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Jane Pack - December 4, 2005

My husband Jeff and two kids and I have been coming to Eliot Chapel for about 8 years. My husband and I have worked on different committees, taught Religious Education and participated at many events such as the Christmas pageant, Passover dinner, and the Madrigal.

My husband and I come from different religious backgrounds. I was raised Catholic and he was raised Jewish. We quickly learned how hard it would be to blend our faiths as we prepared to get married. After many attempts to blend, we were married by a Southern Baptist Minister, which is another story!

After our first child was born, we rekindled our search to find a place were we could bring together both of our diverse backgrounds, enrich our children and grow as a family. As we visited many churches, we kept hearing about conversion. When we came to Eliot, we were greeted with acceptance.

Even though Eliot is 30 minutes from our home, after visiting -- it was our last stop. Ever since our first service, we have found them spiritually thought provoking and enriching year after year. The members have always been so warm and welcoming and we have made many new friends.

Our children have loved the Religious Education program and we have enjoyed watching them learn and grow. Eliot has become our home in Kirkwood. Thank you!

Elisa Voss - November 13, 2005

I am a proud sponsor of Eliot Unitarian Chapel. My husband and I have been giving our time and money to Eliot Chapel for 12 years because this is a religion for thoughtful people. Did you know that in Unitarian Universalism you could question belief without censure? Hundreds of thousands of individual trials have proved it safe, although some side affects may occur: mild headache, confusion or exhilaration.

Ask your "inner" doctor, "Would I like to feel better?"

Some of you, like me, may have tried staying in the privacy of your own home but found you didn't get the full benefit of spiritual growth. I love to learn, and this is where I learn new things all the time. I learn about other ways of thinking and I learn about myself, at my own pace.

"Practice." They say practice makes perfect. While I don't expect to be perfect, I do want to be the best version of me I can. This is where I come to learn how. Unitarian Universalism is what I practice. The experience of being in a community of acceptance with no strings attached is priceless.

Take advantage of this risk-free opportunity, now. No one will pressure you with calls, unless:

• The fascinating book you checked-out from our library is way overdue
• You really did agree to be the chairperson for Madrigal Dinner, or
• You left your wallet at the Scrip table.

This is a no money-back-offer. But every dollar is tax deductible. Offer may be prohibited in some totalitarian communities.

Sarah Reutter - October 23, 2005

My husband Larry, and I have been members of Eliot Chapel for about 18 years. Eliot has been a warm and welcoming place from the beginning - one we've enjoyed attending year after year. Each service is unique; I have found satisfaction in knowing I will leave here with more than when I arrived. One of my favorite services at Eliot is the Thanksgiving Bread Service. If you haven't attended one, I highly recommend it.

The opportunities for becoming involved here are endless and varied: from teaching religious education to performing in the Madrigal Dinner (Where else can one be a bag lady one year and the Queen of England the next?) and many things in between. I have had many meaningful experiences here at Eliot. I wish you the same -- enjoy!

Boyd Jones - September 18, 2005

My wife and I have been pledging our time, talents, and treasure to Eliot for over 25 years. I am currently chair of the Board of Trustees, but I do not represent the Board this morning. I represent…just me.

And if I had to title this woebegone greeting, it might be called "Everything I ever needed to know about the best in human nature, I learned at Eliot Unitarian Chapel." OK…maybe not everything….but I have grown to better appreciate a significant amount of the good that is inherent in the human mind and spirit through my many associations here. Eliot has made me a much more positive, aware, and thoughtful person over the years. This church is a constant reminder that I am part of much bigger processes outside my own existence and needs, and I have learned, through it, that my life is rich to the extent that I share it, and to the extent that I consider the bigger picture around me and join in the wonderful tapestry of life through which Eliot runs like a golden thread.

I think of Eliot Unitarian Chapel as a great smorgasbord; an endless banquet, from which we can either nibble around the edges of many exotic communal, spiritual and humanitarian dishes, or gorge ourselves on the select few we cherish. And it is my choice. Nobody tells me what to sample, what to return to for deeper indulgence, or how to feel about anything I've tried.

