The worship theme for May is Thresholds.

Sunday, May 24 – 10:00 am

"Memorial Day Weekend Service" – Rev. Barbara H. Gadon 

Join us on our website for a virtual service. The video should be available at 10:00 am at eliotchapel.org and will remain there all week. It will also be on the Eliot Chapel Facebook page which allows you to comment and interact. We welcome your participation there.

Sharing the Offering

Our May Shared Plate recipient, Project Backpack STL, has been serving at risk children in St. Louis since 1999. They provide area groups (police departments, social service agencies, domestic violence shelters, etc.) with backpacks filled with age and gender appropriate necessities and comfort items. The backpacks are delivered to the children at the scene when they’re needed. The backpacks make a huge difference for children who are removed from their homes, usually with nothing but the clothes on their backs, in cases of domestic violence, abuse, neglect, homelessness, natural disaster, and other similar situations. Project Backpack STL is run entirely by volunteers in donated warehouse space.

Text ELIOT SHAREDPLATE $3 [or higher] to 73256 to give to the shared plate recipient using your text messaging. Please indicate "Project Backpack STL" in the memo to ensure appropriate allocation. Checking the box next to "Contribute an extra $X.XX to help offset processing fees" helps pay for the fees Eliot pays to offer this text service. Standard text message rates do apply.

You can also donate from the Giving page on Eliot's website or send a check to the front office.

Religious Education

The virtual meetups for children and youth will resume on Sunday, May 31. The Religious Education (RE) staff team has the Memorial Day holiday weekend off.

If you have any questions, please email Scott at eliotchapelre@gmail.com.

Zoom Coffee Hour

At 11:30 am, you are invited to “walk down the hall” so to speak and come to our Zoom Coffee Hour! We’ll take about 10 minutes or so to gather and let people settle in. Rev. Barbara will 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. Remember: this is an experiment! We promise at least some technical glitches and awkward moments, but also laughter and maybe a few tears. Just like church. Please watch your email for a link to join the Zoom coffee hour. If you're not on our mailing list, sign up here.

Sunday at a Glance

Virtual Church Service – 10:00 am on Eliot Chapel website

Coffee Hour – 11:30 am via Zoom

Monday, May 25

The church office will be closed for the Memorial Day holiday.

Eliot Connects: Compassion will not meet on the holiday and will continue in June.

Tuesday, May 26

Women's Alliance – 9:30 am via Zoom

Wednesday, May 27

Eliot Connects: Healing – 3:30 pm via Zoom

Eliot Connects: Brené Brown Book Study – 7:00 pm via Zoom

Thursday, May 28

Grief Group – 3:00 pm via Zoom

Contact your group leader if you need login information for your meeting.

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.

Church News

Memorial Day Holiday

Just a reminder, Monday is Memorial Day. The church office will be closed and staff is on holiday. We look forward to hearing from you on Tuesday!

Join a Covenant Group for More Connection

Looking to connect with a small group of supportive, like minded people? Consider joining one of the many covenant groups that meet regularly. If you're not familiar with covenant groups, they are considered small group ministry, where up to 10 people meet monthly to reflect on and discuss significant life topics. Each meeting is led by a facilitator who leads discussions, provides readings, promotes quiet reflection, and encourages deep listening. Over 150 Eliot members are currently participating in a covenant group. During this time of social distancing, covenant groups provide an invaluable way to connect and share with others.

At this time there are openings in the following groups:

Third Wednesday of the month from 7:15 to 8:45 pm, led by Barb Jones.

First Sunday of the month at 12:30 pm. This group follows the monthly worship theme Rev. Barbara uses in services and is led by Suzanne LeLaurin.

Third Tuesday of the month from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. The theme of this group is Earth Based Spirituality. The facilitator is Lynn Murphy.

All three of these groups currently get together via Zoom. For more information or to join a covenant group, contact Kathy McVoy or Toni Saunders at covenantgroups@eliotchapel.org.

Grief Group

The Grief Education and Support Program is open to anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one or is dealing with anticipatory grief. There is a meeting Thursday, May 28 at 3:00 pm via Zoom. If you are in need of grief support, please contact griefgroup@eliotchapel.org.

Don't Miss GA!

Here’s your chance to attend the very first ALL VIRTUAL UUA General Assembly without the cost of travel or lodging! (This was to be in Providence, RI) Registration is $150 and required for all who wish to watch or participate. (There are scholarships available.)

