Friend to Friend October 24

October 24, 2018

As Way Opens

In my readings for class I came across a parable that the mystic, writer and teacher Cynthia Bourgeult quotes in her book, The Wisdom Way of Knowing - "Once upon a time in a not-so-far-away land, there was a kingdom of acorns, nestled at the foot of a grand old oak tree. Since the citizens of this kingdom were modern, fully Westernized acorns, they went about their business with purposeful energy; and since they were midlife, baby-boomer acorns, they engaged in a lot of self-help courses. There were seminars called "Getting All You Can Out of Your Shell". There were woundedness and recovery groups for acorns who had been bruised in their original fall from the tree. There were spas for oiling and polishing those shells and various acornopathic therapies to enhance longevity and well-being.

One day in the midst of this kingdom there suddenly appeared a knotty little stranger, apparently dropped "out of the blue" by a passing bird. He was caplets and dirty, making an immediate negative impression of his fellow acorns. And crouched beneath the oak tree, he stammered out a wild tale. Pointing upward at the tree, he said, "We… are… that!” Delusional thinking, obviously, the other acorns concluded, but one of them continued to engage him in conversation: "So tell us, how would we become that tree?" "Well", said he, pointing downward, "it has something to do with going into the ground… and cracking open the shell," "Insane," they responded. "Totally morbid! Why then we wouldn't be acorns anymore.”

I have not been able to stop thinking about this story since I read it. It connects so much with the book we are reading for small groups by Richard Rohr, Falling Upward. To find out true selves we must go down into our deepest crevices and begin to crack open the shell that we tell everyone is our true self but it’s not. We must become aware of our light and our shadows and embrace all of them. We must look into ourselves and appreciate our uniqueness and recognize that God calls each one of us into perfect communion and transformation with Christ and it is through this understanding that we can become our individual oak trees, our deepest and best selves and that is how we will each change the world in our destined way. What do you need to crack open to begin to find your oak tree?

Beth

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Affirmation and Youth Group ~ We completed our second Affirmation class this month finishing up Quaker history in America. We have 9 young people taking the class and I appreciated their interest in our history. Our next class will study our testimonies and Dan Lee will lead this class. We are heading to the Underground Railroad Museum in Cincinnati this Saturday. We will begin to do some fundraising for our trip to Philadelphia next summer. Stay tuned! ~Beth

Talk to Congress – Letter Writing Project ~ On the last Sunday of each month (starting this Sunday, October 28), Witness and Service is offering an opportunity for you to contact Congress. We will provide information and a sample letter, which addresses a specific issue that is on the Senate and/or House of Representative radar. You are welcome to write/call your legislators about this topic, or any other that might be on your mind.

The topics are chosen by Quaker Pastors, Ron and Pam Furgeson, who minister at Winchester Friends here in Indiana. They choose which topics to address based on relevance to our Quaker Testimonies. A writing station will be set up in Fellowship Hall for you to use after meeting for worship. You are welcome to write your thoughts on cards that are provided, take the material home to send later, or (if technology cooperates) send an email from the computer that is set up at the station. Your views are always private. The important part of this effort is to give you an opportunity to speak with those who decide the laws of the land, and to give Quaker/Faith Community input into their decision-making.

The featured topic for October is encouraging Congress to support The Global Fragility and Violence Reduction Act. This bipartisan bill is designed to improve U.S. capacity for reducing and addressing the causes of violence, violent conflict, and fragility across the globe. For more information and a sample letter, please visit https://goo.gl/WaH6YU.

Oak Leaf Meeting for Reading ~ Join our Oak Leaf Meeting for Reading book group for Tuesday October 30th’s pick ~ The Hour of Land by Terry Tempest Williams. The discussion will be led by Bob Henry. Click on this link if you’d like see the New York Times review: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/05/books/review/the-hour-of-land-by-terry-tempest-williams.html. Interested in being on the Oak Leaf email list or would like the book list? Please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org. Oak Leaf meets on the last Tuesday of each month in the Parlor at 7 pm. Come one, come all!

"I was a stranger and you welcomed me"
Immigration and the Meaning of Welcome: Sharing the Stories from Our Community

Please join members of the Shalom Zone churches for a discussion about immigration in our community and how we as Christians can help to welcome immigrants and refugees. Joining us to share their stories will be members of several immigrant communities in the Indianapolis area. An overview of some of the key issues about immigration, immigrants, and refugees will also be provided by our own Tim W, from Catholic Charities/Refugee Program. It will be held on Tuesday, October 30 at 7:00pm at Cross and Crown Lutheran Church, 5233 E. 79th St., Indianapolis, 46250. We hope you will join us for this important topic.

Meditational Woods
October Bird of the Month
Merlin – It was Magic

Last week I was prepared to draw the bird I had selected weeks ago for October, and, yes, the story was mostly complete in my head. However, I stopped mid-week to check on something with the stamp project, and decided to take a listen in the woods, just to find out what was around. As I was leaving the woods, I happened to glance down the power lines to the north, and saw a bird sitting motionless on one of the wires about halfway to the garage. It had not been there when I had arrived several minutes earlier. At first I could not judge its size; if it was small, it could be a bluebird. If it was large, it was likely to be an American Kestrel, a member of the falcon family. I decided to check it out. The day was overcast, and bird’s colors and patterns were difficult to discern against the white sky. Quickly I saw it was too large to be a bluebird, and it had a hawk-like bill. So it was a Kestrel, a species I have seen before on the property, especially around the power lines and towers. But wait!! Where was the strong double-lined facial pattern of a kestrel? Not on this bird!! Where was the kestrel’s reddish brown back and tail? Also not here. Oh my!! This was no kestrel. This was the much rarer Merlin, a falcon with an all-dark bluish-gray back, black blotches on the sides of the belly, a subtle cheek mark, and a bluish-gray tail with dark bands. This was by far the rarest bird I have seen here on the First Friends property.

In fact, in my 45 years of birding, I have never seen a Merlin well-enough on my own to identify it…until now. When people have shown them to me, they are usually far off in flight or seen in poor weather. This one, in the middle of migration, allowed me to approach it, pass it, and even get a look from behind. When I walked down the sidewalk back to the woods, I turned to give the bird one more look, but the Merlin was gone, just as it had appeared…like magic.

~Brad J

Community Garden: Our season in review

Thanks to the ushers for saving coffee grounds for the compost bin, and thanks to Breanna Cooper for helping ready the garden for next season. What a joy to look over the garden throughout the year and see the change of the seasons and the fruits of our labor!

“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” ~ Audrey Hepburn

Community Soup ~ Witness & Service will host the next Community Soup on Friday, November 2, from 5:30 pm – 7 pm. Everyone is invited to this very informal dinner. As the weather is cooling down we will be serving soup. If you’d like you’re welcome to bring a soup but not necessary. Our motto is: No cooking, no cleanup, no cost! Hope to see you there.

Riley Children’s Hospital Fundraiser ~ A message from Heather DeRudder: I'm on a mission to save kids and I need your help. Riley Children's Hospital treats thousands of children each year, regardless of their family's ability to pay. These kids are facing scary stuff like cancer, cystic fibrosis, and injuries from accidents to name just a few. This is my third year participating in this huge worldwide celebration of the social impact of gamers of all kinds. Our team will play video games to board games and even tabletop RPG's to raise money and awareness for Riley Children's Hospital!

Since 2008, Extra Life has raised more than $40 million to help children's hospitals provide critical treatments and healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment, research and charitable care. It's my sincere hope that you'll find it in your heart to support my efforts with a monthly pledge or one-time gift that will go directly to my hospital. Your donation is tax-deductible and ALL PROCEEDS go to help kids.I need your help to reach my goal "For The Kids". Please make a safe, easy donation online today. You can click the following link to make a safe and easy online donation. Thank you so much for supporting my efforts! https://goo.gl/3dt8i4

Sing around the campfire on Friday, November 9 from 6:00 to 8:30pm. Connections is planning this weenie and marshmallow roast. Jim K will provide music and Leslie K will assist as anyone who wants, chimes in. The event will take place in the Meetinghouse courtyard and Fellowship Hall. Bring your voice, an instrument if you can play, and wear warm clothes. If you’d like to come, please RSVP with the office at office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485 by Wednesday, November 7. See you then!

Deodorant needed for MNFP! Currently, Mid-North Food Pantry (MNFP) is collecting deodorant for men and women in need. If you would like to help out, please place unopened sticks of deodorant in the donation boxes either in the hallway by the Sunday School rooms, or in Fellowship Hall. Thank you!

Slow Church Sermon Series ~ Each Sunday we are going to explore together what a “slow movement” looks like for First Friends. This is an invitation to explore outside of what is labeled “franchise faith” and back into the Kingdom of God – where people know each other well and love one another as Christ loved the church. This will be instrumental in developing an ongoing vision for First Friends. We hope you will plan to join us for this exploration during the Fall months.

Blood Drive! Please join us for a blood drive held in conjunction with the Indiana Blood Center on Sunday, December 2nd from 9:00am-1:00pm in Fellowship Hall. If you would like to schedule a time, visit https://www.donorpoint.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/124166. Donors must be 17 years old (16 with signed parent permission slip), meet height /weight eligibility requirements, be in good general health, and present a photo I.D. at registration. To view eligibility, visit https://www.donorpoint.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/124166. If you have any other questions, please contact Kristine Pierce (mkpierce@indianablood.org).

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Friend to Friend October 17, 2018

October 18, 2018

As Way Opens

Do You Know the History of First Friends’ Neighborhood? (Part 3)

Authors John Pattison and Chris Smith once again noted in our special education hour on Sunday the need to know the history of one’s neighborhood. In this third installment I want to highlight a business establishment of our neighborhood that has survived most of the changes taking places from the late 1920s through today. This establishment is Hedlund’s Hardware.

Anyone from outside our neighborhood who I drive to the Meetinghouse down Keystone Avenue inquires about Hedlund’s Hardware. The giant billboard sign on the top of the building is definitely a draw, and someone always asks if they change it every day. Actually, my son asked just this week.

The family-owned and operated business goes all the way back to 1929, when it was known as a general store. The founder, Claude Hedlund, and his wife Mary made their name known on the corner of 62nd and Keystone and quickly began servicing the growing community. Before modern grocery or convenience stores, the Hedlund’s became a one-stop shop for food, gas, and hardware. Since this was a family and neighborhood business, the Hedlund’s lived in the back of the shop with their two sons Paul and Ronald.

Today, four generations later, a Hedlund still runs the business. A lot has changed over the years, but Hedlund’s history is a living example of how our neighborhood has evolved. As the neighborhood development boom occurred in the early 1940s, there was a need for building supplies and hardware. This had Hedlund’s transitioning from a general store to a full-fledged independent hardware store. With the addition of Marsh Grocery and later Lowe’s Home Improvement, Hedlund’s has continued to reinvent itself, similar to Glendale Town Square across the street. They now focus on specialty items that big chain stores do not carry and much of their business is done online, all while still being considered a neighborhood establishment.

Some see Hedlund’s Hardware as a museum to our neighborhood’s past. Just stepping through their doors is like being in a time-machine. Yet, I believe Hedlund’s Hardware is an example of cultivating stability in our neighborhood. Johnathan Wilson-Hartgrove says that “Stability demands that we do the long, hard work of life with the other people in the place where we are.” That is exactly what Hedlund’s Hardware has done in our neighborhood. They have continued to put the needs of their local community first while offering quality service. Obviously, they have had to change over the years, but they have also continued to grow and evolve to stay endorsed and valued in their neighborhood. They know their true home (for four generations) and they insist they are not going anywhere anytime soon.

How might First Friends learn from the established stability and ongoing evolution that Hedlund’s has gone through over the years? How are we doing the long, hard work of life with other people in our place?

(Info from: http://www.hedlundhardware.com/hedlundhistory.html, http://www.townepost.com/indiana/broad-ripple/the-right-tools/)

Grace and peace,

Bob

Joys & Concerns

This past Sunday morning, we enjoyed a Special Education Hour with authors John Pattison and C. Christopher Smith of Slow Church: Cultivating Community in the Patient Way of Jesus. We also got to hear them speak during Meeting for Worship. Ben Wertz shared a special song and spoke about the Full Circle Fest (https://fullcirclefest.com/celebrate/). After the Meeting for Worship, John joined the Affirmation Class for their teaching. What a great time!

First Friends helped represent Quakers at the Indy Festival of Faiths on Sunday! Thank you to everyone who came and especially those who helped with setup, teardown, and helped at the booth throughout the day, including Ed Morris!

