Friend to Friend August 10, 2022

August 11, 2022

This is a rather busy week in the Henry household. Not only is it Sue’s first full week of teaching, two of our boys will be heading to Indiana University on Sunday to become roommates for the school year. That means a lot of last-minute trips to Target and figuring out how we are going to get all their stuff in our van. Someone on Facebook this week mentioned that parents are currently releasing their young adults to the next leg of their life journeys. I like that idea, probably because a journey is how I have come to describe my own life.

During my morning walk on Monday, I was listening to Marcus Borg’s book, Days of Awe and Wonder. In it he describes the Christian life as not just about believing, but also as a journey. I found Borg’s description to be a universal truth whether we are going off to college or living our daily lives. Here is what Borg said,

To be on a journey is to be in movement. Moving from place to place – there is change in such a life. A journey is a process that involves our whole being. It involves our feet as well as our minds and our heads. A journey involves following a path or a way. To be on a journey is not to be wondering aimlessly., though there may be times when it feels like that; people have gone on this journey before us, and there is a trial, and path, a way that we are called to. The journey image suggests that the Christian life is more like following a path than it is about believing things with our mind.
A journey also involves a leaving, a departing, a setting out. It involves leaving home.

Whether leaving home is getting in your car and going to work in the morning or packing up your parent’s van and moving to college, each time we step out it offers us a plethora of possibilities. Borg closes by offering this:

We are invited to make that journey, that journey of faith, in which we learn to trust our relationship to God, learn to be faithful to that relationship, and learn to see in a new way. We will be led in that journey into an ever more wonderous and compassionate understanding of our lives with God.

Enjoy the journey this week in grace and peace,

Bob

Joys & Concerns

A big thank you to the 27 volunteers that spent part of their Saturday July 30th at the Dairy Bar at the Indiana State Fair. The Dairy Association sends us a check for $1600 for our participation there and we use this to help fund our youth activities. Thank you to the following folks: Lucy K, Sophie H, Phil G, Deb G, Tiffany B, Kevin F, Jim D, Carol D, James P, Halee P, Eric T, Erin T, Breda R, Selina G, Kathy R, Susan R, Mick V, Janis C, Jody L, Corinne I, Ray K, Kwali T, Jesse S , Sarah S, Deb S, and Barbara K. Thank you all!

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

SUNDAY FUNDAY! Friends, we hope you will join us for our annual Sunday Funday, which will take place this Sunday, August 14 after a special outdoor Meeting for Worship. Afterward we will share in our annual picnic and Sunday Funday with a bounce house, slip-n-slide, and games! Please bring a lawn chair for yourself if able. We’re also asking people to bring dishes to share! For last names A-J, please bring salad or side; and for last names K – Z, please bring dessert. We hope you will join us for this fun time of fellowship!

We are also excited to welcome our guest speaker for the day, Bridget Moix, General Secretary of Friends Committee on National Legislation!

Bridget Moix is the fifth General Secretary of the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL). She also leads two other Quaker organizations, affiliated with FCNL: Friends Place on Capitol Hill and FCNL Education Fund.

While serving primarily as an ambassador for FCNL and its vision, Bridget also ensures that all aspects of the organization are sustained and nourished. She supports a staff of 63 and a full legislative agenda based on the regular discernment of more than 200 Quaker meetings and churches around the country. Bridget joined FCNL in January 2022. She brings with her 25 years of work on international peace and conflict issues, with a focus on US foreign policy. Prior to joining FCNL, she served as US Executive Director of Peace Direct (2015-2021).

Bridget lives in Washington, D.C., with her two sons who nurture and challenge her peacebuilding skills every day. As a convinced Quaker, she is a member of Friends Meeting of Washington, Baltimore Yearly Meeting, and attends Mexico City Monthly Meeting (virtually).

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! Please note that for this month, we will meet on the fourth Thursday, August 25 at 7:00pm at Pastor Bob’s house. We will be excitedly kicking off our 6th year of Threshing Together! Beverages and light snacks will be provided. We will plan to meet in our backyard - weather permitting. We hope you will join us!

The Stamp team invites you to help assemble a jigsaw puzzle with a Love stamp theme. It is set up in Fellowship Hall. Come by and fit a piece in, or stay and work for a while. Or just admire the bright colors. It will be fun to watch it take shape. You might enjoy seeing your favorite past Love stamps in the puzzle. If you’d like to join the fun $tamping for Dollar$ team (which benefits Right Sharing of World Resources), contact the office.

Help Washington Township Students ~ Teachers and school social workers in Washington Township are collecting “back to school” items for some of their kids. Needed items are as follows: 1) Pencils, 2) Zip pencil bags for 3 ring notebooks, 3) Folders with 3 holes, 4) Spiral notebooks. First Friends (and the other Shalom Zone churches) will be collecting such items through August 14. Please place items in the box in the foyer of the meetinghouse. Thanks for your support. Also, a big “THANK YOU!” to those who contributed items to our previous Washington Township school collection effort.

SUMMER SING-A-LONG! Come join Jim, Jesse, and many Friendly noisemakers for a sing-a-long on Friday, August 12, 7pm, in Fellowship Hall. Bring your favorite percussion instruments. Some will be provided to share. Warm up those voices and join us!

Unheard Voices in Christianity ~ In the study group for Early Christian Writings, we found that there were many voices that have not been heard as Christianity developed its orthodoxy. Many of the women in who were instrumental in the early Jesus movement were under-emphasized or written out of the story altogether. If we are indeed created in God's image male and female, it is important for us to pay attention in the women in the Bible and other Christian writings. In our next round of study, we will pay attention to these women of the Bible and other important unheard or less known voices in Christianity.

We invite you to join us on Thursday September 8th for our first look at Unheard Voices in Christianity with an emphasis on women. Just as the people of the Jesus movement met to break bread before meeting and worshiping together, so will we. Join us at 6:30pm for a light meal in Fellowship Hall before we begin our study. If you have any questions or comments contact the office. We hope to see you there!

From the Woods- this has been a difficult summer for our trees and plants due to the hot, dry weeks in July. We are witnessing the changes in our climate due to increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. An exciting bill is now before the House to help reduce inflation and encourage a transition to lower carbon in the air. See this newsletter from the Evangelical Environmental Network to see why this bill is important and why we encourage you to call your congressional representative and urge them to vote YES.

IFCL is encouraging every eligible to vote to register to vote and if registered, check to make sure your registration is up to date. You must be registered to vote by Monday, October 11, 2022. A democracy is dependent on people voting and making their voices heard. We believe having a balanced general assembly is better for democracy and for civil discourse. Check to see who is on the ballot for your district, as some districts have recently changed. https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/

The First Friends Thursday night Bible study invites you to study the book Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job: Three Ways of Wisdom for thirteen weeks beginning August 25. The book is in the Illuminate series, which was recommended by Bob Henry. Contact the office if you'd like to participate in this small group, or even if you'd like join only occasionally. The study meets by Zoom every Thursday at 7:30 pm. From the website: "These books of wisdom help readers consider life’s big questions of meaning, purpose, and the existence of suffering. Readers are encouraged to grow in wisdom and to avoid folly, and there's a promise offered—that by seeking wisdom, we will be guided into righteousness. This path is not free from suffering, but God is present, and we can find joy in the moments we have. Journey through these books to discover three aspects of biblical wisdom and reflect on how God is leading you in the way of wisdom today."

You’re Invited to the Indiana Water Summit ~ The Indiana Water Summit is an apolitical and inclusive annual forum developed to examine the complex interests and issues that face our water supply. The Summit’s subject matter seeks to remain consistent with and build upon current legislative actions in order to provide a broad planning perspective, weaving together diverse topics that together demonstrate the interdependency of water issues and the science behind the state of the waters. The summit will take place September 7th & 8th at the Athenaeum in downtown Indianapolis. Early bird registration ends this Friday, August 12! For more information and to sign up, visit https://thewhiteriveralliance.org/programs/water-summit.

Adult Quaker Affirmation Coming Soon ~ We are glad to offer an adult Quaker Affirmation class series which will begin on Sunday, October 2, from 11:30-1:00. This is an 8-week study of what it means to be a Quaker. It will cover Quaker history, theology, and what Quakers are doing in the world today. Anyone is welcome! If you’re interested, please contact the office.

2022 First Friends Women’s Retreat: Kalaediscope - Exploring from New Angles ~ Ladies, you’re invited to the 2022 First Friends Women’s Retreat! It will be Friday September 23rd beginning at 5:00 p.m. through 11:00 on Sunday Sept 25th. Rachel Doll O’Mahoney, the new pastor at Valley Mill Friends will be our retreat leader. We will gather at the Benedictine Center in Beech Grove and the Center will provide rooms and meals. We will gather together to talk about our lives the past 2 years and how our experiences are shaping our future. We will have workshops, free time, meals together and some fun activities. We invite you to reserve your spot by contacting the office. The following is the pricing for 2 nights, 2 dinners, 2 breakfasts and one lunch:

Single room with private bath - $187
Single room with common bath - $158
Double room with private bath - $129
Double room with common bath - $117

We will have scholarships available to ensure anyone can attend if they want to. Our previous retreats have been a rich time of connection and community. This is a retreat that is trans inclusive/LGBTQ supportive.

USFW Annual Fall Retreat: Abounding in Hope ~ You’re invited to the Midwest Region United Society of Friends Women (USFW)’s Annual Fall Retreat, which will take place Monday-Tuesday, September 12-13 at Quaker Haven in Syracuse, Indiana. The theme is “Abounding in Hope” and will be led by Sylvia Graves Beane. There will be Opportunities for worship, fellowship, reflection and prayer. Because of COVID, masks will be required and all attenders will be asked to have a negative COVID test before arriving. The cost is $75 and includes accommodation and 3 meals. For more information and for the registration form, see their flyer here.

