University Evangelical Lutheran Church
and Campus Ministry

The Lampstand - February 2023
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
Pastor's Corner

In the world around us, many people celebrate Valentine’s Day as a time to tell each other that we love them. It is often observed as romantic love, when couples have a fancier meal together than usual. It is also observed in elementary school as platonic love, a time when children give cute cards to their classmates.

The holiday began with a Christian adaptation of a pagan fertility festival. Three different men named Valentine were martyred in defense of their faith in Jesus. Pope Gelasius I (died 496) integrated the fertility festival with the observation of the Saints Valentine. It quickly became a popular holiday, and was included by Chaucer and Shakespeare in their writings. In the Victorian era people began sending Valentine’s Day cards. By 1913, Hallmark began making and selling cards.

It's important to tell each other that we love them, and I support the celebration of Valentine’s Day. But let’s not do it only once a year!

In Scripture, we can find on most pages the affirmation that God loves God’s people. It’s even possible to find Valentine’s Day cards with Bible quotes and adaptations of those quotes: “For God so loved the world …” “If we love one another, God lives in us.” “We love because God first loved us.”

Let’s be open to sharing God’s love with others every day.
 
Pastor Lynn
Ash Wednesday at UELC

Ash Wednesday is February 22 this year. The day marks the beginning of the liturgical season of Lent, in which we prepare our hearts to receive the risen Christ on Easter. There will be two very different observances of Ash Wednesday this year.

Ashes to Go, 11am-1pm

The first will be an effort to reach out to our neighbors. Pastor Lynn and volunteers will be near the exit of the parking lot with ashes for anyone who happens to be passing by. We hope many students will pause in their busy-ness, pray a short prayer, and receive ashes as they travel to their next destination. Using the exit to the parking lot will also allow people to drive through to receive the ashes.

Ashes to go is from 11am to 1pm, or longer if there is a lot of interest. Participants will receive a prayer card and a short write-up about Ash Wednesday, as well as a little information about ULC.

A few volunteers would be appreciated to assist Pastor Lynn. We will use some signage to advertise the event as well as to direct traffic on the day of Ash Wednesday.

Worship Service, 7:15pm

The “regular” worship service for Ash Wednesday will be at 7:15pm in the sanctuary. It will be a more traditional format, with confession and the imposition of ashes, as well as Holy Communion.

Lenten Midweek Worship: Making Change

This year’s Lenten Midweek Worship will include the singing of Holden Evening Prayer and reflections on how change affects our lives.

Some changes mark gradual transitions, as when daytime shifts toward twilight or winter turns to spring. Others happen in the blink of an eye, separating time into “before” and “after”. We choose to undergo some changes after carefully considering our options, while others are forced upon us. Making Change seems to be a great topic for congregations in transition.

The Wednesday evening schedule is: Soup supper at 6pm, worship at 7:15, with quiet music in the worship space starting at 7pm. Attendance will determine if we are in the Sanctuary or in the Kaiser Center for worship. 
President's Notes

Dear UELC family,

The council met on January 17th via Zoom to review and approve the agenda for the Annual Congregational Meeting which is scheduled for February 5th, 2023 after the worship service. The 2022 Annual Report will be distributed electronically to members who are encouraged to print out a copy and bring it with them to the Annual Congregational Meeting. We will also have a few printed copies available for distribution at the Annual Congregational Meeting. I would like to offer a huge thanks to both Rick Dienhart and Andy Noss for their help in compiling the Annual Report- it is quite the undertaking! 

The council also met on January 24th via Zoom to conduct the monthly meeting. One item of discussion was Chapter 13 of the UELC constitution which addresses congregation ministry boards and committees. According to the constitution, (C13.01.01), the following ministry boards shall exist: Worship, Learning, Discipleship, Parish Life, Resources and Campus Ministry. Currently we are in need of chairs for Worship, Learning and Discipleship boards. These chairs would serve a term of one year in this capacity and would have a member of council designated as the council liaison to that board. Please consider if this might be a capacity in which you can serve.
  
