Great Memories

My home base

by Jan at LutherNoles

I arrived in Tallahassee the Fall of 2002 from Texas without knowing anything about the city. My mom looked up LCMS churches in the hotel phone book, and told me to go to University Lutheran since we recognized the street name. I went that first Sunday mostly because I knew she would keep asking me until I did. It was Pastor Dohrman who noticed me and immediately started talking to me. When I told him I liked to sing, he grabbed the choir director and signed me up right then. There was no getting out of it. Over the next four years University Lutheran became more than a church or a community; it became my home base. We were a close choir group who went to every football game, traveled for retreats, and escaped to Pastor Dohrman’s beach house. Wednesday night Bible study and choir practices were highlights of my week. I moved 8 times in college, but University Lutheran was constant. When I needed to clean my place for a security deposit, Pastor let me take the church vacuum. When I had to move on short notice, Pastor gave me his van for the day. When my roommate threw a 21^st birthday party the night before my Organic Chemistry final, Pastor let me study and sleep in the church. When I needed a job, Pastor hired me to work around the Sanctuary cleaning up and printing bulletins. I graduated FSU in 2006, went to graduate school at NYU and I’m a Painting Conservator now at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. I haven’t been back to Tally since 2007, but I read the newsletter every time. I think of my friends, both students and residents, and I think of Pastor Dohrman and how they all made such a difference for me. I’ll always consider University Lutheran my Tallahassee home.

– Melissa

Opportunity to Serve

by Jan at LutherNoles

One of my favorite experiences while at University Lutheran was the opportunity to serve. At least twice a year, college students from various universities came to serve the community in various mission activities. When UF and FSU students came together for retreat, we would put aside our football rivalry and help refurbish homes in the community. We would paint, clean, put up siding — whatever the person who had fallen on hard times needed. And we would always come together after our service and hard work to praise God for the opportunity He had given us. We truly learned the deepest meaning of “tis better to give than receive.”

Bar none, the best mission experience that we participated in while I was at University Lutheran was taking a week-long trip to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina devastated homes and people there. We were put into teams at Camp Restore and helped pretty much clean out, re-tile, and make like new an entire house! Was it hard work? Yes. But did we grow spiritually because of our service? I know I did!

I graduated from FSU with my Bachelors degree and a firm knowledge of just how rewarding a life of servitude for the Lord can be and is. I remember this every time I feel like complaining about having to go to work — or when I don’t think that my house is nice enough . . . I simply remember that serving others, just as Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice on the cross, is why we are here on earth. Crystal

I opened the pesky newsletter

by Jan at LutherNoles

I didn’t attend church much the first two years of college. It just wasn’t something I made time for. I lived across the street in what was then called New Hall. The Sunday morning service didn’t start until 11. STILL couldn’t get there.

But in the fall of 2007, I found myself with no friends, no direction, and nothing left to lose. And then I found University Lutheran. Or, rather, it found me. I’d been getting these emails from Pastor Jay. Nothing fancy, just some pesky newsletters sent out to self-identified Lutherans. But it was enough. I showed up one night out of the blue at a Halloween movie night. I didn’t know anyone, didn’t know what to expect. I just knew something had to change.

It was weird. It was awkward. I remember the movie was terrible. But for some reason, I came back. I started to go to church again. I became a part of this Jesus-centered community of Scripture, faith, and grace.

For two years, University Lutheran became my home. I made friends there. I went there to study and hang out. But most of all, I heard about Jesus, every sermon, every Bible study. That’s not just something it says on the sign; at the heart of everything that went on there was the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus for poor, miserable sinners like me. We had fun, but it was always about pointing us to the cross. To give us direction.

I needed direction.

I’m a Lutheran pastor now, serving a congregation in North Dallas. Hard to believe where it all started. I have much to thank God for, but Pastor Jay and University Lutheran Church will always be near the top of that list. The Gospel, grace, finally opening one of those pesky newsletters — these are the things I hold onto. To me, that’s what it means to be a LutherNole. – Adam

by Jan at LutherNoles

We all have great memories of our times at FSU and University Lutheran, and we want to share those. Because of that the LutherNole Network is starting a campaign called “Great Memories”.

We want to hear your stories, your memories, and the great things that you hold on to as you think about what it means to be a LutherNole.

Project Type: Great Memories

My home base

Opportunity to Serve

I opened the pesky newsletter

Great Memories

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