Indianapolis Festival of Faiths! Friends, the Festival of Faiths is coming around again and this time in person at White River State Park September 18th, 1:00 to 5:00pm! You can meet people of many different faiths, get "turbin-ized" by the Sikhs as Bob Henry did one year, join a drumming circle and maybe witness a Jewish wedding complete with the smashing of the wine glass. And of course, you can hang out with the Quakers and learn more about the Quaker Testimonies.

As in the past we expect to work with Fairfield Friends and perhaps another couple of local meetings. As always, we are looking for people to help us at the Quaker booth. Any amount of time is helpful but helping set up and take down are the times when we definitely need a minimum of two people.

If you would be willing to help with the booth, contact the office.

Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for August

Indigo Bunting: Seeing Is Believing…or Is It?

This time of year I love encountering male Indigo Buntings. These little jewels, although common, bring color to our summer landscape and our meditational woods. What color is the bird, really? Indigo is a shade that falls between blue and purple, and in spite of ROY G. BIV, some have argued that rainbows do not have a band of indigo color. There is not room here for the story of the indigo plant, slavery, and the refusal of some early Quakers to wear blue-colored cloth. The story I want to relate is about the true color of this bird. It is NOT blue (or indigo). The feathers that appear bluish are actually black!! While shoveling snow, have you ever noticed a hint of light blue color in the snow that will be the next shovelful? Have you ever seen the wall at the edge of a glacier that appears bluish? It is an optical illusion. There is no blue pigment in the snow or ice. What you see is the result of light striking the crystal structure, and being reflected into our eyes. The cells in the feathers of the bunting do the same thing, resulting in our perception of color. Indigo Buntings do have black wings and a black tail, and the head is a darker “blue” than the rest of the bird. Females are a grayish, milk-chocolate brown.

The song of the male Indigo Bunting is a series of paired notes on different pitches, sometimes ending with a triad of notes: “Fire, fire! Where, where? Here, here! See it, see it? Put it out!! We can debate whether it REALLY says that, or is simply our perception of the song. Hearing is believing?

- Photos and story by Brad J

This Week’s Queries

· What questions do I need to be asking about life?

· When do I find time to pause and reflect?

· Who could I work alongside and collaborate with?

· Who should I be serving, caring for, and helping?

· And how am I helping create a culture of respect at First Friends, in my family, and in my community?

Comment

Friend to Friend August 3, 2022

August 3, 2022

As Way Opens

This past Sunday, Bob gave a message that was inspired by an episode of some of the best Super Soul Sundays, Oprah Winfrey’s show discussing faith and the meaning of life with theologians, pastors, writers and others. Bob shared a question that the movie critic Gene Siskel once asked Oprah that greatly impacted her life and her journey. The question was “What do you know for certain”?

I’ve been thinking about this question ever since Sunday. We hear so many viewpoints today that come across with great certainty. In an age dominated by social media, information and disinformation is available with the click of a button and it seems that viewpoints and opinions can often masquerade as facts.

Many churches declare truth and tell parishioners what the right things are to believe. There is no room for doubt or for our Quaker tradition of queries. Church doctrine can seem like settled law and one must believe a certain way to be a part of the group. This is what I love about the Quakers. They are not afraid of questions, queries, doubts and in fact welcome them as part of the spiritual journey.

I shared out of the silence on Sunday that my son Greg has two tattoos. He got them in a very dark period in his life. The first one was a saying and belief of his dad Jerry. The phrase is “God is Love”. The second one was a mantra from his best friend Marshall who was killed on a trip to Vietnam. His phrase is "Be Here Now”. These two phrases are from two of the most important men in Greg’s life. I think he had the right idea to have them permanently etched on his arm to remind him everyday what he knows for certain. There is so much I don’t know in this world but I know with everything in me that God is Love and that I need to embrace each moment and live and love in the fullest way that I can today.

Beth

Joys & Concerns

Our VBS was featured in the Center for Congregations Newsletter! The most recent Center for Congregations Newsletter highlighted our own VBS program! You can check it out here!

Terry T had successful hip replacement last week. She is doing well resting at home and would appreciate cards of support.

Fire Destroys the Lindi School in Kibera Slum ~ Friends throughout our beloved community are grieving with Friends in Nairobi, Kenya, following a traumatic fire on the evening of Sunday, 24 July, that destroyed the Lindi School building. While the school building is a complete loss, we are grateful that there was no loss of life and the fire did not spread beyond the school compound. The cause of the fire remains unknown. Given that the fire destroyed all books, school supplies, kitchen equipment, and furnishings, FUM has released $9000 from the Solidarity Fund to provide an immediate response. Friends who want to support this emergency response are invited to contribute online or by check to Friends United Meeting, Solidarity Fund. Friends can contribute online at https://www.friendsunitedmeeting.org/global-ministries/solidarity-fund or mail a check to 101 Quaker Hill Drive, Richmond, IN 47374.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

SAVE THE DATE: SUNDAY FUNDAY! Friends, please mark your calendar for our annual Sunday Funday, which will take place on Sunday, August 14 after a special outdoor Meeting for Worship. We are also excited to welcome our guest speaker for the day, Bridget Moix, General Secretary of Friends Committee on National Legislation! Afterward we will share in our annual picnic and Sunday Funday with a bounce house, slip-n-slide, and games! Please bring a lawn chair for yourself if able. We’re also asking people to bring dishes to share! For last names A-J, please bring salad or side; and for last names K – Z, please bring dessert. We hope you will join us for this fun time of fellowship!

Online Fellowship Hour ~ Friends, please note that as of this Sunday, there will be no more online Fellowship Hour. We will still, as always, continue to meet in person in Fellowship Hall after Meeting for Worship. Also, the online version of the service on our YouTube Channel will still continue to be available weekly.

Restorative Yoga: DATE CHANGE ~ Please join friend Kristyn G in a restorative yoga practice session. Please note, due to changes in her schedule, Kristyn will now offer yoga once a month. The next session will be Monday, August 8th at 4pm in Fellowship Hall. Each session will last for an hour. This gentle practice will stretch and restore you. $10 suggested donation. Hope to see you there!

The First Friends Thursday night Bible study invites you to study the book Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job: Three Ways of Wisdom for thirteen weeks beginning August 25. The book is in the Illuminate series, which was recommended by Bob H. Contact the office if you'd like to participate in this small group, or even if you'd like join only occasionally. The study meets by Zoom every Thursday at 7:30 pm. From the website: "These books of wisdom help readers consider life’s big questions of meaning, purpose, and the existence of suffering. Readers are encouraged to grow in wisdom and to avoid folly, and there's a promise offered—that by seeking wisdom, we will be guided into righteousness. This path is not free from suffering, but God is present, and we can find joy in the moments we have. Journey through these books to discover three aspects of biblical wisdom and reflect on how God is leading you in the way of wisdom today."

2022 First Friends Women’s Retreat! ~ Ladies, save the date for the 2022 First Friends Women’s Retreat! It will be Friday September 23rd beginning at 5:00 p.m. through 11:00 on Sunday Sept 25th. We will share meals, have fellowship and food together, provide opportunities to reflect on the struggles/losses/opportunities/riches of the past 2.5 years as well as offering several workshops. Rachel Doll O’Mahoney, the new pastor at Valley Mill Friends will be our retreat leader. We will gather at the Benedictine Center in Beech Grove and the Center will provide rooms and meals. Our previous retreats have been a rich time of connection and community. This is a retreat that is trans inclusive/LGBTQ supportive.

Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading would like you to join us from virtually anywhere in the world as we discuss Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt by Arthur C. Brooks (256 pages) Everyone is welcome!

To get ahead today, you have to be a jerk, right?

Divisive politicians. Screaming heads on television. Angry campus activists. Twitter trolls. Today in America, there is an “outrage industrial complex” that prospers by setting American against American, creating a “culture of contempt”—the habit of seeing people who disagree with us not as merely incorrect, but as worthless and defective. Maybe, like more than nine out of ten Americans, you dislike it. But hey, either you play along, or you’ll be left behind, right?

Wrong.

In Love Your Enemies, the New York Times bestselling author and social scientist Arthur C. Brooks shows that abuse and outrage are not the right formula for lasting success. Brooks blends cutting-edge behavioral research, ancient wisdom, and a decade of experience of experience leading one of America’s top policy think tanks in a work that offers a better way to lead based on bridging divides and mending relationships.

Brooks’ prescriptions are unconventional. To bring America together, we shouldn’t try to agree more. There is no need for mushy moderation, because disagreement is the secret to excellence. Civility and tolerance shouldn’t be our goals, because they are hopelessly low standards. And our feelings toward our foes are irrelevant; what matters is how we choose to act.

Love Your Enemies offers a clear strategy for victory for a new generation of leaders. It is a rallying cry for people hoping for a new era of American progress. Most of all, it is a roadmap to arrive at the happiness that comes when we choose to love one another, despite our differences.

We will gather in the parlor simultaneously with Zoom starting at 7 pm EST on Tuesday, August 30, 2022 led by Mary B.

Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for August

Indigo Bunting: Seeing Is Believing…or Is It?

- Photos and story by Brad J

This Week’s Queries

· As Quakers do you and I have interrogative souls?

· Are we allowing the Spirit to use the queries presented to us to rip us up, lay us open, and make manifest what is truly in our souls?

· Are we utilizing the gifts we have been given to critically think or are we simply blindly following those in leadership before us?

· Do we spend more time scrutinizing others instead of first scrutinizing our own souls?

