6-7-26 - Come Join the Symphony! - Eric Baker

Come Join the Symphony!
Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting
Eric Baker
June 7, 2026

Good morning, friends and welcome to Light Reflections. Today’s scripture is from Romans 12:4-9 from The Voice.

”For in the same way that one body has so many different parts, each with different functions; we, too—the many—are different parts that form one body in the Anointed One. Each one of us is joined with one another, and we become together what we could not be alone. Since our gifts vary depending on the grace poured out on each of us, it is important that we exercise the gifts we have been given. If prophecy is your gift, then speak as a prophet according to your proportion of faith. If service is your gift, then serve well. If teaching is your gift, then teach well.  If you have been given a voice of encouragement, then use it often. If giving is your gift, then be generous. If leading, then be eager to get started. If sharing God’s mercy, then be cheerful in sharing it.  Love others well, and don’t hide behind a mask; love authentically. Despise evil; pursue what is good as if your life depends on it.”

I want to thank Beth Henricks for the invitation to speak to you today. I also want to acknowledge and give a bit of a high-five to the different speakers who have been in this position over the past month or so – Mary Blackburn, Jim Shearer, special guest Emily Provance, and then last week’s message from Patrick Jendraszak on connections felt in many ways like a part one to what I’d like to talk about today. Funny how that works.

As a lifelong musician and lover of music, I’ve worn many music-related hats, if you will. I’ve been a performing musician; I’ve been a studio keyboard player and vocalist, recording music for various projects; I’ve been a songwriter and arranger, a band director; and, as you know, I’m the music director here at First Friends, a role I’ve been honored to have for the past 10 years. But the hat I’ve worn that has probably given me the most unique sense of purpose is that of a music teacher.

There’s an idea, a framework that has started becoming more clear in my mind as I’ve thought through the many students I’ve taught over the years. I refer to this specific framework as “approaching music vertically, and then horizontally”. I’ll explain what I mean.

If I’m learning a specific piece of music that is proving to be challenging for me, there are going to be specific passages of that piece, musical concepts, that I’ll need to really focus on. I might spend several days learning how to play this run, or that syncopation, or accenting the right notes, learning the best way to express the dynamics in a particular melodic line. I call this type of focus a vertical approach. And indeed, if I’m going to learn a piece, or generally get more proficient at my instrument, this type of approach is necessary. Head down, focused on specific parts of the whole.

But if I stay in that vertical approach, keeping my head down in that near-sited, concentrated focus, then I might very well fail to see how the different parts go together to create a beautiful piece of music. I might miss how the opening lines lead into the middle section. I might miss the connections between how the rhythms of the bridge section are echoed and elaborated on in the closing of the piece.

This idea gains even more significance when I start playing music with other people. Then, the things happening around me, the music being made next to me, it’s all happening in concert with my own contributions. But with that simple, near-sited approach, I might miss how my part serves what the violins are playing. Or how this chord really supports that cool saxophone line. In other words, to see the beauty in the whole piece, I’ll need to lift my head up, to zoom out occasionally, and really listen to the ensemble, the community of players, and not just pay attention to my own contributions, whatever they may be. This is what I call “approaching the music horizontally”.

Ok, why am I talking about music? Because for me, this is a good metaphor for other areas of life, as well.

When I wandered into this Meeting some 14 years ago, I knew nothing about the Quakers. Over the next several years, I became drawn to the idea of “centering”, something I’m still frequently not good at. I was also introduced to and began investigating our Quaker testimonies – the SPICES. These for me continue to be an ever-green source of both challenge and inspiration. Ben Wertz and I were chatting last week about how we reference the SPICES whenever someone gives us that confused look, asking what it means to be part of a Quaker community.

If you don’t know, SPICES is an acronym, denoting the values of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship. I’ll be honest – I love talking about this. I love looking for evidence of these in my own life. But I don’t want to just talk about me today – I want to talk about us.

The idea of being curious is something I’ve talked about before. I think there’s a real value in curiosity – whether about history, ideas, or people, and how we are all “wired” differently. For me, my curiosity has been piqued at something very specific – something that has literally held my interest for more than a decade now. And that is, the many ways that our Quaker testimonies, these SPICES, get expressed through this community. But here’s the thing: If there was someone dictating how this had to look for everyone, how there was a “right” and “wrong” way to live these out, I would have lost interest a long time ago.

I remember a pastor saying to me once, “People have questions, and we’re here to give them answers.” When I inquired further about what he meant, asking specifically, “Answers to what?”, he responded, “How a Christian should act, how they should live, how they should vote…”. I told him I was quite sure I couldn’t get on board with that type of message.

Ok, back to our testimonies. The obvious, and first question to consider is this: What do these testimonies look like for you? How do one or two of the SPICES show up in your life? How are they “lived out”? But beyond that, if I were to ask you for examples of how these SPICES get expressed in this community, I’m guessing for some, there are a few things that might come to mind. For good reason, there has been some support behind and spotlight attention given to some really great things that many of you have helped to move forward – things like efforts to organize and bring attention to the inhumane treatment of many of our immigrant friends and neighbors here in our state; or organizing folks to volunteer at the Mid-North Food Pantry; or fun community-building events like Men’s Threshing or the sing-alongs that Jim Kartholl organizes. But I’m guessing for every highlighted event or effort that could be considered an expression of one of our Quaker testimonies, there are 10 or 20 or even 30 more that happen in the background.

Being curious about this, I conducted an informal interview with a few people in this community, asking them how they’re challenged and strive to express any of the SPICES in their everyday lives. And I want to highlight some of what I heard – not as a way to glorify or imply importance to one person or another, or even one way of doing things. In fact, quite the opposite. But more on that in a minute.

Carrie Sample is an English professor at Ivy Tech Community College here in Indianapolis. I asked her how she expresses some of the Quaker testimonies through her teaching. This is what she said:

I express Integrity by intentionally saying what I mean and meaning what I say. I have made a promise to my students that I will have their assignments graded within 7 days of submitting, so they never have to wait too long to know where they stand. If I don’t know something, I acknowledge that and we find answers together. If I make a mistake, I apologize and try to make it right. These might seem like "basic" expectations, but I have learned from student feedback that not all instructors do these things.

She continues, I express Community by getting to know my students and having the goal to call them by their preferred first names by the end of the 3rd class. I make it a point to welcome each student by their name as they come into each class session. I encourage them to help each other whenever someone struggles to master a concept. And I regularly have the students work in groups of 2 or 4 so they can also get to know each other.

One of the reasons I dearly love teaching in the community college setting is the closeness that we all develop with each other.

Adam Roth is very involved in the community garden here at First Friends, as well as efforts to maintain the grounds around the Meetinghouse. I asked him how the value of Stewardship is expressed in some of these passions. Here’s what Adam said:

Stewardship, put most simply, is the work of responsibly caring for the part of the world to which you feel a duty. It is the difficult work of maintaining and sustaining a family, Quaker meeting, a neighborhood, a city, a state, a nation or a planet. It’s often repetitive, tedious, messy…sometimes even filthy.

I was reminded of this as I assisted in the cleaning and repair of the fountain for the Meditational Woods last week. As I helped scoop out the foul-smelling handfuls of wet, decaying leaves that had accumulated there, I couldn’t help but laugh to myself about how often Stewardship literally stinks. Yet, look how well the fountain runs now after those efforts and will continue to run until it’s time to do that filthy work all over again. Where would we be without our trash collectors and sewage maintenance people? 

Fresh mulch too has a potent smell, as the Girl Scouts of Troop 2015 discovered to their collective disgust a few weeks ago. Christine Borntrager coordinated their assistance in the weeding and mulching of our courtyard. They rose to the challenge and were of great help. I was gratified to hear the scout leader specifically teach the concept that dirty, smelly work is required for the care of our world. 

The fact that Quakers place this as a central pillar in their values says a lot about who we are. The messy work of keeping the world running will not be disregarded as “someone else’s problem”. It’s ours and we take our collective responsibility to it seriously. 

Hearing from Carrie, and Adam, these are only two examples of the many ways that our testimonies get expressed, how they get presented to the world. I know there are so, so many other examples that no one, or very few others ever know about or see. Visiting shut-ins or those in the hospital, neighborhood clean-up efforts, leading poetry discussion groups, choosing to live below our means in order to give back, teaching yoga or other meditational practices, organizing efforts to fight against the death penalty in our state, organizing efforts to register voters in our community and educating about aligning public policy with our values, baking bread for our neighbors, creating non-profits to give back to the community… These are just some of the actual expressions of our Quaker testimonies happening in this Meeting.

I want to contribute. And I also want to pay attention; to notice, to listen. I want to be creative in my own approach to expressing these testimonies, but also to be inspired and challenged by what others are doing. I want to lift my head up and hear this symphony of music happening all around me – music that makes our world more beautiful, peaceful, sustainable, and welcoming.

