January 31
Reimagining our Misimaginings – Rev. Krista Taves
As Unitarian Universalists, we have a strong and abiding conviction that there is a power in drawing from our personal conscience in matters of faith, belief, and morality. "Trust thyself." But there are times when our conscience can lead us astray, when what we have learned to believe is found to be unworthy of our trust. We need to reframe our imaginations for hope and healing to come.
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Our service video will be available at 10:00 am at eliotchapel.org and will remain there all week. You can also find it directly on Eliot Chapel's YouTube channel. |
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Sharing the Offering
We have a longstanding tradition at Eliot Chapel of sharing our Sunday offering with an organization in our community. In January, we are sharing our plate with the Meacham Park Neighborhood Improvement Association. Meacham Park is a predominantly African American community in Kirkwood. Even before Meacham Park was annexed to Kirkwood, an intentionally diverse group of Meacham Park and Kirkwood residents formed to advocate for Meacham Park. Eliot Chapel has long ensured that we have one of our members at the table so that we are always ready to lend a hand and to be part of the solution. Our representative for the last seven years has been Janet Solecki. When asked what it has meant for our church to make this longstanding commitment, President Harriet Patton shared that it was simply a blessing, that we are the only church in Kirkwood to have made such a commitment to the Association.
The Neighborhood Improvement Association offers college scholarships and many programs for students, including a STEM workshop in the spring, Pride in the Park in the summer, school supplies in the fall, and they sponsor 20 families at Christmas.
But this has been a difficult year for Meacham Park. COVID-19 has hit the Black community harder than anyone else, and so has the resulting economic hardship. Their well-loved Martin Luther King Jr. Day Musical Celebration usually pays for most of their programs, and it has been cancelled due the pandemic. So we’ve decided to step up our game. Our goal is to raise $3000 through our Shared Plate this month for the Meacham Park Neighborhood Improvement Association. This will help them continue to serve Meacham Park families as it always has.
We will let you know each week how close we are to meeting our goal. You can give in one of three ways:
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Online: Click here. Make sure “Shared Plate” is your chosen fund.
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By Mail: Please write “Meacham Park” 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 $(enter the amount) SharedPlate" 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.
The motto of the Association is Come Together. Work Together. Stay Together. Let’s show up strong for our beloved neighbors.
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Shared Plate Update: $1760 out of the $3000 goal for MPNIA, as of 1/28/21.
Other recent giving includes:
November: Southside Early Childhood Center raised $348.50
Christmas Eve: Minister's Discretionary Fund raised $1,836.00
December: Room At The Inn raised $580.50
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Religious Education
Religious Education for Children (Kindergarten-6th grade): Sunday, January 31 @ 9:15 via Zoom
Eliot children and families are invited to gather at 9:15 am via Zoom for connection and community. This week’s session is co-hosted by Christie Lee, Noel Burke, Heather Flick and adult lay leaders and the topic is Loving Ourselves & Supporting Others. Activities include the Pixar short film Boundin'. Zoom links will be distributed to registered families by email on Friday, January 29.
Junior High Group (7th & 8th grade): Sunday, January 31 @ 11:00 via Zoom
Youth in 7th & 8th grade (or the homeschool equivalent) are invited to gather for community, connection, and FUN. Hosted by Ann Lemon and members of the Junior High Leadership Team, this week's exploration is Climate Justice: Water Usage. A Zoom link will be sent to registered Eliot youth on Friday, January 29.
Senior High Youth Group: Sunday, January 31 @ 11:00 via Zoom
Eliot youth in 9th-12th grade (or the homeschool equivalent) are invited to gather for community, connection, and FUN. The room will open at 10:45 and activities begin at 11:00, hosted by Scott Stewart and youth group lay leaders. A Zoom link will be sent to registered Eliot youth on Friday, January 29.
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Zoom Coffee Hour
At 11:30 am, 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
RE for Children – 9:15 am via Zoom
Online Church Service – 10:00 am on Eliot Chapel website
Junior High Group – 11:00 am via Zoom
Senior High Youth Group – 11:00 am via Zoom
Coffee Hour – 11:30 am via Zoom
Young Adult Group – 12:30 pm on Discord
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Tuesday, February 2
Women's Alliance – 9:30 am via Zoom
Vigil for Hope & Healing – 5:00 pm online
Thursday, February 4
Lunch with the Minister – 12:30 pm via Zoom
Eliot Connects: Setting Ourselves Up to Flourish – 7:00 pm via Zoom
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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Source Study
As Unitarian Universalists, we commonly cite the Seven Principles of our living tradition in our conversations with one another and as motivations for our spiritual searching. Not as commonly referenced or examined are the Six Sources of our living tradition and the wisdom that can be gleaned from them. In this seven-week program, the Eden Bi-State Congregational Intern Collective will lead a cross-congregational workshop that seeks to engage with some of our most sacred sources, think critically about their contemporary relevance, address embedded bias we may have accumulated towards some, and work towards a dynamic and responsible interplay of these sources to strengthen our faith and theological grounding.
