Come Make the Difference CCeelleebbrraattiioonn...

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April 2011 Page 1 100 South Taylor Ave. Kirkwood, MO 63122-4310 (314) 821-0911 www.eliotchapel.org Office Hours Monday - Friday 8:00 to 4:00 Sunday 9:00 to 1:00 Come Make the Difference at C C e e l l e e b b r r a a t t i i o o n n S S u u n n d d a a y y April 17 Food, Fun, Fellowship & a Fantastic Speaker Leading the service is Eliot’s own Reverend Susan Fre- derick-Gray, a life-long UU and the current pastor at the UU Congregation of Phoenix. She grew up at Eliot Chapel, where she was an active participant in the Eliot youth group. Rev. Frederick-Gray is a national leader in the Standing on the Side of Love campaign and in the struggle for human rights in Arizona. Susan says: “I love Unitarian Universalism. It is the faith I grew up in. It nurtured my growth, informed my values and taught me of the transforming power of love. Our free faith welcomes all people, strives to create a beloved community within our church walls and beyond, and believes in the goodness of creation and the human heart. We carry a powerful and much needed message in the world.Don’t miss her return to Eliot’s pulpit on Celebration Sunday, April 17. Additionally, together we will consider the question: What does Eliot Chapel mean to you? Today Eliot Chapel is . . . A place where we gather to foster free religious thought, nurture spiritual growth and act for social justice. Going forward . . . How will we care for Eliot Chapel so that it thrives, fulfilling its trans- forming role for each of us and our community? What can we do here that will make the difference, for our children, and our world? Generous support gives us more options, more resources to support impor- tant programs and goals, maybe even the opportunity to dream big . What’s your dream for Eliot Chapel? Please come prepared to make your pledge for the 2011-2012 church year. Please give generously to Make the Difference! We can make the difference if each one of us pledges 5% of our income to the mission of our congrega- tion and our faith. This is what Eliot Chapel asks of you this spring. Our Mission Eliot Chapel, a Unitarian Universalist community, gathers to foster free religious thought, nurture spiritual growth, and act for social justice. Board of Trustees: Brent Vaughn, Chair Mike Antoine, Chair-elect William Lemon, Secretary David Cox, Treasurer Dave Day Bill Erdman Marc Fried Pat Gray Steve Lawrence Mary Meihaus

Transcript of Come Make the Difference CCeelleebbrraattiioonn...

Page 1: Come Make the Difference CCeelleebbrraattiioonn …storage.cloversites.com/eliotunitarianchapel/...performing music for solo flute, and for flute and piano by Aaron Copland, Arthur

April 2011

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100 South Taylor Ave.

Kirkwood, MO

63122-4310

(314) 821-0911

www.eliotchapel.org

Office Hours

Monday - Friday 8:00 to 4:00

Sunday 9:00 to 1:00

Come Make the Difference at

CCeelleebbrraattiioonn SSuunnddaayy

April 17 Food, Fun, Fellowship & a Fantastic Speaker

Leading the service is Eliot’s own Reverend Susan Fre-derick-Gray, a life-long UU and the current pastor at the UU Congregation of Phoenix. She grew up at Eliot Chapel, where she was an active participant in the Eliot youth group. Rev. Frederick-Gray is a national leader in the Standing on the Side of Love campaign and in the struggle for human rights in Arizona.

Susan says: “I love Unitarian Universalism. It is the faith I grew up in. It nurtured my growth, informed

my values and taught me of the transforming power of love. Our free faith welcomes all people, strives to create a beloved community within our church walls and beyond, and believes in the goodness of creation and the human heart. We carry a powerful and much needed message in the world.”

Don’t miss her return to Eliot’s pulpit on Celebration Sunday, April 17.

Additionally, together we will consider the question: What does Eliot Chapel mean to you?

Today Eliot Chapel is . . . A place where we gather to foster free religious thought, nurture spiritual growth and act for social justice.

Going forward . . . How will we care for Eliot Chapel so that it thrives, fulfilling its trans-

forming role for each of us and our community?

What can we do here that will make the difference, for our children, and our world?

Generous support gives us more options, more resources to support impor-

tant programs and goals, maybe even the opportunity to dream big.

What’s your dream for Eliot Chapel? Please come prepared to make your pledge for the 2011-2012 church year. Please give generously to Make the Difference! We can make the difference if each one of us pledges 5% of our income to the mission of our congrega-tion and our faith. This is what Eliot Chapel asks of you this spring.

Our Mission

Eliot Chapel,

a Unitarian Universalist

community,

gathers to foster

free religious thought,

nurture spiritual growth,

and act for social justice.

Board of Trustees:

Brent Vaughn, Chair

Mike Antoine, Chair-elect

William Lemon, Secretary

David Cox, Treasurer

Dave Day

Bill Erdman

Marc Fried

Pat Gray

Steve Lawrence

Mary Meihaus

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RE Group Springs into Action News from the Religious Education Team

As we enter the final months of the current program

year, we are excited about the many upcoming op-

portunities for spiritual growth, social action, and

community building that still await Eliot’s children

and youth this year. We are also working hard to lay

the foundation for continued success next year.

