Communicator
July 21, 2008

 

Yearly Meeting Sessions

 At Quaker Haven July 24-27.  

     “I want to know Christ!” And what a better place to encounter our Friend Jesus than together
with others who have given themselves to serve Him through the ministries of Indiana Yearly
Meeting!

     Quakers from all over Eastern Indiana, Western Ohio, and Michigan will gather together at
Quaker Haven Camp to meet, to plan, and to pray about how we may know Christ better in service.

     Saturday morning, there will be three workshops, presented by ESR, White’s, and Friends
Fellowship Community to help us learn about how we can minister to the world around us in
the name of Christ. On Saturday evening, pastor and former superintendent David Brock will
share with us on that topic. And there will be banquets, hosted by Quaker Men, USFW, and
Earlham College that are open to everyone. Indiana Yearly Meeting - it only happens once a
year - we want to see you there!                          Curt Blasiman, Program Committee Clerk

 

Notice

Registration at Yearly Meeting Sessions will be at the Quaker 
Haven Dining Hall, not Friendship Lodge as in previous years.

 

 Family Camp at Quaker Haven

August 29 - September 1

Speaker, Herb Hughs,

Director of Upward Bound at

Indiana Wesleyan University and former 

IYM pastor and White’s staff member.        

There will be programs for all ages

Lots of fun games and activities

for families plus good food and fellowship.

 

Sunday School Training Day

Presented by the           

IYM Christian Education Committee

Saturday, August 16, Marion First Friends

Cost: $15 - Lunch included - mail to IYM CE Committee

4715 N Wheeling, Muncie, IN 47304

9:30 - Registration

10:00 - General Session

11:30 - Lunch

12:30 - Breakout Sessions

3:00 - Closing Worship

Your Yearly Meeting CE Committee is providing you,

the back bone of our Christian Education,

with a day of worship, fellowship and learning. 

We will have speakers for all age groups from kindergarten to adults.

For teachers, workers, and volunteers.

We want to see you there!

For more info call Aaron at 800-292-5238 or

email Nick at r_embry@hotmail.com

 

     Amos Taylor (Michelle) has accepted the call to pastor Cadiz Friends beginning immediately.  

    West Elkton Friends, together with West Elkton United Methodist Church and the Preble County
Bicentennial committee, will host an event on Saturday, August 9, to celebrate Preble County's
Bicentennial. Ohio authors will be available at the meetinghouse from 9-12 noon, to talk, and to
sign, and to sell their books. Refreshments will be available. This event is free and open to the public.
West Elkton Friends is the oldest church in Preble County, Ohio.   

    Walnut Ridge Friends sponsored their annual free Soccer Camp for kindergarten through 6th
grade students, July 7-9. This free camp featured instructional drills and scrimmages, snacks,
drinks, and devotions.  

    Vermillion Friends will hold revival meetings, August 20-24, 7 pm. Stephen and Nicole
Cassidy will speak and special music will be presented by Messiah Bible Fellowship Ministers.

    Spiceland Friends will host John Munhanji on August 17. During a combined adult Sunday
school class (9:30), John will talk about Friends in Kenya. He will also bring the morning message
(10:30). John is active among Kenyan Friends and works for FUM.

    Penn Friends Community Church is pleased to bring world-renowned Christian recording artist,
David Meece, to their meeting in Cassopolis, Michigan on August 3 at 6:30 p.m. David Meece,
front-runner in contemporary Christian music, is celebrating a 32-year career since his first
recording was released in 1976. Also at Penn Friends, the PFCC Cruisers, a Christian motorcycle
group sponsored by the church, are planning to join Rolling Thunder, a Christian motorcycle group
and veterans support club, on Saturday, July 26 in a ride to Battle Creek to minister to American
veterans with a party and a huge bar-b-que.

