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

Spiritual Empowerment
- Rev. Bonnie Vegiard, Program Minister

Those of you who have taken Bible Study with me, or heard me talk about it, know how deeply I enjoy studying the Bible. Sometimes I wonder myself why I like it so much. After all, I do not believe the Bible is the literal and authoritative revealed word of God. It has a lot of confusing, violent, and deeply uncomfortable texts within it. You can just as easily find teachings that are distressing and oppressive as those that are comforting and liberating. Why grapple with all this?

I believe that the Bible is a record of human beings who were struggling mightily with making meaning and finding holiness in the midst of chaos. These texts have been interpreted for us and reinterpreted for us for thousands of years. In the process, we've sometimes completely lost touch with the original context from which they emerged, and the possible multiple meanings they held within that context. It is the human struggle with the Holy that can have meaning in our lives, more than the literal words of the text. I feel confident and empowered when I hear people use the Bible in a literalistic or oppressive way. I, too, know what's there. I, too, deeply value these.

Whether or not Bible Stutextsdy is your thing, Unitarian Universalism gives us the opportunity to step outside the traditional concepts and symbols of religions and view them afresh. We have freedom of conscience to draw our own conclusions, and a community to challenge us to continue our journey.

I invite you to take note of the presentation by Dr. Stephen Patterson on March 5 (details). I enjoy learning from others on the journey as well. I hope you do too!

Celebrate Stewardship
- Jim Gender, Canvass Chair

Rebecca Johnson of Vogue magazine claims that, "Money is the opposite of the weather. Nobody talks about it, but everybody does something about it."

Celebrating Stewardship starts on Sun., Mar. 5, and is our opportunity to talk about "it" and giving "it" to support the UU in you and your life and giving so our church can continue to be a beacon and harbor of liberal religion in the Midwest.

The Stewardship campaign this year is based on leader-hosted celebrations. The leader will run through a simple program, provide hospitality, and collect pledge cards. This celebration is to recognize and thank you for your time, talent, and give you a convenient opportunity to contribute treasure. When you are invited, please RSVP promptly; if you cannot attend a hosted celebration, please plan on attending a Celebrate Stewardship luncheon at Eliot after the second service on Mar. 19. Childcare will be provided and you will have an opportunity to fill out your pledge card then. You can discuss and give your pledge to a host by phone, but we will not mail out pledge cards. A primary goal of Celebrate Stewardship is 100% participation by Eliot members and friends.

If you have not been contacted by Mar. 12, (because we've messed up!) please call me or contact the church office.

Welcome!
- Kevin Mitchell, Feb. 12, 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 grew up Catholic. It's a beautiful religion, but for a child, it can be scary. I remember well the night before my first communion, my older brother, Timmy, whispered from the bed across the room, "You know that the communion wafer is the actual body of Jesus Christ. Well, if you accidentally bite down on it, you're biting Jesus, and right then and there, you go straight to h-e-double-hockey sticks."

I lived through that and the other rituals. But my fondest memories of the church were the Sunday school and the teachers that influenced me. Ultimately, however, it wasn't a good fit and I wandered away.

As I approached my 40s with a child on the way, my wife, Lauren, and I tried Eliot. We knew we found a home after a Youth Service. There is one next week. It's when the amazing kids who attend Religious Education here put on the service. This is an inspirational and moving event. I saw that the children here were learning with no fear, only open hearts and open, questioning, minds. So we joined and enrolled our three-year-old, Owen, in RE.

Now, when you enroll your child into RE, there's a form. On the form is a box. Next the box is something to the effect of, "We hope the parents of enrolled children teach three semesters over 18 years." "Reasonable," I thought. So I checked the box.

My phone immediately rang. "Hello?" "Hi, I'm Joan Casey! I run RE! I see you want to teach RE!"

Despite my hesitation, suddenly there I was, a "Sunday School" teacher myself. I'm proud to say I'm going to teach my third semester next fall. It's a wonderful program inside and out, both in how the material is supplied and the support the teachers are given. Also, it's been a great way for me to get to know other Eliot members. And yes, as cliché as it is, the kids are certainly "teaching" me as much as I hope I'm teaching them. Especially the older ones, who of course have everything figured out.

