The worship theme for June is
Compassion.
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Sunday, June 28 – 9:00 am via Zoom
Beyond the Water's Edge
–
Sunday Worship at General Assembly
Join us for the largest annual gathering of UUs together in worship. Rev. Joan Javier-Duval will deliver the sermon at the 2020 General Assembly Sunday Morning Worship. She serves as Minister of the Unitarian Church of Montpelier, VT. She is the daughter of immigrants from the Philippines, mother of a kindergartener, and spouse of a proud Vermonter. Beauty, gratitude, and love are at the heart of her faithful striving for collective liberation and a thriving planet.
The worship service will include a collection for the
Tomaquag Museum
,
an indigenous museum featuring an extensive collection and archive of Southern New England tribal communities.
Donate now
.
Eliot Chapel will stream the Sunday morning worship service through a Zoom meeting, hosted on Eliot’s account by member Trina Priese. Links went out to our email list on Wednesday. This allows us all to congregate for the service. Doors open at 8:45 am and the service will begin at 9:00. Note the different time, allowing for the stream from a different time zone.
In addition, we’ll post the stream to our website at
eliotchapel.org and the
Eliot Chapel Facebook page as usual. On Sunday morning, the service will only be available while it’s streaming. Later in the day, a recording will be released and we’ll share that when it’s online.
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Sharing the Offering
In
June,
we're sharing our offering with the
St. Louis Inter-Faith Committee on Latin America (IFCLA).
Through education and advocacy, IFCLA convenes an inter-faith community to accompany the people of Latin America in their work for human rights and social justice. Together with their partners they create and sustain programming to put a human face on the issues in Latin America. They work to end racial profiling of immigrants both in the Saint Louis region and the United States as a whole, to promote just immigration policies, to close the
School of the Americas
/
Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation
, to end militarization of Latin America, to promote just trade, and to promote justice in all Latin American countries.
Text
ELIOT SHAREDPLATE $3 [or higher] to
73256 to give to the shared plate recipient using your text messaging. Please indicate "IFCLA" 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.
In May, Eliot Chapel collected $570.50 for Project Backpack STL
through our Shared Plate offering.
Religious Education
We are hosting Zoom meetings for Religious Education.
Religious Education for Children & Families: June 28 @ 9:15 am via Zoom
Eliot children and families (PreK-6th Grade) are invited to gather at 9:15 via Zoom for connection and community. Parents & families are encouraged to join their children. This week’s session is co-hosted by Christie Lee, Noel Burke, and Heather Flick. Zoom links will be distributed by email on Friday, June 26.
Summer Youth Group: June 28 @ 10:45 am via Zoom
Eliot youth who have COMPLETED 7th-11th 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, Tim Bubb, and youth group volunteer leaders. A Zoom link will be sent to Eliot youth on Friday, June 26.
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
Worship Service – 9:00 am via Zoom and on Eliot Chapel website
Religious Education for Children & Families – 9:15 am via Zoom
Summer Youth Group – 10:45 am via Zoom
Coffee Hour – 11:30 am via Zoom
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Please Remember
Please remember the
Luckow family
. Verne Luckow’s mother
Edna
passed away on Thursday, June 25, three days after her 90th birthday, in Appleton, Wisconsin.
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Wednesday, July 1
Eliot Connects: Meditation – 7:00 pm via Zoom
Friday, July 3
Eliot Chapel offices will be closed today for the 4th of July holiday.
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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A Message from Jan
Dear Eliot Family,
As of July 1, my email address,
music@eliotchapel.org,
will be transferred to our new music director, Sarah Price. Sarah will love to hear from folks who welcome her, have ideas for music, and wish to volunteer. If you need to reach me, my personal email address is in the directory.
Thank you all again. It's been a privilege to serve as music director!
Love,
Jan Chamberlin
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A Reminder
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.
Church Offices Close for July Fourth
Church offices will be closed on Friday, July 3 in observance of the Fourth of July holiday. This includes the Eliot Chapel front office and any staff. The deadline for
This Week at Eliot will be Wednesday, July 1 at noon. Send any items to
news@eliotchapel.org by that time.