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Threshing Together ~ If you are interested in gathering with men who mull over current issues or topics, where all points of view are heard, no decisions are made, and all in a relaxed atmosphere over a meal, then Threshing Together is for you! Join us. Threshing Together gathers at 7pm on the 3rd Thursday of each month. Our next get-together will be this Thursday, October 18 at 7:00pm. See locations here: https://goo.gl/HosLVg

Sing-Along with Jim! ~ Mark your calendars for this Friday, October 19th for an evening of music and fun with songs ranging from Dylan to Pete Seeger, Beetles to Stephen Foster. Some are sad, pensive, inspirational, patriotic, religious. We are now enlarging the songs and printing them, placing them in folders alphabetically, thus making a less labor-intensive process for all. Rise Up Singing and Rise Again are still useful in case we have more singers than folders. Please do bring your books. We begin at 7:00, end at 8:30 or soon after. Third Friday of the month, as usual!

Full Circle Festival ~ Again this year our own Ben W will be holding Full Circle Festival downtown this Saturday, October 20th from 2-9pm on Monument Circle. Full Circle Fest is an open-air dining experience, an interactive art fair, a zero-waste event, a fundraiser for sustainable community projects, and much more! There will also be local bands, performers, and DJs, as well as engaging games and activities. Every year we focus on a timely community issue to guide the day's events. This year’s focus is “Everyone should have access to fresh, healthy food.” Indianapolis ranks among the worst cities in the country for food deserts (urban areas in which it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food). For more information please visit https://fullcirclefest.com/.

Fall Festival! ~ Meridian Street Preschool Co-Op (MSPC) will be hosting their annual Fall Festival this Saturday October 20th from 4-6pm. It is held here at First Friends and is free and open to the public—so all are welcome to come and be a part of this fun evening. There will be face painting, pumpkin decorating, a bounce house, a chili cook-off, a raffle, and more! Costumes are welcome! We hope you will join us for the fun evening.

Butler University’s Diversity Lecture Series: Victoria Defrancesco Soto ~ Butler University is hosting a lecture on Monday, October 22 at 7:00pm. DeFrancesco Soto will consider the topic of negotiating diversity within the current political landscape with a particular focus on the last decade and the upcoming mid-term election. DeFrancesco Soto is a professor at the University of Texas’ LBJ School of Public Affairs and a contributor to MSNBC, NBCNews.com, and Telemundo among others. Her areas of expertise include immigration, Latinos, women and politics, political psychology, and campaigns and elections. In looking at immigration, she takes a broad historical perspective to understand current policy debates. For more information, visit https://events.butler.edu/event/diversity-lecture-series-victoria-defrancesco-soto

An Evening with Author Michelle Alexander – Poverty: Examining Roots, Working Toward Solutions ~ You are invited to join the Faith & Action Project for an evening with Michelle Alexander, best-selling author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness on Tuesday, October 23 at 7 p.m. at Clowes Memorial Hall. Following Ms. Alexander’s keynote, she will join a panel of local business, community and faith leaders for a conversation that delves into poverty’s foundations and the community’s role in both its expansion and eventual elimination… all with an eye toward equipping residents and organizations to squash poverty’s momentum and apply their collaborative might to the fight against poverty. Instead of tickets the event has been opened to all on a first-come first-seated basis. For more information please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/poverty-examining-roots-working-toward-solutions-tickets-48658471799

Seasoned Friends ~ Seasoned Friends will hold their annual weenie roast next Wednesday, October 24th. This year it will be at the historic Beem House in Spencer, Indiana. Our meal will consist of hotdogs, iced tea, chocolate chip cookies, and potato salad. We will meet at the Meetinghouse at 9:30 and carpool from there, or if you’d like to drive yourself, the address of the Beem House is 635 W Hillside Ave, Spencer, IN 47460. We will be back by 5pm. Please RSVP with the office at office@indyfriends.org or at 317-255-2485 and let us know if you will be joining the carpool. Come for a good meal, to hear the history of the house, and enjoy time with friends. For more information on the history of the Beem house, you can visit https://pocketsights.com/tours/place/David-Enoch-Beem-House-5293 or https://indianahistory.org/wp-content/uploads/david-enoch-beem-papers-1821-1923-1954.pdf. We hope you will join us!

Talk to Congress – Letter Writing Project ~ Beginning in October on the last Sunday of each month, Witness and Service is offering an opportunity for you to contact Congress. We will provide information and a sample letter, which addresses a specific issue that is on the Senate and/or House of Representative radar. You are welcome to write/call your legislators about this topic, or any other that might be on your mind.

"I was a stranger and you welcomed me"
Immigration and the Meaning of Welcome: Sharing the Stories from Our Community

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Friend to Friend October 10, 2018

October 10, 2018

As Way Opens

Last week I was sitting in my office and someone tapped on my window. There was Daud A. outside. As many of you know, Daud is an Imam and attended Nur-Allah Islamic Center on 46th St near Keystone. Five years ago, he showed up one Sunday morning and kept coming back most Sundays and became involved in Sunday School and in outreach, and developed deep friendships with many of us. He became part of our fellowship and even gave the message one Sunday morning. He and his wife Lillian moved to Alabama a year ago but when he returns to Indianapolis he often stops by to say hello and check in on us.

Daud loves the Quakers and described his experience worshipping with us as deeply significant for him. He is looking to connect with Quakers in Alabama, but he has not found the same experience as he did at First Friends. We reminisced about hosting an appreciation ceremony together at School 43, his friendship with Duffy Fankboner (that changed both of them) and this amazing and holy experience we had during our Affirmation class three years ago. One of our lessons in Affirmation is looking at other religions and how Quakerism compares. We invited the youth from Nur Allah to come and share an abbreviated Muslim service with us, eat with us and hang out with us. There were about 10 young people as well as a couple of adults including Daud that joined us. We had an incredible gathering that I will never forget, sharing worship, food and conversation with each other. That afternoon broke down any perceived barriers of difference or labels between us. These kids - black, white, Muslim and Quaker - were just kids with each other. Both Daud and I talked about how powerful this experience was of understanding, acceptance and sacredness.

My friendship with Daud has changed me. I got to know someone very different from me but a deeply spiritual person that I learned from and showed me the Spirit’s breadth and depth in a new way. We may use different words to describe our experiences, but we have great similarities in how the Divine transforms our heart and calls us into action into the world. Our Meeting was blessed to have Daud in our community and he continues to be a blessing in this world. How do we step outside of our homogenous world and develop friendships and relationships with people different than us?

Beth

Joys & Concerns

Many thanks to everyone who helped at Mid-North Food Pantry last week: Linda L; Kathy R; Kathy and Bill F; Beth F; Tom Fisher; Dan H; Christie M; Jill, Ben, Verna and Nolan F; Carol and Jim D. Thanks to all of our dedicated volunteers.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

As we arrive at the half-way point through our 11-week Slow Movement Sermon Series, we are excited to invite you this Sunday, October 14, to engage and hear from the authors of the book that is the basis for the series, "Slow Church: Cultivating Community in the Patient Way of Jesus!" John Pattison and Chris Smith will be with us for a special Education Hour starting at 9:00am with a light breakfast being offered starting at 8:30am. As well, John and Chris will be sharing in Meeting for Worship and will also spend some time with our Affirmation Class after the service. Don't miss this Sunday as we hear the stories and learn about the Slow Church movement taking place throughout our world. See you on Sunday!

As a reminder, this Sunday October 14th is our second session of Affirmation for our youth. They will be dismissed after the sermon to begin their class, and will be joined later by John Pattison and Chris Smith, authors of Slow Church!

Small Groups ~ We are excited to offer spiritual growth small groups again this fall starting October 15th and continuing for a 5-week period (ending the week before Thanksgiving). In the past our small groups study sessions were an opportunity to deepen connections in a small group with Friends. We will be studying the book by Richard Rohr called “Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life.” In his book, Rohr seeks to help readers understand the tasks of the two halves of life and to show them that those who have fallen, failed, or "gone down" are the only ones who understand "up." Most of us tend to think of the second half of life as largely about getting old, dealing with health issues, and letting go of life, but the whole thesis of this book is exactly the opposite. What looks like falling down can largely be experienced as "falling upward." In fact, it is not a loss but somehow actually a gain, as we have all seen with elders who have come to their fullness. See below for current available sessions. Please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org with your preferred time or sign up on Sundays just outside of the sanctuary when you're at worship. We hope you will join us!

The Rohingya Refugee Crisis ~ Last August the government of Burma forced a million Muslim Rohingya from their homes in Burma into Bangladesh. The United Nations calls this genocide and a crime against humanity. Today, Wednesday, October 10, 7:00-8:30pm, the Indianapolis Peace & Justice Center invites everyone to come hear John Clark, board of the Indianapolis-based OBAT Helpers, one of the few nonprofits working in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. This event is free and open to the public. It will be held at the Indiana Interchurch Center, 1100 W. 42nd St. For more information, please visit www.indypeaceandjustice.org.

Shalom Zone Eco-Film - The next Shalom Zone Eco Film will be “Bidder 70”, which highlights the story of University of Utah economics student Tim DeChristopher, who in 2008 committed an act which would redefine patriotism in our time, igniting a spirit of civil disobedience in the name of climate justice. The film will be at St Pius X Church, 7200 Sarto Dr on Friday October 12th at 7:00 p.m. Everyone is invited. For more information see our flyer at https://goo.gl/2yekyo.

Recycling Event! The Shalom Zone plans to have its yearly recycling event with Recycle Force on Saturday, October 13 from 10:00am to 2:00pm. If an item runs (or used to run) with a plug or a battery you can recycle it! This year it will be held at Epworth United Methodist Church, 6450 Allisonville Rd. A $20 donation is requested for appliances containing Freon (fridges, freezers, ac units and dehumidifiers) and televisions. Other monetary contributions are greatly appreciated. This is a great opportunity to clean out your basement, garage, closets, attic and responsibly recycle unwanted electronics and appliances.

Political Polarization and the Need for Civil Discourse in the Time of Trump ~ Our own Jeff Rasley will be the main speaker at this local event, sponsored by Meridian Methodist Men's Group (women are welcome to attend). It will be held Saturday, October 13 at 8:00a.m. at Meridian Methodist Church, 5500 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis. An optional breakfast will be offered for $5. Please RSVP to Mary Sue McAlister at mmcalister@meridianstreet.org, if you plan to attend.

Alternatives to Violence Mini Workshops ~ Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) Indiana is hosting mini workshops using participants’ shared experience, interactive exercises and games to examine the ways we respond to situations where frustration can lead to anger and aggressive behavior through leadership development, community building and creative conflict management. These workshops are free and are for anyone who is interested in learning new and creative ways to respond to conflict in personal relationships and groups. The sessions are on the following Saturdays at Indianapolis Public Library branches:

October 13, 12:30-4:30pm at West Indianapolis Library, 1216 Kappes St, Indianapolis 46221

November 10, 10am-1:30pm at Brightwood Library, 2435 N Sherman Dr, Indianapolis 46218

December 8, 12:30-4:30pm at Wayne Library, 198 S Girls School Rd, Indianapolis 46231

For more information and to register, please visit https://avpindiana.org/registration-2/

Indy Festival of Faiths ~ We will be representing Quakers again this year at the Festival of Faiths! It will be this Sunday, October 14 from 1-5pm at the War Memorial downtown. There has never been a better time to celebrate central Indiana's richly diverse faith community. This year's theme is Compassion Through Action. They are asking everyone who attends the festival to bring a small donation of personal hygiene items for our neighbors in challenging circumstances. Soap, shampoo, combs and hair brushes, tampons, deodorant, toothpaste and tooth brushes will be collected at the festival and distributed to shelters and food pantries. There are a myriad of activities taking place inside the War Memorial and outside in Veterans Memorial Plaza. We are also looking for volunteers to help at our Quaker booth throughout the day. If you’re interested, please use the signup sheet in the Meetingroom hallway or contact the office at office@indyfriends.org. Come and stay however long you’re able—people coming early or staying late for setup and teardown would also be much appreciated! Thank you!

Sing-Along with Jim! ~ Mark your calendars for Friday, October 19th for an evening of music and fun with songs ranging from Dylan to Pete Seeger, Beetles to Stephen Foster. Some are sad, pensive, inspirational, patriotic, religious. We are now enlarging the songs and printing them, placing them in folders alphabetically, thus making a less labor-intensive process for all. Rise Up Singing and Rise Again are still useful in case we have more singers than folders. Please do bring your books. We begin at 7:00, end at 8:30 or soon after. Third Friday of the month, as usual!

