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Inside This Issue

Fall Start Up Rev. Bonnie Vegiard, Program Minister

I like the Jewish tradition of beginning the new year in the fall. That's when everything feels like a new year. The kids are (thankfully) back in school, starting a new grade with new challenges. Labor Day weekend and the sense of summer vacations, trips to the lake or the county, etc, are mostly behind us. We're getting a few cool days, although we know we can't count on them until October. The cool certainly brings new life to my spirit after the heat of summer.

And, of course, everything at church kicks off, too. Many people who have been thinking about getting back to church choose to do just that in the "new" feeling of the year. People get back to the regular routine of work and life, and wonder if a religious community might be part of that.

I find myself ever more drawn in and uplifted by continuing spiritual and religious seeking. I like asking all the questions we ask around here, from, "Who really wrote the Bible and why?" to, "How can I find the Buddha's compassion?" to, "What can I commit to personally that will make the world a better place?" All your religious and spiritual questions are welcome here.

I'd like to add a quick note to thank all of you for your care and concern around my father's illness and death on July 30. I have received a great deal of compassion from the Eliot community. This, too, is part of my new year, a transition for our family.

Daniel and I are beginning our 5th year here, and we remain grateful and excited to have been called to Eliot Chapel. Thank you for the past four years, and here we go again!

Blue Cup Conversations
- Susan Maginn, Membership Coordinator

On any given Sunday there will be people visiting Eliot Unitarian Chapel for the first time. During coffee hour, we encourage people who are visiting to take a blue cup so that others will know to give them a special greeting.

Statistics show that most people visit a congregation in a time of transition. Perhaps they just moved to the area, or they are going through a divorce. Maybe a close relative or friend has just died and they are trying to understand why. Many people come to see if Eliot will be a good place for them to raise their children. They may be coming to have conversations about the experiences and values they hold most dear.

They rarely come because they just happen to be walking down Argonne at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday. Chances are most visitors will have looked into Eliot by talking to friends or by looking at our website. They will come wondering if Eliot is the place to explore a spiritual life. They will come to find what they almost forgot they needed or wanted.

But what should you say to someone with a blue cup? Well, you both have Eliot in common. You can start by simply introducing yourself and asking if they have any questions about Eliot or Unitarian Universalism. You can start by talking about what brought you to this special place and what keeps you here.

It's Not Too Late
- Bill and Joan Clarke

By the time you read this, our first sign-up weekend [for Room at the Inn] will have gone by. Did you sign-up to Host? to Cook? do Laundry? or Drive? Did you tell yourself you would check your schedule and then sign-up? There are still plenty of opportunities to volunteer - please drop by the bulletin board on the way to Adams Hall and add your name to the list of Room At The Inn volunteers.

In the first six months of 2006, 508 individuals who are chronically homeless called the Homeless Hotline: 176 were referred to shelters and 332 were told that no shelter was available. Our 10 beds do make a difference.

We are still in need of a volunteer to act as coordinator of the hosts. Margie Maclin has done a great job of organizing the volunteers who host and she has asked to be replaced. Please contact us if you can take on this volunteer role.

Scrub-a-dub

We need your help. Once each year, all the pillows and blankets used by our guests at Room at the Inn must be laundered. The fourth week of September, we need several people who would each be able to wash two pillows and two blankets. Laundry can be picked up on Sun., Sep. 24 and returned by Wed., Oct. 4. There is a bright orange sign up sheet in the hall with the other RATI sign ups or you can contact Kathie Price. Thanks for all the help you've given over the years.

Seeking Welcomers And Readers
- Lynn Murphy, Welcome/Reader Coordinator

Yes, it's that time of year again when we begin our time-honored tradition of needing volunteers to be a welcomer and/or reader during both services this church year. The Sunday Welcome is delivered by a member of the Eliot community. It's a time to share a personal story, tell what is meaningful at Eliot, or how he or she incorporates faith into daily living.

Readers participate as needed for the Sunday services, reading texts supplied in advance of each service.

If you can offer your brave heart and valuable time to assist, it would be greatly appreciated. You can volunteer by picking a date on the signup sheet on the bulletin board in the hallway. Or, you can contact me at . I will be glad to assist with any questions you may have.

Enjoy a Cup o' Joe
- Beth Rossow

We're back selling Fair Trade Coffee after each service! Please stop by our table in Adams Hall to stock up on Fair Trade Coffee and help support Eliot Chapel! As always, we have whole beans in regular and decaf, and ground coffee in regular and decaf, all in the special Eliot Blend made by the folks at Hartford Coffee Company. (Each pound bag costs $10). We also encourage everyone to take a look at our list of specialty coffees. We offer such tantalizing varieties as Brazilian Poco Fundo (a medium dark fruity coffee with cocoa) and Papa's Expresso Decaf Blend (intricate, smoky with fruit tones), plus 20 other varieties! Specialty coffees have to be ordered. They will be delivered in 1-2 weeks and cost $11 per pound.