· What do you know for sure?

Comment

Friend to Friend July 27, 2022

July 27, 2022

As Way Opens

This past week before I became sick and had to stay home for the second half of the Western Yearly Meeting Sessions, I had a conversation with a fellow pastor about how technology has continued to change the nature of pastoral ministry (as well as society in general).

Most people don’t know how accessible we have become in the last few years. Not only can we now Zoom into meetings from just about anywhere, but smart phones, text messaging, Facebook Messenger, and a plethora of new apps keep us accessible 24-7 – that is if we do not set some boundaries.

As we were talking about this, we both shared stories of being contacted after 10pm by people who messaged us on Facebook. It used to be that people wouldn’t pick up a phone and call after 9pm, but texting and messaging has completely changed that. Also, with Zoom there is no reason for people to miss meetings anymore. You can be on vacation, on a business trip, even in a remote area, and still find a way to Zoom in. Even during this year’s WYM sessions, I became sick, and continued to participate from my bed at home.

The query that has been running through my mind is: How is technology allowing us the opportunity to heal, to rest, to have needed down time?

Often before my day officially begins, I am having very important conversations with people, doing spiritual counseling, even helping people through difficult situations through some aspect of technology. These can start before I get out of bed in the morning. Just a decade ago this was not the case. I would go through my morning routine, exercise, shower, and meditate, and then start my day when I arrived at work. Sure, there are many benefits to our accessibility, but there are also many disadvantages.

Allan Lokos says it so well, “Technology offers us a unique opportunity, though rarely welcome, to practice patience.” As I spoke of a week ago in my sermon, I have been learning to practice more patience and to set better boundaries since technology is a key component in our patience struggle. Take some time this week and see where technology is making you impatient and stealing your time for healing and rest.

Grace and peace,

Bob

Joys & Concerns

We were overjoyed that we had 19 kids from our Meeting attend Quaker Haven Camp! This is the highest number of kids we’ve had there in years and we are so glad to see them take advantage of this opportunity. We were able to give each child a partial scholarship thanks to generous donors like YOU! Thank you to all who give to First Friends to make ministries like this possible.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Indiana Peace & Justice Center Speaker Event ~ IPJC is delighted to invite you to our July 27th Speakers Event: “Four Friends Hit the Road! Report of a Week in DC including the Moral March on Washington, June 18, 2022.” Four friends from Indianapolis (Kay Tawney, Suzanne O’Shea, Mike Przybylski, and Steve Tilden) took a road trip to attend Reverend Barber’s Poor People’s Campaign Moral March on Washington, and have a little fun along the way. Join us for a few stories, a few pictures, and snacks. The event will take place tonight, July 27th, 2022 at 7:00 pm at North United Methodist Church, 3808 N Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46208. Refreshments will be provided.

FUM and WYM Projects for 2022

The Quaker umbrella organizations, Friends United Meeting (“FUM”) and Western Yearly Meeting (“WYM”) each promote a fundraiser each year to assist in their mission work around the world. Here are the projects for 2022.

WYM: The WYM project is to raise $15,000 to help purchase a good used 4x4 vehicle for Friends Theological College, located in Kenya. The vehicle will be used to 1) transport students who go out to preach and work in the villages, and 2) to haul food, supplies, and other resources as needed. The total vehicle cost is estimated to be $45,000 – $49,000.

FUM: The FUM project is to “cultivate seeds of new life” for its various missions. Such missions include 1) the work of Getry Agizah who serves as Programme Coordinator in the Africa Ministry Office, 2) the work of Nicholas and Dorcas Otieno, FUM Living Letter missionaries serving in Tanzania, and 3) the pastoral ministry of Oscar Mmbali who has initiated outreach programs in Belize in connection with the Belize Friends School.

This is the one time during the year that First Friends promotes a fundraiser for Quaker missions outside the United States. Checks can be made out to First Friends with the notation “WYM Project” or “FUM Project” or you can donate securely on our website at https://www.indyfriends.org/support (choose “WYM Project” or “FUM Project” as the fund). Please note that the last day to give for these fundraisers is July 31!! Thank you for whatever support you are able to provide to these worthwhile projects.

SAVE THE DATE: SUNDAY FUNDAY! Friends, please mark your calendar for our annual Sunday Funday, which will take place on Sunday, August 14 after a special outdoor Meeting for Worship. We will share in our annual picnic, and have fun with a bounce house, slip-n-slide, and games! Please bring a lawn chair for yourself if able. We hope you will join us for this fun time of fellowship!

Comment

Friend to Friend July 20, 2022

July 20, 2022

As Way Opens

I’ve been sharing my excitement about the nest that a pair of cardinals built just outside my screened-in porch in a high bush. After the flurry of activity creating the nest, 3 eggs were laid and the mama cardinal faithfully sat on the eggs every day. Weeks went by and there were no baby cardinals, just eggs. The mother continued to cover the eggs with the warmth of her body and I kept hoping something good would come out of this. It’s now been 7 weeks and no babies. I did a little research and cardinals incubate from 12-20 days so it’s pretty clear there will be no babies. I felt kind of crushed. There was something so intimate and hopeful to observe the preparation and commitment from the cardinals to their future offspring.

I had to process my disappointment to accept these eggs were not going to hatch. Every morning I still go out on the porch and hope maybe a miracle has occurred. I wonder if the mama cardinal feels the same way as she still will come and sit on the eggs for short periods of time. But she is coming less frequently and we both realize that there are no baby birds that will emerge from the eggs.

This experience reminded me of the times our hopes are dashed from outcomes we pray for, claim, anticipate and cling to. Maybe it’s recovery from illness, a broken relationship healed, a new job etc. Sometimes our prayers are answered and sometimes they are not. As Victoria Loorz, writer of Church of the Wild says “wilderness is not all fuzzy fawns sleeping in your garden. Wilderness is also fierce and disinterested. The powerful elements of storm and fire and earthquake causes indiscriminate devastation to all beings in their paths.” When it feels like prayers are not answered we feel a sense of the indiscriminate devastation. But as the mama cardinal is showing me, we need to keep showing up, keep working, keep hoping, praying and loving and release our wanting to control our desired outcome. We should return to the nest and then keep flying and living.

Beth

Joys & Concerns

New Mid-North Food Pantry Program! Due to the recent generous support of First Friends, the Mid North Food Pantry has just started a partnership with Indy Hunger Network Cooking Matters program to share recipes and teach participants how to use specific foods. The participants watch the cooking demonstration, participate in chopping and preparation and then will receive all the food to make the recipe that day. Several of us participated in the inaugural gathering today and are excited about the potential of this program that will begin the first Wednesday of August and will be held weekly after that.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

There will be no Threshing Together in July due to Western Yearly Meeting annual session.

WYM Annual Sessions this Weekend! We hope you plan to join Western Yearly Meeting (WYM)’s annual sessions this year. They will be held both online and in person starting this Friday, July 22. As usual, the sessions will conclude on Sunday July 24 with worship from 10am-12pm featuring speaker Paul Anderson. This year’s theme is “Better Together in Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13). You can find details including the schedule on the Western Yearly Meeting website. You’re also invited to join us for worship on Sunday at 10:00am either in person at Western Yearly Meeting in Plainfield or online (be sure to click the video for Sunday at 10am). If you’d like links to any of the online sessions, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org or reach out to the WYM office at office@westernyearlymeeting.org or 317-839-2789.

PLEASE NOTE: First Friends will only have Unprogrammed Worship at the Meetinghouse on July 24th to encourage everyone to participate in the WYM service in Plainfield mentioned above. The WYM service will also be available by livestream on YouTube here (be sure to click the video for Sunday at 10am). For those who wish to worship at our Meetinghouse, there will be unprogrammed worship in the Meetingroom (note the location correction) at 10:15. Thank you to Mary Blackburn for leading us in worship that day!

Garden Giveaway ~ Last Sunday: happy plants, happy people! Homeless plants sat on the kitchen counter waiting for helping hands and comfortable beds where they could stretch out after being root-bound in tiny planter cups. They were leftovers from the Community Garden. Lucky gardeners-to-be or gardeners adding to their crops, took home the eggplants. Soon fingerling fruit will drip from the plants, ready to be picked and added to creative and scrumptious dishes. Mmmm! (Pictured left: Kian is excited about the newcomers firmly planted in his home garden. Eggplant, anyone?)

Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading would like you to join us from virtually anywhere in the world as we discuss The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (304 pages)

Between life and death there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on forever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be if you had made other choices . . . Would you have done anything different, if you had the chance to undo your regrets?

A dazzling novel about all the choices that go into a life well lived, from the internationally bestselling author of Reasons to Stay Alive and How To Stop Time.

Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better?

In The Midnight Library, Matt Haig’s enchanting new novel, Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.

We will gather in the Parlor via Zoom starting at 7 pm EST on Tuesday, July 26, 2022 led by Cindy K.

Restorative Yoga: DATE CHANGE ~ Please join friend Kristyn G in a restorative yoga practice session. Please note, due to changes in her schedule, Kristyn will now offer yoga once a month. The next session will be Monday, August 8th at 4pm in Fellowship Hall (please note there will be no yoga on Monday July 25th). Each session will last for an hour. This gentle practice will stretch and restore you. $10 suggested donation. If you have any questions, reach out to Kristyn at her cellular number 317-409-2116 by text or call. Hope to see you there!

