Friend to Friend March 11, 2020

March 12, 2020

Services Cancelled & Coronavirus Update

Dear Friends,

With the Coronavirus now being labeled a pandemic, our first priority is to help keep all members—and in particular our most vulnerable populations—as safe as possible. As a result, we have decided to suspend this Sunday’s gathering at First Friends, including Unprogrammed Worship, Sunday School, and Meeting for Worship. The scheduled Meeting for Business will be postponed one week to Sunday, March 22 (unless circumstances require us to make other plans).

Also, we are asking that clerks and committees who are scheduled to meet this week refrain from doing Meeting business in person. Instead, we encourage you to seek an email format, conference call, or a video conferencing application (such as Zoom, Skype, Campfire, etc.) to do business.

We are also suspending Meditational Worship on Monday at noon and Unprogrammed Worship on Wednesday night at 7pm and our Experiment with Light which meets this coming Tuesday at 7pm—at least for this week, and until further notice. Also, the event at Marian University we shared in Friend to Friend, “Tradition and Transformation” on Friday, March 13 has been cancelled as well. We ask that small groups and other gatherings please take a hiatus for at least this week as well. With the impact of the Coronavirus changing daily, at this time, we are taking these measures for this week only, but will reassess next week and provide another update by next Thursday, March 19.

During this time, the First Friends Meeting Office plans to stay open, and our staff and leadership will work to communicate the ongoing state of the Meeting and cancellations of upcoming events. Our goal is to keep you as informed as possible of any and all changes in the life of the Meeting and its programming by email, phone, and other means we are currently exploring.

The pastors are working to create a self-guided worship resource to be sent by email for personal and family worship which will enable us to join together at 10:15am—as we always do on Sundays—but from the privacy of our own homes or other settings.

Also, this morning we were contacted by the leaders of the Maple Seeds Preschool Co-op (MSPC) housed in our building. They have chosen to close the preschool immediately due to the Coronavirus and plan to stay closed through the end of their spring break (April 6). Closer to the end of that time they will be reassessing the situation and deciding when to reopen.

As you heard yesterday in our Friend to Friend newsletter and on our social media sites, Western Yearly Meeting has postponed/canceled the Spring Retreat that was to be held this Friday and Saturday at Fort Benjamin Harrison and at First Friends. We have also been receiving word that several Friends Meetings within our Yearly Meeting have chosen to cancel Meeting for Worship and larger gatherings for the foreseeable future.

We know this is alarming and worrisome for many, but we want you to know that we at First Friends are being proactive and precautionary in our approach. We ask that you join with us in holding in the Light our country’s leadership, the health professionals, and all those who are working hard to stop the spread of this horrible virus. Also, we ask that you, personally, take every precaution possible to ensure your own safety and the safety of others at this time. For current updates and preventative measures on the virus, please review the Center for Disease Control’s website https://www.cdc.gov/.

In the Spirit,

The Pastoral and Office Staff of First Friends

As Way Opens

I returned last Saturday evening from a relaxing week of vacation in Orlando, Florida. I love having a week that I can read a book that I have been looking forward to for a while. Jon Meacham’s The Soul of America - The Battle for our Better Angels is just such a book. It is a fascinating journey into the history of our country highlighting a number of our Presidents and the key accomplishments, struggles and deficiencies in these men over the last 250 years. Reading this book gives me so much hope for our future - over the arc of our history things have improved and we continue to take steps forward (even though the movement includes lots of steps back). Even the greatest of our Presidents have had flaws and disappointed folks with their action or inaction. Our issues of race, class, immigration, and foreign influence have impacted our government and our culture right from the beginning. It was a good reminder that progress is usually slow and compromise is crucial to moving towards the ideals set up in our Constitution.

With all that is going on in our politics and in our country with this potential health crisis, we can lean into our history and remember that we are all called to be leaders with open hearts and minds, listening to all, remaining calm and not giving in to fear and panic. It is in our most difficult periods that we turn to God as our place of refuge and strength. As Psalms 46:1-3 says, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult.

Beth

Joys & Concerns

Many thanks to our food pantry volunteers last week: Kathy and Bill F, David B, Linda L, Dan H, Terri T, Christie M, Beth F, Mara S, Brad J, Carol and Jim D. A BIG THANK YOU to all of our volunteers, especially to newcomers Terri and Brad. Without you this ministry wouldn’t be possible.

Nichole and Joshua M welcomed to the world William Daniel M at 1:45 AM on March 8th. Weight: 6 pounds, 13 ounces. Welcome and happy birthday new Friend!

Lindsay and Stephen D are welcoming their new son, Oliver Thomas who was born Friday, March 6 at 10:13 PM. He is 4 lb. 15 oz. (15.5 inches long)—small but healthy! Lindsay and baby are doing well. Also, congratulations to Jim and Lynda S, the proud grandparents!

Steven & Lindsay P had a new addition to their family. Quinn Maeve P was born on March 2nd, weighing 7 lb 8 oz. Steven and his family live in Boston. Congratulations to them, and to grandfather Bob P! We know Ann P would have loved to meet her new granddaughter.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Western Yearly Meeting Retreat - CANCELLED~ PLEASE NOTE this message from WYM: Due to the concerns surrounding the coronavirus, the WYM Spring Retreat scheduled for this weekend, March 13-14 has been postponed/canceled for now.

We are giving consideration to rescheduling this event, but it will probably be scheduled, at the earliest, in the fall. We will let you know of the new date when that decision has been made.

Thank you for your understanding. If you have questions, you can contact the WYM Office at 317-839-2789 or 800-909-3452.

Plugged in devices notice ~ Friends, please refrain from unplugging devices from outlets around the building. Many of these devices are essential to the operation of the Meeting, such as Wi-Fi routers and security system peripherals. These should never be unplugged under any circumstance. If you see a device plugged in that you are concerned about, please bring it to the attention of church staff or a member of the maintenance committee. Thank you.

It’s not too late to pledge! Friends, please consider helping First Friends Meeting meet their financial needs this year. Your pledges help immensely with budgeting and making sure we have enough to carry out our ministries. If you’d like to make a pledge for 2020, you can fill out a card at the Meetinghouse, fill out our online form at https://forms.gle/Nb1r1ctRrfgAPigY8 or simply contact the office. First Friends would also like to sincerely thank all Friends in support of our ministries. We are grateful to everyone who’s turned in a pledge for 2020 and/or have turned on automatic donations through their bank. Thank you for supporting First Friends in the new year!

Tradition and Transformation - CANCELLED ~ Suzanne Moore’s presentation of “Tradition and Transformation”, scheduled for 3/13, has been cancelled as a precaution in light of COVID-19. We hope to reschedule her visit for a later date. If you would like to be notified when the program is rescheduled, please email saintjohnsbible@marian.edu.

Experiment with Light - CANCELLED ~ Please note that our regular Experiment with Light event scheduled for Tuesday, March 17 has been cancelled. Please see the statement above regarding coronavirus for more information.

Keep Indianapolis Beautiful Needs Your Help! KIB needs your help to keep Indianapolis beautiful. Whether you are interested cleaning up litter, building pocket parks, creating greenspaces, planting trees, preparing mail, or assisting with special projects, there's a way you can help. If you are interested, please visit https://www.kibi.org/projects for more information and to volunteer. Our Tree Planting Quakers are signing up for Saturday March 14 from 9:00am until about 12 or 1pm, located at 2150 N Capital (21st and Capitol). If interested, there will be litter-grabber options for alternative volunteer tasks on site. If you have any questions, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org. We hope you will sign up for that day and join us!!

Weekly Lenten Reflections Week 3: Habitat

In Richard Bauckham’s book, The Bible and Ecology, the author provides biblically grounded scholarship to show God’s ever-present concern for all creation. His writing makes the case that we are co-creatures with everything on this planet and not demi-gods to rule over the earth. Read Psalm 104 and listen to the beauty and magnificence of the vision. Here are a few verses:

“You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills,
giving drink to every wild animal;
the wild asses quench their thirst.
By the streams the birds of the air have their habitation;
They sing among the branches.“ Ps 104: 10-12
“The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
In them the birds build their nest;
The stork has its home in the fir trees.
The high mountains are for the wild goats;
The rocks are a refuge for the coneys.” V 16-18

God designed the world to support all forms of life. Through human activity, habitat is being lost throughout the globe. Since 1970, there has been a loss of 3 billion birds as a result of development & habitat loss. If we are to love God’s creation & its inhabitants, what can we do?

We can do a lot, right in our own yards. Dr. Doug Tallamy says that “if half of American lawns were replaced with native plants we would create the equivalent of a 20-million-acre national park – nine times bigger than Yellowstone, or 100 times bigger than Shenandoah National Park.” https://ourstoriesandperspectives.com/2013/07/10/saving-nature-by-learning-to-live-with-it-the-benefits-of-native-plants/

We have evidence that this is true. Almost 20 years ago, First Friends made a commitment to change an acre of grass into an urban wood. Since that time, we’ve seen an increase in the number of native birds and insects. We had beautiful hummingbird moths drinking bee balm nectar this past summer. It is full of life that nurtures us, the community and our world.

As we prepare for Spring, look where you live. Is there an area that you could convert to native plants and flowers? To understand more, read Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants, or Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard, by Dr. Doug Tallamy https://www.amazon.com/Natures-Best-Hope-Approach-Conservation/dp/1604699000. For local ideas, consult the Indiana Native Plant Society https://indiananativeplants.org/ and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful. https://www.kibi.org/. Come join the Tree Planting Quakers on March 14 as we volunteer with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful.

Abrahamic Traditions Dinner ~ The Niagara foundation invites you to their annual Abrahamic Traditions Dinner, which will be on Thursday, March 19, 6:30-9:00pm. It will be held at Meridian Street United Methodist Church, 5500 N Meridian St, Indianapolis, 46208. This is a free event. Please make reservations for this meal by March 17th at cenk@niagarafoundation.org. For more information, visit https://www.niagarafoundation.org/mirror/interfaith-engagement/abrahamic-dinner/.

