University Evangelical Lutheran Church
and Campus Ministry
The Lampstand - March 2022
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Our Mission
UELC's Mission:
To Embrace and Share the Love of God in Jesus Christ, as the Holy Spirit Empowers us.
UELC's Guiding Principles:
Jesus is our Lord and Saviour; therefore, we are to:
- Worship God in inspiring, diverse, and creative ways
- Be a community engaged in spiritual practices that attune us to the Holy Spirit's guidance for our living
- Welcome all people in their diversity to worship, learn, and serve with us
- Be a safe place to learn, explore, and debate
- Be generous stewards of the gifts God has given each of us to bless others and care for the natural world
- Continue outreach to, and further develop connections with, the academic communities of Alachua County
- Affirm human rights and work for social justice
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Pastor's Corner
Lament is not all Sorrow but Joy
We enter the season of Lent this week. For many it is a time of pensiveness, penitence, patience and practicing self-discipline. Some give up specific luxuries or vices/bad habits during these 40 days*.
Lent is also a time of lament and sorrow for our overwhelming sinful nature that so easily takes us away from God, or forgets the perpetual grace and presence of our merciful Savior. We become aware of how our natural sensual self tends to overwhelm and overcome our spiritual deeper self.
It can be depressing for some, but it should be a time of freedom. A time of freeing ourselves from the slavery of carnality and frivolity. It's not a time for self-punishment - there's no place for that in the Christian Faith. It is a time of self-discipline that should carry us all the way into the year and more - it’s our hope that it will. It is meant to be a refresher, a reset of our Christian operating system so that it would work better going forward. To take the electronics metaphor a step further, it is like an update with all the new things we’ve learned during the preceding year to make us more like Jesus intended.
It is probably not a time of ecstatic joy, yet it is a time of joyful fulfillment. “Open confession is good for the soul,” said someone wise. So it will bring “soul joy”, which is the best kind of joy for a soul that is weary and filled with sorrow.
While Lenten sorrow is a sorrow for sin, during these last two years we have other deep sorrows. Sorrows from loss of loved ones; sorrow of not being able to say “proper goodbyes” to those lost; sorry for loss of community; sorrow for loss of health and regular relationships. While Lent is definitely not a time to indulge, take the liberty by Grace, to bring these sorrows along with the sorrow for sin to the feet of Jesus and let that too be healing to the soul. Amen.
A blessed and meaningful Lent to you,
Pastor Terrance
* plus the Sundays which are not counted as Lent since the Sabbath was supposed to be holy already - so it's roughly 46 days in total.
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Council President's Report
Council reviewed the most recent congregational meeting and discussed how the annual report might be more efficiently drafted and submitted to congregants in the future. To this end, plans were made to develop a more refined timeline and procedure for compiling the report.
We are still on the watch for a church pianist but have so far seen very little interest. Council plans to investigate the cost of advertising the job posting on LinkedIn and Indeed. We also discussed contacting UF’s music teacher association and VRCC (Voices Rising Community Chorus). The Alligator was also raised as a possible option for advertising the position.
The biggest issue under discussion at the last council meeting was the status of the 1902 House, specifically the possibility of selling the property since a lack of volunteers has forced UELC to consider hiring a property manager. Plans were made to contact FAT and the property committee about looking into the cost of a property manager as well as the logistics of having the property appraised. No further decision was made other than to continue to gather pertinent facts. There is no hurry on this issue, and UELC’s rental commitments for the property currently extend into 2023.
While sustainability was not discussed, council is awaiting a letter from Ron Gordon to FAT regarding the issue.
Council was unable to verify whether the finalized revision of the constitution as per the required amendments handed down from Synod (i.e. Phase I) had been submitted to the latter. It was agreed that VP Rebecca Borgert will contact Jeannie Chamberlin about this matter, while Secretary Vibeke Vala will submit the finalized draft if it turns out that it was never submitted. Council continues to work towards Phase II, involving internal amendments to our constitution.
A question raised at the last congregational meeting encouraged Council to look into the constitutional procedure for managing the official UELC membership roll. Plans will be put in place to update the roll as necessary, being sure to honor the procedure outlined by our constitution.
The last notable item (other than the customary reports) discussed was nominating Synod assembly reps. It was agreed that an ideal procedure would be to nominate one new person who has not previously been and one person who had been more recently. Council would welcome any volunteers for the upcoming assembly, which is scheduled to occur June 3-5, in Orlando. So far, Sandy Bauldree has agreed to serve as one of our representatives.
As always, Council will need the prayers of all our members as we continue to discuss these and other important issues.
