The worship theme for September is
Expectation.
Sunday, September 15 – 9:30 and 11:00 am
“Living with Uncertainty” – Rev. Roger Bertschausen
How can a person, a community, and a society live well with uncertainty? Is it possible to find joy and meaning amidst change?
Featured Musicians: Kathie Price & Rich Heuermann, guitar and vocals; Chamber Singers
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Sharing the Offering
In 1886, 15 courageous Unitarian women took a stand for the most impoverished children in St. Louis. These women founded a "day nursery" with a mission "to prevent pauperism by assisting breadwinners with young children on their hands, to earn an honest living." South Side Day Nursery, as it was known then, welcomed children of every race, ethnicity, and income level.
Over the decades SouthSide has grown, and its mission has expanded. Today the mission is to nurture, educate and inspire children and families in a diverse and inclusive environment, promoting healthy development and a strong foundation for success. Their vision is that children develop a lifelong love of learning, flourish within a supportive family environment and contribute positively to their communities. Children can enter as early as 6 months old and graduate when they begin regular school kindergarten.
SouthSide can serve up to 140 children each day. We all know the value of early childhood education. SouthSide is doing an outstanding job of providing it for children that really need it. Their work gives children coming from difficult situations a great chance for success.
Religious Education
At
9:30, children in kindergarten and older should attend the first 15 minutes of the worship service. Preschool children (ages 3-5) and nursery children (2 and younger) go directly to their class. At
11:00, children who are age 5 through 6th grade attend the first 15 minutes of the worship service. Nursery children (age 4 and younger), and youth in 7th-12th grade go directly to their class.
Sunday at a Glance
Chamber Singers – 8:30 am in the Music Room
Children’s Choir rehearsal – 10:35 am in the Music Room
Saunders/McVoy Covenant Group – 12:15 pm in the Bergfried Room
Suter Covenant Group – 12:45 pm in Room 006
Lemon Covenant Group – 1:00 pm in the Frederick-Gray Room
Friends of Music – 3:00 pm in the Sanctuary
Eliot Meditation Group – 7:00 pm in the DuBois Library
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September Social Justice Assembly
Do you care about our democracy? Eliot’s Social Justice in Action team will show
Rigged – The Voter Suppression Playbook
on Tuesday, September 17 at 7:00 pm followed by a discussion/Q&A led by Denise Lieberman, Director of Advancement Project’s Power and Democracy Program.
Several states, including Missouri which is featured in the documentary, have undertaken measures that significantly impact voter participation.
Rigged
was filmed during the 2016 election and lays out the strategies used to suppress voter turnout.
Come together, get energized, get involved, and stay active for our democracy! Get all the details and RSVP on the
Facebook event page.
Movie License Reminder
If your group is planning to show a movie, documentary, or TV show clip at Eliot as part of a program or for a discussion group, please check with the front office first. Churches are not exempt from copyright laws and most movies are licensed for personal, in-home use only. Movies shown at church are considered a public performance. Luckily, Eliot has a license that gives us legal access to thousands of movies, from blockbusters to documentaries to cartoons! It’s possible your desired movie is on this list. If not, you can search the collection and find a suitable replacement. Or a group leader can research and determine who owns the copyright to that video and ask their permission to exhibit at Eliot – that's what SJA did for their showing of
Rigged!
Please help Eliot stay in copyright compliance and take this step before planning a movie event. Reach the front office at
frontoffice@eliotchapel.org.
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Eliot All Reads Coming Soon
Our reading choices for this church year will coincide with the Social Justice in Action’s focus on governance and voting rights:
Democracy in Chains by Nancy MacLean will be our fall read.
Waking Up White by Debby Irving will remain as our racial justice book selection (fall and spring) and is recommended as an introduction to understanding white privilege. In the spring, we'll read
Out Of The Wreckage by George Monbiot. Stop by the SJA table in Adams Hall, starting September 29, to find out more about how to join a book discussion group!
Have You Turned in Your Pledge Card?
Time flies and things get away from us. Can you believe we are weeks away from October? If you were planning to return your pledge card at the beginning of the church year, it's time! If you've lost yours or never received one, you can
download and print one from Eliot's website. If you have any questions about your pledge status, please contact the Front Office via email or at 314-821-0911.