We’ll soon begin our annual spring teacher recruit-

ment campaign for the upcoming year. With a be-

ginning-of-year enrollment projected to be above

200 children and youth, we’ll be seeking approx-

imately 60 adults to serve as volunteer teachers.

Look for more information about these opportunities

in the days and weeks to come.

Our youth have a busy month in front of them. We

are pleased to have 14 senior high youth attending

the Spring Youth Conference in Palatine, IL April 1-

3 as representatives from Eliot Chapel. A big thank

you to Mary Hoehne, Dave Day, and Joan

McCready for serving as volunteer advisors during

the conference. Later in the month, the 6th

grade

youth and Junior High youth have an opportunity to

participate in a local gathering of area UU Junior

High youth at First Unitarian Church, April 8-9.

This event includes an overnight stay, a visit to City

Museum, and a morning of community service at a

local agency, as well as games, worship, and lots of

fun.

These are wonderful opportunities for Eliot youth to

network with other UU youth and adults and engage

in spiritual growth and social action outside the walls

of Eliot.

Taking a Hike Our junior and senior high youth also have a unique

faith-in-action opportunity with other Kirkwood area

youth on April 15-16. The Homeless & Hunger in

Kirkwood Experience (HIKE) is a multi-church

event designed to educate youth about the needs and

struggles of people who live in poverty, as well as

the responsibility to advocate for social justice. The

HIKE provides an opportunity for youth to raise

Board Announces Ministerial Search Committee

Your Board is charged by the bylaws with the responsibility for appointing a Ministerial Search Committee to nominate the next settled minister for Eliot Chapel. Taking this responsibility very seriously, your trustees telephoned every member of the con-gregation to ask for suggestions, and spent many hours of con-sideration and consultation as we endeavored to compose a search team with a balance of positive attributes. Board mem-bers then conducted interviews with the finalists. We think you will agree that the seven we have chosen represent the best of Eliot Chapel, and are deserving of great confidence and support as they seek to nominate a candidate for your consideration. Jan Erdman: Jan brings a mind for incisive questions, discern-ment, skill and compassion for the good of the many. She has served Eliot in many leadership roles, and can always be counted on to bring people together in joyous ways. Ted Lau: Ted brings to the Search Committee a deep commit-ment to spirituality and many years of experience with our con-gregation and others. Among his contributions are compassio-nate leadership as a Pastoral Care Associate, coordinator of covenant groups, and as a worship leader and liturgist for, among others, the winter solstice service. Kevin Mitchell: Kevin brings his enthusiasm as a teacher and leader in the Religious Education program. He and his family have been members for over eight years. Jordi Prats: Jordi brings his experience as an RE teacher and member of the Strategic Planning Task Force, as well as his gratitude in sharing his four years at Eliot Chapel with wife Joanne and daughter Emma. Trina Priese: Trina brings experiences of Eliot dating back to her youth, and a breadth of leadership activity. She brings her love of the choir and RE as well as her realization that she is proud to belong and contribute to our free religious tradition. Amy Stark: Amy and her husband Todd were married at Eliot 15 years ago. She brings to the search her perspective from a sojourn in a UU congregation in New York, as well as her expe-rience as Social Action Team leader, and Pastoral Care Asso-ciate serving as counselor to the senior high youth group. Julie Triplett: Julie brings the wisdom of a founding member of Eliot Chapel as well as experience with other ministerial searches. Part of her wisdom leads her to believe that Eliot Chapel should be a place for everyone and, so promises to bring all of our hearts with her to the task.

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April 2011 Page 3

community awareness, meet new people, and work

together to make an impact in the world around

them, with a particular focus on the social issues of

homelessness and hunger. The participating

churches are Kirkwood Baptist Church, First Presby-

terian Church, Kirkwood United Methodist Church,

and Eliot Chapel. A special thank you to Social Ac-

tion Team leader Nancy Spargo for her organization

efforts and support for this opportunity for our youth.

~ Scott Stewart, Religious Education Director

Christie Lee, Religious Education Assistant [email protected]

Mini Lock-in for 4th & 5th Grade Hey 4

th and 5

th graders: mark your calendars for

Friday evening, April 15. The spring mini lock-in

and 4th

& 5th

grade party are scheduled from 6:00-

10:00 p.m. in Adams Hall. There will be food,

games, and other group building activities for all 4th

and 5th

grade youth in attendance. A big thank you

to Tammy Hershey, Susan Twombly, and Natalie

Rekittke for their efforts as the 4th

/5th

Grade Activity

Leaders this year.

