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Inside This Issue

Everything Eliot

In preparation for Celebration Sunday on Feb. 10, members of our congregation have focused on different aspectst of Eliot Chapel each Sunday in the Order of Service. Reprinted here are some thoughts about what is meant by "Everything Eliot".

Social Action
Eliot Members' and Friends' concern for others is shown by participation in such programs as Room at the Inn and the EnergyCare project, by our support of our Partner Church, giving to special collections, and our vote to be a Welcoming Congregation. These are just a few of the many ways that we strive to fulfill our mission to act for social justice. Your financial investment in Eliot gives voice to these and many other social justice issues. These worthwhile activities cannot happen without a place to gather and without sufficient funding support. Jan Erdman, Co-Chair of the Canvass Committee, feels that "The voice of a community that speaks up and stands for tolerance and peace is a place where I want to give my energy and resources."

Music
"Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life." - Ludwig van Beethoven
For some of us in the Eliot Chapel community, the music we experience at Eliot is often the most important aspect of our spiritual life. Music at Eliot is open to all ages and abilities, requiring only the desire to participate. And we are blessed with a wealth of talent in our community. As with so many of the aspects of "Everything Eliot", our music is another important part of our community that requires our financial support.

Community
How do you learn about the goings on at Eliot? Do you read the newsletter? Look at the website? Receive emails? Calls from Eliot friends? All of the above? If you use any or all of these sources of information, you know that this community is always a flurry of activity. There are opportunities for spiritual and intellectual growth, musical enrichment, social justice and community service projects . . . and fun. Without this place to gather, none of this would happen. There is something for everyone here, all of which need our generous financial support.

Spiritual Growth
Eliot Chapel is a community of people with diverse beliefs and backgrounds. At Eliot, and in Unitarian Universalism, we have the freedom to conduct our spiritual search in an atmosphere of tolerance and encouragement. At the same time, we are invited to share our beliefs in a safe environment. We're challenged to think about our spiritual life in new ways. Although it's possible to find one's spiritual path in silence and solitude, for those of us who find spirituality in community, Eliot provides many opportunities for spiritual growth.

Religious Education
A high percentage of our new members have come to Eliot seeking an open, tolerant, multi-faceted religious education curriculum for their children. Over the past years we have experienced the significant growth of our RE program, which now encompasses nearly 300 children. Unlike many other churches, we have a full-time professional staff member to ensure quality programming and to support our dedicated volunteer teachers. The education and preparation our youth for their future is a responsibility of our entire congregation - both through our time and our financial support.

Whether you are here weekly or occasionally, your generous contribution ensures that our music plays on, our doors are always open and that you are welcome. Please join your Eliot Chapel community to celebrate

Remember, an increase of 5% in your 2008 pledge will only keep us even. Please consider, if possible, an even larger gift.

Giving it to the Church
- Rev. Daniel O'Connell, Lead Minister

The Butterball Turkey Company set up a hotline to answer consumer questions about preparing holiday turkeys. One woman called to inquire about cooking a turkey that had been in her freezer for twenty-three years. The operator told her it might be safe if the freezer had been kept below zero degrees the entire time. But the operator warned the woman that, even if it were safe, the flavor had probably deteriorated, and she wouldn't recommend eating it. The caller replied, "That's what we thought. We'll just give it to the church."

Giving it to the church, indeed! Sometimes, if we don't pay attention the spirit of creativity, of stone soup, can become the spirit of Scrooge. The story goes like this:

Once upon a time, in the distant past, some folks wanted to get together and create something larger than themselves. They wanted to get together with other folks to create a church! They wanted to create a place where people could share their history, a place where people could openly explore and present their religious ideas, a place of toleration, of reason, conscience, and the never-ending search for truth.

Their desire was strong, their number small. Long was their reach, swift was their response, and creative was their approach to establishing a new church as an offshoot from an older one.

The years rolled by. People died, others were born, and drifters came and went. Old folks came just in time to find the religion of their dreams. Children grew up in the church, some moved away, some moved back. New people came, old-timers stayed.

The spirit of operating on a shoestring, the spirit of "making do" stayed; it seemed the right thing to do. But over time, the church grew large, its children needed materials, its ministers and employees needed fair wages and benefits.