Our Whole Lives (OWL) for Adults
Attention Eliot Adults (18+). Are you interested in a potential opportunity to participate in an Our Whole Lives (OWL) program for ADULTS in 2019-20? OWL is a comprehensive sexuality education program developed by the Unitarian Universalist Association and United Church of Christ which INCLUDES adult-level programming. You can
read more about this program here.
If participation in an adult-level OWL program feels like an opportunity of interest, Scott Stewart & Noel Burke invite you to
click here to complete a short survey. Your feedback will be considered as we gauge the feasibility of offering this program at Eliot next year.
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Please be aware:
Care of Your Minister After Lung Transplant
I am now taking medications to suppress my immune system to avoid rejecting my brand-new lungs. This makes me very vulnerable to viruses, especially in crowds of people. Here are some precautions I will need to take and need your help with. Instead of doing the receiving line and the coffee hour, I will remain on the chancel near the pulpit after worship. If you would like to talk with me, please come up, but please also keep some distance. If you are sick, even with a tiny cold, I ask you to stay home from church if I am preaching that day. If you have come to church and find yourself coughing, sneezing, etc., please sit in the back. As I've said earlier, I need to avoid shaking hands with and hugging people. This is wisdom I have received from people who have been transplanted years ago, and are thriving today. Thank you for your continued care of me.
– Rev. Barbara
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2020 International Youth Pilgrimage and Camp
Transylvania, Romania
July 24 - August 2, 2020
This special pilgrimage for high school UU youth is a collaboration between the Unitarian Universalist Partner Church Council and Országos Dávid Ferenc Ifjúsági Egylet, the Hungarian Unitarian youth organization. Activities include visits to important Unitarian sites in Transylvania, spiritual development and exploration, and working collaboratively with Transylvanian youth at a Unitarian summer camp to complete a joint service project. The UUPCC has significant funding to help defray the cost.
Application is available online.
The deadline to apply is September 22, 2019.
Bottoms Up!
In September, Eliot Chapel will host a diaper drive to benefit the
St. Louis Area Diaper Bank. Purchase diapers – any size, any brand, any amount – and put them in the porta-crib in Adams Hall in the month of September, Diaper Need Awareness Month. Our goal is 2,500 diapers.
Bottoms up! Questions?
Contact Jan Erdman.
Parking Spot Raffle
Raffle tickets for October’s reserved spot will be on sale Sunday in Adams Hall. Take a chance for $10!
Volunteer Fair Coming to Adams Hall
Do you want to become more involved at Eliot? Come to Adams Hall after each service on
Sunday, September 22 for the Eliot Volunteer Fair! Find out about and sign up for opportunities like hospitality and welcoming, Eliot Historical Society, Diamond Jubilee, Eliot Gardeners, Chalice Champions, canvass, Envelope Stuffers, and more!
Madrigal Auditions
The merriment of Madrigal is planned for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, December 5-7! Our first major milestone is a script-reading try-out on
Sunday, September 22 at 1:00 PM in the Eliot Sanctuary, open to anyone high school age and up who would like to audition for a performance part in the play. Those interested in helping with technical production of the play can also attend to get acquainted. For more information, please contact Ken Denson at
madrigal@eliotchapel.org.
October Newsletter Deadline
Time flies! The deadline for October’s newsletter is nearly here. Please send any items to
news@eliotchapel.org by
Sunday, September 15.
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Please Remember
Please remember
Kim, Doug, Erik and Elayna Swenson
as they mourn the recent loss of Kim's mother. There will be a memorial service for
Genny Conry
in the Sanctuary at Eliot Chapel today, Friday, September 13, at 5:00 pm.
