ITLOTC 1-6-17

ITLOTC

(In The Life Of The Church) 

Epiphany

A Letter From A Departing UBCer

Dear UBC,

For those of you who do not know me, or can’t remember how you know me, I have been a member of UBC during my time at Baylor and I had the privilege of serving on the Leadership team for the past three semesters. Upon graduating and moving home to Colorado, I wanted to take a moment to thank you all for your participation in the life of UBC and thus consequently in my own formation. I came to Waco to attend Baylor but I stayed for you people, seriously. 

Through my time at UBC and on the leadership team I learned so much about the passions and challenges of church life in Waco from my fellow L-team members. In fact, if I were smarter I may have remained silent through the meetings so as to absorb all the wisdom in the room. Unfortunately, we all know I can’t seem to keep my ideas (read: opinions) to myself, so I did my fair share of talking. Despite being the youngest and least experienced in the room, my contributions were met with thoughtful consideration and encouragement. The team, and the church body, never dismissed me, but rather sought out my input and considered it. Often it was necessary for someone to ask me to consider something that I had not, and this was always done with grace and respect.

UBC makes a point to have a diversity of voices speaking to their direction and decision-making. As a woman, this has been particularly significant to me. In a culture that frequently tells me that I cannot lead, that I should not lead, and that God does not want me to lead, you asked me to lead. You affirm and value my specific gifting and vocation. You do not question my gifting because of my gender or my age.  You treat me as a valuable and necessary limb on the body of Christ. I am empowered and inspired through the community and conviction at UBC, and I trust that others are as well.

I am not so naïve to think that this church is perfectly reaching every member of its community. There is always room for growth and improvement. However, for my specific self during my time in Waco, UBC was the closest thing to a perfect fit that I have ever felt. This church provided me equal parts affirmation and challenge, growth and rest.

University Baptist Church, because of God’s work in you I am better equipped to walk in God’s will for my life. Your reverent and intelligent engagement with scripture and passionate pursuit of truth and justice has forced myself and others to wake up to the bleeding, broken, beautiful world around us.  

You may find yourself wondering where the thesis of this letter is. I am wondering that as well. If I could leave you with anything it would be this: know that the community that you are forming and being formed by is special, important, ordained, and wildly impactful. Members of UBC, I see us as bearing a great privilege and a great responsibility to engage Waco with truth and grace. May we feel the full weight of each of those realities daily.

Over and out,

Joy

New Leadership Team Members

Giving Joy's wonderful blogpost, it should now be evident that we are looking for new leadership team members.  If you were at our December town hall then you heard me announce that the leadership team decided in their October meeting to add two leadership team positions specifically for college students.  It is a kind of quota.  The only qualification or difference between the seven current seats for leadership team and these two additional student spots, is that the student spots will be one year commitments with the chance to renew for three years as opposed to the current three year commitment the other leadership team spots require.  

So if you would like to be serve or nominate someone else to serve please email our leadership chair Jon Davis, jdavis83@gmail.com. 

Here are some things to consider from the bylaws: 

(A) Purpose.  The Leadership Team shall be the primary decision-making body of UBC.  The Leadership Team will oversee all the business and property of the church, as well as make the final decisions regarding hiring and dismissal of staff and the acquisition and selling of assets that are beyond budgetary provisions. 

(B) Composition.  The Leadership Team shall consist of nine members, two which are university level students, of the UBC community that are not staff, finance team or human recourses and support team.

(C) Qualifications.  Each member of Leadership Team shall have been a member of UBC for at least one year, exhibited an understanding and commitment to the mission and values of the church, and be willing to fulfill all responsibilities in the Leadership Team job description.

UBC’s Thailand Partnership

We have some exciting news: the missionaries we work with in Thailand our coming for a visit the weekend of January 29th.  They will be sharing more about their work in Thailand during the service that Sunday, and we will also have a time for you to get to know them.  On Sunday, January 29th, please join us in the Backside for coffee and fellowship.  At 9:30am, during the Sunday School hour, we will  be hanging out in the Backside with coffee and snacks, and this will be an opportunity for you to get to know our partners in Thailand better.  If you have any questions, please email toph@ubcwaco.org

Work is Worship

Greeters: Ricky & Juliet 

Coffee Makers: 

Mug Cleaners:  Dilan B. 

Money Counter: Josh McCormick 

Announcements

  • Sunday Sermon:  
  • The Middle Ages January 21--Restaurant 1424 at 6:30pm
  • February 3-- Parents Night Out -- More Info to Come 
  • February 12th - Love Lovefeast
  • February 18--The Middle Ages -- TBA
  • March 1st - Ash Wednesday
  • March 18-- The Middle Ages--TBA
  • April 2-- UBC Families @ Soccer Fields -- More Info to Come 
  • April 7th and 8th - Spring Retreat (Freshman/Sophomores)
  • April 13th - Maundy Thursday
  • April 14th - Good Friday
  • April 16th - Easter
  • April 22--The Middle Ages Baylor Theatre production of the comedy NOISES OFF— 
  • April 30th - Mr. Rogers Sund
  • April 30th - Graduate Luncheon
  • May 2nd - Study Hall 

Do you have an emergency and need to talk to a pastor? 

254 413 2611

Leadership Team

If you have a concern or an idea for UBC that you’d like to share with someone that is not on staff, feel free to contact one of our leadership team members. 

Chair- Jon Davis: jdavis83@gmail.com

Joy Wineman: joy.wineman@gmail.com

Stan Denman: Stan_Denman@baylor.edu

Adam Winn:  adamwinn68@yahoo.com

Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com

Sharyl Loeung: sharylwl@gmail.com

Emma Wood: emmaj.wood@yahoo.com

UBC Finance Team

Do you have a question about UBC’s financial affairs? Please feel free to contact any of your finance team members.

Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com

Hannah Kuhl: HannahKuhl@hotmail.com  

Justin Pond: pondjw@gmail.com

Anna Tilson: Anna_Tilson@jrbt.com

Doug McNamee: douglas_mcnamee@baylor.edu

UBC HR Team

If you have concerns about staff and would like contact our human resources team, please feel free to email any of the following members.

Maxcey Blaylock: maxceykite@gmail.com

Mathew Crawford: mathewcrawford@yahoo.com

Rob Engblom: Rob_Engblom@baylor.edu

Ross Van Dyke: Ross_Vandyke@baylor.edu

Jared Gould: jared.gould1@gmail.com