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 ~ 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!
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 ~ 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! 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.
Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading would like you to join us as we discuss West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge.
“Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes…”
Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. But when he learns giraffes are going extinct, he finds himself recalling the unforgettable experience he cannot take to his grave.
It’s 1938. The Great Depression lingers. Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. They find it in two giraffes who miraculously survive a hurricane while crossing the Atlantic. What follows is a twelve-day road trip in a custom truck to deliver Southern California’s first giraffes to the San Diego Zoo. Behind the wheel is the young Dust Bowl rowdy Woodrow. Inspired by true events, the tale weaves real-life figures with fictional ones, including the world’s first female zoo director, a crusty old man with a past, a young female photographer with a secret, and assorted reprobates as spotty as the giraffes.
Part adventure, part historical saga, and part coming-of-age love story, West with Giraffes explores what it means to be changed by the grace of animals, the kindness of strangers, the passing of time, and a story told before it’s too late.
We will gather at Carolyn and Eric T’s home starting at 7 pm on Tuesday, August 25th led by Carolyn T. Everyone is welcome!
There will be no Zoom.
Waiting Worship Relocates ~ Due to the renovation at the Meeting House restrooms, the First Friends Meeting House is currently closed. Kathy and Gary R are graciously opening their home for anyone who would like to gather in person for waiting worship on: Wednesdays, Aug 5, & 12 at 7pm, and Monday, Aug 10 at noon. Everyone is warmly welcome. The Rhynes' home is only a few minutes from the Meetinghouse and street parking is available in front of the home. They will also have the ZOOM option available from their home. Many thanks to them for hosting.
Welcome Back, Bob & Sue! ~ Join us on Sunday, August 9, as we welcome Bob and Sue back from their sabbatical! We'll celebrate with a catered lunch following Meeting for Worship. We hope you'll join us for good food, fellowship, and a warm welcome home!
SUMMER SINGALONG! The next singalong will be Friday, July 31, in the parlor, from 6:30-8:00pm. Singing Friends will celebrate the 60th Anniversary of great songs from 1966. Come join us for pizza at 6:30pm, then the singing from 7-8pm.
Our Seasoned Friends group for those of retirement age will meet on Thursday, August 20, for a field trip to Kokomo Opalescent Glass Co. (1310 South Market St, Kokomo, IN 46902) for a tour ($6 per person). An optional carpool will meet at First Friends at 9:30am, and the tour will start at 10:45am. Founded in 1888, KOG is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of art glass, and the oldest producer of hand cast, cathedral and opalescent glass in the United States. We will then have lunch afterward at Windmill Grill. If interested, please RSVP using this link or contact the office at office@indyfriends.org or 317-255-2485 and let us know if you’ll be joining the carpool! We welcome anyone that considers themselves a Seasoned Friend to join us.
Mid-North Food Pantry Polo at Sunset ~ Join Mid-North Food Pantry for Polo at Sunset on Friday, July 24, at Hickory Hall Polo Club (7551 E. 100 N., Whitestown). Gates open at 5:00 p.m., with the polo match beginning at 6:00 p.m. The evening will feature a live polo match, picnic-style tailgating, stick pony rides for children, spirits, wine and gift card pulls, and optional VIP experiences. General admission is $40 per car.
This event benefits Mid-North Food Pantry, one of First Friends' longtime community partners. As the need for food assistance continues to rise across our community, the pantry is serving more individuals and families than ever before. Your attendance is a wonderful way to enjoy a fun summer evening while helping support an organization providing vital assistance to neighbors facing food insecurity.
Jim and Carol Donahue will be hosting a hospitality tent during the event, and everyone from First Friends is invited to stop by for food, drinks, and fellowship throughout the evening. Don't forget to bring your lawn chairs! See and share the flyer here.
Restroom Renovation Project Begins August 3 ~ Construction for the Trustees’ restroom renovation project will begin Monday, August 3, and is expected to continue through to completion in early October for the two restrooms by the east courtyard entrance. The two restrooms in the education wing will be renovated next summer.
Work on site will occur weekdays from approximately from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The first two weeks starting August 3 will involve extensive demolition work in the men's and women's restrooms by the east courtyard entrance, so there will be a few temporary changes to building use.
August 3-7: The meetinghouse will be closed during the first week of demolition. If you need to access the building, please make arrangements with the office. Monday Meditational Worship and Wednesday Waiting Worship will be held by Zoom only.
August 10-14: Monday Meditational Worship will continue by Zoom only. Wednesday Waiting Worship is expected to resume meeting in person.
Throughout the project (and especially during the first two weeks of demolition) those with respiratory or air quality sensitivities should use caution when entering the building, as dust and reduced indoor air quality may be present.
Further updates and adjustments to our normal building use will be shared as construction continues. Thank you for your patience and flexibility as we make these much-needed improvements to our meetinghouse!
Sunday Funday ~ Please join us for Sunday Funday August 2nd immediately following Meeting for worship. Food, fellowship and fun! Fried chicken, hot dogs, and vegan dogs will be provided.
Pitch IN- If your last name starts with A-L bring a side or salad to share. If your last name starts with M-Z please bring a dessert to share.
Table games, yard games, and a water bounce house. Bring your suit and towel if you plan to get wet. We can't wait for a day of play!
We've also invited our fellow Shalom Zone churches to join us and bring dishes for the pitch-in, so we're looking forward to a great turnout, plenty of delicious food, and a wonderful afternoon of fellowship together. Many thanks to our Fellowship Committee for planning and hosting this special event!