The church moved from folks gathered 'round a living room to folks gathered in an English Gothic style church. A place of art and music, a place where children could learn, and all could be warm in the winter and cool in the summer, a place to sink into silence, meditation, and prayer, a place to dream dreams. The church planted roots which grew deep, it thrived, and flowered!

By now, most of you are considering your financial pledge for the upcoming fiscal year (July 2008 through June 2009) and let me say - thank you - for the consideration. Don't miss Celebration Sunday on February 10!

Treasurer's Remarks
- Brian Krippner

These are Brian Krippner's special announcements given during services on Jan. 20, 2008.

Today I'm wearing my 'Treasurer's hat. My purpose this morning is not to ask for your money, but to provide you with information about the money you already give and how Eliot is managing its finances.

I offer you a few short observations:
1. I believe your ministers, Staff and Board of Trustees have worked hard over the past few years to keep expenses aligned with our revenues; chart in PDF format
2. However, as you know from your life experience, while matching revenues to expenses evenly is certainly better than deficit spending, it leaves room neither for the unexpected "rainy day" nor for the future. Thus this represents an opportunity for Eliot to improve its financial condition.
3. Finally, Eliot has become increasingly dependent on non-pledge fund raising. Our "fundraising dependence" has increased from $77,000 to $104,000 over 5 years. This is a growth rate of about 7% per year. I love chocolate and coffee (especially the Free Trade stuff) as much as the next caffeine addict. However, fundraiser dollars are harder and riskier to earn, and are incrementally more difficult to grow I find fundraising dependence somewhat analogous to our national dependence on foreign oil.

Regarding Eliot's' pledges and inflation, I again offer you a couple of observations:
1. Eliot's expenses have grown slower than inflation, even though there have been significant increases in expenses such as employee health insurance and energy costs. chart in PDF format
2. Likewise, however, pledge revenue has not kept pace with inflation, although our membership has remained almost constant. There are lots of theories on this, but one of the questions each of us needs to ask ourselves is, "Has my financial commitment to Eliot kept pace with inflation?" Even with very reasonable and moderate inflation of the past 5 years, the $100 per month that may have been suggested in your 2002 New "U" Class is just $87.75 per month in 2007. That same $100 monthly pledge would grow to about $115 if it just kept pace with inflation.

If you'd like more details on these or other financial topics, the Finance Committee is hosting an open meeting on Wed., May 14 at 7:00 p.m. where your questions about Eliot's finances can be answered in detail. All are welcome. (I welcome your questions any time ) You may also talk with any member of the Finance Committee: Bill Erdman, Gary Gray, Roger Johnson, Julie Triplett, Phil Traylor, or Cleon Yohe.

Welcome!
- Steve Lawrence, January 6, 2008

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.

I was asked to do the welcome this morning speak about my "spiritual search." I would like to share an experience I remember from several years ago, when I was visiting old friends in Boulder, Colorado. Those of you who are familiar with Boulder know (and for those who are not) that there's a fairly expansive "walking mall" in downtown Boulder covering several blocks, where there are lots of art galleries, and craft shops, trendy restaurants, and street vendors selling their wares. Boulder is near the great Rocky Mountains and for someone from LA (lower Arnold) it is truly magical.

As I was walking along the mall with my friends, Lou and Ginny, we saw a disabled man on the sidewalk ahead. He was holding a sign asking for money. He blended in the street vendors. This image is as clear to me today as it was then. His face was grossly disfigured and I know I didn't want to look. It may have been a war injury, or cancer, or something else that had ravaged his appearance, I wasn't sure. All I knew was that I couldn't look him in the face.

We all noticed the man, and, because she wanted to break the ice, or because she was not very sensitive, my friend Ginny said, "He's probably owns the mall." We all chuckled a little and proceeded on our way to a nice restaurant for dinner.

At dinner I kept thinking about the man we had passed. I wondered to myself why it was so hard for me to engage with him, to even make eye contact. I have to admit, it bothered me.

On our way back from dinner, following the same route, we again passed the man on the sidewalk. This time I looked at him in the face and handed him a $20 bill. The man looked right back at me and said, "Thank you." The thought that immediately came to my mind was, "how cheaply he sells his wares."

I remember how good that made me feel. The way that small gift made me feel was worth a lot more than $20.

I find that being a member and regularly participating at Eliot Chapel has given me lots of opportunities to explore my spirituality. I've found that it doesn't cost a lot to be moved and inspired.

