Sunday, October 17
Loving Through a Broken Heart – Rev. Krista Taves
9:00 and 11:00 am
When our hearts are broken it can become harder to feel connected. But broken hearts often reconnect us to ourselves, to our living values, and to love itself.
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Masks are required at the service for anyone over two years of age. Masks should cover both nose and mouth. We will announce any cancellations for inclement weather on our website and social media. In that event, worship will be recorded in the sanctuary and a video will be available by 11:00 am.
We have reservations available this week. Reservations for the week's services open after 3:00 pm on Monday. A separate email with reservation links goes out through our email list. Reservations will be made through Sign-Up Genius:
If all pods are reserved, you may call ( 314.821.0911) or email the front office to be put on a waiting list. OR you may come to Eliot and sit elsewhere on the lot (social distancing, of course). You may not have great visibility but you will be able to hear the service and be present in the experience. If you do this, you still need to check in with a greeter for contact tracing purposes.
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We will be recording one of our services on Sunday. When it is available, you will find it at eliotchapel.org where it will remain all week. You can also find it directly on our YouTube channel.
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Sharing the Offering
In October, we're sharing our offering with Missouri Faith Voices.
Missouri Faith Voices is a multi-faith, multi-racial movement committed to dismantling white supremacy and making racial equity a reality.
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Here’s how you can give:
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Online: Click here. Make sure “Shared Plate” is your chosen fund.
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By Mail: Please write “Missouri Faith Voices” in the memo line of your check and mail it to Eliot Unitarian Chapel, 100 South Taylor Ave., Kirkwood, MO 63122.
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By Text: Text "Eliot SharedPlate $(enter the amount)" to 73256. A link in the reply text will take you to our secure database webpage where you can complete your transaction. Please note, "SharedPlate" must be entered as one word to reach that preferred option.
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Religious Education
Children’s Religious Education
Worship Services: Children in 7th grade and younger are invited and encouraged to attend the outdoor worship service at Eliot Chapel with their family and participate in Social Hour in the Meadow following the service. Supervised play on the nursery school playground is available for preschool-aged children during the 9:00 am service.
Religious Education (RE): Children in grades K-7 are invited to gather from 10:30-11:00 on Zoom with Heather Flick and Christie Lee for the next RE session. The Zoom link will be shared with registered families via email.
SAVE THE DATE: Children and families are invited to gather for our next in-person activity on Sunday, October 24 beginning at 10:30 am in Fillmore Park (about 5 minutes from Eliot). RE in the TREES invites us to explore the interconnections with nature, trees, and our spirituality during the fall season.
We’ll be participating in several interactive activities, experiencing the story Trout Are Made of Trees, and participating in a guided meditation led by Eliot member and leader Steve Swift who will share about how meditation is an important spiritual practice in his life.
Following the conclusion of activities around 11:30, children and families can enjoy Popsicles in the Park and play on the park playground for as long as they wish.
Youth Group
Youth activities for youth in grades 8-12 continue on Sunday, October 17 in Ellen Duncan’s backyard. The address will be shared with registered youth and families via email. Arrival begins at 10:30, activities will start at 10:45, and should wrap up around 12:00.
The Youth Group FAQs have more information about the fall program for youth in grades 8-12. Please contact Scott Stewart at scott@eliotchapel.org if you have any questions about youth activities.
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Zoom Coffee Hour
Zoom Coffee Hour takes place from 12:00 pm to 1:00 on Sunday. You are invited to “walk down the hall” and come to our Zoom Coffee Hour! We’ll take about 10 minutes or so to gather and let people settle in. We'll say a few words of welcome and then create break-out rooms – random groupings of 5 or 6 people. Everyone will likely make a new friend at Eliot from this exercise! You’ll have the chance to introduce yourself and then share your answers to a few questions, like “How has this week been for you?” and “What feelings has it brought up for you?” Each person has about 5 minutes to speak; you are welcome to pass if you like. In half an hour, everyone will return to the big group and we’ll say our goodbyes for the week. Please watch your email for "Eliot on Zoom" which will include a link to join the Zoom Coffee Hour. If you're not on our mailing list, sign up here.
Sunday at a Glance
Sunday Outdoor Worship – 9:00 am on the Lawn (222 lot)
Social Hour – 9:30 am on the Meadow
Children's Religious Education – 10:30 am via Zoom
Youth Group – 10: 30 am off-site
Sunday Outdoor Worship – 11:00 am on the Lawn (222 lot)
Social Hour – 11:30 am on the Meadow
Coffee Hour – 12:00 pm via Zoom
Young Adult Group – 12:30 pm on Discord
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Tuesday, October 19
Women's Alliance – 9:30 am via Zoom
Vigil for Hope & Healing – 6:00 pm in front of Eliot
Contact your group leader if you need login information for your meeting.
