Connect with Eliot Chapel this week!

WORSHIP LIVE VIA ZOOM!

Sunday, February 7 – 10:00 am

"Are You A Transcendentalist and Don't Know It?"

– Rev. Barbara H. Gadon

Radical ideas like finding the divine in Nature, intuition and personal experience beyond the Bible. Radical causes like abolition, the environment, women's suffrage, and sex education for children. Who were the Transcendentalists? Could you be one? Get an introduction to a 4-week class in March taught by the Rev. John Buehrens, former UUA president and author of Conflagration: How the Transcendentalists Sparked the American Struggle for Racial, Gender and Social Justice.

Eliot’s worship service this week will be LIVE via Zoom! On Christmas Eve this year, we were surprised by the feeling of connectedness from worshiping "together." We wanted more! Starting in February, and on the first Sunday of each month we will have a LIVE service on Zoom. The service will actually be a hybrid to allow us to create special videos and to allow our musicians to play and sing together virtually.

Here’s how it will work:

Members and friends will receive the “Eliot on Zoom” email early on Sunday morning so you’ll have the Zoom link for the service. At 10:00 am, just call us up. Like all Zoom calls, you may do so with your computer or phone.
If you would rather connect to us through our Facebook page, YouTube channel, or website, you can join us there. You won’t be a little square on the screen, but you will see and hear everything in real time! The only thing that will be different is that you can’t start at the beginning if you’re late, and you can’t skip ahead to your favorite parts.
Shortly after the service has ended, it will be available as a recording.

What’s not to like? See you there!

Sharing the Offering

We have a longstanding tradition at Eliot Chapel of sharing our Sunday offering with an organization in our community.In February, we will share the offering with Home Sweet Home, an organization that provides donated furniture and household items to clients transitioning out of homelessness. Home Sweet Home believes that establishing a first home stocked with the necessities for everyday life provides a sense of ownership and a source of stability at this crucial time.

Home Sweet Home serves clients who are referred by partner non-profits throughout the St. Louis region, including the Veterans Administration, St. Patrick Center, Women’s Safe House, Criminal Justice Ministry, and St. Louis Crisis Nursery, among others. These people come with desperate needs for different reasons and from a variety of backgrounds. Their services are needed most by children, survivors of domestic abuse, veterans, people who are homeless, and ex-offenders looking for a new start. Working with partners, Home Sweet Home picks up donations of new and gently used furniture and household items and delivers them to clients’ apartments or homes.

To learn more about what donations they accept and how to get involved, visit their website at www.homesweethomestl.org.

We will let you know each week how close we are to meeting our goal. You can give in one of three ways:

Online: Click here. Make sure “Shared Plate” is your chosen fund.
By Mail: Please write “Home Sweet Home” in the memo line of your check and mail it to Eliot Unitarian Chapel, 100 South Taylor Ave., Kirkwood, MO 63122.
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.

Donate to our Shared Plate

February's Shared Plate Goal is $1000, with 50% given to Home Sweet Home and 50% dedicated to supporting Eliot Chapel's many life-giving ministries.

Religious Education

Religious Education for Children (Kindergarten-6th grade): Sunday, February 7 @ 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 theme is Beloved Community – Where Love Grows. We'll be exploring love, Valentine's Day, and creating Valentines for those in need of community and outreach. Zoom links will be distributed to registered families by email on Friday, February 5.

Junior High Group (7th & 8th grade): Sunday, February 7 @ 11:00 via Zoom

Youth in 7th & 8th grade (or the homeschool equivalent) are invited to gather for community, connection, and creating Valentine's cards. We give huge thanks to Robin Kraujalis for leading today's activities. The Junior High Leadership Team will host. A Zoom link will be sent to registered Eliot youth on Friday, February 5.

Senior High Youth Group: Sunday, February 7 @ 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. Scott Stewart and youth group lay leaders will host. A Zoom link will be sent to registered Eliot youth on Friday, February 5.

For more information about activities for children and youth, please contact Scott Stewart at scott@eliotchapel.org or Christie Lee at christie@eliotchapel.org.

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

Tuesday, February 9

Vigil for Hope & Healing – 5:00 pm online

EUC Board Meeting – 7:00 pm via Zoom

Wednesday, February 10

Meneely Covenant Group – 7:00 pm via Zoom

Nature: Reverence & Reason – 7:00 pm via Zoom

Thursday, February 11

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.