When Carol and I consider our pledge to Eliot, we think about what we've gotten in return - the friends, the music, sermons, RE for our children, Bergfried, and all the encouragement and support. I'd have to say that Eliot sells its wares pretty cheaply, too.

On Sunday morning, Feb. 10, we plan to attend the Everything Eliot Celebration at Kirkwood Community Center. Just like we've done for the past several years we will increase our pledge and sign our pledge card at that time. I hope you'll consider doing the same. Ask yourself, has Eliot Chapel helped you to move forward in your spiritual journey?

News from the Eliot Chapel Board
- Beth Rossow, Board Secretary

The Board held its monthly meeting on Jan. 15. Much of what we discussed will be covered in separate articles in this newsletter. For details, please see the minutes posted on the bulletin board, or talk with a Board member. We're available at coffee hour and our phone numbers are in the directory.

Much of this meeting involved hearing and responding to reports from several committees. The Finance Committee continues to work on the issue of financial transparency and plans to communicate their information to the congregation on a regular basis.

The Governance Committee is working on changes needed in the by-laws. Currently their focus is on the by-laws concerning the election of the Board chair and vice-chair. The Stewardship Committee continues to do welcomes and meet new members. The Bergfried Committee reported that the cottage is almost finished; they are working on attracting a larger turn-out for the Memorial Day weekend camping event. The Building and Capital Advisory Committee has been disbanded. This is the committee that extensively studied the state of Eliot Chapel's physical building, determined what repairs and changes were needed and suggested a strategy to accomplish the changes. A successor committee has now been established with the charge of determining a possible capital campaign.

Other information: The stonework in the interior court yard is almost complete. Concern was expressed that contributions to Eliot Chapel (other than pledges) are down. The staff will do an analysis of this situation and we hope to come up with some ideas to improve the situation. - Beth Rossow, Board Secretary

Inner Resources and Otherwise
- David Breeden, Intern Minister

Ah, bleak mid-winter. When the sun isn't all that sunny and "Jack Frost nipping at your nose" just doesn't seem all that appealing any more. Whatever that is falling outside the window, I don't like it.

Yes, it's the time for fortitude and inner resources. And some outward focus. We've got just the thing for that: our study group on immigration starts Tue., Feb. 5.. Several people have already signed up, but there's plenty of room. This promises to be a lively discussion and a warm anecdote to the doldrums. And, when it's over in May, the spring will be springing.

Speaking of warmth, we got a warm thank you from the folks at St Louis EnergyCare. Not only were our blankets right on time for the cold weather, but on January 5th we had a team including Todd Stark, Jim Lueker, Stephanie Harris, Jerry Higginbotham, Nancy Spargo, and Yours Truly helping to winterize a house. Kudos for getting up on a cold Saturday. Feel left out? No need. The Social Action Committee continues working with EnergyCare. We will be doing a split collection for them in June. And - stay tuned - we will be looking for air conditioners to help needy folks when summer comes again.

Developing Ties at Eliot
The Bergfried Committee
- Jennifer Kirkton Foss, Membership Coordinator

Do you enjoy the great outdoors, the company of others and helping to keep Missouri ecologically sound? Then, the Bergfried Committee is the place for you to be this month and beyond! According to committee chair, Kate Magrath, the Bergfried Committee is focused on forestry and maintenance at its namesake property, located at the history-rich confluence of the Gasconade and Missouri Rivers.

The next project will be a controlled burn. A crew of at least 10 will be needed on an upcoming dry and windless day in February to complete this important project

Kate encourages member families to plan family campouts, group outings, retreats, day hikes, or picnicking at the site. It is a short hour and a half drive from Eliot, an easy distance for a day of outdoor activity. For those families who are new to camping, Kate suggests attending the twice yearly Eliot family campouts on Memorial Day weekend and Columbus Day weekend. There are expert campers on hand those weekends to show newer campers the ropes. For those who love the outdoors as well as their hairdryer, there is an 8-person cottage on the property, available for $30.00 per night.

To join the Bergfried Committee please contact Kate Magrath. To be a part of the upcoming controlled burn, contact Jim Lyon. For cottage reservations, contact JoAnn Stephan in the business office at (314) 821-0911.

