The Friends Evangel
With the Superintendent ~ Jonathan Edwards
In looking back over the last few weeks since our last communication with the Friends Evangel family, it is with fond memory that we reflect on the opportunity we had to travel to the annual IHC held in Gatlinburg, TN, and represent CYM and CYM Youth Camp with a booth set up among the many other representatives of many other organizations. While it was certainly a privilege to represent CYM, we also very much enjoyed the ministry of the Convention and how our souls were nourished during our time there. The attendance this year hit a new record with around 5,000 in attendance in the Thursday evening service.
On April 27, we were able to attend the Union Quarterly Meeting held at Union Friends Meetinghouse. We enjoyed fellowship with all of those in attendance and then enjoyed a wonderful meal at a local restaurant, “Grindstone on the Monon.” The food was amazing and our time together as a group was enjoyable as well.
It was very early on Friday morning, May 3, a little after 4 a.m., that we received the news that Evelyn Hendrickson, widow of the late Lee Hendrickson went to be with the Lord. Though aged, she had enjoyed relatively good health through most of her nearly 102 years. She had been displaced from her home as the result of the tornado that came through Winchester on March 14 and never really recovered from the emotional trauma associated with that event. Though still clear in her mind, she contracted a serious infection a few weeks earlier. Her body became weak in fighting that infection and finally succumbed. Though she was certainly ready to go, it was a bittersweet moment as had she lived ten more days she would have attained the age of 102. In the very brief moments preceding her death, she opened her eyes widely and exclaimed, “Lee!” We are comforted in knowing as the Scriptures clearly teach, we will one day be reunited with those of our loved ones who “sleep in Jesus” as we also are then able to look on the face of Him Who has redeemed us! “What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see!”
We have been pleased that a group of young people made up of representatives from New Westville, Sparrow Creek, and Randolph meetings have made a commitment to go on a summer missions trip to Honduras. A part of their means of raising funds has been to prepare a choir repertoire to present at various churches. We were privileged to have them with us at the Randolph Meeting on the evening of May 19, a time in which the Lord clearly anointed them and ministered effectively through them. It is very encouraging to sense among the younger generation a desire to do something for the Lord! The Lord willing, we will be hearing from this group in our Saturday afternoon missions service at Yearly Meeting on July 27.
On the Sunday morning of May 26, we were privileged to worship with our people at the Union Friends Meeting. We enjoyed a wonderful service of freedom with many good testimonies of praise to the Lord! We certainly enjoyed being with Bro. Mowery and the congregation. We were also happy to enjoy a scrumptious Sunday dinner in the home of Jamin and Heidi Edwards. We are grateful for all the Lord is doing at the Union Friends Meeting!
Throughout the following two weeks many showed up at our campground near Muncie, IN, to prepare it for the coming camp meeting season. In the book of Nehemiah 4:6, we read these words, “for the people had a mind to work.” It was certainly encouraging to see all the work that was accomplished over a two-week period. On June 17, our youth camp commenced with evangelist John Manley speaking. We were privileged to be present for all the evening services and thoroughly enjoyed the presence of the Lord in our midst. Bro. Manley related very well with the young people, and they clearly responded as the altar and front seats were lined with those seeking God on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings. How wonderful our Immanuel is to meet with us and assure us of His presence in our midst!
At the time of this writing, we look ahead to our time together on July 22-28, 2024, as we shall gather together for Yearly Meeting at our campgrounds near Muncie, IN. Be praying now for those who will be ministering among us: Paul Stetler, evangelist; and Tim and Julia Cole, song evangelists. Pray that God will once again meet with His people as we intentionally come together to meet with Him!
Our Dis-appointments
Become His-appointments
By Jerry Slaughter
Taken from the Friends Evangel January 1998 issue (Edited)
The letters “dis” form a prefix which means “away from, the reverse of, the undoing of.” The definition of “dis-appointment” is to fail to fulfill the expectations, hope, or desire of someone.
