December 5^th

9:30 and 11:00 am

“Gifts Galore”

Rev. Khleber Van Zandt

As December begins with shorter days and longer nights, we have a long wait for the return of the light.  However, we shouldn’t let the anxiety of our waiting blind us to the many gifts of the season.

December 12^th

9:30 and 11:00 am

“All Ye Faithful”

Rev. Khleber Van Zandt

Adeste, fideles!  O come, all ye faithful, not to ancient Bethlehem, but to your own place and in your own time.  What does it mean when we, rather than some imaginary, otherworldly chorus, are the “choirs of angels” who “sing in adoration” in the old hymn?

December 19^th

9:30 and 11:00 am

An intergenerational worship service 

“Winter Solstice Celebration”

Today we celebrate the winter solstice, singing songs and telling stories about the journey into darkness and back out into the light. Participants include the Confluence Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans, the Choir, the children, and Rev. Khleber Van Zandt.

An intergenerational Worship Service

“A New Crown?  Priceless!”

Rev. Khleber Van Zandt

Christmas has been called “the crown above your head for you to grow into.”  In this traditional candlelight service, we’ll crown the year with readings from ancient texts about the birth of a child, and we’ll celebrate hope and mystery on a very special night.

December 26^th

9:30 and 11 am

“Memories of Christmas”

Rev. Khleber Van Zandt

The boxes are all opened, the wrapping recycled, the mess cleared aside (more or less), and here we sit with our memories of Yuletides past.  This day after Christmas, bring your own favorite holiday stories to share in an intimate and worshipful setting.

What are you doing at 9:30 on Sunday mornings?

Are you taking the opportunity that our church offers to grow in mind, body and spirit? 

You can attend a worship service, spend a quiet hour in meditation, or attend a lively discussion group.  Review your choices and make the decision to participate in one of the 9:30 am activities at church.

A First Glance

Sometime in the 1430’s, a

man named Giovanni Giocondo was born in Verona.  Becoming first a Dominican and then a Franciscan friar, Giocondo grew to be an architect, builder, and historian of some note.  The Church of Santa Maria della Scala in Rome is attributed to him. 

On Christmas Eve, 1513, Fra Giocondo sent a little holiday greeting to a friend of his.  Now known as “A Letter to the Most Illustrious Contessina Allagia degli Aldobrandeschi,” I offer it up to you for your meditations this December:

 “I salute you.  I am your friend, and my love for you goes deep. 

There is nothing I can give you which you have not.  But there is much that, while I cannot give it, you can take.

No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today.  Take heaven!

No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present instant.  Take peace!

The gloom of the world is but a shadow.  Behind it, yet within our reach, is joy.  There is radiance and glory in darkness, could we but see.  And to see, we have only to look.  I beseech you to look!

Life is so generous a giver.  But we, judging its gifts by their covering, cast them away as heavy or hard.  Remove the covering, and you will find beneath it a living splendor, woven of love by wisdom, with power.  Welcome it, grasp it, and you touch the angel’s hand that brings it to you. 

Everything we call a trial, a sorrow, or a duty, believe me, that angel’s hand is there.  The gift is there, and the wonder of an overshadowing presence.  Your joys, too:  be not content with them as joys, for they, too, conceal even more divine gifts.

Life is full of meaning and purpose, so full of beauty beneath its covering, that you will find this world but cloaks your heaven.  Courage then to claim it; that is all!  But courage you have, and the knowledge that we are pilgrims together, wending through unknown country toward home.

And so, at this time, I greet you, not quite as the world sends greetings, but with profound esteem and with the prayer that for you, now and forever, the day breaks and shadows flee away.”

May your day break and the shadows flee away?

Merry Christmas and the Happiest of Holidays,

Decorating for the Holidays

Join the Party!

Decorate the Church

On Sunday, December 5^th

After the 2^nd service.

Stay and share the joy

and excitement in seeing

the church transformed.

We will order Subway sandwiches,

chips, fruit and drinks for all the

Holiday Helpers.

UU&You! 3.0

7 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays, January 19^th, 26^th, and February 2^nd.  For UU&You! 3.0, we’ll follow John Buehrens and Rebecca Parker’s A House for Hope to further deepen our understandings of current topics in UU thought.  Since the book is arranged to correspond with six parts of Parker’s ‘theological house’ concept, our three classes will cover two parts in each class:  for the first class, the garden and walls;  for the second, the roof and foundation; and for the third, the rooms and the doorway.  Again, find the book online or borrow from church, and signup in the Kate Wuerker Room for the class or contact the church office.

