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Social Justice Opportunities At ULC

In January and February 2009, members of ULC met to study and discuss the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, adopted by the United States and nearly every country in the world, as a roadmap for ending poverty.  These discussions encouraged the members to look beyond the outreach activities many had been engaged in as individuals and groups, to strengthen our resolve to continue and expand our opportunities to serve those in need in our community, nation, and the world.  Following are some of the ways members of the congregation seek to do this:

Outreach to Haiti

University Lutheran church supports two ministries of the Lazarus Project in Haiti.  Village of Hope is a school where children living in a poor rural area of Haiti receive a Christian education, uniforms, 2 meals a day, and dental and medical services.  Little Children of Jesus is an orphanage for “special needs” children.  ULC members currently sponsor 24 students at Village of Hope and 3 children at Little Children of Jesus.

In January 2010, ULC’s Youth class put together 31 health kits from items donated by ULC members for disaster relief.  Kits are also assembled and sent each year at Christmas. 

In May 2010, a team of four from ULC traveled to Haiti on a Mission Trip.  They carried with them over 150 pounds of medical supplies. 

Groundbreaking was held to construct a permanent medical clinic at the school site.  Half of the funds from the sale of parking places and beverages at the 2010 UF Homecoming Parade, matched by funds from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans*, went to the Village of Hope Medical Clinic.  The rest of the funds went to Interfaith Fellowship Ministries here in Gainesville. 

Campus Ministry Mission trips

Students from ULC Campus Ministry program have made annual trips during their spring break to learn about and give assistance to Christian work in the following countries:

Check out the Campus Ministry pages for photos and to learn more about these trips.

Crop Drop

In October 2009, ULC and Campus Ministry, along with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and the Society of St. Andrew hosted a Crop Drop event in the parking lot of University Lutheran Church.  About 200 people from various groups turned up to work.  45,000 pounds of potatoes packed in 50 pound sacks were piled in the parking lot, and rebagged into smaller bags and loaded for redistribution to needy people.

Social Justice Garden

Eight food planting beds, provided by the Florida Organic Growers Association, were constructed in the Sunday school area courtyard and planted by many members of the congregation in October 2009.  The garden continues to thrive, and fresh greens are provided to St. Francis House during the growing season.

Christ Child Tree

Each Advent season a small Christ Child Tree is put up in the narthex of the church for members to put cash or a check for a charity in a small red stocking to hang on the tree and take home an ornament in return.  2009 beneficiaries of the tree were homeless children in Gainesville.  2010 donations will go to Peaceful Paths in Gainesville.

Food Collections for Gainesville Christian Ministries

The first Sunday of each month a grocery cart is placed at the entrance of the church for donations of non-perishable food items which are delivered to Gainesville Christian Ministries. 

Sales of Fair Trade Products

Fair trade coffee from the Lutheran World Relief Coffee Project is served during hospitality time each Sunday.  Fair Trade coffees, teas, and chocolates are available for individual purchase through the Equal Exchange interfaith cooperative.

Special Appeals

Congregation members have responded generously from time to time when there has been a special appeal.  Before school resumed in August 2010, when a new dress code went into effect, members helped to provide regulation shirts to needy students in one of the local elementary schools.  In the autumn of 2010, members contributed toward the Alachua County Public School Winter Break Food Basket Drive, with matching funds from Thrivent.

*Thrivent Financial for Lutherans