Hospitality Request
- Rich Vaughn

The St. Louis Area will host the Central Midwest District Annual Meeting in April. at the Frontenac Hilton.

A few persons attending will need overnight "home hospitality" on Fri., Apr.25 and/or Sat., the 26th. Some will also need transportation to and from the airport or train station, and to "home hospitality" sites.

This traditional courtesy and participation is interesting and enjoyable, and something I've experienced both giving and receiving. If you'd like to help, please call me soon and we'll work out the details. Thank you.

RATI Does Make a Difference
- Joan and Bill Clarke

In 2007, 19 Room At The Inn households/families gained permanent housing. Ten families moved into transitional housing (a two year program under supervision) and two families moved into Our Lady's Inn, a maternity shelter for pregnant women. By giving shelter to Room at the Inn clients on Thursday nights, we give families the support they need to break the downward cycle and make a positive change in their lives. Thank you for all your help in 2007. We have posted the new signup sheets for spring on the bulletin board.

UUSC
- Matt Koch

UUSC thanks you for your donations for Guest at your table. Through your generous donations we were raised over $1,000 for UUSC and their programs promoting Social Justice. Thanks again!

Got Coffee, Chocolate, Cocoa?
- Beth Rossow

If you drink or serve coffee at home, please consider buying your coffee at Eliot's Fair Trade table. Your purchase helps to support Eliot Chapel and also supports Fair Trade growers and workers. We sell coffee in Adams Hall after each service. All bags of coffee are now $10 per bag. We offer the ever-popular Eliot Blend in both regular and decaf, beans and ground.

Every month we also offer a specialty coffee of the month and for the month of February we're offering Bolivia Yungas. This coffee is described as having a medium roast, a rich, full body and a smooth, slightly spicy character with a fragrant aroma. We try to have several bags of the Coffee of the Month available at the Fair Trade table, but if we're sold out, they can be ordered and will be available within 1-2 weeks. Other specialty coffees may also be ordered. So if you liked December's Coffee of the Month (Sumatra Gayoland) or October's (French Roast), please order more!

Apparently, Eliot members don't have to be urged to buy Fair Trade chocolate. Sales in that department are doing well! If you haven't tried making brownies with the Fair Trade baking cocoa, pick up a recipe and a can next Sunday. These are truly great brownies. The cans of baking cocoa and hot cocoa mix are now $8 per can. And remember: Fair Trade chocolate makes wonderful Valentine's Day gifts.

Partner Church Trivia Tickets
- Sue Blandford

The Partner Church major FUNdraiser, Trivia Night, will be on Sat., Mar. 1. Tickets will go on sale Feb. 3 in Adams Hall after both services. You may buy an individual ticket for $15 or organize a table of eight people for $120. We will place individuals or couples with other friendly people buying single tickets. This is a popular event, so mark your calendar and buy your tickets early.

What is CASA?
- Amy Stark

This even has been cancelled.
CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates of St. Louis County. It is a local chapter of the national organization training volunteers to investigate child abuse and neglect cases and advocate for children in the foster care system. It is CASA's goal to find these children safe, permanent homes and listen to their concerns and desires. Come find out more about this organization. On Sun., Feb. 3, at 9:30 a.m. in Room 001, Nickie Steinhoff, Director of Advocacy Services for CASA will speak about the children, the beginnings of our St. Louis County program, and volunteering. Amy Stark, a co-chair for the Social Action Committee, has just begun her journey as a CASA volunteer and will also be there to answer questions. If you'd like more information, please email Amy at

Eliot Bible Study

Join us Mon., Feb. 4 at 7:00 p.m. in Adams Hall for Eliot Bible Study. We will be reading an early Christian work, The Apocalypse of Peter. This book, as well as other Christian writings, may be found at www.earlychristianwritings.com. Bible Study is an open exploration of the texts, with context and commentary; led by Rev. Bonnie Vegiard. All are welcome.

Book Sorting Days
- The Library Committee

Book sorting days are on the following Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. until noon in Rooms 002/003: Feb. 9, Feb. 23, Mar. 8. Please contact Irmgard Voss if you can help with lifting boxes in the beginning and/or at the end. Many of the volunteers doing the sorting aren't able to lift the heavy boxes. All you able-bodied persons, take a few minutes from your gym time and help move boxes in and out of the sorting area.