Yoga Classes Offered at Church

Richie Hobin, a certified yoga instructor of 12 years, will be teaching yoga at the First Unitarian Church of Alton (in the Kate Wuerker Room) on Tuesday and Thursday mornings in December.  Times are:  Tuesdays @ 9 am and Thursdays @ 8 am.  The cost is $5.00 per class.  Please bring a yoga mat.  This class is for people of all ages and stages of yoga experience as poses can be adjusted for beginners, intermediate and advanced.   Please contact Paula Tarbell with further questions.

Coffee Boutique

Check out the Boutique every Sunday in December

for Coffee, Chocolate and

introducing Gift Baskets for the Holiday Season.

$10  Fair Trade Coffee per package.

$  3 Fair Trade chocolate candy bar.

Gift Baskets individually priced.

Books … Lots of Books

Are you a reader?  One of those who have more than one book going at a time?  Do you get threatening phone calls from your local librarian when you have books overdue because you're reading several at the same time and have finished none?  We can help.  Explore new authors and new titles on the UU Used Book Shelves.  All paperbacks are 50 cents and hardbacks are $1 and the best part is that you can recycle them (give them back) when you're finished.  And, in order to serve you better, the Used Book Shelves are overflowing and could use some help: anyone who has a freestanding bookshelf to donate can contact Sandy Shaner or David Wiseman.   Anyone who has books to donate can simply leave them by the shelves and we'll find a place for them.

“Now Let Us Sing …”

Choir rehearsals are held the first three Thursday evenings in each month from 7 pm to 8:30 pm.  If you enjoy singing, please consider coming to a choir rehearsal to learn how much fun you can have and what a contribution you can make by being part of the choir. 

Sopranos are especially needed now … but all voices are welcome at any time!

December’s rehearsals will be on December 2^nd, 9^th and 16^th.

For further information contact Willis McCoy.

Kelly and Juliette Crone-Willis officially joined our church on April 4^th of this year.  However, they were not new to Unitarian Universalism.  They were members of Eliot but decided to look into the other area UU churches.  They live an equal distance between Eliot, First Unitarian St. Louis and our church, but they liked what they found here.  They’ve attended several of our gatherings and love the friendliness of the people here.  Their son Kelvin enjoys our RE classes and usually asks if Khleber is going to be in pulpit.  So they felt right at home with us.

The family enjoys camping and traveling.  Kelly works in the I.T. department at UMSL and Juliette homeschools Kelvin.   Kelly is originally from Indiana and Juliette hails from California, but they’ve been Midwesterners for over 20 years when Kelly came here for a job in 1988.

Contributed by Mary Weber

Alton Community Christmas

Once again we will be participating in the Alton Community Christmas program which provides Christmas to families in our region through the donations and charitable giving of churches, businesses, and individuals.  Fourteen local agencies have been chosen by the program’s sponsors – the United Way and the Alton Telegraph – to receive the toys and clothes you donate. 

There will be a contribution box in the Kate Wuerker Room through December 12^th .

Items requested include:  toys, new coats, non-perishable food, new socks, underwear, blankets stocking caps,  gloves,  mittens, new or “lightly used” clothing. 

Monetary donations are also accepted, but if you are donating money please don’t put it in the donation box but give it to Mary Johnson who will see that it reaches the Community Christmas program organizers.

POT LUCK LUNCH

Sunday, December 26^th

The congregation joins in a Pot Luck Lunch on the 4^th Sunday of each month.  Plan to share food and fellowship following the 2^nd service.

If you can, bring something to serve 8 to 10 people.

Set-Up Help is needed with placing the tables and chairs, putting out placemats and silverware, and getting food onto the buffet table

Clean-Up Help involves clearing off and wiping down the tables, carrying dishes (not just your own) to the dish bins or the kitchen, scraping dishes, and washing dishes or preparing them for the dishwasher, folding up all but four tables, putting chairs away, vacuuming, and straightening up the furniture around the fireplace area.  Trash also must be taken out.  All this takes a long time if only a couple people are working at it, but if lots of people give a little time, then fewer people have to give a lot of time.

PLEASE help with either set-up or clean-up.

A through Mc will do SET-UP

Me through Z will do CLEAN-UP

Most people enjoy getting a card or email or phone call on their birthday.  Below is the list we have of church members and friends celebrating birthdays this month.  If you don’t think the church office has your birthday on file, please contact Becky Green at church@firstuualton.org) and give her that information.