Blessings,
Daniel Norford
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March Servants
March Servants
Ash Wednesday, March 2
Assisting Minister: Sharai Jacob
Altar Guild: Jackie Klein
Ushers: Ron Fourman, Andy Noss
Sound Assistant: Crystal Jacob
Sunday, March 6
Assisting Minister: Krissi Norford
Altar Guild: Elaine Manion
Ushers: Ron Fourman, Gene Brandner
Sound Assistant: Collin Larke
Sunday, March 13
Assisting Minister: Ron Bauldree
Altar Guild: Joan Anderson
Ushers: Roger Springfels, Andy Noss
Sound Assistant: Sharai Jacob
Sunday, March 20
Assisting Minister: Sam Borgert
Altar Guild: Jackie Klein
Ushers: Jeanne Chamberlin, Ron Fourman
Sound Assistant: Melissa Singer
Sunday, March 27
Assisting Minister: Pat Dasler
Altar Guild: Joan Anderson
Ushers: Ron Gordon, John MontMarquette
Sound Assistant: Crystal Jacob
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Continued Prayer Concerns
Prayers for healing: Cecilia Noss, Babs Dalsheimer, Kathy Brill, and Kim Gauthier.
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Did you know?
Anyone in the congregation who is experiencing financial difficulties due to the ongoing pandemic, please reach out to Pastor. We have a "discretionary fund" that might be able to be utilized to assist those who find themselves in this situation.
UELC Council
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Music and Worship
Lent Announcements:
We begin Lent 2022 with our:
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Ash Wednesday Service at 7pm, March 2 at UELC.
Service will be a Holy Communion Liturgy with Imposition of Ashes. This will be in-person and by Livestream. For those at home, please prepare you own ashes and mark yourself with a sign of the cross during virtual worship.
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We will not be meeting for Soup Suppers and Prayer in-person on Lenten Wednesdays, but expect online opportunities to help us all focus on prayer and reflection during Wednesday Noon Prayer and Fellowship by Zoom and Wednesday Evening Prayer Time at 6pm (pre-recorded or live).
Music
We have introduced some new hymns from All Creation Sings (ACS), a supplement to the Red Hymnal (ELW). Our liturgy will change during Lent, so we are working on the new hymns for that. We are in the process of interviewing a pianist and hope to hire someone shortly. In the meantime, we are continuing to use the music recorded by our music ministry. We are also experimenting with new recordings by adding our voices to pre-recorded instrumentals music.
We are grateful for those who have stepped up to help with the audio and video ministry that makes for meaningful worship, both in person and by livestream. The new equipment we have purchased has helped to produce better quality livestreams.
Blessings
Crystal
Minister of Music, for Worship Committee.
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Offering Direct Deposits
It is Sunday morning and you are on your way to church. Part way there you remember you have not written a check for the offering plate.
It is another Sunday morning and you are sitting in the sanctuary you write a check and slowly you attempt to remove your check from your check book as quietly as possible.
It is another Sunday at church and you realize that your offering check and envelope remain at home on your dresser.
These are some of the ways that the use of direct deposit helps UELC to receive consistent income to pay its bills.
If you wish to learn more about the use of direct deposit, contact Jim Yale to get set up.
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Asylum Support Fund
THANK YOU to UELC members who contributed to the Asylum Support Fund in February - a total of $740. And we are happy to report that the husband/father who was stranded in Mexico for a prolonged time finally arrived in Gainesville for a joyful reunion with his family! They have "miles to go" yet in the asylum-seeking process, but we are grateful for their safety now and pray for their future well-being. We hope in the months to come, as they continue to mend from their fraught journey, that they may feel secure in this welcoming community.
Peace,
Joan
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LIFT
Due to the Covid pandemic LIFT (Lutherans In Fellowship Together) has not met for its monthly potluck luncheons for the past two years. We plan on restarting the luncheons by the summer of this new year. Of course, that depends on a lessening of the impact that Covid-19 and it many variants have on our lives. Let us all be responsible and stay safe.
Ron Bauldree
LIFT coordinator
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Young Adult Ministry
Campus/Young Adult Ministry weekly meetings on Thursdays, 5:30-7:00.
Young Adult and Student Ministry continues to meet by Zoom and are studying the Bible.
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Adult Forum
Adult Forum is not meeting for now.
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Village of Hope
UELC is halfway to the goal of 22 sponsorships for 2022. Thank you to those who have already renewed.
Renewals will continue through the month of March. It is still $40 a month or $480 for the year. Checks are written to UELC with the notation VOH sponsorship on the memo line and placed in the offering. UELC then sends the sponsorship money to VOH several times each year. Documentation of your gifts are reflected on the statements you receive from UELC.
Janet Janke, Lazarus Project Coordinator at University Lutheran Church
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Our Pastor and Staff
Pastor Terrance Jacob
Pastor, Congregation and Campus Ministry
Crystal Jacob
Minister of Music (Direct Choir and music-related ministries)
Evelyn Simmons
Administrative Assistant
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