    Maple Run Friends will hold their Sesquicentennial and “The Fieldhouse” dedication, August 31. Worship service in the Fieldhouse will be at 10 am; 11:30 am lunch will be served; 1:15-2:30 pm,  dedication ceremony; 3:30 pm, old fashioned ice cream social; and at 5 pm, bonfire
for roasting hot dogs and smores (food not provided). The Fieldhouse has a gymnasium, large
kitchen, conference room, weight and fitness room, shower facilities along with a large loft for
their youth group. The loft has a life-sized chess board, pool table, coffee bar, networked computers,
and is the perfect place to hang out with God and His people. Please RSVP by July 30 by calling
pastor John Key, 765-384-7774 or by email at Johnkey@comteck.com.

    Dublin Friends invites you to a concert featuring the music of Ray Luther and Bob Spencer,
Wednesday, July 30, 7 pm. They will celebrate the release of Ray’s first CD, “Shine Throughout
the Darkness.” Ray is an Earlham graduate and former pastor of Dublin Friends. He currently
pastors Springfield Friends in North Carolina. For more information, contact Debbie Cox at
765-855-2424.

 

Parents, the following is the email address to which you can send
messages to your child while they are at Junior Camp –
juniorcamper@iym.org   

Mike Cain will speak at the IYM Quaker Men’s Banquet, Quaker Haven
Dining Hall, on Thursday evening, July 24, 5:30 pm.

At the USFW Luncheon, Terri Johns will speak about the recent Young
Adults Conference. Jody Richmond will share an update from Kenya.
The offering will go to the Young Adults fund. Attendees are encouraged
to bring items for the camp for crafts and the kitchen. They are in need
of a host for the Fall Gathering in October. If your society will host,
they would be happy to announce it at the luncheon!

Mission Packets are now available at the Yearly Meeting office for
anyone interested in the Jamaica trip planned for January 17-24, 2009.

 

Good Morning!

     The front page of the Indianapolis Star included this headline on Easter Sunday morning:
“Churches Grapple with New Attitudes.”  The accompanying article included some brief case
studies of people who believe in God, are deeply spiritual, but rarely enter the sanctuary of a
church. With more and more people regarding the church as irrelevant to their lives, we’ve
got our work cut out for us.

     Many of us resonate with the song by Rascal Flats that looks longingly back to a simpler
time when we understood life better than we do today. Do you identify with these sentiments? 
Well, I miss Mayberry, sitting on the porch drinking ice cold Cherry Coke, where everything is
black and white. Picking on a six string, where people pass by and you call them by their first
name watching the clouds roll by - bye, bye.

      Seven years ago a pastor in a neighboring church described his ministry as helping his
church to move into the 1960s. (Every pastor reading this just chuckled with knowing agreement). 
In a world that is rapidly changing – sometimes leaving us confused and frustrated – our tendency
is to revert back to the familiar.   Besides, we seemed to know how to “do church” back in the day.

     The story of two salesmen in a developing country illustrates two attitudes. One was discouraged
because no one wore shoes there; the other was encouraged because everyone there needed shoes. 

     Most churches relate to their culture with one of these attitudes – lamenting the seeming
unconcern of the world in general, or grasping the opportunity of unprecedented spiritual need.
What is the prevailing attitude at your church?                                                Doug Shoemaker

 

IYM Upcoming Calendar

7/24-27                  Indiana Yearly Meeting Sessions, Quaker Haven

7/27-8/1                Junior Camp, Quaker Haven

7/29                      Trustees Meeting, IYM office, 6:30 pm

8/20-9/1                Family Camp, Quaker Haven

 

 

Communicator, July 9, 2008

Yearly Meeting Sessions

It’s time to register for IYM sessions at Quaker Haven July 24-27. 
Please send in your registration and payment by July 14
if you need housing and meals.

