March 1, 2017

As Way Opens

Catholics and many other Christians around the world will celebrate Ash Wednesday today, opening the season of fasting and prayer known as Lent.  Forty six days before Easter, ashes taken from the previous years burned palm branches are traced on persons’ foreheads in the sign of the cross with the saying, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”  They are worn as a visible sign of penance.

Early Friends moved away from outward signs and symbols, turning instead to their meaning, rather than their representations.  This is why you don’t see crosses in early Friends meetinghouses, and why we don’t have a cross in our Meetingroom.  It is why Friends generally, do not celebrate Ash Wednesday with the outward marking of a cross.  George Fox spoke of ‘the inward cross’ – the Power of God in us.  “So now people are to be brought from their outward crosses to the Cross of Christ, the Power of God within them and from the dead image to the image of God… And all these crosses of wood and stone… must all be thrown down by the Power of God, which is the Cross of Christ.  To the Light must they be turned, which answers to that of God in everyone, before they come to feel Christ to rule and reign in them.  Then the outward, dead crosses of stone, wood, silver or gold they shall not need… to put them in remembrance of Christ or bring him into their minds.  For those who are come to the Light… and believe in it, they feel the Power of God, they feel Christ and his Cross, which is the Power of God.” [1655] 

Many find help and comfort in outward signs and symbols.  For this, I am grateful.  But the greatest help we have is in recognizing that the power of the resurrection – the life-giving power of God that was made known in Christ’s resurrection – is made known in each of us.  The Light that answers to that of God in each one of us, fills each one of us… not with ashes, but with fire. 

Ruthie

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Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

The Pastoral Search Committee invites you to contemplate and provide feedback on the following query this week: In your opinion, how can our new pastor best support the world mission of the church?  Please provide your thoughts on the query (or any other feedback on the search process) to Jim D., who will be looking forward to hearing from you just outside the Meeting Room after Meeting for Worship this Sunday, March 5!

Opportunity to Volunteer ~ On Sunday, March 5 from 1-3 p.m., we would welcome volunteers from First Friends to help sort donated shoes at the Changing Footprints shoe room.  We are located at 9302 N. Meridian St., Suite 382.  We are on the northwest corner of 93rd St. & N. Meridian St. at the stoplight.  Park behind the building and enter the main door.  Take the elevator to the third floor.  Please contact Carol D. if you are available and interested!   If you arrive after 1 p.m., please call Carol’s cell phone so she can open the locked entrance door for you.

In 2017, World Day of Prayer is celebrated on Friday, March 3rd. You are invited to celebrate this day in Indianapolis at Northview Church of the Brethren at 10:00 am, 5555 46th St.

World Day of Prayer (WDP) is an international event that unites Protestant, Roman Catholic, Orthodox and other Christian women and men in over 170 countries in prayer. With origins in the 19th century, World Day of Prayer became an official call to prayer under its present name in 1927. In its present iteration, World Day of Prayer is celebrated on the first Friday of March around the world. Throughout the day, from the first sunrise to the last sunset, our prayers follow the sun’s path around the globe.  Spoken in hundreds of languages and dialects, WDP strives to bring “informed prayer and prayerful action” to our communities. The host country for 2017—providing the theme, worship materials, and a focus for prayer—is the Philippines. 

The Indiana Daylily and Iris Society invites you! The IDIS is now hosting their monthly meetings at First Friends, and everyone is welcome! Their first meeting of the year will be Tuesday, March 7 at 6:30. There will be two presentations entitled "Effective Methods for Controlling Moles" and "Median Iris Rule Supreme in 2017", showing pictures of some regional iris gardens and giving a preview of the Median Iris Society Mini-Convention coming up in May. Please join us in the Parlor!

2017 Eco-Film Series continues
March 10- “Blind Spot”
Official trailer here: https://youtu.be/ok4onUXvL8o

Please join our area faith community for film and discussion- 7 p.m. in the parlor at First Friends

Blind Spot is a documentary film that illustrates the current oil and energy crisis that our world is facing. Whatever measures of ignorance, greed, wishful thinking, we have put ourselves at a crossroad, which offers two paths with dire consequences. If we continue to burn fossil fuels we will choke the life out of the planet and if we don't our way of life will collapse.

For more information please contact the office.

Day of Remembrance ~ Sunday, March 12th   As we prepare for Easter and the Celebration of Christ’s resurrection, it has become our custom to remember those persons from First Friends family who have passed away in the last year. We trust that they continue to live now in God’s presence, even after death. Circle of Care has created a large banner that will hang in Fellowship Hall, onto which everyone of us is invited to post a photo or two of loved ones who have died. Please add a note of explanation to your photos: sign your name, write who the photo is of, and why you choose this photo? The banner will remain up for several weeks, and on Sunday, March 12th we will gather together in Worship and recall these cherished ones. After worship, please join us for Fellowship Hour hosted by Circle of Care.

Hear our own Dan R and Bill P sing! You’re invited to hear Dan and Bill sing in Mendelssohn’s Elijah as part of the Indianapolis’ Symphonic Choir’s 80th Anniversary Celebration! It has been proclaimed as “one of the greatest choral works ever.” Mendelssohn’s oratorio Elijah anchors the Symphonic Choir’s 80th Anniversary Season and features world-class soloists. Tickets are on sale now and start at just $15. This is one night only, Friday, March 17 at 8:00PM at The Palladium.

Ruthie’s goodbye celebration is coming up on Sunday, March 26th.  We will have a pitch in lunch and program right after Meeting for Worship. Please bring a dish; sides and salads for last names A-M, desserts for N-Z. If you can, we’re asking that you send in a copy of a photo of meeting activities and people during Ruthie's tenure (for her to keep). Send or drop off your photos to the office; if you’re unable to get the photos to the office in time you may bring the pictures that day, to put on a board at the party. To show our appreciation for Ruthie’s time and energy here at First Friends, we are also welcoming any love offering or contribution for this purpose. Please send in your contribution to the office or with your regular offering identifying it is for Ruthie.

Every three years, the global community of Friends United Meeting gathers to celebrate our life together, to grow in our ability to serve the world, and to worship Christ our Lord!  Along with our Triennial host, Great Plains Yearly Meeting, FUM invites and welcomes Quakers from all over the world to join us in Wichita, Kansas, on July 12–16, 2017. We will meet on the campus of Friends University, and look forward to seeing you there.  Messages will spring from Thomas Kelly’s book, “The Eternal Promise.” The early-bird registration deadline for the 31st Friends United Meeting Triennial is coming soon! Register before March 31st and save $30! To register, please visit: https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=1877598

FCNL Capital Campaign ~ Friends Committee on Legislation (“FCNL”) is presently promoting its capital campaign “The World We Seek: Now is the Time.”  This campaign began on July 1, 2012 and runs until June 30, 2017.  The goal is to raise $15 million for the following purposes: 1) Strengthen and expand its work with young adults; 2) Create a Quaker Welcome Center; 3) Advance FCNL priorities and presence through the Friend in Washington program: and 4) Establish stronger connections between Friends’ local activism and federal lobbying.  You can find out more about this soon-to-end capital campaign in the letter on the bulletin board in the Witness and Service area or by going to FCNL.ORG.  You can also talk with Beth Henricks who is Clerk of this capital campaign.

Zionsville Poetry Contest! All residents of Indiana are invited to submit poems for a public art project. The winning poems will be stamped into a Village sidewalk in Zionsville. Entries are $10 for adults and $5 for youth; they must be no longer than 8 lines and are due by March 30. Submit poems to Zionsville Cultural District, 225 W. Hawthorne St., Zionsville, IN 46077 or online at www.zionsvilleculturaldistrict.org. For more information, see the press release here: http://www.zionsville-in.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=99

February 22, 2017

As Way Opens

This past Sunday, Clerk Dan Rains shared a lovely reading with us as we centered down into Meeting for Worship.  He had received it from Cindy K.  The reading is used to begin each school day in her daughter’s third-grade class at IPS #91, Rousseau McClellan, which is a Montessori-based school in IPS.            

