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Weekly Schedule
SUNDAYS
10:30 AM
Celebration of Holy Communion
TUESDAYS
4 PM
Bible Study with
Feast Incarnate Guests
5 PM
Feast Incarnate Meal
6:15 PM
Feast Vespers
WEDNESDAYS
6PM
Bible Study and Meal
THURSDAYS
12:10 Mid-day Eucharist
6 PM Chill Nite
Chill Nite
Welcome Back Gathering
 Our first night back together after break. Janah is preparing dinner. In addition to catching up with everyone, Ben Eckert has selected another poem T.S. Elliot for discussion: A Song for Simeon. You can view the poem here:
http://www.ashokkarra.com/2010/12/t-s-eliot-a-song-for-simeon/
Worship Assistants
Needed for February
Thanks to those who have already signed up on the schedule in the Narthex. There are still a number of positions open in the coming weeks.
Commemorations
For the Coming Week
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Conversion of Paul
The week of prayer begun by the remembrance of Peter's confession now comes to an end as we recall the pivotal moment in the life of the other pillar of the early church, the apostle Paul. His encounter with the risen Christ turned him from persecutor of the followers of Christ to one of their leaders.
Thursday, January 26
Timothy, Titus, and Silas, missionaries
These three early Christian men were missionary companions of the apostle Paul. Timothy became bishop of Ephesus, Titus bishop of Crete, and Silas was imprisoned with Paul at Philippi until they were delivered by an earthquake.
Friday, January 27
Lydia, Dorcas, and Phoebe, witnesses to the faith
Women as well as men were important Christian leaders from the beginning, as demonstrated by these coworkers of the apostle Paul. Lydia, a seller of purple goods, lent her home for a church; Dorcas was known for charitable works; and Phoebe was a deacon in the church at Cenchrae.
Saturday, January 28
Thomas Aquinas, teacher, died 1274
One of the most brilliant and creative theologians in the church's history, Aquinas worked to bring together scripture and the philosophy of Aristotle. A member of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans), Aquinas was also a hymnwriter.
Pray for Christian Unity
January 18-25 
Eight Days reflecting on our change in Christ
Over the coming week we are invited to enter more deeply into our faith that we will all be
changed through the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ. The biblical readings, commentaries,
prayers and questions for reflection, all explore different aspects of what this means for the
lives of Christians and their unity with one another, in and for today’s world. We begin by
contemplating the Christ who serves, and our journey takes us to the final celebration of
Christ’s reign, by way of His cross and resurrection:
Day One: Changed by the Servant Christ
The Son of Man came to serve (cf. Mk 10:45)
On this day we encounter Jesus, on the road to victory through service. We see him as the
”one who came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life, a ransom for many” (Mark
10:45). Consequently, the Church of Jesus Christ is a serving community. The use of our
diverse gifts in common service to humanity makes visible our unity in Christ.
Day Two: Changed through patient waiting for the Lord
Let it be so now, for it is proper to fulfil all righteousness (Mt 3:15)
On this day we concentrate on patient waiting for the Lord. To achieve any change,
perseverance and patience are needed. Prayer to God for any kind of transformation is also an
act of faith and trust in his promises. Such waiting for the Lord is essential for all who pray
for the visible unity of the church this week. All ecumenical activities require time, mutual
attention and joint action. We are all called to co-operate with the work of the Spirit in
uniting Christians.
Day Three: Changed by the Suffering Servant
Christ suffered for us (cf. 1 Pt 2:21)
This day calls us to reflect on the suffering of Christ. Following Christ the Suffering Servant,
Christians are called to solidarity with all who suffer. The closer we come to the cross of
Christ the closer we come to one another.
Day Four: Changed by the Lord’s Victory over Evil
Overcome evil with good (Rom 12:21)
This day takes us deeper into the struggles against evil. Victory in Christ is an overcoming of
all that damages God’s creation, and keeps us apart from one another. In Jesus we are called
to share in this new life, struggling with him against what is wrong in our world, with
renewed confidence and with a delight in what is good. In our divisions we cannot be strong
enough to overcome evil in our times.
Day Five: Changed by the peace of the Risen Lord
Jesus stood among them and said: Peace be with you! (Jn 20:19)
Today we celebrate the peace of the Risen Lord. The Risen One is the great Victor over death
and the world of darkness. He unites His disciples, who were paralysed with fear. He opens
up before us new prospects of life and of acting for His coming kingdom. The Risen Lord
unites and strengthens all believers. Peace and unity are the hallmarks of our transformation
in the resurrection.
