The St. Louis Unitarian February 2016 Vol. 46 No. 8

Worship, RE and Nursery 10:00 a.m.

FEBRUARY 2016 WORSHIP INFORMATION February 7 — ”Doxology”

Rev. Thomas Perchlik The beginning of each of our Sundays includes a little song we call the "doxology". Is it a version of Christian and Jewish practice, or is it a sub-version of those practices? What, other than habit, inspires this liturgical element? What is our doxology and what should it be?

February 10— "Ash Wednesday”

Brian Mason Vespers

Does this ancient ritual of ashes emphasize "inherent worth" or "human depravity"? Do we have a need for salvation if we affirm the universal hope of Universalism? Does Lenten depravation help us enjoy life more fully and live more meaningfully? Come affirm limits and hope in this half-hour vespers service.

February 14 —"Secrets”

Rev. Thomas Perchlik A popular song by Mary Lambert extolls the virtue of being honest about who

and what you are. Some say the greatest love requires complete honesty. But is

there a difference between keeping secrets and being polite? What does it mean

to accept a person as they are, and encourage them to spiritual growth?

February 21 - "The Gryphon and the Friend”

Rev. Thomas Perchlik Why do we sleep each night and why do we dream? Is sleep a needed interruption or is there work to do in dreamland? Warren Zevon once sang "I'll sleep when I'm dead". What is the theology and hope of sleep?

February 28 — TBA Brian Mason, Ministerial Intern

I'm not a fan of being wrong, nor am I a fan of the guilt and regret that come with being wrong. Truth be told, I'm no stranger to either. But saying "I'm sorry" and living responsibly with guilt and regret, in equal measure to our achievements and passions, are what come define our lives. We live in a culture that tries its best overlook our shortcomings and mistakes, offering us limitless modes of self-help and distraction. But inside our hearts and minds most of us carry the good and the bad. Can we be thankful for our weaknesses and regrets?

FAIR TRADE COF-

FEE SALES

FEBRUARY 21

Save the Date Clark Lecture

Page 5

March 6 at 7pm

Unfish Fry March 11

April 10

Church

2

MINISTER’S COLUMN

We have moved into the banner-less season. You may

have noticed that the decor in our sanctuary changes

with the seasons. It begins with the flowers of Easter.

These last through the warm days until replaced by

the turning colors of autumn leaves. December is a

season of bright banners. Then, the space above our

heads is empty, open and waiting. Winter is a

powerful time. As the UU, Greta Crosby wrote.;

"Let us not wish away the winter.

It is a season it itself,

Not simply the way to spring.

When trees rest, growing no leaves, gathering no light,

They let in sky and trace themselves delicately against dawns and sunsets."

In winter, are we open, or closed away like a hibernating bear? February, in the northern parts

of our globe, is known as the "dead of winter". But for many it is not dead but full of busy

activity. In our country, February contains several holidays including: Groundhog Day, Imbolc,

Candlemas, Presidents Day, Valentine‘s Day, and (in most years) Ash Wednesday. It is a rich

mix of the sacred and secular.

Some of us in this church, observe Lent. We consider our mortality and our limits on Ash

Wednesday, and practice some self control for a month, along with many Christians. For us it

is one more way to celebrate life and find the blessings of the spirit. One year Ramadan came

at the same time of year, and so a UU friend of mine joined with the Muslims in their fasting

and prayer. Going without banners in the sanctuary can be like fasting of a sort.

With banners or without, whether in chocolate hearts or fasting, whether with groundhogs or

wintering birds, I hope this February is rich with meaning and Love for you

—Yours in Peace,

3

CHURCH PRESIDENT

Why I Love First U

It‘s February – among other

things, the month of Valentine‘s

Day. I wanted to take this column

to give you a brief (surprising, I

know) explanation of why I love

First U, and why I love being

Policy Board President.

I belong.

This community has given me a

spiritual home I never expected to

find. I love coming to church to

see friends and meet new people. I

love that my opinions count just as much as everyone else‘s. I appreciate that no one tries to

tell me what spiritual path I should be walking; they support me in the path I choose. I love

that, in this church, I have found people with similar opinions on faith, spirituality and social

justice.