IN NEED OF A VEHICLE: Bob and Sue H are looking for a reliable car for their teenage sons. They have a limited budget but would like to explore any options. If you know of a vehicle or you have one you want to sell, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.

Quaker Earthcare Witness ~ “...Daily, we become more aware of the suffering of the planet and its people. We find an increasing call to do justice, to ‘let our lives speak’, individually and corporately. We are led, as Friends have been at other daunting moments in history, to overcome our own despair, to relieve suffering, and to unite with Spirit in ways never before imagined to bring new possibilities to Life. Living in Blessed Community in peace with each other and the natural world takes more than words, it requires action.” —Southeastern Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, 2019 Fourth Month

Beverly Ward, Southeastern Yearly Meeting's Field Secretary for Earthcare, shares these words in this newest issue of BeFriending Creation as a "faith touchstone" for earthcare action. Find the online PDF version of BeFriending Creation here, which highlights reflections and responses on the climate crisis.

Gardeners and Wannabe Gardeners: Plots Available. Get Ready, Set, Go! ~ Spring is nearly here! Get those seeds planted indoors if you want to grow your own seedlings! If you want to reclaim or claim a raised bed in the garden in the north lot, please contact the office at offce@indyfriends.org.

Help Send a Friend to FUM! ~ We are asking for financial support so that Maggie C can attend Friends United Meeting (FUM) Triennial in Kenya this summer. She received a partial grant from WYM, but is in need of a bit more support to cover remaining expenses. It would be wonderful to have Maggie there to represent First Friends. Checks can be made out to First Friends with Maggie’s name in the memo line. Thank you for supporting a Friend, and for supporting FUM!

WYM Visioning Process – Phase 2 Survey ~ Western Yearly Meeting (WYM) is now carrying out phase 2 of its visioning process. WYM is asking everyone who can, to please take 10-20 minutes to complete their survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7WG2CXZ. This survey will help focus the yearly meeting and help prepare for upcoming years. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact the WYM office at (317) 839-2789. If you would like a printed copy, please contact the First Friends office at 317-255-2485 or office@indyfriends.org.

Men’s Threshing Together ~ If you are interested in gathering with other men who mull over current issues or topics, where all points of view are heard, no decisions are made, and all in a non-threatening atmosphere over a meal, then Threshing Together is for you! Join us for our next meeting on Thursday, March 19 at 7:00pm. See Winter/Spring 2020 locations here: http://bit.ly/ThreshingSpr2020.

First Friends Library Features ~ Wisdom’s Daughters: Stories of Women Around Jesus By Elizabeth G. Watson

“We find Jesus breaking every major taboo against women in his day. This book is a continuous (chronological with flashbacks) story of the life of Jesus pieced together from the four gospels to be as consistent as possible.”

Each story is told in detail as events seem likely to have happened. They read as easily as good fiction while being supported by scripture. The author is familiar with the looks, smells, clothing, customs of the times, so it all seems very real.

Chapters include scripture, commentary on the biblical scholarship, and questions for personal reflection or group dialogue.

Go to the library new bookshelf quickly because if you don’t someone else will be enjoying this book and you will need to wait!

Jim and the Band on the Third Friday ~ Singing Friday will be showing up on the calendar on the 20th of March. Jim, and probably Jesse and Luke will also be with us again. If we have as good a time as last month, everyone will have an enjoyable, relaxing evening. You may learn a new song or a few. Gather in the parlor from 7-8:30 or so.

Babysitting Co-Op ~ Our babysitting co-op is happening Saturday March 21, 5:30 - 9:30, hosted by Tiffany B and Beth H. Dinner will be provided for the kids. Please contact the office (office@indyfriends.org) if you would like to have your kids join in the fun that evening!

Free Lenten Concert ~ All are invited to this free concert presented by the vocal group VOCE, of which Carolyn T is a member. The “Road to Resurrection,” a show of hope and wholeness, features Schütz's Musikalische Exequien and works by Purcell, Rheinberger, Paulus, and Hogan, with special guest: Erica Rubis, viola da gamba. There are two available concert times, the first is Sunday, March 15th at 3:00pm at St. Francis In-The-Fields Episcopal Church, 1525 Mulberry Street, Zionsville, IN 46077, with reception to follow. Another concert will take place on Sunday, March 22nd at 4:00pm at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, 8320 E 10th St, Indianapolis, IN 46219, also with reception to follow. For more information, visit VOCE’s facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/voceindy/. We hope you will consider attending this special feature!

Shalom Zone 5th Tuesday ~ All are invited to the Shalom Zone’s next 5th Tuesday event which will be held here at First Friends on Tuesday, March 31st at 7 pm in Fellowship Hall. Dawn Barnes of the Society of St. Andrew plans to speak. The topic is “gleaning” and Dawn will tell us what is involved in gleaning and how gleaning helps to distribute food that otherwise would go to waste. The program will end by 8:30 pm and will include time for questions. For additional information on “gleaning” please visit Endhunger.org’s newsletter at https://www.endhunger.org/PDFs/Newsletter_Current.pdf.

Serenity Now Support Group ~ The next series of book-based support group meetings, Serenity Now, will meet in the parlor the third Thursday of every month from 1:30-3:30 p.m. This small group is for those experiencing family and relationship challenges and will focus its discussion for the next four to six months on Harriet Lerner's Dance of Connection: How to Talk to Someone When You're Mad, Hurt, Scared, Frustrated, Insulted, Betrayed, or Desperate. We are a very small group and new members are welcome, BYOB(ook). The first meeting of this session will be Thursday, April 16, at 1:30 p.m. We will discuss chapters 1-4, pp. 1-50:

1. "Finding Our Voice"

2. Voice Lessons from My Father

3. Our First Family: Where We Learned (Not) to Speak

4. Should You Share Your Vulnerability?

For questions, help getting a book or more information, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.

Queries for the Week

Will I recognize God making that new life in me? Or will I ignore it, not believe it, or even stifle it?

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Friend to Friend March 4, 2020

March 5, 2020

As Way Opens

This past Sunday, we had the wonderful privilege of dedicating eight children (Lucille Elise F, Jacqueline Anne F, Aries Alexander T, Stella Valvo A, Samuel Rain A, Berlynn Anne S, Graham Christian S, and Foster Lee S) at First Friends. Due to it being a while since our last dedication, I wanted to make sure people understood what we were acknowledging during Meeting for Worship and in the lives of these children and families. I shared the following at the beginning of the dedication.

For those unfamiliar with child or infant dedications, we at First Friends see this as a public affirmation made by parents/grandparents on behalf of their children. They stand with their children in front of the Meeting and make a promise to raise their children in the ways of Jesus. As well, the Meeting stands together and promises to help support, encourage, and hold the parents/grandparents and children accountable on this journey of faith.
To not confuse this with other ceremonies of its nature, we make it clear that Child Dedication is not baptism. It is not a sacrament of any kind, nor does it impart salvation on the child. It is simply the commitment of parents/grandparents and the people of First Friends to raise their children in the faith.
Child dedications were very common throughout the Bible. If you remember in Scripture, Hannah dedicated Samuel to the Lord, Abraham dedicated Isaac, and 8 days after Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph took Jesus to be dedicated in the temple. Part of the Jewish tradition of dedication was a public naming of the child.

To introduce our eight children, I read the meanings of each of their names, followed by the Meeting promising support and stretching out their hands to bless and pray for the dedicated. We are so blessed to have this opportunity to support, encourage, and hold these parents/grandparents and children in Light as they grow in their faith here at First Friends.

Grace and peace,

Bob

See more photos at www.facebook.com/Indyfriends. — *See more photos at* *www.facebook.com/Indyfriends*.

Joys & Concerns

We received a wonderful thank-you note from a Right Sharing of World Resources (RSWR) Board Member:

“I’m writing, as a member of the RSWR board, to thank First Friends for your generous financial, moral, and spiritual support of Right Sharing in 2019.

With your help, RSWR was able to fund 41 new groups last year. That means that your giving helped to enable over 1092 women in Kenya, India, and Sierra Leone to support their families and transform their communities.

Please pass on our deep gratitude to your Witness & Service committee, to the stamps team, and to the congregation at large. -Blessings and peace, Jonathan B, Seattle, WA”

Congratulations to Dan M and family! Dan M just welcomed a new grandson. Theo Mitchell S came into the world late at night on Monday, March 2nd. Congratulations to Sally and Peter on their new addition to the family!

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Remember, Daylight Savings Time begins this Sunday, March 8th at 2:00 am!! This means that we “spring forward” in time as we anticipate the wonderful weather to come with it. Don’t forget to set your clocks forward for Sunday morning!

Preparedness and Awareness Regarding Coronavirus:

Friends, we know that the Coronavirus is something on your minds and that needs to be taken seriously, and by no means do we want to create hysteria or unnecessary worry. Instead, we want you to know what we are doing at First Friends to help ensure our collective safety and reduce the spreading of disease within our building and community.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people in the United States have little immediate risk of exposure to this virus today. The virus is not currently spreading widely in the United States. However, it is likely that person-to-person spread will continue to occur and that, at some point, widespread transmission of COVID-19 in the United States may occur. The CDC offers us the following action steps:

Stay informed – the situation with the coronavirus is fluid and the CDC is updating its website daily with the latest information and advice for the public.
Remember to take everyday preventive actions that are always recommended to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses:

Avoid close contact with sick people.
While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible. Stay home if you are sick.
Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub with at least 60% alcohol.

3. The CDC and State Department have issued advisories asking people to avoid all nonessential travel to China and South Korea at this time. Travel alerts have also been issued for Japan, Italy and Iran.

First Friends has chosen to take additional steps to ensure the safety of all those who gather within our building:

Since we have a preschool housed in our building, we have been working closely with them regarding their preparedness. They are currently developing a plan of action.
We have contacted our janitors to ensure all door handles and surfaces throughout the building are being disinfected on a regular basis. Items which cannot be properly sanitized may be temporarily or permanently removed.
Starting this Sunday, we will refrain from shaking hands during greeting time following waiting worship.
Hand sanitizer will be available throughout the building, paper towel dispensers have been installed in all bathrooms, and nursery toys are being sanitized on a regular basis.
In the case of an outbreak within our community, we will inform all members and attenders and cancel our public gatherings until the health professionals deem it safe. We will also notify our insurance carriers and public health authorities. With access to technology, we will be creative and continue to provide opportunities for worship and alternative ways to stay connected within the Meeting.