We can probably look back and remember times of heartache and disappointments that were caused by people and circumstances in our lives. Those incidents of disappointment didn’t really feel good, nor did they bring excitement and joy in our lives. We can have peace, joy, and a stronger faith that goes deeper than just being happy when everything is blue skies and mountaintops. These blessings are attained when we learn to believe and practice the reality that our dis-appointments are His-appointments.
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
All things – this goes well beyond the great events of the world. God does control the events of the world, but He controls much more. He rules over all things, all events, and all happenings that occur in the life of the believer. He works all things out for good on behalf of His dear child.
Work together – means to create and eliminate, place and replace, connect and group (like a dot-to-dot puzzle), control and guide, arrange and influence. The words “work together" are also present action, which means that all things are continually working together for good. God is in control of the believer’s life. Daily and moment by moment, God is arranging and rearranging all things for the believer’s good.
There is, however, a limitation on this glorious promise, and it desperately needs to be noted. God works all things out for good only to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. The Greek places “to those who love God” first in the sentence. It reads: “But we know that to those who love God, all things work together for good…” God only looks after the affairs of the person who love Him.
If a man or woman, boy or girl, does not love God, does not place his life into the hands of God, how can God look after him? The choice is ours. We can either turn our lives over to Him in love, or we can continue to take our lives into our own hands.
Remember God does send or allow events and trials to come to us to test our faith and love. One example in the Bible is found in Genesis 22:1-12.
And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
The Lord had asked Abraham to take Isaac as a sacrifice unto the Lord. Abraham’s love was being tested. Did he love the Lord more than he loved Isaac?
God sends events and trials to us that we may learn from them and in turn help and bless others. An example of this is found in Genesis 37. Joseph’s brothers sold him as a slave to the merchants. It was an event in Joseph’s life that caused him many trials. In Genesis 42:36, Jacob said all things were against him, but Joseph saw God’s hand working all things for good as we find in Genesis 45:4-8.
And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
In conclusion, I would like to ask how can we change our dis-appointments to His (God’s) appointments? If we follow the instructions found in Psalm 37:1-7, we have a good chance of seeing those dis-appointments becoming His-appointments.
Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
Another Scripture to look at would be Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not to thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
If we can change our dis-appointments and make them His-appointments, then that which brings dis-couragement becomes His-couragement. Will we purpose to do so today?
Miss Havergal’s Witnessing
Selected
Frances Ridley Havergal was a devoted Christian as well as an accomplished singer and poet. She was a guest at an occasion where many distinguished people, including the king himself, were present. A famous Italian prima donna had been engaged to furnish entertainment for the brilliant audience, and after a number of wonderful renditions, Miss Havergal was asked if she would sing. She paused a moment in uncertainty, then stepped to the piano and performed a most exquisite rendition of a difficult aria from one of Handel’s oratorios. Then even before the applause ceased, she began to sing to her own accompaniment the words of one of her most deeply spiritual poems for which her pen had become so noted:
Oh, Saviour, precious Saviour,
Whom yet unseen we love.
Oh, name of might and favor,
All other names above.
Among the first to congratulate her was the renowned Italian artist who said to her, “You have something I do not have, and I want it.”
Teen View
The Lowly Paper Clip
Selected
Several years ago, an expensive laboratory jet was approaching Edwards Air Force Base in California. When the pilot tried to lower the nose wheel to landing position, it didn’t respond.
The co-pilot ran a quick check and traced the problem. He hunted around for something to bypass the relay and activate the nose gear.
He found a paper clip and bent it so that it bypassed the problem and triggered the nose gear. It worked like a charm, saving the expensive jet, not to mention the crew, from a crash landing.
At that moment, for that special job, the lowly paper clip was more important than the rest of the sophisticated equipment on the plane.
If God wants you at a specific, for a special job, are you willing to be shaped into the solution?