  5 December – Benjamin Hoeft (2002)

  7 December – Mary Weber

  8 December – John Dunphy

16 December – Linda Van Zandt

18 December – Layne Simpson

20 December – Mary McGowan

22 December – Max Diamond (2005)

23 December – Britney Brunner

23 December – Marty Johnson

27 December – Kate Whitaker

28 December – Willow Monroe (1999)

31 December – Eric Johnson

Chalice 

            Circles

****A New Chalice Circle ****

The GLBT Chalice Circle will be having its inaugural meeting on January 30^th, 2011 after church from 12:15 - 2:00 pm.  This is not a potluck Sunday, so bring snacks if desired. Please contact Layne A. Simpson for more information.

Fifty-Plus (50+) Chalice Circle

Saturday , December 4^th – 10:30 am to noon – At church.

The Circle is made up of retirees and those who are looking at retiring in the next few years.  Topics will be those of common interest for this age group. The Circle is open to couples and singles. Anyone interested in joining this group besides those who have already indicated an interest, please contact Brynda McCoy.

Belleville Chalice Circle

Thursday, 16^th – 7 pm – At the home of Jan and Don Allen in Belleville.

Contact: Don or Jan.

Renegade Women’s Chalice Circle

Saturday, December 18^th – 2 to 4 pm – At Church.   
Contact: Marcia Custer.

Parents Seeking Peace Chalice Circle

Sunday, December 19^th – 12:15 to 1:30 pm – In Emerson Place at Church.

Contact: Diane Thompson or Sayer Johnson.

Men's Chalice Circle

Tuesday, December 28^th – 7 pm – At Church.

Contact:

Community

Outreach Offering

The Community Outreach Offering in December will go to the RiverDragon SpiralScouts Circle which meets at our church.   The Circle is made up of children from the community at large as well as children in our congregation.

Last year, the RiverDragon Circle 254 SpiralScouts earned many badges and awards. The order for last year’s badges alone was a whopping $369.00! All paid for by each child’s parents. For some families, it was a major struggle. The Community Outreach Offering will help to ease the financial burden this year of the families that take part in SpiralScouts. It is our hope that through sponsors, donations, and fundraising the RiverDragon Circle 254 SpiralScouts organization will be a group that any child can afford to be a part of regardless of need. This year, the SpiralScouts will be working on several badges and awards: Art, Drama, Drumming, Photography, Astronomy, and Painting are planned through June of 2011. The Community Outreach Offering will go a long way toward helping the scouts to pay for the materials, badges, and awards each scout earns. It also may increase the ability of the group to do special events such as a field trip to an art museum or bring in special materials or speakers on some of the topics covered in their badge work. The Church’s generous offer is going to make a big difference in the level of programming that can be offered to the SpiralScouts Circle.   Church member Stacey Wolff is the Primary Contact for RiverDragon Circle 254.

FOOD MINISTRIES

Fourth Saturday Lunch

October’s meal was served to just under 30 guests and was greatly enjoyed.  Thank you all for your cooking, baking and dishwashing help.  In November we had a “Thanksgiving” meal with all the trimmings.  Since the December lunch will fall on Christmas day we will not be serving a meal in December. 

Coffee Hour

Please bear with us as we work out the kinks of how much coffee to make.  The numbers of attendees fluctuates and we are doing are best to use our resources wisely.  Anyone interested in becoming a member of the Sunday morning coffee crew should please contact me.  Our task is to set up plates, snacks, cups and necessary items.  Clean up is left to the members who volunteer for that task each week.  As we are nearing a new year please remember that we need members to volunteer just once per year to clean up after coffee hour.

Potluck

I would like to ask that if you bring a dish to potluck, PLEASE be sure to take the food home with you or make arrangements for someone else to do so.  DO NOT leave it behind.  It will end up in the trash which is such a waste. 

Refrigerators

There are two refrigerators in the church kitchen.  One is for the coffee and soda pop that is for sale and should not be used for anything else.  The other (next to the recycle bins) is for use with coffee hour snacks, pot luck dishes, and food from other events.  All items left in there should be labeled with what it is, what it is for and when it was first placed in there.  There is a drawer with masking tape and markers that works well for this task.    Any food items such as chips, crackers or cookies need to be kept sealed.  After they have been opened, it is necessary to place them in a zip-top bag or in a plastic container that seals.  We do not want to encourage a pest problem.  Thank you.