I am valued.

The church community supports me, both as a member and as the Policy Board President.

Members and friends acknowledge me, both as an individual and when I am performing a

service to the church, such as ushering or counting donut money at the end of coffee hour. I

have been approached and recognized for ―doing a good job,‖ and I have been asked by many

individuals what they can do to support me. Without this, my role as President would not be

nearly as much fun as it is.

I make a difference.

I love talking to people at church – members, friends, visitors, adults, kids – it doesn‘t matter

who they are. I enjoy listening to people‘s ideas and sharing my own, and above all I love

feeling that I have made a difference. Whether it‘s helping to plant a tree, witnessing on the

corner in honor of MLK day, or facilitating a Board meeting; I know that my work matters to

our church and, most importantly, it matters to me.

Those are my personal reasons, and this February I ask you to consider: why do you love First

U?

—Tiffany Sewell

4

INTERN BLESSINGS

Of the perhaps dozen interns we have

experienced in our twenty five years at First

Church, several have been particularly

memorable for me.

The first was Bev Duncan (1990-91). She led

an adult class called "The Haunting Church."

Among the participants was a couple in St.

Louis awaiting a double lung transplant to

extend the life of the husband who had cystic

fibrosis. As a group we sustained and

supported this couple throughout the long

time of waiting and the surgery which the

patient unfortunately did not survive.

Another intern, Amanda Aiken, won prizes

for her excellent sermons. Her presence

brought in a number of openly lesbian and

gay members, perhaps beginning what be-

came the "welcoming church" initiative.

Danny Reed's internship was so successful

that we called him to serve as our associate

minister. Jody Cohen, a pagan, may have

planted seeds that germinated into the "Green

Sanctuary" program.

Daniel Kantor brought us in touch with

eastern spiritual practices, not only in his

sermons, but in the example of his life. "

Buddhist Study" and "Meditation" are now

part of our adult RE programming. Scott

Lewis wanted to improve his singing voice.

Most weeks we spent an hour together in

singing and conversation. Before he left he

sang in my student recital.

More recently some members dealing with

difficult life challenges benefited from the

pastoral care and chaplaincy skills of Cecelia

Owen.

Among Rose Schwab's many gifts, I relished

her sermons that reframed received wisdom

from the Old Testament.

Brian Mason? Each of us can supply a

quality of his presence we find especially

meaningful.

An intern is somewhat like a Rose of Sharon

plant. One can purchase one of these for a

modest sum. It grows very quickly. It does not

require coddling or much special attention.

After a season or two it is covered with lovely

long lasting blossoms which turn into seed pods.

In a few seasons its seedlings will be plentiful

enough to edge the east or west border of your

lot. An intern is a relatively low-cost staff

member for a year. He or she grows very

quickly in the course of a year, shares his or her

plenteous gifts over a full church year, and

leaves behind seeds that germinate and spread

long after his or her departure. Over the years

we have launched the careers of some of the

denomination's great leaders.

Collectively, I believe the intern program of our

church benefits our congregation by speaking

to and relating well to the younger people who

come here looking for a church home. Interns

remind all of us that the church and world our

children and grandchildren will inhabit are not

the church and world we have cherished and are

accustomed to. Interns bring energy, fresh

perspectives, an optimistic approach to the

future, a vision of what may be possible. They

remind us all that our religious tradition is not

determined by past practice dictated centuries

ago. It is dynamic and ever evolving. We

respect and honor our past but trust the unfolding

future more.

Our interns are supported by the income from

the David and Norma Intern Endowment. The

generosity and vision of the Lewis family has

helped us launch the careers of gifted young

ministers who will contribute to a healthy,

vibrant future for our Unitarian-Universalist

churches.