I offer you peace,
I offer you love,
I offer you friendship,
I hear your cry,
I see your beauty,
I feel your pain.
This caring flows from my spirit within.
I salute that spirit in you.
Let us work together for peace.

Maria Montessori said “A child is an eager observer and is particularly attracted by the actions of the adults and wants to imitate them. In this regard an adult can have a kind of mission. He can be an inspiration for the child’s actions, a kind of open book wherein a child can learn how to direct his own movements. But an adult, if he is to afford proper guidance, must always be calm and act slowly so that the child who is watching him can clearly see his actions in all their particulars.”

In this way, you are your child's Ambassador of Peace.  You must teach your child through example (using both purposeful lessons and everyday interactions) how to create Peace in your life.  Conflict resolution skills are important. If a child makes a mistake, do not get angry.  Instead, role play or have a conversation about how the conflict could have been resolved peacefully to plan ahead for next time.  Use the exact words in your modeling that you wish your child to use.

Adults need modeling of peaceful resolution to conflict, as well.  How do we move through the world as Ambassadors of Peace to all those around us – both children and adults?  How do we help others recognize the spirit – that of God – within each person?  What can we, do we, offer to others, chiefly in times of stress, struggle, disagreement?  Let us be bold enough to offer our own understanding and experience of God’s care and nurture when faced with the challenge of helping to bring peace.  Let us live up to the Light we have been given, and trust the promise that more will be granted.  The world needs the Light we carry. How can we not offer it?

Ruthie

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Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

 Bowling Party! Please join us for a bowling party hosted by the Christian Education Committee. It will be THIS COMING Sunday, February 26, 12-2pm at Woodland Bowl, 3421 E 96th St. There is no cost, and pizza and drinks are included! Please RSVP with Beth  know if you are interested in attending.

The Pastoral Search Committee invites you to contemplate and provide feedback on the following query this week: In your opinion, how can our new pastor best provide administrative leadership to the meeting?  Please provide your thoughts on the query (or any other feedback on the search process) to a pastoral search committee member, who will be looking forward to hearing from you just outside the Meeting Room after Meeting for Worship this Sunday, February 26th!

First Friends Game Night:
Saturday, February 25 at 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM At the Meetinghouse

Informal gathering for board games, card games, etc.
Bring a game along.
There will be snacks!
We will need volunteers to bring snacks.
First to choose to bring snacks and/or drinks will be chosen!

We will kick off with the ISH group!

For further information contact the office.

Open House Invitation ~ The Indianapolis Muslim Community Association (IMCA), located at the Al-Fajr Mosque just outside of downtown Indianapolis is hosting a community open house for the general Indianapolis community to come meet Muslims, and learn about Islam, Muslims, and Muslim culture.  This is an opportunity for our Muslim community to host our brothers and sisters of other faith traditions or beliefs and for all of us to learn from each other. The open house will be held Saturday, February 25th from 1pm - 3pm at the Mosque located near downtown—4846 Cold Spring Rd. RSVP is required for this event—please visit this link to RSVP: https://goo.gl/rTioR5

Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading: Hillbilly Elegy by J D Vance will be held next Tuesday (February 28th) at 7 pm in the Parlor at FFM.  Cindy K will be heading up the discussion.  Feel free to join us on Facebook, we have added a new Oak Leaf Page for posting comments, reviews and discussion.  If you'd like to read ahead for next month: A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving will be discussed on March 28th, led by Pat P. 

In 2017, World Day of Prayer is celebrated on Friday, March 3rd. World Day of Prayer (WDP) is an international event that unites Protestant, Roman Catholic, Orthodox and other Christian women and men in over 170 countries in prayer. With origins in the 19th century, World Day of Prayer became an official call to prayer under its present name in 1927. In its present iteration, World Day of Prayer is celebrated on the first Friday of March around the world. Throughout the day, from the first sunrise to the last sunset, our prayers follow the sun’s path around the globe.  Spoken in hundreds of languages and dialects, WDP strives to bring “informed prayer and prayerful action” to our communities. The host country for 2017—providing the theme, worship materials, and a focus for prayer—is the Philippines.  You are invited to celebrate this day in Indianapolis at Northview Church of the Brethren at 10:00 am, 5555 46th St.

Opportunity to Volunteer ~ On Sunday, March 5 from 1-3 p.m., we would welcome volunteers from First Friends to help sort donated shoes at the Changing Footprints shoe room.  We are located at 9302 N. Meridian St., Suite 382.  We are on the northwest corner of 93rd St. & N. Meridian St. at the stoplight.  Park behind the building and enter the main door.  Take the elevator to the third floor.  Please contact the office if you are available and interested!   If you arrive after 1 p.m., please call Carol’s cell phone so she can open the locked entrance door for you.

The Indiana Daylily and Iris Society invites you! The IDIS is now hosting their monthly meetings at First Friends, and everyone is welcome! Their first meeting of the year will be Tuesday, March 7 at 6:30. There will be two presentations entitled "Effective Methods for Controlling Moles" and "Median Iris Rule Supreme in 2017", showing pictures of some regional iris gardens and giving a preview of the Median Iris Society Mini-Convention coming up in May. Please join us in the Parlor!

Day of Remembrance ~ Sunday, March 12th   As we prepare for Easter and the Celebration of Christ’s resurrection, it has become our custom to remember those persons from First Friends family who have passed away in the last year. We trust that they continue to live now in God’s presence, even after death. Circle of Care has created a large banner that will hang in Fellowship Hall, onto which everyone of us is invited to post a photo or two of loved ones who have died. Please add a note of explanation to your photos: sign your name, write who the photo is of, and why you choose this photo? The banner will remain up for several weeks, and on Sunday, March 12th we will gather together in Worship and recall these cherished ones. After worship, please join us for Fellowship Hour hosted by Circle of Care.

Every three years, the global community of Friends United Meeting gathers to celebrate our life together, to grow in our ability to serve the world, and to worship Christ our Lord!  Along with our Triennial host, Great Plains Yearly Meeting, FUM invites and welcomes Quakers from all over the world to join us in Wichita, Kansas, on July 12–16, 2017. We will meet on the campus of Friends University, and look forward to seeing you there.  Messages will spring from Thomas Kelly’s book, “The Eternal Promise.” Registration? https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=1877598

Zionsville Poetry Contest! All residents of Indiana are invited to submit poems for a public art project. The winning poems will be stamped into a Village sidewalk in Zionsville. Entries are $10 for adults and $5 for youth; they must be no longer than 8 lines and are due by March 30. Submit poems to Zionsville Cultural District, 225 W. Hawthorne St., Zionsville, IN 46077 or online at www.zionsvilleculturaldistrict.org. For more information, see the press release here: http://www.zionsville-in.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=99

February 15, 2017

As Way Opens

I have been reading the Parker Palmer book The Company of Strangers over the last week.  This book was written in 1981 (it might have been his first book) and is very relevant for today as he talks about the need for the church to have a public life and that we all need to interact with strangers.  God often speaks to us through the stranger.  And yet we have become a people that want a perceived personal relationship with everyone.  We want to know the personal lives of our celebrities, sports heroes and others that we admire.  We think we know them but we really have no idea about who they are as a human being - and that is ok.  Facebook has created a false sense of friendship.  I don’t think we need to have a personal relationship with everyone.  Living a public life with strangers is a rewarding and transformative experience.  We come together in the public square to work on issues that benefit all of us. While individual accomplishment is important, there are so many elements of our life that we are dependent on the community.  We will never be able to individually provide for our safety, protect our homes from fire, build roads for ourselves, provide education for our children etc.  The list goes on and on.  I fear that we are becoming so isolated and so fearful that we won’t engage with the stranger in our public life.  We are fearful to encounter someone different than we are because they might hurt us or our families.   It is discouraging to see how entrenched we have become in the public square in terms of politics.  All of this can bring despair in our lives.  But I hold onto the scripture in Hebrews 11: 13-16 that references some of the great men of faith like Noah and Abraham.  "All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them.  But they confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.  If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return.  But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.”   Palmer wrote, “This is an important passage in part because it reminds us that God’s promises take long years to work themselves out, that to stand in faith is to stand in patient trust that those promises will someday be fulfilled.”  Martin Luther King Jr believed in this promise and knew that he might not see it personally but the mountaintop would be reached and God’s promise fulfilled.  May we all have faith to believe and stay engaged and reach out to the stranger.

