Community Garden Cleanup & Fall Outing - October 25

Save the Date — Sunday, October 25

2:30–4:00 p.m. — The Community Gardeners will host a garden clean-up to help put the garden to bed for winter. They invite and welcome anyone to join in and help.

4:00–6:00 p.m. — Join Maple Seeds Preschool Co-op for its Fall Fest, featuring a chili cook-off, bounce house, and children’s activities.

During the Fall Fest, the First Friends Connections Committee will host a bonfire with s’mores and hot cocoa, a campfire sing-along, and cornhole.

Come for the garden clean-up, the Fall Fest, or both — all are welcome!

More details and sign-ups coming soon.

Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading - October 27, 2026

Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading would like you to join us as we discuss What We Can Know by Ian McEwan. We will gather in the parlor and simultaneously via Zoom starting at 7 pm EST on Tuesday, October 27th led by Janell C.

2014: A great poem is read aloud and never heard again. For generations, people speculate about its message, but no copy has yet been found.

2119: The lowlands of the UK have been submerged by rising seas. Those who survive are haunted by the richness of the world that has been lost.

Tom Metcalfe, an academic at the University of the South Downs, part of Britain’s remaining island archipelagos, pores over the archives of that distant era, captivated by the freedoms and possibilities of human life at its zenith. When he stumbles across a clue that may lead to the lost poem, a story is revealed of entangled loves and a crime that destroy his assumptions about people he thought he knew intimately well.

What We Can Know is a masterpiece, a fictional tour de force that reclaims the present from our sense of looming catastrophe, and imagines a future world where all is not quite lost. 

Men’s Threshing Together - October 15, 2026

Men’s Threshing Together ~ If you’re interested in gathering with other men who mull over current issues or topics, where all points of view are heard, no decisions are made, and all in a non-threatening atmosphere over a meal, then Threshing Together is for you! Join us for our next in-person meeting on Thursday, October 15 at 7:00pm. See upcoming locations here.

Monthly Pitch-in - October 25, 2026

October Monthly Pitch-in

The September Monthly Pitch-in was well attended with plenty of food, plenty of variety, and plenty of fellowship. Many thanks to those who brought such wonderful dishes to share. The Free Will Offering collected $35 for Mid-North Food Pantry. Thank you very much!

We're going ahead with an October Monthly Pitch-in on Sunday, October 25 following programmed worship. It is hosted by the Fellowship Committee. It is a TOTAL PITCH-IN. Everyone is invited and encouraged to bring something to share: salad, side dish, main course, casserole, bread, dessert, etc. So, MARK YOUR CALENDAR and join us.

Special Request: Because some members are vegan, vegetarian, must eat gluten free, cannot eat nuts or milk products, please consider labeling your food contributions if they fit into any of these categories. It is a thoughtful thing to do and will make it easier for everyone. Thank you for your consideration.

As always, label your food containers with your name if you want them returned to you. Post-it Notes and markers are available on the butcher block island in the kitchen.

Death Penalty Opposition Event - Oct 19

Join us for a Death Penalty Opposition Event - Jeffrey Weisheit’s execution is scheduled for Nov. 5 (just after midnight on Nov. 4th). That of God that existed in him will be dead.

Weisheit was convicted and sentenced to death in the 2010 murders of his girlfriend’s children, Alyssa and Caleb Lynch. His lawyers filed a request for clemency with the Parole Board, seeking a sentence of life without parole. The board will make a recommendation to Gov. Mike Braun, who has the final say.

The Parole Board will meet Monday Oct. 19 in Indiana Government Center South's conference rooms 1 and 2. His lawyers will present evidence in support of clemency from 9 to 11 a.m. The children’s father opposes execution, although he will not give testimony at the hearing. Those opposing the request will speak from 1 to 3 p.m.

In the application, signed Sept. 15, 2026, Weisheit’s lawyers contend that evidence of Mr. Weisheit’s lifelong mental impairments including congenital dysfunctions and the effect of multiple traumatic brain injuries and psychological trauma beginning early in his childhood, were never adequately presented to the courts, the petition states.

Although the Indiana Supreme Court upheld his death sentence during a 2018 post-conviction appeal, Chief Justice Loretta Rush dissented, concluding that ineffective legal representation regarding psychological trauma and impairment warranted a new sentencing proceeding.

Please come to the Parole Board hearing Monday 10/19 at 9 am - 11 am. Let Jodie E know if you wish to attend so she can organize carpooling. 

As always, Friends are encouraged to write letters to the Governor opposing this execution, Indiana’s 4th in two years.

Soul Sisters Autumn Luncheon

Soul Sisters Autumn Luncheon – LOCATION CHANGE! ~ Soul Sisters invites you to join us for an Autumn Luncheon on Sunday, October 11 after Meeting for Worship. Please note the location has changed to the Meetinghouse parlor! The Soul Sisters Planning Committee will provide several types of chili, allergy-friendly cornbread, apple cider, iced tea, water, and dessert. Please bring a side dish to share.