Day Six: Changed by God’s Steadfast Love
This is the victory, our faith (cf. 1 Jn 5:4)
On this day we concentrate our attention on God’s steadfast love. The Paschal Mystery
reveals this steadfast love, and calls us to a new way of faith. This faith overcomes fear and
opens our hearts to the power of the Spirit. Such faith calls us to friendship with Christ, and
so to one another.
Day Seven: Changed by the Good Shepherd
Feed my sheep (Jn 21:17)
On this day the Bible texts show us the Lord strengthening His flock. Following the Good
Shepherd, we are called to strengthen each other in the Lord, and to support and fortify the
weak and the lost. There is one Shepherd, and we are his people.
Day Eight: United in the Reign of Christ
To the one who conquers I will give a place with me on my throne (Rv 3:21)
On this last day of our week of prayer for Christian Unity we celebrate the Reign of Christ.
Christ’s victory enables us to look into the future with hope. This victory overcomes all that
keeps us from sharing fullness of life with him and with each other. Christians know that
unity among us is above all a gift of God. It is a share in Christ’s glorious victory over all that
divides.
Links
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Annual Congregational Meeting
This Sunday, January 22
UniLu's Annual Congregational Meeting will be held immediately after worship this Sunday. All are welcome to stay. Voting is restricted to members of the congregation in good standing and student members. Student members of
this congregation are those baptized and confirmed members of Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America and LWF churches as well as denominations with which
the ELCA shares full communion who are attending local educational
institutions. (UniLu Constitution section C8.02 as ratified 1-24-2010)
How Can you Prepare for the Meeting?
This year, all of the documents which are part of the report will be posted on-line. Click here to view the reports, minutes, and budget. If you are able to make some time to do this, you'll be better prepared to ask questions during the meeting.
Prayerfully consider the 2012 Budget
Council has worked extremely hard this year to present a balanced budget to the congregation. Unfortunately, with cuts in support from the wider church for Campus Ministry, and as tight as the expense lines are written, the 2012 budget has a deficit. The Church Council is posing a challenge to the congregation with the full faith and belief that this challenge will be met. UniLu is well known as a dedicated congregation and has been given tremendous gifts from God to do wonderful ministry in University City. We ask for your prayers before we meet and for your best minds as we work on the budget at this Sunday's annual meeting. The budget is posted here.
This Week in Worship
The Third Sunday after the Epiphany
Stories of the call to discipleship continue as the Time after Epiphany plays out the implications of our baptismal calling to show Christ to the world. Jesus begins proclaiming the good news and calling people to repentance right after John the Baptist is arrested for preaching in a similar way. Knowing that John was later executed, we see at the very outset the cost of discipleship. Still, the two sets of fisherman brothers leave everything they have known and worked for all their lives to follow Jesus and fish for people.
Readings for Sunday
Jonah 3:1–5, 10
The book of Jonah is a comedy starring a reluctant prophet who is given a one-sentence message: Nineveh will be destroyed in forty days. Much to Jonah’s dismay, the people of Nineveh repent. The point of the story is to get the reader to wrestle with the question “On whom should God have mercy?”
Psalm 62:5–12
God alone is my rock and my salvation. (Ps. 62:6)
1 Corinthians 7:29–31
Paul does not disapprove of marriage or other human social institutions. He does, however, want Christians to live in the present in fervent anticipation of God’s future, which even now has dawned through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Mark 1:14–20
Before Jesus calls his first disciples, he proclaims a message that becomes known as “the gospel” or good news from God. God is ready to rule our lives. Those who realize this will respond with repentance and faith.