“I want to know Christ!” This is the theme for Indiana Yearly Meeting, 2008, taken from Phil. 3:10. We IYM Friends of Jesus gather together for worship and the worshipful care of business once a year.  In the tradition of seeing meetings for business as an extension of worship, we will be singing, praying, and studying the Bible together during the day as well as in special meetings for worship in the evenings. Thursday evening, Keith Huffman (Dewart Lake Community Friends pastor) will lead us in a “Concert of Prayer.”  Friday evening, Jackie Michaelson (Fairmount Friends pastor) will lead us as we meet together with Jesus in “worship.” Saturday evening, David Brock (former IYM Superintendent and pulpit pastor of Spiceland Friends) will lead us in “service.” Sunday morning, Superintendent Doug Shoemaker will remind us of the joy we have in “celebrating” Jesus. 

 

    Sid Martin (Barb) accepted a call from Lynn Friends and began serving as their pastor July 1.

    Keith Huffman (Robin) began his ministry as pastor at Dewart Lake Community Friends
on July 1.

    Amboy Friends is pleased to announce that they presently have 21 people on a missions team
ministering at Kickapoo Friends Center. They will help with several needed projects. They've
raised all their funds through a fish fry, a pancake breakfast, and several pitch-in meals.
They ask you to take a moment to pray for them. If you would like an update, check pastor
Dwight's blog at dwight785.wordpress.com.

    Richmond First Friends approved Les Williams as their Outreach Minister for the summer
months. His primary focus will be to continue Wayne Copenhaver’s efforts to gather the area
faith communities into an interfaith coalition better to serve the area needy.

    Winchester Friends will soon deliver relief kits for families displaced by war through a Christian
agency which assists people made homeless by war.

    Developing Your Team: High Performance Collaboration will be held in the Fellowship Hall at
Wabash Friends, July 12. Dr. Tim Gardner, President & CEO of Marriage Ministries, Inc; Licensed
Mental Health Counselor; Associate Research Fellow with the Sagamore Institute; and Adjunct
Professor at Indiana Wesleyan University will speak about building effective teams in the workplace
and how crucial to the success of any organization this is. You will receive a great resource packet at
the luncheon. For time and registration information, contact the Wabash Friends Counseling Center
at 765-563-8452 and ask for Ami Jo Scamihorn.
     Over 90 pastors, families, and leaders enjoyed the 2008 Pastors Short Course at Quaker Haven,
held last week. Wes Davis from Riverton Friends (Mid-America Yearly Meeting) was this year’s
speaker (www.stoaministires.com). Kris Sorensen of Farmland Friends walked away with “The
Quaker Cup” as winner of the pastors golf outing.

    Status cards issued annually to pastors and recorded ministers have been sent out to all who have submitted their annual report to the yearly meeting office. Please contact the IYM office if you sent in your report but have not   received your card.

    The FUM Triennial will be held July 9-13 in Highpoint, North Carolina. A number of Friends
from Indiana Yearly Meeting will be attending with several providing leadership.

    Johan and Judy Maurer are on their way to Elektrostal, Russia where Johan will teach
American Studies and Conversational English. Judy will join him in their evolving “ministry of
hospitality” and the possible development of a house church. Johan is the former General Secretary
of FUM. Their ministry in Russia is sponsored by Northwest Yearly Meeting.

    Mission Packets are now available at the Yearly Meeting office for anyone interested in the
Jamaica trip planned for January 17-24, 2009.

 

From Iowa Yearly Meeting

To our dear Friends throughout FUM: Our Yearly Meeting office has been contacted by many of
you regarding financial help for the flooding and tornado damages in Iowa. We feel very
humble with your offers of help.

       We are in the process of contacting our churches about damage to meeting property and to
congregation member’s property. Our initial survey suggests that our meetinghouses have been
spared. However, some personal homes and/or basements have been flooded and in most cases
there is no flood insurance.

       We are preparing to set up a special fund for our meetings to access in order to help those
in need within their meeting.  

       Thank you all so much, for your prayers and contacts.

Ron Bryan, General Superintendent

Iowa Yearly Meeting

PO Box 657, 411 College Avenue

Oskaloosa, Iowa  52577

iaym@mahaska.org - 641-673-9717

 

The Internal Revenue Service has announced an increase in the

optional standard mileage rates for the final six months of 2008.