30 YEARS OF SHARING

30 YEARS OF SHARING - Saturday, October 24th

300 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. - Fellowship Hall

Several Officers and Board Members of Right Sharing of World Resources will visit our meetinghouse to see the stamp room, give a short program, and enjoy refreshments. The event is to honor the thirty years that the stamp program has been in existence to support RSWR (ten years at First Friends)! Interested Friends are invited to attend. Save the Date!!

Use What You’ve Got Prison Ministry

Use What You’ve Got Prison Ministry ~ Please note: There has been a change in venue. Join us at First Congregational Church of Indianapolis on Tuesday, September 29 at 7:00pm for a presentation by Cecilia Whitfield, founder of Use What You’ve Got Prison Ministry. Cecilia founded the organization in 1988 after her son was sentenced to prison. This faith-based nonprofit helps keep families connected by providing transportation for visits with incarcerated loved ones and offers programs that support family wellness and help break the cycle of loneliness and alienation. First Congregational Church is located at 7171 N. Pennsylvania Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240, where The Garden meets.

Join Us: Divine Secrets of the Woo Woo Sisterhood

Join Us: Divine Secrets of the Woo Woo Sisterhood ~ It’s no secret, really. The Woo Woo Sisters are a handful of women, mostly from First Friends, who meet the second and fourth Thursday in the parlor for spiritual growth and connection, 630 p.m. to 830 p.m. The meetings alternate between a Lectio Divina format and a Chalice Circle format. Lectio Divina (sacred scripture) consists of a contemplative reading, repeated thrice with breaks of meditational silence in between followed by individual responses to the reading and deep listening. The Chalice Circle format follows the Unitarian Universalist practice of a theme introduction via a brief reading or presentation followed by silence, deep sharing/listening and gentle conversation. Meeting facilitation rotates among members. To help us get acquainted, all meetings begin with a brief round robin check-in from each person. If you are looking for spiritual growth and friendship among a group of inclusive, irreverent, insightful and often boisterous women, please contact Mary Ellen L or the office to arrange a date to give us a try. The next meeting is September 24 and the Chalice Circle theme is Attachment Styles: Superpowers and Security.

Threshing Together Kick Off September 2026

Threshing Together Returns for its 10th year!  Even though we are starting a month later than usual, it is time to Kick Off another year of Threshing Together for Men. Pastor Bob is hosting the first event at his home, Thursday, September 17th at 6:30pm. Come for an evening of conversation, beverages, and finger foods. You may bring a favorite beverage, but it is not necessary. We are hoping for a nice night out in our backyard, so bring a sweatshirt along just in case. The list of locations for the upcoming year is now available - click here to view!

Shalom Zone Recycling Event!

Recycling Event! The Shalom Zone plans to have its yearly recycling event with Recycle Force on Saturday, October 17 from 10:00am to 2:00pm. If an item runs (or used to run) with a plug or a battery you can recycle it! This year it will be held at Allisonville Christian Church, 7701 Allisonville Rd. A $25 donation is required for monitors, televisions, and appliances containing Freon (fridges, freezers, ac units and dehumidifiers). Other monetary contributions are greatly appreciated. This is a great opportunity to clean out your basement, garage, closets, attic and responsibly recycle unwanted electronics and appliances.

Shalom Zone SAWs Ramp Build

Shalom Zone SAWs Ramp Build ~ Shalom Zone will once again participate in an access ramp build with the organization, Servants at Work. SAWs is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) that builds ramps to provide people with disabilities and conditions of aging with the freedom to remain in their homes and reconnect with their communities.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 10 from about 8AM to 12PM. No experience is necessary. The location will be in Marion county, address will be shared 1 week before.

This is a private build; volunteers cannot register on the SAWs website. If interested, please contact the office at office@indyfriends.org. See and share the flyer online here!

Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading September 2026

Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading would like you to join us as we discuss My Friends by Fredrik Backman.

Most people don’t even notice them—three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier in the corner of one of the most famous paintings in the world. Most people think it’s just a depiction of the sea. But Louisa, an aspiring artist herself, knows otherwise, and she is determined to find out the story of these three enigmatic figures.

Twenty-five years earlier, in a distant seaside town, a group of teenagers find refuge from their bruising home lives by spending long summer days on an abandoned pier, telling silly jokes, sharing secrets, and committing small acts of rebellion. These lost souls find in each other a reason to get up each morning, a reason to dream, a reason to love.

Out of that summer emerges a transcendent work of art, a painting that will unexpectedly be placed into eighteen-year-old Louisa’s care. She embarks on a surprise-filled cross-country journey to learn how the painting came to be and to decide what to do with it. The closer she gets to the painting’s birthplace, the more nervous she becomes about what she’ll find. Louisa is proof that happy endings don’t always take the form we expect in this stunning testament to the transformative, timeless power of friendship and art.

We will gather in the parlor and simultaneously via Zoom starting at 7 pm on Tuesday, September 29th led by Kathy R.

