TOPH’S POST
Holy Saturday
Holy Week is next week, and we will have multiple opportunities to gather as a community: Palm Sunday Picnic, Maundy Thursday Service, and a Good Friday Service. With each passing year I am drawn more into the chaos, and ebbs and flows of the week. We start with the jubilation of Christ’s entrance as we anticipate our hopes and dreams coming true with the ushering in of the kingdom we’ve envisioned. We move toward the intimacy of table fellowship with Jesus, and he again must reshape our narrative of what his kingdom will be like so we are can prepare for what is to come. We then must face the cross: the death of our dreams and hope lost.
Growing up, the only thing we celebrated during Holy Week was Easter. And we should celebrate Easter, the conquering of death, the hope of resurrection in all things. When we skip over the rest of the moments, we deny ourselves an essential element in Holy Week: God is with us. God has been through the highs and lows of our journey, even when hope is lost, and God seems silent. God is with us. And I don’t know about you, but it is much easier for me to see God in resurrection moments and mountaintops, but it is necessary for me to believe God is with me in grief, sorrow, and hopelessness. I have little interest for a God who only appears on mountaintops and in victories. All of this has me thinking about Holy Saturday, when Jesus has died, and God is silent. As I think about the civil wars in Somalia and Yemen, the ongoing war in Ukraine, the thousands of people who have been killed in Palestine, and the people of Haiti who live under the rule of gangs, I must believe in a God who is present in silence. I must believe all the prayers and cries of the oppressed and terrorized are heard by God, and God is near (even when we don’t believe God is).
In Black Liturgies, Cole Arthur Riley has a prayer for Holy Saturday. I hope you will join me in praying this prayer next Saturday:
God of the liminal, When we take account of the tragedies of the world, it is difficult to believe there is a powerful and loving God. Are you really with us? Why won’t you intervene to bring justice and healing now? We trust that you are patient with these doubts. A God who is not threatened by our unbelief but draws near to us in it. Help us toward an understanding of you that includes tension and mystery. Let us be empathetic with our souls, which have endured so much suffering, and have a right to ask deep questions of our maker. But as we do, let us find empathy for you—a God who is no stranger to suffering but endures all things with us, that we might find full liberation. Let our doubts lead us into a deeper intimacy with the divine, as we tell the truth of the questions that plague us. Amen.
THIS WEEK
College Hangout - March 19th - 7-9pm
Join us for our next college hangout on March 19th from 7-9pm. We will be heading to Top Golf. UBC will pay for the bay, you just pay for whatever food and drinks you want! Email toph@ubcwaco.org with any questions or to sign-up.
UBC Youth Group - Wednesday, 6pm
If you are a parent of one of our youth group kids, you can sign up for the youth mailing list by emailing emily@ubcwaco.org.
Pints with Toph - Wednesday, 6pm, Pinewood Public House
Parent's Night In - Friday, 5-7pm
Families are invited to gather for spiritual formation with Andie. Parents will discuss the wilderness of parenting while kids will enjoy a movie night.
GIVING
UBC survives on the generosity of our congregation. Your financial contributions allow us to continue to create a space that is welcoming to all, embraces beauty, and seeks to live life to the fullest.
You can give, as you’re able, on Sunday mornings or set up a single or recurring online gift here.
If you ever have trouble with giving online or have a question about how to give, feel free to email administrator@ubcwaco.org.
CHURCH NEEDS
NEW BABY MEALTRAIN ALERT
Elysa and Marcus Franklin welcomed a new baby this week! Let’s keep them fed for a few weeks while they become acquainted with parenthood: https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/lo9yq4.
Youth Group Dinner Sign Ups
Part of our youth’s weekly gathering is eating together, which is of course important for the growth of both community and teenagers. You can help foster this growth by signing up to bring food some time. You’ll find more info and a sign up sheet here.
Tech Booth Volunteers
We are looking for a few more folks to volunteer in the tech booth on slides, lights, and the livestream. Previous experience isn’t required—we can train you! Contact jamie@ubcwaco.org if you’re interested.
Kids Volunteers
We are so thankful for our UBC Kids Volunteers, and are always on the look out for more! If you are available to help on Sunday mornings or other times this semester please email kids@ubcwaco.org
Leadership Team, Finance Team, and HR Team
All of our teams will have people rotating off later this year and early next, and we are currently accepting nominations for people to serve on one of those three teams. If you know someone who would be a good fit, and would like to serve on LT, FT, or HR, please email your nomination to any team member or full-time staff member. If you have any questions, please contact toph@ubcwaco.org
GROUPS
March Madness Bracket Tourney
It’s the most wonderful time of the year (toph’s opinion), March Madness is here. If you want to join the fun and enter a bracket, follow this link for the men’s tourney and this link for the women’s.
Group name: UBC Satan Slayers!
Password: nottodaysatan
The winner of each group will get to select their lunch establishment of choice, and Toph will take you out. Who do you have cutting the nets down this year?
Lent Group - Wednesdays, 6:15-7:30
Lent is an invitation to make space in our hearts, minds, and lives for the mystery of Easter. This group will share with and support one another as we experiment with the three traditional pillars of Lent: fasting, prayer, and giving. Together we'll also consider Lent's historical context and what it offers to the life of faith today.
Lectio Divina Group - Sundays, 9:30-10:30
Lectio Divina (translated "sacred reading") is a way of opening ourselves to God by praying with scriptures. Together, we'll experiment with different approaches to this ancient/future way of drawing near to God. We'll share with and support one another as we practice entering the story of God and finding our own stories reimagined so that we might be formed more fully in the way of Christ.
Micasas
Micasas are designed to build more intentional community within the larger community of UBC. They meet on either Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday night. If you would like to get plugged into a Micasa, sign-up in the foyer or contact toph@ubcwaco.org for questions.
Woven Book Club
The Woven book group will meet one last time on April 21 right after church. We'll be covering the final section of the book and overall thoughts. If you're interested in nurturing a faith our kids don't have to heal from but haven't been able to join us before now, this is a great chance to jump into the conversation. Please email Brooke@ubcwaco.org to RSVP.
UPCOMING EVENTS
!!TIME CHANGE!! Women’s Group hangout - Saturday, March 23rd - 6pm
@ Shorty’s in Hewitt. Bring your partners/kids if you have them. If you’re single, come too! RSVP to Tiffany @ covertjt@yahoo.com.
Palm Sunday Picnic - March 24th - after church
After church, grab some food and meet up at Miss Nellie’s Pretty Place in Cameron Park for a picnic.
Maundy Thursday Potluck - March 28th - 5:30pm
We’ll remember the last dinner Jesus had with his friends by having a potluck. Bring a dish to share.
Good Friday Liturgy - March 29th - 5:30pm
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Find more details and our full calendar of events on our website. This calendar is updated frequently, so check back often!
PREACHING SCHEDULE
3/24- Andie (Palm Sunday)
3/31- Andie (Easter)
4/7- Andie
4/14- Andie
WANT TO CHAT?
Share Your Feedback
Have feedback for us? Feel free to reach out to staff directly with any praises, curiosities, or concerns. You are also invited to submit feedback to the HR team and allow them to pass it along! You can do that with this form: https://forms.gle/1ovkBXSx1Lu3CR448
Pastoral Staff
Andie Pellicer, Lead Pastor
(andie@ubcwaco.org)
Toph Whisnant, Community Pastor (toph@ubcwaco.org)
Jameson Mcgregor, Worship & Arts Pastor (jamie@ubcwaco.org)
Leadership Team (leadershipteam@ubcwaco.org)
Ben Raley
Britt Duke
Andy Clark
Aleigh Ascherl
Marcus Franklin
Shelly Taylor
Katie Robinson
Margo Shanks
HR Team (hrteam@ubcwaco.org)
Kristen Howerton
Abbey Mackey
Jim Wren
Betsy Bracken
Finance Team (finance@ubcwaco.org)
Colton Towns
Ethan Cohen