Emergency meals

It has been one of our goals to establish a meal program to assist our members when they have emergencies or big events (surgery, illness, babies, etc).  Any one that is interested in cooking the occasional meal for another member or family please let me know and I will compile a list that can be called upon in these instances.  

Thank you,

Kathryn Chapman,

Food Ministries Coordinator

Interest Group Gatherings

All Women in the Church are Invited to the Anna Ds Women’s Alliance Luncheon

The Anna Ds will meet at 11:30 am on Thursday, December 2^nd at Bully’s Smokehouse in Edwardsville

http://www.bullyssmokehouse.com/.  The restaurant is in the shopping center at the intersection of Center Grove Road and Highway 157 at 1035 Century Drive.

Bully’s specializes in slow cooked “Award Winning” Southern style barbeque as well as a variety of sandwiches, fish, and dessert.  For the vegetarians among us they have several kinds of salads plus a variety of side dishes.

Please let Mary Johnson know by Monday, November 29^th if you’ll be coming.

Future months:  Jan.- Nancy Copley; Feb.- Marcia Custer; March - Brynda McCoy; April - Audrey Wiseman; May - Lorna McElhone; June  - Joan Hashimi.

SpiralScouts

Spiral Scouts will meet on Sunday, December 5^th from

1-3 pm at the church. For further information about SpiralScouts, contact Stacey Wolff.

SpiralScouts Meeting Dates and Badge Topics are as follows through June 2011. (All meetings are from 1-3 pm at church.)

Dec 05 Award Ceremony

Jan 09 Art Award

Feb 06 Drama

Mar 06 Drumming

Apr 03 Photography

May 01Astronomy

June 05 Painting

Men’s Lunch Group

All Men in our Church Family are invited!

The Men’s Lunch Group will meet at 11:30 am on Thursday, December 9^th at the St. Louis Buffet, 672 Wesley Dr., Wood River, IL. Contact Dick Blanton for further details.

Confluence Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS)

Contact Kristen O’Steen or Jimmy Christodoulou for meeting information.

**********************************************************************************************

Madrigal Dinners at Area UU Churches

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!  Hear Ye!

Your presence is requested at both Eliot Castle  and
Emerson Castle  for their
Annual Madrigal Dinners.

Eliot Castle – December 2, 3 & 4

Doors open at 6:30 pm

You will be royally entertained by

The Greenleaf Singers ● Royal actors of the Not Ready for Reformation Players ●

The spirit and fancy of ye St. Louis Recorder Society ● and have a bountiful feast in the Medieval style.

The castle and hall will be festooned with greenery, banners and candlelight.

Ticket prices range from $20 to $55 per person. 

For more information visit www.eliotchapelmadrigal.org or call 636-861-1370 or email madrigal@eliotchapel.org.

Emerson Castle – December 10 & 11

Doors open at 7:30 pm

an Evening of Feasting and Entertainment featuring

Ye Greenleaf Singers ● The dulcet sounds of ye St. Louis Recorder Society ●

a Feast in the Elizabethan Style ● An impromptu masque

Greenery, banners and candlelight will set the mood.

Tickets are $40 per person or $300 for a table of 8.

For more information visit

www.emersonuuchapel.org

or call 636-405-7033 or email madrigal@emersonuuchapel.org

UU Notable News

 Standing Before Us: Unitarian Universalist Women and Social Reform 1776-1936 edited by Dorothy May Emerson is now a worldwide online free book.          

This large volume, published by Skinner House Books ten years ago is now honored as an online Google Book. http://harvardsquarelibrary.org/d_emerson/Standing_Before_Us.html

Also available on Google Books:

The Heart of God: Prayers of Rabindranath Tagore (only portions of the book is available free online)

A New World View by Charles Hartshorn http://www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/Hartshorne/contents.html

Is God Necessary? No! and Yes!

http://www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/IsGodNecessary/Is-God-Necessary.php

The publisher of these is the Harvard Square Library of the First Parish in Cambridge, Unitarian Universalist.

December RE Program News & Notes

December RE Program Calendar

All the World’s a Stage?

And all the men and women merely players.  And children too.  Calling all young thespians and old(er) techies, stage parents, and faithful audience members.  Plans are not final and this offering might be cancelled if we can’t raise enough adult volunteers to help.  But for now, our RE program is considering going into Intercession for the month of January with each Sunday devoted entirely to casting, rehearsing, and performing a short play (15-20 min.) for the whole congregation.  1^st-6^th graders, standby for a casting call for Actors (and perhaps Singers).  We would like the whole congregation to pitch in for technical, moral, and audience support.  More info to follow throughout December.  So, brush up on your Bard, so as to “Suit the action to the word, the word to the action, with this special observance, that you o'erstep not the modesty of nature. . . .”