Church News
Union Friends Church
Westfield, IN
Mark Mowery, pastor
Greetings from Union Friends Church! It has been a busy summer for us at Union Meeting. We concluded the school year by celebrating our graduates. We had four who graduated from junior high. Two are part of our youth group, and three have been a part of our Kid’s Club for a few years. We are thrilled to watch them grow both physically and spiritually. We hosted the UBC music group Exaltation and enjoyed having them minister to us before they head out on a busy summer of travels.
We also enjoyed having a CYM Youth choir come and minister to us in song. We were glad to contribute our money and prayers to them as they prepare for their missions trip to Honduras. We trust that they will be a huge blessing there!
We held our annual VBS on June 4-8, and this year’s theme was Operation Arctic. Children learned about God’s creation and plan for them. This year we had 30 children in attendance! We also got to use our new shelter house which was built just in time for VBS.
On June 16, we held a special Youth Rally where Luke Dotson came and spoke to some of our youth who were leaving for Youth Camp the next day. We were able to sponsor 13 youth going to camp this year, and most of them were first time attendees. All praise to God! This is largest group we’ve been able to send to date! All of our youth reported that they were greatly helped at youth camp, though they did admit to coming back feeling a little bit tired.
We are looking forward to other blessings and activities that the Lord has planned for us this summer, and we plan to see you all at Yearly Meeting!
~Nicole Thomas, Correspondent
Randolph Friends Church
Randolph, IN
Jonathan Edwards, Pastor
May is the month when nature seems to “spring up!” While we are certainly enjoying the beautiful spring season, it seems activities were also “springing up” abundantly at Randolph!
On May 6, Pam Brown had surgery to have her cancerous thyroid removed. There has been much concern because of her sickness. The post-op tests confirm that the cancer is gone!
On May 9, our sweet, nearly 102-year-old Evelyn Hendrickson, made her entrance to heaven! We will miss her. A lovely funeral service was held at Randolph honoring a life lived fully and sweetly for Jesus.
May 12 was Mother’s Day! We honored each mother with a gift from Bath and Body Works. We honored three special mothers – Vickie Treutlein, Ally Brinkmann, and Esther Coner. They were gifted with beautiful hydrangea bushes.
On May 14, Sparrow Creek and Randolph hosted a Ladies Banquet held at the STEPS Youth Center with around 70 ladies in attendance. What a wonderful time of food, fun, and fellowship we had together! The theme was “A New Frame of Mind,” and the decor involved picture frames of all sizes and shapes - some even large enough to frame several ladies together for pictures. LuRhe and Angie Edwards shared quick devotionals related to the theme. Having “A New Frame of Mind” basically requires “change” which can be difficult. Some interesting points were considered:
1. Change is Inevitable
2. Change Can Be Uncomfortable
3. Change Does Not Have to Be Paralyzing
4. Change is NOT a Characteristic of God
5. Change is Just a “New Frame!”
On May 15, we held the STEPS Annual Fishing Trip to Paschal’s Pond. God blessed us with a beautiful day to go fishing! We packed our church bus with 70 “noisy” and excited children. Joe and Joanie Paschal fed the children with yummy grilled hot dogs and all the extras. The children were divided up into teams and rotated to different stations every ten minutes. There were three fishing stations, a golf cart ride station which went around the pond and gardens, a water sponge dodgeball station, and a fish feeding on the dock station. The children ended up catching 142 fish! (We do catch and release.) We pray they will grow up to be great “fishers of men!”
May 23 was the last day of STEPS for the school season. God really helped this semester as the theme of the Wordless Book was revised to our Gospel Clubhouse that we built last year at the STEPS. We painted our house the five colors of the Gospel message. The children did wonderfuly learning the scriptures of salvation. As we studied the Acts of the Apostles, the children were taught how to be missionaries. We practiced sharing the Gospel every day. We pray that these children will never forget the truth of God’s Word and His immense love for them!