Music for Sunday
Opening Hymn: #675 O Christ, Our Light, O Radiance True
Hymn of the Day: #696 Jesus Calls Us; O’er the Tumult
Communion Hymn: #661 I Love to Tell the Story
Communion Chant: #721 Goodness Is Stronger than Evil
Sending Hymn: #547 Sent Forth By God’s Blessing
Scheduled to Serve
Preacher and Presider: The Rev. Jay Wiesner: Music Director: Douglas Barclay; Verger: Charlie Horn; Deacon:Emma Reuschel; Sub-deacon: Kevin Saunders; Crucifer: Maddie Butt; Lectors: Sue Schmitthenner, Bob Spangler; Prayer Leader: Fred Wolfe; Communion Assistant: Kristen Myer; Usher: Gary Bronson; Greeter: Faith Garrett; Counters: TBA; Coffee Hour: Michael Glatfelter
SouperBowl of Caring
February 5, 2012
In 1990, a Super Bowl Sunday prayer inspired a group of
young people to do something more than celebrate a football game. They created
the Souper Bowl of Caring, and have mobilized youth across the country to raise
more than $71 million for people in need.
Please drop $1 (or more) in a soup pot on Sunday, February 5th. For more information on the Souper Bowl of
Caring visit www.sopuerbowl.org
Funds raised will be given to Philabundance, the food bank for the Philadelphia region, specifically designated for the agency account for Grace Lutheran Church. Non-perishable food items can also be contributed. Philabundance is the region’s largest hunger relief organization. In fiscal 2010, we acquired 21 million pounds of food, distributed 18 million pounds in our service area and exported 3 million pounds of food to assist other area food banks.
We serve low income residents at risk of hunger and malnutrition, of which 23% are children and 16% are senior citizens. We get food directly into the communities though our direct services programs or through our network of agencies. These agencies include food cupboards, neighborhood distributions, shelters, emergency kitchens and various social service agencies. Philabundance provides a reliable source of food to 9 counties in the Delaware Valley.
La Bernardinia
"Viva Italia"
La Bernardinia Baroque Ensemble, a group which has played numerous recitals here at UniLu, has planned a concert at Swathmore College on Monday, February 6th, at 12:30 pm in the Lang Concert Hall, as part of the Monday Midday Concert Series.
The program will feature nstrumental and secular vocal music from Baroque Italy; compositions by Vivaldi, Corelli, Frescobaldi, Falconieri, and others; with special guest artist, Clara Rottsolk, soprano.
Admission is free, building #29 on the campus map, which may be viewed here.
More information about La Bernardinia's current concert schedule may be found here at their web site.
Lenten Devotional Booklet
More than 50 % of Verses Selected
Thanks so much to all of you who have already signed up to write reflections for the Lenten Devotional Booklet. We invite those of you who haven't signed up yet to select from the verses listed below.
We ask that you write a brief (no more than 200 words) reflection on how the verse speaks to you, and to write a brief prayer on how your relationship with God might be strengthened by that verse.
The reflection and prayer should be emailed to the church office coordinator@uniluphila.org no later than February 8 so that they may all be compiled into booklet form to be ready for distribution by Transfiguration Sunday, February 19th. The reflections will also be available on the UniLu website.
F 2-24 Ps.25:3
Tu 2-28 Ps.77:11-12
W 2-29 Ps.77:14
M 3-5 Ps.105:1
F 3-9 Ps.19:7
Sa 3-10 Ps.19: 9
Su 3-11 Ps.19:8
F 3-16 Ps. 107:17-18
Sa 3-17 Ps. 107:21
Sa 3-24 Ps. 51:8
M 3-26 Ps. 119: 10
W 3-28 Ps. 119: 13
Th 3-29 Ps. 118:22
Sa 3-31 Ps. 118: 27
Su 4-1 Ps. 31:5
M 4-2 Ps. 36:7
W 4-4 Ps. 70:1
Th 4-5 Ps. 116:13
Su 4-8 Ps. 118:24
Lobbying
For the LGBTQ Community: When, Where, Why, and How
MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 6 p.m.-9 p.m.
University Lutheran Church
37th & Chestnut Streets (Philadelphia, PA)
Featuring: Joanna Blotner
Religion & Faith Office, Human Rights Campaign
Ted Martin
Executive Director, Equality PA
Prior to the program (from 6:00 to 7:00), there will be a dinner, providing time for participants to connect with LGBTQ-friendly people of faith across the region and learn about nearby welcoming congregations.
The program will include Q&A and small group discussions will allow for additional interaction and networking.
It is essential to RSVP for the dinner (rosenwrite@comcast.net). It is also possible to attend just the program that starts at 7:00 pm.