Harvesting Seeds for Next Year’s Garden

The Community Garden has a small seed library and we often use seeds obtained from the Glendale Library. The oats we used for cover crops (to put nutrients back into the soil) came from the Glendale Library. Some of us collect seeds from our crops and save them for spring.

A great opportunity to learn more is at Saving and Sharing Seeds with Ben Cohen, a presentation slated for this Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Glendale Branch Library. See www.indypl.org.

Open-pollinated seeds, or OPs, retain their distinct characteristics for generations as long as they do not cross-pollinate with other types of the same species. You can collect seeds of annuals each year and harvest biennial seeds after the second season. Some plants self-seed. Perennials survive for many years and come up on their own. Beware of hybrid crop seeds since they may not produce true-to-breed. They are genetically unstable and are generally less vigorous. It is actually illegal to save and exchange some patented seeds. Globally we now have giant seed banks or vaults to preserve seeds through time for all humanity and to aid in conserving biodiversity. Hurrah!

Knowing when and how to collect seeds is important. Collect from the healthiest plants. Let peas and beans dry on the plant. Pick fleshy vegetables when ripe so you can scoop out their seeds. Separate the surrounding gel before you attempt to dry the seeds. Read up on this so you can avoid mold growth!

One way to store seeds is in a jar in the freezer. For others you may use envelopes or pill bottles as storage containers. Label with the date collected and the species variety. Most seeds require a cool, dark place. Potato and onion sets can be hung in mesh bags or stored in open boxes. Be sure to research temperature and humidity needs of each seed type according to your storage method. These variables affect longevity and viability. We want our seeds to live long and prosper so we can too!

--Nancy 🍂

Full Circle Festival ~ Again this year our own Ben W will be holding Full Circle Festival downtown on Saturday, October 20th. Full Circle Fest is an open-air dining experience, an interactive art fair, a zero-waste event, a fundraiser for sustainable community projects, and much more! There will also be local bands, performers, and DJs, as well as engaging games and activities. Every year we focus on a timely community issue to guide the day's events. This year’s focus is “Everyone should have access to fresh, healthy food.” Indianapolis ranks among the worst cities in the country for food deserts (urban areas in which it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food). Full Circle Fest is in need of your support to help bring this event to life. To donate, please drop your contributions in the offering plate or in the meeting office with the notation “Full Circle Fest”. An anonymous donor will match donations up to $500, so please consider supporting this important cause. For more information please visit https://fullcirclefest.com/.

Fall Festival! ~ Meridian Street Preschool Co-Op (MSPC) will be hosting their annual Fall Festival on Saturday October 20th from 4-6pm. It is held here at First Friends and is free and open to the public—so all are welcome to come and be a part of this fun evening. There will be face painting, pumpkin decorating, a bounce house, a chili cook-off, a raffle, and more! Costumes are welcome! We hope you will join us for the fun evening.

Seasoned Friends ~ Seasoned Friends will hold their annual weenie roast on Wednesday, October 24th. This year it will be at the historic Beem House in Spencer, Indiana. Our meal will consist of hotdogs, iced tea, chocolate chip cookies, and potato salad. We will meet at the Meetinghouse at 9:30 and carpool from there, or if you’d like to drive yourself, the address of the Beem House is 635 W Hillside Ave, Spencer, IN 47460. We will be back by 5pm. Please RSVP with the office at office@indyfriends.org or at 317-255-2485 and let us know if you will be joining the carpool. Come for a good meal, to hear the history of the house, and enjoy time with friends. We hope you will join us!

Oak Leaf Meeting for Reading ~ Join our Oak Leaf Meeting for Reading book group for Tuesday October 30th’s pick ~ The Hour of Land by Terry Tempest Williams. The discussion will be led by Bob Henry. Click on this link if you’d like see the New York Times review: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/05/books/review/the-hour-of-land-by-terry-tempest-williams.html. Interested in being on the Oak Leaf email list or would like the book list? Please contact office@indyfriends.org. Oak Leaf meets on the last Tuesday of each month in the Parlor at 7 pm. Come one, come all!

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Friend to Friend October 3, 2018

October 4, 2018

As Way Opens

Do you know the history of First Friend’s neighborhood? (Part 2)

In my last As Way Opens, I shared some of the early history of the location of our current Meetinghouse. This week, I want to take us back to the 1950s. The Glendale neighborhood was about to put the American suburban lifestyle on the map in Indianapolis, and First Friends would be showing up just in the nick of time.

First, let me give you some background. The Glendale area which is also geographically known as the Keystone-Kessler neighborhoods did not see significant development until after the First World War. Artificial barriers such as the Monon Rail Road and the State Fairgrounds kept residential areas from expanding north out of downtown. After the Great Depression of 1929 very little was residentially developed. That is until the 1930s, when apartments began being built just south of 46th street.

Demographically, our neighborhood has experienced significant change. From the 1950s through the 1980s there were great shifts in the racial character of the area. Large numbers of African American households moved into the southern regions of our neighborhood north of the Indiana State Fairgrounds. 49th to 53rd streets were filled with apartment complexes for multi-family and transitional housing (today, this area is experiencing a great deal of gentrification and change once again). Predominately white, single-family, and duplex housing occupied the northwestern and north-central portions, as well as, the northeastern section where our Meeting is located.

The Keystone-Kessler intersection saw major development in the post-World War II period. Proximity of upper- and middle-class post-war auto-oriented suburbs, such as Glendale on the northside of Indianapolis, stimulated the development of several auto related enterprises on Keystone Ave. including car dealerships and open-air shopping centers. Our neighborhood was known for some of the earliest “strip commercial” development in Indianapolis. In 1956, just prior to this residential and commercial boom, First Friends moved into the neighborhood. This would be considered “really good timing.”

Our first years in our new Glendale location would witness one of the most significant changes to Indianapolis. Within a stone’s throw of our new Meetinghouse would be one of the region’s first shopping malls. Glendale Mall was built in 1958 as an open-air shopping center. It was designed by mall pioneer Victor Gruen and Associates. The 685,000 square foot mall was a premier retail center in Indianapolis and boasted an impressive array of upscale retailers. Until Glendale’s construction, most major department stores in Indianapolis were located downtown. Glendale was frequently the first local branch store away from the established flagship locations downtown.

In the 1960s, Glendale Mall was converted to a covered mall seeing even more success. Sadly, in the 1970s a new fashion mall began being built just 3.2 miles north of Glendale off of Keystone. The Fashion Mall at Keystone would slowly draw away Glendale’s better-known tenants and be the demise of the glory days of Glendale Mall. Since then, it has gone through many changes including its current Glendale Town Center which has less of a mall and more of a community persona.

This leaves me questioning what is next for our neighborhood. Already people are describing us as being located in “extended Broad Ripple.” With the draw of urban living, bike lanes, community-friendly spaces, and opportunities for small entrepreneurs to start artisan and craft businesses, we may be on the verge of exciting times once again. Keep your eyes open and be aware of your neighborhood.

Sources: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glendale_Town_Center, “Keystone-Kessler Neighborhood Plan,” November, 1985, and https://newspapers.library.in.gov/.

Grace and peace,

Bob

Joys & Concerns

Congratulations to our own Nichole M, a German teacher at Hamilton Southeastern High School for recently receiving the Deutsch macht Spaß (German is fun) Grant from the American Association of Teachers of German to help promote German learning and engagement in and out of the classroom. She was awarded a little more than $300 to fund a project for her German students this semester. This story was also featured in a recent edition of the newspaper “Current in Fishers” and you can find the full article here: https://goo.gl/irZbmw (thanks to Amy P for the scan of the article). Congratulations, Nichole!

Quaker-Affiliated Organizations

IFCL Meeting ~ Everyone is invited to the next Indiana Friends Committee on Legislation (IFCL) meeting on Saturday, October 6 from 9-11am in the First Friends Parlor. IFCL is in the midst of restructuring and this is an open meeting to any who might be interested in IFCL or in giving feedback. Feel welcome to contact Diana Hadley (Dhadley@franklincollege.edu), Phil Goodchild (goodch713@aol.com) or Ed Morris (emorri@earthlink.net) with questions or suggestions regarding IFCL initiatives. We hope to see you there.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

All are invited on Sunday, October 14, to hear C. Christopher Smith and John Pattison, authors of Slow Church, speak at our Meeting. We will hold a light breakfast at 8:30 and have a combined youth and adult Sunday School class featuring our guests. Then Christopher and John will give the morning message during Meeting for Worship. Please come!

SAWS Ramp Build ~ The Shalom Zone is planning another SAWS ramp build. Please note that the date for the ramp build has been changed to Saturday, October 6th. SAWS is an organization that builds ramps for low income folks who need a ramp to enter/exit their homes. If you would like to volunteer to help or need more information, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org. Volunteers must complete the volunteer form before their first build. This form can be found on the SAWS website: http://sawsramps.org

The Creation by Haydn Indianapolis Symphonic Choir Performance ~ All are invited to the Indianapolis Symphonic choir’s performance on Sunday, October 7th at 6pm at Hilbert Circle Theater. Dan R and Bill P will both be performing. The 82nd season begins with Haydn’s oratorio The Creation, vividly depicting through the human voice and orchestra the creation story. Eric Stark conducts the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir and Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra in this performance that begins with the famous musical painting of void, chaos and all that follows. If ten or more people from First Friends go there is a 20% discount on tickets. For more information please visit https://indychoir.org/performances/haydn-creation/.

The Rohingya Refugee Crisis ~ Last August the government of Burma forced a million Muslim Rohingya from their homes in Burma into Bangladesh. The United Nations calls this genocide and a crime against humanity. On Wednesday, October 10, 7:00-8:3pm, the Indianapolis Peace & Justice Center invites everyone to come hear John Clark, board of the Indianapolis-based OBAT Helpers, one of the few nonprofits working in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. This event is free and open to the public. It will be held at the Indiana Interchurch Center, 1100 W. 42nd St. For more information, please visit www.indypeaceandjustice.org.

Shalom Zone Eco-Film - The next Shalom Zone Eco Film will be “Bidder 70”, which highlights the story of University of Utah economics student Tim DeChristopher, who in 2008 committed an act which would redefine patriotism in our time, igniting a spirit of civil disobedience in the name of Climate justice. The film will be at St Pius X Church, 7200 Sarto Dr on Friday October 12th at 7”00 p.m. Everyone is invited. For more information see our flyer at https://goo.gl/2yekyo.

Political Polarization and the Need for Civil Discourse in the Time of Trump ~ Our own Jeff R will be the main speaker at this local event, sponsored by Meridian Methodist Men's Group (women are welcome to attend). It will be held Saturday, October 13 at 8:00a.m. at Meridian Methodist Church, 5500 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis. An optional breakfast will be offered for $5. Please RSVP to Mary Sue McAlister at mmcalister@meridianstreet.org, if you plan to attend.

October 13, 12:30-4:30pm at West Indianapolis Library, 1216 Kappes St, Indianapolis 46221

November 10, 10am-1:30pm at Brightwood Library, 2435 N Sherman Dr, Indianapolis 46218

December 8, 12:30-4:30pm at Wayne Library, 198 S Girls School Rd, Indianapolis 46231

For more information and to register, please visit https://avpindiana.org/registration-2/

Lessons from the Garden

*Photo of the Community Garden by Chelsea T.*

Preparing the soil and environment is important.It is part of the groundwork to help plants thrive.Testing the soil for alkaline and acid makeup and determining if there are enough nutrients of the right kind for the crops you intend to grow is helpful.Testing for heavy metals is another useful step.After testing you can correct the growing medium.

Planting seeds requires attention. They must have the right amounts of sunlight and moisture. A garden must be weeded so the crops are not crowded out. Seedlings must be nurtured and protected. Unwelcome varmints that can interfere with growth and kill seedlings must be eliminated or decreased. Sometimes flowers can distract these creatures. Other times complementary crops can be planted together for company and to ward off disease and pests. Insects that prey upon undesirable bugs can be employed to guard the garden if other methods do not work.

Don’t feel like you must save all “volunteer” plants that crop up on their own in a new season. Focus on the crop you are planting. You save your energy and may prevent the spread of disease that volunteers may harbor. Volunteers may differ from their parent plants. For instance, tomatoes‘ progeny may be miniatures rather than the larger fruit of the previous generation. Sticking with your original garden plan may be the best idea. When your plan involves crop rotation to enrich soil and deter disease, some volunteers may be transplanted to other areas if you determine they are healthy and wanted.