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

2020 Contribution Statements

2020 Contribution Statements were emailed via Realm this week of February 1, 2021 to those contributors whose gifts meet the IRS requirements:

Have given single contributions of $250 or more
Have given non-cash gifts
Have given items of value in excess of $75

The 2020 Contribution Statement reflects pledge payments and other contributions Eliot Chapel received between January 1 and December 31, 2020. Eliot Chapel's Fiscal Year does not follow a calendar year. Its Fiscal Year is from July to June. Only the pledge payments and contributions Eliot Chapel received between January 1 and December 31, 2020 will be reflected on your 2020 Contribution Statement. If you wish to receive a Pledge Statement to date, or a Contribution Statement if you do not meet the IRS requirements, please contact frontoffice@eliotchapel.org or admin@eliotchapel.org and request a Pledge Statement be USPS-mailed or personally emailed to you.

You should have received a link that opened a .pdf file for you to print. If you do not have an email address on file, then a paper tax statement was mailed to you. If you do not receive a 2020 Tax Statement:

Log in to your Realm Account. Starting on February 1 and ending on April 15, 2021, a Print Tax Statement button is available for you to print a paper version of your 2020 Tax Statement.
If you do not have a Realm Account, please go to onrealm.org and set up an account using the email address the church has on file for you. Select "Forgot Password" to create a new password. This should provide you with a log-in to your Realm profile.
If all else fails, contact frontoffice@eliotchapel.org and request that a paper statement be USPS-mailed or emailed personally to you.

Two New Adult Spirituality Classes Starting Soon

The Transcendentalists as Religious Activists

Sundays, March 7, 14, 21 & 28 – 7:00 – 8:30 pm on Zoom

(Registration link is HERE)

Presented by Rev. John Buehrens

Co-Sponsored by First Unitarian Church of Dallas & Eliot Unitarian Chapel

Pre-class Panel Discussion on Transcendentalism

Thursday, March 4 at 7:00 pm on Zoom

(access Zoom link HERE, webinar ID: 869 0675 6365)

Featuring Rev. John Buehrens, Rev. Daniel Kanter, & Rev. Aaron White

Many of us meet our spiritual forebears, the Transcendentalists, as writers. We read Emerson on “Self-Reliance” and Thoreau’s Walden and think of them as disaffiliates, individualists. Yet the Transcendentalists were religious reformers: Unitarians, activists for both individual freedom and for social equality. They set powerful, influential examples we can still learn from today.

In Conflagration: How the Transcendentalists Sparked the American Struggle for Racial, Gender and Social Justice (Beacon Press, 2020), Rev. John Buehrens shows how relevant even the now forgotten figures among the Transcendentalists are to present struggles.

This four-session course will meet on Sunday evenings via Zoom, 7 to 8:30 pm CST. Class dates are March 7, 14, 21, & 28. Participation is open to the general public, with prior registration and a suggested $20 donation. The format will involve up to 45 minutes of presentation by Dr. Buehrens, then 45 minutes of moderated Q & A. The four sessions will be:

Definitions & Disciplines: Reflection, Conversation, & Friendships Transcending Differences
Women’s Rights in America: The Female Transcendentalists and Their Later Erasure
The Transcendentalists and Race: Distinctions and Differences, Then and Now
Transcendentalist Sources of American Environmentalism and Interfaith Cooperation

Purchasing and reading the book in advance of the course is encouraged, but not required. You can access the book on the UUA bookstore site HERE or purchase from Beacon Press HERE.

The course leader, Rev. Dr. John Buehrens, served as President of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, 1993-2001. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Divinity School, he had previously served as Co-Minister of All Souls, NYC, with Dr. Forrest Church; as Senior Minister of First Unitarian Church of Dallas (1981-87), and at the Tennessee Valley UU Church in Knoxville, TN, where he was ordained in 1973.

In receiving the first of several honorary doctorates, John was cited as “the evangelical rabbi of liberal religion, with his stained glass voice and a twinkle in the eye. . . he has led us, ministers and laypeople alike, to understand more deeply and embrace more fully the heritage we share.”

Please join him in this deep investigation into how our forebears transcended themselves and helped to bring about a more just and sustainable form of liberal democracy.

