ITLOTC
(In The Life Of The Church)
Lent 2015
Over these last six weeks of lent, the main article of the newsletter has been a lenten reflection written by someone from our community. This week's submission brings these writings to a conclusion. This week I'm honored to have Liz Andrasi write for us. Liz is in her last semester of work at Truett. She is also doing her mentoring with us at UBC this semester and has headed this writing project. I'm grateful for her help. Enjoy!
Learning Lent
I didn’t observe Lent growing up. When I started coming to UBC and studying at Truett three years ago I was blown away by the rhythm of the liturgical calendar and the perspective it helps infuse into each day – even in ordinary time – but especially in this season.
In our Ash Wednesday services Jamie read this excerpt from Frederick Buechner’s Wishful Thinking:
In many cultures there is an ancient custom of giving a tenth of each year’s income to some holy use. For Christians, to observe the forty days of lent is to do the same thing with roughly a tenth of each year’s days. After being baptized by John in the river Jordan, Jesus went off alone into the wilderness where he spent forty days asking himself the question what it meant to be Jesus.
During Lent, Christians are supposed to ask one way or another what it means to be themselves…It can be a pretty depressing business all in all, but if sack-cloth and ashes are at the start of it, something like Easter may be at the end.
You can see the entirety of the excerpt here.
This year as I approached Lent – with this quote in mind - I was excited to know myself better. I considered it an extra holy time of self-reflection spent with God…if I could just pinpoint the right thing to fast from or rule to add into my life.
I had skewed expectations for Lent. They looked like a self-help book in the making rather than a decision to follow Jesus into the wilderness.
It has been a holy time, but not because of anything I’ve done. Actually, I failed pretty handedly at observing my Lenten practice of the Daily Examen within the first few days of the journey.
If I had to graph my personal experience with Lent this year it would trend downward (which, let’s be honest, is what I should have expected). Overall it was marked by a shadow of inadequacy and realization of my arrogance and failures across pretty much every area of life. I found myself unable to focus on scripture in daily devotionals…unable to keep my thoughts engaged in prayer when I set aside moments to do so…failing to complete tasks on time or up to my usual standards…and doing things that hurt people out of carelessness or callousness. Not at all the picture I had of concentrated, pretty, self-reflection and growth into greater Christ-likeness that I imagined when I started the Lenten journey.
Around the time Jamie first shared the Buechner quote with me - three weeks or so before Ash Wednesday - the Spirit gave me something else to meditate on…I think to help balance and guide me:
“Trust; be present; wait; see.”
Meditating over this became my Lenten practice.
If I’m being honest, I don’t like those imperatives. Not really. (Well, maybe the last one. I like to “see” things come to fruition…but not if that seeing has to come after trusting and waiting.) Even now almost forty whole days later I still feel myself pushing against them. They sound great and spiritual and helpful but I’ve found that in practice it’s a real struggle to be faithful and obedient to these directives.
Trust…be present…wait…see…
Worry…plan…rush…speculate…
I want to plan. I want to achieve. I want to know the reason why I’m being asked to do something. I want to know that I’m not wasting my time investing in something I may not like the outcome of. I want a say in the plan, process, and product. I want control.
Jesus went to the wilderness and was formed. He didn’t do the forming.
He trusted the Spirit’s leading.
He was present to temptation.
He waited on God to act and provide.
He saw the fruit of the wilderness as he journeyed out into public ministry.
He learned what it meant to be Jesus.
What does it mean to be me?
I’ve found that even in the wilderness the Lord is present and good. I’ve found that even when I’m too exhausted to achieve…I am still loved. I’ve found that anxieties are the antithesis of trust, and mine are rooted deeply. I’ve found that the moments that I am at my weakest I tend to see and hear God most clearly. I’ve found that when I try to force God to speak or act in my life or the lives of others I am living in distortion.
What does it mean to be us…what does it mean to be a community formed into the way of Christ?
Trust…be present…wait…see…
UBC, we will gather on Sunday with palms in our midst. Passion Week is almost upon us.
We journey on…sharing a meal on Maundy Thursday, gathering solemnly on Good Friday, sitting in the uncomfortable waiting of Saturday, and finally celebrating in the joy and relief of Resurrection Sunday.
In the wilderness and in front of an empty tomb…what does it mean to be ourselves?
Meet Our Newest UBCer
Celina Jaye Dracos
Birthday: 2-20-15
Birth Weight: 8 lb. 3 oz.
Birth Height: 20.5 inches
Enneagram Number: 5
Holy Week Schedule
aundy Thursday Service: 4-2-15 @ 6:00 PM
Maundy Thursday is the Christian holy day, falling on the Thursday before Easter. It commemorates the Maundy and Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles as described in the Canonical gospels. At UBC we celebrate this day of holy week by sharing a feast together. We will meet in the backside and enjoy a potluck meal and conclude by sharing communion. We will read scripture and fellowship in the Lord as we move one step closer to Good Friday.
Good Friday Service: 4-3-15 @ 6:00 PM
Easter Sunday Service: 4-5-15 .... SS 9:30 A.M. & Worship 10:30 A.M.
UBC Families at the soccer field
After church this Sunday, March 29th, we'd like to invite you and your family to UBC families at the soccer field. We will provide lunch at the Baylor soccer field and spend some time throwing a frisbee, and playing european and american football. if you are interested contact josh@ubcwaco.org
HR Team Nomination
UBC is looking for a new HR member. If you would like to nominate someone to serve on the HR team, please email josh@ubcwaco.org. Here is some information to consider:
(A) Purpose. The Human Resources/Staff Support Team shall exist for the following purposes:
a. 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.
b. To advise Leadership and Finance teams on issues regarding long-term staff needs.
c. To create and implement staff review procedures.
d. To advise Leadership and Finance teams on matters regarding staff compensation, benefits, grievances and termination.
e. 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.
(A) Qualifications. 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.
Work is Worship
Greeters:
Coffee Makers: Byron & Jake
Mug Cleaners: Kuhl
Shutdown Team: Golden Glitter Girls
Announcements:
Sunday Sermon Text: Mark 11:1-11
Do you have an Emergency? Do you Need to talk to a Pastor?:
254 366 9779
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
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
Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com
Chris Kim: chris_kim@alumni.baylor.edu
Hannah Kuhl: HannahKuhl@hotmail.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.
Maxcey Blaylock: maxceykite@gmail.com
Mathew Crawford: mathewcrawford@yahoo.com
Callie Schrank: Callie_Schrank@baylor.edu
Michael Heins: mheins@hot.rr.com
Jeff Walter: Jeff_Walter@ubcwaco.org