ITLOTC
(In The Life Of The Church)
Ordinary Time
Do Not Be Past, Do Not Be Future, Be Now
Those are a few of the words that Kyle Lake wrote in the sermon he never got to preach. For me they are some of the most profound and also the hardest to live by.
The World Passing Me By
On my birthday, last July 23, I found myself standing on the shores of south western coast watching the Atlantic waves wash over my feet. With my family back in Wisconsin I decided I would spend the day by myself reflecting. I turned 33 that day. We're not exactly sure what Jesus' timeline looked like, but we guess he was that old, 33, when he was crucified. Kyle was also 33 when he died. The two facts sent me thinking about my life ... more than I do on most birthdays. I don't know that I'll think as hard about my life at 40 or even 50 as I did when I turned 33. I'm not sure if decided if something was going to change this year or if I felt like it would, but the reflection time felt significant.
I often hear people say something like "young people don't understand their mortality." When I was a kid I thought it was stupid claim. "Of course I understand that I'm going to die, everyone dies," I would think to myself. In my 20's I began to discover that old people were right about a lot of things that I'd eventually experience. I guess it's humility that finally convinced me there was something to that claim even if didn't have any experience with the sentiment.
My birthday is rolling around again and so I'm forced to ask myself if I've discovered what changed in 33rd year of my life. I think I've found that answer. I've realized for the first time that I'm mortal. I'm starting to get what I couldn't in my twenties. Today (Thursday) two figures from my childhood passed away: actor Christopher Lee and WWF wrestler Dusty Rhodes. Those figures were not as big of players in my life as others who passed away this year. When Stuart Scott died in January I put this on Facebook.
I was not cognizant of at the time, but Tom Brokaw has been done for years now, Letterman finished just last month and Alex Trebek is signed through 2018, but I can't imagine much longer than that.
The world I grew up with is vanishing.
But it's not just my nostalgic past signifying that I'm getting older, it's also my body. I wrote about having heart palpitations back in January. They've returned with a vengeance. My doctor and I have determined it's stress and caffeine. I've cut out the caffeine, but I seem to be getting worse at the stress.
The difference is now my body is no longer immune to the problem. My immunity has worn out with age.
Now
This week has been slightly more stressful than others. Tonight I was up at the church working on some stuff I needed to get done. I left about 9:45 and got about two blocks away before I realized I had forgotten the next Harry Potter book that I promised Roy I'd bring home. Tired and exhausted, I over dramatically slammed on the brakes and turned around to go get it. In the world of major problems I realize that that one is negligible, but it seemed to matter a lot in that moment.
The strangest thing happened to me when I got into my office and reached for that book. There was a picture resting on the top of it. I don't often make claims that start with "God said ..." or "God did ..." but there's only one other time in my life when I feel as strongly about saying that God put that there. I for the life of me, cannot figure out why of the four siblings in my family I have this picture and why it was on the 6th Harry Potter book sitting my office. I'm sure I set it there without thought at some point, but I can't remember when.
That's my dad holding my oldest sister Kristin and my older brother Jim. He's about the age I was when my son Roy and my daughter Lilli were about age of my siblings in this picture.
I took this picture and sat down in my chair and stared at it. I thought about when this was taken and how much has changed between now and then. How much good life has happened between now and then. Then I began to think about how much my life is like my dad's in this picture. A young pastor who has a lot to learn, with a few kids to make things crazy. And then I thought about how good my life is. About how gracious God has been to me and my family.
My mom has always been good about not wishing for any other phase of life. She'd always tell me "each one is special." That means she wouldn't trade the world as it is now for her life back in the picture. But my mom also does everything in her power to get every awesome moment out of everyday, especially when her kids and grandkids are involved.
I think there is a relationship between my stress and living in the past and the future. Sometimes the only emotion available in those places are regret and fear. When I sat down to look at picture and think about what I loved about the gifts God has given me, I noticed my anxiety levels changed and my heart rate slowed down.
On one particular trying morning before school I wrote on Facebook that "I'm in no hurry for my children to be teenagers, but I long for the day when the color of child's dishware will not be cause for severe emotional distress." My favorite professor from college rarely replies to stuff on Facebook, but that day he wrote, "Oh but Josh, those really are the good days."
I realize that some of the claims I'm making seem absurd. Some of you who are older than me are thinking, "Josh, you're not old." To which I say, you are right, I'm not old, but I am getting older. I've decided that 33rd year of my life will be the year I decided to stop letting mine pass me by unnoticed.
The last words of that sermon Kyle wrote but never gave are this: "Taste every ounce of flavor. Taste every ounce of friendship. Taste every ounce of Life. Because it is mostly definitely a gift."
Meet Our Newest Finance Team Member
Justin Pond
vocation/job: I just started as a clinic manager for one the Hillcrest family medicine clinics. I have the honor to work with a great organization that is caring for this community in some amazing ways.
bible verse/chapter/book that have been meaningful for you: Isaiah 40:31
best television: Pretty much any show where someone is righting the injustices in the world...preferably with a gun
favorite holiday: Christmas
best restaurant in Waco: Lolitas
something we might not know about you?: I once had a summer job diving for golf balls.
