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Inside This Issue

Genius Ignored
- Rev. Dr. Daniel Ó Connell , Lead Minister

Earlier this year, a 30-something man, wearing a ball cap, long sleeved tee shirt, and jeans played violin in a subway tunnel, at the top of an escalator, next to a trash basket in Washington, DC. He had his violin case near him. An occasional passerby would toss him some change.

He had a couple people pause. Over the course of 45 minutes that morning he played a variety of classical pieces, including Chaconne from Bach's "Partita #2 in D minor", considered one of the most difficult violin pieces to master (according to the Washington Post).

The subway violinist, Joshua Bell, routinely fills concert halls around the world, and is considered one of the finest classical musicians in the world. He was playing "some of the most elegant music ever written on a $3.5 million Stradivarius."

What happened? Over 1,000 people simply walked by. At a music hall, Mr. Bell might get upset at a cell phone call. In the subway, he admits he would have been happy with any acknowledgment.

As Unitarian Universalists, we affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person. But I know that in my rush to get things done - people to visit, promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep - I can miss beauty, I can miss genius, I can miss the ordinary wonderfulness that is all around me.

Are you feeling rushed and overburdened? Do you have time for beauty?

Not all of us are virtuosos, but we each bring something unique and interesting to our religious community. We can each be a witness to beauty as well as truth.

There is one curious thing about the violinist in the subway. There was one class of people who tried to stop and listen, but they were physically pulled away - children. Sometimes our children are our best guide to the opportunity to get out of heads and experience beauty & wonder.

May your actual children or inner child stop for beauty, because if you don't, what else are you missing?

New Committee Update
- Mary Quinn, Chair - Board of Trustees

In the last newsletter I reported on a new committee The Building and Capital Advisory Committee that was being formed to look into building related needs and the capital that will be needed to fund the needed improvements. (See the May 5 newsletter for more information.)

The work of this committee will lay the foundation for a Building Committee and a Capital Campaign committee in the future. The committee members are Paul Sedovic, Brian Casey, Matt Koch, Larry Ross, and Rich Heuermann, Chair. They will be working toward submitting a report to the Board next fall.

Welcome!
Michael Getty, April 29, 2007

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.

My husband Brian and I have been coming to Eliot for four years and have been members for just shy of three. In that time, between the two of us, we've served on the library committee, led two summer services, taught fourth and fifth grade religious education, learned about the Bible in a safe space provided by Reverend Bonnie, been a part of the middle school sexuality program, a member and a leader of a covenant group, and played a role in Eliot's sometimes painful transition into a place that officially welcomes people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender.

I could share a lot more about our story, but I'm mindful that there are probably people in this room who are here for the first time and have come in search of a religious home.

You're probably wondering, is this place right for me? Is it right for my partner, my children? Will my family think I'm weird if I stay here?

We're more into questions than answers at Eliot, but here's what I can offer in the way of answers.

Eliot probably isn't the right place if you're looking for someone to stand where I'm standing now and tell you what to think or how to live. You'll get lots of ideas, lots of good ones, but no step-by-step instructions. Is this because we don't care? No, it's because our faith is built on the idea that wherever you're going, getting there is bound to be half the fun.

Eliot probably is the right place if you're looking for an oasis of free religious thought. As Unitarian Universalists, we go almost everywhere, question almost everything, take little for granted, and come to think of it, hardly anyone asks us to make up our minds about stuff.

Eliot probably is the right place if you've come in search of fellowship with other people of faith and don't mind that they believe differently than you, maybe very differently. If it turns out you like that they believe differently than you, so much the better, and if you also want your children to learn about all those different beliefs in a safe and supportive environment, taught by dozens of dedicated volunteers, well, let's just say you'll want to stick around for that cup of coffee.

Eliot is probably the right place if, like Brian and I, you've come in search of a religious life but have found you have no home in the faith you were raised in. Maybe you're gay, maybe you're married to someone of another faith, and maybe you just can't stop asking questions. In these walls you will find the company of other people who came here looking for the same thing and found it.