Those here for the first time, I hope you find Eliot as comfortable and inspiring as I do. For those not here for the first time, but have yet to spend time with the wonderful kids of this community, I encourage you to give Joan your phone number.

For those of you who are already taking your journey here, I continue looking 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 Deborah Patterson, and the Schlarman family: David and Kris, and Kate and Steve, who signed the membership book on Feb. 5. We look forward to your full participation in our Eliot Chapel community.

Congratulations

To Anne and Shawn Cummings and big brother Jacob on the birth of Benjamin Orion Cummings.

To Missy and Anthony Castro and big sisters Zoey and Zinnia on the birth of Sicily Ray Castro.

Our Sympathy

To JoAnn and Edwin Shew on the death of JoAnn's father.

To Bill and Susan Sunderman and family on the death of Bill's father.

Intern(al) Musings
- Jennifer DeBusk, Intern Minister

As a California native transplanted to the Midwest, I wasn't sure how open I should be about my alternative, creative, artsy side. I decided to keep a low profile at first and ease into things. Then came January 2006, a year of new beginnings. In a spirit of boldness, I decided to co-lead an InterPlay body movement-as-spiritual-practice workshop at Eliot Chapel. To my delight, people seemed to enjoy it!

For me, InterPlay represents embodied faith through improvisational dance, storytelling, and the power of witness within community. It is one of my spiritual practices. When I get in touch with the physical movement of my body, I experience a similar flexibility of mind, heart, and spirit. I become more open, receptive and present in my interactions with others. When I am out of touch with this spiritual grounding, my interactions don't flow as well. Body, mind, heart and spirit all need to be present in order to make a genuine connection.

I am amazed at what the spirit can create in the moment of free-form dance. There is something beautifully refreshing in this expression that a choreographed performance cannot capture. I experience a natural rhythm in dance that is a metaphor for the spirit. There are two elements that I witness in motion. One is levity with passion. It entails a spontaneity, wonder and playfulness of being fully in the moment. Yet this freedom is grounded in a deep reverence for life rather than a careless air of disregard. The other is initiative with trust. It is the essence of the creative process. This involves setting an idea in motion and letting it take shape in its own way without directing its course for a particular outcome.

When these two elements are in harmony -- levity with passion and initiative with trust - I experience grace. But these sacred moments represent only one aspect in the larger dance of life. Falling in and out of harmony is all part of the natural rhythm. During times of spiritual connection, the dance becomes one of gratitude and joy. During times of spiritual disconnect, the dance shifts to sorrow and loss. And sometimes the dance itself seems to have lost its beat and sense of direction. Yet during these ambiguous moments the rhythm continues despite its inaudible pulse. Even in stillness the gentle motions of our breathing create movement that contributes to the dance of life.

Join the FUN Committee!

The FUN Committee is a group of FUN-loving people who "make it happen" for the Eliot Community. The annual meeting (yes, there is only one) will be held Sun., Mar. 12 at noon to plan several non-fund-raising events for the upcoming year. If you're interested in FUN, bring your ideas and enthusiasm and let's talk! Contact FUN Committee Chair Lydia Hopkins for more information.

Ready, Set, Burn
- Jim Lyon, Bergfried Committee

The Bergfried fire crew needs help! Both meadows should be burned between now and the end of March. If you will be free for a weekend day during that period and would like to help, contact Jim Lyon at . High school age youth accompanied by a responsible adult will be welcome. On-the-job training will be provided.

World Beat
- Jennifer DeBusk, Intern Minister

Thanks to Paul Dribin, Sara Johnson, Sandra Steinman, Chris Thorne and Suzanne Till for volunteering to work at the International Institute on Feb. 4, We're already geared up for Mar, 4 thanks to Clint and Sue Blandford, Paul Dribin, Sandra Steinman, and Suzanne Till.
9:00 - 11 a.m. Organize donations (3 volunteers)
10:45 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Distribute donations (2 volunteers)

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 Sun., 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. For this once-a-year planning meeting, we gather at 6:00 p.m. to determine how much and what kind of pizza to order, so be on time. The social hour will feature beverages that you have brought yourself. Be prepared to contribute and have a good time with other sensitive New Age Guys. This social event and Texas Hold 'em tournament will establish the details of this year's Men's Advance workshop topics and schedule.