We ask that you inform the Meeting Office immediately if you—or someone you have been in contact with—has (or may have) COVID-19, or any other serious communicable diseases.

The next women’s gathering will be this Friday March 6th. We’ll be going to see Ruth Kelly’s photography on First Friday. She is the featured artist in March at Full Circle Nine Gallery, 1125 Brookside Ave Suite B21 inside the Circle City Industrial Complex. If you would like to come, please let the office know you are going— office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485. We will meet around 6:00 there - if folks want to carpool they should let the office know and we will leave at 5:30 from the Meeting. We can decide after we see the artists if we want to go to dinner afterward.

First Friends Library Features ~ Wisdom’s Daughters: Stories of Women Around Jesus By Elizabeth G. Watson

Chapters include scripture, commentary on the biblical scholarship, and questions for personal reflection or group dialogue.

Go to the library new bookshelf quickly because if you don’t someone else will be enjoying this book and you will need to wait!

Weekly Lenten Reflections- Week 2 Our Daily Bread

As we return to the first creation story in Genesis, let’s look at days two and six from Eugene Peterson’s translation:

God spoke:” Earth, green up! Grow all varieties of seed-bearing plants. Every sort of fruit- bearing tree.”
And there it was.
Earth produced green seed-bearing plants, all varieties. And fruit-bearing trees of all sorts.
God saw that it was good.
Later, on Day Six after God created the creatures including human kind:
Then God said, “I’ve given you every sort of seed-bearing plant on Earth
And every kind of fruit-bearing tree, given them to you for food.
To all animals and all birds, everything that moves and breathes,
I give whatever grows out of the ground for food.”

According to the text, God intended for us to make fruits and vegetables the major part of our diet. Much recent dietary research promotes generous servings of fruits, vegetables and seeds for a healthy diet. Here’s a pretty picture from our northern neighbor on what a healthy plate would look like- https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/

And a consensus from the World Health Organization- https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet

For the rest of Lent, make it a practice to have one meatless day each week. Don’t substitute meat with heavily processed foods; instead concentrate on eating whole foods full of color and taste. Project Drawdown is a science-based approach to caring for the earth and its resources. Eating a plant rich diet is #4 out of 80 strategies to help the planet recover from humankind’s overuse and poor management. https://www.drawdown.org/solutions/food/plant-rich-diet

As part of our concern for other creatures, if you do eat meat, consider getting your meat products from a farmer who raises animals humanely. Shop your local farmers’ market when you can. Here’s a blog post from a farmer who has pasture raised animals. https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/blog/6-reasons-to-eat-grassfed-beef-pasture-raised-poultry-2020. Celebrate the earth’s abundance and for God’s ever-present Wisdom.

Tradition and Transformation ~ All are invited to this event sponsored by The Indianapolis Foundation Library Fund and presented by Suzanne Moore. Suzanne Moore is a painter, printmaker and lettering artist whose eclectic interests fuse in the diversity of her artists’ books. Suzanne Moore’s career as a maker of manuscript books spans more than 30 years. Her work is rooted in traditions of historical manuscripts, but her books are contemporary in approach, content and imagery. Suzanne’s work on The Saint John’s Bible, including 10 interpretive illuminations and 3 special treatments came at a key time in her career, altering her perspectives, enriching her vision and offering challenges and inspiration for future work. Her illustrated presentation will describe the connections with, and divergence from, the rich history of the codex book. Her work is exhibited widely, and she teaches in the US and abroad. This event is free and open to the public. It is being held on Friday, March 13, 7:00-9:00pm at Marian University Theatre, 3200 Cold Spring Rd. For more information, visit https://events.marian.edu/events/#!view/event/event_id/10210.

Western Yearly Meeting Retreat ~ All are invited to the Western Yearly Meeting (WYM) retreat to be held here at First Friends on Saturday, March 14! This is a one-day conference for everyone featuring the authors of Slow Church, John Pattison and Chris Smith. The event will run from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. This begins with a continental breakfast and includes lunch and snacks. For more information and for registration forms, visit https://mcusercontent.com/acf67475c86114d6972c3a2fa/files/2fca754e-c4f4-4409-9f96-fe4716514b77/Brochure.2020.pdf.

Keep Indianapolis Beautiful Needs Your Help! KIB needs your help to keep Indianapolis beautiful. Even a few hours can make a big difference! Every year KIB relies on nearly 20,000 volunteers to help carry out a mission to help people and nature thrive together in our city. Whether you are interested cleaning up litter, building pocket parks, creating greenspaces, planting trees, preparing mail, or assisting with special projects, there's a way you can help. If you are interested, please visit https://www.kibi.org/projects for more information and to volunteer. Our Tree Planting Quakers are signing up for Saturday March 14 at 21st and Capitol. We hope you will sign up for that day and join us!!

Experiment with Light ~ Friends, our monthly Experiment with the Light (EWL) is Tuesday, March 17, at 7 pm in the parlor. All are welcome, whether this is your first time or you’re a regular. Attenders find it a remarkable experience. Please join us. We begin promptly at 7 pm and end at 8:30. Peace and love, ~Mary Ellen L.

Babysitting Co-Op ~ Our babysitting co-op is happening Saturday March 21, 5:30 - 9:30. 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!

Join us at the Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading book club as we discuss Beartown by Fredrik Backman (432 pages) on Tuesday, March 31, 2020. The #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove returns with a dazzling, profound novel about a small town with a big dream—and the price required to make it come true. "People say Beartown is finished. A tiny community nestled deep in the forest, it is slowly losing ground to the ever encroaching trees. But down by the lake stands an old ice rink, built generations ago by the working men who founded this town. And in that ice rink is the reason people in Beartown believe tomorrow will be better than today. Their junior ice hockey team is about to compete in the national semi-finals, and they actually have a shot at winning. All the hopes and dreams of this place now rest on the shoulders of a handful of teenage boys.” (from goodreads) Larry C will be leading the discussion in the Parlor starting at 7 pm!

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Friend to Friend February 26, 2020

February 27, 2020

As Way Opens

This past Sunday, my sermon focused on Practicing Transfiguration. I mentioned that the story of Jesus’ Transfiguration was very Quakerly in nature as it focused on transformative light, personal enlightenment, and working on allowing the light of God’s love to shine out from within us to our world. I have continued to ponder this through numerous conversations with many of you and also in my own study this week.

On Monday night, as I was sitting in the Starbuck’s in Broad Ripple filling time until Sam was done with Youth Art Council, I returned to reading a book that has clearly been speaking to my condition. The book is Richard Rohr’s latest, The Universal Christ. After ordering a cup of coffee and finding a comfy chair, I opened to the second chapter, where I had left off the night before. In a spiritually weird way, the subheading of the upcoming section was titled, Light and Enlightenment. I guess when God is trying to teach you something, you begin to see it everywhere (which is actually one of Rohr’s points in the book). His words yet again added to the thoughts I had been engaging on Sunday. Rohr started with a query and then continued saying,

“Have you ever noticed that the expression “the light of the world” is used to describe the Christ (John 8:12), but that Jesus also applies the same phrase to us? (Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world.”) Few preachers ever pointed that out to me. Apparently, light is less something you see directly, and more something by which you see all other things. In other words, we have faith in Christ so we can have the faith of Christ. That is the goal…We need to look at Jesus until we can look out at the world with his kind of eyes. The world no longer trusts Christians who “love Jesus” but do not seem to love anything else.”

Now, that is something to ponder this week. Join me in asking, am I seeing the world with Jesus “kind of eyes”? Am I living up to being the “light of the world” that Jesus thinks I am?

Grace and peace,

Bob

Joys & Concerns

Let’s give thanks to our Mid-North Food Pantry volunteers: David B, Phil G, Christie M, Linda and Rik L, Beth F, Kathy and Bill F, Mara S, Jim D. Busy day...108 clients served. We couldn’t do it without you all. THANK YOU!

What a great night and turn out for “Reclaiming Democracy One Dinner Table at a Time” with the Indianapolis Peace and Justice Center. Thanks to Jim D, Jeff R and Susan E (the creator of the event/game and our facilitator) for helping bring this to First Friends and our community!

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Join Samantha and Jillian R for Real Talk Personal Finances: Downey Series! We are halfway through this 4 week series on all things personal finance. Our next class is Thursday, February 27th at 6 pm at Downey Avenue Christian Church in Irvington. We will be covering savings and insurance. In this class, we’ll provide a general introduction to the different types of insurance coverage you actually need to have. We’ll also walk you through building your savings, how much you need to have in your emergency fund, and how to save and prepare for events and big purchases, like Christmas, holidays, vacations, a new car, etc. You can sign up here or just show up! If you have any questions you can contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.

Weekly Lenten Reflections ~ February 26, 2020

Lent is the 40-day period used by many Christian traditions to prepare for Easter, when the resurrection of Jesus is celebrated. Often people choose to “give up” something as a spiritual discipline to come into closer relationship with God. This Lenten season, I invite you to consider your relationship with the Earth

In the first Creation story, God takes six days to create Heaven and Earth and all the creatures within. In the Message, Day 6, the Bible writers tell us what was created and their purpose.

God spoke:” Earth, generate life! Every sort and kind:

Cattle and reptiles and wild animals- all kinds”

And there is was: wild animals of every kind,

Cattle of all kinds, every sort of reptile and bug.

God saw that it was good.

God spoke:

“Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature.

So they can be responsible for the fish of the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle,

And, yes, Earth itself,

And every animal that moves on the face of the Earth.”

God created human beings,

He created them god-like,

Reflecting God’s nature.

He created them male and female.

God blessed them:

“Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take Charge!

Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air,

For every living thing that moves on the face of the Earth.”

God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good.

Scholars have suggested that humans are to rule over living creatures and occupy and make the earth fruitful through agriculture, always leaving land wild for the creatures to sustain themselves. How would a wise and loving ruler care for all the creatures, including humans, and how does a wise farmer care for the earth?

This week, re read the Creation story each day and spend time in contemplation about the magnificence of all of Creation. Listen each day for the birds singing joyously in the dawn. Watch for the bulbs pushing up through the earth. Listen, feel and rejoice!

Child Dedications at First Friends: On Sunday, March 1st during Meeting for Worship eight children will be brought by their parents/grandparents to be dedicated to God. Parents/Grandparents will stand with their child(ren) in front of the Meeting and make a promise to raise their child in the faith. As well, it will be an opportunity for the people of First Friends to commit to supporting, encouraging, and holding these eight children in the Light as they spiritually grow. Please join us for this special time.

Western Yearly Meeting Retreat ~ All are invited to the Western Yearly Meeting (WYM) retreat to be held here at First Friends on Saturday, March 14! This is a one-day conference for everyone featuring the authors of Slow Church, John Pattison and Chris Smith. The event will run from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. This begins with a continental breakfast and includes lunch and snacks. For more information and for registration forms, visit https://mcusercontent.com/acf67475c86114d6972c3a2fa/files/2fca754e-c4f4-4409-9f96-fe4716514b77/Brochure.2020.pdf. Registration deadline is Sunday, March 1st!

FCNL Legislative Priorities ~ Friends Committee on National Legislation (“FCNL”) is, again this year, requesting that Friends’ Meetings submit national legislative priorities to FCNL for the coming two years. Your input and wisdom are needed to determine the legislative priorities that are important to First Friends Indianapolis. Please visit our survey at https://forms.gle/9XRjbBBuqEn8wcL38 and list the 5 most important issues that you would like FCNL to address as it determines its priorities for the next two years. (No need to resubmit if you have already turned in a paper copy.) The 7 most popular issues will be brought to Monthly Meeting in March for consideration to be submitted to FCNL. Please submit responses by March 1. Thank you for your thoughtful responses.

Interfaith Still Beloved Worship ~ All are invited to a time of worship to celebrate and affirm those in the LGBTQ+ community, hosted by Newland Quaker Center. It is being held on Tuesday, March 3rd, 7:00 PM at the Stout Meetinghouse at Earlham College in Richmond. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/2489291998054343/ or contact Em Howard: elhoward18@earlham.edu.

The next women’s gathering will be on Friday March 6th. We’ll be going to see Ruth K’s photography on First Friday. She is the featured artist in March at Full Circle Nine Gallery, 1125 Brookside Ave Suite B21 inside the Circle City Industrial Complex. If you would like to come, please let the office know you are going— office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485. We will meet around 6:00 there - if folks want to carpool they should let the office know and we will leave at 5:30 from the Meeting. We can decide after we see the artists if we want to go to dinner afterward.

Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for February:
The “Snowbird”: Dark-eyed Junco

Some retirees in our meeting are able to escape the harshness of our Indiana winters by migrating to Florida, Texas, or some other warm spot at the first cold winds of autumn. We welcome these “snowbirds” back with the warm cloak of late spring.

In the world of nature there is a bird which has this same nickname of “snowbird.” It does not winter in Florida. In fact, the Dark-eyed Junco travels from its nesting grounds in Michigan and Canada to spend the winter with us here at First Friends Meeting. I often see flocks of from five to ten birds in the bushes and trees which flank the sidewalk entrance to the Meditational Woods. On several occasions I have been near the courtyard, when suddenly a flock drops down from overhead, to feed in the shelter of that patio. Each individual announces its presence with a rattle-like call. They are a boisterous bunch in the air, but feed quietly on the ground.

In appearance, the bird is small in size, like a sparrow, with a black head and grayish back, a white belly, and a pink bill. When in flight, the white outer-tail feathers flash, and get our attention.

As these avian winter-lovers leave in April for their northern nesting territories, we human Friends will be welcoming back our own snowbirds from their balmy sojourns. ~Brad J

Queries for the Week

Where am I feeling inadequate or fearful in life?
How do I “practice transfiguration” in the daily?
Where do I see transfiguration happening at First Friends, my community, my world?

Comment

Friend to Friend February 19, 2020

February 19, 2020

As Way Opens

We have experienced a lot of loss since the beginning of 2020. Parents, siblings, in-laws, grandparents, spouses, friends. Some of these losses were expected after a long illness. Other of these losses were shocking and knocked us to our knees. No matter the circumstances, the holes in our hearts are big and we are still processing the idea that these beloved folks are physically gone from our space. Our world seems a bit off kilter and we still find ourselves starting to dial the number or text a message to our beloved. Just this week I received an email that said it was from my brother (it was actually my sister-in-law’s account but it came through with my brother’s name) and it stopped me in my tracks. We know the spirit of these beloved friends and family members live on in our memories and in others, but the sense of loss is visceral and we feel an emptiness and a sadness that we won’t be able to create any new memories with our loved one.

I think about my favorite verse in the New Testament, John 11:35 - Jesus wept. As a kid, we used to ask people if they knew what the shortest verse in the Bible was? Jesus wept. Two words that have so much meaning to me now. Jesus shows up at Mary and Martha’s house at their request as they mourn the death of their brother Lazarus. Jesus sees the depth of despair of this loss and weeps with this family. What a comfort to know that Jesus weeps with each of us. Jesus bears our pain and loss and stands with us in our suffering. We experience the transcendent Christ in the human Jesus that comforts us and loves us in our time of need.

I see the hand of Jesus in all of you providing comfort and care to each other. May we weep with those experiencing loss and surround them with our love and care.

Beth

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Men’s Threshing Together ~ If you are interested in gathering with other men who mull over current issues or topics, where all points of view are heard, no decisions are made, and all in a non-threatening atmosphere over a meal, then Threshing Together is for you! Join us for our next meeting on Thursday, February 20 at 7:00pm. See Winter/Spring 2020 locations here: http://bit.ly/ThreshingSpr2020.

Jim and the Band on the Third Friday ~ Singing Friday will be showing up on the calendar on the 21st of February. Jim, and probably Jesse and Luke will also be with us again. If we have as good a time as last month, everyone will have an enjoyable, relaxing evening. You may learn a new song or a few. Gather in the parlor from 7-8:30 or so.

Proper Tree Planting and Maintenance Techniques ~ All are invited to this event sponsored by Indiana Native Plant Society Central Chapter. Planting and caring for a tree is not simple if you want it to survive and thrive into maturity. The focus will be on different types of planting stock, choosing good stock at the nursery, and then describing or demonstrating how to dig the hole and then plant the three primary types: stock balled and burlapped, containerized, and bare root trees. Participants will also learn how much water it takes for a new tree, types of mulch, how to mulch, fertilization do’s and don’ts, and even a bit about post planting care. Participants will know how to plan for planting and the right way to plant at the end of this lecture. Program will be held on Sunday, Feb 23rd at the Pike Branch Library, 6525 Zionsville Rd. Indianapolis 46268. Starts at 2pm. Open to members and non-members.

Have a Room to Rent? A Friend is looking for living space to rent. Just a room is needed, with bathroom access. If you have a room available to rent, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org with details and price. Thank you!

FWCC Sustainability: An Online Conference with Friends Worldwide ~ All are invited to join Quakers around the world to gather the Quaker voice on sustainability. It is being held online on Saturday, February 22, 2020; there will be an online conference spanning 11 hours. You will be able to join one of three start times, for a duration of 3 hours. These start times include 9:00am and 11:00am EST. Each start time will have 45 minutes of videos with 5 speakers. The speakers will come from each of the four FWCC sections and represent diversity of Quaker traditions, ages, and gender in order to represent the fullness of who we are across the world. After hearing from the speakers, there will be two hours for worship sharing. For more information and to register, please visit http://fwcc.world/sustainability/conference2020.

Join us at the Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading book club as we discuss Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari (498 pages) on Tuesday, February 25, 2020. In Sapiens, Dr Yuval Noah Harari spans the whole of human history, from the very first humans to walk the earth to the radical – and sometimes devastating – breakthroughs of the Cognitive, Agricultural and Scientific Revolutions. Drawing on insights from biology, anthropology, paleontology and economics, he explores how the currents of history have shaped our human societies, the animals and plants around us, and even our personalities. Have we become happier as history has unfolded? Can we ever free our behaviour from the heritage of our ancestors? And what, if anything, can we do to influence the course of the centuries to come? (Goodreads) Loryne Coffin will be leading the discussion in the Parlor starting at 7 pm, if you’d like to receive the Oak Leaf email, please contact Kathy Rhyne at kathyrichelle@icloud.com

Reclaiming Our Democracy, One Dinner Table at a Time ~ The Indianapolis Peace & Justice Center (IPJC) invites you to come play politics! As social creatures, humans need to play. The IPJC has designed a game aimed at giving a conversational, problem-solving “booster shot” to help open discussion. Based on conversations around a family dinner table, each participant will play a role as we tackle some of the thorny issues we face moving into this critical election year. This event will be on Tuesday, February 25 from 7:00-8:30pm in the First Friends Fellowship Hall. The event is free and open to the public, but please RSVP at 317-288-0408 or 2.john.clark@gmail.com. For more information on how the game will be played visit http://bit.ly/IPJCatFF.

The Green Team would like to call attention to the following: Councilor John Barth has introduced Proposal 1 which, if passed on March 3, would implement the Thrive Indianapolis Plan. It would also gather info from environmental experts to advance sustainability for Indianapolis.

Check out ways that you can personally make a difference at: www.thriveindianapolis.com.

Ideas range from turning off the lights when you leave the room to driving an electric car or planting a pollinator garden to attract bees and butterflies.

Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for February:
The “Snowbird”: Dark-eyed Junco

As these avian winter-lovers leave in April for their northern nesting territories, we human Friends will be welcoming back our own snowbirds from their balmy sojourns. ~Brad J

Queries for the Week

Who do I need to work on “speaking love” to this week?
Who, because of my fear, have I made a “leper” in my life?
How can First Friends become even better at speaking our native tongue – love?