Building Your Own Theology with Rev. Barbara

February 25, March 4, 11, 18, and 25

Thursday evenings, 7-8:30 pm

How do you know what you believe - about God, about human nature, about truth? Unitarian Universalists are given tremendous freedom to form our own beliefs, but we also need a guide and a roadmap from time to time. We also need a community to set out with. Here is an opportunity to explore some of the big questions together. The class is perfect for parents and grandparents looking to answer your children’s and grandchildren’s challenging questions - and for anyone who would like to know themselves better and share the spiritual journey with others.

Cost: Free.

Rev. Barbara will send out materials digitally as the course progresses.

Excited About Immigration Justice?

We are! President Biden promises real change for immigrants – but we have heard that promise before. So our work continues. The Eliot Immigration Justice Team is sharpening its focus, refining its goals, and creating concrete projects. One way we magnify the impact of our efforts is membership in CAPAS, Congregational Sponsors of Asylum Seekers, organized by our friend Rev. Dottie Matthews. Asylum sponsorship is rewarding but strenuous, and it does not solve many related problems. You can learn more about the experience of one CAPAS member-sponsored asylum seeker by viewing this segment of the PBS News Hour. The Eliot IJT is considering projects addressing asylum sponsorship and the issues noted in this clip. If YOU would like to be a part of our work, send an email to immigration@eliotchapel.org. And plan to attend our meetings on the fourth Tuesday of each month! You will receive a link via email to the Zoom meeting room prior to each meeting.

See You in Worship!

We would love to have more Eliot folks involved in the worship service. On any Sunday, we would welcome you to share a chalice lighting or a reading as part of the service video. Contact Rev. Barbara for details.

Reminder: 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.

To join our UU the Legislature team, please email socialjustice@eliotchapel.org.

Reminder: 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!

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.

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.

Beloved Community

Our theme for February is “Beloved Community.” We use this expression in two ways. First, there’s the classic meaning, the one introduced by Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 1960s. He wanted to refer to the Kingdom of God, which comes from the gospels. It’s a shorthand that Christians all recognized. It describes a world in which the worth and dignity of all are respected, and no one goes without. However, in leading a national movement, Dr. King counted many Jewish and Muslim leaders as friends and allies. He wanted a more inclusive way to say this. So he spoke of the “beloved community.” This vision is outward looking and requires commitment.

Because it’s such a lovely expression, we also use it in a second way. Sometimes we refer to our own church as the “beloved community.” It feels cozy and reflects some of the intimacy and care we experience together. And why not celebrate the long-term friendships that nurture us? This vision is inward – and it too requires commitment.

At Eliot Chapel, our vision is “to create a just world through vibrant, beloved community.” So we seek to create the beloved community within our walls – for people to experience love and caring, to be personally known and cherished as is our birthright. And together, we seek to create the beloved community in the outward sense, the one Dr. King meant – to make justice in an unjust world.

It can feel like these two are at odds with one another, that if you feed one, you starve the other. But it doesn’t have to be that way. I heard Richard Weiss, one of our guest speakers on February 28, say, “Social justice work ought to be something that fills you up.” He is a long-time journalist who founded Before Ferguson, Beyond Ferguson, interviewing residents in the very challenging 63106 zip code to talk about their lives in a way that more prosperous communities can more readily see and understand them as neighbors. I believe we are finding more ways for that to happen at Eliot Chapel. I hear people who volunteered for UU the Vote or for our vigil for Black Lives say they experience community through those shared actions.

And we seek to create a beloved community that models what we would like to see in the world. In a consumer culture, we offer ourselves for service. We ask ourselves, is this truly a place where people of color would feel welcome? Where LGBTQ folks feel welcome? If not, what needs to change?

It’s a tall order – and it’s what we’re here to do – imperfectly, humanly, and, I believe, joyfully.

In Faith,

Rev. Barbara

Vigil for Hope & Healing

Tuesday, February 9

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!

If you are unable to join in on Zoom, head over to the Eliot Unitarian Chapel Facebook page and you’ll be able to join us there. See you then!

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!

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!

Sunday, February 14

“In Common” – Eden UU Bi-state Intern Collective

In a four-part sermon, the Eden UU interns will share glimpses of their ideas around Beloved Community.

Eliot Chapel is serving as one of four teaching congregations to four UU students who are currently enrolled at Eden Theological Seminary. This initiative is launched in cooperation with three other UU congregations in Illinois and Missouri. Together, we provide opportunities in preaching, religious education, pastoral care, etc. Now, meet the students!

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.

314.821.0911 | frontoffice@eliotchapel.org

Visit the Eliot Chapel Website