ITLOTC
(In The Life Of The Church)
Epiphany
Honor and Gratitude
"I have all and am full ... " Philippians 4:18
This past Sunday, in speaking of marriage, I talked about my own. My own marriage was one of my talking points when I was trying to argue for the goodness of marriage. Perhaps that’s self-congratulatory or even a bit arrogant, but i also feel like it’s authentic and it’s my only experience with marriage. In that movement of talking about my marriage I used the opportunity to offer a litany that described the reasons why I listen to my wife. That litany included things like changing diapers, loving me despite bad preaching bad sermons and walking me through my father’s death.
After the service someone told me that hearing me say those nice things about my wife made her cry. I had two reactions. The first was something I feel frequently when getting sermon feedback that is positive. I recently went to an enneagram workshop where I believe i was correctly diagnosed as being “feeling repressed.” Meaning, not that I’m currently feeling repressed, but rather as a characteristic of my personality, I consistently fail to feel anything. I am emotionally repressed. So my first reaction was something like this, it strange when you produce something that affects someone in a way in which you yourself feel incapable of feeling even if that is the intended effect. I’ve learned to compensate for this defect. I use my head to make sense of emotional experiences that I should be having. This leads me to my second reaction. Something I was able to connect with. The sermon complimenter said, “It was good of you to honor her publicly.” Yes, I agree. I think honoring the people we love publicly is a big deal. That was the intent and I was glad she interpreted it as such.
In many of my closest relationships I assign that relationship a movie scene that I think defines what I hope for us. The movie clips for my father and my wife are both about honor (using video clips to make sense of your emotions with regards to your relationships is also something an emotional repressed person does). These scenes make, which both involve sharing limelight, me think of a poster that my brother had in his room growing up. It’s a U2 poster advertising Rattle and Hum. In it, U2 frontman Bono shines a floodlight on lead guitarist The Edge. I realize that every band member in U2 is quite comfortable and enjoying as much fame as he would like. That being said I’ve always appreciated Bono because though he is the frontman, he seems eager to share that spotlight (literally) with his bandmates. That image for me then, is an image of honor.
In thinking about honor I’ve learned that a prior step is gratitude. You can’t understand whom you want to honor nor can you connect emotionally to that honor until you reflect on your own gratitude for the honoree.
I used to enjoy memes, gifs, inspirational videos and other newsfeed candy, but now it’s too much all the time. Regardless of the meme, gif, or video, I automatically assume it’s low-grade, emotionally manipulative garbage. For some reason I was recently pulled into one of those videos. I don’t know why I clicked it. That’s not true. I clicked it because while it played without volume in my feed there was a video of a dad holding a newborn baby in a hospital. I got interested and so I watched it. It was pretty powerful and I think a good example of my concluding point. In the video, a woman finds the doctors and nurses who saved her newborn son ten years earlier after they were in a horrific car accident. The way she thanks them in the end is by creating the limelight. It's pretty awesome.
Meet Our Newest UBCer
Evelyn Marie Stehr
Birthday: 12-16-16
Birth Weight: 7 lbs
Birth Height: 20 in
Enneagram Number: 5
Chariots of Fire Part 2
Every pastor has done it, including me. At some point you show this clip because the line, "when I run I feel his pleasure," is one of the best in cinematic history. Great news for the world. A sequel to Chariots of Fire staring Joseph Fiennes, the brother of Lord Voldemort, the same actor who depicted Luther in the film by the same name will come out this summer. But you don't have to wait until this summer because there is going to be a special screening at the Truett and Hippodrome. It turns out Eric Liddell has children who are friends with our very own John and Cindy White, directors of Truett's sports ministry program, and they have picked Waco as a special sneak peek audience. So if you are interested in seeing the film you can do so one of two ways:
- Truett Family and friends: Friday night, 6:30 in Great Hall. Pizza included, FREE but must sign up in Truett 105 or call: 710-6088 to register
- Community: FREE at Hippodrome if registerSaturday, Feb 25, 1:30 Producer will be there http://www.baylor.edu/truett/WingsOfEagles
Middle Ages Lunch
This Sunday, February 19th, after church the Middle Ages will be joining each other for a lunch at Ninfa's. So if you'd love to talk 8 tracks, Happy Days, or have fun with some of UBC's wisest join the middle agers email jeff_walter@baylor.edu for more information.
CCMS Update
If you are looking to get involved at Cesar Chavez MS this semester…
1) Lunch buddies is back! If you’d like to meet with a student this semester on a weekly basis, please email Marshall@ubcwaco.org
2) If you have the gift of encouragement, and would like to write a note to the CCMS faculty and staff as they approach testing, email Marshall. We’ll have something for the kids closer to test day.
Work is Worship
Greeters: Will & Richardsons
Coffee Makers: Timmothy Lee
Mug Cleaners: Madison
Money Counter: Anna Tilson
Announcements
- Sunday Sermon: Matthew 5:33-37 "Meeting Jesus Again: Straight Shooter"
- March 1st - Ash Wednesday
- March 18-- The Middle Ages -- TBA
- April 2-- UBC Families @ Soccer Fields -- More Info to Come
- April 7th and 8th - Spring Retreat (Freshman/Sophomores)
- April 13th - Maundy Thursday
- April 14th - Good Friday
- April 16th - Easter
- April 22--The Middle Ages Baylor Theatre production of the comedy NOISES OFF—
- April 30th - Mr. Rogers Sunday
- April 30th - Graduate Luncheon
- May 2nd - Study Hall
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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.
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Byron Griffin: byrontgriffin@gmail.com
Stan Denman: Stan_Denman@baylor.edu
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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
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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
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Rob Engblom: Rob_Engblom@baylor.edu
Ross Van Dyke: Ross_Vandyke@baylor.edu
Jared Gould: jared.gould1@gmail.com