Plant several types of the same species (e.g. Better Boy and Sungold tomatoes). Some may thrive during a particular season whereas others may fail to progress because of many variables such as drought and flood. Your chances of overall success increase in a garden with diversity.

Consider multiple perspectives and other possibilities when trying to solve a problem. Once I tried growing tomatoes with no luck at all and thought it was my missing green thumb. Turns out it was the walnut trees. They release a substance into the soil that is toxic to tomatoes. I had to plant tomatoes farther away where they were safer and could stand their ground.

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again—but not forever. Once I bought quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) seeds from a local store and tried to grow them for three seasons. They looked almost identical to a native weed, so I kept letting them grow. They did not grow, but that particular weed flourished. Finally, I discovered quinoa grows in mountainous regions and Indy’s small hills are closer to molehills than mountains. I encouraged the store to stop selling quinoa to trusting and unsuspecting customers. They complied.

Remove dead and withered plant parts. Disease can spread fast. Pick up debris from underneath plants since it can harbor fungi, pests and weeds.

Be patient and flexible. Consider a garden an experiment. Risk trying new things and learn from your mistakes and the wisdom and collective knowledge of fellow gardeners.

Harvest your crops and be grateful for the miracle of life. Be thankful for the cooperation of the elements and creatures like pollinators and earthworms. Realize the gifts you are contributing by tending the garden—the miracle of your own body and brain. Enjoy what you do not need to do for your garden because God does it for you. God completes the part you cannot accomplish alone. So does the community of which you are an integral part. You are both blessed and a blessing.

“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?”

-Matthew 6:26

--Nancy 🌺

Indy Festival of Faiths ~ We will be representing Quakers again this year at the Festival of Faiths! It will be on Sunday, October 14 from 1-5pm at the War Memorial downtown. There has never been a better time to celebrate central Indiana's richly diverse faith community. This year's theme is Compassion Through Action. They are asking everyone who attends the festival to bring a small donation of personal hygiene items for our neighbors in challenging circumstances. Soap, shampoo, combs and hair brushes, tampons, deodorant, toothpaste and tooth brushes will be collected at the festival and distributed to shelters and food pantries. There are a myriad of activities taking place inside the War Memorial and outside in Veterans Memorial Plaza. We are also looking for volunteers to help at our Quaker booth throughout the day. If you’re interested, please use the signup sheet in the Meetingroom hallway or contact the office at office@indyfriends.org. Come and stay however long you’re able—people coming early or staying late for setup and teardown would also be much appreciated! Thank you!

Full Circle Festival ~ Again this year our own Ben W will be holding Full Circle Festival downtown on Saturday, October 20th. Full Circle Fest is an open-air dining experience, an interactive art fair, a zero-waste event, a fundraiser for sustainable community projects, and much more! There will also be local bands, performers, and DJs, engaging games and activities. Every year we focus on a timely community issue to guide the day's events. This year’s focus is “Everyone should have access to fresh, healthy food.” Indianapolis ranks among the worst cities in the country for food deserts (urban areas in which it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food). Full Circle Fest is in need of your support to help bring this event to life. To donate, please drop your contributions in the offering plate or in the meeting office with the notation “Full Circle Fest”. An anonymous donor will match donations up to $500, so please consider supporting this important cause. For more information please visit https://fullcirclefest.com/.

Seasoned Friends ~ Seasoned Friends will hold their annual weenie roast on Wednesday, October 24th. This year it will be at the historic Beem House in Spencer, IN. Our meal will consist of hotdogs, iced tea, chocolate chip cookies, and potato salad. We will carpool from the Meetinghouse that day. Come for a good meal, to hear the history of the house, and enjoy time with friends. Stay tuned for more details.

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Friend to Friend September 26, 2018

October 1, 2018

As Way Opens

This past Sunday night First Friends hosted a service appreciation dinner for 8 of our weighty Friends that have spent many years in service and faithful commitment to our community and have served in so many ways over the years (clerks, committees, new ministries, service projects, small groups, spiritual development etc). This event was started a number of years ago as several folks (led by Jim Donahue) lamented the fact that we don’t share how we really feel about folks until they are gone. Wouldn’t it be wonderful for our friends to hear the impact they have had on us now! These friends and so many before them have sustained First Friends through many changes, have supported the various ministries and have showed us how to live through the joys and sorrows of life. I am thankful for each person that we recognized last Sunday night and over the last 15 years and their impact on my faith journey. May we all share our appreciation in verbal and tangible ways to each other.

The same evening, we had 7 of our youth (6th - 10th grade) join us to prep and serve tables, clear away dishes and learn how to run our industrial size dishwasher and wash all dishes and put away our food. These kids were amazing and everyone attending the dinner felt a sense of hope and future of Quakerism watching these youth work as a team, be helpful and gracious and work their tails off. I was so proud of them (I know Quakers aren’t supposed to feel pride but sometimes it just pops out) and loved to watch them honor and appreciate these friends in the room. My heart was full of joy to see the intersection of young and old connecting in a room full of God’s presence. God knits us all together in a mystical and profound way.

Beth

Joys & Concerns

We thank our volunteers for serving at the Mid-North Food Pantry last week: Kathy R, Dan H, Christie M, Tom F, Kathy and Bill F, Linda and Rik L, and Carol and Jim D.

Quaker-Affiliated Organizations

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Buddy Bags ~ The Shalom Zone is continuing its support of Allisonville Elementary School and the food insecurity issue by providing Buddy Bags to some of its more vulnerable students during school breaks. First Friends plans to provide Buddy Bags prior to Fall break. You can help by taking a tag which will have certain food items listed, purchasing such items in the quantity noted, and putting them into the box on the stage in Fellowship Hall. The Buddy Bags will be delivered the first week of October, so we will need the items no later than September 28. Together, we can work to make life in our community a little bit better. Thanks for your help.

Full Circle Festival ~ Again this year our own Ben W will be holding Full Circle Festival downtown on Saturday, October 20th. Full Circle Fest is an open-air dining experience, an interactive art fair, a zero-waste event, a fundraiser for sustainable community projects, and much more! There will also be local bands, performers, and DJs, engaging games and activities. Every year we focus on a timely community issue to guide the day's events. This year’s focus is “Everyone should have access to fresh, healthy food.” Indianapolis ranks among the worst cities in the country for food deserts (urban areas in which it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food). Full Circle Fest is in need of your support to help bring this event to life. To donate, please drop your contributions in the offering plate or in the meeting office with the notation “Full Circle Fest”. An anonymous donor will match donations up to $500, so please consider supporting this important cause. For more information please visit https://fullcirclefest.com/.

Underneath It All ~ In the fall some of our thoughts turn toward school children, cooler weather and the importance of underwear. For maybe 8 or 10 years First Friends has been donating underwear to the John H. Boner Center on the near east side. Social workers there have it on hand to give to children in need. This includes some preschoolers on up through high school, so a variety of sizes are needed. If shopping for underwear is not your favorite thing, a check will be welcomed. There will be a donation box in Fellowship Hall. Questions? Ask Linda L

Shalom Zone movie - The next Shalom Zone Eco Film will be Bidder 70, which highlights the story of University of Utah economics student Tim DeChristopher, who in 2008 committed an act which would redefine patriotism in our time, igniting a spirit of civil disobedience in the name of Climate justice. The film will be at St Pius X Church, 7200 Sarto Dr on Friday October 12th at 7”00 p.m. Everyone is invited.

Meditational Woods Bird of the Month: September

Ruby-throated Hummingbird – A Energetic Friend

This little guy (yes, I drew the male with its red throat; the female lacks the red patch) can be seen flying across the parking lot and Parker Street to visit the two houses with hummingbird feeders. I also have seen hummingbirds visiting the flowers in the garden and sitting on power line wires above the east edge of the parking lot. Because they fly into the meditational woods, it is possible they nest there, especially in the pine trees. A nest has yet to be discovered. Maybe next year! As you read this most hummingbirds will be leaving to make their way south for the winter.

Those folks who put out feeders will attest to the fact that hummingbirds are quite jealous and can expend both time and energy to keep others away from a feeder. While there are usually four perches on a feeder, one bird may chase away any others that try to occupy even just one of the other perches. With a species so dependent on getting energy for their fast-moving wings, one would think the idea would be to conserve energy and share as a community! But no! It reminds me of humans (like me) who likewise seem to expend much energy in needless worry and wasted overactivity that may freeze up the mind, making things worse. There’s a sermon in there somewhere. I’ll leave that to other Friends.

I often hear hummingbirds before I see them. It’s not the hum of their wings I hear. It is a chattering sound they make in flight. It is quite distinctive, unlike any other sound in nature. By the time I spot the individual, usually it has flown on by. Hearing it chatter while it is feeding among flowers gives a better chance to observe this little friend.

~Brad J

SAVE THE DATE! We need your blood on Sunday, December 2nd. We are having a blood drive from in Fellowship Hall. Keep an eye out for more details in coming months!

The Rohingya Refugee Crisis ~ Last August the government of Burma forced a million Muslim Rohingya from their homes in Burma into Bangladesh. The United Nations calls this genocide and a crime against humanity. On Wednesday, October 10, 7:00-8:3pm, the Indianapolis Peace & Justice Center invites everyone to come hear John Clark, board of the Indianapolis-based OBAT Helpers, one of the few nonprofits working in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. This event is free and open to the public. It will be held at the Indiana Interchurch Center, 1100 W. 42nd St. For more information, please visit www.indypeaceandjustice.org.

October 13, 12:30-4:30pm at West Indianapolis Library, 1216 Kappes St, Indianapolis 46221

November 10, 10am-1:30pm at Brightwood Library, 2435 N Sherman Dr, Indianapolis 46218

December 8, 12:30-4:30pm at Wayne Library, 198 S Girls School Rd, Indianapolis 46231

For more information and to register, please visit https://avpindiana.org/registration-2/

First Day of Fall: A Boon for Community Gardeners

It is a joy to work outside on a cool autumn day when the sun is shining. Thanks to the people who showed up on the first day of fall for the Community Garden Work Day and Harvest Picnic! We were blessed with a gorgeous day, perfect for gardeners. A few people who are not regular First Friends gardeners also came. Rick donated a weed eater to the Meeting and then stayed to help.

Workers applied butcher oil on raised bed frame wood and pulled up rotted wood from frames needing repair. Children and adults participated by sorting our seed library; photographing and mapping garden plots for future reference; planting oat cover crops to overwinter and enrich soil; labeling and cleaning tools and equipment; weed eating overgrown plots and aisles; disposing of diseased and buggy plants and composting healthy, spent crops. Some gardeners preferred cutting and leaving spent crops in place, and then digging them under or covering them. Thanks to Dan for keeping the garage tidy. We shared mini bouquets, tomatoes and herbs with the Meeting. Here is a peek of our day. –Nancy

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Friend to Friend September 19, 2018

September 19, 2018

As Way Opens

This past Sunday, during my sermon I asked everyone several queries. One being, Do you know the history of First Friends’ neighborhood? A couple of weeks ago, I began compiling some of our neighborhood’s history and it has uncovered a great deal of fascinating information. Below is “Part 1” of my findings.

In 1821, the land surrounding where our meeting currently stands was a 400-acre farm owned by Hiram and Mary Bacon. Their farm stretched from what today is Glendale Town Center all the way south to The Donut Shop on Keystone Ave. Actually, The Donut Shop sits where the Bacon homestead originally did in 1821.

On the east side of the homestead (approx. the Meijer parking lot) stood a large barn. In 1931, the Indianapolis Star reported that it contained a wheat bin, which could be entered only from outside by a ladder. In that day it was usually concealed by large piles of hay. The Bacon homestead and barn became known as a major stop within Indiana on the Underground Railroad helping fugitive slaves escape.

The draw for fleeing slaves in this area was the Bacon Swamp which was created by a melting Wisconsin Glacier about 20,000 years ago. The swamp which evolved into a peat bog, was a remote and difficult area to navigate, thus fleeing slaves found it a place to hide. All that is left of the Bacon Swamp and bogs, today, are a couple small ponds just south of Bishop Chatard High School and west of Meijer off Keystone Ave.

The Bacons were not natives of Indiana. Hiram was from Williamstown, Massachusetts, a Presbyterian by faith who studied law at Williams College. Due to poor health, Hiram joined the government surveying expedition, which introduced him to Indiana when he was 19. At the age of 21, Hiram married Mary Blair and moved to the area in which our Meeting now resides.