Now, all of these things would be true to one degree or another of any Unitarian Universalist congregation. I wouldn't be talking to you this morning unless I thought there was something special about this one, about Eliot Chapel.

One of the dangers of Unitarian Universalism is that it can settle down like mud in a river bed, taking the form of the most comfortable, lowest common denominator of belief and practice. It can become a place where everyone is safe but no one is challenged, no one is asked to peek outside their comfort zone.

Eliot isn't like that. Eliot is a place of inspired ministry that challenges even as it comforts, that invites us to come out of our shells on issues of theology, ethical living, and taking our beliefs out of those doors and into a world that might not understand them but desperately needs them.

Eliot has a unique group of ministers, and this in a denomination with no shortage of uniqueness. Reverends Daniel and Bonnie are remarkable people each in their own right, with a depth and richness of experience Brian and I have both drawn on many times since coming to Eliot. And they complement each other in that same quietly magical way that a lot of married couples do, at least the lucky ones.

And as you're about the find out today, the music of Eliot is truly remarkable. If you stay with us, you will get goose bumps; you will be taken to the point of tears, maybe past it. All thanks to the work of Leon Burke and Jan Chamberlin.

And as I mentioned earlier, our religious education program, led by Joan Casey and Michele Eastabrook, is top-notch, a model of inclusivity and honesty that reaches out to everyone at Eliot, even those who, like Brian and me, wouldn't have thought in a million years that we'd ever become Sunday school teachers.

Whoever you are, whatever you came looking for, wherever you end up, we're glad you're here today. Welcome.

Town Hall Meeting Reviewed
April 24, 2007
- Rev. Dr. Daniel Ó Connell , Lead Minister

Although an 'official' transcript of what was discussed at the Town Hall Meeting is forthcoming, I thought I'd share some thoughts here. (Continued from previous issue.)

Congregational Delegates and Voting
Eliot Chapel gets more delegate slots for General Assembly (GA - for Unitarian Universalist Association) and District Assembly (DA - for Central Midwest District) than we usually have people willing to attend.

The story is that before Bonnie and I got here, no one acted as a delegate from Eliot Unitarian Chapel to either GA or DA. Occasionally, there is something important to vote on. There is usually a Social Action Initiative or bylaw change or election at the GA or DA.

Who gets to be a delegate? Since there was no process or call for a process before Bonnie and I got here, and since there have always been more delegate slots than actual delegates, the de facto process that evolved was that if someone wanted to be a delegate, they contacted me, and as along as they were a member of Eliot in good standing, they became a delegate.

One criticism of DA and GA delegates is that they tend to vote their individual whim, rather than the considered deliberation of the congregation or the congregation's leadership. This leads to the charge that decisions made at GA (in particular) do not accurately reflect a congregation's wishes, and that in fact, congregations are largely in the dark regarding what happens at GA; therefore GA resolutions and business have little connection to congregational life.

The people who run GA recognize this, which is one reason why they have encouraged congregational presidents to attend GA as delegates by refunding their registration fees.

In the last couple of years, I have asked people to be a delegate for the purpose of an absentee ballot, so we could begin to participate more in the wider denomination. I have explained what is to be decided, what my opinion was, and then asked them to make their own choice. After tallying up all the choices, the majority opinion was voted by all absentee ballots. This ensured a democratic decision was reached, and that the congregation spoke "with one voice" rather than the many individual voices of whoever happened to self-select as a delegate.

This approach was challenged at the Town Hall Meeting in the sense that one person in particular thought that those delegates who attended a DA or GA meeting ought to be able to vote their (the delegate's) opinion and not the board or congregation's opinion because the delegate might learn something at the meeting that the congregation could not have known about in advance.

This makes a certain amount of sense to me, and I will discuss it with the particular individual and with our Board of Trustees. Ultimately, we'll do a survey via order of service, newsletter, or internet to determine the congregational opinion.