What do you need? Lasting friendships? An endless variety of committees in which to immerse your time and energies? Beautiful music? Stimulating religious education for yourself and your children? Thought-provoking sermons? Multiple opportunities to indulge your passion for creative and intellectual pursuit? Opportunities to work for social justice? The challenge to learn, to think, to grow, to expand your personal horizons in the process of becoming a better person? For me, it is all here - all I need. I have never ceased to be amazed by the caliber of people and the avenues for mental and emotional fulfillment that I find under this roof. I know that whatever I require in personal connection, progressive thinking, intellectual stimulation, and moral/ethical challenge and example - I will find it. Right here. And I hope you all do, likewise.

Rikki Techner - June 12, 2005

I’ve been coming to Eliot since I was 2. For the past 16 years, I’ve continued coming to Eliot for the amazing, accepting people and the spiritual freedom Unitarian Universalism has to offer. The Eliot youth room is one place where I can be myself completely, without worrying about what anyone will think or say. Eliot has gently guided me towards my own paths in life, instead of forcing me to one that doesn’t necessarily fit.

Thank you for coming to our graduation service. While I will be leaving St. Louis next year, my experiences at Eliot will continue to influence me next year and the years to come. To visitors and members alike, I hope you find Eliot to be a second home to you, as it has become mine.

Michael Pelot-Hobbs - June 5, 2005

I've been giving time and money to Eliot Chapel for 8 years. This is a place where I feel the environment has been ideal for my family and myself to search for truth and meaning in our spiritual life. I have two daughters that have been a part of the Religious Education program at Eliot since before we joined the congregation. I have spent 6 years as a teacher and youth advisor in the junior and senior high RE program. It has been an honor and my pleasure to teach and learn from your children. My daughters and the other youth at Eliot Chapel are special people: smart, tolerant, curious and open-minded.

Finding a place where my children could explore their spiritual side with free religious thought was what brought me to Eliot. Now that I am about to become an "empty-nester", as my youngest leaves for college, I find that my personal quest for social justice and religious understanding can best be shared with friends I have made here at Eliot Chapel. This is where I feel most comfortable making my journey. For those of you that are already taking your journey here, I look forward to sharing it with you. For those of you considering Eliot Chapel, we welcome you with open minds and warm hearts.

Lee Brower - May 29, 2005

I've been visiting Eliot Chapel for only six months and am still discovering areas where I can best contribute. I've had a Unitarian Universalist mentality since I was old enough put ideas together. When it was "time" to baptize my children in my Protestant church, I just couldn't do it....Well, entire books have been written about human rituals.

I was delighted to discover Foothills Unitarian Universalist Church in Ft. Collins, Colorado. It was a huge group of friends, growing and growing and growing... outdoing the growth statistics for Ft. Collins city, which were a whopping 17% per year.

When I returned to Wyoming, I participated in the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Laramie, Wyoming. The Laramie plateau, where the deer and antelope play and yes, there are still some cowboys out there.

One of my best experiences was a week of Unitarian summer camp at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico. The landscape is spectacular, inspirational, and soothing. This landscape was our backdrop for classes, hiking, day trips, discussions, and services.

I never imagined that I would abandon my sagebrush and lodgepole pines. I never imagined I would find myself in Missouri. I was anxious about the existence of a familiar congregation in this alien city. A kind person directed me to Eliot Chapel. Before the end of the first service, I knew this was my new church home.

If you are visiting, you may, like me, be searching for particular patterns of thought, creative and analytical. You are welcome to seek here.

Susan Duncan - May 22, 2005

I don't know how long my husband Greg and I have been giving time and money to Eliot Chapel, but there are a myriad of reasons why we will keep giving both.

Organized religion lost its appeal for me at a very early age. As a child, we lived in a massive three-story funeral home right across the street from the Catholic Church and grade school. I remember walking home after church one Sunday and saying to my father, "That was fun!" Of course, being 4 years old, it wasn't the service itself that was fun, but being with my family. Never the less, my father turned to look at me and said, in a very somber and stern voice (he is, after all, a funeral director), "Church is NOT supposed to be fun." And that was pretty much it for me.