Indiana Peace & Justice Center Speaker Event ~ IPJC is delighted to invite you to our July 27th Speakers Event: “Four Friends Hit the Road! Report of a Week in DC including the Moral March on Washington, June 18, 2022.” Four friends from Indianapolis (Kay Tawney, Suzanne O’Shea, Mike Przybylski, and Steve Tilden) took a road trip to attend Reverend Barber’s Poor People’s Campaign Moral March on Washington, and have a little fun along the way. Join us for a few stories, a few pictures, and snacks. The event will take place July 27th, 2022 at 7:00 pm at North United Methodist Church, 3808 N Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46208. Refreshments will be provided.

FUM and WYM Projects for 2022

Glass Recycling Explained! Many people have wondered, “Should I recycle glass or does it just go to the dump?” Glass jars make great storage containers and are healthier than plastics. But when it’s time for glass to move on, read about the importance of recycled glass in the Hoosier economy. At the end of the article, there is a link to how to properly recycle glass. https://www.circularindiana.org/post/glass-recycling-explained.

This Week’s Queries

· In what sort of situations do I find myself most impatient?

· Why am I impatient, and how do I deal with my impatience?

· What groups, people, organizations, etc. cause me to be impatient?

Comment

Friend to Friend July 13, 2022

July 13, 2022

As Way Opens

Since just after I arrived at First Friends, William Armitage has been attending our Meeting. Most people would recognize William, yet because of his appearance and often awkward approach many would avoid getting to know him. For the last several months, William has had some difficult health issues which put him in the hospital on numerous occasions for extended periods of time. Just before I went on vacation, William was released from the hospital after about a month and a half battling pneumonia and anxiety disorders. The week I returned I was planning to visit William at his apartment, but our call revealed that he was back in the hospital. The day before my visit, we received the shocking news that William had passed away.

The news of William’s passing has not only troubled me but has been heart breaking. For the last couple of years I have grown to know William, as much as he would allow. Most people know that William rode his bike everywhere. He told me on a trip to the doctor once, that he rides his bike 40 miles a day and has the roads in Indy memorized better than my GPS. It was true. Not bad for a man with serious health issues and in his upper 70s. As well, many thought William was homeless. That is not true. He lived in a modest apartment a few miles from the Meetinghouse with a nice landlord that looked out for him. I had the opportunity to visit his apartment to retrieve some items while he was in the hospital. Even though, William owned no furniture, not even a bed - he actually slept on the floor in a closet, he grew many plants, had bicycles he was rehabbing to give to other people, and he had a plethora of books and paintings. His apartment helped me understand some of the things he liked to do around the Meetinghouse.

On most Thursdays William would ride his bike to the Meetinghouse to make some phone calls, because of his condition he could not press the buttons on the phone and asked Rebecca or me to dial. William did not own a phone, computer, or car. While he was at the Meetinghouse, he always checked on the trees around the property, watered the flowers inside and outside the building, and always was sharing with us ways to save money or avoid future problems. On occasion William would stop in my office to bring me a long letter he wrote me about my sermon or the most recent business meeting. It always took a while to read them, because his hands would shake as he wrote. Most of the time, everything that he wrote checked out and was extremely wise. That may be because at one time William was a professor like his mother before him. Just recently, we learned that his family was from Muncie, Indiana, where he is to be buried next to his mother.

Once as I was transporting William to have some cancer removed from his eyelid, he shared with me how much First Friends meant to him. In his own way, William explained that he considered First Friends his only family. Almost every Sunday, William would sit in the balcony, sometimes fighting sleep, join us for fellowship hour, and on occasion would have some poignant questions during business meetings.

The last time I dropped William off at his apartment was after his eye-lid cancer removal. He asked that I not leave because he had something to give me. As he returned to my car, I snapped a photo (see attached). William brought down a couple bags of shoes he was giving to Changing Footprints, extra bags for the Food Pantry, and he even purchased a watering can for our Meeting because the one he always used disappeared.

I have told Beth Henricks on numerous occasions, that I believe William was Jesus in our midst. I saw that of God in William. I am grateful that he trusted and allowed me into some of the most intimate moments of the end of his life. I pray that William has finally found peace in his soul. I already miss William and his passing leaves an empty space in our community.

Grace and peace,

Bob

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Guest Rania Maayeh Coming Soon! We hope you’ll join us on Sunday July 17th when Rania Maaveh, current head of the Ramallah Friends School, will be joining us! During Meeting for Worship. She will be giving a presentation, and then will meet in Fellowship Hall after the service to answer questions and chat.

In 2021, Rania Maayeh was appointed by Friends United Meeting to be the head of the Ramallah Friends School, a pre-K - 12th grade co-educational Quaker school in Ramallah, Palestine. Serving 1,500 students, the School was founded in 1869 as a training institute for girls during Ottoman Turkish rule when opportunities for girls' education was limited. A boys school was founded in 1901, and the two campuses now comprise the united Friends School, currently under Israeli military occupation. Rania is a graduate of the Friends Girls School and formerly taught at the FGS before a long career with World Vision.

Rania's and her husband Suheil's son Walid is a recent graduate of Guilford College and the Earlham School of Religion and presently is on staff at Guilford with the Every Campus a Refuge program. With her family, Rania attends the Ramallah Friends Meeting.

Lewis H and his parents would like to thank the people of First Friends who came to his Graduation Party on Saturday. It was a perfect day to celebrate and be together. Lewis greatly appreciates all the gifts, as they will be helpful in launching his academic career in the Nursing program at Indiana University. Thank you!

There will be no Threshing Together in July due to Western Yearly Meeting annual session.

Words from the Woods ~ The high temperatures with minimal rain continue. Give your plants and trees planted within the last 3 years a hearty soaking. If the leaves start to droop, give them some refreshing water. Keep your bird baths filled and clean. The birds and insects need some water in these dry times.

These hot temperatures are due to human caused climate change. Be sure and call your senators ask to support legislation that reduces our dependence on energy produced by fossil fuels. It’s good for God’s creation and good for national security.

Let AESIndiana know that as customers, AES needs to change its plan to shut down one of the superpolluter power plants at Petersburg by 2030, not 2042. They are already planning to close it at the end of its lifespan, but scientists tell us that strong action needs to occur in this decade to avoid the worst outcomes from a hot planet.

Here is this month’s HortusScope: a Central Indiana monthly newsletter put out by Wendy Ford. July HortusScope.

Also, tell congress- we need climate action now!

WYM Annual Session Registration Is Open! Everyone is invited to join Western Yearly Meeting (WYM)’s annual sessions. They will be held both online and in person starting Friday, July 22. As usual, the sessions will conclude on Sunday July 24 with worship from 10am-12pm featuring speaker Paul Anderson. This year’s theme is “Better Together in Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13). More information will be coming, but for now you can find details on the Western Yearly Meeting website. If you have questions, please reach out to the WYM office at office@westernyearlymeeting.org or 317-839-2789.

PLEASE NOTE: First Friends will only have Unprogrammed Worship at the Meetinghouse on July 24th to encourage everyone to participate in the WYM service in Plainfield. The service will be available by zoom also and we will send a link out to everyone next week.

Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for July

Baltimore Oriole: Lord Baltimore’s Bird

The species was there to greet the early settlers arriving in the colonies. In Maryland, the colony set aside for those adhering to the Roman Catholic faith, folks identified the black and yellow-orange plumage of this bird with the colors in the Calvert family crest (shield). This family bore the title, “Lord Baltimore,” and was the founding family of the colony. The bird was known as “Lord Baltimore’s Bird”. The colors also reminded them of a bird back in Southern England and Europe known as the Golden Oriole. So there you have it. Lord Baltimore’s Bird became Lord Baltimore’s Oriole, and then simply the Baltimore Oriole. One can see the Calvert family black-and-orange pattern in both the flag and license plate of Maryland.

This species summers in our Meditational Woods, possibly nesting there or nearby. It is known for its wonderfully clear whistled song, its preference for sycamore trees (which are in our woods), and it’s strange but marvelously woven bag-like nest, suspended from the twigs of a tree.

It does seem rather un-Quakerly though. Not the habits, but the naming business. Early Friends refrained from recognizing the reigning nobility, and the titles and authority associated with it. Quaker men often got in trouble for not doffing their hats in the presence of “his Lordship.” Here we have a bird named for a lord. Perhaps Friends encouraged the name change which dropped the title. As a Quaker, I can get past the name, and appreciate the color, song, and nest of this fabulous creature.

First Friends Financial Update: Members and attenders are reminded that the Meeting seeks and welcomes financial support, as we currently are experiencing a dip in donations. To donate online, visit indyfriends.org/support/#givenow, or text to give at 317-768-0303. Other means of support include automatic giving, stock gifts, estate planning, and donation of IRA Required Minimum Distributions. For assistance in donating, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org, 317-255-2485.

Restorative Yoga ~ Please join friend Kristyn G in a restorative yoga practice session on Monday July 25th in Fellowship Hall. Each session will last for an hour. This gentle practice will stretch and restore you. $10 suggested donation. If you have any questions, reach out to Kristyn at her cellular number 317-409-2116 by text or call. Hope to see you there!

Sign Up for the Dairy Bar Now! First Friends will be working at the Dairy Bar again at the Indiana State Fair on Saturday, July 30th all day. We still need a few volunteers for the morning shift 9:00 – 3:30. Volunteers will get free ice cream and sandwiches! If you’d like to volunteer, please contact Beth H. This is a major fundraiser for our youth programming, so please consider volunteering!

Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading would like you to join us from virtually anywhere in the world as we discuss The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (304 pages)

A dazzling novel about all the choices that go into a life well lived, from the internationally bestselling author of Reasons to Stay Alive and How To Stop Time.

We will gather in the Parlor via Zoom starting at 7 pm EST on Tuesday, July 26, 2022 led by Cindy K.

