HOME
SUNDAY SCHEDULE
NEWSLETTER
CALENDAR
DIRECTIONS
LEADERSHIP
PROGRAMS
OUR BELIEFS
SERMONS
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
SOCIAL ACTION
ABOUT US
CONTACT US


Previous Newsletters

Inside This Issue

Outreach Offering
- Rev. Dr. Daniel Ó Connell, Lead Minister

A couple of years ago, the largest UU church in the country - First Unitarian Society of Madison, WI - began a new project. Every Sunday from September through May, half of their undesignated plate offering would be earmarked for a specific charity. This was written up recently in the Central Midwest District (of which we are a part) newsletter.

When I mentioned this at our staff meeting this week, there was immediate interest. I paused for a moment. Probably on average, we collect $10,000 per year in offerings and that money is used in our operating budget: to turn on the lights, heat, air conditioning, and to pay our staff salaries.

But it also occurred to us that many people pay their pledges outside of the Sunday offertory. (Rev. Bonnie and I have our bank automatically send a check every month.) So on Sunday mornings, most people let the baskets pass them on by unless there is a special offering.

With an outreach offering thought, we can see that a contribution to the plate offering will go to a particular charitable activity. In Madison, people often determine how much should go to the charity and then double it, so the church benefits as well. The Madison congregation has raised money for domestic abuse shelters, environmental organizations, the Urban League, tsunami relief, a food bank, and other worthy endeavors.

So, we've decided to try this out. Right now, we limit special offerings; that usually works out to about 5 or 6 per year.

Now, we're thinking about one per month. We already raised $2,250 for assistance to Hurricane Katrina victims. So, we're thinking about splitting the collection on the first Sundays in October, November, and December. After that, we'll evaluate and adjust.

People at Eliot are generous with their time, talent, and treasure. Hopefully the outreach offering will offer us another opportunity to practice some small generosity while helping bring about our vision of "an earth made fair, and all her people one"

Welcome!

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. Here is Boyd Jones's from Sep. 19, 2005:

My wife and I have been pledging our time, talents, and treasure to Eliot for over 25 years. I am currently chair of the Board of Trustees, but I do not represent the Board this morning. I represent just me. And if I had to title this woebegone greeting, it might be called "Everything I ever needed to know about the best in human nature, I learned at Eliot Unitarian Chapel." OK - maybe not everything….but I have grown to better appreciate a significant amount of the good that is inherent in the human mind and spirit through my many associations here. Eliot has made me a much more positive, aware, and thoughtful person over the years. This church is a constant reminder that I am part of much bigger processes outside my own existence and needs, and I have learned, through it, that my life is rich to the extent that I share it, and to the extent that I consider the bigger picture around me and join in the wonderful tapestry of life through which Eliot runs like a golden thread.

I think of Eliot Unitarian Chapel as a great smorgasbord; an endless banquet, from which we can either nibble around the edges of many exotic communal, spiritual and humanitarian dishes, or gorge ourselves on the select few we cherish. And it is my choice. Nobody tells me what to sample, what to return to for deeper indulgence, or how to feel about anything I've tried.

What do you need: Lasting friendships? An endless variety of committees in which to immerse your time and energies? Beautiful music? Stimulating religious education for yourself and your children? Thought-provoking sermons? Multiple opportunities to indulge your passion for creative and intellectual pursuit? Opportunities to work for social justice? The challenge to learn, to think, to grow, to expand your personal horizons in the process of becoming a better person? For me, it is all here - all I need. I have never ceased to be amazed by the caliber of people and the avenues for mental and emotional fulfillment that I find under this roof. I know that whatever I require in personal connection, progressive thinking, intellectual stimulation, and moral/ethical challenge and example - I will find it, right here. And I hope you all do, likewise.

Welcome, New Members
Claire Robertson, Membership Chair

We welcome to membership in Eliot Chapel: Philip Rock who signed the membership book on July 3, David Engelkenjohn on August 14, and Leslie and Jeff Scherrer on September 4. We're delighted to have you with us!

Our Sympathy ...

To Renee Ratna on the death of her mother.
To Janis and David Cox and their family on the death of Janis's father.

Flooding Affects Eliot Partner Church Village

The week before Katrina hit the Gulf Coast; torrential rains caused major flooding across Central and Eastern Europe. The worst affected area was the Transylvania section of Romania where Eliot's partner church is located. Fortunately our church's village suffered no loss of life, but there was great property damage.

In an email Rev. Varga said, "We have been put into a desperate situation here. Our gardens were washed away, our basements were filled with mud, and our wheat was damaged, so we will have a poor harvest. I don't want to sound like complaining, but the entire country is in trouble."

There is no emergency relief organization like FEMA in Romania, so our fellow Unitarians are dependent upon outside help. The Eliot Partner Church Committee will provide information on how you can help the villagers at the Sunday Oct. 2 and Oct. 9 services. For additional information, contact Sue Blandford.

