ITLOTC
(In The Life Of The Church)
Easter
Hey friends! Here’s the thing – I’m obsessed with hearing about what people are doing to get through this time of social distancing. We are all using different skills and activities to help ourselves make it through. And so – I wanted to share a few things with you that I’m doing in the hopes that you will reply and tell me what YOU are doing! This is such a strange time (I know we’ve all said that one million times over the past month or so – but that doesn’t make it less true!) and I think more than ever I have noticed and felt within myself the need to hold myself accountable while also offering myself grace. I hope that in this season you are being kind to yourself and remembering that your worth is not defined by what you do or what you produce – but, rather, that you are inherently loved and worthy and created in the image of God and you can rest in that.
So, here are some things I’m doing to get through social distancing:
1. Rewatching all of the Gourmet Makes videos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72eq0zeUH3A I love this episode!
I’m really watching all of the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen videos but I particularly love Gourmet Makes. Claire makes snack foods from scratch and it’s always fascinating and hilarious to watch. Also, she has very strong Enneagram 1 vibes for all you Enneagram 1s out there. The Bon Appetit Test Kitchen is a happy place and so I always feel better after watching a video!
2. Baking and Cooking
I am an ok cook – I have always been able to follow a recipe pretty well. But this season has given me more opportunity to try recipes that I never had the time to complete! I also think that cooking and baking is helpful for me in this time because it gives me a sense of control over what is happening – at least in my kitchen for an hour or two – and that is helpful for me as things feel a little out of my control right now! I’ve included the next recipe I plan on trying – for some crusty bread! (which sounds delicious right now!)
3. Spending time outside (in safe ways)
I always find it easy to get caught in a loop between my bed and my couch – but I know that my body and my mind both feel better when I spend time outside. A lucky thing we’ve realized is that our internet connection reaches to our backyard so we have been trying to work outside and spend time back there every day. We also took my dog out to the lake last weekend and it was beautiful – there weren’t very many people and everyone was safely practicing social distancing! It was probably the highlight of my week last week!
There are a few more things I’m trying to do regularly: moving my body (I got a refit on demand membership and it’s great! You can get one here), reading as much as I can, connecting and reconnecting with friends and family on zoom and facetime, and I’m trying to learn to cross stitch! But mostly – I want to hear from you! What are you doing and what is helping you? Have you watched anything/read anything/made anything great that you would recommend for others? Let me know in the comments or you can email me at taylor@ubcwaco.org.
I am so thankful for all of you and the way you have been so present in this community over the past few weeks! I feel so encouraged by so many of you and I hope that in this time we can continue to encourage each other and grow and be formed in new ways.
Meet Our UBCer
Myer John Williams
Birthday: 1-28-20
Birth Height: 22 1/2 inches
Birth Weight: 9 lbs 12 oz
Enneagram Number: 5w6
Lead Team Nominations
Due to the unforeseen circumstances that COVID has created and the way this may have disrupted candidates lives, we have decided to wait another month before selecting someone to fill Byron Griffin’s role on the leadership team. To that end we are also opening up the nomination process in this time due to the lack of communication about this process because we have not been meeting.
If you would like to nominate someone for the leadership team, please do so by using this link to fill out the form.
(A) Purpose. The Leadership Team shall be the primary decision-making body of UBC. The Leadership Team will oversee all the business and property of the church, as well as make the final decisions regarding hiring and dismissal of staff and the acquisition and selling of assets that are beyond budgetary provisions.
(C) Qualifications. Each member of Leadership Team shall have been a member of UBC for at least one year, exhibited an understanding and commitment to the mission and values of the church, and be willing to fulfill all responsibilities in the Leadership Team job description.
(E) Term. Members of Leadership Team may serve for a duration lasting up to three years. While they are encouraged to remain the full three years, members may voluntarily remove themselves from their position at any time
Town Hall
We will have a town hall to discuss the life of the church and information this Sunday April 19 after church. We will give you an update on finances and other plans.
The town hall will be a facebook live event (perhaps will just keep the camera rolling after service is complete). What we would like from you is for you to email any questions you might have about the church to toph@ubcwaco.org. We will also be taking questions during the live stream.
UBC’ers Graduate Recognition
If you are graduating (hs, college, grad school, phd) we would love to recognize you at our annual Mr. Rogers service this year. The service is going to be on 4/26, and we are putting together a video so we can know who is graduating and what your next steps are. If you are graduating, please send toph@ubcwaco.org an email and let him know. Then he will follow up with instructions on what he needs from you. We are sad we won’t be able to honor you in person, but want to make sure you are recognized. If you have any questions, contact Toph.
Family Resource Pantry - (any questions, email toph@ubcwaco.org)
We are partnering with WacoISD, Prosper Waco, Grassroots Development, Baylor External Affairs, and Antioch to create The Family Resource Pantry, which will be a strategic way of meeting the needs of families in Waco ISD. UBC is partnering by helping to provide volunteers on Tuesdays, and helping to provide “Essentials” to stock the pantry. Grassroots Development, in partnership with Waco ISD, will help identify the families within our community who have the greatest needs, and we will do delivery to those families on Tuesday/Friday. Below are two ways to volunteer.
1) We need volunteers to help package and distribute pantry items on Tuesday afternoons, from 1-5pm. There will be two shifts, 1-3pm, and 3-5pm. We will need at least 3 volunteers each shift. If you would like to volunteer, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org
2) We need to help stock the pantry. Below you will find a list of essential items we will need. If you are willing to buy these items, you can have them shipped directly to UBC, contact Toph to come pick them up, or schedule a time to drop them off at UBC. Here is the list of items:
Food: (Bread, Cooking oil, Milk, Peanut Butter, jelly, Cereal, Granola Bars, trail mix)
Diapers (need sizes)
Formula
Wipes
Cleaning supplies
Toilet Paper
Soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrushes
Laundry Detergent
School supplies like:
Spiral notebooks, Pencils, pencil sharpeners, Pens, Crayons, coloring books
Parishioner(s) of the Week
Each year, every academic program chooses students to honor at the Academic Honors Week Convocation. The 2020 Academic Honors Week Convocation honors two outstanding students from the International Studies major: Estelle McKinney and Audrey Crites. Congratulations, Estelle and Audrey!
Work is Worship
Greeters: No Greeters this week
Coffee Makers: no coffee makers this week
Mug Cleaners: no mug cleaners this week
Money Counter: no money counters this week
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: Kerri Fisher: Kerri_Fisher@baylor.edu
Byron Griffin: byrontgriffin@gmail.com
Jeremy Nance: Jeremy.J.Nance@L3T.com
Joanna Sowards: jo.sowards@gmail.com
Kathy Krey: kathykrey@gmail.com
Jose Zuniga: jzgrphix2002@yahoo.com
Taylor Torregrossa: Taylordtorregrossa@gmail.com
Student Position: Davis Misloski
Student Position: Maddy O’Shaughnessy
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
Catherine Ballas: catherine@refitrev.com
Jen Carron: jen.carron78@gmail.com
Mike Dodson: financeteammike@gmail.com
George Thornton: GeorgecCT1982@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.
Erin Albin: erin.albin1@gmail.com
Sam Goff: samuelgoff92@gmail.com
Rebekah Powell: rpowell671@gmail.com
Kristen Richardson: wacorichardsons@gmail.com
Craig Nash: Craig_Nash@baylor.edu