ITLOTC
(In The Life Of The Church)
Ordinary Time
The Commune
All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. - Acts 2:44-45
As far as the consumption of art goes, I'm an architecture person. I love cathedrals, but majority of the good ones are not in America, so that is a hobby confined mostly to google images. The consolation prize isn't bad, though - I love looking at houses. But let me be more specific. My Zillow app is set to houses that were built before 1945, have at least three bedrooms (though I prefer four), and start at at least one million dollars. I love second empire roof lines, but my first love is colonial brick homes.
When I see these homes for sale on Zillow, I engage in a mental exercise in which I live in these homes. I'm wearing a Victorian suit complete with top hat and coat tails. I make my way in the men's parlor where I inquire about caviar. I'm something out of a Jane Austen novel, except that I still drive my scooter.
Admittedly, these mental exercises are self-indulgent and fiscally impossible. I'm currently reading a Parker Palmer book about vulnerability in circles of trust. Palmer doesn't intend to pick on money per se, but points out that wealthy people are often the most alienated and lonely. To make the same point with the other side of the coin, C.S. Lewis, in his depiction of hell, points out that scarcity creates community; that’s why hell is spread so far apart.
So I've made an adjustment to my dreams. I’ve found a twenty-million dollar, four-hundred acre, farm/lodge on Lake Superior that is for sale. Instead of imagining myself as Mr. Darcy on a Vespa, I imagine my family and friends as a commune on this glorious property, sharing life and eating pretentious, free-range, GMO- free, fair-trade-happy animals and vegetables. In addition to this, we share our values. My role on the commune will be director and physical education teacher who also coordinates the book club to keep people focused on our counter-culture vision. Imagine something like Homestead Heritage, only you can go to church wherever you want, and I’m the only one wearing overalls.
The truth is, I may be even further from the commune than I am from my Victorian mansion. But I have a start. My sister’s family lives right next door to us. My mom is about to move in for a few months, and I have chickens.
But something wonderful has also happened in the meantime. The Winns moved in with us while their house is finishing being built. Every day and night for the last few weeks there have been 9 beating hearts in our house, and I can tell you: IT. IS. AWESOME! It’s like I get to have a friend over every day. Adam, AKA dad Winn, and I think highly of each other. We direct a steady stream of praise towards each other’s ability and existence, and we love a lot of the same things. So it’s not uncommon for us to watch football together 3 days a week. In addition to this, there now seems to be an abundance of everything ... ideas, friendships, resources, food. Just last night, I finished off a bag of Brennan’s Puffy Cheetos.
A mud mask party with Mary K consultant Kelly Tetens. Just one example of lively commune activity.
To add to the excitement of nine people living in the same house, our oven died and then propane ran out on our grill. So we’ve ordered take out more nights than is healthy. It’s like one big party all the time.
Then there’s the other unspoken benefits like, “Hey, I have to run to the gas station, can you watch my kids for 10 minutes?” And the, “Hey, I’m running to the grocery mart, does anyone need anything?”s. It really does seem to me that more people makes life easier.
I have to confess to you that I was a little nervous about this arrangement before it started. 9 people in one house. I realize the person-to-living- space ratio in America is more generous than much of the world, but still I wondered if we could do this. So when the Winns told us they might bunk with us for a few weeks, I put my commune aspirations on trail in my head. Could I really do this if need be?
Molly provided a festive cake celebrating three weeks of "CL" or commune life.
And let me tell you, I’m ready to make the jump. In the book of Acts, people did this kind of a thing, in part, because it was economically necessary. But I also think there’s part of the Christian faith that can only be made sense of and lived into with the close proximity of people. We need community.
Parents Night Out
"UBC Kids is having a Parent's Night Out! From 6:30-9:30pm on Friday October 13 bring your kids to UBC for some supervised fun and games. Dinner is not provided. Please sign up this Sunday after church! There will be a sign up sheet by the front door, or you can email taylor@ubcwaco.org."
McLennan County Orphan Care #2
ur second meeting of this semester in which we are investigating how we can care for the orphan here in McLennan County, will take place on Wednesday October 18. The potluck will start at 6:00 PM. So bring a dish to share and ears to hear. In this second meeting we will hear from Arrow Child and Family Ministries. They will talk to us about foster care and adoption. Child care will be provided.
Finance Team Person
UBC is looking for a finance team member. Our fearless fiscal warrior, Josh McCormick will be bringing his time of serving to a close. Thanks Josh, for being a champion and sharing your money advice and knowledge. You helped steer this ship into calmer waters. As such we are in search of a new finance team person. If you yourself would like to be considered or you would like to nominate someone, please email josh@ubcwaco.org. I've included some information from the bylaws below:
(A) Purpose. The Finance Team shall exist for the following purposes:
a. To serve as the primary advisory group for the Leadership Team in all budgetary and financial aspects of the church.
b. 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.
c. 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.
d. 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.
e. 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.
f. To advise the church body on all matters relating to stewardship, financial integrity, etc.
(C) 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.
(E) Term. Finance Team members shall serve for a duration lasting up to five years. All efforts shall be made by the Finance Team to ensure that no more than two members in a given year rotate off of Finance Team due to duration requirements. While they are encouraged to remain the full five years, members may voluntarily remove themselves from their position at any time.
Work is Worship
Greeters: Walters
Coffee Makers: Kaylin Campbell
Mug Cleaners: OOTP
Money Counter: Hannah Kuhl
Announcements
- Sunday Sermon: "Proliferated God" Philippians 3:4b-14
- Finance Team Meeting 10-9
- Parents Night Out 10-13
- Town Hall 10-15
- Mclennan County Orphan Care 2: Arrow Child and Family Ministries 10-18
- SWCC Halloween Festival 10-25
- Quarterly Leadership Team Meeting 10-29
- The Big Meeting: our annual meeting with Finance, HR and Lead Team, 11-1
- College Retreat, 11-3-15
- Finance Team Meeting 11-9
- McLennan County Orphan Care 3: CASA, 11-15
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- Emma Wood: emmaj.wood@yahoo.com
Byron Griffin: byrontgriffin@gmail.com
Stan Denman: Stan_Denman@baylor.edu
Adam Winn: adamwinn68@yahoo.com
Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com
Sharyl Loeung: sharylwl@gmail.com
Jon Davis: jdavis83@gmail.com
Student Position: Samuel Moore: samuel_moore2@baylor.edu
Student Position: Leah Reed: Leah_Reed@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.
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.
Rob Engblom: Rob_Engblom@baylor.edu
Ross Van Dyke: Ross_Vandyke@baylor.edu
Jared Gould: jared.gould1@gmail.com
Rebekah Powell: rpowell671@gmail.com
Kristen Richardson: wacorichardsons@gmail.com