Rethinking the Death and Life of Jesus

The Eliot Adult Education & Enrichment Committee presents Dr. Stephen J. Patterson of Eden Theological School presenting from his book Beyond the Passion. Join us Sun., Mar. 5, at 7:00 p.m. for the surprising perspectives of a Christian scholar on how the early Christian church interpreted the death of their leader. Dr. Patterson's other books include: The God of Jesus, The Fifth Gospel, and The Gospel of Thomas and Jesus. Dr. Patterson is a member of The Jesus Seminar. We are very pleased to welcome him to Eliot Chapel.

Eliot Bible Study

Join us Mon., Mar. 6 at 7:00 p.m. for Bible Study. We will reflect on Dr. Patterson's Mar. 5 presentation and his book Beyond the Passion. Biblical texts to read: the passion narratives of all four New Testament Gospels: Mark 11:1-16:8; Matthew 21:1-28:30; Luke 19:29-24:53; John 12:12-21:25. For the more ambitious reader who wants to see some examples of Jewish martyr literature, also read 4 Maccabees and Wisdom of Solomon 1-5 (in the Apocrypha section of Protestant Bibles).

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.

Playgroup

The Eliot Playgroup will meet from 9:30 - 11:00 a.m. on Fri., Mar.10 in the nursery. Eliot grownups and their preschool age children are welcome. We meet the second Friday of every month. Contact Wendy Cutshaw for more information.

Hats ON to our Newcomers

Celebrate St. HATrick's Day! Leprechauns wear hats - and so do all of us! If you're a new member, New U alum or new friend of Eliot Chapel of the past two years, don a favorite hat and a bit of Irish green - and join us on Sun. evening, Mar. 12, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in Adams Hall for a Newcomers' St. HATrick's Day Semi-Potluck Dinner. Whether in fedora, baseball cap, lucky fishing hat, or a fancy chapeau, please join us for an evening of mixed themes and pure sociability.

Childcare may be available if requested by Feb. 26. If we miss you with an invitation or you'd like to throw your hat in the ring for this event, please contact Claire Robertson at .

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.

Spring into Life

"Spring into Life" is the theme for this upcoming body movement-as-spiritual-practice workshop on Sat., Mar. 18 from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. in Adams Hall lead by Jennifer DeBusk and Mary Jordan. Please see the newsletter reflection piece titled "Intern(al) Musings" to learn more about the meaning behind InterPlay.

No experience necessary. Just bring your body and a spirit of openness and play for this fun workshop. Wear comfortable clothes. Suggested donation is $10.00 for InterPlay leader, Mary Jordan. RSVP to Jennifer DeBusk 314-821-0911 or .

On the Lighter Side - Part II

Ellen DeGeneres won't be coming to our next event on Mar. 26, but we're hoping that, you will. The Welcoming Congregation Forum will be offering Part II of gay/lesbian comedians and their look at the lighter side of life. We will be meeting from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. in Adams Hall. Bring yourself, bring a friend, and bring a snack to share. For further information contact Lynn Murphy. See you there.

Committed Couples' Collaborative Communications
For the Chronically Time-Crunched

Has daily life so swamped you that you barely see your partner - never mind having a meaningful discussion? This event is for you! The Family Support and Outreach Committee and ACME are excited to offer this introduction to communication strategies for committed couples. Please join us at Eliot on Sun., Apr. 2 at 7:00 p.m. See the RE bulletin board for further information and childcare sign-up.

District Assembly

The Central Midwest District Assembly will meet the weekend of Apr. 21 in Madison, WI.

It's like a "mini GA" with a parade of banners, workshops, speakers, merchandise, worship, music, food, business meetings where congregational delegates vote, and good times with other UUs! If you'd like to be a delegate, talk to Rev. Daniel O'Connell. If you want a ride, talk to Jane Larson or Jan Chamberlin . For more information go to http://www.cmwd-uua.org/ .