—Jeanette Myers

5

Save the Date: Sunday - March 6 at 7 p.m. with reception following the lecture

Theresa Carrington, a TED Gateway Arch

presenter, is founder and Executive Director of

The Blessing Basket Project (BBP), a social

enterprise with a global reach. BBP's financial

model creates best practices to alleviate severe

poverty throughout the world. The success and

value of BBP has been recognized by many

organizations including Washington

University, which has studied the BBP model

for poverty reduction; and The Missouri

Botanical Gardens, which asked BBP

for assistance in preserving forests

in Madagascar by developing alternative

earned income paths for the people who live

there.

Theresa is a passionate and dynamic speaker.

Her stories are filled with inspiration and

humor. She's the driving force behind (and in

front of) what is becoming one of the best

evidenced-based ways to end severe

poverty. This is a "Do Not Miss" event!

—John Knoll

FLOWERS NEEDED FOR SUNDAY SERVICES

There are still many open dates to donate

flowers for Sunday services this year. If you

are interested in helping to beautify the

sanctuary for an upcoming Sunday service

while honoring a special person or occasion in

your life, please contact Dottie Kinscherf either

by e-mail (dottiek@att.net) or phone

(314-727-0740).

LGBT Covenant Group

Sign up on the interest sheet in fellowship hall

if you're interested in joining a newly forming

LGBT covenant group! Covenant groups are a

great way to share with others and explore our

UU faith and a safe space to discuss where our

experiences have been similar or different. Ex-

plore spiritual and ethical topics in small group

ministry with an LGBT flavor. If there seems

to be interest, we are hoping to start meeting

this spring. Facilitators: Alicia Lloyd

(alicia.c.lloyd@gmail.com) and

Meghan Garvey (mgarvey11@gmail.com).

Please contact them with questions.

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. February's designated

collections are Interfaith Partnership

(February 14, 2016) and Vision for

Children at Risk (February 28,2016).

The Interfaith Partnership

is an organization of St.

Louis congregations of

many faiths that meet for

discussion and fellow-

ship. "As communities of

faith, we agree to differ,

promise to love, and unite to

serve." Their website is http://

www.interfaithstl.org. This recipient was

nominated by Reverend Thomas

Perchlik.

Vision for

Children at Risk

(VCR) has

promoted the

interests of at-

risk children in the St. Louis region for

the last 25 years or so. There are three

components to its mis-

sion: Research which has tradition nally

taken the form of aggregating and ana-

lyzing statistics in the form of a report -

Children of Metropolitan St. Louis;

Collaboration which includes countless

committee meetings, seminars, and work-

shops; and Advocacy for kids primarily

at the state and county level. VCR is part

of the ‗backbone‘ team with United Way

that is promoting "Ready by 21" in St.

Louis.

The past year has served to awaken many

in St. Louis to the needs faced by chil-

dren who are raised in poverty. VCR is

an ‗intermediary‘ organization. Unlike

‗direct service‘ organizations, its purpose

is to examine the needs faced by ‗at-risk‘

children in the St. Louis Metropolitan

Area, to build consensus as to what

should be done, and to promote changes

in policy and programs that will improve

conditions for kids. This recipient was

nominated by Charlie Kindleberger

(chair of the Research Committee and

member of the Executive Committee)

who is a member of First Unitarian

Church.

7

UNFISH FRY

The Unfish Fry is coming! Friday March 11th from 5:00pm-

8pm the Unfish Fry Crew will be serving an all vegetarian

meal that will be open to the public. Tickets will be on sale in

Fellowship Hall from February 21st – March 6th after services

and at the church office. Adult tickets are $8 and child tickets

are $5. This event is sponsored by the RE activities committee.

Everyone is highly encouraged to attend and invite friends,

relatives, or co-workers! This is a great opportunity to enjoy

good food, music and fellowship and introduce people to

Unitarian Universalism. The Unfish Fry Crew will see you

there!

8

WOMEN’S ALLIANCE

February 9, Tuesday

11 a.m. Business Meeting

12 Noon Lunch in Fellowship Hall. Please

bring your lunch; Dessert will be provided

1 p.m. Stan Birge, M.D. will speak in the

Library on Medical Issues for Women

Interested Friends and Members are always

invited. No reservation required.

