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Transcript of St. Louis Unitarianfirstuustlouis.org/sites/default/files/2015-12NL.pdf · · 2015-12-11The St....
The St. Louis Unitarian December 2015 Vol. 46 No. 6
Worship, RE and Nursery 10:00 a.m.
DECEMBER 2015 WORSHIP INFORMATION December 6 TBA
Rev. Thomas Perchlik
December 13 —"A Day For Dancing” Rev. Thomas Perchlik
Today our worship will be through the beautiful nine-movement choral work, "A Day for Dancing" by Lloyd Pfautsch, and performed by the First U Choir with several professional musicians. Rev. Thomas will help us draw out the meaning and sacred beauty of life that is embodied in this music.
December 16 - "Winter Solstice Vespers” 7:00 p.m. Rev. Thomas Perchlik
Again did the earth shift; Again did the nights grow long; And the days short. And the people of the earth were glad; and celebrated; each in their own ways." Come be glad and celebrate Winter Solstice and Yule with all your people this holy night in Hope Chapel.
December 20 — "Angels We Have Heard” Rev. Thomas Perchlik
This is our annual Christmas Pageant. People of all ages share in enacting our version of the Birth of Jesus. Each year unique elements are added to the sheep and shepherds, townspeople, centurions, Mary, Joseph and dancing angels . Rev. Thomas will help us listen to the angels again this year.
December 24 —"Christmas Eve Candlelight Services” 4:30 and 6:00 p.m.
Rev. Thomas Perchlik This night we will sing old songs, and traditional words, light warm candles in the darkness, remember the sacred stories and awaken the present hope, born again and again in our hearts, minds and actions.
December 27 —“A Little Lower Than Angels” Brian Mason, Ministerial Intern
The season of Christmas is quickly drawing to an end. The presents have been opened, leftovers fill every rack in the refrigerator, and you’re ready for a nap. All that awaits is a New Year and the rest of winter. So, before the cold envelops you there’s one last thing to do: Have a celebration of childlike proportions!
FAIR TRADE COFFEE SALES
DECEMBER 6 & 20
Dec. 24 & 25
Wonderful Wednesday December
16
SAVE THE
DATES
December 4
Hanging
of the
Greens
April 10, 2016
Church Get
Together
2
MINISTER’S COLUMN
Last year, on the first day of Hanukkah, a
mother gave her son a pair of winter socks.
The second night he made sure to wear them.
That night she gave him two sweaters. The
third night he wore one of the sweaters and
regular socks. ―What,‖ she demanded ―you‘re
too good to wear my socks?‖ Before he could
protest she added, ―And I knew you didn‘t like
the other sweat-
er I gave you!‖
Feeling
gratitude is
more difficult
for some than
others.
I hope you feel
appreciated for
the gifts you
give to First
Unitarian.
Some gifts are
of talents and
time or of crea-
tivity and pres-
ence. Other gifts are more tangible or financial.
Some gifts are immeasurable. Since the
church is made of people, your gifts support
budgeted expenses or church programs and
your giving enriches the lives of each person
who is served, inspired, challenged or
comforted by our shared exploration, worship
and work.
Your annual pledges, and regular financial
gifts, are the economic foundation of this
church. But there are other gifts you could
give which would increase in value over time.
You can give to one of our Endowed Funds
and that gift would give more every year.
For instance, the Norma and David Lewis
Fund was established years ago to support our
Ministerial Internship program. The amount
that comes from this fund has remained fairly
stable but the cost of an internship has
increased. Each year more and more of our
annual pledge money must be used to cover
internship costs. But, if we could increase the
total amount of the
Lewis Fund
principal, then the
amount the fund
gives us each year
would be greater.
In addition to the
Lewis Fund we
have our General
Endowment which
supports many
things. We also
have the Dodson
Fund which
supports
continuing
education for church staff. Also we celebrated
the work of the Community Action
Endowment Fund on November 15.
You don‘t have to wait for your will and estate
to give to these funds. A year-end gift to a
First Unitarian endowed fund will not only get
you a "thank you!" It will add to the religious
lives of hundreds of people, and more, for
years to come.
—Yours in Peace,
Thomas
3
CHURCH PRESIDENT
―Covenant‖ Defined
I was in elementary school the first time I
heard the word ―covenant,‖ courtesy of Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg. As far as
I could tell, the word had something to do with
a big gold box and Nazis and Indiana Jones
asking, ―why did it have to be snakes?‖ It
wasn‘t until later that I learned a ―covenant‖ is
at its heart an agreement between two or more
people. Synonyms include pledge, contract,
promise and – my personal favorite – commitment.
Within my interactions at our church, I define
―covenant‖ as a mutual agreement of how we
want to be together. Putting these thoughts
into writing in easy times provides us with
something to refer to in difficult times, the
same way that making a grocery list at home
when you‘re not hungry will help you stay on
track when you finally make it to the grocery
store at 9:00 p.m. on a Tuesday, when you
haven‘t yet had dinner.
Make no mistake, to ―covenant‖ with one an-
other does not mean that we have to agree. In
fact, a covenant gives us permission and even
encourages us to disagree in a respectful man-
ner. We have a covenant here at First Unitari-
an Church of St. Louis – do you know what it
is?
Covenant of the First Unitarian Church of
St. Louis
We, the congregation of First Unitarian
Church of St. Louis, embrace these principles
to foster a vibrant spiritual community to nourish one another, and return our energy to
the world as we work for justice and peace.
Specifically we promise to:
Welcome and integrate others into conversa-
tions and our community.