Beth

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 Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

 Meridian Street Preschool Cooperative Silent Auction!

MSPC will be having their annual silent auction this Saturday, February 18th. If you or anyone you know is interested in attending MSPC’s auction, please feel free to RSVP! The auction is at The Riviera Club, 5640 North Illinois Street, and opens at 5pm. Cocktail casual attire encouraged. A light dinner will be served. Please note, this is an adult only event. RSVPs are $10 each. If you’d like to attend, please contact the office.

Pop-Up Coats and Warm Clothing Collection ~ We are collecting coats and warm clothing for the John H. Boner Community Center. The center serves some of the poorest neighborhoods in Indianapolis. Before winter ends, please consider donating. Please place coats and clothing in the labeled box in Fellowship Hall. But hurry! You only have one more week! If you have any questions, please contact the office. Thank you!

An Evening with Carrie Newcomer airs on WFYI television tomorrow, February 16th from 8:00-9:30 pm.  Carrie is a folk singer/songwriter and a local Quaker! Be sure to tune in!

The Pastoral Search Committee invites you to contemplate and provide feedback on the following query this week: In your opinion, how can our new pastor best involve everyone in the planning and programming of events?  Please provide your thoughts on the query (or any other feedback on the search process) to a pastoral search committee member, who will be looking forward to hearing from you just outside the Meeting Room after Meeting for Worship this Sunday, February 19th!

First Friends Game Night:
Saturday, February 25 at 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM At the Meetinghouse

Informal gathering for board games, card games, etc.
Bring a game along.
There will be snacks!
We will need volunteers to bring snacks.
First to choose to bring snacks and/or drinks will be chosen!

We will kick off with the ISH group!

For further information – contact the office.

The Right Sharing of World Resources (RSWR) board will be holding their semiannual board meeting at First Friends from April 20th – 22nd (please note the corrected dates!).  Our Meeting approved hosting this Meeting with Quakers from around the country.

We need some folks to be willing to open their home for RSWR board members to stay with them.  This will be for 3 nights starting April 20th and going through the night of April 22nd/morning of April 23rd - it includes a bed for these evening and breakfast each morning - please let Beth know if you would be willing to provide home hospitality.

We also need people to help with lunch and dinner on April 20th, lunch on April 21st and lunch on April 22nd. Please contact Beth if you would be willing to help.

Opportunity to Volunteer ~ On Sunday, March 5 from 1-3 p.m., we would welcome volunteers from First Friends to help sort donated shoes at the Changing Footprints shoe room.  We are located at 9302 N. Meridian St., Suite 382.  We are on the northwest corner of 93rd St. & N. Meridian St. at the stoplight.  Park behind the building and enter the main door.  Take the elevator to the third floor.  Please contact the office if you are interested!

Please hold the date of Sunday March 26th for Ruthie’s goodbye celebration.  We will have a pitch in lunch and program right after Meeting for Worship.  To show our appreciation for Ruthie’s time and energy here at First Friends, we welcome any love offering or contribution for this purpose. Please send in your contribution to the office or with your regular offering identifying it is for Ruthie.

Are You A Quaker? QuakerSpeak recently released a short video, ‘Are You A Quaker?’ which briefly discusses Quakers and how most people would likely identify with Quaker beliefs. It’s a great video to share with your friends, especially anyone who might be considering the Quaker faith. It even features our very own Norma W! Watch and share the video here: http://quakerspeak.com/are-you-a-quaker/

February 8, 2017

As Way Opens

They must first judge themselves, that presume to censure others: And such will not be apt to overshoot the Mark.

We are too ready to retaliate, rather than forgive, or gain by Love and Information.

And yet we could hurt no Man that we believe loves us.

Let us then try what Love will do: For if Men did once see we Love them, we should soon find they would not harm us.

Force may subdue, but Love gains: And he that forgives first, wins the Lawrel.

If I am even with my Enemy, the Debt is paid; but if I forgive it, I oblige him for ever.

Love is the hardest Lesson in Christianity; but, for that reason, it should be most our care to learn it.

It is a severe Rebuke upon us, that God makes us so many Allowances, and we make so few to our Neighbour: As if Charity had nothing to do with Religion; Or Love with Faith, that ought to work by it.                         

From Some Fruits of Solitude; Religion, William Penn

We often think of William Penn for his great accomplishments as a statesman and his political force, establishing ‘Penn’s Sylvania’ and bringing to bear the fruit of his Quaker convincement in governance.  But perhaps we often overlook the inward view of Penn’s spiritual depth and character.  Some Fruits of Solitude’ gives us that chance. Penn was able, in his own words, ‘to take a view of himself and the world, and observe wherein he hath hit and missed the mark; what might have been done, what mended, and what avoided in his human conduct.”  How often are we able to take this long view back at our lives lived, and consider our ‘mark’?  Perhaps if we did, we might more readily understand the power of love and forgiveness.  We might see and recognize the depth of love others have for us, and could then more easily reciprocate that love.  We might be better students in the lessons of love God lays out for us – not learning by rote - but taking care to comprehend love fully, exercise it well, and courageous enough to try it.  And so, as Penn asks us, let us then try - not what love can do, might do, could do, or should do, but what Love will do.

Happy Valentine’s Day,

Ruthie

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 Joys & Concerns

This lovely plant is a gift to us all from Larry Stimson.  He received it this past Saturday as a remembrance from Roncalli High School for his wife Janet, and he in turn, is giving it to our Meeting.  Thank you Larry, and may God bless you with the life of the spirit and peace, as you are comforted.

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Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Join us Sunday as we celebrate Scouting in Meeting for Worship.  Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and Brownies will serve in worship, as we remember the scout challenge to ‘be reverent’. First Friends was the sponsor of Boy Scout Troop 200 for many years, and it’s good to remember and celebrate the place of Scouting in Quakerism, and in the hearts of First Friends.

Please hold the date of Sunday March 26th for Ruthie’s goodbye celebration.  We will have a pitch in lunch and program right after Meeting for Worship.  To show our appreciation for Ruthie’s time and energy here at First Friends, we welcome any love offering or contribution for this purpose. Please send in your contribution to the office or with your regular offering identifying it is for Ruthie.

Pop-Up Coats and Warm Clothing Collection ~ We are collecting coats and warm clothing for the John H. Boner Community Center. The center serves some of the poorest neighborhoods in Indianapolis. Before winter ends, please consider donating. Please place coats and clothing in the labeled box in Fellowship Hall. But hurry! You only have two weeks! If you have any questions, please contact the office. Thank you!

2017 Eco-Film Series Begins THIS FRIDAY, Feb. 10 with “The Last Mountain”

Please join our area faith community for film and discussion- 7 p.m. in the parlor at First Friends

In the valleys of Appalachia, a battle is being fought over a mountain. It is a battle with severe consequences that affect every American, regardless of their social status, economic background or where they live. It is a battle that has taken many lives and continues to do so the longer it is waged. It is a battle over protecting our health and environment from the destructive power of Big Coal.

For more information please contact the office.

The Pastoral Search Committee invites you to contemplate and provide feedback on the following query this week: In your opinion, how can our new pastor best participate in Quaker activities beyond First Friends?  Please provide your thoughts on the query (or any other feedback on the search process) to Dan R., who will be looking forward to hearing from you just outside the Meeting Room after Meeting for Worship this Sunday, February 12th!

