The Indiana Yearly Meeting office
is closed while government restrictions are in place, but your staff is hard at work. Pat Byers and Doug Shoemaker are working from their homes and are available by email, phone, text, or social media. Betty Ison is working eight hours per week to see that your assessment and mission payments are processed and bills are paid. Rowena Holliday is helping with the publishing of the Communicator every other week. For the time being, all committee meetings are being conducted via conference calls or video conferencing. We are trying our best to be good stewards and good neighbors while continuing to support the churches of IYM.
The Communicator
will only be available electronically while the IYM office remains closed. We welcome email addresses for anyone wishing to be on the list of those receiving the Communicator by email.
Representative Council
, originally scheduled for April has been reschedule to May 16 at Bethel Friends Church.
Committee Day
is still scheduled to be held on Tuesday, May 12 at South Marion Friends. We are investigating the possibility of holding virtual meetings in May if social distancing is still being mandated at that time.
The Advancement Committee
is privileged to serve IYM. We are grateful for our wonderful IYM community. Thank you for how you are caring for the folks around you during this pandemic. Keep being light to the world. Join us in praying for the world to realize and practice God's gifts to us: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control.
April 19 Thank You Event Postponed;
We are sorry to announce the postponement of the “Thank You” event for IYM donors. We hope to be able to reschedule later this year.
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Youth Invasion:
The April 26 Westfield Youth Invasion has been postponed to a later date to be determined later. In lieu of that gathering, Pat Byers and others are working on some video lessons and encouragements to be sent out, including worship music. We are all missing being together, growing together, and sharing the Good News of Christ together. May we all continue to find ways to be ‘together’ in His presence.
Quaker Haven Summer Camp Update:
The joint IYM/WYM Camp Planning Team (including Camp Executive Director, Brandon Dennis) met virtually last night. They are working on some different scenarios in case the summer needs to be shortened by travel and social-distancing restrictions. For now, it is the recommendation of that team to move forward as if the summer will go on as planned (all the camp dates can be found on the Youth Ministries tab at iym.org). The team will meet again on April 13 to reevaluate where restrictions seem to be going at that point. The team will widely communicate any changes that will have to be made at that time, with the plan to meet again two weeks after that for reevaluation. They are also waiving any late registration fees for the entire summer.
Quaker Haven Camp Fundraising:
Quaker Haven is in a potentially difficult place as those who have scheduled to use the camp are unable to continue with planned events. Any financial gifts to the camp or to the scholarship fund for youth campers would be greatly appreciated.
Youth Bible Study:
Former IYM Intern, Danny Goff (Wabash Friends), will be hosting a Youth Bible Study via Zoom on Thursday April 2 at 7pm. The study will be from Matthew 13, including, Summer Camp Theme verse, Matthew 13:44. Here is a link to join the Zoom (*Note…you will need to download the Zoom software to your computer or smart-device to access the online gathering):
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Staying Connected;
Friends Churches in IYM are doing a great job staying connected even while unable to meet. At least 15 of our churches are streaming messages via Facebook Live on Sunday mornings! (Back Creek, Cadiz/Kennard, Farmland, Georgetown, Jonesboro, Long Lake, Lynn, Marion First, Mooreland, Spencerville, Sycamore, Walnut Ridge, Westfield and Iglesia Amigos on Sunday evening). Wabash always live streams too. Other churches are using tools like You Tube and Zoom to publish messages and devotionals (Bear Creek, Center, Dewart Lake, Knightstown, and West River). Hemlock is using Free Conference Call. Com for Sunday School and many pastors are posting messages online and/or emailing messages and devotionals. This isn’t an exhaustive list, but an example of how the church is still alive and well in Indiana Yearly Meeting. Services may be closed, but church is still happening!
FUM TFUM Triennial Postponed Until 2021:
Excerpt from a recent news release from FUM: The coronavirus pandemic that is now spreading through our nations is restricting travel and preventing international conferences. During this crisis, Friends United Meeting is directing attention and resources to keeping the global community of Friends connected and providing support for the most vulnerable people we serve.
Given these changing priorities during these uncertain times we will be rescheduling the 2020 Triennial Sessions.
White’s
Foster
Care:
A message from Rick Carder: We may not been able to physically gather because of concerns of the coronavirus but we can pray! Pray for children and youth who are in the care of loving foster care homes and on the campus of White’s Residential and Family Services.Take time to watch a video on the Myths of Foster Care:
https://youtu.be/4uOVwCqFDKI
. Our foster homes continue to receive calls for placement of children and youth who, at no fault of their own, are being removed from their homes because of situations of abuse and neglect. Drug use in the home is on the rise! Would you invite your church to pray for children and youth of foster care?
Kaleo
Academy
is training young leaders in evangelical Friends Churches around the world. Do you have a young leader in your church? Have you ever told them that you see gifts of leadership in them? Take a moment to do that the next time you see them and then encourage them to be a part of Kaleo Academy this next year. To recommend a student, contact
brockie.follette@barclaycollege.edu
.
Pastoral
Openings:
Please continue to pray for Amboy, Center, Georgetown, and Maple Run as they are searching for new pastors. To learn about these and other openings in IYM congregations look under “Positions Open” on
www.iym.org
.
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Have you mailed in a contribution for IYM’s
annual fundraising effort?
Lots of people have, but we still need your help!
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IYM Upcoming Calendar
04/26 IYM Sunday at your church
05/12 Committee Day, South Marion Friends, 6:30 pm
05/16 Representative Council, Bethel Friends, 9:30 am
05/18 Advancement Committee, IYM office, 4 pm
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A Note from Doug Shoemaker
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Good Morning!
When will it ever end? Normal routines have been upended and there is a palpable atmosphere of fear present. Instead of freely rubbing shoulders in the streets, believers are huddled behind closed doors. I’m not talking about today – I’m describing the thoughts, feelings and behavior of Jesus’ disciples in the hours before His resurrection.
A March 25 Christianity Today editorial by Daniel Harrell asserts that with recommendations (and now mandates) to avoid public gatherings (and now to stay at home), “Easter worship as we’ve known it is doomed.” The title of his article was “An Easter Without Going to Church.” This year, Easter will be different. Full churches – unlikely. Egg hunts – unlikely. Sunrise services – unlikely. Plays and musical programs – unlikely. Our plans for Easter may be cancelled, but ironically this Easter may more closely resemble the first one than any we have ever experienced. It was in an environment of fear and uncertainty on that Sunday morning years ago that the living Christ suddenly appeared in a room filled with disciples keeping a healthy social distance from the rest of the world.
Many of us feel a lot of pressure to get back to church. It will be great when we can freely gather again, but let’s not jump the gun in a way that makes us look foolish and uncaring to our neighbors. Instead, let’s embrace the moment. It would be just like the living Christ to surprise believers by showing up in living rooms across the nations this Easter morning. I believe it was Winston Churchill who said, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” I know Jesus won’t!
-
Doug Shoemaker
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