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Reminder: Getting Involved with Groups
Many groups at Eliot are meeting despite the distance between us all. Check with your group leader or get involved with a new group! Find contact information in our Getting Involved booklet.
Group leaders, have you set up an area for your group in Realm? You have a secure place to chat and share documents and photos. Contact Christie Lee to set up your group.
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Please Remember
Please remember Debbie Eldarrat and her family – Ahmed, Annalise and Devon. Debbie's mother Mary Miller died on Monday, October 11, 2021. You may find Mary's obituary and the family's online guestbook here.
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Come to the Congregational Meeting
Dear Eliot Community,
With colder weather coming, we are going to need to make some decisions about worship starting in December. The good news is that COVID cases in the St. Louis region are dropping little by little every day. This could easily go back up (at least somewhat) when the weather gets consistently colder and people are indoors, but perhaps not that much. It looks quite likely that a vaccine for children 5–12 will be available November 1! Given the 3-week interval between doses and the 2 weeks after the second dose, the soonest children could be vaccinated is probably mid-December, with early January more likely. All of this will go into the mix as we contemplate Sunday mornings in our near future.
It will help a lot for us to talk together about what is important to our community. We invite you to a congregational meeting on Zoom on Sunday, October 24 at 1:00 pm. We will share in small groups our responses to the following questions regarding worship:
- What do you need? Why is it important to you?
- What does our congregation need as a whole? (And what do we need for our congregation to BE whole?)
- How are you willing to support this?
Hope to see you there!
Rev. Barbara
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Outdoor Worship Experiment, Phase 2: "We Heard You!"
We're about halfway through our experiment with outdoor, intergenerational worship. On October 24, two things will happen. First, we will have a congregational meeting on Zoom to talk about worship needs as we must discontinue outdoor worship in December. (See above article for meeting details.)
Second, we will introduce a few shifts in our worship, based on our experience so far. Here are the assumptions we went in with, what we have learned, and how things will change as we start phase 2!
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ASSUMPTION #1
The biggest item on people's wish lists was fellowship.
We designed a 30-minute service with lots of social time after each service.
What We Learned:
People enjoy staying for the social hour, but we don't stay any longer than we did before.
No Obvious Fix:
Changing service times would be confusing, and shortening the gap between services probably wouldn't make much difference. There is room for longer worship if we want. (See point 3.)
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ASSUMPTION #2
Not singing in groups was safer.
What We Learned:
This is actually a gray area, and requests from so many of you prompted us to go back and check out this assumption. We spoke with other UU churches meeting outdoors. We learned that singing outdoors, with masks and social distancing created no problems.
The Fix:
Bring on the hymns!
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ASSUMPTION #3
Shortening the service, featuring a story, shorter sermon, and no reading would be more welcoming to our children and still satisfying to our adults.
What We Learned:
Even with these modifications, our service is still fairly passive and sedentary for many of our younger kids. Many of our kids are itchy for much of worship.
The shorter service and especially shorter sermon was frustrating for our older members and others without young children.
The Limitation:
We have neither staff hours nor space far enough away from the service to work well for children's activities during the service.
The Fix:
Make the service 45-50 minutes with a more developed sermon. Create activity packets for children that are fun and creative and help them engage with the message of the service. Allow one or two 'wiggle breaks' with no maximum age limit to participate. After the service, invite the children to share their creations with the minister.
And that's our report. We invite you to check out our services in phase 2!
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2021 Eliot Chapel Board of Trustees Survey Now Open
The 2021 Board of Trustees survey for members and friends of Eliot Chapel is now open! Click here to take the survey!
This survey is one of the most important tools the Board has to hear from you, and your responses will assist them in their duties under our governance model to ensure we have the right ends and that we are making progress towards each end. Your input is important to us and we look forward to hearing from you!
Accommodations will be made for those who cannot access the survey online. Contact the Chapel Office for assistance.
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Be Like Eliot Chapel: Fight Climate Change!
Eliot Chapel, along with the UUA, has divested from fossil fuels in order to fight climate change. You can, too! Take your money out of institutions that fund fossil fuel expansion.
And while you are at it, the Environmental Justice Team urges you to look at other socially responsible ways to invest. Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) is ensuring that our investments are aligned with our values. The UUA has been strongly committed to SRI for over forty years. Learn more about this practice on the UUA website.
Here are some other resources to educate yourself...
Buy local and look for women-owned or minority-owned businesses or products. Vote with your wallet!
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'Tis the Season!
As the holiday season approaches, now is the perfect time to join iGive in support of Eliot Chapel. Did you know your online purchases can equal donations to Eliot? And now is the perfect time to join because each person who signs up before Nov. 15 and makes a purchase by Dec. 1 earns a bonus $5 donation in addition to anything your purchase earns.
And it's easy to join! Just scan the QR code here with your smart phone or click through to the iGive website.
Shop at 2300+ stores you already know and benefit Eliot Chapel!