Develop an inclusive community by reaching
out and making everyone feel welcome
without regard to affectional or sexual
orientation, age, color, gender identity or
expression, nationality, origin, physical or
mental ability, race, sex, education level,
socioeconomic status, or political perspective,
and without requiring adherence to any
particular interpretation of religion or to any
particular religious belief or creed.
Nurture our individual and shared spiritual
journeys with curiosity, acceptance and
compassion;
Show respect and care for each other in words
and deeds.
Honor our Unitarian Universalist heritage and
values.
Be open to growth and change.
Discover and focus our efforts on what is best
for our church and broader community.
Seek out information about important issues in
our church;
Listen completely with an open heart and
mind, and express ourselves as clearly as
possible, sharing our opinions responsibly and
respectfully, so that we understand each other.
Work through issues and concerns using direct
communication and recognize that differences
and disappointments offer us the opportunity
to deepen our understanding and our
community.
-Continued on page 7-
4
FROM THE CHAIR’S CHAIR
―We unite to provide a hospitable sanctuary, in
this time and place, for seeking the sources of
spiritual strength, enabling people, in the
church and in the world, to work for love,
decency, tolerance, and justice. ―
The above statement is the mission statement
of our church as found on our website. Have
you ever read it? I don‘t think, prior to writing
this, that I ever read
it. Before I go any
further, let me say
that I have conflicted
feelings about mis-
sion statements. I
have read some that
tell me everything
about the ―why‖ be-
hind an organization
and other statements
that are nothing more
than a collection of
important sounding
words. Even if an
organization has a
good mission statement, that company still has
to back it up with their actions. An example of
a mission statement not reflecting the reality
was Enron‘s mission statement which refer-
enced respect and integrity.
Having issued that disclaimer let me talk about
our mission statement. I am not sure that it
truly reflects us, nor our aspirations, as a
church. The way that I read the statement, the
only thing that the church actively does is to
―provide a hospitable sanctuary‖. After that,
everything else falls on the individual and not
the church as a whole. Is that really us?
I, for one, don‘t believe that this mission
statement accurately reflects this church. I
spoke with someone who thought that the real
mission of the church was an educational one.
They cited examples such as the importance of
the Lewis intern, RE program, and the Clark
lectures. They also mentioned our past history
in which we birthed other UU congregations
and served as a home for homeless churches
and synagogues. While I agree with the above
examples, I don‘t know that it can be applied
universally across
the church. I think
of our music pro-
gram when I think
of an area of
opportunity. Up
until this year, we
had the Hope Choir
program for chil-
dren. Surely
helping develop
future singers and
musicians is a po-
tential educational
opportunity?
Is education our mission? I don‘t know. While
we were going through interim ministers, we,
as a congregation, were working towards clari-
fying our identity and our mission—not only
within the confines of these walls—but in the
greater community where our values are so
needed. We did not really finish that work. I
encourage you to think about our mission. If
you have any thoughts on it, please let me
know. In the meantime, I urge everyone to
follow the Golden Rule and be the hospitable
sanctuary.
—Mark Bruns
Church Council Chair
5
TRIP TO TRANSYLVANIA/PARTNER CHURCH NEWS
It's not too late to sign up for the trip to
Transylvania next September! The deadline
to register and to pay the $150 registration
fee is March 31, 2016, so you still have
several months to think it over and to gather
your dollars. Cost of the land travel portion
of the trip, including both Budapest
(Hungary) and Transylvania (Romania), is
$1755 (including the registration fee); ap-
proximate airfare is $1257, for an approxi-
mate total of $3012 per person. So far, six
people have registered, so it's a definite go!
We may also be traveling with a group from
Eliot Chapel, which would be a nice oppor-
tunity to meet people from another congrega-
tion.
All details about the trip are on the First
Church website under ―Partner Church
Committee‖ [firstuustlouis.org > ‖engaging‖
> ―special interest groups‖ > ―Partner Church
Committee‖]. These include the itinerary,
information on how to register, and infor-
mation on Transylvania. In addition, Partner
Church Committee members are currently
available to answer your questions at a table
situated between the coffee sales and the
bookstore nearly every Sunday during the
fellowship/coffee hour after the service.
Several people have expressed concerns over
the refugee crisis in Hungary. Regarding this
situation, I contacted John Dale, who is the
UU Partner Church Council travel
coordinator and who lives in Transylvania
part of the year. This was his reply: ―The
refugee crisis in Hungary seems to be over.
Hungary closed their borders a month ago.
The Croats and Austrians may follow soon.
Even at the height of that it only briefly
impacted Budapest, and then just the train
station. We won't do trains. Next year is
hard to predict, but no one [i.e., refugees]
wants to come to Romania. They are headed
to Germany, Sweden, and the UK. People [in
the States] are in a much larger danger on
their morning commute to work.‖
Upcoming events of the Partner Church
Committee are as follows:
--Sunday, December 13: Partner Church bake
sale
--Sunday, March 13: Partner Church Sunday
--Saturday, March 19 Partner Church dinner
All of these are fundraisers, the funds from
which we use to assist our partner church in
Csokfalva. Besides wonderful food, the
Partner Church dinner this year will include a
lively presentation of Hungarian/Romanian
folk dances.
Attached to this article is a photo of some of
the young people of our partner church in
Csokfalva. There are young people in
Transylvania! It would indeed be wonderful
to have some of our young adults with us on
the trip to Transylvania.