As Presbyterians, the Bacons became friends with abolitionist Henry Ward Beecher, brother of novelist Harriet Beecher Stowe, when he served as minister of Second Presbyterian Church downtown. Beecher often came out to Bacon’s Swamp in the 1840’s when this was a remote part of Marion County.

In 1835, the Bacons deeded the land located today at Keystone and Kessler, to Washington Township for the specific purpose of creating a cemetery. It was appropriately named Bacon Cemetery and is considered one of Indianapolis’ earliest cemeteries. Some may have heard of two other cemeteries in the vicinity – the Dawson and Culbertson (closer to Rural Ave.). However, when Crown Hill opened in 1864, many of the bodies were relocated.

George Edward Kessler, one of the 20th century’s preeminent landscape architects, opted to route his new road directly through this area and also the cluster of cemeteries. Due to George Kessler’s drive to finish his new road, his love for the automobile, and the speedy development of homes surrounding the new street, he paved and built directly over graves that had not previously been relocated to Crown Hill.

In 1984, Dorothea Sargent took it upon herself to spare what was left of the Bacon cemetery. This left the small plot of land on the southeast corner of Keystone and Kessler which today is considered The Dickerson-Sargent Memorial. Believed to be buried on that corner are Robert Dickerson, a private in the 2nd Virginia Regiment of the American Revolutionary War and his wife, Nancy. Also, Dorothea had John Jacob Sargent buried on this spot after he passed in 1991. John Jacob Sargent was the great-great-great grandson of John Sargent, a missionary from Stockbridge, Massachusetts who was the subject of an unfinished Norman Rockwell painting. The painting depicted Sargent meeting with Chief Konkapot who had requested that he convert the Mahican tribe to Christianity.

Be watching for more to come about our neighborhood in future “As Way Opens.” Meanwhile, as you drive around, take a look at what all you see and the history that lies all around us.

[Info from: Hoosier State Chronicles (https://newspapers.library.in.gov/) and https://historicindianapolis.com/]

Grace and peace,

Bob

Joys & Concerns

Talk to Congress! In these confusing days, it is important to keep communication happening! That is why during September we will have this table set up in our Fellowship Hall with ways to keep communication happening with our congressional representatives. No matter what political leanings you have, this is your right as a citizen of America. Speak Truth to Power and make your voice heard!

New Sign Coming! Now that the Crab Apple tree has come down, some of us are getting excited about our new sign! Here are the renderings! Thanks to our Trustees, especially Cindy Small for working with the city and the contractors to make this happen. The brick will match our building and present clear identification for our meetinghouse. Our address numbers will be visible on the ends of the sign from both directions. We hope to see this happening really soon! Be watching!

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Threshing Together ~ This Thursday night, September 20th, the men of First Friends and their guests will be celebrating the one-year anniversary of gathering and Threshing Together at 7pm on the 3rd Thursday of each month.

Our first year of “threshings” found us in a variety of neighborhoods where the men of First Friends abide. These gatherings provided needed socialization and comradery for nearly 50 different men at our 10 venues last year. The only changes for this coming year will be a variety of new venues and a new name, Threshing Together!

If you are interested in gathering with men who mull over current issues or topics, where all points of view are heard, no decisions are made, and all in a non-threatening atmosphere over a meal, then Threshing Together is for you! Join us. See locations here: https://goo.gl/HosLVg

Sing-Along with Jim! ~ Mark your calendars for Friday, September 21 for an evening of music and fun with songs ranging from Dylan to Pete Seeger, Beetles to Stephen Foster. Some are sad, pensive, inspirational, patriotic, religious. We are now enlarging the songs and printing them, placing them in folders alphabetically, thus making a less labor-intensive process for all. Rise Up Singing and Rise Again are still useful in case we have more singers than folders. Please do bring your books. We begin at 7:00, end at 8:30 or soon after. Third Friday of the month, as usual!

Join our Oak Leaf Meeting for Reading book group on Tuesday, September 25 for September’s pick ~ Sourdough by Robin Sloan. If you are interested in being on the Oak Leaf email list or would like the book list, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org. Oak Leaf meets on the last Tuesday of each month in the Parlor at 7 pm, everyone is welcome.

Invite to Saturday’s Harvest Picnic and Work Day; Heavy Morning Rain Will Postpone Event

Everyone, including non-gardeners, is invited to the Harvest Picnic and Garden Work Day this Saturday, September 22 at 9 a.m. Feel free to come for the work day, the picnic, or both. The Picnic is a pitch-in. Rain is in the forecast and we are hoping it is dry in the morning. We can move the picnic to the Parlor if needed. If it is a drenching rain in the a.m. we will postpone the work and the picnic. Remember to bring your oats from the Glendale Library if you want to plant a cover crop!

Service Appreciation Dinner ~ All are invited to share memories and stories about several of our treasured members who have admirably served First Friends over the years. Please reserve this Sunday, September 23, 5:30-8:30, for this exciting free dinner and program. This year’s honorees include Judy and Clarence D, Tom F, Bev and Dan H, Barbara O, Dan R, and Gary & Cheryll W. Please let us know if you would like to attend-- see the sign-up sheet on the table in the hallway or contact the office at office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485.

Full Circle Festival ~ Again this year our own Ben W will be holding Full Circle Festival downtown. Full Circle Fest is an open-air dining experience, an interactive art fair, a zero-waste event, a fundraiser for sustainable community projects, and much more! There will also be local bands, performers, and DJs, engaging games and activities. Every year we focus on a timely community issue to guide the day's events. This year’s focus is “Everyone should have access to fresh, healthy food.” Indianapolis ranks among the worst cities in the country for food deserts (urban areas in which it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food). Full Circle Fest is in need of your support to help bring this event to life. To donate, please drop your contributions in the offering plate or in the meeting office with the notation “Full Circle Fest”. An anonymous donor will match donations up to $500, so please consider supporting this important cause. For more information please visit https://fullcirclefest.com/.

RSWR Stamp Newsletter – Volume 1! As you may know, in December 2017, Indy First Friends assumed the role of stamp processor for Right Sharing of World Resources (RSWR). Amy P, who currently heads the program in conjunction with Brad J, and other volunteers have been busy working since then. If you’d like to see what they’ve been up to, you can read their first newsletter here: https://goo.gl/KkETHa. As of August 14, we've taken in $1,012 for RSWR! Thank you to everyone who is making this program possible and supporting RSWR!

Meditational Woods Bird of the Month: September

Ruby-throated Hummingbird – A Energetic Friend

~Brad J

SAVE THE DATE! We need your blood on Sunday, December 2nd. We are having a blood drive from in Fellowship Hall. Keep an eye out for more details in coming months!

Non-Lethal Ways to Control Nuisance Animals in the Garden, Part II

Animals may be cute, but they can be hazardous to a garden. Some gardeners plant extra knowing that the native creatures will consume a portion. In the last garden article we explored short-term solutions for managing nuisance animals. Since we want to save most of the feast for ourselves rather than our local wildlife, we will discuss long-term solutions for fending off damage. So move over Rocky Raccoon and all rabbits, deer, moles, woodchucks, voles and chipmunks. Mercifully, we are focusing on non-lethal methods, leaving the lethal to the “guard hawks” system devised by Mother Nature. Most information provided here is from the Purdue Extension-Marion County City Gardener Program course. The course helps one to grow a greener thumb.

LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS

EXCLUSION

Install a buried wire fence around gardens. Use galvanized wire or hardware cloth with a small mesh. One-inch mesh will exclude rabbits while one-fourth to one-half inch mesh is necessary for smaller animals. Bury the fence at least one foot into the ground or make a “skirt” to discourage animals from digging beneath it. Hardware cloth can be extended perpendicular to a fence and tent-staked or garden-stapled down. This can be covered with soil and a bed of flowers or secured with rocks to keep animals out.

· Repair leaky faucets, hydrants and irrigation systems.

CULTURAL

Till soil.
Grow plants less susceptible to damage.

TRAPPING

Live trap or box trap and relocate problem animals. Check traps two to three times a day. Take precautions against bites. Before relocating consider how the animal’s welfare can be threatened by relocation since animals are acclimated to living in particular environments where they know their neighbors and predators. They know where they can find food and water and where they can find safe places to rest. Such knowledge is unknown when an animal is relocated. In addition, introduction to a new environment can cause territorial disputes among animals and may spread disease since creatures tend to take over the habitats of previous tenants. A gardener should get permission from land owners before releasing animals onto their property. By law, captured wildlife must be released back into the same county from whence they came.

HABITAT MODIFICATION

Block access to hiding places by removing brush, lumber and rock piles. Reduce mulch depth if needed. Mow grass on a regular basis.
Screen or enclose compost piles.
Destroy burrows; fill entrance and exit holes.

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Deterring animals before they become regulars at your garden is important so plan ahead. I hope this article is helpful. Let me know if there are garden topics you would like to see in future issues. Meanwhile, read the advice of one poet as he ponders over animals and considers the options from the animal’s perspective:

Early Bird

Oh, if you’re a bird, be an early bird

And catch the worm for your breakfast plate.

If you’re a bird, be an early early bird—

But if you’re a worm, sleep late.

--Shel Silverstein

~Nancy 🍁

Just Faith: Living Compassionately ~ All are invited to an 8-week small group opportunity at Epworth United Methodist Church. JustFaith allows participants to gain deeper understanding of contemporary issues through the lens of Christian faith. In this first phase, we will cover the topic of living compassionately by caring for the poor, in which participants will focus on poverty, consumerism, and the Gospel call to care for the poor. The times and dates are:

Mondays | 6PM | Beginning September 24

Thursdays | 10AM | Beginning September 27

To enroll please contact Pat Engel- engelp@epworthindy.org.

The Creation by Haydn Indianapolis Symphonic Choir Performance ~ All are invited to the Indianapolis Symphonic choir’s performance on Sunday, October 7th at 6pm. Dan R and Bill P will both be performing. The 82nd season begins with Haydn’s oratorio The Creation, vividly depicting through the human voice and orchestra the creation story. Eric Stark conducts the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir and Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra in this performance that begins with the famous musical painting of void, chaos and all that follows. If ten or more people from First Friends go there is a 20% discount on tickets. Stay tuned for more information, or see Dan R.

The Rohingya Refugee Crisis ~ Last August the government of Burma forced a million Muslim Rohingya from their homes in Burma into Bangladesh. The United Nations calls this genocide and a crime against humanity. On Wednesday, October 10, 7:00-8:3pm, the Indianapolis Peace & Justice Center invites everyone to come hear John Clark, board of the Indianapolis-based OBAT Helpers, one of the few nonprofits working in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. This event is free and open to the public. It will be held at the Indiana Interchurch Center, 1100 W. 42nd St. For more information, please visit www.indypeaceandjustice.org.

October 13, 12:30-4:30pm at West Indianapolis Library, 1216 Kappes St, Indianapolis 46221

November 10, 10am-1:30pm at Brightwood Library, 2435 N Sherman Dr, Indianapolis 46218

December 8, 12:30-4:30pm at Wayne Library, 198 S Girls School Rd, Indianapolis 46231

For more information and to register, please visit https://avpindiana.org/registration-2/

Poverty 101 Class ~ The Shalom Zone is pleased to be hosting Tim Streett and his Poverty 101 course at First Friends on Monday evenings at 7 pm through October 15. Feel free to come for any or all remaining sessions. A donation of $20 is requested for the course and scholarships are available for anyone who would like one. Simply notify the First Friends office. All proceeds will go to the Shepherd Community Center.

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Friend to Friend September 12, 2018

September 17, 2018

As Way Opens

I was watching the US Open Tennis Championships last week and an advertisement kept coming on the TV for a new app for my smart phone called the “Calming App”. For $60 a year or $300 for a lifetime, I can relax to nature sounds, take some guided meditations and track how often I enter the app to calm myself. The promotions say that the app will:

Provide statistics and meditation tracking along with optional daily reminders
Provide customizable audio and visual cues to support relaxation
Provide a robust curriculum including stories to help with sleep
Provide a new “Daily Calm” meditation each day

I realize how much our world is craving silence, meditation and the ability to unplug and enter into a stream of consciousness going deep within ourselves and our sense of God within. We are driving ourselves crazy trying to keep up, keep busy, keep connected, keep plugged in electronically and keep up appearances that we are happy and fulfilled. We are spinning ourselves into an abyss of sadness, isolation and depression.