Finance Update
UBC Financial Status
as of: June 11, 2015
THE PLAN: Our fiscal year 2015 (July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015) budget is $353,126. Fixed expenses (staff salaries, and building and office expenses) accounts for $302,441, or 85.6% of the total, and ministry expenses (the many things our church does for our community and for those who attend) accounts for $50,685 or 14.4%.
OUR EXPENSES: Between the 15th of May and 11th of June, we spent about $29,200; for the year, our expenditures total a little over $288,000.
OUR INCOME: Our income from tithes and offerings between the 15th of May and 11th of Jun was about $27,788; our annual income from tithes and offerings through the 11th of June totals $292,012. Income from other sources (building rental, the garage sale, and some designated gifts) totals about $19,000.
If you would like to partner with UBC financially you can by signing up with easy tithe. We are incredibly humbled and grateful by your generosity. Thank you.
Town Hall Agenda Items
Our next leadership team meeting is July 6th. As of new we just have a few items to address in that meeting. We will hold a town hall this Sunday after church to talk through these items and take any questions you might have.
1. job descriptions - with Craig's departure we spent time talking through changes and shifts in responsibility.
2. ordination candidacy - Kelly Doolittle is going through the ordination process. if his committee recommends him to leadership team, they will discuss and vote on his ordination.
3. staff retreat - the pastoral staff recently went on a retreat to talk through a number of things pertaining to church function, logistics and long term planning.
4. office administrator - we will give an update on that.
5. Pastoral Associates
Additional note: because this agenda is comparatively smaller than the last one, we will have our town hall about 10 minutes after church instead of giving the 45 minutes to go get lunch. My thought was that by this right after church we'd probably still be done by some time during the lunch hour. Please pick up your children from their class and transfer them to the branch class room if you plan on attending.
Children's Information
UBCKids families! We are rolling out our new check-in system this week! If you haven't added your family to our database, never fear, you can add your family the next time you join us! We will have a check-in station between the brown room at the end of the hall and the Nurture Room (look for the red desk!) where you can check-in your families and receive your kids' labels before proceeding to their classes! This is new to all of us, so please have an extra dose of patience and grace! Also, there is an app that accompanies the new check-in software we're using! If you are interested in downloading this app, email Emily at emily@ubcwaco.org for login information!
Speaking of the brown room at the end of the hall, the Root Class and Branch Class will be spending their summer in together in the brown room to learn about what, exactly, is in our Bible! Because we will be meeting together, the Root kids will NOT be enjoying the music, scripture and offertory portions of our service in big church, so that we can be sure that everyone gets to experience the entire lesson! After checking your kids in and picking up labels, feel free to drop your Branch and Root kids off there!
Branch and Root kids' Sunday School kicked off last week, but don't worry if you didn't make it! We will be learning about some of the people in the Bible who met Jesus and how their lives were changed, then we will be working to create stop-motion videos that document their story and teach us all about what it really means to have a relationship with Christ! Sunday School begins at 9:30! For more info, email Emily at emily@ubcwaco.org!
Work is Worship
Greeters: McNamees, Kareem, Denmans
Coffee Makers: Emmy
Mug Cleaners: Sara and Kayla
Announcements:
Sunday Sermon Text: Luke 18:9-14 (Things Jesus Says Part 3)
Waco dives: We will meet at Restaurante La Fe, on Tuesday @ noon. Please email jamie@ubcwaco.org if you have any questions.
UBC Summer Party Jun 28th - directly after church - we will provide the food and drinks. More information coming soon...
School Supply Drive - starting this Sunday, we are partnering with CCMS to collect school supplies for kids in Waco. There will be a box in the foyer through the month of June to collect the supplies, and attached to the box is a list of supplies needed. If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org .
The Next Empty Nester event will be on June 17th. More information to come. If you have any questions about this group or would like to be added to the email list please email kim @ tackhaines@msn.com.
Do you have an Emergency? Do you 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- Kristin Dodson: kschwebke@prodigy.net
Jana Parker: jparkerslp@gmail.com
Stan Denman: Stan_Denman@baylor.edu
David Wilhite: David_Wilhite@baylor.edu
Byron Roldan: Byron_Roldan@baylor.edu
Sharyl Loeung: sharylwl@gmail.com
Jon Davis: jdavis83@gmail.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.
Tom Haines: thomas_haines@baylor.edu
Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com
Chris Kim: chris_kim@alumni.baylor.edu
Hannah Kuhl: HannahKuhl@hotmail.com
Justin Pond: pondjw@gmail.com
Lacy Crocker: lacykcrocker@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.
Maxcey Blaylock: maxceykite@gmail.com
Mathew Crawford: mathewcrawford@yahoo.com
Callie Schrank: Callie_Schrank@baylor.edu
Jeff Walter: Jeff_Walter@ubcwaco.org
Rob Engblom: Rob_Engblom@baylor.edu