An Evening with Carrie Newcomer airs on WFYI television Thursday, February 16th from 8:00-9:30 pm.  Carrie is a folk singer/songwriter and a local Quaker! Be sure to tune in!

Meridian Street Preschool Cooperative will be having our annual silent auction on February 18th.  First Friends has been such a wonderful place to call home for our preschool. MSPC appreciates all you do to support us. We would like to invite anyone who is interested to donate to the silent auction. Do you have a small business to promote? This is a great opportunity to do so. Don't own a business? Think about a handmade item, a gift basket or offering a class. If you or someone you know have any items, good or services to donate, you can contact the office. Thank you!

Want to attend the silent auction? If you or anyone you know is interested in attending MSPC’s auction, please feel free to RSVP! The auction is at The Riviera Club, 5640 North Illinois Street, and opens at 5pm. Cocktail casual attire encouraged. A light dinner will be served. Please note, this is an adult only event. If you’d like to attend, please fill out the RSVP card and follow instructions here: https://goo.gl/SYeZvp

Regarding Recycling: Friends, the light bulb bin in the recycling area is intended for CFLs (Compact Florescent Lights) only. Also, please do not bring in any egg cartons until further notice. Be aware that Styrofoam containers cannot be recycled and are environmentally negative. Cardboard containers are biodegradable and can be put in the trash. Of course both can be reused.                                                                         Thank you, Ed M

First Friends Game Night:
Saturday, February 25 at 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM At the Meetinghouse

Informal gathering for board games, card games, etc.
Bring a game along.
There will be snacks!
We will need volunteers to bring snacks.
First to choose to bring snacks and/or drinks will be chosen!
We will kick off with the ISH group!

For further information, contact the office.

The Right Sharing of World Resources (RSWR) board will be holding their semiannual board meeting at First Friends from April 20th - 22nd.  Our Meeting approved hosting this Meeting with Quakers from around the country.

We need some folks to be willing to open their home for RSWR board members to stay with them.  This will be for 3 nights starting April 20th and going through April 22nd - it includes a bed for these evening and breakfast each morning - please let Beth know if you would be willing to provide home hospitality.

We also need people to help with lunch and dinner on April 20th, lunch on April 21st and lunch on April 22nd.   Please contact Beth if you would be willing to help.

Are You A Quaker? QuakerSpeak recently released a short video, ‘Are You A Quaker?’ which briefly discusses Quakers and how most people would likely identify with Quaker beliefs. It’s a great video to share with your friends, especially anyone who might be considering the Quaker faith. It even features our very own Norma W! Watch and share the video here: http://quakerspeak.com/are-you-a-quaker/

Join the new Art Committee! Nichole M. is looking for (but not limited to) anyone interested in art, history, or preservation who would like to be a part of the Art committee.  This committee would focus on looking after the German Children's/American Friends Service Committee historical collection here at First Friends. 

Possible Committee Goals:

• Decide where the collection goes next
• Look into better sign and boxes for transportation
• Possible numbering to make sure pieces aren't lost
• Contact the venue and arrange for pieces to be delivered there
• Decide permanent homes for parts or all of the collection

The Meditational Woods Committee is announcing their work days for 2017.  Starting on March 18, one Saturday each month will be an opportunity for Meeting members to help keep our woods in good condition.  We will be working hard at removing winter creeper (euonymus fortunei) an invasive ground cover that smothers the native wildflowers that we are trying to restore to the landscape.  Put on your gloves and come work with us!
Also, if you have shade tolerant native plants such as may apples, trillium and Virginia bluebells, please let Terry T. know.  She is helping coordinate our native plant restoration.

• March 18, 2017
• April 22, 2017   Earth Day!
• May 13, 2017
• June 10,2017
• July 15,2017
• August- off
• September 16, 2017
• October 14, 2017 – last work day

 ~Mary B. & Mindy S

We have walkers available! Thanks to a donation from Danny H., First Friends now has walkers available for anyone who may need to use them. These two walkers will be stored inside the closet immediately to your left after entering the East door. Those who discover that they need one can borrow one from us, rather than renting one from a medical supply company. Thank you!

February 1, 2017

As Way Opens

I have been considering my spiritual disciplines and practices that bring me into awareness of God’s presence each day.  I have set up different plans over the last few years to push myself into yoga, meditation, journaling, and other practices that I have embraced with great enthusiasm in the beginning but have not been able to sustain.  I am taking a class on spiritual formation in public ministry this semester at Earlham School of Religions (ESR) and I have been exposed to some different opportunities to consider as part of our spiritual practices.  Music, dance, cooking, art, needlepoint, tithing, personal relationships are all practices that can be just as meaningful as the more traditional practices we think about.  This opened my heart to consider how I experience God in these activities.  What is most important for all of us is that we become aware- aware of the beauty of each day - aware of God’s presence in all aspects of this life - aware that our trials bring us closer to God.  The Muslim poet from the 13th century Rumi says that our adversities are our spiritual practices.  As we all wrestle with our challenges in our personal lives, our families, our communities and our country, may we be aware of how God is moving and changing all of us to become our best selves.  Here is one of my favorite Rumi poems that I share with you.

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.

Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

Beth

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Joys & Concerns

Thanks to all who responded to God’s call to assist Paula G. in her move to her new apartment.  It truly does “take a village” to accomplish such things.  Bill and Kathy F. and Ruthie helped Paula find her new residence.  The actual move was the result of the efforts of the following individuals: Ruth K., Tim W., Bill and Kathy F., Sue M., Kim K., Tim and Noell K., Bill C., Judy C., and Carol and Jim D..  Paula has contacted me and asked me to thank all at First Friends who helped with the move and all who prayed that this move would go smoothly.

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Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

New Date for Community Soup!

Witness & Service will host the next Community Soup tomorrow (THURSDAY), February 2, from 5:30 pm – 7 pm.  Please note the change from Friday to Thursday.  We’re trying a new day of the week to see if it will help attendance at this event.  Everyone is invited to this very informal dinner.  Soups and desserts are welcome but not necessary.  Our motto is: No cooking, no cleanup, no cost!  While this is Groundhog Day, the Community Soup will go on no matter if it rains or shines.  Hope to see you there.

Please hold the date of Sunday March 26th for Ruthie’s goodbye celebration.  We will have a pitch in lunch and program right after Meeting for Worship.  If you would like to contribute towards a gift for her, please send in your contribution to the Meeting for this purpose.

Regarding Recycling: Friends, the light bulb bin in the recycling area is intended for CFLs (Compact Florescent Lights) only. Also, please do not bring in any egg cartons until further notice. Be aware that Styrofoam containers cannot be recycled and are environmentally negative. Cardboard containers are biodegradable and can be put in the trash. Of course both can be reused.

Thank you, Ed M.

Missing Money – An envelope with some cash inside was found in Fellowship Hall last week. If you believe this is yours, please contact the office!

The Pastoral Search Committee invites you to contemplate and provide feedback on the following query this week: In your opinion, how can our new pastor best participate in local community issues, activities, and problems?  Please provide your thoughts on the query (or any other feedback on the search process) to Jim D., who will be looking forward to hearing from you just outside the Meeting Room after Meeting for Worship this Sunday, February 5th!

Are You a Quaker? QuakerSpeak recently released a short video, ‘Are You a Quaker?’ which briefly discusses Quakers and how most people would likely identify with Quaker beliefs. It’s a great video to share with your friends, especially anyone who might be considering the Quaker faith. It even features our very own Norma W! Watch and share the video here: http://quakerspeak.com/are-you-a-quaker/

2017 Eco-Film Series Begins Feb. 10 with “The Last Mountain”

Please join our area faith community for film and discussion- 7 p.m. in the parlor at First Friends

In the valleys of Appalachia, a battle is being fought over a mountain. It is a battle with severe consequences that affect every American, regardless of their social status, economic background or where they live. It is a battle that has taken many lives and continues to do so the longer it is waged. It is a battle over protecting our health and environment from the destructive power of Big Coal.