Buying your coffee from us helps to support Eliot Chapel and also helps to support a system where growers and workers get a fair price for their labor. Thanks.

Lead the Way. . .
Blaze the Trail

Sue Blandford has retired from the job of chair of the Eliot Hiking Group. We are looking for a person to assume this responsibility. The job entails creating an email group of those who are interested in hiking. Details of each monthly hike are sent by e-mail about one week prior to the hike.

Sue can help set up the e-mail group list. Contact her if you are interested.

Meet, Greet, and EAT

Circle Suppers are potluck dinners in members' homes where conversation flows and friendships are made. Please come to the sign up table in Adams Hall after the services on Sun., Sep. 17 to choose from one of these dates for your Supper:
Saturday, September 30
Saturday, October 7

Please indicate if you will be a host or a guest. The host will contact the guests with directions, the meal plan, and a time to meet. If you are not able to sign up on Sep. 10 or 17, please contact Doris Yohe at .

Women's Weekend Meeting

Please join us on Sep. 17 at 12:00 noon in lower level Room 001 to help plan our next Women's Weekend, April 28-29, 2007. We are changing our venue to Pallotine Renewal Center, N. Lindbergh and Old Halls Ferry Road in Florissant

We need your assistance in the following areas: publicity, workshops, Sunday service, buttons, white elephant sale, coffee house, carpool, marketing & fundraising, hospitality, and signage

If you cannot be at this meeting, but want to receive e-mails with WW details and news, contact Carolyn Burke at .

Annual Church Picnic

On Sun., Sep. 24 in Kirkwood Park. Join in the fun of an all-church picnic. We'll start cooking the hot dogs (vegetarian and beef franks on whole wheat and white buns) starting about 11:00 a.m. The softball game and a scavenger hunt (something new with prizes for the winning team!) begin at 12:30 p.m. There'll be washers and other games to enjoy. Bring chips, cookies or fruit to share. Soda and hot dogs will be for sale. Make new friends and visit again with old ones. The chapel website has a map. Take Adams Avenue west of Geyer, turn left into the park on Amphitheater Dr., bear right and go up the hill. Sponsored by the FUN Committee. Contact Lydia Hopkins for further information.

Create a More Peaceful World

Karen Casey will give her first lecture in St. Louis on Sun., Sep. 24, 7:00 p.m. at Eliot Unitarian Chapel, followed by a book signing.

Her topic is "Creating a More Peaceful Life Creates a More Peaceful World." Her lecture will be followed by a book signing.

Karen Casey has spoken on spirituality, relationships and personal growth issues for more than 20 years. She is the author of 17 books, all of which are devoted to the enhancement of one's personal/spiritual journey. She is well-known through Alcoholics Anonymous and A Course in Miracles (ACIM). Her first book, Each Day a New Beginning: Daily Meditations for Women, has sold more than 3 million copies. This event is sponsored by The St. Louis ACIM Leadership Council and Eliot Unitarian Chapel.

For further information contact Corinne Esneault at or http://www.liming.org/acim. Reservations are not required. A suggested donation of $20 is appreciated.

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 invites you to attend the 5th annual Hayride in Forest Park on Fri., Oct. 6th. Arrive at 6:30 p.m. Our two wagons will depart promptly at 7:00 p.m.. Afterwards, we'll have a bonfire. Bring marshmallows to roast and cider to drink. If you have a guitar, bring it for a sing-along. Cost is $5.00 per person. Please purchase tickets quickly as we have limited seating. Tickets may be purchased between services on Sep. 17 and 24 in Adams Hall. Make checks payable to Eliot Chapel-Hayride. For further information, please contact Tracey Howe-Koch.

Path to Membership

Are you interest in learning more about Unitarian Universalism and Eliot Chapel? Then plan to attend "Path to Membership," a class that will be held on Sat., Sep. 30, from 9:00 a.m. till 2:00 p.m. Anyone interested in becoming a member may do so after the class, as well as after either service on Sun., Oct. 1. Revs. Daniel ÓConnell and Bonnie Vegiard will lead the class. Snacks and lunch will be provided. The sign up sheet is in Visitors' Corner. Questions? Contact Jane Larson .

All Who Wander Are Not Lost

Join the FUN Committee on our Urban Adventure as we wander through Historic Soulard Market and Cherokee Street with a professional guide. We'll meet at the new Shrewsbury Metro Park and Ride at 8:45 a.m. for a 9:00 a.m. departure on Sat., Oct. 28 and ride the new MetroLink extension to downtown. and catch a bus to the market. Once there, we can explore the market, buy goodies, and people watch, then take the bus to Cherokee Street. Our guide will give us a tour of this charming urban neighborhood. We can explore the shops and then experience lunch at the one-and-only Shangri-La Diner.

After lunch, our guide will escort us back to the Metro Park and Ride, or you may stay on Cherokee. Wear comfortable shoes and bring bags or a backpack for shopping at the market. You will need cash for your Metro fare, tour fee, lunch, and any market shopping you wish to do. The tour fee is $6 per person ages 13+, and $3 for children 5-12. The Metro Day Pass is $4.50, ages 5 and up. Shangri-La does not accept credit cards and most vendors at the market only accept cash. Lunch at Shangri-La is usually $12-15, including tip.