—Gwenne Hickman
6
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
DESIGNATED COLLECTIONS: As a way
of putting our faith into action, we as a church
periodically dedicate one of our collections to a
worthy non-profit or church program. December's
designated collections are the Robert Ford Haitian
Foundation (December 13th), 100 Neediest Cases
(December 24th), and Southside Early Childhood
(December 24th).
The Robert Ford Haitian Orphanage and
School Foundation serves the people of
Grison-Garde, Haiti. It began with the creation of
an orphanage and primary school and has
expanded to include secondary and technical
schools, Elderly Village, wells, meals, and health
care. Education is the key to emerging from
poverty in Haiti. The school takes the holistic
approach — education, clean water, food, and
health care. 100 percent of donated funds go to
projects, and all projects are initiated and
executed by the local community. For years, Lisa
Ross and Jane Hoekelman have been part of
medical trips. Lisa states, " I have seen
tremendous growth in all of the foundation's
projects, both in number of people served and in
types of projects developed. Many of the original
orphans and students are now going to college,
which is very rare in Haiti." Refer
to www.fordhaitianorphanage.org for more
information. This recipient was nominated by
church member Lisa Ross.
With roots that date to 1900,
the 100 Neediest Cases to-
day serves more than 10,000
families each year. Admin-
istered by the United Way,
and with administrative costs
funded by the St. Louis Post
Dispatch and over 100 other social service agen-
cies, 100% of every dollar donated goes to needy
families. Refer to https://
www.stl.unitedway.org/100neediestcases.aspx for
more information. This recipient was nominated
by church member Kimberly Perry.
Founded by Unitarian
women at the turn of
the century,
Southside Early
Childhood Center,
formerly known as SSDN, continues its mission
of serving needy families by providing nurturing
child care and supportive services families. First
Church has had a long relationship with Southside
and many of our members and friends have volun-
teered there. Refer to their website at http://
southside-ecc.org. This recipient was nominated
by church member Gina Hoagland.
First Church Sewing Project
Since June First Church volunteers sewed or
contributed more than 100 tops for individuals
admitted to temporary housing at Gateway 180:
Homelessness Reversed. Our efforts are joined
by those of other area churches to provide
clean, attractive clothing for individuals while
their own clothing items are laundered during
intake. Special thanks from the Social
Responsibility committee to Grace Munie for
donating scrubs top, Susan Morse and all who
contributed to the success of this project.
First Church Food Project
Donated packaged and canned goods (hearty
soups, stews, canned meats, beans, peanut but-
ter, powdered milk) can be left in the Ramp
room to be brought to our neighbors, Central
Reform Congregation and Trinity Episcopal
Food Pantry, for distribution to area needy.
We cannot accept items in glass jars or with
past due expiration dates. We appreciate your
help in ensuring those in need have access to
basic food items.
—Rosemary Lawton
7
Men’s Wellness Ministry
I am organizing an introductory men's
group meeting for Tuesday, December 8
from 7 – 8:30 p.m. At this meeting, I will
outline the basic guidelines for how the
group will be conducted, making use of
my 30 years of experience with the men's
wellness movement, the Mariposa Men‘s
Wellness Institute, and involvement with
a male survivors of incest group and the
men's group at First Unitarian of Albu-
querque from 1987-98.
This first men's group meeting will allow
the attendees to:
discuss where they would like to go
with the group
what kinds of subjects to address (at
least initially)
areas of discussion that are not perti-
nent to a men's group
which day of the week is most com-
fortable for meeting
how often to meet
how to encourage other men in the
congregation to join the group.
All males in the congregation are invited
to attend. If we have (thinking positively)
more than 10 men who wish to participate
[10 being the maximum number per
group, to maximize free-flowing discus-
sion], I'm more than willing to facilitate
multiple sessions. My intention is to open
the men's group process to both males in
our congregation and the other Holy
Ground Collaborative congregations
(assuming they display interest). If you
have any comments, questions or desire
further information, please contact me at
—Donald Jeffries, Chair
Men's Wellness Ministry
-Continued from page 2-
Enhance the work of church staff and
volunteers, offering input yet respecting
their designated roles;
Allow time for discernment without forcing
decisions.
Forgive each other and ourselves when we make
mistakes;
Remind ourselves and each other of these prom-
ises as needed. This covenant, like each individ-
ual and our congregation, is a work in progress.
My ask of each of you this month is to read and reflect on
our covenant and what it means to you. Work to incorpo-
rate it in all of your discussions, and help one another
when someone needs a gentle reminder of how we have
agreed to be with one another. We don‘t have to agree on
anything to be kind to one another.
—Tiffany Sewell
IT’S TIME TO
THINK ABOUT
ORDERING YOUR
HOLIDAY
POINSETTIAS!
Help decorate the sanc-
tuary for the holidays by
purchasing one or more poinsettias. After they
create a festive atmosphere for December ser-
vices, you may take them home for your own
enjoyment anytime after the Christmas Eve
service. Orders must be received by Thursday,
December 3. Contact Dottie Kinscherf via e-
mail at [email protected] or during coffee hour
for more details. Cost is $10 per 6‖ pot, paya-
ble at signup.
8
WOMEN’S ALLIANCE
Tuesday, December 8.
11:00 a.m. Business
Meeting in the Library. 2 Noon, Lunch: Bring
your own sandwich or salad.
1 p.m. Holiday Cookie Bake-Cathy Rezsinski,
Co-Ordinator.
Ready to bake cookies will be furnished at this
cheery event And, as in the past, members/
friends will bake and divide to share.