Eliot Singletarians

Single Eliot Members and Friends are invited to join the Singletarians in participating in variety of fun events planned for the month of February. They are:
Feb. 9 - Eagle watching at Pere Marquette Park
Feb. 16 - Ethnic dining experience
Feb. 17 - Monthly lunch at Culpeppers (rescheduled for Celebration Sunday)
Feb. 23 - Country Western Dancing Night
Feb. 29 - Leap Year Potluck
And, looking ahead: Mar. 1 - Singles Table at Trivia Night

Check the bulletin board on your way to Adams Hall for event sponsors and contact information or join the Yahoo Group by contacting Cara Sanning at .

February Book of the Month

All are invited to join us the 2nd Tue. of the month, Feb. 12, for the Unitarian Universalist Book of the Month discussion. This month's book is The Language of Reverence which is a series of essays by Unitarian Universalist leaders about how we talk about the religious dimensions of our lives. We meet at 7:00 p.m. in Adams Hall, led by Rev. Bonnie Vegiard. (Don't feel you have to have finished the book to join us-come anyway!)

Universal Meditation Retreat

Time to warm up for another winter retreat at Eliot Chapel on a cold winter Saturday morning. We'll gather in Adam's Hall on Sat., Feb. 16 from 8:00-8:30 a.m. for hot drinks and snacks, meet in the Sanctuary for the opening from 8:30 to 9:00 a.m., attend a variety of workshops on various spiritual practices from 9:00 a.m. 'til noon, and then have the closing from 12:00-12:30 p.m. We've lined up some fine workshop leaders to share their experience and inspiration with you in a number of different disciplines. The collection will be split between Eliot Chapel and the Polly Olivia School for girls in Lahore, Pakistan (named for a Unitarian minister I met at the IALRW meeting in Taiwan). Hope to see you there!

If you have any questions, please contact Judy Highfill at .

"Cakes for the Queen of Heaven"
- Judy Highfill

"Cakes for the Queen of Heaven" will be presented in a five-session series of programs to be held on consecutive Sunday evenings from 7:00-9:00 p.m., Feb. 17 through Mar. 16.

This course, first offered in 1986, has been recently revised. Shirley Ranck, the author, was honored in 2006 with the UU Women's Federation Ministry to Women Award. As part of that celebration, women throughout the denomination were asked to reflect on how "Cakes" had affected them. Their most common response, "It changed my life!"

The curriculum title comes from two passages of scripture found in Jeremiah 7:17-18 and Jeremiah 44:16-18. It refers to the memory of the ancient Goddess revered by the people of the Bible and in affirmation of the wisdom of rediscovering the divine in female form as a way to bring peace and justice to the Earth. The sessions will focus on five topics: The Sacred Female, In the Name of the Mother and the Daughter, Womanpower, The First Turning--The Shift from Goddess to God, and Reclaiming Women's Heritage of Peace.

The series will be led by lay leaders Lynn Murphy, Gail Rock, Dotty Storer, and Judy Highfill. Because of the intimate spiritual nature of the subject matter, attendance is limited to 20 women who are members of Eliot Chapel. If sufficient interest is shown, we may repeat the curriculum for anyone interested. To sign up, please email Judy Highfill at

Liberation Theology Reflection Group

During this Lent season, join Rev. Bonnie Vegiard for a 4-session series on Liberation Theology as seen through the perspective of progressive Christianity. We will meet 4 Wednesdays, Feb. 27, Mar. 5, 12, and 19. This course will incorporate readings and reflections from the course on Christology Rev. Bonnie took during her sabbatical last fall. There will be readings assigned for each session (not a lot, but please plan to come prepared) so contact Rev. Vegiard to sign up and get the material, (314) 821-0944 or

2008 Eliot Book Fair
in Adams Hall

*Admission Friday only: $3/person or $5/family

Please Note: Donations for the Book Fair cannot be accepted after Mar. 2.

Women's Weekend is Fast Approaching

Join us for relaxation, socializing, learning, meditating, crafts, music, and more on Apr. 19 - 20. Women's Weekend features a wonderful variety of workshops, a coffee house, Sunday worship, a white elephant sale, a craft materials swap, massage, indoor swimming, and time for relaxation and socializing. The event takes place at Pallottine Renewal Center in Florissant, MO.

