Family of faith members
serving at worship
January 6th, 2008
Worship
Assistants
(If you would like to sign up, please contact Elsa McKinney or send an
email to the
pastor.) Organist Adam Brink
Choir Director Bethany Kiral
(On Leave)
Communion Setup Linda Andrews Communion Assistant Dale Landry Acolyte Please Sign Up!
Usher Catherine Knickerbocker Reader Bob Wagner Refreshments Please
Sign Up Sound System Bill Lueck
My facebook status reads
"Almost on vacation." This next week I will be vacationing and
traveling to the Holy City (St. Louis, MO) as well as to see my
grandparents in the little town of Fairbury Nebraska.
This Sunday begins the season of Epiphany, which is characterized by
some other travelers - some Magi or "wise men" from the East.
They did the same thing I'm going to do - heading to the Holy City
(which for them is Jerusalem because they didn't know how great St.
Louis was yet), and then to a little town.
Growing up, in addition to the normal verses to Christmas carols, I
learned the elementary grade "extra verses" and parodies to Christmas
carols. The one for "We Three Kings of Orient Are" goes something
like this:
"We Three Kings of Orient Are,
Trying to smoke a Russian [or rubber] cigar,
It was loaded, and exploded...
All the way to yonder star..."
To the Wise Men, after they had seen the little King come to save us,
they must have felt like they were handed a "Russian cigar..." Herod
wanted to use them to get to this Christ child. He wanted to kill
him. His platitudes and promises were all loaded with malice and
ill intent.
But it didn't explode...or rather...it exploded in Herod's face.
God sent an angel to thwart Herod's evil plans, and to continue His
own. Now we may not be Herods, but sometimes God sends things in
our life that thwart our best laid plans. Sometimes, like the
Wise Men, even the things that we do with the best intentions are
"loaded" and ready to "explode to yonder star..."
Most everyone has New Year's Day off. Some of us will actually
take this day to plan for the next year. We'll take stock of our
lives and wonder what this next year can bring. I'll be doing
that myself. It has been just a little bit more than 5 months
that I have been your pastor. Some of my ideas have been "loaded"
and have been defused. Some of what I've said has blown up in my
face. But I'm going to take this New Year's Day to thank God in a
special way for the last 5 months - for getting to know all of you -
and for the opportunity to travel through this life following His
star. I pray that you have a similar experience. See you on
the 10th!
In Christ,
Pastor Jay
Clear Your Calendars! New and Important
Calendar Items!
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.
January 6th - WORSHIP - 11am
Come celebrate a rarity in the church, the Feast of Epiphany actually
falling on a Sunday. Seeing as how we had 25 people in service
last Sunday and attendance dropped last time I was gone...I'm willing
to start offering indulgences to people who come on this Sunday.
(Just kidding)
January 7th - FSU Resumes Classes
January 10th - HOPE Community
Serving - 5pm to 6pm
We still need TWO Volunteers! Please sign up with Leah Paul or
Pastor Jay.
January 13th - Council Meeting
after Church
Council Members, please plan on attending an hour long meeting after
Church on the 13th. Remember, the first two chapters of
Ragamuffin Gospel should be read by this time.
January 16th - Formation
Continues - 6:30pm
That's right, if you haven't tried out Confession and Absolution with
Pastor Jay yet, the clock is ticking.
New Years Eve Service
Come
celebrate the New Year, and take some time to consider years past and
the years to come while receiving God's blessings in Word and
Sacrament. TONIGHT at 5:30pm.
Glasses Found
A pair
of glasses were found after service on December 30th. If these
are yours, please contact Cheryl at the church office about picking
them up.
Items Needed for the Agenda
Please
email President
Bill Lueck with any items that you would like brought up at the
next Council meeting.
Poll Results and New Question
The
Poll Results for the question "What are you likely to resolve to do
this New Year?" came back with another pitiful amount of 3 total
votes. But that's ok.
2
of you said that you would be likely to help with a service project or
serve at church.
1
of you said you might read one book of the Bible every month
Going out and hoping nobody sees me return home at 4am.
Remember - if you're drinking tonight, be sure to get a driver or call
a cab. Yellow Cab of Tallahassee - 850
580 8080
Missed a sermon?
The
sermons for Christmas Eve and the First Sunday in Christmas are
up. Also, there's an extra article about the "I watch Joel
Osteen" pin. All these and more can be found at jWinters.com
Send a Card
Consider sending a card or celebrating with the following people in
some way this week:
Joel Buenrostro - January 6 - Birthday
Jim and Kay Freeman - January 9 - Anniversary
Betty Knickerbocker - January 11 - Birthday
Karyl Louwenaar - January 11 - Birthday
Victoria Heller - January 12 - Birthday
Good Stuff
Hah!
Since attendance has been down without our beloved student members
around, the Council* has decided that the following will be implemented
at University Lutheran Church:
Cots will be placed in the back by the couches for those
who say, "Sunday is my only day to sleep in."
Blankets will be furnished for those who say that church is
too cold. Fans for those who say it is too hot.
We will be bringing in sod and potted plants for those who
say "I prefer to seek God in nature."
Doctors will be available for those who are planning on
being ill on Sunday.
The sanctuary will be decorated with both easter lilies and
poinsiettas for those who have never seen church without them.
Other items will be available on request...
*The Council of University Lutheran Church in no way, shape, or form
endorses these measures. However, the Council is reminded that January
13th there will be a Council meeting at which time some of these items
may be brought up. Please send items for the agenda to President
Bill Lueck.
University Lutheran Church and
Student Center,
a Jesus Centered Community of Scripture, Faith, and Grace.
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