ITLOTC
(In The Life Of The Church)
Easter
Created for One Another
“I ask … that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you.” - John 17:20-21
Most of the early attempts at explaining the trinity were dismissed as heretical. The church fathers were much more comfortable with saying what the trinity was not. The trinity is not three different gods. The trinity is not one person with three different masks. The trinity is a mystery we are invited into.
One term that the church fathers were comfortable with is perichoresis. The Greek prefix peri means around. Think of the perimeter, which describes the boundaries around you. Choresis is also familiar. We know the word choreography, which means something like scripting movement, or you might say dancing. So perichoresis means a dance around. God, then, was thought about as a elegant dance which we are beckoned to join.
But perichoresis means something more than that. It also means mutual indwelling. The trinity can finish each other’s sentences. They can ride motorcycles in that circle cage thing. They would be the trapeze artists with perfect timing.
I once heard a pastor preach on perichoresis and he gave a very moving example. He has a son with autism and he talked about the first time he went to a support group for parents with an autistic child. He described the deep sense of relief and solidarity they had in talking with parents who struggled with the same things. We’ve all experienced something like this. A moment or conversation when you have a deepened sense that someone knows exactly what you mean.
It feels good to be understood, to have shared experience, to have a sense that you know and are known, that the emotional responses we have are not predictable, but natural.
A few months ago I preached about vulnerability and in doing so lifted much of my material from this 20 minutes of brilliance provided by Brene Brown. Brown has a Ph.D. and so approached these questions about vulnerability from a scientific standpoint, but her findings are nonetheless spiritual. We are at some level, created for intimacy. To have our souls penetrated and understood by the other.
Perhaps the gift that John 17 gives us is that we have a theological reason to make the same point. We are created in the image of God. And that God is trinity. The three whos and one what guarantee that our souls hunger for one another.
The trajectory of Christian discipleship then is not just that I’m formed into the image of Jesus, but that we are forming each other into the image of Jesus. To be created in the image of God is to be created for community. We are invited into the dance.
Meet Our Newest Finance Team Member
Doug McNamee
Name/Family: Doug, Wife - Lacy, Daughter - Josephine
What do you do?: Senior Associate Athletic Director for Annual Giving @ Baylor, in short....fundraise for student-athlete scholarships, new buildings, etc.
Favorite Waco Restaurant: Jason's Deli
TV show you love: Wife can attest, I don’t watch shows. Borderline narcoleptic and ADD, thus I don’t mix well with shows or movies. If I watch TV, its news or sports and it better be on before 9pm.
Bible Verse, Chapter, Book you love: Ruth 1:16
Something we might not know about you: I've never found anyone with a bigger head than me. Not metaphorically, literally. When those hats say "one-size-fits-all", they are lying.
Mother's Day Information
Mother’s Day is this Sunday and at UBC, we see this day as a moment take time out of our lives to think about, remember fondly and say “Thank You!” to all of the maternal influences in our lives! In this modern age, we feel that distance should not keep our mom’s, grandmothers or other motherly-types from seeing the face that they love so much, so be sure to stop by the Photo Booth in the coffee room to snap write a message and snap a quick photo to post/tweet/email/print-and-frame for that special formative-female in your life!
UBC Softball Next Fall
if you are interested in playing softball next fall please email will @will.ray.knight@gmail.com. The cost should be around $30. This year UBC will require those who sign up to pay before the season starts. There will be a sign up after church this Sunday. Money will be due by the middle of July.
Sunday School
This is the last weekend of Sunday school for the spring semester. We will have one summer Sunday school class that begins on June 5th.
Work is Worship
Greeters: Rick
Coffee Makers: Joy & Ryan
Mug Cleaners: Stephen & Leigh
Announcements:
- Sunday Sermon Text: Acts 16:16-34
- Trip to Franklins BBQ. Will Knight and Rick Lhotan will be leading a trip to Franklin's BBQ on Thursday May 19th. The trip will meat at and leave from UBC @ 6:30 A.M. If you have questions please email Will @ will.ray.knight@gmail.com.
Do you have an emergency and need to talk to a pastor?
254 498 2261
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
Joy Wineman: joy.wineman@gmail.com
Stan Denman: Stan_Denman@baylor.edu
David Wilhite: David_Wilhite@baylor.edu
Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com
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.
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
Callie Schrank: Callie_Schrank@baylor.edu
Rob Engblom: Rob_Engblom@baylor.edu
Ross Van Dyke: Ross_Vandyke@baylor.edu