For more information please contact the office.

Scout Sunday February 12th ~ Current and former Scouts, please submit your information to the office so we can recognize you on February 12th. Please send your name, Scouting Organization, Troop number and Scout rank. Email office@indyfriends.org or call 317-255-2485.

Mark your calendars! Youth Group will be meeting Sunday, February 12 from 11:30-1:30. Don’t miss it!

An Evening with Carrie Newcomer airs on WFYI television on Thursday, February 16th from 8:00-9:30 pm.  Carrie is a folk singer/songwriter and a local Quaker! Be sure to tune in!

Meridian Street Preschool Cooperative will be having our annual silent auction on February 18th.  First Friends has been such a wonderful place to call home for our preschool. MSPC appreciates all you do to support us. We would like to invite anyone who is interested to donate to the silent auction. Do you have a small business to promote? This is a great opportunity to do so. Don't own a business? Think about a handmade item, a gift basket or offering a class. If you or someone you know have any items, good or services to donate, you can contact the office. Thank you!

Join the new Art Committee! Nichole M. is looking for (but not limited to) anyone interested in art, history, or preservation who would like to be a part of the Art committee.  This committee would focus on looking after the German Children's/American Friends Service Committee historical collection here at First Friends. 

Possible Committee Goals:

• Decide where the collection goes next
• Look into better sign and boxes for transportation
• Possible numbering to make sure pieces aren't lost
• Contact the venue and arrange for pieces to be delivered there
• Decide permanent homes for parts or all of the collection

Please contact the office if interested. 

Earlham School of Religion is looking for volunteers! ESR has created 5 short videos on the theme of reading the Bible responsibly. This series is presented by Nancy Bowen, Professor of Old Testament. Each video is between 10-15 minutes long. ESR is looking for volunteers to make a commitment to review the videos, engage in discussion about the topics, and then provide feedback on their usefulness. They’re requesting all those interested respond by February 13, 2017 by contacting Miriam Brunner at bunnemi1@earlham.edu or 765-983-1687.

The Meditational Woods Committee is announcing their work days for 2017.  Starting on March 18, one Saturday each month will be an opportunity for Meeting members to help keep our woods in good condition.  We will be working hard at removing winter creeper (euonymus fortunei) an invasive ground cover that smothers the native wildflowers that we are trying to restore to the landscape.  Put on your gloves and come work with us!
Also, if you have shade tolerant native plants such as may apples, trillium and Virginia bluebells, please let Terry T. know.  She is helping coordinate our native plant restoration.

• March 18, 2017
• April 22, 2017   Earth Day!
• May 13, 2017
• June 10,2017
• July 15,2017
• August- off
• September 16, 2017
• October 14, 2017 – last work day

 ~Mary B. & Mindy S.

The Right Sharing of World Resources (RSWR) board will be holding their semiannual board meeting at First Friends from April 18th - 20th.  Our Meeting approved hosting this Meeting with Quakers from around the country.

We need some folks to be willing to open their home for RSWR board members to stay with them.  This will be for 3 nights starting April 18th and going through April 20th - it includes a bed for these evening and breakfast each morning - please let Beth know if you would be willing to provide home hospitality.

We also need people to help with lunch and dinner on April 18th, lunch on April 19th and lunch on April 20th.   Please contact Beth if you would be willing to help.

We have walkers available! Thanks to a donation from Danny H., First Friends now has walkers available for anyone who may need to use them. These two walkers will be stored inside the closet immediately to your left after entering the East door. Those who discover that they need one can borrow one from us, rather than renting one from a medical supply company. Thank you!

January 25, 2017

As Way Opens

This past Saturday, I called Matt and Rebecca to check in and give them our love.  Matt answered the phone, with our eight-week-old grandson in his arms.  Conor was wailing!  “Mom, we may not be able to talk very long.  Conor’s pretty upset right now.”  I was thrilled to hear the baby – even if he was crying.  It’s been a rare occasion to hear his voice.  “No, Matt – I love this.  I’ve hardly heard him make a peep!”  “He’s been at this for a while.”  “Oh Conor…” and then I started to sing. 

I made up a little sing-song ditty about Conor; how special he is, and how safe he was at home with Mommy and Daddy.  I sang it again and again, two or three times.  Before long, the phone went quiet.  Matt came on the line.  “Mom… Conor stopped crying when he heard you singing.  That was amazing!”  (I told Matt he could call me anytime!)

Regardless of who we are, how young or old we are, or what our needs are, we all cry out from time to time.  We all need soothing.  Who is it that sings for us?  Thomas Turner wrote this lovely piece:

Listen to the song of the wind.  Listen to the song of the wind.

Listen to the song of the wind.

Listen.  God is singing. God is singing.

Listen to the sigh of the soul.  Listen to the sigh of the soul.

Listen to the sigh of the soul.

Listen.  God is singing. God is singing.

Listen, silence speaks in the heart. 

       Listen, silence speaks in the heart. Listen, silence speaks in the heart.

                                    Listen.  God is singing.  God is singing.             

God bless us all, as we hear God singing, even as we cry out.

Ruthie

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Joys & Concerns

Thanks to everyone who helped at the Mid North Food Pantry in January.  It was a busy time...we served over 200 families on the 2 dates we worked in January.  The pantry dates for February are Feb-1 and Feb-15 (the first and third Weds. of the month).  All are needed and welcome.

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Announcements, Reports & Opportunities

Missing Money – An envelope with some cash inside was found in Fellowship Hall last week. If you believe this is yours, please contact the office!

The Pastoral Search Committee invites you to contemplate and provide feedback on the following query this week: In your opinion, how can our new pastor best provide pastoral counsel to members having personal problems (sick, shut-in, bereaved)?  Please provide your thoughts on the query (or any other feedback on the search process) to Sam R., who will be looking forward to hearing from you just outside the Meeting Room after Meeting for Worship this Sunday, Jan 29!

The Music Committee would like to collect input from the Meeting regarding music at First Friends. With Shawn stepping down as Choir Director, we will use this information to assist us in developing a job description and to evaluate our music program. We invite everyone age 12 and older to complete a survey and return in the offering plate or to the office. The surveys will be inserts in the bulletin on Jan 22nd & 29th (please complete only once).

Thank you, The Music Committee

Babysitting Co-Op ~ Our babysitting co-op is happening on Saturday January 28th from 5:30 - 9:30, hosted by Michael and Katie Hostetler. Dinner will be provided for the kids. Please contact Beth if you would like to have your kids join in the fun that evening!

Calling all young children ages 2 (by Sept 1st 2017) thru 5. MSPC will be holding enrollment for the upcoming 2017-2018 school year for First Friends members and attenders beginning January 23rd-January 27th. Interested families can email the office for a registration packet. Completed forms may be placed into the MSPC mail folder at FF, or mailed to FF. MSPC looks forward to including the FF meeting next year and beyond.

Indiana Friends Committee on Legislation (IFCL) has been busy this year bringing a Quaker presence to the Indiana General Assembly.  How are Quakers expressing Friend’s testimonies today?  IFCL members have been attending most of the summer study committees learning about the issues, listening at hearings and meeting with many of our elected representatives.  Mary B. has written a short article about some of the things she’s learned about IFCL and FCNL. Read the article here: https://goo.gl/MXSYii

Hey Guys!  Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading is expanding the book group to everyone (both men and women) interested. Come discuss the Pulitzer Prize Winning novel: The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen, which will be led by Kristyn G. on Tuesday, January 31st at 7 pm in the Parlor.  If you’d like to have your name added to the email list, please contact the office. Looking forward to February 28th’s discussion, Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance.

New Date for Community Soup!