Pastor J’s wife spoke on three Wednesday nights in May, sharing a “farming” theme, “Rooted and Grounded.” Kenny Coner also shared a Bible Study on a Wednesday night in May. The Pastor enjoyed the break and the people seemed to enjoy the variety as well. We are grateful for the many good sermons from our Pastor and Charlie Stalker. We are a blessed people! Between our services and activities, the CYM Youth Choir has continued to have services ministering to the congregations in our area. God has been providing their needs so abundantly! They were hoping to raise a minimum of $15,000 to cover the plane tickets. The overall goal was $22,000. After Randolph’s service, they went over the top of $22,000!! The youth were shocked and so encouraged! They are counting the days until their trip with eager anticipation!
Congratulations are extended to four graduates among us! Breanna Lavy graduated from Hobe Sound Bible College on May 16. Josiah and Clare Covert graduated from WCHS on June 1. On June 2, Cloie Garn graduated from High School through homeschooling. Randolph hosted a special graduation service for her on Sunday, June 2. In the afternoon, Randolph enjoyed a graduation party honoring all three graduates hosted by their families at the STEPS Youth Center.
On Father’s Day, June 16, yummy Wick’s pie slices were gifted to all of our wonderful fathers. The three fathers we honored this year were Gerald Swingley, Brandon Tolbert, and Ron Thompson. They each received a whole pie. I don’t think they were disappointed!
June 17-21 was CYM Youth Camp. What a great week! Staff testified that everything went smoothly with no real problems or injuries! The Lord surely anointed Bro. John Manley as he ministered to the youth. He doesn’t preach long (which the youth probably like), but in observance he doesn’t waste words. His words are impactful. His style of gentle kindness was compelling as the youth lined the altar many times seeking God, and God met them there! We are looking forward to Central Yearly Meeting starting with a Rally Night on July 21, and evangelistic services starting on July 22-28.
~ LuRhe Edwards, Correspondent
Sparrow Creek Friends Church
Winchester, IN
Daniel Edwards, Pastor
The corn-growing heat and humidity have returned to East Central Indiana as we head into the summer months of 2024. And the conditions just may benefit more than our farm community as several of our young people anticipate a missions trip to steamy Honduras! Our own Bradley Myers, Esther Seely, Tenessa Seely, Timothy Edwards, and Ben Peck, along with Jaelynn and Remington Hatfield, will join others from Randolph Friends to this Central American destination in the next few weeks. While fundraising as a choir to several area churches, tour leader Jesse Edwards assured listeners that among other missionary duties, paint brushes would almost certainly be a major feature in their efforts. Since, thankfully, the financial requirements have been completely met, we will focus our prayers on their safety and God’s direction throughout the trip. No doubt, we can look forward to interesting reports of their experiences and successes when they return.
Readers will likely recall that Sparrow Creek looks forward to an annual visit and word from our local Gideons, and we are always encouraged by the reports of continued growth in their ministry. Our congregation has consistently been faithful to support this worthy cause prayerfully, as well as financially. However, we are very pleased to report a record-setting offering on May 26 for the Gideon’s Bible distribution efforts! We will continue to trust God’s blessing on this important outreach.
As was reported in an earlier report, our own Olivia Covert presented an introductory overview of the “Prayer Station” ministry that she participated in during her time away at school. On June 2, she again led our meeting in a learning session with role playing activity to further prepare for a similar attempt in our community. Of course, it was noted that this activity would be well outside the “comfort zone” for many people, but well worth the effort considering the importance of sharing God’s love to those that might be receptive.
It can be expected at this time of the year for students and their families to celebrate academic milestones and accomplishments. The church family at Sparrow Creek Friends is therefore pleased to present our graduating class of 2024. Won’t you join us in congratulations for: Timothy Edwards, Jaelynn Hatfield, Layton Muncy, and Tenessa Seely! We are looking forward with high expectations for many blessings from God on the next exciting chapters in their lives!
