ITLOTC
(In The Life Of The Church)
Well hi there UBC; Kieran here. Josh is still off swanning around somewhere that isn’t Waco, TX, and so this week it falls to me to introduce the newsletter. I know, I’m sure many of you are disappointed, but bear with me, and we’ll get through this together.
So I thought I’d take this space today to share about some of the things I’ve learned during this period of quarantine, in this time of Corona. But not from me; no, I have all the introspection of a concrete bollard (do y’all have the word bollard in the US? It’s just one of those stone pillars you use to stop people from driving through somewhere. You get them in carparks, etc. Pardon my English if so). I wanted to talk about things I’ve learned from our brilliant, wonderful Youth during this time.
As I’m sure most of you may be aware, UBC has continued to hold weekly meetings with the Youth Group, every Wednesday (we’ve been having a, dare I say thrilling, trivia competition of which tomorrow is the last session!), and Sunday (if you love Mark as much as we do, and you’re a Youth, you gotta check it out. Seriously. Please come and hang out with us). Since March/April we’ve been meeting online, and during that time, I have learnt so much from the younger members of our church. Here’s a small sample of things that came to mind:
1. This is all really hard. And it’s okay to say that. It’s okay to think it, to feel it, and to sit with it. I’m the first person to want reframe things (Enneagram 7 reporting for duty), but the strength and vulnerability with which our youth tackle everything happening in our world right now is humbling, and inspiring.
2. Laughing, and especially doing so together, is really, really important. It doesn’t mean we ignore the issues facing our world and this country right now - it doesn’t mean we don’t acknowledge, every day, the ways in which we are complicit in systems of oppression, be they white supremacy, be they patriarchy, be they stigmas attached to mental health. It means that in order to keep going, to keep our passion and drive to be anti-racist, to learn about our own implicit, deeply seated misogyny and racism, in order not be burnt out and leave these critical and fundamentally important movements behind, we have to laugh with each other. It builds relationships, it builds camaraderie, and perhaps most importantly, it makes it easier to cry with each other when we need to.
3. Call your friends. Really, just do it. I am the worst for this - I let everything else happening in my life overtake me, and I make little time for friends and family who aren’t here with me. Some of you I’m sure are amazing at that, but for those of you who also struggle, make the time to check in with friends you haven’t seen or spoken to in a while. Community is harder to maintain in these times, but it’s not impossible, and it’s arguably more needed than it’s ever been. Our youth floor me with how they check on each other, how they call and seek out each other. Their love and commitment to one another is rare, if only because it is something otherwise so easily left on the shelf when there are a hundred other things more pressing to take down and hold on to.
I’ll leave it there for now; but UBC, rest assured that the young people in our church are world-shakers and game-changers, and they teach me new things every time we interact. It is one of the greatest honours of my life to be alongside them as they grow with each other, and with God, and I hope that each of you gets the opportunity to see how brilliant and incandescent they are.
Happy Tuesday, UBC.
No Pub Group This Week (7/22)
There will be no pub group tomorrow! See you next week.
Drive-Up Food Distribution
UBC is partnering with several other churches for a drive-up food distribution this Wednesday (7/22). Family of Faith, a church in north waco, has been serving 1200-1600 families per week with boxes of food. For the next few weeks they are unable to do this work, so we are partnering with several churches to make sure these families still receive the food they need. This is a large operation, and we need your help. You can use the sign-up link below to sign-up. Please consider volunteering to help with this distribution this week. If you have any questions, email toph@ubcwaco.org
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508084eacae2aabff2-driveup
Family Resource Pantry
Thank you to everyone who has been volunteering and everyone who has donated so far. This is our week to donate and buy supplies for the pantry, so please use the link below to see what still needs to be bought this week. If you have any questions, please email toph@ubcwaco.org. Here's that link:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508084eacae2aabff2-community
Backside - July 31
We're having a very special Virtual Summer Edition of Backside on Friday, July 31st, at 7pm. If you would like to submit a song, poem story, visual art piece, etc., email jamie@ubcwaco.org for details on how to make that happen.
UBC Drive-In Movie
Alright friends, nothing says summer like the movies, and we also want to see everyone. What’s a safe way to social distance and be in the same space; stay in your car! We will be hosting our first drive-in movie on Friday night August 7th. There will be more details in the near future, but put it on your calendar.
COVID-19 Testing Site
UBC is partnering with Waco and McClennan County Emergency Management to be a walk-up testing site next week. UBC will be open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, from 8am-4pm, if you are anyone you know would like to/needs to be tested for COVID-19. If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org
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
Luci Hoppe: lhoppe@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.
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