Finally, the council is tentatively looking at Saturday March 11th for our Visioning retreat. Since lunch will be served, we need to make sure the ever-faithful Hospitality Action Team (HAT) will be able to accommodate that Saturday. Please see Pastor Lynn’s message for more details surrounding the Visioning Retreat. 

If you have any questions for the council, please do not hesitate to contact me either in person or via email ([email protected])

Warm regards,
Becky Borgert
February Servants

Sunday, February 5
Preacher: Pr. Lynn Fonfara
Assisting Minister: Ron Bauldree
Altar Guild: Jackie Klein
Lector: Rick Dienhart
Ushers: Ron Fourman, Phil Noss
Sound Assistant: Melissa Singer
Video Assistant: Wilson Matungwa

Sunday, February 12
Preacher: Pr. Lynn Fonfara
Assisting Minister: Pat Dasler
Altar Guild: Elaine Manion
Lector: Sam Brill
Ushers: Jeanne Chamberlin, John MontMarquette
Sound Assistant: Melissa Singer
Video Assistant: Wilson Matungwa

Sunday, February 19
Preacher: Pr. Lynn Fonfara
Assisting Minister: Ron Bauldree
Altar Guild: Jackie Klein
Lector: Joan Anderson
Ushers: Jeanne Chamberlin, Ron Gordon
Sound Assistant: Amy Schirmer
Video Assistant: Pat Dasler

Ash Wednesday, February 22
Preacher: Pr. Lynn Fonfara
Assisting Minister: Pat Dasler
Altar Guild: Joan Anderson
Lector: Rick Dienhart
Ushers: Jeanne Chamberlin, Andy Noss
Sound Assistant: Melissa Singer
Video Assistant: Wilson Matungwa

Sunday, February 26
Preacher: Pr. Lynn Fonfara
Assisting Minister: Sam Borgert
Altar Guild: Pat Dasler
Lector: Sandy Bauldree
Ushers: Roger Springfels, Ron Fourman
Sound Assistant: Amy Schirmer
Video Assistant: Wilson Matungwa
UELC People






Visioning Retreat March 11

On Saturday March 11, all members and regular participants are invited to attend a retreat where we will begin to develop a vision for the future of UELC. The retreat will last from 10am - 3pm and include breaks and lunch.

Through Bible study and prayer, and some fun, we will work together to determine God’s mission at UELC now. We will work together to pray, imagine, dream, and envision how God is calling us to be Jesus’ missionaries in this time and place.

Please plan to attend. All voices are important to the present and future of the congregation.
Help Wanted

Help Wanted: Demographics Data Gatherers

Are there one or two or more folks who are willing and able to work on assessing the congregational and Gainesville demographics? The next step in the transition process is a congregational retreat that begins with an awareness of the community. 
 
There are demographic tools available to us as members in the FB Synod and Pastor Lynn can work with whoever is interested in accessing and interpreting the data. 
Also included in this process is a map which shows where members live in relation to the church building. The map could be paper and map pins or electronic with digital pins. (I don't know how to do the digital version, but someone might.)

Please contact Pr Lynn if you are interested in this task.
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. 
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 
Young Adult and Campus Ministry

Feburary is shaping up to be a busy month for Campus Young Adult Ministry. We are growing with a couple of new students coming to the Thursday night dinner and Bible study. The group is looking forward to a retreat weekend, Feb 10-12 in Crystal River. Pat and Jim will chaperone. That leaves no one to run video cameras on the 12th..  Perhaps someone steps up by this Sunday to learn from one of the students. The students have registered to push a bed for the Family Promise Bed Race under the team name “Lutheruns”.  The race is on the 25th of February.
Village of Hope

It’s time to renew sponsorships or begin a new one for the children at Village of Hope school in Haiti.
 
It is still $480 for the year or $40 monthly. We continue to give through UELC. Make your check out to UELC and be sure to note on the memo line that the check is for VOH.
 
It has been difficult with Covid the last few years to keep track of who has sponsored a student. This year sponsorships will be updated on the VOH bulletin board in the Kaiser Center. After you have renewed, or begun a new sponsorship, please let Janet Janke know so she can add your name to the list of sponsors. There are 20 squares ready for a sticker. Can we get to 20 sponsorships in 2023?
 