As we now enter our time of waiting worship, I offer the following queries to consider.  

Of the SPICES – Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship, which one(s) am I drawn to most naturally?

How am I expressing these testimonies? Or, what are some creative ways I could begin to do just that?

How could I learn of, and be inspired by how others are expressing the SPICES? Are there existing efforts and experiences that I’m feeling drawn to?

5-31-26 - Connections Bring Us Together - Patrick Jendraszak

Connections Bring Us Together
Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting
Patrick Jendraszak
May 31, 2026

Good morning Friends, and welcome to Light Reflections. Today’s scripture is Acts 2:42-47.

“These remained faithful to the teaching of the apostles, to the brotherhood, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers. The many miracles and signs worked through the apostles made a deep impression on everyone. The faithful all lived together and owned everything in common; they sold their goods and possessions and shared out the

proceeds among themselves according to what each one needed.They went as a body to the Temple every day but met in their houses for the breaking of bread; they shared their food gladly and generously; they praised God and were looked up to by everyone. Day by day the Lord added to their community those destined to be saved.”

Today is a celebration of Connections. We have a Connection Fair that will take place following Meeting for Worship. But “Connections” are much more than that … 

Connections are the leadings, the divine nudges, that bring us together. Connections are the glue that holds members together as a community, And “Connections” are what we do after we say “yes” to being a part of a vibrant spiritual community.

What connections called that early Jesus community together? I reflected on this Scripture during my meditations the last few weeks, I found myself reflecting on the leadings, the divine nudges, that helped connect those individuals in the early Jesus community. Who were the people who came together in those early communities? What were the connections in their individual lives that brought them to an openness to join this new movement?

Scripture indicates they heard the preaching of the apostles. Were they active members of their Jewish synagogue? Did they often visit the Temple in Jerusalem? Perhaps they had seen Jesus in his active ministry. Maybe they were among the people who unbound the raised Lazarus as Jesus led him forth from the tomb. I do not know what was their original “connection,” yet they followed their inner Light to become Jesus followers.

What was the “connection” that brought you to First Friends?

As this scripture touched my spirit, I examined my answer to that question. I was reminded of how I became connected to First Friends. In a way, the path was like the roots of a tree that weave alongside and interact with the roots of other trees in the forest. Those roots are inexorably linked together, providing nutrients, wisdom, and connection. My roots began more than thirty years ago when our family moved to Indiana and began worshipping in the diverse community that was St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church on 46th and Illinois. When I left active ministry in the Catholic Church after the pandemic, my wife Loretta and I knew we wanted to find a different worshipping community that was more life-giving for us. While we were led to find a Quaker community, we searched to find which one we should join. It was the connection of another former member of St. Thomas, now a member of First Friends, that drew us here.

What connection held that early Jesus community together? The Scripture verses present an idealized vision of that early Jesus community. Even Acts of the Apostles cannot get the story right. On one hand, community members owned all things in common; but on the other hand, they sold their goods and possessions to give their money to the common good. But it seems fairly certain that the early Jesus community was focused on caring for one another, having fellowship together, and praying together. I think it was focused on spiritual growth rather than doctrinal assent, since what they were doing was a new response to the teachings of Jesus. I have to imagine that their life was just as counter-cultural then as it would be today.

What is the connection that calls you to continue to be a part of this Quaker community?

I was struck first by the silent meditation of the Monday noon gathering here at the Meetinghouse. That was the introduction which my wife and I had to First Friends. I have always strived to have time for contemplation, sometimes with more success than others. But two things struck me about the differences of the silent meditation of the Monday gathering. First, as I heard Parker Palmer once say, we did not worship the silence — we worshipped in silence. It wasn’t as if being silent was the goal. The goal was to see and to hear the Light in the silence. Secondly, the contemplation was not an individual act, but rather a communal response, a collective listening to the Divine among us.

What connections flowed from saying “yes” to that early Jesus community? Of course, this Scripture passage is a small sample of how the community said “yes.” It seems clear that they prayed together, whether in their homes or in the Temple. Since it mentions they shared what they had, I have to think that some members had needs while others had means. I was struck by the fact that later, people would look at the Jesus followers and say, “Look how they love one another.”

What does your connection to First Friends call you to be or do?

I reflected a great deal on how my connection to First Friends calls me. It strikes me the essence of my connection is that I am led to both give and receive. In my life of ministry, I often led what was called “stewardship,” a Catholic term for something like connections. However, it often centered only around how an individual shared his or her time, talent, and treasure — nothing about how they received anything from the community. Yet, it is receiving from fellow Friends that I find the most humbling and the impetus to share whatever giftedness I can share.

Shortly after joining First Friends, my wife and I began seeking ways to share our talents: she did so through the Sunday children’s programs and I did so through the Connections Committee. But she has had three surgeries over the past two years now and through it all, we have received the support of the Meal Sharing program and we have felt the prayer and concern of this community. When I call this”humbling” I mean it is a way that we have experienced that of Light which is evident in the members of First Friends.

And so today, when we say there is a Connections Fair, it isn’t just an attempt to show how one can share their gifts with the community. It is also a way to show you how First Friends cares, one for another. If you have gifts, we want to allow you to share them. If you have needs, we ask that you allow us to help where we can.

And so I offer these three queries for your reflection this day.

What was the “connection” that brought you to First Friends?

What is the connection that calls you to continue to be a part of this Quaker community?

What does your connection to First Friends call you to be or do?

5-10-26 - Building the Community - Mary Blackburn

Building the Community
Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting
Mary Blackburn
May 10, 2026

Proverbs 31:10-12, NIV

10 [a]A wife of noble character who can find?
    She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
    and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
    all the days of her life.

Proverbs 31:25-28

25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
    she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
    and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:

James 5:12-16

12 Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.

13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Today is our second week of celebrating the beauty of our special community of Friends of Jesus.  This summer we will continue to explore what spiritual friendship might mean for you and what it has meant for me.

I would be remiss if I didn’t honor Mothers’ Day today.  Today’s reading of selections from Proverbs 31 has highlights of the ideal woman, who is strong and wise and provides for her household. Another image that I love is the one from Matthew 23. Jesus has just told the Pharisees that they are missing the message of love that God offers.  He says he yearns to gather us under his wings as a mother hen gathers her chicks beneath her.  Can you imagine the warm fluffiness of being beneath a mother’s wings safe from predators above us? Bring to mind someone who has mothered you with love and warmth and security. Please bless those who have been a mother to you, whether related by biology or related by the power of love.  These people have been instrumental in creating who we are today.  Thanks to Moms everywhere!

The second scripture is from the Letter of James which was likely written in Greek sometime between 75-120 CE. Most likely, this letter was not written by James, the brother of Jesus, but is fairly early in the New Testament writings. The New New Testament is a recent compilation by scholars of writings that include other early Christian documents that give a fuller picture of the variety of practices of the early Jesus followers. The introduction to this writing states that it contains teachings from both the Hebrew scriptures and from Jesus’s own teachings. “It might also be a written version of teachings organized for meetings at meals, the primary place where early Christians received lessons in groups.” As many in the early community were Illiterate, these sayings and teachings were read or recited in these small groups.  One of the goals of our time during Bob’s sabbatical is to eat together and learn more together and grow closer as a community.

Have you wondered why Quakers do not swear an oath to tell the truth when giving testimony in court?  The book of James gives a very clear answer to that question. James 5:12 urges us to say a simple “Yes” or “No.” To say what we mean. Our words are to be trusted and we “affirm” that we are telling the truth.

One of the special gifts of being in a loving spiritual community is James 5:13-16.  We are to pray for one another through our joys and sorrows. That does not mean that we are to brag or wallow in our sadness. We are to open ourselves to divine Love that permeates us and the universe for strength and healing. 

Germ theory and other understandings of disease were not yet known in the ancient world, but we do know that when we have done the wrong thing and acted badly, it creates unease within our bodies.  Modern medicine knows that stress and guilt can suppress our immune systems.  Therefore, asking forgiveness and praying for one another can enable positive energy to flow.

Let me share some examples of this.  Several years ago, I had a very challenging situation at work.  I felt alone and an outcast because of false accusations made by a member of our team.  I didn’t know who believed her lies. I asked our pastor Ruthie Tippin to pray for me.  She prayed so sincerely that I felt seen as a person and I was finally able to cry and release many of the feelings of betrayal and shame that I felt.  Her prayers gave me strength to move forward.

My husband David and I have been a part of a small group since 2017 at First Friends.  It started when the whole meeting had the opportunity to choose a small group and share our spiritual lives while reading a devotional book together.  We welcomed over 15 people into our small living room and we promised to keep our sharing only within this trusted group. We built such a strong bond that we continued to meet after we finished the book, sharing dinners and fun times. When one member of our group was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, we marched in the rain for a cancer research fundraiser and supported his wife during his dying.  During the pandemic, we met outside for hiking and outdoor meals.  Later we went camping together, preparing meals together and sharing our love of God’s creation.  When David received a diagnosis last year of cognitive changes, our group held a healing circle for him.  David sat in the center and received our prayers, chants and touch. It makes me cry with thankfulness for such deep love. Have you ever had the experience of being in the midst of a healing circle of prayer?  One where there are no strings attached?  No expected outcome except to be covered in the love of others?  It is humbling and also so beautiful to receive.