Music Notes

Coming Up …

April is a big month of musical hap-

penings with special music for

Celebration Sunday on the 17th

and

Easter Sunday on April 24. Look-

ing ahead to May, the choirs are preparing for Music

Sunday on Mother’s Day, May 8, for which Leon

Burke will lead the choirs and orchestra in Handel’s

―Ode for Saint Cecelia’s Day.‖

Upcoming Musical Events Sunday April 3, at 3:00 pm: the Friends of Music

will present a free concert of classical music includ-

ing August Denhard, lutenist from Seattle, perform-

ing music from c. 1600 by Nicholas Vallet, John

Sturt and others; Paula Bernhardt and Sandra Geary

performing music for solo flute, and for flute and

piano by Aaron Copland, Arthur Foote, Ingolf Dahl

and Katherine Hoover. NEW! Visit Friends of Mu-

sic Concerts on their Website: www.fomcstl.org.

Sunday April 10, at 7:00 pm: Under the direction of

Dr. Paul Davis, the Webster University Chamber Or-

chestra will present a free concert of classical music

including works by Unitarians (Bartok, Grieg) here

at Eliot Chapel. Sponsored by the Music Committee.

Friday April 22, at 8:00 pm: Singers from Eliot

will join with the choir and orchestra of Second

Baptist Church in their sanctuary for a Good Friday

observance and performance of the ―Mass in A Ma-

jor‖ by Cesar Franck. Bradley Short will conduct and

Leon Burke will sing the bass solo. Second Baptist

Church is located at the southeast corner of Clayton

and McKnight Roads.

MANY THANKS to the Music Team for presenting

a stellar series in the Soulstice Cafés. Co-chaired by

Dave Crowley and Lynn Murphy, the Music Team

welcomes new members who are interested in mak-

ing the music happen at Eliot. Contact them at

[email protected] or [email protected].

~Jan Chamberlin, Music Director

314-662-2947, [email protected]

In Sympathy

Our condolences to:

Ann Wright, on the death of her hus-

band, long-time Eliot member Bill

Wright.

Suzanne LeLaurin, on the death of her mother.

We mourn the recent passing of two who made

great contributions to Eliot Chapel: Charter member

Mildred L. Fink, and disabilities activist Jim

Tuscher.

We are also sad to report the passing of

former Eliot member Frank Dickey, at age 94, in

Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

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Eliot Chapel welcomes the following new members

who have recently joined: Kelly Avant and Mary

Drury. We’re glad you are here!

A dedication ceremony was held on March 6 to wel-

come baby Kinley Renee Huhman, daughter of

Cara (Sanning) Huhman and Patrick Huhman, to

the Eliot family. Congratulations to the Huhmans.

April Offering to be Shared with UUA/UUSC Japanese Relief Fund

The tragic earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan will

have long-lasting effects. The UUA/Unitarian Un-

iversalist Service Committee (UUSC) Japan Relief

Fund has been established to support the recovery

efforts of our religious partners in Japan. Eliot Cha-

pel will share our offering on April 3 and 10 with

this fund.

On Easter Sunday, the offering will go to the Mi-

nisters’ Discretionary Fund. This fund is adminis-

tered by the Board of Trustees and dispensed by the

ministers. The fund is used to help members,

friends and strangers in time of need. The fund can

be used to help with an electric bill or a scholarship

to attend a conference and to help the poor and

needy.

Kirk Care and Winter Outreach Benefit from Shared Collections

The shared collection for January resulted in a ge-

nerous donation of $1,908.50 going to Kirk Care

to help their efforts to feed the hungry in our own

community. This winter, Eliot members and

friends donated blankets, coats and other items for

Winter Outreach to share with those living on the

streets of St. Louis. They also shared their treasure

resulting in a gift of $1,522.00 going to Winter

Outreach from the February shared collection.

Thank you for your continued generosity, month

after month, to these worthy efforts.

A Look at Policy Governance An Update from the Board of Trustees

Jane is a member of Eliot Chapel. She is new and

does not know many people, or she could be a long-

time member who comes primarily to enjoy the Sun-

day services so has not gotten to know many of her

fellow Eliot members. Jane has an idea for a social

action program. Now Jane has to find out who is on

the social action committee and when it meets. Jane

has to be sure she is available for that meeting and

then attend and present her idea. The committee will

then consider her idea, but they may have other

projects on which they have already focused. Maybe

there is disagreement on how the committee should

go about implementing the idea. Maybe Jane im-

agines this process while sitting through a Sunday

service and does not even act on her idea, instead

just returning home after the service. This is one of

the limitations of programming by committee.

John joined Eliot Chapel because of its social pro-

gramming efforts. John wanted to become more in-

volved with these projects and joined the social ac-

tion committee. John now has to commit one to two

hours a month to committee meetings. At the meet-

ings, the five or six members of the committee dis-

cuss ideas about programs, but they cannot always

agree about what programs to do, who will be in

charge, and how to get money for the projects. Then

they get to go to monthly board meetings to report

on their progress and beg for money. John has spent

50 hours on the social action committee in his first

year without spending a minute on conducting any

social action programs. John dubs the committee the

―social inaction committee‖ and quits, and considers

leaving Eliot Chapel altogether. This process of so-

cial action bureaucracy instead of social action pro-

gramming is another limitation of programming by

committee.