Kirk Care Representation Needed

Eliot Chapel is eligible for two seats on the Kirk Care Board of Trustees. Kirk Care meets on the third Thu. evening of the month at St. Joseph's Hospital in Kirkwood. The organization maintains a food pantry and an emergency fund for utility bills, housing, school supplies, etc. The group also supports several programs that serve the needy in the Kirkwood School District. Kirk Care was formed by the Kirkwood Ministerial Alliance to assist families in the Kirkwood School District during critical emergencies and to support some general needs of sub-communities within the school district, and is operated by volunteers. If interested, please contact Helen McIntosh at .

Room at the Inn
- Bill & Joan Clarke

We want to thank those of you who signed up a few weeks ago to help host, cook, and launder linens for our Room At The Inn guests. For those of you who didn't get the chance, please visit the bulletin board in the hallway to Adams Hall and add your name in the spaces where we still need volunteers. In the next month we will be holding a training/orientation session for our hosts to remind everyone of the procedures we use to run the program on Thursday nights.

Also, Room At The Inn is having a Trivia Night fundraiser on Sat., Oct. 8, at 7:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Ferguson. Tickets are $10 per person; tables seat eight. Snacks and soft drinks included. Call Jamie Jones at (314) 524-5898 for reservations.

Eliot Hiking Schedule 2005-2006

All hikes are on Saturdays and meet at Eliot parking lot at the time given. We leave 15 minutes later and carpool.Driving time from Eliot is in parentheses. Email details will be sent to those on the Hiking list. Call Sue Blandford if you want to be added to the list.

• Oct. 1 10:00 a.m., Bike, Pere Marquette to Grafton (1 hr.) Led by Ellen Ciesla.
• Oct. 22 8:15 a.m., Washington State Park (70 min.) Led by Peggy Douglas.
• Nov. 19 9:00 a.m., Rockwoods Reservation (40 min.) Led by Beth Rossow.
• Dec. 10 9:00 a.m., Lone Elk Park & Chubb Trail (25 min.) Led by Jeff Huestis.
• Jan. 21 9:00 a.m., Cliff Cave Park (30 min.) Led by Doris Yohe.
• Feb. 18 9:00 a.m., Castlewood State Park (30 min.) Led by Larry Reutter.
• Mar. 18 8:15 a.m., Onondaga Cave State Park (90 min.) Led by Steve Lewis.
• Apr. 22 8:00 a.m., Fyrne Clyffe Park, IL (2 hrs.) Led by Lary Mohl.
• May 13 9:00 am Bike, Madison Co., IL (1 hr.) Led by Sue Blandford.

Eliot Bible Study

The next meeting of the Bible Study will be Mon, Oct. 3, from 7:00-9:00 p.m. in Adams Hall. Please read the book of Jonah. All are welcome!

Beginning Musicians

Lead Butterfly (formerly known as the Beginner's Jam) will meet in Children's Chapel on Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m. If you want to join us, call Sue Stivers.

Everyday Courage Potluck

Everyday Courage, Courage Every Day will have a just for fun Fall Potluck, on Oct. 5, the first Wed. evening in October. The location is 317 Rose Lane, which is off S. Harrison between Woodbine and Rose Hill in Kirkwood, at 5:30 p.m. Contact Tim Gardner for details.

Fall Family Fun!
- Gene Hutchins, Bergfried Committee Chair

The Family Weekend at Bergfried is Oct. 7 through 9; you are welcome to come on Fri., Sat., or Sunday - spend the day or camp overnight. This is a great family event and a wonderful time to enjoy the beautiful Fall colors.

The Sunday service will be followed with a pot luck picnic. The tradition is the campers provide meat (hotdogs, hamburgers). The day trippers bring a side dish, dessert. Everyone provides their own beverages.

What is there to do? Your family can take a great hike in the woods and see nature at its best. You can see where Lewis and Clark spent three days exploring. There are fields so large you can fly a kite. Or just sit around a camp fire and have a leisurely time in the fresh air. Please include Bergfried in your weekend plans.

For more information, including directions, see Bergfried on the Eliot web site.

Hayride & Bonfire

What better way to spend a cool October evening with friends and family than on a hayride? The Special Events Committee of the RE Council invite you to attend the 3rd annual Hayride in Forest Park on Fri., Oct. 7. Arrive at 6:30 p.m. Our two wagons will depart promptly at 7:05 p.m. Afterwards, we get to have a bonfire! Bring marshmallows to roast and cider to drink. If you have a guitar, bring it along for a sing-along. Cost is $5.00 per person. Please sign-up quickly as we have limited seating. Sign-up is in the hallway outside Adams Hall. Make checks payable to Eliot Chapel-Hayride. For further information, please call Tracey Howe-Koch.