Co-sponsored by Tabernacle United Church and University Lutheran Church
The YES! Coalition nourishes the spiritual expression of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and same-gender-loving people, and our families and friends. Volunteers carry out this mission in partnership with affirming faith communities in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties that welcome people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and same-gender-loving). The YES! Coalition includes over 250 faith communities in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties.
The Man with No Shoes
 Most people know him as the man with no shoes. He lives on the street and plays the piano. Some of us know him as Raymond, the English name he shares because most of us can't pronounce his Chinese name. I have heard Raymond speak of Communist China, and there is something about living in an institution where he was forced to wear ill-fitting shoes that tortured his feet; but Raymond speaks to us through the piano, the instrument he learned to play by developing a mathematical system to translate the notes.
Several weeks ago Raymond joined The Welcome Church for our weekly gathering of tea at Arch Street United Methodist Church. As usual, he was barefoot and greeted us with his most gracious smile. After playing a rendition of "What Child is This?" he sat at the table to join us for tea. As if to answer the question posed by the song he had just played, Raymond lifted his head and looked over this tea table filled with others who lived on the street and he said, "You know, Jesus was born in a shelter!" Nods and "Amen" followed and once again the gospel had been proclaimed. - Rev. Violet Litte, The Welcome Church (from MinistryLink) For more on the Welcome Church.
Raymond is also a regular guest at Feast Incarnate. He usually has no shoes, except for the absolute coldest days of winter. His music has graced healing services held here on several occasion. More than once. Raymond has had to refuse offers of the shoes off the feet of students and high school youth who come to help serve the meal who feel moved to offer their own shoes so that Raymond might return home more safely.
Prayer Concerns
For all those who live with HIV and AIDS, for those who know their status, and for those who have not yet been tested, that they might receive the support and treatment that they need, and that they be able to live lives free of prejudice and stigma.
For the nearly 12 million people around the world are stateless, that their status and residency might be recognized, especially for Kerstin.
For all students and teachers, that they may work together in mutual respect and find joy in the challenges of academic life, especially for Cynthia, Sim, Julie, Richard, Suzanne, Colleen, Angel, John, Rory, Cari, Alexa, Bee, Kate, Chris, Rob, Emma, Gillian, Kelly, Alan, Faith, Maddie, Sarah, Douglas, Tom, Danielle, Noelia, Gabrielle, Christy, Josh, Alyssa, Nicholas, Michael, Austin, Alex, Michael, Lucas, Nathan, Lauren, Kyra, Bianca, Mike, Angela, Grace, Matt, Daniel, Olivia, Ingrid, Judith, Ibi, Althea, Tammy, Allie, Carrissa, and Jason.
For peace for those experiencing troubling times, especially for Carrie, for Kevin, and for Bobbie.
For the newly married, especially for Colleen and Nick, for Chris and Kate, for Laura and Daniel, for Amy and Chris, and for those preparing for marriage, especially for Beki and Uel, and for Sarah and James.
For all congregations in transition.
For our President, our Governor, and our Mayor, and for all elected officials, that they govern with wisdom and compassion.
For all the guests of Feast Incarnate, especially those without homes or shelter, and for all those who minister to those who are less-homed.
For all who are discerning God's call to ministry.
For those who mourn, especially For Michael Glatfelter and his family, as they mourn the death of his father, Richard; for Susan and her family as they mourn the death of her son, Aidan Alexander Garcia; for Bobbie and Nancy as they mourn the death of Sherry; for the Newhouse Family as they mourn the loss of their son, AJ; for Suzanne DiNello and her family as they mourn the death of her grandmother, Ruth; for the family and friends of Marjorie Twiford; for the family and friends of David Ansel; for Matt O'Rear and his family as they mourn the death of his mother and his grandmother; for John Eskate and his family as they mourn the death of his father, Michael; for Alexa and her family as they mourn the death of her father; for the family and friends of Beverly Edwards; for Johanna and her family as they mourn the death of her grandfather; for Sue and her family as they mourn the death of her aunt, Dorothy; and for the family and friends of Sarah Thompson.
For those for whom death draws near, that they be free from pain and suffering, that they die in God's peace.
For healing for Louise,for Scott, for Suzanne, for Richard, for Sue, for Bob, for Kevin, for Kimberly's mother, Gail, for Joe, for Bill, for Gretchen and Albert, Sharon, Inez, Ruth and Hank, Dwayne and Paula, Rakkeem, Sydney, and for Gloria.
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