If you are interested in being part of the planning, please mark your calendar for the following meetings: Jan. 13, Feb. 3, Mar. 9 and Apr. 6; all meetings are at noon in Room 005. For more information about the planning, please contact Carolyn Burke, Chair at .

Women's Alliance

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

Tue., Feb. 5 - Book discussion Arthur and George by Julian Barnes. Leader, Lorraine Stern
Tue., Feb. 19 - Photography presentation by Annie Marshall. Coordinator, Reba Waterston
Tue., Feb. 26 - Movie - "Namesake". Coordinator, Julie Triplett

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

If you and your family are starting to get into that midwinter slump, the RE Department has plenty of activities this month to get you moving, no matter what the age of your children - or you.

We're especially excited about our plans for the Everything Eliot Celebration on Feb. 10. Our children and youth will have all of Eliot Chapel to ourselves while parents attend the service and brunch at the Kirkwood Recreation Center. We have a complete morning of fellowship and fun prepared, brunch included; we don't want any of our children to miss it. Our special guest is none other than Babaloo! We are also offering a handy valet service. For more complete information, please see our flyer or speak to .

The first Sat. in February, parents and children ages 3 to 6 years will be attending the Winter Wonderland Spiritual Retreat. The retreat gives our youngest children a chance to gather and celebrate their uniqueness and to connect with their spiritual community.

Later in the month, on Sat., Feb. 16, it's time to stop hiding your talents under a bushel basket - sign up to strut your stuff at our annual Kids Coffeehouse at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary. Sign-up sheets are on the RE bulletin board by Adams Hall and outside of the Senior High room. Whatever your special talent is, we'd love to see it. It promises to be a fun evening for everyone.

Our GATE partners, who will help run the evening, will gather in Adams Hall at 5:30 p.m. to enjoy their annual Spaghetti Dinner before the show.

And, there's more - join us for a Family Potluck and CD and DVD Swap on Sat., Feb. 23 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Bring the DVDs and CDs you are tired of and get some "new" ones to enjoy! Bring a main dish AND a side dish (e.g. salad, veggies, fruit, bread). Be sure to bring MORE than enough to feed your family, so that we have enough to share. Desserts & drinks will be provided. There'll be a Walk of Fame Dessert Walk you won't want to miss!

As February begins, our Spring Semester starts too. We'd like to thank all of our dedicated fall teachers for a great semester: 9:30 - Matt Armstrong, Lea Ann Baker, Jen Bartin, Amanda Behr, Alicia Boelhauf, Angie Bowland, Chris Bowland, Justin Carney, Nicole Chaput, Juliette Crone-Willis, Kelly Crone-Willis, Keith Decker, Anna Doyle, Kevin Doyle, Jamie Fitzgerald, Kim Fitzgerald, Elyse Glarner, James Hanley, Greg Hungerford, Julie Jordan, Glenn Lopate, Robin Lopate, Marlene Mestres, Jeff Morris, Laura Mullen, Jack Pritchett, Natalie Rekittke, Rhonda Smillie, Sarah Stuhlsatz-Krouper, Rich Vaughn, Dianne Wagner, and Doug Way. At 11:00 - Viv Antoine, Stacy Bereza-Bowen, Denise DeGhelder, Betsy Fallstrom, Jim Gottschalk, Cindy Haynes, Linda Korinek, Nikki Lemley, Leslie Loving, Dave Maguire, Jeff McIlroy, Margo McIlroy, Anne Meneely, Danielle Monken, Matt Monken, Lynn Murphy, Renae Quinn, Douglas Riggs, Sandy Riggs, Kathy Sanders, Leslie Scherrer, Nancy Spargo, Amy Stark, Todd Stark, Martin Taveras, Mary Taylor, Mike Teepe, Shelly Teepe, Lisa Ward, Harold Waxman, LK Wilhelms, and Lori Zhai. Junior Youth Advisors - Bee Brewer, Jean Pollard, Robin Spence, and Brian Ward. Senior Youth Advisors - Barb Bleisch, Dave Day, Mary Hoehne, and Michelle Moller.