Tuesday, January 12 11:00 a.m. Business
Meeting
12 Noon Lunch in Fellowship Hall. Please
bring your own sandwich or salad.-Dessert
and coffee are provided.
1:00 p.m. Library The Reverend Thomas
Perchlik will talk. His subject, "As Minister,
Thoughts and Goals for and of the
Church." There will be opportunity for discus-
sion.
Interested women have a standing invitation to
lunch and the program.
Tuesday, January 26 12 Noon, Lunch in
Fellowship Hall. Please bring your own salad
or sandwich. Dessert and coffee will be pro-
vided.1:00 p.m. Library- Lynn Hunt, First Uni-
tarian credentialed Religious Educator, will
talk. Her subject will be "Voices in Religious
Humanism." There will be opportunity for
discussion.
Interested women are always invited to lunch
and the program.
REFRESHING NEWS
The next time you take a refreshing sip from
the new water fountain in Fellowship Hall,
give thanks for the generosity of Doris Pree
and the Women‘s Alliance who provided the
funds for its purchase and installation.
—Judi Crouch
January Blanket Collection
From Sunday, January 3
through Sunday, January
31st, the Social
Responsibility committee
will collect blankets to sup-
ply St. Louis volunteers who check on the
homeless living on the streets during the winter
cold. All donated blankets must be freshly
cleaned and can be left in the Ramp room
outside of Fellowship Hall.
Thank You! Years ago a member of
this church, who is Vice-Chairman of a
local paper company, arranged for his
company to donate paper to the church.
This has been a great gift which the
office staff has acknowledged every
year. This year he is selling the com-
pany, and thus is no longer in charge of
its charitable giving. For this very val-
uable contribution over many years, we
thank Richard Kniep.
9
TOWARD JUSTICE INFORMATION
The Toward Justice Group that was formed in
the wake of the Ferguson events meets on the
first Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm to
discuss racial justice actions in which we can
participate and reform issues for which we
will advocate. The group is a member of the
Don’t Shoot Coalition. We also attend
various education events that are offered in
the metropolitan area and offer education to
congregation and public. If you are interested
in being on the email list for notifications con-
tact Lynn Hunt or you can join our Facebook
group. The next meeting of the group is De-
cember 1st at 7:00pm. Come and join us!
In the last several months members of the
group have: canvassed in Kirkwood in sup-
port of Anti-Bias Police Training State Legis-
lation, attended the Governmental Account-
ability to the Ferguson Commission Report
meeting organized by Metropolitan Congrega-
tions United and follow-up action outside of
St. Louis City Hall, hosted a Don’t Shoot Co-
alition Town Hall on police body cameras,
offered the Whiteness and Racism class, read
the book of poetry ‗Citizen: An American
Lyric‘ by Claudia Rankine, attended a
performance on mass incarceration at the pris-
on in Pacific, MO and sent a letter to Gover-
nor Nixon, Mayor Slay and County Executive
Stenger asking how they plan to implement
the Calls to Action of the Ferguson Com-
mission. We also regularly participate in the
standing meetings of the Don’t Shoot Coali-
tion. Find out more at our December
meeting!
—Lynn Hunt
GROWING OUR FUTURE……
Long Range Planning at First Unitarian Over the past year, the Long Range Planning
Committee has been in discovery mode, listen-
ing to you concerning our future. We have con-
ducted meetings with the leadership, staff, the
various cluster committees, as well as sought
feedback from the congregation. Through our
efforts of assessing our Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities, Threats, and Vision of what we
would like our church to look like in the next 3-
5 years, a number of themes have emerged:
Stewardship
Improve our church governance
Increase our financial resources
Enhance and maintain our facility and site
Community
Engage our community in social change
Recruit and retain new members
Integrate new members
Increase unity and participation
Communicate effectively
Over the next few months, guided by our mis-
sion and values, the committee will be work-
ing with the Board/Council to prioritize goals
and objectives. We will then present and dis-
cuss our recommendations to the congregation
in the spring. Part of our effort has been to
develop a process that will help in creating and
monitoring plans to achieve these goals.
I encourage you to contact me if you have ad-
ditional thoughts and stories to share con-
cerning ―The Kind of Church WE Want to
Be‖
—Larry Dusenbery, Committee Chair
10
LIFESPAN FAITH DEVELOPMENT LYNN HUNT, CREDENTIALED RELIGIOUS EDUCATOR
This is the time of year that we tell ourselves
powerful stories from our religious heritages.
Stories of improbable light and birth. Stories of
hope in the darkest of times. Stories that
recognize despair and longing and, at the same
time, courage and tenderness. That these stories
endure is testament to the importance they still
hold as metaphors to guide us through the troubles
of our personal lives and of those in the world
around us. I hope you find time to enjoy, take
comfort and enliven our living faith tradition in
this time of story. May each of you have a warm
and safe holiday season. Here are some dates and
upcoming programs. –With peace, Lynn Hunt,
Credentialed Religious Educator
For Children and Youth
December 6th – Nifty Gifty – This is our annual
gift making Sunday. Children will come to the
Chapel for lots of fun and creativity. Please bring
shoe boxes to the church for one of the projects
(they can be placed on a shelf in the Ramp Room
leading to Fellowship Hall). Also, remember to
bring a new unwrapped toy on this morning to
support our annual toy drive for Project Ark.
December 6th is the last Sunday we can accept
donations.
The Youth Group will prepare and serve the hot
lunch for hungry people in our community at
Trinity Episcopal Church.
December 13th -- Pageant Scenery Set-Up
(11:15) – All hands on deck to assemble our stage
set for the Pageant!
