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Inside This Issue

Caring for One Another
- Rev. Bonnie Vegiard, Program Minister

Eliot Chapel hopes to be a strong caring community. When people go through tough times or transitions in our congregation, we'd like to have some effective way to support them. We have some supports in place, and others that we hope to develop. Please consider the following points, and if you can help in any way, contact Rev. Bonnie Vegiard at (314) 821-0911 or . Here's a picture of where we are now:

One of the most effective first lines of support is our Covenant Groups. If you are in a group, you are part of a small community of people who have covenanted to care for one another. When the group facilitator becomes aware of a need, s/he will contact other group members to help.

We have a list of folks who have volunteered to prepare meals in an emergency situation. Our current list is a year old, however, and we would love to update it.

Additionally, we have a list of people who have offered to provide transportation in an emergency or medical situation. Our abilities in this area are limited, but the more people we have who offer to help in this area, the more help we can provide. Again, we need to update our list. If you are willing to be a volunteer driver, it is necessary that we do a driver's license check.

A beloved founding member of the congregation, Nikki Tanaka, has recently been moved to a nursing home. Her family would love regular visitors for her.

We have two or three members of our congregation who no longer drive, and occasionally or regularly need rides to church. We are particularly interested in helping with this. Again, volunteer drivers will need a license check.

We have some people who are particularly interested in offering help to families when a new child is born or when a family with young children faces a difficult situation. We draw on the meals volunteers and possibly the driver volunteers in this situation. We could also provide emergency childcare, but we have some restrictions in that area. It is necessary that we do a background check on anyone providing childcare (just as we do for our teachers). Also, if Eliot is providing the childcare, we must have two adults present (even in someone's home).

If you have an emergency or long-term illness, and need help with errands, companionship, or minor chores, we can put a team of people in place to help. We cannot guarantee that we can help with all your needs, but we can meet with you and discuss what we can and cannot do.

And finally, we plan to put a regular column in the order of service of people who request prayers or positive thoughts in a difficult time. Many people are very supported by the idea that others are thinking of them or praying for them. This column will also have the effect of letting the congregation know when someone is having a specific problem. We will put these notes in the order of service only at your request.

As you can see, there are many parts to our caring for one another. I know many people would be willing to be called upon to do one or more specific tasks. We could also use one person to hold the lists of volunteer drivers and meal providers, and to make calls when a need arises. This is a kind of "coordinating" position that should not take lots of time, nor does it call for attending meetings.

Finally, the most important way you can help us in our caring efforts is to let us know when you need care! The biggest reason we miss people who are in need is that we do not know about it. Please call, or ask someone to call!

Welcome, New Members
- Claire Robertson, Membership Chair

A hearty and warm welcome to the following people who signed Eliot Chapel's membership book on Mar. 6: Dave and Katy Miller; Cordell and Pam Jeffries; Judith and Brian Mitchell; Stacey and Jeff Morris; Mike and Karen Schinsky; and Matt, Joan and Gretchen McCready. We're so happy to have you as members of the Eliot Chapel community. [See their pictures in the Member/Friend area - password required.]

Our canvass theme this year is moving forward together. This year will bring a canvasser to your door to talk about our budget and any issues you may have. This is the largest canvass in some time involving over 75 members and friends. It all begins on Apr. 10.

You will notice white buttons being worn with "The Eliot Express" imprinted on them. These members and friends have filled in their pledge cards for this year's canvass. Please congratulate them when you see the button displayed.

Our goal this year is to raise $475,000. This is larger than last year's goal. The reason: it also covers the three deficit years we have endured. Our income goal is to "break-even" and we hope you consider the benefits you receive by attending Eliot Chapel and welcome our canvassers with an open heart.

Welcome!
- Tracy Drissell, April 4, 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 husband and I started searching for a church when our first son was born in 1992. We started attending churches with faiths we were familiar with and began exploring other possibilities. On Sundays, we would pick a new church to try out by opening the phone book or the newspaper and just pointing to one, until we attended First Unitarian in the Central West End. We realized we were both comfortable in a Unitarian church because of the freedom to grow and change in our spiritual journeys.