Policy governance will help remove these ob-

stacles and limitations. Policy governance fosters

imagination and creativity. Policy governance uses

the energy of people to do good deeds, not good

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April 2011 Page 5

meetings. Under policy governance, individuals

like Jane who have program ideas go to the senior

minister or staff support persons directly with her

idea. The staff’s task is to find a way to say yes to

Jane’s idea, if it fits within the mission and goals

of Eliot Chapel, and find resources to aid Jane in

implementing the idea. This gives the senior minis-

ter and the staff the opportunities to advance pro-

grams and ministry as directed by the Board of Trus-

tees and as held accountable by the Board. Jane is

then free to run with her idea. Examples of how this

has worked for real live Janes at Eliot just this year

are two initiatives to deal with hunger and homeless-

ness, creation of the art and hospitality teams, crea-

tion of the Eliot Bicentennial team and donation of

one-half of the weekly basket contributions to social

action initiatives.

Additionally, committees as we know them will

transition into a new form. The work that has been

performed by their members, past and present, has

been invaluable to Eliot and is greatly appreciated.

To that end, the current members will be looked to

for further participation in similar activities, but now

they may be a part of a team or task force put togeth-

er under the direction of the senior minister to meet

the mission and goals of Eliot Chapel. Examples of

such transitions have been the Strategic Planning

Task Force, the Stewardship Team and the Social

Action Team, all of which utilize the involvement

and ideas of volunteer members of Eliot, but without

the formality of regularly scheduled meetings and

involved operating procedures.

We would also like to point out that the music pro-

gram has been operating in a form of policy gover-

nance for years. Staff member Jan Chamberlin, Mu-

sic Director, has been making decisions to create op-

portunities for volunteer congregants to participate in

the music program. As people come forth to Jan

with ideas, be it individuals or a group of trusted ad-

visors upon whom Jan relies for assistance regarding

music or programs, Jan finds a way to make them

work if they are within the mission of the music pro-

gram. The work of this department over the years

has developed two different Sunday service choirs,

Inner Voices, the handbell choir, the children’s

choir, and shared singing opportunities with another

congregation. This is in addition to the great variety

of music and music performers that are heard each

year during the Sunday services and at the Solstice

Cafes. This is an example of how policy governance

can work for Eliot as a whole.

This transition will be uneasy for many, because

changing processes and procedures that have been a

part of our culture for over 50 years causes discom-

fort. However, we ask you to look around and see

what changes have already occurred at Eliot in the

few months of substantial policy governance practice

since the arrival of Rev. Keyes. Please be patient

and supportive as we nurture spiritual growth and

action for social justice by these changes so that

Eliot Chapel can do even more for its members and

the larger community.

[email protected]

Book Fair Thanks

A big thank you to all of you who helped with the

Book Fair this year. It's a big fundraiser for Wom-

en's Alliance and the Eliot Library. Both groups

make a donation to Eliot Chapel from our profits.

Rich Vaughn helped move boxes many Saturdays

when we sorted books and on the days of set-up.

Beth Rossow and Lori Kessler boxed up all your

donations week after week. Marilyn Fallert and

Laura Mullen organized and worked at our Satur-

day sortings. Mary Widmer got volunteers for set-

up and working at the Book Fair for three days as

well as boxing up leftovers and putting all the tables

away. Ellen Luckow and Irmgard Voss spent

many hours helping out. I thank you all who volun-

teered during the fair. Please hold all donations for

next year until September. ~Sue Blandford

New Books in the Eliot Chapel Libraries

Many new books have been added to the adult and child-ren’s libraries in the past month. Stop by or search the

library catalog on Eliot’s website under Important Links at http://www.eliotchapel.org/#/eliot-chapel/important-links.

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Appreciative Inquiry Results are In

The Transition Team is pleased to announce the very

efficiently-produced work of the Appreciative In-

quiry writing team has been completed. Many

thanks to Nancy Spargo, Dave Storer, Linda Senn

and Steven Mead.

The charge of the writing team was to "review the

responses to the 2011 Appreciative Inquiry (AI)

process and summarize and express the over-arching

themes for the Board. The Board will use this prod-

uct to prepare Ends and Outcome statements for

Board policy. Ends and Outcome statements are

formal Board policy statements of Eliot Chapel’s

identity and what difference the Chapel will make in

this world, for whom, at what cost, and in what

priority. Said another way, these possibilities are the

defining objectives of Eliot Chapel—those initiatives

which deserve the Chapel’s dedicated focus and

combined resources of time, talent, and treasure."

The summary of their work is printed on page 11

of this newsletter for ease of access. The full report

is posted on the Eliot Chapel website at

http://www.eliotchapel.org/#/members/transition-info.