Comment

Friend to Friend February 12, 2020

February 13, 2020

As Way Opens

2020 has brought several changes to my life. Not only have I committed to losing weight by eating healthier and exercising daily, I have also decided to lose some “weight” spiritually, while finding a better plan for the intake of spiritually beneficial food. Several years ago, I realized how watching TV shows like CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) made me unable to sleep at night. Lately, the same has become true of starting off my day with news channels that send my soul-searching while often dashing my hopeful anticipation for a good day.

Instead of the hour I dedicated to watching the news each morning, I have replaced it with physically working out. Obviously, I need to stay up to date with what is going on in the news, so I limit myself to just a recap of the day’s headlines online or on TV while enjoying my first cup of coffee. This leads me into my time of meditation and devotion. At first, I was reluctant to the idea of returning to a more formal meditation and devotion time. Too often those leave me bored or lacking spiritual stimulation. I realized for a change I would need to choose carefully a tool or text that would speak to seeing things from both positive and beautiful perspectives.

I have always been a fan of science and nature, especially taking adventures and exploring new places. One of the locations that has always intrigued me has been the Galápagos Islands – the volcanic islands on the equator west of continental Ecuador. The islands are known for their large number of endemic species that Charles Darwin studied and were the impetus for his Theory of Evolution. Since I am not making any plans to visit anytime soon, I decided to let Brian McLaren in his latest book, The Galápagos Islands: A Spiritual Journey whisk me away. In the style of the late Anthony Bourdain, each morning Brian takes me “on location” for spiritual reflection and a new view of the natural world. It positively awakens my soul and centers me for the day.

What I am trying to say is that little changes can really make a difference. Sometimes the weight of the world gets us down. Being aware of our intake (physically, mentally, & spiritually) is so important. I encourage you to find something this week that helps you reflect and center, and positively awakens your soul.

Grace and peace,

Bob

Joys & Concerns

Many thanks to our Mid-North Food Pantry Volunteers: David B; Phil G; Beth F; Mara S; Kathy and Bill F; Linda and Rik L; Carol and Jim D. We were very busy as we served 115 families. Thanks to our volunteers and to all who provide support to the pantry.

Thank you to the Scouts who helped with Scout Sunday! You all did a fantastic job! As you will notice “Peacekeepers come in all sizes”! (Thanks to Beth Henricks for capturing these moments during Meeting for Worship)

We had a great turn out for our Seasoned Friends Valentine event! After a wonderful meal of Moroccan Stew and a variety of Valentine Desserts, we watched the 1942 classic, “Casablanca.”

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Wednesday Worship CANCELLED ~ Please be advised that due to potentially hazardous weather, we are cancelling Wednesday Unprogrammed Worship TONIGHT, February 12. Please stay safe on the roads this evening!

Notice: No Gentle Yoga ~ Please note there will be no Gentle Yoga on Friday, February 14th. Happy Valentine’s day!

2019 Giving Statements are out! Everyone’s giving statement for 2019 was emailed on January 29th. If you did not receive this email, or would prefer a printed copy, contact the office at office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485. Thank you for supporting First Friends and allowing us to accomplish so much in 2019! Here’s to another wonderful year in 2020.

Free Choir Concert ~ The Hamilton Southeastern Choirs, under the direction of Shawn P and Danielle M, will hold its 28th annual Jesse Eastwood Memorial concert on Friday February 14. Concert takes places at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church on 86th and Meridian Streets and begins at 7:00 pm. Music includes all genres from patriotic to classical to spirituals to folk. Admission is free so bring your Valentine for an evening of upbeat and uplifting music if you don’t already have plans!

Experiment with Light ~ Friends, our monthly Experiment with the Light (EWL) is Tuesday, February 18, at 7 pm in the parlor. All are welcome, whether this is your first time or you’re a regular. Attenders find it a remarkable experience. Please join us. We begin promptly at 7 pm and end at 8:30. Peace and love, ~Mary Ellen L.

Living Well with a Serious Medical Condition ~ All are invited to this online class which helps attendees learn how to thrive despite serious medical conditions. In this team-taught class, you’ll work at your own pace, using materials provided. You will be accompanied on this journey by your classmates and instructors who have been through, or have worked extensively with, this life altering transition. During life altering transitions one can tap into tools, resources, and the support network they already have. Six-week sessions start February 19th. For more information on the class and information on registering, click here: http://bit.ly/2Slcpj9.

Check out ways that you can personally make a difference at: www.thriveindianapolis.com. Ideas range from turning off the lights when you leave the room to driving an electric car or planting a pollinator garden to attract bees and butterflies.

Please send us your bios! We are asking everyone who is comfortable, to share a short, 2-3 sentence bio about themselves. This bio will be used by the office in the bulletin when you serve on Facing Bench, or have news to share via Friend to Friend, social media, etc. It should be a short introduction about yourself so that everyone can know who you are, and maybe learn a little bit about you. Send us your info at https://forms.gle/XL89uH7uUoMJR9Pv5.

Men’s Threshing Together ~ If you are interested in gathering with other men who mull over current issues or topics, where all points of view are heard, no decisions are made, and all in a non-threatening atmosphere over a meal, then Threshing Together is for you! Join us for our next meeting on Thursday, February 20 at 7:00pm. See Winter/Spring 2020 locations here: http://bit.ly/ThreshingSpr2020.

Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for February:
The “Snowbird”: Dark-eyed Junco

As these avian winter-lovers leave in April for their northern nesting territories, we human Friends will be welcoming back our own snowbirds from their balmy sojourns. ~Brad J

Reclaiming Our Democracy, One Dinner Table at a Time ~ The Indianapolis Peace & Justice Center (IPJC) invites you to come play politics! As social creatures, humans need to play. The IPJC has designed a game aimed at giving a conversational, problem-solving “booster shot” to help open discussion. Based on conversations around a family dinner table, each participant will play a role as we tackle some of the thorny issues we face moving into this critical election year. This event will be on Tuesday, February 25 from 7:00-8:30pm in the First Friends Fellowship Hall. The event is free and open to the public, but please RSVP at 317-288-0408 or 2.john.clark@gmail.com. For more information, please visit http://www.centerforinterfaithcooperation.org/event/play-reclaiming-civility-one-dinner-table-at-a-time.

Queries for the Week

1. What am I doing to help train “peacemakers of all sizes” at First Friends and in my community?

2. How can I promote a more genuine and nobler patriotism which recognizes justice and reasonableness in the claims of others and which leads our country into comradeship with our own communities and our world?

3. How is First Friends leaving a legacy of peacemaking at First Friends?

Comment

Friend to Friend February 5, 2020

February 5, 2020

As Way Opens

I am taking a class this semester on Buddhism and Quakers. So many folks participate in a Buddhist practice and as I have been studying Zen Buddhism I can see the benefit and connection to Quakerism. We all know the value to sitting in silence and listening for God’s voice as we experience unprogrammed worship. In Buddhism, “sitting” is foundational to a spiritual practice and the work is to empty the mind of any thoughts, any attachments and to just be present in the moment. The practice of settling our bodies, minds and hearts is so needed in today’s world as we are bombarded with social media, texts, misinformation, streaming etc. As part of the class, I am in meditation every day and it really is powerful for my body and my mind to sit in awareness of my sitting and letting go of the thoughts that keep popping into my head. In the book, Everyday Zen, Charlotte Joko Beck writes “I don’t think we ever let go of anything. I think what we do is just wear things out. If we start forcing our mind to do something, we are right back into the dualism that we are trying to get out of. The best way to let go is to notice the thoughts as they come up and acknowledge them. Oh yes, I’m doing that one again and without judging, return to the clear experience of the present moment. Just be patient. We might have to do it ten thousand times, but the value for our practices is the constant return of the mind into the present, over and over and over.” (page 6)

Jill Frame sent me a great free app called Insight Timer that offers 32,000 free meditations. I have practiced several of them and they have helped me the last week to wake up to the moment and let go of my anxiousness and worry. Maybe more meditation for each of us will give us more calm and peace as we navigate through troubled waters.

Beth

Joys & Concerns

We had a wonderful Super BOWL Sunday with Friends at Woodland Bowl! What a great turnout of Friends to enjoy the afternoon. Congratulations to our high-scoring winners!

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Notice: No Gentle Yoga ~ Please note there will be no Gentle Yoga on Fridays February 7th and February 14th.

Do you enjoy the Singalongs with Jim K? Then you’re going to love this! Jim and Luke are in a band called The Rodney Boys, and they will be playing live on Saturday, February 8 at the Books and Brews in Noblesville, 13230 Harrel Parkway #100, from 8:00-10:00pm. Come one, come all, if you’re interested in hearing them play!

Scout Sunday~ Current and former Scouts, please let us know if there are any changes or updates for you and your family. This includes scouts, former scouts, and scout leaders. Please submit any updates to the office so we can recognize you that day. Please send your name, Scouting Organization, Troop number and Scout rank. Email office@indyfriends.org or call 317-255-2485. All are invited to our Scout Sunday Service on February 9th! We hope to see you there!

Seasoned Friends invites you! All Friends of retirement age are invited to our next Seasoned Friends luncheon which will be Wednesday, February 12 at 11:30am in the First Friends Parlor. There will be Moroccan stew, rice and fruit. After our luncheon we will watch the classic film Casablanca. If you would like to come and celebrate this day of love with us, please RSVP with the office at office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485.

Free Choir Concert ~ The Hamilton Southeastern Choirs, under the direction of Shawn Porter and Danielle Mullen, will hold its 28th annual Jesse Eastwood Memorial concert on Friday February 14. Concert takes places at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church on 86th and Meridian Streets and begins at 7:00 pm. Music includes all genres from patriotic to classical to spirituals to folk. Admission is free and so bring your Valentine for an evening of upbeat and uplifting music if you don’t already have plans!

Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for January

American Robin: The Truth about this “Harbinger of Spring”

firstfriendscopier@gmail.com_20200123_135847_001.jpg

Wait a minute! How can the robin be bird of the month for January? It is not even close to being spring! Friends, the truth is that robins have been hanging around our First Friends Meetinghouse all winter long. I have seen a few or even a flock on every one of my weekly walks here on the property. During this time they scratch on the woodland floor, turning over leaves to find grubs and other goodies which are wintering underneath. Robins also eat the berries of bushes.

When conditions get too difficult for robins to locate sufficient food, they will fly south just far enough to find some. In the rough winters of the late 1970s, we would visit the old part of Camp Atterbury, and see hundreds of robins which had gathered there to feast on the huge crop of berries of the ornamentals which had been planted. That is just 50 miles south of Indianapolis. As the conditions for food supply improve, the birds make their way back north. It may be that people aren’t really looking for them until early spring, and don’t realize they were here all along.

One question: Are the robins that are found here in the winter, the same individuals that nested here? In other words, could it be that the robins that nested here flew south for the winter to Kentucky or Tennessee, and were replaced by the robins that nested up in Michigan and Canada? One would have to find banded birds to get a possible answer. Hmmmm?

So what is the true sign of spring in the bird world? My vote goes to American Woodcock, a species that usually shows up in early March, or possibly a little earlier. ~Brad J

Help Care for Our Organ! The organ needs to have its leathers worked on. When the organ work was done 15 years ago, we did not have this done. It is now time to have this work done. We need to have this done before we lose all or some of the organ. I (Mindy) think Jenny M (choir member) says it all:

Several years ago when I could stand to speak in silent worship I recited this:
Bach gave us God’s Word
Mozart gave us God’s Laughter
Beethoven gave us God’s Fire
God gave us Music that we might pray without words.
We are blessed to have an exceptional organist in Shawn who consecrates us weekly with prayers of joy, prayers of sorrow, prayers of meditation and prayers of thanksgiving through the organ. I need music, organ music, to paint the silence of my worship, to connect me to others and to God. I am thankful I can come to First Friends and no matter the problems of the week, be filled with God’s word, laughter and fire through beautiful organ music.

Donations to help complete this organ work can be dropped in the offering plate or sent to the First Friends office.

Living Well with a Serious Medical Condition ~ All are invited to this online class which helps attendees learn how to thrive despite serious medical conditions. In this team-taught class, you’ll work at your own pace, using materials provided. You will be accompanied on this journey by your classmates and instructors who have been through, or have worked extensively with, this life altering transition. During life altering transitions one can tap into tools, resources, and the support network they already have. For more information on the class and information on registering, click here: http://bit.ly/2Slcpj9

Join us at the Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading book club as we discuss Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari (498 pages) on Tuesday, February 25, 2020. In Sapiens, Dr Yuval Noah Harari spans the whole of human history, from the very first humans to walk the earth to the radical – and sometimes devastating – breakthroughs of the Cognitive, Agricultural and Scientific Revolutions. Drawing on insights from biology, anthropology, paleontology and economics, he explores how the currents of history have shaped our human societies, the animals and plants around us, and even our personalities. Have we become happier as history has unfolded? Can we ever free our behaviour from the heritage of our ancestors? And what, if anything, can we do to influence the course of the centuries to come? (Goodreads) Loryne C will be leading the discussion in the Parlor starting at 7 pm, if you’d like to receive the Oak Leaf email, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.

Queries for the Week

1. In what ways do you need to be “reconciled to God” – to bring true peace into your life?

2. What worries in your life do you need to shape into prayers this week?

3. How are you going to “think on these things” – whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable, this week?

Comment

Friend to Friend January 29, 2020

January 29, 2020

As Way Opens

This year, my family and I were in Chicago over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend. We were accompanying our son, Sam, on a special visit to take a class at the School of the Art Institute, where he will be attending in the fall. After arriving at SAIC and thawing out from our bitter cold walk, we attended a welcome gathering where we were introduced to the Provost, Martin Berger. Provost Berger was asked to engage us with a lecture about the importance of art in our world and society. In Steve Jobs fashion, with large screen behind him, Berger began to give one of the most important lectures I have ever heard about the power of art, surprisingly also an appropriate “sermon” for Martin Luther King Jr. Sunday. I found myself sensing the lecture transcending its original purpose. What I did not know was that Berger is a Yale scholar and historian whose expertise is in 19th and 20th century US Art History, with a particular focus on the construction of gender and race.

There were several points I took away from Berger’s lecture. Art has always had (and will continue to have) a role in helping us see with new eyes the world that we live in. Art often challenges how we think, brings to light those things kept in the dark, and presents an alternative way to wrestle with and encounter our world. In his talk, Berger gave several examples of artists who have changed or are changing our world. Two artists that Berger spoke of who captured my attention were African American artist, Fred Wilson, and Cuban-born American visual artist, Felix Gonzales-Torres. Wilson’s body of work challenges colonial assumptions of history, culture, and race, while Gonzales-Torres’s body of work is known for simple but evocative presentations dealing with sexual orientation, intimacy, loss, and mortality. (I recommend you check them out).

As Berger had me pondering the importance of art in our society and world, I couldn’t help but think of art’s complicated relationship with Quakers. In a Friends Journal article titled, Quakers’ and Everyones’ Need for the Arts this was emphasized.

“For too long Quakers viewed the arts as a frivolous pursuit, ignoring the need for artistic self-expression except in journals and “good works.” But the climate was different then. In the 18th and 19th centuries religion was in the very air one breathed, and spirituality was expressed in lengthy sermons and discourses. Today’s materialistic, rational, secular times offer a sparse diet of spirituality for the hungry. The hunger for religion and the spiritual life finds needed nourishment in the arts.”

I sense it’s time for a renaissance in Quakerdom! Won’t you join me in getting out our sketch pads, musical instruments, computers, sewing machines, crochet hooks, dancing shoes, etc. Let’s create art that challenges our perspectives (spiritual and secular), brings light to those things kept in the dark (injustices and inequalities), and presents new ways to encounter God, our neighbor, and the world around us! This week go and create!

Grace and peace,

Bob

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Notice: No Gentle Yoga ~ Please note there will be no Gentle Yoga on Fridays February 7th and February 14th.

Come and celebrate the coming of William Daniel M with Nichole and Josh Saturday, Feb 1 from 1-3PM at the Meetinghouse Parlor. We’ll have games, treats, and fun. We would love to have advice for our little guy and us (we may have a book to collect your advice/tips at the shower). If you would like to bring a gift, our biggest needs will be diapers, wipes, and gift cards to Kroger, Walmart, or Target. We are registered at Walmart, Target, and Amazon. We also would like to build him a good library of your favorite kids’ books new or used. To RSVP, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.

Scout Sunday February 9th ~ Current and former Scouts, please let us know if there are any changes or updates for you and your family. This includes scouts, former scouts, and scout leaders. Please submit any updates to the office so we can recognize you that day. Please send your name, Scouting Organization, Troop number and Scout rank. Email office@indyfriends.org or call 317-255-2485.

Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for January

American Robin: The Truth about this “Harbinger of Spring”

So what is the true sign of spring in the bird world? My vote goes to American Woodcock, a species that usually shows up in early March, or possibly a little earlier. ~Brad J

Several years ago when I could stand to speak in silent worship I recited this:
Bach gave us God’s Word
Mozart gave us God’s Laughter
Beethoven gave us God’s Fire
God gave us Music that we might pray without words.
We are blessed to have an exceptional organist in Shawn who consecrates us weekly with prayers of joy, prayers of sorrow, prayers of meditation and prayers of thanksgiving through the organ. I need music, organ music, to paint the silence of my worship, to connect me to others and to God. I am thankful I can come to First Friends and no matter the problems of the week, be filled with God’s word, laughter and fire through beautiful organ music.

Donations to help complete this organ work can be dropped in the offering plate or sent to the First Friends office.

Queries for the Week

1. What do I need to change in my life to find peace?

2. Where am I creating “barriers” for others to find peace?

3. Who are the folks on the fringe I need to identify with so they can experience peace?

4. Where am I using my position to withhold peace?

5. Is my life green and blossoming with opportunities for peace?

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Friend to Friend January 22, 2020

January 23, 2020

As Way Opens

I participated in a MLK Jr celebration on Monday at Cross and Crown Lutheran Church. It was a wonderful service to honor Dr. King and challenge us to live into his legacy. We heard a rousing message from the minister from Allen Chapel AME church and he quoted extensively from Dr. King’s sermon titled Our God is enough.

The message spoke to my heart as we are living in such divided and troubled times in our country as we watch our government face the issue of impeachment. I just heard this morning that Boko Harem, the Islamic terrorist group in Nigeria, executed a leader in the Church of the Brethen this week. I am also personally grieving the loss of my dear brother last week. So much pain and loss. But I do believe that our God is enough for all that we face. Here is an excerpt from Dr King’s message.

"This is the beginning of a new year. It is a time when the startling facts of yesterday and the heightening expectations of tomorrow join hands in the pressing urgency of today. There is no better way to begin this year than with the conviction that there is a God of power who is able to do exceedingly abundant things in our lives and in the life of the universe. To believe in and to live by the fact that ‘God is able’ transforms life’s impending sunsets into glittering sunrises. The conviction that ‘our God is able’ is a conviction stressed and exulted in, over and over again in the New and Old Testaments. This conviction stands at the center of our Christian faith. The God that we worship is not a weak God. He is not an incompetent God and consequently he is able to beat back gigantic mountains of opposition and to bring low prodigious hilltops of evil. The ringing cry of the Christian faith is that our God is able.”

I pray that we live into this belief as we face our troubles and trials. Our God is able to walk beside us, behind us, in front of us and sometimes carries us. When things seem their darkest that is often when God is most at work.

Beth

Joys & Concerns

Thanks to the outpouring of help from First Friends! 105 families were provided food at Mid-North Food Pantry on Wednesday, Jan. 15. Participants included John and Ileen M, Rik and Linda L, Dan M, Stacia B, Tom F, Christy M, Phil G, Becki and Kim H, Kathy, Bill and Beth F. Thank you, volunteers!