Want to give me input?
Meanwhile, if you have input on the delegate process, transparency in financial matters, or anything else, feel free to contact me. Thanks!.

Sympathy

To Jerry Higginbotham and his family on the death of his mother.

Fair Trade Coffee and Chocolate
- Beth Rossow

An important (and so sad) message to Fair Trade buyers: Our distributor, Equal Exchange, does not mail chocolate during the warm months! Alas, we will not get another chocolate delivery until Oct.1. On the positive side, we still have quite a lot of some kinds of chocolate left. Please stop by the table after each service to stock up. Coffee is still available. We apologize for the often unreliability of coffee deliveries this year. We've been working on this problem and hope that next year will be smoother.

Please remember that our Coffee of the Month for May is Bolivian Yungas de la Paz, described as having a medium roast with a mild, sweet, and citrus flavor. There will be a few bags available for sale at the Fair Trade table and they can always be ordered. As always, the Eliot blends are available in both regular and decaf, beans and ground. Shop Fair Trade and support a worthy cause as well as supporting Eliot Chapel. Thanks.

RATI Summer Volunteers
- Bill and Joan Clarke

Now is the time to check your calendars and sign up to help with Room At The Inn. We especially need cooks, so if you and your family can help feed 12 people on a Thursday night, sign up now! Jane Larson, our cook coordinator, will contact you the week before to explain what you need to do.

Homelessness and the Room at the Inn program continue all summer. Before the end of the church year we hope to have all the volunteer slots filled for June, July, August, and the beginning of September. We need hosts to spend the night, cooks to provide dinner, launderers to clean sheets and towels, and we could use a few new drivers to transport our guests to and from the day site.

Sign up sheets are on the bulletin board in the hallway. Please help Eliot help the homeless of St. Louis County.

Summer Service Sign-Ups

We begin our summer service schedule on Jun. 17 with one service at 10:00 a.m. The list of topics will appear in a future issue of the newsletter. Contact Jane Larson at for more information. Sign-up sheets are posted in the hallway to Adams Hall.

Annual Meeting

This year's Annual Meeting is on Sun., May 20 at 11:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary. RE schedule will be unchanged.

"New Wine in an Old Bottle"

The last Adult E & E event of the year, "New Wine in an Old Bottle", is a performance of Brahms "Trio Op. 8 for Violin, Cello, and Piano" performed by Lorraine Glass-Harris, violin; Catherine Lehr, cello; and Jeffrey Kurtzman, piano.

The performance begins at 7:00 p.m. on Sun., May 20 in the Sanctuary. All are invited.

Introduction to Meditation

Dr. Christopher Clarke has been leading the meditation group at Eliot for two years. He will offer an introduction series to anyone who might be interested. The series will consist of five meetings, at 7:00 p.m. in Eliot's Children's Chapel. The meeting dates are: Tue., May 22; Thu., May 24; Tue., May 29; Thu., May 31; and Thu., Jun. 7. We need a minimum of 10 participants. Please contact Rev. Bonnie Vegiard ASAP at (314) 821-0911 or if you plan to participate. Come set the mood for a more peaceful, refreshing summer!

Bergfried Memorial Day Weekend

The Bergfried Memorial Day Weekend Family Camp-Out is May 25 - 28. Please join us for Sunday worship, Saturday and Sunday nights around the campfire, mornings around the coffeepots, hiking our beautiful woods, and general communing with nature. Camp over night, or just come for the day (and the s'mores). If you will be coming just for the Sunday service, please bring a salad or other side dish for the pot-luck picnic after; the campers provide the hot dogs and buns. It is a relaxing weekend, and it's free! For more information, contact Gene Hutchins or Kate Magrath.

Bridge

This month's game is the last Saturday of the month, May 26th, at 7:00 p.m. in Adams Hall. Couples and singles welcome. Please contact Sue Webster for reservations. Come and enjoy a relaxing evening of bridge.