Any questions, please feel free to contact Pam

Gempel, the Alliance President. Tel.

314-646-7918 or email her

gempel928@aol.com

February 23, Tuesday

12 Noon Lunch in Fellowship Hall. Please

bring your lunch; Dessert will be provided

1 p.m. Emily Colton will talk on Early Femi-

nism. (Emily's Mother was an early Feminist,

and

Emily will be able to relate to experiences of

her Mother.)

No reservation required.

Interest women members of the Church have a

standing invitation to the Meeting. They may

come to the program, if they cannot make

Lunch. No reservation is needed for

Lunch. Please feel free to contact Pam Gempel,

Alliance President, if you have questions.-

Telephone 314-646-7918 or email her at

gempel928@aol.com

FEEL THE LOVE COFFEE HOUSE – FRIDAY, FEB. 12

Join the Welcoming Congregation

Committee at our third annual ―Feel

the Love‖ Coffeehouse on Friday,

Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m. in Fellowship

Hall. This free event will feature

coffee, tea, dessert and the sharing of

our community‘s musical, poetic and

artistic talents. Enjoy music and poetry

readings and write Valentine offerings

to our community – all to celebrate the

many forms of loving. Come and share

your talents or just enjoy the offerings

of others. If you‘d like to share

something, please contact

George Grimm-Howell at

g.grimmhowell@gmail.com or

314-799-8585.

9

of solace, a warm and joyful sanctuary every

Christmas eve. First Unitarian is a

community of people who have supported me,

who were there when I was a child and when I

was a teenager and when I came home from

college. I count friends and mentors among

the congregation, and it is joy to have served

and been served by the Church in many ways

over the years, as a Sunday school student and

a Sunday school teacher.

The warmth and love for learning in our

congregation has shaped my desire to become

a UU minister. I finished my Master of Divin-

ity at Vanderbilt this past spring, and now I‘m

working through the fellowshipping process.

Although I do not live in St. Louis anymore

and I am only able to attend sporadically

when I am home, it is still an invaluable piece

of home, a piece that has evolved with me

over the years. I miss being a regular part of

the community, and though I cannot give my

time as I did when I lived in St. Louis, I have

kept my membership at First Unitarian and

pledge at our church in order to show my

financial and personal commitment to an

institution that has given me so much. As

First Unitarian moves into its 2016 canvass, it

is through each of us pledging that we are best

able to help sustain this community that helps

sustain us.‖

–Holly Mueller

About the First Church Canvass:

Team meetings are held twice monthly at

church following Sunday services and are

open to all. For information on meetings, or to

offer your support, e-mail: can-

vass@firstuustlouis.org. We welcome

hearing from you!

Money Matters: Canvass Planning Now Well Underway

First Church‘s Canvass Team is hard at work

on the 2016-17 church year canvass themed

―April Showers‖ which formally kicks off on

Sunday, March 6th and ends with an all-

church event on Sunday, April 10th.

We asked several members and friends to talk

about the meaning

First Church has

in their lives.

Below we feature

reflections by one

of our young

adults, Holly

Mueller, the

daughter of

members Susan

and Peter Mueller.

Holly grew up in

our First Church

RE program and is

currently preparing to become a Unitarian

minister. Holly is a past Women‘s Alliance

Scholarship awardee.

―I am honored to speak about the role that

First Church has in my life.

The Church has meant a variety of things to

me over the years and it has been a constant

in my life. It has been a place of growth for

me since my family first started attending

when I was in fourth grade and I wrote a let-

ter with a sermon suggestion to Reverend

Danny Reed. It has been a place to push

myself, to try on what it means to stand in

front of the congregation. It has been a place

10

LIFESPAN FAITH DEVELOPMENT LYNN HUNT, CREDENTIALED RELIGIOUS EDUCATOR

Winter has arrived! While it may be cold and

snow covered outside, your church community

is offering warm nurture, friendly community

and bold avenues to bring love to the world.

Hope you find your place in the community of

Memory, Hope and Reverence.