Quaker-Affiliated Organizations

IFCL -- Statehouse Action on Predatory Lending

Friends:

The General Assembly is moving full steam ahead on the topic of predatory lending -- but in the wrong direction. Please see below an update regarding predatory lending legislation as it is being proposed for this session. This information comes from the Indiana Institute for Working Families, a broad coalition with whom IFCL has worked in the past to help protect consumers from predatory lending practices.

Please contact your legislators to express concerns about the bills referred to in this update. They can't listen if we don't speak out. Thanks for helping our most financially vulnerable Hoosiers.

36% in All the Wrong Places:

Senate committee will hear bill to hike interest rates & fees

In Indiana, a coalition of veterans groups, faith leaders, civil rights and community organizations, and social service providers has united to advance the call to rein in predatory lending. This year, legislators have introduced SB 26 and SB 415 to put a 36% cap on payday loans, and SB 407 and HB 1239, which aim to provide more tools to go after unlicensed lenders.

But instead of advancing these bills, on Wednesday the Senate Insurance and Financial Institutions Committee will hear SB 395. It puts 36% in all the wrong places.

With the exception of the carve out for payday lenders, which allows them to charge up to 391% APR on short-term loans of up to $605, Indiana law currently allows other lenders to choose from a blended rate of 36% on the first $2000, 21% on $2000-4000, and 15% on $4000+ OR a flat rate of 25%.

SB 395 would allow a rate of 36% on ANY SIZE LOAN. Take a moment to digest the thought of a car loan at 36%. THAT'S. NOT. GOOD.

It also allows a fee of $150 to be layered on top.

Meanwhile, SB 395 does not put 36% in the one place consumer advocates want to see it: in the payday loan chapter. So if this bill passed, payday lenders could continue to drain millions per year in finance charges from vulnerable borrowers - a reality SB 395 would make even more likely, as the majority of payday loan borrowers turn to payday lending because they are struggling to pay other bills.

Read more on our blog, then commit to taking action.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

MSPC Early Enrollment ~ Maple Seeds Preschool Coop is accepting new students for 2020-2021! First Friends Families are invited to apply before enrollment opens to the public this Friday, January 24th. If you are interested in signing up your child(ren), please use this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1n2pjy-mMjrXna83F9dJWCGBCG-qaHwVOKSsKSswIusE. Questions? Contact info@mapleseeds.org.

Free tickets! Barbara O has three tickets to Second Helpings' fundraiser, “Souper Bowl” that she would like to offer anyone who could use them. The event is this Saturday, January 25, from 11:30 to 1:30, at Second Helpings, 1121 Southeastern Avenue. It's a chance to sample soups from some of the city's well-known chefs. Friends Stacia Murphy and Vicki Wertz both work at Second Helpings and would no doubt be glad to see any of us there. If you are interested, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.

January Monthly Meeting Notice ~ Due to the WYM visioning meeting being held at First Friends on January 19th at 3:30pm, Meeting for Business will be held after worship on Sunday, January 26th in the parlor. Please mark your calendars accordingly!

Join us at the Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading book club as we discuss The Overstory, by Richard Powers on Tuesday, January 28, 2020. The Overstory, winner of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction, is a sweeping, impassioned work of activism and resistance that is also a stunning evocation of―and paean to―the natural world. From the roots to the crown and back to the seeds, Richard Powers’s twelfth novel unfolds in concentric rings of interlocking fables that range from antebellum New York to the late twentieth-century Timber Wars of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. There is a world alongside ours―vast, slow, interconnected, resourceful, magnificently inventive, and almost invisible to us. This is the story of a handful of people who learn how to see that world and who are drawn up into its unfolding catastrophe (from Goodreads). Linda Lee will be leading the discussion in the Parlor starting at 7 pm. If you’d like to receive the Oak Leaf email, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.

The Green Team would like to highlight the following website: https://indiana.clearchoicescleanwater.org. The program has easy steps we can commit to that will improve water quality in Indiana. There are activities for kids and steps we can all take that range from water conservation ideas to curtailing lawn fertilizers. Check it out!

Come and celebrate the coming of William Daniel M with Nichole and Josh M Saturday, Feb 1 from 1-3PM at Anna R’s house. We’ll have games, treats, and fun. We would love to have advice for our little guy and us (we may have a book to collect your advice/tips at the shower). If you would like to bring a gift, our biggest needs will be diapers, wipes, and gift cards to Kroger, Walmart, or Target. We are registered at Walmart, Target, and Amazon. We also would like to build him a good library of your favorite kids’ books new or used. Please contact the office if you’re interested.

Several years ago when I could stand to speak in silent worship I recited this:
Bach gave us God’s Word
Mozart gave us God’s Laughter
Beethoven gave us God’s Fire
God gave us Music that we might pray without words.
We are blessed to have an exceptional organist in Shawn who consecrates us weekly with prayers of joy, prayers of sorrow, prayers of meditation and prayers of thanksgiving through the organ. I need music, organ music, to paint the silence of my worship, to connect me to others and to God. I am thankful I can come to First Friends and no matter the problems of the week, be filled with God’s word, laughter and fire through beautiful organ music.

Donations to help complete this organ work can be dropped in the offering plate or sent to the First Friends office.

Family Bowling ~ Please join us for a bowling party hosted by the Christian Education Committee. It will be Sunday, February 2nd after worship at Woodland Bowl, 3421 E 96th St. First Friends will provide 2 games, shoe rental, pizza and drinks for everyone. Please RSVP with the office at office@indyfriends.org.

Seasoned Friends invites you! All Friends of retirement age are invited to our next Seasoned Friends luncheon which will be Wednesday, February 12 at 11:30am in the First Friends Parlor. There will be Moroccan stew, rice and fruit. After our luncheon we will watch the classic film Casablanca. If you would like to come and celebrate this day of love with us, please RSVP with the office at office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485.

We now have a NEW Online Directory! We are thrilled to share our new mobile/online directory. This directory, provided by Lifetouch, includes photos from the recently released pictorial directory, and will always include the most up-to-date information the office has. All are welcome and encouraged to use it! You can find the directory here: https://mobiledirectory.lifetouch.com/318079/first-friends-church. Be sure to bookmark it! It is compatible on both computer and cell phone. For privacy reasons, it is password protected. Please phone the office at 317-255-2485 to get the password. This is a great option if you’re on-the-go, can’t find your directory, or if you need info when the office is closed. We hope you will enjoy this convenient directory option!

Queries for the Week

What do I know about other faith traditions?
Do I listen to and honor other faith traditions different than my own?
How do I build bridges with those that practice faith differently than I do?

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Friend to Friend January 15, 2020

January 15, 2020

As Way Opens

It seems over the past couple of days, I have been dealing with what some may label, The Unexpected. Here is a short rundown of mine since Friday…

Friday morning, our son, woke up sick – unexpected.
Friday afternoon, our bathroom shower decided to spring a huge leak and the water to our home was turned off – unexpected.
Friday evening, my wife, Sue was informed that one of her fellow teacher’s mother passed away – unexpected.
Saturday night, Beth Henricks called and informed me that her brother suffered a heart attack and was most likely going to die – unexpected.
Monday evening, just after our bathroom shower was fixed and water fully restored to our home, Hamilton County issued a “boil water” alert – unexpected.
Tuesday morning, as I drove into work a rock hit my windshield and put a big chip in it – unexpected.

I am sure there were more, but I think you get the gist. Life is full of The Unexpected. Some people even say that the best things in life are unexpected – not so much for me these past few days. But all this unexpected had me reflecting again on three words I learned from Val Wright in her blog post titled, The Best Way to Respond to Unexpected Changes.

FREEZE WALLOW MORPH

Somethings unexpected cause us to freeze in our tracks because of shock or surprise. The query we should be considering is What will it take to defrost (adapt or change) to this new reality?

Somethings unexpected focus on disappointment or unfairness, and we wallow in what could have been. The queries we should consider in these times are What can I control? How can I stay positive? And who do I need in my life during this time?

Somethings unexpected call for a quick metamorphosing to help adapt to a situation. The query we should consider in these times is, How might we need to modify our behaviors or actions when the unexpected comes?

I pray you will join me in becoming more aware of our responses and what queries we may need to process so that we may find success in moving forward when the unexpected arises.

Grace and peace,

Bob

Quaker-Affiliated Organizations

IFCL Plans in Redistricting Event at Statehouse

The 2020 General Assembly started last Monday, and it's a short session this year. Our legislators will be packing up and heading home by early March. That leaves us very little time to reform redistricting before new legislative maps are drawn in 2021.

We hit the ground running on the first day of session with a very successful Statehouse press conference to announce two redistricting reform bills being introduced by Sen. John Ruckelshaus-R, Dist.30. A bipartisan team of legislators who attended pledged their support for redistricting reform by publicly signing the End Gerrymandering Pledge, a national initiative championed by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Eric Holder.

It's extremely important we continue to make redistricting reform visible and keep it at the top of the legislative agenda. Citizens can help make a difference right now by joining the AllIN4Democracy Lobby Day on January 16.

WHAT: Redistricting Reform Lobby Day

WHEN: Thursday, January 16 at 10:30 a.m.

WHERE: Indiana State Library, 315 West Ohio Street, History Reference Room

After a briefing on the status of the bills and some talking points, you are encouraged to walk across the street to the Statehouse and talk to your legislators about reform. It's best to call their offices in advance and make an appointment. (One way to get their telephone numbers can be found on the Indiana General Assembly website under “Find Your Representative.”)

At least two more Republican legislators, Rep. Woody Burton-R, Dist. 58, and Sen. Greg Walker-D, Dist. 41, have publicly signed the End Gerrymandering Pledge just this week. After the struggle to find support among Republicans the last several years, this is great news!

Please join us on January 16 to learn how to talk with your representatives about supporting this vital reform, then meet with them. They need to hear from us!