December 19th – Pageant Rehearsal (9:30 –
noon) – details of the rehearsal will be mailed to
all families.
December 20th – Pageant – Sunday School chil-
dren will present a traditional Christmas Pageant
during the 10:00am service.
December 27th – RE Winter Break – no
classes/child care only
Book Fair – Just in time for your holiday shop-
ping the Religious Education program is once
again holding a Book & Craft Fair with proceeds
supporting our Boston Trip Fund. We will be
offering Beacon Press and Skinner House books
on Sunday mornings December 6th and 13th.
In addition, there will be lovely handmade
jewelry and craft items. As usual you can also
support our own John Learned Library by pur-
chasing one of the books on their wish list. Plan
to support this great sale. All proceeds support
the Boston Trip Fund. This fund supports the 8th
grade Coming of Age class trip to Boston where
they visit sites important to the development of
Unitarianism in America. Many thanks to
Dahven Doctor for once again organizing this
event.
Second Semester
Religious Education Teachers The second semester of Religious Education is approaching and there are several teaching open-ings. Teaching is one of the greatest and funda-mental gifts to the congregation, our children, and the tradition of liberal religion that you can give. It is also one of the best ways to get to know the families in the RE program, develop a closer con-nection with the children and, also, a great way to learn yourself. Look for the sign-up sheet in Fel-lowship Hall or contact Lynn Hunt if you would like to participate. Thanks in advance.
Special Thanks to everyone who has been
teaching in the Sunday School:
Karen Siegrist, Lynda Mueller Drendel, Steve
Wilke, Claire Weichselbaum, Kathy Wilke, Dan
Wilke, Danielle Kozemczak, Joel Minor, Shan-
non O’Boyle, Janet Oriatti, Tara Perry, Jon
Fisher, Kevin Pumm, Sarah Francois, Brian
Mason, Laurel Heddens-Kocher, Heidi Meister,
Vicky Goodwind, Sara Park, and Ben
Rosensweig
It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve
with all of you.
11
For All
Project Ark is committed to providing
services that enhance the lives of children,
youth, young adults, women and families
infected, affected and at risk for HIV disease
through coordination of medical care, social
support and prevention services. They are the
only organization in the St. Louis metropolitan
area that specifically coordinates medical care,
social support and prevention services for these
population groups. You can support this or-
ganization’s holiday toy distribution project
by bringing in a new, unwrapped toy for a
child between the ages of one and fourteen.
We can accept donations through December
6th.
Wonderful Wednesday Solstice Celebration
with ERDE, December 16th –
Join ERDE (Earth Reverence Dedicants Ex-
traordinaire) in celebrating the Winter Solstice,
the time of the longest nights and the rebirth of
the Sun. Meet in the chapel at 7:00 p.m. We
will release what we're ready to be let go of,
and offer up our heartfelt wishes for the future.
All ages are welcome. If weather permits we
might be outside part of the time, so please
dress for the weather! (Please note – bring your
own meal to enjoy with others from 6:00 –
6:45pm prior to the Winter Solstice celebra-
tion.) Bring cookies to share with one anoth-
er after the service.
For Adults
Covenant Groups In Covenant Groups people come together in a cir-
cle of trust, in covenant, to be in right relation with
one another with respect and care. We cultivate
deep listening as each person takes a turn in a kind
of sacred space to express what stirs in them about
the topic of the session. The careful listening en-
riches the lively back and forth interchange that
follows. If you would like more information about
joining a group you can: sign up in Fellowship
Hall, call the Faith Development Office (314-361-
0595 ext 25) or send a message through the website
(http://www.firstuustlouis.org/engaging/covenant-
groups).
Great Books – Please note that Great Books will
not meet in December. The group will have their
discussion of Antony & Cleopatra in January at
United Provisions in the Loop.
Buddhism Book Discussion Group Second Tuesday of the month (December 8th –
6:30 – 8:00pm)
Want to learn more about Buddhism? Have you
read about Buddhism and would love to discuss the
concepts with others? We are partnering with The
Pragmatic Buddhist group (that meets on Thursday
evenings) with a Buddhism book discussion group.
The December selection is
Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of
Happiness, Love, and Wisdom
(ISBN-10: 1572246952 or ISBN-13: 978-
1572246959)
If you change your brain, you can change your life.
Great teachers like the Buddha, Jesus, Moses, Mo-
hammed, and Gandhi were all born with brains built
essentially like anyone else‘s—and then they
changed their brains in ways that changed the
world. Science is now revealing how the flow of
thoughts actually sculpts the brain, and more and
more, we are learning that it's possible to
-continued on page 15-
12
From the Stewardship Corner: a monthly column by our members and
friends on topics related to nurturing, sus-
taining and growing our church communi-
ty
The True Story of Doug, the Miracle Tree
Once in recent times a newlywed couple
bought a Douglas fir to grace their home for
the Christmas season. They placed angel and
star ornaments on it to remind them of the
story of the birth of Jesus. They put icicles on
it to remind them that the cold, dark winter is
still beautiful. They put Santa on it because
they loved giving and receiving gifts. As they
decorated their tree they decided it must have
a name. They called him Doug.
Anyone who has had a real Christmas tree
knows it must be watered every day for as
long as it will drink. It is an easy-to-forget
chore with all the excitement of Christmas.
But the young couple thought of Doug more
as a pet than a decoration. They watered him
faithfully. They worried, though, that one day
he would stop taking water. Christmas would
be over and Doug too would have to go.