The four Eden interns will take turns teaming up to host each session which, after an introductory session, will focus on a different set of sources each week. The cross-congregational nature of the workshop means we'll be in beloved community with UUs and UU-adjacent folks across state lines which can help us widen our spiritual circle of belonging.
Material and the Zoom meeting link will be sent to participating congregants via email, so if you wish to take this course, please register here. Registration is required to receive study materials and the weekly zoom link.
Source Study (Fridays, Mid-February to Mid-May), 7:30-9:00 pm
• February 5: Exegesis (Cory, Dee, Matthew, & Sabrina)
• February 19: Hebrew Bible and New Testament (Dee & Matthew)
• March 5: Wisdom of World Religions (Cory & Matthew)
• March 19: Spiritual Teaching of Earth Centered Traditions (Dee & Sabrina)
• April 2: Humanism (Cory & Dee)
• April 16: Words and Deeds of Prophetic People (Cory & Sabrina)
• May 7: Direct Experience (Sabrina & Matthew)
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Let’s UU the Legislature!
The legislative season is upon us and as usual, there are some promising bills and some bills that should never leave committee! Our partners – Metropolitan Congregations United and Missouri Faith Voices – are monitoring the scene in Jeff City and Washington, DC, and frequently make requests to call or write to the decision makers about a bill that is being deliberated. Whether we advocate for or against a bill is determined based on the expected impact on the most vulnerable. These requests come quickly and need a fast turnaround, often within hours.
We are building a UU the Legislature team that is ready to act when called upon. All you need to do is put your legislators’ contact information in your phone so that when the request comes, you are ready to go. The request will usually come by email with very clear instructions and talking points to maximize your impact.
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Join Immigration Justice Team 2021
The IJT held its first meeting on January 26 and had fantastic attendance and involvement. We brainstormed ideas for the 2021 focus and soon will ask interested parties to rank order priorities. If you want to have a voice in this exciting opportunity for lasting impact on our immigrant neighbors, send an email to immigration@eliotchapel.org to receive communications from the team, including the priority selection process.
Once priorities are established, a small group will begin development of concrete actions and plans to accomplish these goals. If you're interested in being a member of the group, please email immigration@eliotchapel.org. And be sure to add the next team meeting (Tuesday, February 23 at 7:00 pm via Zoom) to your calendar. You will receive the Zoom link via email.
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A Passive Way to Give
Schnucks wants to give to Eliot Unitarian Chapel. Here’s how you can help:
- Pick up a My Schnucks card at any store.
- Visit www.escrip.com/schnucks and register your card with eScrip.
Then:
- Just use your registered card at checkout – it’s that easy!
- OR, if you use the Rewards App or your phone number at checkout, simply present your registered My Schnucks card, too. After 24 hours or so, call customer service at 800-264-4400 and tell them you want to “donate” to Eliot Chapel.
Here’s a quick little video overview of the program and some visuals on the steps. Thank you!
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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.
Donations to the Minister's Discretionary Fund are also welcome should we face an increased need because of the shutdown in our region. Please indicate “Minister's Discretionary Fund” in the memo line of your gift. You may also text ELIOT MDF to 73256 to give using your mobile device.
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Reminder: Checking In
It’s been a long ten months since we last met in person, and we have more months to go before we can gather again in our beloved sacred space. In an effort to stay in touch with each other, a team of volunteers will be reaching out to you, our members and friends, to check in periodically, hear how you’re doing, and see how Eliot might support you between now and the time we are able to resume in-person activities. Volunteers will be making contacts via email and phone. We really want to hear from you, so please take a few minutes to respond to this outreach when you get a call or e-mail.
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Reminder: Zoom – Now with Closed Captioning!
If you're leading an event on Eliot's Zoom account, you can now activate closed captioning in your meeting. Here's how:
- At the bottom of the host's screen, find an Icon titled "Live Transcript." Click on it.