We are and can be the blessed Community for each other. We aren’t all the same, we don’t all hold the same world view, but can see each other as Friends who are seekers after truth, putting God’s love into practice with each other and extending out into the world.

Let us now enter a place of stillness and wait for God’s spirit to speak into our beings.

Queries:

•  Is there anything blocking my relationship to others?

•  Do I need to forgive myself or others?

•  What gifts can I offer the community?

5-3-26 - Return to Our Roots Early Christians and Early Friends

Return to Our Roots Early Christians and Early Friends

Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting

Pastor Beth Henricks

May 3, 2026

Good Morning Friends - Our scripture reading this morning is John 11:33-44

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’ But some of them said, ‘Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?’

Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, ‘Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead for four days.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upwards and said, ‘Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.’ When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’

This is our first Sunday of Bob’s sabbatical, and we hold Bob and Sue in the Light as they head into this time of rest and renewal.  I know they both appreciate this generous gift from the Meeting.

This is also the beginning of a time for First Friends to  take a sabbatical, rest in each other, explore renewal for the Meeting, learn more about each other and continue to build up this incredible community.   Our small sabbatical planning group (Barbara Oberreich, Norma Wallman, Mary Blackburn, Vicki Wertz, Patrick Jendryzak and myself)  have been meeting for several months to thoughtfully plan out this summer, talk about some hopes and dreams for the Meeting and create opportunities for developing deeper relationships with each other.  I am excited to enter this journey with all of you.

I love the theme of our renewal period from the gospel of John …”I have Called you Friends” where Jesus calls us into a friendship with God.  In the ancient world in all cultures, God or gods are viewed as controlling the world and Gods needs to be appeased and worshipped to ensure rain comes for the crops,  the family and community is safe, enough food is available, all things for our survival.  The relationship to God was one more of slave  and master.  Jesus is offering a new relationship  with God that is intimate and personal – a friendship.  This is a new relationship in the Jewish community and one that dramatically changes the  dynamic between humans and God.  While God cannot be named and words are never enough to describe God, Jesus shows us that we can also be in friendship with God and that God will use us to impact lives and communities. 

During these months we want to explore our friendships with each other.  This community is so important to me, and I know important to many of you.  This Meeting has been a lifeline through many times in my life.  I remember when I was diagnosed with uterine cancer in 1994 and when I shared this news with First Friends, I received so many messages of love, so much support that I believe this community made a difference in my outcome.  That is the power of community.

Our collective body is created of many parts, many beliefs, many callings, and that makes this fabric strong and a community where we can explore and learn from each other.   To understand and appreciate each person, to begin to trust each other, we must go deeper in our friendships.  We know developing a friendship takes time and we have tried to create spaces and opportunities during this sabbatical to  learn more about each other. 

You may be wondering why I chose this scripture when I am talking about friendships and getting back to our roots as early Christians and early Friends.  Last Friday evening I joined an online lecture where Noah Bishop Merrill  (general secretary of New England Yearly Meeting and a friend)  gave a message to Quakers about how do we revitalize and renew our Quaker faith.  He utilized this scripture in describing the crucial role community plays in all aspects of our lives. 

This passage starts with Martha and Mary asking Jesus to come to their beloved brother who is dying, and they are seeking a healing.  Jesus waits for a time and then travels to Galilee, and he weeps when he hears the news that Lazarus has died.  My favorite verse of the New Testament is Jesus wept.  It says so much about the character of Jesus and the character of God.  Weeping with us is full of humanity, care and friendship. 

The first big miracle of the passage is raising Lazarus from the dead.  But I would pose there is a second miracle that occurs in the last verse in the passage – “Jesus said to them unbind him and let him go.”  Who is Jesus addressing to unbind Lazarus?  It’s the community.  His community is faced with a man that has been dead for 4 days and now seemingly alive and they are unbinding him of the wrappings of his dead body and freeing him from the shackles of death.  While Jesus calls Lazarus out of the tomb, it’s his community that frees him.  And then embraces and rejoices with him in this miracle of new life.  That is indeed another miracle.

This is how God utilizes community.  And early Christians and early Quakers understood this and lived within it with fervor.  We are the instrument, the hands of God in this world.  When we deepen our relationships and learn more about each other, we build a web of connectivity that takes care of each other, supports each other in how we serve, unbinds each other from our chains, and come together living within the Divine. 

  When we talk about revitalization, renewal, or rebirth we don’t need to focus on  new programs, a new small group, new marketing materials, new technology or other suggestions that many church growth experts suggest.  Not that those things are bad things to experiment with, but there is no formula for deepening our spiritual growth.  What we need to be is the type of community that is all about small talk, budling relationships , deeply participating in worship together, receiving guidance from others and living in the testimony of those that have come before us.  We need to go back to the basics  of focusing on worship, exploration, service, relationship and guidance. 

I pray that our intention during these 3 months is to step expectantly into how God will move through us and our community.   I love the James Taylor quote from one of his songs “wild with expectations on the edge of the unknown.”  I pray that we enter this time willing to be playful, experiment and consider the ways each of you will connect in a deeper way with several in our community.  The early Christians and the early Quakers stepped into many new and unexpected experiences together, full of God’s spirit moving among them.  This is how we all live into our callings and experience the best life that God wants for us.  We do this together in community.  May we enter this time with wild expectations.

As we now enter our time of waiting worship, I offer the following queries to consider. 

How do I enter a period of uncertainty with wild expectations?

How can I personally deepen friends with others at First Friends?

How can I deepen my friendship with God?

4-26-26 - It Takes Coming Together

It Takes Coming Together

Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting

Pastor Bob Henry

April 26, 2026

Good morning, Friends, and welcome to Light Reflections.  The scripture I have chosen to support my message is from I John 3:18-24 from the New Revised Standard Version.

Little children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us, for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God, and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.

 And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us.

Today is my last message before I begin my 3-month sabbatical this coming Friday. The last catalyst I wanted to talk about was “Speaking Truth to Power” as a way to bring back our joy, but after thinking about it more, I realized that I wanted to share some thoughts that are currently running through my mind – and in many ways this is speaking my truth this morning.

First, I am very aware that sabbaticals are incredible privileges and please know that I am extremely grateful for this opportunity.  As well, I am very aware that I really need a sabbatical. I am grateful that the entire Sabbatical Team: Beth, Norma, Mary, Barbara, Vickie, and Patrick who have been gathering and preparing will hold things graciously and ably while I am away. As well, I am aware that this Meeting existed long before I came to serve among you–and will exist long after I am gone. 

I am also aware that I need this period of rest so that I can return to you and do all I can to follow the Spirit’s guidance and nudging in helping make this community a stronger and more faithful embodiment of the Divine’s love to this world. 

You may have noticed that our scripture text for today from First John is totally focused on love. So, we continue to listen for how the Spirit is instructing and nudging us on what it means to live together as a faith community in love.  Have you ever considered the privilege it is to have the chance to echo the love of God in one another’s lives?

While the past several months in our nation has been a challenge in many ways, it has also given us an incredible opportunity to reflect on the deeper meaning of what we do, who we are, and what we believe as a Quaker meeting. Just last Sunday, I believe this was reflected beautifully in our meeting for business as we came together to make important minutes on the War in Iran and the Abuses of ICE.  This made me proud that we could come together in such a united way.   

Sure, these past months have intensified our lives, challenged us to reexamine long-held patterns, assumptions, and beliefs, but ultimately, we found one voice to Speak our Truth and that should bring us some joy as a community.  It has been an exhilarating time to be a Quaker minister even as it has been at times difficult for my family, our community, and sadly even our world.   

I have spent time these past few weeks leading up to my sabbatical, actually gathering thoughts and putting them into this message. I wanted it to reflect somewhat of a list of wonderings that my soul has been and is holding, about the challenges of ministry given our particular context here in Indianapolis.   

When I take my walks at the gym or in my neighborhood, I often ponder what the church will be like in twenty years from now. I read what lands in my inbox about the decline in participation and membership among Quakers. I know the statistics and I feel the same anxiety that every other pastor feels at the end of each year when we look at our waning financial reports.  I wonder what the next year will be like, and a certain fear robs me of my ability to be present–and faithful–in those moments. 

In my best moments, I want to “be a good pastor,” just as every pastor desires to be in his or her time of ministry.  In my worst moments, this desire slides into the shadow of success and accomplishment.  It is very easy to begin to equate statistics on the page with hearts that are transformed, and we should be very cautious about this.  But also, we must rejoice in all that we have accomplished and the many families and lives that have joined us on this journey of faith here at First Friends. 