We have begun our second semester in the

children and youth morning Religious

Education. Many thanks to all who supported

the program in the first semester and welcome

to those who are new and continuing: Lynda

Mueller-Drendel, Katy Wittwer, Claire

Weischelbaum, Sue Herzberg, Jason

McLure, Amanda Kracen, Grace Munie,

Danielle Kozemczak, Tara Perry, Jan Her-

zog, Noah Durham, Sarah Francois, Brian

Mason, Heidi Meister, Laurel Heddens,

Vicky Bonvento, Sara Park, and Ben

Rosensweig! Thank you all for making RE

happen in our congregation.

For Children and Youth

UUKMM:

Universalist Unitarian Kids Make Music

The Music Committee and Religious Education

are partnering to start a new music program for

children in the congregation – UKMM. This

program will be a collaboration between

members of the adult choir and RE families as

an inter-generational pilot program designed to

enhance opportunities for RE children to

explore the joys of music-making. The plan is

to begin the program in April with a planned

performance in May. Watch for more details on

how to participate!

For All

Trivia Night

Boston Trip Fundraiser- February 20

(Doors Open at 6pm – Game Starts at

7pm)

Come test your knowledge of the obscure

and have a great time while you support the

Coming of Age Class trip to Boston. After

completing the Coming of Age year, the

class takes a trip to Boston to visit sites

important to the development of American

Unitarianism. The trip is funded through

parent contributions, the operating budget of

the church and fundraising by the parents and

youth. This fundraiser is a great way to have

a good time with friends and support this

integral program of the Religious Education

program. The evening will include trivia,

games, raffles, bake sale and raffles. Sign-up

in Fellowship Hall ($120 for a table of 8 or

$15 for an individual ticket).

A good time will be had by all!

Covenant Groups

In Covenant Groups people come together in

a circle 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 enriches

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).

11

Queer/Trans* Perspectives on

Modern Racial Justice Work: A

Panel Discussion February 28th (12:00 – 2:20pm)

Sponsored by Welcoming Congregation

and Toward Justice Join us for a panel discussion with members of

the Metro Trans* Umbrella Group to gain a

better understanding of Queer/Trans* perspec-

tives on modern racial justice work. Come

prepared with thoughtful questions on how to

be a more effective activist for intersectional

racial justice. Sub sandwich lunch available

for $5.

Buddhism Book Discussion Group Second Tuesday of the month (February 9 –

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. February selection is

Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. In the

novel, Siddhartha, a young man, leaves

his family for a contemplative life, then,

restless, discards it for one of the flesh. He

conceives a son, but bored and sickened

by lust and greed, moves on again. Near

despair, Siddhartha comes to a river where

he hears a unique sound. This sound

signals the true beginning of his life -- the

beginning of suffering, rejection, peace,

and, finally, wisdom. (book description

from Amazon) Sign-up in Fellowship

Hall.

Great Books Discussion Group Explore the thoughts of

Soren Kierkaegaard, a Danish philosopher,

theologian, poet, social critic and

religious author who is widely considered

to be the first existentialist philosopher.

He wrote critical texts on organized

religion, Christendom, morality, ethics,

psychology, and the philosophy of

religion, displaying a fondness for

metaphor, irony and parables. Much of his

philosophical work deals with the issues of

how one lives as a "single individual,"

giving priority to concrete human reality

over abstract thinking and highlighting the

importance of personal choice and

commitment. (text from Wikipedia) Join

the Discussion! Great Books meets on the

4th Sunday of the month from 12:30-2pm

at United Provisions in the Loop (6241

Delmar – please note that this is a new

location), and is using the collection

Great Books Reading and Discussion

Program second volume of the Second

Series, which can be ordered through the

Great Books Foundation Site (http://

www.greatbooks.org ). Facilitator Mike

Nolan. (Sign Up in Fellowship Hall for

more information)

—continued on page 15

12

MEN’S WELLNESS MINISTRY

The 2nd meeting of the Men‘s Group was a

rousing success! We had a warm, supportive

discussion about issues of mutual concern to

the attendees. Several other men have

expressed interest in the group, but a few

didn‘t come due to the snow that night.