We love Eliot Chapel because of its outstanding Religious Education Program which allows our kids the same chance to learn, grow, change and develop their own spirituality and personal connections to the world.

I was asked to bring some artwork to display last week and searched around for something to bring. I brought some work that was created during college and right after graduation. I realized during the last 12 years, most of my creative work was not put onto canvas or watercolor paper or even sculpted into some tangible 3-D work. My creative work has been creating my life and my children. I considered bringing the kids and putting them next to the television screen which showcases the work of the previous phase of my life and sticking signs on them that say "work in progress". For now though, I look forward to the future and as more and more time becomes available to me I feel excited to discover what new artistic possibilities will come and what else I will be able to create.

"Creativity belongs to the artist in each of us. To create means to relate. The root meaning of the word art is "to fit together" and we all do this every day. Not all of us are painters, but we are all artists. Each time we fit things together we are creating - whether it is to make a loaf of bread, a child, or a day." -- Sister Corita Kent

"What would it be like if you lived each day, each breath, as artwork or as art in progress? Imagine that you are a Masterpiece unfolding every second of every day, a work of art taking form with every breath." --Thomas Crum

Consider Our Community

As we approach Commitment Sunday and consider our financial support of Eliot Chapel, let's reflect on how we allocate one part of our budget, community outreach. Last year, we spent approximately 10% (including staff and building use) on community outreach. Some of these projects included:

• $4,000 in outright donations to smaller organizations in the greater community, including Southside Day Nursery, Peace Pantry, Great Rivers Environmental Law Center. This amount was not reduced despite the deficit the past three years.
• Donations of time and money to several projects in support of the Meacham Park neighborhood in Kirkwood.
• Providing meals and overnight accommodations to homeless area residents in the Room At The Inn program three nights a month (more than any other church).
• Support of our Partner Church in Transylvania, not only through various fundraisers, but also via direct financial support from the budget.
• The RE program undertakes various projects throughout the year, including the Giving Tree, Guest at Your Table, collaborative projects with Southside Day Nursery, etc. Volunteer efforts and donations are coordinated and supported by staff.
• Adult Education & Enrichment programs are open to the community.
• The Social Action Committee sponsored a jazz concert in the Sanctuary to benefit the Quinette Cemetery restoration project. Several presentations open to the public have focused on environmental issues.
• The Fair Trade Coffee program, although primarily a fundraiser for Eliot, supports coffee growers in Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
• A Red Cross blood drive has become an annual event.

Thanks
- Susan Maginn, Interim Youth Program Director

Thank you to everyone who came to see the Jr. Youth Group's Principles Project on Mar 4. There was a presentation to illustrate each principle with music and imagery. The presentations were hidden throughout the building. Once the guests searched the office tower and even a couple bathrooms to find all the principle presentations, we all gathered in Adams Hall to make a giant web out of yarn (7th principle's interconnected web of life). Eventually all the guests left and 18 kids stayed for a lock-in. They played games, had a worship service, watched movies and, of course, ate lots of pizza. I would like to acknowledge the dedication of the Jr. Youth advisors: Bob Coulter, David Crowley, Katie Henry, Beth Rossow, Brian Ward, and especially Ken Denson, without whom the Principles Project really would not have happened.

There will soon be a Principles Project website which will have photographs from the evening. We'll let you know how to access it when it becomes available.

Did You Know . . . ?
-- Rich Vaughn

• that Eliot Chapel is an independent congregation, free of mandatory direction from a higher church office.
• that, for a variety of good reasons, we are in voluntary association with the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), the Central Midwest District (CMwD of the UUA), and the St. Louis Are UU Churches (SLAUUC).
• That we should pay annual dues to each of these entities, based on our membership count, as our fair share in supporting this collaborative and beneficial arrangement.
• that total dues costs about $100 per member.
• that these occasionally-mentioned facts aren't the common knowledge they are intended to be.
• That sometimes a member's silence at pledge time is understood as withdrawal from Eliot Chapel - and ignoring this means others pay twice, e.g. if ten members don't pledge, $1,000 (10 x $100 dues) of others' pledges is used to pay these dues and newsletter costs, which shorts the operating budget.

And finally . . .

• That Membership in this covenanted community is not based on money. Those who can't share treasure need only speak confidentially to the Minister to remain a listed member.