This report is truly a beautiful and inspiring document

- reading it made us proud (again) to be a member of

such a thoughtful, loving and visionary congregation.

All of you in the congregation contributed to this re-

port through your time and input at the AI sessions.

We strongly encourage you all to read the summary

AND the full report which has more detail of the writ-

ing process and the larger picture from which this

summary was drawn. This document is an excellent

guide for our Board moving forward as they guide

and support the mission of our church.

In addition, your Transition Team has been participat-

ing in meetings of the Nominating/Leadership Devel-

opment Committee, the Stewardship Team and is

helping in the initial planning for the celebration of

William Greenleaf Eliot's 200th birthday.

Thank you to all of you for all your support and work

keeping Eliot Chapel a vibrant and inspiring force for

good in ourselves and in the world around us.

~Your Transition Team

[email protected]

Social Action Team is Making a Difference for Many

Great things are in the works for social action at Eliot,

and you can be part of it. If you have not seen us late-

ly, please drop by our table in Adams Hall on Sunday,

introduce yourself and tell us how you would like to

help out. You are welcome to join us at our next

meeting, Thursday, April 21 at 7:00 pm in the Junior

High Room, former Children’s Chapel. You can also

email us at [email protected].

The Street Outreach Team: Susan Cunningham,

team leader, has finished up the blanket and winter

clothing drive for St. Louis Winter Outreach. Thanks

again for the many donations of winter items, and

the wonderful response to our shared collection. Su-

san will be adding to new team efforts in the future.

Please call Susan if you would like to be a part of her

amazing energy and efforts for the outreach team at

314-550-0866.

The Youth Outreach Teams: Nancy Spargo will

be leading our Junior High and Senior High students

in a unique experience and outreach effort called

HIKE, Hunger and Homeless Experience in

Kirkwood. The youth will join with three other area

churches on April 15-16 to participate in a poverty

simulation exercise, hear area leaders speak on po-

verty issues, and help out at area pantries and shel-

ters. This will be the second year for our participa-

tion in HIKE and we want to show our commitment.

The deadline for youth to register is April 10; please

visit this website to sign-up or for more info:

www.kirkwoodbaptist.org/thehike.

Other projects being organized include Crisis Nur-

sery (prevent homelessness for kids up to age 12),

Youth in Need (homeless youth), and the Foster and

Adoptive Care Coalition. We have been asked to

help support a recruitment event for foster families

on April 30, so if you would like to help run an ac-

tivity for the kids, or prepare some food, WE NEED

YOUR HELP! Youth are encouraged to participate

as well. Nancy can be reached at 314-750-4077 or

[email protected].

The Housing Team: Our shared collection for

March was Gateway 180: Homelessness Reversed.

Amy Stark led an intergenerational team to redo a

room for a family at Gateway, and now we are

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April 2011 Page 7

searching out further efforts to help the clients at this

family shelter, such as providing a mentoring pro-

gram for kids and/or helping out with the brown bag

lunch program. Gateway 180’s website,

www.gateway180.org, has a wealth of information

on their work to provide shelter and services for

women, children, and families in the St. Louis area.

If you would like to help, sign-up on the bulletin

board outside Adams Hall or call Amy at

314-971-5272 or email us.

The Food Outreach Team: Nancy Shepard and

her team helpers did an amazing job providing food

for Winter Outreach in February. In April they will

be preparing food for the HIKE event, and consider-

ing our next possible project with Gateway 180 for

brown bag lunches. Come cook with friends; sign up

outside Adams Hall or contact Nancy at

314-984-9846 to see what the team has planned next.

We will be serving dinner to 80 people on April 15,

and could use some extra hands.

The Veterans Team: Ann Russell is starting up a

team for veterans needs. Their first event may be

helping out at a local Stand Down, an event provid-

ing a day of service for homeless veterans. Please

email us for more information.

The Travel Team: The Travel Team was planning a

trip to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dako-

ta with RE-MEMBER, however space is limited and

this may not be an option. A UUSC trip to Haiti is

being researched. If you have any thoughts or desire

to be a part of starting a new tradition of traveling for

social action at Eliot, please call Nancy Spargo at

314-750-4077 or email us.

UUSC: Lisa Dahlgren has graciously agreed to be

the liaison from Eliot to the UUSC, and will be

coordinating the visit for Reverend Jim Eller on

June 5 as well as Eliot’s response. Please send us an

email or let Lisa know if you are interested in be-

coming involved in our relationship with the UUSC.

[email protected]

Thank You. Members and friends of Eliot Chapel

generously answered the call for help from St. Louis

Homeless Winter Outreach. During January and Feb-

ruary, the collection box for blankets, coats, hats, and

mittens filled and was emptied every week. The volun-

teers who help the homeless in downtown St. Louis

were extremely grateful. Also, the shared plate collec-

tion for February totaled $1,522 for Winter Outreach,

which is the equivalent of a million dollars to a group

trying to fill an enormous and growing need. The Eliot

Chapel Social Action Team appreciates so much all the

generous donations.