I try not to give into reading tea leaves when it comes to the future of the Church, but a few key areas have my attention these days.  For one, I am paying particular attention to our many younger families and their children. There is a particular stress and anxiety, if you will, with young parents with children that needs our attention.  And we have more children coming to First Friends in the near future, which is a beautiful and sustaining sign for our Meeting.

I wonder how we can more faithfully support the spiritual health of our children and young people in the world we all share at First Friends. I am so blessed that we hired Chrissy Sommer to share her gifts and talents to address the pressures that our children and families face and offer moments of hope and learning for them. 

As I have tried to focus on and teach over my almost 9 years at First Friends, the work of spiritual growth and maturity is not easy, and it asks us to put under a microscope our own hearts, ask ourselves what we truly desire most, and then seek to participate with the Spirit’s nudging in nurturing this longing. 

Being a Quaker in our world today means making choices–saying no to some things so we can say yes to others. What are you and I being called to say no to, so that we can yes to a more grounded life?  

I know many of you love retirement and some of us look forward to it, and I celebrate the potential for this in my own life at some point, but given what we are facing now in this world, I say this to you from my heart:

It’s all hands on deck, right now! 

We need our Ministry & Counsel, our other various committees, and each and every one of you. 

We need your presence and your gifts as wisdom bearers and fellow Friends, to help us as a gathered community.  There are six other days in a week to play golf or pickleball or take a boat ride on the lake, and I say this with all love and seriousness. 

This community needs each of you to help us navigate the rapids we are facing in our world, because we are in treacherous waters.

We need to embrace the catalysts that bring back our joy that we have been exploring in this series: Holding each other in the Light, Gathering Together, Becoming a Community, Serving, Respecting, Encouraging, Forgiving and Speaking our Truth to Power, TOGETHER.

Already this year has shown us the importance of making choices in our lives and as a community. 

·      What do we deem a priority? 

·      What truly gives life? 

·      What do we need to say no to?

·      How do we support each other’s growth? 

Howard Thurman, that great mystic and teacher, once said that religion or spiritual life is better caught than taught.  But to actually catch it, we have to show up and be present in close proximity to someone who is carrying it.  We cannot simply stand on the outside and wait or demand it to change to what we want it to be. We must be actively involved together on a regular basis.   

Thus, proximity matters. And we also need to be aware of the importance of spiritual proximity.  We need to ask ourselves, what does it mean to dedicate ourselves to the growth and activism of First Friends? How am I involved and participating fully?

It is imperative that we all focus our attention on our practice of faith.  And by our practice of faith, I am not talking about just coming to meeting on Sunday mornings and then living during the week as though what we say we believe on Sunday morning has no bearing on changing our life patterns. 

If we are not moved by what we see happening in the world around us after hearing what the Divine Spirit is calling us to do, we simply aren’t paying attention. How much are we conscious, and how much are we going through the motions?  

When it comes to what we do, we remember that the Gospel of Christ that we all share is inherently political, because it actually deals with people’s lives. I don’t have any interest in dressing up any party platform in religious clothing, but we cannot deny that Jesus focused his attention on challenging the political and economic systems that were exploiting and reeking havoc in the souls and lives of his day. 

He spoke about the dangers of coveting and greed, about falling prey to worshipping wealth, about seeing our fellow human beings as a means to gaining a profit for ourselves.  So, Jesus called his disciples and US to make choices that were grounded in faith, hope, and love.  

To be a follower of Christ does not mean that we turn our backs on the world; rather, it means that we turn our face towards the world and seek to embody Christ’s love in how we live on a daily basis. 

Look again at the text from I John from this morning: “Let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.”  Let us embody our faith so that our children and our neighbors in the community notice a spectacular strangeness about us. We Friends have long been considered “peculiar people” (as we say) and I want to give you permission to embrace that peculiar-ness!  It is like when we lived in Portland – they had bumper stickers that read, “Keep Portland Weird” - I think we should have our own that says, “Keep Quakers Peculiar!”   

Folks, what you and I share together should change us.  At this point in my own ministry, I am tired of any religious practices that just focus on the appealing, the cherished, or the comfortable. 

If I share the peace with someone on Sunday during greeting time and then continually act like a jerk on Monday morning, what exactly am I doing? 

If I come to enjoy the beautiful music during the service and don’t allow that beauty I experience to open my heart, I am missing the point.  It is not a concert for entertainment; it is a catalyst for change within me.  

I am far less concerned with our sacred cows and traditions at First Friends (and admit we have several), than I am that you see how coming together as a community inspires you to care for your neighbor and help lessen the level of outright meanness and pettiness in our world today. 

At this point in my ministry, and in my life, I agree with the Dalai Lama (and so many other wisdom teachers, of course) when they remind us to see how our practice of faith should actually change the way we live in the world. 

If it doesn’t actually inform how we live, then what exactly are we doing?  And why?

These are the hard questions we face today, but we must ask them. 

This deeper dimension of faith is calling to us, at this time.  We never arrive at a point where we have it all figured out, and if we think we have arrived at this point, God, please send someone to shake us out of our arrogance.  

So, this morning, I am challenged to ask: what does faithfulness look like for me?  For you?  Now, I cannot answer what it looks like for you, although my ministry and call to First Friends is to help you discern that and live into it for yourself within this community. 

That is what it looks like to be fellow Friends: we support one another to grow into the full participating members one unto another. Just as we committed to do in Theo’s dedication this morning.

We are facing many challenges today, aren’t we? I have to remind myself–or be reminded–that I alone cannot solve world hunger, or poverty.  I cannot solve the problem of racial injustice, or social inequality or greed or environmental destruction. I cannot fix the economic struggles of those around me.  Like Paul in scripture and others remind us, we have no power within ourselves to fix ourselves; rather, we rely on the Spirit as we discern together how we can faithfully embody Christ’s ministry in this world. 

You and I cannot fix the problems of our world; however, YOU AND I CAN BE FAITHFUL. 

And, to be clear, there is not one passive thing about being faithful. Being faithful is, to return back to where we started, about the active, engaged, practice of faith in our lives.  It is about cultivating relationships, dedicating time, and making it a priority to pay attention to the Spirit’s presence in our daily lives. 

You and I can be faithful. And for me that means that I can honestly speak the truth as I know it, recognizing my own limitations. I can speak my truth as I know it, and I can listen for those around me who may know the truth better than I do. 

That is a hallmark of Quaker community, because when we are faithful together, then the energy of that intentionality can inspire and uplift. It can be caught, as Howard Thurman would say.

If this morning you are wondering what our meeting can do, I would say this: 

First Friends will be able to do what we all are actually willing to do, because we are a Beloved Community and our faithfulness is directly linked to our willingness to dedicate our lives to answer the Spirit’s nudge and call. 

We, together, make up the Meeting, this Beloved Community, and the Spirit is calling us, at this moment in time, to look around us at the enormous opportunity we have to claim again the call to action and to speak our truth to power in our world, just as we did last week in business meeting. 

So, the only query I want to leave you with to ponder as I begin my sabbatical later this week is,

What are we willing to do, TOGETHER?  Really consider that while I am gone.

Again, thank you for the privilege of allowing me to take a needed sabbatical.   I know you are in good hands, and I will pray that while I am gone, you will embrace that query and find refreshment and hope in this community, TOGETHER!  Amen.

4-19-26 - When It Is Dark Enough You Can See the Stars

When It Is Dark Enough You Can See the Stars

Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting

Pastor Bob Henry

April 19, 2026

Good morning, Friends and welcome to Light Reflections.  This morning the scripture I have chosen to support my message is from Matthew 18:21-35 from the New Revised Standard Version.

Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but I tell you, seventy-seven times.

“For this reason, the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.  When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So, the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt.  But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So, my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

This week the catalyst that brings back our joy in difficult times is forgiveness. An extremely important but often difficult concept to grasp in our world, today.  Some consider forgiveness the business of the church, and if that is true, I would ask, how well are we doing?  

David Zenon Starlyte in an article on Beliefnet titled, “Why Radical Forgiveness” says this,

“It seems that in today’s world, selfishness, lust for power, hatred, violence and other unwanted dramas are still very much at play. The despair and separation seems to be reaching saturation point. It is an invitation to consider what historian Charles Beard said when asked what he had learnt from history, “when it is dark enough, you can see the stars.”

It is similar to several conversations I have had over the last couple of years, where I find myself sharing an illustration from a Brian McLaren conference I attended a decade or so ago at Goshen College. It was when gas prices had sky-rocketted to $4 a gallon and people were grumbling about the high cost of driving (something we are again grumbling about in our country).

A heckler had come to question Brian and before he even stepped on the stage to speak the heckler asked out loud and in a sarcastic tone for everyone to hear, “Hey Brian, what did you drive here today!”  Now, Brian was talking about making a major shift in thinking about ecological issues and their relationship to theology and the church. He knew this heckler was trying to back him into a corner and make a point.

