ITLOTC
(In The Life Of The Church)
The Benediction and Cuba
by Taylor
At the end of our time together every Sunday we all recite our Benediction together in unison. “As we approach this week may we love God, embrace beauty, and live life to the fullest.” I know those words – and you probably do to – by heart at this point. Our benediction is definitely one of the things that helped me to feel at home at UBC – that helped me begin to understand part of what was special about this place. After all – I had gone to church my whole life and never before had I heard anyone talk about embracing beauty, and certainly never had I heard someone say it in the context of loving God and living life to the fullest – as if finding beauty in the world might be as important of a discipline as loving God and living a full life in pursuit of Christ-likeness. Over the course of my time at UBC these words have formed me – hopefully they continually form all of us – and I think part of the reason why they are so formative is because they are truly at the heart of who and what UBC is. Or who we are attempting to be anyways.
This week the staff went to Cuba in preparation for our upcoming missions partnership with FIBAC (the Fraternity of Baptist Churches in Cuba). And in Cuba, in the churches and the conversations we had with ministers and church leaders from FIBAC I experienced churches and people who are kindred spirits with who we are striving to be. I expected a lot of things in Cuba – I expected a beautiful country and an excellent experience, I expected to meet people who loved God and who were pursuing Christ, I expected friendly people and good food – but I did not expect to find such a match for who we are. (Toph had told us that FIBAC was a good match for us – but some things have to be experienced.)
FIBAC was formed with several things in mind – but there were a few that really stood out to me. 1) Affirming women in ministry. Affirming women in ministry is not just an idea in FIBAC – about half of their churches are either pastored or co-pastored by women. That is an insane statistic. By comparison there are some around 4/5 senior pastors in all of the Baptist Churches in Texas. Talk about encouraging people to live life to the fullest. FIBAC is encouraging their women who are called to ministry and then educating them and hiring them full time senior pastor positions. It was a beautiful thing to see as an aspiring senior pastor – and as someone who is passionate about women in ministry.
2) Contextual Liturgy. About 95% of the liturgy that FIBAC uses is written in Cuba by and for Cubans, The reality is that for a long time missions was tied to colonialism in a way that makes me extremely uncomfortable. When missionaries would go places they did not just convert people spiritually – but also culturally. They often made people change their physical appearance and their cultural beliefs instead of looking for ways that God might be experienced in new ways in that culture. But the reality is that we are all acting in our own given context – and we can’t ignore that. Jamie is so careful to plan liturgy that makes sense and is formative for who we are and where we are – both geographically and in time. And Josh does the same thing when he writes sermons. FIBAC is committed to contextual liturgy because it is the best and most responsible way to form their people – and we are committed to the same thing.
3) Social Justice. Every day at breakfast our guide and translator, Rubén, would sing a prayer for us. Roughly translated the prayer goes, “God, Thank you for this bread, we pray for those who don’t have bread today – that they would receive bread, and we pray for those who have bread – that they would receive in their heart the desire to provide bread for those who have known.” Cuba is a place where people care for each other. Where people make space at the table for their neighbors. Where they share their last piece of bread with their friend – because even if they both have less at least they both have some - and they both have a friend.
In these ways, and in many many more, I think that we have so much to learn from our brothers and sisters in FIBAC. I, personally, can’t wait to go back, and I can’t wait for so many more of you to go. And experience a place and people living in a context that is so different from ours – but embodying so much of what we believe – by loving God, embracing beauty, and living life to the fullest in deep and meaningful ways.
As always if you want to talk about any of this, feel free to email me at taylor@ubcwaco.org.
SWCC Movie Day #3 - July 23
Join us on on Monday, July 23rd, at 1pm for our second movie day with the South Waco Community Center. We are hosting the day camp kids from the community center, and we would love for you to join us for the movie. The youth will help serve snacks and drinks, and we need a few volunteers to help clean up after the movie. There will be sign-up sheet in the lobby for the those who would like to volunteer to help. If you have any questions, email toph@ubcwaco.org
Waco Dives - Tuesday at noon
We are headed to Tesla'sthis Tuesday at noon. Join us for some good o food and fellowship. Tesla's is located at 1316 Washington Ave, Waco, TX 76701.
Parishioner of the Week
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Looking for a Finance Team Member
We'd like to express our gratitude for the service of Anna Tilson. Anna and her husband Adam have not heard from the Lord and are leaving us for Knoxville, TN. As such we will be looking to replace the irreplaceable Anna on our finance team. Anna you are champion for the Lord. Thanks for leaving it on the field.
If you are interested in serving on the finance team, please read the information below from our bylaws. Interested persons should email josh@ubcwaco.org. A new member will be selected in the July quarterly leadership team meeting.
(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.
(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.
Looking for a HR Team Member
The fearless Rob Engblom is hanging up the jersey after 3 seasons with our HR squad. Rob was an 2 HR all american and first team star wars epic dual champion. During Rob's tenure nobody quit out of frustration and no one was sued. Dynamite effort Rob, we are grateful for your service to UBC.
If you are interested in servicing on the HR team please read the information below that is taken from the UBC bylaws. Interested persons should email josh@ubcwaco.org. A new member will be selected in the July quarterly leadership team meeting.
(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.
(C)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: Blaylocks
Coffee Makers: Nances
Mug Cleaners: Nelsons
Money Counter: JD Newman
Welcome Station:
Announcements
- Sermon Text: Special Guest Preacher Dilan Braddock
- 7-14 Trampoline Park Fun Day
- 7-15 Town Hall
- 8-5 Cameron Park Picnic
- SWCC Movie Days @ UBC: 6-18, 7-9, 7-23
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
Kerri Fisher: Kerri_Fisher@baylor.edu
Adam Winn: adamwinn68@yahoo.com
Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com
Jeremy Nance: Jeremy Nance <Jeremy.J.Nance@L3T.com>
Joanna Sowards: jo.sowards@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.
JD Newman: JD_Newman@baylor.edu
Hannah Kuhl: HannahKuhl@hotmail.com
Justin Pond: pondjw@gmail.com
Anna Tilson: Anna_Tilson@jrbt.com
Doug McNamee: douglas.mcnamee@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.
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