Gratefully,

Susan Cunningham, Winter Outreach Team Leader Spring at Bergfried

After a long cold winter, spring

has finally arrived. The flowers

and trees are budding, nature’s

creatures crawl out of their nests

and dens and many of the ani-

mals that live in the forest give

birth to their young. Spring is a magical time to visit

Bergfried.

This year is the 50th

anniversary of Bergfried and

we are planning to have a memorial and dedica-

tion service on Sunday, May 29. This is Memorial

Day weekend and is also the traditional weekend for

the Eliot Spring Family Campout, and we invite eve-

ryone to attend. There will be a sign-up sheet posted

on the bulletin board. Come and camp for the week-

end or visit just for the Sunday service.

There are some renovations and changes at Bergfried

this year. The old picnic tables will be replaced with

at least eight new ones and we have increased the

number of times the camping areas will be mowed.

We are also changing the trash policy at Bergfried.

We are asking that you please take home anything

you bring out.

On a final note, it is with heaviness of heart that I

report the passing of a long time member of Eliot,

founding member of Bergfried, and a personal

friend, Bill Wright. Bill was a great man who

taught me many things about Bergfried, what it

means to be a Unitarian Universalist, and about life

itself. He will be greatly missed.

~Kelly Birmes

[email protected]

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Partner Church News

Early in March several people from the Partner

Church Committee attended a fundraiser dinner at

First Church given by their Partner Church Commit-

tee. We enjoyed a wonderful Hungarian dinner

along with Hungarian wine, violin music and slides

of their partner village in Transylvania. First Church

is preparing for a visit early in June from their part-

ner minister, his wife (also a Unitarian minister), and

their two children. On June 12 Rev. Levente La-

zar is scheduled to preach at Eliot. First Church is

also planning an event on UU musical history for

Friday, June 10, to which we are invited. Watch for

more details in future newsletters. It has been very

rewarding to have established contact with the First

Church people and we look forward to continued

coordination.

Scholarship Program Coming in May The Partner Church Committee invites the members

and friends of Eliot Chapel to participate in a scho-

larship program for the students of St. Martin’s Un-

itarian Church in the village of Nyaradszentmarton,

Romania, our partner church since 1990.

In 2000, we began sending scholarship aid to the

students in the village who must travel to larger

towns to continue their education. The cost of at-

tending school in another town or city is often a ma-

jor financial challenge for their families. In 2003 we

launched a major campaign to expand the scholar-

ship program by recruiting Eliot sponsors who

shared a belief in the power of education. Now we

are again requesting that you consider contributing to

the scholarship fund. Contributions will be solicited

from the Eliot congregation during May. Last year

we sent $60 each to 19 high school students and

$110 each to 12 University students. After Sunday

services on May 1 and May 8 the Partner Church

Committee will have a table in Adams Hall with ad-

ditional information. Please consider giving gene-

rously. ~Beth Rossow

[email protected]

Remember the Wellston Science – Math Project?

In the fall of 2009, The Eliot Chapel Women’s Al-

liance committed funds to a project to assist sixth

and seventh grade students in the Wellston Middle

School with science and math projects. A split col-

lection was taken in November and those funds add-

ed to the project, along with a number of individual

donations. In addition, a number of Eliot members

gave their time and talent to assist with the project. A

culminating event featured the projects with all stu-

dents being recognized for their efforts.

This project began the previous year with a one-year

Community Action Grant from the American Associ-

ation of University Women. The donations from Eliot

and other groups, made the second year possible.

This year, AAUW asked for groups from all over the

United States to submit projects for a competition.

Twenty projects would be recognized, and from

those twenty, three would be given the highest

awards. Last week, I received the good news that the

Wellston Project was one of the twenty selected to

be recognized. It is in the running for one of the top

three awards, which will be announced in June. As

one of the twenty, the Wellston Project will be made

available as a model for other groups to use. Many

thanks for all the Eliot support!

~Julie Triplett

Meetings & Events

Women’s Alliance April Events

Tuesday, April 5 - Book Discussion - When Every-

thing Changed by Gail Collins. Discussion leaders -

Janie Fowler and Linda Polcyn

Tuesday, April 19 – ―Going Green: Saving Our En-

vironment.‖ Presenter - Susan Fowler, Clinical Li-

brarian and Green Leader for Wash. U. Becker Med.

Library. Coordinator - Janie Fowler

Tuesday, April 26 - Guided tour of the Hill. Joe

DeGregorio, Tour Guide. Coordinators - Dot

Brownfield and Janie Fowler

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April 2011 Page 9

Remember Passover at Seder Dinner Sunday, April 17 at 5:00 pm

Building on the celebration theme of Celebration

Sunday, you are invited to join us on April 17 in

Adams Hall for the Seder Dinner celebrating Pas-

sover or the Feast of Freedom. This ceremony is the

story of the Exodus and the escape from slavery. It

not only recalls the Egyptian slavery suffered by the

Jews of old but of slavery today from the horrors of

Bergen Belsen death camp, to Russian dissidents in

prisons to those Jews trying to escape anti-Semitism

in Europe and Africa. The Haggadah, a virtual

roadmap of the evening’s events, will guide you

through the ritual dinner.

