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Dear Ffriends,
The celebrations at this time of year, particularly among Friends, are becoming more diverse each year. Many in these days of increased commercialization have sought out a retreat that stretches out over much of the closing days of the year to avoid the glitter, crowds, and hurry that seem to encroach on this time of joy.
North Meadow Circle of Friends is happy to continue with our traditional gathering on the Christmas andNew Years Eves. To share a period of Worship, a seasonal song or two, a cup of hot cider, cocoa with cookies or cake, and the fellowship of the gathered meeting. We shall gather at 7:00 PM on the evening of the twenty-fourth at the Meeting House, 1710 North Talbott. We gather again on the last day of the year at 9:00 PM at the home of Terry Kent, Mary Jane Lapointe and their son
Daniel at 4928 North Coburn Street (phone 255-0662), to watch for the New Year, always hopeful that it makes it.
North Meadow this year has settled in to fill in the gaps left in the life of a new meeting. We built the book shelves we have talked about for ten years. We established a television room, with a collection of videos, both those on Quaker concerns and features that can brighten a shut-in's day. We have also used the collection and room for evening discussion of Quakerism with leadership coming from both the Meeting and the universities in Indiana. We have placed ads in newspapers, and have a Web site (www.geocitines.com/RainForest/8913/).
We have had to develop new uses for the clearness process in the dissolution of a marriage and to intervene with a troubled Friend.
North Meadow's Meeting House is used by more and more goups as a meeting place. Sadly this Fall one of the groups that met most regularly was a committee to oppose the death penalty as it responded to the state's decision to take another life.
The requests for personal help by those who come to the meeting's door continue to grow, and the meeting responds with non-monetary aid, such as tickets for the local bus service, or coupons for food at Hardees. As usual this season North Meadow collects item for Gleaners Food Bank, The Damien (AIDS) Center, and the Dayspring family shelter. As the nation seems to want to "reform" help to the needy, the religious communities seem to have to work harder to avoid tragedies.
This Fall we combined education, fellowship, fun and fund-raising, as the
Meeting hosted a coffee-house on two consecutive evenings. The first centered around the United Nations and the second around politics and labor in Mexico. Nearly a hundred dollars was raised each evening for the Indianapolis Peace and Justice Center. The coffee for the evening was grown by the Quaker community in Costa Rico, the music for the evening provided by two members of the Meeting.
The individual members of the North Meadow each seem to be working hard at good works. Meanwhile the Meeting is settling down for the long haul of meeting a few needs, and always being open to call in our troubled world. We continue to Meet every First Day at 10 AM, as well as other special occasions; join us when you can.