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COVID Support Team
Our COVID team is here for you. If you are quarantining and need support having groceries and prescriptions picked up, please email pastoralcare@eliotchapel.org with your contact information.
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Reminder: Staying Up to Date
In an email letter to members and friends, Rev. Barbara outlined "How We Do Church Now" as Eliot Chapel suspended face-to-face meetings. As a guiding document, it was always open to changes as we found out what worked and what didn't in our response to this extraordinary situation. You can find this document on our website now. We will keep it updated as things change. We'll also try to let you know here of any changes.
All staff are working from home. The building and grounds are closed for general use. A staff person is checking on the building and grounds periodically throughout the week for any facilities or maintenance issues. If you need assistance or have any questions, please email the appropriate staff person.
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Women’s Alliance
Women’s Alliance will meet via Zoom on Tuesday, October 19 at 9:30 am. After a brief period of conversation, we’ll welcome member/speaker Klara Weis who will talk about the guiding principles of the ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui which involves arranging our living spaces to create balance with the natural world. Please feel free to join us. For more information, contact womensalliance@eliotchapel.org.
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Vigil for Hope & Healing
Tuesday, October 19
6:00 – 7:00 pm in front of Eliot Chapel
All are welcome; wearing a mask is required as is maintaining the 6-foot social distancing guideline. Please remember that the building is not open so there are no available restrooms.
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All-Read Discussion Coming
in November
The New York Times hails Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste as an ‘instant American classic’ about our abiding sin. The American Prospect says, “Wilkerson’s work is the missing puzzle piece of our country’s history.” NPR calls it a masterwork of writing, a profound achievement of scholarship and research that stands also as a triumph of both visceral storytelling and cogent analysis.
On Sunday, November 7, vaccinated adults are invited to meet at the fire pit in Kirkwood Park from 1:00 to 3:00 pm for a discussion of the seminal book, Caste: The Origin of Our Discontents. Bring a chair and any food or drink you’d like. Face masks must be worn. Register on Sign Up Genius. Directions to the fire pit will be e-mailed to those who sign up.
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ADULT EDUCATION OFFERING
Starting Point
with Rev. Krista Taves and Amy Stark
4 Sundays:
November 14, November 21, December 12, & December 19
2-3:30 pm on Zoom
This 4-part series offers those considering Unitarian Universalism as a spiritual path the opportunity to experience UUism through a small group experience. You will learn about our faith tradition, explore your own spiritual journey, and connect with others who are also seeking a spiritual home or faith. Longtime members and friends seeking a small group experience are also welcome.
Session 1: Your Journey – Sharing Our Stories and Spiritual Roadmaps
Session 2: The Unitarian Universalist Journey and the Journey of Our Congregation
Session 3: Our Journey Together – The Three Paths of Unitarian Universalism Part 1
Session 4: The Three Paths Part 2 and Finding Your Journey Group
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WHAT MOVES US:
Engaging Our Unitarian Universalist Theology
with Rev. Krista Taves
Second Monday of the month
7:00 - 8:30 pm on Zoom
When we say
- "I always love that song,"
- "I cry whenever we..."
- "I feel safe here,"
- "My heart is stronger," or
- "I'm ready for what comes next,"
we know what moves us as Unitarian Universalists: personal experience. These comments and so many others demonstrate that our religious and spiritual feelings and practices are changing and transforming us through direct personal experience as a major source of our Unitarian Universalist faith. In fact, it is our first source: "Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to an openness to the forces that create and sustain life." Yet, we often stumble when trying to explain our Unitarian Universalist theology of personal experience to ourselves and to others. We falter when we try to explain how our Unitarian Universalist faith heals, saves, liberates, holds, and moves us to ethical action and compassion.
"What Moves Us" peels back the theological language we use to affirm our faith experiences with one another and in the wider world. We will focus on a different UU theologian in every session, and through their story and the meaning they made of it, reflect on our direct experiences as the source of our faith. What Moves Us creates an adult faith journey for those who are new to this faith tradition and those who have long been Unitarian Universalists. Eight sessions, one each month, will take place on Zoom. You are welcome to register for the class after the first session as each session stands on its own.
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Upcoming Session Dates – 2nd Monday of the month, 7:00 to 8:30 pm
November 15, December 13, January 10,
February 14, March 14, April 11, May 9.
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Sunday, October 24
Riding the Waves – Amy Stark
9:00 and 11:00 am
As UUs, we know that our interdependent web often has us caught up in the waves of others’ joys as well as sufferings. How can we cultivate relationships in our spiritual communities that help us ride these emotional waves together? In the midst of the pandemic and social inequities, how are we riding these waves differently?
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ourEliot promotes and enables healthy communications as promised to one another through the Congregational Covenant. If you have a compliment, suggestion, or concern that is important to communicate to a responsible party, please email ourEliot@eliotchapel.org.
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Connect with Eliot Chapel
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