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Eliot Connects Series Information
Shortly after the COVID-19 lockdown began, Eliot’s
Adult Education: Spirit in Practice Team
developed a series of Zoom offerings to provide opportunities to engage with others in our church community with a focus on spiritual practices. These Zoom gatherings will continue during the summer.
The first two sessions require registration and space is limited. Sign up early!
Eliot Connects: Bren
é
Brown Book Discussion with Toni Saunders
Wednesday evenings: July 15 & 29, August 12 & 26, September 9 & 23, and October 7
7-8:30
Bren
é
Brown, social scientist and author of
Braving The Wilderness,
has sparked a conversation that brings meaning to our lives – experiences of courage, vulnerability, love, belonging, shame, and empathy. Brown argues that we are experiencing a spiritual crisis of disconnection and introduces four practices of true belonging. Join us as we go deep in our conversation as we discuss this amazing book. We have 2 openings.
Register here.
Eliot Connects: Healing Sessions with Peter Wilson
Second and fourth Wednesdays:
July 8 & 22, August 12 & 26, and September 9 & 23
3:30-4:45 pm
The Eliot Connects: Healing sessions will use Rev. Richard Rohr’s
The Universal Chris
t as a text. You are asked to bring your whole self to these sessions and actively participate. This will enable us to go deep in learning with and from each other.
Register here.
The following sessions are open on a drop-in basis. Attend the dates you are able. Please sign up so you can receive the details for connecting.
Eliot Connects: Meditation Practice with Jeanne Kloeckner
1st Wednesday: July 1, August 5, and September 2
7 to 8:30 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 provide a foundational base for our meditation practice and our discussion.
Sign up
to receive the group login information.
Eliot Connects: Gratitude Sessions with Carole Glauser
2nd Tuesday: July 14, August 11, and September 8
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 connecting and coping with stress and anxiety around times 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, sharing, discussing, and connecting during this unpredictable time.
Sign up
to receive the group login information.
Eliot Connects: You’ve Got A Friend with Mary Meihaus
3rd Thursday: July 16, August 20, and September 17
11 am to 12 pm
This drop-in session will promote the premise of Carole King’s song, “You’ve Got A Friend.” Mary 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 login information.
Eliot Connects: Compassion Session with Ted Lau
4th Monday: July 27 and August 24
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. This zoom meeting is an opportunity to start or renew compassion practices. We’ll practice the Tonglen and 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 login information.
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UU the Vote
The SJA Steering Committee is encouraging people to get involved in upcoming election phone banking and other communications to “Get Out the Vote”! More details will be coming; however, you can sign up to do phone banking during GA
now
and learn more about Missouri’s Amendment 2.
- UU the Vote is undertaking a massive phone banking effort during GA. Use this link to the registration page on the UUA’s website to get involved.
- Eliot’s team on Medicaid Expansion with MCU is looking for people at Eliot to spread the word to get Amendment 2 passed on August 4. Many of you signed the petition and helped get this on the ballot. The next step is to promote the details to Missouri voters you know how Amendment 2 benefits Missouri’s health and bottom line. Watch for details on this communication blitz from your SJA Steering Committee. You will be provided with a fact sheet and guidance on how to talk to people to get this passed on August 4th. For details go to Healthcare for Missouri Amendment 2 and watch for emails from Eliot’s SJA.
Eliot Chapel
R.A.V.E.
s about Voting
This week, our information focuses on the August 4 election.
Upcoming election:
August 4, primary election
R
egister – Check your registration status
here
. Change of address or name or previously not voting may affect your registration status. Register to vote
here
.
Last days to register:
July 8 for the August 4 election
A
bsentee Ballot – Be Safe. Vote by absentee ballot.
Read about absentee balloting
here
.
Download an absentee ballot request
here
.
Mail to your local election authority, which can be found
here
.
NOTE:
There are still current issues and litigation regarding the unreasonable required notarization of mail-in ballots. Keep watching for updates!!
V
ote!
Think ahead!
For the August 4 primary election, absentee ballots must be received by 5:00 pm on July 21.
E
lect! – Elect candidates who align with the UUA seven principles and UU values.
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Nominations Due for 2020-2021 Shared Plate Recipients
Congregants may submit nominations for potential shared plate recipients for the upcoming church year but the deadline of
June 30 is upon us. Ongoing commitments mean that only limited slots are available. Submit through the online form
here.