Calmly, Brian said, “I drove a Prius. But there is two ways I can answer your further questions, we can talk about my carbon footprint, or we can talk about what needs to happen right now in our world.”

Brian didn’t miss a beat - he looked at the man and said, “Do you know what high gas prices should do?...(without giving the man a chance to respond, Brian continued…) “They should cause people who think differently and creatively to make better cars.”  

Looking back, it is interesting, that in the past decade, we have seen the largest production of high efficient, eco-friendly, battery-powered cars. This shows us that it matters how we individually respond to our times, because the change is going to first come from within you and me. 

“When it’s dark enough, you can see the stars.”

When the gas prices are high enough, you can make better cars. 

And when we are so divided as people groups, religions, cultures, and nations, you can be better people - and I believe that starts with forgiveness. 

Currently, we are again in one of those times in our nation and world. And the question is what are we going to do? Whether it is time for reformation, whether it is time to return to our roots as Quakers, whether it is time to make changes in our seemingly dying faith, one thing that is clear is that our world is crying out for help and we are called to respond.  

Sadly, we have learned well to draw lines. Actually, our country was founded on drawing lines and living out an “us vs them” reality. Too much of the world lives in polarities and has lost any sense of coming together for the greater good.     

If we are people of peace and we are seeking peace, we must heed the words of Jesus in our text for today.  Peace is not resolved through hatred and division, but by first humbling ourselves and changing our own hearts and finding ways to reconcile and forgive, and just maybe by doing this, it may just bring back our joy.   

Starlyte says

“If the past taught us anything, it is that conflict stimulates more conflict. So, too, forgiveness stimulates more forgiveness.”

Let me say that again - “Forgiveness stimulates more forgiveness.”  

Where on the news are we hearing stories of radical forgiveness? It is very limited even rare these days. 

I believe the reason is that forgiveness is very personal. It takes commitment and a personal wrestling in our own hearts and souls.  Some would say we have to count the cost of forgiveness and know if we truly want to reconcile and forgive those that have hurt, abused, or treated us wrongly.   

Most likely you have heard our text at some time in your life. It probably has been conveyed in many different ways depending on your upbringing and church affiliation, but the more I consider what Jesus was doing, I see it as a window into what I will label “the mind of Christ.” 

What we have in our text this morning is a picture of a severely merciless king who takes pity on a simple servant who owes him a huge debt. And we have a picture of a common person who has been shown tremendous mercy unwilling to extend it to someone else.

We can get caught up with trying to make this about certain people and making God the merciless king, but I think we would be totally missing the point spending time trying to make that connection. 

Jesus has just made a major point to Peter - when you forgive, (and let me put it in the Pixar translation) forgive to infinity and beyond.  Not 7 times but seventy seven (or as some translations say seventy times seven) all another way in Jesus’ day of saying “beyond count.” - or to infinity and beyond - either way Jesus was meaning never stop forgiving.   

Then Jesus does what he does on numerous occasions he has those gathered sit down for a story or lesson to illustrate his point. What Jesus gives us is an example of what this looks like lived out in the Kingdom of God. When Jesus does this he is literally saying, 

Let’s get into the larger mind. 

This is what it looks like. 

This is how you do it. 

Let me help you see. 

In Greek its call metanoia.  Meta means beyond and noia means mind - so Jesus is trying to take us beyond our own minds. It is interesting because metanoia is actually the word we often translate “repent” - to make a change or turning from sin.”  But what Jesus is really calling us to do is see beyond our own minds into God’s mind.   

We are such literalists that we look so hard at the characters to represent certain people and even try to apply it to others to make us feel better - but the point is for us as individuals to learn the struggles of our own hearts and minds and to transcend our own thoughts and align ourselves with the “Mind of Christ.” 

In the story Jesus tells, we are presented a double standard of sorts regarding radical forgiveness and mercy.  If forgiveness is to stimulate more forgiveness...in this example it does not happen. Actually, the one who is forgiven, does just the opposite to the next person he comes across. 

Often Jesus gives us “negative example parables” to learn from and to prompt our minds to get us out of our ruts and thinking.  When we begin to realize that we so desire forgiveness and reconciliation with our neighbors, but often don’t take the opportunities afforded us to give forgiveness and mercy to others, we then seem to have an inner crisis.

It is when we are presented this that God wants us to have a moment of metanoia - a moment of going beyond our mind into how God thinks about forgiveness and its possible impact. 

David Zenon Starlyte sheds some light on this process as it relates to our personal struggles with forgiveness. He says,  

“When you liberate yourself, you automatically liberate others. Choosing goodness crosses the barrier of ego limitation, and invites others to walk with us, as our light is shared amongst others. Radical forgiveness is a broader gift – an act of grace and service to humanity. It’s a process of final resolution, release and healing. Radical forgiveness is not sensible, rational, logical or “right” – it’s an invitation to open the heart to acting completely and unconditionally loving without a selfish motivation. Not that one doesn’t get something out of forgiving. Forgiveness is an act of self-love – it gives a double gift, rewarding both the giver and the receiver. That’s why forgiving and letting go is the most powerful choice one can make for oneself and for humanity.”

In the mind of Christ, forgiveness is a radical, liberating, life changing, releasing, healing, and the most powerful act we can engage.  

The whirlwind of crazy we find our world in is crying out for people to embrace a position of radical forgiveness.  To break down barriers of hate, fear, privilege, and selfish motivations,

God calls us to transcend our own thoughts of revenge, retaliation, and division and find ways to extend radical forgiveness.

It may take time, some personal metanoia, and lots and lots of humility. Yet when we attempt to live out the mind of Christ in our world, we will see change.  

Forgiveness stimulates Forgiveness.  

So, as we go into waiting worship, let’s take a moment to ponder the following queries,

·      Who do I have a hard time forgiving? Why?

·      What metanoia needs to take place in my heart to be able to forgive? 

·      How might forgiveness lead to peace in my world? 

4-12-26 - The Benefits of Encouragement

The Benefits of Encouragement

Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting

Pastor Bob Henry

April 12, 2026

Good morning, Friends, and welcome to Light Reflections.  This week the scripture I have chosen to support my message is from 1 Thessalonians 5:11 from The Message.

So, speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you'll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you're already doing this; just keep on doing it.

Now that we are through the Easter holiday, I want to return to the list of catalysts that bring back our joy in difficult times that we were exploring before Palm Sunday.  We ended by looking at honor and respect, but today we will explore an important but often overlooked aspect of our faith, encouragement.  I have not found many people,

·      Who do not like to receive an encouraging word?

·      Who do not appreciate a kind, timely word spoken into their life when they needed it most?

·      Who do not love to have the knowledge that someone will stand by their side and help them, even in their darkest hour?

Folks, encouragement is so valuable. Even the Biblical Proverbs speak to the value of these words to our souls. Take for example:

·      Proverbs 12:25 - Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.

·      Proverbs 16:24 - Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.

·      Proverbs 25:11- A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.

And this is only a few in Proverbs, but the entire Bible continues to emphasize the importance of encouragement and its benefits to both our lives with one another and our own souls.

I am sure most of us know what it’s like to be around a positive person, when you are respected, maybe even liked, and made to feel like you can tackle just about any project.

There’s power in the knowledge that someone believes in you and is willing to encourage you in your endeavors.  

However, there is also power in the toxicity of people as well. Either you want to stay away from them, or you are sucked in and pulled down. It’s only realized, how heavy their words have been, when you are no longer being knocked around by their negative and discouraging comments. 

A fairly new study, conducted by Y. Joel Young and colleagues at Indiana University, Bloomington in 2019, was conducted to evaluate encouragement as a character quality. These researchers hoped to find a way of measuring encouragement to enhance psychologists’ ability to counsel their clients. 

According to the study, a genuine nature of encouragement is a character strength that you benefit from just as much as those being encouraged. Thus, by encouraging others, people will like you more and others will like themselves, and it circulates to create an environment that represents what they consider the “good life.”  

I sense that is what we are trying to achieve in this world together – the “good life.”

Like I said earlier, the Bible emphasizes encouragement throughout its pages. Back in the early days of the church in Jerusalem, there was a man who was such an encouragement that they did not even call him by the name that his parents gave him. They simply called him, “son of encouragement.” We know that name as Barnabas. The name “Barnabas” literally means son of encouragement.

In Acts 4 we read that Barnabas sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money to the apostles so that they could take care of those in need in Jerusalem.

In Acts 9 we read of the church refusing Paul because he was a persecutor of Christians and because they did not believe he was a true disciple. But who was the person who came to the side of this persecutor of Christians? Barnabas did. Barnabas brought Paul to the apostles and told them about how Paul had been boldly preaching the message of Christ.

Then in Acts 15, after Mark had left Paul and Barnabas during their first preaching journey, who wants to have Mark come with them on the second journey? Barnabas does.