Help Support Our Youth at the State Fair! First Friends is looking for volunteers to help run the Dairy Bar at the Indiana State Fair on Saturday, August 15 - our biggest youth group fundraiser of the year! Choose from two shifts: the morning shift of 8:00am-2:30pm, or the evening shift of 2:30pm-9:00pm. Volunteers work a window, run a register, or scoop ice cream in Pioneer village. This year's special items are the Blue Raspberry Shake and Big Dill Grilled Cheese. It’s fast-paced, fun, and makes a big impact. Perks include free admission to the fair, all-day Dairy Bar treats, and a great time with a great team! Sign up now to join the fun! Volunteers must be in 6th grade or above, accompanied by an adult. Questions? Contact Chrissy.
Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading would like you to join us as we discuss Twice: A Novel by Mitch Albom. We will gather in the parlor and simultaneously via Zoom starting at 7 pm on Tuesday, July 28th.
When he is eight years old, Alfie Logan discovers the magical ability to get a second chance at everything. He can undo any moment and live it again. The one catch: he must accept the consequences of his second try—for better or worse.
He grows up correcting his mistakes and saving himself from adolescent embarrassments. He even takes foolishly dangerous risks, just to see what it’s like to come close to death, before tapping back to safety.
Eventually, Alfie turns his gift to his love life, studying his crushes and going back to make himself more appealing. In time, he falls deeply in love with Gianna, the woman he believes is the one. He seems to find contentment.
But as the years pass, Alfie’s eye begins to wander. Which is when he learns a lone caveat to his once he undoes a love, that person can never fall in love with him again. Knowing if he gives into to temptation, he will risk losing what he has with Gianna, Alfie makes a choice that changes his life forever.
The book begins many years later, after an ailing Alfie is arrested for allegedly cheating and winning millions at a casino roulette wheel. As a curious detective interrogates him, he slowly uncovers Alfie’s incredible story, and its most unlikely conclusion.
In Twice, America’s favorite storyteller, Mitch Albom, is at the top of his powers. A love story that is enchanting, probing, and clairvoyant in matters of the heart, Twice will make you think, weep, and overflow with love from beginning to end.
Oak Leaf: Meeting for Reading would like for you to join us for a “Short Story Fest” as we lead off with *Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan.
It is 1985 in a small Irish town. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, Bill Furlong, a coal merchant and family man faces into his busiest season. Early one morning, while delivering an order to the local convent, Bill makes a discovery which forces him to confront both his past and the complicit silences of a town controlled by the church.
We will gather at Rik and Linda L’s home starting at 7 pm on Tuesday, June 30th led by Rik L. There will be no Zoom.
*NOTE: Rik is proposing four additional short stories to accompany Small Things Like These. There is no particular connection between the stories other than being fairly short and well-written: The Jilting of Granny Weatherall by Katherine Anne Porter, A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote, Evidence by Isaac Asimov and The Immortal Bard by Isaac Asimov. If you’d like to receive copies of these additional stories, contact Kathy R.
SIGN UP NOW for Vacation Bible School! This year’s VBS theme is Rainforest Falls: Exploring the Nature of God! We will kick off on Sunday, July 19th from 12 – 2pm with lunch for everyone and will continue Monday July 20th through Thursday July 23rd from 6:30 to 8:30pm. We invite all kids preschool - 5th grade to join us for the fun. If you’d like to sign your kids up, register online here. We still need volunteers to bring in snacks! Instructions will be provided. If you’d like to help, or if you have questions, contact Chrissy at or the office at office@indyfriends.org. Please join us, where tree-mendous adventure awaits!
IPJC Program: The Underground Railroad in Indiana ~ Join the Indianapolis Peace and Justice Center here at First Friends on Tuesday, July 14 at 7:00pm for a presentation exploring the history of the Underground Railroad in Indiana. The program, presented by our own Jeff and Alicia R, will explore the history of the Underground Railroad in Indiana, including its development and routes, and how enslaved people fleeing to freedom traveled through the state—either continuing on to Canada or settling in Indiana before the Civil War. It will highlight the conductors and communities who made these journeys possible, with special attention to the roles of Quakers, formerly enslaved individuals, and abolitionists. This promises to be an engaging opportunity to learn more about an important chapter of Indiana and Quaker history.
Relational Organizing: How to Build Your Public Action ~ Interested in learning how to engage more people in meaningful action and strengthen community involvement? Join the Peace Church Coalition for a free training on Saturday, June 20, from 10 am to 2 pm at Shalom Mennonite Church (6100 E. 32nd St., Indianapolis). Lunch will be provided.
This hands-on training will cover key community organizing skills, including sharing your personal story, conducting one-to-one conversations (relational organizing), and developing effective plans for action. While examples will draw from the End ICE Detention at Miami Correctional campaign, the skills learned can be applied to any cause or community effort. Please register online here so organizers can plan accordingly, and feel free to share with friends and neighbors who may be interested.
YOUTH pool party!
When: Friday June 19th, 1-4 pm
Who: Youth grades 6-12
Where: Devon Country Club: 4646 Millersville Rd Indy, 46226
What: A time to cool off and celebrate summer together. Feel free to invite a friend.
Cost: Free to attend
RSVP: Email or text Chrissy by Wednesday June 17th.
Wear your swimsuit and sunscreen, and pack a towel. Small inflatables are allowed. Please bring your favorite snack to share. Chrissy will bring a cooler with drinks. We have two picnic tables reserved in the shade. The concession stand will also be open for purchases.
Parents, you're welcome to drop your teens off or stay. Lifeguards are on staff at Devon. There are plenty of shady places to stay cool and wind down with a good book, or sunny lounge chairs to soak up some Vitamin D!