FUM and WYM Projects for 2022

This is the one time during the year that First Friends promotes a fundraiser for Quaker missions outside the United States. Thank you for whatever support you are able to provide to these worthwhile projects.

Comment

Friend to Friend July 6, 2022

July 6, 2022

As Way Opens

These are difficult and dark times that we are living in. It seems like we keep having a new story come up each day. Sometimes it is hard to have hope. But hope is exactly what we need right now. And each of us needs to practice hope and see hope in our experiences.

I saw hope this past week in our Vacation Bible School gathering each evening. We talked about the greatness of God who is with us always and will never abandon us. We studied the story of Joseph and the darkness he experienced being sold into slavery and spending years in prison. Joseph did not give up hope and his story is an inspiring one where he utilized his gift of interpreting dreams to become a trusted leader to the Emperor and was wise to store up excess food to be ready for famine. He is reconciled with his family at the end of the story.

It was inspiring for me to see our children engaged, learning, thoughtful and full of hope. I needed to be with our kids this past week to catch a glimpse of our future and our potential through these young lives. They talked about how they experience God and the enthusiasm and love they shared lifted my spirits.

My other example of hope is the nest of a cardinal right outside my screened in porch. The mama cardinal sits on the nest each day and I anxiously go on the porch each morning waiting for the birth of 3 young birds. The mama cardinal is so devoted to incubating these eggs and we seem to have an agreement that she no longer flies away when I come out to the porch. The cycle of life continues and my hope is revived as I watch nature in loving action.

Psalm 71:5-6, 14
5 For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth. 6 From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother's womb. I will ever praise you. 14 As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9
We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

Beth

Quaker-Affiliated Organizations

Indiana Friends Committee on Legislation -- Meeting Saturday, July 9, 2022 at First Friends
After its customary meeting hiatus during the legislative session, IFCL will meet again in Fellowship Hall on Saturday, July 9, 2022, at 9:00 a.m. Our special guest will be Indiana State Senator J.D. Ford (District 29). He will receive IFCL's annual Legislator of the Year award, and spend some time with us answering questions and discussing priorities. (We've invited our other awardee, Senator Ron Alting (District 22) to be a guest at our fall meeting.) A Zoom option will be available, but we hope you to see you in person. Refreshments will be served, so please RSVP to Diana H to avoid food waste. All are welcome! Members and attenders, Friends, friends and guests--anyone interested in talking about issues that affect Hoosiers. Any questions, ask Phil G. Thank you.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Watch Wolff’s Organ Recital this Sunday! This Sunday Wolff will be playing an organ concert in San Francisco, and you can tune in live! It will take place this Sunday, July 10 at 7pm EST (4pm Pacific time) on YouTube at https://youtu.be/c6TsxqEJUzk. We hope you will join us!

You’re Invited to Lewis’ Graduation Celebration! Pastor Bob and Sue are excited to celebrate Lewis’ high school graduation. We would like to extend an open invitation to the people of First Friends and hope you will join in helping us celebrate Lewis. It will be held on Saturday, July 9 from 12-4pm at the Henry’s home. Please see the invitation for more details!

VBS Sunday! ~ We hope you will join us for VBS Sunday, where we hear about what our kids learned during Vacation Bible School and watch a special slide show presentation. It will be held this Sunday, July 10 at 10:15am both virtually on our YouTube channel and in-person. We hope you will join us!

Here is this month’s HortusScope: a Central Indiana monthly newsletter put out by Wendy Ford. July HortusScope.

Also, tell congress- we need climate action now!

Meditational Woods Bird of the Month for July

Baltimore Oriole: Lord Baltimore’s Bird

This species summers in our Meditational Woods, possibly nesting there or nearby. It is known for its wonderfully clear whistled song, its preference for sycamore trees (which are in our woods), and its strange but marvelously woven bag-like nest, suspended from the twigs of a tree.

Restorative Yoga ~ Please join friend Kristyn G in a restorative yoga practice session on Mondays July 11 & 25 at 4:00 pm in Fellowship Hall. Each session will last for an hour. This gentle practice will stretch and restore you. $10 suggested donation. If you have any questions, reach out to Kristyn at her cellular number 317-409-2116 by text or call. Hope to see you there!

Help Washington Township Students~ Teachers and school social workers in Washington Township are sponsoring “block parties” for students at several apartment complexes in Washington Township this summer. Needed items to be handed out at these block parties are as follows: 1) Sunscreen, 2) Insect repellant, 3) Reusable water bottles, and 4) Hygiene/personal care items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, and feminine products. First Friends (and the other Shalom Zone churches) will be collecting such items through July 3. Please place items in the box in the foyer of the meetinghouse. This coming Sunday, July 10 is your last chance to donate!! Thanks for your support.

Sign Up for the Dairy Bar Now! First Friends will be working at the Dairy Bar again at the Indiana State Fair on Saturday, July 30th all day. We still need a few volunteers for the evening shift 3:30-10pm. Volunteers will get free ice cream and sandwiches! If you’d like to volunteer, please contact Beth H. This is a major fundraiser for our youth programming, so please consider volunteering!

Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading would like you to join us from virtually anywhere in the world as we discuss The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (304 pages)

A dazzling novel about all the choices that go into a life well lived, from the internationally bestselling author of Reasons to Stay Alive and How To Stop Time.

We will gather in the Parlor via Zoom starting at 7 pm EST on Tuesday, July 26, 2022 led by Cindy K.

FUM and WYM Projects for 2022

WYM: The WYM project is to raise $15,000 to help purchase a good used 4x4 vehicle for Friends Theological College, located in Kenya. The vehicle will be used to 1) transport students who go out to preach and work in the villages, and 2) to haul food, supplies, and other resources as needed. The total vehicle cost is estimated to be $45,000 – $49,000.
FUM: The FUM project is to “cultivate seeds of new life” for its various missions. Such missions include 1) the work of Getry Agizah who serves as Programme Coordinator in the Africa Ministry Office, 2) the work of Nicholas and Dorcas Otieno, FUM Living Letter missionaries serving in Tanzania, and 3) the pastoral ministry of Oscar Mmbali who has initiated outreach programs in Belize in connection with the Belize Friends School.

Comment

Friend to Friend June 29, 2022

June 30, 2022

As Way Opens

This past week my family was vacationing in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. We were staying in the town of Kill Devil Hills, where in December of 1903, the Wright Brothers took their first flights over its sand dunes. Even though it was a beautiful day when we visited the Wright Brothers National Memorial, there was a strong breeze blowing. I found myself sensing the thrill of those first flights as the wind blew past me in this space.

Our family has been to many national monuments and parks over the years. One thing they always communicate well is the challenges and obstacles that need to be overcome for there to be success. On this visit, we learned that even the science that the Wright brothers were working with had a learning curve and needed completely rethought.

The brothers made many trips from Dayton, Ohio to Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina until the science was figured out and success was finally achieved. Yet, as we were taught, the real success for the Wright brothers came through their consistency and not giving up.

When I was going through some really difficult times in ministry, I was given some advice by my Yearly Meeting Superintendent that what would see me through these difficulties would be the same thing – staying consistent and not giving up. Consistency is not always easy and often we just want to throw the towel in and move on. Yet, when we stick it out and learn the rhythms and patterns of the lives we live, we find new possibilities – ones that may take us even to new heights.

We are reminded of this in 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NCV)

So, my dear brothers and sisters, stand strong. Do not let anything move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your work in the Lord is never wasted.

Currently, we are going through some difficult times in our country and the challenges seem to be mounting for many of us. Like the Wright brothers I find myself questioning at times what I thought I already knew. But when it comes down to it, I find that staying consistent, and not letting things move me, allows me to stay focused on hearing and following the leadings of the Divine in the present moment.

I pray as the difficulties arise in your life, you too would lean on consistency and not give up, so that you may soar to new heights with the leadings of the Spirit.

Grace and peace,

Bob

Joys & Concerns

Happy Birthday, Arlene! Arlene S will have her 90th birthday on July 4th! Please join us in showering her in cards!

A note from Leslie K: “Thanks so much to all who have donated to the addiction treatment center; the shoes, clothing and books are deeply appreciated! This is an on-going need; many of our patients are coming straight from jail or have been homeless. Just let Jim or Leslie Kartholl know if you have any men's clothing or shoes, books or Bibles that you would like to pass along.”

We are sad to share the passing of William A. William dedicated much of his time to the upkeep of the area, plants and trees around the Meetinghouse. There will not be an obituary or service. We appreciated getting to know William during his time with us at First Friends. He is now in the arms of God’s love and light.

Quaker-Affiliated Organizations

Indiana Friends Committee on Legislation -- Meeting Saturday, July 9, 2022 at First Friends
After its customary meeting hiatus during the legislative session, IFCL will meet again in Fellowship Hall on Saturday, July 9, 2022, at 9:00 a.m. Our special guest will be Indiana State Senator J.D. Ford (District 29). He will receive IFCL's annual Legislator of the Year award, and spend some time with us answering questions and discussing priorities. (We've invited our other awardee, Senator Ron Alting (District 22) to be a guest at our fall meeting.) A Zoom option will be available, but we hope you to see you in person. Refreshments will be served, so please RSVP to avoid food waste. All are welcome! Members and attenders, Friends, friends and guests--anyone interested in talking about issues that affect Hoosiers. Any questions and RSVPs please forward to the office at office@indyfriends.org. Thank you.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Special Service this Sunday ~ This coming Sunday (July 3) we are planning a special Meeting for Worship. Many of you have shared the need for us to take a moment, reflect, and even lament some of the decisions and situations going on in our world, currently. Thus, our Meeting for Worship will be a time for “Lament and Hope.” The worship time will consist of songs, prayers, times for reflection, and silent prayer in the manner of Friends. The service will be more contemplative in nature and offer more time to pray and listen for the Divine’s leading. Please join us in person or virtually at 10:15am this Sunday morning.

