Meet Jeff Lewis - UBC’s Office Manager
First and foremost, I would like to introduce myself. I am a dad of a wonderful 6 year old kiddo, Cal, who is filled with energy and life. It's always a pleasure to hear his laughs and giggles and listen to his multiple stories of shenanigans. Along with our wonderful kiddo, we have 3 dogs and a cat. Odie, who is supposed to be the kiddo’s dog, is really like my dog. (We understand and know how kids say they want a pet but really it's up to the parents to ensure their wellbeing.) Then we have 2 other dogs, Pixel and Milli. They are both old grouches with big, temperamental personalities. Lastly, we have a cute fluffy kitty named Gizmo. Mind you, we love him a ton but Cal is allergic to him. We can’t bring ourselves to get rid of him because one, he is a senior cat and two, he's just so soft and fluffy. Cal still occasionally smashes his face into Gizmo and gives him lots of pets despite being allergic to cats.
Now a little bit more about me. I was born and raised in Nebraska, so the cold weather is more my style. These hot Texas summers are brutal for me. I have only been in Texas now since December 2014 and so far I am liking it, with the exception of the weirdness of the political world in Texas. When I first moved to Dallas I was a salesperson for a cell phone department of a furniture company. You read that right, a furniture company. Some of you may know of this company, Nebraska Furniture Mart. I worked for them for 6 years before moving onto a new job at Boy Scouts of America as a Senior Membership Analyst. This was my first time experiencing the world of non-profit and administrative work. It turns out that I really enjoyed the administrative work a lot more than retail. I did this work for 2.5 years before moving to Waco in January of 2018.
I moved here because of my partner, who I love and care deeply about. Just like most couples, there is the playful banter, the shenanigans of giving each other a hard time and of course the pushing to make each other better than before. This is when I became a dad to Cal. Cal is my partner’s and ex-wife’s adopted kid. They adopted Cal when he was just a few days old. He really, truly has been a gift to our lives. My partner, Jeffrey (yes, he does have the same name as me), is also a CPA and works at Waco Family Medicine as the Associate Chief Financial Officer. He is about as nerdy as they come. Has a deep love for Dungeons and Dragons, loves to cuddle up on the couch with a book, and gets a huge thrill out of analyzing numbers and data. Prior to the pandemic, I had left my job at Office Depot to become a full-time stay at home dad.
Now, let's fast forward to the post-pandemic era of living in Waco. I learned that I had some pretty tough mental health battles to fight. One of those battles is learning to cope with Bi-Polar II (it's the version without the manic episodes). I am still very much navigating that world of being Bi-Polar. Mind you, I have been dealing with anxiety and depression long before my diagnosis of Bi-Polar. When I learned that I have Bi-Polar, I was taken back a bit as I never thought I would be someone with Bi-Polar. I too was thinking oh no, as what the media portrayed mental health issues to be scared me. After many therapy sessions and what seems to be a very long road of finding the right medication, I have only truly begun to understand what it means to have this. I was diagnosed with Bi-polar just over a year ago.
One of my current challenges is being able to balance a new work life at UBC and making sure to tend to my mental health. It is incredibly important to me that where I am employed also takes mental health seriously. I have so far with the few short months of being at UBC, been met with lots of support and understanding from the pastoral staff. I hope that as we continue to grow and develop together that our relationship only grows stronger. I also hope that I can be a voice for crafting policies surrounding mental health and ensure the importance of self care and support is continued. I know that my time with UBC is only just beginning and I fully expect it to be rewarding and challenging at the same time. What will make this challenging is this is my first job since my diagnosis and we are in a very unique time at UBC. I hope that with my background in providing unique solutions, providing a different perspective, and my love for finding a modern touch to everyday processes that UBC continues to grow and prosper for many years to come. I look forward to growing and fostering new relationships within the UBC community. You will occasionally see me on Sunday mornings and please don’t hesitate to come up to me and introduce yourself.
Update Your Mailing Address 📬
We’re asking everyone to please share their current address so we can send you things like your annual giving statement, information about our fundraising efforts, and other important information from UBC. You can update your address at this link: https://ubcwaco.churchcenter.com/people/forms/450248
Share Your Feedback 📣
You’re invited to share your feedback (good, bad, or in-between) about the goings-on at UBC! All comments will be shared directly with the UBC Human Resources team who will then share it with Leadership Team, Finance Team, or Pastoral Staff as needed. Share your feedback here: https://forms.gle/1ovkBXSx1Lu3CR448
If you are in your mid 20’s to mid 30’s, this group is for you. We gather monthly to hang out and get to know each other. This month we will be gathering at Toph’s casa. There will be a sign-up sheet in the foyer, or you can email toph@ubcwaco.org to sign-up or if you have questions.
