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Inside This Issue

Circle of Life
- Rev. Bonnie Vegiard, Program Minister

The first Sunday of January, we will share together in a service of memory and hope. Our Circle of Life service will celebrate the babies that were born in 2004, the significant anniversaries of the year, and remember those Eliot members who have died. Please let us know in advance if you have a baby that was born in 2004. We will offer a child dedication ceremony if your baby has not yet been dedicated, but you may participate in the service even if you have already had a dedication ceremony. Contact me if you have an event to commemorate.

Holiday Shopping at Eliot
-- Fair Trade Coffee Committee

We will be selling Fair Trade holiday baskets after services on Sundays. Each basket will consist of two lbs. of coffee, six chocolate biscotti, and one Fair Trade chocolate bar - all for the low price of $35 which includes the basket. This is a great gift idea for the holidays, especially when visiting family and friends. Orders will be taken until Dec. 5 for delivery Dec. 12. We will also be selling a special holiday blend of coffee. See you at the Fair Trade table.

ELIOT CHAPEL "50/50" FUNDRAISER

Please see complete rules on the bulletin boards or at the ticket sales table.

Take a chance on a big reward at great odds, and help Eliot Chapel at the same time!

• 150 tickets will be offered for sale at $100 each. Tickets will be sold on a first come, first served basis, for cash or check only.
• Tickets may be purchased in Adams Hall after services on Sundays, Dec. 5, Dec. 12, and Dec. 19, 2004 as long as unsold tickets are available.
• Four (4) winning tickets will be drawn on Sun., Dec. 19. It is not necessary to be present to win.
• One half (50%) of the amount collected for ticket sales will accrue to Eliot Chapel's Operating Budget, and one half (50%) will be distributed among the winners. If all tickets are sold, the amount to be collected will be $15,000 and the winners, in total, will receive 50% or $7,500. The $7,500 will be distributed as:

• If fewer than 150 tickets are sold, 50% of proceeds collected will be paid to Eliot Chapel's Operating Budget and 50% will be distributed proportionally to the winners.
• Proceeds will be paid by check to the winners approximately one week later than drawing date, and only after receipt of the winner's social security number.

Welcome, New Members
-- Claire Robertson, Membership Chair

We welcome to membership in Eliot Chapel: Brent Bledsoe, who signed the membership book on November 6; and on November 7 - Paul Bauer, Paul Dribin, Lucy Freeman and Brian McGowan, Kathleen Henry and David Henry, Curtis Kristofitz, and Kim Stewart and Sean Stewart. We're happy to have you with us.

Welcome!
- Kim Fitzgerald, November 7, 2004

Each Sunday, a member of the Eliot community delivers the Sunday Morning Welcome. They share a personal story about how they came to be at Eliot Chapel, or what is meaningful here for them, or how they are living their faith.

My name is Kim Fitzgerald, and I've been giving time and money to Eliot Chapel for 13 years.

My husband, Bill and I, came to Eliot for the same reasons as many people seek a church. After college, marriage, and kids, we decided we needed a place to reinforce, for both our children and ourselves, the beliefs we had come to know were true. Our beliefs were not necessarily those with which we were raised, but were very simple values we wanted modeled for our children and strengthened for ourselves - do unto others, love thy neighbor, do kind things, and be a good person.

We stay at Eliot to be part of a family, to be part of a community, to be connected to something good.

We stay to volunteer, to participate, to make a difference, to stand with others of like minds.

We stay for the exceptional role models within the church and to say goodbye to them when they pass, to be role models for new people and young families as they join us in this faith.

We stay for our children, so they can learn to be the people we want them to be.

We stay so our daughters may learn of world religions, so they may find the beauty and wonder in faiths which are different from ours and in those that overlap our own. We stay so they may learn the skills and have the tools to confront intolerance, to embrace diversity, and to care for those who are less fortunate.

We stay so they may understand that no one religion has the market on morals and values - that the terms are meaningless unless we accept and care for each other; only then can we live in a peaceful world.

We stay to sing carols by candlelight on a snowy Christmas Eve, to share flowers on a beautiful spring day, and to listen to stories of hope and love at the bread service - a time which simultaneously highlights our differences and our sameness. We stay to stand side by side, to choke back tears as we sing America the Beautiful, to remind us of the things we do love about our country.