New Years passed and Doug kept drinking
all the water they gave him. One day the
couple noticed that Doug had new branches
with bright green needles. They were excited
to learn they could grow new trees from those
branches. Soon they had lovely Douglas Firs
growing in their yard, and they grow there
still, keeping the Christmas spirit alive all
year.
First Unitarian Church is my Doug, the
Christmas tree. Like the newlyweds watering
Doug, I nourish my church with a sustaining
pledge. I came to church seeking help to
share my faith traditions with my son and
to find my own beauty and grace in cold,
dark times. Now I see my son and his peers
live the values they learned at church. And
as I stand in this community that is stand-
ing on the side of love, I am always finding
beauty and grace. My joy in giving is in-
creased by the unexpected new growth that
I receive in return.
—Sarah Dashner
Church Canvass Team
Money Matters We are almost at the
half-way point in our
present fiscal year
and First Church‘s
Canvass Team is
working with other church leadership to
identify needs and goals for the 2016-17
year. The Team now meets twice monthly
to reflect and plan for our all church canvass
which formally kicks off on March 10 and
ends with an all church event on April
10th.
In the next weeks and months, the Team
is hosting a series of reflections in the news-
letter and pulpit on all that First Church of-
fers its members and friends and its meaning
in our lives. Team meetings are open to all;
our next scheduled meetings are November
22 and December 5th at 11:30 am in room
C1. The Canvass Team may be contacted
with your comments and suggestions at:
[email protected]. We welcome
hearing from you.
—Jeanette Myers
13
Public Relations & Marketing Committee
With the holidays coming soon, now is a
great time to add to your gift lists with mer-
chandise from the PR & Marketing Commit-
tee. We have many different kinds of First
Unitarian of St. Louis ‗branded‘ apparel for
sale.
In addition to our regular stock of short-
sleeved t-shirts, baseball-style hats, coffee
mugs, and window decals, we‘ve recently
added long-sleeved t-shirts and hooded sweat-
shirts (great for those cold winter days!),
book backpacks, and canvas shopping bags (a
great way to display the church when you‘re
out shopping). We now order all items on an
‗as needed‘ basis, so if it‘s not in-stock, we
can have it to you within a week.
Drop by the PR & Marketing Committee ta-
ble in Fellowship Hall in November & De-
cember to purchase these great First Church
‗branded‘ items for all the people on your
holiday gift list!! —Donald Jeffries, Chair
John Learned Library
at the RE Book and Craft Fair
this December!
When the Religious Education program holds its
Book & Craft Fair in early December, you can
triple dip in holiday fun!
-Buy a book published by Skinner House or Bea-
con Press (publishers of the UUA).
-Support the Boston Trip Fund, since this is a
fundraiser for the 8th grade class trip.
-Support the John Learned Library by buying one
of the books from our Wish List and donating it
to the church library. These are books that have
been pre-approved by the library committee.
Budget constraints this year mean that we have
funds to buy only a very limited number of books
to add to the collection, but you can help! A book
plate will be placed in each donated book in hon-
or of the donor.
We‘ve chosen seven books for our Wish List:
1.Listening Hearts, by Christine Robinson and
Alicia Hawkins
2.Gatherings, by Bill Hamilton-Holway and To-
ny Bushman
3.A Dream Too Wild, edited by Barry M. An-
drews
4.Thoreau as Spiritual Guide, by Barry M. An-
drews
5.Voices from the Margins, edited by Jacqui
James and Mark Morrison-Reed
6.A God That Could Be Real, by Nancy Ellen
Abrams
7. A History of Religion in 5½ Objects, by S.
Brent Plate
We invite you to explore the John Learned Li-
brary on Sunday mornings. You can browse the
general collection and our New Books shelves,
then take a look at our displays on Race & Diver-
sity, Buddhism & Meditation, Leadership Re-
sources, Sermon Resources, and Unitarian Uni-
versalism. A library committee member is availa-
ble to help you.
—Terry Yokota
14
The Holidays are Upon us.....
...And as in years past,
we will take up a collection for monetary Christmas gifts for our
hourly and contracted staff members:
Augie Underwood,
Rhonda Buergler,
Elliott Smith,
Mary Thompson,
Ashley Cox, and
Connie Taylor
as well as our parking
lot security guard.
A collection box will be at the
Sign Up Table in Fellowship Hall through
December 13th.
Contributions can also be
mailed to the church office,
Attn: Yvette Clemons
Or
Call Mary in the church office or visit the church website
to use your credit card!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!
From the office staff
15
100 Women STL - Invitation for the women of First Unitarian Church: Amanda Kracen
and Teresa Deshields have formed a local
chapter of 100 Women Who Care, a
charitable giving organization with the goal of
supporting local charities. The group meets
four times per year to hear about three local
charities. Members then vote to select one
charity, and each member writes a $100 check
to the selected charity. Thus, while the total
commitment per member is $400 per year, by
combining our efforts the selected charity gets
a substantial gift. The next meeting is Mon-
day December 7 @ 7:15 pm. If you are
interested or have questions, contact Amanda
([email protected]) or Teresa
—Teresa Deshields
Poetry in the Bible Mondays January 11, 18, 25 and February
1, 8 | 6:00-7:30 | Clark Room
This informal course will look at poetry in the
Hebrew Bible, specifically in some of the
Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and The Song of Songs
(and maybe Genesis, Isaiah, and Job, too).
Participants will learn to identify some of the
forms, structures, and dynamics of biblical
poetry. This exploration is meant to be in-
formative, but more than that it will be fun!