No Monday Meditational Worship & Office Closed ~ Friends, please note that on Monday, July 4, we will not be holding Meditational Worship. The office will also be closed that day. We hope you have a wonderful Independence Day!

VBS Sunday! ~ We hope you will join us for VBS Sunday, where we hear about what our kids learned during Vacation Bible School and watch a special slide show presentation. It will be held Sunday, July 10 at 10:15am both virtually on our YouTube channel and in-person. We hope you will join us!

Restorative Yoga ~ Please join friend Kristyn G in a restorative yoga practice session! These sessions will take place on Mondays July 11 & 25 at 4:00 pm in Fellowship Hall. Each session will last for an hour. This gentle practice will stretch and restore you. $10 suggested donation. Hope to see you there!

Sign Up for the Dairy Bar Now! First Friends will be working at the Dairy Bar again at the Indiana State Fair on Saturday, July 30th all day. We very much need volunteers for the evening shift 3:30-10pm. Volunteers will get free ice cream and sandwiches! If you’d like to volunteer, please contact Beth H. This is a major fundraiser for our youth programming, so please consider volunteering!

Creation Care

We just got through our prolonged heat wave, so we hope your plants are thriving with the extra water you provided. Hoosiers will be using more electricity to stay cool in this more frequent heat waves, so remember to conserve electricity in some simple ways. Use Energy Star LED lightbulbs: turn off lights when you leave the room or put them on timers or motion detectors to save electricity. Put your computer and printer on a power strip and turn off the power to them at night. Electricity is drawn by your devices even when the device is turned off.

AES is in the news over requests for price increases for the cost of buying more expensive fossil fuels. From the Indy Star:

“Customers can submit comments to the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor (OUCC) here: bit.ly/3xEGnDm. Cause No. 38703 FAC‐136.

In addition, other interested parties may intervene, then the IURC will hold an evidentiary hearing and evaluate evidence submitted in relation to the statute's requirements, according to Stephanie Hodgin, spokesperson for IURC.”

Here is a link to information by Citizen’s Action Coalition. High fossil gas prices increase AES rates.

With climate change causing increasing weather instability and higher average temperatures, consider signing the petition to AES Indiana’s CEO, Kristina Lund, to move more quickly to cleaner energy sources. They currently plan to delay closing their coal fired Petersburg plant until 2042. Our earth requires that they move more quickly to 2030. There are petitions in Fellowship Hall.

FUM and WYM Projects for 2022

Queries for the Week

· Am I more of a complainer than a dreamer?

· What Monumental Dreams has God put on my heart for the world?

Comment

Friend to Friend June 22, 2022

June 23, 2022

As Way Opens

About a week ago I saw a flurry of bird activity in a bush just outside of my screened-in porch. It became apparent that a mom and dad cardinal were building a nest. It seemed kind of late in the season to begin building a nest but here were these two beautiful birds bringing twigs and leaves and stitching together an amazing basket to hold some future babies. The engineering of the basket out of these items in nature is always inspiring and holds me in awe. In the beginning these two birds were flying into the bush with frequency to build the base of the nest. Every day I would go out to the porch early in the morning to watch their progress. As the days passed the activity was reduced and it seemed like they were searching for the right next material to add to the structure. This morning the mama cardinal was sitting on the nest and I see 2 eggs.

This experience each morning was profound for me and brought me into God’s presence. Watching a cardinal build a nest is a holy experience. And knowing that this nest was built for babies, for the future, for the continuation of the cardinal species is the cycle of life that at times in our busy, conflicted and complicated lives can be lost. With all the division and anguish that we feel, this simple yet deeply spiritual practice of birds making nests can bring us together, bring us into the Divine, bring us into nature, and into the arms of God for all our worries.

As Jesus taught us - (Luke 12:22-24) “Don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or if the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your inner life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the ravens, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, carefree in the care of God. And you count far more.

Beth

Joys & Concerns

Friends are invited to a memorial service for Lowell R. It will take place on Saturday, June 25th at 11am, with a light lunch to follow. It will be at First Presbyterian Church, 512 7th St, Columbus, IN 47201. As you might recall, Lowell passed away peacefully in his home on December 20, 2020, just a few days after having celebrated his 100th birthday. Everyone is invited to attend.

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

Organ Concert Now Available Online! We truly enjoyed a recent organ concert put on by our new organist, Wolff von Roos, back on June 5th. If you didn’t get a chance to attend, or if you’d like to simply listen again, a recording is now available online! Find the video on our YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/MizU41pUsiI. It’s available anytime for anyone, so please feel free to share!

MONUMENTAL VBS Starts This Weekend! This year’s theme is Monumental: Celebrating God’s Greatness. Everyone is invited to our kickoff and luncheon which is this Sunday June 26 after worship, with activities starting at 12 noon! VBS will then take place 6:30-8:30pm Monday June 27 through Thursday, June 30. We hope to see you there!

Sign Up for the Dairy Bar Now! First Friends will be working at the Dairy Bar again at the Indiana State Fair on Saturday, July 30th all day. We need volunteers for both the morning and the evening shifts, 9:00am-3:30pm and 3:30-10pm, respectively. Volunteers will get free ice cream and sandwiches! If you’d like to volunteer, please contact the office. This is a major fundraiser for our youth programming, so please consider volunteering!

WYM Annual Session Registration Is Open! Everyone is invited to join Western Yearly Meeting (WYM)’s annual sessions. They will be held both online and in person starting Friday, July 22. As usual, the sessions will conclude on Sunday July 24 with worship from 10am-12pm featuring speaker Paul Anderson. This year’s theme is “Better Together in Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13). More information will be coming, but for now you can view the schedule, print a registration form, or print a youth registration form (with youth medical release). If you have questions, please reach out to the WYM office at office@westernyearlymeeting.org or 317-839-2789.

Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading would like for you to join us from virtually anywhere in the world as we discuss The Good Lord Bird by James McBride (417 pages) From the bestselling author of The Color of Water and Song Yet Sung comes the story of a young boy born a slave who joins John Brown’s antislavery crusade—and who must pass as a girl to survive.

Henry Shackleford is a young slave living in the Kansas Territory in 1857, when the region is a battleground between anti- and pro-slavery forces. When John Brown, the legendary abolitionist, arrives in the area, an argument between Brown and Henry’s master quickly turns violent. Henry is forced to leave town—with Brown, who believes he’s a girl.

Over the ensuing months, Henry—whom Brown nicknames Little Onion—conceals his true identity as he struggles to stay alive. Eventually Little Onion finds himself with Brown at the historic raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859—one of the great catalysts for the Civil War.

An absorbing mixture of history and imagination, and told with McBride’s meticulous eye for detail and character, The Good Lord Bird is both a rousing adventure and a moving exploration of identity and survival.

We will gather in the Parlor and simultaneously via Zoom starting at 7 pm EST Tuesday, June 28, 2022 led by Rik L.

FUM and WYM Projects for 2022

Afghan Family’s Top Priority is Political Asylum;
First Friends Afghan Project Continues Supporting Their Resettlement

***PLEASE PRAY FOR THOSE IN AFGHANISTAN AFFECTED BY THE EARTHQUAKE, HUNGER, POVERTY AND TERRORISTS***

First Friends Afghan Project (FFAP) is seeking the way forward as it continues supporting this second Afghan family’s resettlement in the U.S.A. The family’s primary concern is obtaining asylum. They want to stay in the U.S. and they specifically asked the FFAP to support them in this effort. We are actively engaged in the endeavor. (We do not publish their name in order to respect their privacy and maintain their safety.)

The FFAP finished its co-sponsorship of the family with Exodus Refugee. We completed the commitments we made to 1) set up an apartment for the family, 2) provide rental assistance, 3) collect furnishings and supplies and 4) stock the pantry. We went beyond this as we engaged in transportation assistance, health appointment scheduling and accompaniment, adequate food supply, and providing English conversation and tutoring. Some of us have trained with the Immigrant Welcome Center and are using their curricula to tutor the family during the summer when IWC does not provide classes. We assisted the family in finding sports activities and a recreation center; purchased bikes and helped them learn bike safety and routes; helped them learn bus routes; and found a summer education program. We have assisted them with phones, computers, Zoom, WiFi, email/mail monitoring and app installations. We have helped set up a bank account, provided clothing and shoes (some through Changing Footprints) and helped obtain another air conditioner when a heat wave was looming. We have also provided birthday cakes and lessons in resetting a circuit breaker during a power outage in the middle of the night.

FFAP is no longer co-sponsoring with Exodus Refugee, but we are continuing work with the family. We are supporting political asylum by offering to accompany them to hearings and meetings. We are supporting their attorney in getting affidavits and by offering an instructional legal packet we discovered that is specific to Afghan evacuees. Other areas we have agreed to assist in include financial literacy (including budgeting and monitoring accounts); transportation support; helping with driver education and licensing efforts; attorney assistance when obtaining a new lease and English Language Learner tutoring. We will continue submitting maintenance requests to the landlord. We will look for schools and educational programs for the fall. We will continue to help educate the family by reinforcing medical advice regarding health monitoring and proper use of prescriptions. Assisting the family in comparing health insurance opportunities is a priority.

We are in relationship with other churches and groups who are sponsoring Afghan families. Our conversations are enlightening as we share resources and hope our work is helping to make incredibly difficult transitions a tiny bit easier for Afghan evacuees. The Afghan families have a long haul ahead. Some evacuees are receiving little help and are unaware of important governmental deadlines for submission of specific documents necessary for the granting of asylum. Fortunately, the FFAP has the back of the family we sponsor. We have a team member with expertise and some experience with Afghan asylum. Also, the family has access to an attorney through Exodus Refugee.