This month in RE at a glance:
Feb. 1 (Fri.) 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. - Senior Youth Lock-in
Feb. 2 (Sat.) 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. - Winter Wonderland Retreat for Young Children
Feb. 3 Spring Semester starts (RE Council meets at noon)
Feb. 10, 9:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Celebration Sunday with special guest: BABALOO!
Feb. 16 (Sat.) 5:30 p.m. GATE Spaghetti Dinner; 7:00 p.m. Kids Coffeehouse
Feb. 23 (Sat.) 5:00 p.m. Family Potluck in Adams Hall

News from the Senior High Youth
- Barb Bleisch

In addition to our regular Youth Group meetings on Sunday mornings, the Senior High has been active outside of Eliot incorporating the principles we recite every Sunday into our lives.

A dedicated group of youth and advisors volunteered at the St. Louis Area Food Bank. Our group alone packed more than 50 large boxes. Also in January, a group attended the Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression Groundwork seminar presented by the Central Midwest District in Palatine, IL. We learned a lot about the historical foundations of racism and what we can do personally to help change the ingrained patterns of oppression in our society.

One Sunday a month we participate in services. On the other Sundays, we have discussions on topics relevant to the youth. Rev. Daniel usually joins us for at least part of the discussion. The Youth will be involved in Everything Eliot on Feb. 10, helping with parking, brunch, and the program for the children. This spring, we plan a series of discussions focusing on the Seven Principles. Feb. 17 is the annual Youth Sunday at Eliot, and the Senior High is planning and presenting the service that day. Please come that day and share the perspective of Eliot's youth.

Music Notes
-- Jan Chamberlin, Music Director,

Coming up:
Feb. 3 - David Henry and Liz Sale will play music for Classical guitar and flute. Both choirs will sing Everything Possible by UU Minister, Fred Small.
Feb. 10, Celebration Sunday - Kim Portnoy jazz trio plays gathering music beginning at 9:45 am. Our combined Chorale, Chamber Choir, Children's Chalice Choir, Kathie and Rich, Pam and Karen, Flo Reaves, and Chamber Ensemble will treat us to some of our favorite tunes!
Feb. 17, Youth Service - all musical selections provided by our Senior High Youth.
Feb. 24 - Budimir Zvolanek will play clarinet for preludes and interludes. Both choirs will sing Tapestry by Snyder. - Jan Chamberlin, Music Director

Nominating Committee Ballots

The Nominating Committee is responsible for developing a slate of candidates for election to the Board of Trustees and the position of Treasurer at Eliot's annual congregational meeting in May. Ballots for the Nominating Committee were mailed to Eliot members on Jan. 22 and are due back at Eliot on Feb. 6. This year, to save envelopes and postage, if two members of a household are members of Eliot, ballots were combined in one envelope that will have both names on it. Instructions for voting are on the forms. Thanks for your participation.

Year-End Statements

Statements of charitable contributions (tax statements) for the calendar year 2007 were mailed in January to everyone who gave $250 or more in eligible contributions to Eliot Chapel during the year. Unlike pledge statements, which are based upon Eliot's fiscal year, this statement includes all deductible contributions received between Jan. 1, and Dec. 31, 2007.

If you did not receive a statement and believe you should have, or if you have questions about any of the items in your statement, please call JoAnn in the office.

Green Tip

Freecycle(tm) St. Louis is for all who want to recycle that special something rather than throw it away. Whether it's a chair, piano or an old door, feel free to post it. Ask yourself this question, "Will my post keep something out of a landfill?" If the answer is, "Yes," register at the site and recycle your used item. You may even want to acquire something yourself!

This group is part of The Freecycle Network, a nonprofit organization and a movement of people interested in keeping good stuff out of landfills. One constraint: Everything posted must be free, legal, and appropriate for all ages. Just copy and paste http://groups.yahoo.com/group/freecycle-stl/ into your browser and start freecycling!

Thanks ...

To the mid-year work party volunteers who help keep our "house" repaired: Kurt Bauer, Brian Casey, Bill Erdman, Jim Gender, Tom Geyer, Rich Heuermann, Jerry Higginbotham, Esa Jarvi, Curt Kristofitz, Ann Petlin, Jordi Prats, Dale Smith, Kirk Smith, Brent Vaughn, Rich Vaughn, Bess Wilhelms, Owen Wilhelms, Paul Wilhelms, and to anyone else who helped but didn't sign in.

Charitable Donations

Year-to-date, your donations to other charities via Eliot Chapel (of course, Eliot Chapel is a charity) total over $14,000, as illustrated on this chart (pdf): Charitable Giving

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