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University Lutheran
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ULC E-Newsletter
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From Pastor Jay Please watch this video, The Life of Mary: Unfamiliar. This Sunday, I talked about a cracked pot and how it was used in an unfamiliar way. Instead of being used to bring a full pot of water to the master's house, the cracked pot watered the flowers along the path to and from the river and brought flowers to the master's table. Many Christians are concerned with "weakness," and their spiritual lives and have determined that they can predict how God is going to use them based on their ability or weakness. I've heard it said that God will use only your weakest moments to do His will so that His glory shows through. While it's true God does use your weaknesses, saying that He ONLY uses your weaknesses seems to be an overamplification. I've also heard people who talk about how God uses their strengths, their talents, and their God-given abilities. This is true. God uses what you do for a living and what you're good at for his glory (and if you've ever thought about using those talents at church somehow but are unsure how to make it work - talk to me.) But what I've found in my experience is that God really seems to enjoy using both our weaknesses and our strengths in unfamiliar ways. He uses them in familiar ways too, but the story of Christmas is a prime example of how He enjoys the unfamiliar, the paradoxical, and the peculiar. The Gospel, however, just like in the case of the cracked pot - is not how God uses you. He is using you in some unfamiliar ways. He is also using you in some familiar ways. Maybe, He has even used you in unfamiliar ways that have now become familiar to you. The Gospel is that God cared enough to make you usable. He cared enough to use a dirty sinner like you. He cared enough that He didn't throw you away when you sinned, but that He thought up an odd, unfamiliar way to use you. He knew that to make it work, He had to come and die for you. He had to do that to make you usable again. And He has. He made you as new and bright as a little baby laying in an unfamiliar and peculiar place. He made you that way by becoming exactly that. In Christ, Pastor Jay Clear Your Calendars! New and Important
Calendar Items! Come hear the nativity story from the book of Revelation! 6:30pm for a light soup supper - bring the Tums, Pastor Jay is in charge of food ;-) December 23rd - WORSHIP - 11am The Fourth Sunday of Advent and our last look at the "What are you looking for?" series from Isaiah - "Are you looking for a child?" December 24th - Christmas Eve Service - 5:30pm Celebrate! The Christ-Child is with us! Hosanna Emmanuel! December 25th - Christmas Day Merry Christmas! No services at University Lutheran. Christmas Day Services: 10:30am - Epiphany Lutheran 10:30am - Faith Lutheran 11am - St. Stephen Lutheran December 30th - WORSHIP - 11am The season of Christmas doesn't officially start in the church until the 24th, but it goes all the way to January 6th! Come and sing some more carols with us and keep that Christmas spirit alive! December 31st - New Year's Eve Service - 5:30pm Celebrate the New Year with University Lutheran Church and celebrate Jesus' name! January 1st - January 9th - Pastor Jay on vacation Pastor Jay is headed up north for about a week. See you on the 10th! In case of emergency, please contact elders Dale Landry and Paul Hoover. About Relay for Life Many of you know that Pastor Tom Dohrman has valiantly struggled against cancer for quite some time now. Because of that, when I heard that Florida State University was going to have a Relay for Life event, I became very excited. What better way to give honor to Pastor Dohrman's struggle than to create a team in his honor? The sign up sheet will remain out until January 10th, and you can email me until that day. Anyone who is even remotely interested can sign up. If there are not at minimum 5 people on Jan 10, I will concede defeat and quit bugging you about it. More information about FSU's Relay for Life here. If you still have questions, please feel free to contact Pastor Jay. Fantastic News from Lutheran Women In Mission
(LWML) The Lutheran Women in Mission group at University Lutheran have provided for and blessed a family that has been in severe distress through collecting and buying items to be donated to this family. About one week ago, those blessings were made manifest in this family's life just as God's blessing is made manifest in our lives through Christ. Selah, one of the children, wrote a beautiful note of thanks: Dear everyone that blessed us, Me and my mommy and Halla (sister) are happy. We hope that you have a nice Christmas. May the Lord bless each and every one of you for blessing us. I know this is God that has helped this family. My momy lost her job (drawn sad face), But not are (our) God (drawn happy face). God is able. God is the best. -Selah The note is on display on our bulletin board. My typing simply doesn't do it justice. Christmas Party Thanks! Something New! A Poll! What Signals Christmas Coming For You? (Out of a measley 9 votes)
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Good Stuff Bragging rights. Overheard somewhere on a college campus:Student A: My campus pastor is so good he can talk about any given point for an entire hour. Student B: Whatever. That's nothing. My campus pastor can talk for two hours and he doesn't even need a point. |
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