ITLOTC
(In The Life Of The Church)
Epiphany
The Practice of Gratitude (by Taylor)
Hello friends! Today is the second day of March. (Women’s History Month! Very exciting!) And, as I am sure all of you are aware, we entered into a Covid-based quarantine during the middle of March one year ago. I’ve seen most people claiming the 13th as the day most of the country began quarantining. It seems very strange to me that it has been a whole year. In some ways I can remember what happened last March more clearly than I can remember what happened in January. Remember on like March 18 when all those celebrities recorded themselves singing Imagine? We were like 5 days in.
Time is moving strangely for me now. In some ways it seems to drag and in sometimes it seems to pass in big chunks. This has been compounded by the winter storms we experienced a few weeks ago. And I find myself feeling like it’s slipping through my fingers like sand.
In Women’s Book Club right now we are reading a book called Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. The subtitle of the book is “Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants” and it is proving to be one of my favorite books that we’ve read in WBC thus far. Kimmerer is a university trained ecologist (she has a PhD in the subject) and she is also a member of the Potawatomi Tribe, and much of the aim of the book so far is aa discovery and description of how she (and how the reader might in turn) has woven these strands together in her life. It is fascinating.
In one of the chapters we read for this week’s discussion, she talked about the power of ritual and particularly a family ritual that was performed by her family on summer mornings when they were camping. It was short and simple – it basically involved her father pouring the first cup of brewed coffee out onto the land and saying thank you. But it was meaningful – a liturgy that grounded Kimmerer and reminded her to be thankful; helped her remember that she was connected to the land around her.
And I began to think of my recent relationship with time. How it currently feels wobbly and like I can’t grab hold of it. How it seems to slip through my fingers. And so I began to think that it might be good for me to come up with some sort of ritual that helps me feel grounded, that helps me remember to be thankful for the time I have. I think that it might stop me from feeling like time is slipping through my fingers, but maybe it won’t. Maybe I’ll still feel that way – but I think that marking the time with a ritual will at least help me set my own intention, help me to feel grounded, and help me to be thankful for the time I have even if it moves rapidly. I’m not sure what my ritual will be yet – I’d like to keep it simple, just a phrase or two and maybe some time spent in reflective silence. And I think I’ll start it on March 13th.
I’d love to know if you have any family or personal rituals that are meaningful for you! If you don’t mind sharing, please send them my way: Taylor@ubcwaco.org.
Meet the UBC(ers)
Marcus Mataga
A note on my interview with Marcus. Apologies, this one got away from me. I got enamored with Marcus career as an attorney and began a series of irrelevant questions. I apologies. If you are just here for the biographical stuff it’d probably be best to skip to about 8 minutes. If you want some free legal advice, start from the beginning.
UBC Survey
Asking one more time for those of you who haven’t filled out the survey to do so.
It has been a long time since we have been able to be together as a worshiping community. In the absence of that togetherness and with a constant eye on what is developing with COVID, the leadership team is interested in your thoughts on UBC sense of connectedness. Would you be willing to take this short 8 question survey? We’d be grateful.
Survey can be found here.
Spiritual Trauma Group
HEALING TOGETHER
Have you ever been hurt by the church? By a congregational leader? By a pastor? Have you ever felt your humanity attacked by a religious teaching or idea? Have you ever wondered if you would ever be able to reconcile your love of Jesus with the hurt you have experienced from the people who claim to be like him? Have you ever read a biblical passage and felt it does not align with the God you thought you’ve come to know?
If you have answered yes to any or all of these questions, you are not alone. Many of us have experienced hurt at the hands of church leaders, religious teachings, and/or religious institutions. But I believe there can be healing and I believe that we can start that process together. This series is first and foremost one thing: a safe space to process and hopefully a place to heal. We will sit in silence together, read together, journal together, discuss together and pray together. Using methods and principles from Healing Spiritual Wounds: Reconnecting with a Loving God After Experiencing a Hurtful Church by Carol Merritt Howard, Biblical narratives, and prayer practices, we will seek to learn more about who we are and who God is in the midst of hurt.
When does it start? Wednesdays starting March 10, 2021 at 6-7pm (Central time)
Other important information: Due to the potentially sensitive nature of what we discuss in this group, it will be a closed group. We are also going to cap the number of people in this group to 10 so that we can ensure everyone has a chance to share.
Contact Jess Gregory (jess_gregory2@baylor.edu) if you are interested!
Parishioner of the Week
Kaleb Loomis & Aly Vukelich for getting married in the midst of the Texas winter apocalypse and a global pandemic. Their love truly will not be constrained by anything.
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