GA is where the governance of the association happens during general sessions. Eliot Chapel qualifies for 11 delegates to vote on the issues. Any voting member of Eliot Chapel is welcome to volunteer to be a delegate by contacting Jan Chamberlin at music@eliotchapel.org. First come, first served.

GA registrants receive access to all workshops, performances, worship services, lectures, and events listed in the GA Program. Registrants will have exclusive access to a chatroom, recordings of previous streams, and dedicated support.

Some programs will be open to the public. Registration is not required to view or participate in the Service of the Living Tradition, Synergy Bridging Worship, or Sunday Morning Worship.

To see the schedule and learn all the exciting things that will be happening at GA, please visit uua.org/ga and open all the links for explanations. Please check in with Jan if you plan to attend, even if not a delegate, so you can be included in discussions.

Support Eliot Chapel When You Shop from Home

A lot of us are ordering online nowadays and if you haven’t signed up for iGive.com, you’re missing out on a great way to passively give to Eliot Chapel. Right now, Eliot gets a bonus for new members so it’s a great time to get on board! Sign up for iGive, make a purchase by May 31, and iGive will donate an additional $10 to Eliot, above and beyond the money your purchase makes.

iGive members generate donations by shopping online at any of 2,400+ stores. There are no added costs, obligations, nor any hidden fees and you don't need to enter any codes, notify the store, or iGive. It's all automatic!

Sign up for iGive today! And thank you!

A Call for Music

Calling anyone who has previously sung or played at Eliot: 

Please search your home and car for any stray music or folders from Eliot Chapel.

If you can drive past Eliot, any time, day or night before June 1st, there is a box at the back entrance under the key pad labeled CHOIR MUSIC FOLDERS. Please turn in your music. Thank you!

Reminder:

Nominations Open for 2020-2021 Shared Plate Recipients 

Congregants may submit nominations for potential shared plate recipients for the upcoming church year. Ongoing commitments mean that only limited slots are available. The deadline to submit a nomination is June 30. Submit through the online form here.

Eliot Connects Series Information

Eliot Connects: Compassion will not meet as scheduled on Monday, Memorial Day, but will continue in June.

Attending the Sunday service may not be enough of a connection for you during these stressful times. Are you looking for more support from your church family? Do you miss feeling connected to your Eliot Folks? The Adult Education: Spirit in Practice Team has developed a new series that offers time to engage with others and connect with our church community through spiritual development.

Eliot Connects Meditation Practice with Jeanne Kloeckner

June 3

7 to 8 pm

This drop-in session will promote creating and holding space for the quiet stillness within as a form of self-care during our ‘safer-at-home’ time. We will share a centering topic each week that will purpose our meditation practice and our discussion.  Sign up to receive the group log-in information.

Eliot Connects Gratitude Sessions with Carole Glauser

June 9

11 am to 12 pm

The more you look, the more you can find things to be grateful for. Carole Glauser will facilitate a drop-in session, practicing gratitude as a means of coping with the stress and anxiety of uncertainty. Neuroscience research reveals that practicing gratitude literally rewires your brain to be happier and calms the nervous system, as well as contributes to many other physical and mental health benefits. We will use poetry and other inspired readings as the jumping off point for practicing gratitude and sharing, discussing, and connecting during this precarious time.   Sign up to receive the group log-in information.

Eliot Connects – You’ve Got A Friend with Mary Meihaus  

June 18

11 am to 12 pm

This drop-In session will promote the premise of Carol King’s song, “You’ve Got A Friend.” She has chosen a centering topic each week that will purpose our discussion and help us get through these troubled times. Together, we will come out of the other end of this better for the journey. Drop in and join Eliot friends for an uplifting discussion.  Sign up to receive the group log-in information.

Eliot Connects Compassion Session with Ted Lau 

June 22

7 to 8 pm

Imagining compassion leads to acting compassionately. In this time of social distancing and sheltering in place we may feel thwarted in our ability to act compassionately or for causes we champion. But this is an opportunity to start or renew compassion practices. We’ll practice Tonglen or other meditation to relieve suffering in ourselves and others, and share how compassion has appeared in our lives recently. Ted Lau will facilitate with participation from Social Justice in Action leaders.  Sign up to receive the group log-in information.

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. The only changes this week were updates on RE Zoom meetings. Read all about it in the linked document.

As a reminder, Rev. Barbara has requested that all staff work from home. The building is closed. A staff person will check 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.