Witness & Service will host the next Community Soup on THURSDAY, February 2, fro m 5:30 pm – 7 pm.  Please note the change from Friday to Thursday.  We’re trying a new day of the week to see if it will help attendance at this event.  Everyone is invited to this very informal dinner.  Soups and desserts are welcome but not necessary.  Our motto is: No cooking, no cleanup, no cost!  While this is Groundhog Day, the Community Soup will go on no matter if it rains or shines.  Hope to see you there.

2017 Eco-Film Series Begins Feb. 10 with “The Last Mountain”

Please join our area faith community for film and discussion- 7 p.m. in the parlor at First Friends

In the valleys of Appalachia, a battle is being fought over a mountain. It is a battle with severe consequences that affect every American, regardless of their social status, economic background or where they live. It is a battle that has taken many lives and continues to do so the longer it is waged. It is a battle over protecting our health and environment from the destructive power of Big Coal.

For more information please contact the office.

Scout Sunday February 12th ~ Current and former Scouts, please submit your information to the office so we can recognize you on February 12th. Please send your name, Scouting Organization, Troop number and Scout rank. Email office@indyfriends.org.

Ruthie’s Going Away Party ~ Mark your calendars for a "Going Away" party for Ruthie on her last Sunday, March 26th during Fellowship Hour. It will be a carry-in meal following Meeting for Worship to show our appreciation to her. Please join us!

Join the new Art Committee! Nichole M. is looking for (but not limited to) anyone interested in art, history, or preservation who would like to be a part of the Art committee.  This committee would focus on looking after the German Children's/American Friends Service Committee historical collection here at First Friends. 

Possible Committee Goals:

• Decide where the collection goes next
• Look into better sign and boxes for transportation
• Possible numbering to make sure pieces aren't lost
• Contact the venue and arrange for pieces to be delivered there
• Decide permanent homes for parts or all of the collection

Please contact the office if interested. 

The Earlham School of Religion is looking for volunteers! ESR has created 5 short videos on the theme of reading the Bible responsibly. This series is presented by Nancy Bowen, Professor of Old Testament. Each video is between 10-15 minutes long. ESR is looking for volunteers to make a commitment to review the videos, engage in discussion about the topics, and then provide feedback on their usefulness. They’re requesting all those interested respond by February 13, 2017 by contacting Miriam Brunner at bunnemi1@earlham.edu or 765-983-1687.

The Meditational Woods Committee is announcing their work days for 2017.  Starting on March 18, one Saturday each month will be an opportunity for Meeting members to help keep our woods in good condition.  We will be working hard at removing winter creeper (euonymus fortunei) an invasive ground cover that smothers the native wildflowers that we are trying to restore to the landscape.  Put on your gloves and come work with us!
Also, if you have shade tolerant native plants such as may apples, trillium and Virginia bluebells, please let Terry T. know.  She is helping coordinate our native plant restoration.

• March 18, 2017
• April 22, 2017   Earth Day!
• May 13, 2017
• June 10,2017
• July 15,2017
• August- off
• September 16, 2017
• October 14, 2017 – last work day

 ~Mary B. & Mindy S.

The Right Sharing of World Resources (RSWR) board will be holding their semiannual board meeting at First Friends from April 18th - 20th.  Our Meeting approved hosting this Meeting with Quakers from around the country.

We need some folks to be willing to open their home for RSWR board members to stay with them.  This will be for 3 nights starting April 18th and going through April 20th - it includes a bed for these evening and breakfast each morning - please let Beth know if you would be willing to provide home hospitality.

We also need people to help with lunch and dinner on April 18th, lunch on April 19th and lunch on April 20th.   Please contact Beth if you would be willing to help.

January 18, 2017

As Way Opens

I spent the last two weeks in Richmond IN attending an intensive class (one semester condensed into two weeks) at Earlham School of Religion (ESR) working towards my Masters in Divinity.  The class I took was on studying the Qur’an, the Prophet Muhammed and the Islamic faith taught by Michael Birkel, ESR professor and writer of a great book called Qur’an in Conversation.   The Muslim faith has been prevalent in our news cycles as terrorist radicals use the religion to do horrific acts.  I wanted to move beyond the rhetoric and understand this religion that more than one billion people practice in the world.  It was quite eye opening and I was surprised by how little I knew about Muhammed and the Qur’an before I started the class.  

Some of the important aspects of the Muslim faith is a belief in the one God, the God of the Old and New Testament who is full of compassion and mercy.  Every chapter in the Qur’an starts with the words…In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.  This is a faith that requires a person’s deeds and actions reflect God’s attributes and names (there are 99 names for God).  This is a faith that honors and learns from the great prophets of the Bible; Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Mary, Jesus….. This is a faith that embraces all of humanity.  This is a faith that encourages spiritual practices (daily prayers, fasting, pilgrimage) that bring each person into a daily remembrance of God. 

While there are significant differences in the Muslim faith versus Christianity (primarily the divinity of Christ and the concept of salvation) there are many areas of commonality and the Prophet Muhammed sought for respect and tolerance for the “People of the Book” (the term he used to identify Christians and Jews).  There are troubling passages in the Qur’an just as there are troubling passages in the Old and New Testament.  The reality is that all of our sacred texts were written by men and greatly influenced by the culture and context of ancient times.   When verses are pulled out of context, people can and do use them to subvert the overall message being conveyed in the writings.  A message of hope and love in the reality of the one true God.  

We have had a wonderful opportunity in the last 3 years to get to know our dear friends Daud and Lillian A.  Daud showed up one day because he knew the history of Quakers in terms of equality and he just continued to show up Sunday after Sunday.  We got to know him as a deeply spiritual man of God, full of wisdom and wit.  He embraced us and we embraced him.  Through Daud we were able to learn more about his faith and connect with his Mosque on 46th and Keystone, Nur Allah Islamic Center.  Daud and Lillian will be moving to Alabama in February and we are joyful for this next stage of life for them but sad for us that we will miss his presence here at First Friends.   We send our best wishes to Daud and Lillian and know that we have been changed by knowing them.  Thank you Daud and Lillian.    

Beth

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Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Ecumenical Service tonight! King of Glory Lutheran Church in Carmel is offering an ecumenical worship service to pray for Christian unity tonight, Wednesday January 18 at 7 pm. The church is located at 2201 E. 106th St (at Keystone Pkwy) Carmel, IN 46032. For questions, contact the church at (317) 846-1555.

The Music Committee would like to collect input from the Meeting regarding music at First Friends. With Shawn stepping down as Choir Director, we will use this information to assist us in developing a job description and to evaluate our music program. We invite everyone age 12 and older to complete a survey and return in the offering plate or to the office. The surveys will be inserts in the bulletin on Jan 22nd & 29th (please complete only once). Thank you,                                                            The Music Committee

The Pastoral Search Committee invites you to contemplate and provide feedback on the following query this week: In your opinion, how can our new pastor best minister to our children and youth to foster their relationship with God and our Meeting?  Please provide your thoughts on the query (or any other feedback on the search process) to Brenda R, who will be looking forward to hearing from you just outside the Meeting Room after Meeting for Worship this Sunday, Jan 22!

Babysitting Co-Op ~ Our babysitting co-op is happening on Saturday January 28th from 5:30 - 9:30, hosted by Michael and Katie H. Dinner will be provided for the kids. Please contact Beth if you would like to have your kids join in the fun that evening!

Calling all young children ages 2 (by Sept 1st 2017) thru 5. MSPC will be holding enrollment for the upcoming 2017-2018 school year for First Friends members and attenders beginning January 23rd-January 27th. Interested families can email the office for a registration packet. Completed forms may be placed into the MSPC mail folder at FF, or mailed to FF. MSPC looks forward to including the FF meeting next year and beyond.