Bible Study

All are welcome to join us Mon., Jun. 4 at 7:00 p.m. in Adams Hall for Bible Study. We will be looking at the stories of the patriarchs in Genesis, chaps. 24-50. This will be our final Bible Study until Oct. 2007.

Much Ado About. . .
Shakespeare in the Park

Join the FUN Committee for some frolicking FREE family fun in Forest Park on Sunday June 10: We will have spaces reserved up front IN THE BLANKET SECTION to see this year's Shakespeare in the Park production: Much Ado About Nothing. Bring your picnic dinner, blanket/towel/groundcover, and a sweater (yes, it does get cool in the evening after dark). The Green Show with Joe the Juggler, the Court Jester, Shakespeare in a Flash, and other entertainment begins at 6:00 p.m. The play begins at 8:00 p.m. and is over by 11:00 p.m. It is a wonderful family event on a summer evening. Please let us know if you are coming so that we spread out enough blankets to hold your space. Email Lori Allen: by June 9. We will arrive by 5:30 p.m. to get good spots but cannot hold spaces past 6:30 p.m. - the crowd takes over any non-occupied space. If you would like to sit in the chair section, we may have someone willing to hold spaces in that section, so please let us know in advance. Hope you can join us.

UU Book of the Month

We will conclude our UU Book of the Month discussions for this year with Salted with Fire, a book about strategies for sharing the UU faith and growing congregations. This book contains essays by 22 Unitarian Universalist ministers and is edited by Scott Alexander. Join us Tue., Jun. 12 at 7:00 p.m. in Adams Hall. The book is available for $14.00 from Rev. Bonnie Vegiard, or may be ordered online from www.uua.org/bookstore.

Next fall we plan to continue the book discussion group, but we will re-read three of the most popular books for the first three months. Current group members will facilitate the discussions for Oct., Nov., and Dec. during Rev. Bonnie's sabbatical leave. Mark your calendars for discussing Heretic's Faith on Tue., Oct. 8, Three Prophets of Religious Liberalism on Tue., Nov. 13, and Out of the Flames on Tue., Dec. 11.

Annual UU Water Worship in June this year

To avoid the July heat of the last two years, this year's annual Eliot FUN Committee Float Trip and Camp-Out will be the weekend of Jun. 22 - 24. You may camp one or both nights or just join us on Sunday for the float down the crystal-clear waters of the upper Meramec River. Camp location and float outfitter are being arranged now. If you would like to join us for some summer fun in the Missouri Ozarks, contact Lori Allen at . Details will be posted on the bulletin board outside Adams Hall by Jun. 1st. Sign up with Lori by Jun. 15th to reserve your camping spot and/or get details on reserving your canoe or raft. Don't miss the boat!

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., May 22 - Spring Luncheon. All attendees must have made a reservation by May 10. Contact Carol Hoff.

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

On Mother's Day, we wrapped up our active recruitment for 2007-2008 teachers. Thanks to all of you who signed up to work with our youngsters next year. Check the RE bulletin board outside of the sanctuary if you are able to take one of the last remaining slots.

The next several Sundays will be a bit different than usual. On May 20, there will be one worship service at 9:30 a.m., followed by the annual meeting at 11:00. The RE Department will hold classes as usual. On May 27, we will have the Intergenerational Animal Blessing at 10:00 a.m. only. Kids Kindergarten and up should attend the service with their families. The nursery will be open as usual and there will be childcare available for preschool children. Our last two Sundays are June 3 and June 10. We will flip-flop Children's Chapel on those dates, so please read the signs that are posted throughout the building to help you navigate with your kids.

Summer services begin on June 17 with an Intergenerational Father's Day service. If you plan on attending at least one or two summer services, we ask that you register your child(ren). Forms and more information are available outside of Joan's office.

Finally, don't forget that Summer Camp is scheduled from August 6 - 10. Registration forms are available now, in the same place as the Summer RE forms. We hope to see lots of our kids there!