We decided to meet on the 3rd Tuesday of

each month (the next meeting will be on the

16th of February). If any men in the

congregation are interested in joining the

Men‘s Group, please contact me at

unitariannactivist@holyground-cwe.org.

—Donald Jeffries, Chair

Newsletter Fold is Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Our next Fair Trade Coffee

sales Sunday will be February 21!

Remember that we now accept

credit and debit cards as payment through PayPal, in

addition to cash and checks.

All Fair Trade products sold at First Church support small-

scale farmers and their local

cooperatives in the authentic Fair Trade model.

Thank you for being a part of this. It matters.

13

PARTNER CHURCH Upcoming Events

Partner Church

Sunday, March 13, 2016

“Dining & Dancing at the Hotel Transylvania”

(5:30 PM, Saturday, March 19, 2016 in First

U‘s Fellowship Hall—more information to

follow in the March Newsletter!)

September Trip to Visit Our Romanian Partners

Our travel contingent now numbers eleven!

You still have time to add you name to the

list. See Laura Zacher or Gwenne Hickman

for more information or consult the link on

our church website.

News from Csokfalva

The following was shared by Rev. Lorant

Tokes, pastor of our Partner Church, in a

recent e-mail:

He and his family have been very busy

during the Advent and Christmas seasons.

Csilla, his wife, has been teaching in three

schools, and their sons attend schools in two

different towns, so their daily transportation

tasks have been time-consuming, in addition

to the increased activity of the holiday

season.

Lorant expressed their gratitude for our

financial help in completing the porch on the

vicarage this past year, and are hoping to

move forward on several more renovation

projects in the coming year. He further

expressed his appreciation for the scholarship

support given to selected students in their

congregation. In addition he was very

moved by a special gift from a person in our

church community who designated funds to

help pay for the continuing medical expenses

of Zsofia Szombatfalvi. Her older sister, by

the way, is now attending the Theology

Institute at Kolozsvar, also with help from us.

One of his future goals is to ―establish a

Congregational Social Association which

would…help older members of the

congregation…with food, clothes,

medicines…‖ He is asking for our support of

this endeavor.

—Tom Crouch

14

Membership and Involvement

One month belated: Happy New Year! I hope eve-

ryone is having a great start to 2016!

As this is my first newsletter article, I‘ll start with

an introduction. My name is Dan Livengood, a

member of First UU StL, and recently hired as the

Membership and Involvement Coordinator (MIC).

I‘ve had the pleasure of talking with many of you

in person, and I look forward to meeting even more

members and friends of our community in the com-

ing weeks and months.

As the MIC, I see my role in two lights: long-term

visioning and short-term execution. Regarding the

long-term vision, I will be coordinating the

membership and involvement growth efforts within

our community, which in practice means

coordinating with many groups, including but

certainly not limited to the Long Range Planning

committee, the Board and Council, our Canvass

team and the church staff. My role is to provide

insight to these teams and their discussions, as well

as to be responsible for implementing or at least

overseeing the implementation of any

membership-related changes that will support their

goals.

In my first few months, I have worked closely with

the teams above to gain a better perspective on the

state of our community. There are so many people

here at First UU StL with wonderful and passionate

views of where we are going, and it has truly been

a pleasure hearing your thoughts and ideas. There

are more people to thank than I have space to name

here, but I want to highlight my thanks to one of

these groups in particular – the Long Range Plan-

ning committee, led by Larry Dusenbery. That

team has spoken with many of you about your

vision and goals for our church and congregation,

and their work is coming to fruition this winter and

spring. As part of that, we have just finished a

great chat with parents and teachers from our

children and youth religious education team a few

hours before I sat down to write this. The Long

Range Planning team will be compiling all of the

ideas from the past year and a half into concise

goals for where the church wants to proceed in the

next 3-5 years. These will be presented to the

Board and Council in the next month, and then to

everyone at the Annual Meeting. They will include

membership-specific goals which I will be

overseeing as we move into implementation.