We stay to comfort and be comforted, to fuel and be refueled, to support and be supported.

We stay to be reminded that we are united in our hopes and our dreams for our world.

We stay at Eliot because it is a beacon for us during our darkest times - an inspiration for us, signifying social justice, equality and tolerance, love and hope.

We stay at Eliot because it is our home.

Madrigal Dinner
December 2, 3 and 4

Invitations have been extended to the Madrigal Dinner and we hope many lords and ladies will be in attendance. Rehearsals and preparations for the feast are well under way. Please consider volunteering for several hours for a night or two. A sign up board is in Adams Hall. Many hands are needed to raise funds for the Chapel. For more information on volunteering, contact Denise Maue Dreyfus.

Thank you for your support, whether it is attending, volunteering or both!

Christmas Bazaar
-- Judy Evans

Please support the Social Action Committee annual Christmas Bazaar. It will be held on two Sundays: Dec. 5 and 12, after both services.

We will have lovely hand-crafted items by Eliot members and friends featuring ceramics, woodworking, jewelry, knits, concrete leaves, holiday wreaths, and more. Of course, we will also have bags of delicious cashews available.

Stop by and see us for some hassle-free shopping, unique gifts, and support of worthy causes. Proceeds benefit Room At The Inn and all the many and varied programs supported by the Social Action Committee.

Adult E & E

"Living with a Purpose: Finding Your Personal Mission," will be presented by Lynne Michelson, MSW, LCSW, on Sun., Dec. 5 at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary. With the approach of the holiday season, many of us become more contemplative about the meaning of life. This presentation will help you identify what is meaningful to you and thus crucial to feeling happy with your life. Come ready to do exercises that explore your purpose, identify clues under your nose, and connect with action steps to start being the person you want to be. Lynne will draw from the wisdom of diverse teachers such as Victor Frankl, Deepok Chopra, and the Buddha to create a fun and powerful learning experience. Knowing one's life purpose empowers us to make both big and small decisions with confidence.

Ms. Michelson is a life coach and director of ConnectStLouis.

UU Parenting

Trying to find meaning in the mayhem of the Christmas holidays? Kids seeing December as a present free-for-all? We will be discussing how to make the holidays a more relaxing and meaningful experience for the family. Our next meeting will be Sun., Dec. 5 at 7:00 p.m. at the home of Tracey Koch. Please contact Tracey for directions. See you there!

Jump Start Your Christmas Shopping
-- Jan Chamberlin, Music Director,

. . . and benefit Eliot Chapel's music program at 1st Nite for Music, Thu., Dec. 9 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Plowsharing Crafts, 6271 Delmar, University City. Browse for handcrafted items and enjoy caroling, refreshments, and entertainment provided by the members of Eliot's choirs and Music Committee. Up to twenty percent of the sales made at the store that evening will go to our music program. Plowsharing Crafts offers toys, jewelry, pottery, textiles, clothing, and art objects made by third world craftspeople. Layaway is available for shoppers who can't attend on the evening of Dec. 9.

Welcoming Congregation

What do we mean when we hear the word oppression? How do we witness oppression in our world today? What is our reaction? What is our role in the cycle of oppression? How do we, as Eliot Chapel and as individuals, want to respond? The Welcoming Congregation Forum explored these and other questions at their November workshop.

The Welcoming Congregation is a UUA program designed to assist congregations in fostering welcoming behavior towards gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people. Should Eliot Chapel choose to become designated as a Welcoming Congregation, it would be a symbol to those in the larger community that people of different sexual orientation are respected and honored here.

The workshop series will continue Sun., Jan. 9 from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. in Adams hall, with "Gender Socialization and Homophobia." All are welcome. To learn more about the Welcoming Congregation program, visit Welcoming Congregation welcomingCongregation or watch for future newsletter articles.

Women's Alliance

The Women's Alliance meets on the first, third, and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 9:30 to 11:45 a.m. in Adams Hall, unless otherwise noted.

Tues., Dec. 7 - Brick Lane by Monica Ali. Carol McKirgan, Leader.