RE Town Hall — December 5th

We want to hear your voice!  The RE Committee has two proposals under consideration, both of which we feel the need to gauge the congregation’s opinion on:

1.      We are exploring switching the RE program time from the second service (11 am) to the first service (9:30 am) — Youth Group excepted

2.      We are exploring swapping the Spirit Play room (upstairs) with the Youth Group room (downstairs)

What are your thoughts?  What are ours?  Join us for a half-hour or so town hall meeting after the 11 am service December 5^th in the Emerson Room to have a free and open discussion of these proposals.  The RE Committee will use this information to make decisions on both of these proposals.  Exercise your 5^th UU principle:  All people need a voice!

Social Service Activities

Acting upon our Unitarian Universalist values is an essential component in our children’s religious education.  Our program includes year-long attention to social action in the community and pastoral needs in our own congregation.  However, as we celebrate during this winter season, we pay particular attention to the needs of others.  The RE program will support the following social service activities in December and January:

• Guest at Your Table — cash to benefit the UUSC and people around the world
• Oasis Women’s Center — Adopt a Family for Christmas — a Christmas for those in need
• Alton Crisis Food Center — canned goods and pantry stock for the Alton hungry
• Alton Community Christmas Program — toys, new coats, new socks, blankets, stocking caps, gloves, and mittens

So, please make room in your hearts, at your table, and in your pocketbooks for these worthwhile activities.  More information on each of these:

Guest at Your Table 2010

Fill your Guest at Your Table boxes with spare change and paper money, or alternately write a check for your contribution.  Last year we collected $600 to support the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee in their vital work.  UUSC advances human rights and social justice around the world, partnering with those who confront unjust power structures and mobilizing to challenge oppressive policies.  We will collect boxes in mid January.  This collection is an easy way for children to learn that we can easily share the bounty of our lives with others.

For more information you can visit:  http://www.uusc.org/guest.

Oasis Women’s Center — Adopt a Family

Oasis Women’s Center provides housing for women and children that are victims of domestic violence.  We will sponsor one family this year.  That means 5 total items per family member with a value of less than $30 for each item.  We will get more specific information about our family and what they really need.

Alton Crisis Food Center — cereals, oatmeal, breakfast bars, pancake mix and syrup, baby food, macaroni and cheese, rice, peanut butter, crackers, pasta and sauces, instant potatoes, soups, sugar, flour, jelly (especially grape), beans, canned goods — meats, tuna, vegetables, fruit, and milk.  No glass or perishables!

So, what to do?  Take your children grocery shopping, have them pick out a few items for this program, and have them put them in the box in the foyer labeled Alton Crisis Food Center.  We hope that every child/family can bring one item (or more!) per week during December.  The Center collects food year round — First Unitarian does too —I f you can, make donating a habit.

Alton Community Christmas Program

In support of our wider church community, the RE program will contribute to the Alton Community Christmas program, which provides Christmas to families in our region through the donations and charitable giving of churches, businesses, and individuals.  Fourteen local agencies have been chosen by the program’s sponsors – the United Way and the Alton Telegraph – to receive the toys and clothes we donate.  There will be a contribution box in the Kate Wuerker Room from November 14th through December 12th so please bring in your donations during that period.

So, what to do?  Take your children shopping, have them pick out a few items for this program, and put them “in the box” at church.  Requested items include:  toys, new coats, new socks, blankets, stocking caps, gloves, and mittens; also diapers and personal care items.  We will be participating in this activity in lieu of a “mitten tree” this year.  This is a wonderful way for children and adults to share the bounty of their lives with needy Alton families.

The Library Fairy

You may not know it, but we have a modest RE library — it lives in the RE Resource Room downstairs; it covers just five feet of shelf space.  The UUA bookstore has a number of items that would make wonderful additions to our collection.  So, we are seeking donations throughout the church year.  Some of theses books are for children, some for parents, some for teachers, and some belong in our RE professional library collection.  How to do this?  Simply buy a book from the UUA and have them ship it to the church.  We will add a bookplate dedication in your name.  Just go to the UUA Bookstore website at www.uua.org/bookstore and pick out any of the following: