(In The Life Of The Church)
Ordinary Time
Dear UBC Family,
I find myself wanting to begin with a disclaimer. I’m not an ordained minister, children’s or otherwise. I don’t have a seminary degree. I don’t have any formal training. And yet…
I did spend the last several years walking alongside, listening to, and learning with and from ministers of all types, demographics, and denominational backgrounds like it was my job (because it was literally my job). I am a former kid who spent a lot of time in Sunday School and Bible studies and D-Now weekends and praying around various flagpoles. And I’m a parent, doing my best to guide and teach and encourage my child as she is formed in the way of Christ.
Perhaps most importantly, I’m a human being—created in the image of God—and a Christ-follower—formed and being formed to be more like Jesus, and called to share that love with the help of the Holy Spirit. As are you, my friend.
All this to say, it has been really cool to dive into the deep end of children’s ministry at UBC over the past several weeks. Our kids are awesome! They’re fun and goofy and unique and a little bit nuts. They’re aware of the world and their place in it in ways I’m still trying to grasp. They have big imaginations and ask amazing questions. They are so honest and their hearts are so tender. If you’re not in our classrooms on Sunday mornings you may not get to experience all of this, so I thought I’d share a bit with you here.
On Sunday mornings, our 2-year olds through 4th graders are learning who God is and what God is like through the stories of scripture. Our lectionary-based curriculum is fun, interactive, and tailored to each age group. This semester our kids are in Luke’s gospel learning about The Lost Sheep and Lost Coin (this Sunday), Two Masters (10/2), The Parable of the Rich Man (10/9), A Seed of Faith (10/16), Ten Men Healed (10/23), The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (11/6), and Zacchaeus (11/13), plus a brief detour into Genesis for Jacob Wrestles (10/30).
On Wednesday evenings, our 5th and 6th graders are exploring the overall story arc of scripture and connecting it to the foundations of Christian faith. This year they’re walking through the Old Testament with an eye toward understanding the history of God’s people and adding context for who Jesus is and why Jesus is so important. Next year, they'll continue with the New Testament, learning all about Jesus’ life, ministry, death, and resurrection.
Our hope is that as our children come to know God, they learn that God is good and God can be trusted and they choose to trust and follow God in their own lives. That’s my hope for you and for me, as well.
Grace and peace,
Brooke
P.S. We’re trying out a special, monthly-ish UBC Kids & Families email with more details about what and how our kids are learning, as well as some resources for faith formation at home. If that’s something you want, please hit this link and check the box next to Children & Families (or email brooke@ubcwaco.org).
UBC Pastoral Search Survey
Please take some time to share your feedback by completing the Pastoral Search Survey or scheduling an in-person listening session, which you can do here. If you have questions, please email pastoralsearch@ubcwaco.org.
Leadership & Finance Team Nominations
We continue to seek Leadership Team and Finance Team nominations. These positions are incredibly important for our community and an important way to serve! Thanks for considering carefully if you are interested or if you know someone who might do a good job.
If you have questions about serving on either the Leadership or Finance Team and want to learn about what all is involved, please feel free to read our bylaws or email LeadershipTeam@UBCWaco.org. Nominations can be sent to our email address or to any of our staff members.
This Week at UBC
Youth - Wednesday, 6:00 pm at UBC
5th/6th Graders - Wednesday, 6:00 pm at UBC
Pints w/ Toph - Wednesday, 6:00 pm at UBC
Lgbtqia+ Meetup - Friday, 6:00 pm at Sarah Miller’s house: This will be a potluck, so please bring a dish to share and let us know how many people to expect by signing up here. If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org.
Youth PowerPoint Party - Friday, 6:00 pm at UBC
Youth Games Afternoon - Saturday, 1:00 pm at UBC
Needs of the Church
Children’s Ministry: We still need 5 more volunteers to serve once a month in our Bloom (2/3-year olds) and Branch (Pre-K/K) classrooms.
We’re also looking for dedicated subs who can step in when scheduled volunteers are ill or have scheduling conflicts. This is a great option if you want to serve with our kids but can’t say yes to a once/month commitment!
If you’re willing to serve or would like to learn more, please email brooke@ubcwaco.org.
Youth Ministry: We’re still looking for a few great volunteers to help with our Youth! For more information you click this link and/or email kieran@ubcwaco.org.
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.
Giving: Click here to give online.
Get Involved
All of our groups and volunteer opportunities for the fall started up last week. If you haven’t yet, we would love to for you take a look at this form and find some ways to plug into the life of the church here at UBC. If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org.
Next Week at UBC
Backside - Friday, September 30th at 7 pm
UBC Tailgate at Baylor - Saturday, October 1st: Join us in revelry and anticipation at the Ubc Tailgate. There will be free beer and hotdogs, as well as free memories and laughs. It's going to be a real touchdown of a time. Stay tuned for specific time and location. Contact jamie@ubcwaco.org with questions.
Youth Sunday - Sunday, October 2nd
First Sunday Meal (Foster Care Focus) - Sunday, October 2nd: We will be hosting two different ministries/non-profits who work in foster care, Arrow Child and Family Ministries, and CASA, to share about their work and ways you might support children in foster care. Each have a brief opportunity to share at the end of the service and we will be having a luncheon after church to hear more about their work. Sign-up here or contact toph@ubcwaco.org with any questions.
Upcoming Events
Top(h) Golf - Tuesday, September 27th at 6pm
Women’s Group: The Light in the Piazza - Thursday, September 29th at 7:30pm
St. Francis Day Liturgy - Tuesday, October 4th at 5:30pm
Nübcers Lunch - Sunday, October 9th after church
Young Adult Retreat - Friday, October 14th-Sunday, October 16th
UBC Families Meetup-Waco Zoo - October 29th - 9am
Neighborhood Parties - Friday, November 4th at 6pm
Women's Group-Hangout - Friday, November 11th at 7pm
Thanksgiving Lovefeast - Sunday November 13th at 5:30pm
UBC Families Meetup-Mini Golf - 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
Our parishioner of the week is Nathanael Mosher for leading worship on Sunday.
Preaching Schedule
9/25: Kieran
10/2: Youth Sunday
10/9: Patrick
10/16: Kerri
10/23: Craig
10/30: Kieran