Addition to Adult Education & Enrichment

Adult E & E has added a program called, "June in Romania" for Sun. evening, Oct. 9 at 7:00 p.m. Sue and Clint Blandford along with Steve Lewis and Elisa Voss traveled for ten days in Romania this summer. Come see a slide show and learn about our Partner Church, St. Martin, in Transylvania, Romania. The Partner Church bulletin board gives a sneak preview of the program.

Ministry in Your Future?

Meadville Lombard sponsors a conference for prospective theological students which provides an opportunity to learn about education for ministry and to engage in vocational discernment with faculty, current students, and other prospective students.

This year's conference will take place from Wed., Oct. 12 to Fri., Oct. 14, 2005. The registration fee is $50.00, which covers lodging for two nights and some meals.

If you are interested, please contact Rev. Ó Connell or Rev. Vegiard for more information.

New "U" - Your ??? Answered

Your questions about Unitarian Universalism and Eliot Chapel will be answered in this introductory class. Ministers, lay members, and you will share thoughts and information. Your questions are an important part of the experience. New "U" is particularly interesting and helpful to those who may seek more involvement and membership in Eliot Chapel.

The first class is offered on Sat., Oct. 15 from 9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. Please register in Visitors' Corner or through the office at (314) 821-0911. Childcare may be arranged if requested by Sep. 30.

Future dates for New "U" are Nov. 19, Feb. 18 and Apr. 8.

Mark Your Calendars
- Lynn Murphy

The Welcoming Congregation Forum is beginning its second year of events. So that you can plan ahead, please mark your calendars for our next two workshops on Oct. 16 and Nov. 13 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. in Adams Hall. The specific topics will be announced in the next newsletter. Our continuing goal is to offer topics and evens that can be beneficial to the congregation in being welcoming to those who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered. Our continuing hope is that more of you will come to learn, to share, and to enjoy the diversity our congregation has to offer. Please come and share the journey with us. All are invited. Refreshments will be served.

Dessert and Training

Join Room At The Inn on Thu. Oct. 20, from 7:30-9:30 in Adams Hall for dessert and RATI training. This meeting is for anyone who has or will be hosting, or who is considering hosting in the future. Sr. Mary Jo from the RATI shelter in Bridgeton will go over the simple procedures for helping our guests settle in and spend the night, handling emergencies, providing breakfast, and leaving in the morning. She will also provide stories and attendance prizes. For any questions, call Margie Maclin.

Spiritual Journeys

"What's your spiritual type?" This could be a new kind of opening line, or the beginning of an in-depth journey of your own. Rev. Bonnie Vegiard introduced some ideas about spiritual disciplines in her sermon on Sep. 18. The entire congregation is invited to participate in an all-day spiritual exploration event on Sat. Oct. 22. We will form a year-long Spiritual Journeys group to meet monthly with Rev. Vegiard. This group will be limited in size and will require commitment to one's own spiritual journey and to the group. There is additional information to come, or contact Rev. Vegiard to find out more.

Couples' Communication Skills Workshop

ACME (Association for Couples in Marriage Enrichment) will be sponsoring a one day, 8 hour workshop on couples' communications skills on Sat., Oct. 22 at Eliot Chapel. This is a participatory workshop for a maximum of 8 couples. Confidentiality and respect are basic ground rules for all ACME events.

ACME is an international, not-for-profit, non-sectarian organization. Cost per couple is $45.00 for workshop and materials. Make checks payable to A.C.M.E.

For further information, please call Bruce or Trish or email . To register, fill out registration forms, found in Eliot's Visitors' Corner and mail with payment to Bruce & Trish Williams at their home address.

Got Flu Shots?

On Sun., Oct. 30 from 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., members of the congregation may get a flu shot at Eliot Chapel. Shots will be given by the same company that gives flu shorts in the malls, for the same price ($25). They will bill for Medicare Part B. More information will be provided in the next newsletter.

Third Annual Blood Drive

Sun., Nov. 6 from 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Mark your calendars! Eat healthy! Sign up for donation times will begin Oct. 16. For more information contact Linda Polcyn.

Women's Alliance

We meet on the first, third, and fourth Tuesdays of the month from 9:30 to 11:45 a.m. in Adams Hall, unless otherwise noted.
Tue., Oct. 4 - Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson. Leader - Dottie Brenner.

First Fridays
- Susan Maginn, Interim Youth Programs Director

On the first Friday of each month St. Louis area senior youth will gather for worship at different St. Louis area congregations. The worship will be conducted by the youth from the host congregation.

If you have attended a youth worship service before then you know that they are special. Youth worship tends to be interactive, centered on themes that are of importance to youth with songs and traditions that are passed down from youth conferences (cons). Youth worship is inspiring and fun.

