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


Previous Newsletters

Recent Sermons:

Inside This Issue

3,000 UUs - All Singing Together
- Rev. Dr. Daniel Ó Connell, Lead Minister

From June 21 - 25, 2006 (Wednesday through Sunday), some 3,000 UUs from all over the country will descend on the America's Center in downtown St. Louis. I guarantee there will be local press coverage. Programming runs from about 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. every day. There will be hundreds of workshops (about 20 simultaneous in any given time slot).

Online registration (and housing) opens Mar. 1, 2006. Wednesday night are various orientations (you can meet other UUs from our part of the country), followed by the banner celebration (UUs from all over the world parade their flags through the auditorium) and opening plenary (half business meeting, half tent revival) at 8:00 p.m.

Thursday night is the Service of the Living Tradition, sort of a super graduation ceremony where UU ministers receiving different levels of fellowship and those retiring receive recognition, along with (usually) an absolutely bang-up sermon and service. Sunday morning worship runs from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. and is open to the public. We may have a flyer about the St Louis area UU churches at that service.

The Pulitzer Prize winner poet, Mary Oliver, will be this year's Ware Lecturer (Saturday night at 9:00 p.m.). There are choirs, covenant groups, and workshops on absolutely every imaginable aspect of church life, and a bunch that probably wouldn't occur to you.

We'll provide more info as we get closer, but if you're going to be in town that part of June, you should seriously consider this once-in-a-lifetime experience of being with 3,000 other UUs. You can get more information at www.uua.org/ga or feel free to talk with me, Rev. Bonnie, or Jan Chamberlin (Music Director).

Room At The Inn A Success!
- Bill and Joan Clarke

Although they are less visible to us than those people in the City, St. Louis County has 6,000 homeless people. Room At The Inn, with the help of Eliot Chapel, provided beds for 467 homeless individuals in December. This week the "Inn" is full, even with one family moving to transitional housing and another moving into an apartment.

It may 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. Thank you all for helping make this program successful.

Please look at your schedules and volunteer to help in any way you can.

Welcome!
- Michael Pelot-Hobbs, January 15, 2006

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.

I've been giving time and money to Eliot Chapel for almost 9 years. The members of Eliot that I knew before coming here I always considered "special people":

• open-minded
• kind
• tolerant and sincere

That is what brought my family to this congregation. What has kept us coming is that we continue to meet more of these individuals here. People who come to Eliot to seek, as I do, for the meaning of being at this time in history at this place in the universe.

I do not look for fulfillment in an after-life. I do not look for answers to my many questions in any one place. I look for answers everywhere, in this life, knowing that there is not just "one truth" or "eternal truth", only "my truth".

My only certainty is that I am here

• in this place
• at this time
• in this life
• with these people.

For those of you that are already taking your journey here, I look forward to sharing it with you. For those of you considering Eliot Chapel, we welcome you with open minds and warm hearts.

Welcome, New Members
- Claire Robertson, Membership Chair

We welcome to membership in Eliot Chapel Darren and Tracey Stoddart who joined as of Jan. We're so glad to have you as a fully participating part of our Eliot community.

Our Sympathy

To Kathie Price and Rich Heuermann and family on the death of Kathie's mother.

Fair Trade Coffee
- Beth Rossow

Please stop by the Fair Trade Coffee table after either service to check out our wonderful coffee. You can buy Eliot's Special Blend in regular or decaffeinated, whole beans or ground, all for only $10 per pound, a price that is close to what you'd pay at a specialty store. We also have a list of coffees that you can special order such as Guatemalan Huehuetenango (described as "crisp with vanilla and cocoa") or High Octane (described as "bright, delicate with sweet tones")! All special order coffees are $11 per pound and we offer 22 varieties.

Eliot Chapel earns half of the money that we collect. This is a great fund raiser for the church. And we are supporting fair trade, where growers and workers are paid a fair price.

So if you drink coffee and want something more interesting than Folgers, stop by the Fair Trade table. See you there.

Join the Work Beat
- Jennifer DeBusk, Intern Minister

The World Beat partnership between Eliot Chapel and the International Institute is a reality. The next volunteer opportunity is Sat., Mar. 4th. Please sign up!
9:00 - 11 a.m. Organize new donations (3 volunteers)
11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Distribute donations (2 volunteers)

Please arrive at 10:45 a.m. for a 15 minute orientation. Clients come between 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. The last 30 minutes is basic clean up. If you haven't volunteered yet and would like to, please let me know soon so that I can put you on the list before it fills up.

Unburden Your Bookshelves
- The Library Committee

We know you still have books you want to dispose of. NOW is the time. We can only accept books until Mar. 4 for your donation to the Book Fair. Book donation forms for income tax purposes are available in the library under the New Books shelf. Thank you.