Thank you, First Friends and like-minded friends, for joining with us in First Friends Afghan Project and for helping to make resettlement and asylum possible for this brave family. Thank you for helping to preserve lives.

Your Talent is Needed! ~ The choir has gone on break for the summer. Please see the signup sheet on the bulletin board in the hallway to sign up for summer music! We are hoping you will come share your talent with the congregation while our choir takes a break. Be it with your voice by singing or by playing an instrument. Sign up now for any or several Sundays over the summer. We still have many Sundays available! Thank you for sharing your God-given gifts!

Restorative Yoga ~ Please join friend Kristyn G in a restorative yoga practice session! These sessions will take place on Mondays June 27 and July 11 & 25 at 4:00 pm in Fellowship Hall. Each session will last for an hour. This gentle practice will stretch and restore you. $10 suggested donation. Hope to see you there!

Queries for the Week

· Do I limit God to fit my boxes?

· How might I expand my understanding of God?

· In what ways do I need to deepen my contemplative practices to more fully experience God?

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Friend to Friend June 15, 2022

June 15, 2022

As Way Opens

This past week I was on vacation in the south New Jersey Shore staying in a cute house at Bradley Beach (near Asbury Park). My son Greg lives nearby and it was a wonderful chance to spend time with him and his girlfriend Fernanda. Fernanda is from Colombia and her mother Nancy was visiting from there for the week. We had a great time getting to know each other, breaking bread together and having some time by the ocean.

There was one slight difficulty - Nancy does not speak any English and my Spanish is almost non-existent. I think we were both a little nervous about how we would communicate with each other. I was reminded in such a beautiful way that communicating love does not always require words. I think back to the Gary Chapman book about the 5 languages of love that include acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, words of affirmation and physical touch. We hit on almost all of these affirmations of love during the week. Nancy brought me a beautiful carving of a scene typical to Medillen Colombia where she lives. She hugged me every day to welcome me and say goodbye. Her eyes were kind and her smile generous. She and Fernanda made us a delicious lunch that was typical of a meal in Medillen. Through Greg and Fernanda's translation, she shared words of affirmation for me and appreciation I was so touched and realized that through our love of God and our children we could share love with each other even though we speak a different language.

Sometimes I realize that I just need to stop talking and start acting out of love. That is certainly the way that Jesus taught us to love.

Beth

Joys & Concerns

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

No Monthly Meeting in June! ~ Friends, please note that there will be no monthly meeting in June due to the Father’s Day holiday as well as generally the busy event schedule. Thank you!

The Overman Family Scholarship, in memory of Jess and Mark Overman, is available again this year. High school seniors through graduate students are welcome to apply. Undergraduate students will be given first consideration. The scholarship fund is designated to support the members and attenders of Indianapolis First Friends Meeting. Scholarship funds may be applied to any school related expense, i.e. books, supplies, tuition, housing, computer, etc. The deadline for application is THIS SUNDAY, June 19th. For an application, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.

Words from the Woods:

It’s hot out there and the trees and other plantings can suffer in this heat. Please give your trees several gallons of water this week. Even though we have had rain, sometimes the actual amount of rainfall can be spotty. Check your rain gauge and if it’s been less than an inch, water your trees and shrubs. They will thank you with CO2 removal, UV light protection, cool shade and life giving oxygen.

Carmel Green had these updates to share:

2040, a film documentary Join us this Thurs. June 16, 7:30 p.m. at Midtown Plaza in Carmel for the FREE screening of the uplifting documentary about climate solutions that exist today and what the world could look like in 2040! We’re excited to announce the Hoosier Environmental Council, Citizens Climate Lobby and CHS Green Action Club will be there. This is a great opportunity to get involved at CHS as well as the city, state and national levels!! Watch the trailer! Read more.

Carmel Students Call for Climate ActionYoung people are worried about how climate change will impact their future! These amazing students have met with Mayor Brainard and Carmel City Councilors to share their concerns and ask for a climate action plan. To support our young people, we’re collecting signatures on this petition which will be presented to the mayor and council members. Adults and youth are encouraged to sign! Please share with friends and family. Read more.

AES Indiana and the Petersburg Power Plant

Petersburg is one of AES Indiana’s power plants 125 miles southwest of Indiana. Most of its energy comes from burning coal and is one of 22 "Super Polluter" coal plants that release some of the most toxic pollution and greenhouse gases in the U.S. Exposure to these kinds of toxic emissions has been implicated in increased respiratory and heart problems, as well as premature births.

The Indianapolis Star reported in June 2020 that AES violated its water permit 120 times polluting the White River, a major source of fresh water with boron, selenium, cadmium and mercury. Groundwater monitors have identified heavy metals in the coal ash ponds that are leaching into groundwater.

In 2019 AES announced plans to keep burning coal at Petersburg until 2042 in its two remaining coal towers, despite requests from the mayor and the City-County Council to replace all of its coal with affordable renewable energy, Climate scientists have determined that carbon emissions need to be reduced by 45% by 2030 to keep the worst effects of climate change from occurring.

Read More at https://coal.sierraclub.org to understand the problem. I will bring petitions on June 26 if anyone would like to let AES know that its customers want more clean renewable energy in its portfolio. Or consider submitting a customer concern through their website. You can reach out to Megan Anderson, coordinator, at Indiana Beyond Coal on Facebook.

Mary B, Creation Care Advocate

FUM and WYM Projects for 2022

First Friends Financial Update: As a friendly reminder, the Meeting continues to seek and welcome financial support. To donate online, visit indyfriends.org/support/#givenow, or text to give at 317-768-0303. Other means of helping include automatic giving, stock gifts, estate planning, and donation of IRA Required Minimum Distributions. For more information, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.

Opportunities for Community Garden Volunteers; Free Plants ~ June is bustin’ out all over and the gardeners are creating new life in conjunction with our Creator. The plots are beginning to speak of their work. If you would like to have a plot or if you want to help plant, water or weed without making a commitment to a plot, contact Ben, Community Garden Clerk, at ben.frame@gmail.com.

The School for the Blind and Visually Impaired has once again gifted the Garden with plants ready to rehome. Please help yourself to the plants by the cistern, including tomatoes, squash, herbs and eggplant. Donated flowers are awaiting willing hands to root them into the Hope plot. They are potted and waiting in the plot. The Hope plot is dedicated to those who have died or are experiencing difficult times. Flowers may be picked once the plot is growing robustly.

Volunteers are invited to help plant, weed and water the Mid-North Food Pantry plot(s) as well as the Hope plot. Help beautify our grounds and fill up hungry tummies. Have your own plot, help others with their plots, or help keep up the community plots. Do as much or as little as you want. Soak up sunshine and breath fresh air as you exercise. What a deal!

INSIDE, OUTSIDE AT MID-NORTH FOOD PANTRY: OPPORTUNITIES!

Want to help at the food pantry but can't stand the hot sun?

In the olden days, pre-COVID, clients used grocery carts to serve themselves from shelves of food products inside the Mid-North Food Pantry, 3333 North Meridian Street. The First Friends volunteers who assisted them then were many of the same people who, post-COVID, learned to dress for all kinds of weather so that food could be provided to the needy, outdoors, without interruption.

Meanwhile, other volunteers from First Friends work a weekly shift inside the pantry, receiving, weighing, sorting, and packaging foods for distribution. Ruth Kelly, shown sorting many, many pounds of onions, and Barbara Oberreich work this shift every Monday. Corinne Imboden works the same shift on Wednesdays. Pantry manager Susan McMahon is hoping we may send a few more volunteers her way for indoor duty on Wednesday and Thursday mornings, and perhaps one or two others who could do some heavy lifting. It is all happy work!

And, in a new collaboration with The Cooking Matters Program of the Indy Hunger Network, Mid-North Food Pantry will host free cooking and nutrition classes for pantry clients and community. Participants will learn to prepare and eat healthy foods on a budget. Susan would love to have a volunteer from First Friends to assist with the one-hour classes, the first of which will be held on Wed., July 20, at 1 pm, with four more to follow in August. Perhaps you could help with one or two of them?

If you have been wishing you could join the First Friends pantry volunteers, who always seem to be having a great time, these are your opportunities!

VBS: Sign-Ups Open & Volunteers Needed! This year we are having Vacation Bible School from Sunday June 26th through Thursday, June 30th. Registration is now open! We invite you to sign up your kids and grandkids, and invite your neighbors as well! This year’s theme is Monumental: Celebrating God’s Greatness. We are also in need of volunteers for crew leaders and people to bring snacks during one of the weeknights. This is a wonderful event that children look forward to each year and we are able to offer it free of charge thanks to volunteers like you! If you can help, please contact the office.

Restorative Yoga ~ Please join friend Kristyn G in a restorative yoga practice session! These sessions will take place on Mondays June 20 & 27; and July 11 & 25 at 4:00 pm in Fellowship Hall. Each session will last for an hour. This gentle practice will stretch and restore you. $10 suggested donation. Hope to see you there!

Mark Your Calendars! First Friends will be working at the Dairy Bar again at the Indiana State Fair on Saturday, July 30th all day. If you’d like to volunteer for a morning or an evening shift, please contact the office.Please consider volunteering for this major fundraiser for our youth programming!

