Join us for our worship service where we will explore the important role that creativity plays in spirituality. We will delve into how creativity can be a powerful tool for connecting with the divine and enriching our spiritual lives. Whether you consider yourself an artist or not, this service offers something for everyone. Come ready to engage your imagination and tap into the creative spirit within us all. We look forward to seeing you there.

Large-print orders of service and hearing assistance devices are available from the greeters on Sunday. We livestream our service; find it at eliotchapel.org. After the stream, a recording will be available there all week. You can also find it directly on our YouTube channel.

If you're worshipping with us on livestream, you can always find a digital order of service, including lyrics to the hymns, on our website. Also, check out This Week's Music from our music director Adam Kosberg. You'll get insight into the music selections for this week's service and find the lyrics to the anthem.

At Eliot Chapel, we follow CDC guidelines regarding COVID-19. When St. Louis County is at a Yellow or Medium Level, we will:

Read the letter about the review of our policy and the change in measures in response to a change in levels. You may access the policy document on Eliot Chapel's website for more of the details. 

Every Sunday, Eliot Chapel shares half of the offertory with an organization in the community whose work reflects our shared values. This is one way that we care for our community and our neighbors. We are so pleased to be sharing our May Sunday collections with the Immigrant Home English Learning Program. IHELP empowers foreign-born adults by providing individualized, in-home, English language education and tools for effective navigation in our community. Formerly Immigrant & Refugee Women's Program, IHELP has served over 1,300 students in the last 25 years with the goal of creating a diverse and inclusive community where all immigrants are empowered through language.

Let us be good neighbors. Let us be a generous people. You can give in one of three ways:

Children in kindergarten and older should attend the worship service with their family. Activity bags with crayons and UU coloring pages are available at each sanctuary entrance.

The nursery & preschool activity space is open during the service for our youngest UUs who need freedom of movement (nursery & preschool-aged children aged 5 and younger). The nursery and preschool room will remain open during summer services through the end of June, except for June 11, when the nursery is closed for staff vacation. Tim Bubb and Anna Beck are the staff members on duty.

Coffee Hour is an important tradition of fellowship at Eliot Chapel taking place in Adams Hall immediately after the worship service on Sunday. It's a time to catch up with fellow members and friends and to greet newcomers. Please join us!

We keep this tradition of hospitality alive by taking turns hosting. This is a simple task (instructions are available in a binder in the kitchen) and a great way to serve and connect. Please check SignUpGenius for Coffee Hour Volunteers to sign up to host Coffee Hour on a Sunday morning after the service. If there is no host by 3:00 pm on Thursday afternoon, there will be no coffee served on Sunday though we will still gather for social time. Please be respectful of Sunday staff as they have other responsibilities.

Zoom Coffee Hour takes place at 12:30 pm on Sunday. You are invited to "walk down the hall" and come to our Zoom Coffee Hour! We'll take a few minutes to say hello and let people settle in, then we'll say a few words of welcome and briefly review the service that day. We typically really enjoy the wisdom story and discuss how that story reflects on the theme of the sermon. Then we'll create breakout rooms of 5-6 people for conversation and sharing. We love making new friends and the small groups are great for that! In approximately 45 minutes, everyone will return to the big group and we'll say our goodbyes for the week. We usually end shortly after 1:30 pm, but those who wish to can stay a few minutes longer. Please watch your email for "Eliot on Zoom" on Sunday morning which will include a link to join the Zoom Coffee Hour. If you're not on our mailing list, sign up here. We look forward to seeing you!

Memorial Day Congregational Campout – all day at Bergfried

Planning a meeting or event? Start with our Room & Event Request Form! 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.

The final scheduled community conversation around missional identity asks us to gather for conversation, fine-tune and explore our missional priorities, and discern together how best to engage in conversations with your current staff, your peers, and your future minister. This meeting will further synthesize, energize, and raise the questions and plans to move you forward in this new and powerful chapter. Let us converse after the service on Sunday, June 4, 2023, in the Sanctuary.

Members have been increasing their pledges after Sunday's Annual Meeting. If you would like to do so, please contact DFO Camille Novak at dfo@eliotchapel.org or Christie Lee at frontoffice@eliotchapel.org, or call 314-821-0911. Camille and Christie can help you adjust your pledged amount and update your online payment if you wish.

Eliot Chapel’s administrative offices, including the front office and communications, will be closed the week of Memorial Day. We will reopen Monday, June 5.

Providing receptions after a Celebration of Life is another way we care for each other at Eliot Chapel. The Reception Horde sets up, serves, and cleans up after these receptions. If you can be available once in a while to help, please email receptions@eliotchapel.org. Your efforts will be appreciated!

Sign-ups are open for Eliot Summer Adventure #1, the first in a series of informal opportunities for Eliot families and children to gather for fellowship and connection during the summer months.

Gathering #1 is at Kirkwood Park on Sunday, June 11 from 11:30-1:30. We will meet by the playground area. The nearest parking lot is off Playground Dr. near the ballfields off of West Adams Ave. Bring a picnic lunch, blanket, and clothes for getting wet in the fountain (if desired).

You can sign up for this event here via Sign-Up Genius. Advance RSVPs are helpful but by no means required. Please contact Susan van Alstyne directly at eliotadventure@eliotchapel.org if you have any questions.