No Valentines

The Welcoming Congregation dinner and dance at Eliot planned for Sat., Feb. 11 has been cancelled.

Friday Flicks Date Change

The Adult E&E "Friday Flicks" series has had its schedule and location changed for February through April. The original Feb. 3 date has been changed. The new dates are:

Feb. 17 - "Thou Shalt [Not] Commit Adultery"
Mar. 17 - "Thou Shalt Not Steal"
Apr. 21 - "Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness against Thy Neighbor

All are in Room 006, from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. The films are episodes of The Decalogue, a series directed by Krzysztof Kielslowski exploring moral dilemmas in a contemporary context.

Eliot Hikers

The February hike has been changed from Feb. 18 to Feb. 11. Meet at Eliot parking lot to carpool to Castlewood State Park at 9:00 a.m. Larry Reuter will lead the hike. If you want more information and want to be on the Eliot Hikers email List, contact Sue Blandford. The remaining hikes for the year are as follows and can also be found on Eliot's website:

Feb. 11 - Castlewood State Park - 9:00 a.m.
Mar. 18 - Onondaga Cave State Park - 8:15 a.m.
Apr. 22 - Fyrne Clyffe Park, IL - 8:00 a.m.
May 13 - Bike, Madison Co. IL - 9:00 a.m.

Homeland is Back

The Social Action Committee will be showing the last two segments of "Homeland: Four Portraits of Social Action" on Feb. 12 at 9:15 a.m., during the early service, in Room 001.

The Navajos in New Mexico need the work, but do not want to expose themselves to the waste from uranium mines. The Penobscot Indians in Maine are affected by the dioxin and other waste from paper mills; it prevents them from experiencing their traditional culture. Come and learn more about their problems and what they are doing. You may want to help them in some way.

Roses are Red ...

"Write Your Own Poem: A Workshop" with our own Dr. Bob Boyd will be held in the Sanctuary on Feb. 12 at 7:00 p.m. Bring pencil and paper; you will complete an original poem during the workshop. Brought to you by Adult E & E.

Our American Roots

Come explore the religious conversation of the forming American nation, and how Unitarianism and Universalism emerged from these conversations as unique religious perspectives. This six-week session includes reading, exercises, and video presentations of current UU ministers reflecting on our history and theology. This is an excellent opportunity for newcomers to find out more about our perspective, or for established UUs to deepen their knowledge. Class will be led by Rev. Bonnie Vegiard, assisted by Jennifer DeBusk. Wednesdays, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m., from Feb. 15 - Mar. 22.

New "U"
Saturday, February 18

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 next class is offered on Sat., Feb. 18 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.

Partner Church Trivia Night
- Sue Blandford

The Partner Church Trivia FUNdraiser is coming Sat., Feb. 18. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with Trivia starting at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale for $15 per person after both services. You can organize a table of 8 people or just buy a single ticket and we will seat you with other singles or doubles. Get your covenant group to buy a table together or invite a group of friends. Last year we sold out so don't wait too long.

The emphasis in on FUN; we want to raise as much money as possible for our partner church, St. Martin, in Transylvania, Romania. Popcorn, brownies, soda, and coffee will be provided, but you may bring your own food or drink of choice. Again, Hungarian "Bull's Blood" wine will be available for sale.

Bridge

The Eliot Bridge game for February will be on Sat., Feb.25 in Adams Hall at 7:00 p.m. Couples and singles are welcome. Contact Sue Webster to make your reservation. Deadline for reservations is the Sunday evening before the game.

Election Integrity

The Rev. Judith Conoyer, Chairman of the St. Charles County branch of the Missourians for Honest Elections (MOHE), will speak on Election Integrity and Computerized Voting on Feb. 26 at 7:00 p.m. in Adams Hall. Come, listen, and join the discussion. She will cover general information on how the process of vote counting has shifted from public to private hands and documented problems that have arisen because of decreased transparency in our elections. She will address the present state of the process of vote counting and discuss citizen involvement for remediation.

Rev. Conoyer has a Ph.D. in American History from St. Louis University. She is a retired pastor with the Evangelical Church in America (ELCA) and helped form an election integrity subgroup in St. Charles, which has allied with likeminded groups in St. Louis and Franklin Counties to become MOHE. They hope to ally with others to form a statewide, non-partisan group. The presentation is sponsored by the Social Action Committee.

Men's Advance

Mark the date of Sat., Mar. 4 on your calendar for the annual men's planning and social evening. Men's Advance will be May 5th, 6th, and 7th this year. Hopefully we will be able to enjoy the May flowers after a month of April showers. We meet at 6:00 p.m. [on March 4] to order pizza. Volunteer positions need to be filled and the workshops selected and organized. We'll talk about trucks and tools, football and fashion.