I am so glad Bob is entering into a message series on Slow Church and how we connect with ourselves, our community and our God. I became a Quaker 25 years ago because I was craving a real worship experience, a time of silence that forced me to become quiet and still my mind and open my heart to the pulsing of God, and in my best moments entering a mystical experience of transcendence beyond myself. I was raised in a holiness tradition, but our time of unprogrammed worship has truly been holy for me. I have been re-reading Parker Palmer’s book, Let Your Life Speak this week and this quote spoke to my heart, “The key to this form of community involves holding a paradox - the paradox of having relationships in which we protect each other’s aloneness. We must come together in ways that respect the solitude of the soul, that avoid the unconscious violence we do when we try to save each other, that evoke our capacity to hold another life without dishonoring its mystery, never trying to coerce the other into meeting our own needs.”

I am so thankful for this community at First Friends that holds the paradox of contemplation, relationship, and action.

One of my favorite verses in the Bible for my whole life - Psalm 46:10 – “Be still and know that I am God.” I keep working on that!

Beth

Joys & Concerns

Congratulations to Chrissy and Trent S! On September 5th at 8:59am they welcomed Foster Lee to their family. 7lbs 2 oz, 20 1/2 inches long. He shares a birthday with his dad Trent. What a blessing!

Thank you to all who helped with the food pantry last week. We were very busy...113 families served! Volunteers: Dan H, Ray G, Kathy R, Bill and Kathy F, Beth F, Rik and Linda L, Ben, Jill, Verna and Nolan F, Carol and Jim D. Thank you for your service!

What a great Sunday School Kickoff! This past Sunday we kicked off Sunday School for all ages! We had a great time at breakfast and it was so fun to see everybody show up in their PJs! Thank you to everyone who made this year’s kickoff a success! (Photos by Bob Henry and Kathy Rhyne.) See more photos for this and many other events on our facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Indyfriends!

We had a great turnout for our first night with Tim Streett and Poverty 101 with our fellow Shalom Zone Churches. We explored the differences between those in poverty and the middle class. There were fascinating discoveries about the differences in how we see things. The series will continue every Monday night at 7pm through October 15th and each topic is standalone so you can come to as many or as few as you are able. We hope you will join us. (Photo by Bob Henry)

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Participate in our "Sponsor a College Student" project! Just select a college student off the board set up in the meetinghouse and send them notes, cards, treats, etc throughout the school year so they hear from someone at the Meeting and feel connected. We still have three students who need to be sponsored! Please make sure these students aren’t left out! Please take a student off the board or contact the office if you’re interested.

IFCL Open Meeting ~ Everyone is invited to the next Indiana Friends Committee on Legislation (IFCL) meeting on Saturday, September 15 from 9-11am in the First Friends Parlor. IFCL is in the midst of restructuring and this is an open meeting to any who might be interested in IFCL or in giving feedback. Feel welcome to contact Diana Hadley (Dhadley@franklincollege.edu), Phil Goodchild (goodch713@aol.com) or Ed Morris (emorri@earthlink.net) with questions or suggestions regarding IFCL initiatives. We hope to see you there.

Mark your Calendars! Quaker Affirmation is coming up. This affirmation program for our junior and senior high school youth will run 11:00am – 1:00pm, starting this Sunday September 16, then run every second Sunday through April before wrapping up on May 5.

Slow Church Sermon Series ~ Each Sunday we are going to explore together what a “slow movement” looks like for First Friends. As we kick off Sunday School on September 9th, Bob Henry will lay a foundation for the roots of this slow movement and why it is especially important in our fast-paced society. This invitation to explore outside of what is labeled “franchise faith” and back into the Kingdom of God – where people know each other well and love one another as Christ loved the church – is instrumental in developing an ongoing vision for First Friends. We hope you will plan to join us for this exploration during the Fall months.

Buddy Bags ~ The Shalom Zone is continuing its support of Allisonville Elementary School and the food insecurity issue by providing Buddy Bags to some of its more vulnerable students during school breaks. First Friends plans to provide Buddy Bags prior to Fall break. You can help by taking a tag which will have certain food items listed, purchasing such items in the quantity noted, and putting them into the box on the stage in Fellowship Hall. The Buddy Bags will be delivered the first week of October so we will need the items no later than September 28. Together, we can work to make life in our community a little bit better. Thanks for your help.

Shalom Zone Eco-Film: Inside the GARBAGE of the World ~ All are invited to join us for the next Eco-Film on Friday, September 14 at 7:00pm, hosted by Allisonville Christian Church (7701 Allisonville Rd). Our film will be “Inside the Garbage of the World.” This informative, hard-hitting film reveals the truth about plastic pollution and how it is harming the oceans and threatening human safety. Every item of plastic that has ever been created is still with us on the planet today. In the mid 50’s we were told that plastic was suitable for single use and could simply be thrown away. We now know that to be untrue, yet we continue to treat it as such. We hope this film will raise awareness of the serious threat of plastic pollution, to our oceans and to our very existence.

Threshing at the Tap: (def.) a gathering of men who mull over current issues or topics, where all points of view are heard, no decisions are made, and beverages and food are enjoyed. This month we will be returning to Blind Owl Brewery—where we kicked it all off last year! It will be Thursday, September 20th at 7pm. The address is 5014 E 62nd St, Indianapolis, 46220. We hope to see you there!

Growing Quaker Values ~ Ready to PLANT a seed for the future? Ready to put Quaker values to work through philanthropy? Join FUM for a casual and free planned giving workshop with Mimi Blackwell, Planned Giving Program Manager at Friends Fiduciary. It will be held Thursday, September 20th from 2-3pm or from 7-8:30pm at Friends Fellowship Community in Richmond. Enjoy refreshments and fellowship with others from our community while learning ways planned giving could benefit you and the Quaker organizations you appreciate. Whether you have multiple gifts already in place or are just beginning to think about ways planned giving can meet your philanthropic goals, this is a great place to start. For more information and to register for this free event, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/growing-quaker-values-collaborative-educational-session-about-planned-giving-tickets-48964414883?aff=erellivmlt

Community Garden Update
Non-Lethal Ways to Control Nuisance Animals in the Garden

Animal pests can be a challenge to the gardener.It is better to exclude and deter them before they habitually consume the garden goodies you grow. In past issues we have discussed countermeasures against insects.In this issue we address ideas to contain damage caused by raccoons, rabbits, deer, moles, woodchucks, voles and chipmunks. Introducing dogs and cats as garden predators would do more harm than good (contamination and trampling); wolves and coyotes are impractical. The Community Garden has its “guard hawks” but Mother Nature arranged that scenario. This article outlines non-lethal animal damage management options. Most of this information is gleaned from the Purdue Extension-Marion County City Gardener Program course.It is a great way to develop a greener thumb!

SHORT-TERM SOLUTIONS

FRIGHTENING

Scarecrows, owl or snake predator figurines, flags, pinwheels, audio distress calls, aluminum pans, Mylar tape and strobe lights. Sections of a hose may be made to resemble a snake.

REPELLANTS

Repellants can affect taste, odor or an animal’s tactile sense. Use repellants sparingly and only on plants you particularly want to protect. Otherwise everything may taste and smell the same. Then a hungry creature may eat everything in your garden. Few pesticides are labeled to kill animal species. Most are repellants that do not kill. Using pesticides against animals not listed on labels violates federal and state laws. Tactile: Chicken wire covering ground around plants like corn will repel raccoons because they do not like to walk over it. Prickly pumpkin and winter squash vines can serve the same purpose. To deter rabbits, surrounding row crops with spiny holly trimmings or sweet gum balls can be effective. Odor-based: Blood meal, predator urine, garlic, human or animal hair, rotten eggs, strong-smelling soap, and synthetic chemicals are examples. Well-worn clothing and old leather shoes can scare away rabbits. Taste-based: capsaicin (substance that makes hot peppers hot), essential oils, garlic oil and synthetic substances are included. Be sure to protect yourself when applying repellants. Wash yourself and your clothing after using. Check the shelf life of commercial products and try out small amounts before buying larger quantities. Check for duplicate ingredients in products when you are intending to deter multiple species. Similar products may work for more than one species.

EXCLUSION

Mesh fences can be curved like a tunnel over plants to keep deer from them. The two tunnel ends can be covered with chicken wire. Cloches may keep small animals away from crops.

HABIT MODIFICATION

Motion detectors can trigger a blast of water. (Once I accidentally watered a baby bunny hiding beneath big veggie leaves. It had done a great job hiding, but the poor thing emerged drenched and ran away somewhat traumatized.)
Destroy burrows and modify roosting sites.

********************

Laws do impact what action one takes against wildlife. Some practices are decidedly illegal. If a gardener uses chemicals, labels should be scrutinized and directions followed carefully. Home remedies (bleach, pesticides and antifreeze) should never be used on vertebrate animals because of dangers to people and pets. Such poisons are against the law! Ultrasonic methods are not sanctioned by the State Chemical Office. Such methods do not work according to the Extension Cooperative, even though they are still sold.

May you practice the Quaker testimony of stewardship wisely, seeking harmony with all of creation.

~Nancy 🍁

Community Garden Work Day & Harvest Picnic ~ Everyone is invited to the next Community Garden Work Day on Saturday, September 22 at 9:00am. We will also hold a special pitch-in harvest picnic! This will be held outside, unless in the case of inclement weather, in which case it will be held in the Parlor. We hope you will join us!

Mondays | 6PM | Beginning September 24
Thursdays | 10AM | Beginning September 27
To enroll please contact Pat Engel- engelp@epworthindy.org.

SAWS Ramp Build ~ The Shalom Zone is planning another SAWS ramp build for the morning of Saturday, September 29. SAWS is an organization that builds ramps for low income folks who need a ramp to enter/exit their homes. If you would like to volunteer to help or need more information, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org. Volunteers must complete the volunteer form before their first build. This form can be found on the SAWS website: http://sawsramps.org

Poverty 101 Class ~ The Shalom Zone is pleased to be hosting Tim Streett and his Poverty 101 course at First Friends on Monday evenings at 7 pm beginning on September 10. The course will run for 6 consecutive Monday evenings through October 15 and last approximately 90 minutes per session. Tim works for The Shepherd Community Center and has developed this course to help folks gain a better understanding of what poverty is really all about in contrast to what those, who have not lived in poverty, think it is all about. Tim has intentionally lived among those in poverty and has developed a unique understanding that he believes is helpful to those who take his course to be better equipped to help deal with poverty situations. Don’t worry if you cannot attend each week as Tim says there is powerful learning each week that you are able to attend. You can sign up for the course on the sheet in the corner of the hallway or by notifying the First Friends office. A donation of $20 is requested for the course and scholarships are available for anyone who would like one. Simply notify the First Friends office. All proceeds will go to the Shepherd Community Center.

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Friend to Friend September 5, 2018

September 5, 2018

As Way Opens

This coming first day is what we call Kick-Off Sunday at First Friends. We will resume our education hour with study opportunities, choir, and children’s programming. It is also a kick-off to a new teaching series for our first day meetings for worship. Back in 2014 my friend John Pattison and his co-author, Chris Smith wrote a book titled, Slow Church: Cultivating Community in the Patient Way of Jesus. In an almost ironic kind of way, the two faith communities highlighted in this book were my former Quaker meeting in Silverton, OR (where John attends and helps lead) and Englewood Christian Church (where Chris attends and helps lead) in the Englewood neighborhood of Indianapolis, IN.

During the fall months of September, October, and November, we are going to explore together each Sunday what a “slow movement” looks like for First Friends. During the Kick-Off this Sunday, I plan to lay a foundation for the roots of this slow movement and why it is especially important in our fast-paced society. John and Chris’s invitation to explore outside of what they label “franchise faith” and back into the Kingdom of God – where people know each other well and love one another as Christ loved the church – is instrumental in developing an ongoing vision for First Friends.

I hope you will plan to join us for this exploration during the Fall months. We are also working to schedule John and Chris to join us later in the fall for a special Sunday of deeper exploration and questions.

Here are the first day themes we will be exploring:

“Above all, trust in the slow work of God, our loving vine-dresser.”
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Grace and peace,

Bob

Joys & Concerns

Labor of Love ~ This past Sunday was our second gathering for peace, solidarity, and hope in our Meditational Woods. This year's guest speaker was Jesse Brown, Dean of Students at Taylor University, who helped us explore "The Christian's Privilege: Love and Service" Much like our first gathering in response to the atrocities in Charlottesville, this year we sang, prayed, and came together to reflect, learn, and take action! (Thank you to Kim Heusel for taking photos).