Music Notes
-- Jan Chamberlin, Music Director,

Coming up:
May 20 - Handbells play the prelude at the 9:30 a.m. service. The combined choirs sing Cherish Your Doubt by Alexander.
May 26 - Jan Chamberlin and Marilyn Maguire sing Duetto Boffo Di Due Gatti by Rossini as the prelude at the 10:00 a.m. Animal Blessing service.

Pet Etiquette
- Rev. Dr. Daniel Ó Connell, Lead Minister

Our annual Memorial Day Animal Blessing Service will be held on May 27, at 10:00 a.m. (one service only.)

Please do not assume that all animals enjoy one another's company or that all people want your pet near them. The balcony will be reserved for people who want to enjoy the service but do not want to sit with the animals.

Well-mannered pets are welcome. The following guidelines have been established to make this an enjoyable experience for all.
· Be in control of your pet at all times.
· Dogs must be house trained.
· Dogs must be leashed and under the control of an adult at all times; all other animals must be in appropriate carriers.
· Walk your dog outdoors before entering the sanctuary.
· Inside the sanctuary, sit with dogs on the south side, cats on the north side, other animals center.
· Please clean up after your pet both inside and outside the sanctuary.

What Year Is It?

We are now at the time of year when some people are paying this year's pledge and others are starting to pay next year's pledge. Eliot's current fiscal year (2006-2007) runs from July to June. On July 1, 2007 we begin the 2007-2008 fiscal year.

In order that we may apply pledge payments correctly, please indicate in the memo line of your check whether your payment should be applied to the (current) 06-07 year or the (next) 07-08 year. Or, if the fiscal year is too confusing or you have more important things to remember, please simply note in the memo line the month(s) covered by your pledge payment, and we'll figure it out. Thanks.

Committee Expenses

As we get ready to end the fiscal year, please ensure that any requests for reimbursement are submitted for any outstanding expense. As a reminder, check request forms are in the black boxes on Joy's or JoAnn's door. Receipts must be attached and the request must be signed by an authorized signer (usually the chair of the committee for which the expense was incurred.)

Newsletter Deadlines

The end of the church year is approaching. Don't forget that during the summer we publish two newsletters. If you have summer events you want to publicize, make sure to get the articles in by the deadline.

Deadline / For Issue Dated
Noon on May 23 for Jun. 2 - Jun. 15
Noon on Jun. 6 for Jun. 16 - Jul. 27
Noon on Jul. 18 for Jul. 28 -Aug. 31

Committee Reservations

If your committee or group will continue to meet throughout the summer, please ensure that the office is aware of this. Otherwise, we assume meetings are suspended.

It's not too early to complete room requests to make reservations for next year's meetings and events. Please check with your chair, facilitator, or leader about next year's meetings and events. Please reserve space even if you "always" have had meetings or events at a particular time. We will accept reservations from outside groups beginning July 1. Make sure you're able to reserve the time and space you want…do it now!

Weekly Emails

Weekly emails are suspended over the summer and resume after Labor Day. If you find you are not currently receiving them, and you think you should be, please be sure that the office has your current email address.

A reminder: the weekly email reminders are just that - reminders - and because they tie in with the order of service, they must be brief. The newsletter remains the primary vehicle for announcing events and providing details about them.

If you are not currently receiving this weekly update, please send a request via email to .

Committee Web Updates

Committee Chairs and Others: As the new year begins, please review your committee or group's page on the Eliot web site, and send updates to . (And have a look at some of the other pages - you might find something new and interesting.)

Where are You?

We will be preparing a new Member/Friend directory this summer. Please make sure that the office has your current address and phone number. Information change slips are available in Visitors' Corner, or email changes to .

Who Are You?

In addition to preparing a new member/friend directory this summer, we will be updating the Program Guide.

If you are a committee chair, please make sure that the office knows you will be chair for the coming year. Also, please take a minute to look over the description of your committee that appears in the guide and send any changes to Nancy at . Copies of the Program Guide are available in Visitors' Corner.

Summer Services

Summer services begin on June 20, Father's Day, with one service at 10:00 a.m. The list of topics will appear in a future issue of the newsletter.

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