As a lot of you know, the landscape changes when you welcome children into the world. We wanted to put down roots in a place where people had a worldview at least partially similar to ours, where no one concept of God was considered superior to any other, and where our children would not be indoctrinated to believe that their most beloved Aunt Lauri and Aunt Monika were wrong for loving each other. I have no doubt that Unitarianism in general and Eliot Chapel in particular will continue to grow, even in the current political and social climate, because, in the words of Spanish author, philosopher and predecessor of Existentialist philosophy Miguel de Unamuno, "Faith which does not doubt is a dead faith."

And so, to close, I would like to list some things I love about Eliot Chapel:

• A real live person actually called after our first visit to see how things went (thank you, Joan Casey); · The opportunities to help others and enrich yourself both spiritually and intellectually are almost limitless here, thanks to all of the volunteer time and energy of countless people;
• The people I have met here not only talk the talk, they walk the walk when it comes to tolerance and helping out those less fortunate than most of here are;
• Thanks to Rev. Bonnie, Joan Casey, Susan Maginn and the RE staff's excellent guidance, our children will never be taught that their concept of God is better than anyone else's;
• Rev. Daniel delivers excellent sermons, drawing from innumerable sources of knowledge;
• I always feel more centered and peaceful after coming to service, invariably leading to a better week at home with our children;
• The music rocks! I knew this was the place for us when I heard "Circle Game" by Joni Mitchell and "Dust in the Wind" by Kansas during the same service; and, the thing I like best about Eliot Chapel is:
• I will never again hear "Father, Son, the Holy Ghost, God loves Catholics the most" as the blessing before a meal.

Pat Krull - May 15, 2005

I have loved this place from the moment I walked in the door. After growing up Catholic and doing a lot of church shopping, the simplicity of this sanctuary has always impressed me. I initially thought the lack of religious symbols was what put me in - for lack of a better word - a worshipful frame of mind. But over time, I found it wasn't the absence of the symbols, but the presence of something that so attracted me. I believe the community of Eliot - the people here -- are what makes this place what it is.

At Eliot I found a community of people who were genuinely interested in each other. I found young - at least at that time we were young -- moms like me to share the trials and tribulations of parenting. I found wonderful people who were my seniors who shared their life wisdom with me. I found people who helped me through learning my own life's lessons and taught me that we are always learning.

Eliot has afforded me the space to think, to grow, to determine my own religious thoughts and values. Here I found a community whose theology is not dependent on dogma, nor developed by a hierarchy or clergy, but lived by the individual. Where each individual's ideas are acknowledged and respected.

And, miracle of miracles, I found a church that belonged to me - to us - to each and every member and friend of this congregation. What I contribute - what we contribute -- to Eliot makes it what it is. Our involvement in this chapel is what keeps it growing. So here is where I make my plug for the congregational meeting next Sunday. Eliot Chapel belongs to all of us, and the congregational meeting affords us the opportunity of knowing what makes this place run and lets us have a say in determining its future.

I have loved this place for many years, and plan to be here for many more, so when the next new person walks through that door, I can say, "Welcome to Eliot Chapel."

Jane Larson - May 1, 2005

My husband David Day and I have been supporting Eliot Chapel with lots of time and what money we can afford for about 7 years.

Of the things that I am involved in here at Eliot, the one that I enjoy most is interviewing new members and writing their biographies. We talk about all sorts of things: where they grew up, where they went to school, what sorts of jobs they've had, how they found Eliot, and how they hope to benefit from belonging here. Although no two stories are exactly the same, there is a definite pattern followed by many of them, including my own. So, in the interest of brevity, I give you my "11 Word, 5 Part, Unofficial, Generic, UU Biography:"

1. Raised something else
2. Fell away
3. Had kids
4. Needed a church
5. Found Eliot.

Anyone interested in a more detailed rendition of my life can feel free to get in touch with me; I'm in the book.

Since this is the first Sunday of the month, we have the Sunday School kids joining us for the first part of the service. Did you know that there are about 300 children in our Religious Education program, from the little bitties all the way up through senior in high school? And Eliot Chapel now has more than 500 adult members! Those numbers might not really mean much to you, so I'm going to tell you a story that will put them in perspective.

A couple weeks ago I went to a conference of Midwest UU churches. What I enjoyed most about it, was getting to talk to folks from other churches and learn about what sort of activities and programs they had. One woman was asking all of us for ideas and suggestions for interesting and fun things to do with her high school kids. She was the high school leader. Her church has only 40 adult members. In all 4 years of the high school program, freshman through senior, there are only two kids. And they are both hers!

