.  The experience of God is expressed in different ways but the impact, the transformation and overwhelming love was evident to me in the face of each young man and woman in that room - what a powerful expression of God’s presence.  I was truly overwhelmed at that moment.   

I hope this experience opens each one of us in a way that expands our world and our understanding of God.  We hope to keep our young people engaged together and plan future events so that we can give expression and reality to seeing that of God in each person.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Mark your calendars for ‘A Friend from Guatemala’ this Saturday, March 28th at 7:00 pm. Iglesia Amigos of Indianapolis will be hosting a concert right here at First Friends with Pianist Jonatan Pinto. He will be playing classical, sacred, and folk music.  Friends from throughout the area have been invited, and we hope you are a part of the audience! 

Palm Sunday Celebration! Our children will bring palm branches in to the Meetingroom this Sunday, as we welcome God’s Spirit in remembrance of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem.  George Kelly, the Education Director from Synagogue Beth el Zedek will be here to share his message about the Jewish Jesus – a timely word, as Christ came to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover.  Join us, and bring family and friends!

Please join us this Sunday after Meeting for Worship to experience a Seder dinner led by our guest speaker George Kelley, Religious Education Director at Beth-El Zedeck synagogue.  This gathering will replace our normal fellowship hour and we invite everyone to join us for this interesting experience and ritual meal.  We will be eating and drinking symbolic foods as part of the Haggadah that George has prepared for us, as well as a buffet of chicken, roasted potatoes and vegetables later in the meal.  We should be done by 1:00 p.m.  We are providing childcare in the nursery for kids under 3  - children 3 and over will join in the dinner as the Seder meal is really geared to educate children about passover so it will be interactive and lively.  We hope you will be able to participate in this gathering! 

Easter is April 5th! Bring your family and friends as we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord together on Easter Sunday! Here is the schedule for Easter Sunday:

         9:00 am          Sunday School for All Ages

         10:15 am        Meeting for Worship, Egg Hunt during Children’s Worship

         11:30 am        Easter Fellowship Brunch

Goodies are needed for the Easter Egg hunt! Please bring in goodies to fill the eggs! All candy must be individually wrapped, but we’d love to fill the eggs with other items as well, erasers, stickers, etc. There will be a basket in the hallway to put donations. All donations are appreciated! 

Adult Sunday School Classes:  Did you know that Quakers are talking about Quakers?  Two or our three adults classes are discussing Quakers, and you’re invited to join in!  Quakerism Class is discussing the life and writings of Rufus Jones, and meets in the Parlor.  Seeking Friends is moving through “Quakers in America” by Thomas Hamm.  And of course, Quakers are discussing current events with ‘Wired Word’ in Coffee Circle.  Great stuff, with great people!  Join in!

Same Sex Marriage: First Friends has been actively pursuing God’s voice in speaking to and through the hearts and minds of our Meeting.  After Conversations held for our Meeting in November and December, our Ministry and Counsel has been reaching out to a number of people who attend our Meeting.  Every person encounters God’s voice and holds God’s Spirit within them, and it is our hope and desire to learn as much as we can about how God is leading us individually, as we seek to move forward corporately.  One of the strengths of our congregation is our diversity, and unlike other congregations, people choose to participate at First Friends because we find ways to express unity, without uniformity.  How do we do this in regard to marriage?  Ministry and Counsel continues to bring this to the light of God’s leading, and is meeting next week, specifically with attention to same sex marriage at First Friends Meeting.  If you would like to express your views, and have not yet been contacted, please feel free to call or email any one of our Ministry and Counsel members:  Ed Morris, Andy Cunningham, Duffy Fankboner, Micah Cordray, Ann Panah, Barbara Oberreich, Becki Heusel, Amy Perry, Mary Blackburn, Barbara Dubois, Eric Tinsley, or John Beede.

Sincerely,

Ruthie Tippin            

The Co-Op is gearing up with preparations for the rummage sale on April 18th. Here is a list of things that are needed: 

1.    Baked goods - They will sell baked goods and coffee during the Spring Sale on April 18th.  Please consider donating the following: Cookies, Bars, cakes, pies, etc...Homemade and store bought are great! Drop-off for these items will be all day Friday April 17th in the Fellowship Hall kitchen. Email ycwickes@gmail.com if you can help!

2.    Paper Grocery Bags - Do you shop at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Super Target or anywhere that offers the large brown paper grocery sacks? Please save these! These will be used the day of the sale and we would appreciate as many as we can get.  Please drop these off on the table in the Spring Sale room (across from the Handicap Bathroom) anytime you are in the building.

3.    Hangers, Hangers, Hangers - Please bring your old children's hangers, your wire dry cleaning hangers, any extra hangers! They are needed to hang up clothing to make shopping easier and more organized. If you go to Tuchman's or any other dry cleaner, someone has mentioned that they have used hangers for free. Pick up a bunch and drop them off in the Spring Sale room - we would appreciate it!

4.    Your STUFF! The more that we have to sell, the more our sale will make. There is one more furniture/large item pickup on April 11th, from 11am to 1pm. Email Ashli at ashli.pettibone@gmail.com for pickup!

Good news for Gardeners! This year’s garden advisor will be the Master Gardeners Help Line. See a bug? See fungus or blight? Take a sample of the offender to a Master Gardener at the State Fair Grounds and find out what to do. Linda Lee needs to know from last year’s community gardeners if they want to keep their plots. Each plot owner will be held accountable for their own weeds and for notifying the coordinator if advice or assistance is needed. Please post your name prominently at your site so we know that site is wanted and not to be assigned to a new gardener. There will be some paint available to mark the wooden frames. This year, as a group we need to finish cleaning up all the debris from last year’s blight and then plant only blight resistant tomatoes in a different place. Garden clean up should begin now, and early planting of peas, kale, soon followed by arugula, radishes, lettuce can begin soon.. New gardeners, let Linda Lee know ASAP. Her goal as organizer is happy gardeners proud of their healthy, well-tended, productive garden. We will need a schedule of people responsible for mowing between the raised beds. If we want a community section, then we need a schedule of gardeners responsible for hoeing, weeding, watering, disease monitoring and harvesting that garden on a regular basis. Contact Linda Lee at 317-465-0628 or email parapluie@ameritech.net.

Ladies!  Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading will be discussing Ian McEwan’s The Children Act on Tuesday March, the 31st, 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. A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson is our upcoming book for April 28th.