Unfortunately, with Covid and the dangerous conditions that have been happening in Haiti, it has been difficult to get new pictures or even know for sure which child you may or may not be still sponsoring. Hopefully when we send the check to them in Spring they may be able to give us an undated list of the children we sponsor. Please be patient as we wait for this information.
Family Promise

We are hosting families again at the end of this month, Feb. 26 - March 4. Please contact Amy_ [email protected] if you'd like to volunteer your time and/or a meal to help make families comfortable and nourished during their stay at our church.
 
And come cheer on our Lutheran Gator bed race team at Family Promise's 9th Annual Bed Race Fundraiser. Fun and games start at 9:00, racing at 10:30 am, on Saturday, Feb. 25th at Trinity United Methodist. Thank you students for taking this time to represent UELC and raise funds for Family Promise of Gainesville!
Black History Month

To honor Black History Month in the ELCA Florida-Bahamas Synod, the Just Love Team presents “Lutherans You Should Know in Black History.” We present four outstanding African Americans who made a difference in the Lutheran Church. Their stories are not widely known, but they made significant impacts to the church. We will hear how they persevered during the following four eras in U.S. History:
 
·      Pre-Civil War Era (Pastor Jehu Jones)
·      Jim Crow Era (Dr. Rosa Young)
·      Civil Rights Era (Rev. Dr. Nelson Trout)
·      Contemporary (Bishop Yehiel Curry)
 
We ask each congregation to present the Lutherans You Should Know in Black History summary each week in February. It can be done during announcements, a bulletin insert, or wherever fits best into the service. Each week we offer songs and prayers for use during the service.
 
For pastors and liturgical leaders, there are several resources in Sundays and Seasons that can be emphasized during Black History Month: We suggest congregations to use This Far By Faith hymnal in February. This Far by Faith is available on SundaysAndSeasons.com.
 
·      Week 1: Jehu Jones (First Black ordained Lutheran minister)
·      Week 2: Rosa Young (Educator and known as the Mother of Black Lutheranism)
·      Week 3: Nelson Trout (First Black Lutheran bishop)
·      Week 4: Bishop Yehiel Curry (Current Chicago Metropolitan Synod Bishop and our companion synod)
Altrusa International Gainesville Events

The Human Library is organized by Altrusa International of Gainesville inspired by https://humanlibrary.org/ which is an international organization founded in Denmark in 2000.

The event invites visitors to listen to 14 human "books" who will share their individual experiences with discrimination in different situations. It is a moving experience that stirs our own biases with people of different color, faiths, gender issues, tattoos, traditions and cultural norms. See the poster below.
 
Altrusa also invites the public to another Fundraiser: Music Trivia Bingo on Friday March 3rd at 6pm at Plantation Hall at the Haile Village Center. All about the songs we love to hear and sing.The last attached file is the poster for the Bingo but the file name
Here are quick FAQs:
 
How do I get a game card?
Each ticket holder will receive one bingo game card per round (we will play 3 rounds)
 
What do the cards look like?
They look similar to regular bingo cards EXCEPT the numbers have been placed with song titles.
 
I'm not good at music, what do I do?
Participants are encouraged to help each other out- share your musical knowledge with others at your table. you might or might not have that particular song on your card.
 
I like a challenge, can I buy extra bingo cards?
Extra cards will be available for purchase.
 
I see that the event is at 6 pm. WIll there be food?
Yes, there will be wine, beer, non-alcoholic beverages as well as light hors d'oeuvres.
 
Wow, that sounds like fun! How can I get tickets?
Paper tickets are available at each regular meeting. TIcket prices are $50 for single ticket(s); $150 for a group of 4 tickets; $350 for a reserved table of 8.
An online ticket system is in the works. But Dee Dugger, President of Altrusa International of Gainesville, is available for more info and tickets: [email protected] or 352(281-8357)
Our Pastor and Staff

Pastor Lynn Fonfara
Pastor, Congregation and Campus Ministry

Amy Schirmer
Music Ministry Coordinator

Mikayla Kreider
Pianist

Evelyn Simmons
Secretary