Can you imagine if every single Sunday that you came to Sunday School, there was only one other person in your class, and it was your brother or sister? And for four years, the only teacher you ever had, though you love her dearly, was your mom? It would certainly be a challenge for her to keep things interesting for you!

While belonging to a small church presents many opportunities for spiritual growth and personal development, I hope this helps us to appreciate what it means to belong to a church the size of Eliot Chapel, where there are many talented and dedicated people that commit themselves to developing programs and activities that we can enjoy without a struggle.

Jim Hunstein - March 24, 2005

I've been giving time and money to Eliot Chapel since way back before the turn of the century. In a much larger sense, I’ve been coming here all my life since I was baptized right here as a baby when this building was still Grace Episcopal Church.

Actually, I’m here under somewhat false pretenses. When our kids were small, I was looking for a new church that would provide many of the same things everyone wants; spirituality, connectedness, sense of community, free coffee. So a buddy suggested Eliot. “It’s Unitarian,” he said. “What’s that?” I asked. “Well, it's sort of like religion light.” Perfect!

It was a lie. Not a malicious lie, of course. More like one of those, “C’mon! Jump in. Nah, the water’s not c-c-cold” lies. So I stuck a toe in, liked it, and took the plunge. It was great, invigorating. But it isn’t religion light. It’s not always an easy Sunday stroll. As it says on the back of your order of service, we welcome all seekers of truth and you, the people, have the responsibility of testing what you hear. Does that sound like anything “light” to you? But it’s worth it. Ralph Waldo Emerson says that nothing worthwhile is ever accomplished without effort and nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.

I’ve been enthusiastically involved with Religious Education at Eliot, particularly with GATE, a wonderful program where 6th graders are teamed up with adult partners so the kids can see how all the principles and values they learn through the years are actually put into practice. The funny thing is, the adults often come out as enlightened as the children.

It creates faith in the next generation, it renews faith in ourselves, and it affirms faith in the family that is Eliot Chapel. Faith is very much like energy and love; the more you share, the more you get back.

This is definitely a church of – and for – open minds and when you come in on Sunday morning knowing you’ll hear something new, your mind can’t help but expand. Oliver Wendell Holmes said a mind stretched by a new idea can never go back to its original shape. Because invariably you learn something new about yourself. To me, that’s what true spirituality is all about.

So I won’t lie to you. C’mon! Jump in! The water’s great.

Again, welcome to Eliot Chapel.

Steven Bain - April 17, 2005

For me, spiritual matters are no more than human intellect and human emotion applied to the subjects that mean the very most to us - the values and assumptions and loves that guide us and lead us through life. So I would like to talk a little about what Eliot Chapel and being a Unitarian Universalist have meant for my head and my heart.

Intellectually, I have been challenged here - and challenged by the Unitarian Universalist Association as well - to work on determining just what my ultimate concerns are - my highest values. I have been allowed to share my deepest thoughts on the topics most important to me. I've had the excitement of hearing the remarkable thoughts of others on these topics - through sermons, lay-led summer services, and just talking about religion. I've worked on how I can make the world a better place and myself a better person for my family.

And, my heart has been touched by many here - by those a generation older than I am, by those a generation younger, and now two generations younger, whom I've met teaching Sunday School and through the secret pal program. I've forged strong bonds with those in my covenant group for small group ministry, as we meet once a month and explore ideas, feelings, God, death. I've forged strong bonds with members of committees I've served on - I've felt friendship, respect, and love like within a family. Our annual men's weekend retreat has made me a brother to many - we get to know each other in ways that men are seldom afforded.

In short, this congregation has been unique in my experience. There is nowhere other than in a Unitarian Universalist congregation where these things could happen for me.

As I begin to think about my earthly legacy - what I will have done to leave the world better than when I came into it - one conclusion I reach is that I should do all I can to preserve, nurture and promote Eliot Unitarian Chapel and our free Unitarian Universalist movement. This place - this free religion - is important.

Many of us have worked on an "elevator speech" - what can you say during the length of an elevator ride to someone who asks you, "What do Unitarians believe?" I always begin by quoting something I heard at Eliot Chapel: "We can believe anything that's true." That's not enough for the elevator speech - but it's a statement I've been thinking about for ten years.