Attention: UU Parents

Are you frustrated with the public school system? Do you want more input into your child's education? Not sure where to begin? We are a small group of parents looking for an alternate way to educate our children. We are exploring the possibility of developing a home school co-op. Join us in learning more about home schooling and co-op opportunities. Please contact Tracey Koch or JoAnne Polley if you have any interest, thoughts, or questions. Thank you!

Book Fair 2005

The Library Committee and Women's Alliance continue to welcome donated books for the 2005 Book Fair. Donated items should be in saleable condition (no mildew or paperbacks with missing covers.) Please, no magazines, periodicals, or outdated textbooks. We request waiting until February to donate LP's. Items may be left in the DuBois Library any time the building is open. Thank you for your support and cooperation.

The first session for sorting and pricing donated books for the 2005 Book Fair will be Sat., Dec. 11, from 1:00 until 3:30 p.m., downstairs in the large classroom. The 2005 Book Fair dates are Fri., Mar. 11 through Sun., Mar.13.

A Library Reminder

Library patrons are reminded to sign out books borrowed from the Dubois and Barbara C. Nutt Children's Libraries. Use as many lines on the card as necessary to include your name and current phone number. The Library collections represent the love and labor and are the property of the Eliot Chapel community. It is important that you help us keep our collection available and useable for everyone.

Religious Education News
-- Joan Casey, RE Director,

We hope that all of our families had a very happy Thanksgiving. As the days shorten our responsibilities lengthen while we rush headlong into the December holiday season. The Special Events Committee would like to invite all of our families to the Holiday Party on Sat., Dec. 11, from 10:00 a.m. until noon. Children will play games, make gifts, and have fun that morning. We hope this party will provide a brief respite from all the running around you do during the next several weeks.

The RE Department is also busily preparing for the annual Christmas Pageant to be performed at both services on Dec. 12. Participation forms are due in by Nov. 28; please get them in right away. Casting for the speaking roles will be announced the next day, Nov. 29. Although the pageant rehearsal runs concurrently with the party, all pageant participants will be given an opportunity to attend the party.

We are continuing the tradition of the Giving Tree in Adams Hall, beginning Dec. 5. Families can take ornaments from the Tree. On each ornament is a child's age and gender. You should buy a gift. (For older children, gift cards to Target or Wal-Mart are especially desirable.) Wrap the gift and return it under the tree no later than Sun., Dec. 19, using the ornament as the gift tag.

Finally, don't forget that Guest at Your Table boxes are due in Children's Chapel by Dec. 19. If you haven't already picked up your box, please stop by 's office to get one. Proceeds will go to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee.

Music Notes
-- Jan Chamberlin, Music Director,

Coming up:

Nov. 28	Flo Reaves and Sue Goldford play 3 movements of Schubert's Sonatina in D major for violin. The choirs will not sing in services, but the Chorale will rehearse as usual.
Dec. 5	Prelude and interlude by Kathie Price and Rich Heuermann. Both choirs sing Treasure by Michael Graham accompanied by Kathy Sanders on cello.

Christmas Eve Services

This year Christmas Eve services will be at 5:00, 6:30, 8:00 and 10:00 p.m.

Holiday Office Hours

The office will be closed from Fri., Dec. 24 through Jan. 2 3. We will reopen at 8:00 a.m. on Mon., Jan. 3 4. During the time the office is closed, voice mail will be checked daily.

Newsletter Holiday Schedule

Please note the following noon deadlines when sending articles:
Dec. 15 for issue dated Dec 25 - Jan. 14, 2005
Jan. 5 for issue dated Jan. 15 - Jan. 28

Holiday Deadline - Orders of Service

The deadline for order of service announcements for Sundays Dec. 19, Dec. 26 and Jan. 2 is noon on Wed., Dec. 15.

Pledge Statements

For those of you who would like to maximize your pledge payments before the end of the 2004 tax year, during the first week in Dec. we will be mailing pledge statements for the second quarter (Sep. - Dec.) of Eliot's fiscal year. These will include all payments received through Sun., Nov. 28. In January, tax statements, listing all deductible contributions to Eliot during the 2004 calendar year, will be mailed.

The office will be closed between Christmas and New Year's - please check the next issue of the newsletter for the last date for checks to be received in order to be reflected in Dec. 2004 posting and statements.

Help!

If you are the last person out of the building in the evening, please turn out the lights and make sure the doors are shut tightly and locked. Thanks.

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