ITLOTC
(In The Life Of The Church)
Ordinary Time
"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Culture of Honor
Last week my Facebook page with filled with ALS Icebucket challenge videos. This week, those have been replaced by pictures of McLane Stadium. It's exciting isn't it? I don't know if you feel this way, but to me it feels like a gem on Waco's crown. It's not just a football stadium, it's a symbol of what Waco is becoming (thanks in large part to winning football games). Now everyone traveling from Austin to Dallas and back again has to reckon with the fact that Waco is about more than David Koresh. Waco is becoming a place to be.
All that to say I get why people post pictures of the stadium. I had an interesting conversation about pictures this summer. When I was about to snap a photo of a famous European landmark my friend asked me if I wanted her to take it. Grateful for the offer, I told her no. "Why do you want the picture then?" she asked. Her point was that you can get a picture of anything off of the internet. Probably a better one than the one you take. The reason to get a picture, she explained, was to put yourself in the moment, otherwise it's just another picture.
I disagreed. I took pictures from my vantage point to help me remember what I saw and how saw it. Sure my iPhone 4 is a little old and I'm admittedly a poor photographer, but I take pictures to celebrate the experiences I had.
Last Friday a friend asked if I could go to lunch on Monday. I replied, "Yes, please. Time and place?" The reply, "1130 McLane Stadium." Wait did I read that right? That weekend I went out and bought a pair of khaki pants. On Monday I joined a select group of people who had lunch in a fantasy part of the stadium that I'll most likely never get into again. We were the trial group for lunch buffet. It was thrilling. After the lunch my friend took me and another guy all around the stadium. I'm not sure how rare my experience was. Maybe you've done the same thing, but to me if felt like a big deal.
(A shot of the presidents suite)
Later that day as I was flipping through my photos admiring the stadium I thought not about the stadium itself, but about my friend who invited me--that he had thought of me. I don't have a ton to offer Baylor, especially fiscally, but this didn't discount him from inviting me.
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Bill Shakespeare said that brevity is the soul of wit. There are few things that I enjoy more than a thoughtful, humorous and subtly placed comment. It's the stuff of America's best comedy. It's Jim from The Office, Michael from Arrested Development & Chandler from Friends (just in case you're an older reader). I also think it is from these grounds of wit that the sarcasm that characterizes so much of American discourse grows. And while I also enjoy (and participate in) the entertaining value of sarcasm, I sometimes wonder if we are losing the ability to offer a well placed and meaningful exchange. I'm talking about sincere encouragement.
I entitled this entry "culture of honor" because what I'm really after is about more than encouraging words. I'm thinking of any action, encouragement, or sentiment that is about the edification or building up of a friend. A saying, note, action or email that's sole purpose is to communicate to another human being, "hey, you matter and I'm glad to share this moment with you."
I looked up the definition of "honor" expecting the verbal tense to describe what I was meaning, but somehow those definitions seemed inadequate. I felt honored by my friend.
Last week I preached from Romans 1:11-12 "for I long to see you that I may part some spiritual gift to you, that it may establish you ... that is that I may be mutually encouraged by the faith of both you and me," (my paraphrase). I think Paul is calling us to do something with gift of language. That he's calling us to be a part of a culture, that even if ever so subtly, is always aware that we are speaking to another who is created in the image of God (Gen 1:27) and fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). That reminds me of this quote I saw on twitter this week:
It takes work to keep that perspective--to live in a culture of honoring people. But I think it's a worthwhile endeavor. My prayer is that UBC would move this way in our discipleship. That we would continue to be a people who are smart and intelligent in the we consume and critique culture, but also that we'd be a people who create our own in response. I pray that we would speak meaningful and deep words full of wisdom and care. I pray that we encourage one another and build each other up.
Meet Our Newest UBCers
Name: Charles Martin Davis
Birthday: August 7th 4:16am
Weight: 5lb 0oz
Height: 19in
Enneagram Number: 1
Name: Harrison Bradley Davis
Birthday: August 7th 4:22am
Weight: 6lb 0oz
Height: 18.5in
Enneagram Number: 7
UBC Kids Ministry Update from Pastor Emily
This week is a busy one for UBCKids! First, we will have Kindergarten Commission this Sunday! This is a chance for us to celebrate this BIG moment in the lives of these kids when they begin their journey towards being Baylor alumni! (Because...they KNOW where they're going!) But it also gives us a church community a chance to pray for these kids and commit ourselves to taking this journey with them as their brothers and sisters in Christ! We also will be unveiling some of the WONDERFUL works of art our kids created this summer while we learned about our creative God and what it REALLY means to worship! Check out our Create! art gallery after church in the game room to see how our kids were inspired by God's Creation!
Here's what's coming this fall! Sunday School: For our smaller UBCKids (0-Kindergarten) we will have fun and fellowship in the Branch Room! We will have all of these guys playing and loving life together in the Branch Room while the adults talk about boring "adult" stuff! If you are one of the many who consider goodbyes a little tough, no need to fret! We will make sure that your little one ends up where they need to be for the service! Also, color sheets, good times and friends are provided, but it is BYO-Donut from the coffee room! For those UBCKids who are too sophisticated for color sheets (1st grade and up) we have a class to suit their big kid taste! As we all know, God is EVERYWHERE...even in Legos! This year, we will be learning about God one Lego at a time in our "Faith-Builders" class! Each week we will build together and learn about what Faith in God really means! Join us as we explore our creativity and bring Biblical lessons to life in a geometric way!