Please RSVP to Lori Allen at by Oct. 26th. Group size is limited. Directions to the Metro Park and Ride can be found at www.metrostl.org. Come join us on an urban adventure!

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., Sep. 19 - "Tips from a Seasoned Traveler" at Emerson UU Chapel - Bill Elmore. Coordinator - Janie Fowler. The program begins at 10:00 a.m. Carpools will leave Eliot at 9:15 a.m.

Tue., Sep. 26 - Apple Picking at Eckert's. Ellen Luckow - Coordinator. Meet at Eliot at 9:15 a.m. to carpool.

Religious Education (RE) News
- Joan Casey, RE Director,

It's time for a couple of favorite fall activities:

Secret Pals - On Sun., Sep. 24, adults who would like to be Secret Pals should stop in Adams Hall to choose their pals. The Secret Pals program is a month-long exchange of cards and small gifts between children (Kindergarten through 5th grade) and adults. It is not necessary to be a parent of a child in the program to participate; in fact, we love having non-parents participate. By being a Secret Pal, you commit to attending the Halloween Party at Eliot Chapel on Fri., Oct. 27, from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. This is when you will meet your Secret Pal and all will be revealed!

On Sundays from Oct. 1 to Oct. 22, we will set up a table in Adams Hall for adult and child Pals to leave surprises, notes, postcards, small gifts, etc., along with information about themselves. We are asking everyone to limit spending to $15 for the entire month.

For more information about being an adult Secret Pal, please pick up an information sheet located outside my office door. To be a child Secret Pal, please fill out a form and return it to me no later than Fri., Sep. 22. Forms are being passed out in class on Sep. 10 and Sep. 17. If you need one mailed to you, please contact me.

Family Potluck - You're all invited to attend the Family Potluck on Sat., Sep. 23, beginning at 5:00 p.m. Drinks and desserts will be provided. Our various RE committees will have information available about the coming year, so try to attend. We hope to see many of you there! Here's what to bring if your family's name begins with:

A-L bring entrees, M - Z bring salads or side dishes.

As always, if you have any questions about these or any other RE programs and activities, please contact me.

CONvene, CONverse, CONtribute
- Mishael Eastabrook, Youth Programs Director,

This is the theme for the Fall youth conference some of our senior high youth will be attending in October. This year's Fall youth conference will be at Abraham Lincoln Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Springfield, IL, Oct. 6th thru the 8th. Registration forms will be available soon. In addition, our senior high youth along with our 8th graders will be hosting a Spring youth conference here at Eliot on Mar. 2nd thru 4th. For our youth to attend as well as host a youth conference, many volunteers will be needed. We are in need of both drivers and chaperones for the Fall conference and chaperones for the Spring conference. If you would like to learn more, you can contact me at or you can contact our awesome senior youth advisors Mary Hoehne, David Day, or Barb Bleisch.

Peace.

Music Notes
-- Jan Chamberlin, Music Director,

Coming up:
Sep. 17 prelude will be Theme from "Pirates of the Caribbean" played by a string quartet. The 11:00 Choir will sing Turn the World Around by Harry Belafonte. At Susan Maginn's 4:00 p.m. ordination, the prelude will be Irish music. The combined Eliot choirs will sing Standing on the Side of Love by Jason Shelton, with combo and guest soloist Debby Lennon.
Sep. 24 preludes will be classical flute duets. The 9:30 Choir will sing Simple Gifts arranged by Dale Warlund.

Join The Techie Team: Our Sunday morning services rely upon several key people doing their part. One of these is the little-known, behind-the-scenes role of audio technician. The duties can range from simply boring to challenging This person often assists the ministers and is responsible for reliably operating the tape deck, monitoring microphone levels and trouble-shooting feedback. I have done it for years, but since starting the children's choir, assistance in this area has become crucial.

If we have several people to rotate the duties, no one person will be responsible for everything. We need 4 - 5 new volunteers this year. Audio knowledge is helpful, but not necessary; we have a training video tape and coaching is available. We intend to move into the 21st century with pod-casting any day now. This is ideal for a young person with interests in this area. Please contact me if you can help with this vital volunteer position. Thanks!

New Directories

The new 2006-2007 Eliot Members and Friends photo directories will be available in Adams Hall Sep. 10. One per household, please!

To protect your privacy, as a general rule, staff members will not give out phone numbers or addresses over the phone, so be sure to pick up your copy.

Also, a reminder that directories cannot be used for any marketing, political, or commercial purpose, or by persons other than members and friends of Eliot.

Calendar

A reminder that major events, holiday service times, and other items of interest can be found on the "Major Events" calendar on the Eliot web site, in addition to the current monthly calendar on the site. (A copy of the Major Events calendar, suitable for refrigerator hanging, is included in the print copy of this newsletter.)

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