- Choose "Enable Auto Transcription."
The closed captioning is in white letters on a black background and is fairly accurate. It is still struggling, however, to correctly spell "Cowabunga!"
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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. Changes to RE information were made this week.
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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Now What?
This has been a January that will go down in the history books. Between the inauguration, threats (that thankfully didn't come to fruition) of extremist violence, the second impeachment of a president, and what experts are calling the peak of a global pandemic, I've had more than my fill of living through 'unprecedented' times. I imagine that sentiment is probably shared with many of you. So...now what?
Well, as UUs we are called to continue the work toward justice, peace, and inclusion. That reminds me of one of my favorite quotes taken from The Talmud, the book of Jewish law:
"Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world's grief. Do justly, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly, now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it."
There is something hopeful in focusing on the current moment. Even as fears and anxieties of the future and collective grief for the past swirl around us, anchoring ourselves in the present call to action leaves us feeling less helpless and more empowered. Like a droplet in water that causes concentric circles to radiate outward from its impact, so do our seemingly small actions move from us to those in our household, our community, and beyond.
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I was so moved by the words of the National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman at the inauguration on Wednesday. Her prophetic voice rang out in her poem entitled, "The Hill We Climb." Everything about her poem and recitation were excellent, but a particular line stood out for me: "For, there is always light if only we're brave enough to see it. If only we're brave enough to be it." We all can learn from this incredible young person. May we see - and be - light in ways both big and small each and every day.
Sarah Price, Eliot Chapel Music Director
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Women's Alliance
Eliot Chapel's Women's Alliance will meet on Tuesday, February 2 beginning at 9:30 am via Zoom for conversation. At 10:00 am, a book discussion led by Ann Marie Hutson of The Gifted School by Bruce Holsinger will begin. All Eliot women are welcome to join in.
Did you know Women's Alliance meets on Zoom but you can also call in to the meeting by phone? Contact them to participate.
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Vigil for Hope & Healing
Tuesday, February 2
5:00 pm via Zoom
The Black Lives Matter vigil has gone digital! Our Black Lives Matter in-person vigil has been suspended for the duration of the stay-at-home order in St. Louis County. This doesn’t mean that we are going to stop witnessing for Black lives!
Join us for our weekly online vigil Tuesdays at 5:00 pm. We will meet on Zoom and livestream our vigil onto Facebook.
How to prepare for our online vigil:
- Write “Black Lives Matter” in dark lettering on a small piece of paper, no bigger than a standard letter envelope.
- Check your background to be sure nothing is visible that you don’t want broadcast in public!
- Connect to the vigil using the Zoom link provided in the weekly Eliot On Zoom email that comes Sunday morning. Make sure you are muted.
- Sit silently with your BLM sign for the duration of the vigil.
- Help expand our witness! During the vigil, go to the Eliot Unitarian Chapel facebook page and share the vigil to your facebook page, twitter feed, or any social media platform you use so that it can be shared further!
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Lunch with the Minister
Revs. Barbara and Krista invite you to a weekly Lunch with the Minister every Thursday at 12:30 pm. Bring your lunch or just bring yourself! Depending on the size of the group, we will hang out together in the main room or go into breakout groups. The link to join this Zoom meeting will be in the weekly "Eliot on Zoom" email. Check it out and get together!
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Inquirer Series
Mondays, March 8, 15, & 22
7:00 – 8:00 pm via Zoom
If you are new to Eliot Chapel, new to Unitarian Universalism, or wanting to deepen your understanding of Unitarian Universalism, this is the class for you. This 3-part series, held Mondays beginning March 8, includes sessions on Unitarian Universalist history and theology, UU religious education and spiritual development, how we worship, take care of each other and serve our community, and what it means to be a member of this congregation. All sessions will be held on Zoom. Sign up here or on Realm now!
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February 7 – 10:00 am
Eliot Live! – Beloved (Zoom) Community
If you are missing hugs, singing (or not) in a group, and sharing non-fancy coffee from a big silver urn, you are not alone. The pandemic has had a huge impact on community life. How are we doing? How are we staying together even though we are apart? Come to the first of our Eliot Live! services held on Zoom the first Sunday of the month.
We’ll send you the link for this service in your “Eliot on Zoom” email which will arrive to your inbox earlier than usual. If you would rather join by Facebook, YouTube, or from our website, the Zoom call/service will be livestreamed at the same time. A recording will be available shortly thereafter.
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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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