Religious Hypocrisy
in American Politics

On Sun., Apr. 23, at 2:00 p.m., Susan Jacoby, author of Freethinkers, A History of American Secularism, will speak on "With God on Their Side: The Rise of Religious Hypocrisy in American Politics" at First Unitarian Church, 5007 Waterman Blvd. at Kingshighway.

There will be a question and answer period after this free lecture, followed by a reception and book signing.

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. 28 - Bead and jewelry making demonstration and sale by Carol McKirgan. The do's and don'ts of making beads and jewelry. Coordinator - Janie Fowler.

Tue., Mar. 7 - The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. Leader - Fran Ritzinger.

Delicious Results - Chili & Games Night

... and a wonderful time was had by all. Chili & Games night on Jan. 21st was a success with games for children and for adults too - bingo, bunko, charades and poker. The new traveling Poker Trophy went to Doug Hopkins, hot man at the table that night. Here are the delicious results of the chili competition: Best Vegetarian Chili goes to Chris Allen, with Beth Rossow as runner up. Best Meat Chili goes to Pat Bell, with Dave and Barb Crowley coming in second. The Sweet Victory for best dessert goes to William Lemon for his pumpkin pie. Grace Rossow is runner up for her chocolate pie. Let's go to the Rossows' for dinner - they know how to cook! Or, at least get their recipes. Thank you to everyone who attended and entered the chili and dessert competition, and to the volunteers who made it all happen: Elitta DeArmond, Mark Nissen, Vicki Skow, and Bill Zeh. Brought to you by the FUN Committee.

Lots of fun things are happening in the RE wing as we begin our Spring Semester. We've had many visitors to our classrooms these last few weeks, which is always exciting. Our Kindergarten through 5th grade students started their World Religions Pillar with a joyous Chinese New Year Celebration sponsored by the RE Curriculum Committee. We learned about the Kitchen God, played pick-up sticks, made dragon puppets and dog cards (it's the year of the dog, you know), and lots of other fun things. Thanks to the whole committee for their hard work: Hilary Babcock, Susie Bradley, Dave Day, Ben Gleason, Rich Wagner, and Nancy Williger.

Our 6th grade GATE partners have collected over $900 by selling doughnuts and bagels in Adams Hall this fall. With the able assistance of Carol Moreland, the GATE Coordinator, they are busy deciding what charity or charities will reap the benefits of their work. We will keep you posted on where the money goes in future newsletter articles.

Note to spring teachers: don't forget that Teacher Planning Coffees are scheduled on Mar. 5 from 8:00 to 8:30 a.m. for 9:15 a.m. teachers and from 10:00 to 10:30 a.m. for 10:45 a.m. teachers in Room 001. Members of the Teacher Support Committee and the RE Council will be on hand to answer questions or help team members problem-solve. Childcare will be provided in Room 006. These coffees are an excellent way for the team members to get together and discuss the rest of the year, have a doughnut and coffee, or work through issues that may have arisen. We hope to see most of our spring teachers there.

Music Notes
-- Jan Chamberlin, Music Director,

The Children's Chalice Choir continues to practice between services in the Music Room on Sundays from 10:15 to 10:40 a.m. They are preparing for three dates and new singers who are in grades 1 - 5 and able to read are welcome.

The Chamber Choir and Chorale are preparing for Easter and the rest of the year. All voices are needed and teenagers welcome. This is a wonderful, fun way to volunteer. If you want to be involved, contact Jan Chamberlin.

The UU Children's Choir at GA only happens alternate years. It's a wonderful "music camp" experience for young singers. After learning music together with UUs from all over the country, with guest clinician, Sandra Snow from Michigan, the children perform for the whole convention. It's a thrilling experience for all! The deadline has been extended. More singers are needed! If you know a young singer who would like to participate, please contact Leon Burke, (314)566-1149. More information can be found online at http://www.uua.org/uumn/docs/other/UUCC2006.pdf..

Coming up:
Feb. 26 - In observation of Black History month, Karen Gottschalk will sing spirituals for the preludes. Choirs will sing Seed Grow to Plants by John Rutter.
Mar. 5 - the Chalice Choir and friends will sing Magic Penny for the preludes.

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