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Monday, September 16
A Course in Miracles – 7:00 pm in Room 001
Environmental Justice – 7:00 pm in Room 005
Nominating Committee – 7:00 pm in the Frederick-Gray Room
Tuesday, September 17
Women's Alliance Field Trip – 10:00 am in Adams Hall
Vigil for Hope & Healing – 6:00 pm outside Eliot
Avant Covenant Group – 7:00 pm in Room 006
Earth-Based Covenant Group – 7:00 pm in the Frederick-Gray Room
Eliot Choir – 7:00 pm in the Music Room
SJA Assembly: Rigged Screening – 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary
Wednesday, September 18
Women’s Chorale – 7:00 pm in the Music Room
Larson Covenant Group – 7:15 pm in Room 006
Thursday, September 19
Grief Group – 3:00 pm in the DuBois Library
Room at the Inn – 5:30 pm in Adams Hall and Rooms 001-006
Peace and Tolerance Covenant Group – 7:00 pm in the Frederick-Gray Room
Friday, September 20
Friday Freethinkers – 10:00 am in Adams Hall
Saturday, September 21
Youth Campout – 10:00 am in the Sanctuary
Amy Camie Concert – 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary
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Children’s Chalice Choir
Children’s Chalice Choir will meet
Sunday, September 15
from 10:35 – 10:55 am in the Music Room. Children in 1st-5th grade who like to sing should bring their parents with them that day.
Friends of Music
Friends of Music present a Fabulous Free Classical music concert
Sunday, September 15 at 3:00 pm in the Sanctuary featuring soprano Dr. Stella Markou and pianist Martin Kennedy. For more information please visit
www.fomcstl.org.
Meditation Group Meets
Meditation is reported to have positive effects on physical and mental health. Eliot Chapel's meditation group meets in the DuBois Library
Sunday, September 15 at 7:00 pm. Facilitated by Eliot member Jeanne Kloeckner, the group is structured towards exploring a wide variety of meditation styles. All are welcome as we explore these cost-effective and sustainable tools for fostering well-being. No prior experience is necessary.
Environmental Justice/Green Sanctuary Team
The Environmental Justice/Green Sanctuary Team will meet on
Monday, September 16 at 7:00 pm in Room 005. We will be discussing the Global Climate Strike which begins on September 20, and also making plans for our next steps to become a certified Green Sanctuary congregation. We need lots of ideas for our Green Sanctuary projects, so please join us, or email us with your ideas. What can we do at Eliot Chapel to be better stewards of the Earth in our water and energy usage?
- at our potlucks?
- in our Sunday services?
- on our grounds?
What do you need to learn in order to be a better steward at home? School? Work? What do you know that you can share with Eliot members to help us be better stewards? How can we, as a congregation, make a difference in our community for those who are suffering from climate issues? If you cannot make our meeting, but have ideas, suggestions, etc. please email us at
environmentjustice@eliotchapel.org.
Women’s Alliance
Women’s Alliance will visit the Mid-American Buddhist Association in Augusta, MO, on
Tuesday, September 17. All Eliot women are welcome to attend. Contact Ann Marie Hutson by Monday at noon if you’re interested.
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Join us for
Vigil for Hope and Healing #252
Tuesday, September 17
at 6:00 pm outside Eliot.
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Eliot Gardeners
Eliot Gardeners will be on the grounds next week on
Wednesday, September 18 at 9:00 am.
We'd love to have you join us! Upcoming dates for gardeners in September and October:
Wednesdays: October 2, 9, and 30
Saturdays: September 28 and October 5
We always meet at 9:00 am.
Grief Group
There will be a Grief Group meeting in the DuBois Library on
Thursday, September 19 at 3:00 pm. This group is open to all who are dealing with loss.
Climate Strike
The Global Climate Strike will occur on
Friday, September 20. The UUA and Eliot's Environmental Justice Team support this action. For those who are students or employed, the UUA is encouraging you to join the strike. If you are retired, self-employed, or unemployed, you can still join the strike.
Register to strike today. Your Environmental Justice Team thanks you for any action you take to save the planet.
2YEARS2LONG
September 21 marks
two years that Alex Garcia has been living in sanctuary at Christ Church UCC in Maplewood. On
Saturday, September 21, Alex’s wife, Carly, and the family's supporters will walk in pilgrimage from the Robert A. Young Federal Building, where the office of Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) is located, to Christ Church, where Alex Garcia is desperately waiting for those in power to do what is right and set him free. If you cannot walk, there are other opportunities to support: join the Immigration Justice Team at a designated mile marker on the route and pass out water to the walkers. Find out more and sign up on Sunday during coffee hour or by emailing
immigration@eliotchapel.com.
Bergfried Guided Day Trip
Come out on your own or meet at Eliot’s parking lot at 9:00 am to carpool/caravan on
Saturday, September 21. Your Bergfried guide will offer a guided hike or two but feel free to come out and do your own thing or do nothing at all. Bring sturdy shoes and provisions for the day. Please RSVP to
bergfriedinfo@eliotchapel.org so we know to expect you.