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Babysitting Co-Op ~ Our babysitting co-op is happening on Saturday September 8th, 5:30 - 9:30, hosted by Amanda C. Dinner will be provided for the kids. Please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org if you would like to have your kids join in the fun that evening!

Sunday School Kick-Off! Our Sunday School kick off will be this September 9th. We will start the morning with breakfast for everyone in fellowship hall at 8:30. We encourage everyone to come in their pajama's! Our classes will begin at 9:00 a.m. as follows:

PreK – 5th grade in our large children’s room

6th - 12th grade in the basement

The following adult classes will be offered:

Seeking Friends - Bob Henry will lead the group through the rest of Brian McLaren book, We Make the Road by Walking. This study will give us an overview of the Bible and guide the group through rich study, interactive learning, and personal growth. Each week will include reading scripture together, study time, and queries to ponder throughout the week.

Wired Word (in Coffee Circle classroom) - will be led by Harold M to talk about current events from a spiritual perspective.

Choir - will be meeting in the old children’s library. Anyone that has a heart for singing is welcome to join.

Nursery care will be available during Sunday School. We hope to see you this Sunday!

Underneath It All ~ In the fall some of our thoughts turn toward school children, cooler weather and the importance of underwear. For maybe 8 or 10 years First Friends has been donating underwear to the John H. Boner Center on the near east side. Social workers there have it on hand to give to children in need. This includes some pre-schoolers on up through high school, so a variety of sizes are needed. If shopping for underwear is not your favorite thing, a check will be welcomed. There will be a donation box in Fellowship Hall.

Everyone Is Invited to the Harvest Picnic & Community Garden Work Day on Sept. 22!
Welcome New Gardeners, Chelsea and Brianna!

Our Community Garden is a living and breathing sacred space, not a garden set in stone. It changes with the seasons, the weather, the crops planted and the gardeners. Our volunteer gardeners are all learning and experimenting. Sometimes we are full of energy and on top of every little detail of our plots. Sometimes we are sidelined during illness, vacation or for a myriad of reasons. We grow produce for ourselves, our friends, our Meeting, the neighborhood and the less fortunate. We are blessed by this wonderful resource and it is a privilege to cultivate the soil and watch our crops grow. Thank you for supporting our efforts!

Coming Soon! More Green Thumbs!

More changes! We welcome Chelsea and Brianna to our garden community. Chelsea is working on her Gold Star Award, the most prestigious in Girl Scouting. She is willing to do “anything” and will help construct and repair raised bed frames, among other tasks. We know she has many gifts and talents and are thrilled she has chosen the Community Garden as her project. Brianna wants to help with our communal Hope Plot where anyone can work or harvest. We accept her offer with open arms. We believe the Hope Plot will be well-cared for with the attention she is donating. It is such a treat to witness this enthusiasm on the part of these two newbies.

All, Including Non-Gardeners, Are Invited to the Harvest Picnic and Work Day

We will have a Community Garden work day on Saturday, September 22, starting at 9 a.m. and ending with a pitch-in harvest picnic. Non-gardeners are invited to participate. We are especially interested in recruiting someone who can whistle while we work. J Hopefully the weather will cooperate that morning and it will be less humid.

Preparing Plots for the Off-Season

Some of the methods we are using to close down our plots are:

*One of our garden plots with an oat cover crop.*

· Cover crops (seeds available free at the Indianapolis Public Library, Glendale)

· Digging dead leaves, healthy plant matter or other fertilizer into the soil (not unprocessed manure due to concerns about pathogens in a community setting)

· Soil solarization which is most effective in mid to late summer. Soil is covered tightly with thin, clear plastic and tucked under. Heat from the sun causes physical, chemical and biological changes to the soil. This kills or suppresses pathogens and weed seed. It stimulates release of organic nutrients already present in the earth.

· Clearing plant debris from plots. Diseased plant matter and weeds with seeds go in the brush pile to the east of the water tank or to the blue trash bin. Gardeners, please put out the trash bin for pick-up on the south side of the northwest driveway Wednesday night or afternoon if it is reasonably full and you are in the vicinity. Healthy, spent plant matter can be deposited in the compost bin. It should be chopped or shredded for easier decomposition so it can be used in the spring. Gardeners, please help to make sure the compost is turned each week.

Compost Bin

All are invited to place tea bags (minus the tags), coffee grounds and washed out eggshells into our compost bin. We have restricted outside contributions to these few items so that we avoid vermin and disease-attracting waste.

~Nancy 🍃

Mark your Calendars! Quaker Affirmation is coming up this Fall. This affirmation program for our junior and senior high school youth will run 11:00am – 1:00pm, starting on Sunday September 16, then run every second Sunday through April before wrapping up on May 5.

Participate in our "Sponsor a College Student" project! Just select a college student off the board set up in the meetinghouse and send them notes, cards, treats, etc throughout the school year so they hear from someone at the Meeting and feel connected. We still have four students who need to be sponsored! Please consider connecting with our students this year!

New Book Featuring Interview with Pastor Bob Henry ~ Announcing the publication of the book, “Be Quick to Listen: Practice the Spiritual Discipline of Christian-Listening” By Chris Wethman. The book teaches practical steps and Biblical insight on how to strengthen the spiritual discipline of Christian-Listening at work and in life. You will learn to listen to God, to yourself, and to others in ways that will enrich your life and strengthen your faith. Featured in the book are interviews with Christian leaders, including Pastor Bob Henry, who shares how listening plays a role in every aspect of his life. The authors of the book are Dr. Rick Bommelje and Christine Wethman. Christine and her family have known Bob and Sue Henry for over 20 years. Chris formerly served on the staff of St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Oviedo, FL and now serves by helping churches with visioning and strategic planning. Rick is a professor in the Communications Department at Rollins College in Winter Park, FL, and one of the country’s leading experts on listening. “Be Quick to Listen,” as well as other books by Rick and Christine, are available on Amazon.

Just Faith: Living Compassionately ~ All are invited to an 8-week small group opportunity at Epworth United Methodist Church. JustFaith allows participants to gain deeper understanding of contemporary issues through the lens of Christian faith. In this first phase, we will cover the topic of living compassionately by caring for the poor, in which participants will focus on poverty, consumerism, and the Gospel call to care for the poor. The times and dates are:
Mondays | 6PM | Beginning September 24
Thursdays | 10AM | Beginning September 27
To enroll please contact Pat Engel- engelp@epworthindy.org.

School Supplies Donations Needed ~ We are assisting John Strange Elementary with school supplies for its teachers. The items needed are: 1) Ticonderoga pencils, 2) disinfectant wipes, 3) hand sanitizer and 4) Kleenex. Donations can be made in Fellowship Hall in the box on the stage. Thank you.

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Friend to Friend August 29, 2018

August 30, 2018

As Way Opens

I have been reflecting on Bob’s message last week from Luke 16:1-13 on the parable that Jesus shares about the actions of the dishonest asset manager and how Jesus uses this example to show us that we need to look for the good and the Divine in people over the evil and negative. Wow - this is a hard lesson and path for me to follow. My tendency is to take one or two traits that bother me about someone and then make sweeping generalizations that separate and divide and put us all into limited corners of labels and classifications.

I was reminded of this last week as I hosted a new attender dinner along with several members from the Meeting. We went around the table to share part of our faith journey to First Friends. Several in the group were raised Catholic and I shared my story of being raised as a fundamentalist Nazarene, attending a Baptist high school in Detroit. I shared that Baptists don’t believe Catholics are Christians. I was challenged by someone raised Baptist that she was not taught this. While I was taught this theology at my Baptist high school, I certainly should never say that all Baptists believe this. We are all complicated, full of contradictions, believe many things and one or two labels can never define us. I am a conservative, liberal, Christian, Quaker, mystic, woman, mother, wife, widow, sister, minister etc. Not one of these identifications can adequately describe me and yet I too often want to attach one or two words to put my friends and enemies into certain camps. It is so easy to define the world this way. But Jesus life and example shatters this separation apart and tells us that gender, class, status, religious upbringing mean nothing and that the path of joy, oneness with God and the idea of creating the kingdom of heaven here on earth is about loving each other beyond our labels and categories. My mother, during the last month of her life at 95 years old shared some wonderful advice to me. She said, "I am more interested in loving a person for who they are and forgiving them for who they are not.” May our eyes see the Divine in each person we encounter this week, and may we offer grace, love and forgiveness.

Beth

Joys & Concerns

First Friends day out at the Indians game! It was a little warm but we all had a lot of fun! We had 55 people join us for our day at the ballpark. (Thanks to Kathy R for the photos!)

Ruth K has an exhibit of her photography currently displayed at the Hatch at 6161 N Hillside Ave, Indianapolis. The hours are 9:00- 5:00 Monday-Friday. http://www.thehatchcreates.com. Congratulations, Ruth!

Quaker-Affiliated Organizations

As Indiana Friends Committee on Legislation (IFCL) looks toward the 2019 legislative session at the Indiana Statehouse, we face several changes and challenges.

Bill Chapman, IFCL clerk since 2015 and lobbyist for the 2017-2018 sessions, has decided it is time for him to leave IFCL. Bill has been a positive and persuasive voice for faith-based groups in general and IFCL specifically as he has worked with legislators in a bipartisan spirit to address issues that Quakers support. In addition to our IFCL group, lawmakers and other lobbyists have appreciated Bill’s passionate effort to promote legislation that benefits all Hoosiers. We thank him.

At IFCL’s August meeting, members approved Diana Hadley as clerk and Phil Goodchild as recording clerk for the next two-year period.

The coming legislative session is a revenue session. Myriad draft bills will be offered and debated at the Statehouse, presenting great opportunity for input on issues of concern to Quakers and other people of faith. Now more than ever, IFCL needs the involvement of Spirit-led people in its efforts to help shape responsible decisions by our state government. We invite your participation, at whatever level you feel called.

As IFCL identifies and researches issues of particular focus for the 2019 legislative session, please note the meeting dates below. Meetings are open to all and will be at First Friends Indianapolis:

Sept 15: Full IFCL Committee Meeting, 9:00 a.m.

Oct. 6: Full IFCL Committee Meeting, 9:00 a.m.

Nov. 3: Policy Committee, Ed Morris (emorri@earthlink.net) 9:00 a.m.; Quaker Connections/Fundraising, 10:00 a.m.

Dec. 1: Full IFCL Committee Meeting, 9:00 a.m.

Feel welcome to contact Diana Hadley (Dhadley@franklincollege.edu), Phil Goodchild (goodch713@aol.com) or Ed Morris (emorri@earthlink.net) with questions or suggestions regarding IFCL initiatives. Thank you.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

2018 Labor of Love in Meditational Woods ~ Last year in response to the atrocities that took place in Charlottesville we invited you to a peaceful gathering of neighbors and Friends in our Meditational Woods. Again this year, on Sunday September 2 at 10:15am in Meditational Woods, we will gather in solidarity with our faith community and nation to express our desire for peace, equality, unity and love. Our special meeting for worship in the woods will include a message from guest speaker, Jesse Brown, Dean of Students at Taylor University and guide and student of Civil Rights history. Also, a special time of waiting worship in the manner of Friends will be offered allowing participants to speak out of the silence to these continued difficult times. Finally, we will close with a sending hand-in-hand around our peace pole.

Jesse Brown is the husband of Hope and father of Grace, Isaac, Eden and Cana Brown. Originally from Akron, Ohio, Jesse graduated from Valley Forge Christian College in 1997 and Eastern College in 1999. After he and Hope married in the summer of 1999, they moved to Huntington, Indiana where Jesse served as a member of the student development office of Huntington College. After eighteen years at Huntington, Jesse moved to Upland, Indiana where he currently serves as the Dean of Students and Title IX Coordinator at Taylor University. Jesse is currently working on a PhD from Indiana State University. His dissertation is exploring critical consciousness of white students attending a Christian college. For recreation, Jesse enjoys poetry, working outside in the yard, hobby farming, following Cleveland sports and running.

Please note that in observance of Labor Day, the Meetinghouse office will be closed on Monday, September 3rd. Also, there will be no Monday Meditational Worship that day. We wish everyone a wonderful holiday!

Sunday School Kick-Off! Our Sunday School kick off will be on September 9th. We will start the morning with breakfast for everyone in fellowship hall at 8:30. We encourage everyone to come in their pajama's! Our classes will begin at 9:00 a.m. Keep an eye out for more details on this fall’s class offerings!