What all of this visioning is leading to is the

implementation of some new ideas in that short-

term execution part of my role. There are a few

ideas that we have already started working on,

including one I will share here. There are so many

great things we do as a community that it‘s hard to

keep track of what each other is doing. We‘ve also

heard many comments about wanting to find new

ways of communicating when a team or committee

is looking for some extra help. So, starting in

February, we will be having a weekly spotlight on

one of our teams or committees during coffee hour.

Look for the table with the white pole! We will

have the Care and Concerns committee, the UnFish

Fry team, the Long Range Planning committee, and

the Hospitality team as our highlighted groups. If

you want to learn more about any of these groups, I

encourage you to stop by for a chat! Looking

ahead, if you want to schedule your team or

committee for a week as a highlighted group during

coffee hour, please feel free to email me at dliven-

good@firstuustlouis.org

There is so much passion in the people in our

community. I am truly excited to have this

opportunity to help our community grow both in

our involvement and in our numbers. I am always

open to hearing your thoughts and ideas, so please

send me an email to set up a call, or stop me for a

chat anytime. I look forward to working with

everyone in 2016!

—Dan Livengood

15

—continued from page 11

Toward Justice Book Discussion

The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander March 24, 31 and April 7 (7:00 – 8:30pm)

Please Note – It is important to have the entire book read by the first session.

Join with members of the Toward Justice Anti-Racism group in discussing this

seminal book. Associate Professor of Law at Ohio State, Michelle Alexander argues

that ―we have not ended racial caste in America; we have merely redesigned it.‖ By

targeting black men through the War on Drugs and decimating communities of

color, the U.S. criminal justice system functions as a contemporary system of racial

control – relegating millions to a permanent second-class status – even as it

formally adheres to the principle of colorblindness. In the words of Benjamin Todd

Jealous, president and CEO of the NAACCP, this book is a ―call to

action.‖ (Publisher‘s description) This book is widely available thru bookstores and

libraries. Please let Lynn Hunt know if you need help obtaining a copy. Toward

Justice member Cathy Rauch will facilitate the discussions.

Toward Justice Information

The Toward Justice Group that was formed in the wake of the Ferguson events. The

group meets to study and discuss racial justice actions in which we can participate

and reform issues for which we will advocate. We provide study and action

opportunities for the congregation. The group is a member of the Don‘t Shoot

Coalition. We also attend various education events that are offered in the

metropolitan area. Recent activities include: following up with elected officials

on how they plan to support the Calls to Action in the Ferguson Commission

Report, attending an ACLU sponsored lobby day in Jefferson City promoting Fair

and Impartial Policing Bill, working with Welcoming Congregation to present a

panel discussion, preparing for book discussions and other events for the

congregation. If you are interested in being on the email list for notifications

contact Lynn Hunt or you can join our Facebook group. Come and join us!

—Lynn Hunt

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

FACEBOOK

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

sveyhl@earthlink.net.

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.

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 $817.50 was donated to

Designated Collections on January 10

for First U Sandwich Making.

JOYS AND CONCERNS FROM JANUARY 2015

Let us keep in our minds all who live with

grief or joy this day, those who are healing

from illness or surgery and those who have

family members who are ill.

—We extend our sympathy to

Helen Cadoret who's son died on Tuesday,

Dec-29, in Rolla.

—Emily Colton’s uncle David Goldstein

died December 21 at home in Kansas City

after a struggle with lung cancer.

—Long time member of the church, Joseph

Davis died on December 6th, and was buried

at Oak Grove on the 14th. We send our con-

dolences to his family.

—We send our healing thoughts and prayers

to Robert Murphy who is in the hospital

undergoing some tests.

—We are hoping that Karen Siegrist has a

speedy recovery from a recent hospital stay

do to an infection.

—Our wishes are with Warren Keller as he

recovers from a recent hospitalization.

—Our former minister, the Rev. Earl Holt,

has shared that his youngest brother, Robert

Payne Holt, died unexpectedly at age 58 on

January 1st. Earl led the memorial service

in Alabama last weekend (January 16),

and in church that Sunday his family offered

prayers of thanks for his life newly received

into God's glory. Please hold Earl, Marilyn

and their family in your prayers.