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Checking In
We’re planning some outreach calls to you, our members and friends, to check in, hear how you’re doing, and see how Eliot might support you during this time. Volunteers will be making contacts via email and phone. If you don’t hear from us by the end of June and would like to receive a call, please contact Christie in the front office at 314-821-0911 or
frontoffice@eliotchapel.org.
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Women’s Alliance
Women’s Alliance is welcoming new members. We'll be meeting via Zoom twice a month – the first and third Tuesday mornings of each month for a book discussion and a program/speaker – until it’s safe to meet again in person. Member sign-up is due by June 30 in order to be listed in our member program. For further information, email Sue Blandford at
wa@eliotchapel.org.
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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. The changes this week were updates on RE Zoom meetings. Read all about it in the linked document above.
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GA 2020 Events for Public Viewing
In addition to Sunday morning worship, the following events will be streamed for public viewing. (
Titles are links to the page where you can view.
)
Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA)
Co-Moderators
Mr. Barb Greve and Elandria Williams preside over the general sessions in which the business of the Association is conducted.
General Session 5: Saturday, June 27, 12:30 - 1:45 pm CT
General Session 6: Saturday, June 27, 3:00 - 4:00 pm CT
This is a transformative multigenerational worship. Come be inspired and illuminated at a celebration of treasured worship elements, rites of passage, and brilliant contemporary musical performances.
Friday, June 26, 5:00 - 6:00 pm CT
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Celebrating Jan
Come one, come all to celebrate the retirement of Jan Chamberlin, our beloved music director for the past 23 years! We will hold a car parade through Eliot's parking lot on
Saturday, June 27
at 7:00 pm (rain date Sun., June 28th at 7 pm). This will be similar to the birthday and graduation parades that have become popular over the past few months. Car decoration is optional, but certainly encouraged! Please plan to stay inside your vehicle the entire time in order to maintain appropriate physical distancing. Recorded music will be provided – just bring yourself and your family, ready to honor Jan's dedicated service!
Directions:
Please arrive by traveling west on E. Madison Ave. (past the church's far parking lot and turning right into the close parking lot before you get to S. Taylor Ave.). We will keep things moving, but if there's a risk of backup on E. Madison, we'll direct people to briefly wait in Eliot's far parking lot.
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Vigil for Hope & Healing
Tuesday, June 30
5:00 pm outside Eliot
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 bathrooms. Black Lives Matter signs will be for sale for your use at the vigils and to display in your yard. Please join us!
(
Photo courtesy of Ava Smith, Eliot Youth Group member
)
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Eliot Connects: Meditation Practice with Jeanne Kloeckner
Wednesday, July 1
7 to 8:30 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 provide a foundational base for our meditation practice and our discussion.
Sign up to receive the group login information.
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Summer All Reads
Eliot Chapel has two books on deck for discussion this summer.
Chinese Brothers, American Sons: An Historical Novel by Ed Shew
SJA is sponsoring a Zoom conversation with author Ed Shew on
Monday, July 13 from 7:00-8:30 pm.
Sign up here.
The e-book is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble and the print edition is available on Amazon or at local bookstores. Contact the author (see the directory or email
allread@eliotchapel.org
)
to purchase a copy with an added insert on how the book came to be plus an update that touches on the “Chinese Virus.”
Unrigged: How Americans Are Battling Back to Save Democracy
by
David Daley
Order your copy from a favorite local bookstore or online, then join in a book discussion wth Eliot friends in late July and August. Peter Wilson and Barbara Harris will start the first Zoom discussion on
Thursday, July 16
from 1:00-3:00 pm.
Sign up here
.
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Sunday, July 5 – 10:00 am
"Emancipation for All" – Rev. Susan Maginn
On Sunday, guest minister Rev. Susan Maginn will lead worship as we look at the spiritual suffering we all endure when we live in a system where some of us are more free than others.
About our guest speaker: Long before Rev. Susan Maginn was a Navy chaplain, she was on staff at Eliot while attending Eden and ordained here in 2006. She is stationed in San Diego with her two teenaged children. Charlie was dedicated at Eliot and Grace still has her Eliot Chapel Nursery School bag.
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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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