Monthly Pitch-In - September 27, 2026

Monthly Pitch-In ~ The lunches following Sunday programmed worship during Bob's sabbatical went over very well. So, we're hosting another monthly pitch-in (potluck) lunch. It is a test run and it follows programmed worship on Sunday, September 27. It is a TOTAL PITCH-IN. Everyone is invited and encouraged to bring something to share: salad, side dish, main course, casserole, dessert. This test run is sponsored by the Fellowship Committee. The results will be discussed during the October Monthly Meeting to decide if this will work going forward. So MARK YOUR CALENDAR and join us for our Sunday, September 27 pitch-in.

Entering God’s Presence ~ The ILLUMINATE Friends Bible Study FALL 2026

Entering God’s Presence ~ The ILLUMINATE Friends Bible Study “Zoom Only” group cordially invites you to join us this fall on Thursday evenings beginning September 17th at 7:30 pm for our 13-week study Psalms: Entering God’s Presence. Feel free to drop in anytime, everyone is welcome. 

The book of Psalms displays a range of human experiences and emotions that are brought to the Lord through songs and prayers. Anger, violence, sadness, and a recognition of evil are all present in the psalms. And so are love, peace, happiness, hope, and a recognition of God’s faithfulness. Studying the psalms helps us better understand how to worship authentically. No matter whether you’re joyful, angry, suffering, or hopeful, God meets you there. Because God’s “steadfast love endures forever” (Psalm 136:1), we can all say with the psalmists, “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!” (Psalm 150:6).

1.     Discovering Joy (Psalms 1; 41)

2.     Our Place in the Universe (Psalms 8; 18)

3.     Rejoice Together (Psalms 33:1–10, 20–22; 47)

4.     Thanksgiving Psalms (Psalms 9:1–12; 136:1–12)

5.     Individual and Communal Laments (Psalms 13; 60)

6.    Laments about Injustice (Psalms 55:1–14; 73:1–5, 9–12, 16–28)

7.     Repentance and Cries for Mercy (Psalms 51:1–12; 143)

8.    Kingship Psalms (Psalms 99; 132:8–18)

9.    Wisdom Psalms (Psalms 37:27–40; 112)

10. Pilgrimage or Ascent Psalms (Psalms 122; 130)

11.  Unusual and Difficult Psalms (Psalms 119:1–12; 29)

12.  Creation Praises God (Psalms 19; 98)

13.  Using Psalms Today (Psalms 140; 150)

To purchase your booklet online, go to this link:

https://barclaypress.corecommerce.com/ILLUMINATE/Illuminate-Psalms.html 

(contact the office for Zoom link)

Worship Relocates for Remainder of Renovation

Worship Relocates for Remainder of Renovation ~ Due to the ongoing restroom renovations, Monday Meditational Worship and Wednesday Waiting Worship will take place at Kathy and Gary R’s home for the remainder of the construction project, which is expected to continue through early October. Holding worship in their home will help us avoid the dust and noise of construction while allowing us to continue gathering in person. Everyone is warmly welcome. Street parking is available in front of the home. They will also have the ZOOM options available from their home. Check the directory for the address or contact the office. Many thanks to Kathy and Gary for graciously opening their home to us!

Labor Day Social & Ultimate Challenge

Labor Day Social & Ultimate Challenge ~ Western Yearly Meeting invites Friends of all ages to join us on Monday, September 7, from 2–7 p.m. for an afternoon of fellowship, games, and friendly competition! The event will take place simultaneously at three locations in Indianapolis, Richmond, and Bloomingdale, with each location competing in sports, trivia, art, and a supply drive supporting Quakers in Cuba through Friends United Meeting. The competition will culminate at Quaker Nexus in November. Snacks and dinner are included, and the event is free! Click here for more info and the location addresses, or contact Myron Guachalla at myrong@westernyearlymeeting.org with questions.

First Friends at the Ballpark!

First Friends at the Ballpark!

What: First Friends annual day at the ballpark. Come spend an afternoon cheering on the Indianapolis Indians vs. Columbus Clippers with all your "FRIENDS" Sundays: kids 14 and under eat free. Meet and greet with Bluey and Bingo characters begins when the gate opens in the center field plaza. 

When: Sunday August 30th, 1:35 pm 

Where: Victory Field

RSVP: chrissy.sommer@indyfriends.org with how many tickets you'd like. Tickets will be emailed to you closer to game time.

Graduation Celebration for Lewis H

Graduation Celebration for Lewis H ~ Pastor Bob and his family invites the entire First Friends community to join them in celebrating the graduation of their son Lewis, who recently earned his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology/Exercise Science from Indiana University! You’re invited to stop by their open house on Saturday, August 22, from 1-5pm at their home. Stop by anytime during the afternoon to congratulate Lewis and celebrate his accomplishment. Please RSVP regrets only: Text Sue.

Free to a Good Home Items!

Free to a Good Home Items! The Nancy Pennington Rummage Sale is over. There are some leftovers and select items will be available "Free to a Good Home" on tables in the Fellowship Hall on Sunday, August 23. They must be taken home on Sunday, August 23. The remaining items will be donated to the Wheeler Mission Store in Fishers or recycled as appropriate. Please take a look and see if there are items you can use and give them a good home. Thank you.