Tim Gardner - March 27, 2005

I want to tell you a true story. Several years ago I wobbled into the emergency room and leaned heavily across the receptionist's desk. The nurse standing behind asked four penetrating questions.

1. Are you experiencing chest pains? Uh huh.
2. Are you having difficulty breathing right now? Uh huh.
3. Any tingling radiating down the extremities? Uh huh.
4. Do you go to Eliot Chapel?

And in that moment I felt saved from the worst of my fears, that I would be alone and without support when I needed it most.

I began attending Eliot in '75 and signed the membership book Easter 1977, a week after THE FIRE. [I've spent about] One half of my life giving to and taking of the bounty of Eliot, magic words, the making of music, this sacred space, and you.

This past summer talking with Daniel, I acknowledged missing some of my friends who have recently wandered away but also missing those who have moved away and those who have died. These are each real losses, yet over these past 29-30 years, you have come by the hundreds and not only taken their seats in the sanctuary, but you have filled some of the voids in all that we do at Eliot.

Over the years I have cut the grass, resealed the driveway, plastered and painted inside our beloved sanctuary, and cooked Madrigal hens when we did all those activities ourselves, but never did I do them alone. For this is a community of souls who give to and take of the bounty of Eliot Unitarian Chapel.

If you are new to Eliot, or if you are not, stop by Visitors Corner, pick up a copy of the Information Guide to Eliot, and find your place or find a new place. You will meet amazing people, they will meet you, and you will each be changed by it. Then you will be prepared to travel to new places and have new people ask, as JoAnne Osburn once asked of me, do you go to Eliot Chapel?

Welcome to Eliot this Eastertide.

Hilary Babcock - March 6, 2005

I first came to Eliot Chapel about 4 years ago, looking for a community with other voices to reinforce our family's values for our children, Jackson and Hannah. My husband Andy is a staunch atheist and he was a little concerned when I announced my plans to find us a church. He was only mildly reassured by my mother's comment that "you don't even have to believe in God to be a Unitarian". I brought home a little red card that I got in Visitor's Corner that listed the 7 principles of Unitarian Universalism and I read them to him one evening at home. Inherent worth and dignity…justice, equity and compassion… acceptance of others…democratic processes… world community with peace for all…interdependent web….well, he admitted, most of those were pretty hard to argue with. I came to Eliot by myself for a few months and then, liking what I heard and the people I met, I signed the kids up for RE and became a pledging member of Eliot Chapel. Andy even comes with us now and doesn't mind it too much….or so he says.

I am now serving on the Religious Education committee as chair of the curriculum sub-committee and I helped with the re-structuring of RE into the pillars model we have been using this year. Under this model, the topics covered each week in RE classrooms are the same for all the K- 5th graders, though the individual lessons are geared for each age group. I really enjoyed working with the committee members and with Joan Casey our RE director and Rev Bonnie to craft this curriculum and I hope you and your children have enjoyed it so far this year. I became involved in RE because teaching the kids these core values was one of my main reasons for coming to Eliot. In my new U class 3 years ago, one of the jokes went like this: a Unitarian is an agnostic, with kids. While that may have been true for me when I first started coming to Eliot, today I'm proud to say "I am a Unitarian", and I'm proud to hear my kids say it too.

Carolyn Burke - February 27, 2005

I've been giving time and money to Eliot Chapel for 19 years. I came here as a young women, 25 years old, looking for a location to get married. The cute chapel with the red doors attracted my eye. From the street, one doesn’t know that Eliot Chapel is Unitarian - it was a pleasant surprise! To this day I enjoy the rituals of singing hymns, greeting each other during the passing of the baskets, and the message given each week by the minister on topics I could apply to my faith. Back then I went to the New U class and quickly signed the membership book that used to sit in Visitors’ Corner.

I am one of the many married women who come alone with no spouse. Many of you still have not met my husband, Terry, who has attended a handful of Bread Services, both my son’s dedications, and with a twist of the arm to see me play the handbells last year. His dedication is through the checkbook as he has mainly made donations to the operations fund, special building funds, religious education, etc.