A Friend of Eliot Chapel is anyone who thinks they are. A listed Friend (in our directory, etc.) is a Friend who chooses to also financially support Eliot Chapel - again with the need-based option to speak with the minister.

The Membership Committee hopes these points are helpful. You may certainly take comments or questions to the ministers, Rich Vaughn, or Claire Robertson.

The Homeless: How Eliot Chapel Helps
- Bill Clarke for Room at the Inn

St Louis County provides only 77 emergency shelter beds on a daily basis, and 20 of those beds are provided by the Room at the Inn program. Eliot Chapel provides 10 of those 20 beds approximately 38 nights a year. And you, at Eliot Chapel, are providing that support system for those less fortunate than we are.

It may seem to be only a small part of what is needed, but to those who are able to have a good meal and a place to stay overnight, it makes a big difference in their lives. I'm proud to be part of the Eliot community that is doing something to make a difference. I thank all of you for volunteering and helping to see that we are able to provide this support.

As always, we ask you to look at your schedules and see if you can carve out a small amount of time to help us keep this program viable. Sign-up sheets for dates through June are on the hallway bulletin board leading to Adams Hall. Please stop and add your name to the list - make a difference in someone else's life.

Spring Work Party

This year's Spring Work Party will be on Sat., May 14. Mark your calendars and plan to attend. The volunteers will be doing basic indoor and outdoor, clean-up and fix-up chores around Eliot while consuming mountains of doughnuts.

Knit & Purrrl for Pets

Knit & Purrrl "East" will have its second meeting on Sun., Apr. 3 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. to knit mats for distribution to local shelters and adoption groups. These simple mats will make dogs and cats for adoption more comfortable in their cages. Experienced knitters or beginners are welcome. While this is primarily an event for adults, children are welcome if accompanied by a parent or guardian in accordance with Eliot policy.

If interested, please register via email to , with "knit" in the subject line, providing your name and contact phone numbers.

Adult Education & Enrichment:
"Words or Music: A Brief Review of Opera History"

Which comes first? Haven't you always wondered? Here's your chance to learn about how the tension between the relative importance of words and music contributed to the evolution of opera. Opera aficionado Bill Mayhan of the University of Missouri-St. Louis will offer a lively program highlighting selections from the operas that will be presented in the 2005 season of the St. Louis Opera Theater. Sun., Apr. 3, at 7:00 p.m., in Adams Hall.

Gay/Lesbian Classic Cinema Night

The Welcoming Congregation Forum invites you to join them for a night of movie classics from the gay/lesbian community on Apr. 10 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. in Adams Hall.

The first presentation is "Longtime Companion", which takes place in New York during the beginning of the AIDS crisis in 1981. It follows the lives of several friends and partners as they are impacted by this devastating disease.

In contrast, the second moves is a classic from the lesbian community entitled "Desert Hearts." It examines the lives of two women who fall in love. Through this movie we come to a better understanding of the trials faced by lesbian love.

Join us for this evening of cinema classics. Invite your friends. All are welcome! Refreshments will be served. No admission is charged. For further information contact Lynn Murphy.

Eliot Bridge Game

Next month's open bridge game at Eliot will be Sat., Apr. 23 at 7:00 p.m. To reserve your place contact Sue Webster by 9:00 p.m. Sun., Apr. 17.

Thereafter, two more games are scheduled: Sat., May 28 and Sat., Jun. 25. Singles and couples are welcome. Mark your calendars now.

Women's Weekend

Reminder: April 22 - 24 at Camp Wyman in Eureka. On-line registration is available at Women's Weekend 2005. [Remember to bring a treasure for the White Elephant sale.]

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.

Tue., Apr. 5 - Atonement by Ian McEwan. Leader, Irmgard Voss

Tue., Apr 19 - Book review of the Missouri book of the year, Betsey Brown by Ntozake Shange. Coordinator, Janie Fowler

Tue., Apr. 26 - Lunch at Ladies of Lucerne Tearoom. Leave Eliot at 10:15 a.m. Coordinator, Janie Fowler.