Eliot Chapel will host the first First Friday on Oct. 7 at 7:00 p.m. After the service, we will walk a couple blocks to get some pizza with any youth who are interested. We have invited all St. Louis are UU congregations to participate in this program and we have also asked the Ethical Society youth group and the MCC youth group to join in on First Fridays as well.

We'll keep you posted on how First Fridays progresses, but know this: Eliot has a fantastic youth group and whether or not you have a youth in the program, we can all celebrate the Eliot youth and their advisors.

Bergfried Forest Stewardship Plan
- Jim Lyon for the Bergfried Committee

The Eliot Board has contracted with Midwest Forest Consultants LLC to create a new Forest Stewardship Plan to guide management of the Bergfried timberlands for the next ten years. The plan will consist of an inventory of existing timber and a list of recommended actions that we should take to meet our goals. The goals used to develop the current plan in 1996 (in order of importance) were:

1. Enhance the long-term (100 year) health of the forest and wildlife
2. Maintain esthetic values, beauty and diversity
3. Provide income to Eliot Chapel.

RE News
- Joan Casey, RE Director,

We hope that everyone is feeling rejuvenated and glad to be back this fall. So many things are going on in our Religious Education Department that we can't begin to name them all here. To keep up with the latest information about our program, please be sure to pick up a copy of REjuvenation!, the RE newsletter. It is passed out in class on the last Sunday of each month, with extra issues available outside my office and in Visitors' Corner the rest of the month. [It's also available online.]

To our Secret Pal children and adults - Don't forget to contact each other regularly - you should do it each Sunday via small gifts and notes at the Secret Pals table in Adams Hall, and also by email or letters if you'd like. Tell each other a little about yourselves (especially the adults, since you are a mystery to your child). Plan what you'll wear to the Halloween Party. (Costumes are strongly encouraged - just be sure no masks are worn.) Please remember to limit your spending to $10 during the month. Children must be sure to reciprocate. If you know you will miss a Sunday during the month, you're welcome to leave gifts/notes in advance with me and I'll make sure your pal gets it.

Pals, don't forget to mark your calendar for the super-fun party on Fri., Oct. 28 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. We've planned lots of fun re for you; we can't wait to see you there!

Music Notes
-- Jan Chamberlin, Music Director,

Coming up:
Oct. 2 - The Shofar will be sounded for Rosh Hashana. Children's Chalice Choir will sing Hine Ma Tov for preludes. The 9:15 choir will sing Tapestry by Snyder; the 10:45 choir will sing O, What is Man? by Adler.
Oct. 9 - Inner Voices will sing preludes and interludes. The 9:15 choir will sing Castle on A Cloud from "Les Miserables", the 10:45 choir will sing Life is Not A Garden by Alexander.

Singing The Journey: We're almost there! We have almost enough orders for two people to share a copy of the new hymnal supplement. If you have not yet contributed, please consider ordering at least one at $15. There are some wonderful songs waiting for us! The books can have dedications specified in them. Order forms are in the hallways and a Music Committee person can help you after each service.

Calling All Basses and Tenors: We need you to sing in the Chamber Choir! This group meets on Wed. from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. and again on Sun. at 8:30 a.m. They sing at the 9:15 a.m. service. The choir provides a meaningful part of worship each week. Youth are welcome! If you sing bass or tenor (or any other part) and can help out, please contact me.

Children's Chalice Choir: We're off to a good start with 11 singers (including 3 boys.) They will be singing preludes in four or five services this year, under the direction of Jan Chamberlin and Nancy Collis. They meet between the services in the Music Room. It's not too late to join; the group is open to 1st-7th graders.

Instrumentalists Needed: If you can play mandolin or "fiddle" please contact me.

Friends of Music Concert: A classical music concert will be presented by the Friends of Music on Sun., Oct. 16 at 3:00 p.m. at Eliot Chapel. All are welcome.

I Can See Clearly Now ...

Please do not post or hang anything that will cover any windows, glass, or Chapel signs without prior consultation with the office. Thank you for your cooperation.

Please Don't Scatter

We've just had the sanctuary carpet professionally cleaned. Seems like a good time for a friendly reminder that we do not allow confetti, glitter, glitter on things, glitter on people, rice, flower petals, food and drink, etc. in the sanctuary. Thanks for your cooperation.

Allergy Alert
- Joan Casey

Did you know that some food allergies can be life threatening? For this reason, we adhere to the no peanuts or any other nuts in the building policy that the Nursery School follows. Some people cannot even touch the oil residue left by peanuts without going into anaphylactic shock. We ask that everyone, not just parents and teachers, abide by this rule. Thank you!

 Home   Sunday Schedule   Newsletter   Calendar   Directions   Leadership   Programs   Our Beliefs   Sermons   About Us   Contact Us