It took a few years to figure out that joining a committee meant really getting to know the community. In the early 1990's I was active in several committees, much like our Jane Larson is today. Committees like Membership, Memorial Society, Religious Education, Library, Room at the Inn, Madrigal, Church Photo Directory, and Women’s Weekend are just a few of the moments I’ve spent in this place.

It was about 18 years ago that I first attended my first Women’s Weekend. Eliot Chapel has been sponsoring this fun event for so many years, we’ve lost count. This will be my third attempt to be on the committee helping to organized a weekend that is a mixture of relaxation, workshops, music, and community among other women. I continue to attend annually to catch up on those short discussions I have with women during the coffee hour. I also get to meet those who may seem new to me, but because of our large membership, find out they’ve been coming for years and just didn’t see them.

I encourage women who have the many excuses for not coming to give us a try this year. You can stay the whole weekend or just a few hours with lunch included in your fees. Make it your spring ritual every year to get back to nature at Camp Wyman or just to get away for a while.

As with any large family or community, there are bound to be likes and dislikes. I have used the experiences I’ve encountered at Eliot through the years to live by true acceptance and forgiveness of others. With each hurdle comes growth.

Love is the ultimate answer and my relationship with my faith keeps me at peace, well grounded and truly grateful for the opportunities this community will have with me for the rest of my life. I am one of those members who has trouble expressing my faith literally, but my activism is expressed through stewardship and a little green to show my appreciation.

Jan Erdman - February 20, 2005

My husband and I have been members of Eliot for about 5 years.

When a Jewish girl from the Chicago susburbs marries a Lutheran boy from a central Illinois farm, life is not boring! Back in those days we couldn't find anyone from either of our faiths to marry us without one of us converting, so we compromised and found a Unitarian Minister on the University of Illinois campus to perform the ceremony.

He was a great guy, who really helped us with our families, but he was short and chubby and looked like he drove a beer truck...I don't think either of our parents thought we were REALLY married. Who would have guessed that more than 25 years later we would actually join a Unitarian church?

We raised our kids, who are now in college and grad school, celebrating the Jewish holidays and sort of a Famous Barr Christmas, but have managed to get them to evolve into what appears to be decent human beings. I think life would have been easier if we'd chosen some sort of spiritual community to help us and guide us along the way.

But, we are here now and have found a pretty good fit for ourselves. My husband has musical gifts so the choir is a joy for him. We both are members of covenant groups (separate ones, of course!), and I currently serve on the Eliot Board of Directors.

Eliot's greatest gift to me has been the opportunity for new friendships with bright, caring, delightful and energetic people. New friends at this stage of life are a dividend that I treasure.

Bill and I choose to give of our time and money to the Chapel because we think that it is our job as members. With its many programs, turning the key here every week is expensive, I know. But what is inside the door at Eliot is worth every penny.

Dave Day - February 6, 2005

My greeting to all of you was inevitable. My wife, Jane Larson, has been lining these talks up for almost two years, and I have had a few narrow escapes to this point. My commitments to teaching Sunday School and facilitating the GATE classes for 6th grade have allowed me to have excused absences from this speaking engagement on most Sundays. On those Sundays for which I did not have a ready excuse, other braver folks have stepped up to the plate to greet you.

Now, my time has come, and ready or not here I am. If it must be, I am glad it is at Eliot.

In my formative years, I might have thought I would be speaking at the Episcopal Church in Webster. I attended there during in my pre-college days, enduring my mothers rants about the minister’s attempts to make some of her favorite bible stories relevant.

My decision to stop attending church as a young adult was made easy by late night carousing on many Saturdays. Sunday was a day to sleep and recover.

When we were close to age 30, Jane and I decided to check out the Unitarian church in Alton. At the time, we were living in Edwardsville, Illinois. When we got to the church, there seemed to be little activity. We walked up the steps to the front door to find there was no service that Sunday. The parishoners had gone to Forest Park to here Adlai Stevenson Jr.speak. How cool!Even though we did not attend a Unitarian Church again until our older son was born, my attraction to Unitarianism began that day.

When we moved to Kirkwood six years ago, we started coming to Eliot. I soon became involved with the religious education program. What a great group of kids we have in our classes! For the past five years, I have taught Sunday School in the fall and winter. The past 2 years I have been the GATE coordinator. GATE, Generations Acting Together at Eliot is a special program which allows adults and sixth graders to work as partners to apply Unitarian principles through group activities and social action.