—Sam Crews passed away. His memorial is

planned for Saturday, February 13 at 1:00PM

From the Church office!!!

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. Monday, February 1 6:00 p.m. - Poetry of the Bible (CLK)

Tuesday, February 2 2:00 p.m. - Qigong Class (CH) 7:00 p.m. - Toward Justice (CLK)

Wednesday, February 3 7:30 p.m. - Choir Rehearsal Thursday, February 4 5:00 p.m. - Facilities Meeting (C1) Saturday, February 6 9:30 a.m. - CRC (All Rooms) Sunday, February 7 Family Chapel/Fair Trade Coffee Sales 10:00 a.m. - Worship Service (S) 11:15 a.m. - New to First U Covenant Group, C8 11:30 a.m. - Writing Group (CLK) 7:00 p.m. - Toastmasters (CLK) Monday, February 8 6:00 p.m. - Poetry of the Bible (CLK)

Tuesday, February 9 11:00 a.m. - Women’s Alliance 2:00 p.m. - Qigong Class (CH) 6:30 p.m. - Policy Board (C1)

Wednesday, February 10 7:30 p.m. - Choir Rehearsal

Saturday, February 13 9:30 a.m. - CRC (All Rooms) Sunday, February 14 Newsletter Deadline/Designated Collection: Interfaith Partnership 9:00 a.m. - Sandwich Making for the Homeless 10:00 a.m. - Worship Service (S) 12:00 p.m. - Knitting Ministry (C7)

Tuesday, February 16 2:00 p.m. - Qigong Class (CH) 6:30 p.m. - Finance Committee (C1) 7:00 p.m. - Library Committee 7:00 p.m. - MWM Men’s Group (CLK)

Wednesday, February 17 7:30 p.m. - Choir Rehearsal Saturday, February 20 9:30 a.m. - Moppet Swap (CLK) 7:00 p.m. - Trivia Night (FH) Sunday, February 21 Fair Trade 10:00 a.m. - Worship Service (S) 11:30 a.m. - Emily-Jeremy Colton Covenant Gr. (C7) 7:00 p.m. - Toastmasters (CLK)

Tuesday, February 23 9:30 a.m. - Newsletter Folding (C1) 12:00 p.m.- Women’s Alliance 2:00 p.m. - Qigong Class (CH) 6:30 p.m. - Church Council Meeting (C1)

Wednesday, February 24 6:00 p.m. - Long Range Planning Committee (C1) 7:30 p.m. - Choir Rehearsal Friday, February 26 6:00 p.m. - Young Adult Vespers and Fellowship (CH) Saturday, February 27 9:30 a.m. - CRC (All Rooms)

For updates to the church calendar visit firstuustlouis.org

Sunday, January 24 Designated Collection: Vision for Children at Risk 9:00 a.m. - Sandwich Making for the Homeless 10:00 a.m. - Worship Service (S) 12:30 p.m. - Great Books Discussion (Offsite)

20

www.UUSTL.org

Member, Unitarian Universalist Association

The St. Louis Unitarian Volume 46, Number 8

February 2016 February newsletter deadline: February 14

Fold: February 23 @ 9:30 a.m. Submit news to office@firstuustlouis.org

(314) 361-0595/96 • fax: (314) 361-0712

Minister

Rev. Thomas Perchlik

ext. 22

tperchlik@firstuustlouis.org

Ministerial Intern

Brian Mason

ext. 24

bmason@firstuustlouis.org

Religious Education Team

Lynn Hunt, Credentialed Religious Educator

ext. 25

lhunt@firstuustlouis.org

Rhonda Buergler, Sunday Assistant

Augustine Underwood, RE, Admin. Assistant

Music Team

Joel Knapp, Choir/Music Director

music.director@firstuustlouis.org

Earl Naylor, Organist/Accompanist

Administrative Team

Yvette Clemons, Church Administrator

ext. 23

yclemons@firstuustlouis.org

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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