If you can RSVP NOW >> , that will help planners know how many to expect. Thank you.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Men’s Threshing Together ~ If you are interested in gathering with other men who mull over current issues or topics, where all points of view are heard, no decisions are made, and all in a non-threatening atmosphere over a meal, then Threshing Together is for you! Join us for our next meeting tomorrow, Thursday, January 16 at 7:00pm. See Winter/Spring 2020 locations here: http://bit.ly/ThreshingSpr2020.

January Happy Singing Songs ~ Third Friday Sing Along is flying toward us: January 17th at 7:00pm in the Parlor. Jim K will be choosing the songs and projecting at least some of them onto screen, as he did at Christmas. I (Linda) will now be a helper for Jim along with Jesse and Luke, but step back as far as organizing music. Curious? Enjoy singing? Come Sing Along!

Western Yearly Meeting – New Vision! As part of WYM’s visioning process, a listening meeting will be held at Indianapolis First Friends on Sunday, January 19, 2020 at 3:30 p.m. in the Parlor. The meeting will be conducted by Margaret Fraser, the consultant hired by WYM. This session is open for anyone to attend! Here’s what to expect:

• Listening Sessions are approximately one hour long.

• Gather in a circle.

• Margaret (our facilitator) asks five questions and sets the timer to ensure time for each.

• People are asked to speak just once until everyone has had an opportunity.

• A designated note taker writes down responses, and Margaret makes notes, too.

• Everyone is asked to sign an attendance list to see which Meetings are represented.

• We are careful to make sure that answers are recorded, but not attributed to any specific person.

• The aim is to build up a picture of what’s on the hearts of people in WYM.

We hope everyone will attend and share to improve WYM. Please join us!

Martin Luther King Jr Service! All are invited to this Shalom Zone celebration service and community luncheon honoring Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It will be held on Martin Luther King Jr Day, Monday, January 20, 2020 at 11:00am at Cross and Crown Lutheran Church, 5233 East 79th St, 46250. Our guest preacher will be Rev. Dr. Charlestonfontaine Macon, Sr Pastor of Allen Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church in Indianapolis. Everyone is welcome to this free event. For more information, find the flyer at http://bit.ly/2rlcBFU. We hope you will join us!

Touring, Trekking, and Mounaineering in the Himalayas ~ Jeff Rasley will be giving a talk and slide show about touring, trekking, and climbing in the Himalayas at REI Castleton, Indianapolis on Tuesday, January 21 at 6:30 p.m. REI is located at 8520 Castleton Corner Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46250. It is free and open to the public, but REI requests you register at https://www.rei.com/events/94908/touring-trekking-and-mounaineering-in-the-himalayas/267185. There are limited spots remaining! We hope to see you there.

Experiment with Light ~ Friends, our monthly Experiment with the Light (EWL) is Tuesday, January 21, at 7 pm in the parlor. All are welcome, whether this is your first time or you’re a regular. Attenders find it a remarkable experience. Please join us. We begin promptly at 7 pm and end at 8:30. Peace and love, ~Mary Ellen L.

Several years ago when I could stand to speak in silent worship I recited this:
Bach gave us God’s Word
Mozart gave us God’s Laughter
Beethoven gave us God’s Fire
God gave us Music that we might pray without words.
We are blessed to have an exceptional organist in Shawn who consecrates us weekly with prayers of joy, prayers of sorrow, prayers of meditation and prayers of thanksgiving through the organ. I need music, organ music, to paint the silence of my worship, to connect me to others and to God. I am thankful I can come to First Friends and no matter the problems of the week, be filled with God’s word, laughter and fire through beautiful organ music.

Donations to help complete this organ work can be dropped in the offering plate or sent to the First Friends office.

Come and celebrate the coming of William Daniel with Nichole and Josh Saturday, Feb 1 from 1-3PM at Anna R’s house. We’ll have games, treats, and fun. We would love to have advice for our little guy and us (we may have a book to collect your advice/tips at the shower). If you would like to bring a gift, our biggest needs will be diapers, wipes, and gift cards to Kroger, Walmart, or Target. We are registered at Walmart, Target, and Amazon. We also would like to build him a good library of your favorite kids’ books new or used. To RSVP, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.

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Friend to Friend January 8, 2020

January 8, 2020

As Way Opens

Ever since Meeting for Worship this past Sunday, I have had people asking me about the New Year’s Resolutions I shared at the end of my sermon. After worship I posted on our Facebook pages the full blog post from Wendy Swallow, blog editor of Reno Friends Meeting. (Here is a link to the full post: https://www.renofriends.org/new-years-resolutions-for-the-spirit/).

Due to the fact that some of you do not participate in social media (or have resolved not to in 2020), I have included Wendy’s resolutions below. As I mentioned in my sermon, I believe as Quakers, our first resolution must be an inward journey. For me, that journey included seeking an answer to Wendy’s original query, “How can I move forward in the New Year with a more solid foundation for my spirit so that I can bring my best self to the world?” Her well-articulated resolutions not only spoke to my condition, but will help foster a sense of direction, guidance, and hopeful possibilities for the New Year. My hope is they will do the same for you.

1. I will take advantage of the Silence to reconsider my choices around work and commitments. Which things are most important? Am I being realistic in the projects I take on? Can I still contribute while doing a bit less and giving myself more time to regroup and refresh?

2. I will take advantage of the Silence to reassess my energy and my gifts. Am I honoring my strengths by taking on commitments that line up with what I can do competently and happily? Can I give in these ways without depleting myself?

3. I will spend time with people who lift me up. I will intentionally seek them out and connect with them.

4. If a new commitment arises, I will give myself permission to sit with it and ask for spiritual guidance before jumping in. I will respond to my spirit and heart, rather than to the chorus of “shoulds” in my head.

5. I will give myself time for a hobby or activity that makes me happy and relaxed. The goal is to do something I’m interested in, and to do it without judgement.

6. I will take time to sit in silence and listen to God, especially when things turn difficult. If a bad day is unfolding, I will retreat for a half hour to calm my heart and listen to what arises. I will practice lifting problems into the Light so I can understand them better.

7. I will make things simpler. When given a choice, I’ll try the doable way and learn to accept help gracefully. I will save my energy for the most important things.

8. I will take an occasional retreat day: Every now and then (maybe once a week), I will give myself a day off without deadlines or engagements, to read, relax and do easy chores. This will give me time to reconnect with my happy self.

9. I will take time to consider my faith journey and deepen my connection with Spirit through readings or retreats or gatherings that expand my faith experience.

10. I will take advantage of the Silence to ask myself: what would I do if I were not afraid? I will think of new ways to deal with recurrent problems, and try to imagine a life lived fearlessly.

Happy New Year,

Bob

Joys & Concerns

A delayed “Thank You” to our Food Pantry volunteers from Wednesday, December 18th: Bill F, Dan H, David B, Linda and Rik L, Beth F, Mara S, Phil G, Carol & Jim D. 103 families were provided food by the First Friends volunteers that week. A big Thank You to all First Friends’ volunteers during 2019 without whom this outreach would not be possible!

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Women’s Gathering This Sunday ~ All women are invited to join us in the parlor after worship this Sunday, January 12, for lunch, sharing and discussion. Please RSVP with the office if you plan to attend—office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485.

Youth Group this Sunday ~ A reminder that this Sunday, January 12 will be Youth Group in the basement at 11:30 am. We hope all our youth will be there!

Help Care for Our Organ! The organ needs to have its leathers worked on. When the organ work was done 4 years ago, we did not have this done. It is now time to have this work done. We need to have this done before we lose all or some of the organ. I (Mindy) think Jenny M (choir member) says it all:

Several years ago when I could stand to speak in silent worship I recited this:
“Bach gave us God’s Word
Mozart gave us God’s Laughter
Beethoven gave us God’s Fire
God gave us Music that we might pray without words.”
We are blessed to have an exceptional organist in Shawn who consecrates us weekly with prayers of joy, prayers of sorrow, prayers of meditation and prayers of thanksgiving through the organ. I need music, organ music, to paint the silence of my worship, to connect me to others and to God. I am thankful I can come to First Friends and no matter the problems of the week, be filled with God’s word, laughter and fire through beautiful organ music.

Donations to help complete this organ work can be dropped in the offering plate or sent to the First Friends office.

Men’s Threshing Together ~ If you are interested in gathering with other men who mull over current issues or topics, where all points of view are heard, no decisions are made, and all in a non-threatening atmosphere over a meal, then Threshing Together is for you! Join us for our next meeting on Thursday, January 16 at 7:00pm. See Winter/Spring 2020 locations here: http://bit.ly/ThreshingSpr2020.

• Listening Sessions are approximately one hour long.

• Gather in a circle.

• Margaret (our facilitator) asks five questions and sets the timer to ensure time for each.

• People are asked to speak just once until everyone has had an opportunity.

• A designated note taker writes down responses, and Margaret makes notes, too.

• Everyone is asked to sign an attendance list to see which Meetings are represented.

• We are careful to make sure that answers are recorded, but not attributed to any specific person.

• The aim is to build up a picture of what’s on the hearts of people in WYM.

We hope everyone will attend and share to improve WYM. Please join us!

January Monthly Meeting Notice ~ Due to the WYM visioning meeting being held at First Friends on January 19th at 3:30 pm, Meeting for Business will be held after worship on Sunday, January 26th in the parlor. Please mark your calendars accordingly!

Join us at the Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading book club as we discuss The Overstory, by Richard Powers on Tuesday, January 28, 2020. The Overstory, winner of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction, is a sweeping, impassioned work of activism and resistance that is also a stunning evocation of―and paean to―the natural world. From the roots to the crown and back to the seeds, Richard Powers’s twelfth novel unfolds in concentric rings of interlocking fables that range from antebellum New York to the late twentieth-century Timber Wars of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. There is a world alongside ours―vast, slow, interconnected, resourceful, magnificently inventive, and almost invisible to us. This is the story of a handful of people who learn how to see that world and who are drawn up into its unfolding catastrophe (from Goodreads). Linda L will be leading the discussion in the Parlor starting at 7 pm. If you’d like to receive the Oak Leaf email, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.

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