We need this kind of encouragement. This is exactly what the Divine Spirit has called for us to have toward one another.  You and I should be constantly being nudged to encourage one another. Just as we read in our scripture for today – “…speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you'll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind…”

More than ever, we need this kind of encouragement in our communities and world.

Now, take a moment to think about the shadow side of this conversation, how many people do you know that have the gift of discouragement?

It often can be much easier to be the discourager! When a discourager talks, they seem to always have something negative to say. Hope and joy is dashed often just by them opening their mouths. Everything is a complaint. Everything is a discouragement and frustration. Sadly, this kind of “Eeyore” or “Debbie Downer or Bob Bummer” attitude can easily be developed in the church. But this is not what we are supposed to be toward one another.

God says that we need to encourage one another and build one another up.

Not only should we consider the example of Barnabas but let us also take a moment to reflect on the example of Jesus.

Really think about this. I spent a couple hours trying to come up with one instance when we see Jesus being a discouragement or offering a discouraging word. And I will be honest, I could not find one.

The Samaritan woman that Jesus encounters at the well has a hot mess of a life. Does Jesus speak encouraging words or discouraging words? It says in the story itself that he encouraged her spirituality and even strengthened her faith.

Consider the woman who was caught in adultery that the leaders are ready to stone. Does Jesus encourage her or discourage her? What wonderful words he says, “Neither do I condemn you; go and from now on sin no more.”

Or consider the woman who enters the Pharisees’ house and is weeping over the feet of Jesus. The Pharisee wants, as he labels her, a notoriously “sinful” woman, out of his house. What did Jesus say? “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

In none of these situations does Jesus say, “What is the matter with you?” He does not say, “What is your problem?” Instead, he simply received people to him and sought healing for them. And that had to be a huge encouragement for women in his time.  Remember, women in Jesus’ day were seen and treated as property and were being controlled by patriarchal and misogynistic men. For Jesus, a man, to be encouraging to women in this way is almost something unimaginable for his time. That is going above and beyond in encouraging.    

What I want us to think about this morning is how we need a lot more encouragement in our daily lives and less of a stick.  I sense we all carry a verbal stick close by to quickly pull out and attack people with these days.

Too often we like to start with a verbal stick with each other rather than some verbal encouragement! This does not mean that there is not a place or a need for rebuke. There still may be a need for rebuke, but it is not the only thing we need. It is not the only tool given to us by God. Actually, we need to start with encouragement so that any rebuke can be heard, understood, and respected. 

All this reminds me of a story I once heard that moved me deeply.  I would like to share it to close my thoughts this morning.

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window.

The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young couples walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene. One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by.

Although the other man couldn't hear the band, he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Then unexpectedly, a sinister thought entered his mind. Why should the other man alone experience all the pleasures of seeing everything while he himself never got to see anything? It didn't seem fair.

At first thought the man felt ashamed. But as the days passed and he missed seeing more sights, his envy eroded into resentment and soon turned him sour. He began to brood and he found himself unable to sleep. He should be by that window - that thought, and only that thought now controlled his life.

Late one night as he lay staring at the ceiling, the man by the window began to cough. He was choking on the fluid in his lungs. The other man watched in the dimly lit room as the struggling man by the window groped for the button to call for help. Listening from across the room he never moved, never pushed his own button which would have brought the nurse running in. In less than five minutes the coughing and choking stopped along with that the sound of breathing. Now there was only silence--deathly silence.

The following morning the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths. When she found the lifeless body of the man by the window, she was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take it away. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it all himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.

It faced a blank wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate to describe such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

May we follow that man’s example in our lives. Amen.

Now, as we enter waiting worship this morning, I want us to take a moment and consider someone in our life that we believe needs our encouragement, today.  In the silence, consider what you will do or say to encourage that person and then begin to make a plan to do that after worship. Allow the Spirit to inspire your encouragement in this time.

Or maybe you want to encourage someone out of the silence right here this morning. If so, stand where you are and a microphone will be brought to you.  Let’s take this time.     

4-5-26 - Easter Sunday - A Resurrection We ALL Can Believe In

A Resurrection We ALL Can Believe In

Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting

Pastor Bob Henry

April 5, 2026

Happy Easter, Friends, and welcome to Light Reflections. The scripture I have chosen for the celebratory morning is the Resurrections Story from Luke 24:1-12 from the New Revised Standard Version.

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body.  While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen.  Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee,  that the Son of Man must be handed over to the hands of sinners and be crucified and on the third day rise again.” Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest.  Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.  But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.

It is hard to believe that it is Easter Morning. 

Where has this year gone?  We have had such a full and often deeply disturbing start to 2026.  I mentioned to Sue several times over the last couple months, “I wish we could go back and start 2026 over,” but then here we are in April, already.  It has been a crazy year in so many ways, but today we turn again to our faith for some respite and some hope. 

I know Quakers aren’t as quick to turn to the scriptures as many others who consider themselves Christian do at this time of the year, and that may be due to the stories of our faith around Easter often raising more questions than they answer. Some consider these grounding stories to be just fairy tales, but I believe they are much more than that.  

As I have been preparing again for Easter and my message about the Resurrection of Jesus, I decided to turn back to these grounding stories to hopefully glean some new insights and optimism for our ailing condition. 

Maybe if you are willing this Easter morning, we can explore them briefly together. I have found Tom Kennar, a priest from England and a progressive Christian scholar helpful in opening my eyes anew to these ancient stories of our faith.  

Please note, I know people have many interpretations and deep convictions about the story of Jesus’ resurrection and its implication to our Quaker and Christian Faith. My hope is that this Easter we can find a resurrection that we ALL can believe.  

First, let’s consider Luke’s account – the scripture text I chose for this Easter morning.

Mary Magdalene and some other women head off to the tomb. Early. Very early. They find the stone rolled away.

Empty. Gone.

Then, poof!

Two men in dazzling clothes appear. They deliver the news: Jesus isn't there. He has risen. Remember what he said? Back in Galilee? About being handed over? About being crucified? About rising on the third day?

The women remember. They rush off. They tell the eleven.

But the eleven think it's nonsense. Empty talk.

Peter, though, he goes to the tomb. He looks. Just the linen wrappings. He then wonders.

Now, let’s take a look at Matthew’s account.

It’s a bit different.  

It starts with a violent earthquake.

An angel descends. This angel rolls back the stone and then sits on it! Terrifying the guards into a faint.

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary arrive. The angel tells them not to be afraid. Jesus has risen. He's going ahead to Galilee. They should tell the disciples.

They leave. Quickly. Afraid, yet filled with joy.

Then, bam!

Jesus himself meets them. They clasp his feet. They worship him. Jesus repeats the Galilee instruction.  

Hmmm…that’s basically an entirely different story, about the same event.

Well, let’s look at Mark’s account.  

It’s the simplest of the four gospel accounts.

The women arrive. They see a young man. Dressed in white. He tells them Jesus is risen. He's going to Galilee. Tell the disciples.

The women flee. They say nothing to anyone.

Nothing to the eleven, nothing to Peter.  

They are afraid. End of story.

Well, the original ending, anyway. Later bits were tacked on.

And finally, there is John’s account.  

Mary Magdalene goes alone. The stone is gone. She runs to Peter and the beloved disciple. They both run back.

Peter goes in. Sees the linen wrappings. The beloved disciple sees and believes.

Mary stays outside. Weeping. She sees two angels.

Then Jesus appears. She thinks he's the gardener. He says her name. Mary! She recognizes him. She tries to hold him. He says, "Don't cling to me." He hasn't ascended yet. He tells her to go tell the others.

Even Paul, writing much earlier, offers a different take.

He lists eyewitnesses.

·      Peter

·      The twelve

·      Over five hundred brothers and sisters at once

·      James

·      All the apostles

·      And last of all, Paul himself – which he tells through a vision he has on the road to Damascus. No empty tomb mentioned. No women finding angels. Just appearances.

So, what are we to make of all this?

Identical accounts? Not exactly.

Harmonious? Not really.

Actually, ALL different details.

ALL different emphases.

ALL different characters even.

Does this undermine the core message?

Some people think so. They clutch at these discrepancies. They declare the whole thing a fabrication. A house of cards built on shaky foundations, they say.

But Friends, what if the point isn't the literal, blow-by-blow account?  

What if the point IS the earth-shattering impact of this Jesus?  

This radical rabbi who preached love for his enemies.

Who challenged the powerful and the governments of his day.

Who offered hope to the marginalized.

This man who was executed by the state government for being a threat.

And he was executed in the most brutal way – crucifixion – the death penalty or electric chair of his day.   

Jesus’ followers were devastated.

Their dreams lay shattered.

Yet Friends, SOMETHING HAPPENED.

SOMETHING PROFOUND.

SOMETHING THAT REIGNITED THEIR HOPE.