Taxpayers may use the optional standard rates to calculate the

deductible costs of operating an automobile for business,

charitable, medical or moving purposes.

The rate increased to 58.5 cents a mile for all business miles

driven from July 1, 2008, through Dec. 31, 2008. This is an increase

of eight (8) cents from the 50.5 cent rate in effect for the

first six months of 2008, as set forth in         

Rev. Proc. 2007-70. 

 Meetings: 

Memorials are now due in the IYM office.

Please send information no later than July 17 so

Memorial booklets can be made for Yearly Meeting Sessions.

Parents:

The following are email addresses

to which you can send messages to your child

while they are camping at Quaker Haven.

Kid’s Camp – kidscamper@iym.org

Junior Camp – juniorcamper@iym.org

Sr. High 2 – seniorhighcamper@iym.org

 

Good Morning!

     Recently I was asked to describe Indiana Yearly Meeting for a grant proposal that we submitted
to Lilly Endowment.  I included statistical information and cited the geographic area covered by
our churches.  While my response was accurate, it didn’t even come close to accurately reflecting
the flavor of who we are.  Here is what I wanted to say.

     IYM is hundreds of campers converging on Quaker Haven Camp each summer where many
make life-changing and life-shaping decisions to follow Christ.  IYM is a houseparent at White’s
who molds and shapes struggling youth and points them to Christ.  IYM includes untold numbers
of families receiving help through food pantries sponsored by churches like Anderson, Friends
Memorial and Little Blue River and many others who sponsor Angel Food ministries.

     IYM is personified by people like John Fitch of West Richmond who provides housing, meals,
spiritual nurture and dignity to some of the neediest in his community through the ministry of
Renaissance House.  IYM is 12 year-old Cody Brown leading worship at Friends Chapel. 
IYM is Eric Fleck from Wabash making frequent trips to countries in the 10-40 Window.

     IYM is a faithful group of Friends gathering monthly for Prayers for Peace at West Elkton;
a young adult band that leads worship at a Saturday night worship service at Spencerville; a 
motorcycle riding group at Penn; a Kids Club at Bethel; a divorce recovery group at Upland;
a “Boat-in” service at Dewart Lake; and short term mission trips that send members to Jamaica,
Belize, Oklahoma, Alabama, Louisiana, and beyond. IYM is people being used by God to meet
needs and honor Christ.  I’m glad to be a part of IYM!                          Doug Shoemaker

 

IYM Upcoming Calendar

7/9-12    FUM Triennial, High Point, NC

7/13        Van Wert Quarterly Meeting, Pennville Friends, 4 pm

7/13-18  Senior High II Camp, Quaker Haven

7/20-23  Kids Camp, Quaker Haven

7/24-27  Indiana Yearly Meeting Sessions, Quaker Haven

7/27-8/1 Junior Camp, Quaker Haven

 

 

 

Communicator, June 18, 2008

Yearly Meeting Sessions - July 24-27, 2008

“I want to know Christ!” This was the Apostle Paul’s heart cry. Is it yours? Corporately, this is our desire here in
Indiana Yearly Meeting. As Friends of Jesus who have come to know and love our Risen Lord, we find that we are
not satisfied. We want to have a deeper and richer experience of Jesus. That is what we have planned for IYM Sessions.

       Our theme is “I want to know Christ . . .” taken from Phil 3:10. We can’t wait to see you there at Quaker Haven,
Thursday, July 24 through Sunday, July 27. There will be lots of opportunity to hear how Friends are experiencing
Christ in their midst, along with great food, new workshops and plenty of Friends with which to fellowship. Things
get started on Thursday with an afternoon of worshipful attention to business, and a concert of prayer, Thursday
evening, led by our own Keith Huffman. We’re praying for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Won’t you join us?
Registrations with all the info you need have been sent to your church and are also available from the IYM office.