If you would like to help the Seder Committee,

please sign up on the bulletin board or contact

Larry Ross at [email protected]. We hope to

see you there.

Eliot Men Prepare for Men’s Advance April 29, 30 and May 1 at Bergfried

Eliot Chapel men and sons are invited to Men’s Ad-

vance at Bergfried. The cabin will be open and

available, you can camp in a tent or bring your R/V

or Camper. Plan to stay for the weekend or join us

just for a day. The cost of the event is $10, which

covers our pit-roasted dinner on Saturday.

Come Friday and share in the potluck supper at the

cooking fire. Bring your favorite beverage, your

guitar, banjo, accordion, digerido, harmonica, your

voice (melodious or not) and join in the music and

singing.

On Saturday we will have a work project or you can

take a real hike in the woods. See where Lewis &

Clark and the Corps of Discovery first refilled their

water casks and poached deer. Saturday morning,

bright and early, the roasting of the pig will com-

mence. Dinner includes roast pork, potatoes or pas-

ta, a vegetable and salad, with pies for dessert. It is

BYOB; we will provide plates and utensils.

Saturday Evening Event: “The Check In”

If you have been there, you know what it is.

If not, then come and become a

Sensitive New Age Guy…a SNAG!!

Contact Gene Hutchins with questions, to arrange

car pool transportation or to inquire about financial

assistance: 314-631-1982 or email him at

[email protected].

Women’s Spirituality Retreat Saturday, May 7, 8:00 am

Just in time for Mother's Day, come gather in Adams

Hall on Saturday, May 7 from 8:00 am till 1:00 pm

for another women's spirituality retreat. We will

hold a communal breakfast followed by many activi-

ties including opening/closing circles, singing,

drumming, expressive dancing, meditation, and a

ritual to honor the three major stages of a woman's

life--maiden/mother/crone (wise woman). This

event is free, but registration is requested. Please

contact Lynn Murphy at [email protected]

or Evelyn Gail Rock to register or for further infor-

mation.

Meditation Group - Beginning Again

As those of you who have attended our Tuesday

night Meditation group led by Chris Clarke may

know, Chris has moved to Washington, D.C. to be-

gin a new job. He will no longer be leading our

monthly group, but will return to St. Louis periodi-

cally to lead a half-day retreat or Sufi "Zikr" session.

We wish Chris all the best in his new home, thank

him for his efforts to share his wisdom and know-

ledge of various meditation traditions with us, and continued on p. 10

Want to learn more about our UU faith and Eliot Chapel? Please join us for

“Introduction to Our Faith” Saturday, April 16 9:00 am to noon

Lunch will be offered for those who would like to stay. Please sign up on the bulletin board outside Adams Hall or in the church office.

Childcare is available if requested by April 10.

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Page 10

continued from p. 9

look forward to his return visits to St. Louis.

Spring is the perfect time to begin anew. So we're

holding a discussion meeting to decide how to move

forward as a group on Sunday, May 1, at 8:00 pm in

the Bergfried Room (upstairs above Adams Hall).

We invite all who are interested in meditation to

join us and share your opinions. And if you can't

make it to the meeting, please send us an email with

your thoughts. We welcome any and all voices. If

you have any questions, please call Judy Highfill at

314-909-1223, or send an email to

[email protected].

Housekeeping

Calendar News: Adding Events

In an ongoing effort to ensure successful and well-

attended events, our calendar policy has been up-

dated for all-church events. Events open to all Eliot

members will be reviewed at the weekly staff

meeting before being added to the Eliot calendar.

This will keep everyone informed and give us an op-

portunity to assign a staff liaison, if needed, for the

event. That staff member would then work with the

sponsoring group to make sure all space, equipment

and publicity needs are covered. Staff meetings are

held on Wednesdays at noon. If you are planning an

all-church event, please contact the church office at

[email protected] with event details as ear-

ly as possible. Once the event is added to the calen-

dar, we will follow up with you.

CPR/AED Certification Class

If you are interested in either renewing or gaining

CPR/AED certification, Eliot Chapel is hosting a

training session Saturday, April 23rd from 9:00 am

to noon. We have room for 20 people, so if you are

interested be sure to let the Front Office know soon

to secure a spot: [email protected] or

314-821-0911. The training is from the American

Heart Association and will be conducted by CPR 'n'

More, with certification good for two years.

Call2Recycle at Eliot Chapel

Call2Recycle promotes environmental sustainability.

