Two More Weeks!

Hello, Friends.

We only have two more official meetings this year. You don't want to lose the connections with your friends so be sure to exchange contact information so you can keep in touch with each other over the summer.

I posted our schedules for classes and meetings in the fall on these pages. Be sure to check them out.
About Us
International Friends Program

I will open registration for the 2016-2017 year in July.

I am already missing you. Be sure to keep in touch!

International Bible Study: Tuesdays, 9:00-10:30, room 100
We got off track at Bible study by talking about churches and finding a place to worship both in the United States and in our home countries. Here is advice from our class: Churches are a place where imperfect people come to worship; there will be people who do not fit your picture of a Christian person. Churches are an organization of imperfect people, so you won't always agree with the decisions made by the church such as whether there should be a new building or whether more staff should be hired or if carpets need changing. Churches have different styles in which they practice worshiping God, and many of these are a matter of taste:  do you sing songs, what is the the style of music, what instruments should be played, is there stained glass, do you kneel when you pray. These are "things of man" or traditions that give us a sense of belonging and comfort. Churches will have very strong opinions on how and when people are baptized or about how and when to offer holy communion. These particular gifts are given to us in the New Testament but there are not specific descriptions or instructions for how to do these things. Simply put, church traditions dictate how churches do these things in practice. Practices can be negotiable. A deal breaker is if the church does not teach the truth about God that is told to us in the Bible: He loves and cares for us and knows we aren't perfect and that our sins are forgiven through Jesus. God sent His son Jesus to live the perfect life and die in our place. Jesus rose from the dead and He is a living God. God's Holy Spirit is with us and works in us to help us understand the truth about God. If a church does not tell us that we are loved and we are forgiven through Jesus, then we should keep looking.

When we finally read, we found out that the Bible always has the answers. We read Luke 9:46-50 where the disciples argue who is the most important (people not acting like we expect) and Jesus answers them that when you welcome anyone in His name you welcome Jesus. He tells them that the least is the greatest. Then the disciples tell Jesus that they saw a man driving out demons in Jesus' name. They tried to stop the man (who should be doing things and how). Jesus told them "Do not stop him, for whoever is not against you is for you."  And when a town doesn't welcome them, the followers asked Jesus if they should "call down fire from heaven and destroy them". Jesus rebukes the disciples and then they all stay in another town. In all of these cases, we see the downside of people and the upside of God.

May 3, 2016: Let's read Luke 9:57-62
Join Jan and the crew to read and discuss.

International Friends: Tuesdays, 10:30-12:00, room 100
Thank you Maaki for bringing us the supplies and patterns for making Mother's Day cards and book marks. There were so many beautiful results. Our mom's will know we love them! We shopped at the Mexican market on the southwest corner of 96th and Allisonville Roads. Do you have a craving for fresh Mexican breads, tamales, or other foods? This is a close and easy place to shop!

May 3, 2016: Cook and come to the polls
Join the girls for cooking at the church. I am working the polls in the church off of Main Street. Come and seen American polling place. If you are a U.S. citizen with a residence in Indiana, you can vote in this election. Do it! It is your right in Indiana in this primary election to choose a ballot (either Democrat or Republican) and to vote for people in one party. Not every state has the same rules for voting in the primaries.

May 10, 2016: Let's have a closing BBQ.
Let's wrap up the year with a BBQ. I will bring brats for the grill...Bring your favorite BBQ dish to share and a chair.

Conversation: Wednesdays, 4:30-6:00, upstairs classrooms
We celebrated Ashley's Sweet Sixteen birthday. Maaki fulfilled Elizabeth's question about high tea by bringing a beautiful tiered plate of finger sandwiches and scones. Ashley texted her English boyfriend and asked him for the rules for high tea and Elizabeth read them to us (in a lovely British accent). We also looked at them in Japanese and had to translate this practice into American English and understanding. Whew! It is difficult to explain customs of another culture. Did you know that in the United States you should put your napkin folded on the table when you excuse yourself but are returning to the meal? In England you are supposed to leave your napkin on your chair.

May 4, 2016: We will taste delicious Japanese food.

English Classes: Thursdays, 9:30-12:00, upstairs classrooms
I thoroughly enjoyed seeing everyone this week. I enjoyed

May 5, 2016: Join us for our end of the year party CINCO DE MAYO style!
Come for class and then let's celebrate our end of the year and Cinco de Mayo all in one party. Our Conversation is hosting our party this year. Let's wrap up the year in true American (steal a party) style.

May 12, 2016: Our last official class of the year.
Make sure you come for our last class of the year.

____________________________________________________________
loose the connections: not see or hear from someone
exchange contact information: share phone numbers, e-mail addresses, etc.
keep in touch: maintain a relationship with each other
over the summer: during the summer months
check them out: look!
got off track: talked about something that wasn't on the agenda
advice: recommendations from other people
fit your picture of: not what you imagine
style: a particulary way of doing something
practice: a way of living by the customs of a religion
Christian: person who follows the teaching of Jesus
; use a semicolon to connect two sentence ideas into one
matter of taste: what someone likes
stained glass: pictures in windows made of colored glass
organization: group that is formed for a particular purpose
negotiable: open to discussion
simply put: a very basic explanation
dictate: an order to be obeyed; lay down with authority
deal breakers: when things happen that cause you to not follow through with an agreement or relationship
sins: when we do not show love and hurt each other and God
whoever is not against you is for you: anyone who isn't your enemy isn't against you and your goals and is your ally
rebukes: reprimand, scold
downside: bad points
upside: good points
the crew: slang for a group that meets
polls and polling place: where people vote
right: fundamental legal rule owed to people by law
either...or: pick just one
BBQ: bar be que, bar b que, or grilling meat
tiered plate: one plate on top of another separated on a stand
finger sandwiches: small, bite sized sandwiches
Whew!: like wow, an expression that sounds like it looks
customs: traditions put into practice
thoroughly: very much