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Click on the links below to learn more about the events listed and to sign up, or
check the newsletter
for more details.
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Hands on Kirkwood (HOK)
Saturday morning, October 5
HOK is an annual one-day mission blitz of the Kirkwood community in which local churches, community organizations, businesses and service groups work together to serve our neighbors needing help. Projects will include dropping and collecting donation bags and sorting; yard work and home repairs; and clean-up at the historic Father Dickson Cemetery. Kids 5th grade and up can participate with their family. Starting September 15, Eliot will collect donations of gently used adult and children’s winter clothing and children’s new underwear and socks in Adams Hall for HOK free store, and travel-size hand lotions for senior gift bags. Please
sign up here with HOK first – you will choose your activity. Next,
sign up with Eliot so we know who's on our team.
Bergfried Fall Campout
October 11-13
Mark your calendars now for our annual fall campout, open to all members and friends. Activities are in the works and will include a Saturday evening service. Camp in tents or trailers; spaces in the cottage (with running water and electricity) are available by reservation and with priority given to those with medical needs or physical limitations. To sign up for the weekend, to reserve a cottage or bunkhouse space, or for other information contact
bergfriedinfo@eliotchapel.org.
Luncheon for New Americans
Thursday, October 17
11:30 am to 1:30 pm at the International Institute of St. Louis
Plan to join the Immigration Justice Team to help provide and share lunch with new Americans at the International Institute of St. Louis. We will be one of several organizations collectively bringing American food for 200+ people. Needed will be meat (no pork), salads, fruit, vegetables, starch (rice is more popular than pasta), and desserts. Are you willing to make a dish to serve 10 or more, and carpool from Eliot to serve it? Please contact
immigration@eliotchapel.org to volunteer or ask questions.
Bergfried Women’s Autumn Weekend
Friday – Sunday, October 18-20 at Bergfried
All women are welcome! Bring your friends, daughters, granddaughters, mothers, nieces, your hairdresser, and pediatrician! Enjoy a potluck dinner Saturday evening. Lodging options include camping, cottage, and bunkhouses (mattress space available by reservation). Come for the weekend or come for the day for an informal gathering. October is a beautiful time at Bergfried! Questions? Contact bergfriedwomen@eliotchapel.org.
Partner Church Hungarian Dinner
Saturday, November 9
6:00 to 8:30 pm in Adams Hall
The Partner Church Hungarian Dinner will have delicious Hungarian food and entertainment. Besides providing a fun time, we hope to raise money towards bringing our partner church minister (and perhaps others) to Eliot in the summer of 2020. Our church has had a partnership with a Unitarian church in the Transylvanian area of Romania since 1990. The dinner will be a choice of Hungarian beef goulash or a vegan mushroom goulash, with noodles, Hungarian cucumber salad, dessert and wine. We will show slides taken this summer by three Eliot members who visited our partner village. And we will learn easy Hungarian dances. Watch for tickets to go on sale on Sunday, October 13.
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Recognizing Eliot's Superheroes!
We have several choirs at Eliot Chapel:
The Eliot Choir, Women’s Chorale, Chamber Singers, Children’s Chalice Choir, and the Chalice Chimes Handbells. These folks join a choir for spiritual fulfillment, fellowship, fun and to provide an artistic, meaningful offering to the rest of the congregation! They make the same commitment as a covenant group – to show up regularly and work together to create something meaningful. Any average week will find 40-50 singers and ringers spending 90 minutes to 3 hours of their time in service to our congregation! Many of them have consistently served for over 20 years. They always welcome newcomers and always strive toward excellence! These dedicated folks deserve to be honored as our
September Volunteers of the Month!
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Sunday, September 22 – 9:30 and 11:00 am
“The Miracle Does Not Accept Your Terms and Conditions” – Rev. Barbara H. Gadon
Suddenly having a new life to care for is truly a miracle. It comes in different forms - birth, adoption, and in Rev. Barbara’s case, a brand-new pair of lungs. All such miracles confound our expectations. Rev. Barbara will share how the past six months have deepened her understanding of the gifts and challenges of miracles.
Featured Musician: Amy Camie, harpist & Women's Chorale
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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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