WE'RE BACK!

Hello everyone!

We are back from one of the greatest experiences I've ever had at a Yearly Meeting Session! The focus on it all and the theme was "God has a Dream". We heard wonderful messages from Jan Wood from Northwest Yearly Meeting speak to the depth of our hearts. The main focus of the Sessions was Worship and uplifting each other. A very different experience than I've seen in a long time. We were blessed with beautiful music from Jan Crouch (this is a man) from Farmland, Indiana who has a real gift at the piano. He has quite a story and Paulette and I got well acquainted with him while there. He has agreed to come and minister to us through his gift of music sometime in August on a Sunday morning. You won't want to miss this when he comes!

We were so welcomed into Indiana Yearly Meeting and over and over again we were told that Hinkle was a breath of fresh air in the Yearly Meeting. We haven't grasped that yet, but apparently it is true! We were hugged and loved on like I've never experienced before. I'm guessing that we will have visitors from time to time from Indiana Yearly Meeting Churches that want to know who we are and get acquainted with us. I certainly welcome any of them to come and worship with us. We were also blessed with beautiful music from a trio of men from the Westfield Union Bible College and we hosted the President of that college and his wife along with the Superintendent of Central Yearly Meeting and his wife. Union Friends in Westfield is under the care of Central Yearly Meeting.

We received word while there, that Western Yearly Meeting approved in session to release the Beryl Baliff fund to Indiana Yearly Meeting's endowment so it can continue to do what Beryl requested in her will. Praise God that this issue is finally settled.

God has truly blessed Hinkle along with Westfield to open the door and allow us to be a part of this great organization. I look forward to many interactions with them and hope you will become interested in them as well.

As soon as I know the date that Jan Crouch can come, I'll be sure to make an advance announcement and request that you invite someone to come and be blessed by his ministry.

Remember that starting the evening of August 3rd, at 6:30 p.m. - Doug Shoemaker will be coming to teach a series to us on Quakerism and Indiana Yearly Meeting. After talking to Doug while there, we agreed we should open this up to Westfield Friends as well, so we are looking to host Friends from Westfield Meeting to go through this course of study. I pray the Lord will speak to your heart about coming to support and learn during this special time together with Doug. He is excited about being with us and sharing this curriculum.

Looking forward to seeing you all on Sunday! Have a great week!!

Bob