During the service: We have a perfect place for every UBCer...even the tiny ones! Our Nurture Room is a safe and loving place for babies 0-Walkers! Sprout is fun place of exploration for the horizontally mobile-upper 2's! The Bloom Room teaches the fundamentals with the ABC's Of God's Love to those UBCKids who are from 2- younger 4! In the Branch Room, the older 4's-Kindergarteners begin our "big kid" curriculum by following the lectionary with the adults! The Root Kids (1st grade-4th grade) get to worship during the music but will get their own version of the sermon in the "Red Room" (first room on the left)! For more information, see the UBCKids board or email Emily at emily@ubcwaco.org.
During the week: For our more mature UBCKids, we have the new weekday classes, Venture! These are, actually, two new classes during the week for 4th-8th graders! Our girls will be exploring what the Bible says about all things girl, while our boys are doing their guy thing! Each week, we will have fun with JUST girls or JUST boys as we learn a new skill (that is essential for being an awesome girl or boy!) and explore what the Bible says about it! Think, "The Dangerous Book For Boys and The Daring Book For Girls meets The Amazing Story Of God's Love!" For more info, please contact Emily at emily@ubcwaco.org!
We are beginning our search for new UBCKids Volunteers! We will be holding trainings on the 21st and 28th of September, so if you are interested in helping out, EMAIL ME! I'd love to get to know you and find a place for you to serve with our amazing kids!
Sunday's Music
Jameson McGregor will be leading the music on Sunday. Jamie is a Truett student and is a member of the leadership team here at Ubc. Here are a few other things we think you should know about him.
1. Jamie always wears black clothes. 2. Yes, he does use beard oil. 3. He and his wife Adair have two cats and one very cool dog named Duncan.
HR and Finance Teams
We are approaching that time of year when some of our faithful members of both the human resources and finance teams are due to rotate off. As such we are looking for capable and willing UBCers to step and replace those people.
We are looking for 1-2 new human resource team members and 1-2 new finance team members.
Interested persons in either serving or nominating another UBCer should email josh@ubcwaco.org
A description of each role and the qualifications for each have been copied form our bylaws and pasted below.
Human Resources
The Human Resources/Staff Support Team shall exist for the following purposes:
To establish procedures for the hiring of ministerial and non-ministerial staff, and to enact those procedures when advised by Leadership Team to do so. To advise Leadership and Finance teams on issues regarding long-term staff needs. To create and implement staff review procedures. To advise Leadership and Finance teams on matters regarding staff compensation, benefits, grievances and termination. To be a liaison between the congregation and staff during times of conflict after all attempts at personal, one-on-one resolution has been made. HR/Staff Support Team members shall have been an active participant in the life of UBC for no less than one year, have received a bachelor’s degree (or roughly an equivalent amount of experience in personnel management, ministry, or other related field,) and have a demonstrable understanding of organizational management.
Finance
Purpose. The Finance Team shall exist for the following purposes:
To serve as the primary advisory group for the Leadership Team in all budgetary and financial aspects of the church. To oversee, in coordination with the ministerial staff, yearly budgetary processes, working to create a financial ministry plan in alignment with the ethos, mission and values of UBC. To advise the staff and Leadership Team on any emergency financial matters that may arise with regards to the physical infrastructure of the church building, as well as those matters pertaining to compensation and benefits of personnel. To assess the current financial status of the church on a monthly basis and advise the staff and Leadership Team on matters concerning changes in planned ministry expenses. To advise the Human Resources/Staff Support team on all financial matters regarding new and existing personnel, including available resources concerning salaries, salary increases, insurance, taxes, etc. To advise the church body on all matters relating to stewardship, financial integrity, etc. Qualifications. Finance Team members shall have been an active participant in the life of UBC for at least a year, have received at least a bachelors degree level of education (or roughly an equivalent amount of experience in business or finance,) and have at least a basic understanding of financial reports and budgets.
Work is Worship: 8-31-14
Mug Cleaners: Chris & Hannah Kuhl
Coffee Makers: Hannah Boman & Byron Roldon
Greeters: Graham Dodd & Joy Weinmann
Announcements:
Sermon Text: "1 Thessalonians 5:19-21"
Love Feast: UBCs first love feast is coming up on Sunday, September 7th!
Sunday School: Craig will be giving an introduction to Sunday School classes for the fall, this Sunday August 31st at 9:30 AM in the backside. A small breakfast will be provided. The following Sunday, September 7th, both adult and children sunday school classes will begin.
Emerging Parents: Our first emerging parents class will be this Wednesday, September 3rd at 5:30 PM. If you have any questions or would like more information please email josh@ubcwaco.org
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: Teri Walter: terijan@gmail.com
Jana Parker jparkerslp@gmail.com
Kristin Dodson: kschwebke@prodigy.net
Kaley Eggers: kaley.eggers@gmail.com
David Wilhite: david_wilhite@baylor.edu
Jamie McGregor: jameson.mcgregor@gmail.com
Byron Roldan: Byron_Roldan@baylor.edu
UBC Finance Team
Do you have a question about UBC’s financial affairs? Please feel free to contact any of your finance team members.
Tom Haines: thomas_haines@baylor.edu
Paul Taft: ptaft@extracobanks.com
Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com
Chris Kim: chris_kim@alumni.baylor.edu
Tom McCarty: tomjmccarty@gmail.com
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.
Lacy McNamee: Lacy_McNamee@baylor.edu
Callie Schrank: Callie_Schrank@baylor.edu
Jeff Walter: jeff_walter@baylor.edu
Michael Heins: mheins@hot.rr.com