Each time we meet and share our thoughts, I am impressed by the people that attend Eliot. I am glad to be with you.

Jan Chamberlin - January 30, 2005

I have been contributing our time and money to Eliot Chapel for 20 years. Our children grew up here and I believe I've grown and matured here.

I think Eliot Chapel has also grown and matured. I think the programs and facility have evolved like a living organism, sparked by our vision, fed by our energy and money. It's a constantly changing, growing, living, wonderful place. Those who expect it to remain static are disappointed.

It's a safe haven for free thinkers. It's a community of kind and generous souls where one can come to feel connected to others. It's a blank slate of opportunity for involvement.; for living to your fullest potential, for growth, for overcoming fears, for finding courage, strength, acceptance, sympathy and peace.

Don't get me wrong- it's not perfect. It's only as good as we are. But it often brings out the best in us.

Today I'm here with an attitude of gratitude for the musical opportunities we have. I'm grateful to Rev. Daniel O'Connell for recognizing the significance of music to us by dedicating a whole service to music each year. I'm grateful to the many volunteers and professionals who share their musical talents with us weekly. I appreciate everyone's trust in me to be Music Director.

I have a framed saying at home that says, "Be the cause of wonderful things". If you were here last night, you were witness to a wonderful thing. We invited the community in for a musical event and raised over $2000. Eliot Chapel has taught me that I can trust my vision. That's empowerment. That's something our children are learning here: to know that you can make a difference in the world. I think Unitarian Universalists have the potential to make a positive impact on society, and Eliot Chapel can play an important role in that.

I am grateful to my associate, Leon Burke, for all the extra time and energy he's donating to us this weekend. What he did with opera last night far outshines anything I've ever done with coffeehouses. And to prepare this whole service for today is above and beyond. We are lucky to have him.

I hope you find today's service to be meaningful for you. Welcome!

Jane Larson - January 23, 2005

My family and I have been enjoying Eliot and supporting it with both our time and money, for about seven years. And when I was a little girl, I wanted to be a nun.

No, I didn't grow up in a Catholic home. But, my liberal-thinking mother was always on the lookout for interesting people to invite to our home for dinner and holiday cerebrations. Catholic clergy were at the top of her list, right after anyone who was born in another country. The day my mom met Sister Frances, who was from Ireland, she'd hit the jackpot!

Sister Frances was a teacher at our local Catholic school, as were other nuns who frequented our home. There were also nurses from one of the hospitals in the next town, where my parents were on the staff.

And I thought, "What a life! Not a care in the world!" Everything was provided for you! You got to live in a house with all your friends. You might even get your own room! And your days could be devoted to service! What could be better!

Service was a very important concept in my family. My parents were both doctors in our small town of Mascoutah, Illinois. And everybody knew them, which meant that on their day off, you just called them at home.

When I was a kid, I became adept at giving advice if one of them couldn't come to the phone. "Keep him cool and give him chipped ice, and my dad will call you as soon as he can." -or- "When my mom gets back, I'll have her call the pharmacy. Is he allergic to penicillin? How much does he weigh now?"

Once, when I was about ten, I answered the phone, "Larson residence," and a woman began talking...and talking, and talking. It was a good three to four minutes before I could break in to tell her that I wasn't the doctor! She said, "Oh! Well, that's okay. I just needed somebody to talk to!"

By now, you might be asking yourself, "What does this have to do with Eliot Chapel?" Well, it has to do with finding opportunities to be of service.

Let me introduce you to an often over-looked publication of the Eliot Chapel Press. It's called "Information Guide." And you can get your very own free copy in Visitors' Corner! If you look under "Service to Eliot Chapel" you will find 22 opportunities listed. And if your sights are greater than that, there is "Service to the Community," which lists nine opportunities. Each committee or event has the name of a contact person, along with a phone number, and, usually, an email address.

If you've been thinking about how you can get more involved with the community, or in Eliot life, please, don't be shy! This is the time of year when committees begin to evaluate what they did this year and make plans for next year. And we're always looking for new ideas, new blood. We'll even take old blood! So, pick up a copy of the "Information Guide", find something that interests you, and make a call! You'll be glad you did!

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