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University Lutheran Church
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ULC E-Newsletter
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From the Pastor Hello from University Lutheran…. This is such an awkward time of the year for serious communication. With all the rush toward Christmas and the jam-packed schedules it’s hard to settle in and concentrate on anything these days. For students, these are perhaps the most stressful days of the year….not only getting into the holiday spirit, but also preparing for exams. Nevertheless I am pleased to share more ADVENT thoughts during this last week of classes As many of you know, this has been a difficult year for me…especially the past six months. With the diagnosis of Lymphoma, my whole world of invulnerability came crashing down. I have always been the picture of health, active in all sports, captain of this and captain of that…and then the stable health I had always counted on deserted me and I became a frail image of what used to be….moving from a strong independence, to a total dependence on friends, loved ones and family. In addition to this, my personal life has been like a soap opera. I am usually pretty good about making decisions and taking care of myself in this area…but again, things came crashing down around me. ( please pardon the personal references… but Advent is such a personal season for me) When I read the Advent lessons from the Prophet Jeremiah and the troubles the nation of Israel experienced during those times of exile and captivity… the destruction of their homes, their house of worship and their lifestyles, my problems seem pale. God’s promised deliverance is announced just around the corner as God raises up the Righteous One who will deliver the historic people of God from their captivity. And it was this PROMISE that kept Jeremiah going. And, while being hauled off to exile, Jeremiah buys a plot of land near his home as a symbol of his trust in God’s deliverance…that some day he would return to again dwell in the land promised by God. Oh Come, Emmanuel! OK, here is where the similarity ends! As I face some major changes in both cancer and personal recovery, my symbolic response to both the hope and deliverance of Advent has been… to engage a Cleaning Service! Please stifle the chuckles! I am serious here! I have always wanted to hire someone to clean my home on a regular basis…but like so many things, I just never felt the crisis need to “go there”. Well, this seemed to be the right time! It’s not that I live in filth or anything…I am a pretty good cleaner. But that doesn’t cut it when the cleaning Nazi shows up! So as I face an uncertain future dependent on the delivering power of God, at least, whatever happens, my home will be clean! It has been a rather humbling and sometimes embarrassing experience. The Head Cleaner shows up and surveys the house…and of course notices all the corners and cobwebs, toilet bowls and sinks that I thought looked pretty good. WRONG Tom! Our task this time of year is to get personal….to look at those areas where we have been held captive by circumstances both beyond and within our control…and to once again to muster up our resources and rely on the PROMISES of God…promises to rebuild, to sustain us, to nourish us and to HEAL us during the most trying of circumstances. This Anticipated deliverance takes its most visible form in the Christmas Story…where redemption is not just a concept, but a Child. Stay tuned on this one. Well, actually, it was a toss-up between a Cleaning Service and Golf Lessons. Pastor DUUU  PIZZA BREAK - 10:00 pm Wednesday 12/13/06 Need a break from the exam grind? Stop by University Lutheran, kick back, relax, and enjoy some pizza. It won't take long, we are just around the corner at 925 W Jefferson (map). CHURCH CHRISTMAS SOCIAL Everything festive seems to be coming a week earlier this year. Our ULC Christmas Party will be hosted by Mary Hafner at her home in Waverly Hills, this coming Saturday afternoon ( Dec. 9 ), from 4-7 PM. Please come…and bring a snack, a bottle of wine and a Christmas Spirit. Student, let me know if you need a ride! Call my cell: 443-7588 before noon Saturday! UUU  LAST WORSHIP SUNDAY Our Last opportunity to gather for worship as a whole congregation will be this coming Sunday, December 10. Exams begin the next day and most of the students will be long gone by the following weekend. So please make a special effort. Our numbers have been down…understandable considering my long illness and limited “shepherding” opportunity….so let’s pack the place for ADVENT’S SECOND SUNDAY. We’ll use a traditional “ Service of Lessons and Carols” as we move on in our preparation for the gift of the Messiah. There WILL be worship December 17. UUU CHRISTMAS EVE One of the reasons for the early festivity is that the Fourth Sunday in Advent and Christmas Eve are on the same day! The ULC Council has decided NOT to hold a Sunday MORNING worship on Christmas Eve-Day…but to include a Service of Holy Communion along with the Christmas Candlelight Service on Christmas Eve. The Sunday evening Worship will begin at 6:30 PM. This will allow families to gather afterward at a reasonable hour for their special  Christmas Eve Traditions. THERE WILL BE A BRIEF OPPORTUNITY FOR CHILDREN TO BE INVOLVED IN THE WORSHIP… Please let me know if you and your child/children will be attending…no practice necessary! E-mail me at TDohrman15@comcast.net. Thanks. For information about the full range of holiday worship services at other Lutheran Churches in town, just ask. UUU CHRISTMAS DAY There will be NO Liturgy on Monday, Christmas Day... but there will be a Liturgy Sunday, New Year's Eve at 11:00 am. UUU 
PRAYERS
Please keep Luke Heller in your prayers. Luke is battling some Pneumonia....Mom and Dad spent a long night ion the ER. Victoria has also had a recent brush with Whooping Cough. Avery is soon to be next with something! Prayers for the whole family are in order. Please keep the Smiths in your prayers as Wayne and Paula try to get medications right. AND it was great to see Bob and Sylvia Culp back at worship. Bob tells me Sylvia needs to get started about 5 am in order to be ready for 11 am Church. Now THAT's commitment. Bless you Sylvia!UUU Voces Angelorum "Voces of Angels" Charles Witmer, Director
Sunday, Dec. 10th 7:30pm
Grace Lutheran Church 2919 Miccosukee Road The Concerts are Free and open to the public. Our own Elsa McKinney is performing with Tallahassee's Community Women's Chamber Choir, in the 2006 Christmas Concert Series: a unique multi-cultural event combining classical European choral traditions, a local African-American girls choir, and Spanish Christmas lullabies from the American Southwest. The concerts, open to the public and free, are the first two Sundays in December: December 3rd, 5:00 pm, at Bethel AME Church, 501 W. Orange Avenue; andDecember 10th, 7:30 pm, at Grace Lutheran Church, 2919 Miccosukee Road. UUU Evening Meal at HOPE Community The Second Thursday of the month is almost here again. That means ULC will be serving the evening meal at the HOPE Community. December 14th our YOUTH members will be serving the meal. We also pledged to donate $50 to the HOPE Community towards the meal expense each time we serve. Donations welcome. January will be members from the Church Council serving the meal. Remember though, any time YOU want to volunteer to help serve, you do not have to be a member of the designated group, just let Catherine Knickerbocker know you want to help serve.
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