Debbie Hejl

Debbie Hejl is a busy woman. She teaches and chairs the history department at an Indianapolis high school; she has three grown children; and she is active in her meeting. This does not leave her a lot of time to devote to FCNL, but she manages to carry its mission into her life, making time for it among her many commitments.

Debbie says she finds space for FCNL's work by practicing her faith in action, living her life as a witness to peace and social justice while going about her daily routine. For her, peace and social justice work came first, and these led her to the Friends. When Debbie and her husband decided to start a family, she says, they found the Friends to be the most honorable faith community in which to raise their children.

Now Debbie continues her work with the peace movement through her meeting. She is the FCNL Contact for the Indianapolis 1st Friends Meeting, as well as the chair of its Service and Witness Committee. She finds that she can use FCNL's work to educate new members of her meeting about Friends' dedication to peace, and she was thrilled to invite FCNL Executive Secretary Joe Volk to talk to a group of young adult Friends last year. Debbie is an example of how to quietly integrate FCNL's mission into the other obligations clamoring for our time.