Please take a proactive role in the preservation of our

environment. Recycle your rechargeable batteries

and cell phones here at Eliot:

Rechargeable batteries each weighing less than 11 lbs

Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd)

Nickel Metal Hyride (Ni-MH)

Lithium Ion (Ni-Zn)

Small Sealed Lead Acid (SSLA/Pb)

Cell Phones (and their batteries): any size, make,

model or age.

Look for the call2recycle box located in Adams Hall

near the kitchen. Bag it…Seal it…Drop it. Thanks to

Carolyn Burke for organizing this project.

General Assembly 2011 in Charlotte will mark the 50th anniversary of the merger of the American Unitarian Asso-ciation and the Universalist Church of America. Share your voice with other Unita-rians from across the country at this important event. For more information, go to http://www.uua.org/events/175404.shtml

The St. Louis Gateway Chapter of Better Mar-

riages Couples Communication Skills Workshop takes place on Saturday, April 30, 8:30 am to 4:30

pm, at First Congregational Church (UCC) in Web-

ster Groves. The workshop will be facilitated by

Eliot members Ann Broyles and Barry Rinderk-

necht and Linda and Steve Techner. Cost per

couple is $80 and the registration deadline is April

20. For more information and a registration form, see

the bulletin board and the table by the Coke ma-

chine, visit www.bettermarriages.org or contact Ann

Broyles at 636-458-4059 or [email protected].

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April 2011 Page 11

Appreciative Inquiry Summary

Eliot Chapel will create conditions that enable us:

1. To make a prayer of our lives in service to others. That our collective voice for the disenfranchised and the afflicted becomes a beacon to our community. That united and inspired, we act for social jus-tice in our lives and the lives of others near and far. That our actions comfort the afflicted, give hope to the oppressed, transform the privileged, and sustain the community. That we become the social and cultural change we wish to see.

2. To make a joyful song of our lives as we welcome the visitor into our church family and em-

brace one another in joy and friendship. That we greet each person with sincerity and demonstrate the spiritual history of hospitality: openness, care, inclusivity, and support. That we come together with open hearts, respecting our different backgrounds and recognizing that we need not think alike to love alike. That we recognize the humanity of everyone who enters this Beloved Community, and that we demonstrate our love of all people. That we warmly reach out and share our best selves with one another in mutual reverence. That everyone be both welcome guest and honorable host.

3. To grow souls of beauty, compassion, and wholeness. To commit minds and hearts to a life-long

search for truth. That we use all means at our disposal to create a safe, nurturing, and challenging learning environment. That we explore our Unitarian Universalist identity and take what we learn and become into the wide world. That we connect with the awe and wonder of the universe and act for good in right relationship with ourselves, others, and the natural world. That we create a culture of im-agination and possibility that enables our perceptions to see and hear what is there about us always.

4. To embrace the world and be the mirror in which others see the possibilities of their best

selves. That we engage deliberately in our community—our geographic, ecumenical, and social com-munity—to serve Common Purpose. That by our engagement, civil society and civil discourse are sus-tained. That we work to banish isolation and fear, and that we promote dignity and self-respect. That we do nothing less than perfect the art of living together.

Eliot Chapel’s actions will be guided by the following values:

That we are a part of a larger whole—that this interconnectedness and interdependence is a sacred relationship with our world and our common humanity and deserving of our reverence

That care and compassion and support are sacred duties

That uplifting our community is soul work

That we respect others and their beliefs

That we are open and accepting to new attitudes and experiences

That we are genuinely welcoming, hospitable, and inclusive

That we celebrate diversity in its many manifestations

These Possibilities and Values may be expressed together in the Vision that we dedicate ourselves:

To make whole the spirit and by every act: To welcome the stranger To comfort the afflicted To teach the ignorant To support the family To uplift the community To give voice to the forgotten To heal the broken To serve with compassion, and Revere the awe and wonder of this world.

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Page 12

100 South Taylor Avenue Kirkwood, MO 63122-4310

SUNDAY, APRIL 3 – 9:30 & 11:00 A.M.

"The Afterlife: When Does it Begin?" – The Reverend Dr. David Keyes

“Different Just Like Me” – Family Worship with Reverend Dr. Susan Videen in Adams Hall at 9:35 and 11:05 am

SUNDAY, APRIL 10 – 9:30 & 11:00 A.M.

“Wisdom from Webster Groves? The Gospel According to Jonathan Franzen”

– The Reverend Dr. David Keyes

SUNDAY, APRIL 17 – 9:30 & 11:00 A.M.

Celebration Sunday – Worship & Party for the Whole Church Community

Rev. Keyes welcomes The Reverend Susan Frederick-Gray home to Eliot Chapel.

Come share a meal, music and play after the services.

SUNDAY, APRIL 24 – 9:30 & 11:00 A.M.

Easter Sunday – The Reverend Dr. David Keyes preaching on ―Paradise Found‖

Dated material. Please deliver by April 1, 2011

NON-PROFIT ORG.

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

ST. LOUIS, MO

PERMIT NO. 1238