Take one, three-ring loose leaf with padded cover notebook, 12

tabbed section dividers each featuring a different black-and-white photo of the 104-year-old St. Thomas Episcopal Church and family recipes from throughout Greenville and the South, and one will have a cookbook to make anyone's mouth water.

Since last February, members of the St. Thomas Episcopal Church cookbook committee have been compiling 611 favorite recipes from 207 church members, family, friends and other contributors into a cookbook entitled "Without a Doubt."

The cookbook was named after the patron Saint Thomas, who was often called "Doubting Thomas." Today, references are still made to "Doubting Thomas" when someone is hesitant to believe.

"The cookbook has recipes to be enjoyed without a doubt,'" Jan Ackerman, member of the cookbook committee, said.

Those who are interested can pre-order a cookbook at a price of $12.95 plus 8 percent sales tax. Those who would like the book shipped to their residence instead of picking it up at the church will pay an extra four dollars for shipping-and-handling. This money-saving offer is good only until the books are received from the publisher in August.

Once the books are received, the price will be $15 plus 8 percent sales tax with a four dollar shipping and handling charge where applicable.

Money earned from the sales of the cookbook will go to fund the outreach projects the church participates in, capital funds for future expansion of the church and supplies for food baskets.

Presently, about 120 cookbooks from the 1,000 ordered have been sold.

Nancy Mitchell, member of the cookbook committee, said the church anticipates selling all of the cookbooks ordered and perhaps ordering more later.

"We'll also be selling the cookbooks at our annual bazaar, and we hope that people will start considering buying the books as gifts, especially for Christmas," Mitchell said. "Southern cooks are definitely the best cooks, and we hope this cookbook shows that to those who buy it."

The cookbook also features black-and-white pictures taken by local photographers, including Priscilla Davis, Ellen Glasscock and MacDonald Russell. Bob Glasscock also helped out by scanning color photos into black-and-white photographs, and with sales.

These pictures of unique architecture throughout the church are illustrated on the front of the dividers in the book, with scripture on the back of the dividers.

The members of the cookbook committee would like to thank everyone who helped out and encourage those in the community to support Southern cooks by purchasing the "Without a Doubt" cookbook.

Cookbooks can be ordered at the church office at 210 Church St. from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Wednesday through Friday at 382-8914 or by contacting Jan Ackerman at 382-8605. Make checks payable to "St. Thomas Cookbook." Cookbooks can also be ordered on the Internet once they are published at www.cookbooks.com or bought at the Butler Co-op, The Pineapple, Butler Services or the church office.