 

    Shirley Friends will hold their 3rd annual Community VBS with the Shirley-Wilkinson Community United Methodist
Church and the Shirley Church of the Nazarene, July 28-30. On July 31 they will have their VBS program/picnic in
the park with horse-drawn wagon rides. June 8, their meeting had Missionary Sunday with Bill Metz and Josh Yoder
sharing their experiences in Biloxi Mississippi. A spiritual gift inventory test was presented to the congregation,
encouraging them to use their gifts for God’s glory no matter what the age or physical strength. 

    Spiceland Friends will have a gospel sing on Sunday morning, June 22, 10:30 am, Stan Banker (pastor of
Indianapolis First Friends) and Cathy Harris will be leading worship through gospel music, and singing along
with Stan's guitar, Beulah Mae, which will accompany them.

    Sycamore Friends and Spiceland Friends youth groups have been joining activities over the past year.
The youth groups played laser tag and held a joint lock-in at Spiceland in April, and June 11-15, both
churches took their youth to the Ichthus concert festival in Wilmore, Kentucky. The youth groups camped out,
and enjoyed 100 Christian soloists and bands. 

    Bluff Point Friends provided an election board meal for the May Primary.

    West Richmond Friends has installed high-efficiency thermal pane windows in their meetinghouse which
will produce energy savings for years to come. Five nights a week, the meetinghouse is home to Alcoholic
Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.

    Greg Hinshaw, clerk of IYM Ministry & Oversight and member of Bear Creek Friends, has accepted the
position of Superintendent of Schools for Randolph Central School Corporation located in Winchester, IN.

    IYM Representatives and other Friends, if you wish to use your Advance Report (which will soon be in the mail)
at Yearly Meeting Sessions, please bring it with you. To save on expenses, we have printed only a few extra copies
to have at Yearly Meeting. If you would like an Advance Report and don’t receive one in the next couple of weeks
contact the IYM office and we will send one to you.

    A Note from Mike and Kay Cain:
 We just can’t thank you enough for supporting Belize Friends Boys School and us through the years! We will be
attending graduations for at least five former students, three of them girls. This is what BFBS is all about, helping
young people make a better life for themselves and their families. Mike and Kay will be  retiring from this ministry
this year.

    FUM Field Staff will be in our area this summer. Please take advantage of this great opportunity to hear them
before they return home. John Munhanji from Africa Ministries  Office will be available August 10, 17 and 24.
Mike and Kay Cain from Belize will be available June 22, June 29 and August 17. If interested, contact Kim Schull
at 765-962-7573.

     The Wilmington College Peace Resource Center can be viewed at www2.wilmington.edu/prc/newsletter.cfm.

    The Quaker Youth Book Project is now accepting submissions of writing and art by Friends ages 15-35. The Call
for Submissions, which includes submission guidelines and suggested topics and questions, is available now on the
Project's website. Click here to read it or to download it as a pdf file. Submissions will be accepted by e-mail or mail
until February 28th, 2009. Friends are encouraged to send submissions early if they can! QuipYouthBook@gmail.com.
Project website is www.quakeryouth.org/quipbook!

 

You are cordially invited to attend  the dedication of

White’s Residential & Family Services

new Student & Family Life Center,

Saturday, June 28 at 5233 S 50 E, Wabash, IN.

Tours begin at 11:30     

Buffet Lunch served from 11:30 - 1:30; Program at 2 pm with a reception following at 3 pm.

Contact the following for last minute RSVP’s. 

260-563-1158, ext 1346 or barb.baum@whitesrfs.org

 

Good Morning!

     As I write this my 16 year-old daughter is away from home on a short term mission trip. For some reason it was hard for me to see her walk out the door early Sunday morning. It’s with mixed emotions that I’m happy to see her stretching out and doing adult things, while at the same time I mourn the loss of my “little girl.”

     Billy Ray Cyrus understands what I’m going through. His teenage daughter, Miley, has become a hugely popular teen icon. In a song that he co-authored and performs we find these observations: “She’s gotta do what she’s gotta do and I’ve gotta like it or not,” and “She says things are fallin’ in place – feels like their fallin’ apart.” The heart of this song declares the following sentiment: “She’s waitin’ on my blessings before she hits the open road, but baby get ready, get set, don’t go.” I’m sure you understand such a mix of feelings.

     I’ve noticed a similar mix of feelings when it comes to our churches. Most of us love our churches – we’ve poured our lives into them. We really want to see our churches prosper and grow, but when that happens we are surprisingly struck with a sudden sense of loss. Something has happened to “our baby.” If you are honest you might say to your church, “Get ready, get set, don’t grow.”

     As painful as it is I’m going to let my little girl grow up.  I wouldn’t really want it any other way. As painful as it is, does your church have your blessing to grow?

                                                                                                                                                              Doug Shoemaker

 

Parents: the following are email addresses to which you can send messages to your child while they are camping at Quaker Haven.

Beginner’s Camp – beginnercamper@iym.org

Kid’s Camp – kidscamper@iym.org

Junior Camp – juniorcamper@iym.org

Junior High Camp – juniorhighcamp@iym.org

Sr. High 1 & 2 – seniorhighcamper@iym.org

 

 

IYM Upcoming Calendar

 6/20       Investment Board, Fort Wayne Country Club, 11 am

6/22-27  Senior High Camp I, Quaker Haven

6/23        IYM Prayer Meeting, IYM office, 1 pm

6/27-29  Beginners Camp, Quaker Haven

6/30-7/3 Pastors’ Short Course

7/9-12    FUM Triennial, High Point, NC

7/13        Van Wert Quarterly Meeting, Pennville Friends, 4 pm

 

 

 

Communicator - June 4, 2008

IYM Events   

June 9-12, Young at Heart Camp

June 15-20, Jr High Camp

June 22-27, Sr High Camp I

June 27-29, Beginners Camp

June 30-July 3, Pastors’ Short Course

 

    Friends of the Light recently finished the stair rebuilding project which brought a safer angle and they installed a new egress basement window which makes for better fire safety. They also held their annual cemetery clean up which was a time of barn-raising type work and fellowship with music and a pot luck meal. A memorial service for Bartram and Sarah Shields was held in which they launched their community giving fund in the name of these two giants of faith. Attendance included Keith and Robin Huffman and Max and Kathleen Huffman from Indiana as well as Friends from Long Lake Meeting.  

    Little Blue River Friends mission trip to New Life International will be July 12. They will help assemble water purifiers which are used by mission teams, nationals and relief workers to provide safe water to the poorest of the poor.

    Raysville Friends, in an effort to be a part of God's creative blessings, has put together what they call the Raysville Stimulus Package. Thinking about the government's economic stimulus that is in the mail, Raysville thought that this unplanned money could be turned around and used to transform someone's life. Following the collection of funds, the money will be used in some creative and transformative way to impact someone in their community. 

    The Penn Friends Community Church Cruisers (PFCC Cruisers) Christian motorcycle group, took part in a fund raiser to benefit the Cass County, Michigan, Relay for Life. They raised $700 with 28 bikes participating in the 60-mile ride through Cass County. The Relay for Life was held the following weekend, where a Penn Friends Team of approximately 50 people kept up the 24-hour relay and raised over $2,000. Also, on Memorial Day, the PFCC Cruisers rode in the local parade in Cassopolis, Michigan.

    Richmond First Friends pastor, Doug Gwyn, will have a three-month sojourn at Pendle Hill, England, this summer, where he will begin research on the history of Pendle Hill for a book he is writing.

    Walnut Ridge Friends will send eleven of their congregation to work for the Katrina victims of New Orleans, June 21-28. The meeting will hold a church-wide yard sale and bake sale on June 6-7 from 8 am - 5 pm. This huge sale will feature home baked items, jellies & jams, collectibles and furniture. Funds raised will benefit the Walnut Ridge Food Pantry and the New Orleans Mission Team.

    West Elkton Friends is hosting “Prayers for Peace” at 7 pm on the first Sunday of each month. They pray for peace and for the safe return of family, friends and neighbors serving in the Middle East.

    Many of our Meetings are holding Vacation Bible Schools in the coming weeks. Please pray for the children and leaders of these important events.

    The 2008 Triennial Sessions will be held July 9-13 at High Point, NC. The main speakers will be John Punshon, a British Friend from IYM; Sylvia Graves, FUM General Secretary; and Landrum Bolling, President Emeritus of Earlham College. Downloadable registration forms are available at www.fum.org.

    An opening for a full time, 12-month Administrative Faculty position which provides administration for Earlham College and the Earlham School of Religion is now available. For more information, contact Rachel Marcum at 765-983-1411.

    Friends Disaster Service will hold an auction, June 16. They will sell tools, hardware and five box trailers. For a complete listing, go to www.kikoauctions.com. The auction site is County Auction Barn, 9456 Columbus Road, Louisville, OH 44641 (NE of Paris, OH, at SR 173). Bob Winn, Director - bobwinn@copper

    The 15th Annual Quaker Haven Golf Scramble, will be held Saturday, June 21. Reservations due by June 14. Tee time is 2 pm at Arbor Trace Golf Course north of Marion on 550 N. Visit their website at www.arbortracegc.com. The day will   end with an awards meal (6:30 pm) at the golf course. For more information, call or email Quaker Haven at 574-834-4193 or info@quakerhaven.com.

    The Lombard Mennonite Peace Center will present Here I Stand: Leading Change Through Self-Differentiation on August 19-21 at Gary United Methodist Church in Wheaton, IL. For more information:
 ph: 630 627-0507
fax: 630-627-0519
www.LMPeaceCenter.org

 

Pastors and Recorded Ministers Reports due June 15.

State of Society Reports due July 1.

 

 

You are cordially invited to attend  the dedication of

White’s Residential & Family Services new Student & Family Life Center,

Saturday, June 28

at 5233 S 50 E, Wabash, IN.

Tours begin at 11:30     

Buffet Lunch served from 11:30 - 1:30; Program at 2 pm with a reception following at 3 pm.

RSVP to White’s by June 14 at

260-563-1158, ext 1346 or barb.baum@whitesrfs.org

 

Good Morning!

     How does attending worship at your Friends meeting on Sunday mornings affect your self esteem? If your goal is to promote a healthy sense of self esteem, avoid making statements like the following excerpts from church bulletins: “Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance,” and “Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use back door.”

     I’ve observed that several of our churches in Indiana Yearly Meeting suffer from poor self-esteem. It’s not a result of bulletin announcements. More often it has to do with the small size of our congregations. Of the 65 Friends churches in IYM 37 had an average attendance of less than 50 in 2007.  Some of us hang our heads and lament the small size of our congregations. It reminds me of the Israelites who, after  spying out the Promised-Land, concluded, “We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes…”

     Earlier this year a fellow minister sent me this message: Tiny churches may feel like failures, or stop believing that God will bless them, but this is mostly the result of our culture's fascination with bigness. When I think about how many preachers I know came from small or tiny churches (including you and me), how the tiny churches in this city are the ones feeding the poor with a meal once a week, how the church in Prague I visited in 2006 only had 15 members, but was on fire for the Lord, I just have to praise God, and readjust my thinking about his ways and his definition of success.                                              Doug Shoemaker

 

IYM Upcoming Calendar

6/9          IYM Prayer Meeting, IYM office, 1 pm

6/15-20  Junior High Camp, Quaker Haven

6/22-27  Senior High Camp I, Quaker Haven

6/23        IYM Prayer Meeting, IYM office 1 pm

6/27-29  Beginners Camp, Quaker Haven

 

 

 

 

Communicator - May 14, 2008

IYM Events   

May 17, Quaker Men Work Day at Quaker Haven

June 9-12, Young at Heart Camp

June 15-20, Jr High Camp

June 22-27, Sr High Camp I

June 27-29, Beginners Camp

June 30-July 3, Pastors’ Short Course

     Friends of the Light, Traverse City, MI, will host a memorial worship and celebration service on Saturday, May 17, to begin a new community giving program in honor of Sarah and Bartram Shields who ministered for years as servants of Christ within IYM. There will be a pot luck meal at 5 pm and a worship service at 7 pm. The plan is to create a fund that contains both monetary assistance and commitments of time and service to share with this community in the name of these special Friends.

    Richmond First Friends will hold its family camp at Quaker Haven, May 24-26.

    New Garden Friends near Fountain City, IN, is no longer meeting and are in the process of laying down the meeting. IYM is thankful for its many years of ministry since worship began in a log building in 1814.

    New Castle First Friends member, Tom Hamm, will give the Richardson Lecture at Woodbrooke, Quaker Study Center in England, June 27. This is a notable honor among Quaker historians. 

    Dublin Friends will have a memorial brick in the courtyard of the new Family Life Center at White’s due to their matching gift to the building fund. Seven people from the meeting took a tour of the campus, concluding with dining in the brand new Rudy’s Café on the grounds.

    Friends Memorial, like several IYM meetings, offers a food pantry to their community. They assisted 253 households in April. They, like Dublin Friends, will also have an engraved brick in response to their donation to White’s for the Family Life Center.

    Shirley Friends hosted an inspirational songfest with Frank Diehl, Carmel, IN, in April. Frank writes and records his songs about the message of Jesus Christ.
Shirley Friends reported that they experienced the power of the Lord working through Frank's ministry.  If you are interested in Frank's Ministry, you can contact him at 317-846-5215 or 317-361-6975. Also, you can listen to his songs at www.frankdiehl.com or email him at fdiehl@indy.rr.com.

    Wabash Friends Counseling Center will host at Leadership Luncheon on June 5. Dr. Henry Cloud, Clinical Psychologist Executive Leadership Consultant, will present “Overcoming Obstacles and Winning” via satellite. Dr. Cloud will give your leadership team the skills it needs to maintain forward motion even in the midst of adversity. Learn what good leaders do with the obstacles in their paths.
For more information, go to www.wabashfriendscounseling.com.

     Brandon Dennis (Quaker Haven Camp) and Aaron Hughs (IYM Staff) traversed 53.48 miles as this year’s lone participants for Christian Ed’s Scholarship Bike-A-Thon. Pesky dogs, crazy drivers, Indiana’s mountainous terrain and a three-mile detour couldn’t overcome Brandon and Aaron’s will/craziness to finish as they raised $370 for the Scholarship Fund. Even while they both are still recuperating, plans for next year’s Bike-A-Thon have already begun.

    Advance Reports are mailed to representatives, monthly meeting clerks, Ministry and Oversight clerks, and pastors around the first of July each year. These reports are to help you get a good       understanding of what our committees and affiliates are doing. They also help cut down on time spent at Yearly Meeting giving reports. If you would like an Advance Report in July and are not in one of the above categories, please let the IYM office know.

    Friends Disaster Service upcoming project is to place new shingles on the main lodge at Camp Gideon in Mechanicstown, OH. The dates are May 20-24. If you can help, please bring your camper or stay in the lodge. Meals and tools will be provided. Please call or email if you plan to come: Bob Winn, 330-692-2682 or bobwinn@copper.net.

 

Take Note:

IYM Sessions registration materials will be mailed soon

Time to register for Pastors’ Short Course

Clerks, watch for Committee Structure and Memorial Forms

Don’t forget early bird registration for camps should be postmarked by May 31.

See multiple campers form on IYM website for meetings that collect registrations and send in money all at once to Quaker Haven Camp

Visit the IYM website. There you will find: IYM events, the Communicator, youth ministry in