Planting Late Crops; Closing Down the Garden; Composting

In preparation for the end of the growing season, Garden Committee articles in recent Friend to Friend issues include herb drying, storing excess root crops, disposing of spent crops, planting late crops, planting cover crops to overwinter and making homemade cloches. To refer back look under the attenders section on indyfriends.org.

Late Planting

Last week’s suggested cold weather crops included microgreens, Swiss chard, and hearty salad leaves. More specific suggestions include upland cress, cornsalad, spinach and leaf lettuce. It is not too late to plant radishes, asparagus and rhubarb. The latter two are perennial crops and require extra attention to detail if plants are to become established and live 10 to 20 years.

Indianapolis’ average fall frost date is between October 16 and 25. The chance of frost on the average first frost date is 50%. The likelihood of a 32° F (0° C) temperature is only 10% two weeks prior to the average frost date. [Purdue Extension Indiana Vegetable Planting Calendar. www.hort.purdue.edu/ext]

Cover Crops

A method to improve soil is to plant cover crops from mid-August to mid-September. Living roots build organic matter, supress weeds and create biomass. Oats will provide mulch and nutrients. Cover crops grow until cold weather comes when winter may kill them. If not, cut growth at the soil line or till the vegetation into the soil. Till or spade the earth before scattering seed, then lightly rake and leave the mixture on top. Protect the area from wind and rain by applying loose straw.

No-till gardeners can plant vegetables in the spring and leave the cover crop. Example cover crops include oats, rye, hairy vetch, clover and buckwheat. Gardeners can obtain up to five free packages of oats at the Indianapolis Public Library Reference Desk, Glendale branch. One package covers 100 square feet.

Our Compost Bin

Please put chopped up spent crops in our compost bin. This speeds decomposition. Crops should be disease-free. Shredded leaves, tea bags, eggshells and coffee grounds may be added. String trimmer or lawn mowers set for mulching can be used to chop. Put unsuitable vegetation, including weeds, in the blue trash bin or in the brush pile east of the water tank. Our garden policy rejects the use of animal manure due to its strong connection to pathogens. The compost should be turned once a week for it to be spreadable and it must register over 130° F for a minimum of five days to kill pathogens. We will use our compost in the spring. A Community Garden work day will be announced soon.

Participate in our "Sponsor a College Student" project! Just select a college student off the board set up in the meetinghouse and send them notes, cards, treats, etc throughout the school year so they hear from someone at the Meeting and feel connected. Please let the office know at office@indyfriends.org if anyone is missing from this list of undergrad students: Ellie A, Sullivan B, Helen C, Molly C, Alex H, Will M, Eli S, and Scott S.

Meditational Woods Bird of the Month: August
American Goldfinch – Seasonal Garb-changer

In the Methodist Church of my youth, I saw the color of each season in the stoles worn by the ministers during worship, and also in cloths both on the altar and suspended from the pulpit. Purple, green, and red clued the worshipper as to the season (Advent, Lent, etc.) or a particular Sunday in that season. We Quakers, while anticipating the holidays, do not depend quite so much on visual cues within our meeting house. Besides, we have American Goldfinches in our Meditational Woods and our garden to remind us of the change of the seasons.

I have shown this male goldfinch in breeding plumage. This species is one of the last to nest and raise a brood of young here. Now that nesting is over, and the young are out of the nest, more goldfinches are present. The observer will notice, in the next month, that the male will undergo a drastic change in color. He will lose the black forehead, and the almost-solid black wing color will become less solid. Some yellow will remain on his head, but the rest will change to brownish gray and tan. The female, which lacks the black forehead, and is yellowish on the face and front during breeding, now goes to brownish and gray. Some people do not realize that it is the same species and present year-round.

So there are four seasons to view: summer breeding, fall molting, winter drab, and spring molting. Then it starts over again. Don’t forget to listen, too. As you surprise goldfinches in the garden or near the entrance to the woods, they will sing, “Purr-chickory, purr-chickory, sweeeeeeet, purr-chickory.”

~Brad J

School Supplies Donations Needed ~ John Strange Elementary School (on 62nd St) is looking for assistance with certain school supplies for its teachers. The items needed are: 1) Ticonderoga pencils, 2) disinfectant wipes, 3) hand sanitizer and 4) Kleenex. Donations can be made in Fellowship Hall in the box on the stage. Thank you.

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Friend to Friend August 22, 2018

August 22, 2018

As Way Opens

On my day off a couple weeks ago, I took my car into the dealership for an oil change and a needed headlight repair. After about an hour wait, the service technician asked me to come back to his tiny office. He proceeded to share with me the “bad news” that they were needing to do about $2400 worth of additional work to my car. After I picked my jaw off the ground, I began asking some questions. I immediately called my wife, and we decided not to have the work done and proceed to another mechanic that could give us a second opinion.

This week, I was able to have my car inspected by another mechanic. Interestingly enough, they found NOTHING wrong with my car (except the headlight I needed repaired). Immediately, I was saddened by the lack of integrity of the dealership in trying to have me do so much unnecessary work.

This prompted me to spend some time reflecting on the Quaker S.P.I.C.E. of Integrity. It seems our current condition in the United States has us surrounded on all sides by issues of vacillating integrity - from church scandals and blatant prejudice to so many disgraced reputations. And with all the legal issues and topics coming to the surface in politics (no matter our party loyalty) it should have us crying out for a resurgence of integrity.

Our condition should also have us returning to some important queries: What is truth? What is honesty? What is moral? What is sincere? What is ethical? Finally, asking ourselves, “Where has integrity gone?”

The Quaker testimony of Integrity asks us to aspire to personal wholeness, honesty and truthful living. Integrity means completeness or one-ness, and implies a commitment to truth-telling. Integrity nourishes our trust in one another, allowing us to rely on one another and others to rely on us. It means engaging with each other openly and honestly. (earlham.edu)

I believe our Quaker faith is a key to helping heal and address our present world. But before we try and fix governments, religious institutions, car dealerships, or any other person or group, we must first start by asking ourselves what we aspire and are committed to and then engaging our world through truthful and honest living. Just as in Quaker history, when we live out this integrity it affords us greater opportunities to be heard and make a change. Let’s work on bringing that needed resurgence of integrity to our desperate world.

Grace and peace,

Bob

Joys & Concerns

Let’s pass on our thanks to our food pantry volunteers! Christie M; Ray G; Beth F; Linda and Rik L; Kathy and Bill F; Carol and Jim D. Very busy...we served 104 families. Thank you, volunteers!

Special Thanks go out to the faithful Friends who greet you each Sunday before meeting: Janice H, Janis C, and Amy P. Anyone else interested in serving as a greeter? Contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.

Quaker-Affiliated Organizations

As Indiana Friends Committee on Legislation (IFCL) looks toward the 2019 legislative session at the Indiana Statehouse, we face several changes and challenges.

At IFCL’s August meeting, members approved Diana Hadley as clerk and Phil Goodchild as recording clerk for the next two-year period.

As IFCL identifies and researches issues of particular focus for the 2019 legislative session, please note the meeting dates below. Meetings are open to all and will be at First Friends Indianapolis:

Sept 15: Full IFCL Committee Meeting, 9:00 a.m.

Oct. 6: Full IFCL Committee Meeting, 9:00 a.m.

Nov. 3: Policy Committee, Ed Morris (emorri@earthlink.net) 9:00 a.m.; Quaker Connections/Fundraising, 10:00 a.m.

Dec. 1: Full IFCL Committee Meeting, 9:00 a.m.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Come Help the CE Committee Get Ready for Fall ~ The Christian Education Committee will be meeting for cleanup this Sunday August 26th after Meeting for Worship. We will be cleaning the classrooms and the resource rooms as we prepare for Sunday School and Affirmation kickoffs in the Fall! Everyone who is interested is invited to come help. Thank you!

The tablet from our Library has recently gone missing. This tablet is for library use only and is not meant to be removed from the premises. If you have it or otherwise know where it is, please help us get it back to its home in the library. Thank you.

Indianapolis Medicare for All (HCHP) Chapter Launch! HCHP is a Medicare for All single-payer advocacy group with an affiliation with Physicians for a National Health Program and alliance with all of our friends doing wonderful Medicare for All advocacy across the country. Want to learn more about Medicare for All? Want to connect with like-minded people in our community who want to make single-payer healthcare a reality? Then please join us and help launch an Indianapolis chapter of Hoosiers for a Commonsense Health Plan! It will be held Thursday, August 23 at 6:30pm in the Parlor. Our agenda for the evening will include a showing of the film Fix It: Healthcare at the Tipping Point, followed by a discussion led by local physician and Medicare for All advocate AJ Sinha, MD. Please join us!

Join our Oak Leaf Meeting for Reading book group for August’s pick ~ American Heart by Laura Moriarty. The discussion will be led by Cindy C. If you are interested in being on the Oak Leaf email list or would like the book list, please email the office at office@indyfriends.org. Oak Leaf meets on the last Tuesday of each month in the Parlor at 7 pm, everyone is welcome.

Participate in our "Sponsor a College Student" project! Just select a college student off the board set up in the meetinghouse and send them notes, cards, treats, etc throughout the school year so they hear from someone at the Meeting and feel connected. Please let the office know at office@indyfriends.org if anyone is missing from this list of undergrad students: Ellie A, Sullivan B, Helen C, Molly C, Alex H, Will M, Eli S, and Scott S.

Meditational Woods Bird of the Month: August
American Goldfinch – Seasonal Garb-changer

~Brad J

From Butterflies to Cold Weather Crops
Garden Committee Update

A striking medley of zinnias decorate many raised beds in the Community Garden. Butterflies are flitting from one flower to the next, making difficult decisions about where to dance next. Delicious nectar and oh, so many colors beckon!

Some crops have passed their prime and need to be pulled. They can be chopped up for easier decomposition and put in the compost bin. (FYI, the compost should be turned a couple times a week so that the outside matter is transferred to the inside and vice-versa.) The last newsletter discussed drying surplus herbs. Excess root crops can be stored in a frost-free garage or dry basement. Although fruiting crops need plenty of water, at some point stop watering to encourage ripening the last fruit of the season. One example would be those little green tomatoes that need to hurry up before the frost hits.

After disposing of spent crops, make use of the resulting bare patches. A few cool weather vegetables are candidates for late planting. After all, planting dates are a little elasticized since weather is so predictable (NOT)! Try planting Swiss chard. It can be harvested throughout the winter. Quick-growing microgreens and hardy salad leaves are safe bets. They may be covered with cloches once the weather gets cold if the gardener wants to lengthen the growing season even more. A homemade cloche can be made from a translucent plastic jug with the bottom cut off and the lid closed. The cap can be removed to vent. Anchor the jug with a flat rock or splay the jug’s bottom by cutting and then pile rocks on the flat parts so the wind does not blow away the cloche.

Another option is to fill the void in your plot by planting cover crops to restore nutrients to the soil. We have used white clover successfully. The bee pollinators love the clover! Hairy vetch is another excellent cover crop for our area. These crops need a little time to grow and sink their roots into the soil before it gets cold. Then they are left to overwinter and feed the earth. Next spring you will have richer soil compliments of Mother Nature.

Babysitting Co-Op ~ Our babysitting co-op is happening on Saturday September 8th, 5:30 - 9:30, hosted by Amanda & Micah C. Dinner will be provided for the kids. Please contact the office if you would like to have your kids join in the fun that evening!

Service Appreciation Dinner ~ Please reserve Sunday, September 23, 5:30 – 8:30 pm for a dinner at First Friends to show appreciation to a few members of First Friends for their service and dedication to our Meeting over the years. This year we will show appreciation for the service of Judy and Clarence D, Tom F, Bev and Dan H, Barbara O, Dan R, and Gary W. Look for a sign-up sheet in the corner of the hall to RSVP. There is no charge for the dinner. This is one that you don’t want to miss so mark your calendar today!

Coming Soon – Small Groups! Last Fall over 40 First Friends attenders and members gathered over several weeks at different times and locations to explore a book study and hold space for sharing parts of our spiritual autobiographies. It was a deeply enriching for those that were able to join! Be sure to mark your calendars for our next session of Spiritual Growth Small Groups which will be starting the week of October 15th and run through the week of Thanksgiving. We hope you will join us!

Seasoned Friends Notice: Date Change ~ Please note, the date for the fall Seasoned Friends’ weenie roast at the Beem House is being rescheduled for Wednesday, October 24. Please mark your calendars accordingly. Be on the lookout later for more details as we get closer!

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