Something that propelled them out into the world with a message that ultimately turned the Roman Empire upside down.  (Isn’t that what we need more than ever in our world, still today?)

Was it a literal resuscitation of a corpse? Maybe. Maybe not.

Bear with me for a moment, could these stories of the empty tomb, the angels, the appearances, be the ways these early devout followers tried to articulate the inexpressible.

The dawning realization that even death could not extinguish the flame that Jesus had lit.

That his spirit, his message, his way of being in the world, was still alive. In them. Among them.

Could it be that our modern insistence on a physical resurrection, a scientifically verifiable event, is actually hindering belief for many?

I know it is because I have conversations with people all the time about this very subject.

Friends, we live in a world obsessed with proof. With empirical evidence.

And frankly, these ancient stories, with their inconsistencies and supernatural elements, don't always fit neatly into that framework.  

It’s vital that we understand that the Gospels were not written as historical documents, but, as John says at the end of his Gospel, ‘to inspire belief’.  

Friends, what if we shifted our focus?

What if we emphasized the spiritual resurrection?

The enduring power of Jesus' love.

The transformative potential of his teachings.

The way his message continues to inspire acts of compassion, justice, and peace, two thousand years later.

Think about it. It’s IMPOSSIBLE to deny the impact of Jesus' life and teachings?

It’s IMPOSSIBLE to dismiss the countless individuals who have been moved to change their lives, to work for a better world, because of him?

Isn't that a kind of resurrection?

A resurrection of hope.

A resurrection of love.

A resurrection of the human spirit.

Maybe the details of how it happened matter less than the undeniable fact that something happened.

Something shifted. That the world was never the same.

That a small group of frightened disciples were transformed into bold proclaimers of a new reality.

A reality where love conquers hate.

Where justice rolls down like a mighty river.  

Where even death has lost its sting.

So, this Easter Morning, let's celebrate the enduring legacy of Jesus.

Let’s not try to persuade our friends and neighbors that they must believe the impossible in order to follow Jesus.  

Or that they must ignore the enormous inconsistencies in the text.  

Instead, let's embrace the power of his message.

Let’s make Christianity credible again, to a modern generation.  

Let's allow Jesus’ spirit to be resurrected in our own hearts and actions.

For that, my Friends, is a resurrection we can all believe in.

A resurrection that continues to change the world, one act of love, one step towards justice, at a time.

Now that's something worth celebrating this, Easter Morning.  Amen? Amen!

As we enter waiting worship this morning, I ask you to join me in pondering a couple of queries:

1.      How might I allow Jesus’ Spirit to be resurrected in my own heart and actions this Easter?

2.      What is the “earth-shattering impact” of Resurrection in my life?  Where do I see it taking place around me?

3.      What one act of love, one step toward justice, do I need to take to help change the world?  

3-29-26 - Palm Sunday - The Journey from Palm Sunday to Good Friday - Beth Henricks

The Journey from Palm Sunday to Good Friday

Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting

Pastor Beth Henricks

March 29, 2026

Scripture – John 2:23-25  “When he was in Jerusalem during the Passover festival, many believed in his name because they saw the signs that he was doing.  But Jesus on his part would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone.”

Luke 19:35-40  “Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it.  As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road.  As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying, Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!  Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!  Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.”  He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”

Palm Sunday, in the church calendar is a day of celebration, praise, thanksgiving, and  hosannas as we always read about Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (his first time into this important city during his ministry).  He rides into the city on a donkey, and the people are rejoicing and recognizing Jesus as a man from God who has performed many miracles including recently raising Lazarus from the dead.   

3 of the 4 gospels report that Jesus told the disciples to go ahead and bring him a donkey as his means of transportation as he enters the city.  Much has been written about the symbolism of this ride on a donkey and this symbolism would be familiar to  many of the Jewish people in the crowd as Zechariah wrote in the Old Testament chapter 9 verses 9-10 “ Rejoice greatly,  O daughter Zion!  Shout aloud , O daughter Jerusalem!  Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.  He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.”   

We get a sense from the crowd that they are beginning to recognize that this might be the promised Messiah from God.  They remember when Solomon became their King and he was presented to them on the donkey of his father, David.  They are shouting hosanna (often translated as please save us), blessed be the king who comes in the Lord’s name, peace, and glory in the highest heaven.  This seems like the proper welcome and ceremony for a man such as Jesus.    Maybe this is Israel’s king that will save them from their oppressors, and they are filled with hope and promise.        

In the Gospel of John, we read that, Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the dead.  He looked up to God saying “Father, I thank you for having heard me.  I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here so that they may believe that you sent me.” (John 11:41-43).  I am sure this helped to build the crowd that gathered outside Jerusalem.  The people came to see Jesus and Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead. 

With Jesus joyful entrance into Jerusalem, we must ask the question of why the crowd would turn against him in the near future.  Were they just worshipping this man who performed miracles and were whipped into an idolatrous frenzy to see Jesus and Lazarus?  Were they really embracing the messages of Jesus that requires sacrifice and rejection of power or were they just taken with his star quality and wanted to see him in the flesh?  Jesus knew how weak we can be and how easily manipulated a crowd can become for both good and bad.    We have seen many examples of this in our history where people might not consider doing something on their own but will take part in unthinkable acts when brought together like a mob.

The Pharisees had been concerned about Jesus for some time and seeing this crowd had to raise their desire to do something about him.  John 12:19 reports the Pharisees said to each other,  “You see, you can do nothing.  Look; the world has gone after him.”   The temperature is rising, and more Pharisees are saying that they must do something about this situation. They see that they must turn this crowd around.

While there were Pharisees out to eliminate the threat of Jesus, the Gospel of John tells us many religious authorities did believe in him but these Pharisees did not confess it  for fear they would be put out of the synagogue.  They valued their power and status among this religious ruling class more than the glory that comes from God.   That is also part of the mob mentality.  We are too afraid to stand up against the majority, the folks in charge, the ones that tell us what to do because we don’t want to be set apart from our tribe. 

Oh goodness, is this not our human tendency.  It’s a difficult path to follow the path of Jesus.  And that is why I had us read John 2:23-25.   Jesus  would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people, he knew what was in everyone.  Jesus knows us and while he may have appreciated the praise and honor showered upon him on Palm Sunday, Jesus knows our hearts,  he wasn’t going to believe in the adulation being given him on his ride into Jerusalem because he knows how difficult it will be for us to take up a cross and sacrifice ourselves.  We love the highs of miracles and the celebrity status of a charismatic leader but are we ready to sacrifice and take up our cross like Jesus will be doing?

Who is this Jesus?  Is he going to be the King of the Jewish state and break the bonds of the Roman Empire?  Or is Jesus showing a different way of sacrifice, love and acceptance of all versus power and violence?  Jesus denounces the Scribes and Pharisees  and he laments over what Jerusalem has become and foretells about the destruction of the Temple.   This potential Messiah is talking about the destruction of the Temple?  The Messiah is supposed to be the one to uphold the Temple and to be Israel’s leader.

So what is the crowd to do about this Jesus?  Walter Wangerin Jr states in his book about Jesus Reliving the Passion, “Always the threat of this man is manifested in those whom his presence excites.  Look how volatile the people are now!  Worse than that, he is questioning religious laws developed over the centuries, the very forms by which we order ourselves and know ourselves and name ourselves.  If order is lost, so am I….What then?  Why, then I must destroy before I am destroyed.  Self-preservation is a law of nature.  I will arrest this Jesus by stealth and kill him.  Because if I do nothing, I will be nothing.”

It is clear that the crowd started having second thoughts about this commitment to Jesus’s way.

The crowd heard  Jesus say “Now is the judgement of this world, now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”    The crowd said “We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever.  How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up?  Who is this Son of man?

The group thinking of the mob is changing.  They want a Messiah that would become their King and bring justice and defeat to the Romans. They wanted judgement now and want their rulers (the Romans)  to be driven out.  But Jesus is talking about a later time when he would be lifted from the earth – how does that fit into their desire for a King in the here and now?

Jesus was  talking about a power that is not what the world idolizes as power.  As John Caputo, theologian and philosopher writes in his book Cross and Cosmos,   “Theology must get over its love of power in favor of the powerless power of love, weakening the strong metaphysics of omnipotence into the soft power of the coming Kingdom’s call.”   “God’s power is constituted by powerlessness and nonsovereignty, God’s eminence by being what is least and lowest among us.”  God is revealed in the defeat.  God chose  the weak to shame the strong, the foolish to shame the wise, the nothings and nobodies to confound the powers that be”.

Wow, if I am part of the crowd, the mob, this is not the vision I have of a Messiah.  I want a real leader that will change my life now, will deliver on promises made, will be strong, decisive and take action on my enemies.  How do I support someone that suggests that the way of God is to abandon the desire for power and to choose the weak, the nothings and nobodies and pursue a way that tells me to love my neighbors, my enemies, that values justice over my self interest and understands power in a very different way.    This is the hard way, the road less traveled, the way of the cross where we are willing to give up much for others.   

Jesus knows us and understands our nature of light and shadow.  Jesus has never been about the short term but always has the long term in mind.  He knew what was coming even during the adulation he was receiving on Palm Sunday.  And he was in for the long term. 

My prayer for us today is that we not become completely discouraged by the short term all around us but continue to listen to God’s voice and God’s call for each of us for the long term. The way of Jesus is hard but it leads to a life of meaning and fulfillment.

As we enter our time of waiting worship, which is our communion, I encourage you to quiet your heart and mind and listen to God’s voice. I am not sharing any queries today as you quietly enter this time of waiting worship and ask you to reflect on the still small voice within you.

3-22-26 - Reclaiming Honor and Respect

Reclaiming Honor and Respect 

Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting

Pastor Bob Henry

March 22, 2026

Good morning and welcome to Light Reflections.  The scripture I have chosen to support my message for today is from Romans 12:10 from the New Revised Standard Version.

…love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.

Today’s catalyst for bringing back our joy is respect, but a quick look in our scriptures may have us finding a different word, honor.  So, this morning I am going to talk about both honor and respect. I believe they go hand in hand.

Before we get into honoring and respecting, let me take a moment to recap a bit on where we have been so far. The catalysts that I gleaned from the “Book of Joy,” which I found to bring back my joy in difficult times started with prayer or as we Quakers say, “Holding Others or Situations in the Light.”  We then looked at what it means to gather and how coming together brings joy. We also explored the foundations of community to do good to others, help others, and be extravagantly generous. And last week we talked about Servant Hospitality and learning to appreciate otherness.

That brings us to this week.

I want to begin by having you think about a time you were honored. When someone spoke of your value to the family, how significant you were to your business, or how important you were to the team. Maybe they thanked you for something you did for them. Do you have that in your mind?

·      How did it make you feel?

·      Did it inspire you to do more of the same?

·      Did it make the sacrifice worthwhile?

·      Did it give you confidence?

·      Was it uplifting to you on the inside?

That’s what honoring others does. Honoring others motivates, inspires, builds up, and energizes. Honoring others makes those who feel insignificant, feel significant. Those who feel forgotten, remembered. For those who want to quit, to rise up with new determination.

Honoring is the response the stranger from last week is longing for. 

That’s because honoring one another is no small thing. It’s bigger than we can ever imagine and the Divine Spirit can use it in our lives and in the lives of those around us to bring about a wonderful transformation on the inside. This is why the Divine Spirit tells us to honor and respect one another.

This is what I want you to see, today. I want you to leave, today, looking for someone to honor and lift up this week. I want to see Divine Spirit nudge you to change someone’s life through honoring and respecting them.

To help us understand this, let’s start with our scripture for this morning, Romans 12:10, which says, 

“Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.”  

Scripture is very specific on how we honor others. 

First, honoring one another is to value one another.

Learning how to place value on people. This is where you see others as important. Significant in some way.

Jesus was teaching His disciples one day when He asked,

“What is the price of two sparrows – one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows” (Matt. 10:29-31).

You can’t put a price tag on how important ALL people are to God.

If we are going to receive others like Christ (as I said last week), we must place a high value on the people in our lives. We must see them as important because there is that of God in them. Even those who seem useless, a burden to society, and a pain in our sides.  

The first step in honoring people is to see them with value.

Listen carefully, honoring one another is to place value on someone with your words and actions. Jesus did this. He showed honor to Matthew a tax collector (who most people despised), he expressed honor to Nicodemus (even though at first he didn’t understand Jesus), and he even showed honor toward Judas (even though Jesus knew that Judas was about to betray him), and He showed honor toward Pilate as He spoke with him prior to His crucifixion. Jesus expressed honor toward both His friends and His enemies. We should do the same in how we treat them and speak to them.

Second, honoring one another involves humility.

One translation puts it this way, “Honor one another above yourself.”  This is where you act like a servant toward them (like we talked about last week). This is where you give them the place of honor, rather than you taking it. This is where you help them succeed and better themselves.

I remember one day when I was just about finished with my master’s degree, a beloved professor pulled me aside after class and asked if I would be willing to be a presenter at the Association of Christian Colleges and Universities Conference in Chicago.  He was wanting me to present in his place. I was so honored that he would ask me and that he trusted me to represent him at this conference.

My anxiety grew as the conference grew closer.  When I arrived at the conference, I found several of my other professors waiting in the hall to greet me and encourage me.  I was welcomed as an equal in that moment. One of them escorted me to the room where I was to give my talk and said many had signed up for my talk and it was going to be full. 

Again, my anxiety grew.  So, I set up and then waited for the participants to arrive.  The very first professor who arrived, if you can believe it, was actually one of my theology professors from undergrad. He did not recognize me, but I recognized him, immediately. I went up and re-introduced myself. He said, “Well, can you believe that a student of mine has now come back to teach me something new.”  The room filled to capacity and I gave my talk.  Many people thanked me as they left, and my professor came up and said, “Well done.”   

What my master’s degree professor did by asking me to fill in for him was honoring and it even led to more honoring, even some unexpected honoring. 

This aspect of honoring each other I believe is well said in Eugene Peterson’s Message version of Scripture where it reads, “Practice playing second fiddle.” Sometimes you have to pass the ball and let someone else take the shot.  Think about it for us at First Friends, when is it time for those of us who are older to pass the baton to the next generations of Quaker leaders?

Three, honoring one another involves respect.

This is where we get to the respect aspect I started with. In the Today’s English Version our scripture text reads, 

“Be eager to show respect for one another.” 

Honor and respect go together as I have already said. You cannot separate them. It’s the two sides of the same coin. To show respect for someone is to give them your special attention.

Respecting someone is to listen to them even if you disagree with them. Respecting someone is to not be rude toward them. We did a lot of this last week at Monthly Meeting for Business. 

1 Peter 2:17 simply says, “Respect everyone.” 

We should be the people who are the most honoring and respectful people to be around. Cutting others down, belittling people, and rude sarcasm should never be a part of who we are. 

Think about this when you look at the leaders of our country.  It is hard to respect people who lead by belittling people and use rude sarcasm, and by putting people down.  These are not the characteristics we should be seeing in our leaders (on either side). 

This does not mean we need to stoop that low ourselves.  As Michelle Obama said, “When they go low, we go high.”  That should be the mantra among Friends as well.

Four, honoring one another involves enthusiasm.

In our scripture for today, it says, “Take delight in honoring each other.”

This is where the joy comes in. Taking delight in honoring one another means to be eager about this with the attitude of trying to outdo one another in honoring each other.

It sort of carries the idea of a healthy competition between each other when it comes to honoring one another.

Think about this for a moment.

What would our lives be like if we were driven, motivated, inspired, enjoyed, and enthusiastic about honoring the people in our lives?

• What would happen to a marriage if the partners genuinely were trying to outdo each other in honoring one another?

• What would it look like if siblings or relatives enjoyed honoring one another?

• What would it look like if employees were motivated to honor one another?

• What would it look like if politicians were motivated to honor each other?

• What would our Meeting look like if we were driven to give honor to one another?

The power of honoring one another has the potential of revolutionizing every relationship in our lives. Honor is a game changer. So, take delight in it, be eager to show honor to others.

Number five, honoring one another involves grace.

It also says in our scripture, Romans 12, “Take delight in honoring each other.”

The “each other” means each other. No exceptions. I’m honoring you. You are honoring me. We are honoring them and they are honoring us.

Remember, when we are talking about honoring others we are talking about treating people like they have value and that their life matters.

I said honoring one another involves grace. It involves grace in several ways.

• Honor involves grace because of people. People struggle with all kinds of things, and they also have weaknesses. But that does not disqualify them from being honored. Their life is still important. They are still valuable. And it takes grace to honor one another, especially people who make it hard to honor them by their choices and negative attitudes. Showing honor to others is an act of grace.

• Honor involves grace when it comes to the amount. You cannot show honor to someone enough. We are told to outdo each other in honor. There is no limit to you placing honor on others. The Divine Spirit  is saying go all out when it comes to honor. Don’t hold back. So go ahead and honor your spouse. Go ahead and honor your teacher. God ahead and honor your parents. Go ahead and honor your siblings. The Divine Spirit wants you to do this.

So, as we wrap this up and enter waiting worship this morning, let’s think about two things:

• Who do you need to honor? Is there someone in your life that the Spirit is nudging you to honor in some way? A spouse, a parent, a boss, or someone else? How does God want you to show honor to them? Speaking with more respect, a gift, a word of appreciation, or an act of kindness?

• Is there anyone you have dishonored by the way you spoke to them in front of others or even privately? Is there someone you have been cold toward, rude, and distant when in reality you should have shown honor to them? By speaking with respect toward them.

Let’s take this time to ponder those queries.