Along the way we will learn the Aleph Bet,
explore ancient cultures, and meet some an-
cient poets whose hearts and minds continue
to shape modern artistry to this very day!
Presented by Brian Mason, Ministerial In-
tern– Sign-Up in Fellowship Hall.
-continued from page 11-
strengthen positive brain states.
By combining breakthroughs in neuroscience
with insights from thousands of years of
mindfulness practice, you too can use your
mind to shape your brain for greater happi-
ness, love, and wisdom. This book presents
an unprecedented intersection of psychology,
neurology, and contemplative practice, and is
filled with practical tools and skills that you
can use every day to tap the unused potential
of your brain and rewire it over time for
greater well-being and peace of mind
Left Bank Books has created a website for the
discussion group, with a link to purchase the
book. They'll also stock the book, so folks can
head to the bookstore to buy it, if they'd
like: www.left-bank.com/buddhist-book-club
Sign-up in Fellowship Hall to receive more
information about this group.
Everything you wanted to know about church finances but were afraid to ask! Sunday December 6th
11:30 – 12:30 in Hope Chapel
Please join members of the Finance Committee
at our first program to help raise members‘
awareness and understand of church financial
workings. We'll try to make it understandable
and interesting. We will look at where the
church‘s money comes from and where it goes,
and especially on how it helps support our wor-
ship and ministerial services.
The meeting will run about 40 minutes with 20
minutes available for questions, answers and
discussion. Hope to see you there!
—Steve Smidowicz
Finance Committee Chair
16
RECYCLING
Don‘t
forget....the
church
belongs to a
recycling
program with Quill, our
office supply company.
The church receives rebates
for recycling inkjet
cartridges. Recycle bins are
found in the copy area of
the church office.
DON’T FORGET TO LIKE US, FOLLOW US
AND CHECK-IN ON
OPPORTUNITIES FOR FITNESS: BODY, MIND AND SOUL....
QIGONG OFFERED AT FIRST UU Qigong combines mindful, gentle,
physical postures and movements
with meditation, breath-work,
sounds (mantras) and self-massage
techniques to revitalize your Vital
Life Force energies and to
enhance physical, emotional,
mental, and spiritual healing.
Qigong techniques help to dissolve
accumulated stress and fatigue,
increase energy, and strengthen the immune system.
Accumulated daily practice of Qigong movements and
meditation build up a storehouse of Qi energy and also lead to
enhanced concentration, improved mental focus, and greater
intuitive functioning.
Hour long Qigong classes on Tuesdays
at 2pm in Hope Chapel.
These are pay-as-you-can classes.
TOASTMASTERS CLUB Join us each first and third Sunday at 7 p.m.
in the Clark Room. For information contact
Stan Veyhl at (314) 863-3229 or
17
DO YOU SHOP ON-LINE? When making your on-line purchases be
sure to log on to GoodSearch.com. Search
for your items through Good Search, each
search earns money for First Unitarian
Church. The potential is SO MUCH
higher...cost to you...ZERO!
Simply go to the GoodSearch
website, log-on and input ―First Unitarian
Church of St. Louis‖ into the field that asks
for what group you want to support. It‘s
that easy.
It‘s a free and easy way to raise money for
our church and get some of your shopping
finished.
Each month, GoodSearch sends the church a
check!
Don‘t forget to use your eScrip card when
shopping at Schnucks. The church receives
a percentage each time you shop. Don‘t
have an eScrip Card? Stop by the sign-up
table in Fellowship Hall and pick up one
this Sunday. Simply register on-line and
you are ready to earn money for First
Unitarian Church.
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS ALICIA CLAIRE LLOYD
10-25-15
SUSAN NOVAK-TIBBETT
11-15-15
SUSAN FAZIO
11-22-15
ROAD TO MEMBERSHIP
Anyone who wishes to join our
congregation as a member
may sign the
membership book on the last
Sunday of each month
shortly after the service.
The minister or a board officer
(President, Church Council Chair,
Secretary or Treasurer)
will meet you on the
Sanctuary chancel.
We welcome you to our religious
community
18
MEMORIALS AND SPECIAL GIFTS TO THE CHURCH
THANK YOU FOR THE FOLLOWING SPECIAL DONATIONS:
A total of $379.56 was donated to our
Designated Collections on October 25
for UU-UNO. On November 1
UNICEF received $222.48 and on
November 8 Men‘s Wellness Ministry
received $434.00. $400 was donated to
the Memorial Fund in memory of
Nick Detering.
JOYS AND CONCERNS FROM NOVEMBER 2015
Let us keep in our minds all in our church
who live and struggle to heal from illness and
surgery, and let us remember all who have
family members who are ill or who have
died.
—Congratulations to new members, Eric
and Jessica Boswell on the birth of their 6lb
4oz –20 inches baby boy, Bennett John Bos-
well, born September 22 at 12:36 pm.
—Please send well wishes to Carol Iglauer
who broke her heel.
—Lynn Hunt’s, Religious Educator, mother
-in-law, Rose King, died on Sunday, October
25 after being diagnosed with a terminal
illness two months ago. Services were held
at Hoffmeister Mortuary Thursday, October
29, 2015.
—Mimi Hubert is recovering at home and
feeling stronger after a recent stay at Mercy
hospital. We send all good wishes for a
steady recovery.
—Danny Milam, had surgery for prostate
cancer on 11/9/15. Surgery went well and he
is recuperating at home.
A Bike Ride For Sound
Our November bicycle ride fundraiser raised
$650 to help fund our much needed sound
system upgrade.