Indiana Friends Committee on Legislation (IFCL) has been busy this year bringing a Quaker presence to the Indiana General Assembly.  How are Quakers expressing Friend’s testimonies today?  IFCL members have been attending most of the summer study committees learning about the issues, listening at hearings and meeting with many of our elected representatives.  Mary B. has written a short article about some of the things she’s learned about IFCL and FCNL. Read the article here: https://goo.gl/MXSYii

Hey Guys!  Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading is expanding the book group to everyone (both men and women) interested. Come discuss the Pulitzer Prize Winning novel: The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen, which will be led by Kristyn Greenwald on Tuesday, January 31st at 7 pm in the Parlor.  If you’d like to have your name added to the email list, please contact the office. Looking forward to February 28th’s discussion, Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance.  

Scout Sunday February 12th ~ Current and former Scouts, please submit your information to the office so we can recognize you on February 12th. Please send your name, Scouting Organization, Troop number and Scout rank. Email office@indyfriends.org or call 317-255-2485.

January 11, 2017

As Way Opens

Dan Mitchell gave a gift to each of the women on staff this Christmas: a glass jar and a paperwhite narcissus bulb – with instructions. “Fill jar with water to base of bulb. Wait.”  I did.  I waited until after I returned from vacation to fill my jar with water and set the bulb, sprouting already from its dead brown skin.  Before long, strange white tentacles erupted downward into the water, lengthening slowly.  Within a week, something else became quite noticeable… the sprout was greening and stretching upward.  The further the roots descended, the more the sprout gained in height.  It won’t be long before more and more stalks will appear and the narcissus will bloom into full flower.

So it is with each one of our spiritual lives.  We each, seemingly dry dormant bulbs, are filled with God’s spirit of life and the capacity for growth and newness.  When nurtured, our souls stretch deeply and become rooted in life giving energy.  That is when the evidence of God’s life in us becomes apparent.  The deeper our experience, the stronger the mark of God’s presence.  The fruit and flower of God’s work in us is revealed, while our rootedness is hidden, known only to God.

Dormancy is a necessary part of life… we need times of rest and conservation of energy.  But we also must remember our need for nurture – the Quickening Source that feeds us.  What nurtures your soul?  It may be prayer, study, scripture, nature walks, worship groups, journaling, drawing, volunteering, poetry, reading… God, our Present Teacher, is eager to lead each of us to deeper and greater growth.  Let us be willing to put ourselves in a nurturing place, and then… wait.

Ruthie    

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Joys & Concerns

A big thank you for all the donations received for Right Sharing of World Resources from the sale of cookies and soup in a jar! We raised $209 to support women in India, Kenya and Sierre Leone.

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Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Monthly Meeting will gather this Sunday, January 15th.  Everyone is welcome to join us!

Beth’s Sunday School parenting class will meet in the parlor at 9:00 this Sunday, January 15.  We will be studying Dr. Brene Brown’s book, The Gifts of Imperfect Parenting: Raising Children with Courage, Compassion and Connection.  Beth is a big fan of Brene Brown and this is a new series she has developed so Beth hopes parents of all ages will join.

The Eternal Promise is the study for Seeking Friends this quarter.  Join Ruthie and others as we move through this collection of short essays by Friend Thomas R. Kelly.  The Wired Word continues in the Coffee Circle class, covering current events with a spiritual point of view. 

The Pastoral Search Committee invites you to contemplate and provide feedback on the following query this week: In your opinion, how can our new pastor best develop and lead adult educational programs?  Please provide your thoughts on the query (or any other feedback on the search process) to Carolyn T., who will be looking forward to hearing from you just outside the Meeting Room after Meeting for Worship this Sunday, Jan 15!

We still need volunteers for the Mid North Food Pantry! ~ Due to the holidays, several of the “regulars” will not be able to volunteer at the food pantry on Wednesday, January 18.  These are all days that First Friends regularly staffs the pantry. If you are in town and available during any of these dates, please consider volunteering. Let the office know if you are interested. Thank you for your assistance!

Babysitting Co-Op ~ Our babysitting co-op is happening on Saturday January 28th from 5:30 - 9:30, hosted by Michael and Katie H. Dinner will be provided for the kids. Please contact Beth if you would like to have your kids join in the fun that evening!

Job Opportunity! “A bite of Energy Snacks and Vending” operates and stocks vending machines on a route that serves multiple counties throughout central Indiana. They are looking for a competent, dedicated, and friendly employee to transport product and assist in restocking machines. For a full job description, visit https://goo.gl/Belrfo. If you know anyone looking for a job, please share!

Hey Guys!  Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading is expanding the book group to everyone (both men and women) interested. Come discuss the Pulitzer Prize Winning novel: The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen, which will be led by Kristyn G. on Tuesday, January 31st at 7 pm in the Parlor.  If you’d like to have your name added to the email list, please contact the office ~ looking forward to February 28th’s discussion, Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance.  

Scout Sunday February 12th ~ Current and former Scouts, please submit your information to the office so we can recognize you on February 12th. Please send the office your name, Scouting Organization, Troop number and Scout rank. 

January 4, 2017

As Way Opens

On November 29, a small group of Friends gathered on the last beautiful day of autumn to hand-pull euonymus (also known as winter creeper) in the Woods.  Euonymus fortunei was planted extensively in suburban neighborhoods for its sturdiness, evergreen coloring and rapid growth habit. Over the past decade, ecologists have recognized that this plant, native to Asia, has a negative impact on our Eastern United States and Canada. Our native species of flowers and other plants are smothered by euonymus. Ephemeral spring flowers can’t emerge through the dense mat. Insects that feed on these early bloomers have no source of nourishment.  This lack in turn affects our bird population, which can’t find enough protein-rich insects to feed their babies in the nest, putting our bird populations at further risk of decline.

With this knowledge in mind, Terry T., Amy P., Mary B., Dan M., David B., and John N. removed dense mats of euonymus along the fence bordering our neighbor to the east.  Terry sprinkled seeds for blue mist flowers and blue flag iris in the newly uncovered earth.  Hopefully in the spring many of these seeds will yield new life in rich soil that is now open to new possibilities.  We hope to have more days in 2017 to remove additional areas of winter creeper in the Woods.  Please let Mindy Sommers or Mary Blackburn know if you’d like to help.

Later I was reflecting on the spiritual equivalent of “invasive species.” I pondered what things were introduced into my life that have good qualities and yet are covering up my joy and creativity.  My winter creeper is my smart phone.  It is a great piece of technology that allows me to do so many things, and yet, has insidiously taken over much of my free time.  Checking Facebook, checking emails, Googling curious questions while avoiding loneliness or empty spaces.

If you were to clear the “euonymus”, the “invasives” in your life, what would you plant in the rich soil?  What would you like to see grow in your empty spaces?

Mary B.

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Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Sunday School Classes begin for all Ages on Sunday, January 8!

• Coffee Circle; ‘Wired Word’ – shared leadership
• Seeking Friends; Thomas Kelly’s ‘Eternal Promise’ – shared leadership
• Beth's Parenting Class will also start Sunday, January 15 in the Parlor.

Monthly Meeting will gather Sunday, January 15th.  Mark your calendars!

The Pastoral Search Committee invites you to contemplate and provide feedback on the following query this week: In your opinion, how can our new pastor best plan and lead a program of new member recruitment?  Please provide your thoughts on the query (or any other feedback on the search process) to Dan R, who will be looking forward to hearing from you just outside the Meeting Room after Meeting for Worship this Sunday, Jan 8!

We still need volunteers for the Mid North Food Pantry! ~ Due to the holidays, several of the “regulars” will not be able to volunteer at the food pantry on Wednesday, January 18.  These are all days that First Friends regularly staffs the pantry. If you are in town and available during any of these dates, please consider volunteering. Let the office know if you are interested. Thank you for your assistance!

Job Opportunity!  “A bite of Energy Snacks and Vending” operates and stocks vending machines on a route that serves multiple counties throughout central Indiana. They are looking for a competent, dedicated, and friendly employee to transport product and assist in restocking machines. Please contact the office for the full job description. If you know anyone looking for a job, please share!