Fellowship Hall Use: New Policy

Visitors and those who have appointments with the staff or who wish to visit the library during business hours have had a hard time of it lately. Some groups who use the church fellowship hall [Adams Hall] - which is really a foyer - have turned off the lights, and turned up the volume on a TV as part of their presentations.

While this is understandable, and while we want to encourage those who use the facilities to take full advantage of TV and multi-media approaches, it is proving to be far too disruptive to the normal flow of daily activity. Outside vendors, contractors, and visitors trying to negotiate a dark and loud room or talk to Joy Gorden, our church administrative assistant, have found the situation difficult.

So from now on, groups wanting to use a TV or other amplified multi-media during business hours, Monday through Friday, will be offered space other than Adams Hall for this purpose. Adams Hall is a popular space for meetings and presentations during the week, but it also functions as the lobby.

Thanks for your understanding!

RE News - Who Needs You?
-- Joan Casey, RE Director,

I can tell you right now who needs you - we need you. Maybe you're wondering who "we" are. We are the whole of our beloved Eliot Chapel community, not just me and not just the Religious Education Department. We need you to come forward for an opportunity to be enriched, to grow spiritually, to stretch in ways you've never thought possible. Am I piquing your interest? Would you like to hear more about what we need you to do?

We need people who want to share their loving hearts, who want to meet new people of all ages, who want to think about why we're here and how we can be better people and how we can make our world a better place for everybody. We need you to share your talents, your knowledge, and your sense of awe at this gift of life that we've been given.

Of course, anything we do that offers so much in return requires us to make some sacrifices. I'm not saying this commitment will be a walk in the park. You may have some challenges. But you will be supported and feted and, dare I say it, adored.

Have you guessed yet what we need you to do? We need you to sign up to teach next year. We need teachers from nursery through 6th grade, so you can pick any age that appeals to you. You can pick either the fall semester or the spring semester, if one time of year works better for you. You will work with a team of teachers so that you don't have to miss the service each Sunday, even when you are teaching. You will have my full support and the support of the rest of the RE Council. You will have interesting topics to cover. You don't have to have majored in world religions to teach. We expect you to learn along with your students. We expect you to teach from the heart.

I am really looking forward to working with you next year. Please stop by the sign up table during April recruitment, or contact me directly at Eliot Chapel (314) 821-0911 to be sure you don't miss this golden opportunity for personal growth.

Music Notes
-- Jan Chamberlin, Music Director,

Guest Musicians For UUSC Sunday: On April 3rd, we will have traditional Turkish music in our services played by Hande Berk and Ali Soltanshahi. Hande is a vocalist and ud (lute) player. She was born in Denizle, Turkey and has been in the States for 4+ years. She participates in cultural events in the community. Ali accompanies Hande with traditional Turkish percussion. He was born in Iran, lived in France for 10 years, and has been in the States for 9. As a duet, they have performed for the 9/11 Memorial at the History Museum, the International Folk Festival, Edwardsville International Street Fair, and SIUE International Night.

[This concert is postponed]

[If you purchased a ticket you may receive a refund by contacting the person who sold you the ticket or you may retain the ticket for the rescheduled concert in the fall.]

Chamber Music Concert: On Sat., Apr. 9 at 7:30 p.m., the Music Committee is sponsoring a classical music concert as a general fund raiser for Eliot Chapel. Tickets are $10 each, $5 for students. Guest musicians will include pianists Jennifer Lim and Annette Burkhardt. Highlights of the evening will include our own Mike Sanders, of the St. Louis Symphony, in a tuba concerto, [The Symphony strike is over and Mike will be performing with the Symphony that night.] and Schubert's Shepherd on the Rock performed by soprano, Karen Gottschalk; clarinetist, Budimir Zvolanek; and pianist, Leon Burke.

Coming up:

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's ...

Rev. Ó Connell passed his FAA checkride on Mar. 3, 2005 and is now a certificated private pilot.

Please Be Kind to the Tables

We recently had the "drawbridge" tables repaired and adjusted. In order to keep them functioning for as long as possible, please close them ('raise the bridge') to move them on their wheels, rather than dragging them on their legs; put any heavy objects towards the middle rather than at the ends; and please, for your safety as well, put your hindquarters on the chairs, never on any tables. Thank you.

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