A big thank you to those who enjoyed a fun
ride on Madison County Trail System and to
those who contributed.
—Charlie Kindleberger, Chair
Inventory Reduction Sale
Feasts and Festivals committee presents its
first inventory reduction sale on Sunday,
November 29 starting at 9am. Items for
sale will include beautifully decorated
Christmas wreaths, tablecloths, battery-
operated and wax candles, Christmas bows
and assorted gently-used decorations from
previous events.
All proceeds will go towards funding a
Christmas tree for Hanging of the Greens!
Bring your cash or checks and prepare
to pick this fun collection!
19
CALENDAR AT A GLANCE
Please keep in mind that the calendar is updated daily
and does not show outside rentals. Refer to the Web
Site calendar for up-to-date information.
Tuesday, December 1 2:00 p.m. - Qigong Class (CH) 7:00 p.m. - First UU of St. Louis Buddhist (CH) 7:00 p.m. - Toward Justice (CLK)
Wednesday, December 2 6:00 p.m. - Long Range Planning Committee, C1 7:00 p.m. - Worship Committee, Library 7:30 p.m. - Choir Rehearsal
Thursday, December 3 5:00 p.m. - Facilities Meeting, C1 6:00 p.m. - Hanging of the Greens setup 6:30 p.m. - Center for Pragmatic Buddhism, Chapel
Friday, December 4 4:00 p.m. - Hanging of the Greens setup 6:00 p.m. - Hinging of the Greens (DR, S, FH)
Saturday, December 5 9:30 a.m. - CRC (All Rooms) 9:30 a.m. - Moppet Swap (CLK)
Sunday, December 6 Fair Trade Coffee Sales/Youth Group Trinity Hot Lunch/Nifty Gifty 10:00 a.m. - Worship Service (S) 11:15 a.m. - Book Fair, C1 11:15 a.m. - New to First U Covenant Group, C8 11:30 a.m. - Everything You Wanted to Know About Church Finances, (CH) 11:30 a.m. - Whiteness and Racism Adult Ed. (DR)
Tuesday, December 8 11:00 a.m.- Women’s Alliance 2:00 p.m. - Qigong Class (CH) 6:30 p.m. - Policy Board Meeting (C1) 6:30 p.m. - Buddhist Book Discussion Group (CH) 7:00 p.m. - Men’s Wellness Ministry (CLK)
Wednesday, December 9 7:30 p.m. - Choir Rehearsal
Saturday, December 12 9:30 a.m. - CRC (All Rooms)
Sunday, December 13 Newsletter Deadline/Designated Collection: Robert Ford Haitian Foundation/Fair Trade Coffee/Partner Church Bake Sale/Music Sunday 9:00 a.m. - Sandwich Making for the Homeless 11:15 a.m. - Knitting Ministry (C8) 10:00 a.m. - Worship Service (S) 11:15 a.m. - Pageant Scenery 11:30 a.m. - Covenant Group (C8) 11:30 a.m. - Whiteness and Racism Class (CLK)
Tuesday, December 15 2:00 p.m. - Qigong Class (CH) 6:30 p.m. - Finance Committee (C1)
Wednesday, December 16 6:00 p.m. - Wonderful Wednesday 7:30 p.m. - Choir Rehearsal
Saturday, December 19 9:00 a.m. - Pageant Rehearsal
Sunday, December 20 Fair Trade Coffee/Pageant 10:00 a.m. - Worship Service (S) 11:30 a.m. - Covenant Group (C8) 11:30 a.m. - Emily-Jeremy Colton Covenant Gr. (C7) 7:00 p.m. - Toastmasters (CLK)
Tuesday, December 22 9:30 a.m. - Newsletter Folding (C1) 2:00 p.m. - Qigong Class (CH) 6:30 p.m. - Church Council Meeting (C1)
Wednesday, December 23 7:30 p.m. - Choir Rehearsal
Thursday, December 24 Church Office Closed– Christmas Designated Collection: 100 Neediest Cases/South Side Early Childhood 4:30 p.m. & 6:00 p.m.- Worship Service (S) Thursday, December 25 6:00 p.m. - Young Adult Vespers & Fellowship (CH)
Sunday, December 27 9:00 a.m. - Sandwich Making for the Homeless 10:00 a.m. - Worship Service (S)
Tuesday, December 29 2:00 p.m. - Qigong Class (CH)
Wednesday, December 30 7:30 p.m. - Choir Rehearsal
For updates to the church calendar visit firstuustlouis.org
20
www.UUSTL.org
Member, Unitarian Universalist Association
The St. Louis Unitarian Volume 46, Number 6
December 2015 December newsletter deadline: December 13
Fold: December 22 @ 9:30 a.m. Submit news to [email protected]
(314) 361-0595/96 • fax: (314) 361-0712
Minister
Rev. Thomas Perchlik
ext. 22
Ministerial Intern
Brian Mason
ext. 24
Religious Education Team
Lynn Hunt, Credentialed Religious Educator
ext. 25
Rhonda Buergler, Sunday Assistant
Augustine Underwood, RE, Admin. Assistant
Music Team
Joel Knapp, Choir/Music Director
Earl Naylor, Organist/Accompanist
Administrative Team
Yvette Clemons, Church Administrator
ext. 23
Membership
Dan Livengood, Membership Coordinator
Mary Thompson, Sunday Sexton
Elliott Smith,/Constance Taylor Custodian
Donald Jeffries, Newsletter Proofreader
Office Hours Mon — Fri. 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday Closed
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