Seasoned Friends will be Wednesday January 11 from 11:30 to 1:00pm.  Comfort foods consisting of meat loaf, soup and macaroni and cheese will be provided. Games will be provided to play after the lunch.   Please RSVP to the office by January 9 so proper amounts of food can be prepared.  Seasoned Friends for the rest of the year will be: April 12, July 12, and October 11.

Hey Guys!  Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading is expanding the book group to everyone (both men and women) interested. Come discuss the Pulitzer Prize Winning novel: The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen, which will be led by Kristyn G. on Tuesday, January 31st at 7 pm in the Parlor.  If you’d like to have your name added to the email list, please contact the office ~ looking forward to February 28th’s discussion, Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance.  

Mark your calendars for the Eco Film Series!

February 10-  “The Last Mountain”- Official trailer here: https://youtu.be/c5wmUkpOCKE

March 10- “Blind Spot”-Official trailer here: https://youtu.be/ok4onUXvL8o

April 14- “Bidder 70”- Official trailer here: https://youtu.be/27vl_VbehIs

All films will be shown at First Friends at 7 pm in the Parlor on the second Friday of the month. If Friends have questions they can contact the office.

December 28, 2016

As Way Opens

I hope that each of you had a special and sacred Christmas with family, friends and our faith community.  Our service on Christmas Eve was beautiful and what a treat to have our children depict the story of Jesus birth and have a real baby Jesus (thank you Sally Mitchell Scharbrough and Peter Scharbrough) in the manger.  There was something powerful about a real baby Jesus that brought the presence of Jesus in an intimate and fleshly way to all of us that evening.  We had a special time of brunch, caroling and worship Christmas morning with about 25 of us gathered in the parlor.  My son Greg said afterward that this is what Quaker worship is all about.

We now are reflecting on the closing of 2016 and what might lie ahead for us in 2017.  I came across this plaque that I have in my office that identifies 26 attributes (following the alphabet) that I want to embrace, adopt and enhance in my life in 2017.  If we all did this our world would be changed.  

-        Accept Differences

-        Be kind

-        Count your blessings

-        Dream

-        Express thanks

-        Forgive

-        Give freely

-        Harm no one

-        Imagine more

-        Jettison anger

-        Keep confidences

-        Love truly

-        Master something

-        Nurture hope

-        Open your mind

-        Pack lightly

-        Quell rumors

-        Reciprocate

-        Seek wisdom

-        Touch hearts

-        Understand

-        Value truth

-        Win graciously

-        Xeriscape

-        Yearn for peace

-        Zealously support a worthy cause

Blessings on each of you this New Years.

Beth

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Joys & Concerns

Many thanks to Greg H, Terry T, Ann P, Jim K, Bill and Kathy F for helping at mid-north food pantry Dec. 21.  A total of 92 families were served.  The next pantry date is Jan. 4.  We continue to need help for this date.

Paula G. wanted to send the Meeting her thanks for the Christmas gifts. She very much enjoyed the teddy bear, chocolates, the electric blanket, everything! She was overjoyed with the Meeting’s generosity. Thank you all!

We are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of E. Banker, Sr (Stan Banker’s father), who passed away early in the morning on Saturday, December 24. He was a wonderful man who touched a lot of people during his 70+ years of ministry. A viewing will be held 4-8 p.m. on Wednesday, December 28, 2016, at Needham-Storey-Wampner Funeral Service, North Chapel, 1341 N. Baldwin Ave., Marion, IN Services to celebrate Stanley's life are at 11 a.m. on Thursday, December 29, 2016, at College Wesleyan Church, 200 E. 38th St., Marion, IN. Rev. William Kinnan will be officiating with burial following at Grant Memorial Park. Read the full obituary here: http://nswcares.com/tribute/details/5826/E-Banker/obituary.html#tribute-start.

What a beautiful gathering we had on Christmas Eve celebrating the birth of Christ.  Our children dressed up as shepherds, wisemen, Mary’s, Joseph and angels and gathered around Finn S. (Dan M's grandson) as the baby Jesus.  We sang hymns, read scripture, heard some beautiful singing and opened our hearts up to the Spirit of Christ.  Thank you for all that joined us on this special evening. 

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Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Join us for worship on New Year’s Day! We will have unprogrammed worship in the Parlor on Sunday, January 1st at 10:15, led by Mary B and David B. Please join us!

Please note, the office will be closed Monday, January 2nd in observation of New Year’s Day.

Jon and Ruthie Tippin are traveling in Washington State for the holidays, visiting their family and meeting their new grandson, Conor.  They will return Wednesday, January 4th.  Ruthie will be in the office January 5th.  In the meantime, if you have any needs or concerns, please contact the Office, Beth, or any member of our Ministry and Counsel.

Sunday School Classes begin for all Ages on Sunday, January 8!

·         Coffee Circle; ‘Wired Word’ – shared leadership

·         Seeking Friends; Thomas Kelly’s ‘Eternal Promise’ – shared leadership

Beth's Parenting Class will also start Sunday, January 15 in the Parlor.

Monthly Meeting will gather Sunday, January 15th.  Mark your calendars!

The 2017 Directory is here! We now have the printed pocket directory available for 2017. Please stop by the office if you’d like a copy, or let us know if you’d like one sent to you through the mail. You can also access the directory online at www.indyfriends.org/private. The page is password protected; if you need the password, please call the office. For security reasons, the password will only be given to members and attenders over the phone.

The Pastoral Search Committee also invites you to contemplate and provide feedback on the following query this week: In your opinion, how can our new pastor best prepare and preach inspiring sermons?  Please provide your thoughts on the query (or any other feedback on the search process) to Dan Rains, who will be looking forward to hearing from you just outside the Meeting Room after Meeting for Worship this Sunday, Jan 1!

We still need volunteers for the Mid North Food Pantry! ~ Due to the holidays, several of the “regulars” will not be able to volunteer at the food pantry on Wednesdays, January 4 and January 18.  These are all days that First Friends regularly staffs the pantry. If you are in town and available during any of these dates, please consider volunteering. Let the office know if you are interested. Thank you for your assistance!

Seasoned Friends will be Wednesday January 11 from 11:30 to 1:00pm.  Comfort foods consisting of meat loaf, soup and macaroni and cheese will be provided. Games will be provided to play after the lunch.   Please RSVP to the office by January 9 so proper amounts of food can be prepared.  Seasoned Friends for the rest of the year will be: April 12, July 12, and October 11.

Have an old TV? Perhaps you’d like to donate it! Janice H. works at Hawthorne Community Center, and is seeking a donation of a large screen computer monitor or TV with HDMI hook-up to show educational videos in her adult ed classroom. She does not want anyone to go out a buy a monitor to donate. Perhaps you or someone you know is getting a new TV or monitor for Christmas and would be looking to get rid of their old one? If you’re able to help, please contact the office. Thank you!

Mark your calendars for the Eco Film Series!

February 10-  “The Last Mountain”- Official trailer here: https://youtu.be/c5wmUkpOCKE

March 10- “Blind Spot”-Official trailer here: https://youtu.be/ok4onUXvL8o

April 14- “Bidder 70”- Official trailer here: https://youtu.be/27vl_VbehIs

All films will be shown at First Friends at 7 pm in the Parlor on the second Friday of the month. If Friends have questions they can contact Bill Chapman at (317) 255-4739 or drchapman@earthlink.net

Be sure to also mark your calendars for 2017 Oak Leaf Women’s Meeting for Reading:

January 31 ~ The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

February 28 ~ Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance

March 28 ~ A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

April 25 ~ The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

May 30 ~ Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Asian

June 27 ~ A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

July 25 ~ Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland

August 29 ~ The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty

September 26 ~ My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor

October 24 ~ The Muralist by B.A. Shapiro

November 28 ~ The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier

December 26 ~ The Guest Room by Chris Bohjalian