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?