A Special Covenant Group

Join Rev. Dick Haynes for a five session Covenant Group exploring Christian Spirituality during Lent. This group is an opportunity to experience Christian Spirituality in an open, accepting, and affirming context. This may be a chance for healing, deepening, or brand new exploration. The group will meet Thu. evenings beginning Mar., 9. Sign up with Rev. Vegiard or call 314/821-0911.

It's Almost Time for the Book Fair!

The Eliot Library Book Fair takes place Fri. - Sun., Mar. 10 - 12. Book sorting days will be on the following dates from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.: Sat., Feb. 25; and Sat. Mar. 4. Women's Alliance and the Library Committee thank the congregation for their generous support.

Retreat Rescheduled

The "Happiness: Living from Brilliance" retreat has been rescheduled for Fri. and Sat., Mar. 17 and 18. It will be held here at Eliot and the fee will be $45. We will meet on Friday from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. and on Sat. from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Please register with Joy in the office with a check for $30 made out to Eliot Chapel. For questions or further information, contact Rev. Vegiard ( ) or Jane Larson.

Interplay
A Spirit Of Play Through Body Movement

A big thanks goes out to all those who participated in a fun body movement-as-spiritual-practice workshop on Jan. 7 at Eliot Chapel. Based on the good turnout and positive feedback, Intern Minister Jennifer DeBusk and community leader Mary Jordan will lead another workshop. For those who expressed interest but were unable to attend, here is your opportunity: Sat., Mar.18 from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. in Adams Hall. Suggested donation is $10.00. RSVP to Jennifer DeBusk 314-821-0911 or .

Discover the wisdom in your own body using the simplest forms in movement, voice, story and stillness. Let InterPlay introduce you to some basic principles that can enrich your spiritual practices for a greater sense of fullness and presence. No experience necessary. Just bring your body and a spirit of openness and play for this fun workshop. Wear comfortable clothes.

Women's Weekend
- Sally Ortiz

Mark your calendars: Women's Weekend will be the weekend of Apr. 28. We are looking for workshop leaders and ideas for workshops. If you would like to lead a workshop on Sat., Apr. 29, please email by Sat., Feb. 18.

Women's Alliance

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

Tue., Feb.21 - Holistic Health with Leni Kraai. Coordinator - Janie Fowler.

Update on Mitrata Nepal

Last year the sixth grade GATE class sponsored Nepal night and raised $1,400 for the Mitrata Nepal Foundation for Children, an orphanage and school sponsorship program for children in Kathmandu, Nepal. The foundation is sponsoring a trip to Nepal to visit the children and do some sightseeing in the Kathmandu Valley from Apr. 22 to May 7, 2006. The price is $2,500 for airfare, accommodations, and some meals. If you are interested in going, contact Nancy Williger.

Way to Go!

Faith Beyond Walls has recognized Barbara Bleisch, who acted as coordinator, and the Eliot Junior and Senior Youth Groups for their commitment to refurbishing and furnishing Kinloch apartments for evacuees of the Katrina disaster.

Music Notes
-- Jan Chamberlin, Music Director,

Many thanks to all who participated in Music Sunday. I hope it was as meaningful to the listeners as it was for the participants.
Music at Eliot Chapel is a collaborative effort. We are fortunate to have many dedicated singers and bellringers who can enhance our worship experience. However, our music is only as good and diverse as our volunteers. If you have something musical you could offer, please don't just sit and listen every week. We need to hear each other's music, just as we need to hear each other's stories. This kind of offering will cost you nothing but time. Please be generous. The act of one person giving can be enriching for all.

Choir Terms?
Several of our choir members are what're known as "snow birds". They sing through Christmas and then flyaway for the rest of the winter, leaving our ranks a bit thin. If you've thought of singing in choir, but not making a long-term commitment, please talk to me about a shorter term, similar to teaching in RE.

Music Night?????
Here's an idea that has worked successfully at other churches; if enough people are interested, we could give it a try. One evening a week, all of the musical groups practice: adults, children, hand bells, and instruments. At the same time, a simple dinner is provided. So, the eating happens in shifts. This would allow families to participate more in the music making. This could also be a convenient time for various committees to hold their meetings. Just a thought - but if you have an opinion, please talk to me.

Coming up:
Feb. 12 - preludes by Jim Gender and Robert Miller. 9:15 a.m. choir sings Set Me As A Seal by Clausen. 10:45 a.m. choir sings Eres Tu.
Feb. 19 - All music by the Eliot Youth.

Please Help Us Plan

We are trying to get a better idea of space requirements and usage of the building. For the next few months, we'd like whoever is in charge of an event to let us know how many people attended it. This will help us in our planning for next year. You may leave a note in the box on Joy's door, call the office and leave a message, or send an email. Whatever is easiest for you - but please do it.

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