Youth Games Afternoon - Saturday, 1:00 pm at UBC
Please join us for a conversation about our approach to formation for our kids and youth. We’d love to talk through this and hear your hopes and dreams for the future!
Practice any art, music, singing, dancing, acting, drawing, painting, sculpting, poetry, fiction, essays, reportage, no matter how well or badly, not to get money and fame, but to experience becoming, to find out what’s inside you, to make your soul grow.
-Kurt Vonnegut
Join us for our first meeting of ubc[creatives] as we get to know one another and talk about what this group will become.
Giving
We hope UBC is a place you care about and benefit from. If you’d like to help support UBC and allow it to continue, please consider giving as you are able. You can set up one-time or recurring online giving here.
Youth Volunteers
Volunteers are a critical part of UBC’s Youth Group - it’s no exaggeration to say that it literally would not run without them. We’re in need of volunteers to engage with the kids, particularly at our Wednesday night meetings, and to make sure everyone is safe. There is also plenty of room to use specific skills or experience you might have - whether that’s leading lessons, running games, or something else entirely! For more information click this link and/or email kieran@ubcwaco.org.
Youth Dinner
If you’d like to get involved with the Youth Group but can’t volunteer on Wednesday nights you can sign-up to provide youth dinner (cooked, bought, or otherwise!) instead. Sign up for that here and Kieran will reach out to you at the beginning of the week you sign up for to arrange details.
Children’s Ministry
Want to serve with UBC Kids but can’t but can’t say yes to a once/month commitment? We’d love to add you to our list of dedicated subs who can step in from time to time. Email brooke@ubcwaco.org to sign up.
On Wednesday October 26th, the 5/6th grade group and youth group will be combined for a Halloween celebration. We are going to eat dinner, have a costume contest, and watch a Halloween-themed movie.
We are going to meet up at the Cameron Park Zoo at 9am on Saturday the 29th. The zoo is having a Halloween themed scavenger hunt! Bring yourself and your kiddos out to the zoo for a fun day, and get to know some other UBC families. Costumes are encouraged, but not required. Email toph@ubcwaco.org with any questions.
All Saints Liturgy - Tuesday, November 1st at 5:30pm
Fall Fire Chill - Friday, November 4th at 6pm
Belief & Belonging Festival - Saturday, November 5th
UBC is hosting Waco's first TEDx-style event! The Belief & Belonging Festival will feature local and national speakers and performers (like our very own Jamie McGregor!) exploring ideas around how what we believe, once believed, and/or are trying to believe impacts when/where, and how we belong or once belonged. Virtual tickets are also available with access to both the livestream and a 72-replay option. Use this code ubchome at checkout and receive $10 off General Admission tickets!
For more information or ticketing, visit the Eventbrite page, Instagram or Facebook. You can also contact, Sharyl West Loeung at sharylwl@gmail.com.
Women's Group-Hangout - Friday, November 11th at 7pm
Thanksgiving Lovefeast - Sunday, November 13th at 5:30pm
UBC Families Meetup-Mini Golf - Monday, November 14th, 5-7pm
Post-Thanksgiving Evening Service - Sunday, November 27th at 6pm
Find more details and our full calendar of events on our website. This calendar is updated frequently, so check back often!
Parishioner of the Week
The parishioners of the week are the Lands for hosting the LGBTQIA+ meetup on Friday.
Preaching Schedule
10/23: Craig
10/30: Kieran
11/6:Kirk
11/13: Listening to Our Congregation: LGBTQ Folks
11/20: Christ the King Sunday
11/27: Kirk
12/4: Kirk
12/11: Ryan Miller
12/18: Patrick Broaddus
12/25: Special Christmas Stream (Online Only)
1/1: Brunch Church!
Leadership Team
Ben Raley (benjaminraley@gmail.com)
Jose Zuniga (jzgrphix2002@yahoo.com)
Katie Valenzuela (katarinaevalenzuela@gmail.com)
Andy Clark (andyclarkmusic@gmail.com)
Aleigh Ascherl (aleighascherl@gmail.com)
HR Team
Erin Hill (erin.albin1@gmail.com)
Patrick Broaddus (patrickjbroaddus@gmail.com)
Craig Nash (craig_nash@baylor.edu)
Kristen Howerton (khowerton94@gmail.com)
Abbey Mackey (abbeyadizdar@gmail.com)
Jess Smith (jess_smith1@baylor.edu)
Finance Team
Mike Dodson (financeteammike@gmail.com)
Colton Towns (cctowns@gmail.com)
Julie Sievers (juliehsievers@gmail.com)
Evan Kidd (evan.kidd1@outlook.com)