HUGE thanks to Susan van Alstyne, Kalen Ponche, and Deb Eldarrat for initiating and hosting these gatherings. Susan is hosting Gathering #1.

Could your family live on less than $500 a week? That's all the law requires for full time employment in Missouri! If you think our families deserve better, you should sign the petition to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour. The initiative also would require at least five days of paid sick leave each year. Look for SJA Steering Committee members after the church service on Sunday to sign your approval of this ballot initiative for the August election!

Kirk Care and Greentree Community Church are partnering with all our area churches to provide an extra delivery of food and personal care items to our neighbors in need. While hunger never takes a vacation, this time of year can be a greater struggle for families with children since they do not have school breakfasts and lunches upon which to rely. Kirkwood School District has identified some families with food insecurity and all Kirkwood churches have been asked to identify neighbors who might benefit. This food giveaway will include about 30 non-perishable food items, a bag of personal care items along with fresh food from Prairie Farms and Tony Tomato. The families will be scheduled to pick up their food at Greentree Community Church on the morning of June 10.

We at Eliot Chapel can help! Please consider buying and bringing canned chicken and saltine crackers to Eliot for inclusion in our boxes. Food will be collected until June 1, and you can put it into the basket outside of the parking lot entrance. We expect to need 150 of each as we will also support Kirkwood House, Rose Hill House, and Concordia House, the three HUD apartments for seniors with limited incomes located in Kirkwood.

The Eliot Social Justice in Action Steering Committee welcomes nominations before June 30 for Shared Plate for the 2023-2024 church year. Shared Plate is Eliot’s program to divide Sunday offering and designated online gifts with community organizations that align with our mission. Additional criteria for nominees can be found on the nomination form here.

Once a year, the Unitarian Universalist Association, our national body, holds its General Assembly. This year, GA is in Pittsburgh, PA. GA is like a big family reunion with so much celebration! There is amazing worship, more workshops than you can imagine, and our annual business meeting. As a democratic denomination, every congregation sends delegates to represent us at the business meeting. If you would like to be a delegate for General Assembly, let us know! Contact Camille at DFO@eliotchapel.org.

The Women’s Alliance of the First Unitarian Church of St. Louis announces its scholarship competition for the academic year 2022-2023. Materials are due by June 15. Initiated by a generous bequest from the estate of Edna Landzettel, a lifelong teacher and proponent of the importance of education in a woman’s life, the scholarship will be given to a woman who is 21 years or older, responsible financially for continuing her education, a member or active friend of a Unitarian Universalist church or fellowship in the region, and a registered student.

The award of $3,000 will be made on the basis of scholarship, character and need. To apply you can download a full packet of information (including printable application and reference form). Or apply online and submit the Online Reference Form.

The Eliot Ride Team provides rides to church and to medical appointments for Eliot members and friends who cannot drive themselves. If you need a ride, email ineedaride@eliotchapel.org with your name, your address, where you need to go, and the date and time needed. We will be in touch to make arrangements. 

The Eliot Meal Train provides meals to Eliot members and friends who need some love and care. For example, we will provide meals for those who have recently lost a loved one or are recovering from medical care. If you would like to request meals or offer to provide meals, please email mealtrain@eliotchapel.org with your contact information and someone will be in touch with you.

At Eliot Chapel, we care for our earth and our building! One way you can express this is by joining the Eliot Recycling Team! This committee is responsible for taking the recycling from Eliot to the Kirkwood Recycling Depository at 350 S. Taylor Avenue each week. Sign up for a week that works for you and plan to grab the recycling after service to drop it off. Thanks for being part of the team!

Our family campout is held annually on Memorial Day Weekend, May 26-29, and brings together all Eliot members and friends. You are welcome to come out for any part of the weekend whether you plan to camp or not. There is plenty of hiking, relaxing, and connection to enjoy! The weekend includes these main events (all optional):

Most choose to camp in tents or trailers; spaces in the cottage (with running water and electricity) are available by reservation with priority given to those with medical needs or physical limitations. Eight beds are also available in the rustic bunkhouses. To sign up for the weekend, to reserve a cottage or bunkhouse space, or for any information contact bergfriedinfo@eliotchapel.org.

Spring also promises great weather for individuals and families to visit and enjoy nature on their own. The Bergfried cottage, with air conditioning, electricity, and running water, is available for rental ($35/night). To reserve the cottage, or whenever you are planning a trip on your own, contact bergfriedreservations@eliotchapel.org.

The Transitions Support Group is for anyone who is experiencing a significant life transition, such as death of a loved one, transitioning relationships, children leaving home, having children, getting married, transitioning gender, changes in career/employment to name a few. This is a place to share your story and give and receive support for the journey we are on. The meetings are facilitated by Rev. Krista Taves. There is a short reading with focusing questions sent out a few days before the meeting, which is on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month, 7:00 to 8:30 pm in the DuBois Library. Please email ktaves@eliotchapel.org if you want to learn more or receive the reminder emails. The next meeting is Thursday, June 1.

Join the Eliot Chapel Nominating Committee to thank outgoing and incoming members of the Eliot Chapel Board of Trustees and learn a bit about how things get done at Eliot (i.e., governance). The happy hour discussion will be interlaced with plenty of wine, non-alcoholic drinks, cheese, and crackers. All are welcome, but please RSVP so that we can ensure sufficient supplies.