September 28, 2022

Featured Articles

You and your church are invited to participate in the upcoming International Friends Church Multiplication Conference (IFCMC), November 9-11, 2022! The first IFCMC in 2020 stirred the hearts of many Friends worldwide, with participants from 26 different countries. They anticipate even more participants this year! The continued purpose in this online gathering is to inspire, encourage, and equip us to do our part as Friends to fulfill the Great Commission and to plant churches. We are praying that God will pour out His Spirit and give birth to a multiplication movement through us in the towns, communities, and regions wherever Friends live, and in many parts of the world where no Friends exist yet!

Information and registration can be found at friendsmultiply.org

Growing Young

Growing Young is a study that Fuller Seminary did a while back on what churches, who have a lot of young people, are doing to maintain that status. Katy Moran has been trained as a Growing Young trainer for church leaders. She will be doing a workshop at Maple Run Friends on November 5, 9-3 pm.

EFM’s 2022 Fall Offering, “Pressing Towards the Goal,” is now available! This year’s offering features five missionaries and ministries that are currently underfunded. Our prayer, our belief, is that the Lord will inspire many of you to give a fall offering to close the total underfunded gap of $145,635 for these faithful workers. This will release them to concentrate on their God-given assignments, unencumbered by financial concerns. You can be part of this effort by making a commitment to support them here. Thank you for prayerfully considering this opportunity.

IYM Church News

Hinkle Creek Friends requests prayers for one of their members, Bob Stubbs, in his battle against infection. Please pray for a speedy recovery.

Farmland Friends is excited to invite you to a concert by the popular Christian music duo "Love & The Outcome" on Wednesday, October 5, at 7 pm. (doors open at 6:30). A free-will offering will be received.

Also, Farmland Friends Futbol Club has 136 children playing soccer each Tuesday and Thursday through October 6. The young athletes have devotions and prayer each game and will receive a Bible before the season ends. The church also had a successful Fall Festival with over 400 (including volunteers) enjoying games, food, hayrides, a scripture scavenger hunt, and a gospel presentation. They will be holding a youth retreat this coming November. The boys' retreat will be held November 4-6, while the girls' retreat will be held November 18-20.

Fairmount Friends' Dustin and Missy Musselman will host a young families life group on October 2, with a cook out, a game, and a bonfire!

*If you want to see news and highlights for your church in the Communicator, send your information to iymcommunicator@gmail.com

Youth/Young Adults

A Level-Up Young Adult Retreat will be held at Quaker Haven on November 11-13. This event is geared for young people who have graduated from High School and through their 30’s. Click HERE for a link to register.

Keep a look out for the next Youth Invasion! On October 16, Lynn Friends will sponsor a Youth Invasion at Randolph Southern High School from 3:30 to 7:00 pm.

The annual Fall Impact Youth Retreat will be held at Quaker Haven on November 4-6. This is an event for Jr. and Sr. High students (7th -12th grades). More information will be coming soon!

Gathering Information

The next Pastor Gathering will be held October 27 at Bethel Friends, from 10-11:30 am. We will be joined by some staff members from Josiah White’s to discuss options as we lead our churches in a Christ-like response to the overturn of Roe v. Wade. All pastors are welcome and encouraged to attend!

The November Representative Council will be held at Hemlock Friends, November 19, at 9:30am.

Committee News

From the Advancement Committee:

As autumn begins, we are grateful for Indiana Yearly Meeting. The summer has been filled with incredible experiences at Quaker Haven and excellent fellowship in our communities. Our monthly meetings continue to pour out the love of Jesus Christ our Lord. Raising funds for our 2024 budget continues. Here is where we are now -- $8,980.00 cash received; another $12,700.00 pledged; for a total of $21,680.00 raised. THANK YOU for your generosity and support. Let's keep at it! If you have any questions and/or suggestions give a call to Damon's number, 517-204-5348.

From the Christian Service Committee:

In the midst of busy -- make time to listen, to observe, to recognize need, to intercede, and to give thanks. Pay attention to what's going on in the lives around us. Follow in the footsteps of our lord, Jesus Christ. Please, keep sending us messages of what is going on in your communities -- how your church is impacting those folks around you.

The Friends Ministry Training Certificate Program at Barclay College is a quality educational experience for those within the Friends church who are called to ministry. Ten online courses are offered over a two-year time frame. Have questions or want to apply? Send an email to distancelearning@barclaycollege.edu or inquire at: https://www.barclaycollege.edu/online/request-information/.

Upcoming IYM Events

October 27

Pastor Gathering

Location: Bethel Friends

Start: 10:00 am

End: 11:30 am

November 5

Growing Young Workshop @ Maple Run

Start: 9:00 am

End: 3:00 pm

November 15

Pastor Gathering

Location: Zoom

Start: 10:00 am

End: 11:30 am

November 19

Representative Council

Location: Hemlock Friends

Start: 9:30 am

End: 12:30 pm

December 10

Committee Day

Location: Marion First Friends

Start: 9:30 am

End: 12:00 pm

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A Message from our Superintendent

Good Morning,

We continue our look at the ‘Questions for Spiritual Growth’ from Faith and Practice (starting on page 40 in the IYM F&P, 2018 version). Let us consider these:

Spiritual Gifts

Do you endeavor to recognize and develop your special talents and gifts for service in the Meeting and do you pray for divine guidance in their use? Do you cultivate the spiritual gifts of the members of your Meeting? Are you always ready to encourage

and advise those who engage in the vocal ministry or in other Christian work?

Consider also these words from the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

As we all lean into the ministry our God is calling us towards, may we gain new understanding and insight into the gifting He has placed in us in order to do His work effectively.

-Pat Byers