“I Am Spiritual but Not Religious!” ~ “Spiritual but not religious” (SBNR) is a popular phrase and initialism used to self-identity a life stance of spirituality that does not regard organized religion as the sole or most valuable means of furthering spiritual growth. First Friends Meeting of Kokomo invites you to a series of events focusing on examining this idea. The series begins with an evening of worship on Friday, July 8 at 6:30pm. On Saturday the 9th there will be a BBQ picnic at 5pm followed by a Talk on Kenya, Africa. Then on Sunday at 10:30am they will have Meeting for Worship with guest speakers Shawn McConaughey, General Superintendent of Western Yearly Meeting and Oscar Mmbali, Pastoral Minister of Belize City Friends. Join Kokomo Friends at 1801 Zartman Rd, Kokomo, IN 46902. For more information, view the flyer here or contact kokomofirstfriends@gmail.com.

Queries for the Week

· What Light/love does my own heart and soul most need right now?

· Where in my life am I seeing the Light/love shine most brightly?

· Into what darkness might God be nudging me to shine Light/love?

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Friend to Friend June 8, 2022

June 8, 2022

As Way Opens

A few weeks ago, I was browsing the clearance book section at a local store when out of the corner of my eye a book caught my attention. All I could see on the cover were the words Seeking Aliveness and just below were two hands holding a lit candle in a jar. Like many books in my life, this one seemed almost familiar and calling out to me. Once I pulled the book from the shelf, I noticed the author was one of my favorites, Brian McLaren.

Unbeknownst to me was that this title was based on a book that our Seeking Friends group had slowly moved through over a year in 2017-18. That book, We Make the Road by Walking, was also one of my favorite books about the themes of the Bible and one’s spiritual journey. Seeking Aliveness on the other hand is more of a daily reflection or devotional.

After perusing the book in the isle, I decided to buy it and claim it as my new devotional. A couple weeks ago when I began my morning meditation with it for the first time, I found myself riveted by the first couple of paragraphs from the introduction. Let these words draw your attention, as they did mine, this week:

What we all want is pretty simple, really. We want to be alive. To feel alive. Not just to exist but to thrive, to live out loud, walk tall, breathe free. We want to be less lonely, less exhausted, less conflicted, or afraid…more awake, more grateful, more energized, and purposeful. We capture this kind of mindful, overbrimming life in terms like, well-being, shalom, blessedness, wholeness, harmony, life to the full, and aliveness.

The quest for aliveness explains so much of what we do. Its why readers read and travelers travel. Its why lovers love and thinking think, why dancers dance and moviegoers watch. In the quest for aliveness, chefs cook, foodies eat, farmers till, drummers riff, fly fishers cast, runners run, and photographers shoot.

The quest for aliveness is the heartbeat that pulses through the Bible – and the best thing about religion, I think. It’s what we’re hoping for when we pray. It’s why we gather, celebrate, eat, abstain, attend, practice, sing, and contemplate. When people say, “I’m spiritual,” what they mean, I think, is simple: “I’m seeking inner aliveness.”

I invite you to join me during these summer months in taking some time in seeking aliveness and seeing where the Divine will speak to your condition and give you life!

Grace and peace,

Bob

Announcements, Reports, & Opportunities

No Monthly Meeting in June! ~ Friends, please note that there will be no monthly meeting in June due to the Father’s Day holiday as well as generally the busy event schedule. Thank you!

Friends Education Fund Sunday AND Special Guest Speaker Shawn McConaughey! We hope you will join us for a special Meeting for Worship this Sunday, June 12! It is Friends Education Fund Sunday where we honor and meet our scholarship recipients during worship and with a special reception afterward. Also, we will welcome special guest speaker Shawn McConaughey, our new Western Yearly Meeting Superintendent. Prior to coming to Indiana in April of 2022, Shawn and his wife, Katrina, served in a shared position with Friends United Meeting as the Programme Officers alongside FUM-Africa Ministries director John Muhanji in the Kisumu office in Africa. Not only does Shawn have deep Quaker roots, but he also has 20 years of Friends pastoral experience in two local meetings, and 9 years serving as the Associate Superintendent for Global Outreach and Pastoral Care within the Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends. Shawn and Katrina have two adult children, Jerrod and Elsie.

INSIDE, OUTSIDE AT MID-NORTH FOOD PANTRY: OPPORTUNITIES!

Want to help at the food pantry but can't stand the hot sun?

If you have been wishing you could join the First Friends pantry volunteers, who always seem to be having a great time, these are your opportunities!

Afghan Family Update ~ Summer is a time for fun. The Afghan family is enrolled in English classes, working to bring in paychecks and making decisions about school and summer activities. The resettlement process is stressful for them. A little recreation can be helpful. With that in mind, the First Friends Afghan Project is asking for backyard games. The family is particularly keen on having cricket equipment. Other possible game items are Bocce balls, badminton, crochet and cornhole. If you can donate any games, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org. Thank you.

Creation Care Updates

Shout out to Mindy, Barb S., Terry T, Ed, David B for tending the courtyard and memorial mound and super big thanks to Brad for knocking down all the overgrown areas of the Woods. It was a huge job!

The Art Park at Newfields has a fantastic pollinator garden that was planted one year ago and it is wonderful to see so many native plants in bloom. Stop by soon- it’s free!

The University of Illinois Extension has several free webinars on gardening.

Signup for “Natives versus Cultivars” webinar on June 21, 2022. Natives vs. Cultivars | Four Seasons Gardening: University of Illinois Extension

Have an area in your yard that gets overrun during a rainstorm? Consider a rain garden!

Join representatives from Marion County SWCD and Purdue Extension for an intensive two day Rainscaping workshop on Thursday 6/16 and Friday 6/17. Attendees will learn how to design, build and maintain residential rain gardens to treat stormwater runoff and provide pollinator habitat in their own backyards. This workshop is funded through the Indiana State Department of Agriculture’s Clean Water Indiana grant program and Purdue Extension and costs $100 to attend, with lunches provided. Participants will take home native plants for their home projects and visit local green infrastructure projects as well as gain valuable experience planting a local rain garden project.

More information about the Rainscaping program is available here: https://extension.purdue.edu/rainscaping/

Registration deadline is Wednesday 6/8-click on the Register link below!

Upcoming Rainscaping
Workshop-Register by Wednesday 6/8!
Rainscaping Workshop Thursday 6/16 and Friday 6/17
Two Day Rainscaping Workshop
Register

Action Alert:

The State of Indiana is investing $25 million dollars in buying conservation land, as our state parks and other areas were highly used during the pandemic. I am thrilled. However, at the same time there are proposed projects that will destroy some sensitive rural areas to build an interstate connection in Southern Indiana. Many of you watched the impact of building the I-69 extension to Bloomington, mature trees removed, topography altered. The Indiana Forest Alliance would like for you to comment on the proposed route through Daviess county, impacted the Gantz Woods Nature Preserve by JUNE 10TH!

INDOT chooses 'preferred route' for controversial Mid-States Corridor

-Mary B, Creation Care Advocate

The Overman Family Scholarship, in memory of Jess and Mark Overman, is available again this year. High school seniors through graduate students are welcome to apply. Undergraduate students will be given first consideration. The scholarship fund is designated to support the members and attenders of Indianapolis First Friends Meeting. Scholarship funds may be applied to any school related expense, i.e. books, supplies, tuition, housing, computer, etc. The deadline for application is June 19th. For an application, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org.

Meditational Woods Birds of the Month for June

Wilson’s Snipe: Is the Joke on You?

This month I am celebrating a bird that made an appearance last month. In fact, it was one of the most unusual avian visitors ever to grace our property. After circling through the Meditational Woods, I made my way northward under the high tension lines above the meadow. One of our neighbors to the east has a reddish-brown fence, and it was on the ground along this fence that I spied what I thought was a mammal: perhaps a slender cat or large ground squirrel. Then it turned its head, and I saw the view in my drawing. The slender head with an enormous bill and long-ways head striping identified this as a Wilson’s Snipe!! Although a few other shorebirds have long bills, the lack of a body of water here narrowed the choices. That bill is used to probe the grass and mud for food. Recent rains had made the ground sloshy, and perfect for picking worms and insects.

As I made my way back through the parking lot, I met one of the supervisors of children on the playground. She asked me what birds I had seen that morning. I told her that I had just seen a snipe. She remarked, “I thought they did not really exist!” Readers who are my age may recall an old prank played by kids on other kids, in which the victim is told that the group is going on a “snipe hunt.” The weapons for the hunt are a sack (burlap bag?) and some sort of stick. The instructions are to walk around, hitting the bag with the stick, yelling, “Here, snipe!! Here, here, snipe!!” When no snipe are found, the practical joke is revealed by telling the participant that THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A SNIPE!!

The TRUTH IS that snipes DO EXIST, that long ago they were hunted as a source of food, and in May one showed up at Indianapolis First Friends meadow. Instead of a paper sack and stick, I had binoculars! -- Brad J

Mark Your Calendars! First Friends will be working at the Dairy Bar again at the Indiana State Fair on Saturday, July 30th all day. Please consider volunteering for either a morning or afternoon shift for this major fundraiser for our youth programming. More details to come!

Restorative Yoga ~ Please join friend Kristyn Greenawald in a restorative yoga practice session! These sessions will take place on Mondays June 20 & 27; and July 11 & 25 at 4:00 pm in Fellowship Hall. Each session will last for an hour. This gentle practice will stretch and restore you. $10 suggested donation. If you have any questions, reach out to Kristyn at her cellular number 317-409-2116 by text or call. Hope to see you there!

We will gather in the Parlor and simultaneously via Zoom starting at 7 pm EST Tuesday, June 28, 2022 led by Rik L.

Queries for the Week

· In what ways am I too binary in my view of others?

· How might I more deeply see with the diverse, multifaceted, and creative eyes of God?

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